1976 Movies Ranked
1976 films ranked worst to best.
Films reviewed: 51
Last updated: October 20, 2026
Top 10
The Full Ranking
51.
Midway
(1976)
★
Midway (1976) sets out to honor a pivotal WWII battle, but excessive stock footage, and a mismatched musical tone turn it into a slog.
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: Buy/Rent
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47.
Two-Minute Warning
(1976)
★★
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)
★★
A Hitchcockian thriller meets Gene Wilder’s comedy style in Silver Streak (1976). While the set pieces are solid, the humor and plot execution leave something to be desired.
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42.
Fellini's Casanova
(1976)
★★
Fellini’s Casanova (1976) is a film of staggering beauty and relentless excess, immersing audiences in a world of artifice, grandeur, and existential despair.
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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 (1976) tries to be both a disaster movie and a serious historical drama—but it never fully succeeds at either.
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39.
King Kong
(1976)
★★
King Kong (1976) has the grand visuals and retro charm, but its dated effects and lack of emotional depth make it a lesser entry in the Kong legacy.
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.
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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: 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: 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 it feels more like a playful side project.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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29.
The Tenant
(1976)
★★★
THE TENANT struggles to find cohesion in its ambition. It’s a fascinating, if flawed, psychological thriller that will captivate some and frustrate others.
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28.
Face to Face
(1976)
★★★
Liv Ullmann’s breathtaking performance in Face to Face (1976) carries the film through Bergman’s more questionable creative choices.
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27.
Bugsy Malone
(1976)
★★★
Alan Parker’s debut, Bugsy Malone (1976), is a musical gangster spoof with an all-child cast, whimsical charm, and an unforgettable Jodie Foster.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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26.
The Omen
(1976)
★★★
The Omen (1976) may be a solid horror film, but it’s Jerry Goldsmith’s Oscar-winning score that truly delivers the chills.
Where to watch: Disney Plus, Crave, Buy/Rent
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25.
The Bad News Bears
(1976)
★★★
While it doesn’t avoid all the tropes of the underdog sports movie, THE BAD NEWS BEARS stands out for its unpolished realism and occasional surprising turns. It’s not perfect, but it’s a fun, unconventional sports movie with more bite than you might 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, but Elia Kazan’s final film feels more restrained than it should.
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23.
Obsession
(1976)
★★★
Obsession (1976) channels the look and feel of Hitchcock at his most operatic, but De Palma’s restraint from embracing the script’s darker truths leaves it hauntingly incomplete.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel, Hollywood Suite, ARROW, Buy/Rent
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22.
The Outlaw Josey Wales
(1976)
★★★
Clint Eastwood’s The Outlaw Josey Wales is a well-crafted, engaging Western, though its shifting character dynamics keep it from being truly great.
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21.
The Man Who Fell to Earth
(1976)
★★★
David Bowie embodies an outsider in The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), a fragmented yet fascinating sci-fi film about a lost extraterrestrial.
Where to watch: 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.
Where to watch: Criterion Channel
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18.
1900
(1976)
★★★★
Bernardo Bertolucci’s five-hour historical epic, 1900 (Novecento), is a visually stunning and politically charged exploration of friendship, class struggle, and Italy’s turbulent past.
Where to watch: Buy/Rent
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17.
Mikey and Nicky
(1976)
★★★★
Elaine May’s Mikey and Nicky is a raw, ahead-of-its-time drama about a decaying friendship, elevated by a quietly devastating performance from Peter Falk.
Where to watch: 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.
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14.
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution
(1976)
★★★★
THE SEVEN-PER-CENT SOLUTION is a creative film that helped shape future interpretations of Sherlock Holmes. Watching Holmes undergo treatment with Sigmund Freud proves to be the film’s most compelling element, while the added mystery provides an enjoyable diversion. With its inventive premise, strong performances, and polished production, it remains a distinctive and memorable 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.
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12.
The Shootist
(1976)
★★★★
John Wayne’s swan song, The Shootist, is a powerful meditation on aging, legacy, and the end of an era. A fitting farewell to the Western genre’s greatest icon.
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)
★★★★
Brian DePalma’s Carrie delivers bold direction, a haunting lead, and a prom scene that redefined horror cinema.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Crave, Buy/Rent
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9.
Bound for Glory
(1976)
★★★★
A richly immersive portrait of Woody Guthrie’s world, Bound for Glory (1976) 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)
★★★★
A moving portrait of a child shaped by grief and history, Cría Cuervos (1976) reflects Spain’s post-Franco uncertainty with haunting intimacy.
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 (1976) 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 (1076) 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’ King 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)
★★★★
A near-abandoned police station, a ruthless gang, and relentless tension—Assault on Precinct 13 proves John Carpenter’s genius beyond horror.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Buy/Rent
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2.
Taxi Driver
(1976)
★★★★
Scorsese’s early masterpiece, Taxi Driver, captures the decay of New York and the descent of a man lost in loneliness, purpose, and violence.
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: Amazon Prime Video, Crave, Buy/Rent
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