# Five Perfect Movies
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** movies
**Created:** [September 1, 2024, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586 "2024-09-01T22:00:28Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/1 "2024-09-01T22:00:28Z")
As mentioned in this thread as an aside: [Movies you've seen recently (Part 2) - #47 by Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-recently-part-2/1006288/47)
I want your _personal_ Five Perfect Movies. Not the internet, not someone else’s, and definitely _not_ “This one is pretty good, too” movies. If you can’t narrow it down to five, more’s the pity, but there is one simple caveat: You don’t have to say all five in the same post, but once you get to five you can’t add any more.
I’ll start with one, and add more later: _My Name Is Nobody_, with Terance Hill and Henry Fonda. Nothing about this simple western about a man just trying to retire has fault, in my opinion.
And you?
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### Author:  [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/2 "2024-09-01T22:05:41Z")
Do you mean perfect as in excellent, or perfect as in flawless? Because all of my favorite movies have flaws.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/3 "2024-09-01T22:14:02Z")
I mean what I said, so if you want to clarify it for yourself please do so…but if, in the end you say something akin to “Only a damnfoolidiot would try to fix this peice of perfection”, then you are probably on the right track.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/4 "2024-09-01T22:17:27Z")
Young Frankenstein
Treasure of The Sierra Madre
Casablanca
Lord of the Rings (okay, so it was actually three installments; so sue me)
The Godfather
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/5 "2024-09-01T22:18:56Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> Lord of the Rings
Not the Ralph Bakshi version, right?
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/6 "2024-09-01T22:19:41Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#):
>
> Not the Ralph Bakshi version, right?
Oh, god no.
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### Author:  [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/7 "2024-09-01T22:25:11Z")
Princess Bride
Casablanca
A Christmas Story
The Matrix (only the first one)
Hmmm have to ponder the last one…
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### Author:  [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/8 "2024-09-01T22:25:56Z")
I’ll start with just one like you, and add more later.
The first thing that comes to mind when I think “perfect movie” is **Jurassic Park**. Adventure, spectacle, suspense, a bit of humour – this is what movies are all about! And it’s all based on one of the most intriguing sci-fi concepts ever – one that seems almost possible. Masterfully directed by the inimitable Steven Spielberg. It’s a movie that you can watch again and again, and is worth owning in the highest definition that your TV or projection system is capable of.
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> Young Frankenstein
I’m torn between the genius of Mel Brooks here and the more conventional but hilarious _Airplane!_. OK, I’m going with the less conventional here …
**Young Frankenstein**
Now I’m up to two.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/9 "2024-09-01T22:26:11Z")
I’ll take 4 of 5 of these. _Treasure_ is great, but I can think of better.
Young Frankenstein, Casablanca, Lord of the Rings, The Godfather.
I’ll suggest **Roman Holiday**.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/10 "2024-09-01T22:29:20Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#):
>
> _Treasure_ is great, but I can think of better.
There are many that can go on a list like this. This is one that I’ve watched sever times and popped into my head.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/11 "2024-09-01T22:30:58Z")
Probably why Roman Holiday popped up in mine followed by African Queen. I’ve seen both so many times.
Princess Bride loses .1 pts for a 9.9 for those ROUS. Not perfect.
Honestly my list of perfect movies is probably about 80 long, not 5.
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/12 "2024-09-01T22:31:15Z")
If pressed to 5, I’d say(unranked):
In Bruges
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Inception
Mad Max Fury Road
Hereditary
Here is my list of 10 out of 10’s:
> **[Movies I score 10 out of 10. Absolute perfection.](https://letterboxd.com/mahaloth/list/movies-i-score-10-out-of-10-absolute-perfection/)**
>
> A list of 21 films compiled on Letterboxd, including The Handmaiden (2016), In Bruges (2008), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), Oldboy (2003) and I Saw the Devil (2010).
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/13 "2024-09-01T22:32:52Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> If pressed to 5, I’d say(unranked):
Definitely not ranked-I ain’t suicidal.
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### Author:  [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/14 "2024-09-01T22:33:40Z")
Billy Wilder: The Apartment
John Huston: The African Queen
William Wyler: The Big Country
Hitchcock: North by Northwest
John Ford: The Quiet Man
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/15 "2024-09-01T22:33:59Z")
For the purposes of this thread, we’ll stick with your personal five.
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/16 "2024-09-01T22:34:16Z")
A Clockwork Orange.
Star Wars (the first incarnation, when Han shot first).
Lawrence of Arabia.
Memento.
LA Confidential.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/17 "2024-09-01T22:46:35Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> In Bruges
Strong contender.
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### Author:  [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/18 "2024-09-01T22:49:33Z")
My first two:
After Hours
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Yes, I have a thing for black comedies.
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### Author:  [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/19 "2024-09-01T22:50:30Z")
One that I would have listed earlier but forgot:
**The Silence of the Lambs**
In its own way it also illustrates “this is what movies are all about” just like _Jurassic Park_, but much darker and in completely different ways that are almost at the opposite end of the spectrum, and certainly not a movie outing for the entire family. But extremely well made, also masterfully directed, and with such superb creepy acting by Anthony Hopkins that I still get the chills every time I see him on TV. The tension in this film is palpable.
Now I’m up to three.
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### Author:  [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)
#### Post date: [September 1, 2024, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/five-perfect-movies/1006586/20 "2024-09-01T22:56:39Z")
I’ll add these to the above list:
_ **American Grafitti** _
_ **Double Indemnity** _
_ **The Best Years of Our Lives** _
_ **Gentlemen’s Agreement** _
_ **The Heiress** _
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