What makes a "great" film great?

tomdkat · 02-01-2005, 06:55 PM

We've spent a LOT of time discussing which films we like and which ones we don't. We've talked about popular films that some hate, etc. The one thing we really haven't discussed is why we consider "great" films to be "great" or even what a "great" film is, outside of personal opinion.

Or is it purely personal opinion that governs this? If I name "Fast and the Furious" as a "great film", some will laugh at me. Film elitists will think I'm smoking crack or something. Why would this be the reaction? Why isn't "Fast and the Furious" a "great" film yet Citizen Cane or Sanjuro are considered "great" films? What qualities does a "great film" possess that make it "great"?

Peace...

esc · 02-02-2005, 12:28 PM

it will never be really pinpointed what makes a truly great film. Speilberg and Lucas have said that if they knew the formula, they would crank out 1 or 2 huge money-making ultra popular films a year.

a few things for me at least that make a film great..

one thing is timing... if a movie comes out at just the right time when an audience is ready for it.

another thing is fully developed characters that you feel have had complete lives before the film began. this can be conveyed through just a look, a few lines of dialogue or some simple actions, or it can take several scenes to develop.
I could give a hundred good examples but one severely underwritten character that you learn everything that you need to know about in a couple seconds is Darth Maul. Disagree with me if you want, but when he starts pacing in front of Qui Gon with the lasershield between them, you learn everything you need to know about the character. I think its the single greatest moment of Episode I.
Its very easy to over do this type of character introduction/development though. Just because I saw it tonight and its fresh in my mind, I'll bring up The Grudge (US) vs Lost in Translation. Grudge got the point across instantly how the female charcters felt about being in a foreign country with a different language an customs with half a scene between the husband and his wife, and Sarah Michelle Geller's looks and body language with the first scene between her and Ted Raimi at the hospital. At that point, you knew who these women were and could feel for them. A movie where I thought this was overdone was Lost in Translation ... same situation, but you are told too many times in too many ways how the female lead feels about being in this country.

another thing is little perfect scenes that could have been cut for time that set a mood. one scene that I always thought was amazing and could have been cut for time, but wasn't, was in the cop car in SE7EN when Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman are driving to the Sloth victim's apartment and Pitt is obsessing over what the name was of an officer that he saw get shot years before.

Iguana Man · 03-28-2005, 08:20 PM

Well I'm no film buff, but for me...a great film is simply one I enjoy far more than ones I consider good. Was I completely entertained? Yes? Ok...to me that's great. Did I simply enjoy the movie? Yes? Ok...to me that's good.

Then again, I really don't watch that many movies so maybe I'm less critical based on that, or, I simply don't demand too much (compared to other big time film watchers).

One thing I'm definately sure of though....if Tom was a movie, it would be super calafragilistic GREAT.

immortalem · 04-14-2005, 10:05 PM

I think great films have great stories. The story has to be compelling and interesting. I think story and content are very important in a great film. Also interesting characters make a good film. You have to be able to relate and care for the characters and that element is always in great films. Last but not least the film must have good acting for it to be a great film. If the acting is bad then the film falls apart.

Dilmo · 04-15-2005, 12:12 AM

I read an article a while back about the perfect recipe for a perfect movie. They (a college I believe) claimed that Shakepeare In Love was a perfect movie. I don't always agree with the Oscars, but Shakespeare should NOT have won over Saving Private Ryan, which to me comes damn near to perfection. Everyone is going to have a different opinion about what "great" is. I think "greatness" is in the eyes of the viewer, as it should be.

MooglePorn · 04-15-2005, 09:26 AM

I have to say I enjoyed Shakespeare In Love more than Private Ryan, but only marginally so. Neither one is perfect.

The perfect movie is The Godfather, everyone knows that :p

Slanter · 06-15-2005, 01:29 AM

Why not ask, "what is the meaning of life?" Just as loaded.

Dilmo · 06-15-2005, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slanter

Why not ask, "what is the meaning of life?" Just as loaded.

Monty Python knows.

