E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL
Sean Richardson suggested this Spielberg movie. But don’t take his word for it. The great Richard Attenborough said this after winning Best Picture for Gandhi in 1983:
“I was certain that not only would ET win, but that it should win. It was inventive, powerful, [and] wonderful. I make more mundane movies.”
Go behind the scenes of E.T. in this video, and watch John Williams put together his epic score.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
Film Threat reader Jayson Tanner nominated the only movie from 2019:
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was as perfect as it gets for me. but I’m not sure if people who aren’t very well versed in all things having to do with Charles Manson and Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski, not to mention the LSD scare of the late 60s, early 70s, would understand it. It probably helps to be Quentin Tarantino’s age, too.”
Check out the trailer below—we particularly appreciated the perfect use of a Neil Diamond track at 1:12 mark (as well as a key moment in film)
CHINATOWN
Reader Jesse Banda gave us a whole list: Chinatown, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting. Let’s start with Chinatown, where not a single moment of film is wasted.
Jack’s Movie Reviews spent 10 minutes going through the screenplay…
STREETS OF FIRE
This “world of rain-splattered streets, hot cars, and deadly assassins” made for a perfect movie, according to reader Malcolm Ingram. His review was simple and to the point:
“Streets of Fire…. hyper stylized western with a good beat.”
35 years after the film’s release, there is talk of a revival, says reader Simon Thompson…
MILLENNIUM ACTRESS
Bobby Kenneth LePire adds this gem from the early Aughts. “Greatest animated movie of all time. Some of the most sublimely intelligent editing in all of cinema history.”
FIGHT CLUB
“It still resonates to today. The only modern equivalent might be Joker,” writes Film Threat founder Chris Gore about this perfect film.
Wisecrack has a great video about the movie’s philosophy.
Great list!