My defense of George Lucas...

I don't think you can consider some sequels - such as ESB - as perfect when they can't really stand on their own as great films. ESB was good, but it wouldn't have had the power if it weren't for Star Wars.

Two perfect films I would have to include would be:

Psycho (the original)
To Kill A Mockingbird

 

The "perfect films" listed may be perfect to the "lister" but not to everyone else.

That is what I mean by a perfect film. A film everyone loves. Not one bad thing about it- and not a single person on the planet who didn't love it.

A film like that does not exist.

 

Also to my list "The One Who Flew Over The Cocko Nest", I think that's how it's spelt I was never good at spelling bees.

 

Plenty of perfect films exist in their specific genres.

Chasing Amy perfect, and I thought donnie darko was far fetched

 

Indeed there are a lot of great films outhere, including AOTC which is one of if not favorite film of all time.

 

A film like that does not exist.

Films such as that do exist as I have listed them. If you don't like such films, then films as art are not for you. I know this sounds obnoxious but it is the truth, nonetheless.

 

I love art films and entertainment films equally. I happen to think of Episode II as being artistic and entertaining.

Har har har, Pooja thinks Episode II is artistic, har har har he don't know what film is...

 

Anyone remember the MAD TV skit they did on George back in 1999?

"Noooooo!! I want a double cheddar-melt with fries and a drink, get it right!!!!" *whack, whack, whack, whack, whack*

That still cracks me up.

 

Films are based on the pesonal preference, and some have more ingenius than others depending on the viewer. And that IMO makes every film perfect, it's just a matter of popularity contests when we have these 100 best films of all time.

 

IMO, "Phantom Menace" is not childish, it is more childlike. There's a difference.

TPM shows the childlike innocence of the galaxy, "before the dark times, before the Empire." This innocence is personified in 9-year-old Anakin Skywalker, who himself is on the verge of a great fall.

 

IMO, "Phantom Menace" is not childish, it is more childlike. There's a difference.

It's ALSO childish.

Only in a film like "Dumb & Dumber" would you expect a fart joke and someone stepping on crap...Not in a film that's part of a pop culture icon.

 

Agreed. What people seem to forget sometimes in Star Wars isn't supposed to be looked at as indivial movies, but as one story. Each movie helps each other out into the grand skeem or plot. IMO TPM alone wasn't so great, but to the cause was brillent.

 

Lucas got bashed by critics in the way David Lean was for RYAN'S DAUGHTER. There's a story of how Lean was invited to a dinner at the Algonquin Hotel by all the New York critics including Pauline Kael who spent the evening attacking him and his film.

 

Citizen was "attacked" by critics as well, and look at how many critics love it now.

 

I believe there's a saying that goes something like "All great art is controversial at first."

 

Santa Claus Conquers The Martians is not a perfect film, and anybody who loves this piece of crap is either brain-dead or like movies with characters with antenas on their heads.

 

Citizen was "attacked" by critics as well, and look at how many critics love it now.


Citizen Kane was also a box office flop...and was one film that caused Orson Welles to be shunned from directing a major motion picture again

 

Yeah but it was so terrible that it was one of the funniest movies ever made, Nephrite. So it's perfect in that sense

 

Citizen Kane was also a box office flop...and was one film that caused Orson Welles to be shunned from directing a major motion picture again

And a lot of people said they didn't want GL to direct after TPM. Again, all great art is controversial at first.

 

A film like that does not exist.

Films such as that do exist as I have listed them. If you don't like such films, then films as art are not for you. I know this sounds obnoxious but it is the truth, nonetheless.

No, it doesn't sound obnoxious, it IS obnoxious. Beauty is in the eye of the beyholder. This goes for Cinematic art as well. I think Citizen Kane is tremendous. I would never tell you that you should think that too. I also think that the Art Direction and Cinematography in the PT movies is far greater than those of the OT. I'm sure you'll disagree with me on this as well.

Films are art, that doesn't mean they are GOOD art. That is determined by the viewer and no one else. Art critics are no more valid or infallible than Movie critics. Their opinions, albeit educated, are still just that, opinion.

 

I think Citizen Kane is tremendous.


You can't take a film class without Citizen Kane being brought up as a prime example of filmmaking.

 

If I told you that the SW Christmas Special was the paragon of cinematic excellence, what would you say?

 

Films such as that do exist as I have listed them. If you don't like such films, then films as art are not for you. I know this sounds obnoxious but it is the truth, nonetheless.

The films you listed are by no means perfect on an absolute scale. When you say that a film is "perfect" you mean simply there is nothing you would change about it. There are flaws in every film. It's whether you choose to let those flaws impede your enjoyment of the film that determines whether you find a film "perfect" or not, and the subjective standards dictating such are as different as there are people on the face of the earth.

For me, the prequel films are perfect not because they are flawless and couldn't be better but simply because there's nothing about them that I want changed.

But you're right about one thing, your elitest attitude is certainly obnoxious.

 

If I told you that the SW Christmas Special was the paragon of cinematic excellence, what would you say?

I would say not in my opinion.

 

"Miller's Crossing" is a perfect movie. The Coen bros. have made a lot of movies that come close to perfection, but that one is the best.