By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

My #31 is The Wizard of Oz, one of several movies on my list from 1939, the best year in the history of movies. Like E.T., The Wizard of Oz is family entertainment but it's also a masterpiece of sound, music, and fantasy storytelling. The movie is funny, touching, wistful, and nearly flawless on a technical level. Especially during musical numbers, where production design, costume design, music, lyrics, and fantasy all merge in glorious technicolor. Or, in the case of "Over the Rainbow," sepia-tinted black & white. An enduring piece of American cinema.