Your View: What is the best movie ever made?

1. Mac - February 5th, 2008 at 2:06 am

I think the greatest film is “Dr Strangelove”. It contains at least five of the greatest comedic performances committed to screen (George C Scott, Sterling Hadyen, Sellers, Sellers, Sellers), the satire is razor-sharp and the film is frighteningly prescient. Kubrick didn’t intend to write a comedy until he began his script treatment and realised how ridiculous it all was.

My favourite part is when Dr Strangelove’s alien hand syndrome kicks into gear, the guy playing the Russian ambassador is corpsing really obviously in the background.

2. Nelia - February 5th, 2008 at 2:12 am

The Godfather? I know this is heresy, but I fell asleep during The Godfather.
Schindler’s List. This movie doesn’t even need to be defended, but I will. This film breaks my heart and makes me feel great about being a human being all at the same time. I can hardly bear to watch it, but it is too beautiful to miss.
The “I could have saved one more” scene remains the most moving scene I’ve ever seen in a film.

3. Nelia - February 5th, 2008 at 2:14 am

also… the ads on this page make it really difficult to read. I understand that you are “just paying the bills”, but I like to be able to follow the flow of the page a bit more easily. 2 ads between the title and the comments is kind of painful.

4. Kirsten - February 5th, 2008 at 2:16 am

I think Children of Men is the best movie ever. It is just absolutely fantastic, particularly the bit where they are walking down the stairs. I couldn’t find a single fault with it, which is why I think it’s the best movie ever. Batman Begins would also be a contender if it didn’t have Katie Holmes in it.

5. Harsha - February 5th, 2008 at 2:18 am

Among new movies, The Departed, nuff said!

6. fishing4monkeys - February 5th, 2008 at 2:21 am

I really liked Serenity. Ok so i’m a bit of a sci fi junkie but I thought it was/is a really great movie!

7. fishing4monkeys - February 5th, 2008 at 2:22 am

If this favorate movie thing does catch on is there any chance of a “what is the worst movie ever made” section? haha THAT would get alot of comments! Imagine the agruements that would go on there…ok so maybe that was a bad idea

8. Champiñon - February 5th, 2008 at 2:23 am

Any Kubrik’s film. Probably Dr. Strangelove as Mac says…well, maybe 2001…

9. fishing4monkeys - February 5th, 2008 at 2:24 am

Woah sorry for the 3 comments in a row but after I submited that last one the whole page changed it was centered and the banner was bigger and rounded on the edges! What’s up with thta!?

10. Hannah - February 5th, 2008 at 2:25 am

Whoa, I totally agree with Nelia about the ads- I completely missed your Godfather pick and was wondering she commented on it.

Hey, I fell asleep during the Godfather too! 20 minutes in and I was out!

I can’t pick an all time greatest, so I’ll pick my all time favorite- Singing In the Rain. The casting, the characters, the dance numbers, the songs, and the comedy, all way ahead of their time. It is just so clever and witty, and Gene Kelly is so swoon-able. There has never been another musical like it and if they ever do a remake, I just might slit my wrists…

11. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 2:26 am

Mac: I must say - I love Dr Strangelove - it is a great film.

Nelia: to be honest I found Schindlers List to be a little over the top. Oh - re the ads - I am not able to turn them off from page to page - it is less noticeable on lists as they are long - but on short pages like this it can be a bit of a pain - I agree

Kirsten: haha re Katie Holmes! I love Batman Begins too - I can’t wait for the next one.

Harsha: loved that one too! Wow this is a list of my favorite movies!

fishing4monkeys: That is ag ood suggestion - I was planning to cover all manner of topics too - thing like “what is the best religion” MUAHAHAH!

12. MojoRisin - February 5th, 2008 at 2:27 am

I think the greatest film ever made is The Conversation. Made by Francis Ford Coppola, in between The Godfather 1 and 2. It is a more solid film than the Godfather films, although they are excellent too. It follows a simple premise of a man struggling with the morals of his career, but manages to convey so much through such profound direction. The theme is totally amazing also, and Gene Hackman provides his best role yet (later reprised in Enemy of the State). It won the Golden Palm at Cannes in 1974, and it is somehow still totally under-rated and overshadowed by the Godfather. Check it out.

In terms of recent films I would say Fight Club is an absolute masterpiece. I was also very impressed by the recent “No Country For Old Men”

13. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 2:29 am

I have moved the advert to the bottom - unfortunately it is the best I can do!

fishing4monkeys: is it right now? I was in the middle of uploading the search button back - it flicks to base theme when you do that.

14. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 2:30 am

MojoRisin: what is the career the guy has in The Conversation? And Fight Club is a modern masterpiece - I agree.

15. MojoRisin - February 5th, 2008 at 2:31 am

Oh by the way, I think this is a really good idea. The downside is that when the page gets heaps of comments, no one will be bothered to read them all. Perhaps you could incorporate a tally of some kind.

16. MojoRisin - February 5th, 2008 at 2:32 am

He is a microphone expert who gets paid to listen in to people’s private conversations.

17. Nelia - February 5th, 2008 at 2:33 am

Jfrater - you can’t blame me for having a deep, abiding love for Liam Neeson I couldn’t nominate Michael Collins because I didn’t think many people would have seen it (and Julia Roberts kind of ruins it), so I went with SL. Still love it though. And still can’t get through The Godfather, but my boyfriend loves it almost as much as he loves Star Wars.
I can live with the ads, I can see how 4 ads on a page with only a few lines could get out of hand, but be ok on a long list page.

18. Jeremy Foster - February 5th, 2008 at 2:35 am

Hard to say. Godfather is a great example of an excellent classic movie. I’m also tempted to include ‘High Noon’ or ‘Twelve Angry Men’ (although this is rather a stageplay than a movie).

IMHO the ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies also have deserved a top rank.

–
Jeremy

19. sue - February 5th, 2008 at 2:35 am

I love Dirty Dancing and The Shawshank Redemption.These may not be as profound as the movies mentioned above,but they’re certainly movies I can watch over and over again.American Beauty is great too.

20. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 2:37 am

MojoRisin: I was thinking about that - it might be possible to go over the list of comments and see what the totals were - though that would be a right pain if there are 100 different opinions And thanks for answering that question - I would LOVE to be a microphone expert listening in on people’s conversations

Nelia: you know - I have actually not seen Michael Collins - I am not the biggest fan of Neeson so it put me off.

Jeremy Foster: I wondered how long it would be before we got a Lord of the Rings mention

21. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 2:38 am

sue: Shawshank is a very enjoyable movie - the ending makes you feel so good!

22. fishing4monkeys - February 5th, 2008 at 2:46 am

jfrater:
Hahaha “best religion” because THAT would DEFINATLY make for a very peaceful and intelligent comment list

23. dangorironhide - February 5th, 2008 at 2:47 am

Ok, they aren’t the best films ever made, but my two favourite films ever are 300 (great when you can’t be assed thinking of anything) and Team America: World Police (funniest film ever).

I think, however, the best film ever made that I’ve seen is A Clockwork Orange. The atmoshpere, acting, music, & stuff makes it awesome.

24. dmarmion - February 5th, 2008 at 2:48 am

I like this topic. Lots of good suggestions so far…
I have a lot of difficulty with this, so, if I may, I’d like to do one comedy and one drama. Bloody Sunday would be my pick for drama. The Graduate for comedy. And freakin’ Jaws rocks my socks off every time I put it on! It never ever gets old or loses its suspense for me. Acting, soundtrack, cinematography, all are excellent.

25. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 2:50 am

fishing4monkeys: yeah It would beat the bible stories list I am sure!

dangorironhide: I could agree about 300 - but not Team America - I really didn’t like that! Also, totally love Clockwork Orange - Kubrick is a master!

26. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 2:52 am

dmarmion: thanks for reminding me about Jaws - I haven’t seen it in ages - I had better go pick up the DVD!

