Movie Countdown Get the book
Movie Countdown book cover: a gold Art Deco projector throws a beam of film leader counting down 4, 3, 2, 1.

A new book by film critic Phil Bacharach

Movie Countdown

The Ultimate Guide to Film by Theme, Genre, and Obsession

More than 60 ranked lists, from the best road trip films to the best haunted houses, the best kisses and the best car chases. Every one counts down to a number one worth arguing about.

Read a list from the book Watch the trailer

“Many of his choices had me nodding in agreement; others had me saying, ‘Wait, really?’ Let the debates begin!”

Richard Roeper
20
chapters
65
ranked lists
700+
films
1
fake ID in the name Stanley Kubrick

Now showing

Coming attractions

From the book’s opening pages

The rest of the story is in the book.

Chapter 7: Going Places

The 10 best road trip films

    “Lists are arguments, after all.”

    Pee-wee over Paper Moon? Over It Happened One Night? Rank them yourself and see how far you land from Phil.

    Rank the road trip films

    Beat Phil’s countdown

    Phil ranked them. Now you do. Four ways to argue with the book, every one built on its real lists.

    Your countdown

      The films

        All 65 lists

        Twenty chapters, each named for a movie. Pick any list with a gold play mark to rank it yourself. Phil’s capsules on all of them are in the book.

        Advance praise

        Get the book

        Movie Countdown is 512 pages, 20 chapters and 65 lists, with a capsule review for every film.

        Follow Phil at Cutting 2 the Chase and on Letterboxd.