There's a countless number of films that everyone loves, even cherishes. Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia. David Fincher's Fight Club. Mike Nichols' The Graduate. Those are just a few examples of classic motion pictures that critics adore, filmmakers routinely cite as artistic influences, and audiences will continually discover for years to come. And none of them made this list.
That's because, in recommending 100 Movies to See Before You Die, the criteria needs to be very strict and weighted in historical context. Some films will live on forever, but, upon their initial releases, did said flicks change the course of cinema? Without their respective existences, would entire movie genres be what they are today? When it comes to the irreplaceable, medium-shifting works included in the following list, the answer to both questions is, simply put, "Yes."
