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‘Adaptation’ (2002) -

This meta-comedy-drama stars Nicolas Cage as real-life filmmaker Charlie Kaufman, who wrote the screenplay. Kaufman gives us a constant stream of his own anxiety and self-loathing as he struggles to complete a film adaptation screenplay. In one scene, a screenwriting guru played by Brian Cox declares, "God help you if you use voiceover in your work. Any idiot can write a voiceover narration to explain the thoughts of a character.”

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‘The Big Lebowski’ (1998) -

Sam Elliott's deep Southern drawl guides viewers through the mind-boggling, low-key adventure that is 'The Big Lebowski.' He's just as bemusing as the movie's hero, the Dude, often wandering off-topic before catching himself and saying, “I lost my train of thought here."

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'Goodfellas’ (1990) - The late Ray Liotta starred as Henry Hill in the gangster classic 'Goodfellas.' We follow him as he tries to work his way up through the ranks of organized crime. "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster," he reflects.

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‘Clueless’ (1995) -

‘Clueless’ is one of the most iconic rom-coms of all time for a reason! Cher, played by Alicia Silverstone, keeps us clued into the thoughts and motivations of a pretty, preppy, and wealthy California teen. Her narration comes across like the diary entry she would have written after an event, but as we see the event play out before our eyes. Although she is a little prone to distraction...

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‘Mean Girls’ (2004) -

Lindsay Lohan stars as Cady Heron in 'Mean Girls,' one of the best comedies of the early 2000s. Heron looks back at her journey through high school and guides us through her downfall with painful hindsight.

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‘American Psycho’ (2000) - Christian Bale's portrayal of psychopathic Wall Street up-and-comer Patrick Bateman is as disturbing as it is hilarious. We get a look inside the mind of a social-climbing killer through his narration, as he obsesses over the fact that a rival has a better-quality business card than he does. "Look at that subtle off-white coloring. The tasteful thickness of it. Oh, my God. It even has a watermark."

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‘The Shawshank Redemption’ (1994) -

Anything narrated by Morgan Freeman sounds like liquid gold. 'The Shawshank Redemption’ also happens to be a beautifully written film, which took the interesting route of narrating the story of Andy Dufresne from the perspective of his companion, Red.

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‘Fight Club’ (1999) - Edward Norton is the star of the show in 'Fight Club,' but he is only credited as "The Narrator," never having been named in the movie. Without his voiceover, there would be very little dialogue!

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‘Trainspotting’ (1996) -

Ewan McGregor stars in and narrates this '90s cult classic. The opening scene sees him sprinting down the road at full speed, obviously up to no good, as he gives the iconic "Choose life" speech, which is taken straight from the book by Irvine Welsh.

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‘A Clockwork Orange’ (1971) - Perhaps the creepiest narrator on this list, those who have heard Malcolm McDowell as Alex can likely recall the soft sound of his voice as he describes the atrocities he's committing with his "droogs." His words also give us insight into why he is the cruel, merciless creature that he is.

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'The Princess Bride' (1987) -

Peter Falk appears at the beginning of ‘The Princess Bride,’ playing a grandfather telling a story to his young grandson who is sick in bed. As the story begins, we slip into its world and see actors like Cary Elwes and Robin Wright take on the main roles, with Falk’s comforting voice continuing to tell the story from the “real world.”

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‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ (2005) -

Robert Downey Jr.'s chaotic narration in 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ constantly breaks the fourth wall, making comments like "That was a terrible scene.” The internal dialogue of a New York thief trying to pass as an actor who is sent to study under a private eye is just as fast-paced and hilarious as you might expect.

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‘The Big Short’ (2015) -

‘The Big Short’ is another movie that uses narration to smash through the fourth wall with clear intention. Ryan Gosling's Jared Vennett guides us through the real-life behind-the-scenes events that occurred leading to the 2007-2008 economic crash. There are also some fun narrator cameos from the likes of Margot Robbie and Selena Gomez!

