The World Cinema Project is a special program of the Film Foundation which works to restore and preserve lost or overlooked works of cinema from across the globe. Founded by filmmaker Martin Scorsese at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, the World Cinema Project has restored over forty films to date, generally from parts of the world that may have inadequate resources to conserve their film history.

Films restored and revitalized with assistance from the World Cinema Project possess a spirit or quality which make them important to their originating culture or period of creation. Whether politically, socially, or artistically, each addition to the World Cinema Project confronts important themes and narratives that justify their preservation. This list will consider ten incredible, intelligent films from around the world that are part of the World Cinema Project.

1. Limite (1931)

One of the oldest films to be preserved by the World Cinema Project is the 1931 film Limite from Brazilian director Mário Peixoto. This silent work is known to be one of Brazil’s most celebrated experimental films and has amassed a cult following. Limite was restored in 2010 by the Cinemateca Brasileira and Cineteca di Bologna with support from the World Cinema Project. Limite works with a dramatic approach to focus on three contrasting characters in search of escaping from their former lives.

Limite follows a man and two women lost at sea in a small boat with feeble hopes of being rescued. The film works in flashbacks to portray the past lives of these three characters, all with different experiences but similar feelings of discontent.

In consideration of Limite’s 1931 release, the film is highly ambitious in its poetic, non-linear structure and two-hour runtime. As the film reaches its emotional crescendo, it becomes more-experimental in its dramatic imagery. During the mid-20th century, Limite was almost considered to be a lost film, but since being restored has garnered quite an admiration as one of the greatest works of early experimental filmmaking from Latin America. Fans of avant garde filmmaking should surely take the chance to see Limite.

2. Redes (1936)

Hailing from Mexico is the 1936 film Redes, co-directed by Emilio Gômez,Fred Zinnermann, and Paul Strand. Restored in 2009 by Cineteca di Bologna and the World Cinema Project, Redes is a striking early film that provides compelling criticisms of political corruption and worker rights.

Redes takes place in a small fishing village on the Gulf of Mexico. The village folk begin to experience exploitation in the fishing market at the mercy of the wealthy, leading the poor, unhappy workers to organize in rebellion against their oppressors.

Redes clearly addresses issues of wealth disparity and political corruption in Mexico. Redes was supported by the left-leaning Mexican government during the times of the film’s release, further emphasizing its unique existence at the cross-section of political art and society. The film’s bombastic score and symbolic imagery work well to support its lifelike portrayals of social inequality. An early work of cinema that concerns itself with huge issues that our world is still faced with today, Redes is a bold and poetic example of socially radical filmmaking.

3. Dry Summer (1964)

One of two Turkish films to be included in the World Cinema Project is director Metin Erksan’s Dry Summer, released in 1964. Dry Summer was restored in 2008 by the Cineteca di Bologna, The World Cinema Project, filmmaker Fatih Akim and Ulvi Dogan, who had a leading role in the film. Dry Summer is an impressive and intelligent work that concerns itself with nuanced motifs of passion, greed, and obsession.

Dry Summer takes place in a small rural Turkish town where two landowning brothers, Hasan and Osman, decide to dam off a natural spring on their land so as to keep the water from running to the local community. Coerced by older brother Osman who has greedy intentions of keeping the water for their own crops, the brothers alienate themselves from their neighbors who soon retaliate and cause conflict with Hasan and Osman that they never intended to have.

Veiled by symbolism alluding to water, a natural resource that should be available to all, Dry Summer is able to address astute commentary in regards to the possessiveness and obsession displayed through Osman’s greedy, uncompromising behaviors. As Dry Summer moves forward, Osman and his family must face the consequences of his selfish actions which offer no forgiveness. Upon release, Dry Summer became the first Turkish film to receive the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, later even having a small release in the United States before Turkish censorship left the film nearly impossible to find for many decades. Luckily since its 2008 restoration, Dry Summer is readily-available to locate and is an addition to the World Cinema Project begging to be seen.

