No Right Answer: "Greatest" Movie Ever Made

[karamazovnew]

I believe that the best movies ever made, off the top of my mind, are any of the following (in no particular order):
- Snatch (because lol)
- Goodfellas
- Apocalypse Now
- Thin Red Line
- Once upon a time in the West
- Jesus Christ Superstar

No matter how much I try, I can't find any flaw in any scene of these titles. They blend music, image, script and story, they are unique and thought provocative. It would take me hours upon hours to make a list of all the movies I love for this or other reason, but the above are simply perfect.

P.S. If some all mighty alien race would threaten to wipe our war mongering race to oblivion and I would have to choose one movie to change their mind, it would be Chaplin's City Lights.

 

[Lightknight]

We're this far down the page, and no one has mentioned Casablanca?

Why is that well done? Casablanca is still a very enjoyable movie to watch. It's one of the few black and white movies that is firmly in my contention for greatest movies of all time. Certainly beats Citizen Kane in the enjoyment factor.

Pretty interesting talking about the legacy of Citizen Kane vs Gone with the Wind: Block buster vs. virtuoso talk fest. Flash forward: what would you rather watch: Pulp Fiction/Good Fellas or Captain America Winter Soldier/Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix ?

Me personally? I love Cap. Best movie since Dark Knight. But I'd go with Pulp Fiction.

I thought Winter Soldier was sub par. Not Iron Man 2 sub par but definitely a continuation of the sequel lesser movie tradition. I'm actually shocked that it has reviewed and scored better than the first one which I actually liked a lot more. The first half of the movie was just Steve moping around about how times have changed. Things didn't really pick up until the Falcon showed up and the Winter Soldier barely played any role in the movie. So who was supposed to be the real villain here? Was it the old guy with the button or was it the faceless air craft? Either way it wasn't that compelling.

But yes. There are some movies that are simply better even with the test of time. Classics that will be must watches for decades to come. I don't know if I could ever come up with a "greatest movie of all time", but if given a particular genre I could do some work there.

I'd hardly consider Order of the Phoenix to be on any kind of all time list.

 

[gorfias]

legacy of Citizen Kane vs Gone with the Wind: Block buster vs. virtuoso talk fest. Flash forward: what would you rather watch: Pulp Fiction/Good Fellas or Captain America Winter Soldier/Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix

There are some movies that are simply better even with the test of time. Classics that will be must watches for decades to come. I don't know if I could ever come up with a "greatest movie of all time", but if given a particular genre I could do some work there.

I thought it interesting that you could argue that Citizen Kane vs. Gone with the Wind are foundations for two different kinds of genres: something intelligent, challenging, talky vs. a huge, block buster spectacle. (Though arguably not the first of their kind. Movie Bob writes of some pretty big budge silent films, pre Hayes code days, from time to time).

Could you pick 3 of each, going back to the 1970s (Some say Jaws was the mother of the Summer Blockbuster). Then, of the two lists, which would win. Example: Jaws vs. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Hmmm. That would be a tough one for me. I have to admit, Jaws more watchable over time.

 

[Lightknight]

legacy of Citizen Kane vs Gone with the Wind: Block buster vs. virtuoso talk fest. Flash forward: what would you rather watch: Pulp Fiction/Good Fellas or Captain America Winter Soldier/Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix

There are some movies that are simply better even with the test of time. Classics that will be must watches for decades to come. I don't know if I could ever come up with a "greatest movie of all time", but if given a particular genre I could do some work there.

I thought it interesting that you could argue that Citizen Kane vs. Gone with the Wind are foundations for two different kinds of genres: something intelligent, challenging, talky vs. a huge, block buster spectacle. (Though arguably not the first of their kind. Movie Bob writes of some pretty big budge silent films, pre Hayes code days, from time to time).

Could you pick 3 of each, going back to the 1970s (Some say Jaws was the mother of the Summer Blockbuster). Then, of the two lists, which would win. Example: Jaws vs. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Hmmm. That would be a tough one for me. I have to admit, Jaws more watchable over time.

