how many perfect movies do you know?

A few, but one man's perfect movie is another's stinker. I've seen thousands of movies, but my favorite is "Highlander," which was widely panned. I also like "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," "Bladerunner," "Dr. No," "The Day the Earth Stood Still," and the 50s versions of "Ivanhoe" and "A Christmas Carol." Even restricting myself to perfect movies, the list is long.

I was very impressed by Its a Wonderful Life.
Pitch Black is also another gooden.

I didnt know Highlander was panned!!Its an absolute classic!!

Fifth Element gets my vote for a modern film.

And for pure spoof silliness?.......

Airplane.
Naked Gun
Galaxy Quest.

An oldie.....

The Lavender Hill Mob (Euston films, I believe...Alec Guinness etc)

Agree with all of your choices, Kuvasz. To those I would add "High Noon", the most perfect Western ever made, in my opinion. "Chinatown" fits the criterion on near-perfection also.

Re: how many perfect movies do you know?


kuvasz, you are kidding right? I am missing the joke here aren't I?

You thought A hard days night was a great film BUT for the soundtrack?

The soundtrack was the only point to this piece of crap.

I think your other choices are excellent

To Sir, With Love
A Clockwork Orange
The Princess Bride
Edward Scissorhands
High Fidelity

Lately Mo has been really into "Lemony Snicket" and I confess to being continually pulled in and liking it very much.

The Maltese Falcoln
Day of the Jackal (1973)
Chariots of Fire
The Return of Martin Guerre
Eye of the Needle
Apollo 13
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon

The Producers, by Mel Brooks

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
The Godfather II
Casablanca
The Exorcist
The Silence of the Lambs
Bad Day at Black Rock
Young Frankenstein

Isn't this really another best film discussion?

1. Vertigo
2. Citizen Kane
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey
4. The Godfather
5. L'Aventura
6. 8-l/2
7. Woman in the Dunes
8. The Seven Samurai
9. Singin' in the Rain
10. The Third Man
11. All About Eve
12. Tokyo Story
13. The 400 Blows
14. Ran
15. The Gardens of the Finzi-Contini
16. Rear Window
17. West Side Story
18. Blade Runner
19. The Rules of the Game
20. Dr. Strangelove


Not necessarily in order but "Vertigo" is my favorite perfect movie. There just isn't a psychological thriller out there that can come close. The mystery, the metaphysical overtones, the characterizations, the dialogue, everything reveals Hitchcock's mastery of the genre.

"Citizen Kane" for its innovation, great storytelling, dialogue and acting.

"2001" because it isn't just a movie, on the giant screen it's an experience (and still waiting with anticipation for the IMAX version).

Silence of the Lambs
Hannibal
Red Dragon
The Nightmare before Christmas
Clockwork Orange

reply
Sabrina (Hepburn and Bogart)

African Queen (different Hepburn and Bogart)

Notorious.

Psycho.

Victor Victoria.

Ruggles of Red Gap (old Charles Laughton, absolutely wonderful!)

Shall We Dance (the Japanese version)

They aren't perfect but I think all three Matrix movies were pretty wonderful, sensitive people trying their very best to communicate all the best things they knew..

Speed. It's an allegory to me...and the hero never leaves us...and he is quite dependant on the services of the "girl"...and some really good people die...

I agree with many of the other suggestions too...but "perfect" is of course subjective, depends on who you are...