27. fishing4monkeys - February 5th, 2008 at 2:53 am

jfrater:
Yeah, 1127 comments and it’s finally starting to die down

28. Nelia - February 5th, 2008 at 2:56 am

Jfrater - sigh… not a fan of Liam? How about Daniel Day Lewis? Can I submit “In the Name of the Father” as the best movie ever? I was young and and in a classroom when I saw it, which kind of screwed up the viewing experience, but it is an understated and wonderful film. I love LotM with Lewis running about in minimal clothing, but ItNotF is Lewis’ best that I have seen.

29. dangorironhide - February 5th, 2008 at 2:58 am

fishing4monkeys: I really cba reading all the comments. Can someone give me an overview on what they were about?

30. dangorironhide - February 5th, 2008 at 3:00 am

Nelia: Liam Neeson I beleive is the single best character in Star Wars Ep 1. Qui-gon was awesome.

31. fishing4monkeys - February 5th, 2008 at 3:04 am

I never read them…I saw the list only after a few hundred comments and didn’t bother spending 4 hours reading them all
I’d skim through and summarize it but that’s a heck of alot of comments!
Sorry I can’t help.

32. dangorironhide - February 5th, 2008 at 3:05 am

Haha ok then, maybe someone else can

33. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 3:06 am

dangorironhide: to sum up the comments on the bible list: atheism versus religion

Nelia: not a big fan of him either - though I love his sister - she is one of my favorite TV chefs (Tamasin Day Lewis). And you can certainly submit any film you like - this is YOUR list - not mine

34. Nelia - February 5th, 2008 at 3:19 am

I can live with that! Schindler’s List and In the Name of the Father then.
Never seen his sister, I’ll have to youtube her? Oh, and Jaws is the most watchable movie of all time. I’m sending mixed messages here… Cause Jaws is fantastic as a movie that may not be as meaningful as others, but no one I know will ever change the channel when they see it.

35. dangorironhide - February 5th, 2008 at 3:19 am

Nothing like a good religion debate to get the comment numbers up!

36. phunniemee - February 5th, 2008 at 3:25 am

Citizen Kane, Citizen Kane, Citizen Kane. It’s critically thought to be the best movie ever made, and for good reason. It’s got everything an excellent movie should have: mystery, intrigue, romance, beautiful filming, well-choreographed shots, and ground-breaking camera work.

And then, for fun, I would have to say a Hitchcock. Which one? I don’t know, they’re all so good. If you were making a list of the best, Hitchcock would HAVE to be on it somewhere. I’m going to say Rear Window, just because it’s pretty universally appealing, I think. (And also because I have a crush on Jimmy Stuart.)

As for a recent movie, maybe Magnolia? I hate-hate-hate Julianne Moore and Tom Cruise, but it’s a well-paced and attractive film.

37. mabutt88 - February 5th, 2008 at 3:29 am

good will hunting…great great movie

38. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 3:29 am

Nelia: unfortunately there is nothing of her on youtube. This is a synopsis of her with a photo and some of her recipes: http://uktv.co.uk:80/food/item/aid/530456

39. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 3:30 am

phunniemee: I love Julianne Moore - she was great in Magnolia - especially the scene at the drugstore!

mabutt88: Good Will hunting is definitely a great film.

40. phunniemee - February 5th, 2008 at 3:35 am

jfrater: I find her incredibly grating and talentless (to each his own, right?) haha. I think what bugs me most about her (and Tom Cruise) is that she plays basically the same character type in every movie she’s in. Except for The Hours, maybe but don’t even get me started on that P.O.S.

41. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 3:41 am

phunniemee: each to his own for sure - I despise John Malkovich yet many people seem to like his hack acting! Funny you mention Cruise too - I think that Magnolia is one of the few films in which he is an excellent actor - revolting - but excellent.

42. Savas Demirel - February 5th, 2008 at 4:02 am

It is West Side Story, but one must be music and dance lover to enjoy it, winner of ten academy awards.

43. theruggedman - February 5th, 2008 at 4:13 am

How about splitting the movies by genre, the same with the list of best ever books…but if u must know, the Seventh seal gets my vote

44. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 4:13 am

Savas Demirel: wow - I didn’t know it had won that many awards! It is a great musical.

45. samehrocks - February 5th, 2008 at 4:14 am

Citizen Kane, Casablanca, The Godfather, Lawrence of Arabia, Raging bull…

46. indiefreak19 - February 5th, 2008 at 4:43 am

I would go with Citizen Kane on this, just absolutely amazing lighting, plot, characters, casting, themes etc etc!

Also up there in my opinion there is Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Pulp Fiction, Donnie Darko and Withnail and I.

47. Ashyja - February 5th, 2008 at 4:44 am

Serenity: http://imdb.com/title/tt0379786/

48. mship - February 5th, 2008 at 4:49 am

How about Stalker by Andrei Tarkovsky. It is by far the greatest movie that i have ever seen.

49. sue - February 5th, 2008 at 4:58 am

mabutt88: I agree with u,Good Will Hunting is excellent.Come to think of it,I rather like the dramatic side of Robin Williams,esp in The Dead Poets Society,which was another great film

50. Thomas - February 5th, 2008 at 5:08 am

i vote for ‘Once upon a time in America’

51. Joe - February 5th, 2008 at 5:35 am

I find myself questioning the movie posters you picked after the jump. Deuce Bigalow 2?, the Pink Panther(remake)?, Roll Bounce?, The Wedding Date?. Really? Maybe i’m the only one that can remember a movie by its poster.

Anyway, I have to vote for Pulp Fiction. It truly is an incredible exercise in story telling. Its one of those movies that you cant just watch a scene, you find yourself obligated to watch the entire movie everytime, which, with a 400 hour movie like ‘The Godfather’, you cant say often.

52. me - February 5th, 2008 at 5:39 am

TRON don’t really need to say anything else

53. Clemen - February 5th, 2008 at 5:42 am

The Usual Suspects.
Because pwnage put to film is funny.

54. Anthony - February 5th, 2008 at 5:48 am

I’d go with The Princess Bride. It’s such a wonderful story, told so brilliantly and acted so perfectly that it can be watched again and again. I’ve watched it more times than I could ever hope to remember and still can’t find any faults in it.

Cinematic Perfection.

55. Joshua - February 5th, 2008 at 5:52 am

I agree with Sue on the Shawshank Redemption. The Godfather movies, as a series, make a much better story than the first one. I had trouble being drawn into the first one.

56. fabrulana - February 5th, 2008 at 5:55 am

Am I really the first to mention… Alien.

57. JLo - February 5th, 2008 at 6:00 am

I find myself wanting to go with what is traditionally seen as the best movie ever made, Citizen Kane, but I will resist that this time. I really enjoy the movie, so I think sometimes my opinion influences how I feel about that particular movie.

I am going to have to go with Casablanca. I studied the movie in a screenplay class in graduate school, and I developed a whole new appreciation for the movie. The dialogue, the characters, story, camera-work, etc, combine to create an amazing work of art that would even please Aristotle.

We were studying how scenes move forward in a movie or play. Usually this is built on one or more characters wanting something and then coming into some sort of conflict over that thing. Casablanca does this so well. Without having a voice-over narrative or any other cheap devices, Casablanca uses dialogue to show you where you are, what’s going on, who are the key players, etc. It’s just amazing.

And if I had a tie for greatest film, it would probably be Touch of Evil. The tracking shot in the beginning of the movie is incredible.

58. Magnolia - February 5th, 2008 at 6:01 am

Dr. Strangelove was amazing (and the idea for my A&P paper - Alien Hand Syndrome) and definitely up there on my list. I’m torn between that, Full Metal Jacket, The Boondock Saints, and American Psycho.

59. Rich Anthony - February 5th, 2008 at 6:13 am

The Searchers. John Wayne and John Ford at their best.

60. Melinda Seckington - February 5th, 2008 at 6:19 am

There is no such thing as the greatest movie. Different people like different things at different times. I could never pick which film I find the best, cause I like so much genres. You’ve got the traditional “good” Oscar films, but you’ll never find a great comedy or sci-fi within those selected movies. While those Oscar movies can be great, sometimes you fancy a nice comedy or sci-fi. Other times you might want to see a cheesy chick flick, because that’s what you need at the time. “greatest” doesn’t exist.

