Films that were perfect

[Somegeezer]

This is like a follow on from the "worst movie you've seen" thread. I think it would be great to know what films you felt were just perfect the way they were. A film where you wouldn't change a single thing.

I think I'll start off with 'Back To The Future', 'Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind' and 'V For Vendetta'. These films, I have thought were just perfect from the first viewing.

[Squibby]

'Mirrormask'. Neil Gaiman is a genius! For a poly-related film, I literally just watched a fantastic one called 'Bandits,' Cate Blanchett is amazing in it. :D

[Castalia]

Habitat, initially it was rated as a horror, which it isn't, it's more of a bad sci-fi. it's cheesy but i love that movie, love the characters, special effects and the story line.

[MonoVCPHG]

Excalibur - this is an all time favourite of mine. Having watched it over and over I was able to see someone actually get hit with a sword in the final fight scene and thier response was hilarious!

Arthur and his knights are in a circle and he gets hit on the head by the back swing of one of his own men. He reaches up and rubs it for just a second LOL!

[Vivien]

I loved The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.

[questioningperson]

A film that i founnd amazing was Inception im really into sci fi and everytjing about this movie from the acting to the effects that they used and leonardos acting was amazing and ellen page did great as well. Their is no way she'll be type casted for movies becasue of inception. The ending of that movie made my mind explode!

[nycindie]

Some favorite "perfect" films of mine:

Captains Courageous, Casablanca, Miracle on 34th Street, The Firemen's Ball, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Young Frankenstein, Blade Runner, Jaws, Thelma & Louise, Big Fish, The Last Emperor, A Bronx Tale, The English Patient, Unfaithful, In the Bedroom, Shadowlands, Remains of the Day, Sense and Sensibility, My Beautiful Laundrette, Muriel's Wedding, Strictly Ballroom, District 9...

oh, so many great films out there, it's tough to limit a list to a small number.

[Magdlyn]

Metropolis, a 1927 silent German Expressionist/Art Deco science fiction film. Just gorgeous, and sexy, and recently almost miraculously restored to its full length of about 2 1/2 hours, as it was cut to 1 1/2 hours almost as soon as it was released. The musical soundtrack makes you forget you're watching a silent film.

You can see by the images below, this film was an influence on such modern movies as Bladerunner, The Fifth Element and Star Wars.

Also, Queen used images from it in their video, Radio Gaga.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBUr1pSWTVI

Imagine the surreal fantasy of Tim Burton mixed with the obsessive detail of Stanley Kubrick, the dystopian layering of Ridley Scott, and the technical innovation of George Lucas. James Cameron might be King of the World today, but he inherited the throne from Fritz Lang.

from Wiki

The film is set in the massive, sprawling futuristic mega-city Metropolis, where society is divided into two classes: one of planners and management, who live high up in luxurious skyscrapers; and one of workers, who live and toil underground. The city was founded, built, and is run by the autocratic Joh Fredersen. Like all the other sons of the managers of Metropolis, Fredersen's son Freder lives a life of luxury. One day, as he is cavorting in the Eternal Gardens, he notices that a beautiful girl has appeared with many children of the workers. She is quickly shooed away, but Freder becomes infatuated with her and follows her down to the workers' underworld. There, he experiences first-hand the horrors of the workers' life...

http://www.talkingpix.co.uk/Metropolis%20robot2.jpg

http://languages.oberlin.edu/courses/2011/spring/cine110/cbick/files/2011/03/metropolis-realmaria.jpg

http://vigilantcitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/metropolis00.jpg

http://pazit.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/metropolis_fritz-lang1.jpg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MWCMNbK6afg/S6nempZv8BI/AAAAAAAAAXA/HzCn0rcyGjs/s1600/lang_metropolis_moloch_2_stor.png

http://etc.technologyandculture.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/wosk-fig1.jpg

http://www.scifiwright.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Metropolis-01.jpg

[Somegeezer]

That looks like an interesting film Magdlyn. I also agree with Blade Runner. I am also into a lot of the sci-fi and even quite into science fact. =P It's very interesting to understand and even just to think of things that COULD be. But back to the films... =P

I think any film can count for this too. Not just feature length cinematic stuff. I love a little film called Crooked Rot. It's just a short animation, but it really gets me hooked. =] - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYjny4qNy24

It's by a guy called David Firth. A lot of people might know him for Salad Fingers. Another few interesting little animations.

