The notion of an extremely long film is, like it or not, subjective. One must consider that time passes differently to people. A 4-hour long blockbuster can run by faster than a Super Bowl commercial to its most arduous fan, and a mere 70-minute-long arthouse movie feel like an eternity to an uninterested viewer.
There are films that warrant their extensive run times, such as films that are rich and complex. Films with themes and subjects that demand time to be properly explained, explored, or fleshed out. Films whose slow and deliberate nature is the one that most effectively, and artistically, serves the story.
This list, therefore, is mostly concerned with generally acclaimed and respected films that objectively surpass your standard movie's run time. And given that most films usually take between 100-140 minutes from start to end, all the movies on this list are more than 200 minutes long – a duration widely viewed as excessive.
