# how far down IMDB's top 250 have you seen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 30, 2004, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877 "2004-06-30T13:39:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/41 "2004-06-30T18:39:39Z")
> [@av8rmike](#): > > People who are complaining that the list is “geeky”: Well, you’re right, but if the OP was asking about the [AFI’s Top 100 list](http://www.filmsite.org/afi100filmsA.html), you’d probably find something to complain about there. Matter of fact, when the list first came out, there was probably a thread here where someone was complaining about it. I’ve seen 20% of the imdb list, and 42% of the AFI list. Thing is, on the AFI list, even the ones I haven’t seen, I can recognize that they are supposed to be good movies. On the imdb, I mean, c’mon, Die Hard is the 156th best movie of all time? On preview, **Trunk** makes an excellent point. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/42 "2004-06-30T18:46:00Z")
Darn it, Trunk, Raiders carries every bit as much “weight” as On the Waterfront. 😛 The AFI list isn’t much better. There are some questionable choices there as well… their top 100 Comedies list includes Shampoo, a truly worthless and unfunny piece of celluloid. Basically, the IMDB list is populist, the AFI list is elitist. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/43 "2004-06-30T18:57:23Z")
I made it down to 105. (I haven’t seen _The Best Years of Our Lives_.) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/44 "2004-06-30T19:06:42Z")
Holy crap! I just went down the rest of the list, and the only other ones I haven’t seen are: #166 _Hero_ (Chinese) and 236 _Red River_ 247/250! I watch too many movies. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/45 "2004-06-30T19:09:31Z")
Braveheart is in the top 100 (#84)? Whatever… I’ve never seen Godfather 2 (#4) nor do I want to. The first one bored me and they blew up the hottest woman in the film. ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/46 "2004-06-30T19:14:50Z")
> [@This Year's Model](#): > > I’ve seen 20% of the imdb list, and 42% of the AFI list. Interesting that the difference is so great. I’ve seen 68% of the imdb list, and 61% of the AFI list. (on preview – **Larry Mudd** , you’re scaring me. 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![JohnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/848f3c/32.png) [@JohnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnM)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/47 "2004-06-30T19:18:21Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > Basically, the IMDB list is populist, the AFI list is elitist. Damn, there goes my elitist cred. I’ve seen 62% of the AFI list, and 65% of the IMDB list. Surely that’s within the acceptable margin of error, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/48 "2004-06-30T19:26:22Z")
> [@JohnM](#): > > Damn, there goes my elitist cred. I’ve seen 62% of the AFI list, and 65% of the IMDB list. Surely that’s within the acceptable margin of error, isn’t it? Well, we can let it slide this time. Let you off with a warning. But you better go watch a few more AFI films. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/49 "2004-06-30T20:23:32Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > . . . but then, skimming the rest of the way down, there are only three more titles I haven’t seen. Ditto. Four titles total I haven’t seen, either. ---
**Author:** ![Lando\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f17d59/32.png) [@Lando\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lando_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/50 "2004-06-30T20:33:52Z")
Holy crap! Only 42/250?!? :eek: I need to see more movies… ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/51 "2004-06-30T21:03:58Z")
Hmmm… three Dopers on the first page who have seen all but four or fewer of the films. Seems likely that _someone_ here has seen them all. Go on, admit it: Who is it? ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/52 "2004-06-30T21:13:23Z")
I guess I have to stop at 1; I’ve never seen _The Shawshank Redemption_. Never really cared to, either. A little further down the list, I’ve never seen _Schindler’s List_, either, but that is one that I’d like to see eventually. > [@Trunk](#): > > If I had to characterize the list briefly, I’d say that it’s filled with crowd-pleasers that don’t outwardly suck to a lot of viewers. > > For instance, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was a crowd pleaser, but I don’t think anyone really thinks it sucked. It was just entertainment though – it doesn’t carry the weight that something like “On The Waterfront” (higher on the AFI list) does. But it’s more entertaining. I don’t agree with that at all. That’s an elitist assumption; it assumes that “crowd pleaser” movies are inclined to suck and that they’re inherently less weighty than “real” movies. I’ve seen _On the Waterfront_, and it has absolutely no “weight” for me because it’s a character study I don’t find particularly compelling, all keyed on a performance (Brando’s) that I didn’t find particularly remarkable. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like it because it didn’t have enough explosions. ---
**Author:** ![HoldenCaulfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/22d042/32.png) [@HoldenCaulfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoldenCaulfield)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/53 "2004-06-30T21:15:28Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > Maybe it’s different in the motherland, but Godfather is required viewing for males past the age of 18 here in the colonies. American male aged 19 here. I’m a huge movie buff and I’ve yet to see the Godfather movies. I’ve been watching about a movie a day for the entire summer, though, and there are just many other movies in the way. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/54 "2004-06-30T21:31:52Z")
I’ve never seen the Godfather and I have a degree in film. I don’t doubt it’s a well made film, but it interests me not. As for the list’s geekiness… it’s only people who are on IMDB constantly and vote for these films. That’s why there is a preponderance of newer films in the top 100 or so. AFI has a bit better list, not based on one sites popular votes [Here](http://www.ravecentral.com/afi.html). If you don’t count the Godfather films, I’ve seen all of them. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/55 "2004-06-30T21:55:43Z")
I’ve seen: 7 of the top 10 (I haven’t seen any of the LOTR movies) 40 of the top 50 78 of the top 100 173 of the whole 250 What do I win? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/56 "2004-06-30T22:05:28Z")
A slight hijack: [Here is the list of the AFI’s finest 100 American films of all time.](http://www.afi.com/Docs/tvevents/pdf/movies100.pdf) I’ve seen 98 of 100. ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2004, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/57 "2004-06-30T23:40:56Z")
> [@Rysler](#): > > **Rufus Xavier** , while Citizen Kane is visually stunning, it doesn’t really demand a big screen. Why the issue? For me, all through my growing up years, I heard and read over and over that ‘Citizen Kane is the greatest movie of all time’. At some point, the conviction grew in me that a movie so consistently showered with this accolade could only be _fully_ appreciated by being viewed in its intended venue, i.e. a movie palace. This conviction is a bit of a mania, I’m afraid, and is one of the many personality traits I exhibit that make me seem less than normal. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/58 "2004-07-01T00:01:39Z")
I’ve only seen about 69 of the movies on the list, and of the top 10 I’ve seen only the Lord of the Rings movies and _Casablanca_. I keep meaning to try _The Godfather_ someday–I’m old enough to remember when “make him an offer he can’t refuse” was an everyday catch phrase–but it’s not exactly high on my list of lifetime goals. ---
**Author:** ![mike1dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mike1dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mike1dog)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/59 "2004-07-01T00:24:22Z")
I’ve seen 142 of them which means I haven’t seen 108 of them. I’ve seen almost none of the foreign films, and none of the Godfather movies. Some of the movies I was unable to watch all the way through because they were awful, like Donnie Darko. I’ll never understand the appeal of that horrid, horrid movie. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877/60 "2004-07-01T00:45:03Z")
I’ve seen 71 of the first 100. What a bad list. Film criticism isn’t about being the most popular. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-far-down-imdbs-top-250-have-you-seen/252877.md?page=4)