Best Movies vs. Favorite Movies

[CConn]

So there's always a ton of "favorite" movie and "best" movie threads, but I wanted to ask the question...

Do you place a distinction between the two? And if so, why?

What makes a favorite movie somehow more enjoyable than a movie of very high quality?

And if you're into the whole ranking and listing thing, how would your two lists compare to each other?

 

[jonathancrane]

As a film critic (I have a column in the campus newspaper,) I will say that there is a distinction between the two. "Best" is a title bestowed on films whose artistic/social merit is praised by the majority of the film community and have stood the test of time, in addition to being groundbreaking films. In criticism, one has to acknowledge the classics, but does not have to like them. For instance: 8 1/2 is a celebrated film, and I can understand why it has earned its status as well as position on people's list of films. However, I personally do not care for it; thus, the films that I enjoy do not have said merit, but please me in some unique way that is separate from the masterpieces.

For example: while "Pulp Fiction" is celebrated among critics and fans, I prefer "Reservoir Dogs." "Reservoir Dogs" is a favorite film, but not a film that falls into the "best" category.

 

[Laderlappen]

It always annoys me when people do this. First as a movie geek I felt insulted that people said that you can look at movies in an objective way. Like there's a fact that a movie is great or greatest than other movies. But from what Ive understood by people who say best and favorite movies, they are not being literal. They mean something other than they say, which annoys me just as much. Best and favorite are not two words with ambiguous meanings. One of them is the usual favorite movies, the other one I havent quite understood yet. I think the other word means "most rewatchable" or something like that. Any way its stupid to judge movies on other ways than your personal feeling of it.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Favorite and best for me are two different things, definitely. The Godfather Part II is my favorite of the two, but I just feel that the first is better. I think what does it is Brando as such a strong centerpiece. And as I love Brando and that first movie, it's the Michael & Fredo stuff that I have a stronger connection to. I think that's what ultimately determines between favorite and best.

 

[Brother Jack]

There is a difference, but the two so often overlap that you rarely ever see it. There are films like that for me that I can recognize as being objectively well-made artistically and technically but for whatever reason leave me cold. Kubrick's 2001 is a personal example. There are aspects of that movie that I truly admire (the special effects are astounding) but as a whole it's not one that I'm eager to see again and I don't call it a favorite. I think you see the inverse far more often, where someone has a favorite film that they know isn't really great on an objective level. Guilty pleasures come to mind.

 

[SuperFerret]

I don't make a distinction. Both are subjective terms, and my favorite movies are the best movies as far as I'm concerned, artistic merit be damned.

 

[Figs]

I don't make a distinction. Both are subjective terms, and my favorite movies are the best movies as far as I'm concerned, artistic merit be damned.

That's how it should be for everyone. When you have to separate your favorites from "best", it's almost making you be a sheep and picking what everyone else is picking because it was critically acclaimed.

 

[Spider-Vader]

I do. A movie I enjoy isn't necessarily a movie I'd count as one of the best movies ever made. For instance, I'd say Revenge of the Sith is in my top 15 favorite movies, but there's no way in hell that I'd say it's one of the top 15 movies ever made.

Though, a couple do cross over like Empire Strikes Back. It's my favorite movie ever & I personally believe it's the best movie ever made.

 

[Incrediblejeff]

Yeah I think there's a difference.For Example I think Chinatown and Godfather II are 2 of the greatest films ever,but Batman Returns and Planet Of Apes (Original) I enjoy more.

 

[Drizzle]

I differentiate between favorite and best. My favorite films are a toss up between Return of the King, The Empire Strikes Back and The Dark Knight. However, the best movie I've ever seen might be The Godfather, which is also up there on my favorite films list, but it's not my absolute favorite. What is most enjoyable to watch doesn't necessarily mean best, in my opinion.

 

[Rocketman]

Best Movies I've Ever Seen:

Vertigo
There Will Be Blood
2001: A Space Odyssey
Inception
The Dark Knight
The Shining
Eyes Wide Shut
Psycho

My Favorite Movies:

Back to the Future (1-2-3)
Ghostbusters (1 & 2)
Beetlejuice
Speed
True Lies
Twister

 

[redhawk23]

Theres also the matter that not all great films, are necessarily enjoyable experiences nor are they intended to be.

 

[Max J Power]

Theres also the matter that not all great films, are necessarily enjoyable experiences nor are they intended to be.

Great point. That's why I differentiate between quality and entertainment (and by default, favorite and best). For example, I'd compare Stanley Kubrick to Alfred Hitchcock, both of whom I would rate among the best directors ever. Most, if not all, of the Kubrick films I've seen were made primarily to express a message or theme, whether that message is entertaining or not. Paths of Glory and A Clockwork Orange certainly made me think, but I wouldn't really say I enjoyed them beyond my appreciation for their qualities. Hitchcock's films, while certainly rich in thematic depth in their own rights, were made (seemingly, at least) with the mindset that audiences were supposed to enjoy them.

 

[Warhammer]

For me, best is self-explanatory. Now favorite is a whole different beast. For a film to qualify as a favorite, it has to be a movie I can watch over and over again. I can enjoy the film on a consistent basis due to a high replay value. For example, Schindler's List is one of the best films I've ever seen, but it lacks replay value. I don't discriminate between The Godfather and Thor or quality of a film in general when it comes down a favorite. Whichever I enjoy on a consistent basis qualifies as one of my favorite films. But don't get me wrong, favorite doesn't equal best.

 

[DACrowe]

They usually merge to mean the same. But sometimes I must accept that some of my favorite films are just not as well made or substantive as other films I don't enjoy as much.

Example: In 2010 I thought the two best films of they ear were The Social Network and Black Swan. They were also my favorite movies, so there is that bias. But my next two "favorites" (as in movies I was most entertained by) were the original Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (the Noomi Rapace one) and Kick-Ass. But I'll readily admit that Inception, The King's Speech and Toy Story 3 were better movies than those.

 

[Warhammer]

As a film critic (I have a column in the campus newspaper,) I will say that there is a distinction between the two. "Best" is a title bestowed on films whose artistic/social merit is praised by the majority of the film community and have stood the test of time, in addition to being groundbreaking films. In criticism, one has to acknowledge the classics, but does not have to like them. For instance: 8 1/2 is a celebrated film, and I can understand why it has earned its status as well as position on people's list of films. However, I personally do not care for it; thus, the films that I enjoy do not have said merit, but please me in some unique way that is separate from the masterpieces.

For example: while "Pulp Fiction" is celebrated among critics and fans, I prefer "Reservoir Dogs." "Reservoir Dogs" is a favorite film, but not a film that falls into the "best" category.

To be objective on your post (and no offense to you), I would never consider a film as "best" because of how it's viewed in society. For example, The Godfather is one of the best films I've ever seen because I acknowledge how well it was made. I acknowledged the terrific writing, acting, and direction. Now granted, due to it's significance in pop culture, my initial opinions (since I wasn't born when it first came out) upon watching it may have been slightly influenced by popular opinion, at the end of the day, The Godfather is considered one of the best films of all-time because I deemed it that way. My opinion trumps all in this case. It just so happens that that same feeling is near universal.

 

[Warhammer]

They usually merge to mean the same. But sometimes I must accept that some of my favorite films are just not as well made or substantive as other films I don't enjoy as much.

Example: In 2010 I thought the two best films of they ear were The Social Network and Black Swan. They were also my favorite movies, so there is that bias. But my next two "favorites" (as in movies I was most entertained by) were the original Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (the Noomi Rapace one) and Kick-Ass. But I'll readily admit that Inception, The King's Speech and Toy Story 3 were better movies than those.

I think that sometimes, a movie you consider the best also ends up being a favorite. Inception was one of the best films of 2010 and could arguably be considered one of the top 10 best science fiction films ever made. It also happens to be one of my favorite films ever. I love that movie to death. I wouldn't consider it a biased opinion. It's just how it is.

 

[Batman]

For me, I think if you can objectively look at a film based on it's merits and find the least amount flaws from your own personal standpoint, you've found a "best" film. For instance, watching Inception was the closest I've ever come to saying to myself that I've watched damn-near cinematic perfection. It had a very tight story that I personally found to work in very many ways, great acting, original characters and dynamics, amazing cinematography, a steady pace with enough action beats to satisfy, all of that good stuff. That isn't something many would agree with, because that are tons of films that are considered classics that some would consider disrespectful to pick apart, be it for the limitations of the time it was made or other reasons. I also feel like Inception is way too recent to be considered a classic.

However, Inception is not one of my favorite films, probably not even in my top ten. I love it, but I love other films alot more. And the reason being is that I base alot of favorites on nostalgia. My favorite film of all time is Tim Burton's Batman - a film that has been widely scrutinized for all of it's flaws in the wake of the Nolan movies. Yet even though I wholeheartedly agree that the flaws are present, I still love it very dearly and always will consider it easily watchable again and again. I embrace what it has to offer, good and bad, and let no fact speak on my enjoyment.

 

[CConn]

Great post, Mmmbop.

Those are actually my feelings exactly. For me, truly great films are immersive, artistic experiences. Everything has to be firing on all cylinders; writing, acting, cinematography, score, etc. It can still be subjective; but I have to appreciate it for its artistic qualities and - better yet - feel it really contributes something to the medium as a whole.

A favorite film, can just be a fun ride, that doesn't really do anything new, but is just a very entertaining, rewatchable, movie.

For instance, here's the top 10 best movies I've ever seen:

1. The Godfather
2. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
3. Seven Samurai
4. There Will Be Blood
5. The Departed
6. Kill Bill, Vol. 1
7. 12 Angry Men
8. A New Hope
9. Blade Runner
10. Spirited Away

Conversely, here's my top 10 favorites...

1. Batman
2. Inception
3. The Life Aquatic
4. Brick
5. The Fellowship of the Ring
6. The Departed
7. Raiders of the Lost Ark
8. The Dark Knight
9. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
10. The Godfather

There's some overlap, sure, but I think it's pretty clear the best list is slanted more towards artistic objectivity, while my favorites is more tailored to my personal tastes and preferences.

 

[redhawk23]

Also its entirely possible to love a movie that you know is terrible, not because of how its viewed by everyone else, but just because an almost any standard you try to judge the acting, the designs, the directing anything, you can admit that its bad, but love it in spite of this.

In no way would I ever argue that Cloverfield is best shot, best acted, best directed, best anything of the decade in which it was made.

It has some serious issues in those regards, also the monster design is really goofy and has since been annoyingly copied and repeated in a number other movies.

All that said, none of changes the weird amount of love I have for that movie. I enjoy immensely. I saw it twice they day it came out and probably 8 times on dvd.

Its one of my favorite movies of the last 10 years and one with which I associate a number of good memories, but unless it was a very specific kind of list, I wouldn't put it on very many of my PERSONAL "best of lists" (though I will go out on a limb and argue that it was probably the best movie come out of January 2008w because really what else was there? )

 

[kedrell]

That's how it should be for everyone. When you have to separate your favorites from "best", it's almost making you be a sheep and picking what everyone else is picking because it was critically acclaimed.

I tend to agree. I've never been a critic or a cinemaphile. I skip most films simply as a matter of course. I'm an average casual viewer and to me there is no distinction between my favorites and what I consider great films. If a film entertained me, then it's going in the "good" column no matter what it got on Rotten Tomatoes. Conversely, a critically acclaimed film can(and often has) ended up boring me or irritating me. As far as I am concerned, it's crap then. Even if it has 100% fresh on RT. This is all subjective and at the end of the day what only matters is how a movie comes across to the individual viewer. We all bring our own baggage and biases with us whenever we watch a film. Anyone who says they don't IMO is a damn liar.

 

[The Morningstar]

I agree with CCon. There is a difference between best and favourite, although it obviously can blur and overlap. And it also leads into something that i think more people should recognise...

IT'S OK TO LIKE BAD FILMS.

If you like a bad film, that's ok. Accept it's a bad film, it doesn't make you less a person because you enjoy it, no matter what some dick heads say. Like Transformers Dark of the Moon or Green Lantern or something. They are objectively bad films. Doesn't mean you can't enjoy them, doesn't mean you are lesser a person for enjoying them.

One of my favourite films ever is Predator 2. That is a bad film. But it's awesome. Got a problem with that? Go **** yourself.

But when it comes to films like Apocalypse Now, Alien, The Insider, Chinatown, Godfather, STALKER, A Fish Called Wanda, they are good films. This is undeniable. In terms of the actual craft of film making, they are objectively great.

Now, do you have to enjoy those films? **** no. I totally understand if someone finds Godfather or STALKER boring. But don't try and say they are poorly made films, because that's incorrect.

 

[kedrell]

But when it comes to films like Apocalypse Now, Alien, The Insider, Chinatown, Godfather, STALKER, A Fish Called Wanda, they are good films. This is undeniable. In terms of the actual craft of film making, they are subjectively great.

These two statements seem to be contradictory. Obviously it IS deniable if it is all subjective.

 

[The Morningstar]

lol i meant objectively. That's what happens when you try to write stuff first thing in the morning without a coffee.

 

[kedrell]

I don't think you can like a bad film. Because if you like it then to you it has value and is thus a good film. I think at best you can say you like a film that you still acknowledge is very flawed. But flaws don't necessarily make a film bad. Every film that has ever been made or ever will be made is going to have flaws.