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Everyone defines greatness differently so feel free to differ with me at howdoggie@yahoo.com.

THE GREAT FILMS THE GREAT ALBUMS THE GREAT SYMPHONIES

The Godfather
(1972)
Oscar count: Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Actor (Brando)
The daddy of them all. It sent a bloodrush of change to what Hollywood studio films could look like and launched the careers of its participants (Coppola, Pacino, Caan, Duvall, Vigoda, Keaton, etc.)
Blood on the Tracks
Bob Dylan #41 (Jupiter)
Mozart

Lawrence of Arabia
(1962)
Oscar count: Best Picture, Best Director (Lean), Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Art Director, Best Score (Jarre)
The film that made theater-going a truly epic experience. You haven't seen it if you've seen it cropped into a square size. Perhaps the only film where you watch people emerge from the horizon literally.
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison #6 (Pathetique)
Tchaikovksy

Seven Samurai
(1954)
Oscar count: no wins but won Silver Lion at Venice Film Fest
Arguably Kurosawa's finest film where even within the complex action sequences character still comes through. Toshiro Mifune barges into the screen with glee. The original film has spawned imitations from "The Magnificient Seven" to "A Bug's Life," but this is still the best for probing the conflicts of class, honor, and violence in society.
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder #9 (Choral)
Beethoven

Vertigo
(1958)
Oscar count: no wins
Hitchcock at his most personal. The rich colors of the photography are matched by the romantic Wagnerian score by Bernard Herrmann. Deeply psychological, we follow a tragic Jimmy Stewart trying to relive a love that never existed.
Mutations
Beck #9 (from the new world)
Dvorak

Sunrise
(1926)
Oscar count: Academy Award not in existence yet
A beautiful meditation on the saving graces of love. As evidenced by the wonderful tracking shot early in the film, Murnau used his expressionism to demonstrate a depth of love that few films can rival.
Kind of Blue
Miles Davis #5
Shostakovich

Spirited Away
(2001)
Oscar count: Best Animated Feature
A story that wears its whimsicality on its sleeve like watching director Miyazaki's subconscious mind. The grandness of scale is matched by the smallest action of a generous heart.
Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Beatles #3
Gorecki

Casablanca
(1942)
Oscar count: Best Picture, Best Director (Curtiz), Best Screenplay
This may be the fastest movie ever. Bogie is his most intriguing and too many moments in it have become legend. Breathtaking proof that studio filmmaking can produce a drama with great characters while allowing you to forgive the thickness of its propaganda.
Velvet Underground and Nico #2
Sibelius

Annie Hall
(1977)
Oscar count: Best Picture, Best Director (Allen), Best Actress (Keaton), Best Screenplay
A subjective movie confessional. We revisit the loves and losses of Alvy Singer, which are hilarious, but Allen also manages to pinpoint that spark that brings a couple together.
At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash #3
Brahms

Citizen Kane
(1941)
Oscar count: Best Screenplay
The film that created a new kind of filmmaking. Deep focus realism combined with fractured narrative to create what's become modern film language. With his first film, Orson Welles tells a great story with complete control of his craft.
Music for 18 Musicians
Steve Reich #8 (Unfinished)
Schubert

Vive L'Amour
(1994)
Oscar count: no wins but won Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival
Tsai Ming Liang is one of the greatest filmmakers alive, which is odd since he comes from the island of Taiwan where another filmmaking great Hou Hsiao Hsien makes films of the same cloth. "Vive" is perhaps the greatest film that uses its long takes to stretch out the loneliness of people who talk but don't communicate, who make love but aren't in love, who walk the crowded streets but fail to make eye contact.
Kid A
Radiohead #3 (Eroica)
Beethoven

Runners-up
-Groundhog Day
-Back to the Future
-Amadeus
-The Last Emperor
-Nashville
Runners-up
-Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder
-Bringing It All Back Home, Bob Dylan
-Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco
-Homogenic, Bjork
-Moondance, Van Morrison
Runners-up
-Beethoven #5
-Mozart #40
-Mahler #1
-Prokofiev #1 (Classical)
-Copland #3

