MovieChat Forums > Breaking Away (1979) Discussion > Why I hate the IMDB Top 250

Why I hate the IMDB Top 250

posted 18 years ago by MyDarkStar
13 replies | jump to latest

The Top 250 is so partial towards new moovies. Basically, people are going out & seeing movies & then coming to IMDB & voting on them. If they really like the movie it's getting a bunch of very good votes, and 2 weeks after it was released it's on the Top 250. That's all because IMDB has a ton of users these days.

But of course IMDB didn't exist in 1979. So, the only people who are rating movies such as Breaking Away are people who have maintained a personal connection to it over the past 28 years - or maybe somebody who just so happened to catch it on cable recently. However, if this same exact movie was released in 2007, it would have shot right into the Top 250 within a month of its released - just like movies such as Little Miss Sunshine, Walk The Line, or Finding Neverland.

[–] NewHorizons37 17 years ago

I totally agree with you, MyDarkStar.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] MyDarkStar 17 years ago

yeah, and just to further show my point : Superbad just made it in the Top 250.

...and there's no way in hell that Superbad is more deserving of being in the Top 250 than Breaking Away

[–] willie55 17 years ago

I totally agree. This is my favorite movie of all time, drama, comedy, coming of age movie. Who doesn't hit the magical age of 18 and wonder what am I going to do with my life? High School is just a fading memory. This movie beats out many on the top 250 list without trying too hard.

[–] Piperson 12 years ago

You are really right. I am resolving to rate my faves and least faves from now on. I think the list should reflect the whole spectrum of movies. Otherwise what good is it?

I loved "Breaking Away". A classic.

[–] nocomputer1962 12 years ago

7.6 seems pretty harsh for such a definitive inspirational sports movie. Then again, it doesn't have any of the usual cliches of sports movies for the post-"Rudy" generation: no slow motion photography; no speeches by the hero about the meaning of manhood; no scenes of one person clapping, joined by several people clapping, escalating into the entire cast clapping and cheering. No wonder the "Rudy"-ites don't understand it.

[–] smullen1 12 years ago

Hey come on--Rudy is a phenomenal movie, I would say better than this even. Breaking Away is amazing, but Rudy might be the most inspirational thing I've ever seen.

[–] gabby_bm 12 years ago

Rudy is probably the most melancholy sports movie ever made. 90 minutes of watching the world's complete indifference toward the man finally culminating into an inspiring climax. But man... It doesn't even qualify as depressing because depression is something of a feeling- a sensation to be experienced. No, "Rudy" never tugs at your heartstrings. It just sets a half-eaten sandwich on them as if the heartstrings are ultimately inconsequential.

It was a good movie with a righteous payoff but the trip there was like driving through the desert to get to the ocean.

My "#3" key is broken so I'm putting one here so i can cut & paste with it.

[–] coolbrett 12 years ago

I'm not so sure. There are A LOT of old movies on the top 250. In fact probably most of them. Before the 1990s when IMDB didn't exist. If anything I think that a movie this old has had a very long (hence very big) chance to get into the top 250, but it's not. Not that that is any proof of the quality of a movie anyway.

No expectations, no disappointments.

[–] gd5150 12 years ago

Agreed anything less than a month old subtract 1 point. Anything by Tarantino after Pulp Fuction subtract 4 points.

[–] Benny_h11 12 years ago

I completely agree with you, but at least you understand the reason why older classics don't get the recognition that newer *beep* films get. Just be happy in the knowledge that you know better.

[–] liscarkat (18373) 3 years ago

Top Anything lists are always recent-weighted, which renders them meaningless. Ignore them and enjoy the fact that you are smarter than the people who compile them.