Diego Pineda has been a devout storyteller his whole life. He has self-published a fantasy novel and a book of short stories, and is actively working on publishing his second novel.
A lifelong fan of watching movies and talking about them endlessly, he writes reviews and analyses on his Instagram page dedicated to cinema, and occasionally on his blog. His favorite filmmakers are Andrei Tarkovsky and Charlie Chaplin. He loves modern Mexican cinema and thinks it's tragically underappreciated.
Other interests of Diego's include reading, gaming, roller coasters, writing reviews on his Letterboxd account (username: DPP_reviews), and going down rabbit holes of whatever topic he's interested in at any given point.
"Epic" isn't just an adjective one can ascribe to a film: It's a whole genre unto itself, one whose definition tends to be somewhat vague. But, in broad strokes, one can define a cinematic epic as a large-scale film of sweeping scope and grandeur; they're usually quite long, usually quite expensive, and usually all about spectacle. But spectacle doesn't need to come exclusively from large set pieces, it can also come from some of the greatest acting performances cinema has ever seen.
Those who love the epic genre are well aware of the fact that it has offered some exceptional performances over the years. From modern Hollywood blockbusters like The Dark Knight to international classics like Seven Samurai, these are films whose actors understood that a large-scale story is the perfect place to offer a large-scale performance.
10 'Titanic' (1997)
Tied with Ben-Hur and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King for the most Academy Award wins in history (with a whopping 11), James Cameron's Titanic proves why this is seen as one of the most visionary filmmakers working in Hollywood today. It's far more than just a sweeping romance: It's one of the biggest, most emotionally riveting period epics ever made.
Titanic is the cinematic epic par excellence, checking off pretty much every box that the genre requires -- including absolutely unforgettable larger-than-life performances. There are the turns that made Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet international superstars and household names; Billy Zane's exquisitely evil performance as the film's main antagonist; and Kathy Bates' scene-stealing supporting role. It's a large cast, but Cameron gives everyone their time to shine.
9 'Amadeus' (1984)
Plenty of drama masterpieces with great acting came out during the '80s, but only one of them is a rousing epic about jealousy and rivalry focused on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri. That's Miloš Forman's Amadeus, a masterpiece that draws a surprisingly long runtime and unexpectedly juicy bits of drama from one of the most mythologized rivalries in modern history.
But the movie wouldn't have worked half as well if Tom Hulce weren't so electrifying as Mozart or if F. Murray Abraham's Oscar-winning turn as Salieri weren't so emotionally powerful. The film is certainly dominated acting-wise by its central duet, but supporting stars like Elizabeth Berridge and Jeffrey Jones, round out the cast tremendously well, making for an ensemble that one simply can't take one's eyes off of.
8 'Schindler's List' (1993)
Steven Spielberg is the king of blockbusters, and the man behind several of the greatest and most entertaining pop corn flicks in history, but the best movie he's ever made is far different from anything else in his filmography. The title has to go to his Best Picture Oscar-winning Schindler's List, both a harrowing period piece set during the Holocaust and one of the best biopics of all time.
Oskar Schindler was always going to be a very complicated figure to bring to life in a way that felt nuanced enough, but Liam Neeson does a phenomenal job at making the character feel like a complete, complicated individual. Then there's Ralph Fiennes, whose portrayal of SS functionary Amon Göth was so chillingly realistic that a Holocaust survivor who has brought on the set was visibly terrified of him. Add to that an amazing Sir Ben Kingsley and an equally strong supporting cast, an you get one of the strongest ensembles of any '90s film.
7 'The Dark Knight' (2008)
Plenty of action blockbusters with great acting have come out over the years, but few with performances superior to those in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. The elephant in the room every time anyone talks about the most beloved superhero film of all time is Heath Ledger, whose Oscar-winning embodiment of the Joker may just be the greatest villain performance of the 21st century by far.
But while Ledger's transcendental performance is admittedly one of the main reasons why The Dark Knight is held in such high regard, it's not the only one. This is the movie where Christian Bale fully came into his own as both Batman and Bruce Wayne, and he shares exceptional chemistry with Maggie Gyllenhaal (who replaced Katie Holmes from Batman Begins as Rachel Dawes). Aaron Eckhart's turn as Two-Face is also criminally underappreciated, nicely rounding out a cast for the history books.
6 'There Will Be Blood' (2007)
Paul Thomas Anderson has been one of the greatest filmmakers in Hollywood since the '90s, and he's managed to never deliver a single film that could be considered outright bad. But, like all the greats, he also has an undisputed magnum opus: There Will Be Blood, where the legendary Daniel Day-Lewis delivers one of the most undeniable Best Actor Oscar wins in history.
