1. Illumination (Iluminacja)
Krzysztof Zanussi's groundbreaking film chronicles a decade in the life of a young physics student whose absolute faith in the primacy of rationality and science is shaken by tragedy and affairs of the heart.
It has an average vote of 7 on TMDB.
2. A Bagful of Fleas (Pytel blech)
The themes of anarchy and individualism that run through Věra Chytilová’s work begin here, in an almost docu-realist look at women finding freedom and joy amid the rigid conformity of life in a communal factory dormitory.
It has an average vote of 6 on TMDB.
3. Purple Sea (Das Purpurmeer)
Made from images filmed by the Syrian artist Amel Alzakout after the boat on which she was fleeing Syria sank off the coast of Lesbos, Purple Sea reports on the moment in which the co-director and the other passengers are floating in the sea in their lifejackets, waiting to be rescued. Her voice-over accompanies this extremely poignant experience.
It has an average vote of 6.3 on TMDB.
4. A Woman's Decision (Bilans kwartalny)
The main character is a bookkeeper, 40, who lives a quiet, uninteresting life with her husband and son of school age. She realizes that soon she won't be needed much at home as the boy grows up and the relationship with her husband crumbles. It's only when an embezzlement is discovered at the office and she stands up to her management, that she realizes life has more to offer. She meets a well-off former classmate, married to an American. Then she meets Jacek and starts contemplating possibilities of a new start. She discovers love for the first time, but turns to old ways rather than to break loose.
It has an average vote of 5 on TMDB.
5. Sparrow (文雀)
Kei is the experienced leader of a team of pickpockets — also known as "Sparrows" in HK slang. He enjoys a carefree lifestyle taking photos. One day a dashing beauty, Chun-Lei, suddenly appears in Kei's viewfinder. Kei is mesmerized. But behind Chun-Lei's attractive facade lies a mysterious past and a mission to set herself free.
It has an average vote of 6.5 on TMDB.
6. 二十五个孩子一个爹 (二十五个孩子一个爹)
Zhao Guang is a hard-working chicken farmer whose self-made life has led him to dedicate himself to running the orphanage at his native Chinese village. His success with children leads him to local celebrity status, including a speech on national television. When Zhao innocently announces that he hopes to be the father of all orphans, however, he finds himself flooded with scores of kids from all over the area looking for a dad. To save the village's honor and retain his model-citizen status, he has to watch over no less than twenty-five unruly children, each turning his life upside down.
It has an average vote of 7 on TMDB.
7. A Good Marriage (Le Beau Mariage)
Sabine vows to give up married lovers, and is determined to find a good husband. Her best friend Clarisse introduces her to her cousin Edmond, a busy lawyer from Paris. Sabine pursues Edmond, with the encouragement of Clarisse, but Edmond does not seem very interested.
It has an average vote of 6.8 on TMDB.
8. Chimes at Midnight
Henry IV usurps the English throne, sets in motion the factious War of the Roses and now faces a rebellion led by Northumberland scion Hotspur. Henry's heir, Prince Hal, is a ne'er-do-well carouser who drinks and causes mischief with his low-class friends, especially his rotund father figure, John Falstaff. To redeem his title, Hal may have to choose between allegiance to his real father and loyalty to his friend.
It has an average vote of 7.222 on TMDB.
9. Pickpockets (Pickpockets: maestros del robo)
An aspiring teen thieves learn what it takes to be successful pickpockets on the streets of Bogotá
It has an average vote of 5 on TMDB.
10. The Phantom of Liberty (Le Fantôme de la liberté)
This Surrealist film, with a title referencing the Communist Manifesto, strings together short incidents based on the life of director Luis Buñuel. Presented as chance encounters, these loosely related, intersecting situations, all without a consistent protagonist, reach from the 19th century to the 1970s. Touching briefly on subjects such as execution, pedophilia, incest, and sex, the film features an array of characters, including a sick father and incompetent police officers.
It has an average vote of 7.5 on TMDB.
11. Vanishing Point
Kowalski works for a car delivery service, and takes delivery of a 1970 Dodge Challenger to drive from Colorado to San Francisco. Shortly after pickup, he takes a bet to get the car there in less than 15 hours.
It has an average vote of 7.2 on TMDB.
12. Certain Women
Three strong-willed women strive to forge their own paths amidst the wide-open plains of the American Northwest: a lawyer forced to subdue a troubled client; a wife and mother whose plans to construct her dream home reveal fissures in her marriage; and a lonely ranch hand who forms an ambiguous bond with a young law student.
It has an average vote of 6 on TMDB.
13. Bringing Out the Dead
Once called "Father Frank" for his efforts to rescue lives, Frank Pierce sees the ghosts of those he failed to save around every turn. He has tried everything he can to get fired, calling in sick, delaying taking calls where he might have to face one more victim he couldn't help, yet cannot quit the job on his own.
It has an average vote of 6.6 on TMDB.
14. In the Mood for Love (花樣年華)
In Hong Kong of 1962, Mrs. Chan and Mr. Chow, a journalist, move into neighbouring apartments on the same day. Their encounters are formal and polite—until a discovery about their respective spouses creates an intimate bond between them.
It has an average vote of 8.104 on TMDB.
15. Sherlock Holmes
Eccentric consulting detective Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson battle to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy England.
It has an average vote of 7.211 on TMDB.
16. A summer at the sea (Un'estate al mare)
Set against the sun-soaked shores of Italy in the summertime, seven different tales unfold about life, love, loss, family, and friendship.
It has an average vote of 4.646 on TMDB.
17. Gad Elmaleh - L’autre c’est moi (Gad Elmaleh - L’autre c’est moi)
L'Autre c'est moi est le troisième spectacle de l'humoriste Gad Elmaleh, en 2005.
It has an average vote of 7.773 on TMDB.
18. Broadway Danny Rose
A hapless talent manager named Danny Rose, by helping a client, gets dragged into a love triangle involving the mob. His story is told in flashback, an anecdote shared amongst a group of comedians over lunch at New York's Carnegie Deli. Rose's one-man talent agency represents countless incompetent entertainers, including a one-legged tap dancer, and one slightly talented one: washed-up lounge singer Lou Canova, whose career is on the rebound.
It has an average vote of 7.178 on TMDB.
19. In from the Side
Mark, a new and inexperienced rugby club member, finds himself drawn to Warren, a seasoned first team player. When a series of happenstances at an away fixture lead to a drunken encounter, Mark and Warren unwittingly embark on a romantic affair they struggle to hide from their partners and teammates.
It has an average vote of 6.7 on TMDB.
20. Everyone Says I Love You
A New York girl sets her father up with a beautiful woman in a shaky marriage while her half sister gets engaged.
It has an average vote of 6.458 on TMDB.
