What makes a great film?

A for Effort

This is a very ambiguous attribute of good films, and can be difficult to quantify. Film-goers opinions' on what makes a good film can vary, and is very subjective. It can be assumed, however, that one can't just pick up a camera, put minimal work into filming, and expect an amazing film, and it's doubtful that it will be considered such by ANYONE. When you watch a film created by a team who loves what they're making, and tries to put as much effort and detail into a film as possible, it can be seen, and whether you like the film or not, it cannot be denied that work was put into it; that it wasn't another straight to TV movie. Take Titanic, for instance. James Cameron loves the subject, and put enormous effort into perfectly emulating the details present on the sunken ship. Dedication like that, even if it doesn't seem to make a tangible effect on the movie, exemplifies a team's dedication to film-making.

Moreover, even if the viewer didn't like the film personally, but can still acknowledge that it was well-made, that is the sign of a great film.

An Effective Message

If we discard ambiguous qualifiers like the criterion above, what else can make a great film? A powerful and effective message is one. One of the objectives of films is to connect with the audience is to connect with them on a deeper level, through the message, theme, symbols, etc. that are present in the film. When the audience is able to connect, it makes it that much more enjoyable for the viewers when they are able to relate back it. Even better is when the message isn't thrown into the viewer's face. Films that shove the meaning into your face can be blamed on bad writing, along with an inability to connect what the viewer sees with what they feel. One film that can be considered to have done it right is Bladerunner.

The film was portrayed in a way that made the identity of a human ambiguous, while also impressing this on the audience, along with other themes. The important point to take from this is that while Bladerunner is an action film, it still managed to impress these themes on the audience.

Acting

That’s it.

The acting present in a film can be more important than the cinematography, editing, and music. The acting can determine whether the message of the film is properly presented, and whether or not the audience will end up laughing at what was intended to be a gritty action movie. On the other hand, the acting of a movie can save it, and turn it into something great. Or just add to what was already a great film. Fight Club is an example of this.

Edward Norton and Bradd Pitts’ acting was what made the film such a great film. It added to the mystery of the pair, along with the line between who was who. Bradd Pitt did an excellent job of portraying Norton’s mental counterpart, adding the emotion necessary to make it believable (if you can call it that.

Wow, that sounded like shameless advertising. Go watch Fight Club everyone, I’ll mail whoever does a pizza roll.