WM's Favorite Blockbuster

[shariqq]

[shariqq]

So I'm kinda bored. And boredom usually means interesting ideas.

Like the last Battle of Directors, this is a fun activity, and here's hoping all will participate.

Inorder to not face the issue we faced last time, here are the ground rules that will hopefully avoid any ties.

Step 1: Shortlisting 8 Movies.

Step 2: I will add up the votes for all the movies and announce the top-8. These will then be randomly placed in a draw (using randomizers to avoid favoritism) to begin the elimination game.

Step 3: Quarterfinals: at the end of it, we will have 4 movies.

Step 4: Semifinals: at the end of it, we will have 2 movies.

Step 5: Finals! And we have our winner!

Now all be sports, and let's get along doing this, for the fun of it!

Rules:
- Everyone HAS to vote within the timelimit. If you don't, your votes don't count. But be a sport and make it count!
- Don't try to manipulate the rankings/competition by voting based on a possible outcome/future. Vote on each honestly. We're trying to find a collective favorite here.
- Participate and enjoy the results!
- If at the end of any stage we have an equal number of votes on both sides, the movie that was released earlier gets the benefit. This is a simple way to avoid road-blocks.

Criteria:
- The movie has to be within the TOP 200 on the "All-Time Worldwide Box office" list of IMDb. Link --> IMDb chart.

So... let's begin!

[shariqq]

Step # 1.

Your choice of movies please! I'll use this post to tally everyone's choices.

Deadline: 15th May. Or earlier if everyone has posted.

Rules

• Everyone throw in movie names they like (as per above criteria). Minimum 1 & Maximum 3 movies per person.
• Each movie should be given points by you, sharing out of 10 pts between them. Example: You could mention one movie and give it 10pts. Or 2 movies with 5 & 5 or 6 & 4 or even 9 & 1 pts. Or 3 movies with any distribution of points. The total of the points you give them MUST add up to 10.
• go with your gut-instinct of which movies you like. Participate, and enjoy!

[ayaa1977]

That is a fun game, and I will participate for sure. However, this $500 millions is arbitrary and would excludes a lots of legitimate older blockbusters. For example, Jaws which started the whole summer popcorn blockbuster phenomenon made $470 millions worldwide, which if you count inflation would be double or more of today's money. Other examples would be Raiders of the Lost Ark which made $384 millions worldwide, and Return of the Jedi which made $475 millions. I think we should consider it a blockbuster if it is generally known as such, or at least it was in the top of the charts in the year of its release.

[shariqq]

Ayaa, doing that would open the field to too many choices. There has to be a limiting factor. I chose $500M because it is a big milestone for movies to cross.

I will not dictate these terms - Let's see what everyone else says. But I do suggest to stick to it to keep things simple.

Btw, Return of the Jedi qualifies, as it is in the IMDb list. ($572M)

[madali]

To make things simple, choose anything on  that list, almost all of them can be called blockbusters. Plus the 500+ list is crap.

[fizz]

To make things simple, choose anything on  that list, almost all of them can be called blockbusters. Plus the 500+ list is crap.

Actually a very good idea. I would endorse this. Anything 500m+ is just franchises. Essentially, same title repeated multiple times (LOTR, Shrek, Spiderman, HarryPotter!!).

[kaytee]

Tough one this...Lets keep it number 200 and up, so there is more choice to play with...

I go with

The Matrix - 5
Se7en - 3
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - 2

[shariqq]

Guys - really, $200M worldwide is hardly a criteria. Movies earn that much now in two weeks. We have to have a better criteria for *Blockbuster*. Battle: Los Angeles has earned $201M worldwide, and it hardly qualifies as a blockbuster. Movies like Eragon and Just Go with It and The Ugly Truth are on that list. That makes no sense, coz they weren't world-wide phenomenons!

The point is, our top choice of a movie that has stirred the world! And hence the criteria to take the top of the top.

$500M+ accounts for *80 movies*. That is not *all* franchises. It makes your choice more difficult, and hence it also makes this more interesting. the movie that comes out on top will really be a movie that shows WM's preferred movie from the TOP-earners ever.

What say all?

[ayaa1977]

Shariq, these numbers are attainable in today's market, but not in the past. By your account Crystal Skull would be allegable but notRaiders of the Lost ark. I think the fairest way to choose is by making the film allegable if it was a certified super hit in the year of release like if it was in the top 10 grossing film of that particular year. If that complicate things then I suggest you lower the bar at least for films that were released before 2000. Back to The Future, Top Gun, Home Alone, and Toy Story are not these blockbusters?

[shariqq]

I'm not a dictator, and WM is a democracy. So I'll let you all decide. Since I've put up my last argument, anyone has a change of mind? If not, we'll just include all movies on that IMDb All-Time Worldwide list.

[fizz]

Guys - really, $200M worldwide is hardly a criteria. Movies earn that much now in two weeks. We have to have a better criteria for *Blockbuster*. Battle: Los Angeles has earned $201M worldwide, and it hardly qualifies as a blockbuster. Movies like Eragon and Just Go with It and The Ugly Truth are on that list. That makes no sense, coz they weren't world-wide phenomenons!

I think Kaytee meant number 200 on that list (around 328 million and above), not a movie that's made USD 200 million or more. That is also a sensible logic.

[shariqq]

Ok - Top 200 grossing movies all time suits me fine, and is a good middle ground. Kaytee, Fizz & I agree with this (3 of the 5 people responded so far), so let's go ahead with this! 

[shariqq]

My revised choices:

4 pts - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
3 pts - Se7en
3 pts - Who Framed Roger Rabbit

[kaytee]

Thanks Mr. Doha for clarifying my stand.