Discussion/Essay: How many films to see each year for a top/all time list?

[BK007]

I have no shame in having my current top 100 list populated by mainly movies released in and after 2004, the year in which I first got into watching movies, but being on a movie website, it's of course encouraged to watch older films.

 

Thing is, of course, that as many films as we watch now, it's arguably harder to find the same amount of films from yesteryear. Now, or whenever we started watching more films, we get to watch them as they come out, ride the hype, the articles, trailers, reviews, see them at the cinema, drive-in, dollar theatres, the first debut on TV or Netflix or buy them or rent them in stores. All that means we are more likely and able to see films released now. For all the boo hoo hoo sob stories of people who complain only shit is released and films released in the past were so much better, these people once again only and conveniently focus on movies that of course have stood the test of time and all the rest that have rotted away have no more spotlight. Then in modern day, they focus only on blockbusters and ignore everything else. That's just bullshit. So, not that my list is filled with indie movies either, since I don't have access to watch any anyway, but what's the shame in having your list be so current? I don't think there's any.

 

But on to the main point, we as a species have a very collective short term memory. Just look at the response to disasters come and go and then when you focus on something more frivolous such as movies it's bound to be worse. We are not like the rest of the populace. We watch probably 10x more films they do a year. They probably know little to no old movies and probably couldn't even tell you 12 movies released in the last year. So, what would you consider "seen enough" to compile a list?

 

Maybe some of you can, but I certainly cannot see 50 movies a year from everything pre-2004. Where would I find them? Why would I want to watch them? To be real honest, 50 years from now, and we'd probably have forgotten 99% of all movies released this year and probably including even decently reviewed films and the big blockbusters. Hell, I forgot about Jack Ryan after I left the theatre. People in the future will not be recommending TMNT or Into the Storm or even Maleficent, 22 Jump Street, maybe even all of the 90% movies Edge, Guardians, Dragon, DOFP. Time, and of course the future releases will shape their future. Just look at the fall of Spider Man and how cheese now sinks the movie. Look at how movies like Aladdin and Shrek age. So, what really is a realistic target?

 

These films all exist out there. Blockbusters to indie films but where would you find them? Amazon? Netflix? Studio libraries? Pirated? There's a reason why the Copyright Act had an expiration date. What value do you think Step Up All In would have just three years from now, much less 10, 15, 25 years in the future. Hundreds of movies are released each year and not in a vacuum. There are TV shows and art and video games and concerts and life, life, LIFE! So, if anyone wanted their movie to have even a sliver of influence in the future, there needs to be accessibility.

Edited August 18, 2014 by BK007

[BK007]

I live in Malaysia. Films like Madea don't even reach here. Heck, films like Boyhood, even Noah don't reach here. The video stores, of which there are about 3 different companies, don't even have everything released in the past year and they are also overpriced, 3-6x more than US. Markets like this won't have any knowledge of many films. But, you go to America, besides the staples, do Best Buy and Target and whatever else carry a huge variety?

 

I am betting films like the Way, Way, Back will disappear from the shelves within 2 years and really if you’re not Star Wars, Casablanca or Ben-Hur, you’re already not on the shelves. I’m not sure if anyone here follows the Blu-Ray market, or buys anything on home video anymore, but for all the movies released there are so many that aren’t and have no market to release in besides film collectors probably. This is the state of the industry.

 

So, even Into the Storm will probably be gone within 5 years, heck just take a look at films from even 2006, when the format started, which haven’t come out and who even cares if these movies do come out? Anyone remember the Shaggy Dog with Tim Allen? No? I didn’t think so.  You see films like Locke or Under the Skin or the Lunchbox- these films are they really going to be on the shelf long? No. Within a year probably they’ll all be gone and where would you even look for them? So, really, it’s a bigger problem than some of the pretentious people realize, I bet they’re pirating anyway, so not like there’s anything to be pretentious about.

 

I realize I’ve gone on a rant about all kinds of things. I tend to. I apologize, but back on point, how many then? Or is it just a list of recognized movies, or rather, a list of movies that were fortunate enough to be remembered/preserved? See these and if you’ve seen them, your list is now certified. Then it’s more of a checklist is it not?

 

I doubt people can even name 50 movies from 2004 and that was only 10 years ago. The reality is that it is nigh impossible to fulfill this with the current setup. This is the only good thing about the digital age and perhaps once the Copyright Act becomes more reasonable, then, everything will get a second life and you can have a limitless supply to choose from. Otherwise, right now, it’s just something like an expanded IMDB Top 250 that’s widely available because society dictates so. I mean, it’s not like everything needs to be remembered, just glancing at the BOM lists for the 90s, would I really want to go and watch them all? I know they exist, I can probably find them somehow, but why would I watch it? If no one recommended it, if no one talks about it, why should I? Especially of course, if it’s just a “blockbuster”, relied on special effects/lowbrow comedy etc. All of these films fall by the wayside extremely quickly.