61. longball - February 5th, 2008 at 6:29 am

I dont think you can base a perfect movie out of all the genreas there are available so my list breaks it down.

Sci-Fi - Equilibrium. A Matrix type movie based on a future where the govmt controls everyone thru a drug that leaves people with no emotions. Very good combat scenes and emotional rediscovery brings tears to my eyes.

Action - Gone in 60 seconds. Amazing! So many nice cars.

Horror - Devils Rejects. A nightmare inducer.

Western - The Cowboy Way. John Wayne teaches a bunch of kids how to be cowboys by taking them out green on a drive and teaching them how to take care of each other and work together.

Drama - Green Mile. Obvious.

Comedy - Grandma’s Boy. Hilarious comedy. About video games. And weed. Not that i condone that kind of behavior.
A close second is Waiting with ryan reynolds.

Anime - DragonBallZ GT

Machanime - Red Vs Blue

Cartoon - Tom and Jerry

62. Mystern - February 5th, 2008 at 6:39 am

JF: Isn’t this what the forums are for? Are you planning on replacing the forums because they are underutilized?

63. batrouni - February 5th, 2008 at 6:40 am

i think the shawshank redemption is great…american beauty too
and v for vendetta

64. bucslim - February 5th, 2008 at 6:40 am

Lots to pick from - The Godfather and Citizen Kane are the traditional choices. Casablanca, 2001 A Space Odyssey, Pulp Fiction and about 100 others are among my faves.

As for longball, I didn’t agree with any of his/her choices. But that’s the great thing about movies, you can choose whatever you like.

65. Celeste - February 5th, 2008 at 6:48 am

BOONDOCK SAINTS for more recent, and for silent films Broken Blossoms with Lilliam Gish and Sunrise by F. W. Murnau.

66. Eric - February 5th, 2008 at 6:50 am

The Wizard Of Oz…Dreamgirls…Hairspray…The Shawshank Redemption…American History X…Se7en

67. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 6:51 am

Mystern: the forums do have a similar role - but by doing these new styles of lists occasionally means we can communicate in a more structured way about some of our favorite topics If you don’t think it is a good idea speak up now - I will do a tally of those for and against to help decide whether to do more in the future or not.

68. mklong - February 5th, 2008 at 6:51 am

Fargo

Dramatic, Darkly Funny, Action, Great Actors.

69. LordCalvert - February 5th, 2008 at 6:53 am

Saving Private Ryan

70. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 7:00 am

mklong: Fargo is an amazing film - Frances Mcdormand is great is everything she is in.

71. christopherborne - February 5th, 2008 at 7:13 am

Citizen Kane

72. carebearbunny - February 5th, 2008 at 7:15 am

The Departed

73. bucslim - February 5th, 2008 at 7:15 am

Back in the day, jfrater would be picking a certain movie that he knows he’d get made fun of. So it’s a little surprising to me that he picked The Godfather.

I like this idea - gets conversations out of the forum and onto the front page.

74. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 7:18 am

bucslim: why ever would I do that?! I thought everyone knew I loved the Godfather? My second choice would be Dancer in the Dark

75. Jackie - February 5th, 2008 at 7:19 am

The Great Race!!! Has anybody ever seen that? That to me is the greatest movie ever made.

I also agree with a lot of people about Shawshank Redemption, that movie is brilliant.

76. DiscHuker - February 5th, 2008 at 7:24 am

wow, i was growing concerned as i was reading through the comments that it took to the mid 40’s for my favorite, Pulp Fiction.

the dialogue is beyond top notch. lots of humor in the midst of several heart-beat skipping scenes. the in style movie device of having a fractured time-line that all come together at the end. several excellent actors in roles outside of their comfort zone. the direction is inspired. and holy crap, there are so many quotable moments

- “what do they call a whopper? i don’t know i didn’t go into burger king”
- “i hid this uncomfortable hunk of metal up my ass for 3 years”
- “did you see a sign on the front of my house that said dead nigger sorage”
- “tell that bitch to be cool”
- “i love you pumpkin. i love you hunny-bunny”
- “that better be one charmin’ mutha-fuckin’ pig. ten times mo charmin than that arnold on green acres, you know what i mean?”

i could go on but you get the point.

as honorable mentions:
saving private ryan
green mile
braveheart
life is beautiful

oh yeah, from comment #2, nelia, schindler’s list makes you feel good to be human? holy crap, anytime i watch anything about the holcaust, i hang my head in shame at what humans can do.

77. mklong - February 5th, 2008 at 7:34 am

yes it is jfrater, slingblade is a close second. for all the same reasons

78. JLo - February 5th, 2008 at 7:37 am

I probably shouldn’t open this can of worms, but I am kind of old school. I believe there is a difference between a person’s favorite movie and what they consider the greatest movie. For example, one of my favorite movies is It Happened One Night, in fact, I would say it’s my favorite movie. There is a lot of emotional value attached to that view as well. But it’s not the same with what I see as the greatest movie. I really enjoy Citizen Kane, and would agree with most people, it is a great movie, but it’s not my favorite movie. Another example of what I mean: from an artistic point of view, Sin City is an excellent movie, but I didn’t like it. I could, however, appreciate it on an artistic level, but on a personal level, it didn’t do a whole lot for me. Does that make sense? I always love these kinds of discussions.

79. JLo - February 5th, 2008 at 7:39 am

I also think this list (so far) has focused primarily on the past 20-30 years of film (and that’s being generous). We should try to reach back to the 70s (one of the greatest decades in film - we already brought up Godfather, Conversation) or the 60s or even farther back.

80. bucslim - February 5th, 2008 at 7:42 am

Cmon jfrater - you know you’re a David Lynch fanboy.

81. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 7:43 am

bucslim: yes - though I wouldn’t rank his movies in the top 5 of all time

JLo: how about M - a great film by Fritz Lang - that is a contender I would say.

82. rss - February 5th, 2008 at 7:44 am

It depends on what you mean. Historically, I’d have to say Citizen Kane because it was so revolutionary in the world of film. However, in terms of visual beauty, cinematography (kind of the same thing), meaningful content, and amazing acting, I would have to say Requiem for a Dream.

83. john doan - February 5th, 2008 at 7:44 am

the best movie of all time is Pokemon the first movie. lollll

84. bucslim - February 5th, 2008 at 7:50 am

This is kind of a weird sidebar, but for me it isn’t all that much about my favorite movies or what is considered the greatest. For me it’s about my favorite directors. Right now I’d watch anything the Coens or Tarantino makes. Same goes for Kevin Smith, but I wouldn’t consider him to be the greatest. Hitchcock and Kubrick had incredible careers and most of their work could also be considered.

I never get tired of this discussion, it’s interesting to me to see how people view their movies and how important they are to them.

85. unhustler - February 5th, 2008 at 7:57 am

Requiem For A Dream

Disturbing, but beautifull told. Probably the most artistic movie I have ever seen. I hold this one dear to my heart having nearly a year of sobriety after my battles with addiction.

86. DiscHuker - February 5th, 2008 at 7:57 am

JLo: you make a good point, but surely this list had to devolve into a “personal favorite” list. there is no standard as to what makes an objectively good movie. is it superb acting, visionary directing, depth of character development, tightness of story and script, lighting design, how many cars blow up, whether or not there are naked women, number of fart jokes?

while my favorite comedy is either napoleon dynamite or dumb and dumber, i would never suggest them as the overall best picture.

87. Doc Holliday - February 5th, 2008 at 8:01 am

1 - Goodfellas
2 - The Godfather/Godfather II (same level for me)
3 - Shawshank Redemption
4 - One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
5 - Cool Hand Luke
6 - Jaws
7 - Fight Club
8 - Heat
9 - The Wild Bunch
10 - Resevoir Dogs
*11 - True Romance (couldn’t leave this off)

88. DiscHuker - February 5th, 2008 at 8:06 am

just in keeping with form, perhaps we should add deuce bigalow so that it has no business being on 2 different lists.

if the standard is winning awards, then there are two that tie
one flew over the cuckoo’s nest
as good as it gets

these were the only two to sweep the oscar’s main awards, best actor, best actress, best movie, best director, best screenplay.

interestingly enough, both with jack nicholson

89. JLo - February 5th, 2008 at 8:08 am

DiscHuker: I respectively disagree…I do believe in objective criteria for art, literature, film, etc. As I said, I am old school, though. I believe excellent art, literature, music endures, stands the test of time, because it adheres to a certain set of criteria. Plus, if all of it is purely subjective, what makes a Michelangelo or Monet any better than a painting of Dogs Playing Poker or a Thomas Kinkade? I don’t really want to derail this list, though, so I apologize to jfrater if this happens. We should focus on our favorite…oops…AHEM…the greatest movies ever made.

