I love movies and I really love lists. I’m not sure why it took me so long to start compiling a yearly film list.
When I started in 2016, I originally wanted to include only foreign and indie films. That was hard to maintain because occasionally, a rom-com crept in. So instead, it’s a list of mostly foreign and indie films.
The title of each film is followed by its country of origin. I then add my personal rating (on a 5-point scale) after considering things like cinematography, acting, plot, and music. Sometimes, the movie’s aftertaste helps me decide on the rating.
I included IMDB links only for those films I’ve seen multiple times or intend to re-watch. My rating should explain why. 🙂 At the end of each month, I’ll update the list the newest additions.
Hey! We’ve all been there – at home on a Friday night and we just can’t settle on a movie. Feel free to use this list to dig yourself out of the ‘What should I watch?’ hole.
Movie List 2022
January
- Tokyo Godfathers (Japan) 4.2
- Flavors of Youth (Japan China) 3.8 ️
- The Man in the Hat (UK) 3 ️
- Mid August Lunch (Italy) 4.8 ️
- Spectre (UK) ️3.3
- Chocolat (US /UK) 4
- The County Doctor (France) 2.8 ️
February
- The Wife of a Spy (Japan) 3
- The Descendants (US) 4.2 ️
March
- St. Vincent (US) 3.8
- They Say Nothing Stays the Same (Japan) 5
- Badhaai Do (India) 3.5 ️
- The Accidental Tourist (US) 3.4
- Tazzeka (France/Marroc) 4
April
- Délicieux (France) 4.2 ️
- Le Tableau (France) 4.5 ️
- The Starling (US) 3.2
May
- Oikko’s Inn (Japan) 3.4
- For Roseanne (US) 2.9
- Pride and Prejudice (UK) 5
- Stardust (UK) 3
- Toscana (Denmark) 3.2
- Zizou and the Arab Spring (Tunisia) 2.5 ️
June
- Une Hirondelle a fait le Printemps (France) 3.7
- Mauvaise Foi (France) 3.5
- Romauld et Juliette (France) 3.5
- Temor e Tremor (Belgium) 2
- Fauteuils d’orchestre (France) 4
- India Sweets and Spices (US) 3.3
- Arab Blues (Tunisia / France) 4
- Food Club (Denmark) 3.7
July
- French Dispatch (US) 3.4
- Boy (New Zealand) 5 ️
- My Summer in Provence (France) 4
- No one Knows I’m Here (Chile) 3.5
- Cobalt Blue (India) 3.6
- L’equipier (France) 3.3
Movie List 2021
- Giraffe (Denmark) 2.7 ️
- A Simple Life (Hong Kong) 4.9 ️
- 37 Seconds (Japan) 4.7
- Mucize (Turkey) 2.5
- A Little Chaos (UK) 4
- Marriage Story (US) 4.6 ️
- A Remarkable Tale (Spain) 3.6
- Live Twice Love Once (Spain) 3.9 ️
- Philadelphia Story (US) 3.9
- Another Round (Denmark) 3.6 ️
- Dean (US) 3.9 ️
- Youth (Italy) 3.7 ️
- The Half of It (US) 3.4 ️
- Mumbai Diaries – Dhobi Ghat (India) 4.7 ️
- Is Love Enough, Sir (India) 5 ️
- The Violin Player (India) 4.4 ️
- The Dig (UK) 3.1
- The Silence (Tajikistan) 2.6
- An Affair to Remember (US) 3
- Once Again (India) 3.3 ️
- Melvin Goes to Dinner (US) 3.2 ️
- Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (U.K.) 4.6 ️
- Waiting (India) 3.6 ️
- Madame (France) 4 ️
- Hope Gap (U.K.) 3.2 ️
- Warriker 1 (UK) 3.3 ️
- Warriker 2 (UK) 3.2 ️
- Warriker 3 (UK) 3.1 ️
- L’Attesa (Italy) 3.5 ️
- The Finger (Argentina) 3 ️
- I Still Hide to Smoke (Algeria) 4 ️
- East Side Sushi (US) 3.5 ️
- The Seventh Walk (India) 3.7 ️
- Datsche (Germany) 3.7 ️
- Dead Pigs (China) 4.5
- When Fish Fall in Love (Iran) 3 ️
- Back to Burgundy (France) 3.6 ️
- Pushing Hands (Taiwan) 3.1 ️
- Bill Cunningham New York (US) 4.3 ️
- A Quiet Passion (US) 3 ️
- Efrain (Lamb) (Ethiopia) 4
- Bombay Rose (India) 4 ️
- Bottle Shock (US) 3.7 ️
- It Happened in San Tropez (France) 3.7 ️
- Family is Family (France) 3.8 ️
- My Blue Heaven (US) 3.5
- Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (US) 3.4
- The Tale of Princess Kaguya (Japan) 3.6 ️
- A Suitable Boy (UK/India) 4.1 ️
- Mignons (Cuties) 3.7 ️ (France)
- My Fair Lady (US) 3.9 ️
- Charade (US) 4 ️
- Chung King Express (Hong Kong) 3.5 ️
- Pad Man (India) 4 ️
- Love Happens (US) 3.5 ️
- Chopsticks (India) 4 ️
- The Great Indian Kitchen (India) 5 ️ x2
- Lust Stories (India) 4 ️
- Midnight Run (US) 4.2 ️
- Dry Martina (Argentina / Chile) 3.2 ️
- The Operative (US) 2.5 ️
- Down By Law (US) 4 ️
- Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Spain) 3.5 ️
- Volver(Spain) 4
- Chef (US) 3.6 ️
- Stranger Than Paradise (US) 4 ️
- Short Cuts (US) 3.4 ️
- Minari (Korea/US) 4.7 ️
- Soul Kitchen (Germany) 3.8
- Pride and Prejudice (UK) 5
- The Whole Nine Yards (US) 3.2 ️
- Dave (US) 3.2 ️
- The Big Lebowski (US) 3 ️
- The Interpreter (US) ️
- A Good Year (US) ️3.3
- Wag the Dog (US)
- Chinatown (US)
- Oceans 11 (US)
- Burn After Reading (US)
- Men Who Stare at Goats (US)
- Thomas Crown Affair (US)
- Oceans12 (US)
- The Visitor (US) ️ 4.1
- Oceans13 (US)
- The Tourist (US)
- The Social Network (US)
- Copenhagen (Denmark) 3.8
- Up In the Air (US) 2 ️
- Uncle Frank (US). 4.3 ️
- Bread & Tulips (Italy) 4.3 ️
- Lady in the Van (UK) ️ 4.2
- Wives & Daughters (UK) ️ 3.9
- My Old Lady (UK) ️ 3.9
- Found Memories (Brazil) 4.3 ️
- On a Magical Night (France) 2.3 ️
- Bagdad Café (US) 3.6
- A Fish Called Wanda (US) 3.2
- Karen Cries on the Bus (Colombia) 4.5
- The Song of Lunch (UK) 4.4
- Delicacy (France) 2.8
- Little Women (US) 4
- Paris (France) 3
Movie List 2020
- Enlightenment Guaranteed (Germany) 4
- Small Change (France Truffaut) 4.2
- Revanche (Austria) 3.7
- Little Boxes (US) 3.5
- Frances Ha (US) 4
- The Garden of Words (Japan) 2
- Fantastic Fungi (US) 4.9
- My Happy Family (Georgia) 5
- The Danish Girl (UK) 4.3
- While We’re Young. (US) 4
- As Good As It Gets (US) 3.2
- Hunt for the Wilderpeople (New Zealand) 5
- Clouds of Sils Maria (France) 4
- The Land of Steady Habits (US) 3.8
- Lady J (France) 3.2
- I Am Not an Easy Man (France) 2.7
- The Little Hours (US) 3.7
- Whisky (Uruguay) 4.7
- Cookie’s Fortune (US) 3.5
- Nothing to Hide (France) 4.5
- Molière(France) 3.5️
- Bad Seeds (France) 4 ️
- Departures (Japan) 4.2 ️
- Fantastic Mr. Fox (US) 4.1 ️
- The Handmaiden (Korea) 4.5
- In & Out (US) 3 ️
- 20th Century Women (US) 4
- Ema (Uruguay) 2.7 ️
- August at Akiko (US) 3.9
- The Artist (France) 4.2 ️
- A Silent Voice – (Japan) 2.8 ️
- BlacKKKlansman (US) 3.8 ️
- Crazy Rich Asians (US) 3.4 ️
- The Secret World of Arriety (Japan) 5 ️
- Family Romance LLC (Germany/Japan) 3.4
- The Kids Are All Right (US) 4.5 ️
- Nowhere in Africa (Germany) 4 ️
- Wadjda (Emirates) 4
- The Game (US) 1.5
- Hail Ceasar (US) 2.5 ️
- Burning (Korea) 4 ️
- Jean-Michel Basquiat The Radiant Child 3.5
- Only Yesterday (Studio Ghibli) 2.7
- Milton’s Secret (US) 3.1
- Tigertail (US) 4.3 ️
- Jojo Rabbit (US/New Zealand) 5 ️
- Up On Poppy Hill (Studio Ghibli) 4
- Spring, Summer, Fall Winter…and Spring (Korea) 5
- Tampopo (Japan) 3.5 ️
- Bottle in the Gaza Sea (France) 4.7
- You’ve got Mail (US) 4.3 ️
- Sleepless in Seattle (US) 3.7 ️
- Kung Fu Panda (US) 4 ️
- Late Spring (Japan -Ozu) 4
- Tomboy (France) 4.8
- Journey to Greenland (France) 2
- The Color Purple (US) 3.5 ️
- Kodachrome (US) 2 ️
- The Stranger (India) 3.2
- The Player (US) 3.5 ️
- My Octopus Teacher (S. Africa) 3.5
- Enola Holmes 3
- An Easy Girl (French) 3.5
- Chinese Take-Out (Un cuento Chino) (Argentina) 4.2 ️
- A Touch of Spice (Greece) 2.9 ️
- Mirai (Japan) 1.7
- Sense and Sensibility (U.K.) 3.7 ️
- A Portrait of a Lady on Fire (France) 4.5 ️
- Knives Out (US) 3.3 ️
- On The Rocks (US) 2.8 ️
- Umrika (India) 3.3
- Howard’s End (UK) 4 ️
- Electric Shadows (China) 3.7 ️
- A Year in Provence (UK) 2.7 ️
- He Loves Me He Loves Me Not (France) 3.5 ️
- The Summer of All My Parents (France) 3.5 ️
- Emma (UK) 3 ️
- Babette’s Feast (Denmark) 5 ️
- The Score (US) 4 ️
- Dog in a Sidecar (Japan) 4.2 ️
- Midaq Alley (Mexico) 3.9 ️
- Mia Madré (Italy) 4 ️
- Early Summer (Japan – Ozu) 3.6 ️
- Tokyo Story (Japan – Ozu) 4.1
- I Am Love (Italy) 3.7 ️
- Mongolian Ping-Pong (Mongolia) 4.3
- Whisky (Uruguay) 4.6 ️
- Effie Grey (UK) 3 ️
- Sometimes, Always, Never (UK) 4.4 ️
- The Bookshop (UK) 3.5
- The Meyorowitz Stories (US) 3.9 ️
- Out of Africa (US) 4.7 ️
- When Harry Met Sally (US) 3.3
- Watermelon Woman (US) 3.5
- The Awakening of Motti Wolkenbruch (US) 3.6
- Klaus (Spain) 3.9 ️
- Ainu Mosir (Japan) 3.1
- Ikiru (Japan) (Kurosawa) 3.4 ️
- The Kindness of Strangers (US, U.K. France et. al.) 3.3 ️
- Muriel’s Wedding (Australia) 3.7 ️
Movie List 2019
- Right Now, Wrong Then (Korea) 2
- Before the Leaves Fall (Japan) 3.9
- The Cakemaker (Israel) 4.5
- Mary and the Witch’s Flower 3.2
- He Even Has Your Eyes (French) 3.5
- Mon Oncle (France) 3.3
- Keep the Change (US) 2.5
- Unrelated (UK) 2.8
- Desert Bride (Chile) 5
- Le Papillion (France) 5
- Tales of the Night (France) 3.7
- Agatha and the Truth of Murder 3.7
- The Breadwinner 5
- Cider with Rosie (UK) 3.8
- Never Look Away (Germany) 4.1
- Man Called Ove (Sweden) 3.3
- Hunt for the Wilderpeople (New Zealand) 4.3
- Seeking Asian Female [Docu] (US)
- Everybody Leaves (Cuba) 5
- The First Beautiful Thing (Italy) 3.1
- Sensitivity Training (US) 3.3
- My Neighbour Totoro (Japan) 5
- The Jane Austen Book Club (US) 3.7
- How to Steal a Dog (Korea) 4
- Priceless (France) 3.3
- 5 Flights Up (US) 3.3
- 15 August (India) 3.3
- Barakah Meets Barakah (Saudi Arabia) 3.1
- A Five Star Life (Italy) 3.5
- Queen of the Desert 4
- From the Land of the Moon (France) 4
- Lion heart (Nigeria) 2
- The Viceroy’s House (UK) 4.5
- April and the Extraordinary World (France) 2.8
- To Each Her Own (France) 3.5
- La Novia del Desierto (Desert Bride) (Argentinian) 4.2
- Once Again ( India) 3
- How to get over a Breakup (Peru) 2.8
- Amu (Indian) 3.3
- Despite Everything (Spain) 2.8
- Juanita (US) 2.8
- Exhibition on Screen Matisse
- In Family I Trust (Spain) 2.8
- The Second Mother (Brazil) 4.3
- Fits and Starts (US) 3.7
