http://www.listal.com/list/afis-10-top-10 The American Film Institute in Los Angeles, California, in 2008 honored America’s 10 greatest films in 10 classic film genres. The jury was asked to choose up to 10 movies per genre from a comprehensive list. ANIMATED FILMS: AFI described animated films as "a genre in which the film's images are primarily created by computer or hand and the characters are voiced by actors. A skillful combination of caricature and artistry, animation amplifies reality, offering stories that are visually stylized, but emotionally truthful. Whether it's a minimalist black squiggle or a full-blown tour-de-force of color and movement, animation allows imaginary characters and inanimate objects to spring vividly to life." FANTASY FILMS: AFI described fantasy films as "a genre where live-action characters inhabit imagined settings and/or experience situations that transcend the rules of the natural world. By presenting dreamlike realms where fairies flourish, witches scheme and pigs fly, fantasy demands that audiences believe in magic and hope for wishes to come true." GANGSTER FILMS: AFI described gangster films as "a genre that centers on organized crime or maverick criminals in a twentieth century setting. Profit-minded and highly entrepreneurial, the American gangster is the dark side of the American dream. The gangsters' lifestyles are portraits in extremes, with audiences cheering their excesses and reveling in their demise." SCIENCE FICTION: AFI described science fiction as "a genre that marries a scientific or technological premise with imaginative speculation. Whether it's a flying saucer whirling through space or a gleaming city on a distant planet, at the core of all science fiction is the provocative question, "What if...?" Science fiction presents stories and situations that tap our brightest hopes and darkest fears about what might, one day, turn out to be true." WESTERN FILMS: AFI described western films as "a genre of films set in the American West that embodies the spirit, the struggle and the demise of the new frontier. Brimming with subtext and mythology, westerns offer iconic images of a time gone by and perhaps a time that never was. A man of action with an unspoken code of honor, the western hero faces gun-toting opponents, hostile natives, lawless towns, the harsh forces of nature, and the encroachment of civilization. But the westerner keeps going, drawn to the freedom of the open plains and the promise of a new life." SPORTS FILM: AFI described sports films as "a genre of films with protagonists who play athletics or other games of competition. Whether smashing a ball into the outfield, landing a right hook in the final round or crossing a finish line to the roar of a crowd, sports movies create myths and larger-than-life heroes. The stakes in sports may be simple—someone wins and someone loses—but cheering for a character who faces adversity and aims for the top is an exhilarating reminder of the power of the human spirit." MYSTERY FILMS: AFI described mystery films as "a genre that revolves around the solution of a crime. Steeped in the unpredictability of human nature and wrapped in a tangle of plot twists, mysteries inhabit a world where the secrets are dark and the agendas well hidden. Unlike the open-endedness that characterizes so much of real life, a movie mystery delivers the ultimate satisfaction of a solution in the final reel." ROMANTIC COMEDIES: AFI described romantic comedies as "a genre in which the development of a romance leads to comic situations. Romantic comedy spares no one in chronicling the horror and humiliation, the hope and despair, the agony and ecstasy of Cupid's arrow. Wrapped in fantasy and charm, laced with funny little truths about the human condition, romantic comedies remind us that we're all susceptible to that crazy thing called love." COURTROOM DRAMAS: AFI described courtroom dramas as "a genre of film in which a system of justice plays a critical role in the film's narrative. Innocent until proven guilty. These four words inspire stories where the outcome may be the difference between life and death. The drama inherent in the theatre of a courtroom—the accused enters, prosecution and defense state their case, and a jury deliberates—all build to the moment when a verdict is read." EPIC FILMS: AFI described epic films as "a genre of large-scale films set in a cinematic interpretation of the past. Their scope defies and demands—either in the mode in which they are presented or their range across time. A bloody sword fight in an ancient coliseum; carnage on an open battlefield; a country on the eve of revolution. With sweeping interpretations of turbulent times, epics depict characters that, whether nobly heroic or shamefully depraved, are living life on the grandest of scales." en-us GMT GMT Listal.com <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs' title="Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/172905/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Animation - #1<br /> <br /> Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:45:03 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs http://www.listal.com/movie/snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs B00003CXCQ <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/pinocchio' title="Pinocchio"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/5110/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Animation - #2 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:49:13 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/pinocchio http://www.listal.com/movie/pinocchio B00001QEE9 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/bambi' title="Bambi"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/170792/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Animation - #3 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:49:44 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/bambi http://www.listal.com/movie/bambi B0002YLCOM <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-lion-king' title="The Lion King"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/3353564/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Animation - #4 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:50:15 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-lion-king http://www.listal.com/movie/the-lion-king B0000AMA6E <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/fantasia' title="Fantasia"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/5132/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Animation - #5 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:50:31 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/fantasia http://www.listal.com/movie/fantasia B00003CX9W <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/toy-story' title="Toy Story"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/3657/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Animation - #6 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:50:44 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/toy-story http://www.listal.com/movie/toy-story B00004U9WQ <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/beauty-and-the-beast' title="Beauty and the Beast"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/4315/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Animation - #7 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:50:56 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/beauty-and-the-beast http://www.listal.com/movie/beauty-and-the-beast B00003CX8Y <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/shrek' title="Shrek"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/3665/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Animation - #8 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:51:07 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/shrek http://www.listal.com/movie/shrek B00003CXXJ <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/cinderella' title="Cinderella"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/4457/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Animation - #9 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:51:38 