1976 Movies Ranked
1976 films ranked worst to best.
Films reviewed: 51
Last updated: September 7, 2026
Top 10
The Full Ranking
51.
Midway
(1976)
★
Even setting aside its excessive and awkward reliance on archival footage, Midway feels less like a gripping war epic and more like a dramatized history lesson—the kind that leaves students zoning out to the drone of a monotone lecture.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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50.
Black and White in Color
(1976)
★
While Black and White in Color brought international attention to a lesser-seen corner of the world, it failed to give its most compelling voices the space they deserved.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
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49.
Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom
(1976)
★
Salò aims to shock with an unflinching look at fascism’s horrors, but its blunt, disturbing imagery lingers more as shock than as true insight.
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48.
A Star Is Born
(1976)
★★
A Star Is Born (1976) offers impressive concert scenes and Streisand’s star power—but it’s the least convincing version of the classic tale.
Where to watch: Hollywood Suite, Buy/Rent
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47.
Two-Minute Warning
(1976)
★★
As a disaster movie, Two-Minute Warning is technically competent and moves well from scene to scene, but it never rises above being a hollow exercise.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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46.
Logan's Run
(1976)
★★
Logan’s Run dazzles with its futuristic world and bold ideas, but stumbles into mediocrity the moment it leaves the dome, squandering its potential with a lifeless second half.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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45.
In the Realm of the Senses
(1976)
★★
Nagisa Ōshima’s most infamous film blends real-life obsession and raw intimacy, but trades subtlety for repetition and shock value.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel
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44.
The Incredible Sarah
(1976)
★★
More informative than thought-provoking, The Incredible Sarah entertains with Glenda Jackson’s dynamic performance and stunning production design. However, its shallow, Wikipedia-like approach fails to examine who Bernhardt truly was and what it meant to be one of the first celebrities.
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43.
Silver Streak
(1976)
★★
Wilder plays the mishaps—walking into wrong compartments, witnessing things he shouldn’t, being mistaken for someone else—with an odd restraint. Unlike Peter Sellers, who would fully embrace the physical absurdity, Wilder mostly reacts with frustration and yelling, making it feel more like overplayed irritation than genuine comedic escalation.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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42.
Fellini's Casanova
(1976)
★★
Fellini’s Casanova is an admirable artistic statement, but one that pushes its extremes so relentlessly that it risks suffocating the viewer.
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41.
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
(1976)
★★
John Cassavetes’ The Killing of a Chinese Bookie turns a crime film into a slow, meandering character study, focusing less on suspense and more on the quiet unraveling of its deluded protagonist.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel, Buy/Rent
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40.
Voyage of the Damned
(1976)
★★
Voyage of the Damned feels like an event film. But as a retelling of history, the film dilutes the real-life tragedy, turning it into the backdrop of a passable but not particularly tense or thrilling disaster film.
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39.
King Kong
(1976)
★★
King Kong feels like a half-hearted retread—neither bold enough to reinvent the story nor strong enough to stand on its own. You’re better off watching the 1933 original or Jackson’s 2005 remake.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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38.
The Enforcer
(1976)
★★
It’s worth noting how rare it remains—even decades later—to see female police officers co-leading films like this. That alone makes The Enforcer noteworthy, even if its execution feels lacking by modern standards.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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37.
Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
(1976)
★★
Chantal Akerman’s Jeanne Dielman explores the hidden labor of daily life with unflinching detail, bravely diving into the mundane to reveal deeper truths. However, its heavy-handed approach and lengthy runtime raise questions about whether the film’s insights could have resonated more effectively with a more concise narrative and dynamic editing.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel, Buy/Rent
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36.
Marathon Man
(1976)
★★
Marathon Man follows Hoffman’s relatable everyman as he gets caught up in a whirlwind of danger and secrets. It doesn’t fully stick the landing, but the journey is packed with thrills.the suspense and twists make it worth watching.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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35.
Canoa: A Shameful Memory
(1976)
★★★
Canoa is a powerful and necessary film, largely due to the impact of the real events it portrays. What it lacks in cinematic polish, it makes up for in moral urgency.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel, Buy/Rent
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34.
