From wild-haired rockers to joyful bolero singers, films with or about celebrated musicians have played a key part in the movies. Here, the Guardian and Observers' critics pick the 10 finest

Cinema has always liked telling a good life story, and all kinds of biography – from the humblest to the starriest – have been given a filmic going-over. The Guardian and Observer's critics pick the 10 best in a very crowded field

Everybody is kung-fu fighting for sure, but it takes more than that to make a great martial arts movie. The Guardian and Observer critics pick the 10 finest ever made

Musicals have been tap dancing their way into moviegoers' hearts since the invention of cinema sound itself. From Oliver! to Singin' in the Rain, here are the Guardian and Observer critics' picks of the 10 best

Guns, dames and hats: you can't have a film noir without them, can you? Take a look at the Guardian and Observer critics list of the best 10 noirs and you'll realise things aren't that simple …

Fighting, dying, hoping, hating … great sports films are about far more than sport itself. Here the Guardian and Observer critics pick their 10 best

Think silent films reached a high point with The Artist?The pre-sound era produced some of the most beautiful, arresting films ever made. From City Lights to Metropolis, Guardian and Observer critics pick the 10 best

Moving bits of paper around (the old way) or painting with billions of pixels (the new) has conjured up some of the greatest films of all time. From The Iron Giant to Persepolis, Guardian and Observer critics pick the 10 best

Adaptations of novels have regularly provided audiences with the classier end of the film spectrum. Here, the Guardian and Observer's critics pick the 10 best

Cinema, as Jean-Luc Godard wrote, is truth 24 times a second. Documentaries both prove and disprove the point; but the truth is their strongest weapon. Here, Guardian and Observer critics pick the 10 best

It's the most all-American of film genres, filled with he-men and black hats. But the western has given us some great movies: the Guardian and Observer's critics pick the 10 best

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a superhero movie... and they've taken over Hollywood with their superpowers and Spandex costumes. The Guardian and Observer's critics pick the 10 best

'When you grow up, your heart dies' – or so they say. Here's the proof: from Heathers to Juno, the Guardian and Observer's critics pick the 10 best teen movies

War is hell, for sure, but war can make for undeniably brilliant movie-making. Here, the Guardian and Observer's critics pick the ten best

Time for some wholesome fun – what are the best movies for the whole family to enjoy? From Bambi to Spirited Away, here are the Guardian and Observer critics' top 10

Elitist and pretentious, or an endangered species? Whatever your feelings, there's no doubt that arthouse movies are among the finest ever made. Here the Guardian and Observer critics pick the 10 best

Murder, robbery, revenge... some of the greatest films revolve around the vilest human acts. The Guardian and Observer's critics pick the best crime films ever made