No Right Answer: "Greatest" Movie Ever Made

[Hutzpah Chicken]

Some of my favorites include:
Dr. Strangelove: or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb
Aliens
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Strange Brew
Kelly's Heroes

Of course there are many more, but who has the time to list them all?
Besides, everyone know The Beast of Yucca Flats is the greatest movie of all time. Just look at this stunning masterpiece.


oh wait. I forgot about Italian Spiderman...

 

[Firefilm]

Come on, how many movies were in that, like 8... and all American? At least throw one foreign film in there, even though my whole top 20 could easily be made up of mostly non-American flicks.

What, you want to sit there and say "400 blows" didn't make you want to nuke France?

But seriously, what are your top 20? We have nothing against foreign films, maybe all we need is some good suggestions?

I don't mind throwing my own votes in on behalf of foreign films. Ingmar Bergman's Persona, Kurosawa's Seven Samurai or Ran or Rashomon, any of Park's revenge trilogy, The Battle of Algiers (don't recall the director), take your pick of Werner Herzog though my vote would be for Aguirre, The Wrath of God, The Triplets of Belleville is one of my favorite animated pieces, and of course M. I could go on, but that's a handful that deserve spots over nonsense like The Rocketeer (not that I didn't enjoy it, mind.)

Oh man, seven samurai was fantastic.

And to be fair, while the Rocketeer is fun, it's mention in context was meant to be nonsense.

 

[jecht35]

movies that probable defined most of my life:
Land before time
Jurassic park
Star Wars
Godfather
Enter the Dragon
Ghost in the Shell
Crouching tiger hidden dragon
rock(EPIC)teer
Toy Story
Iron Giant
Brave little toaster
ECT....
Really I can just go on forever, I would just like to say movies have always been a part of my life.
Like books they took my on fantastical journeys as a kid. Movies were and still are my inspiration and
motivation. Also helped me cope through some rough times in my life.

 

[Gorrath]

Come on, how many movies were in that, like 8... and all American? At least throw one foreign film in there, even though my whole top 20 could easily be made up of mostly non-American flicks.

What, you want to sit there and say "400 blows" didn't make you want to nuke France?

But seriously, what are your top 20? We have nothing against foreign films, maybe all we need is some good suggestions?

I don't mind throwing my own votes in on behalf of foreign films. Ingmar Bergman's Persona, Kurosawa's Seven Samurai or Ran or Rashomon, any of Park's revenge trilogy, The Battle of Algiers (don't recall the director), take your pick of Werner Herzog though my vote would be for Aguirre, The Wrath of God, The Triplets of Belleville is one of my favorite animated pieces, and of course M. I could go on, but that's a handful that deserve spots over nonsense like The Rocketeer (not that I didn't enjoy it, mind.)

Oh man, seven samurai was fantastic.

And to be fair, while the Rocketeer is fun, it's mention in context was meant to be nonsense.

Well yes, of course. I wasn't taking it seriously after they departed from Citizen Kane. I was simply agreeing with the other person you replied to that it was a shame no foreign films were included in the debate. I do LOVE Weekend at Bernie's though! Also, have you seen Ran? Because if you loved Seven Samurai, I demand you see Ran. Go, now... NOW!

 

[Michster]

Personal favourite: It's a wonderful life(not the colored version btw)

James Stewart as George Bailey is awesome, the story will always be relevant, the pacing is good and the ending warms my cynical heart everytime I watch this movie.

 

[Rad Party God]

Some of the best movies I've seen that I can remember right now.

Aliens
Dragonslayer (Vermithrax Pejorative FTW)
Terminator 2 (many cite T1 as the better one, but IMO, 2 is absolutely better on every aspect)
The Lion King (the first movie I've ever seen in theatres and it made little 6 year old me cry)
Jurassic Park (because of dinosaurs!... and I still love it's sound design, I always get an eargasm)
Lord of The Rings Trilogy (because it's fucking Lord of The Rings!)

... and I'm too lazy to come up with more movies right now, but yeah, I was ready for a Citizen Kane debate :/

 

[tzimize]

Monty Python's Life of Brian. Not only is it funny, itis clever too. It manages the impossible by parodying people interpreting religion, without parodying religion itself. It contains absurd humor, talking humor, dark humor, slapstick, the whole package. I watched it first when I was like 6 years old, and while I didn't understand most of the themes back then, it has only become better as I've gotten older and come to realize just how much thought went into the making of this movie.

