# "Perfect" movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 11, 2011, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808 "2011-12-11T06:13:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/81 "2011-12-12T20:55:55Z")
_The Dish_ - this maybe isn’t as well known as many of the (great) films in this thread, but it is an absolute gem. All the characters are perfectly drawn and cast, and it is a damned cool story, done affectionally, and funny to boot ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/82 "2011-12-12T21:36:20Z")
I could list a half dozen films that I love (like some seem to be doing here), but I’ve resisted the urge and gave myself a moment to ponder what is a perfect film. And I came up with **Ghost World**. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/83 "2011-12-12T21:41:32Z")
> [@WotNot](#): > > _Scott Pilgrim vs. The World_ While I agree with all the other titles listed so far, this was the one I came in to post. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/84 "2011-12-12T21:49:18Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > **12 Monkeys** - very tightly plotted, the best time travel movie I’ve seen. Definitely rewards repeat viewing. Bruce Willis and Madeline Stowe give the performances of their careers. I don’t know how tight the plot is considering the original was about 13 minutes long. > [@AuntiePam](#): > > _Shane_ – thank God there’s never been a remake (at least by that name). \ ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/85 "2011-12-13T02:41:17Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I don’t know how tight the plot is considering the original was about 13 minutes long. Twelve Monkeys isn’t a remake of “the original”, it was _inspired_ by La Jetée, and is a far more intricate story. FWIW, I’ve seen La Jetée (which runs 28 minutes, btw); for those of us who like Twelve Monkeys, it’s definitely worth watching. . ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/86 "2011-12-13T03:42:40Z")
\*Broken Blossoms \*(silent), \*All About Eve. Some Like It Hot (Why the dearth of comedies in this thread?). Chocolat. \*And hell, why not _The Wizard of Oz_? ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/87 "2011-12-13T04:22:16Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > No love for the Star Wars movies? The original, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi? I agree, but take out RoJ and add in the Phantom Menace. It’s not to everyone’s tastes, and it could never have lived up to the childhood dreams of grown children, but every scene works perfectly, all of the characters fulfill their purpose(even JarJar the fool/comic relief), each shot has meaning and every word is perfect, and the plot works as both a standalong film and as the first chapter in the hexalogy. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/88 "2011-12-13T04:26:47Z")
These movies are perfect to me, or very nearly so: _Casablanca_ - uplifting period drama/romance _Breaker Morant_ - court-martial drama and military adventure _Raiders of the Lost Ark_ - sheer adventure _Limitless_ - technothriller _The Incredibles_ - superhero fun _Trading Places_ - buddy comedy _True Lies_ - action comedy _Aliens_ - sf/horror adventure _Galaxy Quest_ - sf comedy ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/89 "2011-12-13T04:35:32Z")
Home for the Holidays. Bringing up Baby. Alice Adams. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/90 "2011-12-13T04:40:19Z")
_Dumbo_ and _Fox & The Hound_. _Casablanca_. \*Citizen Kane \*(Obviously!). _Wiz of Oz_. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/91 "2011-12-13T06:34:31Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Rosemary’s Baby was a perfect movie, mostly because Roman Polanski followed Ira Levin’s perfect book (and how often does that happen in Hollywood?). That is a very good point. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/92 "2011-12-13T14:13:35Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > That is a very good point. To give credit where credit is due, the point was made by Stephen King in _Danse Macabre_. Roman Polaski later stated that he didn’t know screen writers were supposed to totally redo books to their liking. He went so far as to call Ira Levin and ask him what issue of New Yorker had the advertisement for the shirt Guy bought. Levin admitted he faked it, assuming every issue had a good shirt ad in it. But the issue for the time period of the book didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/93 "2011-12-13T14:17:48Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > _Limitless_ - technothriller Just watched this last night. Extremely silly and extremely entertaining. I agree - best technothriller I’ve seen. Casablanca can’t be topped. Mary Poppins would be the perfect kids’ movie but for DvD’s accent and some dodgy musical numbers. Instead I suggest Toy Story. For spy/action flicks I submit the Bourne Identity. All three of them are superb but the first one has a nod to subtlety the others don’t. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/94 "2011-12-13T16:16:32Z")
Movies I can watch ANYTIME. Cars Both Airplane movies Starship Troopers Patton Planes, Trains and Automobiles ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![jordanr2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@jordanr2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jordanr2)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/95 "2011-12-13T17:00:08Z")
_Distant Voices, Still Lives Chinese Roulette Antichrist Mulholland Drive Tokyo Story 3 Women Not Reconciled Singin’ in the Rain Rosemary’s Baby The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover_ …just a few that jump to mind. Masterpieces all, and I can’t think of a single change that would make them better. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/96 "2011-12-13T17:06:29Z")
Finding Nemo. I’m way old, no kiddies around any more, but I find myself watching it whenever it’s on The Family Channel. Cabaret. It’s beautiful to look at, has wonderful musical numbers, and it isn’t a feel-good frivolous ‘musical’ at all. Last of the Mohicans. Heartrending music, beautiful scenery, American history, and the beautiful pairing of Daniel Day Lewis and Madeleine Stowe - I can’t ask for anything more. ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/97 "2011-12-13T17:32:58Z")
_Master and Commander the Far Side of the World_ (apart from the stupid title) _The Wicker Man_ (The real one, not the LaBute abortion) \*A Matter of Life and Death A Canterbury Tale \* And a few foreign-language films: \*Les Triplettes de Belleville Seven Samurai Delicatessen Amarcord \* ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/98 "2011-12-13T21:21:15Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Time After Time. Not a thing wrong with it. Astounding, considering the premise. I saw it when it was released, and loved it. Haven’t rewatched it in decades, and my wife has never seen it. I need to rent it soon and see how it holds up after thirty years. Another movie from the same year, which I have watched several times, and it just gets better: _The Frisco Kid_ with Gene Wilder and Harrison Ford. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/99 "2011-12-14T00:01:11Z")
> [@Cartoonacy](#): > > I saw it when it was released, and loved it. Haven’t rewatched it in decades, and my wife has never seen it. I need to rent it soon and see how it holds up after thirty years. Loved it when it was new, didn’t see it again until a few years ago. We weren’t disappointed- it holds up very well. Still my favorite Malcom McDowell performance. . ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/100 "2011-12-14T00:05:52Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > As good as it was, it had deeply flawed performances from Glenn Campbell and Kim Darby.Hailee Steinfeld schooled everyone in how to play Maddie. I agree about Campbell, but not so much about Darby. Steinfeld’s interpretation and performance is far more enjoyable to me, but I don’t look at Darby’s performance so much as flawed, but as a different, albeit highly annoying, interpretation. I respect Bridges for not imitating Wayne and making the character his own, but really, what choice did he have? Both Wayne and Rooster are iconic in American cinema. He couldn’t copy him, and unless he pulled out a Heath-Ledger-as-the-Joker revamp, he was never going to win in that role. In my opinion, he did not, and so Wayne still casts a shadow over that role. I’d like to see a version with Wayne inserted into the remake. Just remove the part where Damon bites his tongue and talks funny from then on. That pissed me off. We already had Bridges mumbling and grumbling his way through the movie, and then the other guy we were following around almost bites his tongue off. It’s a wonder the Coen bros didn’t have the snake bite Maddie on the tongue. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808.md?page=6)