Ars longa vita brevis.

90. erin - February 5th, 2008 at 8:12 am

Walk the Line!

91. Mom424 - February 5th, 2008 at 8:15 am

I would agree on “Fargo”, Francis McDormand is excellent in everything? Has anybody seen the kid’s movie Madeline? She’s wonderful as the nun. (ps; I know lots of people who didn’t get/like Fargo.)
Also current movies; Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, The Green Mile, A History of Violence, Kill Bill,7, The Matrix (1st one)
Old Movies; 2001(my 1st real love took me to this on our 1st date-note not a chickflick), Vertigo, Duel(early speilberg,I know it was a teleflick, but we’re not snobs), Kelly’s Heroes,
Holy its gonna hafta be Top 50 movies,,,

Oh and I just saw “No Country for Old Men” GO SEE THIS ONE

92. Rob - February 5th, 2008 at 8:18 am

The Seventh Seal.

93. Brian - February 5th, 2008 at 8:25 am

Id have to say Harold and Maude…classic love story!

94. Mom424 - February 5th, 2008 at 8:26 am

Jlo; I get your point, the greatest should probably be some epic from the 60’s,,,maybe Cleopatra, or The 10 Commandments or some other Cecil B. DeMille classic. Unfortunately, although brilliant, none of these are my faves. Citizen Kane?

95. TMo - February 5th, 2008 at 8:29 am

First, Walk the Line is poop.

Second, Dr. Strangelove is amazing, it’s in my top 3 of all time, along with… get this… Howl’s Moving Castle. Hayao Miyazaki is an absolutely incredible storyteller, and his films encompass EVERYTHING in life… love, death, peace, war, happiness, loneliness, jealousy, responsibility, and confronting our own inner demons. P.T. Anderson’s latest outing, There Will Be Blood is also ridiculously amazing, easily the best film of the past few years, and definitely in the top 10 of all time. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is also a very respectable nomination. Honorable mentions are Babel (i think i liked it more than most people did), Pan’s Labyrinth, and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (i definitely liked this more than most people did). I disagree with the poster who said Children of Men… it was good, but not great. But to each his own.

96. TMo - February 5th, 2008 at 8:30 am

Oh, on a side note, I’m a film geek.

97. TMo - February 5th, 2008 at 8:32 am

Is my comment awaiting moderation cuz there’s links in it?

98. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 8:33 am

TMo: yep - it is approved now

99. Borg - February 5th, 2008 at 8:37 am

Wow, I’m really impressed with most of the picks so far. There are some great movies being thrown out there.
As for me, my favorite movie changes about every hour. Historically, it’s most often been The Godfather, which has everything you could ask for in a movie, from great memorable acting, to rich themes, and great directing. Some days, it is Citizen Kane, for its momentous direction and cinematography. Other days, it is one of my “litmus test” movies, movies that can make or break relationships for me depending on the viewer’s enjoyment: Rear Window, 12 Angry Men, Running On Empty.
But, today, my favorite movie, the greatest of all time, is the comedy masterpiece This Is Spinal Tap. An entirely improvised comedy, funny from beginning to end, about a fictitious rock band coping with their fall from stardom. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer put together arguably the greatest comedic performances ever to be put on film.
Today, my favorite line from that movie: “I’d love to stay and chat but I have to go to the lobby and wait for the limo.”
Classic.

100. hg8057 - February 5th, 2008 at 8:47 am

I’d have to put up two movies for consideration. “The Exorcist” frightened me for years. And, I don’t recall seeing anyone mention “No Way Out” with Kevin Costner. I’ve always thought NWO was a great thriller with an even greater ending.

101. Frank117 - February 5th, 2008 at 8:48 am

It has to be Star Wars

102. Randall - February 5th, 2008 at 8:49 am

The very best movie EVER made is CASABLANCA.

Reason? Simple. The film is flawless from start to finish. Coming at the height of Hollywood’s studio system in 1942, from Hollywood’s grittiest, no-nonsense, tough-guy, wisecracking studio, Warner Bros. (home of the greatest gangster flicks and action pictures, as well as the beloved Bugs Bunny) Casablanca doesn’t reach too far (like “Gone With the Wind”) and yet manages to play it epic without seeming so. It’s got Humphrey Bogart at his best (gritty and tough and yet likeable) and no one does roles like this better than Bogie. It’s got Ingrid Bergman, who, at least in this film is quite possibly the most beautiful woman who ever stepped foot in Hollywood, and Claude Rains at his effortlessly urbane, witty best. Plus it’s got a (for the day) grown-up friendship between the lead character (a white man) and a black man, the piano player, Sam. (Yes, I know… in today’s world we only notice that Sam has a few lines and he keeps his place–but view it in context and Sam is a lot more of a racially progressive character than all the mammies in “Gone With the Wind”). Sam–a black man in a film made in *1942*—even gets to have some onscreen time with a white woman–even sharing lines with her as essentially an equal. This was *unheard of* in its day, and while no particular reason to judge this the greatest film ever made, it says a lot for the intelligence and taste of the people who made the movie.

It’s got the greatest villains ever–Nazis (there are no better villains)–and extra-villainous Conrad Veidt playing it extra-smooth-nasty as the lead Nazi, Major Strasser. The film has wit, drama, and romance, yes… but it’s also got *believable* heroism in it–not the Hollywood comic-book kind but the kind of real and honest heroism and self-sacrifice that noble people in real life really go through.

It doesn’t have a SINGLE bad or even hollow line in it, unless you want to count Bogie’s “hill of beans” line at the end—which nevertheless is surely one of the most quoted–if not *the* most–lines in Hollywood history. In fact, the movie is chock-full of famous and widely-quoted lines.

And don’t buy into the idea that because it’s an “old movie” that it doesn’t have relevance today or can’t work before an audience. I have seen Casablanca on three separate occasions over the last 20+ years in revivals on the big screen, in theaters, including once in college, before a large college audience. I was amazed at how very, very good this film still is when seen on the big screen, and how FUNNY it is. Lines that you hear at home off a VCR tape or a DVD are just clever-seeming, but before an audience in a theater, they still draw big laughs. Each time I saw it people were riveted and came away loving it, and on more than one occasion I encountered people who had never seen it before who came away staggered by it and in love with it.

And indeed–while almost every other great Hollywood film of the old era has its moments here and there that can be mocked a little (or a lot)–who, after all, can take Scarlet O’Hara *totally* seriously, or Fred MacMurray in “Double Indemnity” without a *little* tongue-in-cheek–Casablanca from the very start does NOT take itself seriously even for a moment, even when there’s real pain in watching how tough-guy Rick of the latter day evolved from the Rick who was almost giddily in love with Ilsa in Paris. What man amongst us hasn’t been a soft, adoring sucker for a woman we were mad about? (I have, on more than one occasion, I’m embarrassed to say) And yes, how many among us had our insides kicked out when we lost her?

Greatest goddamn film ever made.

103. Mom424 - February 5th, 2008 at 8:50 am

Borg; I would agree on Spinal Tap. Watch Improv on TV and it usually gets silly pretty damn quick. They did it for a whole movie and it never got stale. Brilliant!

104. Mom424 - February 5th, 2008 at 8:55 am

Dickhuker; I agree on Pulp Fiction. You noticed its the first film I mentioned. The dialogue is top notch. I also like the disparate story lines and the way they meld seamlessly by the end of the movie….

105. Borg - February 5th, 2008 at 8:56 am

Randall: It is perhaps my greatest shame that I have still not seen Casablanca. I know I will, and I know I’ll probably love it, I guess I’m just waiting for the right person to watch it with. It doesn’t feel like the kind of movie experience I want to enjoy alone.

