Best English (language) Movie of All Time?

[Pangur Bán]

I actually think Aliens is one of the best...but I really did try to be objective.

 

[onejayhawk]

Calgacus, I might mention My Dinner with Andre and Silence of the Lambs in this group. I have seen and admire all those other pictures you mention, except this one, Withnail & I (1986), d. Bruce Robinson, Eng. Could you give some more info. BTW I already looked up a review, so I know the basics.

Also, OMG, no one has mentioned the great A Man for All Seasons. Scofield does one of the great acting performances of all time. I can always call to mind his "Looks. I'll give you looks!", whenever the boss comes up at the coffee table on break.

Originally posted by Parsifal
onejayhawk, you're a moron. Gone with the wind is trash.
Your taste is unforgivable

I will accept Mr Moron if you must.

No. You are totally wrong. GWTW is a soap opera, but an excedingly well done soap opera. Romeo and Julietis a soap as well, but it is still well regarded. The quality of the storytelling in GWTW is sufficient to give it a place on any best picture discussion that covers the period. It is not my favorite film, or close to it. I do admire the craft that went into the making of the most popular entertainement venture of all time.

J

PS Please accept my word that my taste in movies is considered sound and well versed by most of those who know me.

 

[test_specimen]

Calgacus, I also think Alien is a great movie, and despite all criticism I liked all four so far. I'd hesitate to include it in the list, because there are two things that make them great: visual design and VERY simple, straightforward idea for story. Nevertheless those are movies you can watch more than once.

Now that you mention Wim Wenders:

The Million Dollar Hotel

and:

Ghost Dog - The Way of the Samurai (Jim Jarmush)
Dead Man (Jim Jarmush)

Badlands (for straightforward story and Sissy Spacek)

no James Dean movies mentioned so far (IIRC)

I'm not sure if they should be included in the list, but movies that barely don't make it, are: "The Hurricane" and "He Got Game" with Denzel Washington, Spike Lee's "Summer of Sam", "Memento", "Silence of the Lambs", "Heat", "Natural Born Killers", Woody Allen movies, "Bringing out the Dead", "Wag the Dog", "Gosford Park".

onejayhawk, off course you're entitled to your opinion that GWTW is on of the best movies of all time, but don't base it on mass appeal.

IMHO Gone With the Wind does not make it to the list, because the story resembles too much all those cheap historical books.

If you want to add a romantic movie, why not "Sense and Sensibilty" (which I also did not like for it's pretentiousness, but at least the book is no better, and the movie is well made and acted).

 

[Charlie Martel]

Star Wars

That tops my list by a mile. Why isn't it listed?

 

[bobgote]

Hmm, don't really like all those old school movies, but i haven't seen most of them. Blade Runner was good - we studied it in year 12 at school. I also liked Pulp Fiction, but my favourites are more likely to be American History X or Lock, Stock and two smoking barrels.

 

[Pangur Bán]

Originally posted by bobgote
Hmm, don't really like all those old school movies, but i haven't seen most of them. Blade Runner was good - we studied it in year 12 at school. I also liked Pulp Fiction, but my favourites are more likely to be American History X or Lock, Stock and two smoking barrels.

bobgote, where have you been?

 

[test_specimen]

Originally posted by Charlie Martel
Star Wars

That tops my list by a mile. Why isn't it listed?

1. Story is weak (i.e., does not focus)
2. Acting is not too great
3. those robots and Chewbacca
4. big scheme probably not there, especially since pt 1 and 2 seem to be worse than 4,5 and 6
5. New parts made mostly for marketing, story elements introduced for marketing reasons in all parts.

Don't get me wrong: I think Star Wars is great. But movies can be a lot better. And inventive special effects are not everything.

 

[Pangur Bán]

These are the some of the most enjoyable films, for me, that are not in the poll

the Good, the Bad & the Ugly
Quo Vadis
Amadeus
Aliens
Manhatten
Annie Hall
Play it Again Sam
Deconstructing Harry
Rushmore
Once Upon a Time in America
1492
Suspicion
the Trial
Third Man (I should have put that on the poll, it was ahead of 2001, put I skipped it because I knew the popularity of 2001;
Magnificant Ambersons was dropped also in favour of Bladerunner)



and

Lord of the Rings

I can't think of others just now

 

[Charlie Martel]

Originally posted by test_specimen


1. Story is weak (i.e., does not focus)
2. Acting is not too great
3. those robots and Chewbacca
4. big scheme probably not there, especially since pt 1 and 2 seem to be worse than 4,5 and 6
5. New parts made mostly for marketing, story elements introduced for marketing reasons in all parts.