4. Black Girl (1966)

One of the most famous films from the African continent is Black Girl, directed by the iconic Senegalese filmmaker Ousmane Sembène and released in 1966. Black Girl was restored in 2013 by Cineteca di Bologna and the Sembène Estate with funding from the World Cinema Project. One of the 1960’s most essential arthouse films, Black Girl confronts racism and discrimination in France and the lasting effects of colonialism.

Black Girl spotlights the life of Dioanna, a young woman who decides to leave her life behind in Senegal to work as a nanny for a wealthy family in Southern France. Dioanna realizes that her new life in France will not be as elegant as she had hoped, now understanding that the family has actually employed her to be a housekeeper. Soon, Dioanna faces a hopeless life of loneliness, discrimination, and ill treatment at the hands of her employers.

Black Girl is an insightful and stylish film that successfully captures the African experience in a post-colonial world. The film makes visual nods to European film movements including Italian Neorealism and the French New Wave while simultaneously presenting a film that is inherently African by keeping laser-focused on Dioanna’s experience. Dioanna’s involvement as “the other” in a foreign land speaks greatly to the time of the film’s release, when debates concerning immigration in France created much tension. One of cinema’s most well-known films to be included in the World Cinema Project, Sembène’s Black Girl is a prolific work that is a must-see.

5. Memories of Underdevelopment (1968)

Memories of Underdevelopment is a hidden gem of Cuban cinema from filmmaker Tomás Guitérrez Alea. Originally released in 1968, the film was restored in 2016 by Cineteca di Bologna in association with the Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos and the World Cinema Project. Adapted from a novel, Memories of Underdevelopment investigates the evolving zeitgeist of Cuba during the mid-twentieth century through the experiences of a writer living in Havana during the 1960s.

Sergio is a cultured, well-off writer who watches his family and friends around him flee from the newly-Communist Cuba. Through Sergio’s thoughts and memories, the audience learns of his personal problems and come to understand how he has become estranged from those around him. As with many others, Sergio has become disillusioned with what his life and his home country have become, feeling little hope for the future.

Memories of Underdevelopment works well in showing the realities of Cuban society through Sergio’s memories and experiences, even combining historical footage from the times into the film. Sergio’s character feels trapped by his circumstances, mirroring the true social attitudes in post- revolutionary Cuba. Memories of Underdevelopment is an essential Cuban film, an exceptional work to be supported by the World Cinema Project.

Many cinephiles most enjoy the work of auteur filmmakers, whose films are highly creative and uncompromised from their unique visions and perspectives. Mainly codified during the early years of the French New Wave, auteur filmmaking really has existed throughout the history of cinema across the globe.

Some of the greatest genre films have been directed by auteur filmmakers, who are more likely to fully embrace the themes and tropes of certain genres whole-heartedly outside of the constraints of studio or commercial filmmaking. Exercises in genre filmmaking can be attributed to many auteur directors who push the boundaries of cinema, even sometimes mixing genres to create a viewing experience that is completely original. Some of the films on this list do function in ways that merge disparate genres, but they will be focused on below in regards to a singular genre which they embody. Here are ten genre films worth watching from some of cinema’s greatest auteur filmmakers:

1. Old Joy (2006, Kelly Reichardt) – Road Film

Modern American auteur filmmaker Kelly Reichardt released Old Joy in 2006. An unmistakable road film, Old Joy is an early work by the director but clearly expresses her unique filmmaking that is thoughtful, beautiful, and understated. Old Joy was adapted from a short story of the same name, telling the simple narrative of two longtime friends who get together for a camping trip in the Pacific Northwest and realize their friendship is changing in the face of growing older and growing apart.

Old Joy first introduces Mark, who lives with his pregnant wife and dog in a quiet suburban neighborhood where they live a normal, peaceful life. Mark gets a call from Kurt, an old friend who still lives an unpredictable yet exciting life as a transient quasi-hippie, and the two men decide to go camping for the weekend at a natural hot spring in the mountains of Oregon. As the men meet up and commence their excursion, they begin to realize how different their lives are and how their friendship has developed and distanced in relation to their individual experiences and life choices.

