Here's a list of some favorite movies. Most of these are a bit quirky so you might want to read about them first at: www.netflix.com
The star * indicates some we particularly liked.
Three favorites: 84 Charing Cross Road. Cinema Paradiso. Departures (Japanese).
NEWEST:
NEWEST:
The Truffle Hunter (Italian, subtitled, old truffle hunters).
M. Butterfly ( Jerome Irons in China… It is not what you think).
Six Minutes to Midnight (British WW2 girls school).
Still Water (Mystery: Matt Damon in France).
The Cake Maker (Berlin / Jerusalem complicated gay love affair. Some subtitles needed. Excellent imagery).
Hacksaw Ridge. ( Conscientious objector WW2).
Nomad-land (life in a Van).
The Father ( Anthony Hopkins growing old).
Courier ( British / Russian spy courier).
Lackawanna Blues (young black man’s memories of growing up).
Minari (Korean farm family in USA).
55 Steps (true legal fight for ill patients).
Another round (Danish teachers and alcohol).
News of the World (Tom Hanks. western).
The Mauritanian (true story Guantanamo Bay / America at its worst).
Fishermen’s Friend ( comedy British folk music).
The Last Vermeer (stollen old masters ww2).
Belgravia (English historical similar to Downton Abby).
Ammonite ( 19c fossil hunter Kate Winslet).
The Crown ( multiple season series about the life of Q. Elizabeth)
The 12th Man (WW2 Norwegian resistance fighter survival story).
Military Wives (English army wives choir. A bit sappy sing-along true story).
*Midway 2020 (WW2 battle of Midway. Thrilling. check out the EXTRAS at end).
Ordinary Love: (Liam Nesson / wife with cancer).
*Chernobyl: (British actors / russian thriller. true story. 5 episodes).
David Crosby Remember My Name: (music documentary).
Where is my Roy Cohn: (Trump’s mentor).
Maiden (women sailing race around the world).
Official Secrets (contemporary British war secrets revealed)
Red Joan: (WW2 British spy)
College Behind Bars (Ken Burns documentary available at Van. Library and online PBS).
All is True (Shakespeare’s retirement years).
*Toni Morrison: The Pieces That I am (documentary).
Pavarotti (Ron Howard documentary).
The Catcher Was a Spy (WW2 baseball player spy).
The Fencer: ( 1950’s Estonia school teacher).
Maria Callas (documentary).
The Invisibles (WW2 Germany. Jews hiding in plain sight).
The Aftermath (after WW2 Hamburg Germany.)
They Shall Not Grow Old (WW-1 documentary restored films…sobering).
Free Men (WW2 Paris Mosque mystery subtitled).
Never Look Away (pre-ww2 Germany and a young artist). subtitled.
The Green Book ( Black man traveling in Southern states in 1950’s).
*Becoming Astrid. ( the story of Astrid Lindgren / Swedish)Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen rock band).
A Star is Born (Lady Gaga).
A Star is Born (Lady Gaga).
Crazy Rich Asians (Asian romance / rich/poor).
*Loving Vincent (animation).
All the Money in the World (J. Paul Getty kidnapping).
RBG (supreme court justice).
The music of silence (good music… the Andrea Bocelli story).
Bombshell: (the Hedy Lamarr story).All the Money in the World (J. Paul Getty kidnapping).
Honky (stage play about race issues. Harsh language).
Mark Felt (Watergate deep-throat).
Wind River (Indian reservation mystery).
It happened one night (1934 black and white classic… still worth watching).
*Maudie (primitive painter in Nova Scotia)
Witness for the Prosecution (1957 English black and white film with an interesting twist).
A United Kingdom (British / Africa king)
The Big Sick (Pakistan love in USA).
On the way to School (documentary of children struggling. Charming).
Philadelphia ( Denzel Washington Tom Hanks w/ aids 1993).
Their Finest (British WW2 movie making. Bill Nighy).
*Franzt (French / German subtitled. WW1 romance).
Fences (1956 era, Denzel Washington & Viola Davis),
*Land of Mine (German ww2 clearing mines in Denmark. remember to breath).
Lion (Australian / Indian boy lost ).
Hidden Figures ( Black women at NASA )
Elle (French subtitled thriller..violent).
Tanna (subtitled south sea island romance).
A Man Called Ove (Swedish subtitled).
La la land (new American musical).
War and peace 2016 (slow start but good character development).
Scenes of a sexual nature (British. not really what the title suggests, great cast).
*Where to invade next? ( Michael Moore. Embarrassingly good).
The Man Who Knew Infinity (British Mathematic genius).
Genius (Thomas Wolf story).
