If by "It" you are referring to the Steven King mini-series, I would agree that it's much better than people give it credit for in the reviews. I debated whether to include any of Grail, Life of Brian, and Blazing Saddles. They're all excellent films, but it's hard to compare dramas with comedies side by side. Of the three, Brian is the best for depth and replay value, imho, but it's a hard call. I've already posted a bunch, primarily based on what I could see around me, which led to my missing one of my all-time favorites, Midnight Cowboy.

If you want me to limit it to the five absolute best, I'm afraid I'd have to beg off that I can't do that without creating a list so fluid and ever-changing that to call it a list of the top 5 would be erroneous. However, in the spirit of the challenge, let me go back and pick a provisional "Top 5."


Again, in no particular order:

1. The Seventh Seal
2. No Country For Old Men
3. Jane Eyre (2011)
4. Midnight Cowboy
5. Aguirre: Wrath Of God


I'd also like to make a shout out to Serenity, which, while not in my top 5, is also up there near the top. Rhythm mentions staying up to watch them, and for some reason, when something is on television being broadcast, it makes the experience somehow more immediate and engaging than it would otherwise be. I would likely stay up to watch many movies on the television that I wouldn't ordinarily go out of my way to watch. Of my top films, I have two of them on blu-ray (Jane Eyre and NCFOM), and the rest on DVD, so watching them on television is something of a non-starter. Even as I'm typing this addition to this comment, I realize I once again have shorted Rashomon which I just ordered on blu-ray. It would have to knock either Aguirre or Jane Eyre out of the top 5 in order to make room, neither of which I would willingly do, except by being dragged kicking and screaming or some such. So make mine a "Top 6."

This isn't the subject of this thread, but most of our favorite films are ones that have been out many years. It would be an interesting addition to state what the best movie you've seen in the past year is, excluding repeats, whether said movie is originally older than a year or not.

I probably suggest this for no other reason than that I want to mention the 2010 movie Aftershock (Tangshan Dadizhen) which I just recently watched, and thought was awesome. The premise sounds ho-hum melodramatic, but it pays rich dividends.

I think it's very telling that no one here has made mention of James Cameron's mega-selling block busters, Titanic and Avatar





(personal opinion: Titanic was ok and Avatar was a lot better when it was called Dances With Wolves.)

(April 22, 2013 at 10:00 am)Napoléon Wrote:

(April 22, 2013 at 7:16 am)A_Nony_Mouse Wrote: At some point of "favorite" movies it becomes impossible to judge among so many. I have a longer list. Look at it I cannot particularly rank any of them as MY top five.

But that was the point in making it 5, I get that it's difficult perhaps, but I think giving a restrictive number like that would make you think more about the films you like and why you like them...

Besides, how can they be your 'favourites' if you have so many?

Because I like fifty to a hundred more enough to watch at any time I notice them on cable. The list I gave are the ones I have around on DVD or HD and can and do play any time. I gave that as an alternate criteria.

Quote:Doesn't that defeat the point of calling them favourites?

Not if you are into movies. I might have a chance a five favorite SF or Fantasy or Adventure but not a total of only five regardless of category. If you were to ask about favorite musicals can I include the singing Buffy while ignoring production values and that it does not have to tell a complete story -- which is found in the preceding normal eps.

I have been into movies for a long time. I saw Forbidden Planet in its original run also Them and the original The Thing from Outer Space.

I personally thought Avatar was shit. I saw it in omni-max, and that's about the only reason it was half enjoyable. Titanic, on the other hand, is a great movie. Not one that I would likely watch repeatedly, but definitely something I would acquire on blu-ray if the price was right. The question of repeat viewings is an interesting one for me as there are movies that I've watched repeatedly in the past, but no longer do so. I don't know whether that's because those movies have worn out their welcome or what, but there are movies that would likely rank as top cinematic experiences, but aren't movies which you would watch repeatedly.

(April 22, 2013 at 8:24 pm)apophenia Wrote:


I personally thought Avatar was shit. I saw it in omni-max, and that's about the only reason it was half enjoyable. Titanic on the other hand, is a great movie. Not one that I would likely watch repeatedly, but definitely something I would acquire on blu-ray if the price was right. The question of repeat viewings is an interesting one for me as there are movies that I've watched repeatedly in the past, but no longer do so. I don't know whether that's because those movies have worn out their welcome or what, but there are movies that would likely rank as top cinematic experiences, but aren't movies which you would watch repeatedly.

Yes, watched repeatedly in the past was also a consideration. And for that reason recent movies do not fit into the repeated watching criteria for lack of enough years since released.

Avatar has most of its attraction in the production values. Try to find the extended edition for more of the CGI and rounding out the plot which might improve it for you. But yes, it is the greedy white man against the noble, spiritual natives and nothing else.

And if you listen to the lines it was all so unnecessary. The statement is 'they have the richest deposits of whatever in 200 klicks' or some such. After traveling all those lightyears they cant move a couple hundred kilometers and avoid all the problems? Pardon if that makes the entire story sort of meaningless and contrived. Did no one notice this problem all the while they were creating the movie? They did not have to include that line in the final cut.

(April 22, 2013 at 8:03 pm)Cinjin Wrote: Avatar was a lot better when it was called Dances With Wolves.)

I knew I wasn't the only one who thought this...lol. My wife gives me shit whenever I rail about this (as I pass over avatar on the networks in favor of infomercials)-she doesn't see it, thinks I'm nuts.

(April 22, 2013 at 8:42 pm)Rhythm Wrote:

(April 22, 2013 at 8:03 pm)Cinjin Wrote: Avatar was a lot better when it was called Dances With Wolves.)

I knew I wasn't the only one who thought this...lol. My wife gives me shit whenever I rail about this (as I pass over avatar on the networks in favor of infomercials)-she doesn't see it, thinks I'm nuts.

After I saw it, I immediately began calling it "Ferngully fucks The Smurfs". Beautiful graphics...shitty, shitty, shitty, shitty story.

(April 22, 2013 at 8:24 pm)apophenia Wrote: I personally thought Avatar was shit.

(April 22, 2013 at 8:42 pm)Rhythm Wrote: I knew I wasn't the only one who thought this...lol. My wife gives me shit whenever I rail about this (as I pass over avatar on the networks in favor of infomercials)-she doesn't see it, thinks I'm nuts.

(April 22, 2013 at 9:38 pm)thesummerqueen Wrote: After I saw it, I immediately began calling it "Ferngully fucks The Smurfs". Beautiful graphics...shitty, shitty, shitty, shitty story.

We're all on the same page then: that movie sucked donkey dick. I was just being more politically correct since I already came down pretty hard on someone elses posting of the Crystal skullfuck.

The Green Mile
Saving Private Ryan
Simon Birch
Avatar
Tombstone

comedies....
Naked gun
Top Secret
Monty python.... ALL OF THEM!
Hot Shots
Those crazy Mel Brooks movies: Airplane, spaceballs, blazing saddles...

Animation...
Shrek
Cars
Wall-e (even though the glaring physics problems in it)
Lion King
Aladdin

sci-fi
Star trek .... ALL!
Star wars.... why did they start at episode IV? where are the missing 3?
Predator2
Aliens
The hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy (still waiting for the next movies on this)