# Greatest movie of all time?



## Lanesy (Jun 14, 2012)

I'm going with Avatar. Watched it for the first time last night and it just totally blew me away. Incredible film. Anyone dare to disagree?


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## Geemont (Nov 18, 2008)

It's been twenty five plus years since I've seen _The Seven Samurai_, but it has stayed mostly unchallenged at the top probably because other movies just can't unseat it. More recently, because I've watched it again within the past few years, I might have to go with _Chinatown_. What's important, I think, is:

1. Interesting characters
2. Acting
3. Direction\Vision
4. Storyline


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Pretty old timer and still stuck with "Gone with the wind"


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

As far as Avatar goes, it doesn't even make my top 10 list. In fact, it probably doesn't make my top any-number list. It had very good visual/special effects. For me, that's all it had.

While it's difficult for me to pick one best, today I think I'll go with "Twelve Monkeys", as it scored well for me in:



Geemont said:


> 1. Interesting characters
> 2. Acting
> 3. Direction\Vision
> 4. Storyline


It's the sort of movie that I can watch multiple times and that exercises my brain, whereas once was enough for me with "Avatar." But, as someone once said, "There's no accounting for taste," and someone else said, "Vive la différence!"


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

NogDog said:


> As far as Avatar goes, it doesn't even make my top 10 list. In fact, it probably doesn't make my top any-number list. It had very good visual/special effects. For me, that's all it had.


I would have to agree. My friend described it best as Pocahonas in space.

One of my favorites I can list right of the top of my head is Pan's Labyrinth. Its a dark fairy tale. I loved the characters and the ending just had me in tears. One of the few movies with an ending that completely caught me of gaurd

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2


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## hamerfan (Apr 24, 2011)

For me, I gotta stick with Glory.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097441/


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## kindlequeen (Sep 3, 2010)

If we're going by Geemont's list I'd have to say The Usual Suspects or Shawshank Redemption.  Both films kept me on the edge of my seat.

If the question is simply which film never gets old no matter how many times you've seen it and you've never met anyone who could say a bad thing about it or didn't know of it - that would be The Princess Bride in my opinion.


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## spotsmom (Jan 20, 2011)

Gone With the Wind.


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## Geemont (Nov 18, 2008)

NogDog said:


> As far as Avatar goes, it doesn't even make my top 10 list. In fact, it probably doesn't make my top any-number list. It had very good visual/special effects. For me, that's all it had.


I've never seen Avatar. Probably never will. I saw a few clips on the big screen TVs at Costco, but it never seemed like a movie I'd want to watch. And I hated, hated _Titanic_ as one of the dumbest movies I ever had to sit through, so there is no real motive for me to see it.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

The Green Mile, The Quiet Man, Brigadoon...many others before Avatar, and I LIKED Avatar..


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## Lanesy (Jun 14, 2012)

Vegas_Asian said:


> I would have to agree. My friend described it best as Pocahonas in space.


Haha! I must admit the storyline is frighteningly similar to Pocahuntis. And I'm adamant they use the Velociraptor and T-Rex sound effects from Jurassic Park. But other than that, loved it.

Begrudgingly, I haven't seen the majority of films that are being mentioned. Perhaps my youthful age is a liability for this type of discussion. However, I have seen The Shawshank Redemption and it is definitely up there.

Another one of my favourites has to be A Beautiful Mind starring Russell Crowe.


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## Tony Richards (Jul 6, 2011)

If I was forced to choose just one (groan!) then it would have to be Billy Wilder's _Sunset Boulevard_. Every time they show it on the box, I switch it on telling myself "I'll just watch the bit with William Holden face-down in the swimming pool," and the next thing you know I've watched the whole movie ... AGAIN!!


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

I rather liked Blade Runner


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## MsBea (Dec 2, 2008)

I have to agree with kindlequeen on both; had my heart pumping!  I also liked To Kill A Mockingbird and The Postman Always Rings Twice.


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## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

I'm a movie buff. Studied film in college, work in the industry. Not that that makes my opinion more important than anyone else's. 

"Avatar" also makes my top 10, but not the best top 10.

I'd actually never be so bold as to proclaim one movie as the greatest ever made. I was born and raised in a country other than USA and have a big appreciation for movies made outside of Hollywood. There is a whole world of films and filmmakers out there that most people in this country have never heard of. But it is what it is.

