Best French Movies

ORIGINAL POST

Me and some friends are looking to watch a french movie together, but we're having difficulties finding something. Friend 1 doesn't like romance whatsoever but appreciates pretty scenery, friend 2 is pretty much down for anything, as long as the story is conclusive and I appreciate a good soundtrack and anything that is tease and thrilling. It doesn't have to be a thriller, though, I am open for pretty much anything.

So yea, basically we're looking for a good French movie that isn't romance.

7 replies

three_shoes · 2 years ago

La Haine has to be one of the easiest entries into French films, while also being one of the best.

11 upvotes on reddit

[deleted] · 2 years ago

The Intouchables

6 upvotes on reddit

quincytheduck · 2 years ago

Was gonna say this one, was my fav movie for 5-6 years

1 upvotes on reddit

-kOdAbAr- · 2 years ago

Triplets of Belleville

5 upvotes on reddit

floofymonstercat · 2 years ago

Delicatessen, has some romantic elements, but not the main part of the movie.

Same thing with Amelie.

District B13 good action film, a bit over the top

La Femme Nikita great thriller.

5 upvotes on reddit

vamosatomar · 2 years ago

Love Delicatessen. I was obsessed with that movie when I first came across it. Recommended it to everyone I knew.

1 upvotes on reddit

SingleMaltMigrant · 2 years ago

Brotherhood of the Wolf. Just been re-released too. Great story, looks stunning.

7 upvotes on reddit

See 7 replies

r/movies • [2]

Summarize

Names of must watch French movies?

Posted by ninezar · in r/movies · 2 years ago

To say that I have watched many French movies would be an adamant untruth. However one movie that I'm clearly stuck with or rather that refuses to leave my mind is La Haine. To express why that is so, would be trying to constrict an elephant within a very limited and liminal space. However, I would really love to know about the French movies that you have watched/ that you think are must watches!

5 upvotes on reddit

12 replies

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https://youtu.be/IB_lTTxYSsg

12 replies

Galac_tacos · 2 years ago

Les Diaboliques, Amelie, A Profit, La Grand Illusion, Blue is the Warmest Colour, Last Year At Marienbad

8 upvotes on reddit

ninezar · OP · 2 years ago

I have watched Amelie and loved it! Will check the other ones out. Thanks💖

I also have watched Mon Roi.

2 upvotes on reddit

Galac_tacos · 2 years ago

I'd particularly recommend Les Diaboliques, in my top 3 non english language films

2 upvotes on reddit

Mr_Tough_Guy · 2 years ago

Have you seen this, released by director Jean Pierre Jeunet last week, which puts Amélie in a new light.

3 upvotes on reddit

Puzzled_Fortune1171 · 1 year ago

Can you help me I’m looking for a French movie where a couple is trying to get a life insurance and the insurance company investigator follow the couple

1 upvotes on reddit

sharksnut · 2 years ago

Note: Blue is the Warmest Colour is very... adult.

Also, La Femme Nikita

3 upvotes on reddit

spellitscorrectly · 2 years ago

Nailed it!

3 upvotes on reddit

thundercroky · 2 years ago

Un Prophète

7 upvotes on reddit

fartinapuddle · 2 years ago

I came here looking for this because I knew it would be mentioned, but couldn't remember the title and wanted to find it again. Great movie!

3 upvotes on reddit

KONSTIGPINNE · 2 years ago

The 400 blows

7 upvotes on reddit

rev9of8 · 2 years ago

Double-dipping to also say Delicatessen.

5 upvotes on reddit

[deleted] · 2 years ago

Le Mepris (Contempt), Godard

Le Feu Folllet (The Fire Within), Louis Malle

Le Corbeau (The Raven), Clozout

Le Deuxieme Souffle (Second Breath/Wind), Melville

L' armée des ombres (Army Of Shadows), Melville

Classe tous risques (The Big Risk), Claude Sautet

Rififi, Jules Dassin

La Jetee (The Pier), Chris Marker

5 upvotes on reddit

See 12 replies

r/French • [3]

Summarize

French movies are the best.

Posted by Lmio · in r/French · 6 months ago

My first post here and I just have to say that French has some of the best movies and I love watching them thank you.

63 upvotes on reddit

12 replies

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https://www.frenchness.fr/why-are-french-movies-not-appreciated-outside-france/

12 replies

sirius1245720 · 6 months ago

I highly recommend Le règne animal (Animal Kingdom), though provoking and depicting a strong relationship between father and son in a world where people have started morphing into animals. Can you still love your mother/father/cousin when he/she has become an animal ?

