A little while back, redditor u/NoHoldingMeBack asked the movie buffs of AskReddit, “What movie do you consider ‘perfect’?” There were plenty of submissions of what folks think of as absolutely sublime, impossible-to-improve-upon movies; here are 24 of ’em.
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
1.
“Pan’s Labyrinth (2006). Besides the groundbreaking practical and computer effects, it is a masterpiece of storytelling that legitimately makes you question the distinction between reality and escapist fantasy. The visual language of the film is gorgeous and the symbolism is ceaseless, while never shifting focus from the characters and their stories. It is truly a masterwork, and despite the critical preference for The Shape of Water, I think it is Guillermo del Toro’s most characteristic and iconic film.”
2.
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018). Seriously, it is perfect. There’s not a single frame, a single line of dialogue, or a single note from the score that I would change.”
3.
“Mrs. Doubtfire (1993). Am I biased because this was my comfort movie as a child of divorce? Yes. But is this movie practically perfect in its acting, pace, plot, humor, and wholesome moments? (‘THE WHOLE TIME?!’) Also yes.”
4.
“When Harry Met Sally… (1989). A perfect story that’s not bogged down in background exposition. A perfect setting (New York in the fall is the dream). Two people perfect for each other because they’re imperfect characters. Quotable dialogue. It doesn’t try to be something it’s not. It’s a masterpiece.”
5.
“I think Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) is a perfect action and adventure film.”
6.
“Jurassic Park (1993). The practical and CGI effects outclass stuff made today. The characters have flaws and feel like real people, and we see those characters grow and change over the course of the film. In my opinion, it is a masterpiece not just in film but in storytelling.”
7.
“Any Studio Ghibli movie, honestly. When I watch one, there isn’t a moment when I’m bored. Plus, the music and characters are amazing and the artwork is fantastic.”
8.
“Network (1976). It turned out to be a timeless satire of corporate media and sensationalism, and every single word spoken colors each character’s personality, flaws, and intentions brilliantly. The performances are airtight, and five members of the cast were nominated for Oscars that year, with Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch, and Beatrice Straight emerging as winners in their categories. Straight remains the record holder for shortest Oscar-winning performance in academy history, at five minutes and 40 seconds of screentime.”
9.
“Soul (2020) by Pixar. Realistic dialogue and wild, philosophical plot, along with relatable characters and great score. That epiphany scene is just…10/10. It even brought my 70-year-old father to tears.”
10.
“True to its title, Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) does everything: sci-fi, action, drama, comedy…and it does it all exceptionally well. It only took one rewatch to solidify it as one of my favorite films of all time.”
11.
“My definition of a perfect film is that nothing is wasted. All the scenes matter, and there’s not a shred of fat on it. Absolutely, The Incredibles (2004) fits that. What a fucking film.”
12.
“The Godfather Part II (1974). First, let me say that I have a personal preference for The Godfather Part I. I just like the story and themes better, and I really love the scenes with old man Vito. However, Part II is the superior film artistically. I love how the rise of Vito from an orphan in Sicily to a benevolent crime boss and family man in America is juxtaposed with Michael’s own hubris in believing he can maintain his power and make moves to become legit, leading his family to be ripped apart and his empire to be nearly destroyed. The acting is top-notch, the story is great, and the cinematography is absolutely perfect, especially in the Sicilian countryside scenes.”
13.
“Going to go out on a limb here and say Up (2009) by Pixar. I can’t think of anything that beats the opening sequence. It makes me well up just thinking about it.”
14.
“I don’t like it and would never watch it again, but Uncut Gems (2019). Every second of the film oozes with its intent to do two things: tell you the story of an absolute monster destroying his own life until there’s nothing left, and make you feel stressed out, anxious, and twitchy the entire time. Even the moments of his life that are pleasant, you feel this overwhelming sense that he is about to fuck it up, and if you try to feel hopeful, it fades quickly. Again, I didn’t like it and won’t watch it again, but very few films feel so much as if they perfectly captured the intent of the story in every single tiny detail in every frame.”
15.
“Back to the Future (1985). Perfect combination of comedy, action, and sci-fi. It set the standard for time-travel stories. Great performances. Tight script. Interesting and original characters.”
16.
“The How to Train Your Dragon series. The music was beautiful and the plot was good. Maybe simple, but good. The characters were enjoyable. There are few to no pointless scenes. The series was just amazing.”
17.
“Jaws (1975). You could sit there with a notepad and write down every shot or word that doesn’t forward the story or character development and be left with an empty notepad when the credits roll. I adore it and think the problems when making it led to an ingenuity to overcome that CGI has removed from modern films because it’s always so easy to fix things in postproduction.”
18.
“Amadeus (1984). It’s well-rounded artistry, from the acting to the musical score to the cinematography. It truly lies among the best films ever made.”
19.
“Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975). The humor is on point, and they got creative with the journey that takes place. Also, there are just so many quotable lines from the film — taunting Frenchmen, a killer bunny, a black knight that doesn’t give up, and a silly place, for example.”
20.
“Die Hard (1988). It is note for note the perfectly crafted action movie. I’m not saying it is Oscarworthy. I’m saying that for what it is and is trying to be, it is perfect.”
21.
“Hot Fuzz (2007). Granted, it’s not my favorite movie, but it is perfect in its own way. There is not one scene or word of dialogue that is wasted in that movie. Every line is either foreshadowing, a callback, or a reference to another action movie.”
22.
“Stand by Me (1986). Classic ’80s adventure movie with a great story and characters that feel like real people. If you want to watch something other than an action, sci-fi, or fantasy movie, and you want to watch a movie that feels more grounded in reality, then I highly recommend Stand by Me.”
23.
“I actually think The Empire Strikes Back (1980) comes pretty close, but it has the luxury of being the middle piece of a trilogy. It can tell a tight, exciting story with good character development, and it doesn’t need a feel-good, all-around resolution at the end, which can feel pat or contrived. There is no need to pad the story with flashbacks or extra exposition to fill you in on the backstory, and they can leave the ending dark and unresolved but still satisfying. This is why Star Wars starts off slow and then gets really good, and why the first part of Return of Jedi is exciting, but the last part isn’t as good.”
24.
And finally: “The Princess Bride (1987). I can’t think of anything that would make it better — nothing at all.”
What movies (or TV shows) do you think are so utterly amazing that they couldn’t be improved? Tell us about them in the comments!
