
What does it take to make a perfect film?
Flawless casting? Strong writing? Camerawork? Or maybe it's something you can't quite explain, you just know it when you see it.
Reddit user Brian_Ye asked:
What movie is, in your opinion, a perfect movie?
So let's go over what Reddit had to say, and then open the floor to hear from you guys so we can argue about it!
12 Angry Men
"The most impressive one I've seen is Twelve Angry Men. The entire film is centered on a jury deliberating a decision in a single room. It had a strong hold on me." - No_Elk5745
"The camera work really does it for me. As it gets lower and closer throughout the whole film to give the feeling of it getting more cramped and claustrophobic in there. Very cleverly done." - xSamxiskillz
"Great movie, but from a legal standpoint, the actions in the jury room would lead to a mistrial, and the juror would likely have some serious legal issues against him." - eatababy
"I tell you what I like about that film. To a certain extent, the protagonist is a classic liberal: he uses logic, evidential argument and impartiality to persuade and reason with the other jurors. He doesn't get angry or aggressive."
"So much, so good, but in real life, honestly, you know that if the film concludes this way, it's just a fantasy. Some people will NEVER give up their prejudices-will NEVER see sense."
"There is one last juror who is like this. He's a bigot and proud of it. Then the film makes that leap."
"Instead of pretending that it's a perfect world and reason always wins in the end, the protagonist steps up and goes further. He sees that reason isn't going to work, so he FORCES the last man: he uses the power of numbers and the strength of his personality to crush the bigot."
"The people who wrote and acted in that film went through at least one world war, and it shows. Idealism is great, but sometimes you have to be prepared to get your hands dirty to save a man's life." - Plumb789
Jurassic Park
"Jurassic Park. Perfect blockbuster. Great casting, great effects , great music, character development, great story , all around great movie." - djethoth
"I think the beauty of Jurassic Park is that it doesn't try to do anything that it knows it can't do. It doesn't try to be political, or preachy, or anything like that. It provides great entertainment, with solid characters and a convincing plot, all while posing an interesting scientific question for those interested." - Dudeman5566
"I would have to agree. Most great movies can have one or two drawbacks to make them just half-believable i.e. the audience has to do a lot or some of the work on their part to believe the story/setting/etc. Jurassic Park literally showed us another living and breathing world." - Molotov_Viking
Shawshank Redemption
"Shawshank Redemption."
"One of the great things about this movie is the incredibly moving ending and the story behind it. Originally Frank Darabont ended with the scene of Red looking out of the bus window and leaving it to our imaginations what happened next."
"He had to be persuaded to include the now-ending of Red and Andy meeting on the beach. Those final ten seconds turn one of the greatest movies ever made into arguably THE greatest movie ever made." - Extreme-Kangaroo-842
"Brooks' final monologue is one of the greatest pieces of writing ever." - jimjangofett
"Stephen King is a phenomenal storyteller. This movie is proof that, given the right people, his stories can make really good movie adaptations; even though there are so many bad ones." - Snailsinwigs
The Incredibles
"I'd say The Incredibles. Manages to be kid-friendly with the action but also carries dark, dark themes that got me in the gut when I watched as an adult" - CreatorCaz
" 'You are Elastagirl! Pull' *whack* 'yourself' *whack* 'together' *whack* "
"Edna is one of the best side characters in any movie ever and that line is a family favorite when someone is being indecisive." - Stormdanc3
"One of the very few movies to star a married couple. So many films rely on a romance arc to carry character development, and it's nice to have a film that shows people who are past that initial rush and still love each other."
"Also, it wasn't until I'd seen it a dozen or so times that I realized the bulk of the movie is set in the late 60's/early 70's. It's an under-the-radar period piece."
"It's a beautifully crafted film, and parents everywhere are thankful to Pixar for creating so many movies that are interesting for the entire family and can hold up through dozens of rewatches." - BitwiseB
Princess Bride
"The Princess Bride. There's a shortage of perfect movies in the world. It would be a pity if someone didn't mention this one." - lizzieb77
"I'm not one to rewatch movies too often but I'm certain I've seen this one over a dozen times, nothing else comes close." - Statechemist
"Excellent casting for a group of whimsical, yet charming, characters in a story that is somehow able to walk the knife edge of being silly but not stupid, fully embracing cliches and tropes while staying original, being fully aware of itself without being self-deprecating, and still filling the space with enough seriousness to keep the story moving and compelling."