5 upvotes on reddit

Odd_Competition_7970 · 6 months ago

I recently watched Yannick on Netflix. It was a bit odd but comical and good for conversation comprehension. I like the actorçs quirky style.

5 upvotes on reddit

_harey_ · 6 months ago

If you liked it, director is Quentin Dupieux (aka Mr. Oizo). He makes at least one movie every year, so you have plenty other to watch if you're interested! 😁

3 upvotes on reddit

Think_Theory_8338 · 6 months ago

His movies are a hit-or-miss for me. I really liked Le daim, Réalité, Au poste and Wrong, but I hated Daaaali, Rubber and Incroyable mais vrai. What's funny is that although most people agree that his films are a hit-or-miss, I feel like each person I've talked to had a unique opinion about which of his films they liked and which they didn't.

3 upvotes on reddit

goodyw · 6 months ago

Yannick was such a fun little ride, Raphaël Quenard is great in it!

1 upvotes on reddit

BuntProduction · 6 months ago

Hahah i can recommend you Le Comte de Monte-Cristo, this is the last success in France !

9 upvotes on reddit

ExtratelestialBeing · 6 months ago

Unfortunately, it's literally almost impossible to watch with French subtitles in the US. Amazon streaming only has English subs, which is really odd since the Canadian site seems to have both and it wouldn't cost them any money or effort to make it available here.

1 upvotes on reddit

erutanic · 6 months ago

I tried to watch this but the jostling of the camera was vertigo inducing, it looks like a beautiful movie otherwise but I couldn’t get past 15 minutes, I even tried a second time beyond the first few scenes and it was unbearable! Insupportable ! Malheureux pour moi.

2 upvotes on reddit

Acetylene · 6 months ago

This has been one of my favorite movies for years, and I only recently learned that Jacques Demy made a series of loosely-related films set in the same universe and sharing characters and locations:

Lola
Les parapluies de Cherbourg
Les demoiselles de Rochefort
Model Shop

Some people also add:

La baie des anges
Une chambre en ville

4 upvotes on reddit

Ok_Increase6784 · 6 months ago

Yesss this. I watched umbrellas on film at the Cinémathèque Française in Paris a few months ago and it was so fun. And I remembered that in one of the numbers in the film they mentioned Lola which I later realized was another Demy film. So I watched it recently too and it's a lot of fun to realize they're connected in the same universe.

3 upvotes on reddit

hniles910 · 6 months ago

I recently watched La jetée, it is a 28 min video on youtube pretty intresting if you ask me, I really enjoyed the concept of the movie. Try it out if you feel like it but I will warn you it might not be of your liking

17 upvotes on reddit

belialxx · 6 months ago

Fun fact : 12 Monkeys is an USA adaptation of La jetée

16 upvotes on reddit

See 12 replies

r/learnfrench • [4]

Summarize

What is your favorite French movie ? Here is a list of the most famous ones !

Posted by Frenchnessbysabrina · in r/learnfrench · 4 years ago

15 upvotes on reddit

6 replies

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6 replies

ThatHobbitDreamHouse · 4 years ago

I wasn’t familiar with most on that list yet, but I love Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain, it’s still one of my favorite movies. On the darker side (although not on the list), Au Revoir Les Enfants was my teacher’s favorite and an excellent movie, a real tear-jerker. Lucy sounds super interesting, I’m checking that one out next!

4 upvotes on reddit

NJTroy · 4 years ago

Au Revoir Mes Enfants was the first French film I ever saw and remains my favorite. Terribly sad, but fascinating.

3 upvotes on reddit

Mnagy8 · 4 years ago

I think the discussion in that post is very much true. French cinema never really "vibed" with me - although to be honest I haven't tried out watching many movies - The only one I really liked was Amélie because of the sense of naive child-like day dreaming and fantasy that I can totally relate to. Ever since have been wishing to find more stuff like that but to no luck.

4 upvotes on reddit

Equivalent-Elk8777 · 4 years ago

J’ adore le cinema français. Mom film préféré est la heine.

4 upvotes on reddit

Danielituz · 4 years ago

Angel-A

3 upvotes on reddit

20to25squirrels · 4 years ago

Tous du milieu de Jean-Pierre Melville: Le Doulos, Le Samouraï, et Le Cercle rouge pis tous les films de criminalité avec Gabin, Delain, et Belmondo! Pas de pareil.

3 upvotes on reddit

See 6 replies

r/CineSeries • [5]

Summarize

Le top du cinéma francophone?

Posted by Commercial_Photo4416 · in r/CineSeries · 5 months ago

Salut je cherche à découvrir les grands films de la France, auriez vous des recommandations🙂.