Several movies mentioned above are among my favorites: "Twelve Monkeys" (and "Brazil" by Terry Gilliam) "The Usual Suspects," "Pan's Labyrinth," "Blade Runner," "Sunset Boulevard" (and so many others by Wilder). I think "Crimes and Misdemeanors" is Woody Allen's best film. And "The Purple Rose of Cairo" is my favorite by him. Has anyone seen "The Opposite of Sex?" One of the funniest movies ever. And "Wonder Boys" is one I can watch over and over again. "Howards End" and "The Remains of the Day." The original "Alien." "Fight Club." Oh, there are too many. And these were only the English-language ones (except "Pan's Labyrinth.")

I remember one, now dead, movie critic had the best line about "Green Mile." He said: "If only watching it didn't feel like running it."

Having said all of that, every time I see one particular movie I do say to myself: "Holy crap. If there was a greatest movie ever made it would be this one." No other film inspires the same reaction from me. _Apocalypse Now._


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## Geemont (Nov 18, 2008)

geoffthomas said:


> I rather liked Blade Runner


Expect the hokey ending; perhaps the worst of all time.


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## TheGapBetweenMerlons (Jun 2, 2011)

Lanesy said:


> Anyone dare to disagree?


Naturally! 

Lots of great titles mentioned so far. I couldn't pick one "best" because, at least for me, it depends on what I'm looking for. (For example, if I'm in the mood for humor, _Robin Hood: Men in Tights_ would be at or near the top of the list.) Avatar was interesting and a fun watch, but not as meaningful to me as many other films. However, if I really, really had to pick just one I'd probably also go with _Apocalypse Now_. Some movies stick with me for a day or two after I've watched them, but that one sticks with me longer, even though I've seen it before.


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## derek alvah (Jul 2, 2010)

Napoleon Dynamite of course.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

_Witness for the Prosecution_, the 1957 version with Charles Laughton and Marlene Dietrich. Even when you know the twist it's worth re-watching.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/witness_for_the_prosecution/

And after about five viewings, I'm still not tired of the dancing in _Bodas de Sangre_, either.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bodas-de-sangre/


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

_The Princess Bride_. A classic tale of true love and high adventure. And just the good parts.


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## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

Susan in VA said:


> _Witness for the Prosecution_, the 1957 version with Charles Laughton and Marlene Dietrich. Even when you know the twist it's worth re-watching.
> 
> http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/witness_for_the_prosecution/


Billy Wilder said he had Dietrich enter every scene through a door because she was like a painting that needed to be framed by a doorway.


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## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

Geemont said:


> Expect the hokey ending; perhaps the worst of all time.


Now that's a bold statement!


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I don't think there is a true answer to this question, not to anyone who is really a fan of movies.  For me, you have to break it down into genres (sci-fi, action, horror, etc., etc.).  There is no overall "greatest movie ever."  That being said, there have been dozens and dozens of great movies since movies first came into existence.  The first movie that I ever really loved was Jaws.  The movie that got me to appreciate how good horror could be was Alien.  I was blown away by The Godfather and The Godfather Part II.  Apocalypse Now showed just what a war movie could be.  The Wild Bunch showed how far Westerns could go.  Akira Kurosawa's movie showed new depth in what a movie could become and still be entertaining (Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, etc.).  In recent years movies like The Proposition have dominated my list.


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## Hadou (Jun 1, 2011)

I couldn't say that it's the GREATEST movie of all time...

But, I could say that Alien is probably atop my all-time favorites to where I could watch it all day, every day, and not be bothered.  But, I think that it's all subjective.  

The real "greatest" movie of all time is probably Clockwork Orange, or something.  Which means we've all been trolled cinematically.


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## Aaron Scott (May 27, 2012)

My favourite movie is Blade Runner, for a number of reasons, one being I'm a fan of noir and sci-fi, and it mixed the genres together very well and very intensely.  Also it's one of Harrison Ford's best performances.  I enjoy the ambiguity of it, as one's perception of who the hero of the movie really is will differ according to how it's interpreted.  Ford is saving human lives, so that makes him the hero...right?  Except that, Rutger Hauer is a character who never asked to be created but was created with a consciousness and memories, but only for the sake of the convenience of his owners, and then forced to be a slave, so he is fighting for his freedom and from that point of view Ford is actually an oppressor.  And then there is the question of the origin of Ford's character, and indeed everyone, because if the tech now exists that can now create people with memories of a past life, how can we know what is real?  And the whole movie just looks like a beautiful nightmare.


