Films that have won "Best Picture"

[Sparx]

***hangs head***

I um...I actually like that show. BUT, the musical numbers are my least favorite part. I think they're getting out of hand now.

I agreeing with you that musicals are gaining popularity. I've actually never watched Glee, but I tend to like musicals. I'm just not good at following television shows lol. I always miss an episode and lose interest.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

I thought musicals were making a comeback? Chicago, Moulin Rouge, Mama Mia, Nine... Not that they are my cup o' tea.

I love Chicago, Moulin Rouge is also really good. I hated most of the singing in Mama Mia. I couldn't even watch that again. Nine I haven't seen yet.

I think it's been averaging less than 1 per year. That's not popularity. If there were several even half decent ones per year, then I would call that popular.

Both DH and I were film majors in college. Spent quite a bit of our own money and took out many loans to write, produce and direct our thesis films (which were well received). We currently own a library of films that would shame most video stores (I believe at last count, there was somewhere in the neighborhood of 6000 titles). We are very much film buffs, like yourself. We'll give any movie a try because we have been surprised very often to find things we loved that we never thought we would. Tried The Hurt Locker. hated it. Suffered through No Country for Old Men. hated ourselves for not bailing earlier.

I LOVED Inglourious Basterds (Christoph Waltz was fantastic), Burn After Reading, The Road and A Simple Man. Didn't see the other ones you mentioned yet.

I once got into an argument with one of my film professors because I didn't think Citizen Kane was "all that". He wanted me tried for heresy! We had a heated debate over it.

I like the Money Pit. That is my answer to that.

I also didn't care for Citizen Kane. In fact, tried watching it 3 separate times. Each time, I fell asleep. I ended up selling the dvd. I also like the Money Pit. I laugh every time I watch it.

There's a musical television show that's amazingly popular.

Yeah. I think part of the reason it's popular is that it's "in context" singing. Meaning, that they sing because they're supposed to be singing. Not just because they just feel like it or to move the story along. It is about a glee club.
Although, I'll admit, I've only seen the first episode. Which is strange for me.

I agreeing with you that musicals are gaining popularity. I've actually never watched Glee, but I tend to like musicals. I'm just not good at following television shows lol. I always miss an episode and lose interest.

I never think about it when it's on. I don't even know when it's on.
Which, again, is strange for me, since I love musicals.

 

[southernbohemian]

I'll admit that I didn't get No Country for Old Men the first time. In fact, I really didn't like it. I thought Javier Bardem was beyond scary and spent most of the movie in dread. I didn't enjoy a second of it, although I understood why it should be respected (direction, acting, etc.)

Then my boyfriend came home and decided to watch it and I thought I would just sit with him for a while. I ended up watching the entire movie again and that time I loved it. I was able to focus more on the themes of fate and the importance of decisions. Josh Brolin tells his wife early on that he is going to do something very stupid, but he went on and did it anyway.

So, if you get a chance, you might want to give it a try again. You never know.

Citizen Kane and There Will Be Blood are also two of my favorites, though. So we probably have very different taste. I don't know if I agree with a lot of people that Citizen Kane is the best American film of all time, but I definitely think it's in the top 5. And I thought There Will Be Blood is the most authentic feeling historical film to come out since Barry Lyndon. We tend to use historical backdrops for our own stories and forget that the values/actions/character of a person who lived 100+ years ago are very different from our modern sensibilities. And in both of these cases (Citizen Kane and TWBB) it also helps to have 2 of the best actors ever in the leads.

 

[sunnyday123]

I must be in the minority. I LOVED The Hurt Locker-bought the DVD and will probably wear it out very soon. HATED Avatar. I also liked No Country For Old Men. I'll also watch The Money Pit every time it comes on.

By the way, I'm a huge fan of Glee.