10 upvotes on reddit

12 replies

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12 replies

CerveauRecyclable · 5 months ago

4 upvotes on reddit

CerveauRecyclable · 5 months ago

4 upvotes on reddit

CerveauRecyclable · 5 months ago

4 upvotes on reddit

TraditionalRock6381 · 5 months ago

Le roman d'un tricheur est mentionné, je suis désormais heureux. Merci pour la jolie liste !

1 upvotes on reddit

bandfill · 5 months ago

C'est vaste... Mais "grands films de la France" :

La Règle du Jeu, Jean Renoir, 1939

Les 400 coups, François Truffaut, 1959

Playtime, Jacques Tati, 1967

L'Armée des Ombres, Jean-Pierre Melville, 1969

La Haine, Mathieu Kassovitz, 1995

Taxi 2, Gérard Krawczyk, 2000

11 upvotes on reddit

Carmanovius · 5 months ago

J'en étais à me dire "Playtime" c'est pas le plus accessible de Tati et j'ai failli louper l'intrus dans la liste !

2 upvotes on reddit

bandfill · 5 months ago

J'avoue avoir glissé un petit plaisir perso au milieu de classiques intemporels.

Mais que veux-tu, j'adore L'armée des Ombres.

2 upvotes on reddit

HoneydewPlenty3367 · 5 months ago

Celui qu'il FAUT que tu regardes, c'est Taxi 2.

1 upvotes on reddit

Commercial_Photo4416 · OP · 5 months ago

Merci, j’ai pu voir la haine et je connais vaguement les 400 coups.

1 upvotes on reddit

JeanMorel · 5 months ago

Très vaste sujet! On peut faire ça de différentes façons, par exemple:

Mes 20 films français préférés:

Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
Le Roi et l'Oiseau (1980)
Les Rivières Pourpres (2000)
Belphégor - Le Fantôme du Louvre (2001)
Le Pacte des Loups (2001)
Immortel Ad Vitam (2004) - film en anglais
Arsène Lupin (2004)
36 Quai des Orfèvres (2004)
Va, Vis et Deviens (2005)
Anthony Zimmer (2005)
Angel-A (2005)
Du Jour au Lendemain (2006)
Paris, Je T'Aime (2006)
Le Scaphandre et le Papillon (2007)
Dans la Brume Électrique (2009) - film en anglais
Quartier Lointain (2010)
Un Bonheur N'Arrive Jamais Seul (2012)
En Liberté! (2018)
Mon Inconnue (2019)
Le Tourbillon de la Vie (2022)

20 des films français les plus réputés:

Napoléon (1927)
La Passion de Jeanne d'Arc (1928)
Les Misérables (1934)
La Grande Illusion (1937)
Les Enfants du Paradis (1945)
Le Salaire de la Peur (1953)
Du Rififi Chez les Hommes (1955)
Les Diaboliques (1955)
Un Condamné à Mort S'est Échappé ou Le Vent Souffle Où il Veut (1956)
Les 400 Coups (1959)
Le Trou (1960)
Le Samouraï (1967)
L'Armée des Ombres (1969)
Z (1969)
Léon (1994) - film en anglais
La Haine (1995)
Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001)
Le Pianiste (2002) - film en anglais
Intouchables (2011)
Portrait de la Jeune Fille en Feu (2019)

20 des films français les plus connus (outre ceux déjà cités):

Le Cinquième Élément (1997) - film en anglais
Stalingrad (2001) - film en anglais
Irréversible (2002)
Le Transporteur (2002) - film en anglais
Le Transporteur 2 (2005) - film en anglais
Hitman (2007) - film en anglais
Le Transporteur 3 (2008) - film en anglais
Martyrs (2008)
Taken (2008) - film en anglais
From Paris with Love (2010) - film en anglais
The Ghost Writer (2010) - film en anglais
Carnage (2011) - film en anglais
The Artist (2011)
Taken 2 (2012) - film en anglais
La Vie d'Adèle (2013)
Malavita (2013) - film en anglais
Lucy (2014) - film en anglais
Taken 3 (2014) - film en anglais
Valérian et la Cité des Mille Planètes (2017) - film en anglais
Anatomie d'une Chute (2023)

Les 20 plus gros succès du cinéma français (outre ceux déjà cités):

Le Petit Monde de Don Camillo (1952)
Les Misérables (1957)
La Vache et le Prisonnier (1959)
La Guerre des Boutons (1962)
Le Corniaud (1965)
La Grande Vadrouille (1966)
Emmanuelle (1974)
Trois Hommes et un Couffin (1985)
Le Grand Bleu (1988) - film en anglais
L'Ours (1988) - film en anglais
Les Visiteurs (1993)
Le Dîner de Cons (1998)
Astérix et Obélix contre César (1999)
Taxi 2 (2000)
Astérix et Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre (2002)
Les Bronzés 3: Amis pour la Vie (2006)
Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis (2008)
Qu'est-ce Qu'on a Fait au Bon Dieu? (2014)
Le Comte de Monte-Cristo (2024)
Un P'tit Truc en Plus (2024)

14 upvotes on reddit

Piitx · 5 months ago

L'arrivée des beaux jours ca veut dire l'arrivée des après-midi d'été à regarder Don Camillo avec mon père, j'ai hâte

2 upvotes on reddit

gportail · 5 months ago

Les tontons flingueurs

5 upvotes on reddit

See 12 replies

r/MovieSuggestions • [6]

Summarize

French movie/films recommendations ?

Posted by arbitraryarbitraire · in r/MovieSuggestions · 2 years ago

Hello everyone , I am looking for a list of French cinema to watch , I would,prefere if it’s not heavy on the romance and more comedy/ adventure focused . Also things that are avant-garde would be great . I’m not looking for a popular movie or a movie high rated , just any French movie you personally liked and think it’s worth a shot .. please no horror

8 upvotes on reddit

5 replies

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5 replies

Blazenkks · 2 years ago

Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001) aka Le Pacte des Loupes. Gothic/Action/Horror. Cool movie. I haven’t seen a whole lot of foreign films, subtitles tend to distract me from what’s going on on screen, or terrible English dubbing with bad voice actors just make good movies kind of unwatchable. This movie is NOT that at all. Good Voice actors for the English dub. Great story. Great atmosphere and costumes. Good story with some mystery. 10/10 in my book for Foreign films.

2 upvotes on reddit

[deleted] · 2 years ago

Breathless (1960)

The 400 Blows (1959)

Both avant-garde and part of the French New Wave film movement.

2 upvotes on reddit

MaboRamen · 2 years ago

La Femme Nikita (1991). Anne Parillaud.

Directed by Luc Besson.

2 upvotes on reddit

Movies_Music_Lover · 2 years ago

Deerskin (2019)

Mandibules (2020)

2 upvotes on reddit

[deleted] · 2 years ago

Les Visiteurs - Jean Reno being charmingly funny, reminiscent of Time Bandits

L'Enquête Corse slapstick Mel Brooks like

OSS 117 - a series of witty James Bond spoof adventure films a bit like Get Smart with really snappy writers and a great comic actor

Old school comedy: anything by Louis de Funes

Great suspense thriller: Sur Mes Levres

2 upvotes on reddit

See 5 replies

r/Letterboxd • [7]

Summarize

What’s your favourite French movies?

Posted by AfternoonCouncilor · in r/Letterboxd · 2 years ago

1 upvotes on reddit

8 replies

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8 replies

ArachnidTrick1524 · 2 years ago

I haven’t seen any of yours! My top 5 would be:

Children of Paradise (1945)

The Rules of the Game (1939)

Last Year at Marienbad (1961)

Three Colours: Blue (1993)

Léon Morin, Priest (1961)

33 upvotes on reddit

atomicwaffleFTW · 2 years ago

Dude, please watch fantastic planet and La haine. Two of my favorite movies of all time

1 upvotes on reddit

ArachnidTrick1524 · 2 years ago

I know! Both are on my watchlist : )

2 upvotes on reddit

sunnydelinquent · 2 years ago

Pretty much anything by Jacques Demy or Agnes Varda to be honest. Also love Truffaut.

8 upvotes on reddit

WeebbeMangaHunter · 2 years ago

Amelie

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

La Haine

Contempt

Breathless

Fantastic Planet

20 upvotes on reddit

JuulMaster420SexGuy · 2 years ago

Thanks for this. La Haine looks really good and from first glance, reminds me of Victoria which I believe you would really like if you haven’t seen it already. I’m gonna check it out soon

1 upvotes on reddit

Tony_Montana5 · 2 years ago

La Haine, Un Homme Qui Dort, Three Colors: Red, L’Argent, Le Samourai, and Cleo from 5 to 7

10 upvotes on reddit

JuanJeanJohn · 2 years ago

I can’t limit this to just four, so here’s my top ten (in no order):

Playtime
L’Atalante
Cleo from 5 to 7
Au Hasard Balthazar
The Green Ray
A Man Escaped
Three Colors: Red
Celine and Julie Go Boating
Contempt
Final one is something else by Eric Rohmer besides my fave The Green Ray but there are too many to choose from that I love to a similar degree (but twist my arm: Love in the Afternoon)

19 upvotes on reddit

See 8 replies

r/MovieSuggestions • [8]

Summarize

Suggest your favourite French Movies

Posted by Novel-Day-7486 · in r/MovieSuggestions · 6 months ago

Need some good french movies to watch on weekends plz recommend me some of your favourites to check out doesn't matter if it's new or old ...

