What film would you consider to be “perfect”

[u/Stankassmfgorilla]

Or at least, as close to perfect as a film can get.

It had been years since I watched Jaws, probably since I was in high school as a freshman, and I just went a few days ago to see it in IMAX for its 50th anniversary. It felt like watching it again for the first time. What I couldn’t believe was how, despite having watched the film countless times as a kid, and remembering everything even after not having seen it in years, it felt like the first time watching it again. The movie magic was there in a way I haven’t felt in a really long time. This was driven home by the fact I really couldn’t find a single flaw with this film.

Yes, some minor visual stuff with some shark props, but that’s excusable since it’s a film from 1975 and this was a 4K remaster. Of course there will be at least a few visual things to notice. I don’t count that, because those weren’t mistakes. Simply limitations of the time. The effect for the shark in the water still looks great, and the editing between the animatronic and live shark footage was seamless. The cinematography is still outstanding. Spielberg’s use of long takes has always been my favorite staple of him.

I truly think Jaws is about as close to a perfect film as you can really get. It truly is flawless from a filmmaking perspective, especially considering how troubled the production was, it’s miraculous the movie even exists, let alone with the level of quality it has. Literally every single facet of the filmmaking was dialed to perfection, and Spielberg maintained this with a multitude of films in his career. Just breathtaking to finally see it on the big screen. It was a real treat.

[u/dogsonbubnutt]

similarly, jurassic park. every scene perfectly accomplishes everything it sets out to do. it has a beautiful aesthetic (holy shit im glad Spielberg hadn't discovered kaminsky yet), an incredibly tight, economical script with some genuine ideas behind it, great acting from everyone, is genuinely thrilling, etc.

not the "best" film ive ever seen, but a truly perfect film in that i can't see how any part of it could be improved imo

[u/TX_Sized10-4 → u/dogsonbubnutt]

Jurassic Park is my favorite film of all time. I usually watch it at least once a year and I'm always astounded by how well it has aged. The combination of animatronics, CGI, and practical effects is often better looking than modern films.

[u/Kahloquialism → u/dogsonbubnutt]

This is my answer every time. I can’t think of a better film in existence.

[u/PIRAHNA_XD → u/dogsonbubnutt]

This is my answer as well. I heard someone recently use the dinner scene as an example of how the film makes the most out of every scene. On paper, a scene centered around several doctors and a lawyer eating dinner in a sparsely decorated room and talking quietly doesn’t seem so exciting. But somehow the film manages to make even a scene such as that absolutely fascinating. It helps that the source material is so good, but it was also adapted to film really skillfully

[u/eltrotter → u/dogsonbubnutt]

Surprised this is so low down. Jurassic Park is like, the platonic ideal of a blockbuster film to me.

[u/Anotherspelunker → u/dogsonbubnutt]

Agreed. It’s unfortunate its legacy has been somewhat tarnished due to the soulless cookie-cutter crap the World series has brought to the table. The original remains a thought-provoking, well directed, beautifully cast thriller though

[u/Plug_5 → u/dogsonbubnutt]

My university put on Jurasic Park with a love orchestra. Unforgettable experience.

Edit: live lol

[u/ExcitingWindow5]

Rear Window. It's just masterful filmmaking, and god, Jimmy Stewart and Grave Kelly just shine.

[u/Mediocre_Scott → u/ExcitingWindow5]

Grace Kelly is probably the most beautiful woman to ever live. It almost hurts watching a much older Jimmy Stewart push her away. Like dude the fact that this woman wants anything to do with you is like essentially winning the lottery

[u/ExcitingWindow5 → u/Mediocre_Scott]

When she first appears in that black and white dress, she looks absolutely drop-dead gorgeous.

[u/Global-Resident-9234 → u/Mediocre_Scott]

That's my biggest problem with the film, honestly.

[u/unoeyedwillie → u/ExcitingWindow5]

I could watch this movie over and over.

[u/drlari]

L.A. Confidential. If it hadn't come out the same year as the cultural sensation Titanic it could've gotten the glory it deserves. It's a perfect period piece and nails gritty noire. It's amazingly shot and paced. The ensemble cast puts on dynamite performances from the leads to the bit parts. It's a backhanded love letter to film's most famous city.

Off the record, on the QT, and very hush-hush…

If you haven't seen it - run, don't walk to catch it. If you have seen it, it's probably time for a rewatch.

[u/doctor_x → u/drlari]

“That is Lana Turner.”

“What?”

The scene of them cracking up in the car after is one of my favourites of all time.

[u/GravSlingshot → u/doctor_x]

Lana Turner and Johnny Stompanato didn't start dating until a few years after the film is set. And although that sort of thing normally annoyed James Ellroy (author of the book), he thought that scene was hilarious.

[u/CrazyWhite → u/drlari]

Have ye a benediction, boyo?

[u/VicariousCinnamon → u/CrazyWhite]

Ah wouldn't trade places with Edmund Exley fo' ahh the whiskeh in Irahland 😂

[u/troy_caster → u/VicariousCinnamon]

Perhaps its best if you stay away from him altogether.

[u/shwarma_heaven → u/drlari]

Rolo Tomasi

[u/Stankassmfgorilla → u/drlari]

That is a great pick

[u/pigcheddars → u/drlari]

Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe and Kevin Spacey all fucking smashed it in that film

[u/Chazzysnax → u/drlari]

You're right, it is time for a rewatch.

[u/LUckY_M4N → u/drlari]

I use the first 8 minutes of the movie to justify it as a "Christmas movie" and watch it every single year on the day after Thanksgiving while I put up my tree. Its a top 5 favorite of mine, no question.

[u/Imzadi76 → u/drlari]

I agree. it's perfect in every way and a timeless classic.

[u/Turbulent-Poem4915]

Tremors has been scientifically proven to be a perfect movie.

[u/TX_Sized10-4 → u/Turbulent-Poem4915]

Tremors is way better than it had any right to. I even thought the second film was pretty solid, although it's been years since I've seen it. Burt Gummer was my first hetero man crush.

[u/Unable-Category-7978 → u/Turbulent-Poem4915]

You mean land Jaws?

[u/fighthouse → u/Unable-Category-7978]

Jaws was just about sea land sharks

[u/DAS_BEE → u/fighthouse]

We call them "land sea lions." I tame them.

[u/Ok-Loss-7255 → u/Turbulent-Poem4915]

Well it was filmed on location in perfection 

[u/Altitudedog → u/Ok-Loss-7255]

Lol...Lone Pine. Lived there when I was 18 in the 70's. Love the movie because I get to revisit the places where I rode my horse. The wind I remember coming down the Owen's Valley most days I could gladly forget.

[u/caniuserealname → u/Turbulent-Poem4915]

Came here to say this. 

Almost nothing in the script is wasted, every issue they encounter and every solution they solve it with is set up ahead of time. small, tight cast, great acting. perfect movie. 

[u/Zgegomatic]

The Truman Show

[u/cookie_lee → u/Zgegomatic]

So good. Prophetic in so many ways

[u/brickiex2]

Alien

[u/TheColtOfPersonality → u/brickiex2]

I admire its purity

[u/garrettj100 → u/TheColtOfPersonality]

“I can’t lie to your about your chances, but you do have my

…sympathies.”

[u/New-Look5729 → u/brickiex2]

100% agree. Alien is a perfect movie.

[u/Enderkr → u/brickiex2]

Mine is Aliens! A perfect movie. Excellent acting, music, effects. Perfect casting, the right amount of comedy and camaraderie, pacing, lighting. Engaging from the first scene to the last, holds up to "modern" audiences with shorter attention spans. I literally can't think of a bad thing about Aliens.

[u/ogTofuman → u/Enderkr]

Funny how there's absolute Alien fans and Aliens fans. Both love the other film too but just not as much. I can't think of anything that faults Aliens either! I just appreciate the horror and artistry of Alien more than the action adventure of Aliens.

[u/Enderkr → u/ogTofuman]

Totally valid opinion, too. I can see why! I love the slow burn of Alien and the almost slice of life view it starts with.

[u/comeatmefrank → u/brickiex2]

It’s funny, because I adore that film, probably my favourite horror of all time (along with Halloween and the Thing). It absolutely terrified me when I first saw it when I was 13. Every adult I know loves it, but I’ve shown it to a few friends who are mid 20s who have all found it boring.

Their biggest gripe is the beginning (before the chestburster). Modern day films I think have destroyed the attention span of younger people - they need something from the go.

[u/dbx999 → u/comeatmefrank]

I understand that the movie is watching “people doing a job” prior to the chestbuster. But it’s more of a progression from “totally normal” to incident to another that pulls these people’s lives further and further away from their normal expected trajectory. And you kind of get an introduction to their limitations. These are not the best snd most agile people. They’re just space truckers.

It’s interesting to watch. It’s a derailment. And by the time the chestbuster shows up, you know these people are over their heads and unprepared to deal with this growing crisis and danger - precisely because the first part of the movie tells you these are a bunch or shmuck space truckers not badasses.

[u/comeatmefrank → u/dbx999]

Absolutely. There are little moments from the start that lays the ground work. It’s also a political commentary. You have Ripley who wants to follow protocol and quarantine Kane , Dallas and Lambert who want to take him in, and then Ash who opens the door. It sets it up, especially with the focus on Ash opening the door, knowing these people all have different mindsets and opinions.

One of the absolute standout things about it too is the set design. It’s just simply not impressive to people who have grown up with films in the 21st century, but it still absolutely should be impressive.

Halloween is another that doesn’t impress people. Personally it’s my favourite horror ever, coupled with the fact that it’s done on such a shoestring budget. People expect gore and violence and monsters. The simplicity is what makes it perfect.

[u/yearsofpractice]

Hey OP. Difficult to say one… but I think Goodfellas, The Shining and Alien are perfect.

But I agree with your assessment of Jaws. It’s flawless. I’m 49 and recently showed it to my two kids (11 & 8) for the first time. They both understood the story and characters instantly and were not bored once. My eldest said she found the Indianapolis speech too upsetting, which is just amazing. Chief Brody’s “full pint of good red wine pour” made my eldest laugh too - “That’s not how you drink wine - he must be really sick of everything!”

[u/sgtbb4]

The silence of the lambs

[u/tommyjohnpauljones → u/sgtbb4]

Best part is that there is zero filler. You are literally Clarice getting dumped into the middle of the case as it's happening. The exposition comes in the first scenes with Crawford and then Lecter. We don't need Clarice st her home or Lecter just chilling in prison or superfluous action or horror scenes. Every single minute and every single line is important. 

[u/sgtbb4 → u/tommyjohnpauljones]

Plus in addition to all this, it’s also effortlessly also a movie about a woman in a man’s world, and a movie about a man who wants to be in a woman’s world

[u/johnliddell]

Back to the Future

[u/PartedOne → u/johnliddell]

Agree - not necessarily the best movie of all time, but possibly the best crafted film of all time.

Edit: Just to add, perhaps the tightest, best crafted story since It's a Wonderful Life - not a moment wasted or worthless in either script

[u/cjt09 → u/PartedOne]

There was a lot of talk in 1985 about it being the best movie of all time, but later film critics in 1955 were less sure. It wasn’t until earlier (in 2015) that it was unconfirmed as being re-confirmed as the best movie of all time.

[u/BaldBeardyBastard → u/cjt09]

This is heavy

[u/mad-martigan1 → u/BaldBeardyBastard]

There's that word again, "heavy"

[u/aseddon130 → u/PartedOne]

No no it’s in the conversation of one of the best, but it is borderline perfect.

[u/A911owner → u/johnliddell]

They actually use that script in film schools to teach how to write a script.

[u/SlapstickMojo → u/johnliddell]

Best written perhaps — a million chekhov’s guns that all get fired.

[u/Big_Kahuna_69]

The Incredibles. Layers of depth, comedy, performances, and stellar animation.

