Possibly ever.

I agree.

It's either this or 'the Forbidden Zone'.

It's the best kid's movie ever made ever.

Probably the only kid's movie that gets BETTER after you get older.

There have been only two perfect movies released in MY lifetime, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Pee Wee's Big Adventure". The only two with plot, characters, relatability, applicability and satisfying endings. Is it coincidence that they're both essentially the same plot?

Forbiden Zonme is good, but this is far better.

"Kids Movie?"

I like Raiders of the Lost Ark for what it is: a fun adventure movie. But it doesn't hold a candle to Pee Wee, which is not only a fun adventure movie, but a strange commentary on modern life. Most of the characters in the movie are both broad-brush stereotypes & 100% believable. At the same time, the movie isn't really looking down on the characters, it's just observing them with a smile.

Also, I just wrote a paragraph on the Interwebs extolling the virtues of Pee-Wee Herman. I need to get out more.

Ghostbusters would be up there if it wasn't for the little Evil EPA Reagan era bullshit.

You also forgot Back to the Future.

I think Raising Arizona and Young Frankenstein also belong in the almost perfect category.

Not 100%, because "characters" in the plural implies there's another bit character on the same level as Amazing Larry.

Amazing Larry about to tell Mario that he saw Francis conspiring with some shifty-looking greaser, but Pee Wee's harsh tone made him clam up.

I think it's better without the deleted scene, but I watched this first.

It wasn't THAT long ago. I mean "Ed Wood"...

...

holy shit "Ed Wood" came out 16 years ago.