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## anguabell (Jan 9, 2011)

Purely subjective opinion, as I have no idea what constitutes the "greatest" movie of all time - _Apocalypse Now Redux_. I prefer the Redux version. It has a sort of abstract beauty that appeals to me and that elevates the story - such as it is - to a piece of art. Among non-English films, Antonioni's "_L'eclisse_" with beautiful Monica Vitti trapped in her inner world, Antonioni's "_Blow Up_" (I need to watch this one again), a gorgeous and nearly forgotten film by Carlos Saura "_Mama turns 100_". And among the recent ones, _Watchmen _(I know many people didn't like it but I've never read comics, so I can't compare it the book). _Sleepy Hollow_. _Fellowship of the Ring_.


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## JimJ (Mar 3, 2009)

If you put a gun to my head and made me pick one, it'd probably be Dr. Strangelove.


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## Lanesy (Jun 14, 2012)

JimJ said:


> If you put a gun to my head and made me pick one, it'd probably be Dr. Strangelove.


I'm not that deranged I promise.


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## mamiller (Apr 28, 2009)

I'd have to go with JAWS. Spielberg openly admits that the shark didn't work for most of the movie, to the point that they really only used it in a few scenes at the end.  So, it was such masterful acting on the parts of Scheider, Shaw and Dreyfuss that made that movie a hit. Alas, with all the drinking going on in the movie, one has to question if they were really acting.


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## Coral Moore (Nov 29, 2009)

This is a tough question. I watch and enjoy a lot of movies and I don't think I really have a "type" that prefer. I like a lot of the ones mentioned already.

The movie I've watched the most is undoubtedly Aliens. 
The one with my favorite characters is Fight Club. 
Most often quoted is Clue or Princess Bride, not sure which wins to be honest. 
If I had to pick just one movie to watch again forever, it would be Master and Commander.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Coral Moore said:


> ...
> If I had to pick just one movie to watch again forever, it would be Master and Commander.


That's kind of an interesting point: there is a difference in my mind as to what I think of as "best" versus what I most enjoy watching. Perhaps that's often due to those I consider best are often not feel-good movies and usually require my undivided attention to enjoy them (if "enjoy" is even the right word).

I have watched "Airplane!" and "The Fifth Element" many more times than many movies that I consider to be "better" than they are -- but then I suppose that sort of thing holds true to some extent with regard to books I've re-read several times versus some that I might actually say are better.

In other words, my ultimate reply to the original question is probably, "Uh...gee...I don't know."


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## Coral Moore (Nov 29, 2009)

NogDog said:


> That's kind of an interesting point: there is a difference in my mind as to what I think of as "best" versus what I most enjoy watching. Perhaps that's often due to those I consider best are often not feel-good movies and usually require my undivided attention to enjoy them (if "enjoy" is even the right word).
> 
> I have watched "Airplane!" and "The Fifth Element" many more times than many movies that I consider to be "better" than they are -- but then I suppose that sort of thing holds true to some extent with regard to books I've re-read several times versus some that I might actually say are better.
> 
> In other words, my ultimate reply to the original question is probably, "Uh...gee...I don't know."


Exactly! It's interesting isn't it? I wouldn't rank Master and Commander as the best, or anywhere near the top really, but I can watch that flick over and over again.  The Fifth Element is pretty high up on that particular list (repeated awesomeness) for me too. I've watched that movie so, so many times. Love it. The Big Blue, another Luc Besson movie, I've watched an obscene amount of times as well.


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## Sutton Shields (Jul 18, 2012)

There are so many great films...

Gone with the Wind is epic. 
All About Eve--Bette Davis was just phenomenal. 
Rebecca is a great dramatic thriller.
Of course, I LOVE the old holiday classics: Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas, Holiday Inn


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## A. S. Warwick (Jan 14, 2011)

I'm another one who'd go with Blade Runner.  And the 'I've seen things' speech at the end is hands down one of the greatest pieces of movie viewing of all time.  I am of course referring to the un-narrated version of Blade Runner 

Oh, and Master & Commander is another one I love to watch over and over.  The sound track is amazing and I am also an avid buff of that period of history.  Love the books by Forester, O'Brian and Bernard Cornwell of that period of history.