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‘The Usual Suspects’ (1995) -

Kevin Spacey's Roger "Verbal" Kint provides the voiceover in 'The Usual Suspects,’ but he's the ultimate unreliable narrator. His deception builds us up even more for the famous twist.

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‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ (2001) -

This Wes Anderson classic features an incredible ensemble cast including Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, and many more. However, Alec Baldwin was tasked with telling the story of the Tenenbaum family, in a somewhat condescending manner, as the narrative unfolds.

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‘Stand by Me’ (1986) -

As with many Stephen King adaptations, ‘Stand by Me’ relies heavily on a narrator who is looking back on events from the future. In the case of this coming-of-age story, the narrator is a grown-up Gordie voiced by Richard Dreyfuss, while the young Gordie is played by Wil Wheaton.

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‘Taxi Driver’ (1976) -

Robert De Niro plays a troubled vet who fixates on the crime and decay he observes on the streets of New York as he cruises in his taxi at night. We feel his anger, pain, and disillusionment through his inner dialogue.

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‘The Lobster’ (2015) -

Rachel Weisz narrates us through this bizarre story set in a dystopian future in a deadpan manner that is perfectly aligned with the film's surreal, off-beat humor.

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‘Notes on a Scandal’ (2006) -

Judi Dench's Barbara Covett narrates to us from her diary, which contains all the grievances and petty thoughts she cannot express at her job as a history teacher. We see the way she tries to justify her actions as she tries to sabotage a new friend at the school, played by Cate Blanchett.

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‘Apocalypse Now’ (1979) -

Martin Sheen stars as Benjamin Willard in ‘Apocalypse Now,' and his character provides the narration. However, it's not Sheen's voice that we hear in the final cut. For reasons that vary depending on who's telling the story, Sheen's brother Joe Estevez was called in to do the voiceover. He also acted as a stand-in for Sheen in several scenes. Despite the behind-the-scenes drama, the narration is impeccable.

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‘A Christmas Story’ (1983) -

This Christmas classic follows nine-year-old Ralphie as he tries to convince both his parents and Santa that it's a good idea for him to get an air rifle for Christmas. The heartwarming comedy is narrated by a grown-up Ralphie who, spoiler alert, concludes that the gun was indeed the best Christmas present he ever received.

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‘Oldboy’ (2003) -

A drunken office worker, Oh Dae-su, is inexplicably captured and held prisoner in a hotel room for 15 years. When he is freed, he is an angry, broken man, searching for answers and retribution. The tragedy of the situation and his manic inner dialogue make for a darkly comedic mystery.

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‘All About Eve’ (1950) -

This Golden Age classic starring Bette Davis and Anne Baxter tells the story of an aspiring young actress who gets close to an established theater actress with the intention of taking over her career. It's narrated by George Sanders, the same actor who voiced the tiger Shere Khan in 'The Jungle Book.' His creepy drawl is just as chilling in both films!

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‘Sunset Boulevard’ (1950) -

Apparently 1950 was a good year for narration! Another classic, 'Sunset Boulevard' follows a former Hollywood starlet as she ages into obscurity, but is suddenly offered a second chance. The film opens with the body of screenwriter Joe Gillis floating in a swimming pool, a character who is then introduced as the narrator.

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‘Y Tu Mamá También’ (2001) -

This road movie by director Alfonso Cuarón uses the narrator to add a disturbing social and political context to the adventure lived out by the reckless young protagonists.

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‘Badlands’ (1973) -

Sissy Spacek's disconcertingly detached narration creates a sense of disconnection from the murder spree she is carrying out with her lover, played by Martin Sheen, as they go on the run in the Badlands of Montana.

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‘Election’ (1999) -

This 1999 black comedy stars Reese Witherspoon as an overachieving student running for student body president. Matthew Broderick costars as the civics teacher who harbors a strong dislike for her and plans to sabotage the election. Director Alexander Payne switches between different characters throughout the movie, giving an insight into their political strategies and petty grievances.

Sources: (The Guardian) (IndieWire) (BuzzFeed) 

See also: The worst movies made by the best directors

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