Jake Gittes Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Spielberg is unquestionably the best director of all time. And in this case, I don't think it's a matter of opinion. Critically, he's adored more than hated. Academy wise, he has two best director wins and another 4 or 5 nominations (not looking it up) and box office wise he has no equal. He is the most recognized director by name in the world. You can like him or dislike him but he cannot be ignored as the best of all time. So what you're saying is, he's the most popular, the most well-known, and hey, critics and the Academy like him too. Well, no one would argue with that, you could prove all of those as objective, as facts. "Best" doesn't even come anywhere near this. You wanna consider him the best, feel free, but if you want to pretend that's not just your opinion, but it's also somehow objectively true, I'm sorry but I'm not gonna take you seriously. I'm constantly surprised by people's strange need to consider their opinions more than what they are. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 So what you're saying is, he's the most popular, the most well-known, and hey, critics and the Academy like him too. Well, no one would argue with that, you could prove all of those as objective, as facts. "Best" doesn't even come anywhere near this. You wanna consider him the best, feel free, but if you want to pretend that's not just your opinion, but it's also somehow objectively true, I'm sorry but I'm not gonna take you seriously. I'm constantly surprised by people's strange need to consider their opinions more than what they are. Its a scientific fact that Spielberg is the greatest director of all time, deal with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baumer Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) So what you're saying is, he's the most popular, the most well-known, and hey, critics and the Academy like him too. Well, no one would argue with that, you could prove all of those as objective, as facts. "Best" doesn't even come anywhere near this. You wanna consider him the best, feel free, but if you want to pretend that's not just your opinion, but it's also somehow objectively true, I'm sorry but I'm not gonna take you seriously. I'm constantly surprised by people's strange need to consider their opinions more than what they are. I know it's all subjective. But if what criteria would you look for to say that someone is the best of all time. If we take opinion out of it, what do we have left? He has excelled in every sense. Oscars, critics, people who pay to see movies, historians and even others in his field. They all think he's a righteous dude. So what more should he be judged by? And you can be flippant about it all you want by putting in a "hey critics like his too, " but what you are doing is putting your opinion above everything else. You can have that opinion, but if we remove opinion, I don't know how you say he is anything but the best of all time. Edited February 12, 2014 by winter baumer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Stingray Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Spielberg is unquestionably the best director of all time. And in this case, I don't think it's a matter of opinion. Critically, he's adored more than hated. Academy wise, he has two best director wins and another 4 or 5 nominations (not looking it up) and box office wise he has no equal. He is the most recognized director by name in the world. You can like him or dislike him but he cannot be ignored as the best of all time. C'mon baumer, saying he's unquestionably the best, there is no debate etc. is a bit silly, don't ya think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I know it's all objective. But if what criteria would you look for to say that someone is the best of all time. If we take opinion out of it, what do we have left? He has excelled in every sense. Oscars, critics, people who pay to see movies, historians and even others in his field. They all think he's a righteous dude. So what more should he be judged by? If you asked everyone on the planet who they thought the greatest director is of all time, id guess Spielberg's name will be said the most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baumer Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 C'mon baumer, saying he's unquestionably the best, there is no debate etc. is a bit silly, don't ya think? But how do you judge who the best is? If you are taking opinion out of it, how do you do it? Or are you saying that this is all about opinion and there is nothing apodictic about it? Only opinion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Disney Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 This list got the number 1 director of all-time right, so I guess there isn't much to complain about. However, there are some bad choices on this list and the rankings of some of the truly great directors are very low. The problem that this list had was what people consider to be great or influential has arbitrary standards. There wasn't a lot of perspective. Ex. The Coen Brothers over Coppala, Cameron, and Nolan. The scoring system didn't help because there were way too many ties and the tie breakers were based on the ranking of the movies, whereas the points were usually based on a range. So, if 1 person put a director at number 51 and 7 put him at 95, and the same 8 people put another director at 52, those directors would accumulate the same number of points; using Lisa's tie-breaker the director with the number 51 vote would win the tie-breaker, despite the latter director actually being more highly regarded and voted for. I am going to have 3 follow-up posts. I will list the directors who needed to be on the list (the true must have directors), the directors that should have made this list (unless there was some serious flaw in them), and the directors that could have made the list but not having them on the list is understandable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Stingray Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 But how do you judge who the best is? If you are taking opinion out of it, how do you do it? Or are you saying that this is all about opinion and there is nothing apodictic about it? Only opinion? Well, I'm not sure, but I don't think you can accurately