Team Cinemaholic
We already listed the movies that don’t deserve to be in the IMDb Top 250. Most agreed with the list, while there were also many who disagreed, especially with my inclusion of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’. That was always expected considering Christopher Nolan fans consider every movie of his a masterpiece. I won’t make arguments on why ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ is undeserving again, instead, in this article, I’ll list down the movies that surprisingly aren’t in the IMDb Top 250.
To reiterate, IMDb Top 250 is decided by the votes of regular users. Therefore, while making this list I specifically looked into the films that are popular among regular movie fans and yet are not part of IMDb 250. And of course, quality of the film is also very important. So, for e.g. I know ‘Avatar’ is a hugely popular among a certain segment of movie lovers but I don’t think it’s good enough a movie to find a place on a list of top 250 movies. With that said, here is the list of movies that I feel deserve to be on IMDb 250, but aren’t:
10. Gravity
The film that made new benchmarks on how space-based movie should be shot. I know there are critics of the film out there who believe it doesn’t offer anything new in terms of story-telling — which, might be true — but let me tell you plainly and simply: To watch ‘Gravity’ on an IMAX screen was my most thrilling theater experience ever. And I’m sure, there are many who had a similar experience. That’s why it surprises me that a mediocre space film like ‘The Martian’ is in IMDb 250, but a singular film like ‘Gravity’ isn’t.
9. Magnolia
Arguably, the best film of Paul Thomas Anderson. A film that has developed a cult following since its release. So it is a bit startling to not see it on the top 250 list. Though, it is also one of the several films listed in this article that are right at the cusp of breaking into the top 250 with a rating of 8.0.
8. Birdman
Bursting and bristling with raw energy, ‘Birdman’ plays around with the art of movie-making and gives a new dimension to it. It deservedly won Best Picture Oscar in 2014 and since then has even started to gain a cult following. It’s a bold and brave film that takes risk of telling a story in a way that has never been attemPted before. On that count alone, it deserves a place in IMDb Top 250.
7. Boyhood
Boyhood’, more than just a film, is an observance. An observance of a 6 years old boy growing up to become an 18 years old adult. Again, an example of enormous risk-taking on the part of the director Richard Linklater who shot the film in 12 years. Also, it is the best reviewed film ever. And yet, it couldn’t find a place on IMDb Top 250 list. Shocking!
6. Zodiac
When a film manages to twitch you for full two-and-a-half hours, and leave you thinking for days, it must have got many things right that the routinely made thrillers don’t. In my opinion, ‘Zodiac’ is Fincher’s best film. And yet, while his other films like ‘The Fight Club’ and ‘Se7en’ are comfortably sitting on the Top 250 list, ‘Zodiac’ is conspicuously absent.
Read More: Movies That Does Not Deserve To be on IMDb
5. Lost in Translation
‘Lost in Translation’ is the single greatest movie ever made about what it feels to feel nothing — or what we commonly refer to as “ennui”. Rarely, will you see film that rests with you for days. In ‘Lost in Translation’s’ case, it has never left me since I first watched it — and later re-watched it several more times. I have also lost count of people who have told it how much they love this film. There are legions of fans arguing on internet forums on what did Bill Murray say in Scarlet Johannson’s ear in the climax scene. All that love for the film wasn’t enough, it seems, to push the film in the top 250.
4. Before Sunset
The Before series of films undoubtedly are one the greatest trilogies ever made in cinema. It also enjoys a cult following across the globe. So, it does surprise me that arguably the best film of the trilogy isn’t on the list. Though presence of ‘Before Sunrise’ on the list at least offers some consolation.
3. Titanic
One of the biggest global box office hit. The film that made the careers of two promising young actors. The film that still is enjoyed by millions whenever it is shown on the television and yet, no place of a list that’s voted by general movie going audience. Truly, surprising!
2. Pyaasa
There are a few Indian films on the IMDb 250 list including the likes of ‘3 Idiots’ and ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’. I won’t argue against their inclusion since they are good and popular films. But the fact that, arguably, the greatest Hindi film ever made, ‘Pyaasa’, isn’t on the list is a real shame. It has the qualifying rating of 8.5 on IMDb; it just doesn’t have the qualifying number of votes.
1. Mulholland Drive
Whoa! This is truly a shocking exclusion. When you have websites after websites dedicated to demystify film’s dense nature (even, we had our own take on the film) and every major publication and critic calling it one of the greatest film ever made, it baffles me how ‘Mulholland Drive’ isn’t on IMDb top 250. It’s currently rated at 8.0, so I’m guessing it must be pretty close to breaking into top 250. May be one day it will.
Read More: Highest Rated 2017 Movies on IMDb
