10 of the Best Movies of All Time, According to Mark Kermode

English film critic Mark Kermode has had an extensive career as a movie critic and knows what makes a movie great. Kermode is one of Britain’s most well-known critics who has presented his work in many outlets, including for BBC Radio, and The Observer. Kermode has also written books on movies including It’s Only A Movie: Reel Life Adventures of a Film Obsessive, Hatchet Job: Love Movies, Hate Critics. Every year, Kermode releases his choice for best film of the year.

Kermode’s taste in movies varies widely. As a whole, he is known to encourage movie fans to watch movies with different styles of plots, different kinds of characters, and different takes on what makes a movie. Some movies he recommends, like The Exorcist, are well-known in the mainstream. He offers unique perspectives on these types of well-loved movies. Other movies Kermode recommends, like Bad Timing, are far more experimental and controversial. Each movie he recommends is meant to increase fans’ appreciation.

10 ‘Un Chien Andalou’ (1929)

Directed by Luis Buñuel

Un Chien Andalou is a silent French movie that was co-written by director Luis Buñuel and Spanish surrealist artist, Salvador Dalí. The movie has no clear chronology, frequently jumps through time, and features various settings. With an approximately 20-minute runtime, the movie also features no recognizable plot as it showcases the surrealist art form at its purest. As a whole, the story is about desire. It has a dream-like quality throughout.

What makes Un Chien Andalou so compelling, according to Kermode, is the fact that it is “a satirical gem”. In such a short runtime, the movie is also an exploration of the subconscious and asks what makes people want what they want. Un Chien Andalou is thrilling and fits so much commentary into its runtime. The movie’s commentary on clericism is made through its surrealist art. This adds a greater depth to the story that film fans can appreciate.

9 ‘Céline and Julie Go Boating’ (1974)

Directed by Jacques Rivette

Céline and Julie Go Boating is a quintessential story about female friendship. The story follows the titular characters Céline (Juliet Berto) and Julie (Dominique Labourier). Throughout the story, both protagonists have to navigate increasingly dramatic stakes while becoming deeply entwined in one another’s lives. The two find themselves tasked with solving a mystery of an otherworldly house while establishing their friendship has been to them their entire lives.

According to Kermode, Céline and Julie Go Boating is “a much sought after cult item and has influenced everyone from David Lynch to Susan Seidelman.” Kermode also notes that the movie distills what is so special about female friendship and how compelling this dynamic is. Ultimately, Kermode reflects on the fact that this is a multi-layered story that meditates on the nature of reality itself. The fact that the cast themselves were invited to contribute to the script gave the story additional depth.

8 ‘Capricorn One’ (1977)

Directed by Peter Hyams

Capricorn One stars James Brolin, Sam Waterson, and O.J. Simpson as three astronauts set to be the first people on Mars. Before the mission even begins, however, all three are removed from their spacecraft and brought to a desert military base. They are told that their mission would not have been possible due to a fatal flaw in the spacecraft itself. They realize that they will be killed to protect the secret that NASA was not ready to undertake a successful mission to Mars.

The topical political commentary is what makes Capricorn One so compelling, according to Kermode. Kermode reflects on the fact that this movie was particularly noteworthy in a post-Watergate world. The movie zeroes in on how conspiracy theories are often rooted in a grain of truth and how easily these spread to the public. Kermode notes that the legacy of this movie is that it captures the reasons why people are willing to believe in conspiracy theories and how these evolve.

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7 ‘Bullet Boy’ (2004)

Directed by Saul Dibb

Bullet Boy follows Ricky (Ashley Walters), a young man recently released from prison and finds himself having to protect his younger brother from the realities of gang violence. The story is also a meditation on friendship and how toxic it can become, as Ricky finds himself entangled with his naive friend Wisdom (Leon Black), who will stop at nothing to make a name for himself. Bullet Boy is also a meditation on the destructive nature of violence and revenge.

Kermode notes Walters’ “eye-catching” performance in Bullet Boy and how this launched his career. Of the performances, Kermode also stated “Both Dibb and Walters have travelled far since the days of Bullet Boy, but this urgent, low-budget British drama remains a defining moment in both of their diverse careers.” Walters’ performance in Bullet Boy solidified the fact that he was able to carry major roles in larger movies such as Waz and Life and Lyrics.

6 ‘Blithe Spirit’ (1945)

Directed by David Lean

Blithe Spirit is a supernatural black comedy movie based on the 1941 play of the same name by Noël Coward. Stars Margaret Rutherford and Kay Hammond reprized the roles they played in the stage version, as Madame Arcati and Elvira Condomine respectively. The story follows a spiritualist who summons the ghost of Charles Condomine’s (Rex Harrison) first wife. Once summoned, Elvira’s ghost causes havoc by refusing to leave.

