It may seem like an obvious question, but a lot of people don't know, and even fewer can articulate those qualities.
In order to be good, really good, all movies must possess these bare bones: a discernable plot, characters that the viewer actually cares about, good cinematography, good acting, and an ending that doesn't disappoint. To make a movie GREAT, it must also have a good soundtrack that is well-integrated with the camera work, good dialogue, an ending that not only doesn't disappoint but is intensely satisfying, and one more thing that I require which I call the "repeatability factor". If it's a great movie, you could watch it over and over again.
Beyond these qualities, movies are intensly personal. Preferences are based upon one's own life experiences, and philosophies. I have what some members of my family consider to be a "weird" sense of humor. I much prefer the movies of the Coen brothers or Billy Wilder over whoever wrote "Harry and the Hendersons". I prefer Hitchcock to almost any other director, not because I share his neuroses, but because I have a few of my own, and understand what it's like. One of my most favorite movies is "Night Of the Hunter," directed by Charles Laughton, starring Robert Mitchum in (I think) his best role. The movie is great, but it holds a special place in my heart because it's philosophy matches mine: Evil will always show itself for what it is, eventually, no matter how it tries to dress itself up, and Good will triumph over Evil.
Well, that's my theory anyway, and I'm sticking to it. Try watching your favorite movies, and a few you think that are stinkers, and see if my theory holds up.
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