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Greatest film ever made....Go!

It would have to be "3:10 to Yuma" with Russell Crowe :D.

On a more serious note, I would have to go with "Spaceballs" or another film that has been mentioned, "The Princess Bride".
 
Based on reader votes, this is the top 10 in the IMDB top movie list:

1. 9.2 The Shawshank Redemption (1994) 967,482
2. 9.2 The Godfather (1972) 688,694
3. 9.0 The Godfather: Part II (1974) 444,787
4. 8.9 Pulp Fiction (1994) 752,627
5. 8.9 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) 293,386
6. 8.9 The Dark Knight (2008) 940,989
7. 8.9 12 Angry Men (1957) 237,858
8. 8.9 Schindler's List (1993) 495,962
9. 8.8 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) 690,691
10. 8.8 Fight Club (1999)

I believe this reflects a younger viewer group as how in the heck could Pulp Fiction be No.4, The GBU number 5, and Fight Club be number 10. It boggles my mind. :p

I second- IMPOSSIBLE. What about something like Gone with the Wind an incredible movie. I'd also place Shawshank, up there along with movies like Giant, Shane, Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Rear Window, It's a Wonderful Life, To Kill A Mocking Bird, etc, etc, etc.
 
scepticalscribe said:
'too seriously'? I answered the question that was asked, in a way that seemed to treat it thoughtfully. Too many posts, threads, comments (and indeed movies) offer little that indicates any sort of thought before posting a response. Most people have answered the movie that they either 1) liked best or 2) were most impressed by.

One of the subtext of my posts on any movie thread is that so much of what comes out of the us cinema industry these days is so awful, trite, banal, vapid......that it is really deeply depressing to think about it. I suppose, at the end of the day, i see a good movie as 'art' not 'entertainment' although i accept that at its best it should be both. And the us movie industry did much to define and mould what is probably the sole art form which was unique to the twentieth century. The collapse in standards and trite drivel offered up for public consumption nowadays in deeply depressing.

Most of all, if someone wants to say that a stated movie is 'the greatest movie ever made' i am interested in why they think that; if you make a statement of that nature, be prepared to say why.

And, no, i don't teach film studies at a 'state university' or anywhere else. Actually, i don't teach in a state university.
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tl:dr. You sound like Armond White. I despise Armond White.
 
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Scepticalscribe said:
'Too seriously'? I answered the question that was asked, in a way that seemed to treat it thoughtfully. Too many posts, threads, comments (and indeed movies) offer little that indicates any sort of thought before posting a response. Most people have answered the movie that they either 1) liked best or 2) were most impressed by.

One of the subtext of my posts on any movie thread is that so much of what comes out of the US cinema industry these days is so awful, trite, banal, vapid......that it is really deeply depressing to think about it. I suppose, at the end of the day, I see a good movie as 'art' not 'entertainment' although I accept that at its best it should be both. And the US movie industry did much to define and mould what is probably the sole art form which was unique to the twentieth century. The collapse in standards and trite drivel offered up for public consumption nowadays in deeply depressing.

Most of all, if someone wants to say that a stated movie is 'the greatest movie ever made' I am interested in why they think that; if you make a statement of that nature, be prepared to say why.

And, no, I don't teach film studies at a 'state university' or anywhere else. Actually, I don't teach in a state university.
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Have you seen The Place Beyond the Pines? A really great film.

As far as greatest of all time:
2001 a Space Odyssey
Rear Window/North by Northwest
Star Wars - it did change the genre
Casablanca - used black and white film as an art form
Alien also created a new sub genre
Jaws and Dual both by Steven Spielberg changed the suspense genre

There are others but this is my shortlist.
 
CaptHenryMorgan said:
Meant to be a knee-jerk response thread...hence the "Go!" Wasn't interested in a graduate thesis.
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If I were you, I'd let it go; you sound increasingly immature the more you complain about a single person's thoughtful response to your posts.

That's all assuming you care, which you probably don't and possibly shouldn't.
 
mobilehaathi said:
If I were you, I'd let it go; you sound increasingly immature the more you complain about a single person's thoughtful response to your posts.

That's all assuming you care, which you probably don't and possibly shouldn't.
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Nope, don't care. Though I love your dedication to making this thread more important, socially impactful and earth-shattering than it was meant to be. Thanks for your input.
 
CaptHenryMorgan said:
Nope, don't care. Though I love your dedication to making this thread more important, socially impactful and earth-shattering than it was meant to be. Thanks for your input.
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It's truly been my pleasure, although I didn't think i did anything.

Thanks for being delightfully derisive!

My vote for the totally best movie ever is The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. Riveting and revolutionary!
 
Citizen Kane was my gut reaction. Although The Godfather and Shawshank are near the top of my list as well.

ScepticalScribe, Your initial response was spot on IMO. Kane is just a fantastic movie.

I really don't understand why the OP is being so rude to SS... OP complains that no one takes the original post seriously, then when SS gives a beautifully written response it's either "too serious" or "tl/dr". :confused:
 
tshrimp said:
The Shawshank Redemption
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This is often on the top of people's best movie lists. And for a good reason. The movie is amazing and more.

Greatest film ever made? There is none. Cause everyone has a different answer for this question.
 
These films are indelibly imprinted on my psyche after watching them as a young child.