I'd be more interested in actual movie genre rather than when they were released or some other special situation that you wouldn't know without researching them.

For example, Imprisonment theme: Stalag 17, The Great Escape, Bride of the River Kwai, The Shawshank Redemption and Cool Hand Luke. The top three for me here would be Stalag 17, The Great Escape and The Shawshank Redemption.

So you'd just pick a genre or theme and go with the movies in that genre. Then you could potentially compare the leaders of those genres to one another.

If someone wanted to go with influence or historical significance then we'd start having a much better argument for Citizen Kane and Gone with the Wind. But I've seen both of those movies and they wouldn't hit my top 20 in any genre. Even if my genres were "Black and White" or "Technicolor".

 

[Mangod]

We're this far down the page, and no one has mentioned Casablanca?

Why is that well done? Casablanca is still a very enjoyable movie to watch. It's one of the few black and white movies that is firmly in my contention for greatest movies of all time. Certainly beats Citizen Kane in the enjoyment factor.

I agree, Casablanca is an amazing movie, and one of my all time favorites. The fact that I had to be the first person to mention it close to the bottom of the page? Orson, sarcatic applause, please.

The Citizen Kane slow clap; to be used when applauding someones Epic Failure.

 

[gorfias]

I'd be more interested in actual movie genre rather than when they were released or some other special situation that you wouldn't know without researching them.

For example, Imprisonment theme: Stalag 17, The Great Escape, Bride of the River Kwai, The Shawshank Redemption and Cool Hand Luke. The top three for me here would be Stalag 17, The Great Escape and The Shawshank Redemption.

So you'd just pick a genre or theme and go with the movies in that genre. Then you could potentially compare the leaders of those genres to one another.

If someone wanted to go with influence or historical significance then we'd start having a much better argument for Citizen Kane and Gone with the Wind. But I've seen both of those movies and they wouldn't hit my top 20 in any genre. Even if my genres were "Black and White" or "Technicolor".

I picked from the 1970s because TCs have a point about CK and GWTW and I'd start the next gen of blockbuster vs. the more thinkey/talky era around then.

But your idea is fun too. (From your list, Bridge on the River Kwai gets my vote.)

I'll do some thought experiments as, I'm not sure what my favorite is. "Dark Knight"? "Educating Rita"? Should be fun trying to figure it out.

 

[Strazdas]

gone with the wind? really? a movie pandering to a book which romanticizes slavery. which ends up pandering to racism even more (well ok, the book was far far worse).

just because these movies were first ones does not mean they were good. "Classic" does not give value in itself.

wizard of OZ wasnt the first movie to be made in colour. and no, colour wasnt a thing they had to have then, wast majority of movies still came out in black and white


the best movie is a movie that is liked by most people, because subjective is all there is to it. In which case, the best system we got is public vote and noone beats IMDB for that. its not perfect, but its the best measure we got. and the result is - Shawnshank Redemption is the best movie ever.

 

[Lightknight]

I agree, Casablanca is an amazing movie, and one of my all time favorites. The fact that I had to be the first person to mention it close to the bottom of the page? Orson, sarcatic applause, please.

The Citizen Kane slow clap; to be used when applauding someones Epic Failure.

That makes better sense. I thought you were making a comment that criticized people who routinely bring up Casablanca in comparison to Citizen Kane. It happens nearly every time so I assumed some people found that tiring (while you and I apparently find it largely true).

I picked from the 1970s because TCs have a point about CK and GWTW and I'd start the next gen of blockbuster vs. the more thinkey/talky era around then.

I may be biased but I don't think Captain America falls into either category. On the blockbuster front (most recently) we'd have something like Avatar that shattered the box office and pushed technology. If you wanted to maintain the superhero genre then it'd be the Avengers which is third in line (under Titanic and Avatar in the non-adjusted-for-inflation list). The thinking category would be harder to pin down. Something like Inception I guess but that one is also pretty high on the blockbuster list.

But your idea is fun too. (From your list, Bridge on the River Kwai gets my vote.)

Interesting choice. Sad movie in a lot of ways but still very watchable.

 

[skylog]

I liked the Godfather book....