1. Citizen Kane
I know, I know. You're thinking "really? Citizen Kane at #1, such a shock." Trust me, I didn't want to follow every other list ever made, but the film has to be #1. There is film before and after Citizen Kane. There's really no other way to look at it. Orson Welles crafted a movie of such startling brilliance and innovation that it has influenced everything that followed it. To think that Welles made this movie on his first attempt as a director is just a testament to how amazing he really was in the chair, even rivaling the all time greats like Hitchcock and Kubrick. The deep focus filming techniques add more depth to the movie than had ever been seen before and Welles, as Kane, portrays the most enigmatic character in all of film history. Kane is a man of many passions and a lust for greed but, instead of being an overly indulgent figure for Orson Welles, he comes across as a real human being with flaws and egotistical tendencies. The nonlinear elements of the story have been endlessly mimicked, with the flashbacks being a perfect way to fully display the rise and fall of Charles Foster Kane. There's my list and, as always, thanks for reading! I'd love to hear if you thought anything should have been added or removed.