I've seen the usual Oscar winners and losers. I''ve seen movies that everyone agrees was good, bad or indifferent. But for me, what makes a movie good?
I have several movies I've seen and enjoyed, and I will gladly watch them over and over again. I enjoy them, but admit that in the world of movies, they are not necessarily considered "Good". Because someone enjoys a movie, does not make it good. Enjoyable, yes. But good?
Like books, I consider a movie that makes me think to be good. I consider a movie that stays in my mind to be good. A perfect example would be Six Degrees of Separation. I watched this movie about 10 years ago or so. At the time, I thought it was slow, and tended to just stumble along. I watched the whole thing on video just before going to bed. When I woke up the next morning, I had to watch it again because I couldn't stop thinking about it. I haven't seen it since then, but I still think of it often. It is a story that just seems to ring true about human nature. I would recommend it to just about anyone who enjoys movies that are not just mindless entertainment.
Let's face it, Die Hard (and all the sequels) was a fun, action filled movie. But it didn't really require the viewer to think. The Matrix (et al.) was exciting and anction packed, but still mindless entertainment. Don't worry about thinking...the movie will tell you what to think.
OK, I've thought enough. Bedtime for Bonzo.