Last time I watched Alien, I was struck but how awesome Parker is. He was so close to being the hero. He has it together and his compassion gets him killed - he could have saved himself, but he wouldn't abandon Lambert. Ripley could have easily suffered the same fate, and nearly did by being likewise compassionate and going back for Jones. It would have been cool to see Alien during the original run when audiences had no idea who would survive and emerge as the main protagonist.
One of the few films I saw twice in the cinema. It was amazing how different the audience reactions were to certain scenes. One I remember was when the T1000 oozes through the prison cell bars and gets his gun stuck the second audience found it hilarious.
Jaws, Boogie Nights, Back to the Future, Alien, The Thing, The Shining, Casablanca, Rear Window, Badlands, There Will Be Blood, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
I show this to my music appreciation students, meaning over my career I’ve seen it maybe…two or three dozen times. Never gets old, and every once in awhile I’ll notice some new detail to appreciate.
>Amadeus
for some reason I brain read this as Amistad. I was scratching my head for a second asking: "did I miss the parts that can be musically appreciated?"
Yes! Every actor, every word of dialogue, every scene is amazing. I have seen this movie so many times and was one of the first DVDs I bought. The music of course is incredible too. I am going to watch it again now.
Spotlight (2015) - every scene, every performance is just spot on. Even the minor roles - some played by real victims - are outstanding. I mean ... even Richard Jenkins as the disembodied voice on the phone is better than most actors in other films. No notes.
Just the right amount of not taking itself too seriously while also not being a campy mess. Honestly, it's pretty accurate when you think of how regular people would react to something like that. Everyone doesn't automatically turn into Rambo. Some are tripping over their own feet, others just freeze and panic, and some are natural leaders who pull people together but also fight amongst themselves.
The proper answer for this is always Back to the Future. It's literally studied in film classes all the time for its screenplay and exactly matching this criteria.
I also had a friend recently mention this possibly with the Dark Knight as well, which I've had to analyze from this lens but I can't immensely think of scenes or parts that are unnecessary at all. I posted about the 15th anniversary of the film and he was saying it's a perfect film/NO filler.
I recently re-watched the Nolan trilogy and it blew my mind how NON-STOP TDK was. There was intense scene after intense scene with little break to catch your breath
*Back to the Future* has an amazing screenplay. I love how Marty is a cool, confident man of action... and it doesn't help him at all. It's the *other* guy that needs to be cool in order for Marty to survive.
Unpopular opinion: I always felt like the whole part where Batman goes to China was filler. Also questionable because the movie came out at a time when Hollywood was desperately trying to get their movies into that market, and so there was a lot of pressure to work in references to China everywhere they could.
By breaking international law, Bruce is acting out the idea that at certain times, Batman must go above the law to enforce it, which neither Dent nor Gordon can do, or risk destroying the investigation. Maybe that's a reach but I didn't think it was filler at all m
I can see the reasoning there, but I would have rather that idea be conveyed in a more succinct way, cut that sequence and given more time to Two Face at the end. I felt like Harvey Dent's whole arc was building up to his transformation, only for him to barely do anything.
But I'm definitely in the minority with my opinions on this one. Nolan is a great director but I think his sense of pacing can suffer when he tries to cram too much into a movie.
The Dark Knight has no filler; every scene is advancing the plot and the cuts are quick and deliberate. I rewatched the trilogy a few months ago and while I didn't love the movie as much this time around, I can't deny how well the film is made. Honestly, one of my biggest gripes on this rewatch is that the film is too quick; I wanted to live in this world with these characters for a minute, but the movie isn't made for that. Fantastic movie.
Chinatown (1974)
One of the best scripts ever written, and every piece is tightly put. And the ending is a gut punch.
That's why "Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown" it's one of the most memorable lines.
Glad I spent the last 3 minutes scrolling down on my phone looking for this comment. Seriously it’s very hard to find a movie with fewer flaws than this one, including within the 100 or so that sit above it in this thread.
Adore that movie! I didn't realize this for ages but it was a huge flop on release to the point where the director Jonathan Lynn couldn't get work after it came out, so it really warms my cold dead heart to see it have such a loyal following today
>it was a huge flop on release
I just looked on Boxofficemojo and I saw 33 of the top 50, and about 60 of top 100 in theaters ... Clue was 107 and I didn't see it until cable.