106. g c - February 5th, 2008 at 9:00 am

I vote for Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai.”

107. phunniemee - February 5th, 2008 at 9:01 am

I like the idea of people listing their own stuff in the comments (rather than the forum) because it means I can pretend like I’m not procrastinating. (If I actually go into the forum and click through threads and stuff, I’ve invested myself in the procrastination and there’s nothing I can do to justify it to myself. Here, I’m just reading one page.)

And I agree with everyone who said that this would be most effective broken up into genres. Maybe a good “your view” thing would be “what genres shall we break movies up into?”

Comedy, SciFi, “Classics”, Rom-Com, Drama, Horror, (vaguely cheesy) Action, Animated…then maybe different things for best casting, or something. I don’t know, just a suggestion.

And, because I can:
Comedy: Raising Arizona
SciFi: Star Wars
Classic: Citizen Kane
Rom-Com: It Happened One Night
Action: Die Hard (hahaha)
Animated: The Triplets of Belleville (Anyone seen this? It’s great!)

108. Randall - February 5th, 2008 at 9:02 am

And my list of other greatest films ever, in case anyone cares:

City Lights
The Bicycle Thief
Open City
The Thin Man
Gone With the Wind
Citizen Kane
The Magnificent Ambersons
The Godfather
The Godfather Part II
The French Connection
The Taking of Pelham 123
Jason and the Argonauts
2001 a Space Odyssey
Through a Glass, Darkly
Wild Strawberries
La Dolce Vita
8 1/2
Juliet of the Spirits
Murder on the Orient Express
The Maltese Falcon
The Third Man
The Ipcress File
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
A Hard Day’s Night
It Happened One Night
The Bride of Frankenstein
The Passion of Joan of Arc
Beauty and the Beast (the original Cocteau version)
Orpheus
Vertigo
North by Northwest
The Philadelphia Story

Just pulling a few out of my head.

109. Joss - February 5th, 2008 at 9:12 am

Kirsten: I hate that movie so much.
firshing4monkeys: I adore Joss (see username), but Serenity wasn’t THAT good…

Of course, I don’t have great taste in movies. To me, the best movie ever made is just one I like a lot.

I would probably go with Big Night, although About a Boy is right up there, too. But, I feel as if a movie based on a book is cheating…

110. ? - February 5th, 2008 at 9:15 am

Anyone who hasn’t seen City of God should watch it right now. Everyone else should watch it again.

111. Ravyn - February 5th, 2008 at 9:20 am

My opinion… I have 2, since I can’t choose one over the other, I’ll tell both.

The Princess Bride: This movie has everything. Fairytale romance, pirates, kissing (ewwwwww), swordfighting, evil prince, an albino, monsters, Andre the Giant, unimaginable place put to perspective, fire, and so much more. The way Granpa tells the story reading it from the book just makes it that more perfect.

Oscar: This movie is just so funny, it gets me laughing everytime I watch it. The confusion, the chaos, Tim Curry calling a thug an oxymoron (well the thug thought it was a bad name “The doc was right! You are an ox AND a moron!” I just can’t put into words how wonderful this movie is.

Honorable Omissions: TRON, Spaceballs,

Jamie: This is an awesome idea.

112. madelyne - February 5th, 2008 at 9:20 am

GoodFellas…..no doubt about it!

113. Mom424 - February 5th, 2008 at 9:23 am

Randall; I want your life. I swear your Top movie list is damn near as large as my entire movie list. And I’m not a young thing.

114. suavecito - February 5th, 2008 at 9:25 am

greatest movie ever??? training day!!! by far the best movie ever!! denzel is the greatest actor ever!!! remember “it’s not what you know it’s what you can prove”

115. Mom424 - February 5th, 2008 at 9:27 am

Ravyn; TRON?, I fell asleep. Cool graphics only goes so far.
Spaceballs was hilarious but I preferred Blazing Saddles.

116. mship - February 5th, 2008 at 9:29 am

Randall: Great list there. The passion of Joan of Arc is a masterpiece, but i will have to disagree with North by Northwest. I think it’s Hitchcock’s worst film

117. jongleur - February 5th, 2008 at 9:31 am

Tough decision. But I think I’ll go with “Saving Private Ryan” - no other movie that I can recall did so well at putting the viewer into the scene as this movie did during the invasion. Everyone I was with when I saw this movie commented on how they had that gut-churning experience of waiting to be the next guy to collect a bullet.

118. longball - February 5th, 2008 at 9:31 am

bucslim- its him
and i dont watch alot of movies so i picked the best i could. now if we had a similar your view list about books….:-)

119. rss - February 5th, 2008 at 9:33 am

The Fountain is also an amazingly beautiful movie..also by the guy who did Requiem for a Dream

120. Borg - February 5th, 2008 at 9:37 am

Ravyn: For the reasons you liked The Princess Bride, I would recommend Stardust. It’s got swordfighting, evil witches, a fairytale romance that doesn’t come off as cheesy, and Robert De Niro as a gay pirate. It was critically received very well but few caught it in theaters last year. Those who liked it often compare it to the Princess Bride.

121. Kai4a - February 5th, 2008 at 9:37 am

Wow, a lot of the suggestions definitely should NOT ever be considered for greatest film. Not to be condescending, but when you look at Citizen Kane, Godfather, Casablanca, Clockwork Orange and Dr. Strangelove, very few films approach the importance of these films. Who remembers the 2nd person to climb Everest, 2nd to discover America, to discover relativity…

The fact is, people like Griffiths (albeit a racist psycho), Dreyer, Cocteau had such a blank canvas at the time that almost anything they did was revolutionary. Kubrick, Coppola and Welles happened to work in an era when film traversed at a high point for film, when technology and storytelling fed off each other. It’s a bit like music in the ’60s-’70s. The pendulum has swung too far towards the “business” side and art is not supposed to challenge or inspire, but simply to entertain and get butts in the seats.

Let me try to explain my little screed on the value of cinema by enlarging the music analogy. To me there are 4 levels of music (and yes, they are subjective). There are the songs you loved the first time you heard them, and now years later you still love. These are classics. They are the apex. Then there are the songs you weren’t sure about the 1st time. You thought they were alright, but it took a few more listens before you really “got” them. They challenged you, but ultimately the challenge payed off. These are the great songs. Then there are the songs that caught you the 1st time you heard them. They had a great beat, or a great hook, or clever lyrics. Whatever it was, it caught you right away and made you smile or tap your toe or whatever. By about the 10th or 20th listen, the lustre started to fade, but that didn’t matter because another piece of “musical candy” had come along. These are good songs, and most of what you hear on the radio. People enjoy them and they have their place, but they’re not “art.” In 50 years, people will still listen to the Beatles & Elvis, but will be as puzzled by the name Christina Aguillera as with Lulu or Katrina and the Waves. Oh yeah, then there’s the 4th group, which is just crap. Mostly modern rap, R&B and country. Sry, had to take that cheap shot.

In closing, years from now, people will watch Casablanca and Citizen Kane. Many will think they were great stories that were entertaining to watch, while others will see deft acting, clever writing, brilliant camera work and a multilayered story which tells us something about the human condition and, ultimately, ourselves and our lives. So, my vote: Bio-dome. Sheer brilliance.

122. Amber - February 5th, 2008 at 9:39 am

Wizard of Oz!

123. longball - February 5th, 2008 at 9:40 am

Kai4a - I think the way our society and culture are rapidly deteriorating, alot of the “crap” music and movies will be considered classics and all time greats

124. copperdragon - February 5th, 2008 at 9:45 am

i think a “best movie” should include all the elements - story, cinematography, editing, sound, popular/favorite subject, romance, action, comedy, great acting, and something you can watch over and over again.

hence, my vote for best movie is…The Princess Bride.

125. Joss - February 5th, 2008 at 9:50 am

Wow, a lot of you people are movie snobs.

