What makes a film great?

What makes a great film? Everyone I am sure has a list of films they would personally recommend to others to watch, but I am sure they wont all be the same.

        

I am usually on my laptop at night scrolling through Netflix and other movie sites looking for films to watch. I usually spend half the night searching for films as Many films I feel are either too predictable or just made poorly. I often wonder how such films could be allowed to be made. However, there are that few percent of films that are made that capture every persons attention and take them to a place they most often don't want to leave. A place that will get your heart racing, your mind working over time and your disappointment to see the film come to an end.

Some of my top films are (in no order):

I understand many wont like these films, but for me, they did something.

Horrors - The conjuring, The Exorcist, Paranormal activity
Comedy - Pirates of the Caribbean
Thrillers - Goodfellas, The God farther, Casino, Resoviour Dogs, Snatch, Silence of the Lambs
Animation - Toy Story, The Lion King

The list could go on for a long time, but these are what I can think of at this moment in time.

These films to me all have something different about them. Whether it be the acting, the way the script was written, the special effects,  to just blowing me away watching it at the movies.

Great films usually have to fit into certain criterion that ticks every box available.

1. Does it have lasting importance

2. Does it teach new ways of filming for other directors or armature film makers.

3. The best Actors for the job - each actor suited to that character

4. The best effects - the right effects for the right scenes, not too much, just the right amount.

5. The best Crew -  A positive, committed crew will make everything run smoothly.

6. The best script possible (great story) - The script has to be up their with the best, fresh, new, exciting, unpredictable.

7. Does the movie make an important statement - does it send a message out to the audience to think about.

8. Can it be watched over and over again - Does it make you want to watch it over again and see new things you hadn't seen previously.

9. Can the movie still relate to today - even years after it is made, can viewers see resplendence or relate to the story or a character.

10. Does it contain an insight into human nature, relationships and society

11. Does it take the viewer to a place they have never been before - Are you raken to a world that excites you, scares you and leaves you wanting more.

Classic scene from 'The Godfather'.

There are very few films I will often watch more than two times and that is because I will get half way through and remember every scene coming up ahead to the point that it bores me. Films with certain characters that contain great monologues or scenes shot in certain ways often grab my attention and encourage me to learn how and why they did it the way they did.


The clip below shows Heath Ledger playing the joker in the film The Dark Knight. For me Heath Ledger owned that role and turned that film into the best Batman to date.

The list could go on a lot longer than this, but this is the basic that can be used when looking for a great film.

I remember when I was younger watching film’s such as Star Wars, E.T blew me away with how advanced it was for its time. The story line, the ideas and of course the effects that came with it all.  Today though although technology has allowed new films to produce better special effects people appreciate and remember how great Star wars was and still continues to be today.

There are often films where you think after a watching it, how that actor was perfect for that role. I often wonder how much thought goes into deciding who is the right person for a particular character ina  film. Anthony Hopkins played this role perfectly in my opinion, creating a character who would amaze you with his intelligence but also make you fear him through his actions.

Films are often judged at award ceremonies such as the Oscars, golden globe, academy awards etc, but many films that often win these awards have had hundreds of millions spent on them. 

Avatar cost $425 million to make and is the most expensive film ever made.  It made over $1.5 billion worth in profit.

Paranormal activity cost originally $15,000 to make over a week of filming but pulled in $90 million in profits. The thing that Paranormal had going for it, was that it was that the story line was different to your regular scary film. The way the film was shot made people believe it was real life.

The good thing about films is that there is always a need for films and people are always going to have their opinion on what is their favorite film. With the adavnces in technology today, more people are being abl to create their own films froma lower budget, but also on the upscale, more big bugdet films can bring new advances and more realistic special effects to the general prublic.

I personally think its incredable how films are made today and cant get my head around how much work, cost and time goes inot making it work. Today many films dont make profits unless they are big bugdet, backed by a lot of people. 

What makes a great movie? Only you can decide really, everyone is different.