"It's endlessly rewatchable and quotable and good for all ages. Endlessly fun and charming in a way that any changes would simply detract from it." - IAmTheKingOfNoPants
Silence Of The Lambs
"Silence Of The Lambs is an absolute masterpiece, the portrayal of Hannibal Lector's character is nothing short of perfection." - Hannibal_the_dentist
"Anthony Hopkins managed to capture that type of menace that makes the primal part of your brain crawl in just the way he would look at other characters and the camera." - sayest
"I didn't get around to seeing this movie until like a few years ago because I thought too much time had passed and maybe it was outdated."
"Holy f*ck, that movie floored me. It was so good." - buttwhisperer
Shrek
"Shrek. No jokes here, Shrek is a masterpiece that is as good today as it was when it released" - NabbyNab14
"Shrek has one of the best messages for kids. The ending at the wedding is literally just the movie telling kids that you're beautiful for who you are on the inside, but actually showing it."
"Like, in a lot of princess movies the point is also that you're beautiful for what you are on the inside, but the princesses are also beautiful on the outside so it's not very powerful. Shrek says, no she's still beautiful even without being beautiful on the outside." - Passname357
Terminator 2
"Terminator 2. A big reason for me is Robert Patrick. His acting and mannerisms of the T-1000 still impress me with every single viewing. He stole the show." - Disthrowaway5678
"Hands down the best sequel ever made." - TheMeanGreenGoblin
"When he tilts his head down while angling his gaze up and moves so fast without breathing heavy... Arnold played killer-robot well, but Patrick played scary-killer-robot-on-a-mission flawlessly." - iamnotdownwithopp
"The scene in the mall where he unloads the 9mm and doesn't blink. This was not by accident. He trained at weapon ranges to be able to fire like this and have zero reaction just the way a terminator should." - Ragnarok314159
"The scene with John riding the bike and him running behind him - Robert Patrick had to tell Edward Furlong to ride the dirt bike faster because Robert could easily catch up to him and tap him on the shoulder. He might have ACTUALLY been a Terminator..." - arkady2009
"I think it's probably the greatest sci-fi action movie ever made."
"It's scope is so focused on what needs to be told and shown. It has great action choreography and it's filmed perfectly. The script is fantastic in its ability to fully form the characters and their motivations. It's fantastic." - bongo1138
Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse
"Spiderman: into the spider-verse." - noqms
"This. The animation does a better job of feeling like a comic book came to life than anything in the MCU (except maybe Ragnarok)."
"On top of that, the story is excellent, and the music combo is perfect. Good music elevates the movie, and Into the Spiderverse nails that as well as Star Wars, Jurassic Park, etc." - gimlithepirate
"100% this. Spider-Verse is absolutely phenomenal. Great animation, lovable characters, and some of the most beautiful shots I've seen in any movie, period. It's a total treasure." - thunderboltkaiju
"The Leap of Faith is 100% a perfect sequence. It starts with him sitting there after he's been tied up and abandoned. Character hits bottom. Ends with the Comic book slamming down showing the Miles Morales Spiderman in the new iconic black."
"Thing gives me chills."
"The mirroring in this movie is amazing. All the failures of Miles in the first half are victories in the second half."
"And it's marked by that one moment - Miles stuck in that chair while his dad talks to him. And the ultimate lowest moment, the hardest hit. His dad tells him he loves him and that he doesn't have to say it back."
"Earlier in the movie he had to be forced and at this moment it's the thing he wants to do the most. They're both in pain having lost Aaron. And he can't tell his Dad he loves him."
"Miles Morales can't. Spiderman can."
"And that's the trigger. That's the slow raising of his head with the lightning in his eyes and the start of the song." - ogier79
"Little details I noticed:"
"When Miles tried to leap earlier in the movie, he initially picked a somewhat high apartment building before chickening out and picking a lower one. Now, for his moment of truth, he's on a skyscraper."