Day-Lewis is far and away one of the most gifted thespians of his generation, and There Will Be Blood is proof enough of that. But the film is also proof that, despite what Quentin Tarantino might foolishly say, Paul Dano deserves to be counted among the best of his generation every bit as much as Day-Lewis does. These two titans would have been enough to qualify this as one of the best-acted films of the 2000s, but then there's also Dillon Freasier delivering one of the best child performances of all time.
5 'The Lord of the Rings' Trilogy
For a while, no one would have blamed any fans of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings books for thinking that their favorite series of fantasy masterpieces was impossible to adapt into a film that paid proper respect to the books' legacy. Along came Peter Jackson and dispersed any doubts that anyone might have had, delivering not just one, not just two, but three of the best fantasy adventure movies of all time.
Every actor in the Fellowship of the Ring, from Viggo Mortensen to Ian McKellen to Sean Astin, carries the whole trilogy on their shoulders effortlessly.
When talking about these films in general -- and about their cast in particular -- , it's impossible not to naturally group them together. Every actor in the Fellowship of the Ring, from Viggo Mortensen to Ian McKellen to Sean Astin, carries the whole trilogy on their shoulders effortlessly; and when you add iconic supporting turns like Bernard Hill's, Christopher Lee's, and Brad Dourif's, it's impossible not to think of this as the greatest cast ever assembled for a fantasy epic franchise.
4 'Seven Samurai' (1954)
Akira Kurosawa is not only the undisputed greatest filmmaker in Japanese history; some even refer to him as the single greatest movie director of all time, and deservedly so. After all, who, if not the most gifted auteur in cinematic history, could have made a masterpiece of Seven Samurai's stature? Often imitated but never matched, this action epic shows why Kurosawa would deserve to be at the forefront of a hypothetical Mount Rushmore of action movie directors.
There are several reasons why this is one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of cinema, such as the thrilling set pieces and Kurosawa's unforgettable visuals, but there's also the tremendous cast. Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Seiji Miyaguchi, and the rest of the incredible cast are all among the greatest Japanese thespians who have ever lived, and their career-best performances here are the stuff of international movie legend.
3 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962)
One of the most ambitious Best Picture Oscar winners of all time, made by a director that most cinephiles would agree was the master of the cinematic epic genre, Lawrence of Arabia is a WWII biopic unlike any other. What David Lean achieved here has never been done quite on this scale since: A war epic of massive scale and sweeping scope, but one balanced with the feeling of a deeply intimate character study, which results in one of the most complete and complex biopics ever made.
It's astonishing that this was Peter O'Toole's first-ever leading role, since his portrayal of T. E. Lawrence is one of the greatest acting performances in the history of film. Add to that Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, and Omar Sharif, and you get one of the most incredible cast ensembles in the history of cinema. Every performance in Lawrence of Arabia is larger than life, and it makes for a movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat for nearly four hours through its performances alone.
2 'Magnolia' (1999)
After talking about There Will Be Blood, no more proof should be needed that Paul Thomas Anderson knows his stuff when it comes to bringing together a legendary cast; but for those still doubtful, there's also Magnolia. This is an epic not so much in scale, but rather in the intricacy of its enthralling tapestry of characters, all played by some of the biggest and greatest stars that were working in Hollywood in 1999.
The list is borderline jaw-dropping. Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, and John C. Reilly all deliver turns that deserve to be counted among the best of any '90s film, and Tom Cruise gives what's still the best performance of his career. Magnolia works as well as it does not only because PTA directs and writes it in such a taut, emotionally stirring way, but mainly because the cast is so legendarily amazing all across the board.
1 'The Godfather' (1972) and 'The Godfather Part II' (1974)
An admirable number of movie fans would very likely say that never in history have there ever been two films quite like Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather and The Godfather Part II. One is arguably the greatest of all gangster films, while the other works as the best sequel and best prequel in the history of cinema. Both films are masterclasses in virtually ever department that comes into making a movie, and that most definitely includes acting.
Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro as Vito, Al Pacino as Michael, Diane Keaton as Kay, James Caan as Sonny, John Cazale as Fredo. These are all names that you'll very easily find in people's rankings of the best acting performances in Hollywood history, and very rightfully so. The Godfather and The Godfather Part II are flawless crime epics, but they're also so much more than that -- including, for instance, the best-acted epics in the history of cinema.