Annika Bengtzon: Crime Reporter. ( Swedish thriller series. subtitled).
Antarctica: A Year on Ice (Documentary).
Borgen (Danish parliamentary soap opera series. subtitled).
The Intern (light, feel-good movie. Robert De Niro, Anne Hathaway).
End of the Tour (David Foster Wallace interview).
Eye in the Sky (Drones with Helen Mirren).
Nine (the musical…. song and dance).
Skin ( a sad but true story of skin color in South Africa).
Me and Earl and the dying girl. ( coming of age movie, cute dialog).
*Merchants of Doubt ( documentary. the business of misinformation).
The Emperor (Japan at the end of WW2).
*Lady in the Van (English. Maggie Smith).
How Green Is Valley ( still holds up well… beautiful singing).
Brooklyn (Irish immigrants).
*Bridge of Spies (Cold war Gary Powers story).
Coming Home. (Chinese subtitled, lost memory).
The Green Prince. (Israel, subtitled, docudrama on making a spy).
*The Danish Girl. (True story of transgender confusion in Denmark).
Trumbo ( Blacklists. True story. informative and entertaining).
The Bridge (Swedish / Danish subtitled. Murder detective series. 2 seasons).
Spotlight. (Boston investigating journalism on priests. True story).
Hector and the Search for Happiness.
Testament of Youth (British Memoir of Vera Brittain, WW1 army nurse. True story).
Match. (American. Son’s search for his famous dancer father. mystery).
Last love. (Michael Caine in Paris, remembering love).
Kiss me. (Danish/subtitled. Lesbian triangle).
Starting Out in the Evening. (American. Aging writer and young critic).
Living is Easy with Eyes closed. (Spanish, subtitled. Looking for John Lennon and more).
*Mr. Holmes (British Sherlock in his old age.Good character development).
5 to 7 ( New York afternoon romance).
The Honorable woman (British, middle east thriller),
The Trouble with Harry. (Hitchcock classic. comedy.)
Woman in Gold (Nazi stolen art).
Thanks for sharing. (interesting & humorous drama on sex addiction).
Angles in America (gay lives. good cast. great dialog) 6 hours long.
Cotton Mary ( post-war British in India).
The Theory of Everything (English. Steven Hawkins).
The Imitation Game (ww2 England. the enigma code).
The Railway Man ( Nicole Kidman / Colin Firth. reliving WW2-Butan ).
Kawasaki Rose (Czech, subtitled…. reliving the past Czech / Sweden).
Night Train to Lisbon ( Portugal / Jeremy Irons at his best).
Pride (British minors and gays).
The Hundred Foot Journey (Indian cooking in France).
*Locke. ( British. long driving conversation) (turn on English subtitles).
Tim’s Vermeer (new theory on how Vermeer painted).
* The Lunch Box (Indian subtitled. charming. romance?).
Broad Church (British detective 8 part series).
My Last five girlfriends (light-hearted comedy romance spoof).
Belle (English slave law, true story).
Love is all you Need (Danish / English, romance.Pierce Brosnan at his best).
Closed Circuit (British, legal thriller ).
Captain Philips (thriller/ship hijack).
Dallas Buyer Club (early AIDS).
Zero Dark 30 (get Osama Bin Laden).
Inequality for All (documentary with Robert Reich).
BRITISH
Island at War (BBC miniseries / nazi occupation of channel islands)
*Rumpole of the Bailey. (British lawyer series comedy).
Inspector Morse. (British detective series)
As time goes by. (Judy dench comedy series).
*All creatures great and small. BBC vet in pre-war England. 1978 to 1990.
*Foyles war. BBC miniseries ww2 detective)
Philomena ( Judy Dench vs. Irish nuns ).
London River (french / British film. London bombing drama).
The hour (season 1&2) (BBC 1950's newsroom mystery).
*56 Up (very interesting sociological series. see 7up, 21,28,35.. first)
Silk (2011 BBC Tv series about British legal system).
George gently (BBC detective series 6 seasons).
*Genevieve ( 1953 British charming comedy… antique car race ).
Tabloid. (British Mormon kidnap scandal).
waking Ned Devine (Irish, lottery, comedy).
*The best exotic marigold hotel. ( wonderful ! )
Possession ( Gwyneth Paltrow / English poet fiction).
Longford (English Lord Longford and prisoner rights).
Other Martin Clunes tv series: (re: Doc martin tv show).
Doc Martin (two movies) (original inspiration for the tv show).
William and Mary 12 part series. we enjoyed this a lot!
Dirty Tricks.
The last station (Tolstoy's life. Helen Mirren).
The king's speech (excellent).
