# Is there any movie we ALL would agree is good (if not great)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [January 2, 2026, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271 "2026-01-02T14:18:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/101 "2026-01-02T18:00:04Z")
I have always claimed that I have objective proof that _Casablanca_ is the best movie ever made. Back in the late 70s the only way to see a movie was at the movies, on TV or maybe at a film society. One night _Casablanca_ was on TV at about 10:30 on a week night. But only where we lived - much more localized TV in Australia back then. Friends of ours spent three and a half hours of not very friendly driving to come to our home to watch it. When it ended they headed back for work the next day. I have never known anyone to make such an effort to see a movie - I certainly haven’t. And they had seen it once before. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/102 "2026-01-02T18:03:26Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > It will seem that I have a black&white bias, but I agree on those two too. I think those two occurred to me because they’re older, and people would have to go out of their way to see them. A lot of new movies get some word of mouth, and are shown on TV, and they’re in places where it’s easy to see them even if they’re not your cup of tea. If we’re ever to find a universally-liked movie, it seems like it’ll be one that only attracts fans to come see it, and its detractors won’t go to that much trouble. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/103 "2026-01-02T18:04:36Z")
007 At least five Bond movies are good enough. National Velvet Ghost Grease Saturday Night Fever Stand by me Fried Green Tomatoes Pick an artist and rate their movies id say most would be good enough Off the top of my memory Tarantino Clint Eastwood Bette Davis Joan Crawford Jack Nicholson Steve McQueen Meryl Streep Daniel Craig Tilda Swinton Cate Blanchett Matt Damon ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/104 "2026-01-02T18:05:04Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone bash **Groundhog Day**. > > mmm Yeah, _this_ time around. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/105 "2026-01-02T18:08:51Z")
To leave the black&white niche I will add: Blue Velvet Someone Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest Pulp Fiction ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/106 "2026-01-02T18:12:00Z")
It may not have been seen by a lot of people, but whenever I watch [_Amelie_](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211915/), I’m filled with joy and delight from beginning to end. I simply can’t imagine _anyone_ not loving that movie. (Waiting for someone to come in and say they _hate_ it in 3…2…) ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/107 "2026-01-02T18:16:08Z")
I am not sure it is a _good_ movie, as we have not even agreed on a definition of that, but it certinly is a lovely feel good movie, so I am seconding _Amélie_. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/108 "2026-01-02T18:20:03Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > I’m a little surprised _Blazing Saddles_ and _Young Frankenstein_ haven’t been suggested. I thought both were great, and I love Mel Brooks! In fact I’d say both were works of comedic genius! Sadly, humour is one of the more divisive of subjective issues. I’m sure there are many sourpusses who don’t consider those movies funny at all! ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/109 "2026-01-02T18:22:39Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > “All agree” is of course an impossible standard, How so? Over on the ATMB, it says there are only 1000 or so active posters. How is it “impossible” that 1000 folk cannot agree on something? (Provided folk opine only on films they have seen, and eschew joke answers.) > [@CairoCarol](#): > > I’m a little surprised _Blazing Saddles_ and _Young Frankenstein_ haven’t been suggested. Those are challenging for me, as I feel comedy generally does not age well. When young, I woulda said both of those were GREAT! Rewatched both recently - felt notsomuch. Similarly, folk often praise Some Like it Hot. Allow me to nix that before it gets nominated. Sorry folk - the list is getting long. Not sure when/if I’ll update it. Anyone else who care, feel free. I wonder if it might have been preferable to pose 2 companion threads - 1 simply for compiling a list, and the other for discussing individual films and what makes a good film. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/110 "2026-01-02T18:23:01Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > No, that was return of the Jedi. Empire did have Yoda though. I loved the first one, but I guess I got jaded in the four years it took to make the next one because they all just seemed to be toy commercials after the first. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/111 "2026-01-02T18:24:58Z")
To be fair they were all toy commercials, the first one wasn’t so blatant. Lucas took a small pay in his directing pay for the licensing rights, one of the worst financial decisions of the film industry. ---