I

126. Eddie - February 5th, 2008 at 9:51 am

I think it would be hard for someone my age, college student, to appreciate some of the older classics such as the Godfather, Goodfellas, etc. although they are excellent movies. Recently, the best movies of the last 15 years would have to be The Matrix, Fight Club, and Pulp Fiction. Just my 2 cents worth.

127. pjdigger - February 5th, 2008 at 9:55 am

A lot of people have decide to throw out faves rather than “best.” It’s tough to choose but here are a few that in my humble opinion belong:

Citizen Kane (yes, yes, trendy pick but for good reason.)
The Third Man
Double Indemnity
Out of the Past (no one is cooler than Mitchum)
The Haunting (original - great book also)
High and Low (amazing drama)

and just so you all know I like movies in color too…

Unforgiven
United 93 (you know the story but it made my heart pound)

and…

Jaws (my personal fave. There is not a wasted frame in the film! What is amazing that if you watch the documentaries on the production, everything that went wrong; from Lee Marvin turning down the role of Quint to the shark not working, helped!)

128. Joss - February 5th, 2008 at 9:57 am

I loved Stardust but, as always, the book was better.

129. Randall - February 5th, 2008 at 9:59 am

Mom:

Trust me, you don’t want my life. It needs a lot of work.

But come on. All these movies can be had from Netflix, I’m told (I don’t use Netflix myself–rather, I own my own copy of most of the ones I mentioned).

But I confess–I did take a few film classes in college. Got me exposed to a lot.

130. Mom424 - February 5th, 2008 at 10:01 am

pjdigger; I had forgotten about The Haunting….I’m gonna get me a copy soon, thanks for the remind.

131. Mom424 - February 5th, 2008 at 10:05 am

Randall; See I’m a walking, talking advert for either birth control or abstinence. 4 Boys, much sports, no time for movies…oh but someday….

132. Randall - February 5th, 2008 at 10:05 am

Kai4a: Great post, though I’m not sure I’d entirely buy your music analogy… and by the way, most of what we hear on the radio isn’t “good” unless you’re listening to some oldies station. Most of what we hear on the radio falls into the “crap” category. Similarly, most films are crap. Most books are crap. And so on.

Joss: Why are we “movie snobs?” Because we have standards and taste? I’m sick of know-nothing, will-watch-anything types calling others “snobs” because they insist on standards. Get out of here.

133. bucslim - February 5th, 2008 at 10:07 am

I can’t really disagree with Randall about Casablanca, it’s pretty much a perfect script, perfect acting, direction, photography et al. I think the same case can be made for Citizen Kane.

Personally there’s about 100 movies that I never get tired of, but probably wouldn’t classify them in any ‘greatest’ category. They’re just good movies that entertain every time.

134. downhighway61 - February 5th, 2008 at 10:08 am

am i the only person that doesn’t really like watching movie?
i have a netflix account, and it’s just slowly eating money, and i’m getting nothing in return. (my fault, i’ve had the same movie for about 6 months)
anyway, i really like 3 Iron, Gone with the Wind and Elizabeth. (not making any claims to their greatness or crappiness)

and this isn’t film snobbery. many of the movies mentioned are very good movies, and most people who have a decent knowledge of movies would agree.

135. bucslim - February 5th, 2008 at 10:10 am

I don’t get all these people spouting Princess Bride. Great movie, but the question is the greatest. Jeez, I know some gal who thinks Top Gun is the best movie ever made and I can’t talk her out of it.

Mind numbing when you think about it.

136. Mom424 - February 5th, 2008 at 10:11 am

Randall; I can be a movie snob, or not. Depends on the mood I’m in…Sometimes I want Coq au Vin, sometimes I want a Big Mac.

137. erin - February 5th, 2008 at 10:11 am

The African Queen, Annie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s

138. Kai4a - February 5th, 2008 at 10:12 am

Longball: Unfortunately, you’re right. But isn’t it a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Eddie: I don’t know if I’d characterize it as “hard.” Certainly more difficult than just blindly walking into the megaplex and buying a ticket for the latest Adam Sandler movie. I saw Casablanca when I was in Jr. High in the mid-’80s. I was home sick from school and my mother rented it for me. I was a bit puzzled by her choice, because it was a “classic” (meaning old, boring film), but watched it anyway. I loved it instantly. When I watch it now, I see more in it than I did then, so in a way the film grew as I did.

Sure it’s harder to watch an older film, but it’s harder for me to jog a mile than a typical college student. That’s because I’m 35 and sedentary. To quote Emo Philips, “life is like a sewer. What you get out of it depends on what you put into it.” When you put a little energy into seeking out a classic film and focusing on it, actually think about what you’re watching, it’ll give you more than your typical modern Hollywood film. And, the more you do it, the easier it’ll get. Sometimes I like to turn my brain off and be entertained but the best “fun” movie doesn’t hold a candle in real value, and will be passed out of the brain within a day like so much McDonald’s food through the colon…

139. Kai4a - February 5th, 2008 at 10:19 am

Randall: Thx. I guess what I mean is that film and music are both art and entertainment. The best films, the best music have artistic value while being entertaining. The “runners-up” aren’t as entertaining, but still have real merit. The next level, although not offering much on an artistic or philosophical level, are still entertaining. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, they’re just disposable and way too proliferate today.

140. dmarmion - February 5th, 2008 at 10:20 am

I’d also like to throw a little love out to David Lean and nominate The Bridge on the River Kwai. Awesome performance from Alec Guinness; a script that has a point of view about the world, and about the war, about the mind of a soldier; incredible action;a sympathetic antagonist; and a kick-ass climax.

I also think Princess Bride is a close to flawless film. I would venture to say there isn’t anyone who won’t enjoy it from beginning to end.

141. Mom424 - February 5th, 2008 at 10:24 am

Kai4a; hard or more difficult? A great movie, either classic or modern, should not be hard to watch. It all boils down to the story, symbolism and all the other ‘classic’ techniques must serve the story. If its hard to watch (and I don’t mean by making you uncomfortable), it can’t be a great movie.

142. Randall - February 5th, 2008 at 10:26 am

Eddie: YOU ESPECIALLY I want to address my boy. You can be saved. I hope.

I mean… what IS this nonsense? “I think it would be hard for someone my age, college student, to appreciate some of the older classics such as the Godfather, Goodfellas, etc.” To begin with, I’m trying to get my head around someone calling “Goodfellas” an “older classic” (or a classic at all–I didn’t care for it, but that’s just me) …regardless of your age, Eddie, you ARE aware that there was history PRIOR to the last thirty years, right? Films have been around since about 1900, in fact, Eddie. Calling “Goodfellas” or even “The Godfather” an “old classic” is a bit silly. No. A LOT silly.

But I’m not here to pick on you. Honestly. I’m here to help. See, Eddie… I was in college myself once. I was your age once. And at that time, 19 or 20… I loved and appreciated old movies–*really* old movies–movies that to me, then, were already 50 years old, or so… give or take a decade or two. I wasn’t alone. Lots of my friends loved old movies. Lots of people I knew who’d never seen old movies liked some of them once they were exposed to them.

See Eddie, you have to get your mind away from this false idea that because something is old, it can’t be relevant to you. People haven’t changed Eddie. Not in 20 years, not in 50, not in 100, not in hundreds. Maybe not in thousands. Oh yes, technology changes, fashion changes, tastes change, social views change. But individual people haven’t changed, or haven’t changed much. Love, grief, life, death, success, failure, facing aversity, dealing with problems… crime, honor, justice, etc. etc. etc.—people have been living with all these things since people were invented, Eddie. And the best stories, whether they’re novels or films, are about these things.

Old movies can be incredibly cool. There’s nothing as cool and aloof and tough as Bogart in “The Maltese Falcon”… trust me. Rent a copy and watch it. Watch how Bogart’s character deals with Peter Lorre’s. It’s not only cool, it’s funny. There’s countless examples like this.

If this doesn’t convince you, Eddie.. my DAUGHTER loves these truly old movies–and she’s 13. And not sappy, chick-flick old movies. She loves the crime flicks of the 40s and the old screwball comedies of the Marx Brothers and on and on. If a 13 year old kid can find something to like, can find relevance, in old movies—then so can you. And really, it should be easier for you, seeing as you’re a college student–after all, a college student is supposed to be opening his/her mind to new things, to all sorts of ideas and concepts, to be *willing* to expose himself or herself to intellects and arts they’ve never encountered before, to be moved by these things and open their walls through encountering them. Otherwise, I’d ask you what you’re in college for?