*The jewel in the crown BBC 12 part series India classism. excellent.
Ghost Writer (British political thriller with good cast).
Pirate radio ( sex drugs and rock and roll. Eng. comedy) see extras.
*84 Charing Cross Road (excellent. British).
The queen (Helen Mirren).
Happy go lucky ( British driving lessons).
An education.
Young victoria.
The mayor of Casterbridge (British) 2001 version.
The mayor of caster bridge (3disc) BBC/Masterpiece w / Allen Bates) 1978.
State of play (BBC 6 part series with Bill Nighy).
Kavanagh q.c. "nothing but the truth" 1st of a BBC series w/john thaw.
Silas Marner BBC with Ben Kingsley.
Notes on a scandal (with Bill Nighy).
Angela's ashes ("gritty" Irish bio of Frank McCourt).
A touch of frost. A BBC television mystery series 1 (of 14).
USA:
Mother and child (good cast. thought-provoking about adoption).
What Maisie knew ( charming daughter / terrible parents).
Searching for sugar man (imagine finding Elvis was still alive)
*Shakespeare in love (worth watching again)
Hipsters (1950's Russian musical)
Les misérables 2012 (lots of grit. ok music)
Lincoln
The sessions (true story. Helen Hunt sex therapist ).
Madmen ( TV series of 1960's soap about Ad agency)
360 (interwoven stories of bad behavior. good cast)
Fork over knife (documentary. a better diet)
The magic of bell island (morgan freeman at his best)
First position (young ballet competition).
Take this waltz (USA. happy marriage meets man next door).
Broadway or bust (PBS video at: http://video.pbs.org/video/2275810760 teen wannabes compete for broadway award).
Good hair ( Chris Rock's comedic documentary on black hair).
Moneyball (Brad Pitt. baseball by the numbers)
Man on a wire (tight rope between world trade center).
Exporting Raymond ( Russian vs. American humor).
American violet ( texas race injustice).
Girl with the dragon tattoo (violent American version. subtitles help).
Buck ( horse+people training. credits and extras worth seeing).
The descendants (George Clooney Hawaii family problems)
Page one inside the NY Times (documentary).
Red (Bruce Willis / spy comedy action spoof. great cast)
My week with Marilyn
Ides of March ( campaign thriller).
The help (southern service '60s) excellent
Public speaking with Fran Lebowitz
Temple Grandin
The fabulous baker boys (nice music)
Made in Dagenham
A beautiful mind (the john nash mental story).
This movie is not yet rated (the movie rating system… adult content).
The last picture show (check out the extras on making it).
Charley Wilson's war (Afgan war with Russia)
The art of the steal (the barns foundation theft)
Cider house rules.
True grit (cowboy).
To Rome with Love (Woody Allen in Rome).
Stories we tell ( home movies reveal family secrets).
Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen).
Young at heart (giving new meaning to old rock lyrics).
Company. sondheim musical (watch the extras).
Dean Spanley (reincarnation meets dog).
The boys of Baraka (American education alternative?).
A man named pearl (about a man and his topiary)
Last Chance Harvey (soapy but well done).
Juno (an American coming of age film with smart dialog)
Coco before Chanel
* Julia and Julia.
* Every little step (dance).
*Wit (Emma Thompson dying of cancer).
*Moon Struck (with Cher).
EUROPE:
*Cinema Paradiso (Italian subtitled. one of the most charming movies! ).
* Cherry blossoms (German).
Melina (Italian subtitled 2000. Charming coming of age during ww2 ).
Mostly Martha (German. Woman chef)
A Royal affair (Danish subtitled 1770's mad king. true story).
Twin sisters ( subtitled German ww2 twins separated).
Bride flight (Dutch subtitled. mail order brides in new Zealand).
In a better world (Danish family drama. subtitled).
Elling (good comedy Norway subtitled).
The inheritance (Denmark 2003 subtitled family son conflict).
As it is in heaven (Sweden subtitled choir).
Mother of mine (Finish / subtitled. Finish war child sent to Sweden).
Winter in wartime (ww2 Dutch subtitled).
The white ribbon. (stern mystery tale of rural 19c Germany).
The girl with the dragon tattoo(violence)1st of 3 Swedish thrillers).
The reader (nazi war crime prisoner).
Kinamand (Denmark plumber romance).
Everlasting moments (Sweden subtitled early photographer).
Baaria (Italian subtitled by same producer as cinema paradiso).
Facing window (Italian subtitled romantic mystery).
Just sex and nothing else ( "sex in the city" Budapest style).
FRENCH:
*Frantz (French / German subtitled. WW1 romance).
