The 30 best movies of 1997

Ranked by weighted audience rating: among 140 movies with at least 300 votes on TMDb, the formula balances the score with the vote count, so a barely-rated title cannot leap past a classic. A Vida é Bela leads, rated 8.3 (1997). The average release year on the list is 1997. The list is recalculated weekly; each title links to its full page, including where to watch in Brazil.

Page updated on 09/20/2026.

1

Life Is Beautiful (1997)

directed by Roberto Benigni · 116 min · 8.4 14,214 votes
2

Princess Mononoke (1997)

directed by Hayao Miyazaki · 134 min · 8.3 9,250 votes
3

Good Will Hunting (1997)

directed by Gus Van Sant · 126 min · 8.2 14,262 votes
4

Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion (1997)

directed by Hideaki Anno · 97 min · 8.3 1,949 votes
5

Titanic (1997)

directed by James Cameron · 194 min · 7.9 27,684 votes
6

Three Men and a Leg (1997)

directed by Aldo Baglio · 98 min · 8.0 2,174 votes
7

L.A. Confidential (1997)

directed by Curtis Hanson · 132 min · 7.8 5,711 votes
8

The Fifth Element (1997)

directed by Luc Besson · 125 min · 7.6 12,101 votes
9

The Game (1997)

directed by David Fincher · 129 min · 7.6 7,547 votes
10

Gattaca (1997)

directed by Andrew Niccol · 106 min · 7.6 7,123 votes
11

Anastasia (1997)

directed by Don Bluth · 85 min · 7.6 5,686 votes
12

Boogie Nights (1997)

directed by Paul Thomas Anderson · 155 min · 7.6 3,682 votes
13

Lost Highway (1997)

directed by David Lynch · 134 min · 7.6 3,037 votes
14

Hercules (1997)

directed by John Musker · 93 min · 7.5 8,087 votes
15

The Devil's Advocate (1997)

directed by Taylor Hackford · 143 min · 7.5 7,014 votes
16

Donnie Brasco (1997)

directed by Mike Newell · 125 min · 7.5 4,968 votes
17

Selena (1997)

directed by Gregory Nava · 127 min · 7.7 1,338 votes
18

Jackie Brown (1997)

directed by Quentin Tarantino · 154 min · 7.4 7,101 votes
19

Children of Heaven (1997)

directed by Majid Majidi · 89 min · 7.9 746 votes
20

Contact (1997)

directed by Robert Zemeckis · 150 min · 7.4 5,170 votes
21

As Good as It Gets (1997)

directed by James L. Brooks · 139 min · 7.4 4,231 votes
22

Geri's Game (1997)

directed by Jan Pinkava · 4 min · 7.6 1,249 votes
23

Fireworks (1997)

directed by Takeshi Kitano · 103 min · 7.7 803 votes
24

Taste of Cherry (1997)

directed by Abbas Kiarostami · 95 min · 7.7 732 votes
25

Open Your Eyes (1997)

directed by Alejandro Amenábar · 117 min · 7.5 1,235 votes
26

Cure (1997)

directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa · 111 min · 7.6 861 votes
27

Happy Together (1997)

directed by Wong Kar-Wai · 96 min · 7.6 822 votes
28

Men in Black (1997)

directed by Barry Sonnenfeld · 98 min · 7.2 15,149 votes
29

Knockin' on Heaven's Door (1997)

directed by Thomas Jahn · 89 min · 7.7 612 votes
30

Funny Games (1997)

directed by Michael Haneke · 109 min · 7.3 2,159 votes