The Best Movies of All Time, According to Rotten Tomatoes Ratings

What is the best movie of all time? It’s an answer that will differ based on which person, award or list you look to, because, at the end of the day, taste in cinema is subjective. However, Rotten Tomatoes is considered a pretty good gauge of a movie’s quality, so we decided to consult the Tomatometer and see what it determines to be the best movies in cinematic history.

Considering there’s far more than just one movie that’s earned a fresh rating on the review aggregator it makes it kind of difficult to pick a winner. Therefore, we’ve consulted Rotten Tomatoas’ all-time lists (which use a weighted formula based on the number of reviews) to point out a handful of movies that have made it to the top spot in each genre.

What are the best movies of all time, according to Rotten Tomatoes?

The Best Fantasy movie of all time

The Wizard of Oz

Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%

Nearly 85 years later, The Wizard of Oz has stood the test of time and remained at the top of critics’ lists.

If you’re somehow unfamiliar, the movie follows the adventures of Dorothy and her dog Toto, whose home is swept up in a tornado and lands in the mysterious world of Oz. Once there she teams up with a lion, a tinman and a scarecrow to follow the yellow brick road and ask a favour from the wonderful wizard.

Runners up: The Jungle Book (2016), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

The Best Sci-Fi movie of all time

2001: A Space Odyssey

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

Another classic, 2001: A Space Odyssey is a quintessential sci-fi film. It explores the origins of mankind and the vast possibilities of our future, where humans have colonised space, and unpacks the relationship between man and machine.

Runners up: Back to the Future, Blade Runner

The Best Horror movie of all time

Psycho (1960)

Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%

By now, you’ve probably heard the shrieking violins of Psycho just a few times in your life. The iconic sound originates in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 horror film, which focuses on a shady motel owner, Norman Bates, his encounter with Marion Crane, and the investigation that follows her murder.

Runners up: Get Out, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari

The Best Western movie of all time

The Good, the Bad and The Ugly

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

Directed by Sierra Leone and starring Clint Eastwood, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly will no doubt be seen as the western film to end all westerns for a long time to come.

The movie forces two men into an uneasy alliance as they race to beat a third to a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery.

Runners up: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, High Noon

The Best Computer-Animated movie of all time

Toy Story 2

Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%

The entire Toy Story franchise remains in the upper echelon of animated films, but the first sequel was a standout.

Toy Story 2 sees Buzz and the rest of Andy’s toys race to save their friend Woody from the clutches of a greedy toy collector.

Runners up: Toy Story, Finding Nemo

The Best Classic movie of all time

The Wizard of Oz

Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%

It’s hard to believe that one movie could make it to the top in two categories but The Wizard of Oz has done it as the top-ranking movie in both of Rotten Tomatoes’ classics and fantasy lists.

Runners up: Citizen Kane, The Third Man

Looking for other great movies to watch? Here’s what’s coming to cinemas in 2023.