*Intouchables ( excellent french subtitled. true story invalid/caretaker).
Seraphine (France / artist)
Lila says (France subtitled Arab love triangle)
Days of glory (subtitled French / n. Africa ww2)
Etoiles: Dancers of the Paris opera-ballet (French subtitled)
Queen to Play (french chess)
Monsieur Hier. (french subtitled mystery)
Sarah's key (french WW2 subtitled)
Women on the 6th floor (french. subtitled. ie: upstairs downstairs?).
Delicacy (french subtitled. simple romance/Audrey Tautou)
In the house (french subtitled.student writer mixes reality).
Amour (French subtitled. a well done depressing look at the future)
The past (french subtitled, struggling love triangle)
Blue is the warmest color (french subtitled / lesbian coming of age. 3 hrs long)
French film (french lovers have all the answers) (British romantic comedy).
Blame it on fidel (french).
CHINA:
*The road home (rural Chinese love story. excellent).
A simple life ( elderly housekeeper in china subtitled}
Somewhere between (documentary Chinese adopted children)
The flowers of war. (1937 Nanking. thriller. very "gritty" part subtitled).
Balzac and the little Chinese seamstress. (subtitled Chinese).
Snow Flower and the secret fan (Chinese sisters. nice movie).
Mao's last dancer (excellent !!)
Cave of the yellow dog (china subtitled. Cute story of nomadic Mongolian children and their family).
Last train home (china subtitled. a rather sobering view of how American products are made in china).
After Shock (Chinese earthquake. very good).
Zhou yu's train (Chinese love triangle).
John rabe (ww2 nazi in Nanking china).
JAPAN:
*Departures (EXCELLENT japan subtitled. unemployed musician)
* Kabei: Our mother (ww2 japan)
Our Little Sister (Japan 2015 subtitled. 3 sisters adopt a 4th).
The ballad of Narayana ( an "agricultural" view of old japan)
Jiro dreams of sushi (japan subtitled. a lesson in food perfection).
Tampopo (Japanese. subtitled. comedy about food)
The wind rises (japanese animation film)
Memoirs of a geisha.
Like father, like son. (japanese. Subtitled. switched children)
*Village of dreams (japan. two young boys)
Still walking (japan family life) subtitled
Twilight samurai (japan) not your typical samurai movie
* Treeless mountain (korea) charming young kids.
Poetry (Korean subtitled).
The housemaid (Korean, sensual mystery, subtitled).
Middle Eastern:
The attack (middle eastern thriller. subtitled. doctor and suicide bomber).
Five broken cameras (Palestine. bad subtitles. Israeli atrocities)
The reluctant fundamentalist (Usa / middle east thriller)
The
gatekeepers (Israel. political conflicts)
gatekeepers (Israel. political conflicts)
Argo (USA / Iran hostage thriller)
The other son ( french subtitled Israel family mixup).
Salmon fishing in the Yemen (British. romance about new fish runs)
Where do we go from here (Lebanese subtitled comedy/drama).
Separation (Iran, subtitled. contemporary family turmoil).
Live and become (Ethiopian jews. subtitled).
Of gods and men (french subtitled: monks in Algeria).
Incendies (middle eastern mystery. subtitled)
Budrus (Palestinian documentary, subtitled).
Life above all (Africa subtitled).
Captain Abu Raed (Jordan).
Wedding song (french/ Tunis 1942)
SPANISH:
Km.0 (r rated Spanish romantic comedy).
The way (el Camino de Santiago) with martin sheen.
Beyond desire (Spanish. subtitled 1940's wartime love story)
In praise of older women (Spain civil war, subtitled, coming of age).
Volver (Spanish).
Carlos saura’s: Carmen (spain / dance).
Tango (spain / dance).
MISC: unsorted
Strangers in good company (Canadians lost in the woods).
Today's special (Indian food comedy).
The First-grader (education in Kenya. subtitles help. watch extras).
Playing for time (women struggle in a concentration camp).
* Desert flower (African model's journey) very good.
Even the rain (subtitled Bolivian thriller).
captiva (Argentinian. subtitled. disappeared thriller).
The secret is in their eyes (subtitled argentine mystery).
The sapphires (Australian. feel good toe-tapping movie).
The lady (subtitled Burma politics docu-drama).
Zorba the Greek (still a good story).
Babies ( cute look at the first year, of 4 babies around the world).
The Birdcage (remake of la Cage Aux Folles: drag comedy).
A single man (1962 with gay colin firth).
Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (French: coco & Igor "making music”).
Tortilla soup (same plot as "eat drink man woman" but different race). Invictus (Clint Eastwood production S. Africa)