Roger Ebert’s Top 10 Favorite Movies of All Time

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As a dedicated fan of Roger Ebert’s insightful film criticism, I wholeheartedly agree with his personal and emotional approach to compiling a list of his all-time favorite movies. His belief that the cinema is the greatest art form for generating emotions in its audience resonates deeply with me as a viewer.

The late, great film critic Roger Ebert has obviously loved hundreds of films, but in 1991, he sat down to write his 10 all-time favorite movies, and never changed the list. He clarified that these were favorites of his, not what might be more objectively called “the best.” Here’s what he had to say about the list:

“If I must make a list of the Ten Greatest Films of All Time, my first vow is to make the list for myself, not for anybody else. I am sure than Eisenstein’s “The Battleship Potemkin” is a great film, but it’s not going on my list simply so I can impress people. Nor will I avoid “Casablanca” simply because it’s so popular: I love it all the same.

“If I have a criterion for choosing the greatest films, it’s an emotional one. These are films that moved me deeply in one way or another. The cinema is the greatest art form ever conceived for generating emotions in its audience. That’s what it does best. (If you argue instead for dance or music, drama or painting, I will reply that the cinema incorporates all of these arts).”

This list chronicles those films. Rest in power, Roger.

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2024-07-15 00:50