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
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.
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.
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?
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.
Oh, fark, I was thinking of another Orson Welles movie, Touch of Evil. Total brainfreeze there.
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!
I’ll agree with Christmas Vacation and add
You’ve Got Mail
August Rush
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I agree with plenty of the ones mentioned, but feel the need to add Back To The Future and probably Double Indemnity.
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.
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.
Car Wash 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.
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.
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.
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.