The Perfect Film

Harold... pulllllease!

 

Oi! I wrote this at 3 in the morning. I wanted to say, loads to unpack in this masterwork.

 

Never watched it. Don't shoot! On me list, though!

 

That's a lot of perfection! Mmmph.

 

' Men In Black ' is a great action comedy. Intelligent script and a good cast. The sequels? Meh. Although 3 isn't too bad.

 

Yeah, darned near perfect. Bergman later admitted that he would not make the same film if he had to do it over again. It does reflect the work of a "younger man" in it's earnestness/lack of subtlety - almost as if there is no room for philosophic/spiritual manuevering: everything is in literal and metaphorical stark/black and white relief. But it's also one of the film's strengths.

 

I always* look forward to a new Kore-eda film and found Shoplifters to be remarkable by even his very high standards. And I have loved all of his films that I have seen.




*I am not a fan of Ethan Hawke, so Kore-eda’s new film is going to require a bit of extra effort on my part.

 

...a few absolutely Perfect Films
Casablanca with Bogart and Ingrid Bergman


Abel Ferrara's Ms. 45 aka Angel of Vengeance


David Cronenberg's Videodrome


Groundhog Day with Bill Murray


Happiness by Todd Solondz

 

ain't it? I guess you missed TO ME. ; )

 

I've always loved Black Swan and Edward Scissorhands. I saw each of one those more than 10 times.

 

Badlands
Days of Heaven

 

With all that's happening around us now I couldn't help but think of (an American) war film equivalent, particularly, this scene -



My little nod to Gone With The Wind. (1939, Fleming, Cukor, Wood) For years it was up there with Citizen Kane as the greatest movie ever made. And apropos, I think. Our lives may suddenly be more changed than we care to admit.

 

ROBOCOP.. it's just a glitch, a minor thing

 

Anything by Kurosawa.

 

We all have films we like because they are like memories, these two are not perfect by a long shot unless mitigated by when you see them and in what state of mind:
Bananas by Woody Allen. Manhatten is much better, but this one has Howard Cosell covering the consummation of Fielding Mellish and Louise Lasser's marriage on their honeymoon as a sporting event, there are a lot of laughs to be had here.


Death Race 2000

An actual perfect film from my youth might be 2001, or later Alien, but these two left their mark.
Sylvester Stallone actually appears in both (Bananas and DR2000), it's hard to forget him turning a machine gun on the grandstand at the start of the 'death race' and yelling 'Frankenstein, I'll give you Frankenstein' as he kills people. A very bizarre film by Paul Bartel who went on to do some other funny things.

 

All perfect, eh? He definitely worked on it!

 

I have not seen all of his films but considering how perfect the ones that I have seen are, I would hand the description over to his body of work in general.

 

The Day the Earth Stood Still ( original)

 

North By Northwest would be my pick too, but I would've listed its attributes as "international intrigue, back-stabbings, fake murders, train sex, plane crashes, big explosions, drunk driving and rock climbing". The only things missing are a monster, a dog and a kid.

 

This.

a stunning film.

get the blu ray, turn off your cell phone and sit back.

This film works well even when certain plot points don’t appear to fit. But They do and upon subsequent viewings you will marvel the skill of writer and director.

I too envy those who have never seen this.

 

Hitch has many fine films. NxNW is one I have seen too many times so I have put it away for a while.

foreign Correspondent is wonderful as is Shadow of a Doubt.

 

Two top of my list from Powell & Pressburger

Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

Stairway to Heaven.

don’t read anything about them until you have watched. Cell phones off etc. these films are made in an older style meaning no jump cuts every 3 seconds. In 10-15 minutes you will be hooked.

both are war movies of a sort but to categorize them as such does a great disservice.

highly, highly recommended. Especially Blimp.