Best Movies

Last time I listed some of the all-time worst movies, I guess I must list some of the voted all-time best movies. I visited IMDb’s list of Top 250 Movies to see what the site’s viewers chose as their top picks. After visiting IMDb I swung over to the American Film Institute’s 100 Greatest Movies of All Time list and compared the two. At No. 1 on IMDb’s list is “The Godfather.” I personally haven’t seen the movie (I know I should have considering I’m blogging about movies). Apparently the movie has stitched itself as a cult classic, because it sits on AFI’s list at No. 3.

Let’s switch here and find a movie I have seen. At No. 1 on AFI’s list is “Citizen Kane.” I’ve seen the movie and have taken some film classes so I realize why this movie sits at No. 1.  “Citizen Kane” is about a reporter trying to find the meaning to the last word spoken by a publishing tycoon. The last word he says is “Rosebud.” Orson Welles starred and directed this movie which revolutionized the way movies have been made since. Welles use of narrative patterns, editing, shot cuts and camera angles were revolutionary to film at it’s time.  Not only does dialogue and character interaction display the action in the movie, but the structure of the scenes do as well. For instance, a semiotic analysis of the opening scene conveys practically who Kane is and in fact the whole movie, which is about a reporter trying to discover who Kane is or rather how Kane can be summed up. The reporter thinks that Kane can be explained by one word, thinking that “Rosebud” is a woman’s name. Greg Toland’s work as cinematographer cannot go without mention either. His selective use of light and dark are flawless in this picture.

Clearly though, most of the films on each list are off mark and don’t agree with each other. For instance, almost every respected film director would agree that “Citizen Kane” is the best movie of all-time; however, “Citizen Kane” doesn’t show up on IMDb’s list until No. 23. IMDb’s list seems to be more geared to the sentimental movie goer; those that put all 3 of the Lord of the Rings movies in the top 20, with the Return of the King being as high 4^th. By the way none of them are in the top 100 of AFI’s list.