The Ten Best Films of All Time
 

In the Inception thread, an interesting discussion about favorite/best movies has sprung up.

What do you think the Ten Best Films of All Time are?

This is more than just your favorite movies, as it is hard to discuss and argue simply about a person's opinion. Think of what you think the Ten Best Movies are. How you define "best" can be up to you, but you should be able to formulate a reason why for any movie is on your list that isn't personal (like, "that was the first movie I saw with my girlfriend".)

Personally, they would be movies I enjoyed, but are also influential in the film world and/or society as a whole. Chances are that they are movies that are borrowed from quite a bit in whatever genre they reside.

There is also a poll, which is separate. These are some films which often appear on varieties of "Top Ten Film" lists. Would you include any of these films on your list?

This is the same list I posted in the Inception thread. After reading through it again, though, I found that I can't really stand behind the ranking I gave them. With the exception of Goodfellas (which simply does a tired theme more justice than most of its peers can), the common thing that links all these movies is the stark and unglamorous look at human nature. Most movies would have us believe that we're all "good guys" and the line between good and ill intent is well defined. I think all the films included here point out the human condition beautifully, and without counting out man's ability to change for the better. Maybe that's just what i took from them, but that is the basis of this list nonetheless.

Moon
Brothers
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Friday Night Lights
Jarhead
Mononoke Hime
Goodfellas
Kids
Taxi Driver
Platoon

You have to realize most of the people here have not seen enough movies to be able to answer this question. I find it really hard to make a list of what I consider to be the 10 best films of all time (personal taste aside), and I am soon to be a graduate in Film Studies and have seen about every movie that gets mentioned in any Film History book, so no offense but I don't think the people who'll be voting in the poll and posting in this thread have enough criteria to make this list.

With that said, here's a few I believe should be pretty high on that list:

the Godfather (I and II), Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Vertigo, Citizen Kane, Fellini 8 1/2, E.T., Battleship Potemkin, Lord of the Rings trilogy, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Lion King, Il Grido, Goodfellas, Psycho, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, City Lights.

From what you've listed definitely Shawshank Redemption, though i do not recollect Citizen Kane. On a side note, LOTR was a one long-ass boring movie. Gone With The Wind, boring as well, and I am glad it's gone and the wind as well.

My fav. movie must be Hero, and that is for few reasons. Amazing imagery, symbolic meaning of many scenes, and had a brilliant reference to calligraphy, plus i loved the guqin soundtrack. But what i was completely mesmerised with were vast sceneries and the undefinable feeling of peace, lurking quietly in the "emptiness" of nature. Great movie, especially when watched in Chinese.

Another one must be Some Like it Hot, How to Murder Your Wife (favoirite movie of Basil Fawlty lol), and The Great Race with Jack Lemon. I love that guy.

From fantasy movies I think it will be the Avatar, even though the story line had no fireworks in it, i loved the world that was created, especially the flying dragons. :D Ah, well, you know, the kid inside me has won. But he is my favourite kid so thats quite all right ;-p

From action movies, bah not easy, maybe Heat, from older ones - Dog Day Afternoon was all right, Casino and Good Fellas were great too, Pulp Fiction as well. I really like Private Ryan. Too hard to decide.

Horrors and Thrillers, well thats my wife's department really, she can watch Saw and eat raw fish at the same time, but i remember that the exorcist scared the hell out of me. Also Shining. Nicholson is one of my favourite actors. That insanity and unstable nature of his is brilliant.

From TV series definitely Allo Allo, Fawlty Towers, i am sorry, Fawlty Titties, and Only Fools and Horses.

Recently, there are no good movies being made...sadly. There were so many good movies made before, Patch Adams, Wag the Dog, Spirited Away, nearly any Pixar creation, The Game,etc., simply too many to list.

I need to watch Moon, i ve heard it's pretty good. I can see it on your list as well.

Was it the movie about 13 yo in US, where one of the girls loses her virginity and get AIDS? I watched it so long ago that I can barely remeber, but it was a good movie. Disturbing, but good.

Yeah that's the one. It's very disturbing, but not so hard to believe.

well it depends on what environment you grew up in. for me it was shocking.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - that movie was recommended to me, and i wish i did not waste my time on it. Complete rubish.

You suggest that I'm "a hater" for saying the obvious which is that most of the people from this forum have not seen a 10th of the films that made history in one way or another and so -if they can't base their list on opinion- will have it hard to name 10 movies they think are the best of all time? How can someone make a list of the 10 best movies of all time when they have not even seen a single one of them?

I was just f-in' around :mtongue:
You seem to know what you're talking about when it comes to movies, and I respect what you have to say about them, but I don't think you should discourage people from doing the very thing this thread was created for.

not that this q. is addressed to me, but as your sig. goes "everything is relative and contradictory ". :D

Dr. Strangelove
2001: A Space Odyssey
Lawrence of Arabia
Platoon
Star Wars
Lost Horizon
Casablanca
The Manchurian Candidate
Raiders of the Lost Ark
It's a Wonderful Life

Discourage? I did not mean to discourage anyone. On the contrary, I encourage everyone to actually take their time to watch all of these movies, but the thing is people don't watch old movies unless they take a deep interest in cinema, which sadly is rare, or they have to watch them for college or something, which is my case. Take a guess at how many people here have seen Battleship Potemkin, or any Griffith's, or even any film from before the 60ies. I bet they've never even heard of Godard. That's why I'm saying it is unlikely they'll be able to make a list based on how influential they have been to other films and how they made a change in the film making pattern, because they don't have the knowledge that takes to determine what films belong in the Top 10, which is totally understandable unless they've been to film school or have had an education of some kind in Film Making (which is doubtful).

