Poll: Best Directorial Debut?

The definitions of abstract concepts like genres can be notoriously hard to pin down, so, rather than leave everybody to fight amongst themselves about what exactly a "western" or a "thriller" is, IMDb has thoughtfully provided us with official definitions on their help page. What is their definition of "Western"? Read on: Should contain numerous scenes and/or a narrative where the portrayal is similar to that of frontier life in the American West during 1600s to contemporary times. Objective. In other words, the basic criteria for being a Western is based on time and place: the American West in the frontier era. This is easy enough to apply to things like The Searchers (1956) or Gunsmoke (1955-1975), titles that fit neatly within those parameters. But what about those movies and TV shows that happen to meet some, but not all, of the criteria? What about the pieces of media that only vaguely, kinda sorta fit the bill? Not one single title on this list is officially recognized as a "Western" by IMDb. Yet, every last one of them has some significant connection to the genre. The question is, which of these films/TV series do you think is the best example of a Western... that's not a Western? After voting, please discuss here. Click here for the expanded version of this list. Click here to read an alternate version of this list with detailed descriptions for each title.

Favouring or introducing new and experimental ideas and methods.– avant-garde, adjective (Oxford) Here are the top 25 feature films by popularity (at the time of writing) with the IMDb keyword avant-garde. Which one do you think is the most avant-garde? Discuss here after voting

Every year since 1776, the United States celebrates Independence Day on the 4th of July. Other Americans have declared independence not from England, like those in 1776, but from Hollywood studios and we can celebrate that everyday. The magazines Rolling Stone and Empire both published lists of what they think are the greatest American independent films. The top 35* of those are below; which of these American independents is your favorite? Discuss, and see the guidelines for inclusion, here. * - Movies are not in the order in which they appear in the magazines. See the Empire list here and the Rolling Stone list here.

Low budgets films allow investors to reap potentially huge returns on their investment. While budget caps vary throughout the world and time, one authoritative definition sets the top end of the limit for movies with a current budget under $2,500,000 USD. On both sides of the camera, many of today's biggest stars first honed their skills on low budget films. These films launched or served as a breakthrough for many of their careers. Which one of these select wildly successful low budget ($250,000 < $1,500,000) movies* is your favorite? * Movies with a minimum 6.0 IMDb user rating, excludes micro-budget (<$250,000) films and uses just one type of movie income stream (box office) for comparison. Vote in the companion poll: Micro Budget Movies That Paid Off Big Discuss the topic here.

The 'negative' counterpart to the more famous Deus ex Machina, the expression refers to last-minute intrusions of objects, events, characters, powers or other plot 'contrivances' causing a shocking yet memorable downer ending. Which of these Diaboli Ex Machina surprised you the most (in a shocking, sad or even pleasant) way? After voting, you may discuss the list here

Stoner film is a subgenre of comedy film that revolves around the recreational use of cannabis. Generally, cannabis use is one of the main themes and inspires much of the plot. Which movie do you think is the best stoner movie? Discuss the poll here

Movies about independence capture the spirit of self-determination, and the pursuit of freedom. These films explore themes of liberation, rebellion, and the struggle for autonomy in various contexts, be it on a personal, societal, or national level. This poll is dedicated to the fight for freedom and independency. Here are IMDb poll board members' favorite movies about independence. Which of these movies with a sense of independence is your favorite? Discuss the poll here

Which of these films that are in AFI's 100 Greatest American Films of All Time list but NOT the IMDb Top 250 do you feel most deserve a spot in both? As of November 23, 2016. In order to be included, these films must hit the requirements necessary to qualify for the IMDb Top 250, which means a film "must receive ratings from at least 25000 users to qualify." After voting, you may discuss the poll here.

This is the list of some movies written, directed and starring the same person that are rated 7+ Which one did you like better? Discuss the list

Movies released in 1969 are now 50 years old. This poll includes the top rated 35 of the 3,501 movies released in 1969. Which one of these is your favorite? After voting, you may discuss the poll here. 2018 << Movies at 50 in Also vote for: Movies at 25 in 2019 | Movies at 75 in 2019

Out of the 100 all-time greatest American movies according to the American Film Institute, only 24 were not nominated for the Best Picture Oscar despite the fact that they were eligible and had gained iconic status shortly after their release. Assuming that most of these movies deserved at least a Best Picture nod, which one, would you say, should have actually won the Oscar? In other words, which non-Best Picture nominee is your 'Best Picture'? Discuss here In addition, the Best Picture nominees for each year of release, in capital letters, the BEST PICTURE of the year, and in bold letters, a film that made the AFI's Top 100 (ironically, 11 of the featured years didn't have a single Best Picture nominee that made the AFI's Top 100).

When we think of some directors, instantly one masterpiece comes to mind... and not much else. This isn't to say that their other films are bad per se (though some are...) but rather that they just haven't come close to the iconic stature and 'masterpiece status' of the films listed below. Ultimately, these films stand out easily as the best from their respective directors' track record. (Please note: These films don't have to be the first film of a director's career. Furthermore, if an actor-turned-director created only one film BUT it became a critical hit, this will qualify. Films must also have a minimum 7.4 rating.) Which of these films from a one-hit wonder movie director was your favorite? After voting, you may discuss these rare gems here.

Which of these films exploring and even celebrating movements outside the mainstream was the most interesting? Discuss the list here

In 2006, the late, lamented film publication Premiere magazine published a list of what they considered the 20 most overrated movies in history. Which of them do you feel is most overrated? Discuss the list here Note: the text describing each title is from the original Premiere article.

Which of these 1969 films holds up the best today? Discuss this list here

The Land of Enchantment is the official nickname of New Mexico. The nickname is because of New Mexico's scenic beauty and rich history. The State Tourist Bureau and New Mexico magazine first used the phrase "The Land of Enchantment" in 1935 to encourage tourism to the state (source: statesymbolsusa.org). New Mexico became the 47th state of the United States of America in 1912. These movies have a connection with New Mexico. They are (partially) filmed there or it's a topic in the story. Which movie (or movie poster) do you associate the most with New Mexico? You may discuss the poll here Click here to vote for other States of America

Of the listed films, which is your favorite film of Jack Nicholson's from before 1980? Discuss this Poll here

Which of these non-heroic deaths of a good-doer or hero is the most disheartening? Discuss here Spoiler Ahead!!

Which one of these top 35 songs of all time according to the AFI is your favorite? Discuss Here in the IMDb Community Forums

To which generation do you belong? Don't take the age-criteria too literally, if you're an in-betweener, pick the generation you feel you belong to. Discuss here