[Magdlyn]

That looks like an interesting film Magdlyn.

Here's the official trailer made after the film was restored. Note the nudity! :p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSExdX0tds4

[Castalia]

stepford wives is another favorite of mine, (the newer version), perfect movie. the actors aren't favorites of mine but i love the film. maybe because i hate the whole june cleaver perfect housewife mentality:D

[Kay]

wow there are some great movies here and I agree with a lot of them some of mine are
Lord of the Rings
Stardust
All of the Harry Potter movies except the second one

[Ariakas]

I have never seen one that was perfect. ;)

[Somegeezer]

Here's the official trailer made after the film was restored. Note the nudity! :p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSExdX0tds4
Cool stuff. I will have to check it out one day.

wow there are some great movies here and I agree with a lot of them some of mine are
Lord of the Rings
Stardust
All of the Harry Potter movies except the second one
Ah! How could I forget Lord Of The Rings? I would love to have all the full director's cut versions and sit and watch all 3 in a row. That would be a great night. =P

I have never seen one that was perfect. ;)
There's always one who has to make it awkward. ;D Haha. But I guess everyone has a different view on what is perfect to them. There are a lot of films I wouldn't change anything about though.

[MonoVCPHG]

.


Ah! How could I forget Lord Of The Rings? I would love to have all the full director's cut versions and sit and watch all 3 in a row. That would be a great night. =P

.

I was off sick one day and did just that...talk about feeling like you are in an alternate reality by the end of the day :)

[Ariakas]

There's always one who has to make it awkward. ;D Haha. But I guess everyone has a different view on what is perfect to them. There are a lot of films I wouldn't change anything about though.

Comes from a core disbelief in perfection. :) People hate working for me because I don't believe in handing out perfect scores during reviews.

If I were to pick one thing that was close. It would be lord of the rings. But.. but.. it can never be perfect as it was flawed in some of its story telling. It strayed from the book (which it had to do due to the size of the books) and added some extra goopy romance. All in all, it was pretty close..

[nycindie]

If I were to pick one thing that was close. It would be lord of the rings. But.. but.. it can never be perfect as it was flawed in some of its story telling. It strayed from the book (which it had to do due to the size of the books) and added some extra goopy romance. All in all, it was pretty close..

It's a mistake to judge how good a film is by whether or not it was faithful to the original material from which it was adapted. Film is a visual medium. Books require imagination. A screen adaptation usually MUST stray in order to be tell the story well on the screen, and for the pacing to keep the viewer's interest. You simply cannot include every detail of a long book in a film script. Adaptations are very tricky for even the most experienced screenwriter. Of course, diehard fans of a book always feel like a film should be exactly like the book, and if it isn't, it's a travesty (case in point - the absolute rage there was over the ending to My Sister's Keeper!). But a good director knows that is impossible to do. What they try to do is evoke the right tone or emotional atmosphere of whatever book is being adapted.

[Somegeezer]

I was off sick one day and did just that...talk about feeling like you are in an alternate reality by the end of the day :)
That's what I love about films and gaming too. Just feeling like you're somewhere else. You stop thinking about life and put yourself into the action on screen.

Comes from a core disbelief in perfection. :) People hate working for me because I don't believe in handing out perfect scores during reviews.

If I were to pick one thing that was close. It would be lord of the rings. But.. but.. it can never be perfect as it was flawed in some of its story telling. It strayed from the book (which it had to do due to the size of the books) and added some extra goopy romance. All in all, it was pretty close..
It depends what perfection means to you. No human being is perfect, but isn't that what makes us perfectly human? As far as I've been told [because I haven't read the books and don't plan to] is that the films were actually better, because they got rid of all the pointless nonsense from the books. That added with 3 hours or so length for each film, they were able to put a lot of the stuff that really was relevant into it.

