As Mike pointed out, Ebert only uses the phrase perfect in the URL and then goes on to discuss universally acknowledged works and criticism of film criticism.
I think the question of universally acknowledged films may come down to the question of audience.
I don't know if any film can be universally accepted by a broad audience given the subjective nature of film viewing and the broad, disparate tastes of the general populace. On the other hand, Jack argues for the 'classics' such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Citizen Kane. I would have to qualify that statement by limiting the audience to the more specific group of film enthusiasts.
Case in point, there is a trainwreck (at least to me) of a thread on the Amazon forums asking for opinions regarding the most Overrated films of all time with the usual postings of Titanic, Forrest Gump, etc. and even The Godfather. While I can't take these opinions seriously, I wonder how many of them are simply trolls; it does illustrate that film viewing means different things to different folks. Some view it as mere entertainment and others are more heavily invested.
I believe the question of perfection lies with the viewer and is perhaps meaningless in other contexts. BTW, I like your list Parker. For myself, here are few films that I think are perfect for me. They never miss a note, there are no false steps, and every moment of the film works...
A Christmas Story - This film sets and establishes a tone in the opening moments and never deviates or loses its way. It evokes nostalgia for a lost time in America and has become a seasonal classic.
I know it isn't Christmas, but I feel compelled to offer up another holiday film...
It's A Wonderful Life - At an earlier time in my life this was easily my favorite film and it still ranks fairly high on my all-time favorites. In addition to being endlessly entertaining its question of the worth of a human life lends it a timeless quality, for me anyway.
The General - I suppose one could argue that less complex films have less hurdles on their way to perfection; but I would argue that the level of effort in this film is pretty substantial. Top it off with some beautiful cinematography and you have a great movie experience. I try to watch this every few years and it works every time.
There are others I could go on about, like that one from Mr. Kubrick, but that is enough for now. I have any number of films that I love and admire but there are probably only a handful where every aspect of the film works for me.
The other question that I discussed with Steve C, yesterday was how much does a film's ambition factor into your enjoyment. Is a well crafted film of minor ambition better, or more enjoyable than a film that aspires to greatness but perhaps misses by a bit? I honestly don't know which I prefer but a film's ambition will cover a host of sins, from my perspective.
In other words, is perfection overrated? Since there are so many films that I enjoy that aren't perfect, then perhaps - yes.
- Walter.