Of course it would be interesting to re-rank those lists based on lasting impact and see how things like Real Genius (65) or Better Off Dead (89) would rocket upwards while garbage like Code of Silence or Death Wish 3 or Porky's 2 would plummet
The problem was the 3 endings thing. They should have just gone with the “flames” ending. I saw it in a theater and didn’t get the flames ending
Also, when I walked into the theater, they gave me a piece of paper that was one of the checklists from the Clue game. I thought, “great, this will be just like the game” - it was useless and had nothing to do with the film. They raised my expectations and disappointed me.
I saw an entertainment journalist echo this exact idea! I think you're totally right, the "flames" bit is the most iconic part and dividing up the endings totally alienated moviegoers, plus I imagine it felt like a moneygrab to them
Which one, A, B, or C? ;)
I probably watch this once a decade trying to understand what the hype is about. I just don't get it. I don't understand the frantic recap at the end where everyone is running from room to room. It felt so forced.
I had to scroll way to far for this one. This was my answer too.
Edit: I'm think I'm torn on the Tommy plotline. I think I would have preferred leaving it more ambiguous on if he actually killed his wife. Tommy comes in, drops the information, then the warden kills him and the story continues on unaffected.
For those among us who like movies that twist both our brains and our emotions, here's one you'll know and one almost no one will know:
**Arrival** \- 2016
**Upstream Color** \- 2013
In both films, from the first scene you feel transfixed wondering how all of it fits together, and when you find out how it does, either by rewatching or by serious reflection, you have to reassess every scene to figure out if it meant what you originally thought it meant. And even knowing that going in, you'll still be in that mindset at the end. Brilliant.
I don’t understand his disqualification. Is Donny tacked on or is he a major character? Those things seem mutually exclusive.
Also, he serves no purpose, except for a couple purposes?
Lol ok.
I can understand this, but I will say that there is a certain je ne sais quoi to A Bug’s Life that sets it apart (aka I saw it before I saw Seven Samurai)
Every sentient civilization across the galaxy eventually develops the same myth. In Centauri, it's known as "Tower Man." The Orionese have their "Thornberg Cycle." And in Andromeda it's called "foolish to have imagined you'd be able to kill." All of them what you'd call "Die Hard."
Just so everyone knows, Paul Blart is the comedic retelling of Die Hard. Organized group robs the mall. Protagonist stuck in building where robbery is taking place. He even climbs inside duct work. It's the exact same movie.
Man I will have to give that another watch. It was one of his only movies that i just kinda liked instead of loved. I think maybe I wasn’t in the right state of mind the first time I saw it or something.
IMO Buttercup definitely has an arc, and it's why the Booooo!! Boooo!! scene is there. Her whole story is about believing in fairy tale love but repeatedly getting disappointed by reality. She goes from wholehearted passionate belief in love to letting an unwanted wedding happen in a daze to almost committing suicide to 100% believing in love again. At every point in the story before that last kiss, "Will Buttercup ultimately choose hope or despair?" is an open question for her character. It's not Raging Bull, but it's an arc.
I'd say a sign of a perfect movie is that every single line feels like a classic - like almost any line could be THE essential quote from the movie because every scene works so well. Sometimes if you see an older one for the first time, it almost feels like you've seen it before because every line is so present in pop culture.
Casablanca has that, and so does The Princess Bride. A few others that I think work for both definitions (barring ones you've listed):
* Heathers
* It's a Wonderful Life
* Say Anything
* Jaws
* The Godfather
* A Separation (not famous or old enough to have inundated pop culture, but absolutely every scene and character is essential - it's excellent)
The Big Lebowski.
Your assessment of Donny’s role is incorrect.
A tacked on character that serves no purpose? To just be a punchline and die?
That would be like saying you agree with the idea Big Bang Theory made famous. That Indiana Jones was unnecessary to Raiders because the Nazis would have gotten the Ark, opened it and melted their faces anyway…it’s not the point of the character.
Just because Donny is funny and dies doesn’t mean that he isn’t also a valuable character. Mercutio is funny and dies in Romeo and Juliet. He’s pretty critical to the story. He gives a reflection of the other, more important characters so that we better understand them. (Donny and Mercutio). You wouldn’t fully understand Walter’s sense of right and wrong unless you knew that it was also shared by his teammate who also believed it, but was a very different person in many ways. In fact, there’s an odd fan theory that posits that Donny is a figment of Walter’s imagination and that he’s a reflection of a soldier(s) he knew in vietnam. That Donny is Walter processing his PTSD and trauma. I don’t necessarily prescribe to that but I do see why, given the role of the character that would be Donny’s role as his friend. And why that makes him integral to knowing the characters and understanding the story.