"When he jumps off the skyscraper window, the glass breaks when his fingers pull away because they were still sticking to it when he jumped. The spider-heroes' adhesive power is triggered by stress and released by relaxation. So, when Miles made his leap of faith, he was still nervous."
"As Miles fell downwards, the camera frames him in an upside down shot to give the appearance that he's rising."
"During the failed leap of faith, Miles hits a flagpole which bounces him into other street objects until he is left helplessly falling with his screams of terror (AHHHHHHH) stylized in onomatopoeia."
"This is contrasted in the successful leap, where Miles - instead of hitting a flagpole and crashing, loops around a flagpole - using it to spring himself upwards with a triumphant bellow (WOOOOO), similarly stylized in onomatopoeia."
"SO GOOD." - MrProdigal884
OK so you've read everyone else's passionate arguments about their perfect movies - it's your turn to geek out and get gushy. Tell us which movies you loved and why.
Life is a mystery full of mysteries.
Some we'll finally get, some will stay a conundrum forever.
Eventually we have to stop caring.
Take in strides the things that will finally make sense.
And let loose the things that twist your brain.
Just sit back and say...
"I will never get it. Oh well."
Maybe without the stress, one day, we will.
Redditor Dangerous_Mobile9188 wanted to discuss what aspects of life still leave confusion. They asked:
"What do you genuinely not understand?"
Life is full of quandaries that I give up on trying to figure out.
Everywhere?
"Why people can't use a public restroom without literally pooping all over the freaking toilet."
Natural-School5690
around the grooves...
"How a single needle can run through the grooves on a record and produce a fully layered and 'separated' sound. I mean, I get how it works in theory. But like... how tf does it work."
LandofRy
"I know how it works, and I understand how it works, and I was gleefully trying to convey this knowledge to a friend when I realized that I am not able to explain how it works, which essentially means that I don’t actually get how it works."
smelllikesmoke
Meow Team
"The thought process of a cat trying to jump on a self that is clearly filled with stuff and doesn't have space for it to land safely."
Mikrosarvinen
"The opposite, actually... how on earth does my cat jump on a shelf filled with stuff and somehow always land elegantly with all four paws between all the stuff without dropping a single thing? It surprises me every time."
WanderingArtichoke
"50% of cats have a 6th sense to avoid everything and 50% of cats are clumsy as hell. 100% of cats think they have the skill though."
KneeHumper
Clueless
"How consciousness works."
DarthDinDjarin
"I'm shocked no one has replied to this. Because yea. I haven't the slightest clue and i honestly don't think scientists know exactly how either. Such a complex system that turns into our thoughts and feelings, this is one of those things that REALLY made me appreciate the intricacies of our bodies."
r-Newbiedonthurtme
10/10
"Every time my grandmother sees me, I seem to grow taller and more attractive."
JoeyMMuelle
I love grandmas. They understand everything.
S.O.S
"How people can raise a functioning family at the age of 18 or 19? I can't even hold my own life together."
Radioactivocalypse
Staying Put
"Squatter rights! They confuse the hell outta me."
roomtempcoff33
"Right! So you’re telling me, I can get evicted/foreclosed for missing some payments… but you can’t get rid of squatters who declare a house theirs ? I should just become a squatter then haha."
violet-ack
"Squatting is basically the same. It's not that they just get to live there, but the landlord has to use the proper legal mechanism (eviction) to get rid of them. And sometimes, that can take quite some time."
banality_of_ervil
"steps"
"How crypto mining works... like what exactly are these huge setups doing and why do GPUs matter so much? I've read several articles about it and I still don't get it."
Tripper-Harrison
"This is an oversimplification, but they're trying to solve a math problem. If they get the answer, they get rewarded with crypto. But the math problem is very very hard. There's no 'steps' to find the answer, it's just guess and check."
"So you need to make as many guesses as possible to see if one of your guesses is right. And it just so happens that GPUs are very good at making these guesses. So if 1 GPU can make let's say 22,000 guesses every second, then two GPUs can make 44,000 guesses every second. 10 GPUs can make 220,000 guesses every second, and so on."
PierogiMachine
I'm Lost
"The wave-particle duality."
