I watched it recently for the first time, and I really don’t get why it’s so loved. IMDB rates it as the second-best movie of all time, but it seems far worse than that to me. I like most old movies and see their hype, but The Godfather didn’t do it for me. What am I missing?
It’s rated highly because the people who do the ratings are familiar with how impactful the movie was. They understand the quality of the film within the context where and when it was created.
If you were to compare a Manet to an AI generated photorealistic version of the same painting, an art buff would prefer the Manet. Someone who lacks the context and background might complain about the brush strokes or the imperfect color blending or the lack of definition in the faces, and say that the AI generated image is “better.” That preference does not in any way diminish the quality of Manet’s work or the appreciation people have for it.
When discussing art, “best” is always subjective. You’re allowed to not like the Godfather. It’s not my favorite movie, either, but I enjoy watching it now and again. People who love the film have written many books on why it’s their favorite masterpiece. You won’t win an argument with them that it’s not among the best movies of all time, but then neither will they convince you to appreciate the movie if you didn’t enjoy watching it.