Edgar Wright’s Favorite Movies: 10 Movies You Want to See

Wright’s 2022 Sight & Sound ballot included lauded classics and cult films that reflect his passion for filmmaking.

Edgar Wright's favorite movies: "raising arizona," "Singing in the rain" "don't look now" and "An American Werewolf in London"

(Clockwise from bottom left): “Raising Arizona,” “Singin’ in the Rain,” Edgar Wright, “Don’t Look Now” and “An American Werewolf in London”

Courtesy Everett Collection/Getty Images

Edgar Wright is the ultimate pop culture omnivore. The British director is one of the most outspoken film and music fans of his generation, taking every opportunity to bring up his favorite artists in interviews and reference them in his films. He rarely differentiates by genre and expresses equal admiration for art films and mainstream blockbusters.

This passion for all things fun is reflected in Wright’s eclectic filmography, which ranges from zombie comedies to video game-influenced breakup sagas to car chase musicals without missing a beat. That’s not to say he doesn’t have a distinctive style, as all of his films feature his famously playful camerawork and trademark sense of humor. But rather than limit himself to one genre — or even a few genres — Wright seems determined to apply his filmmaking sensibilities to any cinematic niche he finds remotely interesting.

The sheer breadth of Wright’s cinematic knowledge can be overwhelming: the guy once had guts list his top 1000 movies without a hint of irony. No matter how young you are, it’s almost certainly too late to work your way through every movie Wright ever enjoyed.

This is where Sight & Sound comes into play. Once a year, the magazine’s Best Movies of All Time poll allows participants to pick their ten favorite films (unless you’re Martin Scorsese, whose status as the godfather of cinephilia ensures that no one questions when you submit 20). If you want to dive into your favorite Wright films, the films on Sight & Sound’s ballot are the perfect place to start.

Wright has made it clear that he can discuss obscure cultural oddities with the best of them, but Sight & Sound’s list largely sticks to the arguably great classics. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you phoned between your choices. Wright’s comments on the vote reflect a deep appreciation for the filmmakers who came before him. Collectively, Wright’s ten favorite films reflect the “crowd-pleasing genre fare executed at the highest possible standard” that has defined his entire career.

Read on to see the 10 films that made it to Wright’s Sight & Sound poll and everything he wrote about each.

Register: Stay up to date with the latest movie and TV news! Subscribe to our email newsletter here.


Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *