I've been thinking lately -- what do you think makes a good movie? Is it all about plot, characters, action, special effects? Do you discern between good plot devices and a good plot? Do you discern between a fun/attractive character and a well-written/well-acted character? Are there instances where a bad movie is made good by some aspect of good filmmaking, regardless of plot, characters, or all the usual suspects?

Or are you interested in movies for escapism and storytelling, and is a good movie defined merely as good entertainment?
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a good movie to me is something that is rewarding and shines in a world of cranked-out, factory-produced crap. good directing in a crap ass movie will make it good for me. so will one good actor in a sea of shit... i haven't come across a movie that got it all down (good directing, good acting, good plot) in a long time.
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a good movie for me is one with really really good camera work. It can have amazing acting and amazing storytelling, but without good camera work, I won't really be interested in it. Think about it, movies are primarily a visual medium. Stage's natural strength is acting. Storytelling is best done in novels. Visuals are best done in movies. Thus, movies like the beach, which didn't get the best of reviews, are really great in my book simply because of the amazing camera work.
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Hmmmm. I like all kinds of movies. The ones I really enjoy are ones that make you think and have purpose. Ones that are going to change the world. Then again, one of my favorite movies in Dumb and Dumber, so go figure.
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when i was younger, i'd only respect movies that are "deep" and "meaningful". but now i've lightened up quite a bit and basically anything that can entertain me, i'd say it's a good movie. however, i still can't stand the pretentiousness of a lot of Hollywood movies.
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Entertaining movies are alright, but good movies make you think. The last truly good movie I saw was eternal sunshine of the spotless mind.
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i haven't come across a movie that got it all down (good directing, good acting, good plot) in a long time.
Can you name few they you've come across in recent history? I'm curious what you consider a movie with "good directing, good acting, good plot."
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a good movie will make you think. the characters, plot, and ideas brought forth will spark thought. there are so many aspects that go into good film making. good film makers will utilize lights, angles, sounds, music, acting, etc etc.... basically everything at their disposal, to convey what is on paper to the screeen and evoke emotion and thought in the audience.

if people are talking about the movie (discussing ideas, themes, and certain scenes) well after they have seen it, it's probably a good sign.
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^Do you agree that the most thought-provoking movies are the most insightful? I think so.
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Can you name few they you've come across in recent history? I'm curious what you consider a movie with "good directing, good acting, good plot."

well, let's see, it's been a long time. philadelphia, to live! (i think), bamboozled, and the only one in recent memory is the terminal. oh, castaway was excellent, except i wasn't terribly keen on the way the movie ended -- a good ending but a little cheesy.

wow, this is very tom hanks, skewed. i'm not realy that huge a fan of his.

a good movie will make you think. the characters, plot, and ideas brought forth will spark thought. there are so many aspects that go into good film making. good film makers will utilize lights, angles, sounds, music, acting, etc etc.... basically everything at their disposal, to convey what is on paper to the screeen and evoke emotion and thought in the audience.

if people are talking about the movie (discussing ideas, themes, and certain scenes) well after they have seen it, it's probably a good sign.

well, do you think there's a universal good movie? i think movie likes and dislikes are entirely subjective, so there isn't like a given, this movie IS good...
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I've been appreciating anti-Hollywood movies, I'd have to say Tokyo Story by Ozu.
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Entertaining, brain candy movies. As long as the plot isn't stodgy and the story keeps moving, I can pretty much watch anything that isn't about old people, children, or people falling in love humorously. Or animals. Acting and "meaningfulness" don't mean that much to me. It's nice when it works, but shit, I'm perfectly happy watching Sleepaway Camp 3 for the 12th time.
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for me it's simple.
if i laugh when i'm supposed to or cry when i'm supposed
to or get scared when i'm supposed to
then it's a good movie. :biggrin:

if i start laughing during a serious scene.
obviously, the filmmaker is doing something wrong.
and if i fall asleep during the movie.
then it's really bad because i love movies
too much to fall asleep during one.
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well, do you think there's a universal good movie? i think movie likes and dislikes are entirely subjective, so there isn't like a given, this movie IS good...

no, movies criteria and likes/dislikes are indeed subjective. but that's what makes them great. hence the comment that if the movies is talked about well after, the film maker must have done something right.
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a good, believable storyline. good acting.
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There is only one greatest movie of all time...Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It has no flaws, it is perfect. Case closed.
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There is only one greatest movie of all time...Ferris Bueller's Day Off. It has no flaws, it is perfect. Case closed.

You lie. The perfect movie is "Psycho Beach Party." A close second is "Joy Ride."

Mouthbreather :mad:
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I've been thinking lately -- what do you think makes a good movie? Is it all about plot, characters, action, special effects? Do you discern between good plot devices and a good plot? Do you discern between a fun/attractive character and a well-written/well-acted character? Are there instances where a bad movie is made good by some aspect of good filmmaking, regardless of plot, characters, or all the usual suspects?

Or are you interested in movies for escapism and storytelling, and is a good movie defined merely as good entertainment?

I agree with that last part. I love watching movies and my tastes run from silly "Popcorn" flicks to serious drama. A good movie to me is one where I feel my time and money invested were worth it.

On a side note I hate when people try and make me feel like an idiot or less of a person because I liked a movie they didn't.
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no, movies criteria and likes/dislikes are indeed subjective. but that's what makes them great. hence the comment that if the movies is talked about well after, the film maker must have done something right.

well, i guess i'm basically arguing that you can have a 'good' movie that no one liked. the debate for me is how important is the movie's relationship to its audience factoring into its filmmaking success.

i'm intrigued by the fact that a lot of people here are citing good acting or interesting story for their definition of a good movie. has anyone been wowed by the true filmmaking stuff like good directing, cinematography, sound or visuals enough for it alone to make the movie be defined for you as 'good'?

I agree with that last part. I love watching movies and my tastes run from silly "Popcorn" flicks to serious drama. A good movie to me is one where I feel my time and money invested were worth it.

On a side note I hate when people try and make me feel like an idiot or less of a person because I liked a movie they didn't.

why would you feel like an idiot? if everything's subjective, than your opinion is as valid as anyone else's.
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well, let's see, it's been a long time. philadelphia, to live! (i think), bamboozled, and the only one in recent memory is the terminal. oh, castaway was excellent, except i wasn't terribly keen on the way the movie ended -- a good ending but a little cheesy.

wow, this is very tom hanks, skewed. i'm not realy that huge a fan of his.
I agree, those are all great movies. Bamboozled, in particular, was good, but boring. It made me think and enlightened me. It made me realize how bad "black & white" race relations were (and still are) and how much they've changed. I like movies like this.

Have you seen Black & White (2000)?

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004W21Z.01._PE10_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004W21Z/qid=1089754554/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/102-5582009-3628903?v=glance&s=dvd)


What about A Day in Black & White (1999)?

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000056BRV.01._PE_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000056BRV/qid=1089754742/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/102-5582009-3628903?v=glance&s=dvd)


Movies I like even more than ones I just mentioned are ones involving Jew and Gentile relations.

Have you seen The Believer (2001)?

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00008AOSC.01._PE10_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008AOSC/qid=1089755968/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-5582009-3628903?v=glance&s=dvd)

well, i guess i'm basically arguing that you can have a 'good' movie that no one liked. the debate for me is how important is the movie's relationship to its audience factoring into its filmmaking success.

