Recommend
by coolsubinps | created - 03 Apr 2020 | updated - 1 month ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. My Blueberry Nights (2007)
PG-13 | 95 min | Drama, Romance
A young lonely woman takes a soul-searching journey across America to resolve her questions about love while encountering a series of off-beat characters along the way.
Director: Kar-Wai Wong | Stars: Norah Jones, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Chad R. Davis
Votes: 56,553 | Gross: $0.87M
2. Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (1961)
Not Rated | 28 min | Short, Adventure, Drama
In 1862, during the American Civil War, a Southern civilian is about to be hanged for attempting to sabotage a railway bridge. When the execution takes place from the bridge, the rope breaks and he begins his escape toward home.
Director: Robert Enrico | Stars: Roger Jacquet, Anne Cornaly, Anker-Spang Larsen, Stéphane Fey
Votes: 4,260
3. The General (1926)
Passed | 78 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
After being rejected by the Confederate military, not realizing it was due to his crucial civilian role, an engineer must single-handedly recapture his beloved locomotive after it is seized by Union spies and return it through enemy lines.
Directors: Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton | Stars: Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavender, Jim Farley
Votes: 98,129 | Gross: $1.03M
Recommend christopher mcquarrie
4. Padayottam (1982)
Action, Drama, Thriller
A prince comes back to his native land to take revenge on those who conspired against him. Inspired from the novel The Count of Monte Christo
Director: Jijo Punnoose | Stars: Prem Nazir, Madhu, Poornima Jayaram, Lakshmi
Votes: 168
5. The Way (I) (2010)
PG-13 | 123 min | Comedy, Drama
A father heads overseas to recover the body of his estranged son who died while traveling the "El camino de Santiago," and decides to take the pilgrimage himself.
Director: Emilio Estevez | Stars: Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Deborah Kara Unger, Yorick van Wageningen
Votes: 35,343 | Gross: $4.43M
6. Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963)
149 min | Romance, Musical, Comedy
Children of two life-long rivals fall in love and try to make their fathers see the error of their ways.
Director: Vijay Anand | Stars: Dev Anand, Nutan, Rajendranath Malhotra, Zarine Katrak
Votes: 478
Sreeram -rangan interview
Recommended by: Ayushmann Khurrana
This film starred Dev Anand and Nutan. I love this film and the soundtrack. I still remember that song called ‘Dil Ka Bhanwar Kare Pukaar’, which was shot at Qutub Minar. You’re not even allowed to shoot there now.
7. Drinking Buddies (2013)
R | 90 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Luke and Kate are coworkers at a brewery who spend their nights drinking and flirting heavily. One weekend away together with their significant others proves who really belongs together and who doesn't.
Director: Joe Swanberg | Stars: Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick, Ron Livingston
Votes: 60,893 | Gross: $0.34M
Recommended by: Shakun Batra
This movie is not a classic. It changed my take on how I wanted to approach performances. The director is one of the people who initiated the mumblecore filmmaking in America. It’s a modern take on male-female relationships but is not a romantic comedy. The movie tries to explore the line between friendship and physical attraction. It has no shock value and is very real in its structure. It’s a very unconventional screenplay and I think that is what I really liked. It’s not about twists and turns, rather it is about internal conflicts. The camera style in this film is very personal and intimate.
8. Talk to Her (2002)
R | 112 min | Drama, Mystery, Romance
Two men share an odd friendship while they care for two women who are both in deep comas.
Director: Pedro Almodóvar | Stars: Rosario Flores, Javier Cámara, Darío Grandinetti, Leonor Watling
Votes: 117,489 | Gross: $9.36M
Recommended by: Baradwaj Rangan
100 movies filmcompanion
This 2002 film is one of the most twisted and most obsessive love stories of all time. The narrative is about two men who strike up a friendship in the hospital because their wives are in a coma. Talk to Her is about the mysteries of human behaviour, which is what we call life at the end of the day.
9. Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
R | 91 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
A Highway Patrol Officer, two criminals and a station secretary defend a defunct Los Angeles precinct office against a siege by a bloodthirsty street gang.
Director: John Carpenter | Stars: Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer, Martin West
Votes: 55,610
Recommended by: Patrick Graham
One of the daddies of siege-thrillers. This film is just so cool, understated and sinister to this very day. With one of the best film-scores ever made and a coldness and matter-of-factness to it that just seems to work. Whenever I’m thinking of siege-thrillers and trying to come up with ideas I have the amazing score by John Carpenter pumping from my speakers full blast. Fuck my neighbours.
10. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
PG | 122 min | Drama
Disturbed Blanche DuBois moves in with her sister in New Orleans and is tormented by her brutish brother-in-law while her reality crumbles around her.
Director: Elia Kazan | Stars: Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden
Votes: 114,334 | Gross: $8.00M
Recommended by: Imtiaz Ali
It really felt like Marlon Brando was going through the emotions of his character and the relationship this man was in. It felt so strong and passionate.
11. Paper Flowers (1959)
Unrated | 148 min | Drama, Romance
Suresh Sinha, a famous director, discovers star potential in Shanti, a woman he stumbled into one rainy evening, and casts her as the lead in a film. In a twist of fate, Shanti becomes a superstar and Suresh faces a decline in his career.
Director: Guru Dutt | Stars: Waheeda Rehman, Guru Dutt, Kumari Naaz, Johnny Walker
Votes: 2,775
Recommended by: Nag Ashwin
I love a lot of the films of that era but this one had an everlasting impact on me. Hyderabad has a mixed culture so I saw some Hindi films while growing up like Tezaab and Sholay. I consciously started watching older Hindi films only a few years back. This was when I was making ads and before I got down to making my first film. At that time, I was trying to consume as much cinema as possible.
12. Adaptation. (2002)
R | 115 min | Comedy, Drama
A lovelorn screenwriter becomes desperate as he tries and fails to adapt 'The Orchid Thief' by Susan Orlean for the screen.
