9. 8 1/2
Frederico Fellini's brilliant depiction of writers block has long been considered one of the great accomplishments in film history. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Language film, 8 1/2 often ranks highly on Greatest Movie lists. 8 1/2 has been particularly acclaimed for its use of visuals, which show the main character escape from his troubles and into dreams and fantasy. Essentially is a film about the making of a film, the title 8 1/2 refers to the number of film Fellini had made up to that point, but in reality it became so much more. It is a film about knowing yourself in a fragmented world, about the mysteries of art, alienation in modern life, and a self reflective look into the mind of one of cinema's all time greats. 8 1/2 uses visuals to explore these ideas in ways that words simply couldn't, making it one of the most purely "cinematic" of all films and earning it a place on this list.