The road film genre works splendidly in combination with Reichardt’s dazzling filmmaking which typically emphasizes natural surroundings as well as characters in physical or emotional transition. Old Joy is no exception, providing viewers with an introspective experience that allows for the film’s two protagonist’s perspectives to be seen and considered. The film’s gorgeous Oregonian settings and pensive soundtrack provided by the band Yo La Tengo only elevate the film’s meandering thoughtfulness as it unfolds over its short hour and thirteen minute runtime. Although one of Reichardt’s earliest road films, Old Joy is one that completely solidifies her status as a great auteur filmmaker.

2. My Best Fiend (1999, Werner Herzog) – Documentary Film

The iconic auteur filmmaker Werner Herzog’s documentary My Best Fiend was released in 1999. In this unique and highly-personal documentary, Herzog reflects on his turbulent longtime relationship with the infamous German actor Klaus Kinski, who starred in five of Herzog’s films in the 1970s and 1980s.

At the beginning of My Best Fiend, Herzog speaks of his longtime respect for Kinski as an artist, regardless of the actor’s reputation for being aggressive and erratic to work with. Herzog first casted Kinski in a starring role in 1972 in the film Aguirre, the Wrath of God. Herzog speaks in-depth of his intense film production, which was shot on-location in the Peruvian rainforests. Difficult filming conditions quickly affected Kinski’s ego, leading the entire film production to be influenced by Kinski’s unstable emotions and resistance to change, leading to countless conflicts between Kinski and everyone involved in Herzog’s production. After the success of Aguirre, the Wrath of God, Herzog went on to cast Kinski in four other films and experienced similar troubles in dealing with Kinski’s larger-than-life personality.

My Best Fiend is an endlessly interesting documentary that focuses on the relationship of two unique and important voices in German cinema. While many rumors of violence and aggression surround the relationship between Herzog and Kinski, Herzog uses the documentary to dive into the inspiration he received from Kinski, and the actor’s “unconditional professionalism” that sprouted from his passion for his craft. While Herzog is known for many of his documentaries, My Best Fiend feels much more intimate than many of his others and should not be overshadowed by the auteur filmmaker’s other works.

3. Eaten Alive (1976, Tobe Hooper) – Horror Film

The 1976 horror film Eaten Alive is directed by quintessential horror auteur Tobe Hooper. Eccentric and at times nonsensical, Eaten Alive focuses on the Starlight Hotel and its demented porter with a pet Nile crocodile deep in the swamplands of the American South.
Eaten Alive’s plot is far from seamless, centering around an unhinged hillbilly who owns the run-down Starlight Hotel in the most rural part of Texas. As the hotel porter meets many visitors who agitate him, he gruesomely kills most of them and feeds them to his pet crocodile who lives in the surrounding swamp, terrorizing many young women, families, and outsiders.

Although Eaten Alive is quite ridiculous and incoherent in its storyline, the director still creates a horror film with interesting themes and choices that are critical of America of the past. Stylistically, the film is bathed in an unnatural red light that does little to mimic the natural world but intriguingly creates a perverse hellscape that lasts the entirety of the film. The film’s deranged hotel proprietor serves as a symbol of masculine insecurity and the decay American ideals of the past, as do many of the film’s other male characters and their actions.

Eaten Alive also plays with the horror trope of the “final girl” in unexpected ways, in reference to great horror films of the 1970’s while also presenting fresh perspectives of the trope. While Eaten Alive is nowhere nearly as successful or iconic as Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre released two years before, Eaten Alive is still a gritty, wild, and imaginative take on the horror genre that should be reconsidered by fans of horror flicks.

4. The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967, Jacques Demy) – Musical Film

The Young Girls of Rochefort is a 1967 musical film directed by the French New Wave auteur Jacques Demy. Colorful, vibrant, and spirited The Young Girls of Rochefort is a seminal musical film that influenced many others released in later years. Made up of a cast featuring Gene Kelly, Jacques Perrin, and even a young Catherine Deneuve, The Young Girls of Rochefort centers around two sisters who yearn to leave their hometown to pursue lives of love and excitement in Paris.