COLLIDER.
Collider · Quiz
Collider Exclusive · Oscar Best Picture Quiz Which Oscar Best Picture
Is Your Perfect Movie? Parasite · Everything Everywhere · Oppenheimer · Birdman · No Country
Five Oscar Best Picture winners. Five completely different visions of what cinema can be -- and what it can do to you. One of them is the film that was made for the way your mind works. Ten questions will figure out which one.
🪜Parasite
🌀Everything Everywhere
☢️Oppenheimer
🐦Birdman
🪙No Country for Old Men
FIND YOUR FILM →
QUESTION 1 / 10TONE
01
What kind of film experience do you actually want? The best movies don't just entertain -- they leave something behind.
ASomething that pulls the rug out -- that makes me think I'm watching one kind of film and then reveals I'm watching another entirely. BSomething overwhelming -- funny, sad, absurd, and genuinely moving, all at once. CSomething grand and weighty -- a film that makes me feel the full scale of what I'm watching. DSomething formally daring -- a film that pushes what cinema can even do. ESomething lean and relentless -- pure tension with no wasted frame.
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QUESTION 2 / 10THEME
02
Which idea grabs you most in a film? Great films are driven by a central obsession. What's yours?
AClass, inequality, and what people are willing to do when desperation meets opportunity. BIdentity, family, and the chaos of trying to hold your life together when everything is falling apart. CGenius, moral responsibility, and the catastrophic weight of a decision you can never take back. DEgo, legacy, and the terror of becoming irrelevant while you're still alive to watch it happen. EEvil, chance, and whether moral order actually exists or if we just tell ourselves it does.
QUESTION 3 / 10STRUCTURE
03
How do you like your story told? Form is content. The way a story is shaped changes what it means.
AGenre-twisting -- I want it to start in one lane and migrate into something completely different. BMaximalist and genre-blending -- comedy, action, drama, sci-fi, all in one ride. CEpic and non-linear -- cutting between timelines, building a mosaic of cause and consequence. DA single unbroken flow -- I want to feel like I'm living it in real time, no cuts to safety. ESpare and precise -- every scene doing exactly what it needs to do and nothing more.
QUESTION 4 / 10VILLAIN
04
What makes a truly great antagonist? The opposition defines the protagonist. What kind of opposition fascinates you?
AA system -- invisible, structural, and almost impossible to fight because it has no single face. BThe self -- the ways we sabotage, abandon, and fail the people we love most. CHistory -- the unstoppable momentum of events that no single person can stop or redirect. DThe industry -- the machinery of culture that chews up talent and spits out irrelevance. EPure, implacable evil -- a force so certain of itself it becomes almost philosophical.
QUESTION 5 / 10ENDING
05
What do you want from a film's ending? The final note is the one that lingers. What do you want it to sound like?
AShock and inevitability -- a conclusion that recontextualises everything that came before it. BEarned emotion -- I want to cry, laugh, and feel genuinely hopeful, even if the world is a mess. CDevastation and grandeur -- an ending that makes me sit in silence for a few minutes after. DAmbiguity -- something that leaves enough open that I'm still thinking about it days later. EBleakness -- an honest refusal to pretend the world is tidier than it actually is.
QUESTION 6 / 10WORLD
06
Which setting pulls you in most? Where a film takes place shapes everything -- mood, stakes, what's even possible.
AA gleaming modern city with a hidden underside -- beauty masking rot, wealth masking desperation. BA collapsing suburban life that opens onto something infinite -- the multiverse of a single ordinary person. CThe corridors of power and science at a world-historical turning point -- where decisions echo for decades. DThe grimy, alive chaos of New York and Hollywood -- fame as both destination and trap. EVast, indifferent landscape -- desert and highway where violence arrives without warning or reason.
QUESTION 7 / 10CRAFT
07
What cinematic craft impresses you most? Every great film has a signature -- a technical or artistic element that makes it unmistakable.
AProduction design and mise-en-scène -- every frame composed to carry meaning beneath the surface. BEditing and tonal control -- the ability to move between registers without losing the audience. CScore and sound design -- music that becomes inseparable from the dread and awe of what you're watching. DCinematography as performance -- the camera not recording events but participating in them. ESilence and restraint -- what's left unsaid and unshown doing more work than any dialogue could.
QUESTION 8 / 10PROTAGONIST
08
What kind of main character do you root for? The protagonist is the lens. Who you choose to follow says something about you.