Maîtresse
(1976)
★★★
Maîtresse feels more concerned with shocking the audience than truly challenging them, and its reluctance to engage with deeper questions about its characters’ desires or vulnerabilities prevents it from reaching its full potential.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel
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33.
Silent Movie
(1976)
★★★
Not a classic, but certainly a curious delight, Silent Movie is a fun, self-aware experiment that reminds us how much Brooks loves the movies—even when he’s just playing around with the form.
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32.
Chess of the Wind
(1976)
★★★
A visually stunning rediscovered gem, Chess of the Wind explores societal decay and the oppression of women, but its unfocused script and underwhelming direction hold it back from greatness.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel, Buy/Rent
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31.
Family Plot
(1976)
★★★
Family Plot shows that Hitchcock wasn’t fully ready to embrace the stylistics of the 1970s, but it remains a fun and breezy swan song for one of cinema’s greatest directors.
Where to watch: Hollywood Suite, Buy/Rent
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30.
The Missouri Breaks
(1976)
★★★
The Missouri Breaks is a film that is constantly at odds with itself. There are flashes of brilliance, moments of tension, and performances worth watching—but they never come together into something greater.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Buy/Rent
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29.
The Tenant
(1976)
★★★
The Tenant leans further into abstraction, emphasizing mood over narrative cohesion. It remains an intriguing, if flawed, work—more fascinating to analyze than to experience.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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28.
Face to Face
(1976)
★★★
Face to Face is a fascinating but uneven psychological study. One that succeeds not because of Bergman’s direction, but despite it.
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27.
Bugsy Malone
(1976)
★★★
At times, Bugsy Malone feels like a big-budget school play, but the concept is so unique and charming, and Foster is so fantastic, that it makes it worth checking out.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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26.
The Omen
(1976)
★★★
The Omen is best experienced as a visual accompaniment to its masterpiece of a score, rather than the other way around. While the film itself is engaging in moments and effectively eerie, it’s Goldsmith’s music that makes it unforgettable.
Where to watch: Disney Plus, Crave, Hollywood Suite, Buy/Rent
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25.
The Bad News Bears
(1976)
★★★
The Bad News Bears is imperfect, and it works better because of that. A fun, offbeat sports movie that has more bite than you’d expect.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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24.
The Last Tycoon
(1976)
★★★
A beautifully crafted but emotionally distant look at 1930s Hollywood, The Last Tycoon (1976) sees Robert De Niro in top form. Still, Elia Kazan’s final film feels more restrained than it should.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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23.
Obsession
(1976)
★★★
The result is a film with a fantastic Hitchcockian gloss—Herrmann’s score is monumental, and the melodrama is undeniably enticing—but it’s all in service of a shallowed-out script.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel, Buy/Rent
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22.
The Outlaw Josey Wales
(1976)
★★★
The Outlaw Josey Wales remains a significant stepping stone in Eastwood’s career, hinting at the introspective storytelling he would later master, but without fully reaching that level yet.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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21.
The Man Who Fell to Earth
(1976)
★★★
Even when The Man Who Fell to Earth meanders or loses its way, Bowie’s presence anchors it, making it one of the most unique and haunting entries in the genre.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel, Buy/Rent
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20.
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
(1976)
★★★
With Peter Sellers in fine form and Herbert Lom’s Dreyfus at his best, The Pink Panther Strikes Again finds comedy in chaos, doubling down on the absurdity even if it sacrifices its detective roots.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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19.
Mr. Klein
(1976)
★★★
Mr. Klein is a cold, cerebral mystery about identity, complicity, and how quickly privilege disappears when the system turns. It’s elegantly crafted, thematically rich, and deeply unsettling.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel
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18.
1900
(1976)
★★★★
It doesn’t quite belong in the same league as The Godfather or Once Upon a Time in America, but 1900 remains a fascinating, visually stunning epic that captures history in a way few films dare to attempt.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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17.
Mikey and Nicky
(1976)
★★★★
Mikey and Nicky remains a film well ahead of its time. Messy, emotionally charged, and deeply human, it paved the way for the kind of behavior-driven storytelling that would only gain appreciation in the decades that followed.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel, Buy/Rent
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16.
Robin and Marian
(1976)
★★★★
Robin and Marian is a thoughtful deconstruction of heroism and sacrifice, offering a reflective take on the Robin Hood legend. Anchored by two perfectly cast leads and a powerful score, it rewards those willing to embrace its quieter, introspective tone with a story that lingers long after it ends.
Where to watch: Hollywood Suite, Buy/Rent
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15.
Murder by Death
(1976)
★★★★
Murder by Death combines sharp satire and zany humor, offering a brisk, entertaining take on classic detective stories.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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14.
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution
(1976)
★★★★
Seeing Holmes undergo treatment with Sigmund Freud is a fascinating concept, and the film executes it with both intelligence and finesse. That the mystery itself is just as engaging makes it all the more rewarding. With its inventive premise, strong performances, and polished production, The Seven-Per-Cent Solution remains a standout and unforgettable entry in the Holmes canon.
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13.
Insiang
(1976)
★★★★
Insiang shifts from the broader societal lens of Manila in the Claws of Light to an intimate and emotionally charged tale, with Hilda Koronel’s compelling performance anchoring a vivid portrayal of life for a young woman in Manila’s slums.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel
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12.
The Shootist
(1976)
★★★★
The Shootist belongs to Wayne. His presence in every scene, coupled with the real-life parallels to his own battle with cancer, makes it one of the most fitting matches of actor and character in Hollywood history. That the film stands strong on its own, with poignant dialogue, memorable supporting characters, and well-executed shootouts, only makes Wayne’s farewell that much more bittersweet.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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11.
The Front
(1976)
★★★★
A darkly funny yet poignant satire, The Front (1976) sees a man caught between personal gain and standing against Hollywood’s blacklist.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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10.
Carrie
(1976)
★★★★
Carrie is emotionally raw, technically inventive, and endlessly influential. While some elements haven’t aged gracefully—particularly the score and the film’s handling of religious extremism, which later films would explore with more nuance—the emotional devastation at the film’s center still resonates.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Crave, Criterion Channel, Buy/Rent
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9.
Bound for Glory
(1976)
★★★★
A richly immersive portrait of Woody Guthrie’s world, Bound for Glory captures the soul of a generation through poetic visuals and restrained storytelling, even if it occasionally slips into standard biopic rhythms.
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8.
Cria!
(1976)
★★★★
Even without a traditional plot—and even if its metaphor feels incomplete—Cria! still speaks volumes about memory, guilt, and the quiet resilience of children.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel, Buy/Rent
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7.
Small Change
(1976)
★★★★
François Truffaut’s Small Change is a tender, quietly powerful celebration of childhood, capturing the small moments that gently shape who we become.
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6.
Network
(1976)
★★★★
Network doesn’t fully sustain its brilliance across its entire runtime, but when it hits, it’s a winning combination of sharp satire, smart dialogue, and thrilling tension. Even as it softens in the second half, it remains a prophetic and darkly funny commentary on media madness—one that feels more accurate with every passing year.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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5.
All the President's Men
(1976)
★★★★
All the President’s Men is an enduring achievement that makes journalism feel heroic without ever exaggerating it, elevated by fantastic performances, immersive sound, precise direction, and authentic production design — though its realism sometimes comes at the cost of accessibility.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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4.
Kings of the Road
(1976)
★★★★
Wim Wenders’ Kings of the Road captures the quiet, reflective therapy of travel in post-war Germany—an understated meditation on time, change, and connection.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel, Buy/Rent
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3.
Assault on Precinct 13
(1976)
★★★★
With its relentless tension, iconic score, striking visual style, and masterful use of sound, Assault on Precinct 13 stands as one of the best siege films ever made—one that continues to influence action and horror filmmakers today.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Buy/Rent
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2.
Taxi Driver
(1976)
★★★★
Taxi Driver is a true masterpiece. An important film that pushed cinema into darker, more psychological territory.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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1.
Rocky
(1976)
★★★★
People often remember Rocky‘s last 15 minutes, but it works so well only because the hour leading up to it is such a beautifully observed portrait of ordinary people who never got their shot. It reminds us that going the distance isn’t about winning—it’s about proving to yourself that you’re worth the fight.
Where to watch: Crave, Buy/Rent
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