And the best thing about it is how much it pisses off people like this

Hahahah...oh dear...I feel sorry for those two older chaps...Cleese and Palin is just completely talking them in circles. It must be so frustrating debating people who are either so much smarter, or in so much more an advantageous position...

 

[Lightknight]

Regarding their arguments for the first two options. These are just the precursors of modern film that taught the industry how to make the best use of the medium for story telling. This would be like saying the first telephone made by Alexander Graham Bell is the best performing phone because it was the first. Even though the quality was terrible because, of course, it's the first.

That a movie has to change something to be great is a faulty argument. It simply has to be the best. It is extremely rare that the first iteration of a new technology or way of doing something is also is the best. I actually don't know that it's ever the case. Citizen Kane isn't the funnest or most memorable movie to watch for most people.

But hey, at least their video gives the point that everyone has different criteria and different tastes. I'd say that the best way to work with this is to come up with some standards and to debate based on that.

For example, no movies within the last decade (to alleviate the proximity bias) and deciding from a list of movies that are the most popular that fit that range.

Then you could start using other criteria to come up with other films. But yeah, just which movie is the best is too vague and too relative.

 

[vxicepickxv]

The "Best" movie would probably be Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter.

 

[gorfias]

Regarding their arguments for the first two options. These are just the precursors of modern film that taught the industry how to make the best use of the medium for story telling. This would be like saying the first telephone made by Alexander Graham Bell is the best performing phone because it was the first. Even though the quality was terrible because, of course, it's the first.

That a movie has to change something to be great is a faulty argument. It simply has to be the best. It is extremely rare that the first iteration of a new technology or way of doing something is also is the best. I actually don't know that it's ever the case. Citizen Kane isn't the funnest or most memorable movie to watch for most people.

But hey, at least their video gives the point that everyone has different criteria and different tastes. I'd say that the best way to work with this is to come up with some standards and to debate based on that.

For example, no movies within the last decade (to alleviate the proximity bias) and deciding from a list of movies that are the most popular that fit that range.

Then you could start using other criteria to come up with other films. But yeah, just which movie is the best is too vague and too relative.

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

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

 

[RandV80]

If only they would make Axe Cop into a movie then that would be the best!

 

[Mangod]

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

Well done, the Escapist, well done.

 

[Sonofabish]

...no mention of Metropolis? All those points about "example film #1" teaching directors how to make blockbusters and science fiction, yet you skipped THE movie that first did this?

It's not my favorite by any means, but I have to give credit where credit is due.

 

[kii]

There are so many good movies, it's hard to pick a favorite... so just a quick list off the top of my head:

Versus
Southland Tales
Dune (the original one)
9 lives of Thomas Katz (if you're up for complete weirdness)
Arahan
Duelist

Probably many more, but six will do.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Technically Star Wars isn't science fiction, it's space fantasy. ...well the original trilogy was anyway.

 

[Xman490]

Spoiler

I can't believe Chris didn't bring this up.

But he did say "Wii U's the best, but no one's playing it." Totally not just because he works (or had worked) for them. Them next-gen hardwares ain't got sh** on Super Mario.

 

[yngi]

Second best show ever...... Off No right answer

 

[Squeaky]

cool episode (been a while since i posted anything but anyho)

Il just do a top 5 in no real order as I love them to much to make an actual top 5 xD

1. Porco Rosso
2. Spirited Away
3. Drive
4. Die Hard
5. The Thing

Could go on really

 

[Michster]

...no mention of Metropolis? All those points about "example film #1" teaching directors how to make blockbusters and science fiction, yet you skipped THE movie that first did this?

It's not my favorite by any means, but I have to give credit where credit is due.

Somewhere in the top 5? Rick is extremely cool/likeable, it's a simple yet effective romance-story, great atmosphere and music and captain Renault is... ambiguously neutral/delightful.

[YOUTUBE]SjbPi00k_ME[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Eamar]

My favourites change pretty frequently, but my top 4's been consistent for many years now:

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (extended editions)
2. Blade Runner
3. Alien
4. Shaun of the Dead

Good video, and I definitely agree that trying to pick the one true "greatest" movie/book/game/whatever is silly because personal taste.