Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
In these hallowed halls (which are of course metaphorical rather than literal) the very best of cinema comes to be celebrated, 24 frames at a time.
Whether they be classics of Hollywood’s Golden Era, genre-defining masterpieces, works of tremendous artistic integrity, cultural touchstones, piercing satires, raucous comedies, or simply the most timely films of their era, these moving pictures are the ones to be admired, to be rewatched, to be celebrated.
At The Film Magazine we made it our mission to celebrate what makes cinema the art form that has shaped our world, and in doing so embraced a scoring system we felt best encapsulated the form itself. Movies were traditionally projected at 24 frames per second, the passing of light through 24 still frames presenting the illusion of movement. So, here at The Film Magazine we rate each film out of 24, scoring each and every one of the hundreds of films we’ve reviewed by the average number of frames that are worth watching.
Over fifty contributors have used our scoring system to rank classics and recent releases alike. Of the hundreds of films reviewed, some of them have been deemed outstanding. Here, in the The Film Magazine Hall of Fame, is every film to have been rated 21 (or more) out of 24; the traditional 5-star rating.
In order of most recently published.
‘Seven Samurai’ at 70 – Review - Akira Kurosawa samurai film 'Seven Samurai' speaks of the reality of the human experience in masterful ways, making it an unmissable experience even 70 years on. Review by Bella Madge.
Charade (1963) Review - 'Charade' (1963), Stanley Donen's thriller starring Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant, has it all: laughter, suspense and a killer romantic pairing. Review by Margaret Roarty.
Psycho (1960) Review - 'Psycho' (1960), Alfred Hitchcock's masterful thriller starring Anthony Perkins, continues to influence writers, directors, and actors to this day. Review by Kieran Judge. 
‘The Matrix’ at 25 – Review - A quarter of a century after its release, 'The Matrix' remains a landmark in culture, a film with aftershocks that are still being felt today. Review by Kieran Judge.
Rebecca (1940) Review - Alfred Hitchcock's only film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, 'Rebecca' (1940) is not exactly perfect but it's certainly damn close. Review by Kieran Judge.
The Wizard of Oz (1939) Review - 'The Wizard of Oz' (1939) remains an impressive filmmaking achievement almost a century on from its release. Victor Fleming directs Judy Garland in timeless technicolour. Review by Clotilde Chinnici.
In the Heat of the Night (1967) Review - Trailblazing Oscars Best Picture winner 'In the Heat of the Night' (1967) starring Sidney Poitier feels tame by today's standards, but still shines a spotlight on inequality. Review by Martha Lane.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) Review - 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' (1975), from director Miloš Forman and starring Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher, won the Big Five Oscars. It is immortal. Review by Kieran Judge.
Titanic (1997) Review - James Cameron's blockbuster romance 'Titanic' (1997) was a cultural phenomenon and impossible to ignore, and remains a testament to what movies can do: make us feel. Review by Margaret Roarty.
The Boy and the Heron (2023) Review - 'The Boy and the Heron', thought to be the final film from Hayao Miyazaki, is up there with the best that Studio Ghibli has ever made. Review by Sam Sewell-Peterson.