Director: Spike Jonze | Stars: Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper, Tilda Swinton
Votes: 203,036 | Gross: $22.25M
Jeff ander fav 4
Recommended by: Raj & DK
This is by one of our favourite screenwriters, Charlie Kaufman. We seem to get attracted to films that are self-aware (as you can see from this list). You can’t go more meta than this film. It’s about Charlie Kaufman being hired to write a movie and ending up putting himself in it, writing a movie about him being hired to write a movie and ends up putting himself in it.
13. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007)
Not Rated | 113 min | Drama
A woman assists her friend in arranging an illegal abortion in 1980s Romania.
Director: Cristian Mungiu | Stars: Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu, Vlad Ivanov, Alexandru Potocean
Votes: 63,292 | Gross: $1.19M
14. Court (2014)
116 min | Drama
When an aging activist is arrested, the lives of the accused, the lawyers, and the judge intertwine to reveal bigotry that underscores the judicial system.
Director: Chaitanya Tamhane | Stars: Vira Sathidar, Vivek Gomber, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Pradeep Joshi
Votes: 5,272
15. Battles Without Honor and Humanity (1973)
Not Rated | 99 min | Crime, Drama
During the violent chaos of post-War Japanese black market, a young gangster called Shozo Hirono has to keep up with the rapid shifts of power between unscrupulous bosses.
Director: Kinji Fukasaku | Stars: Bunta Sugawara, Hiroki Matsukata, Kunie Tanaka, Eiko Nakamura
Votes: 4,308
16. La Dolce Vita (1960)
Not Rated | 174 min | Comedy, Drama
A series of stories following a week in the life of a philandering tabloid journalist living in Rome.
Director: Federico Fellini | Stars: Marcello Mastroianni, Anita Ekberg, Anouk Aimée, Yvonne Furneaux
Votes: 78,205 | Gross: $19.52M
Fav 4 aronofsky
17. Amarcord (1973)
R | 123 min | Comedy, Drama
A series of comedic and nostalgic vignettes set in a 1930s Italian coastal town.
Director: Federico Fellini | Stars: Magali Noël, Bruno Zanin, Pupella Maggio, Armando Brancia
Votes: 46,815 | Gross: $0.58M
18. Underground (1995)
Not Rated | 167 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Two underground black marketeers, Marko and Blacky, sell weapons to the Communist resistance in wartime Belgrade, living the good life along the way.
Director: Emir Kusturica | Stars: Predrag 'Miki' Manojlovic, Lazar Ristovski, Mirjana Jokovic, Slavko Stimac
Votes: 61,246 | Gross: $0.17M
19. Thirst (1957)
Not Rated | 146 min | Drama, Musical, Romance
Vijay, a talented but indigent poet, struggles for love and recognition in this selfish world.
Director: Guru Dutt | Stars: Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Mala Sinha, Rehman Khan
Votes: 7,275
20. Jalsaghar (1958)
Not Rated | 95 min | Drama, Music
Depicts the end days of a decadent zamindar (landlord) in Bengal, and his efforts to uphold his family prestige even when faced with economic adversity.
Director: Satyajit Ray | Stars: Chhabi Biswas, Gangapada Basu, Padmadevi, Kali Sarkar
Votes: 6,760 | Gross: $0.09M
21. Amar Akbar Anthony (1977)
Not Rated | 184 min | Action, Comedy, Drama
Three brothers are separated and united after many years - one is brought up a Hindu, another a Muslim and the last (and most memorable) a Christian. Hilarity and adventure ensues.
Director: Manmohan Desai | Stars: Vinod Khanna, Rishi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi
Votes: 8,220
22. Ram Lakhan (1989)
Not Rated | 174 min | Action, Comedy, Drama
Ram Lakhan is the story of two brothers who part ways due to their ideological differences, but how they come to each other's rescue as the story unfolds.
Director: Subhash Ghai | Stars: Rakhee Gulzar, Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia
Votes: 2,925
23. Monsters, Inc. (2001)
G | 92 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
In order to power the city, monsters have to scare children so that they scream. However, the children are toxic to the monsters, and after a child gets through, two monsters realize things may not be what they think.
Directors: Pete Docter, David Silverman, Lee Unkrich | Stars: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Mary Gibbs, Steve Buscemi
Votes: 978,803 | Gross: $289.92M
24. La haine (1995)
Not Rated | 98 min | Crime, Drama
24 hours in the lives of three young men in the French suburbs the day after a violent riot.
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz | Stars: Vincent Cassel, Hubert Koundé, Saïd Taghmaoui, Abdel Ahmed Ghili
Votes: 196,418 | Gross: $0.31M
Peaky fav 4
25. Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
R | 99 min | Action, Comedy, Fantasy
In Shanghai, China in the 1940s, a wannabe gangster aspires to join the notorious "Axe Gang" while residents of a housing complex exhibit extraordinary powers in defending their turf.
Director: Stephen Chow | Stars: Stephen Chow, Wah Yuen, Qiu Yuen, Siu-Lung Leung
Votes: 150,840 | Gross: $17.11M
26. Paprika (2006)
R | 90 min | Animation, Drama, Fantasy
When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patients' dreams is stolen, all hell breaks loose. Only a young female therapist, Paprika, can stop it.
Director: Satoshi Kon | Stars: Megumi Hayashibara, Tôru Emori, Katsunosuke Hori, Tôru Furuya
Votes: 96,875 | Gross: $0.88M
27. Aapathbandavudu (1992)
Not Rated | 173 min | Drama, Musical
Madhava is a servant to Hema's father. Although they love each other, societal norms keep them apart. A horrific tragedy lands Hema in a mental asylum. Madhava enters the asylum to help and save her.
