Favorite Movies vs Best Movies

People are always making lists. One I see all the time is a list of the best movies of all time. This is great, but I find I have two lists: Best Movies and Favorite Movies. There is a difference. The Best movies are technically good, but not necessarily fun movies. Some you watch because you know they won an Oscar or because all the critics say its good. Sometimes you watch them, because its like eating your vegetables. They are “good” for you. These are the “Best” movies.

Then there are the movies you just like. You don’t have to have good reasons. Some are fun or action packed. Some are because of the fondness you had for it in childhood. Some are because they are just so dumb you find them funny.

Sometimes the movies on your lists are on both lists. Unfortunately this is rare. That is why I have two lists. Here they are:

My 10 Favorite American movies of all time (in no particular order):

Star Wars
Risky Business
Citizen Kane
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Casablanca
Star Trek II:The Wrath of Khan
Usual Suspects
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Pulp Fiction
Clerks

My 10 Best American movies of all time (also in no particular order):

Citizen Kane
Casablanca
Gone with the Wind
Schindler’s List
Wizard of Oz
Sunset Boulevard
Psycho
Star Wars
The African Queen
The Godfather
It’s a Wonderful Life

You see, some movies are on both lists, but only a couple. I would say that everything on the 10 Best list would be on my longer list of Favorite movies, but barely any movies on my Favorite list would be on any list of Best movies.

These are my lists. I will go in to more detail on these movies in future blogs. What are your favorites? What do you consider to be the best? Please share your lists with me in the comments or by email and I’ll share them.

Mike

2 thoughts on “Favorite Movies vs Best Movies

  1. Denise

    Mike, I like your differentiation, and I get what you are saying. There are some movies that just stick with you for their unique characters, stories or time/experience. There are some that stick with you for their creative brilliance. Others still that create a memorable character, even if the rest of the movie is so-so. My two all-time-favorite movies are “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Singing in the Rain”. Very different, but always worth watching. (Wondering where “To Kill a Mockingbird” is on your list of best movies? Certainly one of the finest acting jobs by Peck…)

    Reply
  2. fonsecam Post author

    Thanks for your thoughts Denise. Both lists were tough, because I was trying to keep it down to 10. To Kill a Mockingbird would probably be in top 20 Best Movies. Your two favorite movies would be on many Favorite and Best movie lists. I personally am not a big fan of Singing in the Rain, but I understand its appeal.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *