# "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:** 7
**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 14, 2011, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/121 "2011-12-14T13:15:00Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > My picks would be the follwowing: > [ul] > [li]_Die Hard_ [/li][li]_Rear Window_ [/li][li]_Raging Bull_ [/li][li]_The Apartment_ [/li][li]_The Lives of Others_ [/li][li]_The Return_: [/li][/ul] > > Stranger I appreciate the selections and insightful comments here, **Stranger** , and I totally agree with the ones I’ve seen (particularly The Apartment and The Lives of Others). What I have not seen is The Return. It’s now at the top of my Netflix Queue, though. On another note, let me throw one out that I don’t think has been mentioned, but, to me, is perfection: **This Is Spinal Tap**. mmm ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/122 "2011-12-14T13:51:46Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > I think people are interpreting “perfect movie” a little too broadly to mean “movie I like.” > > To me a “perfect movie” is one you might present to a film school class to show them a movie that is perfect in every department. That includes plotting, character development, acting, cinematography, pacing, editing, scoring, costumes, art direction, etc. I was using the definition in the original post: \*Every scene works. \*Nothing is wasted, nothing is extra. \*General consensus is positive and it can be watched again and again. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/123 "2011-12-14T16:08:17Z")
If you’re looking for a movie that’s literally perfect, you’re not going to find one. It’s not like a math test where you can score 100. Every movie will have some flaws, for some viewers Going by the criteria in the OP I’d put in the first _Terminator_ movie. There’s very little wasted in what is both a very tight adrenaline filled chase movie, and also a sentimental but cheering endorsement of humanity and defiance. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/124 "2011-12-14T16:12:13Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Some of my choices have already been mentioned but here’s a couple of absolutely perfect French movies. > > _La Grande Illusion_ by Renoir and Becker’s superb prison escape movie _Le Trou_ (_Shawshank Redemption_ pales by comparison.) Wow, you’re the first person I’ve ever met who’s even heard of _Le Trou_. (Well, not that I’ve asked everybody I’ve ever met.) I never really got into the class conflict message in the movie, but the mechanics of the breakout were fascinating. Was it the first jailbreak movie? ---
**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 14, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/125 "2011-12-14T16:13:36Z")
Odd that The Shawshank Redemption is mentioned several times, but not Stephen King’s other prison movie The Green Mile. Not a moment of that film is wasted. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/126 "2011-12-14T16:33:08Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Re: The Third Man > > The first scene? Are you sure you don’t mean the final shot? Oh, fark, I was thinking of another Orson Welles movie, _Touch of Evil_. Total brainfreeze there. ---
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/127 "2011-12-14T16:57:20Z")
I’m probably a bit biased, but to me, “The Sound of Music” is the most perfect movie ever made. This scenes logically flow together, the young love blooming and dying, the choreography, the music, the lighting, the costumes. However, going by the “nothing extra”, I’m not really sure the opening scene and song was “required”, it just feels right, and I love the song because it’s almost like a song about me. I’ll throw up another vote for the Shawshank Redemption as a perfect movie though! ---
**Author:** ![67java89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/aeb1de/32.png) [@67java89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/67java89)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/128 "2011-12-14T18:13:13Z")
I’ll agree with Christmas Vacation and add You’ve Got Mail August Rush ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/129 "2011-12-14T19:05:43Z")
I agree with Shawshank Redemption as mentioned above. I think the Princess Bride is perfect until they exit the fire swamp and then it drags. Stand By Me if not perfect is a great “comfort” movie. If I’m channel surfing I’ll stop on that everytime. But, my nominee would be “Lars and the Real Girl”. Other than the one brief instant when Emily Mortimer slips into her british accent for those who want to quibble. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/130 "2011-12-14T19:10:32Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > I think people are interpreting “perfect movie” a little too broadly to mean “movie I like.” > > To me a “perfect movie” is one you might present to a film school class to show them a movie that is perfect in every department. That includes plotting, character development, acting, cinematography, pacing, editing, scoring, costumes, art direction, etc. > > In my world, that is a very small list of movies. > > I think the two I mentioned, **Doctor Zhivago** and **Last of the Mohicans** , qualify as masterpieces of the art form. Some of the other movies named qualify, but a lot of them just _don’t_, in my opinion. (A poor acting job by a minor character, an odd camera angle, a clumsy editing moment, a clunky song choice…it takes very little to take a film out of the realm of the “perfect.”) > > Anyhow, one man’s opinion. I would generally agree with your definition, and add a movie that if I’ve got light housework and it comes on, I cannot keep from putting down everything to watch it again. So multiple viewings are necessary. As a side note, I would not want to show film students (except