GREAT CINEMAMASTER LIST
Menu

The Essential 713, made interactive

Find your next
great film.

Search 713 spoiler-free recommendations from 1916 to 2026. Filter by the night you want—not the list you’re supposed to finish.

Direct film viewShowing master rank #7 on its own—not above the ranking.
Refine this collection

Your canon

Back up / restore my film dataLoading your progress…Saved only in this browser
Artwork
DirectorAll directors

Most represented · 6+ films

More recurring directors · 3–5 films54
All directors · surname A–Z438
ActorAll actors

Most represented actors

Big Three membership
Major award winners

1 selected film

Master Rank balances Greatness, Engagement, and Ease. Sort by Greatness for the artistic-canon view.

Director:
Cast:
View Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back film page
Original poster artwork · Great Cinema Master List

Spoiler-free premise

After the Empire attacks the Rebel base on Hoth, Luke travels to Dagobah to train with Yoda while Han, Leia, and Chewbacca flee Imperial pursuit.

Read expanded premiseLonger, still spoiler-free

After Imperial forces drive the Rebels from Hoth, Luke Skywalker travels to Dagobah for training with Yoda. Han Solo, Leia Organa, Chewbacca, and C-3PO flee aboard the damaged Millennium Falcon while Darth Vader pursues them.

Why it belongs

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back deepens the space opera through physical worlds, parallel peril, philosophical doubt, and a darker emotional register.

Read expanded why it belongsThe fuller editorial case

The sequel deepens space adventure through parallel story lines, physical production design, Frank Oz's expressive Yoda performance, and a darker emotional register that allows defeat, uncertainty, and character conflict to carry blockbuster drive.

Major award wins

No verified wins in this six-institution crosswalk.

Awards are reference metadata only · zero points in 40/40/20
Good for
Date NightFamilyFilm Club
Descriptive guidance derived from rating, genre, runtime, mood, and GCML scores.

Institutional reference ranks

Sight & Sound—IMDb Top 25015AFI 100—
Reference metadata only · not part of the 40/40/20 score

Great Cinema Master List scores

Greatness9.4
Engagement9.8
Ease9.3

English · PG
Narrative Feature
Mood: Epic & Gripping