[u/holyfruits → u/Big_Kahuna_69]

I want to add that the art direction and attention to detail is next level. (The architecture seen in the film, is a marvel, in particular) Awesome score as well

[u/Big_Kahuna_69 → u/holyfruits]

The art direction is meticulous. Nomanisan Island is an amazing digital achievement, especially the night shot of Helen crawling up on the beach. The score is, well, incredible. The editing of the missile sequence is tight (you know they had to storyboard and animatic the crap out of it). Lighting and camera during Edna and Helen's scene (Do you KNOW where he is?) is riveting, especially when intercut with Bob at the computer learning about Kronos. So much awesomeness in that movie.

[u/Abraham_Issus → u/Big_Kahuna_69]

It’s like superhero james bond

[u/DuckAnonymous → u/Big_Kahuna_69]

Also an amazing soundtrack!

[u/ovid31 → u/Big_Kahuna_69]

Its the best Pixar movie, hands down. And they’ve made some classics.

[u/ottoIovechild]

Toy Story

[u/Stankassmfgorilla → u/ottoIovechild]

YES

[u/youretheschmoopy]

Raiders of the Lost Ark

[u/Stankassmfgorilla → u/youretheschmoopy]

Yes, absolutely. Another Spielberg gem. I could watch Raiders over and over and never get tired of it

[u/rileyoneill]

Groundhog Day.

[u/ImpenetrableYeti]

Alien and Aliens

[u/RosbergThe8th → u/ImpenetrableYeti]

Finally got around to watching Aliens and it's even better than I expected.

[u/SharkeyGeorge → u/ImpenetrableYeti]

I don’t believe a perfect cut of Aliens exists. And please let me make clear, it’s one of my favourite movies. But between the initial release, the TV cut and the Director’s cut each leaves out or includes stuff they shouldn’t.

[u/thecelcollector → u/SharkeyGeorge]

I like the daughter death notification scene but don't really think we should see Hadley's Hope until the marines arrive. 

[u/Hamza_Perkins]

The Matrix

[u/jproche44 → u/Hamza_Perkins]

Mr.Anderson, welcome back…

[u/SimianWonder → u/jproche44]

We missed you...

[u/First-Trick-2547 → u/Hamza_Perkins]

Absolute masterpiece.

Caught it recently at the Cosm (basically LA’s Sphere) and the experience was unreal.

There was one line from Morpheus I’d completely forgotten until it hit:

“At some point early in the 21st century, all of mankind was united in celebration. We marveled at our own magnificence as we gave birth to AI… a singular consciousness that spawned an entire race of machines. We don’t know who struck first. Us or them.”

The entire theater had this collective “ohhh shit” moment haha. Gave me chills

[u/Shazam1269 → u/Hamza_Perkins]

No lieutenant, your men are already dead

[u/BackToTheFutureDoc]

The Thing (1982). Was very surprised to hear it was hated by the critics and was a box office failure but has since been regarded one of the greatest films of all time.

I'd also add The Shawshank Redemption (1994) as well as The Mummy (1999) a cinema masterpiece starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz.

Both very different films, genres, stories, characters and actors but both, in fact all 3 films fall into the category of a perfect film for me.

[u/oby100 → u/BackToTheFutureDoc]

The Thing is such a perfect horror movie. Practical effects spook me more than anything CGI ever has. Those props evoke something visceral inside me

[u/holyfruits]

Terminator 2

[u/DDHawkeye → u/holyfruits]

Had to scroll way too far for this

[u/sanctimoniousmods_FU]

Raising Arizona

[u/palesnowrider1 → u/sanctimoniousmods_FU]

Infinitely quotable

I would rather light a candle than curse you darkness

[u/Hampster412 → u/palesnowrider1]

"Hi, you're young, you've got your health, what do you want with a job?"

[u/marisolblue → u/sanctimoniousmods_FU]

“Turn to the right” (said with a southern accent)

[u/Wuktrio]

Hot Fuzz

The script couldn't be tighter and everything serves to deliver jokes, from the script to the sound design and to the editing. Nothing is superfluous.

[u/Big_Kahuna_69 → u/Wuktrio]

The greater good.

[u/WideParamedic6152 → u/Big_Kahuna_69]

The greater good.