It would be so if this was about people's favorite movies. But MMM asks for a list of best movies, and for that one has to actually be able to tell good from bad when it comes to filmmaking, and this is what I believe people won't be able to do if they have not seen a whole bunch of them and have not been taught what makes a film good and why.

And anyway, you think watching The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was a waste of time so I don't know why I even bother with you. :cool:

It's ok, if it was 100 years ago you would not even had a chance to talk to me, giving that royal guards would most likely not let you through without a good reason. :ywave:

As to the Valance, I judge movies from a different perspective, similarly to the way you would judge a calligraphy. Something pretty for you could be an absolute garbage, and usually that is the case. So, again, all is relative, is it not?

I do realize most of the people here have not seen many of the movies students of film would consider the best or most important. That's part of the reason to make this thread... maybe it will inspire some people to see some of the movies they hadn't heard of, or hadn't given a chance before.

Of course, your personal taste should be a part of your list. People talk about Solaris as an important movie, but I just couldn't get into it, so regardless of how important it is, it wouldn't appear on my list. My film professor hated Blue Velvet, but it had enough of an impact for him to include it in our curriculum.

You'd be surprised. I think many young people only watch movies that are new and now, but I am proud to say I have brought a few younger over to the "black and white side" of Kurosawa, Mastroiani, Fellini, Godard, De Sica, etc. Once you see a movie like 400 Blows, High and Low, or La Dolce Vida, it is hard to watch movies again the same way.

I think as long as one uses specific criteria then a decent list can be put together. As for only older movies being considered the best, I think that's sort of an elitist attitude. I agree that most movies these days are millions of dollars worth of special effects-driven crap, but that isn't true for all of them. Gotta keep an open mind.

To exclude or include any movie simply because of its age is not a good criteria.

I will include my list soon, but in my opinion, what makes a movie great is oftentimes the director. A movie like Citizen Kane could not be made today, as it is almost the last time a director had complete control over every aspect of production. After that, studios clamped down. Then next time was probably The Phantom Menace.

Citizen Kane is like the Pauls Boutique of cinema... impossible to make again, because it changed the system against itself.

Okay then. :)

And you are saying this to me? Have you not read my list of favorite movies I posted in the Inception thread? All of them are super new, like from the last 20 years, cept for maybe The Godfather. I'm not saying black and white and 16mm makes a film better, BUT for reasons I have come to learn most of the best films ever made are pretty old, maybe because back then most directors put a lot of thought into making their movies and were keen on trying things nobody had ever tried before, and today this spirit is kinda lost. That's why I put the Lord of the Rings in all of my lists, cause they were bold enough to put all their efforts into creating something new and that is what makes History, pushing technology to the limit and seeing what comes out of it. To me that's what makes a movie worthy of being in the Top 10, taking risks and creating new paths to achievement. I think both Orson Welles and Chaplin would agree with me on this one. :D

Woody Allen, Peter Jackson, Spielberg... maybe even James Cameron...?

I think another reason on why we almost always see the usual suspects in those list (like in the poll from MMA) and on various top 10 lists throughout the decades.. is, that those movies have achived a status because over so many years, so many generations have included them into the top 10 or close to the top 10.

I go out on a limb and say that some of these won't ever leave there places anymore and can't leave them anymore because there are already brainmarked from years over years as a must top 10.

Like Casablance for example. An awesome example to that rule! Almost everbody you ask will say that Casablanca is a classic, which of course it is even though the story and cinematography is really just old.. it just belongs there because so many people over decades now considering it to be a top 10.

I hope you understand the point I am trying to make here^^ kinda hard for me to explain now.

Some movies will never lose their spot and can't lose their spot on such lists anymore in my eyes because people are like "brainwashed" to have these movies in the top 10.

Just take a look at the list from Quentin Tarantino. It's such a facinating and unique list he put out there with his top 15 movies of all time.

I think we should be more free to finally replace boring movies like Casablanca and 2001 finally..

no matter what they did for the cinema.. 2001 is an old space movie and we have seen 100 better once already!

Just saw that Tarantinos list had a time frame too.

I'm not accusing you of anything. And you're right about older movies being story-based, which are the ones that stand the test of time. New movies have all kinds of crutches to lean on in lieu of good writing.

And don't you think that maybe -just maybe- you are the one not seeing why these movies are so high up on the list, rather than them not being worthy of having a secure spot for years to come? ;)

No Suki, I think I am the one who doesn't follow everybody's list just because people call it a "must" ;)

Casablanca doesn't deserve to be so high, just because it's a classic.. It's such a boring, worthless movie about a relationship.. I mean come on Suki sleepless in Seatle was a better movie :D, some movies just will hold there place forever.. and people will always tell you, "but you don't have Casablanca in there? Are you on drugs? Do you have any clue about movies??"

