Movies, like any art form, are subjective and have always been a source of debate. What some might find to be exciting, humorous, or intelligent, others might find dull, cringeworthy, or even outright offensive. While there are certainly movies that are generally considered better than others, it’s rare you’ll find one that is universally appreciated—and even rarer to find one that is considered thoroughly entertaining from start to finish.
The following, however, break the mold. In our opinion, they have the ability to unite people across the globe through the sheer joy they inspire, ensuring each and every person who watches them will finish grinning from ear to ear. Bear in mind, movies can be masterfully crafted, critically acclaimed, and even culturally important—but that doesn’t necessarily make them entertaining. A film might be powerful, thought-provoking, or beautifully made, yet also thoroughly depressing or emotionally draining—making it a great movie, but not one most people would describe as a fun or enjoyable experience.
Below are our picks for the most entertaining movies of all time.
20
‘Die Hard’ (1987)
The quintessential action movie, Die Hard revolutionized the genre whilst simultaneously cementing Bruce Willis as one of the world’s biggest stars. Audiences are kept on the edge of their seats from the moment they’re introduced to his no-nonsense John McClane character as he nervously flies to LA to reconcile with his wife, right through to the utterance of his now-iconic catchphrase, “Yippee-ki-yay, mother*cker,” shortly before ending the life of one of Hollywood’s most legendary villains, Hans Gruber.
‘Die Hard’ Humanized Its Star
Prior to Die Hard, action stars were seen as larger-than-life, muscle-bound, almost robotic killing machines—think Rambo, Commando, or The Terminator. John McClane flipped this convention on its head. Neither military nor special forces, he’s a regular cop who smokes too much and is trying to fix his marriage. Tired, jet-lagged, and emotionally frayed, he’s a flawed but relatable human being.
Entertaining from start to finish, Die Hard perfectly blends relentless suspense, classic one-liners, and a relatable hero with tight, compelling storytelling to create an all-time masterpiece that redefined an entire genre and laid the groundwork for countless movies that followed.
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19
‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994)
Quentin Tarantino is arguably one of the most influential directors of recent times. Following the success of his low-budget directorial debut Reservoir Dogs, he became a poster boy—along with the likes of Robert Rodriguez and Kevin Smith—for the independent movie boom that took place during the early ’90s. Understandably, a lot was riding on his follow-up, but with Pulp Fiction, all reservations immediately dissipated as the world bore witness to one of the most wickedly original pieces of art ever committed to film.
One of the Greatest Movies Ever
Altering the landscape of contemporary cinema forever, Pulp Fiction shattered conventional storytelling norms by presenting a non-linear narrative that intricately weaves together multiple plotlines. The audience is treated to a masterclass in quality acting from the likes of Bruce Willis, Christopher Walken, Samuel L. Jackson, Harvey Keitel, Uma Thurman, Ving Rhames, Tim Roth, and John Travolta. Blending intense drama with pitch-black humor, punctuated with bouts of extreme violence and peppered with sharp, quotable, and witty dialogue (full of pop culture references), Pulp Fiction remains atop many “greatest movies” lists to this day.
18
‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ (1998)
Often considered the British equivalent of Quentin Tarantino, Guy Ritchie made a name for himself directing a slew of gritty British gangster movies before becoming one of Hollywood’s most sought-after directors, helming huge-scale movies like Aladdin and the Sherlock Holmes series. The boldest and best of his early output is arguably Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, which takes viewers deep into the seedy underbelly of London’s criminal fraternity.
‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ Was Guy Ritchie’s Debut Feature Film
Viewers are thrown back and forth into various interweaving stories filled with gangsters, deception, guns, and drugs. It manages to keep audiences on the edge of their seats with its use of crash zooms, involuntary camera movements, visual storytelling, wonderful needle drops, and witty, profanity-filled dialogue.
17
‘Jurassic Park’ (1993)
Directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg and starring Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Sam Neill, it’s hard to believe that Jurassic Park is now over 30 years old. At the time of its release, it quickly became the highest-grossing movie of all time—a record it held onto until 1997’s Titanic. Its story was captivating and compelling, the acting was top-notch, and, most of all, the effects were utterly jaw-dropping and groundbreaking.
The Special Effects in ‘Jurassic Park,’ Arguably, Have Yet To Be Surpassed
Combining groundbreaking CGI with practical animatronics, the film achieved a level of realism and immersion that set a new standard for visual effects. Despite advances in technology, it can be argued that the seamless integration of these techniques has not been matched, as later films often rely more heavily on CGI—sometimes at the expense of the tangible authenticity that Jurassic Park mastered. This, combined with the exciting premise that plays to the near-universal desire to experience the sheer awesomeness of a dinosaur up close and personal, makes Jurassic Park one of the most entertaining movies of all time. Spawning an incredible six sequels, the series’ total worldwide box office earnings sit at over $6.5 billion, making it one of the highest-grossing movie franchises of all time.
16
‘Mary Poppins’ (1965)
Nominated for 13 Academy Awards and winning five—including Best Visual Effects and Best Actress for Julie Andrews as the titular character (her first-ever major role)—it’s not surprising Mary Poppins was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” The film follows the ‘magical’ nanny Mary Poppins, who visits a dysfunctional family in London and employs her unique brand of lifestyle lessons to improve the family’s dynamic.
Groundbreaking
Before Space Jam, before Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and before Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Disney had already mastered the art of combining live action with animation in Mary Poppins. Their utilization of innovative technology saw Mary Poppins flying above rooftops with her umbrella and Dick Van Dyke dancing with penguins—making Mary Poppins one of the most influential and groundbreaking movies of all time.
15
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (2024)
Easily one of the greatest superhero movies of the 21st century, Deadpool & Wolverine became the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, bringing in a staggering $1.3 billion at the box office. Uniting two of Marvel’s most beloved characters, the movie’s irreverent humor, meta fourth-wall-breaking, and heart-pounding action sequences—combined with the electric chemistry between Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds—make for comic book movie perfection.
The Perfect Pairing
While the original Deadpool (2016) is just as deserving of a spot on the list, pairing the two icons together makes it hard to pick any other movie starring the “Merc with a Mouth.” With a slew of hilarious and unpredictable cameos, countless pop-culture references, and gruesomely over-the-top violence, it’s hard not to watch Deadpool & Wolverine without grinning ear to ear.
14
‘Barbie’ (2023)
When it was first announced that a Barbie movie was in the works, literally nobody thought that a movie based on play dolls for small children would become the huge, record-breaking super-hit that it is now. Hitting big at the box office and impressing critics and audiences of all ages, genders, and nationalities alike, the movie has something for everyone.
‘Barbie’ Exceeded All Expectations
The wonderfully whimsical world of bright pink is fun and engaging for the young’uns, while its biting satirical humor and exploration of deeper real-world issues keep the elders entertained. Because of this—and its phenomenal marketing campaign—Barbie has become one of the biggest surprise hits of all time and an undeniably entertaining flick for the ages.
13
‘Tropic Thunder’ (2008)
Bold, brash, and uncompromising, Tropic Thunder is one of the most daring (and thoroughly enjoyable) comedies of all time. The movie also happens to feature what is probably the greatest comedy cast ever, including Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Cruise, Steve Coogan, Bill Hader, Matthew McConaughey, Danny McBride, Nick Nolte, and more celebrity cameos than you could shake a stick at.
Sharp Satire Shrouded in Controversy
Not without its share of controversy—with some finding Downey Jr.’s use of blackface, Ben Stiller’s portrayal of a man with developmental disabilities, and Cruise’s overly stereotyped Jewish character particularly offensive and insensitive—ultimately the movie is a sharp, scathing satire that skewers the self-importance, hypocrisy, and excesses of the film industry and celebrity culture, all with its tongue placed firmly in its cheek.
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12
‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)
Starring a then-unknown Mel Gibson, the original Mad Max movie was a phenomenal success. Set in the post-apocalyptic wastelands of the Australian outback and made on a shoestring budget of just a few hundred thousand dollars, it raked in over $100 million at the box office and has been largely credited with opening up the global market to Australian New Wave films. It was followed by two sequels, released in 1981 and 1985 respectively. While both films— which saw Gibson reprising his role as the titular Max—were critically acclaimed, they failed to have the same impact at the box office and seemingly marked the end of the franchise.
‘Fury Road’ Is One of the Greatest Action Movies of the 21st Century
After 30 long years, Mad Max: Fury Road resurrected the franchise with almighty gusto, delivering one of the most heart-pounding, high-octane action experiences the world had ever seen. Gone was the low-budget grit of the original; instead, an estimated budget of around $170 million was assigned to making a sleek and exhilarating blockbuster experience dripping with visual effects and cinematic flair. The movie was a huge hit, both critically and commercially.
11
‘Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy’ (2004)
Will Ferrell stars as Ron Burgundy, an out-of-touch 1970s news anchor struggling to adapt to the times. Supported by a wild and wacky news team played by the likes of Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and David Koechner, this boys’ club struggles to accept the newly appointed female anchor, played by Christina Applegate. Anchorman masterfully draws from multiple humor types—ranging from one-liners and slapstick to surrealism and absurdism—and wraps it all into one side-splitting ball of satirical silliness.
Ron Burgundy Is One of the Funniest Characters Ever Committed to Film
It quickly became apparent that the outrageous and irreverent humor of Anchorman was far more than just another frat-boy party flick. The movie garnered praise across the board and still remains one of the most quoted movies to this day. Perfectly deriding the outdated nature of the Action News format and the views and culture of the era, the movie was a huge hit and is now considered an iconic piece of classic comedy cinema. Will Ferrell’s tongue-in-cheek portrayal of the cocky, sexist, titular lead anchor particularly won over critics and audiences alike, landing the news anchor on multiple publications’ “greatest character” lists.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