ASomeone smart and resourceful who makes increasingly dangerous decisions under pressure. BSomeone overwhelmed and ordinary who turns out to be capable of something extraordinary. CA brilliant, tortured figure whose gifts and flaws are inseparable from each other. DA self-destructive artist whose ego is both their superpower and their undoing. EA quiet, principled person trying to make sense of a world that has stopped making sense.
QUESTION 9 / 10PACE
09
How do you feel about a film that takes its time? Pace is a choice. Some films sprint; others let tension accumulate slowly, deliberately.
AI love a slow build when I know the payoff is going to be seismic -- patience for a devastating reveal. BGive me relentless momentum -- I want to feel breathless and emotionally spent by the end. CEpic runtime doesn't scare me -- if the material demands three hours, give me three hours. DI want it to feel propulsive even when nothing is technically happening -- restless energy throughout. EDeliberate and unhurried -- I want dread to accumulate in the spaces between the action.
QUESTION 10 / 10AFTERMATH
10
What do you want to feel walking out of the cinema? The best films leave a mark. What kind of mark do you want?
AUnsettled -- like I've just seen something I can't fully explain but can't stop thinking about. BMoved and energised -- like the film reminded me what actually matters and gave me something to hold onto. CHumbled -- like I've been in the presence of something genuinely important and overwhelming. DExhilarated -- like I've just seen cinema doing something it's never quite done before. EHaunted -- like a cold, quiet dread that stays with me for days.
REVEAL MY FILM →
The Academy Has Decided Your Perfect Film Is...
Your answers have pointed to one Oscar Best Picture winner above all others. This is the film that was made for the way your mind works.
BEST PICTURE 2020
Parasite
You are drawn to films that operate on multiple levels simultaneously -- that begin in one genre and quietly, brilliantly migrate into another. Bong Joon-ho's Parasite is a film about class, desire, and the architecture of inequality that manages to be darkly funny, deeply suspenseful, and genuinely shocking across a single extraordinary running time. Your instinct is for cinema that hides its true intentions until the moment it's ready to reveal them. Parasite is exactly that -- a film that rewards close attention and punishes assumptions, right up to its devastating final image.
BEST PICTURE 2023
Everything Everywhere All at Once
You want it all -- and this film gives you all of it. The Daniels' Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the most maximalist films ever made: action comedy, multiverse sci-fi, family drama, existential crisis, and a genuinely earned emotional core that sneaks up on you amid the chaos. You are someone who responds to ambition, who doesn't want cinema to choose between being entertaining and being meaningful. This film refuses that choice entirely. It is overwhelming by design, and its overwhelming nature is precisely the point -- because the feeling of being crushed by infinite possibility is exactly what it's about.
BEST PICTURE 2024
Oppenheimer
You are drawn to cinema on a grand scale -- films that understand history not as a backdrop but as a force, and that place their characters inside that force and watch what happens. Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer is a film about the terrifying gap between what we can do and what we should do, told with the full weight of one of the most consequential moments in human history behind it. You want your films to feel important without feeling self-important -- to earn their ambition through sheer craft and the gravity of their subject. Oppenheimer does exactly that. It is enormous, complicated, and refuses easy comfort.
BEST PICTURE 2015
Birdman
You are drawn to films that foreground their own construction -- that make the how of the filmmaking part of the what it's about. Alejandro González Iñárritu's Birdman, shot to appear as a single continuous take, is cinema examining itself through the cracked mirror of a fading actor's ego. You respond to formal daring, to the feeling that a film is doing something that probably shouldn't be possible. Michael Keaton's performance and Emmanuel Lubezki's restless camera create something genuinely unlike anything else -- a film that is simultaneously about creativity, relevance, self-destruction, and the impossibility of ever truly knowing if your work means anything at all.
BEST PICTURE 2008
No Country for Old Men
You are drawn to cinema that trusts silence, that refuses to explain itself, and that treats dread as a form of meaning. The Coen Brothers' No Country for Old Men is a film about the arrival of a new kind of evil -- implacable, arbitrary, and utterly indifferent to the moral frameworks we use to make sense of the world. It is one of the most formally controlled films ever made, and its controlled restraint is what makes it so terrifying. You want your films to haunt you, not comfort you. You are not interested in resolution if resolution would be dishonest. No Country for Old Men is honest in a way that most cinema never dares to be.
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The Godfather
R
Drama
Crime
Release Date March 24, 1972
Runtime 175 minutes
Director Francis Ford Coppola
Writers Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola
Cast
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The Godfather Part II
Release Date December 20, 1974
Runtime 202 minutes
Writers Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo
