49: The Greatest Films Ever Made?

Lists! What are they good for?

Every ten years since 1952 the British Film Institute’s magazine Sight and Sound has published a list of the greatest films ever made, drawn from a poll of critics (and more recently filmmakers and curators too). The poll has become the accepted standard for “serious” film lovers, intended to be based on a depth of knowledge about cinema that exceeds that of the general public. The most recent edition of the poll was published last week, and I’ll freely admit to being in happy anticipation beforehand, and excited by the results. Here’s why.