Movie-Holic

If I were to list the top movies listed on the USA’s top grossing movies of all time I don’t think my list would be the same as the actual list. I really have to wonder why some of these movies made it above other movies. Or why people went and spent more money to see some movies rather than others.

Of course, it’s all personal. One movie isn’t going to be liked by everyone (although I think that everyone should like the movies I do).

I’m going to state something that probably won’t be very well accepted, but it has to be said. I believe some of the movies that make it to the top of the highest grossing films because of the hype put into the movie. I don’t believe it’s a reflection of how great the movie is, but rather how well it was marketing and built up before the movie has released. For example, 7 out of the top ten have been released all within the last 10 years. That means it was during the day of marketing, super-hyped up commercials and internet.

So, I’d like to take a look at these films that are the highest grossing movies in the USA and put them in order from worse to best. Of course, that means my order. So…. here they are….

10. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King I am going to start the list off with the movie I liked the least. Number 10 on my list, as well as the highest grossing list, is the final installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy; The Lord of the Rings – The Return of the King. I have to admit before I get into this that I didn’t really enjoy these movies and can’t imagine why this one is one of the top ten. The legions of fans, of course, had a great deal to do with this one making the top ten (as well as the other two making it at #14 and #24 all time). The story is good it was just a little, a lot, long and drawn out for me. I don’t think I stayed awake through any of these movies (especially the one where they were walking up the mountain for what seemed like an eternity).

That doesn’t mean that they weren’t good. This one I liked probably the most because of the amazing battle at the end of the movie. I just wish I didn’t have to sit through the other 3 hours of it before getting to it.

9. Shrek 2 Coming in at Number 4 on the box office list, but down to Number 9 on my list is Shrek 2. This animated tale of an ogre, his wife, and a merry troupe of other childhood nursery rhyme characters is a pretty good movie. There are some great moments, out loud laughable moments, and even quotes that you can repeat over and over at parties, get togethers, and other places where people are and everyone will know what you’re talking about.

Shrek 2, while a good movie, I don’t think is better than the first. The first was a breakthrough in animation and how animated films can be entertaining and engaging enough to include not just kids, but entire families. This installment piggybacked on the original as far as popularity, but I think fell a little short as a sequel. Still a very solid movie and one that I do watch every once in awhile with my kids.

8. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace I was one of the millions upon millions of rabid Star Wars fans that could not wait for this movie to finally make its appearance at the theaters. I wasn’t really disappointed either.

Star Wars – Episode I, The Phantom Menace contained the same amount of cool effects and powerful storyline as the originals and, maybe in some ways surpassed them. Of course, the effects are going to be better with advanced technologies and CGI, but overall Phantom Menace was just a plain good movie. An escape from reality for a few hours and join the ranks of the Jedi’s in the fight of good vs. evil.

Episode 1 brought in over $430,000,000 and is worth every penny of it. Even for those who are not that much into science fiction or fantasy type movies, the Star Wars movies are classics that can stand the test of time.

7. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith I’m not usually a person who puts the sequels above the originals as a better movie… but, I think I have to in this instance. In fact, this installment actually ranks below the first in the box office rankings coming in at number 9.Star Wars – Episode III, Revenge of the Sith is the cornerstone of the Star Wars legacy. You need this movie in order to make the jump from the first episodes to the original episodes made years before.

A lot of open questions were answered in this movie and the transformation from Anakin to Darth Vader is simply riveting. You want to like Darth Vader after this and not go on to loath him as you did if you saw episodes IV, V, and VI first. Yes, the acting could have been a little better. I think they were rushing this one in order to capitalize on the momentum of the previous movies. But, the importance of this movie is what puts it above Episode I.

Plus… this movie has Wookie’s in it! You simply can’t beat that.

6. The Dark Knight I know I’m not going to make any friends with this placement. But, as I said at the beginning… this is my list. Being the number one grossing movie of all time, both worldwide and in the USA, The Dark Knight is arguably on of the biggest productions of all time. I do admit that The Dark Knight had some brilliant moments.

The Joker, played by Heath Ledger, was one of the best parts of the movie. Everything he did was completely unexpected and maniacle. A great villian. I’d even go so far as to say that The Joker was played better than Batman. I didn’t like the voice, the darkness, or the way that he seemed to stray away from the comic version of Batman. However…

I have to put it down at number six on my list, well… because I just wasn’t that thrilled with it to put it any higher considering the movies that are still to come. I have a love/hate relationship with The Dark Knight that I continue to struggle with. I really want to love this movie, but just can’t get over some of the things that turn me off about it. Sorry.

5. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest Yes, I am putting this movie ahead of The Dark Knight. Listed as number 7 on the all time money making list I have to say that I enjoyed this movie a great deal. In fact, I had fun watching it.

Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest is a very creative, imaginative, and enjoyable movie where you don’t have to think, don’t have to wonder what is going to happen next, or even have to hear every single word to understand. It’s just fun.

No, it’s not groundbreaking in any cinematic way. But, I rank it relatively high because of what it does for the person watching it. You just feel better while watching it.

4. Spiderman I am surprised that Spider-Man didn’t bring in a little more money and beat some of these other movies. Although the movie is the eighth highest money maker of all time, I personally feel it is a much better movie than some of the ones that made more.

This is the original of the three Spider-Man movies and, I feel, the better of the three. I like how things begin and I feel that this movie does a magnificent job of showing the starting stages of Spider-Man.

I also feel that this is the one movie where Tobey Maguire does a great job acting as Peter Parker/SpiderMan. The stage is set for who Spider-Man is, what he is feeling, where he might be going, and how this whole thing is making him feel. In movies, especially for movies that will have several sequels after it, I truly believe that the first must deliver in character development and overall theme/message of the film. SpiderMan does that. It delivers a great foundation and that is why it ranks in at number 4 rather than lower.

3. Titanic What! Titanic is better than The Dark Knight! I think so.

As far as epic movies go, I feel that Titanic is the epitome of when history, fiction, and a little creativity come together. Titanic is both historical, romantic, suspenseful, and heart-wrenching (even for the most manly of men). Just the fact that it is a true story (at least the boat part) demands that this level of movie be ranked higher than movies that are created just to capitalize on hype and marketing.

I also believe that Titanic is a better overall movie than the others that are below it. There is a reason why this movie was the number one grossing movie of all time for 12 years. It’s that good. It didn’t have a big marketing campaign, nor did it have a comic book hero to catapult it into mega money maker status. It just had tremendous screen appeal.

I can’t imagine the terror of that night when the real H.M.S. Titanic sank, but I think that the actors captured it as much as they could so that we could all feel it in some way.

This movie never gets old either. I remember my wife went right out and bought it as soon as it came out on VHS. We must have seen it 15 times on those two VHS tapes. When it came out on DVD I knew I had to replace the worn out tapes so we could revisit one of the only movies we can both agree on to watch.

2. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial I was sitting in a Florida theater one afternoon getting ready to watch this movie that I thought was going to be dumb. I wasn’t really into it, but my family wanted to see it and dragged me along. I changed my mind rather quickly and actually went to it again that very night.

When the conversation comes up about the greatest movies ever made, E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial must be considered as one of the top ones. Again, the concept of how great a movie is, or is not, is up to each individual, but as far as all encompassing movies (movies that transcend personality, genre, taste, or individual likes) E.T. breaks through the individual barrier.

Groundbreaking in acting, effects, storytelling, and risk, E.T. continues to marvel new audiences with each generation. I saw it as a pre-teen, saw it again as an adult, and then enjoyed it again (and several times since) with each of my children. One of the aspects of a truly great movie is the sense that no matter when it is being watched, it is still relevant. It is still entertaining. It is still awe inspiring. E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial is truly one of the those few movies that is a must have in any home library.

1. Star Wars In the world of movies there are those that change the world of movie making. There are those that are so different, so groundbreaking, so imaginative, that they just stand above the rest and call attention to how it is suppose to be done. Star Wars is that kind of movie.

Talk about movies that transcend time! Star Wars is still making money in DVD sales, action figures, and even clothes. Kids today are just as obsessed about all things Star Wars as we were back in 1977.

Even though this is called Episode IV, Star Wars will forever be the original Star Wars movie to me. In fact, when talking to my kids about the recent movies and this one I always get this one mixed up with Episode I during conversations.

Top Ten Grossing Movies In Order

Well, what do you think? Where would you put the movies. I’m interested to see how close we’d be or even how far off. (Yes, I already realize that many of you will put The Dark Knight in as number one.)

Go ahead and leave your list in the comments section. I can’t wait to see it.