Director: K. Viswanath | Stars: Chiranjeevi, Jandhyala, Meenakshi Sheshadri, Sarath Babu
Votes: 451
28. Aditya 369 (1991)
140 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
A group of children use a time machine to investigate a robbery. The protagonist couple, in their attempt to rescue the kids, get stuck in the machine and travel all the way back to the ... See full summary »
Director: Singeetam Srinivasa Rao | Stars: Nandamuri Balakrishna, Mohini, Amrish Puri, Silk Smitha
Votes: 3,347
29. Mr. India (1987)
179 min | Action, Comedy, Drama
A poor but big-hearted man takes orphans into his home. After discovering his scientist father's invisibility device, he rises to the occasion and fights to save his children and all of India from the clutches of a megalomaniac.
Director: Shekhar Kapur | Stars: Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, Amrish Puri, Satish Kaushik
Votes: 16,559
30. Vanilla Sky (2001)
R | 136 min | Fantasy, Mystery, Romance
A self-indulgent and vain publishing magnate finds his privileged life upended after a vehicular accident with a resentful lover.
Director: Cameron Crowe | Stars: Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kurt Russell
Votes: 285,685 | Gross: $100.61M
31. April 1 Vidudala (1991)
Not Rated | 144 min | Comedy, Romance, Thriller
A habitual liar and con-man tries to transform himself into a honest and truthful person to win the heart of his ladylove.
Directors: Vamsy, Venkat Maddirala | Stars: Rajendra Prasad, Shobana, Krishna Bhagavan, Jayalalitha
Votes: 358
32. Missamma (1955)
181 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
A rom-com involving Rao and Mary, two unemployed new graduates, who decide to act as a married couple so that they qualify for two teaching jobs at a High School and eventually fall in love.
Director: L.V. Prasad | Stars: N.T. Rama Rao, Savitri, Akkineni Nageswara Rao, S.V. Ranga Rao
Votes: 986
33. The Hero (1966)
Not Rated | 117 min | Drama
En route to Delhi to receive an award, a Bengali film star reevaluates his success through his fellow passengers, dreams, and past experiences.
Director: Satyajit Ray | Stars: Uttam Kumar, Sharmila Tagore, Bireswar Sen, Somen Bose
Votes: 5,114
34. Baidurya Rahasya (1985)
Thriller
Director: Tapan Sinha | Stars: Manoj Mitra, Basanta Choudhury, Moon Moon Sen, Tapas Pal
Votes: 27
35. Galpa Holeo Satyi (1966)
104 min | Comedy, Drama
A mysterious man arrives as a servant in a dysfunctional and fragmented joint family and over time, helps them to rebuild the love and compassion within the family.
Director: Tapan Sinha | Stars: Mumtaz Ahmed, Bhanu Bannerjee, Tapan Bhattacharya, Krishna Bose
Votes: 618
36. Basanta Bilap (1973)
Not Rated | 117 min | Comedy
This film mainly consist of clashes between four boys and some girls of the hostel namely 'Basanta Bilap'. Both the parties uses hilarious tricks upon one another but evidently the three ... See full summary »
Director: Dinen Gupta | Stars: Soumitra Chatterjee, Aparna Sen, Rabi Ghosh, Kajal Gupta
Votes: 431
37. Bariwali (2000)
150 min | Drama
A lonely middle-aged woman is forced by circumstance to let out her house to a film crew. She is attracted to the charming director and he exploits this fact to suit his purposes.
Director: Rituparno Ghosh | Stars: Kirron Kher, Chiranjit, Sudipta Chakraborty, Surya Chatterjee
Votes: 440
38. In Search of Famine (1981)
115 min | Drama
A film crew comes to a village to make a film about a famine, which killed five million Bengalees in 1943.
Director: Mrinal Sen | Stars: Satya Banerjee, Radhamohan Bhattacharya, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Reba Roy Chowdhury
Votes: 362
39. Jomalaye Jibanta Manush (1958)
Not Rated | 127 min | Comedy
When the messengers of 'Yamraj'- God of Death - mistakenly bring an alive, honest person to hell, he starts a revolution to fix outdated rules of heaven and hell.
Director: Prafulla Chakraborty | Stars: Bhanu Bannerjee, Chhabi Biswas, Tulsi Chakraborty, Ajit Chatterjee
Votes: 147
40. Saptapadi (1961)
163 min | Drama, Romance
Set in World War II, the reverend Krishnendu runs a military hospital in Bankura. A drunken Anglo-Indian woman soldier is brought to him for treatment and he recognized her as his former love Rina Brown.
Director: Ajoy Kar | Stars: Suchitra Sen, Uttam Kumar, Khitish Acharya, Panchanan Bhattacharya
Votes: 486
41. Ekhoni (1970)
Not Rated | 96 min | Drama
Ekhonee depicts the lives and frustrations of a bunch of youth struggling to cope with the adversities of a bureaucratic society. There's a bunch of college students Arun, Tiklu, Shambhu, ... See full summary »
Director: Tapan Sinha | Stars: Gita Dey, Swarup Dutt, Anubha Gupta, Chinmoy Roy
Votes: 20
42. Notting Hill (1999)
PG-13 | 124 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A set of circumstances makes Anna Scott, a famous actress, fall in love with William Thacker, owner of a bookstore in Notting Hill. But the paparazzi's fascination with her complicates their bond.
Director: Roger Michell | Stars: Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts, Richard McCabe, Rhys Ifans
Votes: 342,236 | Gross: $116.09M
Ella anderson fav 4
43. Bitter Moon (1992)
R | 139 min | Drama, Romance, Thriller
After hearing stories of her, a passenger on a cruise ship develops an irresistible infatuation with an eccentric paraplegic's wife.
Director: Roman Polanski | Stars: Hugh Grant, Kristin Scott Thomas, Emmanuelle Seigner, Peter Coyote
Votes: 42,673 | Gross: $1.86M
44. Summer of '42 (1971)
PG | 104 min | Drama, Romance
During his summer vacation on Nantucket Island in 1942, a youth eagerly awaiting his first sexual encounter finds himself developing an innocent love for a young woman awaiting news on her soldier husband's fate in WWII.
Director: Robert Mulligan | Stars: Jennifer O'Neill, Gary Grimes, Jerry Houser, Oliver Conant
Votes: 9,121 | Gross: $7.38M
45. Silver Bullet (1985)
R | 95 min | Horror
In a small town, brutal killings start to plague the close knit community. Marty Coslaw, a paraplegic boy, is convinced the murders are the doings of a werewolf.
Director: Daniel Attias | Stars: Gary Busey, Everett McGill, Corey Haim, Megan Follows
Votes: 31,510 | Gross: $5.40M
46. Chase a Crooked Shadow (1958)
Approved | 87 min | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
At Kimberley Prescott's villa, a stranger shows up and claims he is her brother who supposedly died the previous year in a car accident.
Director: Michael Anderson | Stars: Richard Todd, Anne Baxter, Herbert Lom, Alexander Knox
Votes: 1,464
47. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983)
Not Rated | 132 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Two photographers, who are employed by a magazine editor to expose the scandalous activities of the rich, come across corruption by a builder and accidentally photograph a murder.
Director: Kundan Shah | Stars: Naseeruddin Shah, Ravi Baswani, Bhakti Barve, Satish Shah
Votes: 14,724
48. Main Azaad Hoon (1989)
Not Rated | 160 min | Drama
A newspaper reporter exploits an ordinary man for few rupees to pose as a man who is fighting against the corrupt politicians and prints imaginary stories in his name to improve the ... See full summary »
Director: Tinnu Anand | Stars: Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi, B.M. Shah, Annu Kapoor
Votes: 790
49. Kaun? (1999)
90 min | Mystery, Thriller
While alone in the house, a woman hears news of serial killer on the loose. And then a stranger rings the doorbell...
Director: Ram Gopal Varma | Stars: Urmila Matondkar, Manoj Bajpayee, Sushant Singh
Votes: 5,057
50. The Touch (1980)
145 min | Drama, Romance
Anirudh Parmar is blind, but he does not let this impairment bind him down. He runs a school for the blind as a Principal. He meets with social worker, Kavita. Kavita is attracted to him, ... See full summary »
Director: Sai Paranjpye | Stars: Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Sudha Chopra, Mohan Gokhale
Votes: 951
51. Deewaar (1975)
Not Rated | 174 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Vijay struggles as a dockworker and eventually becomes a leading figure of the underworld, while his younger brother Ravi is an educated, upright policeman. This divide causes problems in their relationship.
Director: Yash Chopra | Stars: Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Nirupa Roy, Parveen Babi
Votes: 11,716
52. Saaransh (1984)
Not Rated | 137 min | Drama
An old couple lend a room on rent after recent death of the bread earner of the family, their only son. A budding actress starts living with them, who is in love with a local politician's only son. The movie shows what later ensues.
Director: Mahesh Bhatt | Stars: Anupam Kher, Rohini Hattangadi, Soni Razdan, Madan Jain
Votes: 2,033
53. Black Cat, White Cat (1998)
R | 127 min | Comedy, Crime, Romance
Matko and his son Zare live on the banks of the Danube river and get by through hustling and basically doing anything to make a living. In order to pay off a business debt Matko agrees to marry off Zare to the sister of a local gangster.
Director: Emir Kusturica | Stars: Bajram Severdzan, Srdjan 'Zika' Todorovic, Branka Katic, Florijan Ajdini
Votes: 56,383 | Gross: $0.35M
54. Irreversible (2002)
Not Rated | 97 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Events over the course of one traumatic night in Paris unfold in reverse-chronological order as the beautiful Alex is brutally raped and beaten by a stranger in an underpass tunnel.
Director: Gaspar Noé | Stars: Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel, Albert Dupontel, Philippe Nahon
Votes: 147,643 | Gross: $0.75M
Fav 4 Niia
55. Taxi (III) (2015)
Not Rated | 82 min | Comedy, Drama
Banned from making movies by the Iranian government, Jafar Panahi poses as a taxi driver and makes a movie about social challenges in Iran.
Director: Jafar Panahi | Stars: Jafar Panahi, Nasrin Sotoudeh
Votes: 16,541 | Gross: $0.32M
56. Bommai (1964)
147 min | Thriller
The business partner and some employees of the elderly Mr. Somasundaram plot to eliminate him by hiding a bomb inside a doll. Learning of the plot, a few others try to avert the calamity. ... See full summary »
Director: Sundaram Balachander | Stars: Sundaram Balachander, Gopalakrishnan, Lakshmirajyam, V.S. Raghavan
Votes: 21
57. Puthiya Pathai (1989)
Not Rated | 115 min | Drama
A criminal decides to redeem himself after marriage but his former boss resents this.
Director: Parthiban Radhakrishnan | Stars: Parthiban Radhakrishnan, Seetha, Nassar, Aachi Manorama
Votes: 93
58. Onnu Muthal Poojyam Vare (1986)
Not Rated | 105 min | Drama
The film sheds light on the story of Aleena (Asha Jayaram), a widow and her four-year-old daughter Deepamol (Geethu Mohandas). Aleena lives with her daughter treasuring the memories of her ... See full summary »
Director: Reghunath Paleri | Stars: Mohanlal, Asha Jayaram, Geethu Mohandas, Nedumudi Venu
Votes: 185
59. Oru Kai Osai (1980)
Not Rated | 139 min | Drama
A man loses his voice after his mother's shocking death. Later, he falls in love with a doctor who comes to practise in his village. Will he be able to regain his voice with her help?
Director: Bhagyaraj | Star: V.R. Thilagam
Votes: 50
60. Munthanai Mudichu (1983)
150 min | Drama
A woman finds a husband and tries to win his love through unconventional means.
Director: Bhagyaraj | Stars: Bhagyaraj, Urvashi, Poornima Jayaram, Unni Mary
Votes: 247
62. Thooral ninnu pochhu (1982)
150 min | Drama, Romance
Two people are committed to an arranged marriage by their families. The two fall in love, but when the families disagree on the dowry, both sides are incensed, and the lovers' marriage is forbidden.
Director: Bhagyaraj | Stars: Bhagyaraj, M.N. Nambiar, Pandiarajan, Senthamarai
Votes: 106
63. Sugamana Sumaigal (1992)
Drama
Muruthy is the sole breadwinner of his big family. He discovers that he has cancer and his days are numbered. He tries all that he can to secure his family.
Director: Parthiban Radhakrishnan | Stars: Sree Banu, Typist Gopu, Surya Kala, S.A. Kannan
Votes: 6
64. Nadodi Mannan (1958)
220 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A wanderer/revolutionary is a dead ringer for a monarch, and takes his place.
Director: M.G. Ramachandran | Stars: M.G. Ramachandran, P.S. Veerappa, M.N. Nambiar, M.G. Chakrapani
Votes: 121
65. Ayirathil Oruvan (1965)
174 min | Action, Adventure
Enslaved convicts for treason plan escape but get caught by pirates and work for them before gaining their support and fighting back their country's authoritarian rule.
Director: B. Ramakrishnaiah Panthulu | Stars: Jayalalitha J, R.S. Manohar, Nagesh, M.N. Nambiar
Votes: 235
66. House Full (1999)
138 min | Thriller
A story about a bomb placed in a theater in a slum and the lives of a small group of people living near it.
Director: Parthiban Radhakrishnan | Stars: Parthiban Radhakrishnan, Vikram, Vadivelu, Roja
Votes: 193
67. Vandichakkaram (1980)
Drama
Director: K. Vijayan | Stars: Saritha, Sivakumar, Silk Smitha, Vinuchakravarthy
Votes: 10
68. Akka Thangai (1969)
141 min | Drama
Director: M.A. Thirumugham | Stars: Jaishankar, Sowcar Janaki, Nagesh, Major Sundarrajan
69. Vellikizhamai Viratham (1974)
Drama
Director: R. Thyagaraajan | Stars: Sivakumar, Sandow M.M.A. Chinnappa Devar, Jayachitra, Jayasudha
70. Bharathi Kannama (1997)
Not Rated | 148 min | Drama
The story revolves around Bharathi (Parthiban), a worker for a rich Thevar Zamindar (Vijayakumar). He comes from a lower caste and falls in love with the rich Zamindar's daughter Kannamma (Meena).
Director: Cheran | Stars: Indu, Meena, Meena, Parthiban Radhakrishnan
Votes: 59
71. Kathai Thiraikathai Vasanam Iyakkam (2014)
128 min | Drama
Amidst his personal struggles, Tamizh calls his friends - a DOP, a director-wannabe with 40 years of industry experience and three young Assistant directors, for a discussion to develop a script for his first film.
Director: Parthiban Radhakrishnan | Stars: Thambi Ramaiah, Santhosh Prathap, Vijay Ram, Dinesh
Votes: 677
72. Sant Tukaram (1936)
131 min | Biography, Drama
This film chronicles the life of Tukaram (17th century), one of Maharashtra's most popular saint poets, activating the 20th century resonances of his turning away from courtly Sanskrit ... See full summary »
Directors: Vishnupant Govind Damle, Sheikh Fattelal | Stars: Vishnupant Pagnis, Gauri, B. Nandrekar, Shankar Kulkarni
Votes: 295
Recommended by: Amol Gupte
This was the first film with children at the centre that actually touched me. It was path-breaking for India as well. Picked for a special recommendation at Venice Film Festival, it is a Marathi film from Prabhat Studios made by Vishnupant Damle, a sound designer and Sheikh Fattelal, an art director. It’s such an uplifting experience because it gives you a slice of such pristine, simple, honest, emotive life. It reminds me of F. W. Murnau’s Sunrise (1927) about a single farming family.
73. I Heart Huckabees (2004)
R | 107 min | Comedy
A husband-and-wife team play detective, but not in the traditional sense. Instead, the happy duo helps others solve their existential issues, the kind that keep you up at night, wondering what it all means.
Director: David O. Russell | Stars: Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law, Naomi Watts, Mark Wahlberg
Votes: 66,275 | Gross: $12.78M
Recommended by: Nag Ashwin
I randomly found this film about 5 years ago and I think it’s definitely one of the most funny yet philosophical movies that I’ve ever seen. It was very transformative. I loved that a movie can talk about something so existential in such a ridiculously comic way.
74. Thanga Padhakkam (1974)
165 min | Drama, Family
Chowdary is a disciplined police officer who is dedicated to his job. But his son Jagan is rebellious by nature and has all sorts of vices. Circumstances force Chowdary to arrest his son.
Director: P. Madhavan | Stars: Shivaji Ganesan, Prameela, V.K. Ramasamy, Cho Ramaswamy
Votes: 79
Recommended by: Nag Ashwin
I randomly found this film about 5 years ago and I think it’s definitely one of the most funny yet philosophical movies that I’ve ever seen. It was very transformative. I loved that a movie can talk about something so existential in such a ridiculously comic way.
75. Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne (1969)
132 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
Goopy wants to sing, and Bagha wants to play the dhol. They meet accidentally and are helped by King of Ghosts. With newly endowed abilities, they land in kingdom of Shundi, where their adventure begins.