i'm intrigued by the fact that a lot of people here are citing good acting or interesting story for their definition of a good movie. has anyone been wowed by the true filmmaking stuff like good directing, cinematography, sound or visuals enough for it alone to make the movie be defined for you as 'good'?
I think I know the answer to your question. A good movie is innovative and creative in relation to the consciousness of the time it was filmed, which means it isn't full of what would be considered mindless abstraction (at the time it was filmed). The following article, Conformity -- Dyske.com (http://www.dyske.com/default.asp?view_id=801), helped me discover how to tell the difference between innovation/creativity and mindless abstraction. Finding the difference can be a fun challenge, well, for people like myself who like challenge. What do you think?
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I judge most movies primarily on plot and directing. The plot can't be illogical or have continuity holes (except time travel movies =P), and plot devices have to be reasonable (at least in regards to the movie's reality). Good directing should eliminate moments that don't efficiently develop (or at least put in motion the development of) the story - so nix on stupid sub-plots or bits (exceptions for some comedies). I also look for natural, insightful dialogue (none of that forced Kill Bill shit). Cinematography helps make a movie good, but I usually won't factor it in unless its either exceptionally good or bad. As for acting, it can't make a "bad" movie "good," but it can make it enjoyable.
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2 words

baby geniuses 2
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well, i guess i'm basically arguing that you can have a 'good' movie that no one liked. the debate for me is how important is the movie's relationship to its audience factoring into its filmmaking success.

i'm intrigued by the fact that a lot of people here are citing good acting or interesting story for their definition of a good movie. has anyone been wowed by the true filmmaking stuff like good directing, cinematography, sound or visuals enough for it alone to make the movie be defined for you as 'good'?


i think those "true filmaking" things are things that you notice when they are not there. but those things alone don't do it. those things IMO support and enhance what is already there; the message that the filmmaker wants to convey to the audience. when the filmmaker starts to not care about the audience, IMO, that is crossing the line from a movie to just art. Purists might argue that this is true filmmaking, but I disagree. I believe a good filmmaker will want to make an impact on the audience and cause them to think about the ideas put forth, not just put out art for art's sake.
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Good actors have been in HORRIBLE movies. But their presence will warrant a "good" movie in the eyes of the public. Ben Affleck for example is an ok actor, but he's been in more bombs than a looney tunes gremlin.
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^ Yeah, whenever I see a famous actor in a movie I never heard of, I skip renting the movie.

I saw one good movie recently: Rabbit Proof Fence. I thought the actors were a tad over the top, but they are children. I'm not sure if I liked this movie mostly because of its subject matter or not.

The movie I really hated was that one where I've blocked the title out of my head. It is with Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton. I thought the acting sucked and the story line sucked. Plus the whole movie sucked. That's my thoughtful review. I could predict what was going to happen in the movie ("Okay, now they have to kill the kid off. Next they have to get rid of the racist dad ..."). Plus they kept adding all this little things that annoyed me: The main character likes chocolate ice cream and black coffee! :^P

So many reviewers thought it was an "insightful" look at race relations. I thought I had more insight in my big toe. It was a White boy's fantasy to me.
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^ Yeah, whenever I see a famous actor in a movie I never heard of, I skip renting the movie.

I saw one good movie recently: Rabbit Proof Fence. I thought the actors were a tad over the top, but they are children. I'm not sure if I liked this movie mostly because of its subject matter or not.

The movie I really hated was that one where I've blocked the title out of my head. It is with Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton. I thought the acting sucked and the story line sucked. Plus the whole movie sucked. That's my thoughtful review. I could predict what was going to happen in the movie ("Okay, now they have to kill the kid off. Next they have to get rid of the racist dad ..."). Plus they kept adding all this little things that annoyed me: The main character likes chocolate ice cream and black coffee! :^P

So many reviewers thought it was an "insightful" look at race relations. I thought I had more insight in my big toe. It was a White boy's fantasy to me.
HAHA, you're the greatest. I heard of Rabbit Proof Fence and I heard nothingbut good things about it.
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Good movies for me are always movies that I want to watch a second time.
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I saw one good movie recently: Rabbit Proof Fence. I thought the actors were a tad over the top, but they are children. I'm not sure if I liked this movie mostly because of its subject matter or not.

I liked the children's acting for the most part.

It was kinda raw. Raw is good once in a while.
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