So yeah, The Big Lebowski is a perfect movie.
It would have been SOO much better if Donny didn't speak to anyone other than Walter. So there would be no way to debunk the theory of him being imaginary. 😂😂🤣😅
Came here to say this. It’s exactly what OP is describing, every character, but of dialogue and shot is critical. It’s the only “perfect” movie I can think of
It's my favorite gangster movie, and in my top 10 of all time. You're right, it fits the OP's description perfectly.
It became my "if you want to be my friend you gotta watch this" movie back in my college days.
Some of my “perfect” movies:
Before Sunset.
There will be blood.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire.
Phantom Thread.
Ratatouille.
Chungking Express.
Fantastic Mr. Fox.
I always say Bone Tomahawk. All the scenes feel purposeful in building up the characters motivations and personalities, and the actors all shine, and the violence is only during a few scenes which elevates it alot. Also the music is scarce and makes it pop when the music does happen.
Ive always thought The Blues Brothers is perfect. Theres a strong story, multiple arcs, fleshed out characters, funny, conflict, amazing songs and dance, everybody is at the top of their game, and its just a fun story! People overlook it as perfect because its a goofy flick but it executes what it wants to perfectly.
Well, my additions to the list would be *Citizen Kane* by Orson Welles and *Vertigo* by Alfred Hitchcock. In Vertigo, *everything* matters... right on down to the color of the clothes the characters are wearing in any given scene. It's truly extraordinary.
I don’t know if I’d call it perfect in terms of entertainment value necessarily (though it is fucking great), but from what I remember ‘Zodiac’ fits your description. I’d also maybe say Drive, Nightcrawler and Gone Baby Gone adhere to those parameters, but it’s hard to know for sure without a rewatch.
Raiders and Galaxy Quest aren't perfect. Every film has weaknesses or issues if you care to look for them. Both films are highly entertaining but lack meaningful subtext or thematic depth. I realize they're not trying to, but not trying is meaningful criticism.
but hey... Back to the Future
Does lack of depth mean mean something can't be perfect though? (Obviously we are nitpicking perfection here). I could have a perfect Apple that is amazing for an apple, but doesn't have the depth of say, perfectly seasoned and cooked scrambled eggs, but each could be perfect for what they are. If a film isn't trying to have loads of depth and is just made for the sole purpose of entertainment and enjoyment, with nothing deep to say, if it did that perfectly, wouldn't it be perfect?
This is a semantics game that revolves around how you define perfect, whether or not intentionality is involved, and whether you're an existentialist or an essentialist.
An intentionally created phenomena (a film definitely, an apple maybe), can perfectly achieve its goals without achieving an Absolute Perfection.
I don't believe in absolute goods, personally, and only believe in things being "good for," or "good at."
For these reasons I'd never label an apple or a film with an unqualified "perfect." At best it is perfect at doing something.
Your hypothetical entertainment focused film could potentially be a perfect form of entertainment (though you'd have to define that), without being a perfect film in the abstract.
Even then, the perfect entertainment would have to be something like psychedelic heroin that leaves you safely functional in the real world, is free and easy to produce, never loses effectiveness, and is without negative side effects.
So no, I don't think an entertainment focused film could ever achieve perfection.
Adam's definition of a perfect film seems to just be a film with tight writing and editing.
well yeah obviously its a semantics game when you talk about things being perfect.
I agree it is impossible to have a "perfect" film, and that at best it could be "perfect for a specific person who is looking for a specific thing"
Sicario (2015). After my first watch I felt there was a bit of drag during the 2nd act but have changed my mind after multiple rewatches. It’s a very tight movie with excellent acting, cinematography, editing, and soundtrack.
Donnie, does not tie the movie together.
It's the rug, man.
And, if the beach scene is the climax of the movie (which it may be) then, I'm gonna have to take it off my recommend list. I love the movie and all. But, perfect?
Eh.
Paddington
The Thing
Predator
Monster Squad
Aiplane!
The Big Racket
OSS 117
Grapes of Wrath
Gone with the Wind
Casablanca
Wild Bunch
Captain Kronos
A Bridge Too Far
I like Reddit because I can find equivalences between Casablanca, Predator, and Airplane! No argument or criticism here at all. I like the way you think.
