Moonlight is a complex, haunting coming-of-age story unlike anything else this year.

Strip away the rich scenery, catchy tunes and now familiar, beloved characters and Pinocchio amounts to little more than a series of awkwardly strung-together morality tales. It's likely that young viewers just discovering this film for the first time won't notice or care, but as adults considering where the film stands among the great animated classics, it's fair to say this still a masterpiece, albeit an imperfect one.

Kubrick originally planned Dr. Strangelove as a straight drama. That he realized the absurdity of the whole thing is a testament to his intelligence; that he pulled it off so brilliantly is a testament to his talent.

It’s a heartbreaking tale of why the haves and have-nots will stay that way, crafted by a virtuoso director at the very top of his game.

There's a sense of beauty and dread that's cleverly injected into George Lucas' American Graffiti, a tone poem and ode to the music, cars and culture of the early '60s. On one level, the film is a staggeringly thoughtful slice of Americana – one night in the eyes of several young teens looking for love, adventure and fun. But on another level, there's a genuine sense of apprehension. The world is quickly catching up to our heroes, and soon they'll be flung head-first into Vietnam, the hippie movement, and a social revolution

A time-honored classic filled with love, happiness and excitement.

The exploration of political upheaval, class and gender inequalities make this an important film, but the fact that it always remains grounded in its personal story makes Roma a compelling and emotional film, shot masterfully by a veteran director who finally created his masterpiece.

Director Steve McQueen's eye is better than his sense of pacing in the nevertheless devastating drama 12 Years a Slave, featuring a standout performance from Serenity's Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Where Citizen Kane changed the way live action films were looked at and made forever, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs did the exact same thing for animation. It remains one of the finest examples of the art form, and anyone who considers themselves a film snob or animation fan must have this on their shelf.

Envisioned as a musical symphony come to life, Fantasia is a bizarre, almost trippy experience rich with hypnotic visuals, dazzling animation and beautiful music.

As a piece of political filmmaking, Lovers Rock is deft and nuanced, a celebration of joy and community built in response to oppression.

There are so many little details, seemingly inconsequential touches – the filmmaker’s style, if you will – that all add up bit by bit to turn this amazing movie into a masterpiece.

Quentin Tarantino’s decades-in-the-making ultimate release of Kill Bill has been worth the wait. Across four hours and change, it retains all the exuberant action highlights that made the duology an instant classic while allowing the saga’s emotional pieces to fall more neatly into place.

Double Indemnity is a masterpiece of Hollywood storytelling.

Dunkirk is a monumental, unconventional, and frequently stunning war movie.

The master filmmaker has made an introspective, thoughtful, even somber film that manages to be just as entertaining as his classics, even while diving deep into the darkest souls and finding some semblance of a heart.

From its powerful opening line to the very end, Grave of the Fireflies is an important film that will prove to even the most stubborn naysayer that animated films can move you just like the "real stuff".

It’s a good movie too chronically polite to achieve anything like greatness.

Call Me By Your Name is a romanticized coming of age film, for better and worse. It’s a lovely place to visit but not particularly absorbing as a narrative, even though Armie Hammer gives an impressive performance.

Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson give their all to Marriage Story, a smart exploration of the emotional intricacies of divorce and how they can rip love to shreds. As characters, they’re a little too extraordinary in their careers to be as relatable as the film wants them to be, but that doesn’t get in the way of the sheer power of the writing and acting on grand display.

It is a damn good detective movie.

Saoirse Ronan gives a standout, brilliant performance and so does Laurie Metcalf as her long-suffering, big-hearted mother. It’s a remarkable solo directorial debut from Greta Gerwig.

The Safdie brothers continue their winning streak of making harshly real films about everyday New Yorkers with fatal flaws. But this time, they’ve also given Adam Sandler a platform to show just how good he is with the right collaborators. The results are as stylish as they are affecting.

The times they are a-changin’ but the Coens keep bringing the hits back home. A masterpiece.

Cate Blanchett’s forceful performance as a world-famous composer makes TÁR a richly detailed exposé of ego.

The scene where Dorothy opens the door of the house and steps into Oz and into color is striking.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is an excellent movie about paranoia, conformity, and the need to "stay awake," or else become jaded, emotionally dead.

Chinatown's deep focus cinematography, dialogue direction and long takes are identifiably Polanski.