IMDb's Top 250 - An idiot shares his opinion on things no one cares about

[Hakase Shinonome]

What?​

I'm attempting to watch the entire Top 250 of imdb.

Why?​

Well, being a young person who was sat in his room all day doing nothing but watching YouTube and other lifewasting garbage, I missed out on culturally defining media, in this case, being critical films. You could ask me what the first two rules of the internet was a reference to and I wouldn't have a clue. I watched a lot of YouTube reviewers about films, but never the films itself - I thought to myself, this ought to change. So I gave myself the objective of watching the entire top 250 on imdb, just to really catch up. I've never watched, for example, Toy Story, or The Dark Knight or Terminator or Jaws, something you'd say "What the hell, everyone has seen those!", so I'm trying to cover my bases.

How?​

In no particular order, I'll be trying to watch the entire (English) Top 250 on imdb, which, yes, does change every year, some notable examples being Project Mary and Obsession being included this year alone, and thus excluding others, but it's the objective to get the percentage bar to a 100% watched. It can be through DVD, streaming, torrenting, the cinema what-have-you. Because my cinema's also play classic films sometimes, such as the entire Harry Potter series or the Indiana Jones trilogy*.

Why not Letterboxd?​

Do I look like a pretentious douchebag? I'm here to see culturally relevant films, not arthouse indie flicks that have only been released in the last 5 years.

So far?​

So far, I've watched 25% of the top 250. It has really widened my perception of the medium to watch them out of merely entertainment, some can provide genuine thought-provoking insights, thrill, amazement, and, of course, getting Family Guy references. I can finally confidently say what the two first rules of Fight Club are. It's definitely one of my more beloved films I have seen. but after watching at least 200 more, it's more so in my top 10 than my most beloved.


I've become a Tarantino fan, I've become a Scorsese fan, I've finally watched movies of directors I've vaguely heard of but never actually seen. Now I can finally confidently say that Kubrick is a massive fucking hack when it comes to filmmaking and that the only decent film he's produced was The Shining; and I'll confidently die on this hill. -- Feel free to share your own experiences with watching some films in imdb's top 250, share your opinions on some of the most notable names in there or just to shit on my opinions, I'm interested in what Kiwi's have to say about popular movies instead of what's out now.

*all five.

 

[Hakase Shinonome]

8-9/10

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) (#10/#250)

Very enjoyable movie, never really felt myself getting bored throughout the film. There's always something going on, whether it's massive amounts of action or a very tense one-on-one talk. The music is really fuckin' defining, I basically recognized all of it even though I've never even seen a minute of this film before. I really do get it when people say that this is the defining western, mostly because everything just feels so real, when Clint Eastwood is dehydrated, he really looks like's on the fucking brink of death, and that for 1966, highly impressive. I'm a big fan of nice, bold colors and the film doesn't really disappoint, even though it's set in the goddamn desert, its color palette can go from desert-shit-brown to lively green to dark blues, and you get a nice change of pace instead of being stuck with the same boring desert. The opening scene is also extremely interesting to watch, because it's all just visual storytelling, it didn't really capture me as much and only really started caring more when actual dialogue came to the scene.

 

[Beelzebub's Lawyer]

The thing about these top 250 movies is that a lot of the ones that came out after social media have been introduced are fad movies, meaning that they've been given a ton of 10/10's because that was the thing to do at the time.
For example, Avengers: Endgame is a legit horrible piece of trash movie with one of the worst screenplays of all time but when it came out, fanboys gave it perfect scores because of fucking course they did (in no fucking universe is Avengers: Endgame a better movie than Die Hard, Citizen Kane and LA Confidential, fuck off with that shit).

Keep that in mind when watching these.

 

[Hakase Shinonome]

The thing about these top 250 movies is that a lot of the ones that came out after social media have been introduced are fad movies, meaning that they've been given a ton of 10/10's because that was the thing to do at the time.
For example, Avengers: Endgame is a legit horrible piece of trash movie with one of the worst screenplays of all time but when it came out, fanboys gave it perfect scores because of fucking course they did (in no fucking universe is Avengers: Endgame a better movie than Die Hard, Citizen Kane and LA Confidential, fuck off with that shit).

Keep that in mind when watching these.

Yes, I’ve definitely thought about this. Beyond that, you’d need to watch all the movies before Endgame to actually get what’s happening in the film(s). This is also a problem with the Chainsaw Man movie and Demon Hunter, two films based on anime, and while I did watch Chainsaw Man, Demon Hunter is so goddamn long I can’t be fucking bothered to. At least those two don’t require watching absolute fucking slop for days.

 

[Bionicle Enthusiast]

Good luck! Also make it 251, I recommend Godzilla MInus One.

