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I think I agree with you in that it is impossible to quantify. I'm not sure I could even put together a top 5 without changing the list 20 times.
Though, perhaps if you were on peyote while high in the NM hills, you might have been able to come up with the greatest film ever....
So with that said, the best film ever made is, without question, L'Avventura. No, make that La Dolce Vita. No, it's definitely Winter Light. No, on fourth thought, surely every reasonable person agrees it is The Proposition. Magnolia? Branagh's Hamlet (how could any mere film ever hope to top a complete, professional production of Hamlet????) Groundhog Day? Citizen Kane? The Godfather? The Godfather II? Casablanca? Dr. Strangelove?
It's a hopeless question. The above are some -- some -- of the films I think of when I face a question like this. I'm perfectly willing to add to this list, but taking anything off would be about as welcome as sawing off a finger.
Jesus
Walt Whitman
Joe Montana
Van Halen I
Jesus
Bob Dylan
Dan Marino
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The criteria being lots to think about as you watch it over & over _and_ be entertained at the same time.
A close 2nd would be anything by Stanley Kubrick, but if I had to pick one it'd probably be Barry Lyndon.
Happiness by Todd Solondz would be in the running too. I think it's too long, but I'd never want to cut anything out of it.
But years ago when I was young and uncritical, my favourite would've been Muppet Treasure Island, Star Wars (generic), then The Phantom Menace. Then I saw Return of the King and thought "George Lucas, eat yer heart out!"
Ultimately, I surprised myself to realize that my favorite film of all time was "It's a Wonderful Life".
I haven't changed my mind about that one yet. :)
I do want to see M.
When I was in university, a friend and I would discuss the concept of a 'pure' film; neither of us could qualify this objectively, but we instantly agreed on the film which met our idea of 'purity', without question,Terence Malik's Badlands. This is by no means my favourite film, but there is a sterility in Malik's films which transcends subjectivity.
Raising this question, you have me typing complete crap; I apologise! Let's move on...
I agree with a number of your selections and, even if I didn't, I would never criticise unless I was playing devil's advocate - sadly a part I play a great deal these days.
Placing my hand on my heart, and attempting to end this tautological nightmare as speedily as possible, the films of Emeric Pressburger and Michael Powell (the Archers) are my first and will be my last loves - they are my panacea for every ill that life throws at me. I will not patronise you or your astute followers by entering into a discussion about their long list of films; there are many reasons why I love 'A Matter of Life and Death', 'A Canterbury Tale', 'I Know Where I'm Going', 'The Red Shoes', 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp' and that should suffice...
And it features the great Robert Helpman, who played The Childcatcher in a movie I may have mentioned before. You can easily spot his ballet moves in that role too.
But besides the beauty of The Red Shoes and the before-its-time daring style, its a great look at "Art" itself and how it is created and performed and the work that goes into a collaborative artistic presentation.
One time a few years back I found myself watching King of Comedy directly after The Red Shoes and now I can't watch one without the other. KoC is like a view of the artworld from the outside-looking-in. Red Shoes is totally inside.
There aren't too many outward similarities, but it was only later that I discovered Scorsese's love of The Red Shoes. I wonder if he consciously viewed KoC as a kind of antithesis/ complementary piece to The Red Shoes. (?)
That "fencing scene" in Colonel Blimp is magical. And they don't even show it !
I'll have to get Canterbury Tale now because I don't think I've seen it before. Looking forward to it. :)
A Canterbury Tale is simply exquisite, if something exquisite can be simple. Classic voiceover at the start - a reading from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales leads into the WW2 setting of the film; The beautiful shot of the diving falcon becoming a spitfire... I could go on, but I will let you enjoy it on your own terms.
Gautama Buddha
Ezra Pound
John Elway
AC/DC Back in Black
Andrey Rublyov is probably the most amazing film I have ever seen, but I will NEVER watch it again. It's burned into my brain forever. Curse you, Jett!