Director: Satyajit Ray | Stars: Tapan Chatterjee, Rabi Ghosh, Ajoy Banerjee, Iva Banerjee
Votes: 2,754
Recommended by: Srijit Mukherji
There is nothing much to say about Ray’s genius as encapsulated perfectly in Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, which hasn’t been said before. An adapation of a fairly simple children’s tale about a couple of village bumpkins and a king by his grandfather Upendrakishore into a full blown, grand fairy tale at one level. At another level, one of the most lyrical anti-war films the world has ever seen. At a third, as a huge commercially successful film which held box office records for years. And at a fourth level, possibly one of the finest musicals ever made where the entire songs were composed, scored and written by the auteur. This has a sweet personal memory too, as the only film songs we were allowed to sing and hear in the school premises apart from Tagore songs, were the songs from Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne and Hirak Rajar Deshe.
76. Satya (1998)
Not Rated | 170 min | Action, Crime, Drama
An innocent man is embroiled in underworld after being falsely charged and sets out to punish the perpetrators who subjected his life to misery.
Director: Ram Gopal Varma | Stars: J.D. Chakravarthi, Manoj Bajpayee, Urmila Matondkar, Paresh Rawal
Votes: 16,702
Recommended by: Abhishek Chaubey
Satya was the first film I saw in Mumbai. I was just fresh off the boat and as raw as you can be. I was an RGV fan even before that because I loved Rangeela. The style of Satya and the way the story is told is something that we can take for granted now but way back then, few filmmakers straddled the mainstream and the arthouse successfully. Satya was completely original. The long steadicam takes that the film had were things we had not seen anywhere and that edginess blew me away. I can still watch this film even today.
77. Chungking Express (1994)
PG-13 | 102 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
Two melancholic Hong Kong policemen fall in love: one with a mysterious female underworld figure, the other with a beautiful and ethereal waitress at a late-night restaurant he frequents.
Director: Kar-Wai Wong | Stars: Brigitte Lin, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Faye Wong
Votes: 95,750 | Gross: $0.60M
Recommended by: Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK
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It’s our favourite Wong Kar-wai film. A lot of people pick In the Mood For Love but the play with structure, the quirky playful touch and the song ‘California Dreamin’ kind of puts this ahead for us.
78. Muthal Mariyathai (1985)
Not Rated | 163 min | Drama
A friendship between a middle-aged upper-caste man in a village and a boatman's daughter raises eyebrows.
Director: Bharathiraja | Stars: Shivaji Ganesan, Radha, Renjini, Sathyaraj
Votes: 519
Recommended by: Dhanush
It’s one of the best films ever made in Tamil Cinema or even in India or the world. There is a scene in which Sivaji is eating fish and he gets emotional because of the leading lady’s hospitality and the food, which reminds him of his mother. It’s a very touching scene.
79. The Full Monty (1997)
R | 91 min | Comedy, Drama
Six unemployed steel workers form a male striptease act. The women cheer them on to go for "the full monty" - total nudity.
Director: Peter Cattaneo | Stars: Robert Carlyle, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Addy, Wim Snape
Votes: 114,113 | Gross: $45.95M
Recommended by: Konkona Sen Sharma
The Full Monty is one my most favourite films ever. I think it’s funny, subtle and yet really nuanced. It’s about a group of unemployed men who decide to get involved in the stripping business to earn a living.
80. State of Grace (1990)
R | 134 min | Action, Crime, Drama
A New York cop is recruited to return to his hometown and infiltrate the mob ran by his best friend's brother.
Director: Phil Joanou | Stars: Sean Penn, Ed Harris, Gary Oldman, Robin Wright
Votes: 24,776 | Gross: $1.91M
Recommended by: Arjun Kapoor
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This film lies largely in the same milieu as The Departed. It is a very cool gangster film. It has a very interesting take on friendships and Gary Oldman really came into being because of this film. It has Sean Penn and Ed Harris and is an amazing film. I believe it’s a film that has gotten lost.
81. The Haunting (1963)
G | 112 min | Horror
Hill House has stood for about 90 years and appears haunted: its inhabitants have always met strange, tragic ends. Now Dr. John Markway has assembled a team of people who he thinks will prove whether or not the house is haunted.
Director: Robert Wise | Stars: Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn
Votes: 42,484 | Gross: $2.62M
Recommended by: Patrick Graham
Sixty years before Mike Flanagan’s The Haunting of Hill House was the original adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s incredible novella. The book itself is easily the most scary reading experience I’ve ever had at the tender age of 14, and will never be beaten. The faithful adaptation was made with innovative and technologically advanced flair back in 1963 by no less than the editor of Citizen Kane (and director of The Sound of Music, randomly enough) and has one of the best spook scenes, as something tries to open the door to our terrified protagonist’s bedroom, ever. The way the film is stylistically shot and the creative camera-work makes the film look far younger than it actually is.
82. I Am Ali (2014)
PG | 111 min | Documentary, Biography, Sport
Unprecedented access to Muhammad Ali's personal archive of "audio journals" as well as interviews and testimonials from his inner circle of family and friends are used to tell the legend's life story.
Director: Clare Lewins | Stars: Muhammad Ali, Gene Kilroy, Rahman Ali, Odessa Clay
Votes: 4,093 | Gross: $0.01M
Recommended by: Ali Abbas Zafar
It is a documentary of all the people who, in some way or the other, were associated with Mohammed Ali and how he influenced their lives. It has all the boxers he fought and has quotes from his friends, his wife and even his daughters. It gives you a very personal insight into the life of Mohammed Ali. This in turn explains what he became and how he became. One of the most endearing aspects about it is an interview with George Foreman who is a boxer with whom he fought.
83. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
R | 122 min | Drama, Romance
On an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman.
