Hated it

I agree 100% on the technical aspect. The fact that it didn't win best director, best cinematography and best editing is practically an insult to not only Orson Welles, but to the film industry. This movie basically invented a new way to use a camera. Before this movie, the cameras were quite steady and didn't really give any rhythm to movies. Here, he simply played with it which was way ahead of its time back then.

This been said, I have to agree with OP on one aspect: I too was kinda disappointed considering all I heard about it before watching it.

It's not that it's a bad or boring movie. It just felt kinda empty. The irony in all this... Is that the only osacr it won was for the screenplay, which I wouldn't agree. How Green was my Valley had imo a way better storyline. If we really think about it... The movie talks about a journalist who became rich and a total asshat, and had two failed marriages which really didn't have much deepness in the first place. The way the story was told was interesting and original for the period, but without a lot of substance.

Here again it's a great and important movie and it might only be because of the fact that my expectations were too high in the first place.

"It's important to judge artifacts from the past through a lens of the present. That's really, really important. Never mind context, etc. Just say, "Wow, the editing is nothing like the editing in Dark Knight! This movie sucks!" "

Haha this is exactly what I point out anytime I hear someone say that Interstellar is the most impressive Si-Fi ever made and then I counter by naming 2001 A Space Odyssey and they are like "yikes, that movie is boring and the visuals got SO old". Everytime I try to make them realize that they should consider the years each movies were made. Unfortunately, it seems like this notion is hard to understand.

And I am not even a huge fan of 2001, it's probably my least favorite of all Kubrick's movie (except maybe Full Metal Jacket). I find it long and kinda boring. Nevertheless, I can't deny that considering all the effort that was put into the making of the film, I'd say it by far the best Si-Fi picture ever made (if not... Really close from it). It didn't benefit from the possibility of using a green screen like Interstellar did. They had to build sets, make small sized fake spaceships and film the whole thing behing a background imitating space.

But no as you said, for most people it is way better to watch Star Wars III Revenge of the Sith which was basically 99% green screen and looked more like a cartoon than a movie BUT AT LEAST had a lot of action. And then have some brainless fanboys telling me that "woooowww... Star Wars is so much more better than 2001, look at all the wars and explosions and laser swords fights while 2001 is just SO long". I don't even bother trying to make any sense with them, they don't understand what I'm talking about even though I clrealy state that I'm a fan of the original Star Wars trilogy and didn't really get into 2001.

I know that I am on the Citizen Kane's board but I just watched the movie so I didn't quite precess everything yet, but I can totally relate to what you just said.

The same goes to movies like Ben Hur, Gone with the Wind, Psycho or pretty much any Chaplin's movies... They all revolutionized the movie industry but don't speak to today's youths who want to see a 30th Fast and Furious movie or another Avenger/Thor/GoftG, pay money for it only to see the same fucking thing all over and over again. I know a guy who went to see Star Wars Force Awaken 13 times... Even though he was constantly saying that it was disappointing. I don't care about the fact that these movies exist. We need them, people need entertainment. But when I see that the last Fast and Furious became the most successful movie of all times (or close from it, not sure)... This actually makes me sad.

I can barely discuss movies with people around me anymore because while I watch classic old movies, they talk about how their last movie about which of of their imaginary superhero is the strongest. No joke, the other day at work there was a huge debate about who would be able to vanquish Thor (or whatever who) and they got HOSTILE because they disagreed with eachothers. Jeez.

And here I am exploring the movies from the 30s-40s.