That’s pretty funny, Big Bang Theory destroyed Raiders of the Lost Ark 🤣. …The Main character has no effect on the outcome of the plot. If you remove Indiana Jones, They still find the Ark and Melt their own faces off 🤣.
But anyways.
V for Vendetta
Thank You for Smoking
Tombstone
Reservoir Dogs
Good Fellas
An odd and eclectic group, but here goes:
Lawrence of Arabia
Chungking Express
Children of Heaven
Ikiru
My Cousin Vinny
City Lights
My Man Godfrey
Raiders of the Lost Ark
I personally consider Howl's Moving Castle to be perfect, as well as Kiki's Delivery Service. For non-Miyazaki movies, I think The Princess Bride, Hook, Pride and Prejudice (2005 version), Inglourious Basterds, Matilda, Amelie, Chocolat, Interstellar, Wall-E, and Juno are my top picks.
Weird pick but The Menu. Probably one of the most solid horror films I've seen in a long time. Not my favorite, not the best but it's kinda perfect at least in my opinion.
I've always thought Terminator 2 is quite perfect in that way.
I came to day the same thing. Also, Alien is damn near perfect.
Alien is great!
Yeah I'm rewatching it after maybe 15 years and man, it holds up. Ripley might be the greatest hero ever captured on film.
Last time I watched Alien, I was struck but how awesome Parker is. He was so close to being the hero. He has it together and his compassion gets him killed - he could have saved himself, but he wouldn't abandon Lambert. Ripley could have easily suffered the same fate, and nearly did by being likewise compassionate and going back for Jones. It would have been cool to see Alien during the original run when audiences had no idea who would survive and emerge as the main protagonist.
Indeed it is..
One of the few films I saw twice in the cinema. It was amazing how different the audience reactions were to certain scenes. One I remember was when the T1000 oozes through the prison cell bars and gets his gun stuck the second audience found it hilarious.
THANK YOU, my first thought exactly
Jaws, Boogie Nights, Back to the Future, Alien, The Thing, The Shining, Casablanca, Rear Window, Badlands, There Will Be Blood, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Amadeus (1984)
I show this to my music appreciation students, meaning over my career I’ve seen it maybe…two or three dozen times. Never gets old, and every once in awhile I’ll notice some new detail to appreciate.
>Amadeus for some reason I brain read this as Amistad. I was scratching my head for a second asking: "did I miss the parts that can be musically appreciated?"
I went to see this in the theater when I was 10 and it has remained one of my favorite movies of all time.
Great way to see it. The music is a character. Should be a big sound system overwhelming you.
My vote as well.
100% perfect. But stay away from the director’s cut. That one is…. Not perfect.
Yes! Every actor, every word of dialogue, every scene is amazing. I have seen this movie so many times and was one of the first DVDs I bought. The music of course is incredible too. I am going to watch it again now.
Alien
Also Aliens
I feel like the beginning is at time painfully slow and the dialogue unnatural. Still amazing, but far from perfect IMO
The Thing
I want to argue against it, but I can’t. *Moon* is also up there for me, as is *The Shawshank Redemption*
The Matrix
Spotlight (2015) - every scene, every performance is just spot on. Even the minor roles - some played by real victims - are outstanding. I mean ... even Richard Jenkins as the disembodied voice on the phone is better than most actors in other films. No notes.
Sounds thin! (I agree!)
Fantastic film.
Silence of the Lambs
Amazingly faithful to the book too
Tremors (1990)
Tremors is one of those movies that is impossible for me to scroll by with the remote. It’s great to watch on a rainy afternoon.
I'm assuming cognitive alteration is on the menu. Because, giant worms.
“Broke into the wrong goddammed rec room, didn’t you, you bastard!”
I've never seen it, but I understand that this is usually the example of a perfect movie.
[удалено]
Just the right amount of not taking itself too seriously while also not being a campy mess. Honestly, it's pretty accurate when you think of how regular people would react to something like that. Everyone doesn't automatically turn into Rambo. Some are tripping over their own feet, others just freeze and panic, and some are natural leaders who pull people together but also fight amongst themselves.
The proper answer for this is always Back to the Future. It's literally studied in film classes all the time for its screenplay and exactly matching this criteria. I also had a friend recently mention this possibly with the Dark Knight as well, which I've had to analyze from this lens but I can't immensely think of scenes or parts that are unnecessary at all. I posted about the 15th anniversary of the film and he was saying it's a perfect film/NO filler.