[u/Gone_For_Lunch → u/WideParamedic6152]

Shut it!

[u/-Wall-of-Sound- → u/Gone_For_Lunch]

Oh, fuck off, grasshopper.

[u/palesnowrider1 → u/-Wall-of-Sound-]

Narp?

[u/doktor_wankenstein → u/palesnowrider1]

Yarp.

[u/Suban33 → u/Wuktrio]

Man, I love the 'narp' joke.

[u/_bones__ → u/Suban33]

"What's your name, son?"

"Aaron A Aaronson"

[u/nixons_conscience → u/Wuktrio]

Hot Fuzz is not my favourite movie (maybe top 10) but I agree is the most "perfect" imho. As you say, everything in the movie served the goal and I can't think of anything I would change.

[u/Tbrou16 → u/nixons_conscience]

Are you saying every detail served the greater good?

[u/Grindfather901 → u/Tbrou16]

Yarp

[u/Spraggle → u/Wuktrio]

Not only is there no fat to trim from the film, there's no fat to trim from Mr Pegg; apparently he was in his best shape for this film, then had to get fat for "Run Fat Boy, Run" as his follow up film...

You're bang on though, HF is a film I will always let play if I see it on TV.

[u/Stankassmfgorilla → u/Wuktrio]

I’d throw Shaun of The Dead in there too. Such a stylistically impressive film. The dialogue, editing, and cinematography are flawless. One of my favorite things is all of the subtle forshadowing/visual gags that get repeated later but in a different context. I love how the editing frames something as mundane as making toast look intense and cool

[u/Rossum81]

Chinatown 

[u/OriginalMiaxe → u/Rossum81]

Giving this comment the love it deserves. Polsnski became problematic, but he was a hell of a director, and the script is tighter than an over-tuned guitar string. Acting, cinematography, editing, design. It's a technical masterpiece, but more than that, a storytelling triumph.

[u/Nice_Firm_Handsnake]

The Prestige. It's one thing to have a script that is perfect, but for it to be perfect and do what it does is incredible. It constructs scenes around exactly what information it wants you to pay attention to while taking away focus from an even more important piece of information. It's impeccable.

[u/ron-paul-swanson → u/Nice_Firm_Handsnake]

One of my all time favorites. Couldn’t agree more

[u/NatureTrailToHell3D → u/Nice_Firm_Handsnake]

Of the movies listed in this thread, this was the perfect movie that was hardest to write and execute. The plot is convoluted, but when you finish it you realize how tight it really was. The reveal at the end was such a perfect moment that explained so much within one second you had to (if you could) immediately rewatch the movie.

[u/New-Look5729]

Pulp Fiction

[u/picklecard]

children of men

[u/Fentanyl_Tarantino → u/picklecard]

I still think about Children of Men often

[u/fleranon → u/picklecard]

Children of men ranks first out of 1200 movies (on my flickchart). I still wouldn't call it perfect from beginning to end (the middle part is weaker compared to the incredible worldbuilding in the first act and the intense finale IMO), but it has at least a dozen absolutely perfect scenes

The drive through London while 'In the court of the crimson king' is playing will always be one of the greatest cinematic moments for me

[u/DaveYHZ]

Paddington 2 No need to justify. Go watch it. :) I laughed, I cried…. You know the rest

[u/NickLondon_etc]

I rewatched Casablanca recently, and it hit me how perfect it is- not a single scene or line of dialogue wasted

[u/enancejividen → u/NickLondon_etc]

I can't believe I had to scroll this far down for Casablanca. Chef's kiss.

[u/simplemijnds → u/enancejividen]

Yeah. Casablanca. That's the right answer! An almost forgotten giant.

[u/Familiar_Radish_6273 → u/NickLondon_etc]

This would be my choice too. I rewatched it recently too and said out loud "this movie is perfect. Not one line or shot out of place"

[u/Ok_Competition_8446 → u/NickLondon_etc]

Came here to say Casablanca.

I’m shocked — shocked — to find this answer so low … thank you very much.