143. Mom424 - February 5th, 2008 at 10:27 am

dmarmion; I can’t watch Bridge on the River Kwai anymore. Not since learning about the actual true facts pertaining to this atrocity.

144. Patrask - February 5th, 2008 at 10:33 am

The Korean film Oldboy by Park Chan-wook. It’s simply awesome.

145. Joss - February 5th, 2008 at 10:41 am

Wtf over, Randall.

1) I was teasing
2) That was ridiculously rude

146. Maxx_the_Slash - February 5th, 2008 at 10:44 am

The greatest in my opinion is the 1979 movie, The Warriors, by Walter Hill. It was incredible. It documents a night in a reality that New York City was taken over by hundreds of gangs (law enforcement can’t fight them off), and the struggle of one gang, The Warriors, to make it back to the saftey of their home turf while being hunted down after being framed for the murder of the president of the city’s largest gang after said leader was rallying to unite all gangs into one gigantic group.

It really made an impact on me. Great fight scenes (especially The Warriors VS. The Baseball Furies) and a great change from the norm (the gangs are technically criminals, yet you can’t help but support one of them, The Warriors, in their struggle to clear their names).

The movie made such an impact that when it was released in theaters, it encouraged real-life gangs to fight each other, even in the theaters! It was the Grand Theft Auto III of the movie industry. Ironically, the guys who made Grand Theft Auto (Rockstar Games) made a very faithful game adaptation of The Warriors.

147. Randall - February 5th, 2008 at 10:52 am

Joss: And just how was that “teasing”?

And if you thought what I said was “ridiculously rude,” you should get out more.

148. Kai4a - February 5th, 2008 at 10:54 am

Mom: I think we’re in a bit of a “Blind Men and the Elephant” moment. I agree with you fully. “Hard” and “Difficult” are pretty much synonymous. In the end, the point is that the greater the value, the greater the effort required.

149. SpookyMulder - February 5th, 2008 at 10:57 am

Oldboy is an amazing film.

150. Joss - February 5th, 2008 at 11:03 am

It was teasing. As in, this is a laid back, community-oriented site that promotes CIVIL, INTELLIGENT conversation. I made a silly remark on how people are taking this subject so freaking seriously. From what I can remember, even the bible thread didn’t get this pissy.

Plus, that comment wasn’t directed at anyone in particular. I glanced around at a couple posts, saw that some movie critic feelings were getting hurt and voila, my horrible, ignorant post was born.

1. (1) tease, teasing, ribbing, tantalization

(the act of harassing someone playfully or maliciously (especially by ridicule); provoking someone with persistent annoyances; “he ignored their teases”; “his ribbing was gentle but persistent”)

If you think taking a couple film classes in college makes you an expert, that’s fine. Have fun with that.

151. Dolf DeRovira - February 5th, 2008 at 11:03 am

Shawshank Redemption hands down. There are very few movies if any in the world that you can watch stop the dvd and watch it all over again. It’s tied with the Godfather for first all time on IMDB but with 100,000 more votes. From the moment the warden throws the rock through the poster to the end of the movie has to be the greatest 30 minutes on film.

152. Mom424 - February 5th, 2008 at 11:08 am

Joss; I have had the same problem, tone and attitude does not translate well on the internet. I read an article last week that stated (sorry can’t remember where I read it)that over half of all comments/chat are misconstrued. Without the visual and aural cues we all rely on……
and Randall wasn’t being rude, just trying to educate…Lord I have a hard time getting my kids to even watch the Indiana Jones films and they thought American Werewolf in Paris lame…
beatin’ my head against a wall

153. lewis - February 5th, 2008 at 11:08 am

Fight Club, great acting and script, :D:D

154. Joss - February 5th, 2008 at 11:10 am

Mom: I do agree that Randall wasn’t being rude in his actual posts. “Joss: Why are we “movie snobs?” Because we have standards and taste? I’m sick of know-nothing, will-watch-anything types calling others “snobs” because they insist on standards. Get out of here.”

In my opinion, that’s rude. Perhaps I’m odd.

155. Dan - February 5th, 2008 at 11:12 am

I think The Godfather is a great choice: Stunning cinematography, compelling characters, brilliant acting and some very memorable scenes and lines. I mean, come on, the Horse’s head scene is possibly one of the most recognizable, parodied and iconic scenes of American cinema.

I might also say Star Wars (original trilogy), because it spawned a massive fanbase, it really broke sci/fi out to the masses in a way movies before it hadn’t, and it had such a simple yet engaging morality play plot that’s approachable and interesting.

156. Miss Destiny - February 5th, 2008 at 11:15 am

Well, I’m not much of a movie person, so I haven’t seen the vast majority of films mentioned here.

One sort of recent critically acclaimed movie I enjoyed was the Aviator. I started watching it almost by accident and ended up staying put through the whole thing. Not normally the type of film I’d watch but I liked it all the same.

I’m glad The Princess Bride has been mentioned already, that’s my favorite movie and I didn’t want to be the only one bringing it up! I just think it’s brilliantly done, I get lost in it whenever I watch it. It has comedy, drama, action, romance - everything I want in a film! (Plus Cary Elwes! *swoon*)

*makes a mental note to rent Stardust*

157. Mom424 - February 5th, 2008 at 11:15 am

Joss, Randall; I’ll concede, maybe standards and taste was a little over the top…
We all need to remember that standards and taste evolve as we age. When I was a kid I thought Billy Jack was the best movie ever….I caught it again on one of the old movie channels…
I was embarrassed, OMG, it is baaad. Hackneyed, cliched, and crappy ass acting….

158. bucslim - February 5th, 2008 at 11:17 am

Billy Jack was awesome.

159. phunniemee - February 5th, 2008 at 11:19 am

Oh, I almost forgot: Mildred Pierce! Not for best film ever, but for a good, solid noir-y melodrama with a lady lead. Joan Crawford is win.

160. phunniemee - February 5th, 2008 at 11:20 am

Ooh, maybe everyone should read through this list to find one great film they’ve never seen, and try to watch it this weekend.

161. Rob - February 5th, 2008 at 11:21 am

Magnolia
Great script, acting, direction, music, cast. It is a must see behind Goodfellas and The Brady Bunch movie.

162. TMoraca - February 5th, 2008 at 11:22 am

phunniemee: Billy Jack?

163. Joss - February 5th, 2008 at 11:22 am

Randall: I am very sorry that my post offended you. Perhaps it would help to know that I refer to myself as a snob of all sorts. A foam snob (it has to be the rich, creamy kind), a children’s book snob, a makeup snob.

I do think that you went a little over the top in forcing your movie tastes and opinions on others. You know, it’s fine when someone thinks differently than you do. It’d be boring otherwise.

164. kevin - February 5th, 2008 at 11:26 am

le samourai

165. bucslim - February 5th, 2008 at 11:28 am

GAGGGHHHFFF!

Pardon my wretching, but I don’t think Magnolia should be on the same list as Casablanca or Citizen Kane

166. Daniel - February 5th, 2008 at 11:31 am

Shawshank Redemption is not only my favorite, but I also think the best movie ever made. Though any movie list like this without Godfather in the top 3 is in trouble.

jfrater: about an earlier comment… I think Schindler’s List did its job on you. You were supposed to see it as over-the-top.

167. pinkglory - February 5th, 2008 at 11:32 am

Roman Holiday and Casablanca are the greatest movies of all times. I also love Reservoir Dogs and Memento. and from the recent movies, The Departed and Zodiac.

168. Rob - February 5th, 2008 at 11:32 am

DOn’t get sick over MY opinion Bucslim

169. bucslim - February 5th, 2008 at 11:36 am

Pre-digested chicken sandwich chunks on the keyboard are a real bitch to clean out.