Edited August 18, 2014 by BK007

[BK007]

Maybe people just don’t appreciate the fact that home video truly only took off in the late 90s with DVD. So these popcorn movies last longer in the consciousness now because they took advantage of technological advances whereas films that fulfilled that criteria in the 80s or early 90s couldn’t. I have no inclination to watch any old Superman movie. In fact, I really would only seek out movies that are for some reason touted as great. So most films will just disappear, and if that is the case, then why should I be faulted for having my favourite list stocked with current releases? I realize that this is actually just a defense of my would be list or taste.

 

Just right now, we are able to see most movies of the year that are said to be good and thus connect with and remember them. These movies may have existed in the same quantity in 1981 but with no proper way to find them or had them preserved and with easy access, it is of course skewed to present day, and really there is more to life than simply seeking out older movies in equivalent quantities just to have a purported “qualified” opinion, which is a joke considering it’s an opinion anyway.

 

I know nobody has really criticized me yet for this, but I just feel like I shouldn’t have to defend (though I have done so now in the longest possible manner) what I like and what I think is on my top 100 list. Yeah, great that you have movies from all decades but I have 7 movies from 2010 in a top 100 list that is supposed to span all time and all countries. But, perhaps, I shouldn’t and you shouldn’t give a fuck, because no one else does? You and I have more in common creating a damn top 100 list in the first place than the average person. Yeah I have Transformers in mine and you have Citizen Kane (nod to baumer) but as much as you want to eyeroll/shrug/criticize you still have more in common with me than you do with 99% of the world, so perhaps a more civilized form of discussion and feedback is required than pretentiousness. I have been on forums like this since 2006/7 so I have experience to say this. I never posted lists or engaged in countdowns for this reason, so maybe this is simply a defense that’s been coming for the last 7 years. It’s good to get it out of my head, I suppose, even if no one reads it.

Edited August 18, 2014 by BK007

[BK007]

Back once again, to my point, how do we approach or get anticipated to watch a movie now? We see trailers, reviews, articles, comments, news, hype etc. But for an older movie? It’s simply, find it and watch it. There really is nothing to push you to see it if you haven’t. I’m not going to watch a trailer for a movie I already know I can see immediately if I wanted to.  Hardly anyone knows or cares for even a movie like Shawshank Redemption for you to truly seek it out unless you were a film buff. So, in that case, why watch even 50 movies? Why have anything against me for what I choose to watch? Yeah, I’m watching TMNT and not whatever movie from 1958, but I’ve probably already watched a good % of better movies too. Plus, if you’re crap, no one even remembers anything else from 1958.  Heck, all these people haven’t even seen more than 10-15 movies from these years I’d bet so it’s really stupid to say they were or are much better than modern day.

 

I’m going to use 2010 as an example. I loved Toy Story 3, Inception, How to Train Your Dragon, Harry Poter and the Deathly Hallows, Tangled, King’s Speech and the Social Network. All of them were fantastic movies I connected with and they are all in my top 75. (Oh no! Even worse than top 100!) So, what more is there to say? 1937 was a better year for movies? How many films did you watch? 4 out of 1,000? Great credibility there.

 

For me, there’s nothing wrong with liking more movies from the present or the past, I mean I want to find great movies from the past because I’m sure the ratio is exactly the same every fucking year. But, what I don’t like is the attitude of people making out people with more current taste or current movies to be shit compared to the past. The worst are these people aren’t even old enough to be able to say anything with much authority having, like I said, probably only seen a handful of movies from that year and obviously none of the bad stuff that probably isn’t even around anymore. (Something like 60% of movies pre-1950 are lost.) Then it’s all semantics saying which movie is better. I love Harry Potter, grew up with it, it was a massive part of my childhood, so Deathly Hallows 1 resonates more and will always resonate more than some random movie from 1976. People started calling Blue is the Warmest Colour overrated and etc but I loved it. I related to the core relationship, I looked past the gender and embraced its modern themes and everything about it, so of course I’d like it better than whatever was considered a great romantic drama before in 1964. Some movies will transcend their time but a lot also don’t and you can’t judge until time has passed and even then, what’s the point?

 

How old a movie is should not factor into how great it is. It’s all rather stupid and trifling to think about. In one corner you have the buffs who think the older the better and the other you have the rest of the world who don’t even give a fuck. I, and many others who fall in between, are just that. Our opinions are just as valid and deserve no badmouthing.

Edited August 18, 2014 by BK007

[BK007]

Might post a summary later.

 

TL; DR: We're all going to die so why spend so much time trying to qualify our opinions when it does not really matter at all? Instead of criticizing or declaring people's opinions invalid (lol) why can't we just simply recommend and appreciate?

 

Yeah, I don't appreciate the whole "No, you're wrong. This film is better than this film. End of discussion." non-argument either, but a lot of the time, we should really not give a fuck about what others think. Yeah, I didn't watch as many movies as you, so what? I like what I like and you can fuck off. I'm taking out my frustration with a lot of other similar life situations in which people like to judge you and compare/put you down, but the language applies. I do like intelligent discussion but I have absolutely no time for pretentious and judgmental assholes. Newsflash, if you were truly better, you wouldn't have thought so. Boom.