20 (or so) movies you need to see on the big screen

In the 1950s, a night at the movies was treated as something special. This was the era of ornate movie palaces with just one or two screens. In answer to the growing popularity of television as an entertainment alternative, studios went big—bigger theaters, bigger pictures, bigger sound (the more things change…). They came up with new technology like 3D and stereophonic sound to lure viewers out of their homes and into theaters. One of these innovations was CinemaScope, a widescreen lens that produced a picture almost twice the width of the industry standard at the time. How To Marry A Millionaire, starring Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable, and Lauren Bacall as gold diggers hoping to score rich husbands in New York City, was the first film released in the format. Billed as “the modern miracle you see without special glasses,” (that’s an inside joke for those who have seen it) it’s a colorful portrait of the lives of this trio of single girls in the city. But unless you’ve seen it in a theater, you probably haven’t seen all of it. Literally. Director Jean Negulesco made the most of his large canvas, filling the picture from edge to edge as much as he could. Subsequent attempts to translate it to smaller screens have resulted in awful pan-and-scan versions, severe letterboxing, or simply cutting off the edges to match narrower aspect ratios. This classic screwball comedy deserves to be seen in its entirety without such indignities.

The American southwest provides a gorgeous backdrop for The Searchers, legendary director John Ford’s masterpiece. The vast scope of the natural landscape in this epic Western makes an indelible impression, as John Wayne and his posse of Rangers traverse the prairies, deserts, and red rocks of Monument Valley in search of his missing niece (played by Natalie Wood), who was abducted by a group of Comanche. That impression was one that stuck with many aspiring young filmmakers who originally saw it in a theater and would go on to reference it in their own films, including Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg. Widely considered among the best films ever made, it’s still frequently screened in limited engagements, and will no doubt continue to influence creative minds for generations to come.

Another filmmaker who has cited as a major influence on his aesthetic is David Lean (who would, in turn, inspire filmmakers like Denis Villeneuve). His spectacular biopic Lawrence Of Arabia tells the story of British soldier T.E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole), who helped drive Ottoman forces out of the Middle East during World War I. Lean transports the audience to an endless sea of sands and towering dunes, bathed in golden sunlight (sounds familiar, right?). The panoramic visuals, photographed in Panavision 70 mm, are masterful on their own, but when accompanied by Maurice Jarre’s soaring score the effect is truly transformational. Once you’ve let it whisk you away, you’ll never see the film the same way again.

All of Stanley Kubrick’s films have a strong visual language and soundtracks that draw you into his diligently crafted worlds, and they all look stunning on the big screen. But it’s 2001: A Space Odyssey that benefits the most from a theatrical presentation. To quote Christopher Nolan, who has called it the best sci-fi film ever made, “The point of 2001 is the thing itself, is the experience itself. It needs to just wash over you and inform you through the immersion into this extraordinary world.” The film relies as much on emotion as it does on logic or storytelling conventions, effectively evoked by Kubrick’s use of music, from the opening fanfare of “Also sprach Zarathustra” to “The Blue Danube” space waltz to the discordant voices that underscore the appearance of the monolith. Accompanied by the poetic images of infinite space, it leaves you with the grand impression of our tiny place in the universe.

Many of the filmmakers represented here are masters of their craft, but when it comes to truly understanding the power of movies to connect with an audience, Steven Spielberg is the king. The reason we picked his Close Encounters Of The Third Kind as opposed to, say, Raiders Of The Lost Ark or E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial or Jurassic Park is because that film truly comes alive when you see it in a theater in a way it doesn’t when you watch it at home. If you happened to catch it during its 40th-anniversary re-release in 2017, you’ll know what we mean. While the climactic scene on top of Devils Tower, where Richard Dreyfuss and Melinda Dillon have been drawn through persistent visions, is impressive on a small screen, in a theatrical setting it knocks the wind right out of you. And you may not be able to catch your breath again until the credits roll.

The production of Apocalypse Now was an infamous fiasco (as chronicled in the documentary Hearts Of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse) but it’s hard to argue that all that trouble wasn’t worth it. Francis Ford Coppola’s Vietnam War epic has been through , but no matter which version you see, there’s nothing quite like seeing it on a big screen. Each iteration brings new context and interpretations.The striking images of smoke, fire, dirt, and muddy water create a sickly palette, beautifully captured by Oscar-winning cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. The energy in these scenes helps drag the audience along with Martin Sheen’s Captain Willard through the jungle, down the river, and into the lair of Marlon Brando’s Colonel Kurtz, where Coppola shows off his signature use of high contrast between darkness and light. There’s so much barely hidden in those shadows that only becomes apparent in a properly darkened theater.

Akira Kurosawa’s late-career epic Ran deserves recognition not only as one of his best films, but one of the best examples of the artistry of Japanese cinema. A retelling of Shakespeare’s King Lear set in 16th-century Japan, this war drama is one of the few films in which Kurosawa made use of color, and boy did he ever. Bright spatters of red blood, soldiers carrying banners in rich yellows and reds, orange sunsets, green hills, it’s all in service of shot compositions that look as though they were inspired by paintings (because, in truth, they were). The grand scale of the war scenes really comes across when you see it blown up to cinematic proportions, and Toru Takemitsu’s Mahler-inspired score proves a haunting accompaniment throughout.

