Everybody loves great movies, and everyone has a favorite one. A move that moves you emotionally, one that is memorable. Isn’t that what makes a great movie?
It’s been said a great movie depends on the script, but a great movie has many components that put the whole thing together and gets everyone talking about it.
Let’s look at some of the characteristics of a movie.
- Plot: Is the plot believable?
Unless you’re watching a documentary, or a movie based on historical fact, this is a moot point. However, if you’re talking about a fictional story or one that has elements based on fact, is it still believable?
A good example of this are horror movies involving extreme violence or other-worldly creatures like “Aliens”. Yes, “Aliens”! - What is the theme of the movie?
Every story has a theme, a message. Is it good vs. evil? Is it a cautionary tale or is it a mystery?! - Is the movie entertaining?
Comedies are very entertaining but even a comedy can stir emotions in its viewers. Some comedies have tragic endings.
For example, the movie “Marley and Me” was a funny movie about the antics of a dog, his human family, and the love they had for the dog. Then it turns sad after the dog’s passing. - What about dialogue? Does it keep your attention?
It seems that today, everybody is multi-tasking: scrolling through their phone while watching a movie, and the like. But a movie with great dialogue will grab your attention and keep it!
A great example of this is the movie “Pulp Fiction” with its powerfully lyrical dialogue. - Cinematography is a characteristic of movies that make you feel as if you are part of the action! It involves location, color, and sound.
One such movie is “The Revenant”.
If you’ve ever watched it, I’m sure you’ll recognize the feeling the effects of burying yourself in snow just to live another day is like! - Editing is a big one! You don’t want to sit through a movie that feels jerky, or the sequences feel out of sync. You want a smooth viewing experience as you would have with a movie like “The Matrix” or an oldie but a goodie like “The French Connection” or “Raging Bull”.
Movies like these make your heart beat a little faster! - The soundtrack of a great movie will have you going out to buy it then singing the songs for years to come. An impeccable example of a soundtrack of this quality is “The Bodyguard”.
Who’s never heard the song “I Will Always Love You” performed by Whitney Houston? - Francis Ford Coppola’s directing in “The Godfather: Part One” (which is considered one of the top movies of all time) is a model of exceptional work. The assassination of Al Pacino’s character’s wife and the death of Marlon Brando’s character was exquisite!
- Originality is another staple for a great movie. A film can take a common basic premise and turn it into something never done before.
A good example of this is “The Lobster”. This is a comedy about a newly single man who moves in with other single men at a hotel. They are given forty-five days to find a new love interest. Failing that mission, they will be turned into animals!
Preferences will vary with our readers, but next, is a listing, in no particular order, of the top five movies of all time, including the year of release and what we believe makes them great based on the above elements.
- “Citizen Kane” was released in September of 1941, and is ranked as the top movie of all time. It stars Orson Welles, who co-wrote, produced, and directed this film about the rise and fall of a publishing mogul named Charles Foster Kane.
Kane dies at the beginning of the film; his last word being “Rosebud”. This film follows a reporter who, after Kane’s death, sets about interviewing people who knew him as he tries to figure out what the meaning of “Rosebud” is.
This movie is particularly known for its groundbreaking lighting. - “Vertigo” was released in May of 1958. It is the story of a retired police detective who has a fear of heights. He is hired to follow a lady, the wife of an old friend, who is possessed by the past and is suicidal.
It is a penetrating story about obsession. - Released in October of 1994, “The Shawshank Redemption” is the story of Andy Dufresne, a man convicted of the murder of his wife and her lover back in 1947, in the state of Maine. Maine doesn’t have a death sentence and even though Andy claims to be innocent , he is sentenced to two life sentences for his crime anyway.
This is a dark tale about how prison can rob a person of two kinds of freedom: external and internal. - “Titanic” was released just in time for Christmas in December of 1997. With the sinking of the Titanic as a backdrop, this film is about two people from totally different backgrounds falling in love and staying in love even while one is gone from this earth.
Who doesn’t know Celine Dion’s heartbreaking rendition of “My Heart Will Go On”? - “Lord of the Rings” is the sole fantasy movie on this list. It is another movie released just before Christmas, but in December of 2001. This film is grand! Though its characters are of a fantastical world, the theme of this film falls in line with today’s world. It is a captivating, yet classic tale of good vs. evil.
“Lord of the Rings” centers around a war between inhabitants of the Middle Earth and the dark lord Sauron while also attempting to destroy a ring that will give Sauron immense power.
There are so many other movies we could add to this list. What’s your favorite great movie?
