How we determine the has changed dramatically over the decades. The British Film Institute’s Sight & Sound poll, conducted once per decade since 1952, represents the most authoritative critical consensus. For years, Citizen Kane dominated. In 2012, Vertigo supplanted it—the first change at the top in 50 years. The 2022 poll shocked many when Jeanne Dielman, 23 Commerce Quay, 1080 Brussels (1975) claimed the number one spot, reflecting changing critical priorities that now champion slow cinema, feminist perspectives, and formally adventurous work.
Crafting a personal top film list is a rewarding endeavor. As discussed by filmmaker Chris Jones , whether titling a film or listing favorites, it's about distillation. film top
: If you define "top" by popularity and revenue, the highest-grossing films are dominated by spectacles like Avatar , Avengers: Endgame , and Titanic . How we determine the has changed dramatically over