 

[Fishnumm]

my favorite movie is at the 57th place lol

second favorite is 18th place and third favorite is 175th

i like shawshank though but its not the greatest movie of all time

 

[Karamanlis]

In no particular order, I'll be trying to watch the entire (English)

I'm gonna sound like a pretentious fag or whatever, but you're going to miss out on some great films if you skip over foreign language. You can definitely pass on the Bollywood shit. But Seven Samurai? Harakiri? Come and See? Movies like that are definitely worth a watch.

 

[Fishnumm]

I'm gonna sound like a pretentious fag or whatever, but you're going to miss out on some great films if you skip over foreign language. You can definitely pass on the Bollywood shit. But Seven Samurai? Harakiri? Come and See? Movies like that are definitely worth a watch.

das boot too

definitely watch at least das boot

 

[Ibanez RG 350EX]

Well, being a young person who was sat in his room all day doing nothing but watching YouTube and other lifewasting garbage,

My brother said a similar thing the other day and don't understand it at all. Youtube is chock-full of technical or otherwise educational videos and I never feel like I'm wasting my life watching them.

 

[Hakase Shinonome]

My brother said a similar thing the other day and don't understand it at all. Youtube is chock-full of technical or otherwise educational videos and I never feel like I'm wasting my life watching them.

There's a difference between: "C" programming language - Computerphile vs This is the Most Annoying Trend... And you sure as hell didn't watch the first one as a child.

 

[Hakase Shinonome]

I'm gonna sound like a pretentious fag or whatever, but you're going to miss out on some great films if you skip over foreign language. You can definitely pass on the Bollywood shit. But Seven Samurai? Harakiri? Come and See? Movies like that are definitely worth a watch.

The only Bollywood films I've watched were 3 Idiots, Slumdog Millionaire (Rest in peace from the top 250) and Life of Pi. And if we only count them being Hindi, then only 3 Idiots. I did watch Amelie, though, a native French film, very visually interesting.

 

[Hakase Shinonome]

9/10

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) (#19/#250)

Great film, a thoroughly enjoyable story, that, if you are a Zoomer who's ever watched Disney, Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network cartoons, you've seen this story before. One of those films whereby I can actually see the characters for the characters and not "Oh hey that's Danny DeVito", which was such a kind of mindblowing credit I kind of felt shocked seeing it. Seeing The Shining guy is a bit weird for me, but I can get around it and see the actor as actually Mac, thankfully, both characters are psychotic lunatics. (Almost) The music is all diegetic, which I found a really nice touch. It really does show that music isn't necessary for a really good film. End spoilers: The ending where Mac basically goes actually crazy, is really satisfying seeing that fucking bitch finally get choked to death. The fact that there's like The cinematography isn't mindblowing or anything, but the performances really sell it. There's not a whole lot of music, there's not a whole lot of action; the most amount of action is either fishing or at the end. It's very, I'd say, documentary style, whereby it's more of a character study of all the people in the mental asylum. The 4K is really nicely done, it's not too old that it's The Good, The Bad and The Ugly kind of foggy and blurry, but it's nice, it's crisp, but not stunning and the sound is nothing noteworthy, but it does have the pre-90-00's problem of that kind of tinny, closed off sound, but I can't blame it, all pre-00's films have that. Not once did I really say "well that just seems like bullshit" or "that's weird", it all felt natural and realistic. I think it's well deseriving of a spot on the top 250.

Something I've really enjoyed by doing this is by seeing all the inspirations (or, rather, rip-offs) of some media. Such as Cuckoo's Nest being a really popular prison break story whenever a person is stuck somewhere with random people. I've seen it in Futurama, I've seen it in Nicktoons, everywhere. Just like how many parody Star Wars, but I've never actually seen Star Wars, but I could probably tell you the entire plot of episodes IV, V and VI.

 

[Fishnumm]

cuckoos nest is a great film

fuck sicko nurses

 

[Karamanlis]

Well, being a young person who was sat in his room all day doing nothing but watching YouTube and other lifewasting garbage

My brother said a similar thing the other day and don't understand it at all. Youtube is chock-full of technical or otherwise educational videos and I never feel like I'm wasting my life watching them.

Not to mention that watching movies is hardly vital life experience. You're still sitting in your room watching life wasting garbage, but now it's movies instead of YouTube. A marginal improvement, perhaps, but if you're going to sit in your room all day anyway, you'd be better off reading books than watching movies. And this is coming from someone who's watched thousands of movies.

 

[Hakase Shinonome]

Not to mention that watching movies is hardly vital life experience. You're still sitting in your room watching life wasting garbage, but now it's movies instead of YouTube. A marginal improvement, perhaps, but if you're going to sit in your room all day anyway, you'd be better off reading books than watching movies. And this is coming from someone who's watched thousands of movies.

