4. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
Many people consider Carl Theodor Dreyer's The Passion of Joan of Arc to be the first film that proved the medium was capable of being art and it remains one of the great experiences in film history. The performance of Renee Falconetti is legendary not only for being extremely good but it was also the only movie she ever acted in, which prevents audiences from comparing the role to her other performances. Dreyer shot the film almost entirely in close-ups in order to simulate the experience of actually being at her trial and the movie as a whole is almost a miracle of cinematography for its ability to remain absolutely enthralling while remaining almost the same throughout the entire film. Many critics have called the film timeless because there are no recognizable actors, no dialogue, and because it tells a story that had already become legend in western civilization. Jean Cocteau, a famous French director, said that the film played like "an historical document from an era in which the cinema didn't exist", and watching The Passion of Joan of Arc is a must for any fan of cinema.