Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about women in comedy. What makes a great movie? Iconic actors? Great directors? Or is it something harder to define? The ...

Asking an audience to shift gears from one genre to another, especially unexpectedly, can be a difficult task, but these movies did it and fully succeeded.

Some movies do more than entertain—they set the standard for their genre. Whether through groundbreaking storytelling, technical innovation, or unforgettable performances, these films have left an ...