Onibubba · 06-15-2005, 11:56 AM

What makes a movie great for me would have to be the characters. I look at all of my fovorite films, movies I watch again and again, and the most common factor is that they all have characters I like or am at least interested in.

MooglePorn · 06-15-2005, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onibubba

What makes a movie great for me would have to be the characters. I look at all of my fovorite films, movies I watch again and again, and the most common factor is that they all have characters I like or am at least interested in.

I don't have to like them as long as they are interesting and well-written. One of my favorite films of all time is Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and I certainly don't admire the two leads of that movie.

Slanter · 06-16-2005, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

One of my favorite films of all time is Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and I certainly don't admire the two leads of that movie.

You have to be kidding. There were only 2 movies I couldn't sit through before that became number 3 after 15 minutes. And I've seen a TON of shit put to film.

Dilmo · 06-16-2005, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

I don't have to like them as long as they are interesting and well-written. One of my favorite films of all time is Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and I certainly don't admire the two leads of that movie.

I respect you Moogle, but I can't stand that movie.

MooglePorn · 06-16-2005, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slanter

You have to be kidding. There were only 2 movies I couldn't sit through before that became number 3 after 15 minutes. And I've seen a TON of shit put to film.

Easily in my top 5, no doubt about it. Great visual direction, funny as hell characters and dialogue, irreverent humor, and a political message underneath it all. Brilliance.

Dilmo · 06-16-2005, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

Easily in my top 5, no doubt about it. Great visual direction, funny as hell characters and dialogue, irreverent humor, and a political message underneath it all. Brilliance.

That's what I love about this forum, is the versatility, without arrogance.

Notoriousaurus · 06-16-2005, 06:54 AM

For me there is two distinct kinds of great. There is the great "I had a great time" films, which would include anything that amuses me during the duration. This can allow for some really bad movies to be great based on the entertainment level that I have.

The other more "profound" great is when a movie takes me to a level that no movie has done previously, or makes me see something in a light I never have. These are the films that make me tingle. GoodFellas, Hiroshima, Mon Amour, hell... even Kansas City Bomber is unique in this way. These are the movies that I enjoy beyond reasoning.

CapnCruncH157 · 06-24-2005, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by esc

a few things for me at least that make a film great..

one thing is timing... if a movie comes out at just the right time when an audience is ready for it.

I think I'm disagreeing with you there. Many movies have been well loathed during their initial release to the audience only to be appreciated and loved later on. I'm sure everyone can agree on that. That's what I think is so great about films. Your initial viewing and subsequent response/feelings can change over the years.

I agree with everyone on this thread about the need for interesting (not necessarily likeable) characters. But I also think great films engage you so strongly that you're totally immersed within its world.

Or.... whatever... it's late at night... errrr really early in the morning and I need some sleep. Adios.

Porkchop · 07-07-2005, 05:31 PM

Here's a pet theory of mine...

A lot of films that I consider to be great have this in common: they take something that I don't necessarily love, or have any reason to love, and make me understand how somebody could love it.

Examples:
Searching for Bobby Fischer - for me, a truly great film. I find chess exceedingly dull and frustrating, but this movie made me empathize with the boy's love for it, and Ben Kingsley's and Larry Fishburne's passion for it as well.
Almost Famous - I couldn't really care less about 70's rock and roll, but I got totally involved in how much the main character loved it. Another great film.
As Good As It Gets - a great example of presenting a wholly detestable character and making you believe that somebody could actually love him.

Of course, not every great film does this. But any movie that does so in a compelling way really sucks me in.

furthest1 · 07-08-2005, 01:21 PM

I think it's a whole package. Writing acting and directing. The director has to have a good vision and be able to create scenes that are beleivable and enjoyable to watch. The actors need to get into their characters and really deliver their lines well. They need to master timing and tone of their voice and really pull things off at top notch. You'd also like to see some chummyness between the actors, like they have always been friends as they are in the movie. Writing, this is all dialouge. It has to be things people will actually say.

limacharliewhiskey · 07-08-2005, 03:56 PM

I think to recognize a great film, you have to watch a lot of mediocre and crappy movies. You see enough dreck and garbage, when a truly great film comes out, you can appreciate it for its artistic merits, wonderful storytelling, and fantastic acting.