FishySwede
"This is the one man. For me this is the biggest mystery. Look, I don't care how the universe came to be. I mean I do, but this is much crazier to me. HOW DOES REALITY REACT DIFFERENTLY BASED ON OBSERVATION ALONE I sear this haunts me at night. Do i even exist man."
yungbandido
"Long story short, observing something at the quantum level is not as benign as observing, say, a runner on a racetrack. In observing something so small, the mere act of doing so affects the behavior/outcome. Imagine having to knock the aforementioned runner over in order to know where they are on the track. That's more or less how it was explained to me."
BaronMusclethorpe
Magic
"Cameras, I’ve been explained and seen explanations 100 times. It’s still magic to me."
Salty-Director538
Maybe there are just somethings we're not meant to understand.
Beauty.
We all want to attain it.
Some people dedicate their lives to having it.
But who can say what is and is not attractive?
The older you get, the more serious and realistic you get with the topic.
And grapple with whether it really matters.
RedditorBig-Courage-7297 wanted to know what some people really thought when they looked into a mirror.
"How hot do you think you are? Why?"
Depending on the minute and the era, I fluctuate in my response. Oh, and depending on my sodium intake.
Middle of the way...
"5, am not ugly nor a beauty."
son-of-sumer
"'Perfectly balanced, as all things should be' JK... you probably look great."
math_math99
Alright
"I give myself a solid 'alright for an old guy' out of 10."
TungstenkrillYup.
"Comparing myself to when I was young I feel like a 2. However if I look around at other guys my age, I'm doing pretty great. Simply still having a full head of hair puts me in the top 15%."
sarcasticorange
"Occupying the latter half of the age bracket here too. And while I’ve never considered myself wildly attractive, one of my wife’s work friends once remarked to her, 'you didn’t tell me your husband was a silver fox!' I keep that one in my back pocket for gloomy days."
Ryanbikes2
Mama Said...
"My mom said I'm a 10/10."
gamer25677
"His mom also said I’m a 10/10. Im starting to think she says that about everyone who’s been inside her."
AlwaysMooning
"Don't listen to these jealous haters you be that 10/10 and strut your stuff."
"Learning to love yourself, doesn't mean you don't see your own flaws but know where to improve and where and how you want to grow. Appreciate the goodness within even when it's hard, and work to have your ideal to be reflected on the outside too. Loving and forgiving yourself is the greatest peace you'll know, because everyone else might be gone at the end and you'll be left with you and your memories, make good ones. Spread positivity. 💕"
SevWagoner
Changes with time...
"I think most people's scores fluctuate with age. I like to think I was a solid 8/10 in my early 20s. Then my metabolism crashed and I was working a desk job. I got real fat, got lazy, less effort, dropped to a 4/10. Got my s**t back together, lost the weight, started putting in the effort again, back up to an 8 if not higher in my 30s."
"Then I had a traumatic event in my life and I slipped into a dark place for many years. I put on weight again, stopped putting in the effort, general depression stuff, 5/10. Now I'm in my 40s, working on keeping my weight down, putting in some effort, solid 6/10..."
"But no matter what has happened, how low or high I've been... my wife has always considered me a 10. She's the best woman I've ever met and will always be a 10 to me too."
Bannon9k
Oof...
"6 or 7 on a good day? 1 when I try to take a picture of myself."
baconpoutine89
God I hated picture day. Still do.
Bless You
"I have days where I think 'God da*n, look at me. I’m God’s gift,' and then other days where I think 'how does every mirror not break?'"
Conconharni
"Actually though. Part of it is I used to be super athletic but due to an injury now can’t, but go**amn, I could look quite literally like a sculpture of a Greek god or hero, but also a balding baby-faced creep. Also occasionally homeless. More often the two latter than the former"
Walshy231231
Getting Higher
"I think I was a 6 growing up. But now that I've matured into my late 30s I'm a solid 7."
Ok-Type9999
"This is me except as a kid I’d give myself a 3. Long-haired greaseball in my teens but now in my 30s, exercising for the past decade has really helped me out. Solid 7/10."
Fine-Difference-6896
"Man, I went from 4 to 8 to 5 in the span of 20 years. Metabolism is a *itch."