- Italian for Beginners (Denmark) 3
- Berlin I love you (?) 2
- A Town Called Panic (France) 2.8
- Incha Allah Dimanche (Algeria / France) 5
- Welcome to the Sticks ((France) 3.5
- Always Be My Maybe (US) 3.5
- Blue Jasmin (US) 4
- Meditation Park (Canada) 3.4
- Maktub (Israel) 3.5
- The King’s Speech (UK) 4.8
- Ramen Shop (Japan/Cantonese) 3.8
- Persuasion (UK) 4
- Le Hérrison (The Hedgehog) (France) 5
- Sense and Sensibility (UK) 4
- We are family (France) 3.7
- I Love You (Sweden) 3.5
- 4L (Spain) 2.3
- Under the Eiffel Tower (US) 2
- Pride and Prejudice (UK) 5
- Private Life (US) 4.3
- Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (Taiwan) 4.2
- Eat Drink Man Woman(Taiwan) 3.7
- Little Men (US) 4.3
- The Squid and the Whale (US) 3.5
- Wedding Unplanned (France) 2
- Pelo Malo (Venezuela) 4.8
- Okja (Korea) 4.4
- The Incredible Jessica Jones 3.7
- Summer Hours (France) 3.7
- Cherry Blossoms (Germany) 3.9
- Zazie dans le métro (France) 1.5
- Tortilla Soup (US) 3,7
- Lady Bird (US) 4.1
- Tomorrow (France) 4
- Seventeen (Spain) 3.3
Linnea in Monet’s Garden (short film)
Movie List 2018
- Paterson (US) 4.5
- Midnight Special (US)1.5
- Blowup (UK) 1.1
- Red (US) 2
- Go for Zucker (Germany) 2.5
- Hitman’s Bodyguard ( US) 2
- Night on Earth (US) 3.5
- This Beautiful Fantastic (UK) 3
- Mother of George (Nigeria/US) 4.5
- La Fille Seule (“A Single Girl”) (France) 4
- The Trip to Spain (UK) 3.5*
- Odette Toulemonde (France) 3.5*
- The Women’s Balcony (Israel) 3
- Francine (US)
- Full Moon in Paris (France) 2
- The Return (el Regreso) (Costa Rica) 4
- The Names of Love [Le Nom des Gens] (France) 3
- Un + Une (French) 3
- L’etudiante et Monsieur Henri (France) 4
- Madamoiselle Chambon (France) 5
- Salt of this Sea (Arabic) 4.6
- Miss Minoes (Danish) 2.5
- Louis en Hiver (France) 5
- Where I Grow Old (Brazil) 2.5
- After Love (French) 4
- As It Is In Heaven (Sweden) 2.7
- The Sweet Escape (France) 3.7
- Poetry (Korea) 4.3
- Cows Wearing Glasses (Puerto Rico) 3.7
- The Love Witch (US) 2.5
- Lost in Paris (France) 4.1
- A Long Way from Home (UK) 3
- Our Souls at Night 4* (US)
- A Letter to Momo (Japanese) 4.5
- Little Forest (S.Korean) 5
- Castle of Cagliostro (Japan) 3
- Flavours of Youth (China) 2.5
- Happy Hour 1 (Japan) 3.5
- Happy Hour 2 (Japan) 3.5
- The Chef’s Wife (France) 3
- Qarib Qarib Singlle (India) 2.5
- Kedi (Turkey) 3
- May in the Summer (US) 3.7
- In this Corner of the World (Japan) 4
- Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (UK) 4.3
- The Rabbi’s Cat (French) 3.8
- In the Mood For Love (Hong-Kong) 4.2
- The Scent of Green Papaya (Vietnam) 5
- L’iceberg (Belgian) 4
- A Summer in La Goulette (France/ Tunis) 2.8
- Hospitalité (Japan) 3.5
- Tehran Taboo (Iran) 5
- LV (Polish-English) 5
- Women and Sometimes Men (US) 1
- Tie me up, Tie me Down (Spain) 3.3
- Meet the Guilbys (France) 2
- Happy Hour 3 (Japan) 3
- Adrift in Tokyo (Japan) 4.5
- Summertime (US) 4
- The Pool (India) 5
- Jellyfish (Israel) 3.5
- The Nightingale (China) 5
- Travelers and Magicians 3.6
- Pop Aye (Thailand) 4
- Lost in Translation 4 (US)
- What We Do in the Shadows (New Zealand) 3.1
- Boy (New Zealand) 5
MdmTutliPutli (Short Film) (Canada)