170. Celeste - February 5th, 2008 at 11:38 am

One very good one I left out earlier is Four Feathers (NO not just because Heath Ledger was in it and there is a raging hoop-la about him right now). The writer/director is a genius! Watch the special features when they interview him, he makes some beautiful points. Another good one is Rabbit Proof Fence, and the Proposition (an Australian/western with Guy Pearce). Best scary movie I’ve ever seen that still scares the snot out of me is Event Horizon. But hands down best still goes to Boondock Saints (in fact I’m going to watch it a few dozen more times as St. Patty’s approaches). Gosford Park is on my list, too.

171. khen913 - February 5th, 2008 at 11:41 am

How about ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ It is one of the few adapted movies I’ve seen that lives up to the book.

172. Celeste - February 5th, 2008 at 11:41 am

OH MY GODD!!!! How could I ever have forgotten Donnie Darko? It is most excellent.

173. Celeste - February 5th, 2008 at 11:44 am

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, too.

174. kazorek - February 5th, 2008 at 11:44 am

didn’t read all 161 posts but i haven’t see There Will be Blood anywhere.i think i’m going with citizen kane though.

175. Mikkle - February 5th, 2008 at 11:44 am

Maybe you should do a funniest superbowl commercial list. I’m sure that would create some more debate.

176. bucslim - February 5th, 2008 at 11:45 am

khen - thank you for enabling me to swallow my lunch again.

177. Randall - February 5th, 2008 at 11:45 am

Joss, grow up. You’re the one who started out injecting a lame-ass comment which you are now turning around and disavowing because you were called on it. Give me a break. Be a man and admit you said something stupid and were wrong.

I didn’t take offense Joss, I read what you said for what it was. Yeah, people think art and taste in art is important. It matters. I’m sick to death of people mis-using the term “snob”—i.e., calling other people “snobs” when what they really mean is, “I’m either not smart enough or too lazy, or both, to put thought and energy into considerations of what has value in art (or anything for that matter) and so I’m going to mock others for being able to do so, and imply that they’re not cool or are snobs, etc.”

A movie snob, Joss, would be someone who thinks ONLY foreign films are worthy, or only *old* movies, or only films made by certain directors. Get the idea? People who, on the other hand, simply take film (or music or any other art) as a subject seriously, who feel there *are* such things as standards, are not “snobs.”

I don’t need a definition of “teasing,” Joss. You need to know that teasing is usually something done in context. Your original remark offered none. The fact is that many times on this site, people have called others “snobs” in this sort of situation, and what I was doing was calling you on it. If you didn’t mean it, well hey, sorry to have gotten down your neck about it.

I’m perfectly willing to concede that I jumped on you, (I have a temper) but as you say you teased with no one in particular in mind, what I was doing was standing up for everyone here who would like to carry on intellectual debates without being called “snobs.” So let’s make nice and realize we were both wrong and yet were both acting harmlessly.

Lastly though, I am not aware of having “forced” my movie tastes and opinions on others. Again, this is a comment section. I offered my choice for the greatest movie, as solicited–as we were all solicited, and followed up with a list. I don’t see where that qualifies as “forcing” anything. And I NEVER said anything about having taken film classes in college as some greater qualification for my opinions. That WOULD be snobbish. What I said (DIRECTLY, by the way, to “mom424″–my statement was meant only for her, in answer to what she said to me) was that I had managed to SEE a lot of artsy films in my life partly because I had taken a lot of film classes which had exposed me to such films. Nothing snobbish or high-falutin’ about that. So get off it.

178. Kai4a - February 5th, 2008 at 11:46 am

I don’t know about commercials. Funniest Superbowl moment: Belicheat running back to the locker room before the game was over. LMAO!

(Sorry Pats fans, nothing personal)

179. Mom424 - February 5th, 2008 at 11:48 am

bucslim; magnolia shouldn’t be on any list….lol

180. bucslim - February 5th, 2008 at 11:53 am

I’m all for off the radar stuff that takes a chance. And, despite my gastrointestinal problems, I know some folks really really like Magnolia. Paul Thomas Anderson’s got talent - this year’s offering of There Will be Blood is evidence of that.

Metaphorically speaking, I was one of the frogs crushed on the pavement. And for those of you who don’t know what I’ve just said, don’t ruin your life by renting/buying the movie to figure it out.

181. lezhog - February 5th, 2008 at 11:54 am

The Shining by Stanley Kubrick

182. JLo - February 5th, 2008 at 11:58 am

I think it’s important to remember that jfrater asked for a list of great movies, not movies we loved (I realize they can often overlap). I think it’s hard to say what movies are indeed great without seeing most if not all movies made, and that means watching the old ones, new ones, etc. I think it’s important to understand art in its context. I think the same goes for literature and music or any fine art.

I also think our appreciation and ability to identify “good” things can be developed the more we are exposed to “good” things. In junior high I thought Teen Wolf, Back to the Future and Nightmare on Elm Street were amazing movies, but while they are well made, fluffy movies, they are not “great list” worthy. Since that time I’ve watched a plethora of movies (movies that repeatedly make the best of all time movie lists) and many more, and I feel like I can tell when a movie is derivative, plotless, full of shallow characters, inacessible, etc. This is not about my personal tastes. It’s about craft. It’s about appreciating things because of your ability to understand where they come from.

You can really apply this to other areas, too. I love to listen to Sufjan Stevens, and some say he uses minimalist techniques of the composer Adams. Well, when I first heard Sufjan’s music, I thought, wow, that sounds like Adams, and I appreciated it on a whole new level. It’s one thing to really like Pulp Fiction because it’s cool, but it’s quite another to appreciate how it reinvented the genre and how Tarantino was making an homage to the noir movies of the 1940s. He didn’t do anything entirely new, but he put things together so incredibly well and made a good movie out all those elements.

I have been accused of being a snob as well. I appreciate all kinds of movies. I can sit and laugh at Dumb and Dumber or Animal House, but I can appreciate why these movies aren’t in the same league as His Girl Friday or Some Like It Hot.

I would challenge some of you to go and check out Roger Ebert’s Greatest Films list. Start watching each one, keep a journal or just talk to others about the films, and see how your appreciation of film changes. I think you will develop a more critical mindset, if you don’t have one already, and a greater appreciation for how difficult it is to make good art.

But once again, if you don’t believe in objective criteria for the arts, the above argument probably won’t work for you. And that’s where we will part ways.

183. Joss - February 5th, 2008 at 11:59 am

I really just don’t care enough to offer a response. I hope to avoid you in the future.

184. JT - February 5th, 2008 at 12:05 pm

L’Appartment
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring
Network
A Clockwork Orange
Amelie
The Great Escape
Magnolia
Mulholland Drive
Requiem for a Dream
The Royal Tenenbaums
Spirited Away
Battle Royale
3-Iron
Noy the Albino
Gattaca
North by Northwest
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Woman in the Dunes
Tony Takitani

185. justme - February 5th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

clockwork orange, serenity and pirates of the caribean its hard to chose the best film because there so diffrent but the all blow me away

(srry for the spelling) :p

186. JT - February 5th, 2008 at 12:07 pm

Oh, and if I had to pick one, I would say that Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring is the best film I’ve ever seen. It’s a small Korean film that I impore you all to watch.

A Clockwork Orange comes a close second

187. SocialButterfly - February 5th, 2008 at 12:11 pm

Yikes… this list is getting HEAT-ED, Can’t wait to see how many comments we get now.

And for the record Joss: IF you really didn’t care enough to respond why did you post a comment stating that? Just curious…

My personal picks since you can never pick just one: Shawshank Redemption, Philadelphia, Dr. Strangelove, Schindler’s List, The Godfather, Pulp Fiction, The Usual Suspects, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Lion King, Monty Python and The Meaning of Life, Fargo and The Princess Bride.

188. jfrater - February 5th, 2008 at 12:18 pm

Good old Kubrick is rating very well on this list so far - I am very pleased!

I am also very pleased at how well everyone has received this novel new approach to posts on the site. How often do you want one of these “Your View” posts?

189. TMoraca - February 5th, 2008 at 12:19 pm

Not too often, jfrater, maybe 1 a week? I’m already not getting any work done…

190. jfrater - February 5th, 200