Why don't I just go ahead and say it for everyone.
Avatar, Titanic, The Force Awakens, The Avengers, Frozen, Return of the King, Skyfall, Toy Story 3, Jurassic Park, Zootopia, and The Dark Knight are all really good movies. Jurassic World, Age of Ultron, Harry Potter, Iron Man 3, Civil War, The Dark Knight Rises, Rogue One, Finding Dory, and The Hobbit are pretty good for the most part, but not really that spectacular. Everything else is pretty much crap.
Dumb story, impressive use of CGI. And, for a movie to pull in that kind of gross during the single largest economic recession we are likely to experience in our lifetimes, its box office take is even more impressive.
The story was fine. Yes, it's similar to Dances with Wolves or John Carter or Lawrence of Arabia or The Last Samurai (which came 10 years after Cameron first wrote the story); that makes it not entirely original it doesn't make it dumb. Good stories are often retold many different times in many different ways. But mostly the movie was a transportive event. That's why people kept going to see it a dozen times and why it made so much money. Same as Titanic. (and, also, that it wasn't offensively stupid or entirely vapid like a Bayformers movie and thus hard to watch more than once). Cameron is a master at doing what he does.
Almost didn't guess Iron man, as I'd already guessed the Avengers, and both Return of the King and the 2 Hobbit movies were filled in with the guess of lotr...
The only reason avatar is still no.1 is because it was the first ever film to be shown in 3D so most people just went for the experience, not the film. Had avatar been released slightly earlier it would struggle to make this list
But Avatar was the first released in 3D *because* of the way it was made. James Cameron spent 10 years developing those special cameras. The technology was indeed a large part of the draw, but it's not like Avatar was lucky or was randomly chosen to be the first 3D movie. Its whole process, from its inception over a decade before its release, was designed around its unique visual presentation.
He knows how to weave a compelling story, even one with a derivative plot. He knows how to take characters you've never met before and make you care about them. He knows how to tie their character arcs up in the drama on screen. He knows how to handle FX, better than anyone. He knows how to both adapt classic storytelling tropes and push the envelope at the same time. He knows how to direct an action sequence (something Bay has never been able to do, and they say that's his strength). He's a competent writer and an excellent editor. All around great filmmaker. Also, he's king of the world.
Agreed that I wish they would report more honestly about pure ticket sales numbers and not dollars. Comparing eras is difficult because going to the theater was a bigger event decades ago and not as many competing entertainment options, but still would make it more interesting.
Wow, love the smugness. I happen to think that The Return of the King and Dark Knight were both great movies from this list, but maybe it's better that I look down on anyone who decides not to agree?
The Dark Knight, Return of The King and Jurassic Park are all sensational films. Sure you have your garbage like Bayformers, Alice in Wonderland, Minions and the later Pirates movies but to say that there isn't a single great film on this list is pretty questionable, even from an indie-lover like myself.
It'll be interesting to see how the second one (name still a secret as of this writing!) fares on this list, especially given that Deathly Hallows Part 2 kicked its predecessor's butt. I'm guessing that if a two-parter has great ratings and ticket sales plus a compelling cliffhanger, it's got itself set up pretty well. I doubt the Russo brothers are likely to screw it up. (Yeah, I'm a Marvel fangirl. SO SHOOT ME.)
I must admit I'm happy the only one I missed on this iteration of the quiz was frickin' Bayformers. Hopefully I will forget those things ever existed soon.
Of all of these, I've seen three: "The Dark Knight", "Titanic" and "Jurassic Park." - (Might have seen "Skyfall", but I keep getting it confused with "Spectre"). None of the others held the slightest interest for me. Movies today are either a rehashing of old plots or have so much technological wizardry as to make the movie's plot meaningless.
Uh oh, you better not admit on Jetpunk that you enjoy these movies that were extremely popular and successful for very good reason. Enjoying entertainment that the masses also enjoy makes you dumb and uncultured, don't ya know?
At the time of this comment, Endgame is about $4 million away from surpassing Avatar. I guess once it officially finishes its theatrical run that’s when they’ll update it.
So I think it was right after I left this comment when the news broke that Endgame passed Avatar. Either the source I looked at was slightly outdated or it managed to make $4 million in less than a couple hours.
My unimportant two cents: 1 great movie (The Dark Knight), 7 clearly above average (LOTR, Skyfall, Frozen, Jurassic Park, Toy Story 3, The Dark Knight Rises, Titanic), Jurassic World and the Transformers stuff are garbage. The rest I haven't seen or it was uninteresting. Avatar has bland characters, forgettable dialogue, rather unexciting action sequences coming from the director of Aliens and T2, and while its use of 3D is inventive, it doesn't really have a lasting effect after the "wow" we all had the first time.
I think they're releasing something like three separate Avatar sequels in the next few years. Very curious to see how those movies do because it's been ten years since that movie came out and I don't know anyone who felt the need to see it a second time. I really don't think anyone is clamoring for a sequel, and certainly not for three of them.
3 sequels might be overkill, but just because you don't know anyone who didn't want to see it a 2nd time obviously means nothing. Tons of people went to see it a 2nd time. And a 3rd time. And a 4th time. and a 5th time. That's how it climbed to almost 3 billion dollars worldwide. You can't do that on the strength of hype or a big opening weekend or even 3D IMAX premiums. I don't get why people are in such strong denial about how successful and well-liked this movie was. It smashed box office records, played in theaters forever, and got nominated for Best Picture. Honestly what's the deal?
Avatar is almost exactly the Disney movie Pocahontas. It is uncreative and uninspired and the fact that it was played largely in IMAX 3D accounts for its large box office on a smaller number of ticket sales. Not to mention what everyone has been saying about it only being a gimmick and once you watch it in 2D you realise just how bad it is.
First point addressed above and irrelevant. Subsequent points inaccurate both in general and specifically for explaining the film's total monster box office take. The movie was playing in 2D regular cinemas for 6 solid months. And people kept going to see it. You just didn't like it.
I have nothing against Avatar. I saw it and thought it was fine. I appreciate the work and innovation that went into the visual presentation. I'm just saying, of all the people I've ever talked movies with (and it's a lot), I just don't recall anyone expressing special appreciation for Avatar. Not when it came out and not since. I'm sure you're right that in order to earn as much as it did, people had to see it multiple times. I'm saying that fact, albeit supported by Avatar's numbers, runs entirely counter to my experience with the movie. I have never heard anyone say they absolutely loved it or saw it multiple times. That's all I was saying. I am not really offering an opinion as much as I am sharing my experience with the movie.
I loved it. So did my mom, my cousin, one of my best friends, and some other people I know. Not my favorite movie, but, amazing cinematic experience, great all around film, that predictably broke all box office records? Yeah, for sure. I saw it originally at a cinema in Dubai where the audience was clearly very into it (guy next to me openly sobbing when the tree got blown up, probably thinking of some mosque in Iraq that got bombed, the allegory was a bit on the nose), and then I went back to see it in cinemas I think 3 or 4 times in Bahrain and later in the USA during the re-release with added footage.
Could you accept 'Civil War' for 'Captain America: Civil War' please? Update it in January as I think a couple of movies might squeak onto this list as theatres are coming back to life.
Most of these movies are what I would call 'Children's Movies'. They must appeal to the masses in some way I guess to be so popular, but to call most of them great movies I find comical.
Some were great. Some weren't. But if you won't give them a chance because you think they're for kids that's your loss if you miss or don't appreciate the great ones.
Pretty soon Chinese movies are going to start showing up here. They've already come very close. Are you going to add a caveat that this is for English-language films only, or start listing Chinese films?
Says the person who leaves comments with made-up words you might expect to overhear on the playground behind your nearest elementary school, like "capeshit"... yeah... you really sound like the type who smokes cigars in his study while listening to Bach and discussing Proust with his very mature grown-up friends, all congratulating themselves on their newest pair of big-boy pants... kudos, man. You get a gold star.
If you are the kind of person who judges the character of adults based on their movie-watching choices, then you are...well, this site's rules prohibit me from finishing that sentence.
@Remster - Many of these could be considered "children's films", but many are decidedly not. I've noticed similar comments from you on other quizzes, so I suppose you get some satisfaction in smugly disparaging popular media. Perhaps you think that makes you look cultured and superior, but I find your thinly-veiled negativity to be tiresome.
Vermicious Kind - You're close. I get mild satisfaction from making fun of adults who enjoy children's films. While you enjoy children's films, I enjoy children's humour. Horses for courses.
Oh my. There are some awful movies on here. Shame on you if you spent money on any of the vapid Disney live-action remakes, Star Wars-killers, or Transformer mistakes.
Those of you who paid money to see Top Gun or Joker: you will go to heaven.
Avatar, Titanic, The Force Awakens, The Avengers, Frozen, Return of the King, Skyfall, Toy Story 3, Jurassic Park, Zootopia, and The Dark Knight are all really good movies. Jurassic World, Age of Ultron, Harry Potter, Iron Man 3, Civil War, The Dark Knight Rises, Rogue One, Finding Dory, and The Hobbit are pretty good for the most part, but not really that spectacular. Everything else is pretty much crap.
Some of the worst films ever are on this list, compared to them, Avatar was a pretty good movie.
1. Gone With the Wind
2. Star Wars
3. The Sound of Music
4. E.T.
5. Titanic
6. Ten Commandments
7. Jaws
8. Doctor Zhivago
9. The Exorcist
10. Snow White
Avatar isn't until 15 .. which is funny because 101 Dalmatians beats it by 3 spots.
Woah, 3 SPOTS..DALMATIANS (that was completely accidental btw)
1. Gone with the Wind $3,706,000,000
2. Avatar $3,257,000,000
3. Titanic $3,081,000,000
4. Star Wars $3,043,000,000
5. Avengers Endgame $2,798,000,000
6. The Sound of Music $2,549,000,000
7. E.T $2,489,000,000
8. Ten Commandments $2,356,000,000
9. Doctor Zhivago $2,233,000,000
10. Force Awakens $2,202,000,000
I think it'd be really interesting to learn about how 'movies' have changed in popularity over the years.
I think it'd be interesting to see the point when globalization hits.
To put into perspective: 101 Dalmatians beats out Avatar.
So.... now you know someone.
Those of you who paid money to see Top Gun or Joker: you will go to heaven.