Alright folks, please try to remain calm through the duration of this post while we attempt to contextualize this list.
For the first time in six years, British film magazine Empire has conducted a survey of readers’ favorite movies. Their finished list of 301 movies is… let’s be generous and say that it’s suspect at best. Fritz Lang’s dystopian masterpiece Metropolis (#251), for example, ranks lower than Home Alone (#250). Dumb and Dumber (#244) is also higher than The Graduate (#247). And Vertigo (#43) is below The Breakfast Club (#38).
It’s folly to suggest that movies can really be objectively ranked, but Empire‘s methodology is remarkably unclear. At the risk of editorializing, the Media staff universally agrees that this is pretty awful list. Once you get to the top 100, the rankings become less embarrassing, if only because the worst ones are still at least enjoyable.
Approach this list with a grain of salt. It’s certainly worth a read to get a gauge on what movies people consider the best. But to quote one of the comments left on the article, “Wait what?”