# Movies to watch Pretty much everything from [IMDb's Top 250](http://www.imdb.com/chart/top), [Letterboxd's Top 250](https://letterboxd.com/visdave34/list/official-top-250-narrative-feature-films/), and [Phi Phenomenon](http://www.phi-phenomenon.org/). See also [List of films considered the best](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_considered_the_best), [Metacritic's top movies](http://www.metacritic.com/browse/movies/score/metascore/all/filtered), [Rotten Tomatoes' Top 100 movies of all time](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/top/bestofrt/), and [The 50 Greatest Films of All Time](https://www.bfi.org.uk/news/50-greatest-films-all-time). ## [Agnès Varda](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0889513) * [Cléo de 5 à 7](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055852) (8.0) * [Sans toit ni loi](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089960) (7.8) ## [Akira Kurosawa](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000041/) * [The Hidden Fortress](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051808) (8.1) (recommended by [@ebruchez](https://twitter.com/ebruchez)) ... ## [Alejandro González Iñárritu](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0327944/) * [Amores Perros](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245712) (8.1) * [21 Grams](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0315733) (7.7) ## [Alejandro Jodorowsky](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0423524/) * [The Holy Mountain](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071615/) (7.9) * [Endless Poetry](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4451458/) (7.7) ## [Andrei Tarkovsky](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001789) * [Andrei Rublev](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060107) (8.2) * [Nostalgia](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086022) (8.2) * [Solaris](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069293) (8.1) * [The Sacrifice](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091670) (8.1) * [The Mirror](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072443) (8.1) * [Ivan's Childhood](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056111) (8.1) ... ## [Christopher Nolan](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0634240) * [Dunkirk](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5013056/) (8.0) ## [Darren Aronofsky](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004716) * [The Wrestler](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1125849) (7.9) ## [David Lynch](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000186) * [The Elephant Man](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080678) (8.2) (already seen) ... ## [Eric Rohmer](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006445) * [Ma nuit chez Maud](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064612) (8.1) * [4 aventures de Reinette et Mirabelle](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090565/) (7.9) * [Le genou de Claire](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065772) (7.8) * [Le rayon vert](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091830) (7.8) * [L'amour l'après-midi](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068205) (7.8) ## [Ingmar Bergman](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000005) * [Scenes from a Marriage](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6725014/) (8.6) * [Fanny and Alexander](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083922) (8.1) * [Cries and Whispers](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069467/) (8.1) * [The Virgin Spring](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053976/) (8.1) * [Through a Glass Darkly](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055499/) (8.1) * [Winter Light](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057358/) (8.1) * [Shame](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063611/) (8.1) ... ## [Lars von Trier](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001885) * [Breaking the Waves](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115751) (7.9) * [Europa](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101829) (7.7) ## [Michael Moore](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0601619) * [Roger & Me](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098213) (7.5) ## [Pedro Almodóvar](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000264) * [Talk to Her](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0287467) (8.0) * [Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095675) (7.6) * [Bad Education](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0275491) (7.5) ## [Robert Zemeckis](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000709) * [Contact](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118884) (7.4) * [Flight](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1907668) (7.3) ## [Roman Polanski](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000591) * [The Tragedy of Macbeth](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067372) (7.5) * short films (9 from 1955-1962, one from 2009, one from 2012) ## [Spike Jonze](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005069) * [Adaptation.](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268126) (7.8) ## [Stanley Kubrick](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000040) * [Spartacus](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054331) (7.9) * [Lolita](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056193) (7.6) ## [Terry Gilliam](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000416) * [Brazil](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088846) (8.0) \+ [Lost in La Mancha](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0308514) (7.4) (a documentary about "Terry Gilliam's doomed attempt to get his film, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, off the ground") ## [Tim Burton](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000318) * [Edward Scissorhands](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099487) (7.9) (already seen on TV) * [Frankenweenie](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142977) (7.0) ## [Woody Allen](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000095) * [Hannah and Her Sisters](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091167) (8.0) * [Crimes and Misdemeanors](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097123) (8.0) * [Love and Death](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073312) (7.8) * [Zelig](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086637) (7.8) * [The Purple Rose of Cairo](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089853) (7.7) ## Misc * Percy Adlon, [Bagdad Cafe](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095801) (7.4) * Ben Affleck, [Argo](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024648) (7.7) (recommended by colleagues) * Alejandro Amenábar, [Abre los ojos](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0125659) (7.9) ([Vanilla Sky](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259711) is a remake of this movie) * Roy Andersson, [Songs from the Second Floor](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120263) (7.7) (already seen at the cinema) * Yann