MovieChat Forums > AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies: America's Greatest Movies (1998) Discussion > Many Mistakes

Many Mistakes

posted 20 years ago by MichaelX2099
15 replies | jump to latest

How in the hell did Dances with Wolves even make the list, especially in front of GoodFellas, Fargo, and Pulp Fiction, three much better films from the nineties? Personally, I think Schindler's List is a great movie, but to say that it's the 9th greatest film ever made (EVER MADE!) is quite a stretch. These are just a few mistakes. There are many more...

What movies WERE NOT on the list that should have been? What movies WERE on the list that shouldn't have been? And, what movies are too high or too low on the list? Give me your thoughts.

P.S. In regards to the documentary itself, I must say it's pretty disappointing. Instead of actually discussing what makes these films so great, they just mention the basic plot and other obvious aspects. I mean, Jesus Christ, this is the AFI. The AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE. They could have at least mentioned things like cinematography, directing, writing, etc.

P.S.S. I also think the AFI has a bias against more recent films. Sure, the forties and fifties were films "golden age," but there were many, MANY great movies made since then, especially in the seventies. (Dear AFI: Just because a movie is in black and white, it doesn't mean it's automatically good.) In addition, the AFI seems to lack balls. Almost all the choices are obvious. The few times the Institute seemed to go out on the limb, the screwed up. If your gonna make film buffs like me mad, why not take some chances doing it?

[–] RolandOfGilead82 20 years ago

Personally, I definitely think that Rain Man and The Shining should have made the list, no questions asked. It seems that AFI has a problem putting "horror" films on their list, because basically the only ones on there are The Silence of the Lambs...if you can really define that as horror (I think of it as a thriller), and Psycho. There are a few other films that I think should have made it to the list, but not as much as Rain Man and The Shining.

You're right about the "golden age" theory...they seem to think anything older with someone famous by today's standards should automatically get a free ticket to get on the list.

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[–] beaucoupjosue 20 years ago

What the hell?? So a movie has to be older than 10 years to be one of the greatest? I agree movies aren't as good as they used to be, but that's ridiculous, a great movie doesn't have to be old. And I agree, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner DOES NOT deserve to be on the list, personally, I would replace it with Do the Right Thing.

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[–] beaucoupjosue 20 years ago

I didn't say a great movie has to be old. I just don't think that a movie released only a year or two should be considered one of the GREATEST films of all time. That's just my opinion.

Why in the heck not? I can't see any reason why new movies cannot be considered for the greatest films list. What if a totally groundbreakingly original, revolutionary film is released this very year? Do you suggest we wait 10 years or so before we acknowledge its greatness?

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[–] Zeldaalttp 19 years ago

You're being more a film snob than a film buff. A current movie CAN be considered one of the greatest, believe it or not.

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[–] Zeldaalttp 19 years ago

Of course it's your opinion, but being a good film buff is liking a movie based on its quality, not having them or lacking them, not its year.

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[–] Zeldaalttp 19 years ago

Well, of COURSE it's personally, I mean, personally, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is the best movie of all time.

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[–] hnt_dnl 13 years ago

I like Dances with Wolves, but it wouldn't make my top 100.

I'm not nuts about Fargo myself; despise that movie!

And while I like Pulp Fiction, that's not even my favorite Tarantino film. But of course this list came out before what I believe to be his best film is...Kill Bill Volume One!

[–] MustardOfDoom23 13 years ago

No matter what people would complain about which more were/weren't on the list but here's my two cents: why is the Wizard of Oz always ranked so high?! i love the movie to bits but it's more of an iconic film than a great one (unlike many other movies that didn't even make the list). The lists are really just '100 iconic film/line/actor/actresses' not the best movies.

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