**Author:** ![themapleleaf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/themapleleaf/32/14349_2.png) [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/112 "2026-01-02T18:27:27Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Pulp Fiction I watched it once and didn’t really like it. I gave it a second chance and didn’t like it any more than the first time. Samuel L. Jackson preaching a sermon before he offs someone was funny, but little else. And the movie did a poor job of trying to make gangsters seem affable. I like movies where mobsters have to pay for their crimes. > [@commasense](#): > > It may not have been seen by a lot of people, but whenever I watch [_Amelie_](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211915/), I’m filled with joy and delight from beginning to end. I simply can’t imagine _anyone_ not loving that movie. > > (Waiting for someone to come in and say they _hate_ it in 3…2…) I didn’t hate it when I saw it, but I found it a bit wonky. Oh well, I was a 22-year-old with little life experience. Maybe I’d like it more if I re-watched it. I would like to advance my own candidate: _Schindler’s List_. Dark but amazingly executed. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/113 "2026-01-02T18:28:27Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > I’m a little surprised _Blazing Saddles_ and _Young Frankenstein_ haven’t been suggested. I would definitely put **Young Frankenstein** up for nomination, if for no other reason than Mel Brooks wasn’t in it. Beautifully shot in the style of much earlier films, and still hilarious after over 50 years. Just seeing Cloris Leachman outtakes has me gasping for air. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/114 "2026-01-02T18:35:05Z")
> [@themapleleaf](#): > > I watched it once and didn’t really like it. I gave it a second chance and didn’t like it any more than the first time. Samuel L. Jackson preaching a sermon before he offs someone was funny, but little else. And the movie did a poor job of trying to make gangsters seem affable. I like movies where mobsters have to pay for their crimes. In its own weird way, _Pulp Fiction_ is a morality tale. Jules recognizes the miracle he witnessed and lives; the doubter Vincent dies. Butch faces a trial to prove himself worthy of his great-grandfather’s watch and rescues Marcellus. That said, I know someone who tried to watch it and couldn’t get through the pawn shop scene, so I know it’s not universally liked. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/115 "2026-01-02T18:35:12Z")
There’s a reason why you can consistently catch _Shawshank Redemption_ on TV. And a vote for _Stand By Me_ although some may be turned off by some of the juvenile humor and the profanity. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/116 "2026-01-02T18:36:54Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > To be fair they were all toy commercials, the first one wasn’t so blatant. Lucas took a small pay in his directing pay for the licensing rights, one of the worst financial decisions of the film industry. Oh, I know. It’s just 9 year old me didn’t know for the first one, but 13 year old me knew by the second. A friend of mine used to say, “one day you come home from school and Ultraman is just two guys in rubber suits pretending to fight and it’s all down hill from there.” ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/117 "2026-01-02T18:38:55Z")
> [@Zoobi](#): > > Contrarianism, ironically enough, is always fashionable. I’m an anti-contrarian. Against it. > [@wolfpup](#): > > I’m sure there are many sourpusses who don’t consider [Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles]movies funny at all! I would not vote NO on either, but I fail to see the wonderment of these films. Exactly like the Princees Bride love fest, (of which I happen to agree) but I do not agree on these. They are merely OK. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/118 "2026-01-02T18:41:25Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Over on the ATMB, it says there are only 1000 or so active posters. How is it “impossible” that 1000 folk cannot agree on something? OK, maybe “improbable.” I’ll point to the fact that, in the 100-ish posts so far in this thread, nearly every movie which has been proposed so far has had at least one detractor who doesn’t see it as being at least “good.” ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/119 "2026-01-02T18:42:05Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I would not vote NO on either, but I fail to see the wonderment of these films. Exactly like the Princees Bride love fest, (of which I happen to agree) but I do not agree on these. They are merely OK. They made me laugh. A lot. And if “laughter is the best medicine”, I guess they also made me healthier! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271/120 "2026-01-02T18:47:54Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I would definitely put **Young Frankenstein** up for nomination, if for no other reason than Mel Brooks wasn’t in it. Beautifully shot in the style of much earlier films, and still hilarious after over 50 years. Just seeing Cloris Leachman outtakes has me gasping for air. The neighing frightened horses whenever anyone says “Frau Blucher” is sheer wacky genius! 😄 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-movie-we-all-would-agree-is-good-if-not-great/1026271.md?page=7)