Movie, Picture, or Film?

I plan on doing a series of motion picture reviews so you might as well know my ratings system. I put motion pictures into three general categories: movies, pictures, or films.

“Films” are the best. Casablanca is a film. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a film. Django Unchained is a film. These are top efforts, required multiple viewing, and worthy of reverence- as much a piece of art can be. They are well-crafted and purposeful.

“Pictures” are the next step down. If I am willing to see it more than once, it’s a picture. Pictures are the toughest to determine and have the most variety. Maybe they aren’t the toppermost of the poppermost, but there was clearly thought and intent behind them aside from “straight cash, homey.” “Fletch” is a good picture. A picture could become a film over time. The upper end of a picture is very close to a film and sometimes meanders across both categories depending on the day. “From Russia With Love” and “The Big Lebowski” are examples there.

“Movies” are one-shots. Tom Cruise makes movies nowadays. They are not rewatchable, not even when “there’s nothing on.”

An example: The original Star Wars trilogy is a series of films. The second trilogy is a series of movies. And the first of the new trilogy (not the “Rogue One” spinoff), looks like a series of pictures with the potential to become films.

Now that you know, let's get started... 

picture: cliparting.com