What makes a perfect movie? It's an argument many of you may be having while stuck at home in self-isolation, wondering about what film to watch next.
We, therefore, wanted to help you out by rounding up nine movies from website Rotten Tomatoes. The site aggregates a percentage score for each particular movie, based on its 'fresh' versus 'rotten' reviews system.
It isn't an exact science – some films score highly based on a lower number of consistently fresh reviews, while others have more reviews to their name, but are dotted with positive and negative reactions, bringing their overall percentage down. In short, it's disproportionate.
But whatever you make of the system, here are nine films that score a rare 100% rating on the site – if you're looking for self-isolation movie inspiration, this is the perfect place to start.
1. Modern Times (1936)
Stuck at home with the kids? Looking for something other than Frozen 2 on an endless loop? Well, this might be the time to try and introduce them to a silent cinema master. The appeal of the iconic Charlie Chaplin resides in his childlike innocence, and this farcical classic about a factory working desiring to be more than a cog in a machine is one of his very best.
The timing of the physical comedy continues to astound – it's the kind of slapstick that transcends time, and even language, forever drawing new audiences into its orbit. Whether you're introducing the movie to someone who hasn't seen it or want to revisit its delightful charms, Modern Times is sure to brighten your mood.
2. Pinocchio (1940)
A Disney remake is said to be on the cards, and The Shape Of Water director Guillermo del Toro will be presenting his own take next January. But for sheer magic, you can't beat the original animated incarnation of Pinocchio, one of Disney's purest and most enduring stories.
In the wake of films like Shrek, which made regular (and hilarious) gags at Pinocchio's expense, it can be easy to forget what a richly emotional experience the film is. For one thing, it's a lot darker than people tend to remember – any movie in which a wooden puppet is invested with life, cursed to become a donkey, sold to near-demonic puppeteer Stromboli, and nearly devoured by a giant whale, is going to put audiences through its paces.
However, it also has its heart firmly in the right place, and teaches us what it means to be human.
3. Singin' In The Rain (1954)
All of the contemporary hit musicals, from La La Land to The Greatest Showman, bow down to the granddaddy of them all: Singin' In The Rain. This infectious toe-tapper not only unfolds as a sublime Technicolor song and dance onslaught but affectionately recounts Hollywood's difficult transition from silent cinema to sound (or 'talkies' as the initial movies were known).
It helps, of course, that the movie is powered by the thermonuclear charisma of stars Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. Their precision and grace in both their solo and ensemble sequences, from 'Singing In The Rain' to 'Good Morning', never fails to take the breath away. Anyone who's the least bit cagey about musicals as a genre is well advised to start here.
4. Mary Poppins (1964)
It's back to Disney, and over to the most famous nanny in cinema history. Disney's adaptation of author P.L. Travers' stories makes many changes to the source material. Indeed, the story of the cantankerous writer's involvement in the production is recounted in 2013's Saving Mr. Banks. But regardless, it stands as a classic of family cinema.
Much of that is down to the beatific, Oscar-winning Julie Andrews in the title role. Amazingly, it was her debut film performance, but she glides on a perfect note of confidence and charm, stern when she needs to be, but always looking out for the children in her care. Ignore Dick van Dyke's much-mocked 'cockney' accent and instead revel in the classic songs from the Sherman brothers, including the gorgeous 'Feed The Birds', said to be a favourite of Walt Disney himself.
5. The Terminator (1984)
Looking for something harder-edged and nihilistic? James Cameron's trendsetting sci-fi classic is the answer. The Terminator, in stark contrast to its lavishly explosive sequels, is a pared-down, violent and often terrifying affair, a chase movie that criss-crosses past, present and future, all the while setting humans and machines on a collision course.
In the title role of the killer cyborg, Austrian bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger shot to fame, despite only having 17 lines in the whole movie. But a repeat viewing reveals all kinds of nuances, not least the tender relationship that develops between Terminator target Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) and the man sent back in time to save her, Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn). It's a reminder of the humanity that courses through Cameron's vision, something that got lost in years of increasingly cluttered follow-ups.
6. Toy Story (1995)
Disney-Pixar's feature film debut changed the movies forever, and it also altered our perception of childhood objects so precious to us in our formative years. Toy Story hits on a dazzlingly simple and delightful idea: what if our toys came to life when we weren't looking? And also, what if said toys expressed unconditional love without us ever knowing about it?
The fusion of a simple premise with richly emotional themes and gorgeous animation would embody most of Disney-Pixar's later output, from Up to Inside Out. But Toy Story is the one that put Pixar Animation Studios on the map, a classic chalk and cheese buddy comedy-drama with standout vocal performances from Tom Hanks and Tim Allen as Buzz and Woody.
7. Toy Story 2 (2000)
Amazingly, Toy Story 2 was first conceived as a straight-to-video project, before the whole concept was retooled and eventually put out in cinemas. Thank goodness that the filmmakers saw the light: the second instalment in the Toy Story quadrilogy is a huge improvement on its predecessor, darkening the themes while introducing yet more wonderful characters.
The story is again centrally anchored in the emotional arc of Woody and Buzz, with the former now questioning his own obsolescence. But so assured is Pixar's storytelling that it never feels preachy – instead, questions of ownership and identity are couched within a rip-roaring and funny adventure, occasionally pausing to wrench on the heartstrings. Cowgirl Jessie's (Joan Cusack) story of her former owner still gets to us.
8. The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya (2015)
Japan's Studio Ghibli has built a formidable reputation as a pioneer in the field of animation. Its visually dazzling stories interweave fantasy and reality with daring abandon, from the charming My Neighbor Totoro to the breathtaking Spirited Away, occasionally pausing to take in more sombre material (the devastating World War II-set Grave Of The Fireflies).
Ghibli co-founder, and Fireflies helmer, Isao Takahata delivered what would be his final movie with The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya. It's adapted from a famous Japanese folk tale about a woodcutter who discovers a tiny nymph inside a bamboo stalk, a girl who then grows into a young woman. The extraordinary, striking watercolour animation is well matched by a moving story that has sad cautionary undercurrents.
9. Paddington 2 (2017)
Anyone who turns their nose up at either of the Paddington movies deserves nothing less than a super-hard stare. But we're yet to meet anyone with such an opinion, which says a lot about the utter charm and joyous fun of these Michael Bond adaptations.
If 2014's Paddington was a surprise hit, then 2017's Paddington 2 performed the impossible and improved on its predecessor. Everything clicks into place like the proverbial lid on a jar of marmalade, from the gentle tones of Ben Whishaw's voice as Paddington, to the pitch-perfect timing of the flesh-and-blood supporting cast. And they don't come funnier than Hugh Grant, ruthlessly sending himself up as fading actor Phoenix Buchanan. Like everything else in this wonderful film, it's designed to leave you with the warmest of glows.
Which of these movies is your favourite? Let us know @Cineworld.
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