It's a mistake to judge how good a film is by whether or not it was faithful to the original material from which it was adapted. Film is a visual medium. Books require imagination. A screen adaptation usually MUST stray in order to be tell the story well on the screen, and for the pacing to keep the viewer's interest. You simply cannot include every detail of a long book in a film script. Adaptations are very tricky for even the most experienced screenwriter. Of course, diehard fans of a book always feel like a film should be exactly like the book, and if it isn't, it's a travesty (case in point - the absolute rage there was over the ending to My Sister's Keeper!). But a good director knows that is impossible to do. What they try to do is evoke the right tone or emotional atmosphere of whatever book is being adapted.
Exactly a great point. A film is not like a book and so tells the story differently either way. I get annoyed when people have to compare to a book and can't just enjoy a film for what it is as a film. It's times like that, I'm glad I don't read fiction. I love to see it all on screen.

I haven't seen My Sister's Keeper, so that'll be a good one for me to watch. I've heard it's quite good.

[Ariakas]

It's a mistake to judge how good a film is by whether or not it was faithful to the original material from which it was adapted. Film is a visual medium. Books require imagination. A screen adaptation usually MUST stray in order to be tell the story well on the screen, and for the pacing to keep the viewer's interest. You simply cannot include every detail of a long book in a film script. Adaptations are very tricky for even the most experienced screenwriter. Of course, diehard fans of a book always feel like a film should be exactly like the book, and if it isn't, it's a travesty (case in point - the absolute rage there was over the ending to My Sister's Keeper!). But a good director knows that is impossible to do. What they try to do is evoke the right tone or emotional atmosphere of whatever book is being adapted.


:)... yep, I do realize that. I never expected the movie to match the book.

It depends what perfection means to you. No human being is perfect, but isn't that what makes us perfectly human? As far as I've been told [because I haven't read the books and don't plan to] is that the films were actually better, because they got rid of all the pointless nonsense from the books. That added with 3 hours or so length for each film, they were able to put a lot of the stuff that really was relevant into it.

I didn't realize perfection could be interpreted. Its.. well.. perfect. There isn't an in between. It either is, or isn't. Striving for perfection pushes everything we do.. it allows for progress. To achieve perfection creates an immediate ceiling on achievement. Thats why I don't believe anything is perfect.

JRR Tolkien's LOTR is pretty much the bible of fantasy. He defined every creature used in almost every fantasy novel since. And others he stole from previous mythology. He combined, accumulated and created a written work that could have (and in some ways actually is) been considered untouchable. (although some of his other work really is good for a bedtime story.. holy yawners batman)

Thank god Robert Jordan didn't believe in perfection. He took that concept and expanded on it. Building a different world, with more details and deranged the creatures even further. I can read through Robert Jordan and find a lot of little parallels, robert jordan didn't have many creative thoughts, but his books are on par with JRR Tolkiens.

Anyways, I am babbling. I don't believe in perfection because it would limit what we do. Perfection is not a good thing. Trying to achieve perfection is its own motivation. And in many ways, is the only motivation.

Ok as I sit here I am really trying to think of some sci fi I would consider incredible. I spend a lot of time watching both genres but can't think of a sci fi series that blew my socks off like Tolkien or Jordan's books. I am actually a Matrix fan, all 3.. go ahead try and take my geek card.. In its own way it was nearly perfect.. Starwars and star trek (yepper I love both) are both nearly perfect in their own way.. I find myself with sci fi, immediately comparing movies to the god fathers of sci fi. As a 40's to 60's fan of sci fi short stories and movies, its hard to compare the movies of today to the absolute creative juices used back then. I crave science fiction of that level. Imagine toasters being brand new in your home, and having the gaul to write about robotics and sentience.

ok thats way too much babbling. I might have to do some googling for sci fi movies that rocks my socks.. haha

[Ariakas]

Exactly a great point. A film is not like a book and so tells the story differently either way. I get annoyed when people have to compare to a book and can't just enjoy a film for what it is as a film. It's times like that, I'm glad I don't read fiction. I love to see it all on screen.


You are missing out. :).. The worlds weaved in a good story are absolutely untouchable.

It depends what perfection means to you. No human being is perfect, but isn't that what makes us perfectly human? As far as I've been told [because I haven't read the books and don't plan to] is that the films were actually better, because they got rid of all the pointless nonsense from the books. That added with 3 hours or so length for each film, they were able to put a lot of the stuff that really was relevant into it.

3 points in here. I answered the question on perfection. You are absolutely right, humans aren't perfect, that doesn't make them perfect. Hell even in genetics we are all mutating, so even mother nature/god/bigbang/etc doesn't believe we are perfect.

Whoever said the films are better.. are wrong. :).. a lot of the "nonsense" is key to character creation and building a very detailed world. You have to dislike fantasy to imply that the books weren't as good. The movies were easier.. not better.

I am not comparing the books to the movies. I fully understand there is a difference between the two and that they have to be different. And please don't get me wrong. The movies did an AMAZING job recreating the story and I crave to see the hobbit when it comes out. In many ways they changed sub plots, changing some of those key stories left out. Changing many of the sub plots. The main plot was left intact and was incredible.

[Ariakas]

Planet of the apes was a great sci fi flick. Always worth re-watching.
How the hell could I forget blade runner
Aliens touched me in two ways. I love gore/horror... and sci fi. This gave me both
Old school - Metropolis and forbidden planet are two classics. I tend to prefer reading old sci fi, over watching old sci fi. I am a sucker for cgi haha
District 9 was a refreshing movie.. a nice new look at sci fi
The thing (ya ok, I will almost hand in my geek card for forgetting this one).. haha

sorry it was bugging me. Fantasy seems infinitely easier for me to remember than sci fi. I wonder why... hmmmmm

[nycindie]

Gattaca wasn't big at the box office, but I thought it was a very well-done sci-fi flick. I also really enjoyed Minority Report, though I've always hated Tom Cruise's over-acting.

I was negotiating with an author to adapt one of his awesome sci-fi short stories into a short film. I came very close to buying the rights for a song... until he won the Hugo, got two agents, and now they're trying to sell the rights to a big studio for a feature. [heavy sigh] Timing is everything.

[Ariakas]

Gattaca wasn't big at the box office, but I thought it was a very well-done sci-fi flick. I also really enjoyed Minority Report, though I've always hated Tom Cruise's over-acting.

See another one where I forgot the movie. I love gattaca. I have seen that a number of times, and would likely rewatch it again *goes and checks netflix*

Definitely a great movie :) Thanks :)

[Kay]

[QUOTE=Somegeezer;82442]Cool stuff. I will have to check it out one day.


Ah! How could I forget Lord Of The Rings? I would love to have all the full director's cut versions and sit and watch all 3 in a row. That would be a great night. =P


All three director's cut is about a weekend giving time for food, bathroom and sleep:) But if you did not do those things you might be able to fit it into a night :D

[Somegeezer]

You are missing out. :).. The worlds weaved in a good story are absolutely untouchable.



3 points in here. I answered the question on perfection. You are absolutely right, humans aren't perfect, that doesn't make them perfect. Hell even in genetics we are all mutating, so even mother nature/god/bigbang/etc doesn't believe we are perfect.

Whoever said the films are better.. are wrong. :).. a lot of the "nonsense" is key to character creation and building a very detailed world. You have to dislike fantasy to imply that the books weren't as good. The movies were easier.. not better.

I am not comparing the books to the movies. I fully understand there is a difference between the two and that they have to be different. And please don't get me wrong. The movies did an AMAZING job recreating the story and I crave to see the hobbit when it comes out. In many ways they changed sub plots, changing some of those key stories left out. Changing many of the sub plots. The main plot was left intact and was incredible.
But the perfection comes in that we adapt to suit what we need. We work the way the universe wants us to work. Because without us, would the universe even exist?

The universe doesn't "believe" anything. It cannot think. We are the universe's way of understanding itself.

If the "nonsense" was key, it wouldn't then be nonsense would it? That's the point with Lord Of The Rings. They apparently got rid of what WAS nonsense, and then kept what was really needed for that character devlopment and everything else the story really needed. To put each film into only an hour and half would have not made the film anywhere near as good as it was. Yes, they do miss some things... and yes, that's why books and films are DIFFERENT. But should not necessarily be said to be better or worse.

[Somegeezer]

I definitely have to say I LOVED District 9. I'm not sure about perfect though. I've only watched it a handful of times. I may just have to watch it again tonight. =]

I only recently watched Planet Terror, although not a perfect film, it was one of those films I'd watch again. I really love Tarantino and Rodriguez. The style of their films I think is perfect. Pulp Fiction I think I would put into perfect. It took me a few times watching just to catch everything.

[Ariakas]

I was using the word nonsense because you did. The "nonsense" is important to the entire story. The overall story is much richer with the subplots included. Creating a universe for your mind to watch. LOTR did a great job of doing that with the main plot.

Meh my hearts just not in it to post, fine, imperfection is perfect.

Ari

[opalescent]

Moving away a bit from sci-fi movies - I suggest Bound as both a great caper movie and a perfect lesbian movie. Still one of the best lesbian sex scenes in film, IMHO.

[RunicWolf]

Back on topic! ;)

I've seen a lot of movies in my time, but only a few stand out as "perfect" to me.

Kurosawa's Yojimbo is one of them. Mifune with Kurosawa is a match made in heaven.

Aliens, Blade Runner (the director's cut), Watchmen (director's cut), Kung-Fu Panda (sue me, I love this frakkin' movie), The Fifth Element, and Falling Down all strike me as what I'd call perfect.

[nycindie]

Classics

The Wizard of Oz is pretty perfect. Casablanca, for sure.

His Gal Friday with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell is the perfect screwball comedy.

http://www.carygrant.net/fotogallery/hisgirlfriday/hgf-28.jpg

http://www.emulsioncompulsion.com/gallery2/d/53499-1/Cary+Grant+_amp_+Rosalind+Russell+in+Howard+Hawks_ +HIS+GIRL+FRIDAY+_1941_.jpg


Twelve Angry Men (the original) could be perfect, from a filmmaker's perspective. I was in a class that analyzed all the camera angles in that one, it's amazing what they accomplished and how compelling it is, with twelve jurors locked in one small room for the length of the film.

http://portic.co.cc/images/funny/12-angry-men-movie.jpg


I think the original Miracle on 34th Street is the perfect Christmas movie. Natalie Wood was brilliant. The moment when the post office brings in all the letters to Santa and piles them on the judge's desk sends a shiver up my spine every time, and I've seen it a gazillion times. Kris Kringle exonerated!

http://media.avclub.com/images/artists/artist/24012/miracleon34th_jpg_627x325_crop_upscale_q85.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5128/5286317603_6b3a799c83.jpg

[CloudsLater]

I see the 'Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus' has been mentioned, very nice.

Twelve angry men is great too.

That 'Bandits' with Cate Blanchett catches my attention because she is awesome (the movies 'Little Fish', 'Notes On a Scandal' and 'I'm Not There' are all great with her) and it is mentioned to have some poly-involvement, neat.

One I'd like to bring up is 'Mulholland Drive'. 'The Fountain' is good, and 'eXistenZ' is another near-perfect movie.

In the winter I watched '(500) Days of Summer' and 'Brief Interviews With Hideous Men'. Both were great, and I'd like to re-watch them soon to see how good they are again...

[Magdlyn]

The Wizard of Oz is pretty perfect.

I agree, but thought it was almost too trite to mention. It's a timeless hero myth, like the original Star Wars.

Casablanca, for sure.

His Gal Friday with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell is the perfect screwball comedy... I think the original Miracle on 34th Street is the perfect Christmas movie.


My favorite Christmas movie is It's a Wonderful Life.

Perhaps it's the word "perfect" that is at issue here. I prefer the word excellent.

I came across this quote recently.

Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing.

I don't get perfectionists. Striving for excellence is good enough for me! If you want to be perfect, or do a job perfectly, you will always be disappointed.

[Somegeezer]

...Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing.

I don't get perfectionists. Striving for excellence is good enough for me! If you want to be perfect, or do a job perfectly, you will always be disappointed.
Then change the word as according to how you feel makes best use of the title. =] Perfection to me is obviously a lot different to most. Films that were excellent are still great. Maybe even add some comments on what you would change to make it perfect for you and you alone.