Don't get me wrong: I think Star Wars is great. But movies can be a lot better. And inventive special effects are not everything.

I was refering to to the first one released (episode 4), it was orignally just called "Star Wars". I don't give a crap what you think about the prequils or 5 and 6. You can't deny the impact that the original has had on American films and how movies are made.

 

[Stile]

I forgot to mention 2 of my favorite movies:

Easy Rider
Cool Hand Luke : "Sometimes nothing is a real cool hand."

Probably not critically well thought of as both were repleat with not-so-subtle symbolism.

 

[test_specimen]

Originally posted by Charlie Martel

I was refering to to the first one released (episode 4), it was orignally just called "Star Wars". I don't give a crap what you think about the prequils or 5 and 6. You can't deny the impact that the original has had on American films and how movies are made.

Admittedly the special effects were very innovative.

But a hype is a hype. For Sci-fi 2001 and Solaris were much more revolutionary, though Star Wars IV really drew a mass audience.

 

[onejayhawk]

Originally posted by test_specimen
onejayhawk, off course you're entitled to your opinion that GWTW is on of the best movies of all time, but don't base it on mass appeal.

IMHO Gone With the Wind does not make it to the list, because the story resembles too much all those cheap historical books.

If you want to add a romantic movie, why not "Sense and Sensibilty" (which I also did not like for it's pretentiousness, but at least the book is no better, and the movie is well made and acted).

Sense and Sensibility was made into a movie, just not as good a one. What is wrong with a cheap historical book approach to movies? No one here seems to mind if it is a cheap war or detective book. There is a whole thread on film Noir(ok, I started it) which started as nothing more than a bunch of cheap detective books made cheaply into B pictures. Veronica Lake does some of her best work in them.

I acknowledge that popularity is a poor standard, but it is not a useless one. A better standard is enduring popularity. GWTW has it as well. It is brilliant storytelling. This is after all about entertainment.

J

 

[Creepster]

The lord of the Rings if for no other reason than the sheer size of the film, and the landsacpes.

Logans run is one of my favorites as well. Very cheezy by todays standards, but I still enjoy it a lot. I loved the idea and concepts when it came out.

 

[test_specimen]

ok, ok. I just don't like GWTW. No particular reason.

 

[somf]

The Natural
Last of the Mohicans
Shawshank

 

[Richard III]

Where is Dr. Stranglove? And, I have to admit, if it's a list as big as the one above, I'll be crazy and say A Bridge Too Far should be on it

 

[Phantom Lord]

Alien
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Gladiator
We're No Angels

were left out imho

 

[test_specimen]

Originally posted by Richard III
Where is Dr. Stranglove? And, I have to admit, if it's a list as big as the one above, I'll be crazy and say A Bridge Too Far should be on it

Would be boring if all good Kubrick films were listed.

 

[Wolfe Tone]

Shawshank Redemption, no contest

 

[Simon Darkshade]

Originally posted by calgacus
Chariots of Fire is sooo...corny. I think you have to be english to like it.

Whilst I disagree with the "corny" part, I will concur with it's 'Englishness'; it was very much part of a renaissance in British cinema in a way. It examined and celebrated a great era, but had social commentary relevant to its time in it also.
It also has an unforgettable soundtrack, and is based on real events.

It has no swearing, no violence, no sex, and the most heated that discussions get is Sam Moussabini calling Harold Abrahams 'juvenile'.
It is this restrained character of the piece that I find very appealing, as well as its examination of faith, honour, identity, the outsider, and sheer guts and determination.

I noticed you listed '1492' as a good film earlier, and I heartily agree. Whilst it has been panned by many, I felt it did a very good job, and featured the landscape as a distinct character in a manner not seen since 'The Mission', which is another of my alltime favourites and best films.