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/cinderella http://www.listal.com/movie/cinderella B0007Z9R7A <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/finding-nemo' title="Finding Nemo "><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/3654/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Animation - #10 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:52:02 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/finding-nemo http://www.listal.com/movie/finding-nemo B00005JM02 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/city-lights' title="City Lights"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/174172/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Romantic Comedies - #1 Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:53:50 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/city-lights http://www.listal.com/movie/city-lights 6305759774 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/annie-hall' title="Annie Hall"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/5673/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Romantic Comedies - #2 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:00:54 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/annie-hall http://www.listal.com/movie/annie-hall 6304907729 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/it-happened-one-night' title="It Happened One Night"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/173703/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Romantic Comedies - #3 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:01:24 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/it-happened-one-night http://www.listal.com/movie/it-happened-one-night B000022TSL <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/roman-holiday' title="Roman Holiday"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/165224/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Romantic Comedies - #4 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:02:06 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/roman-holiday http://www.listal.com/movie/roman-holiday B00003CXCD <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-philadelphia-story' title="The Philadelphia Story"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/34234/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Romantic Comedies - #5 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:02:40 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-philadelphia-story http://www.listal.com/movie/the-philadelphia-story B00004WI59 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/when-harry-met-sally' title="When Harry Met Sally..."><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/2603/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Romantic Comedies - #6 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:03:12 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/when-harry-met-sally http://www.listal.com/movie/when-harry-met-sally 6305214603 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/adams-rib' title="Adam's Rib"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/29242/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Romantic Comedies - #7 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:03:36 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/adams-rib http://www.listal.com/movie/adams-rib 0792835972 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/moonstruck-1987' title="Moonstruck"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/35063/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Romantic Comedies - #8 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:04:02 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/moonstruck-1987 http://www.listal.com/movie/moonstruck-1987 0792838963 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/harold-and-maude-1971' title="Harold and Maude"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/2129876/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Romantic Comedies - #9<br /> Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:04:27 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/harold-and-maude-1971 http://www.listal.com/movie/harold-and-maude-1971 630588255X <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/sleepless-in-seattle' title="Sleepless in Seattle"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/2763373/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Romantic Comedies - #10<br /> Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:05:04 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/sleepless-in-seattle http://www.listal.com/movie/sleepless-in-seattle 0800130944 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-searchers' title="The Searchers"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/162131/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Western - #1 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:05:56 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-searchers http://www.listal.com/movie/the-searchers 6304696566 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/high-noon' title="High Noon"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/37316/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Western - #2 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:06:57 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/high-noon http://www.listal.com/movie/high-noon 0782009972 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/shane' title="Shane"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/68600/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Western - #3 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:07:28 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/shane http://www.listal.com/movie/shane B00004U5SC <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/unforgiven' title="Unforgiven"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/82355/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Western - #4 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:07:57 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/unforgiven http://www.listal.com/movie/unforgiven 0790729644 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/red-river' title="Red River"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/168326/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Western - #5 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:08:36 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/red-river http://www.listal.com/movie/red-river 6304696612 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-wild-bunch' title="The Wild Bunch"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/5049757/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Western - #6 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:14:22 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-wild-bunch http://www.listal.com/movie/the-wild-bunch 0790731037 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/butch-cassidy-and-the-sundance-kid' title="Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/55254/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Western - #7 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:27:28 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/butch-cassidy-and-the-sundance-kid http://www.listal.com/movie/butch-cassidy-and-the-sundance-kid B00003RQNJ <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/mccabe-mrs-miller' title="McCabe & Mrs. Miller"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/138043/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Western - #8 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:28:02 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/mccabe-mrs-miller http://www.listal.com/movie/mccabe-mrs-miller B000063K2Q <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/stagecoach' title="Stagecoach"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/171974/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Western - #9 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:31:55 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/stagecoach http://www.listal.com/movie/stagecoach 6304696582 