The recent Sight & Sound poll has been stirring up debate ever since news broke that Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo had surpassed Citizen Kane as the collective critical pick for “Greatest Film” of all time. But now, the UK magazine – and the British Film Institute – have unveiled a comprehensive Web site listing all of the movies ranked by critics, including the Top 250, and the full list of participants.
The site breaks the information down into relevant categories, from “Top Films by Living Directors” to “Top Westerns.” I’d advise you to start here, which is the full list of the 250 films ranked by Sight & Sound critics. We’ve covered in great detail the fact that Vertigo replaced Kane at the top of the list. But did you know that Ozu’s mesmerizing Tokyo Story landed at number three? Could you list the remaining films on the Top 10? And how many of them have you seen?
The Sight & Sound poll is conducted once a decade, and surveys prominent filmmakers (Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, Quentin Tarantino), critics (Roger Ebert, Dave Kehr, Manohla Dargis) and industry executives. Spend some time on the site surfing individual lists. It’s a great way to figure out new critics from around the globe who share your tastes. It’s also an effective way to compile a must-see list of films considered to be the “Greatest” by knowledgeable people.
And then make sure you swing by this list compiled by CriticWire. By definition, all lists meant to rank anything are subjective, and the Sight & Sound list has inspired fascinating discussion about “right” and “wrong” picks. But CriticWire went the extra mile to comb the list and pick the craziest selections. Who the hell voted for Zoolander? How about Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End?! I’m not even sure that’s the best Orlando Bloom movie, let alone a “Greatest” film of all time.
