Best Films of All Time

I consider myself something of a cinephile. I love foreign films and older, classic movies because of their different approach to storytelling. I suppose I would classify them as art films. It's not simply about the narrative or plot, the art is also in how the story is told. Part of how a film communicates is through the screen writing, another part is the acting, and finally the directing / cinematography is key.

It's not particularly necessary to differentiate between art film and blockbuster movies. Not all big blockbuster movies are mindless entertainment. The Matrix is the first thing I thought of, which is probably not the best example, but there are themes of individuality against an oppressive state, belief in the absurd, and the ultimate sacrifice of a savior.

I have watched many, many movies. Far too many, in the grand scheme of things. But I love a good, thought provoking film. I have made more than one list of best films of all time, consulting online sources for ideas. I am also a huge fan of the Criterion Collection.

There are many on my list that I have yet to see, but I hope to get around to seeing them all. If only they weren't so expensive.

Here are the best films I've seen that are mentioned as great films:

Metropolis 
The Seventh Seal
Tokyo Story
Bicycle Thieves
Seven Samurai
M

Here are the top films I've seen mentioned:

8 1/2
The Battleship Potemkin
The Rules of the Game
Citizen Kane
The Passion of Joan of Arc
The General
L'Avventura
Vertigo
The Godfather, parts I and II
Rashomon
2001: A Space Odyssey
The Searchers
Wild Strawberries

Finally, here are other films that look amazing that are on my list to see:

Andrei Rublev
Jules and Jim
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Raging Bull
Platoon
The Lady Vanishes
The Grand Illusion
Apocalypse Now
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Psycho
To Kill a Mockingbird
Lawrence of Arabia
Ran
Modern Times
Traffic
The Departed
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind