10 Nearly Perfect Movies With a 99% Score on Rotten Tomatoes

Some might say that there are no perfect movies, but there are some outstanding few that come exceptionally close. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, there are some movies that have been positively reviewed by nearly all approved critics, obtaining the rare yet coveted achievement of holding a 99% approval rating on the site.

Some of these are considered among the very best films of all time, like Casablanca, while others are modern classics loved by virtually anyone who sees them, like Paddington 2. What they all have in common is that almost all critics thought they were worthy of the utmost praise. Few movies are able to confidently say that they’re close to perfection, but these have earned that honor and then some.

10 ‘Finding Nemo’ (2003)

Directed by Andrew Stanton

The third-ever winner of the Best Animated Feature Academy Award, Finding Nemo is the charming story of a timid clownfish who embarks on a journey to rescue his son, who was taken by a diver. He’ll get the help of Dory, a blue tang with a bad case of short-term memory loss. Their journey will prove to be full of dangers, laughs, and — of course — plenty of emotional payoffs.

A beloved Pixar classic, the movie tugs at the heartstrings as often as it thrills and gets laughs. Although it may seem like a rather simple film on the surface, its impressive animation, vivid cast of characters, and complex narrative about fatherhood and courage all make it an amazing experience. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes evidently agreed, calling the film touching, humorous, and surprisingly full of artistic merit.

9 ‘Lady Bird’ (2017)

Directed by Greta Gerwig

Lady Bird is Greta Gerwig‘s outstanding sophomore directing effort and the highest-rated A24 comedy on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s a tender and often hilarious coming-of-age comedy about a seventeen-year-old who calls herself Lady Bird. The story follows her as she grapples with the tribulations of her senior year in high school in Sacramento, California. Heavily inspired by Gerwig’s own experiences coming of age in Sacramento, the film is one of the most intimate and profoundly affecting in the genre.

The movie gracefully maneuvers across themes like growing up and feminine adolescence. In the process, it delivers all kinds of emotions, from sincere laughs to bittersweet tears. It’s one of the most enjoyable and relatable coming-of-age films of recent years, and more than worthy of the approval of 99% of Rotten Tomatoes critics.

8 ‘Goldfinger’ (1964)

Directed by Guy Hamilton

Even after a whopping sixty years since the beginning of the 007 franchise, Goldfinger (the third movie in the series), where Sean Connery‘s James Bond uncovers a conspiracy to raid Fort Knox and obliterate the world economy, is still considered by many to be the best of the whole franchise. Thrilling, delightfully self-aware, and the origin of many of the series’s most iconic trademarks, it’s a spy classic for all those who love the genre.

The movie is fully conscious of what makes spy movies so fun and uses those elements to their fullest potential. It has one of the best Bond girls, one of the best Bond villains, one of the best Bond songs, and Connery at his best in the role. Critics very much appreciated the movie’s perfect balance between seriousness and camp, which they thought resulted in an unforgettable evolution of the character.

7 ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ (2010)

Directed by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders

The How to Train Your Dragon trilogy is one of the highest-rated movie franchises on Rotten Tomatoes, but the best entry is undoubtedly the first movie. Here, the teenage son of a Viking leader from the dragon-hunting village of Berk secretly befriends one of the beasts, discovering that there’s a lot more to them than he used to think.

The world-building, characterization, and nuanced story are all top-notch, resulting in one of the most fun and acclaimed fantasy films of the 21st century so far, animated or otherwise. High fantasy at its very best, How to Train Your Dragon obtained the approval of critics who thought that the animation was impressive, the characters were really endearing, and the script had a surprising amount of depth and nuance.

6 ‘The Third Man’ (1949)

Directed by Carol Reed

The classic film noir The Third Man is a thoroughly engrossing movie about a novelist traveling to post-war Vienna as a guest of his old friend Harry Lime, only to discover that his pal has mysteriously died. One of the best noirs of all time, The Third Man soars thanks to Carol Reed‘s atmospheric direction, Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles‘s intrepid performances, and the script’s perfect understanding of noir elements and what makes them work.