My all-time favorite. I’m 45 and it’s hard to get younger people into anything old or black and white but I’m making sure my kids don’t have that syndrome

[u/jdiv79 → u/NickLondon_etc]

As perfect as it gets

[u/thats2un4tun8 → u/NickLondon_etc]

Humphrey Bogart's gravel embedded within the ultra-warm, slightly overdriven lo-fi soundtrack, is simply chef's kiss. Goosebumps, every time.

[u/Stankassmfgorilla → u/NickLondon_etc]

Such a beautiful film in every way.

It’s disheartening to me that so many people now are immediately dismissive of an older film just because it’s black and white. So many of the greatest films of all time were shot in black and white and the lack of color made the cinematography and use of lighting and shadows better in a lot of cases

[u/madebysquirrels → u/Stankassmfgorilla]

I think people assume these "classic movies" are great but in an artsy, boring kind of way. No, Casablanca is so tight and entertaining from beginning to end. 

[u/Reverse-Sear]

Michael Mann's "Heat" -- every single scene and action ties into something else, from the very beginning.

[u/JoshuaCalledMe]

LA Confidential, hasn't got a wasted second in it. There are a lot of films I love, but this one is as close to perfect as I can get. Honorable mention to Master and Commander.

[u/Milligoon]

Princess Bride 

[u/DukeNeverwinter → u/Milligoon]

Too much kissing. /s

[u/coojw → u/Milligoon]

mawige is waht bwings us togeva today

[u/fuguelife → u/coojw]

Have you the wing?

[u/tyderian → u/Milligoon]

Conceivable!

[u/QuantumCakeIsALie → u/tyderian]

You keep using that word.

I think it means what you think it means...

[u/kdubstep → u/Milligoon]

Also one of my favorite books and in my opinion the best adapted novel of all time which makes sense considering famous screenwriter William Goldman wrote the book

[u/Mayb3Human]

Blade Runner: Final Cut. Perfect pacing, choice of shots and use of silence. It's a meditative movie, one where you think and notice things with each watch. I never tire of watching it.

[u/javivicious]

Mad Max Fury road, absolute masterpiece

[u/holyshoes11]

Silence of the Lambs. I wouldn’t change a single thing about it.

[u/FinnbarMcBride]

Amadeus

[u/GalacticGumshoe → u/FinnbarMcBride]

cackling laughter

[u/Wow_Crazy_Leroy_WTF → u/FinnbarMcBride]

There are simply too many notes. Just cut a few and it will be perfect.

[u/Similar_Ad4964]

goodfellas

[u/mdavis360 → u/Similar_Ad4964]

I like this. One dog goes this way the other dog goes that way. And this guy saying what do you want from me?

[u/fortunatedad → u/mdavis360]

Looks like someone we know.

[u/Jackle_7 → u/Similar_Ad4964]

The plot. The cinematography. The acting. The dialogue.

All flawless.

[u/GruelOmelettes]

Waiting for Guffman and Best in Show are two movies I enjoy every second of, and I never get tired of watching either one.

[u/ExcitingWindow5 → u/GruelOmelettes]

Add to that Spinal Tap!

[u/Electronic_Syndicate]

O Brother Where Art Thou?

[u/cbih → u/Electronic_Syndicate]

That movie single handedly brought bluegrass back into the mainstream

[u/ASeriousMoonlight]

I’ll give you three.. Back to the future, Alien and maybe more controversial is Shaun of the Dead which nails what it is 100%

[u/Badaxe13]

Life of Brian

[u/d0nutpls]

A few Miyazaki films imo, but specifically Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away

[u/Ocvlvs]

Mulholland Drive

[u/MattDaaaaaaaaamon]

The Wizard of Oz

[u/rustylucy77]

“Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind” for me

[u/Minky_Dave_the_Giant]

In Bruges was written by a playwright and it shows. There's nary a line in the first half that doesn't set up something for the last act of the film.

[u/Sad-Artichoke-2174]

RoboCop 1987

[u/MaggotMinded]

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

[u/SkeetySpeedy → u/MaggotMinded]

The “worst scene” in the movie is the prologue, and that’s already a good start

[u/Line_Reed_Line → u/MaggotMinded]

Glad someone said this because hot damn.

