250 Reasons Not To Trust IMDb Blog Not Reliable

The other day I came across a person’s movie blog created to determine whether the films listed on IMDb’s Top 250 list deserved the status as best movies in the world.  First off, the IMDb list is more of a popularity movie list than a credible “best of” list when it comes to moviemaking, so celebrating it as some be-all, end-all registry of great films isn’t exactly the best idea.  However, for argument’s sake let’s pretend the IMDb 250 list is influential.
To claim to be a fan of film and exclude some of the movies this girl did is quite appalling.  I’m not saying she had to fall in love with every movie, but even if you don’t like the content of the picture you still need to recognize the value certain movies had on the industry and the way in which they changed Hollywood for all time.  I can’t stand films like Easy Rider or The Deer Hunter, but I acknowledge that they were a reflection of the times America was going through and consequently deserve a certain amount of respect.
The author’s posts consisted of the top 250 movies as of June 30, 2010.  She approved of 157 movies on the list.  Therefore, of the other 93 movies she considered not of quality standards to be the best in the world, some showed how naïve and subjective she was being with the appraisals.  Certainly nobody is going to agree with all 250 films, but to discredit a handful of the ones she did was a crime.

A few examples include:
Pulp Fiction – gave Independent filmmakers a voice and popularized the genre
The Dark Knight – despite flaws in the movie, the best superhero film to date enhanced by bringing costumed heroes and out-of-this-world villains into a real world
The Seven Samurai – a legendary Japanese director’s epic film
Goodfellas – Martin Scorcese’s best movie with a brilliant cast, soundtrack, screenplay, and flow
North by Northwest – a classic from Alfred Hitchcock that bested its predecessors of the “innocent man on the run” theme and influenced the genre’s successors
Citizen Kane – considered to be the greatest film of all time and inspired filmmaking for all time afterward; the influence this movie has had on Hollywood is too great to tackle in only a few sentences
Saving Private Ryan – the opening scene of soldiers storming the beaches of Normandy is enough to merit this movie as one of the greatest films ever made
To Kill a Mockingbird – a pretty authentic adaptation of the novel and Atticus Finch is a legendary character played to perfection by Gregory Peck
Braveheart – Some arguments could be made as to whether the historical inaccuracies should hinder this as a great movie, but from storytelling, acting, and all other moviemaking aspects it is a celebrated entry in film
The Maltese Falcon – possibly the greatest film noir movie ever made with remarkable dialogue and strong performances from all the cast
Metropolis – this is an example of giving a little leeway to a film due to the constrictions of the time period; made in 1927 as a silent film, it could still stand up to other science-fiction movies of today in many categories of filmmaking
Jaws – the first of its kind in that it created the summer blockbuster and every year since audiences have been bombarded from Memorial Day to mid-August with action, explosions, gunplay, and car chases
On the Waterfront – one of Brando’s most inspiring performances
Scarface – another example of a movie I don't necessarily like, but respect; it oozes 80s, and that is what makes it such a classic
Toy Story 2 – one of the greatest sequels of all time that continued to prove computer animation was a new, valid form of storytelling
The Adventures of Robin Hood – today it looks over-sentimental, but Errol Flynn’s iconic role has had a huge influence, not just on the story of Robin Hood, but in Looney Tunes cartoons, a Mel Brooks comedy, and other forms of spoofery.

Some of these movies are products of the decade they were filmed in, but they are still vital to the history of cinema.  A certain respect needs to be shown to these movies and others like them on the IMDb Top 250 list, even if you personally didn’t find them an enjoyable watch.