Whoa, there! The topic is 'best movie ever,' not 'favorite guilty pleasure movie you like to watch alone with your bon bons and basket chair,' folks!
*pauses, when she realizes her humor is probably getting lost in translation right about now and also gets the feeling she stole this from some part in season two of The Office*
We're talking about best movie EVER. As in...EVER.
For the sake of conversation, let's ignore awesome decades of movies before the year...1960 ish, even though fantastic directors like Frank Capra (sue me, I LOVE his work), because if we want to make use of color a part of our critique...we must.
Tops, categorized by 'best' and then 'genre,' that Aryn recommends you go and watch this summer, if you have never seen them because you're entire life will change when you experience the brilliance that are these movies:
The Matrix.
Say what you will. This movie is brilliantly conceived. Yes...it's TEN years old now (I can't believe how old I'm starting to feel...gawd), but if you want to talk about flawless direction, music, story, characters, costumes, set, light, cinematography, effects, and sheer thrill and appeal and AFFECT on the audience, then this movie is in in the top five for SURE. Unless you're hardcore though, I don't recommend watching the other two.
You want to talk the 90's and sci-fi (I know Matrix came out in 1999, but we were all getting worried about Y2K by that point), my vote goes to Independence Day for one of the hands-down-best written speech to be delivered by a President in a movie. Again, freaking god-damn brilliant direction, characters, story...everything! Shiznit, it's movie's got it's act together.
Thank You For Smoking. comedy...
MY favorite movie of ALL TIME, THUS FAR. I could praise the brilliance of this piece for HOURS. Just give me a chance. Dry humor, of course, which means it doesn't appeal to everyone, but if you have a love for the ironic and constantly intelligent, you'll love this movie. 2006 release, not very well known, but I have to give it a plug.
The Red Violin (1998). I would probably have to categorize this as 'drama,' but it SHOULD be categorized as 'beautiful.' You'll need to watch this two or three times to absorb it all. Don't be put off by the subtitles. The Red Violin takes us around the world and drops us off in a state of euphoria.
Love Actually (2003) Romantic-comedy. I sat down to this movie, prepared to be bored to tears from sappy love. Instead, I was hooked from start to finish. You want a movie done right, it's heart in the right place, with flawless execution? Watch this movie.
Since the 70's, our society has been obsessed with Star Wars, so I feel like it deserves a mention in a topic about 'best movie ever.'
And what about animated features, hm?
The Road to El Dorado is a fantastic film, probably due to the fact that it was recorded with the actors actually in the same room together, making for some of the most hilarious moments in animation.
WALL-E is a movie that will probably hold a ring of truth in every decade...
Anything by Miyazaki is major win and so is most anything by Walt Disney Studios, pre-Hercules and in anything in conjunction with Pixar.
...god, I'm rambling. Who put this topic up? Don't you know better? I'll never be able to shut up...see? I'm still talking! About nothing!
...hugs not drugs, kids.