Diss-Cussion of EPIC MOVIE

With all due respect, there hasn't been a film made in the past 10 years that could come close to To Kill A Mockingbird. Gregory Peck's portrayal of Atticus Finch will live forever among the finest performances in cinematic history. I'm not sure it would make my top 10, if pinned down, but quite honestly, there isn't a single film among your top ten that would likely make my top 100. Among your top 50, there are 4 that would get some consideration for my top 100, a couple might crack the top 50. (since someone will probably ask, Hotel Rwanda--maybe, Bridge Over the River Kwai--maybe, It's a Wonderful Life--good shot, Pleasantville--probably sort of a personal preference but I did like it so-- maybe) There are, to be sure, some very good movies on your list, but I suspect that when AFI does their 150 years of great movies sometime in the future, very few of them will knock off films that are on the list now.

I suppose there might be some difficulty for someone in your age group, and I don't mean to be condescending, just stating a fact, to appreciate the context of To Kill a Mockingbird. The films that live to become classics tend to have a profound significance at a moment in history, but also a timelessness that carries forward. At the point where you can dismiss a movie like TKAM by suggesting it isn't that good, perhaps you need to ask yourself what other people saw for 3 or 4 generations  that you are missing. 

Whoa, Nellie! First of all, my criticism of mwg's list lies in the fact that by my quick count, 45 of the 50 movies on his list have been released in the past 15 years (that is admittedly a rapid count, and my be off by a couple either way, and relies somewhat on sketchy memory of certain years of release). However, I'd say that is a significant overrepresentation. Nor would I argue the fact some very good movies have been made in the past decade. BUT, quite honestly, some of the offerings most likely to achieve classic status are not necessairly represented. (For the sake of argument, and none of these are guaranteed of success, but are worthy of discussion: L.A. Confidential, Saving Private Ryan, Mullholland Drive et al)

 It may well be that some contemporary movies that I am not enthusiastic about may well survive the test of time and become classics. But should we not, even in this instant gratification society, exercise the patience to let time judge? Most of the films that I have listed above (which cover a span of more than 60 years) have met that critera and remain treasures of the artform. Let's let the modern offerings be subjected to that same test.

In point of fact, if you will be kind enough to actually go back and read my post, I didn't deny the possibility that movies on his list could, indeed, eventually find their way among the all time classics, although I doubt a whole lot of them will. (That of course, is a matter of opinion, a base upon which I offer no claim of infallibility)

Were I to submit a list weighted 90% towards films released between 1970 and 1985, I'd have to acknowledge criticisms of temporal bias. If that list is presented as my all time 50 favorites, there is, in reality, very little room for argument. You may not agree with my tastes, but at the end of the day, my personal tastes are really mine alone to live with. If, on the other hand, I am trying to represent that list as a 50 greatest of all time by some reasonable criteria, the argument of natural temporal bias becomes indefensible. I point out that it was a list of that nature that was the subject of the question posed by Head Razz. 

Coming at moviewizguy's list from a different angle.

MWG, of the movies I've seen on your list, I found Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and the recent War of the Worlds to be weak.  We already discussed Lemony Snicket--to put it another way, it so bastardized the stories it was on the verge of being a totally different movie altogether.  The other two suffered from very weak (or in the case of WotW, non-existent) plots. 

The ones on your list I saw that I really liked are Titanic, Signs, Crash, King Kong (2005) (except for the scene of stampeding brontosauruses, which stank), Million Dollar Baby, Finding Nemo, Minority Report, The Bridge on the River Kwai (good choice), Fargo, House of Flying Daggers, Shrek, Spirited Away (love this movie), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Apollo 13, Blood Diamond, Gangs of New York, The Incredibles, Spider-Man 2 (I was looking forward to Doc Ock, and except for the drag in the beginning, this movie was great), Batman Begins, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and 300.

I agree with many here, though, that you need to watch more older movies.  I see you liked The Bridge on the River Kwai.  Have you watched Casablanca?  Gone with the Wind?  The Godfather?  The Godfather Part II?  The Shawshank Redemption?  The Apartment?   The Graduate?  High Noon?  Inherit the Wind?   A Night at the Opera?  North by Northwest?  Singin' in the Rain?  The Sting?  Thelma & Louise?  To Catch a Thief?  To Have and Have Not?  These are among some of my favorite movies.  If you haven't, rent them.  If you have, what do you think?

I see you list It's a Wonderful Life by Frank Capra.  May I also recommend other movies by Capra, like It Happened One Night, where you'll see Clark Gable turn in possibly his best performance.  And if you like that one, check out Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town.  I found these movies to be delightful.  Maybe you can compare that last one with Adam Sandler's Mr. Deeds, and let us know which one you think is funnier...