Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Ebert's Best Movies

Of these 10 movies, I've only seen two of them--and only sorta liked one of those.  (I'm not one much for cerebral films, for the most part.)

Which two do you think they are?  What movie do you think should be on this list but isn't?  I've noticed that no blockbusters outside of Casablanca are on the list--does Ebert have something against financially successful films?

6 comments:

David said...

That's my problem with a bunch of Oscar/movie lists. If you look at TV, some of the most successful TV shows of all time also win emmy's and are on best of lists (see I Love Lucy, Seinfeld, The Office, Simpsons, Sopranos, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Ted Lasso, etc.)

However with movies, it seems like they will pick one big movie and then 9 other movies few have seen or heard of. Look at the Oscars. The last Best Picture winner to make more than $100 million was Argo 10 years ago. The last BIG blockbuster Best Picture winner was Lord of the Rings 20 years ago. It used to be that Best Picture winners made a ton of money every year like Forrest Gump or Titanic or Rocky or Godfather or Sound of Music. I am not saying that the Oscars should always pick blockbusters but at least pick something people have heard of.

Steve USMA '85 said...

Interesting list. I've seen three of them. Three I never heard of before. Does make me want to check out Raging Bull.

Lisa said...

Everyone who went to high school in the 80’s was forced to watch and write a report on Citizen Kane in grade 11, which is one of the 2 movies was you watched and probably the one you did not like. Because no one really like nor cared about Citizen Kane.
The other movie you probably saw was Casablanca. You liked Casablanca because everyone loved Bogie’s ”C’est la vie” manner. Rick was pragmatic but tender.
One of the movies which should have been on the list is Blade Runner (1982).

Darren said...

A friend of mine loves Casablanca, so when I saw it on dvd for a few dollars at Walmart I picked it up. Interesting movie.

I never saw Citizen Kane, and didn't really like 2001.

Randomizer said...

An art teacher friend explained that museums aren't there to display the best looking paintings, but the paintings that best illustrate a particular style or period. It was something like that.

Ebert's movie list may be something like that. Or, he's been a movie critic for so long, he can't watch a movie like a normal person.

There is no way that a documentary about people running an animal graveyard is a better movie than Animal House. I haven't seen 28 Up, but it's a movie about regular 28 year-olds, and they aren't as interesting as the funny and poignant Up movie.

Steve USMA '85 said...

I saw Citizen Kane in school and loved it. I'll watch it every time I see in on TV (which isn't often anymore). I suggest you give it a look if you ever bump into it Darren. I think you might enjoy it. Of course, YMMV.