According to Kermode, Blithe Spirit represents “why Lean is still considered one of Britain’s greatest directors.” Kermode notes that Blithe Spirit represented a shift from drama to comedy by David Lean after the director had made a name for himself in projects such as In Which We Serve and This Happy Breed, both also based on source material by Noël Coward. Blithe Spirit is also notable for its technical achievements. In particular, special effects artist Tom Howard won an Oscar in 1947 for his work on the movie.

5 ‘Black Narcissus’ (1947)

Directed by Emeric Pressburger and Michael Powell

Black Narcissus is a psychological thriller based on the novel of the same name by Rumer Godden. The story follows a group of Anglican nuns who are working to establish a hospital and school in an old palace of an Indian Raja. In particular, Black Narcissus follows Sister Clodagh (Deborah Kerr), a nun having a crisis of faith after a failed romance. Kathleen Byron plays Sister Ruth, a nun who becomes increasingly obsessed with Sister Clodagh and Mr. Dean (David Farrar).

Kermode states that, “Oscar wins for Jack Cardiff’s cinematography and Alfred Junge for production design confirm [Black Narcissus] as a technical triumph”. He emphasizes the fact that, beyond the fact that this movie is a technical achievement, it is a deeply passionate project that is unique to its time period. Kermode also speaks to the fact that the performances, combined with the tension that Black Narcissus builds throughout, make it a standout for its time period and a classic today.

4 ‘La Belle et la Bête’ (1946)

Directed by Jean Cocteau

La Belle et la Bête is an adaptation of Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont‘s classic fairytale, Beauty and the Beast. This version of the story focuses on Belle’s (Josette Day) father and Belle’s efforts to protect him from the Beast (Jean Marais). In this version of the story, the Beast falls in love with Belle and proposes to Belle on a nightly basis. Eventually, the Beast lets Belle return home to care for her father, and tells her that he will die of grief if she does not return to the Beast’s home within a week.

Kermode reflects on the fact that La Belle et la Bête sets itself apart from other adaptations of the source material, due to the fact that it takes on a realism that is jarring and effective. In terms of the movie’s legacy, Kermode also notes that some have interpreted the artistic nature of the story is a reflection on the nature of beauty itself, and how it changes over time. Kermode points out that others have interpreted the realistic fantasy that this version of the story is known for is a reflection of a post-World War II France.

3 ‘Bad Timing’ (1980)

Directed by Nicolas Roeg

Bad Timing is a controversial psychological drama starring Art Garfunkel as Alex Linden and Theresa Russell as Milena Flaherty. The story is told through fragmented flashbacks following Milena’s attempted death by suicide. What unfolds is a story of love, guilt, and memory. Bad Timing is so shocking and controversial in its content and style. As a whole, the movie is a reflection on the complexities of human memory and how memory shapes our lives.

Kermode notes that Bad Timing retains its shock value and rawness today, and illicits many of the same feelings that were present in 1980. Director Nicolas Roeg was no stranger to controversial filmmaking and storytelling. Within this, however, Bad Timing stands out as uniquely shocking. Regarding the movie Kermode has a challenge for movie fans: “Today, Bad Timing still divides audiences: monstrosity or masterpiece? Well, watch it and decide for yourself.”

2 ‘The Arbor’ (2010)

Directed by Clio Barnard

The Arbor is a British drama that combines fiction and documentary about the life of English playwright Andrea Dunbar. The movie has actors lip-sync to interviews with Dunbar and members of her family. The main focus of the story is on Dunbar’s relationship with her daughter Lorraine. At times, the movie is unsettling, while at other times, there are deep moments that allow the viewer to connect with the subject matter more deeply.

Kermode observes that The Arbor “[conjures] a portrait of the artist and her offspring that is both emotionally engaging, stylistically radical and utterly unforgettable”. He notes that the movie’s unsettling nature makes it all the more engaging. The Arbor has an emotional depth in its unflinching look at Andrea Dunbar’s life. The fact that it contains first-hand accounts from those closest to Dunbar gives the movie a unique and sometimes uncomfortable perspective.

1 ‘The Exorcist’ (1973)

Directed by William Friedkin

The Exorcist is a 1973 horror movie based on the novel of the same name by William Peter Blatty that follows a young girl who has been possessed by a demon and her mother’s effort to rescue her using a Catholic ritual. Two priests try to help the family and are consistently opposed by the demon they are trying to expel. The Exorcist explores themes of religion, family, and the nature of evil. The movie was the first horror movie to be nominated for an Academy Award.

Kermode states that he has seen the movie over 200 times, and “every time I see it…it works”. He points out the fact that The Exorcist was written by someone wrestling with their own theology, in addition to being a massive technical achievement on its own. In addition to these merits, Kermode explains that the movie has a different look on every viewing, which makes it easy to appreciate each time.

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