There’s a very good chance that any great film critic or writer was somehow influenced by Roger Ebert, the Chicago Sun-Times reviewer who spoke about films like no one else did. in contrast to today’s long-form essayists and faux-verbose Film Twitter, Ebert could compile in a few paragraphs how he actually felt about movies while holding himself to a high journalistic standard. He blended subjectivity and objectivity in a risky arena and usually succeeded.
He’s a part of popular culture himself. He took film criticism to the mainstream with TV shows, books, and the inevitable rise of the Internet, most notably long-running review TV show At The Movies (first with Gene Siskel, then Richard Roeper) which remains popuilar thanks to YouTube.
Of course, he wasn’t always right. Some of his most acerbic or confounding takes dominated his legacy. But it’s all a matter of personal taste, just like the movies he loved. And, indeed, you can tell a lot about someone by understanding their favorite films. Ebert was very vocal about the list of what he considered to be the greatest films of all time.
When explaining his selection, he was very upfront about the decisions were based on his emotional reactions, explaining, “The cinema is the greatest art form ever conceived for generating emotions in its audience. That’s what it does best.”
These are Roger’s choices for the 10 greatest films of all time. They are in no particular order as Ebert didn’t want to rank his favorites.
If you would rather watch the list, you can find a video version below:
Casablanca
Roger Ebert was very expressive when talking about Casablanca‘s perfect narrative structure, adoring how it forms its arcs through now timeless tragedy and heartbreak. The 1944 Best Picture winner is a true classic, and Roger well explained why. From sharp, quotable dialogue to the simmering romantic performances, it’s a timeless film that stands at the apex of multiple genres: war, romance, drama.
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane is regarded by many as the best film ever made – and they count Roger Ebert among them. Orson Welles’ magnum opus changed the language of cinema, introducing techniques that remain striking to this day. The story was controversial at the time, telling a fictional parallel to newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, and its tale of power, corruption and loss remains perennially relevant.
Gates of Heaven
This 1978 documentary by Errol Morris is one of Roger’s less well-known picks, but that only makes the need to see it higher. Gates of Heaven is a story about the business of pet burial and the people behind it, and how they deal with their own existential questions. But as with any Morris doc, it’s about so much more. Edited in the director’s typical style with no narration (unconventional for the time), it is a simultaneously sad, happy, and weird film experience you won’t forget.
La Dolce Vita
Ebert’s choice of Fellini’s film has sometimes been questioned. The more conventional choice would be 8½, which appears on many critics’ lists. Instead, Ebert chose La Dolce Vita, a beautiful depiction of emptiness in the streets of Rome. It’s a great film, and one that shows how Roger Ebert was willing to back his own opinion and what resonated with him emotionally over the wider critical consensus. This was the Fellini film with the most emotional impact on him, so it made the Top 10.
Notorious
Notorious was Roger Ebert’s favorite Hitchcock film, once again drifting away from the usual suspects (Vertigo and Rear Window would have been the obvious choices). But he once again locks in on a near-perfect movie. This love story, set in the wake of World War II, is still beautiful and emotional. Interestingly, this is the second movie to star Ingrid Bergman on this list, confirming her status as a screen legend.
Raging Bull
Ebert reviewed all of Scorsese’s classics released during his career, but standing high above the likes of Taxi Driver, Goodfellas and Mean Streets is Raging Bull. Ostensibly a boxing movie and sports biopic, the film is a far more introspective on the true story of Jake LaMotta and his life of excesses. Scorsese almost always depicts downfalls, but few feel this poetic.
The Third Man
Selznick Releasing
The apex of the film noir genre, The Third Man is another post-war thriller that resonated with Roger Ebert. Directed by Carol Reed and featuring an icon-cementing performance from Orson Welles, Roger Ebert particularly praised the exceptional cinematography and use of angles and light. It is still considered to be one of the greatest British films ever made.
28 Up
The Up documentaries are some of the more unique out there. The first, Seven Up!, depicted the lives of British children in the 1960s. The series returned every seven years, showing how these people grew and changed over time. It was the 1984 release 28 Up that officially made Roger Ebert’s list, but the whole 9-film, 1018-minute journey is worth a watch. The next film, 70 Up, is likely to release in 2026
Floating Weeds
A film from Japan from the masterfully quiet Yasujiro Ozu, Floating Weeds is a compelling drama about family dynamics gone haywire when an artist comes home and must reconnect with his son who thinks he’s his uncle. Roger Ebert was outspoken about his love for this 1959 film, and he was even included in a commentary track for the Criterion DVD. Floating Weeds is a patient masterpiece that exemplified Ozu’s static camerawork, long takes, and Buddhist stillness.
2001: A Space Odyssey
Ebert’s 10 Greatest Movies was not locked, with him changing entries over the years. 2001: A Space Odyssey was one of the few titles that was never removed from his favorites. Kubrick’s ambitious sci-fi charts humanities evolution from ape through to cosmic Star Child by way of futuristic space travel and to this day remains visually and thematically flawless. Ebert had a love of both science and big, abstract ideas, so this was perfect for him.
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