A standout among the plethora of reasons why people invest their hard-earned money in a movies collection is the casting of the films. The casting of a film is what brings life and light to the scenes. Imagine your favorite blockbuster movies without your favorite actors or actresses, the movie will probably be a big bore. The significance of a movie has everything to do with its casting. That's why ensemble movies are very entertaining to die-hard movie buffs.

While the direction of the average movie points towards one or two main characters, ensemble cast movies point to a group of main characters. By definition, ensemble cast movies are films portrayed by cast members, where the main characters of the film have almost equal responsibilities and relevance to the audience. In other words, the main protagonist or antagonist in the movie are the entire group. Ensemble cast technique is employed in series to reduce disruption when a character is no longer present on the scene. However, it has gained a lot of ground in the Hollywood movie industry and has inspired the production of some of the best works art. Hence, a list of the Best Ensemble Cast movies of all time.

1. Steel Magnolia's (1989)

Steel Magnolias is an ensemble cast comedy-drama movie directed by Herbert Ross. This movie was adapted from the 1987 play of the same title, by Robert Harling. The movie follows the story of a feminine group, and how one member of the group struggles with type 1 diabetes. The movie mimics the life story of Robert Harling himself; his sister suffered from the same disease resulting in  her death. The ensemble characters in the movie are: M'Lynn Eatenton (Sally Field), Truvy Jones (Dolly Paton), Annelle Dupuy-DeSoto (Daryl Hannah), Louisa Ouiser Boudreaux (Shirley MacLaine), Clairee Belcher (Olympia Dukakis), and Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie(Julia Roberts). From the time debuted to this day, this movie has received positive reviews from viewers and critics; accruing 70% on Rotten Tomatoes.

2.The Women (1939)

The Women is an ensemble cast comedy-drama movie directed by George Cukor. The movie was adapted from the 1936 play of the same title by Clare Boothe Luce. The entire cast of this movie, about 130 casts were females and it stars actresses like Norma Shearer (Mary Haines), Joan Crawford (Crystal Allen), Rosalind Russell (Sylvia Fowler), Paulette Goddard (The Countess De Lave), Joan Fontaine (Miriam Aarons), Lucile Watson (Mrs. Morehead), Mary Boland, Florence Nash (Nancy Blake), and Virginia Grey (Pat, perfume counter clerk). The movie talks about the story of Norma Shearer (Mary Haines) and several other Manhattan women. Mary Haines got the whim that her husband had befriended a younger woman from her friend; she made her findings and dumped him when the finding turned out to be true. This movie has been designated for preservation at the National Film Registry of the United States.

3. Breakfast Club (1985)

Breakfast Club is an ensemble cast comedy-drama movie starring Emilio Estevez (Andrew Clark), Anthony Michael Hall (Brian Johnson), Molly Ringwald (Claire Standish) Judd Nelson (John Bender), & Ally Sheedy (Allison Reynolds). In the movie, the aforementioned casts were high school teenagers, who got detained under the watchful eyes of their strict assistant principal Vernon (Paul Gleason). no love was lost between them, as they were all from different cliques in their school. so when assistant principal Vernon imposed a 1000 words essay on them, they started taunting each other. At the end of the day, they befriended each other and romance filled air. When the detention period elapsed, the teens left their essay behind, for Vernon to read. He signed the essays, and ended his remarks with "the Breakfast Club".

4. The Big Chill (1983)

The Big Chill is an ensemble cast comedy-drama movie directed by Lawrence Kasdan. The movie talks about ex-college graduates, who got reunited after their friend's death (suicide). The ensemble casts of the movie includes Tom Berenger ( Sam Weber), Jeff Goldblum (Michael Gold), Glenn Close (Sarah Cooper), Kevin Kline (Harold Cooper), William Hurt (Nick Carlton), Meg Tilly (Chloe), Mary JoBeth Williams (Karen Bowens), Kay Place (Meg Jones), Don Galloway (Richard Bowens). After burying their friend, they all retired to Harold and Sarah's vacation home, for what was to become a long weekend. Later on in the movie, the group discovered that they had a lot of secrets shared among them, and as they grew fond of each other, they began to step out of their closets. The movie talks about love, friendship, sacrifice, and marriage. It is in its own right a masterpiece.

5. Pulp Fiction (1994)

Pulp Fiction is an ensemble cast crime movie directed by Quentin Tarantino. This movie is one of Quentin Tarantino best works and commercial successes. It bagged an award for Best Original Screenplay and was nominated for 7 Oscar awards. The movie follows a chronological sequence and it tells 3 interrelated stories. The first one talks about a contract assassin, Vincent Vega (John Travolta); The second one about Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis), a prizefighter; and the third story portrayed the story of Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson,) Vega's partner. In the movie, all the aforementioned characters were protagonists of their own stories. Vincent, a hitman for Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), a gangster boss, accidentally got his boss's wife Overdosed with heroin. Wallace sent Vincent to Butch's home to end his life because he won a boxing match that he was meant to lose, but Butch killed him instead. Later on in the movie, Butch saved Wallance's life to gain back his freedom.

6. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Reservoir dogs is an ensemble cast Heist movie directed by Quentin Tarantino. The movie follows the event that unfolds before and after a failed diamond heist. The ensemble casts in this movie are eight criminals, namely; Mr. White/Larry (Harvey Keitel), Freddy Newandyke / Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), "Nice Guy" Eddie Cabot (Chris Penn), Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi), Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney), Vic Vega / Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen), Mr. Brown (Quentin Tarantino), and Mr. Blue (Edward Bunker). Together, they devised a plan to rob a diamond store, and they almost succeeded. But as there's no honor among thieves, their inherent bad attitudes thwarted the plan.

7. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Glengarry Glen Ross is an ensemble drama movie directed by James Foley. The movie was adapted from the 1984 Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same title, by David Mamet. The movie follows the story of 4 real-estate salesmen and their desperation when their jobs were threatened by a facilitator (Alec Baldwin). According to the trainer, they all have one week to rack up sales, after which the top two earners will be allowed to keep their jobs. In light of this reality, the salesmen used dubious tricks and antics to convince prospects to buy from them. The movie stars Alec Baldwin ( the trainer/Blake), Alan Arkin (George Aaronow), Ed Harris (Dave Moss), Al Pacino (Richard Roma), and Jack Lemmon (Shelley "The Machine" Levene).

and many more….

These are just a few of the best ensemble cast movies of all time. These movies are masterpieces in their own right, and they combine good casting with, accurate editing and direction. No doubt.

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