What's new

IMDb.com Top 250: Disappointing At Times (2 Viewers)

Chuck C

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2001
Messages
2,224
The Internet Movie Database is one of my main sources for movies as I am sure it is with many other HTF memebers. The user Top 250 (and beyond) list is probably one of most credible ranking systems available in my opinion, but it dissapoints me sometimes. The whole reason I'm writing this is because I'm I just watched Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. I'm surprised it and E.T. arent's in the top 100. As of today, CE3K is at #237 and E.T. is #224. These aren't the only great American films to that are left way behind. How bout Forrest Gump vs. Spider-Man? #157 vs. #151 respectfully...no way Spider-Man was better than Forrest Gump. There's a whole slew of movies that should have at least a few more notches/reach the top 100 list like Braveheart, Léon, Saving Private Ryan, and Almost Famous.

On the other hand, I'm glad films like The Godfather (#1), Schindler's List (#7), Shawshank(#2), and Goodfellas (#25) are in their proper place. Still, I bet others feel differently.

I feel that all the films I mentioned appeal to everyone in such different ways that either one loves or hates 'em. But c'mon, Let's get E.T. and Close Encounters in the top 100!

These are ALL MY OPINONS, let's hear yours!
 

Tom-G

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 31, 2000
Messages
1,750
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Real Name
Thomas
It's all subjective, but I don't understand how Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, a movie that slightly more than six months old, is in the number three position. Talk about skewed numbers! It's hardly a great film.

2001: A Space Odyssey fifty third best film? Please! It's rightful place is in the top five.
 

Guy_K

Second Unit
Joined
Aug 14, 2001
Messages
470
I think perhaps they should exclude films made over the past 5 years from their list. Titanic used to be # 1, now it's not even on the list. It's all hype.
 

Bill J

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2001
Messages
3,970
The IMDB Top 250 List has always favored newer films. I remember that American Beauty was ranked number one over a year ago. Films like The Shawshank Redemption and Lord of the Rings have 30-40 thousand more votes than films like Rear Window and Dr. Strangelove. Lawrence of Arabia has 15,904 votes and is ranked number 26, and The Shawshank Redemption has 74,153 votes is ranked number two.

Isn't possible that fanboys are voting for the same film numerous times in a row?
 

Travis D

Second Unit
Joined
Feb 15, 2001
Messages
368
I say give it a while and things usually settle into their rightful places. Your citing the locations of classic films just shows that.
 

Greg_S_H

Senior HTF Member
Joined
May 9, 2001
Messages
15,846
Location
North Texas
Real Name
Greg
Exactly, Travis. It's kind of fun to watch a movie hit number one during its release and then slowly descend to a more reasonable spot as time goes on. And, invariably, the same "classics" return to the top. It all seems to work out.
 

Matt Pelham

Screenwriter
Joined
Mar 13, 2002
Messages
1,711


Maybe a little bit, but that's not the main reason. I've said this before but here it goes again. The IMDB top 250 is based on two things: rating and NUMBER OF VOTES. Because of this the top 250 is going to be skewed more towards newer movies. It's much easier for a new movie to get a large number of votes than it is for an older one. For example, the internet wasn't around back in 1949 obviously, so for The Third Man to get votes people have to first have some reason to watch it, then go look it up and vote. Lord of the Rings, on the other hand, was simply the first BIG movie that was adored by critics and 99% of the moviegoing public at the same time. It only makes sense that in a system equalized by # of votes that newer movies score higher than classics. A movie could be rated 9.7 but if you only have 200 votes you don't have a chance in hell, whereas a movie that's rated 8.2 with 40,000 votes will crack the top 250 easy.
 

Bruce Hedtke

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 11, 1999
Messages
2,249
It is a great list if you want titles that perhaps you missed or haven't seen. But, since the ranking order is going to consist mainly of newer, contemporary films simply because more people are apt to vote for Lord of the Rings versus The Passion of Joan of Arc (and not by a small margin)-so, hence, LOTR is a far better film than POJA, right?
Bruce
 

Seth Paxton

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 5, 1998
Messages
7,585
As already said, I also simply ignore anything younger than 5 years on the list and then look at it.
Doing that gives a very healthy film list for cross-section fans (arthouse mixed with pop culture).
I would disagree with where Shawshank has remained, yet it is incredibly popular with so many people that it is hard to deny it.
To add to that, consider the climb in appreciation that Citizen Kane went through during its first 10 years of existence. I can't fully believe SR is THAT good, yet in some ways I feel that it might be digging itself into classic status on the level of Wonderful Life.
Too many people consider this one of their very favorite films, so there absolutely must be something to it's ranking.
Then after that the rest of the films (without 5 years or younger) on the list are very solid and while any one of us might rearrange some of the titles there is no denying that it represents some of the finest films made, with perhaps a skew toward American tastes of course. But there are plenty of great foreign films on the list. Too many, in fact, to deny the quality of the list.
All IMHO of course, but I don't think I'm crazy. ;)
 

Seth Paxton

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Nov 5, 1998
Messages
7,585
Following that up though, I should say that I find it remarkable that the highest ranked Kubrick film is Dr. Strangelove at #12 with Paths of Glory at #30 and 2001 back at #53.
Strangelove and PoG being excellent films, but both better than 2001? Tough call on that. Obviously I wouldn't agree.
But then the fact that PoG is even on the list says something I think. It's not just a fanboy list, otherwise M wouldn't be on there. Maybe a film buff/student fanboy list. ;)
 

Tom Ryan

Screenwriter
Joined
Apr 1, 2001
Messages
1,044
It's also possible that not everyone has the same taste as the average poster on the Home Theater Forum. Would most of you rank Star Wars: A New Hope a better film than 2001: A Space Odyssey? Probably not, but imdb and the American Film Institute say it is.
I've never really understood the fervor for 2001 that permeates these forums. It's a great film, certainly, but a lot of people act like it's practically its own religion ;). I don't have a huge problem with it being excluded from a top ten.
Of course I'd also disagree with The Lord Of The Rings being in the #3 spot of all time like it is on imdb, but it will eventually slide back down...the cream rises to the top and, while I love LOTR, I don't think it's one of the ten best films ever made.
 

TheoGB

Screenwriter
Joined
Jun 18, 2001
Messages
1,744
I think it's important to realise that this is a lot of votes. I don't know how easy it is to vote for the same movie more than once but I think it's not worth worrying about.

What this tells us is that the top movies in the list have provided more entertainment for the average IMDB user than those lower in the list.

This is not necessarily a reflection on how 'good' a movie is.
 

MichaelPe

Screenwriter
Joined
Feb 22, 1999
Messages
1,115
IMDB voters are not necessarily intelligent film critics. Like, seriously, how is it possible for so many people to give Link Removed or Link Removed a score of 10/10?
Well, if you look at the voting breakdown (see above links), you'll notice that quite a large percentage of voters seem to think that those films are better than "The Godfather", "Schindler's List", or "Citizen Kane".
Honestly, I think that voters who regularly give scores of 1/10 or 10/10 should not have their votes counted towards the Top 250.
 

Iain Lambert

Screenwriter
Joined
Jun 7, 1999
Messages
1,345
Its also noticeable with the votes that it favors the crowd pleaser in one other significant way. Everyone has commented on films like Fellowship Of The Ring getting many more votes than obscure gems, but these positions are also determined through average score. Nearly everyone who actually watches Dr. Strangelove at least likes it, most love it. 2001 provokes many extreme reactions however - while some of us love it to bits, others who have seen it come away bemused or bored, which will drag the average score down. Similiarly, Chuck C is appalled at Spiderman being higher than Forrest Gump. Spiderman doesn't have to deal with people like myself, who would rather subject themselves to Crossroads than watch Forrest Gump again, even though I recognise there are others who agree with him.
 

John Sturge

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Aug 18, 2001
Messages
208
[rant]Spider Man rated higher than Spartacus,Brazil,Once Upon A Time In America,Amores Perros or even 8 1/2 ?!?!?[/rant]

Sorry for the rant.
 

Bill Huelbig

Supporting Actor
Joined
Apr 9, 2000
Messages
501
Location
Weehawken, NJ
Real Name
Bill Huelbig
I wrote to the IMDB a few years ago and asked if they could find a way to give special credit to older movies that have stood the test of time for many years. They said no, but I still think it's a good idea. I can't think of any other way to counter the way the list is so heavily skewed to newer films, some of which might be all but forgotten in twenty years.

And like other people in this thread, it makes me sad to see 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY never get any higher than 53rd place. I would put it at #1 myself, but I know lots of people who hate the movie and that's what brings the numbers down. I'm much happier with the AFI's ranking for it when they did the all-time top 100: #22.

--Bill
 
Joined
Apr 21, 2002
Messages
23
Actually, LotR will probably stay in the top 10. It has around 60,000 votes, doesnt it? And it will only get more when it is released on video.
 

Jack Briggs

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 3, 1999
Messages
16,805
An IMDb user movie-rating list is one of the last things I'd ever take seriously. When it comes to lists, I'd respect far, far more Sight & Sound's list each decade it is released. Who cares what uneducated, ill-informed IMDb "fans" think?
 

Tom Ryan

Screenwriter
Joined
Apr 1, 2001
Messages
1,044
Well really, should we take ANY list seriously? Like in the Sprite commercial, obey your TASTE :).
But I think it's incorrect to label people who love Rashomon, M, The Seven Samurai, The Bicycle Thief, and other lesser-known but great films as uneducated and ill-informed.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top