Does anyone else agree that There Will Be Blood will eventually be...

considered a top ten movie all time? maybe higher? let's look at the AFI (I know, I know...) top 20 list:

1. CITIZEN KANE*

2. THE GODFATHER*

3. CASABLANCA*

4. RAGING BULL*

5. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN

6. GONE WITH THE WIND

7. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA*

8. SCHINDLER'S LIST

9. VERTIGO*

10. THE WIZARD OF OZ - I know this heavily weighs cultural impact but, on quality of film alone, to compare these two isn't particularly close.

11. CITY LIGHTS

12. THE SEARCHERS

13. STAR WARS

14. PSYCHO

15. 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

16. SUNSET BLVD.

17. THE GRADUATE

18. THE GENERAL

19. ON THE WATERFRONT

20. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

All the starred movies are films I'd say are on par with PTA's masterpiece. There's an obvious bias towards older films, but do you think TWBB deserves to be talked about as one of the greats + do you think it will work it's way into being a consensus top 10 or so pick in the coming decades?

It's a good film... very good.


But it's not that good. Although, most of the films on these "official" lists aren't that good, so yeah, it'll probably end up on it.

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It's my favorite movie. I've seen it probably 8 or 9 times and it still hasn't lost it's luster. What didn't you love about it, if I may ask?

I think it has a chance, but I think if it does show up it will be low on the top 100.

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Fear and Loathing in MoFo... The Gunslinger 45's Top 50 Favorite Films

In the 10 Ring: Gunslinger45's reviews

I liked There Will Be Blood... I just didn't love it.


There's a ton of revered films I just don't get though... 2001, Clockwork Orange... and from that list of AFI's Top 20, I'd say 11 of them are not just overrated, they're highly overrated.

it makes me so sad that you think the movie was about oiling.

It has one of the least likable main characters that I've ever seen in a film.

Idk, I know what you like is what you like, but if we're talking about greatness, I feel like there should be an attempt at objectivity (I know there's no true objectivity as far as taste goes, but I hope you understand what I'm getting at). DDL was absolutely unlikable... but that's the story it was telling. For what it was (something I absolutely loved), I think it was almost perfect in getting its message/story across.

No munchkins.

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"Don't be so gloomy. After all it's not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."

My Top 10 films in terms of technicality:


10. Star Wars
9. Blade Runner
8. The Shawshank Redemption
7. The Passion Of The Christ
6. Unforgiven
5. Jaws
4. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
3. The Green Mile
2. Saving Private Ryan
1. Pan's Labyrinth


Those lists from AFI, IMDb, RT or wherever just go by age most of the time. Just because a movie was made in the 50s, doesn't make it classic, or good.

I really strongly disagree with a good portion of these. I like almost all of these, but top ten ALL-TIME as far as technicality?

Passion of the Christ is on here, I don't know how to respond to that. Can you elaborate on that one a little bit?

Bravery and historical accuracy.

Guessing you're pretty religious?

If I were to concoct a similar list...

Just off the top of my head (and obviously only including stuff I've seen) -

10.Inglorious Basterds
9.Stalker
8.The Godfather
7.The Trial
6.2001
5.Winter Light
4.Vertigo
3.Tree of Life
2.There Will Be Blood
1.Citizen Kane

I have faith but I don't belong to any religion. I've studied in depth many aspects of many religions but wouldn't call myself "religious".


Passion is a fantastic film... I think my education in History is a factor though, I've studied many areas of history too.

I thought the parts that weren't just torture, were kinda cheesy. Throughout the rest of it, all I could think was "God meets Saw".

I'll give you that there was too much blood, there's no way anyone could lose that much blood and survive...


... but the punishments that Jesus apparently suffered according to the Bible, were pretty accurately portrayed in the film.

Film can do many things, but for most people the defining factor of a film is how it makes you feel. If you watch a film and feel a sense of wonder and joy then that's a great film. If you watch a film and feel a deep sense of sadness and cry your eyes out, then that's a great film.

I can be objective and talk about pacing and concepts and acting and color grading, and yes the film has a lot going for it. I've seen it twice and enjoyed it both times.

But My GF absolutely hated it. I've told you why.
There are so many great films in the past hundred years, I think it's a reasonable and strong argument for someone not wanting to share two hours of their time with a miserable, self absorbed f***.

Fair points, yeah. It just seems... maybe anti-intellectual? Which, if you're just looking at movies for the entertainment value, I can definitely understand. But if you're really serious about film as an art form... I mean, you like what you like obviously, I just always try to watch a movie for what it is not for what I'd prefer it to be. TWBB is one of the most brilliant/raw/visceral/etc character studies I've ever seen.

And I loved the thing on a personal level, so yes, I'm biased obviously.

I think entertainment value should always be a consideration when talking about the greatest films, entertainment is what makes films accessible to the masses. This is one of my strongest arguments for why "The birth of a nation" does not belong on the list. I believe, tomorrow, you randomly picked out 100 americans and had them watch it, ALL 100 would hate it and be bored to death. How can you justify something that hardly anyone likes or enjoys as one of the greatest films ever made?

Consider this - One of most prolific screen writing books in the industry is called "Save the cat"

From wikipedia - "The title Save the Cat! is a term coined by Snyder and describes the scene where the audience meets the hero of a movie for the first time. The hero does something nice, e.g., saving a cat, which makes the audience like the hero and sympathise with him."

It is SO vital to a movie that we like the protagonist that he named his entire screenwriting book after a trope to accomplish this end. Granted I am most definitely not the average film goer.. I don't think anyone on this website is. We welcome a break from convention and sometimes crave it. As I said I enjoyed the movie.. but you asked what people don't like about it and I did my best to give you an answer.

I know you mentioned your girlfriend in the last post, but I thought you were speaking personally. My bad. Still, average film goers shouldn't really have much of a say/impact on the consensus ranking of a film's greatness. And greatness is really all this thread is talking about.