ELL_YAY
Bad Views
"I just remind myself that the me that looks bad in in some pictures/at some angles is the same me that looks good in other pictures/other angles, just a different version. There are some angles and types of lighting and mirrors that for whatever reason, will make just about anybody look bad. There is no such thing as someone who looks good when the phone camera opens itself and shows a view of you from under your chin."
StreetIndependence62
Boy Magnet
"I was objectively pretty hot when I was younger. Now I am an older hot, which is weird. Younger guys really dig me but I’m like, you weren’t even born when the Challenger blew up and I was at Uni."
dearabby1
We're all beautiful. Just keep saying that. Maybe it'll stick.
Humans rarely agree on anything anymore.
So it's refreshing when an agreement is reached among peers.
Even if it's usually about simple or dumb stuff.
RedditorBertarioni85wanted all the gents to sit and discuss some of their universal agreements.
"What is something that all men could agree on?"
Perfect
"The Nod."
LongrodV0NhugenD0NG
"The nod really is great and so versatile. It's like a 'What's up man... everything cool' Ya me too. 'Wulp see ya later.' Just perfect."
Jibber_Fight
Make Room
"If there can be an empty urinal between us, make it so."
hesawavemasterrr
"There are men out there that break this rule! I was the only one, and at the far right end of a row of 4 or 5 urinals. Man walks in and pulls up right beside me, unzips, and let’s her flow, all while audibly exhaling in relief.
roofiethedog
When you gotta go!
"That we are happy we get the short bathroom line."
mr-random-ny
To add to this, I still marvel in amazement and am grateful when I walk into a bathroom at a stadium or sporting event and it's just an endless column of empty urinals. Then you see the ladies bathroom line wrapping around two different corners. There's so much room for activities in the men's bathroom."
MustWarn0thers
Never Forget
"Lady Professor in college (2008) said I’d make an incredible husband to my wife someday. Girl at the drive thru line said I had a cool car in September of 2015. Lady gas station attendant complimented my outfit that day and said I had a good vibe (2018). Cashier said I was handsome while ringing me up a couple weeks ago. Point is we never forget when we get complimented out of the blue."
rapalosaur
Power
"Click the tongs a couple times to make sure they work first."
anonymous5534
"Makes me feel like a crab… a very powerful crab."
DEcrypt1SouL
Wow. Guys are so easy. Like super easy...
Twice
"Whenever we pick up a drill we have to do the bzzt... bzzt twice. No more, no less."
Pixelthomas
Sticks and Stones
"I picked it up because it’s like, a really good stick."
Itchy_Clutch
"I wonder if that's instinctive. I've read before that human anatomy is almost perfectly engineered for throwing and thrusting spears. Maybe men have evolved to be able to identify really good sticks and even now we're drawn to them as a vestigial trait because instead of relying on claws or teeth, our ancestors needed good spears."
JoeWinchester99
On the X
"Put two men on the phone, and we’ll be done talking in two minutes. Put two men on Xbox live, and oh is it 2:00am? I should probably go to bed… after this game."
Manowaffle
"This is so true. A few weeks back a good friend called me at 10 at night because he’s been having a tough time with fighting depression and all that. I talked to him for a minute or two on the phone, cheered him up a bit and offered to keep the chat going on xbox live. Turned into an hour and half of a good time talking and playing COD."
BosephusPrime
Gotta have it.
"It's better to have and not need than to need and not have."
Regular-Bat-4449
"It's so bloody annoying not having the right tool for the job when you need it. I so long for the day when I will have a fully equipped garage with every tool I would ever need, to fix everything that needs fixing."
Neednowater
"My sister's car has cutlery, both steel and disposable. Have sewing kit, a flask, a bento box, and a complete stationery set. But, they don't even have a freaking umbrella and jumper in the car. Like, wtf. And mind you, we live in a tropical country where you should always assume every day is a rainy day."
azen96
Nothing!
"Sometimes... I really am thinking about nothing. Literally... Flatline, nobody home, crickets in the field."
concequence
Ah men. What a quirky part of the species.
People Debate Which Historical Events Should Be Turned Into A Movie That Haven't Been Yet
Why is Hollywood doing so many remakes and reboots?
There are so many stories to tell and produce.
History is at our fingertips.
Wars, death, great love, betrayal, science...