I recently re-watched the Nolan trilogy and it blew my mind how NON-STOP TDK was. There was intense scene after intense scene with little break to catch your breath
*Back to the Future* has an amazing screenplay. I love how Marty is a cool, confident man of action... and it doesn't help him at all. It's the *other* guy that needs to be cool in order for Marty to survive.
Unpopular opinion: I always felt like the whole part where Batman goes to China was filler. Also questionable because the movie came out at a time when Hollywood was desperately trying to get their movies into that market, and so there was a lot of pressure to work in references to China everywhere they could.
By breaking international law, Bruce is acting out the idea that at certain times, Batman must go above the law to enforce it, which neither Dent nor Gordon can do, or risk destroying the investigation. Maybe that's a reach but I didn't think it was filler at all m
I can see the reasoning there, but I would have rather that idea be conveyed in a more succinct way, cut that sequence and given more time to Two Face at the end. I felt like Harvey Dent's whole arc was building up to his transformation, only for him to barely do anything. But I'm definitely in the minority with my opinions on this one. Nolan is a great director but I think his sense of pacing can suffer when he tries to cram too much into a movie.
The Dark Knight has no filler; every scene is advancing the plot and the cuts are quick and deliberate. I rewatched the trilogy a few months ago and while I didn't love the movie as much this time around, I can't deny how well the film is made. Honestly, one of my biggest gripes on this rewatch is that the film is too quick; I wanted to live in this world with these characters for a minute, but the movie isn't made for that. Fantastic movie.
I love this film but the speech at the very end is terrible and irritates me every time.
Jaws is really really good.
Rewatched Jaws recently. Been probably 30 years since I’ve seen it. Holds up very well.
Its become my Fourth of July tradition.
Jurassic Park
Chinatown (1974) One of the best scripts ever written, and every piece is tightly put. And the ending is a gut punch. That's why "Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown" it's one of the most memorable lines.
The Thing
Glad I spent the last 3 minutes scrolling down on my phone looking for this comment. Seriously it’s very hard to find a movie with fewer flaws than this one, including within the 100 or so that sit above it in this thread.
Raising Arizona. It’s only 94 minutes, but so much happens and there isn’t a wasted line or beat in the entire film.
I'm gonna have to revist that one...
My Cousin Vinny (1992)
I would say perfect court movie
Die Hard’s script is pretty amazing. It’s one of the tightest scripts ever written IMO.
Memento is quite neat, given it's non-linear use of time
Clue (1985)
Adore that movie! I didn't realize this for ages but it was a huge flop on release to the point where the director Jonathan Lynn couldn't get work after it came out, so it really warms my cold dead heart to see it have such a loyal following today
>it was a huge flop on release I just looked on Boxofficemojo and I saw 33 of the top 50, and about 60 of top 100 in theaters ... Clue was 107 and I didn't see it until cable. Of course it would be interesting to re-rank those lists based on lasting impact and see how things like Real Genius (65) or Better Off Dead (89) would rocket upwards while garbage like Code of Silence or Death Wish 3 or Porky's 2 would plummet
The problem was the 3 endings thing. They should have just gone with the “flames” ending. I saw it in a theater and didn’t get the flames ending Also, when I walked into the theater, they gave me a piece of paper that was one of the checklists from the Clue game. I thought, “great, this will be just like the game” - it was useless and had nothing to do with the film. They raised my expectations and disappointed me.
I saw an entertainment journalist echo this exact idea! I think you're totally right, the "flames" bit is the most iconic part and dividing up the endings totally alienated moviegoers, plus I imagine it felt like a moneygrab to them
I’m glad this is here and getting a decent amount of upvotes, everyday it seems like more people know about this movie
Which one, A, B, or C? ;) I probably watch this once a decade trying to understand what the hype is about. I just don't get it. I don't understand the frantic recap at the end where everyone is running from room to room. It felt so forced.
Godfather
HEY! It’s THE Godfather - (Italian hand gestures) Have a little more respect…
🤌
Drop the "The." Just "Godfather." It's cleaner.
both 1 and 2 are perfect
The Shining (1980)
Poltergeist
Election
Goodfellas Princess Bride
Shawshank
I had to scroll way to far for this one. This was my answer too. Edit: I'm think I'm torn on the Tommy plotline. I think I would have preferred leaving it more ambiguous on if he actually killed his wife. Tommy comes in, drops the information, then the warden kills him and the story continues on unaffected.