With surprising twists and turns, a captivating story, compelling characters, and the inexplicably magical charm of Welles and Cotten, The Third Man is unsurprisingly considered one of the best movies not only of its genre, but of all time. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes loved the film’s Viennese setting and the way Reed turns it into a whole other character, allowing it to function as the playground of these fascinating characters and their gripping story.

5 ‘All About Eve’ (1950)

Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Though he’s best known as one of the most prolific and outstanding screenwriters of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Joseph L. Mankiewicz also directed quite a few incredible movies. His best is usually agreed to be All About Eve, the Best Picture Oscar-winning drama about a secretly ruthless ingénue who insinuates herself into the lives of an aging Broadway star and her circle of friends.

The critics’ consensus on Rotten Tomatoes is that All About Eve is intelligent, elegant, and “devastatingly funny.” Offering some outstanding writing and directing from Mankiewicz, as well as the legendary Bette Davis‘s best work, the movie left an indelible mark on Classical Hollywood and film history at large. The tone is incessantly witty, the dialogue flows like honey, and the characters are nothing if not riveting.

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4 ‘On the Waterfront’ (1954)

Directed by Elia Kazan

Winner of 8 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, On the Waterfront is an Elia Kazan classic about a man who dreams of being a prizefighter while running errands at the New Jersey docks. Elvis Presley himself was obsessed with the film, and it isn’t hard to see why. It’s a brilliantly written and directed film, resulting in an electrifying study of the corruptive potential of power.

Unsparingly realistic with a fascinating narrative and really effective elements of character study, the movie makes itself entirely deserving of all the praise at every turn. It also features one of the most jaw-dropping acting performances ever put on screen, by the landmark in film history that was Marlon Brando. With this revolutionary performance, the thespian broke new ground in showing the things that film acting could do.

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3 ‘Paddington 2’ (2017)

Directed by Paul King

For those who have been having a tough day and need a hug, Paddington 2 is a movie that feels just like that much-needed warmth. In it, Paddington the bear picks up a series of odd jobs to get his aunt a present, but it gets stolen by a master of disguise named Phoenix Buchanan, played by an intoxicating Hugh Grant in what might be one of his best performances ever.

Simple in its scope and gentle in its approach, this is one of those movies that are practically impossible to hate (save for a couple of killjoy critics, that is). It’s funny, it’s sweet, it’s wonderfully paced, and it improves on everything that made the first film so adorable. Family comedies don’t often join the ranks of the best movies ever made, but for Rotten Tomatoes critics, Paddington 2 earns the title magnificently.

2 ‘Casablanca’ (1942)

Directed by Michael Curtiz

In this beautiful romantic drama, a cynical American ex-patriate running a nightclub in Casablanca during early WWII faces unforeseen challenges when a former lover shows up at his doorstep. Casablanca is universally agreed to be one of the best Oscar-winning World War movies, thanks to magnetic performances by Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart and one of the best screenplays ever written.

Casablanca is by far one of the best movies of Hollywood’s Golden Age, full of quotable dialogue, intriguing plot points, and richly layered characters. It’s not only the writing that shines, though. It’s masterfully crafted all around, a visually and aurally arresting experience bolstered by a wonderful narrative that’s just the cherry on top.

1 ‘Citizen Kane’ (1941)

Directed by Orson Welles

It has been over 80 years, and yet this spellbinding mystery drama chronicling the rise and fall of a journalist magnate is still considered by many critics and audience members to be the absolute best movie ever made. Citizen Kane needs no introduction, since it’s virtually always found in discussions of the most revolutionary and influential films of all time.

Packed with complex depth and a narrative style way ahead of its time, Citizen Kane grabs audiences’ attention from the moment it starts and doesn’t let go until the credits roll. It’s intriguing, thematically rich, amazingly directed, and it has stunning visuals and a talented cast. If there’s any film deserving of being considered nearly perfect, critics think that it’s this one.

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