Volcane · 07-09-2005, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by limacharliewhis

I think to recognize a great film, you have to watch a lot of mediocre and crappy movies. You see enough dreck and garbage, when a truly great film comes out, you can appreciate it for its artistic merits, wonderful storytelling, and fantastic acting.

That says it all for me... a crap film will make another film great!

Chunkblower · 07-10-2005, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by furthest1

I think it's a whole package. Writing acting and directing.

I have to disagree as there are many films that I would consider great that weren't especially welll written, but are elevated by another aspect. Blade Runner has a frustratingly under developed screenplay, but the film itself is elevated by Ridley Scott's sense of style and the performance of Rutger Hauer and to a lesser extent Harrison Ford. Because film is a visual medium, I feel that, though a good screenplay is important, the visual aspects take precedence.

furthest1 · 07-11-2005, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chunkblower

I have to disagree as there are many films that I would consider great that weren't especially welll written, but are elevated by another aspect. Blade Runner has a frustratingly under developed screenplay, but the film itself is elevated by Ridley Scott's sense of style and the performance of Rutger Hauer and to a lesser extent Harrison Ford. Because film is a visual medium, I feel that, though a good screenplay is important, the visual aspects take precedence.

I've always regarded Blade Runner as a pretty well written movie though. I thought that the dialouge was decent, but the situations that were created through the story were great. Although, I guess you could attribute this to Scott's directing, but I think some of it was the crafting of the writers. The biggest thing about writing for me though is dialogue. Beleivable character interactions are so important for me when I watch a movie. I think that Blade Runner definitely had one.

krazie · 09-08-2005, 02:27 PM

Sometimes I think that a performance can make a movie seem better than what it is. Or simply a likeability of a character can make a great.

tomdkat · 09-08-2005, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krazie

Sometimes I think that a performance can make a movie seem better than what it is. Or simply a likeability of a character can make a great.

I think this is a great point.

How many movies have you seen where this has been the case? I know I've seen several.

Peace...

firestorm · 09-08-2005, 05:41 PM

Personally, I think there are "great movies" and then there are great "entertaining movies".

I think a great movie is one that pulls you into a new world, captures your mind and does so without distraction. A great movie can make the unbelieveable believable, make you feel the emotions, send chills down your spine if the moment merits it and straps you to your seat.

Just off the top of my head, the LOTR movies obviously come to mind as good examples. Although long, all three films flow so well, and you only get up to use the facilities because you know your going to watch it again anyway. The music, color, and lighting all bring out the intended emotion. Shawshank Redemption is another with a strong story and you feel the ties between the characters and their destiny.

I received iRobot as a gift and I originally discounted it as another "doomed by technology" movie. However, upon viewing it, I was drawn in and couldn't get enough. I still don't get where the dilapitated suspension bridge in Chicago came from, but it for some reason didn't matter to me.

Examples of entertaining movies would be those like Gone in 60 Seconds or Armageddon. I thoroughly enjoy both films, but particular flaws throw me out of the movie with a "WTF?" embroidend across my mind; all regardless of how many times I watch them. Or the movie may simply feel drawn out or spread thin. In most cases, the movies I feel fit this category are those that missed on some level; beit bad acting, bad cuts, bad audio, bad sync, bad/missing story, etc... or a combination, but somehow manage to be entertaining to a great degree.

When Memphis steals Eleanor, you see him start the car, but the audio of the engine running starts before he has physically turned the ignition all the way. How could they miss that? It's not that the rest of the movie is authentic, but it at least flows and, in the "world" of the movie, it is believeable or forgiveable.

In Armageddon, everybody is screaming while pulling 13Gs. Making the unbelievable believeable. While I believe they succeed in some areas, when you are inundated with unbelieveable elements, those things that *can* be grounded in reality should be whenever possible IMO. I realize that a cast with terror on their faces, breathless and passing out may not be theatrical, but it remains a scene that bothers me. One catastrophe after another got really old as well. But, there are parts that are simply cool or so hilarious that I can't help but wish to see them again.

