Top 30 Jack Nicholson Movies Ranked: How to Watch Everything from 'Batman' to 'The Shining' Online

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Jack Nicholson has been working in Hollywood since the 1950s, starring in iconic roles such as J.J. “Jake” Gittes in Chinatown, and Jack Torrance in The Shining. Nicholson has won three Academy Awards. Two for Best Actor as Randle Patrick “R.P.” McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and as Melvin Udall in As Good As It Gets. Nicholson also won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as Garrett Breedlove in Terms of Endearment.

Nicholson has also directed three movies, two of which feature on this list: Goin’ South and The Two Jakes. Nicholson is one of only two actors to have been nominated for an acting Academy Award in every decade from the 60s to the 2000s. Having been nominated for twelve Academy Awards, he is the most nominated male actor in the Academy’s history. Nicholson was the recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille award, along with BAFTAs, Golden Globes, a Screen Actors Guild award and a Grammy.

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  1. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

    #1

    A petty criminal fakes insanity to serve his sentence in a mental ward rather than prison. He soon finds himself as a leader to the other patients—and an enemy to the cruel, domineering nurse who runs the ward.

  2. Chinatown

    Chinatown

    1974

    IMDB 8.1 (350k)

    #2

    Private eye Jake Gittes lives off of the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-World War II Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite to investigate her husband's extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together.

  3. As Good as It Gets

    As Good as It Gets

    1997

    IMDB 7.7 (319k)

    #3

    Melvin Udall, a cranky, bigoted, obsessive-compulsive writer of romantic fiction, is rude to everyone he meets, including his gay neighbor, Simon. After Simon is hospitalized, Melvin finds his life turned upside down when he has to look after Simon's dog. In addition, Carol, the only waitress at the local diner who will tolerate him, must leave work to care for her sick son, making it impossible for Melvin to eat breakfast.

  4. The Shining

    The Shining

    1980

    IMDB 8.4 (1m)

    #4

    Jack Torrance accepts a caretaker job at the Overlook Hotel, where he, along with his wife Wendy and their son Danny, must live isolated from the rest of the world for the winter. But they aren't prepared for the madness that lurks within.

  5. The Departed

    The Departed

    2006

    IMDB 8.5 (1m)

    #5

    To take down South Boston's Irish Mafia, the police send in one of their own to infiltrate the underworld, not realizing the syndicate has done likewise. While an undercover cop curries favor with the mob kingpin, a career criminal rises through the police ranks. But both sides soon discover there's a mole among them.

  6. Terms of Endearment

    Terms of Endearment

    1983

    IMDB 7.4 (65k)

    #6

    Aurora, a finicky woman, is in search of true love while her daughter faces marital issues. Together, they help each other deal with problems and find reasons to live a joyful life.

  7. A Few Good Men

    A Few Good Men

    1992

    IMDB 7.7 (288k)

    #7

    When cocky military lawyer Lt. Daniel Kaffee and his co-counsel, Lt. Cmdr. JoAnne Galloway, are assigned to a murder case, they uncover a hazing ritual that could implicate high-ranking officials such as shady Col. Nathan Jessep.

  8. Five Easy Pieces

    Five Easy Pieces

    1970

    IMDB 7.4 (36k)

    #8

    A drop-out from upper-class America picks up work along the way on oil-rigs when his life isn't spent in a squalid succession of bars, motels, and other points of interest.

  9. The Passenger

    The Passenger

    1975

    IMDB 7.5 (26k)

    #9

    David Locke is a world-weary American journalist who has been sent to cover a conflict in northern Africa, but he makes little progress with the story. When he discovers the body of a stranger who looks similar to him, Locke assumes the dead man's identity. However, he soon finds out that the man was an arms dealer, leading Locke into dangerous situations. Aided by a beautiful woman, Locke attempts to avoid both the police and criminals out to get him.

  10. Prizzi's Honor

    Prizzi's Honor

    1985

    IMDB 6.7 (26k)

    #10

    Charley Partanna is a hitman who works for the Prizzis, one of the richest crime families in the US. When he sees Irene Walker, it's love at first sight. But he soon finds that she, too, is a killer for hire. Charley can overlook his suspicions, but he can't turn off his heart. And the couple must remember that even if they love each other, the Prizzis love only money.

  11. Reds

    Reds

    1981

    IMDB 7.3 (24k)

    #11

    An account of the revolutionary years of the legendary American journalist John Reed, who shared his adventurous professional life with his radical commitment to the socialist revolution in Russia, his dream of spreading its principles among the members of the American working class, and his troubled romantic relationship with the writer Louise Bryant.

  12. Batman

    Batman

    1989

    IMDB 7.5 (405k)

    #12

    Batman must face his most ruthless nemesis when a deformed madman calling himself "The Joker" seizes control of Gotham's criminal underworld.

  13. The Postman Always Rings Twice

    #13

    The sensuous wife of a lunch wagon proprietor and a rootless drifter begin a sordidly steamy affair and conspire to murder her Greek husband.

  14. Broadcast News

    Broadcast News

    1987

    IMDB 7.3 (34k)

    #14

    Basket-case network news producer Jane Craig falls for new reporter Tom Grunnick, a pretty boy who represents the trend towards entertainment news she despises. Aaron Altman, a talented but plain correspondent, carries an unrequited torch for Jane. Sparks fly between the three as the network prepares for big changes, and both the news and Jane must decide between style and substance.

  15. About Schmidt

    About Schmidt

    2002

    IMDB 7.2 (133k)

    #15

    A recently retired man embarks on a journey to his estranged daughter's wedding, only to discover more about himself and life than he ever expected.

  16. Easy Rider

    Easy Rider

    1969

    IMDB 7.2 (117k)

    #16

    Wyatt and Billy, two Harley-riding hippies, complete a drug deal in Southern California and decide to travel cross-country in search of spiritual truth.

  17. The Pledge

    The Pledge

    2001

    IMDB 6.8 (67k)

    #17

    A police chief about to retire pledges to help a woman find her daughter's killer.

  18. The Border

    The Border

    1982

    IMDB 6.4 (7k)

    #18

    A corrupted border agent decides to clean up his act when an impoverished woman's baby is put up for sale on the black market.

  19. The Shooting

    The Shooting

    1966

    IMDB 6.5 (6k)

    #19

    Two miners agree to guide a mysterious woman, who has appeared in their camp from nowhere, to a nearby town; but soon, because of her erratic behavior, they begin to suspect that her true purpose is quite different.

  20. The Witches of Eastwick

    #20

    Three single women in a picturesque Rhode Island village have their wishes granted - at a cost - when a mysterious and flamboyant man arrives in their lives.