Favorite vs. Best

[Guest Runaway Jim]

To confirm: You are angry because you said, "I like The Rock," and someone said, "I don't"?

 

No. That's not correct. I said "I like the Rock" and someone said, "I can't believe anyone would like The Rock".

 

It's a pet peeve of mine. Maybe I'm overreacting. I don't care if I'm overreacting. If you don't like something, don't rag on other people that do. Just shut the fuck up about it. Believe me, I could care less if that dude likes The Rock. But I'm NEVER going to sit back and let him knock ME for liking it. Fuck that.

 

I very much like Beltmann too.

[Good Old Neon]

i really don't give a fuck if you like michael bay movies or not. i don't understand why you give a fuck if i do. it has nothing to do with the OP.

 

Calm down. In your original post, you requested that we share our thoughts, I did. I could leave, or you could take your ball and go home - but since watching you overact is fun, I think I’ll stay.

[Dude]

A great argument for favorite / best centers around Apocalypse Now. It's probably my favorite movie, but it's deeply flawed. It's kind of a beautiful mess. The many on-and-off the set problems Coppola ran into while making it lend credence to that.

[Beltmann]

A great argument for favorite / best centers around Apocalypse Now. It's probably my favorite movie, but it's deeply flawed. It's kind of a beautiful mess. The many on-and-off the set problems Coppola ran into while making it lend credence to that.

Yeah, that's a great example. The flaws don't undermine the achievement; they can't keep down the greatness. Is it great in spite of the flaws, or great partially because of the flaws? I dunno.

[Good Old Neon]

No. That's not correct. I said "I like the Rock" and someone said, "I can't believe anyone would like The Rock".

 

It's a pet peeve of mine. Maybe I'm overreacting. I don't care if I'm overreacting. If you don't like something, don't rag on other people that do. Just shut the fuck up about it. Believe me, I could care less if that dude likes The Rock. But I'm NEVER going to sit back and let him knock ME for liking it. Fuck that.

 

I very much like Beltmann too.

 

If you’re going to quote me, the least you could do is actually like, quote what I actually said.

 

I’m still trying to recover from the shock of learning that some folks consider The Rock to be the best anything, or that folks even enjoy it a little bit.

 

Please, using a highlighter or a number two pencil, high-light and/or circle the part where I knocked you, personally, for liking it.

 

Are you done? Ok, you can put your pencil down now – because I didn’t.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

Calm down. In your original post, you requested that we share our thoughts, I did. I could leave, or you could take your ball and go home - but since watching you overact is fun, I think I’ll stay.

 

I requested your thoughts on the idea of favorite vs. best. Not your opinion of my favorite movie. You know you're being a douchebag. And that's apparently fun for you, so keep going. I really don't care. I'll just discuss the subject with anyone that actually has something to bring to the thread.

 

I would however be interested in hearing what your favorite movie is.

[Guest Speed Racer]

You know you're being a douchebag.

 

[Dude]

Yeah, that's a great example. The flaws don't undermine the achievement; they can't keep down the greatness. Is it great in spite of the flaws, or great partially because of the flaws? I dunno.

 

Probably both, you know? Brando's performance is both a study in overindulgence and a gripping portrayal of a man who has lost his sanity. Whether that man is the character Kurtz or Brando himself is the question.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Yeah, that's a great example. The flaws don't undermine the achievement; they can't keep down the greatness. Is it great in spite of the flaws, or great partially because of the flaws? I dunno.

 

I would say it's great partially because of its flaws. I honestly can't stand watching the film (purely as an emotional reaction - it just makes me feel kind of icky and stale, if I had to put words to the feelings), but I have seen it twice and would easily recognize it as one of the greatest (maybe not quite superlative, though) films of all time. Is it better than one of my favorites, That Thing You Do? Absolutely. Still don't want to watch it again, though.

[jakobnicholas]

I have a hard time distinguishing "best" from "favorite" when it comes to music. If I really like a song, it becomes my favorite AND the best.

 

Stairway to Heaven and Freebird almost always top the all-time best classic songs list. But if I made the same list, Kashmir and Gimme Back My Bullets would get my vote before those 2 'cause I like those songs better.

 

I wouldn't get in a big argument with someone who said Lennon's solo work is better than McCartney's solo work. But McCartney's solo and Wings work is by far my favorite over Lennon's work.

 

 

 

I agree that movies are easier to distinguish "best" from "favorite". Raising Arizona is my favorite Coen Bros. movie, but No Country for Old Men or Miller's Crossing is probably their best movie. Other movies, like The Breakfast Club, Back to the Future or The Incredibles can fall into both categories.

 

How about actors?

 

Johnny Depp is one of the best and one of my favorites.

Clint Eastwood is one of my favorites, even though I'll admit he's probably not one of the best.

[Dude]

I would say it's great partially because of its flaws. I honestly can't stand watching the film (purely as an emotional reaction - it just makes me feel kind of icky and stale, if I had to put words to the feelings), but I have seen it twice and would easily recognize it as one of the greatest (maybe not quite superlative, though) films of all time. Is it better than one of my favorites, That Thing You Do? Absolutely. Still don't want to watch it again, though.

 

Yeah, that's kind of how I feel about Citizen Kane. I can see its importance and technical brilliance, but it's about as entertaining to me as a root canal. Casablanca is way more entertaining to me, and I think it is well-regarded due to being a sentimental favorite - it's far from the best acted, directed or written movie ever, but it has a tug on people's heartstrings that few movies have.

[Good Old Neon]

You know you're being a douchebag.

 

I would however be interested in hearing what your favorite movie is.

 

Do I? I made a little joke about folks enjoying The Rock – said nothing derogatory towards you, Jim – and you overreacted. Others have expressed a liking for The Rock, yet they somehow, without blowing shit all out of proportion, disagreed with me.

 

As for my favorite movie, it’s almost impossible for me to choose just one – Taxi Driver, Magnolia, Goodfellas, Jaws, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Big Lebowski, Barton Fink and on and on and it changes all the time.

[Edie]

Casablanca also has a historical element -- it was made during the war at a time when the outcome was far from a foregone conclusion. So when at the end, Elsa chooses to go with her husband instead of stay with Rick, exactly what world Rick was facing was not entirely clear -- so there was a big fat question mark as to what the shape of the world was going to be like in the near-term, which added to its poignancy (IMHO).

[Dude]

The Royal Tenenbaums

 

This one is a favorite right now:

 

[Guest Speed Racer]

Magnolia

 

Damn good film. The only movie I will only watch alone.

[Oil Can Boyd]

Casablanca also has a historical element -- it was made during the war at a time when the outcome was far from a foregone conclusion. So when at the end, Elsa chooses to go with her husband instead of stay with Rick, exactly what world Rick was facing was not entirely clear -- so there was a big fat question mark as to what the shape of the world was going to be like in the near-term, which added to its poignancy (IMHO).

I met my wife seeing Casablanca so for me it is both the best and my favorite movie.

[NightOfJoy]

I'm shocked that "Attack of the Mushroom People" or "Attack of the Giant Leeches" haven't been mentioned yet.

 

What IS IT with you people anyways?!?

 

I need a drink.

[Guest Runaway Jim]

Do I? I made a little joke about folks enjoying The Rock – said nothing derogatory towards you, Jim – and you overreacted. Others have expressed a liking for The Rock, yet they somehow, without blowing shit all out of proportion, disagreed with me.

 

As for my favorite movie, it’s almost impossible for me to choose just one – Taxi Driver, Magnolia, Goodfellas, Jaws, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Big Lebowski, Barton Fink and on and on and it changes all the time.

 

That's a great list of movies. Jaws and Barton Fink aside, the other 5 are for sure on my list of 10 favorite movies of all time.

 

I'm not going to continue the "you're a douchebag/no, i'm not" argument. You don't like what you don't like. I like what I like. Nothing else really to it.

[Atticus]

"who's your favorite douchebag?"

[Elixir Sue]

"who's your favorite the best douchebag?"

[Winston Legthigh]

The best douchebag is Massengill. My favorite douchebag is Dustin Diamond.

[gogo]

The only movie I will only watch alone.

Wait... what? You don't watch movies alone??

 

I'm a loner by nature. I go out to the movies by myself.

[F#F#F#GF#]

For me, the main difference between "favorite" and "best" is that "best" implies some sort of common standard. So when someone claims something is the best, he has the obligation to give, in terms of that common standard, reasons why. But usually people disagree over what defines the standard and its criteria, so claiming that something is the best requires, in addition to reasons why, a defense of whatever standard was used. But I do believe that there are practically universal standards, particularly within the bounds of one idiom or practice. And this means that "best" isn't a matter of personal opinion, like "favorite," but an objective category.

 

Things that I consider my favorite are usually things that I have a nostalgic or sentimental connection to; I think it is a great thing to be able to separate those two categories in your head. But if you aren't prepared to adequately defend a statement about what's "best," then you shouldn't make those statements.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Wait... what? You don't watch movies alone??

 

Ha, you misread that. It is the only movie I will not watch with other people. I've seen Forrest Gump well over 100 times - believe me, I watch movies alone.

[W(TF)]

But I do believe that there are practically universal standards, particularly within the bounds of one idiom or practice. And this means that "best" isn't a matter of personal opinion, like "favorite," but an objective category.

 

Hmmm. I dunno if this can apply to something like pop music, where thousands of releases come out every year and no one can possibly listen to them all, much less hear them objectively. Same for books, magazines, hockey players, etc. Multiply that x the internet...and x the frail ego of the modern critic. This is what makes modern "best" lists so meaningless. Ya know? I can't see any definitives with music, just 'what we liked and that managed to pass through our thousands of filters.'

 

Wolfgang and Ludwig, John and Paul, Jeff and Jay. God and Jesus. "Take your pick."