Although flawed, these movies contain enough "great" aspects and entertainment to counter those flaws to some degree. They may or may not be "great movies" in my eyes, but they find their way into my collection none-the-less. But, considering that the final cut for each of the LOTR movies didn't go to print until the last moment (IIRC), it is often hard to believe what slips through in other films.

I likely didn't select the best examples, but that is essentially how *I* think of *our* collection.

tomdkat · 09-08-2005, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firestorm

Personally, I think there are "great movies" and then there are great "entertaining movies".

I think this is a great distinction since we often comment on movies that "suck" due to all of the flaws and lack of believability yet we don't address the entertainment value much at all.

On the flip side, I might consider a movie to be "good" or "great" mainly because of the entertainment value it has even though it's not "good" or "great" for other reasons.

Interesting....

Peace...

**SilentBob** · 09-09-2005, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firestorm

Personally, I think there are "great movies" and then there are great "entertaining movies".

That is how i am for my top 2005 movies i have seen. Right now i have both Crash and Batman Begins tied as my fav movie of 2005.

Crash falls into the first category of being a "great film" The acting, the look, directing, the story and overall emotional impact of the entire package is Oscar worthy for many awards. Nothing against Batman Begins which also had great acting, amazing looking sets, cinetography and overall good directing but it was more of those 'cool moments' that made this more of a great "entertaining film" I think it also deserves some nods for cinetography and score but its not your typical best movie of the year at the oscars.

Still i'm stuck on which is my fav of the 2005 season and like you mentioned they still both fall under the category of being great films. Yet in 2 seperate and equal ways

JeffHanawalt · 09-10-2005, 06:28 PM

IMO what makes a great movie great is screenplay and acting, and
good direction definitely helps. A movie falls apart for me if I don't
care about the characters or don't believe the actions of characters in
certain situations. The writing is the biggest factor for me that seperates
good films from bad films.

02-01-2005, 06:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
tomdkat Official Forum Warmonger "Dial Tone" Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Hayward, CA, USA	What makes a "great" file great? We've spent a LOT of time discussing which films we like and which ones we don't. We've talked about popular films that some hate, etc. The one thing we really haven't discussed is why we consider "great" films to be "great" or even what a "great" film is, outside of personal opinion. Or is it purely personal opinion that governs this? If I name "Fast and the Furious" as a "great film", some will laugh at me. Film elitists will think I'm smoking crack or something. Why would this be the reaction? Why isn't "Fast and the Furious" a "great" film yet Citizen Cane or Sanjuro are considered "great" films? What qualities does a "great film" possess that make it "great"? Peace... __________________ My DVD Aficionado List "At last we shall reveal ourselves to the Jedi, at last we shall have revenge!"

02-02-2005, 12:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
esc Stay behind my aura! Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: camrose, alberta, canada	Re: What makes a it will never be really pinpointed what makes a truly great film. Speilberg and Lucas have said that if they knew the formula, they would crank out 1 or 2 huge money-making ultra popular films a year. a few things for me at least that make a film great.. one thing is timing... if a movie comes out at just the right time when an audience is ready for it. another thing is fully developed characters that you feel have had complete lives before the film began. this can be conveyed through just a look, a few lines of dialogue or some simple actions, or it can take several scenes to develop. I could give a hundred good examples but one severely underwritten character that you learn everything that you need to know about in a couple seconds is Darth Maul. Disagree with me if you want, but when he starts pacing in front of Qui Gon with the lasershield between them, you learn everything you need to know about the character. I think its the single greatest moment of Episode I. Its very easy to over do this type of character introduction/development though. Just because I saw it tonight and its fresh in my mind, I'll bring up The Grudge (US) vs Lost in Translation. Grudge got the point across instantly how the female charcters felt about being in a foreign country with a different language an customs with half a scene between the husband and his wife, and Sarah Michelle Geller's looks and body language with the first scene between her and Ted Raimi at the hospital. At that point, you knew who these women were and could feel for them. A movie where I thought this was overdone was Lost in Translation ... same situation, but you are told too many times in too many ways how the female lead feels about being in this country. another thing is little perfect scenes that could have been cut for time that set a mood. one scene that I always thought was amazing and could have been cut for time, but wasn't, was in the cop car in SE7EN when Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman are driving to the Sloth victim's apartment and Pitt is obsessing over what the name was of an officer that he saw get shot years before.

