I guess it really depends on your criteria. (I’ve been thinking about the question.) Are you looking for the best written? Best acted? Most creative? Most thought provoking? Best editing? Best score?
There are ‘lesser’ Academy awards that recognize those individual facets of the movie industry (as well as oodles more). But what makes a movie “best”? I think that’s a pretty subjective decision.
As I said before, I think Avatar has serious flaws. I’m sure that’s plenty of reason to knock it out of contention for ‘best’ movie for plenty of folks. But for my little committee of one, it’s a movie that has created so much discussion and buzz and a movie that incorporates ground breaking new technology. It’s a movie that I have paid a higher ticket price for than any other time in my life and would happily do so over and over again (and in fact, have). It’s a movie that my friends and I have excitedly discussed on the way home afterward, and a movie that I have several examples of individuals driving more than an hour each way to see in 3D. It’s created excitement and a shared experience among my friends and me.
Does that make it “best”? I can’t really say. But it has my vote.