For guilty pleasures I go with 300, Armageddon and Army of Darkness.  They aren't great movies, but fun to watch.


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## geniebeanie (Apr 23, 2009)

I love the old classics.  My favorite classic films are Citizen Kane,Casablanca,Maltease Falcon, Some Like It Hot, Gone With The Wind and Robin Hood with Errol Flynn.


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## Iwritelotsofbooks (Nov 17, 2010)

I just saw the Apartment again the other day and it still sparkled.  Then again, Ghostbusters is timeless too.  Oh the choices.


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## Jeff Menapace (Mar 5, 2011)

A. S. Warwick said:


> I'm another one who'd go with Blade Runner. And the 'I've seen things' speech at the end is hands down one of the greatest pieces of movie viewing of all time. I am of course referring to the un-narrated version of Blade Runner


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTzA_xesrL8

Brilliant scene.


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## Jeff Menapace (Mar 5, 2011)

The original Chainsaw for me.  Although I suppose my avatar is a bit of a giveaway


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## B. Justin Shier (Apr 1, 2011)

Tough call. 
I would say _Solaris (1972)_ is the greatest, but it is not very user friendly.
_Jaws_ is as close to flawless as Hollywood has ever gotten.
_Citizen Kane_ is the one movie you must see in a theater.
_M (1931)_ and _Un Chien Andalou_ compete for my favorite of the old school.

B.


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## Pietro Reviglio (Jul 13, 2012)

For me:

Psycho
Clockwork Orange
Last Tango in Paris
8 and 1/2

OK... I'm a bit biased towards Italian cinema, I guess...


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## Kimberly Llewellyn (Aug 18, 2011)

My favorite movie of all time? It's a toss-up between _Gone with the Wind _ and _Casablanca_. Can I go with, _Gonewiththeblanca_?


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## ireadbooks (Jan 11, 2011)

Grease. Hands down.
Tied for second place are Urban Cowboy and Shawshank Redemption. 

Sent from my awesome Fire


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## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

At this moment in the space-time continuum, and without my first cuppa of the day, I'd go with _The Third Man_. It's one of those rare movies where everything came together: script, actors, music, director, setting.

As usual with any question about _the_ greatest or _the_ best, ask me again in ten minutes and you may get a different answer.

Mike


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## Ann Herrick (Sep 24, 2010)

I could never pick just one movie. Favorites include Gone With the Wind, The Godfather, Lady & The Tramp, Shawshank Redemption, Gidget, Casablanca, Gentelmen Prefer Blondes, Mama Mia.


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## B. Justin Shier (Apr 1, 2011)

Loving the variety, but I am surprised that no one has gone with _The Shining_. _A Clockwork Orange_ is cool, but _The Shining_ was my favorite Kubrick flick.

B.


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## Jeff Menapace (Mar 5, 2011)

Loved Kubrick's The Shining.  Actually preferred it to King's book as the two are very different stories.


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## Joel Arnold (May 3, 2010)

Oh gosh - for me it would either be *Apocalypse Now* or *The Wizard of Oz*. *The Shining* and *Full Metal Jacket* rank high on the list as well.


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## bordercollielady (Nov 21, 2008)

I have two favorites that I can watch over and over: "Gone With the Wind", and "Independence Day".


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## Caddy (Sep 13, 2011)

Murder In The First, Chicago, and Midnight in Paris


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## pattygil120 (Jul 27, 2012)

For me the best movie is Piranha not the 3D but the first movie of Piranha.


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## William Peter Grasso (May 1, 2011)

Despite the abundance of excellent films I've had the privilege of seeing in my like, one stands high above the rest, because it truly changed my life.

_The High and The Mighty_, a William Wellman film from 1954, starring John Wayne and Robert Stack, is that film.

I saw it first as a young child (and many, many times after, courtesy of Million Dollar Movie on WOR in New York City). From the very first viewing, I had no doubt that my future was in aviation.

When I retired from a major US airline in 2006, my friends sent me off with the closing line from that film, one directed at the hero pilot, played by John Wayne.

This was the line: _So long, you ancient pelican._ 

WPG


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