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/cat-ballou' title="Cat Ballou"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/304527/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Western - #10 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:32:29 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/cat-ballou http://www.listal.com/movie/cat-ballou B00004TJQK <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/raging-bull' title="Raging Bull"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/6663/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Sports - #1 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:34:05 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/raging-bull http://www.listal.com/movie/raging-bull 0792833236 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/rocky' title="Rocky"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/9808/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Sports - #2 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:34:52 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/rocky http://www.listal.com/movie/rocky <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-pride-of-the-yankees' title="The Pride of the Yankees"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/170631/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Sports - #3 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:35:23 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-pride-of-the-yankees http://www.listal.com/movie/the-pride-of-the-yankees 6305308764 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/hoosiers-1986' title="Hoosiers"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/148397/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Sports - #4 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:35:51 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/hoosiers-1986 http://www.listal.com/movie/hoosiers-1986 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/bull-durham' title="Bull Durham"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/90537/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Sports - #5 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:36:22 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/bull-durham http://www.listal.com/movie/bull-durham 6305090645 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-hustler' title="The Hustler"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/143230/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Sports - #6 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:37:09 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-hustler http://www.listal.com/movie/the-hustler B000063US2 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/caddyshack-1980' title="Caddyshack"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/4208/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Sports - #7 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:37:52 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/caddyshack-1980 http://www.listal.com/movie/caddyshack-1980 B00004RF8A <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/breaking-away-1979' title="Breaking Away"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/216317/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Sports - #8 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:38:19 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/breaking-away-1979 http://www.listal.com/movie/breaking-away-1979 B00003CX96 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/national-velvet-1944' title="National Velvet"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/170290/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Sports - #9 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:38:45 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/national-velvet-1944 http://www.listal.com/movie/national-velvet-1944 0792836960 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/jerry-maguire' title="Jerry Maguire"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/2776124/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Sports - #10 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:39:21 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/jerry-maguire http://www.listal.com/movie/jerry-maguire 0800141741 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/vertigo' title="Vertigo"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/28990/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Mystery - #1 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:39:54 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/vertigo http://www.listal.com/movie/vertigo B00000JMOA <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/chinatown' title="Chinatown"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/930807/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Mystery - #2 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:41:09 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/chinatown http://www.listal.com/movie/chinatown B000022TSF <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/rear-window' title="Rear Window"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/1249800/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Mystery - #3 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:41:45 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/rear-window http://www.listal.com/movie/rear-window B00003CXC7 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/laura' title="Laura"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/170027/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Mystery - #4 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:42:17 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/laura http://www.listal.com/movie/laura B00008LDNZ <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-third-man' title="The Third Man"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/167749/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Mystery - #5 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:42:43 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-third-man http://www.listal.com/movie/the-third-man B000025RE7 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-maltese-falcon' title="The Maltese Falcon"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/74654/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Mystery - #6 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:43:21 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-maltese-falcon http://www.listal.com/movie/the-maltese-falcon 6305729328 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/north-by-northwest' title="North by Northwest"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/9920/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Mystery - #7 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:43:51 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/north-by-northwest http://www.listal.com/movie/north-by-northwest 0790749815 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/blue-velvet' title="Blue Velvet"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/5538/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Mystery - #8 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:44:19 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/blue-velvet http://www.listal.com/movie/blue-velvet 0792844793 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/dial-m-for-murder' title="Dial M for Murder"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/9819/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Mystery - #9 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:44:49 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/dial-m-for-murder http://www.listal.com/movie/dial-m-for-murder B0002HOEQ2 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-usual-suspects' title="The Usual Suspects"><img src='http://i2.listal.com/image/155535/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a>Top 10 Mystery - #10 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:45:20 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-usual-suspects http://www.listal.com/movie/the-usual-suspects B00000K0DT