I would see all of that.
Redditor lowtack wanted to know what parts of the past need to be captured in cinematic glory.They asked:
What historical event has not, but should be, made into a movie?"
I don't know much about history. So teach me...
Capsules
"The Goianas incident, dad stole a radiotherapy capsule from an abandoned hospital, didn't know what it was and opened it."
Shep9882
Apollo 8
"Apollo 8. Basically the mission was originally only supposed to be a test of the lunar module in earth orbit, but rumours were circulating that the Soviet Union were going to attempt to send a man into lunar orbit (spoiler: this was not happening). As a result Apollo 8 was switched to being the first mission to the moon, not to land but to orbit."
"And this decision was made only 6 months before the scheduled launch date, so it was a race to get everything ready before the flight. It's a historic mission that is almost never talked about, compared with Apollo 11 which is much more well known."
Therailfan
"The Long Way Home"
"The story of the Pan Am flight that got caught in New Zealand at the start of WWII and couldn't fly back home by going east because it was too dangerous. So instead they took their flying boat and flew west on routes they had to figure out from maps pulled from borrowed encyclopedias, dodging the Japanese, and trying to find enough fuel to keep the plane going."
"The whole thing took months culminating in taking off from a river in the Congo and having to skim along through a canyon to build up speed since they were too heavy in order to even have a chance of crossing the Atlantic. The whole thing is tailor made for TV or a Film. There's a fantastic book written about the whole story called 'The Long Way Home' and was written with the Captain of the flight."
bigred49342
Enemy Within...
"The Niihau Incident. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, a Japanese Zero was damaged by anti-aircraft fire and crash landed on the remote Hawaiian island of Niihau. The Hawaiians, initially unaware of the attack on Pearl Harbor, treated the pilot with generosity and respect."
"After news of the attack came out, the pilot was placed under guard. With the help of some sympathetic locals, the pilot broke out and took two hostages: Ben Kanahele and his wife Ella. Later that night, Ben and Ella decided to fight their way out. Ben was shot three times, but still had enough strength to lift the pilot over his head and throw him into a brick wall."
"Ella, thinking her husband had been mortally wounded, killed the pilot by bashing his head in with a rock. Both Ben and Ella survived the incident and Ben was awarded two medals for his actions. Ella, who actually killed the enemy combatant, received no formal recognition. Oops: This was made into a movie: Enemy Within 2019."
DangleAteMyBaby
Brittany
"The Lioness of Brittany - medieval woman who led brutal attacks by land and sea against the French king in vengeance for the execution of her husband https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_de_Clisson."
LizHylton
How have we never heard these stories?
Aloha
"It's been batted around a few times in Hollywood but the history of how the ancient Hawaiian Islands were united under one man to form the Hawaiian kingdom is epic."
shaka_sulu
1943
"Syndrome K. In 1943, a hospital in Rome located next to a Jewish ghetto, let Jews fleeing Nazi raids hide there. The professors in charge admitted Jews under the fake diagnosis of 'Syndrome K,' described as a highly contagious and dangerous disease. This successfully kept the Nazis out of the quarantine wards and the Jews safe for the duration of the war."
Grey_Gryphon
Invasion
"The Spanish Invasion of The Aztec Empire by Cortés. There are so many unbelievable events that led up to the fall of Tenonchtitlan and Monteczuma II reign."
neildegraciadyson
"A really good one is Hernán, it has a great production value and portrays it quite accurately from many perspectives, from the Spanish, Aztec, Malinche and from the Tlaxcaltec - I highly recommend it. https://m.imdb.com/title/tt9645942"
throwiesthro
Hey Girl
"Unless it's been done already, the life story of Ching Shih. She was a Chinese prostitute that was also deadliest pirate of all time. At the height of her power, she commanded over 800 large ships, 1000 smaller vessels, and over 70,000 pirate crew, comprised of both men and women."
randomguy987654321
"She was referenced in Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End. She's in the cast list as Mistress Ching... it would be so cool to see this."
mistymountaintimes
shenanigans...
"The time John Adams and Benjamin Franklin were in France trying to gather support for the revolution and all the shenanigans they got up to."
marble8888
Are you listening Hollywood? There is money here.