Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler Best movie ever?

Okay...I thought of one, but I'm HIGHLY biased! One of the best movies ever is Fargo. There is SO much of this movie that is awesome. I'm not one to watch movies over and over again, but this one is an exception.

Netflix is sending me "Grand Illusion" a 1937 French film by Jean Renoir. It came highly recommended by a friend, so I'm giving it a shot. It didn't make the top 50 list, though.

just like me, i watch Fargo at least twice a year, same as No country for an old man.
Fargo makes me laugh as if it was a comedy.
in a way, it is.

As far as I'm concerned, "Life is Beautiful" is one of the best movies ever.

My favorite Coen brothers movie is O Brother Where Art Thou. Genius.

I also really appreciate The Princess Bride, Bull Durham, and Pulp Fiction.

There tends to be an unnatural reverence for old movies. I believe the art of acting is much more refined now than 50-60 years ago. Filming and editing techniques are vastly superior. While I'm not a huge fan of CGI and gimmicky special effects, they offer the potential to do things that just weren't possible years ago.

I couldn't pick a movie that is the 'greatest of all time'. Some of my favorite movies are silly mindless comedies, like Airplane and Hot Shots. Nobody would ever mistake these for classics.

Mine too! One of my favorite all time movies is Weekend at Bernie's...makes me laugh every time!

LOL! If you're an old guy, like me, there is nothing unnatural about the reverence we feel for old movies. It is completely understandable that younger folk would not "get it."

I would agree, in general that the art of acting is more refined now. However, there are a lot of exceptions to the rule. John Barrymore's performance in "A Bill of Divorcement" (1932) is a stellar example. He plays a man who has just escaped from a mental asylum, claiming he has recovered. About half way through the movie I kept asking myself "well, is he insane or isn't he." I finally dawned on me that that was the way he was playing the role, leaving you in doubt as to his actual mental state. Marvelous performance; dated movie.

Spencer Tracy, in just about every role he played, is another MAJOR exception. His acting style is so natural it is easy to overlook, and thus underestimate, his talent.

Filming and editing techniques are much advanced today. Unfortunately, that has led to a lot of movies long in special effects but short in plot.

I have a great deal of difficulty identifying with many of today's "comedies." I am weary of toilet and bodily function humor. When I was 13, I found that stuff hilarious. I am no longer 13. Like many, some of my favorite movies are "silly, mindless comedies. However, many of them ARE considered classics. "Bringing Up Baby" (1938) "His Girl Friday" (1940), and My Man Godfrey" (1936) among them. These movies have genuine wit. Today's comedies have humor but, IMHO, not a lot of wit.

YMMV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To quote Roger Ebert on this exact topic, "For years people have been telling me they just don’t see what’s so great about “Citizen Kane.” Now they tell me they just don’t see what’s so great about “Vertigo.” My answer remains the same: “You’re insufficiently evolved as a moviegoer.” Or, more simply, “You’re wrong.”"

How ironic. His profession is entirely subjective, and he doesn't understand the subjectivity of other people.