Director: Céline Sciamma | Stars: Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami, Valeria Golino
Votes: 109,587 | Gross: $3.76M
Recommended by: Anupama Chopra
Portrait Of A Lady On Fire is a period drama set in the 18th century about two women, and one of them is a painter. She embarks on a tough sea voyage to go to a remote island where she has been called to do a painting of another young woman. The young woman is engaged to a rich Italian man who wants to see her painting. This girl does not want to marry, she does not want to be painted either, so the painter must do it in a way where she doesn’t realise she is being observed. They go on to become companions in an exquisite love story.
84. Prisoner of the Mountains (1996)
R | 99 min | Drama, War
Two Russian soldiers, one battle-seasoned and the other barely into his boots and uniform, are taken prisoner by an anxious Islamic father from a remote village hoping to trade them for his captured son.
Director: Sergei Bodrov | Stars: Oleg Menshikov, Sergey Bodrov, Susanna Mekhraliyeva, Jemal Sikharulidze
Votes: 4,752 | Gross: $0.66M
85. Let's Talk (2002)
98 min | Drama
A woman and her sister imagine various scenarios as they discuss revealing one's marital infidelity.
Director: Ram Madhvani | Stars: Boman Irani, Maia Katrak, Anahita Oberoi
Votes: 148
Recommended by: Srijit Mukherji
Though this film is mostly in English with a small portion in Hindi, I had to keep this as I have lost count of the times I have watched it. The premise is simple. In an upper middle class household, the wife gets impregnated by the interior designer they have hired for their new flat. The wife Radhika, played by Maia Katrak, imagines the possible reactions to that from his husband Nikhil played by Boman Irani, when she breaks the news to him. What follows is an astonishing exposition in characterization and vocal acting and screenplay improvisation as we see nine different Bomans in nine scenarios including the one which actually happens. The first Indian feature film to be shot on digital format, it is austere with one location and two actors mostly, almost more proscenium than film. But it is so real that it is scary.
86. Winter Light (1963)
Not Rated | 81 min | Drama
A small-town priest struggles with his faith.
Director: Ingmar Bergman | Stars: Ingrid Thulin, Gunnar Björnstrand, Gunnel Lindblom, Max von Sydow
Votes: 27,090
87. Filmistaan (2012)
Not Rated | 117 min | Comedy
In Mumbai, affable Bollywood buff and wanna-be-actor Sunny, who works as an assistant director, fantasizes on becoming a heart-throb star. However, at every audition he is summarily thrown ... See full summary »
Director: Nitin Kakkar | Stars: Sharib Hashmi, Inaamulhaq, Kumud Mishra, Gopal Datt
Votes: 3,659
Recommended by: Ayushmann Khurana
I cried and howled at the end of this film. It is such moving cinema. It is a testament to the fact that cinema binds us together.
88. Nathicharami (2018)
113 min | Drama
Nathicharami is about Gowri whose life is perplexed between her physical desires and emotional beliefs. The film narrates the struggles of the protagonist in a society that believes ... See full summary »
Director: Mansore | Stars: Sruthi Hariharan, Sanchari Vijay, Sharanya, Balaji Manohar
Votes: 407
Recommended by: Anupama Chopra
Nathicharami is made by Mansore and stars the lovely Shruti Hariharan. This story is about a widow named Gowri who lost her husband years ago. She hasn’t gotten over him, but she is also desperately lonely. She wants to have sex, and she actually pursues it in a very structured way. She sets rules for what can and cannot happen after she makes love. This film is just lovely because it’s portrayed in such a quiet and dignified way. It’s frank but not explicit. You see that Gowri is lonely but she is also strong and this whole pursuit is liberating for her. You can watch it on Netflix
89. The Great Gambler (1979)
161 min | Action, Crime, Romance
After unwittingly using his skills to obtain military secrets, a gambler is pursued by a police officer who happens to be his doppelganger.
Director: Shakti Samanta | Stars: Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, Neetu Singh, Prem Chopra
Votes: 730
Recommended by: Sriram Raghavan
It’s got terrific songs and locations and old-fashioned villains. People have seen Bachchan’s Don, Zanjeer, Deewar but I don’t know how many have seen this. It was a highly enjoyable film. I don’t know why it didn’t do better.
90. The Innocents (1961)
Not Rated | 100 min | Horror
A young governess for two children becomes convinced that the house and grounds are haunted.
Director: Jack Clayton | Stars: Deborah Kerr, Peter Wyngarde, Megs Jenkins, Michael Redgrave
Votes: 33,060 | Gross: $2.62M
Recommended by: Patrick Stewart
An absolutely essential classic. It still utterly holds up to this day, with a great screenplay and great performances, especially from the children. An unofficial adaptation of the equally scary Turn of the Screw by Henry James, it is a beautifully made film and a high-point of golden-era British horror filmmaking.
91. Junoon (1979)
141 min | Drama
Set during the 1857 War of Independence, an obsessed Indian Nawab desires to wed a young Anglo-Indian woman, but the girl's obstinate mother stands between them.
Director: Shyam Benegal | Stars: Shashi Kapoor, Nafisa Ali, Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah
Votes: 572
Recommended by: Imtiaz Ali
Junoon had the most romantic ending I’d ever seen. It was a very dynamic world and a very unlikely story of affection between two people, with so much violence and so much tenderness in it
92. Head-On (2004)
R | 121 min | Drama, Romance
With the intention to break free from the strict familial restrictions, a suicidal young woman sets up a marriage of convenience with a forty-year-old addict, an act that will lead to an outburst of envious love.
Director: Fatih Akin | Stars: Birol Ünel, Sibel Kekilli, Güven Kiraç, Zarah Jane McKenzie
Votes: 57,668
Recommended by: Anurag Kashyap
After Black Friday got banned and Gulaal got stuck, I saw a film called Head-on by Fatih Akin. This film changed everything for me. It took me back to Godard’s Breathless. No one else sees the connect but me. Head-on took my depression away. It inspired a scene in Dev D, which I showed Fatih Akin and we became great friends after that.