in an introductory course) only perfect movies. Gotta see what can go wrong too. > [@Tibbytoes](#): > > Hugo 3D > > One of the most enchanting movies I’ve seen in years. It works flawlessly on multiple levels. I saw this in 3D when it was released a week or two ago. I was stunned like I had not been since the first time I saw Metropolis. Will it engage me during future viewings? I hope so. > [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > I was kinda rolling with you until that very last film. Groundhog Day? REALLY? Perfect? I found Murray to be annoying and the characters kind of tinny. Yep. Not all of the characters are fully fleshed out, and none deep, but that wouldn’t be taking the movie on what it was trying to achieve. I can watch this one over and over again. During the same sitting!!! As for Bill Murray, don’t underestimate him. His smarmy asshole character was perfect for the weatherman here. Also see Caddyshack, Lost in Translation, Zombieland, Stripes and Ghostbusters. When the role is right, Murray has the chops. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2011, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/131 "2011-12-14T19:32:02Z")
Only one other person has mentioned **The Usual Suspects**? Damn, y’all, go watch it right now and bask in its greatness! The writing, the pacing, the casting, all superb. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/132 "2011-12-15T01:23:53Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Only one other person has mentioned **The Usual Suspects**? Damn, y’all, go watch it right now and bask in its greatness! The writing, the pacing, the casting, all superb. For some reason I find this movie off-putting. I’ve seen it a couple of times and just feel like somebody has tried to trick me at the end. Verbal is a bullshitter. That isn’t killer twist, in fact it is really obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/133 "2011-12-15T15:37:49Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > For some reason I find this movie off-putting. I’ve seen it a couple of times and just feel like somebody has tried to trick me at the end. Verbal is a bullshitter. That isn’t killer twist, in fact it is really obvious. You say bullshitter, I say silver-tongued criminal mastermind. Different strokes, I guess. Although it did win the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, which was the one award that year that I was really rooting for. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/134 "2011-12-15T17:13:34Z")
I agree with plenty of the ones mentioned, but feel the need to add **Back To The Future** and probably **Double Indemnity**. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/135 "2011-12-15T17:25:29Z")
**Goodfellas** would be hard to improve. I totally buy into it every time. \*\*Pulp Fiction \*\*was mentioned above, and I second this. Yeah, it was hard to believe Tarantino’s character but real life is pretty whacky also. **Psycho** is just flat out perfect. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/136 "2011-12-15T22:01:55Z")
Given that “perfect” is a rather arbitrary definition, I will say that for what it was trying to be, 1991’s _Beauty and the Beast_ was as perfect as it gets. Also from the same year, again for what they were trying to be, _Silence of the Lambs_ and _JFK_ were close to perfect as well. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2011, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/137 "2011-12-15T23:25:37Z")
[Car Wash](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074281/) never got the respect it deserved. The storyline is solid, the acting is superb and the soundtrack is outstanding! And look at the cast! Richard Pryor, George Carlin,Franklin Ajaye, Garrett Morris, Ivan Dixon, Bill Duke, Danny DeVito, The Pointer Sisters and (ya gotta love him) “Professor” Irwin Corey. ---
**Author:** ![jordanr2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@jordanr2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jordanr2)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/138 "2011-12-16T01:05:29Z")
> [@campp](#): > > **Psycho** is just flat out perfect. Even the last scene with the rambling shrink? I know this is nothing like an original observation, but that bit is an enormous flaw, even if it was necessary at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/139 "2011-12-16T11:39:27Z")
Made for (Brit) tv, Contact, written by Ken Clarke. It follows a British Army patrol in “Bandit Country”, close to the border in Northern Ireland during the “troubles” Its incredibly realistic, there aren’t lots of explosions, or gung ho fights, but it does show the unrelenting stress on men who’s lives are at risk literally every second of every minute of every day. It has very little dialogue,and no background music. (It always pees me off when in films where troops are supposed to be covert, are having unnecessary conversations every five minutes in case the audience gets bored) Soldiers and ex soldiers will appreciate how authentic it is, but might not sleep well after watching it. I would say that there are no wasted moments, let alone wasted scenes in the entire film. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808/140 "2011-12-16T19:24:32Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > _M_. It’s put together like a Swiss watch - not a thing out of place. I can’t recall a story told on screen with more economy and punch. Damn, I popped in to mention this film. I would have to say that this and the long version of Metopolis are my 2 favorite movies of all time. Have you seen any other of the original Dr Mabuse flicks? The old [pre 40] ones are phenomenal and reuse many of the same characters [like Fatty Frohman the chief inspector] and are of excellent quality. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/perfect-movies/605808.md?page=8)