21 upvotes on reddit

11 replies

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11 replies

Successful-Try-8506 · 6 months ago

Jean de Florette, and the sequel Manon des sources

Indochine

9 upvotes on reddit

Majestic_Cat2024 · 6 months ago

Amelie (2001) - such a fun movie

21 upvotes on reddit

West_Personality_528 · 6 months ago

And Delicatessen - by the same Directors; Jeunet & Caro

2 upvotes on reddit

Reed_Ikulas_PDX · 6 months ago

And "City of Lost Children"

1 upvotes on reddit

Kooky_Moment9276 · 6 months ago

Just came on here to say Amelie. Such a great movie.

4 upvotes on reddit

xxplodingboy · 6 months ago

La Haine (1995)

7 upvotes on reddit

punkduarsch · 6 months ago

Also wanted to say that!

2 upvotes on reddit

Loverboy_Talis · 6 months ago

…so far, so good.

2 upvotes on reddit

The_Fugue · 6 months ago

Le Samourai

7 upvotes on reddit

rayraidho · 6 months ago

The City of Lost Children

8 upvotes on reddit

CantaloupePopular216 · 6 months ago

Yes, City of Lost Children, and Delicatessen. Beautifully creepy.

1 upvotes on reddit

See 11 replies

r/MovieSuggestions • [9]

Summarize

Best French movies of all time?

Posted by BWV1049 · in r/MovieSuggestions · 1 year ago

Please recommend me some good French films. I like art movies, the deep and serious ones. But any good recommendations will be great.

I have seen Amelie Polain, Blue is the Warmest Colours, Portrait of a lady on fire and other high profile films.

22 upvotes on reddit

9 replies

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9 replies

salamanderJ · 1 year ago

La Belle et la Bête and Orphée by Jean Cocteau

Les Enfants du Paradis by Marcel Carné

La Grande Illusion and La règle du jeu by Jean Renoir

12 upvotes on reddit

jamieliddellthepoet · 1 year ago

Les Enfants du Paradis by Marcel Carné

Wonderful film.

1 upvotes on reddit

Fabulous_West866 · 1 year ago

Intouchables (2011) directed by Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache

17 upvotes on reddit

ChuckyVee · 1 year ago

The 400 Blows (Les quatre cents coups) by Francois Truffaut (1959)

9 upvotes on reddit

BWV1049 · OP · 1 year ago

I watched it and found it incredible!!

1 upvotes on reddit

trainsacrossthesea · 1 year ago

Jean De Florette / Manon De Source

15 upvotes on reddit

Competitive-Kick-481 · 1 year ago

The BEST

2 upvotes on reddit

kilabot26 · 1 year ago

I agree 💯

2 upvotes on reddit

PiCiBuBa · 1 year ago

Le Samouraï

10 upvotes on reddit

See 9 replies

r/FilmClubPH • [10]

Summarize

French films

Posted by OakyAfterBirth69 · in r/FilmClubPH · 3 months ago

I recently discovered na cinema started in France hingi lang sana ako ng suggestions na magandang French movie na panoorin for the first time. Thank you!

10 upvotes on reddit

7 replies

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7 replies

dontrescueme · 3 months ago

Irreversible (brutal) then Amelie as eyebleach.

3 upvotes on reddit

unreliablecaptain · 3 months ago

La Haine (1995). The 400 Blows (1959). Donkey Skin (1970). The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967).

5 upvotes on reddit

shirastia · 3 months ago

Try Three Colors trilogy, love me if you dare, Au revoir les enfants

5 upvotes on reddit

01hhd · 3 months ago

Amélie bro that's gonna be your peak trust me

8 upvotes on reddit

OakyAfterBirth69 · OP · 3 months ago

dami rin nag reco nito sa comments ito una kong pa-panoorin. Thank you!!

2 upvotes on reddit

pop_and_cultured · 3 months ago

This is my gateway French film too

Something a bit light: Je ne suis pas un homme facile (I am not an easy man) . A chauvinistic man wakes up in a parallel universe where gender roles are reversed—women hold power and men are second-class citizens. He experiences sexism and objectification, forcing him to confront his own biases.

3 upvotes on reddit

bugglemorn · 3 months ago

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person

5 upvotes on reddit

See 7 replies

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