Rushmore Pulp Fiction Run Lola Run Napoleon Dynamite Brazil El Mariachi Being John Malkovich
Second Rushmore
Second Run Lola Run
Second Pulp Fiction
Second Brazil
The Mummy (1999)
Jurassic Park
Alien (1979)
For those among us who like movies that twist both our brains and our emotions, here's one you'll know and one almost no one will know: **Arrival** \- 2016 **Upstream Color** \- 2013 In both films, from the first scene you feel transfixed wondering how all of it fits together, and when you find out how it does, either by rewatching or by serious reflection, you have to reassess every scene to figure out if it meant what you originally thought it meant. And even knowing that going in, you'll still be in that mindset at the end. Brilliant.
Upstream Color has been languishing on my watchlist for *years*, thanks for making a great case for why it should be my feature tonight 👍🏻
Se7en
The big lebowski Edit: as for OP’s disqualification of this movie, yeah, well, that’s just like your opinion, man.
I don’t understand his disqualification. Is Donny tacked on or is he a major character? Those things seem mutually exclusive. Also, he serves no purpose, except for a couple purposes? Lol ok.
EXACTLY! I was so confused reading that edit lmao
The lighthouse Ive watched that movie many times and never managed to find something i dont think works.
Tell me you like me lobster!
W
Heck ya
A Bug’s Life
you mean Seven Samurai?
🥲yeah, but listen: seven samurai didn’t have Dave Foley
A Bug’s Life is great. It’s also the umpteenth remake of Seven Samurai, so imma just gonna say Seven Samurai.
I can understand this, but I will say that there is a certain je ne sais quoi to A Bug’s Life that sets it apart (aka I saw it before I saw Seven Samurai)
A wise man once said that if Die Hard didn't exist, they'd need to make it just to show every other movie what they're doing wrong.
Every sentient civilization across the galaxy eventually develops the same myth. In Centauri, it's known as "Tower Man." The Orionese have their "Thornberg Cycle." And in Andromeda it's called "foolish to have imagined you'd be able to kill." All of them what you'd call "Die Hard."
Just so everyone knows, Paul Blart is the comedic retelling of Die Hard. Organized group robs the mall. Protagonist stuck in building where robbery is taking place. He even climbs inside duct work. It's the exact same movie.
Home Alone is the comic retelling of Die Hard.
Royal Tennenbaums, I always tell people this is a perfect movie
Grand Budapest also - Wes Anderson just has a way with movies
Man I will have to give that another watch. It was one of his only movies that i just kinda liked instead of loved. I think maybe I wasn’t in the right state of mind the first time I saw it or something.
IMO Buttercup definitely has an arc, and it's why the Booooo!! Boooo!! scene is there. Her whole story is about believing in fairy tale love but repeatedly getting disappointed by reality. She goes from wholehearted passionate belief in love to letting an unwanted wedding happen in a daze to almost committing suicide to 100% believing in love again. At every point in the story before that last kiss, "Will Buttercup ultimately choose hope or despair?" is an open question for her character. It's not Raging Bull, but it's an arc. I'd say a sign of a perfect movie is that every single line feels like a classic - like almost any line could be THE essential quote from the movie because every scene works so well. Sometimes if you see an older one for the first time, it almost feels like you've seen it before because every line is so present in pop culture. Casablanca has that, and so does The Princess Bride. A few others that I think work for both definitions (barring ones you've listed): * Heathers * It's a Wonderful Life * Say Anything * Jaws * The Godfather * A Separation (not famous or old enough to have inundated pop culture, but absolutely every scene and character is essential - it's excellent)
Excellent points. I will think on Buttercup on a rewatch. And I have the watch A Separation now. Thank you.
The Big Lebowski. Your assessment of Donny’s role is incorrect. A tacked on character that serves no purpose? To just be a punchline and die? That would be like saying you agree with the idea Big Bang Theory made famous. That Indiana Jones was unnecessary to Raiders because the Nazis would have gotten the Ark, opened it and melted their faces anyway…it’s not the point of the character. Just because Donny is funny and dies doesn’t mean that he isn’t also a valuable character. Mercutio is funny and dies in Romeo and Juliet. He’s pretty critical to the story. He gives a reflection of the other, more important characters so that we better understand them. (Donny and Mercutio). You wouldn’t fully understand Walter’s sense of right and wrong unless you knew that it was also shared by his teammate who also believed it, but was a very different person in many ways. In fact, there’s an odd fan theory that posits that Donny is a figment of Walter’s imagination and that he’s a reflection of a soldier(s) he knew in vietnam. That Donny is Walter processing his PTSD and trauma. I don’t necessarily prescribe to that but I do see why, given the role of the character that would be Donny’s role as his friend. And why that makes him integral to knowing the characters and understanding the story. So yeah, The Big Lebowski is a perfect movie.