93. Uttara (2000)
99 min | Drama
Two railway signal men, Nemai and Balaram, share a passion for wrestling and spend their days wrestling after working hours. However, things change when Balaram marries Uttara.
Director: Buddhadev Dasgupta | Stars: Jaya Seal, Tapas Pal, Shankar Chakraborty, R.I. Asad
Votes: 201
Recommended by: Abhishek Chaubey
It’s an amazing film. I don’t know why it’s not talked about enough. It’s about these two wrestlers in Jharkhand and their lives. It touches upon various things like religious fundamentalists. It’s quite a thrilling film and it has a sense of danger to it, but because of the way it is shot, it’s got a fairytale kind of a feel. It’s extremely moving.
94. Chi La Sow? (2018)
135 min | Comedy, Romance
While Arjun doesn't want to get married, his parents set up a blind date for him at his place. The story revolves around Arjun, how he falls for the girl he's about to meet, why and how he changed his decision to get married.
Director: Rahul Ravindran | Stars: Sushanth, Ruhani Sharma, Vennela Kishore, Anuradha Hasan
Votes: 1,993
Recommended by: Baradwaj Rangan
This film takes you through a journey of a care-free boy and a girl who is very serious about life. It appears to be a rom-com on the surface, but is in fact a romantic drama. It is about the middle class desperation about getting your daughter married off. It is also about how responsibilities can make you independent but also harden you inside.
95. Splinter (I) (2008)
R | 82 min | Crime, Horror, Sci-Fi
Trapped in an isolated gas station by a voracious Splinter parasite that transforms its still-living victims into deadly hosts, a young couple and an escaped convict must find a way to work together to survive this primal terror.
Director: Toby Wilkins | Stars: Shea Whigham, Jill Wagner, Paulo Costanzo, Charles Baker
Votes: 40,903
Recommended by: Patrick Graham
No one seems to know this film but it’s actually really good, a siege-thriller with a highly original monster. It’s extremely suspenseful and the monster looks great. Totally recommended.
96. Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2003)
120 min | Drama
Set in the backdrop of Indian Emergency 1975, the story revolves around 3 friends whose lives changes drastically after the turn of events.
Director: Sudhir Mishra | Stars: Kay Kay Menon, Shiney Ahuja, Chitrangda Singh, Ram Kapoor
Votes: 5,300
Recommended by: Srijit Mukherji
A film which fills the lacuna of genuine and realistic political Hindi films with aplomb. Kay Kay Menon, Chitrangada Singh and Shiney Ahuja spearheaded this brilliant concoction of love, friendship and betrayal with a constantly plot-bending political backdrop of India including the Naxalite movement and the Emergency declared by Indira Gandhi. On a personal note, the relationship between the characters played by Singh and Ahuja and the song ‘Bawra Mann’ makes it a no brainer for this list – though technically it is a film in English and Hindi both
97. The New World (2005)
PG-13 | 135 min | Biography, Drama, History
The story of the English exploration of Virginia, and of the changing world and loves of Pocahontas.
Director: Terrence Malick | Stars: Colin Farrell, Q'orianka Kilcher, Christopher Plummer, Christian Bale
Votes: 89,862 | Gross: $12.71M
Recommended by: Nag Ashwin
I remember watching this film alone on my laptop, in the middle of the night, wearing headphones. It was such a moving film and the heart of it is this beautiful South American actress who plays Pocahontas.
98. Fun (1994)
Unrated | 105 min | Crime, Drama
Hillary and Bonnie meet one morning by the side of the road. They become fast friends, share their secrets, and on a rising wave of frenzy later that afternoon, murder an old woman. They did it, they say later, for fun.
Director: Rafal Zielinski | Stars: Renée Humphrey, Alicia Witt, William R. Moses, Leslie Hope
Votes: 1,327
Recommended by: Anurag Kashyap
There was also this strange Canadian film called Fun. It’s a lesser-known film that no one talks about. This film is told through flashbacks and I remember it had a very unique structure that I borrowed for my films Paanch and Last Train to Mahakali.
99. Kes (1969)
PG-13 | 111 min | Drama, Family
A working-class English boy spends his free time caring for and training his pet kestrel.
Director: Ken Loach | Stars: David Bradley, Brian Glover, Freddie Fletcher, Lynne Perrie
Votes: 22,936
Recommended by: Vikramaditya Motwane
100 movies filmcompanion
Again, a massive inspiration for Udaan. I saw this film when I went to Cannes and Devdas was screening. I saw Sweet Sixteen and coming from Bollywood, I was like, ‘Why can’t we make something like this?’ I was playing with the idea of a film about a father and a son. After watching Sweet Sixteen, I came back and looked more into who this director was because I had never heard of him. With Kes, there was just something about that kid’s face. It just makes you fall in love with the film. It’s all about this industrial small-town kid being a guy who is so different from everybody else, a loner. That really drew me into the film. If anyone wants to learn filmmaking, watch Ken Loach’s films. My cinematographer and I watched them because he is so simple in the way he makes films. I came from learning under Bhansali, where there is formality, to watching Ken Loach, which was like there was no formality.
100. Secrets & Lies (1996)
R | 136 min | Comedy, Drama
Following the death of her adoptive parents, a successful young black optometrist establishes contact with her biological mother -- a lonely white factory worker living in poverty in East London.
Director: Mike Leigh | Stars: Timothy Spall, Brenda Blethyn, Phyllis Logan, Claire Rushbrook
Votes: 47,181 | Gross: $13.42M
Recommended by: Ram Madhvani
This movie starts off with a black woman who informs a middle-aged white woman that she is her daughter. The film entails the emotional earthquake that follows this revelation. It seems as though the actors are living through the scenes and that they are real-life breathing characters. They seem to be unscripted, undirected and unacted. That movie did a lot of stuff inside me.
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