 

[Jennasis]

I'll admit that I didn't get No Country for Old Men the first time. In fact, I really didn't like it. I thought Javier Bardem was beyond scary and spent most of the movie in dread. I didn't enjoy a second of it, although I understood why it should be respected (direction, acting, etc.)

Then my boyfriend came home and decided to watch it and I thought I would just sit with him for a while. I ended up watching the entire movie again and that time I loved it. I was able to focus more on the themes of fate and the importance of decisions. Josh Brolin tells his wife early on that he is going to do something very stupid, but he went on and did it anyway.

So, if you get a chance, you might want to give it a try again. You never know.

Citizen Kane and There Will Be Blood are also two of my favorites, though. So we probably have very different taste. I don't know if I agree with a lot of people that Citizen Kane is the best American film of all time, but I definitely think it's in the top 5. And I thought There Will Be Blood is the most authentic feeling historical film to come out since Barry Lyndon. We tend to use historical backdrops for our own stories and forget that the values/actions/character of a person who lived 100+ years ago are very different from our modern sensibilities. And in both of these cases (Citizen Kane and TWBB) it also helps to have 2 of the best actors ever in the leads.

You know what I should have mentioned...while I hated No Country and There Will Be Blood (Dh enjoyed the latter), I thought the acting in them was wonderful. Funny how I can like their performances but still not like the movie. Josh Brolin really is a great actor. Daniel Day Lewis is always great in whatever he's in. I even thought Brolin was great in "W". The actor who really caught my attention in There Will Be Blood was Paul Dano!

Occassionally, DH and I will threaten to "drink each other's milkshake".

 

[Praying Colonel]

It's so weird of the perception of what one feels is a good movie, a bad movie, or anything in between.

I, for one, if given the choice to watch LOTR again and pay someone $1000, I would pay someone $1000 to not have to watch what I feel is garbage, again.

Then there are movies that I loved, and won... stuff:
Little Miss Sunshine, American Beauty, Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind and As Good As It Gets

And... I loved Titanic. I think I saw it in the theater about 10 times. But what can I say, I was 10 and Leo was in it... all of the girls loved Leo.

If I didn't agree with your opinion on LOTR, I'd say you and I are diametric opposites on movie tastes. I absolutely hated all of the movies you listed as ones you loved. Takes all kinds.

BTW--MHO on a couple of the other films listed here so far:

--Hurt Locker: Really liked it and found it similar to Soldiers' lives in many ways (long periods of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror), but wouldn't have given it Best Picture. Without giving too much away, I thought James' little excursion through the town was unrealistic. Overall, thought both Inglourious Basterds and Up were better;

--There Will Be Blood: Didn't care for it, but can see why many did (and thought Daniel Day-Lewis killed)

We have Avatar and District 9 at home via Netflix right now.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

I have never seen Citizen Kane, but as a huge movie fan, it is on my list of to do's. I know that some of the reason that the film is so respected and so ground breaking is because Orson Welles used stage actors instead of movie actors and wanted them to "act big" like they would if they were on stage. But, not having seen the movie, I can't really comment. I think there was also something about the sets being groundbreaking, like maybe you could see ceilings where as before, you didn't see ceilings in movies? I can't remember.
Anyway, if I had to pick one movie with the absolute best acting done by every single person in the cast, a movie that is probably really considered an "actors movie" it would be Glenngarry Glen Ross. The talent in that movie is so good, it's scary. And it's sad that it doesn't get the recognition it deserves (IMO). I don't even care about the fact that every actor is seasoned and well respected in the theater community. It's just fantastic acting. Never seen better. Yes, the premise sounds soooo boring. Don't let it fool you. For fans of truly great acting, I don't think it gets any better than this.

