Ed Wood (1994)
The Graduate (1967)
Swimming with Sharks (1994)
Sullivan's Travels (1941)
Friday (1995)
Harold and Maude (1971)
The Court Jester (1955)
Biloxi Blues (1988 )
The Producers (1967)
Love Actually (2003)
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I agree, movies back then had a different type of humor. But I enjoy both the modern comedies as well as the old. The old movies didn't have to be vulgar or gross to be funny, they did it with words, writing, acting, etc. I'm honestly very surprised anyone can find giant comedy classics boring or unfunny. Of course, like anything, humor is subjective but some films are just universally great.
It has a little wit, but mostly it qualifies as comedy philosophically; possessing the point of view that life is basically good and the romantic notion that the basic purpose of life is happiness. It's a great film because that's universally important to consider, even if it might not be an objective truth.
And we are technically voting for the best film, not necessarily the funniest.
Interesting.
Maybe I'll have to change votes. I'm not even sure that "best" and "greatest" have the same meaning when it comes to film, though. And there's still the issue of dark comedy. Coincidentally, The Graduate is great for reasons opposite from ST. Its themes are rather antisocial.
I'm not saying you should change votes or vote any differently, I was merely posing a notion. Like any such tournament, this is still a popularity contest. If we want what we believe to be objectivity in a list of best whatever and which includes our every favorite, then we can simply post our own lists and that will be it. But where's the fun in that? There would be nothing to gripe about
I gave up on that way back when we did our first competition. I was voting for not necessarily my favorite film in the bunch, but the one that I thought was the "best", until I realized that these amazing well made films were being eliminated because people were just voting for their favorites out of the bunch. So now I kinda do the same.
And Matt you really need to watch Ed Wood!
In my mind, the "best" is what my favorite is. If someone says something is the best and I don't care for it, then it's not the best to me.
Unless there is a way to objectively measure "best". Most awards? Best reviews? Highest box office totals? Best rotten tomatoes score?
Hearts are tough, she said, most times hearts don't break, and I'm sure that's right . . . but what about then? What about who we were then? What about hearts in Atlantis?
Friday was the only standout for me. I also voted for Biloxi Blues though. Christopher Walken is always funny to me whether he is trying to be or not.
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Well, that's defeatist! You're saying the community won't ever become more enlightened, so the comments are just for venting personal frustration.
Oh wait... no, you're just saying that you're not trying to micromanage, to force specific people to make specific choices. Yeah, but, we don't have to do it that way to have an influence.
What if we DON'T believe that what we want can't be wrong? There's room for discussion that could lead to better results... even if that result is not that our picks more closely match the list devised by American Film Institute or whoever. Putting those people up on a pedestal would not be very enlightened, either.
There is no bottom line like in business or science when dealing in the humanities and arts; no single fact that can be isolated and repeated in another context, because this area of inquiry is about context, and subject, and observers themselves. What matters is each person's ability to do their own thinking. Different people still can recognize a classic film that works not just today but in many settings, yet one particular film that has such timelessness might not have so much of it that it outweighs how much impact one particular film of the sort that tries to have an instant impact has. We can recognize a great film that has depth and balance that against a shallow film that's funny if we think in terms of best overall. Which movie best meets all criteria.
In theory, I should be able to add two more votes in this poll if I decided to shift my standards; I only voted for four. Doesn't seem like it would make much difference strategically. But, anyway, I'm really just here to look at those standards. And then give longwinded speeches, obviously.
Oookay.
Now, folks, please do give Swimming with Sharks a watch before voting, I'm sure you'll love it. It's streaming on Netflix. It must move on! It's one of Kevin Spacey's best.
Not a great list for me, of the ones I've seen Friday was the only one that got some laughs out of me.
It's not bad. Nice little story, and I laughed some at Chris Tucker. The original Producers is hilarious throughout. The Court Jester deserves more votes. It probably is the starring vehicle which best stands for Danny Kaye, who was a such a great entertainer, and you get at least a few lol's watching it.
This poll is closing in two days, so please get your votes in. The first group of polls managed between 30 and 32 votes per poll, so keep voting, please! The more people vote, the more fair the process is!
Only two votes for Swimming with Sharks is just criminal.
There are more solid films in here than pure comedies for me.
Although everybody should see Ed Wood if they haven't already.
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We've got a three-way tie for sixth here. Any more votes for Sullivan's Travels if Swimming with Sharks is not moving on (which is a disaster, I say!).
Or even The Graduate??
I still want The Court Jester. Tie-breaker sounds good.
It was okay. I watched it this weekend just for this tournament. I just found it more "mildly amusing" than laugh-out-loud funny. I think Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles are inspired comedy genius, and Spaceballs hits almost as high. Even some of the "lesser" Brooks movies tickle me, so it's not a Brooks thing. The Producers just didn't have enough oomph to prompt a vote. Peter Sellers considered it one of the funniest films he had ever seen, and Sellers knows comedy. Maybe you had to be there.
I like The Graduate. It's a great film. But somehow I don't see it as a "comedy." More of a coming of age social commentary. Sort of the same approach to Ed Wood. It was clever and fun but my recollection was being "amused" not really "oh, man, what a great comedy!"