That's true, but when it receives overwhelming critical acclaim and awards, and substantially exceeds the expectations at the box office, that it is a great film despite any naysayers. Of course, a film can't please everybody, but I suspect that many who are taking pot shots at BBM have never even seen the film.
By the same token, when a film loses money it's because people didn't go to see it and word-of-mouth is poor. That doesn't usually add up to a good film if it can't even please, say, the arthouse film crowd who can make an independent successful -- in other words, exceed its investment and box office predictions.
Unless I missed it while scanning, that first list you posted, LW, doesn't include one of my all-time faves -- The Lion in Winter, which deals with homosexuality as a secondary theme. There is no doubt left about the sexual orientation of Richard the Lion Hearted. And that second list of top-selling Westerns doesn't include High Noon, one of Gary Cooper's best performances, Grace Kelly's debut, and my personal nomination for best western ever filmed.
I don't think Box Office Mojo classified "The Lion in Winter" as a "gay-themed" film but, then, that plot point could be said to be as important as in "Interview With a Vampire," I would guess.
If adjusted for inflation, I could see "High Noon" up there somewhere. Of course, it still would have to be the ratio of cost to box office and there I would think that BBM has topped them all at making just domestically over ten times its cost.
I think the "Lion in Winter" was a great film and Anthony Hopkins was superb in his depiction of the homosexual Richard. It is a pity that he did not leave his superb genes in the gene pool.
You know he didn't how? You think he's gay? Rumor has it, he's just over an affair with Sir Ian McClellan.
By "He" I was referring to the homosexual "Richard the Lionhearted"
Watch those unreferenced pronouns -- they can be a source of humor.