Same with Gone With The Wind btw. Absolutely overhyped until Legendary status.. but in reality it's a boring story and a boring cinematograhphy on top.

Nah man she is being"intelectual"

Orson Welles literally had carte blanche and final cut... a bold and unheard of deal for a first-time director. Even Woody Allen and Peter Jackson show dailies to studio execs. George Lucas doesn't have to because he owns the studio he directs for.

yep, smart girl isn't she? ;)

No one should follow anyone's list just because it is there. However, at the same time no one should slam a movie they haven't given a fair shake to.

Let's not quote close-minded people who aren't actually posting here. We are all adults and can discuss reasonably without reacting to arguments no one is making.

Casablanca vs. Sleepless in Seattle? I take Casablanca. They are both relationship movies at the core, but Casablanca is so much more. A WWII movie where a man has to choose between love and doing the right thing, and helping fight the Nazis. Sleepless in Seattle hardly scratches the surface of the level of human emotion, determination, and character in Casablanca.

I don't think Casablanca is an absolutely great movie because hundreds of people before me have said so. I have been taught why it is regarded as one of the best movies of all time and have been able to understand its importance in the History of Film. It's ok for people to not like it, but to deny its relevance because you don't think the story it tells is entertaining enough? Sorry, I have to disagree. I'm just saying there's a reason why so many people over the years have placed it upon the highest level, and it's not because they are afraid to go against common agreement.

So you're agreeing with me. These directors I mentioned pretty much have all the control they want over every step in the making of their movies, which is a good thing in my opinion. They show dailies because somehow they have to justify where the huge amounts of money they're being given is going to, but they know they can pretty much do anything they want with it.

I agree with what you are saying about Casablanca, but the counter argument is going to be, "Why should I be taught why it is a good an important movie? It should stand on its own."

Regarding Welles and Lucas, no I am not agreeing. I am saying even major directors like Woody Allen and Peter Jackson have studios to answer to. Welles didn't have to in Citizen Kane, and Lucas didn't have to in Phantom Menace. Of course tiny productions like El Mariachi or The Blair Witch Project didn't either, but they were made and then shopped to studios. Directors never have all the control they want when they depend on a studio to dole out the cash, script doctor, cast, etc...

I wouldn't really place myself as an authority on something as subjective as films, but from personal preference, I have to vote for Citizen Kane from that list...
Outside the list however, I'd probably opt for Blade Runner and Amiri Baraka's short film, "Dutchman."

my favourite has to be To kill a mockingbird. close 2nd is The Kingdom and Dragonheart with Sean Connery - only movie i have cried to when i was a kid.

Citizen Kane and Star wars never did get my boat to float. well RedLetterMedia reviews of star wars did. if you don't know - they probably are the most popular reviews on the internet - Star Wars |

3rd movies review is only 20min shorter than the movie itself :cool:

I've always been more of a Star Trek/Doctor Who man.

The Production Company pays for the production costs, so it is only normal the director bothers to keep them informed on how the process is going. However, like I said, there's many well-known directors who don't have to go to a lot of trouble to do whatever they think is suitable for the film and the ex producers will just give them green light to go ahead and proceed as they like.

None of these feature in my top 10 (which is actually VERY difficult to come up with). The only one I would have probably put in my top 10 woulda been Shawshank Redemption, and that's only because the first time I saw it, the ending really hit me (a bit like Usual Suspects hit me), but it's not a film I could watch over and over again without getting bored of it!

Has no one mentioned The Blues Brothers yet? One of my all time favourites.
Also Babettes Feast (a 1987 Danish film) is up there as another of my favourites.
Still my all time favourite probably goes to The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I watch it at least a couple of times a year and never get sick of it. Loved the books and love the films. One of the greatest stories of all time.

I am not trying to harp on this, but the fact that Welles didn't have to was quite a coup at the time, and in some ways he ruined it for everyone else at the time, as it took years before CK got the appreciation it deserved.

Just sayin' :rolleyes:

Anywho, these criteria are not only biased, but also too vague. And besides, you can have a list of "most influential" movies, "most dramatic" movies, "movies with best performance" etc (in theory), but even then - who is going to decide what is more important - influence, emotionality, performance? So, as always, it pretty much always boils down to personal preference.

From the list you put up in the poll, I would give a nod only to Shawshank Redemption, as I haven't seen Citizen Kane, Gone With the Wind and Casablanca and the rest are not really worthy in my opinion.

Just sayin' what? I didn't contradict myself.

Sounds like someone woke up on the wrong side of the best this morning.

It's just sharing opinions for fun. If you don't like it, feel free not to participate.

Kamen Rider Faiz Paradise Lost is my favourite. That's a start.

Everyone is going to have their favorite movies that spoke them somehow. Perhaps just use the number of tickets sold and use that as a base. Gone with the Wind is still Number 1 in total sales.