My honest opinion: No-one is allowed to have a favourite film unless they've seen "Citizen Kane".

Rating: 10/10 (10 November 2000)

Well, that and "Casablanca"(which is "the" movie). Where "Casablanca" is hailed by critics from all times and places as "the" movie, "Citizen Kane" is hailed by critics from all times and places as the greatest film of all time.
Why? Ah, the immortal question. One of which I decline to answer. So many people have told me during conversation that they either hated "Citizen Kane" or haven't seen it. You want to be a film-goer? Then NEVER dismiss this movie!!!!!! This is the silent giant, the film that is very often dismissed and unfortunately so. There are so many examples like this, but "Citizen Kane" is the most ironic and unfortunate of all the classic examples.
I urge anyone bothering to read this comment to see this movie. I say again, you're not allowed to have a favourite movie if you haven't seen it. You tell me "Star Wars" is your favourite movie, I'll ask; 'Have you seen "Citizen Kane"?' You tell me "The Godfather" is your favourite movie, I'll ask; 'Have you seen "Citizen Kane"?' You tell me "The Blob" is your favourite movie and...well, I probably won't bother asking because you obviously have no taste, but you get the idea!
"Citizen Kane" is everything I had hoped for in a movie. It is not my favourite(It's number 4 on my list), but, seriously, how could movies get much better? It's one of those "before-their-time" films, it's a technological breakthrough, it's intelligent, emotional, entertaining, imaginative, the kind of film that you like to talk about. One thing it is not: It does not draw you into its centre as a kind of "out-of-body" movie experience. But, of all non "out-of-body" movie experiences, it is the best. In fact, if I had never had an "out-of-body" movie experience, this would probably be my all-time favourite film. But it's not. "The Wizard of Oz" is. Anyway...
10/10.
P.S.: See this movie.