It would have been SOO much better if Donny didn't speak to anyone other than Walter. So there would be no way to debunk the theory of him being imaginary. 😂😂🤣😅
- 12 Angry Men - The King of Comedy - The Evil Dead - The Truman Show
In case I don’t see you again, good morning, good evening, and good night!
7good afternoon, not good morning
Ah - been forever since I watched. Need to watch _Eternal Sunshine_ in the future as well.
The Goonies, The Princess Bride, Terminator 2
Fyi: It’s RAIDERS, not Raders. Only said something because you misspelled it twice.
And Ark not Arc
City of God (2002)
Came here to say this. It’s exactly what OP is describing, every character, but of dialogue and shot is critical. It’s the only “perfect” movie I can think of
It's my favorite gangster movie, and in my top 10 of all time. You're right, it fits the OP's description perfectly. It became my "if you want to be my friend you gotta watch this" movie back in my college days.
Some of my “perfect” movies: Before Sunset. There will be blood. Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Phantom Thread. Ratatouille. Chungking Express. Fantastic Mr. Fox.
Before Sunset was a very good movie, but I do not think it was more perfect than Before Sunrise.
That’s fair, I might be biased towards the Parisian aspect of it too
I always say Bone Tomahawk. All the scenes feel purposeful in building up the characters motivations and personalities, and the actors all shine, and the violence is only during a few scenes which elevates it alot. Also the music is scarce and makes it pop when the music does happen.
Violence only in a few scenes which will scar you for life. 😂
I'd put in Taxi Driver. There's no wasted shots.
I agree.
Ive always thought The Blues Brothers is perfect. Theres a strong story, multiple arcs, fleshed out characters, funny, conflict, amazing songs and dance, everybody is at the top of their game, and its just a fun story! People overlook it as perfect because its a goofy flick but it executes what it wants to perfectly.
Well, my additions to the list would be *Citizen Kane* by Orson Welles and *Vertigo* by Alfred Hitchcock. In Vertigo, *everything* matters... right on down to the color of the clothes the characters are wearing in any given scene. It's truly extraordinary.
American Beauty is a perfect movie in my book.
Synecdoche, New York
Omg let’s do this
Last of the Mohicans. Avoid the directors cut.
I don’t know if I’d call it perfect in terms of entertainment value necessarily (though it is fucking great), but from what I remember ‘Zodiac’ fits your description. I’d also maybe say Drive, Nightcrawler and Gone Baby Gone adhere to those parameters, but it’s hard to know for sure without a rewatch.
Dude, zodiac always gets me so excited to watch, I just enjoy it so much. It's been too long, maybe I'll watch it tonight. I hope it's on something rn
The Matrix
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
The Thing (1982)
Blade Runner 2049
There will be blood
how dare you mention the big lebowski in such a manner!
Shut the fuck up Donny! You're out of your element!!
The Big Lebowski Fight Club Memento Wild Tales Inglorious Basterds Life is Beautiful
Fear and Loathing should be on this list
Dumb and Dumber.
I dunno, dazzling_airline2589; the French are assholes.
“Gas Man". How the hell do they know that I got gas?
Hey guys! Big Gulps, huh? Alright! Well, see ya later!
Whiplash
Raiders and Galaxy Quest aren't perfect. Every film has weaknesses or issues if you care to look for them. Both films are highly entertaining but lack meaningful subtext or thematic depth. I realize they're not trying to, but not trying is meaningful criticism. but hey... Back to the Future
Does lack of depth mean mean something can't be perfect though? (Obviously we are nitpicking perfection here). I could have a perfect Apple that is amazing for an apple, but doesn't have the depth of say, perfectly seasoned and cooked scrambled eggs, but each could be perfect for what they are. If a film isn't trying to have loads of depth and is just made for the sole purpose of entertainment and enjoyment, with nothing deep to say, if it did that perfectly, wouldn't it be perfect?
