Wall:E is mostly perfect, but has a couple of flat moments.
The Matrix doesn't waste a moment of screen time.
Aliens is perfect as its the most pristine example of Sci-Fi action horror and defines the genre.
Stardust is perfect: Great cast playing engaging characters, witty and clever plot. Its the perfect fairytale film, like a Terry Gilliam film but without the flaws. Plus the Robert De Niro pirate is an inspired performance!
Cougar, it's just a personal thing. The queen hiding in the back of the drop ship is something that really annoys me, as does the lack of occupant-frying EMP from the x megatonne fusion explosion of the atmosphere processing plant.
Bishop's hand-blurringly fast knife trick jars a bit too, even if he is an artificial person, his muscles are likely to conform to similar rules as ours and that would make that tricky pretty near impossible at that speed.
The big one though is the number of aliens on the planet. You have to assume one per person of the settlers, minus a few for settler-killed and surgically removed at the facehugger stage prior to the USCMC involvement, so the totals just never seem to add up to the hordes that are apparent in the sentry gun tunnel and in the lab when the shit hits the fan for the marines, especially as they kill a few in the atmosphere processor.
All told, I reckon they had at most 160 to kill and the sentry guns should have taken care of that if they were any cop. The bit in the complex where the ceiling is full of them? Sorry, I just think that the numbers were over-egged and that took it off the list.
Donnie darko
Life aquatic
Clint Eastwood/sergeo trilogy
Once upon a time in the west
Moon
Mad max 1 & 2
What's eating Gilbert grape
Deerhunter
Drive
And band of brothers
Too name a few
Alien[s]s[/s] is perfect as its the most pristine example of Sci-Fi action horror and defines the genre.
Aliens?
Must resist.....nnnnnngggggggggggggggarrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh........
😀
Starship Troopers
What did you think that film was about, then?
As for Alien - ruined by the fact that whilst it looks great, the ship's computer looks like ERNIE (the 1940s computer with valves and flashing lights, not the Sesame Street character).
Predator - Just doesn't date and Arnie's finest moment by miles.
Deliverance
Amelie
The Jungle Book.
As said, perfection is totally subjective.
+1 for Dogma
Near Dark
Moulin Rouge
Tremors
The Big Blue
Excalibur
Blade Runner (Director's Cut)
Kill Bill vol 1
The Thing
Dangerous Liaisons
But for as close to objective perfection as you can get in terms of structure and narrative, I have to agree with Memento.
Clerks
Kind Hearts and Coronets
My Life as a Dog.
The English Patient
Epic story, Epic cinematography, Epic acting. nuff said!!
BMX Bandits
molgrips - Member
As for Alien - ruined by the fact that whilst it looks great, the ship's computer looks like ERNIE (the 1940s computer with valves and flashing lights, not the Sesame Street character).
Nah, looks like the world's most complicated microwave. 🙂
[i]Clerks[/i]? Just didn't get it (yes, I know I'm in the minority).
My recommendations are:
Tell No One
Super 8
Michael Clayton
Batman Begins
Hidden
The French Connection
Of course, as has been said already, this is hugely subjective and can be argued as merely being good films.
I agree with so many of the above, but how have we missed
"Big trouble in little China?"
I can't fault it.
Goodfellas
Seven
The Life of Brian
The Matrix
Pans Labyrinth
The Shawshank Redemption
Hot Fuzz
The Day The Earth Caught Fire
Alien
Small soldiers.
Rocky (the one with the robot servant)
Cats & dogs.
Rusty-that's Alien?
Don't forget that NASA use old technology-it takes years to design and make space ships, and they only use technology tried and tested at the design stage.
The hardware in Alien, to me, gives it an authentic industrial feel.
The queen hiding in the back of the drop ship is something that really annoys me, as does the lack of occupant-frying EMP from the x megatonne fusion explosion of the atmosphere processing plant.Bishop's hand-blurringly fast knife trick jars a bit too, even if he is an artificial person, his muscles are likely to conform to similar rules as ours and that would make that tricky pretty near impossible at that speed.
The big one though is the number of aliens on the planet.
What's the issue with the Queen, sorry?
EMP - I'd expect military spacecraft to have serious shielding, and buildings to be similarly shielded because, well, reactor.
Bishop's trick - even he struggled, he missed at the end. But there's no indication of any such physical restriction; if they'd established earlier that there was then I'd agree. Wasn't Ash stronger than normal humans, or am I misremembering?
Aliens and numbers - never really stopped to think about that. I'll get back to you on that.
Aliens?
Must resist.....nnnnnngggggggggggggggarrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh........
It's primarily an action movie. It's very tonally different to the first film, which was a suspense horror / sci-fi outing. Aliens isn't horror, it's about a bunch of meatheads with big guns.
goodfellas, good at release, liotta kinda bugs me now, same old guy in all his movies since
withnail and i ? read about it over time, supposingly an awesome movie, got loan from a guy, cool exiting nite for me see good film, what shite ! sadly watched whole film looking for a good bit, nope
shawshank, timeless perfect.....
heat .perfect bar de niro getting nailed at the end.
platoon, predator and the thing with kurt russell all up there
recently id say jack reacher and life of pi great, but i wish pi couldve met richard in later years and see if he remembered him 😀
Lost In Translation.