Baz Luhrmann didn’t invent the maximalist style of filmmaking, but he sure perfected it. There’s no better example of his skill for cramming his frames with decorative bric-a-brac than his dazzling jukebox musical Moulin Rouge! The final entry in Lurmann’s Red Curtain Trilogy (following Romeo + Juliet and Strictly Ballroom) stars Nicole Kidman as a courtesan who falls in love with an idealistic starving artist played by Ewan McGregor. The rich, ornate sets, the beguiling musical numbers (including a sumptuous Bollywood-inspired set piece), and the celebratory score filled with familiar pop tunes, are all part of the show. It’s a show you want to watch more than once, in an environment where you can get thoroughly caught up in the splendor of the busy, fanciful world Luhrmann creates.

The gap between the experience of watching a film at home and in a theater is especially glaring when it comes to Avatar and Avatar: The Way Of Water. Unlike most of the entries on this list, story and character are of secondary importance to the main attraction of this franchise—the lush, pristine images created through state-of-the art VFX. The eye-popping alien habitats of Pandora, whether we’re in the fluorescent jungle in the original film or the tropical seas of the sequel, made both films massive hits while they were in theaters. Home screens, no matter how big, don’t do these films justice. Perhaps that’s why they tend to fade out of popular culture once those theatrical runs end. Until the next one comes along (possibly towards the end of 2025), to remind the audience what it’s like to watch Avatar in theaters all over again.

Before seeing Gravity you may have never wondered what it would be like to float through space, but by the time you walk out of the theater, you’ll have a pretty good idea. And if you have wondered, it’s likely to put you off that dream for good. Alfonso Cuarón’s cosmic thriller starring Sandra Bullock is not for the weak of heart; it could have been subtitled “100 Ways To Die In Space.” As Bullock’s Dr. Ryan Stone overcomes one calamity after another, we’re right there with her, experiencing the highs and lows of her fight to survive an extraordinary ordeal. The spectacular views we get of our faraway blue planet, the moon, and the starry expanse of the universe constantly remind us of the, ahem, gravity of her situation. The effect is truly absorbing, and it’s only intensified in the theater.

If George Miller wants to just keep making films in the Mad Max universe for the rest of his career, we’d be fine with that. The iconic post-apocalyptic series features some of the best car chases and action sequences ever filmed and, until Furiosa comes out this summer at least, Mad Max: Fury Road is the crown jewel of the franchise. Miller tends to work on a massive cinematic canvas, making his films ideally suited to larger-than-life formats. He also tends to assemble a skilled crew who specializes in bringing those outsized visions to life. Out of the 10 Academy Award nominations the film received (including Best Picture and Best Director), it took home Oscars for its costumes, editing, makeup and hairstyling, production design, editing, and sound. Seeing it on a big screen gives you a real appreciation for those many technical achievements, not to mention the captivating performances of Charlize Theron, Tom Hardy, Nicholas Hoult, and the rest of the outstanding cast.

We were very tempted to put Arrival on this list, due to its status within the film community as an evolutionary step forward in cinematography and visual storytelling. So take it as a bonus suggestion; we’d definitely recommend seeing Arrival in theaters. But, ultimately, we decided to go with another Denis Villeneuve film (actually three others, but two of them will have to wait): Blade Runner 2049. It’s a gorgeous film no matter where you see it, but it doesn’t have quite the same impact on a smaller screen. In collaboration with legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, Villeneuve created an eclectic, dystopian future of neon skyscrapers, barren industrial wastelands, imposing brutalist architecture, and hazy landscapes lit mainly by practical sources. When scaled down it can look soupy and flat, but there’s so much more to see through that fog.

We couldn’t pick one Spider-Verse film over the other, so we’re including them both here. A double feature, perhaps? It wouldn’t be a bad way to spend four hours or so in air-conditioned darkness. The Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse pushed the boundaries of what an animated superhero film could be, with innovative perspectives and a mix of styles that paid tribute to a wide range of comic source material. It felt fresh and kinetic, reminding us of all the fun things Spider-Man (or any superhero, for that matter) could be and do. It was pretty much perfect as it was. Or so we thought. Then Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse came out and changed our perceptions all over again. It took the idea of tribute to a whole new level, offering even more Spider-themed heroes created through even more techniques—from watercolor paintings to punk-rock collages to rough sketches. These films never lets you forget that you’re watching a work of art on a towering canvas.

Hey look, it’s our old friend Denis Villeneuve, making another appearance on this list with two of the most ambitious films of the last few years. Because, like the Spider-Verse films, we couldn’t pick one over the other we’re putting them together as one glorious entry. If you’ve recently gone back and watched Dune at home, either before or after seeing Dune: Part Two at the theater, it’s a pretty good demonstration of the phenomenon we’re talking about here. The difference in viewing conditions can drastically alter your perceptions of these films. Although we don’t yet know how Part Two will play on streaming, we can extrapolate based on its predecessor. There’s simply no comparison.

Yeah, we went there. If you’re already mad about the doubling up of previous picks, you’re really not going to like this sweeping generalization. In fairness, though, there isn’t a Christopher Nolan film from the last two decades that isn’t more effective on the big screen. So, instead of picking just one (and being accused of recency bias if that one happened to be this year’s Oscar winner Oppenheimer), we decided to go with the lot of them. In chronological order, that includes Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Interstellar, Dunkirk, Tenet, and yes, Oppenheimer. Every director we’ve previously mentioned on this list would probably prefer (or would have preferred) to have their films seen in a theater, but Nolan is the only one who got into a very public fight with a major studio (Warner Bros.) for its strategy of releasing films, potentially including Tenet, directly on its streaming platform (we were in the midst of a pandemic at the time, to be fair). Whatever you think of Nolan’s insistence on the supremacy of theatrical distribution, he’s not wrong that it’s the absolute best way to indulge in his epic, effects-driven event films.