I find myself a hobbyist-to-professional in the visual arts department and am interested in the medium as a whole. I have alright reading comprehension but, for the same reason I don't really watch a lot of shows is the same as for books, finishing one takes a long fucking time. I know some absolutely adore spending days of their life on experiencing a singular piece of medium, but a movie is the perfect length for me to take care, notice and appreciate the finer things. I'd maybe get into visual novels (the actual medium not the faggoty video game shit), but less so actual novella. I still have an unread copy of @Dante Alighieri's Inferno that I have yet to read, but I'll probably do this summer. Along with that, I hope to read the literary classics without turning into too much of a blue-haired liberal, such as film adaptation's original works, like Fight Club. I read novels like Life of Pi and 1984 which were really interesting, but I really need a visual aid for me to get going, maybe I'm just retarded.

 

[Hakase Shinonome]

8/10

Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc (2025) (#216/#250)

I've been meaning to watch this for some time now, seeing as I'm a fan of the original anime series. And this is definitely a film for fans, it very much feels more like an extended episode of sorts rather than a fully fledged feature film; and that's a good thing. The animation, as was probably expected from Chainsaw Man media, is really grandiose and exquisitely done. It's so vibrant and beautiful along with it being bloody and gory all around, it's a fantastic sight to behold. The story did really get me hooked for a character I didn't even give a shit about initially and basically knew it was going to be a setup from the start. As if anyone would randomly date Denji out of nowhere. It did really strike me when she wanted to go the cafe at the end and she got murdered. I get why but still, y'know, why. Such a debbie downer for such a thrillride of a show and film. One of the movies I'd praise for its cinematography, there are some shots in there where you'd be like "Damn, that's pretty fuckin' impressive". On your monitor it's one thing, but this came out on the silver screen - which I missed, still miffed about that - that probably was kind of mindblowing to see, such viceral action and explosions everywhere. The b plot is very meh regarding the entire plot of the film, but it doesn't put it in your face and its segments are short and brief so it isn't a massive point of contention.

 

[Karamanlis]

I find myself a hobbyist-to-professional in the visual arts department and am interested in the medium as a whole. I have alright reading comprehension but, for the same reason I don't really watch a lot of shows is the same as for books, finishing one takes a long fucking time. I know some absolutely adore spending days of their life on experiencing a singular piece of medium, but a movie is the perfect length for me to take care, notice and appreciate the finer things. I'd maybe get into visual novels (the actual medium not the faggoty video game shit), but less so actual novella. I still have an unread copy of @Dante Alighieri's Inferno that I have yet to read, but I'll probably do this summer. Along with that, I hope to read the literary classics without turning into too much of a blue-haired liberal, such as film adaptation's original works, like Fight Club. I read novels like Life of Pi and 1984 which were really interesting, but I really need a visual aid for me to get going, maybe I'm just retarded.

It's cool. Not trying to get on your case about it. But reading is probably better exercise for your brain than watching movies. And you could read non-fiction and actually learn something. I get it though. I went through a movie watching phase myself. Watched a movie a day for years until I got burnt out on the medium.

 

[That Chris Guy]

>Warrior (2011)
Fucking LOL

Movie was okay, but it's definitely not Top 250 material, or even Top 1000. Some of these choices are absolutely haram.

 

[Hakase Shinonome]

9/10

Saving Private Ryan (1998) (#23/#250)

Probably the most severe and realistic depiction of WWII I have seen. I absolutely adore how absolutely gory it is, all shots taken. Molotovs get thrown and, without cuts, the fucking people get put on fucking fire as if I'm watching the "Watch people die" thread. People slowly die from blood gushing out of them, massive goddamn explosions everywhere, what a visceral rush of adrenaline. How it's shot really hammers home how well made it is overall, with the camera man actively running behind cover and running behind the troops, as if you're there in the action. When a troop peeks up at a filthy German, the camera man looks up only to quickly back again because of returning fire. The sets and costumes are so utterly realistic, it does really feel as if I'm watching a documentary rather than a story, if it wasn't for the beginning and end. I think watching this in 4K with 5.1/7.1 is a basic necessity when watching this, you'll not get the full effect otherwise. Love to my man Dunham.

 

[Fishnumm]

9/10

Saving Private Ryan (1998) (#23/#250)

Wyświetl załącznik 9191373

Probably the most severe and realistic depiction of WWII I have seen. I absolutely adore how absolutely gory it is, all shots taken. Molotovs get thrown and, without cuts, the fucking people get put on fucking fire as if I'm watching the "Watch people die" thread. People slowly die from blood gushing out of them, massive goddamn explosions everywhere, what a visceral rush of adrenaline. How it's shot really hammers home how well made it is overall, with the camera man actively running behind cover and running behind the troops, as if you're there in the action. When a troop peeks up at a filthy German, the camera man looks up only to quickly back again because of returning fire. The sets and costumes are so utterly realistic, it does really feel as if I'm watching a documentary rather than a story, if it wasn't for the beginning and end. I think watching this in 4K with 5.1/7.1 is a basic necessity when watching this, you'll not get the full effect otherwise. Love to my man Dunham.

das boot is so much better watch it next

i do really like saving private ryan though