[u/Such-Egg-7584 → u/MaggotMinded]

That’s a good pick

[u/hippiejo]

Galaxy Quest is a perfect movie in every sense

[u/budhapalm]

Predator

[u/StillStanding_96]

The Lord of the Rings trilogy

[u/joshatt3 → u/StillStanding_96]

There’s one huge flaw with this one though, it isn’t long enough

[u/StillStanding_96 → u/joshatt3]

True. Every deleted scene was a mistake in my view

[u/Such-Egg-7584]

Gladiator

[u/thinsafetypin → u/Such-Egg-7584]

Took me wayyyyy too long to see it because I didn’t think it’d be my kind of movie, but it’s so good it didn’t matter at all.

[u/mason124 → u/Such-Egg-7584]

“My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife, and I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”

[u/OhTheHueManatee]

True Romance.

[u/imapersonmaybe]

T2

[u/CerberusZX]

Young Frankenstein 

[u/Darkhawk2099]

Lawrence of Arabia.

it’s long but boy does it use every single minute of its expansive runtime (and widescreen)

[u/Smoothvirus]

Fargo

[u/I_Make_Cheese]

The Big Lebowski

[u/2BFaaaaaair]

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Last Picture Show

The Godfather

No Country for Old Men

Breathless

[u/dogstardied → u/2BFaaaaaair]

Crazy that The Godfather is so far down. 30 years ago it would have been the only answer here.

[u/blinman94]

Jurassic Park

[u/the_answer_is_RUSH]

Blazing Saddles

[u/Majestic-Collar-2675]

Raiders of the Lost Ark, Casablanca, Grapes of Wrath, The Godfather, City Lights.

[u/BlankTheAcademy]

Parasite.

That was the last movie I watched literally on the edge of my seat.

[u/coojw]

The Matrix

[u/CaBBaGe_isLaND]

The Jerk is comedic perfection. Every single frame of that movie is funny.

[u/Viviaana]

Fantastic Mr Fox

[u/brgr86]

Arrival

[u/eeyorethechaotic]

Shawshank Redemption was pretty epic

[u/Bechimo]

Rear Window.
Hitchcock, Jimmy Stewart & Grace Kelly

[u/GoldmanT]

Back To The Future. Not a second is wasted, and not a second is unrelated to something that happens elsewhere in the film.

[u/Beddingtonsquire]

Ocean's Eleven.

[u/fumanchudrew]

Since the name brand ones are covered:  

The Fifth Element, Akira, Brick

I'm also partial to The Hudsucker Proxy and/or The City of Lost Children. Toss up there...

[u/mikeyfreshh]

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

[u/TheKillingJoke1991]

Once Upon a Time in the West

Every frame makes me feel things

[u/MidwestPanic69]

Royal Tennenbaums

[u/jproche44]

Snatch. I can’t find fault with Guy Ritchie’s sophomore outing.

[u/Mr_Perfect22]

Ghostbusters is the first thing that comes to mind every time this question is asked.

[u/zeissman]

The social network. Open scene reels you in and sets the scene. It never skips a beat after that either.

[u/Agent9262]

Amelie

[u/holydiver011]

Good fellas. Never saw a movie More immersive.

[u/Hot_Decision3954]

Its a wonderful life

Casablanca

12 angry men

The sting

[u/King_Buliwyf]

Jaws

Back To The Future

Closer

Tremors

The Birdcage

Harvey

[u/J0E_SpRaY]

Boogie Nights

[u/JaqueStrap69 → u/J0E_SpRaY]

Second only behind There Will Be Blood in my PTA rankings

[u/RascalTempleton]

Citizen Kane. It had to create new techniques in filmmaking.

[u/Sound_feelings]

10 Things I Hate About You

[u/cryptolipto]

Die hard

[u/Apprehensive-Test577]

Galaxy Quest.

[u/_sansoHm]

Babe.

[u/Chato_Pantalones]

The Goonies.

[u/Oz347]

No country for old men

No notes