I will sit down one day real soon and make out a top 100. I would have some of my math-freak friends devise a formula that includes box office sales, DVD/VHS sales, popular polls and innovation/technological advancement.

 

I would use sales/popularity because a movie can be a ground-breaking smash-hit with critics and be total garbage, (i.e. Citizen Kane and any of the clay-mation movies)

 

There is a far greater chance of a huge blockbuster being total garbage than a critically acclaimed film being garbage. You have to have an appreciation of what a good film is. Meaning, story arch, 3-D characters (meaning the characters are not flat or without motivation and purpose), appropriate pace, photography, direction, acting, and a myriad of other componets that go into making a film an art piece.

 

Based on some of your films you listed in the thread's opening post - I think you have a fairly good critical eye. Casablance, Godfather, Gone With The Wood, and just about anything Dustin Hoffman (Kramer v. Kramer, Rain Man, The Graduate, and many others I am afraid I will forget during this post) are American treasures.

 

Have fun making your list - I have been interested in doing something of that nature. I think you could probably do a little better criteria than how it performed in the box office though. Take Titanic for instance. Block buster success? Only the biggest (non inflation rate adjusted) box office success of all time - but great movie? I don't know. Good - yeah...but great? I'm not so sure. Regardless, it won 11 academy awards which is tied with Ben Hur and The Return of The King for the most ever.

I've never been a big fan of the so-called classics from the early days of cinema. They are full of too much overacting and melodramatics for my taste. If I want to see some entertaining overacting, I'll watch Ben Stiller. At least he is funny in his "over the top" roles.

 

Besides, everyone knows Vanilla Sky and Field of Dreams are the best movies of all time.:thumb:

I just watched the AFI top 100 films.....again and yet again, Citizen Kane is STILL #1. I just don't get it! I have watched this film and MANY of the top 100 even several of the silent films and I don't understand it.

 

I wasn't a big fan of Citizen Kane maybe someone can explain why this movie is considered to be so good?

 

In no particular order I would place: Godfather, Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, Wizard of Oz, Several of Dustin Hoffman's movies, Star Wars, All About Eve, Raging Bull, and To Kill A Mockingbird (which by the way was stupid to have this film at 34) ALL above Citizen Kane.

 

I am even trying to look at this film through my theatrical eyes and I still can't put it in a top 10 list.

 

What do all of you think?

 

Thank you. I couldn't believe it either. As for Citizen Kane I agree it is not No. 1 but when I did sit and watch it, I got it. I didn't get it the first few times because of not paying attention. It is a great movie IMO; but not THE greatest.

I've never been a big fan of the so-called classics from the early days of cinema. They are full of too much overacting and melodramatics for my taste. If I want to see some entertaining overacting, I'll watch Ben Stiller. At least he is funny in his "over the top" roles.

 

Besides, everyone knows Vanilla Sky and Field of Dreams are the best movies of all time.:thumb:

 

Now I know the pain killers are being abused. Field of Dreams I agree with you on.

I've never been a big fan of the so-called classics from the early days of cinema. They are full of too much overacting and melodramatics for my taste. If I want to see some entertaining overacting, I'll watch Ben Stiller. At least he is funny in his "over the top" roles.:

 

:eek:Did you see "The Heartbreak Kid"????

 

Besides, everyone knows Vanilla Sky and Field of Dreams are the best movies of all time.:thumb:

 

:laugh::laugh:

My personal favorite film would have to be Mr. Smith Goes To Washington starring the wonderful Jimmy Stewart.

Now I know the pain killers are being abused. Field of Dreams I agree with you on.

 

OTC medications excluded, I've been pain-killer free for the past four weeks I'm proud to say.

:eek:Did you see "The Heartbreak Kid"????

 

 

This proves every rule does indeed have an exception. That one was a stinker.

This proves every rule does indeed have an exception. That one was a stinker.

 

Yeah. Every actor makes one or two along the way if not more. Hopefully he can bounce back with a Frat Pack packed film "Tropic Thunder" and the animated "Madigascar 2" coming out next year.

"Kane" was also based loosely on newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst.

"Kane" was also based loosely on newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst.

 

The angle of Welles taking on such a powerful person in the America of that time also figures into the longtime #1 ranking — the socio-political commentary present in "Kane" was not present in very many other movies.

I do know in the 70's Welles would "sell no wine before it's time".

I can easily see why it's number one. Since voting for the "greatest movie of all time" is entirely a personal preference, why not go with the movie that broke more ground than any other and was the basis for more advancements in film?

I watched this too and wondered how in the world is Star Wars at #12 with it being the groundbreaking leap into computer graphics in films.

 

I can't speak on many of the top 10, cause I ain't seen them. Never saw Citizen Kane, Dancing in the Rain, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca or Raging Bull.

I watched this too and wondered how in the world is Star Wars at #12 with it being the groundbreaking leap into computer graphics in films.

 

I can't speak on many of the top 10, cause I ain't seen them. Never saw Citizen Kane, Dancing in the Rain, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca or Raging Bull.

 

You sound like my wife. Until I married her she had not seen Singing in the Rain, Casablanca, or From Here to Eternity. One by one we picked them off on AMC or TCM and now she loves them all. As for Raging Bull, What a movie.

Thanks Mack for turning me on to these movies and many others when I was younger.

Best movie of all times was Valley Girl (A modern day Romeo and Juliet)