In this review we examine the portrayal of neurosurgery and neurosurgeons in 61 movies produced from the beginnings of cinema from the Lumière brothers (1895) to 2017, across four continents and covering ten cinematic genres. We find that these movies tend to shape most beliefs and stereotypes about neurosurgery. However we notice that there is a trend to describe neurosurgery and neurosurgical disorders with more accuracy as we progress in time. Although it is not for the medical profession to dictate or censor fictional content, a keen eye on these depictions will help us to understand, and perhaps combat some of the stereotypes and myths that continue to surround neurosurgery in the 21st century.