The film industry has been around for over a century now making cinema quite a young art form - but still a significant one. Both good and bad movies are released every year with a general consensus being that cinema is getting worse...
However, when it comes to the best of the best, it appears that audiences love old movies just as much as they love more recent movies. Hence, here are 5 Oldest (& 5 Latest) Films On The IMDb Top 250 List.
Oldest: Metropolis (1927)
Metropolis is one of those big early films that everyone has heard about one way or another. This German expressionist sci-fi masterpiece is Fritz Lang's most well-known work which, surprisingly, was released to mixed reviews.
Only later did it get the praise it deserves. The film is notable for its incredible visuals, interesting themes, and incredible achievements in the world of science fiction being one of the first feature-length films of the genre.
Latest: Klaus (2019)
Netflix is one of the best platforms for discovering some interesting works that might have been otherwise overlooked (for example, the recent Spanish The Platform). This is exactly what happened to the amazing 2D animated film Klaus.
The story is simple: the lazy and spoiled son of a wealthy Postmaster General is sent far away to the north to be enrolled in the postman training program. He befriends a local named Klaus who, according to this alternate Santa Claus origin story, later becomes the infamous symbol of Christmas.
Oldest: The General (1926)
When it comes to comedy during the silent era, Charlie Chaplin is often the first director that comes to mind. But there was another one who is sometimes considered to be superior to Chaplin - Buster Keaton. No wonder his 1926 film The General made it on the list.
Inspired by the Great Locomotive Chase, the film tells the story of a train engineer who needs to steal his beloved locomotive back from thieves. Initially a critical and commercial failure (which made Keaton lose his independence as a filmmaker), the film was later reevaluated and is now considered a classic.
Latest: 1917 (2019)
Perhaps one of the most remarkable things about 1917 is that it appears to be filmed in one shot. Of course, there are actually many cuts that make the film work, but the sheer amount of planning that went into it is truly outstanding.
The plot follows two soldiers tasked with delivering an important message, but what is truly impressive is the film's cast with such actors as George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, and others.
Oldest: The Gold Rush (1925)
The Gold Rush is probably Charlie Chaplin's most well-known work (though The Great Dictator might be a little more famous). Set during the Klondike Gold Rush, it follows Chaplin's Tramp who tries to survive in the cold and manage to get some gold for himself as well.
The film is still one of the most beloved silent era comedies which is considered a classic and included on numerous top film lists. Chaplin himself has remarked numerous times that this is the film for which he most wanted to be remembered.
Latest: Avengers: Endgame (2019)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe keeps expanding every year with many of its films getting on the IMDb Top 250 list. Avengers: Endgame, however, is a special movie for the entire geek community and even a large part of the Earth's population.
After being defeated in Avengers: Infinity War, the surviving superheroes need to unite again to go back in time and fight Thanos bringing back everyone who disappeared as a result of the Snap. Obviously, the movie was described as the "most anticipated film of the century".
Oldest: Sherlock Jr. (1924)
Sherlock Jr. is another notable example of a great silent-era comedy from Buster Keaton. But despite what its title may suggest, the film is not exactly an adaptation of the famous Sherlock Holmes stories.
The main character is a film projectionist who wants to marry a beautiful girl and become a detective. He is framed by his rival for stealing the girl's father's pocketwatch. While showing a film about theft, he falls asleep and imagines himself as the world's most renowned detective - Sherlock Jr.
Latest: Joker (2019)
Though Joker wasn't originally intended to be an "event" movie, it definitely became one of the most talked-about films of 2019. Couple that with the fact that it had an R-rating and was based on DC's most well-known supervillain and you get the unlikely contender for an incredible box office success and 11 Academy Award nominations with 2 wins.
Despite being based on comics, it actually strays away from them quite a lot. The film centers on an aspiring stand-up comedian Arthur Fleck who slowly starts descending into insanity while a violent revolution unfolds inspired by his own actions.
Oldest: The Kid (1921)
The Kid is still considered one of the greatest films of the silent era in part thanks to its combination of dramatic and comedic elements made possible by Charlie Chaplin's unique approach in his feature film directorial debut.
The story follows The Tramp who becomes a caring father for an abandoned child. A chain of events put this relationship in jeopardy. Initially, the film became the second-highest-grossing film of 1921 which is obviously in part due to the emotional elements of the plot.
Latest: Parasite (2019)
The latest Best Picture winner at the Academy Awards, Parasite has come to us all the way from South Korea. Though Bong Joon-ho has previously directed some American co-productions (Snowpiercer and Okja), this is by far his most well-known picture in the United States. After all, he received three major Academy Awards for it: Best Director and Best Original Screenplay along with the aforementioned Best Picture.
The story follows a poor family who manages to get employed by a wealthy family one after another. They pretend to be unrelated, highly-qualified individuals, but their lies are soon to be revealed.