 

[Jennasis]

I have never seen Citizen Kane, but as a huge movie fan, it is on my list of to do's. I know that some of the reason that the film is so respected and so ground breaking is because Orson Welles used stage actors instead of movie actors and wanted them to "act big" like they would if they were on stage. But, not having seen the movie, I can't really comment. I think there was also something about the sets being groundbreaking, like maybe you could see ceilings where as before, you didn't see ceilings in movies? I can't remember.
Anyway, if I had to pick one movie with the absolute best acting done by every single person in the cast, a movie that is probably really considered an "actors movie" it would be Glenngarry Glen Ross. The talent in that movie is so good, it's scary. And it's sad that it doesn't get the recognition it deserves (IMO). I don't even care about the fact that every actor is seasoned and well respected in the theater community. It's just fantastic acting. Never seen better. Yes, the premise sounds soooo boring. Don't let it fool you. For fans of truly great acting, I don't think it gets any better than this.

Always be closing!

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Always be closing!

There ya go!!!

Alec Baldwin was sooooo evil in that movie....brilliant!

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

i've never been one to watch the movies that get raves from the critics and win all those awards. they're usually boring drama movies and i'm more of an action/adventure fan.


altho i still don't think Avatar deserved all of the rave it got. yes, the special effects were pretty decent, but otherwise the story was nothing new. if you've seen Pocahontas, you'll know the outcome of Avatar....

 

[FlightlessDuck]

After Forrest Gump beat Shawshank Redemption, I pretty much lost faith in the voting process.

I have to agree. I saw both movies, and while Forest Gump was OK, I didn't understand why everybody loved it so much.

 

[Took]

I have to agree. I saw both movies, and while Forest Gump was OK, I didn't understand why everybody loved it so much.

Agree with you that Forest Gump was just so-so. However, I have liked nearly all of the Best Pic winners. I loved 'No Country...' and "There Will Be Blood" and, especially The English Patient" (although the novel is better). I'm a literature major and maybe that influences what I'm drawn to.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Sometimes you have to shake your head at some of the best picture winners and noms. That being said, I really liked The Hurt Locker and thought Avatar was totally a weird and a rip off of so many other movies.

Not to mention a rip off of the album cover designer.

 

[Carl Fredricksen]

I have never seen Citizen Kane, but as a huge movie fan, it is on my list of to do's. I know that some of the reason that the film is so respected and so ground breaking is because Orson Welles used stage actors instead of movie actors and wanted them to "act big" like they would if they were on stage. But, not having seen the movie, I can't really comment. I think there was also something about the sets being groundbreaking, like maybe you could see ceilings where as before, you didn't see ceilings in movies? I can't remember.

Kane was famous for the struggle to get it made because it was loosely based on William Randolph Hearst and he tried to prevent it from seeing the light of day. A couple of great articles can be found here and here. There is also a documentary on it out there as well.

The other thing was that Welles broke a lot of directorial "rules" of the time using long lenses that would keep everything in focus in the foreground and background at the same time. And the shots were carefully planned out such as when the dug a hole in the floor for one shot so the camera would be at ground level shooting upward at the actors instead of at eye level which was the "rule" of the time. It enabled Welles to show Kane as a huge figure who just got smaller as he approached the window, and again the shot stayed in focus the whole way.

Sorry for the diatribe, as I could go on, but they built special equipment for that movie and used great techniques. A must see, and the greatest film ever made IMO. Especially once you know the background of the making of the movie.

Anyway, if I had to pick one movie with the absolute best acting done by every single person in the cast, a movie that is probably really considered an "actors movie" it would be Glenngarry Glen Ross. The talent in that movie is so good, it's scary. And it's sad that it doesn't get the recognition it deserves (IMO). I don't even care about the fact that every actor is seasoned and well respected in the theater community. It's just fantastic acting. Never seen better. Yes, the premise sounds soooo boring. Don't let it fool you. For fans of truly great acting, I don't think it gets any better than this.

"You know why, mister? 'Cause you drove a Hyundai to get here tonight, I drove an eighty thousand dollar BMW. *That's* my name.

That is a GREAT movie, and even though he is only in it for about 10 minutes, may have been the best performance ever by Alec Baldwin.