judge who the best is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baumer Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Well, I'm not sure, but I don't think you can accurately judge who the best is. But if you were going to judge, then how would you do it? I'm not saying my opinion is more important than Jake's or anyone else's. I'm just simply asking what criteria you would use to judge who is the best of all time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Gittes Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 If we take opinion out of it, what do we have left? Well, we don't. Opinion is the most crucial part of it. If historians, critics, audiences, award voters really like Spielberg, that just makes him widely acclaimed. But acclaimed and best are different things. There's no determining and factually proving who the best is. This isn't sports. And that's the beautiful thing about all of it - all people approach movies differently, everyone has his own best director, writer, actor or whoever. What do we have left if we take opinion out of it? I'd say we have something that's really fucking boring and completely uninteresting and, consequently, something I'm not at all happy or willing to be a part of. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4815162342 Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) Spielberg is a great director. He deserves a spot in the Top 10. While he's not the best, I have no problem with him being #1 here. Influence only plays a part. Your actual output plays a bigger role. That's why Coppola, even though he made two of the best films of all time, should not be Top 10 because he has made some major, major stinkers and his filmography the past 20-30 years has been average at best. That long, bad stretch he had is why he fell into the 11-20 range of my list. As for Nolan, when he learns to consistently direct actors, particularly female roles, then he'll start to warrant serious consideration from me for entry into say the Top 25. Edited February 12, 2014 by 4815162342 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Stingray Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 But if you were going to judge, then how would you do it? I'm not saying my opinion is more important than Jake's or anyone else's. I'm just simply asking what criteria you would use to judge who is the best of all time? I would ask other directors who they think is the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Well, we don't. Opinion is the most crucial part of it. If historians, critics, audiences, award voters really like Spielberg, that just makes him widely acclaimed. But acclaimed and best are different things. There's no determining and factually proving who the best is. This isn't sports. And that's the beautiful thing about all of it - all people approach movies differently, everyone has his own best director, writer, actor or whoever. What do we have left if we take opinion out of it? I'd say we have something that's really fucking boring and completely uninteresting and, consequently, something I'm not at all happy or willing to be a part of. Well in that case Shindlers List isn't actually a better movie than The Room even though most of mankind would probably prefer Shindlers List, that doesn't technically make it better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baumer Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Well, we don't. Opinion is the most crucial part of it. If historians, critics, audiences, award voters really like Spielberg, that just makes him widely acclaimed. But acclaimed and best are different things. There's no determining and factually proving who the best is. This isn't sports. And that's the beautiful thing about all of it - all people approach movies differently, everyone has his own best director, writer, actor or whoever. What do we have left if we take opinion out of it? I'd say we have something that's really fucking boring and completely uninteresting and, consequently, something I'm not at all happy or willing to be a part of. Ok, I understand what you are saying. This is all about opinion. There is no way to determine who is the best. Fair enough. IMO, Spielberg is the best of all time. And for me it's not close, not yet anyway. If Cameron continues making great films for another two decades or so, then he might be in my conversation for best of all time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozymandias Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Nolan higher than Cameron? They're both way too high on the list IMO, especially Nolan. Nolan has 1 timeless feat under his belt, TDK, which is the best comic book movie of all time and will probably never be beaten. The rest of his filmography are just very solid films. I'm hoping Interstellar is his next Dark knight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnY Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Its a scientific fact that Spielberg is the greatest director of all time, deal with it. oh we are really starting to go nuts now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) oh we are really starting to go nuts now x(xc-d) + greatest director + g(hv+d)/ v(ved) = Steven Spielberg. As I said, Spielberg is the best, now lets move on. Edited February 12, 2014 by Jessie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessie Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I would ask other directors who they think is the best. If we did that then Michael Bay would be much higher on the list and you lot would go crazy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baumer Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 They're both way too high on the list IMO, especially Nolan. Nolan has 1 timeless feat under his belt, TDK, which is the best comic book movie of all time and will probably never be beaten. The rest of his filmography are just very solid films. I'm hoping Interstellar is his next Dark knight. Cameron isn't too high. Terminator, Aliens, T2, and on and on, they are all brilliantly directed films imo. Cameron should be top 3 imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plain Old Tele Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Thank you, lisa, for taking the time to do all this. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