Ray Liotta's in Withnail And I?
Some like it hot
Shawshank is spoiled by being a naff hollywoodised version of the book.
The hardware in Alien, to me, gives it an authentic industrial feel.
No way. It's an intersellar spaceship from the future and it's computer looks like something from the 50s? Total howler.
no al,
just the way i typed list, i was eating my tea at time and was gettin daggers from wife, so best sign off and devour some of the chocs n booz left from the festivities, 4 days until work so best enjoy it.......
And another late entry:
Spirited Away.
WARNING: SPOILER ALERT.
Shawshank is spoiled by being a naff hollywoodised version of the book.
The "book" is actually a short story, and therefore only provides a framework for the film. It end like this:
I find I am excited, so excited I can hardly hold the pencil in my trembling hand, I think it is the excitement that only a free man can feel, a free man starting a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain.I hope Andy is down there.
I hope I can make it across the border.
I hope to see my friend and shake his hand.
I hope the pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams.
I hope.
Sound familiar? Sound like how the film ends?
Hope and Glory for me, is the most perfect film of all time.
I suspect I feel the same way about it as I imagine Dave Lister feels about 'It's a wonderful life'.
cynic-al - Member
The hardware in Alien, to me, gives it an authentic industrial feel.
I agree. 🙂
That and the fact that everything is worn and grimy - costumes, sets, the lot.
molgrips - Member
No way. It's an intersellar spaceship from the future and it's computer looks like something from the 50s? Total howler.
So you don't enjoy any older films which don't accurately predict future technology?
Bit limiting isn't it?
Which older sci-fi films fit your criteria? 😀
Just watched it today for the first but I thought Moon was superb, I really don't know how it could be improved upon.
One flew over the cuckoo's nest
Pulp Fiction
Heat
Leon
Dogma
Zoolander
Princess Bride
Monsters Inc
Toy Story
Crouching Tiger
Crying Freeman
Starman
About Last Night
Blues Brothers
ET
Stakeout
Close Encounters
Porkies
Home Alone
Mrs Doubtfire
Cool Runnings
Shawshank Redemption
Gladiator
Empire of the Sun
...and many more
Cougar - Member
It's primarily an action movie. It's very tonally different to the first film, which was a suspense horror / sci-fi outing. Aliens isn't horror, it's about a bunch of meatheads with big guns.
I know. Terrible isn't it?
Such promise squandered. 😀
It's the unrealistic & cliched behaviour of the characters, the childish and poorly plotted script, the overriding lack of ambition & laziness of the plot, the predictability of the narrative and the cynical, dumbed-down, lowest common denominator nature of the whole enterprise that make it the most disappointing sequel ever.
And an awful film.
All IMO of course, just like the music thread the other day - all completely subjective.
Which is what makes it fascinating.
Anyway, you MADE me break a new years resolution. 😀
I feel used now, & not in a good way.
And an awful film.
Sir, I hold you in high regard, but as I believe the vernacular goes, you are talking bollocks.
Don't get me started on Point Break, Top Gun and The Matix.
I REALLY dislike those 😀
Just watched it today for the first but I thought Moon was superb, I really don't know how it could be improved upon.
She could of got her tits out 😉
I can't get over how good it was! Wonder if source code is worth a watch
I can't believe nobody has mentioned the Hangover.
Or Old School
Waynes World
Animal House
Dude where's my car
Bad Teacher (Junkyard take note)
Ferris Bueller
Blues bros of course
Zoolander
Anger Management
Any film that makes you laugh is perfect.
Sorry, Shawshank is off the list due to the awful tacked on "holywood" cheezy meeting on the beach ending.
Source code is very cool.
Don't get me started on Point Break, Top Gun and The Matix.I REALLY dislike those
Ah, ok, I see the issue. You're a loony.
TBF, context is needed here. All three are deeply flawed films. The first two are 80s cheese action films, there's no substance but they're great fun. The Matrix is bad but one of the most stylish films I've ever seen. Now, you can choose to focus on the negatives, or the positives. For me, I like films, and I'll try and extract the best out of anything. Sometimes, rarely, that's not possible.
Fargo
Desperado
Hero
Why is the Matrix "bad"?
Sorry, Shawshank is off the list due to the awful tacked on "holywood" cheezy meeting on the beach ending.
See my post above. It is not a Hollywood "tacked on" ending, it is in keeping with the original short story by Stephen King.
Plenty I like above, but no one has said:
Thelma and Louise
I thought it was a brilliant film 😐
There will be blood
No country for old Men
Dead mans shoes
Drive
Tinker Taylor soldier spy
Cheers, Source code on lovefilm list
Also, Gran Torino & O Brother where art thou?