03-28-2005, 08:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
Iguana Man Ex-BadHumor Man Join Date: May 2002 Location: New Jersey, USA	Well I'm no film buff, but for me...a great film is simply one I enjoy far more than ones I consider good. Was I completely entertained? Yes? Ok...to me that's great. Did I simply enjoy the movie? Yes? Ok...to me that's good. Then again, I really don't watch that many movies so maybe I'm less critical based on that, or, I simply don't demand too much (compared to other big time film watchers). One thing I'm definately sure of though....if Tom was a movie, it would be super calafragilistic GREAT. __________________ Get outside and have fun! Nacho Website Focus

06-15-2005, 01:29 AM	#7 (permalink)
Slanter Actor Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Maryland	Why not ask, "what is the meaning of life?" Just as loaded. __________________ I quit smoking. :p

06-15-2005, 11:56 AM	#9 (permalink)
Onibubba Actor Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Drowning in Big Orange Hell	What makes a movie great for me would have to be the characters. I look at all of my fovorite films, movies I watch again and again, and the most common factor is that they all have characters I like or am at least interested in. __________________ Keep the taps flowing and be well!

04-14-2005, 10:05 PM	#4 (permalink)
immortalem Supporting Actor Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: texas	I think great films have great stories. The story has to be compelling and interesting. I think story and content are very important in a great film. Also interesting characters make a good film. You have to be able to relate and care for the characters and that element is always in great films. Last but not least the film must have good acting for it to be a great film. If the acting is bad then the film falls apart.

04-15-2005, 12:12 AM	#5 (permalink)
Dilmo Suspended Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: New Braunfels, Texas. Far From Crawford!	I read an article a while back about the perfect recipe for a perfect movie. They (a college I believe) claimed that Shakepeare In Love was a perfect movie. I don't always agree with the Oscars, but Shakespeare should NOT have won over Saving Private Ryan, which to me comes damn near to perfection. Everyone is going to have a different opinion about what "great" is. I think "greatness" is in the eyes of the viewer, as it should be.

04-15-2005, 09:26 AM	#6 (permalink)
MooglePorn Actor Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Philadelphia, PA	I have to say I enjoyed Shakespeare In Love more than Private Ryan, but only marginally so. Neither one is perfect. The perfect movie is The Godfather, everyone knows that :p

06-16-2005, 06:54 AM	#15 (permalink)
Notoriousaurus Rezident Non-Black MetroSexual Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mesa, AZ	For me there is two distinct kinds of great. There is the great "I had a great time" films, which would include anything that amuses me during the duration. This can allow for some really bad movies to be great based on the entertainment level that I have. The other more "profound" great is when a movie takes me to a level that no movie has done previously, or makes me see something in a light I never have. These are the films that make me tingle. GoodFellas, Hiroshima, Mon Amour, hell... even Kansas City Bomber is unique in this way. These are the movies that I enjoy beyond reasoning. __________________ DVDFile Mascot \| A Metrosexual DVD Collection! \| STAY IN SCHOOL KIDS! "I sure hope she doesn't have a penis because that would just ruin it for me." - Damian

07-07-2005, 05:31 PM	#17 (permalink)
Porkchop Actor Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada	Here's a pet theory of mine... A lot of films that I consider to be great have this in common: they take something that I don't necessarily love, or have any reason to love, and make me understand how somebody could love it. Examples: Searching for Bobby Fischer - for me, a truly great film. I find chess exceedingly dull and frustrating, but this movie made me empathize with the boy's love for it, and Ben Kingsley's and Larry Fishburne's passion for it as well. Almost Famous - I couldn't really care less about 70's rock and roll, but I got totally involved in how much the main character loved it. Another great film. As Good As It Gets - a great example of presenting a wholly detestable character and making you believe that somebody could actually love him. Of course, not every great film does this. But any movie that does so in a compelling way really sucks me in. __________________ I've seen detergents that leave a better film than this.

