Give others the chance to vote.
Share this poll, because the more votes the better.
Create your own.
Opinions! We all have them. Find out what people really think with polls and surveys from Crowdsignal.
closed
Share this poll, because the more votes the better.
Opinions! We all have them. Find out what people really think with polls and surveys from Crowdsignal.
A film that pushed the limits of what genre work could be, or a film that defies genre categorizations entirely and becomes its own special thing?
While I agree that A Serious Man is a strong entry in the Coens' already incredible portfolio, and while I agree that it deserves much more recognition, and while YES The Dark Knight isn't the granddaddy of all cinema as many seem to believe, Nolan's film gets my vote.
It feels weird, partly because I'm voting against the deserving underdog and partly because The Dark Knight has become connected with the most annoying "film bro" fans out there. But Heath Ledger's performance alone will be one of the most enduring things to come out of early 2000's film, and The Dark Knight will reign over the superhero genre long after we're all dead.
No toys, no utility belt, no bat signal, yet eminently better qualified to answer the question: "Why so serious?" Bruce Wayne may be the hero we deserve, but Larry Gopnik is The Serious Man we need to remain in Filmspotting Madness.
The Dark Knight is the best superhero film ever created, but it can only be viewed as that: the best superhero film ever created. The Coen Brothers’ A Serious Man can be viewed as a criticism of organized religion, a modern retelling of the story of Job and the necessity of faith, an exploration on the meaningless void we call life, or just a black comedy that will have you laughing throughout.
In my opinion, it’s the Coens’ best film, but I’m sure I’ll have to consult he Mentaculus to try to find the answer as to why The Dark Knight won.
Ok. Everyone please just take a deep breath and think rationally.
Yes. The Dark Knight is a great movie...and Heath Ledger's performance is rightfully in legendary status.
BUT. The Dark Knight isn't the best of Nolan's films (it's not even better then The Prestige) ...and the miraculous way the Coens weave together humor, philosophy, theology, and freakin' Jefferson Airplane make A Serious Man more than deserving to win.
...if not, then this really is madness.
Jesse James should’ve won.
Are you guys serious ? The Dark Knight is a masterpiece of cinema. Anchored by one of the best performances by a villain in cinema. The Dark Knight is not the best movie ever made but it is one of the most impact full. Also, a movie most cine-files love to hate. It may be a top seed but, i fear its going to burn.
I'm hoping A Serious Man wins this whole thing! I picture a lot of Filmspotting listeners having some conflict here, but I think the Coen Brothers' deeply personal tone poem has more lasting value the Nolan's admittedly ambitious but ultimately frivolous live-action cartoon.
This should be a blowout for A Serious Man, one of the most powerful and meaningful films in this competition. But I fear that the overrated Dark Knight will take it.
If the Dark Knight wins this one I might literally get on top of the roof and wait for an angry god to send a tornado full of dybbuks to take me.
So The Dark Knight is apparently the Bill Murray of Filmspotting Madness 2019? The vastly-superior A Serious Man might scoff at the assumption of order and purpose in a chaotic world, but I'm going to pretend otherwise and hope that my vote doesn't get swallowed up by the looming whirlwind that is Nolan's overwrought behemoth. No, Sy Abelman, everything's not going to be fine.
A Serious Man blows The Dark Knight out of the water on dialogue alone. The Dark Knight is indeed one of the greatest superhero films ever made, but part of that is because the competition is so weak. Don't get me wrong, The Dark Knight is a fine film, but its dialogue, character motivations, and general structure are subpar when compared to nearly any Coen film.
Of the two films, it's The Dark Knight that is the most pretentious, in that it tries to appear to be more important and more clever than it actually is, but gets worse with each subsequent watch, whereas A Serious Man gets better and better with each watch
Please please people, do not let Pretentious thoughts prevail! A Serious Man is a fine film but The Dark Knight is head and heals the greater work!
This might be unpopular, but the end of The Dark Knight is kind of a mess. What's not a mess? A tornado coming to punish you for changing some kid's grade. Or maybe it was coming anyway. A Serious Man it is.
I have to roll with The Dark Knight here, warts and all (it really has one too many plots, for my taste). Nolan is so in control of the pace and at managing tension in this film and the set pieces are such staggering cinematic achievements that I can't vote against it here, not against a movie that, rightly or wrongly, I consider to be second tier Coen Bros (sorry, Adam, I'll make time for a revisit, I promise).
This is rough because I hold A Serious Man to be the best Coens movie, or at least the top three. And after getting to rewatch Dark Knight in IMAX last year, I can see some problems with it I didn't appreciate when I was 20-years-old.
But Nolan kind of invented his own genre with the Dark Knight. It's not just that it's great, it's that it thrilled, engaged in philosophy, and carried 8 billion pounds of gravity with every moment.
Sorry, Professor Gopnik.
I'm with Adam, when I saw this I was instantly bitter about Jesse James. I allowed myself some hope that it would prevail...hopefully the Coens will finish the job!
Can I still register my vote for 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford’?
Okaaaaay… I guess I can feel good about registering my vote for ‘The Dark Knight’ in round two.