THE GREAT FILMS	THE GREAT ALBUMS	THE GREAT SYMPHONIES
The Godfather (1972) Oscar count: Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Actor (Brando) The daddy of them all. It sent a bloodrush of change to what Hollywood studio films could look like and launched the careers of its participants (Coppola, Pacino, Caan, Duvall, Vigoda, Keaton, etc.)	Blood on the Tracks Bob Dylan	#41 (Jupiter) Mozart
Lawrence of Arabia (1962) Oscar count: Best Picture, Best Director (Lean), Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Art Director, Best Score (Jarre) The film that made theater-going a truly epic experience. You haven't seen it if you've seen it cropped into a square size. Perhaps the only film where you watch people emerge from the horizon literally.	Astral Weeks Van Morrison	#6 (Pathetique) Tchaikovksy
Seven Samurai (1954) Oscar count: no wins but won Silver Lion at Venice Film Fest Arguably Kurosawa's finest film where even within the complex action sequences character still comes through. Toshiro Mifune barges into the screen with glee. The original film has spawned imitations from "The Magnificient Seven" to "A Bug's Life," but this is still the best for probing the conflicts of class, honor, and violence in society.	Innervisions Stevie Wonder	#9 (Choral) Beethoven
Vertigo (1958) Oscar count: no wins Hitchcock at his most personal. The rich colors of the photography are matched by the romantic Wagnerian score by Bernard Herrmann. Deeply psychological, we follow a tragic Jimmy Stewart trying to relive a love that never existed.	Mutations Beck	#9 (from the new world) Dvorak
Sunrise (1926) Oscar count: Academy Award not in existence yet A beautiful meditation on the saving graces of love. As evidenced by the wonderful tracking shot early in the film, Murnau used his expressionism to demonstrate a depth of love that few films can rival.	Kind of Blue Miles Davis	#5 Shostakovich
Spirited Away (2001) Oscar count: Best Animated Feature A story that wears its whimsicality on its sleeve like watching director Miyazaki's subconscious mind. The grandness of scale is matched by the smallest action of a generous heart.	Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band The Beatles	#3 Gorecki
Casablanca (1942) Oscar count: Best Picture, Best Director (Curtiz), Best Screenplay This may be the fastest movie ever. Bogie is his most intriguing and too many moments in it have become legend. Breathtaking proof that studio filmmaking can produce a drama with great characters while allowing you to forgive the thickness of its propaganda.	Velvet Underground and Nico	#2 Sibelius
Annie Hall (1977) Oscar count: Best Picture, Best Director (Allen), Best Actress (Keaton), Best Screenplay A subjective movie confessional. We revisit the loves and losses of Alvy Singer, which are hilarious, but Allen also manages to pinpoint that spark that brings a couple together.	At Folsom Prison Johnny Cash	#3 Brahms
Citizen Kane (1941) Oscar count: Best Screenplay The film that created a new kind of filmmaking. Deep focus realism combined with fractured narrative to create what's become modern film language. With his first film, Orson Welles tells a great story with complete control of his craft.	Music for 18 Musicians Steve Reich	#8 (Unfinished) Schubert
Vive L'Amour (1994) Oscar count: no wins but won Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival Tsai Ming Liang is one of the greatest filmmakers alive, which is odd since he comes from the island of Taiwan where another filmmaking great Hou Hsiao Hsien makes films of the same cloth. "Vive" is perhaps the greatest film that uses its long takes to stretch out the loneliness of people who talk but don't communicate, who make love but aren't in love, who walk the crowded streets but fail to make eye contact.	Kid A Radiohead	#3 (Eroica) Beethoven
Runners-up -Groundhog Day -Back to the Future -Amadeus -The Last Emperor -Nashville	Runners-up -Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder -Bringing It All Back Home, Bob Dylan -Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco -Homogenic, Bjork -Moondance, Van Morrison	Runners-up -Beethoven #5 -Mozart #40 -Mahler #1 -Prokofiev #1 (Classical) -Copland #3