07-08-2005, 01:21 PM	#18 (permalink)
furthest1 Actor Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington, DC	I think it's a whole package. Writing acting and directing. The director has to have a good vision and be able to create scenes that are beleivable and enjoyable to watch. The actors need to get into their characters and really deliver their lines well. They need to master timing and tone of their voice and really pull things off at top notch. You'd also like to see some chummyness between the actors, like they have always been friends as they are in the movie. Writing, this is all dialouge. It has to be things people will actually say.

07-08-2005, 03:56 PM	#19 (permalink)
limacharliewhiskey FryMaster Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The O.C.	I think to recognize a great film, you have to watch a lot of mediocre and crappy movies. You see enough dreck and garbage, when a truly great film comes out, you can appreciate it for its artistic merits, wonderful storytelling, and fantastic acting. __________________ "Believing oneself to be perfect is often a sign of a delusional mind." - Data in Star Trek: First Contact DVD Aficionado collection.

09-08-2005, 02:27 PM	#23 (permalink)
krazie Supporting Actor Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Brownsville, Texas	Sometimes I think that a performance can make a movie seem better than what it is. Or simply a likeability of a character can make a great. __________________ Fear the Night.

09-08-2005, 05:41 PM	#25 (permalink)
firestorm Actor Join Date: Sep 2005	Personally, I think there are "great movies" and then there are great "entertaining movies". I think a great movie is one that pulls you into a new world, captures your mind and does so without distraction. A great movie can make the unbelieveable believable, make you feel the emotions, send chills down your spine if the moment merits it and straps you to your seat. Just off the top of my head, the LOTR movies obviously come to mind as good examples. Although long, all three films flow so well, and you only get up to use the facilities because you know your going to watch it again anyway. The music, color, and lighting all bring out the intended emotion. Shawshank Redemption is another with a strong story and you feel the ties between the characters and their destiny. I received iRobot as a gift and I originally discounted it as another "doomed by technology" movie. However, upon viewing it, I was drawn in and couldn't get enough. I still don't get where the dilapitated suspension bridge in Chicago came from, but it for some reason didn't matter to me. Examples of entertaining movies would be those like Gone in 60 Seconds or Armageddon. I thoroughly enjoy both films, but particular flaws throw me out of the movie with a "WTF?" embroidend across my mind; all regardless of how many times I watch them. Or the movie may simply feel drawn out or spread thin. In most cases, the movies I feel fit this category are those that missed on some level; beit bad acting, bad cuts, bad audio, bad sync, bad/missing story, etc... or a combination, but somehow manage to be entertaining to a great degree. When Memphis steals Eleanor, you see him start the car, but the audio of the engine running starts before he has physically turned the ignition all the way. How could they miss that? It's not that the rest of the movie is authentic, but it at least flows and, in the "world" of the movie, it is believeable or forgiveable. In Armageddon, everybody is screaming while pulling 13Gs. Making the unbelievable believeable. While I believe they succeed in some areas, when you are inundated with unbelieveable elements, those things that can be grounded in reality should be whenever possible IMO. I realize that a cast with terror on their faces, breathless and passing out may not be theatrical, but it remains a scene that bothers me. One catastrophe after another got really old as well. But, there are parts that are simply cool or so hilarious that I can't help but wish to see them again. Although flawed, these movies contain enough "great" aspects and entertainment to counter those flaws to some degree. They may or may not be "great movies" in my eyes, but they find their way into my collection none-the-less. But, considering that the final cut for each of the LOTR movies didn't go to print until the last moment (IIRC), it is often hard to believe what slips through in other films. I likely didn't select the best examples, but that is essentially how I think of our collection.

09-10-2005, 06:28 PM	#28 (permalink)
JeffHanawalt Insert Avatar Here Join Date: Aug 2002	IMO what makes a great movie great is screenplay and acting, and good direction definitely helps. A movie falls apart for me if I don't care about the characters or don't believe the actions of characters in certain situations. The writing is the biggest factor for me that seperates good films from bad films.