Lord Of The Flies (1963 version) My pick as the greatest film.

Dr Strangelove

Whatever Happened To Baby Jane
 
Die Hard. It changed the game for every single action movie that came after. Non stop action and witty dialogue from start to finish. Never seen anything like it when it was released. So enjoyable...
 
Huntn said:
Based on reader votes, this is the top 10 in the IMDB top movie list:

1. 9.2 The Shawshank Redemption (1994) 967,482
2. 9.2 The Godfather (1972) 688,694
3. 9.0 The Godfather: Part II (1974) 444,787
4. 8.9 Pulp Fiction (1994) 752,627
5. 8.9 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) 293,386
6. 8.9 The Dark Knight (2008) 940,989
7. 8.9 12 Angry Men (1957) 237,858
8. 8.9 Schindler's List (1993) 495,962
9. 8.8 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) 690,691
10. 8.8 Fight Club (1999)

I believe this reflects a younger viewer group as how in the heck could Pulp Fiction be No.4, The GBU number 5, and Fight Club be number 10. It boggles my mind. :p

I second- IMPOSSIBLE. What about something like Gone with the Wind an incredible movie. I'd also place Shawshank, up there along with movies like Giant, Shane, Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, Rear Window, It's a Wonderful Life, To Kill A Mocking Bird, etc, etc, etc.
Click to expand...

It is a rather revealing list, isn't it? And, yes, I think your point about how this list reflects the fact that these are the preferences of a younger generation (who know little of older classics) is a very good one. In their own way, most of those are actually very good movies, (especially The Godfather pair of movies - the second one even more so - and Shawshank Redemption), but I'd hardly class them as the greatest movies ever made.

Agree re the Wizard of Oz - superb movie based on a terrific book, and some of the others you have mentioned, Shane, and Casablanca are just classics.

CaptHenryMorgan said:
tl:dr. You sound like Armond White. I despise Armond White.
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As I'm not from the US, I had to google this obscure reference, as, not surprisingly, I had never heard of Armond White, but I assume - given the context - that it is intended to be an insult.

Three things, really. The first is, I must thank you. So, a benevolent bow of gratitude for broadening my knowledge. Before today, I didn't know who Armond White was, and now I do. So, I have learned something new.

Secondly, I don't care whether or not you think my writing resembles his, or, above all, that you despise him. The third is that you seem to rejoice in the use of verbs which elevate the desire to express your feelings (mostly negative) over the desire to describe your thoughts. To be honest, your feelings don't interest me much. Your thoughts might, if argued well.


rocknblogger said:
Have you seen The Place Beyond the Pines? A really great film.

As far as greatest of all time:
2001 a Space Odyssey
Rear Window/North by Northwest
Star Wars - it did change the genre
Casablanca - used black and white film as an art form
Alien also created a new sub genre
Jaws and Dual both by Steven Spielberg changed the suspense genre

There are others but this is my shortlist.
Click to expand...

No, I have not seen it, and thank you for your recommendation. I must keep an eye out for 'The Place Beyond The Pines'.

I like your list and totally see your reasoning. Personally, (and I know it is also on Huntn's list), I dislike 'Rear Window' because to me, it shows Hitchcock at his suppressed stalker's nastiest misogynistic self. However, it is a matter of taste, and some of his other movies were very good. I liked 'Rebecca', his adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's excellent and disturbing book.

CaptHenryMorgan said:
Meant to be a knee-jerk response thread...hence the "Go!" Wasn't interested in a graduate thesis.
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Ah, well, I see. Thank you for enlightening me. The thing is, I don't do knee-jerk. Ever. Not in my life, and above all, not in my work. In fact, these days, I spend a lot of my time trying to persuade people not to do 'knee-jerk'. I will go so far as to use a verb which describes a feeling, when I say to you that I actually despise, yes, that verb again, 'knee-jerk', and am profoundly allergic to it. In life, in relationships, in thought, in work. So, I guess that we really are on rather different wave-lengths. Ne'er shall the twain meet, and all that.....



Grey Beard said:
Just scanning back in my recent memory, I think; The Green Mile.

KGB:cool:
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A very good movie.

quasinormal said:
These films are indelibly imprinted on my psyche after watching them as a young child.

Lord Of The Flies (1963 version) My pick as the greatest film.

Dr Strangelove

Whatever Happened To Baby Jane
Click to expand...

All astonishing, extremely good and deeply thoughtful movies.
 
For me, it is Lonesome Dove

The other parts/movies of the saga...5 in all (Lonesome Dove 2, Dead Man's Walk, etc) are good as well but none of them compare to the above IMO

While not all critically acclaimed by any means I also REALLY enjoy

- 8 Below
- The entire fast and furious (I know....I just love cars)
- Grease
- Into the Wild
- It's a Wonderful Life
- Iron Giant
- Kite Runner (really good)
- Life is Beautiful
- Mr. Destiny
- The Road to El Dorado
- Tremors
- Without Limits
- Sandlot
 
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I've gone for greatest film ever made in a given language.

These are my choices.

七人の侍 best film from Japan

La Haine best film from France

La Dolce Vita best film from Italy

Oorlogswinter best from the Netherlands

Die Brücke best film from Germany

Good night and Good Luck best film from USA.
 
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