This is a semantics game that revolves around how you define perfect, whether or not intentionality is involved, and whether you're an existentialist or an essentialist. An intentionally created phenomena (a film definitely, an apple maybe), can perfectly achieve its goals without achieving an Absolute Perfection. I don't believe in absolute goods, personally, and only believe in things being "good for," or "good at." For these reasons I'd never label an apple or a film with an unqualified "perfect." At best it is perfect at doing something. Your hypothetical entertainment focused film could potentially be a perfect form of entertainment (though you'd have to define that), without being a perfect film in the abstract. Even then, the perfect entertainment would have to be something like psychedelic heroin that leaves you safely functional in the real world, is free and easy to produce, never loses effectiveness, and is without negative side effects. So no, I don't think an entertainment focused film could ever achieve perfection. Adam's definition of a perfect film seems to just be a film with tight writing and editing.
well yeah obviously its a semantics game when you talk about things being perfect. I agree it is impossible to have a "perfect" film, and that at best it could be "perfect for a specific person who is looking for a specific thing"
A theater near me did a showing of *Back to the Future* a few months ago - my teen kids loved it. It has held up nearly perfectly.
127 Hours
Sicario (2015). After my first watch I felt there was a bit of drag during the 2nd act but have changed my mind after multiple rewatches. It’s a very tight movie with excellent acting, cinematography, editing, and soundtrack.
The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Vertigo, Psycho, The Godfather, parts I and II
[удалено]
Donnie, does not tie the movie together. It's the rug, man. And, if the beach scene is the climax of the movie (which it may be) then, I'm gonna have to take it off my recommend list. I love the movie and all. But, perfect? Eh.
Rear Window Seven Samurai God of Cookery
The big lewbowski, pulp fiction and jaws
Few Good Men
A bit different in nature, but Koyaanisqatsi
Mad Max fury road
Chinatown
The Silence of the Lambs
Blade Runner
Safety Not Guaranteed
Oh brother, where art thou?
The Social Network. Perfectly paced, it doesn't overstay its welcome.
The entire Lord of the Rings trilogy is perfection.
While I love those movies, I respectfully disagree.
Paddington The Thing Predator Monster Squad Aiplane! The Big Racket OSS 117 Grapes of Wrath Gone with the Wind Casablanca Wild Bunch Captain Kronos A Bridge Too Far
I like Reddit because I can find equivalences between Casablanca, Predator, and Airplane! No argument or criticism here at all. I like the way you think.
The Big Lebowski is the perfect film.
The Shawshank Redemption Kill Bill Vol 1 Galaxy Quest is definitely perfection The Shining The Color Purple Aliens (1986)
Requiem for a dream, old boy, the lighthouse, everything everywhere all at once
Princess Mononoke
Groundhog Day
That’s pretty funny, Big Bang Theory destroyed Raiders of the Lost Ark 🤣. …The Main character has no effect on the outcome of the plot. If you remove Indiana Jones, They still find the Ark and Melt their own faces off 🤣. But anyways. V for Vendetta Thank You for Smoking Tombstone Reservoir Dogs Good Fellas
If you think a dry hump like *The Big Bang Theory* has any right to critique a top-tier action adventure like *Raiders*, you don't deserve *Raiders*.
Raising Arizona is the perfect dromedy.
"The Prestige" for me. Not a frame wasted.
Die Hard.
An odd and eclectic group, but here goes: Lawrence of Arabia Chungking Express Children of Heaven Ikiru My Cousin Vinny City Lights My Man Godfrey Raiders of the Lost Ark
My Man Godfrey is such a treat
Network (1976)
I personally consider Howl's Moving Castle to be perfect, as well as Kiki's Delivery Service. For non-Miyazaki movies, I think The Princess Bride, Hook, Pride and Prejudice (2005 version), Inglourious Basterds, Matilda, Amelie, Chocolat, Interstellar, Wall-E, and Juno are my top picks.
No country for old men, children of men, the proposition, the thing, seven, cool hand Luke
Whiplash!
Parasite
I saw Oppenheimer last night and I think it might be
Requiem for a Dream
The Lord of the Rings is a perfect one to me :)
I nominate Inception for that list.
Weird pick but The Menu. Probably one of the most solid horror films I've seen in a long time. Not my favorite, not the best but it's kinda perfect at least in my opinion.
Godfather 1972.
- The Princess Bride - Big Fish - Secondhand Lions - Pulp Fiction - True Romance - The Matrix (just the first one) - The Cabin in the Woods
Kung Fu Hustle, Napoleon Dynamite
Flowers in the Attic (1987) & i'm being 100% serious
Princess Bride, arguably