Arthus-Bertrand, [Home](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1014762) (8.6) * Jaume Balagueró & Paco Plaza, [[Rec]](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1038988) (7.5) * Marie-Dominique Dhelsing, [Pierre Rabhi : Au nom de la terre](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2805242) (7.4) (recommended by [@caryl_jones](https://twitter.com/caryl_jones)) * Federico Fellini, [8½](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056801) (8.1) (recommended by [@ebruchez](https://twitter.com/ebruchez)) * Richard Fleischer, [Soylent Green](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070723) (7.1) * Paul Haggis, [In the Valley of Elah](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0478134) (7.2) * Lasse Hallström, [Chocolat](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0241303) (7.3) * Byron Haskin, [The Power](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063452) ("La Guerre des Cerveaux") (6.1) (not particularly good, saw this as a child) * Dennis Hopper, [The Hot Spot](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099797) (6.4) (for the Miles Davis soundtrack) * John Huston, [Moby Dick](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049513) (7.4) * Barbara Kopple & Cecilia Peck, [Shut Up & Sing](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0811136) (7.7) * Ken Loach, [It's a Free World](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0807054) (7.0) * Kevin Macdonald, [Touching the Void](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379557) (8.1) (recommended by [@caryl_jones](https://twitter.com/caryl_jones)) * Jessie Nelson, [I Am Sam](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0277027) (7.6) * George Pal, [The Time Machine](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054387) (7.6) * Robert Barry Ptolemy, [Transcendent Man](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1117394) (7.2) (documentary about Ray Kurzweil) * Michèle Rosier, [Mon coeur est rouge](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074913) (6.4) (some music composed by Keith Jarrett) * Patrick Savey, [Marcus](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4400358) (available on iTunes) * Douglas Trumbull, [Brainstorm](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085271) (6.5) (not particularly good, saw this as a child) * Jacqueline Veuve, [La petite dame du Capitole](http://www.jacquelineveuve.ch/dsp_1f.php?lg=fr&fid=61) (already seen at the cinema, bought on DVD) ## Selections from [25 Spectacular Movies You (Probably) Haven’t Seen](http://www.highexistence.com/25-spectacular-movies-you-probably-havent-seen/) * Richard Schenkman, [The Man from Earth](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0756683) (8.0) * Paul Thomas Anderson, [Magnolia](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0175880) (8.0) * Tomas Alfredson, [Let the Right One In](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1139797) (8.0) * Paul Thomas Anderson, [Boogie Nights](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118749) (7.9) * John Carney, [Once](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0907657) (7.9) * Stephen Chow, [Kung Fu Hustle](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373074) (7.8) * Woody Allen, [Midnight in Paris](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1605783) (7.7) (seen in 2011) * Zach Braff, [Garden State](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0333766) (7.6) * Cary Fukunaga, [Sin Nombre](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1127715) (7.6) (seen in 2009) * Darren Aronofsky, [The Fountain](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414993) (7.4) (was disappointed the first time I saw this - did I miss something?) * Paul Thomas Anderson, [Punch-Drunk Love](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0272338) (7.3) * Sean Ellis, [Cashback](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460740) (7.3) * Gaspar Noé, [Enter the Void](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1191111) (7.3) * Neil Marshall, [The Descent](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435625) (7.3) (horror movie - not a fan of this genre in general) ## Selections from [25 Spectacular Movies You (Probably) Haven’t Seen Pt. 2](http://www.highexistence.com/25-spectacular-movies-you-probably-havent-seen-part-2/) * Juan José Campanella, [The Secret in Their Eyes](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1305806) (8.3) * Vincent Paronnaud & Marjane Satrapi, [Persepolis](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0808417) (8.0) * Tarsem Singh , [The Fall](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460791) (7.9) * Nicolas Winding Refn, [Drive](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0780504) (7.8) * Shane Black, [Kiss Kiss Bang Bang](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0373469) (7.7) (seen in 2005) * Rian Johnson, [Brick](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0393109) (7.5) * Milos Forman, [Man on the Moon](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0125664) (7.5) * Raymond De Felitta, [City Island](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1174730) (7.4) * Kim Jee-woon, [The Good, the Bad, the Weird](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0901487) (7.3) * Steven Spielberg, [The Terminal](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0362227) (7.3) (seen in 2004) * David Slade, [Hard Candy](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424136) (7.2) ## Selections from [25 Spectacular Movies You (Probably) Haven’t Seen Pt. 3](http://www.highexistence.com/25-spectacular-movies-probably-havent-seen-pt-3/) * Joshua Oppenheimer, [The Act of Killing](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2375605) (8.2) * Ki-duk Kim, [Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring ](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0374546) (8.1) (seen in 2004) * Jaco Van Dormael, [Mr. Nobody](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485947) (7.9) * Jacques Audiard, [Un prophète](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1235166) (7.9) * Anders Thomas Jensen, [Adams æbler](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418455) (7.9) (seen in 2006) * Andrew Niccol, [Gattaca](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119177) (7.8) (seen in 1997?) * Kinji Fukasaku, [Battle Royale](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266308) (7.8) * Paolo Sorrentino, [The Great Beauty](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2358891) (7.7) * Pan Nalin, [Samsara](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0196069) (7.7) * Tom Ford, [A Single Man](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1315981) (7.6) * Hans Weingartner, [The Edukators](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408777) (7.6) * Dennis Gansel, [Die Welle](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1063669) (7.6) * Tom Tykwer, [Perfume: The Story of a Murderer ](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0396171) (7.5) * Neil Burger, [Limitless](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1219289) (7.4) * John Carpenter, [They Live](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096256) (7.3) * Antonio Naharro & Álvaro Pastor, [Yo, también](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1289449) (7.2)