Twin sisters Delphine and Solange live in Rochefort, France where they live humble lives teaching music and ballet lessons to young children. The sisters have a close relationship with their family, but are unfulfilled with their quiet lives and wish to move to Paris. When the “fête de la mer” or “party of the sea” festival comes into Rochefort one weekend, the two sisters begin to experience chance encounters that will change their lives for the better.

The Young Girls of Rochefort is a dashing and upbeat musical filled with mod influences that harken back to the heyday of the French New Wave. Brimming with catchy original songs and buoyantly choreographed dance numbers, this film maintains a light-heartedness throughout that can effectively touch many viewers. Masterfully tied together in style and form by Demy, The Young Girls of Rochefort is an incredibly hopeful musical film all about second chances, an electrifying musical that is sure to put smiles on many faces.

5. Widows (2018, Steve McQueen) – Heist Film

Widows is a 2018 heist film directed by the Academy Award winner Steve McQueen. Based on a 1980s British television show of the same name, Widows is an intense and suspenseful film adaptation packed with star-studded actors including Viola Davis, Cynthia Erivo, Liam Neeson, and Daniel Kaluuya just to name a few. Sleek, astute, and full of surprises, Widows is a modern-day heist film that demands to be seen.

The film takes place in Chicago, leading off with a high-stakes robbery gone wrong that leaves the film’s four central female characters as widows. Led by Viola Davis’ character Veronica, the widows learn of their husbands’ criminal activity that has left the women in debt two-million dollars to a prominent Chicago crime boss. As the widows get to know one another, they must all contribute their individual viewpoints and intelligence to pull off a robbery of their own in order to protect themselves and correct their late-husbands’ mistakes.

Widows is a unique heist film in the sense that it delivers an entertaining and commercial film while also providing amazing performances and astute social commentary. The film’s central female characters seem to be the most unlikely group to pull off a high stakes robbery, but their strength and intelligence shines through to declare them as bonafide masterminds capable of outwitting the criminals plotting against them.

These strong female characters in combination with the film’s nuanced assessments of capitalism and its deep-rooted ties to political crime and even racism make for a heist film unlike others released over the past few years. With Widows, director Steve McQueen shows that he is an auteur filmmaker capable of working on larger scales while still maintaining his compelling perspectives of the modern world.

Since the birth of cinema the horror genre has been largely explored through its methods of evoking fear and suspense for entertainment purposes. Some of cinema’s most iconic moments have been born from the scenes, characters, music, and settings of horror films from disparate times throughout cinema’s history.

The massive continent of Asia has been highly influential to the progression of the horror genre since the globalization of filmmaking following World War II, experiencing a major resurgence of popularity during the late-90’s and early-00’s with iconic films such as Ringu and Ju-on: The Grudge. With Asia being represented by a myriad of diverse cultures and populations, the Asian horror genre has expanded to embody a multitude of intriguing themes and perspectives that have been adapted into countless films. This list will focus on ten great Asian horror films you may have never seen that are definitely worth adding to your watchlist.

1. Jigoku (1960)

The oldest film featured on this list is the Japanese film Jigoku, also known as The Sinners of Hell, directed by Nobuo Nakagawa and released in 1960. Since its release, Jigoku has become a cult classic known for its violent and avant garde depictions of the afterlife.

Jigoku follows Shirō, a young man from Tokyo who is preparing to wed his beautiful fiancé and start his adult life. One night Jigoku catches a ride home from school with a mischievous friend called Tamura, who accidentally runs over a drunk man walking down a dark street. Shirō urges Tamura to stop so they can check on the man they just hit, but they keep driving. As Jigoku begins to unfold, Shirō’s existence transforms into a hellscape and he quickly learns that no sin is committed without consequence and karma always catches up to wrongdoers.

With its macabre and outrageous depictions of sin and the afterlife, Jigoku is a one-of-a-kind horror film, especially in consideration of the film’s original release sixty years ago. Mixing such extreme elements of violence, horror, and even concepts of the Buddhist afterlife, Jigoku leaves behind an incredible legacy as an early horror film that is avant garde and provocative. Hardcore fans of the horror genre should surely add Jigoku to their watch lists right away!

2. Kwaidan (1965)

The Japanese anthology horror film Kwaidan, directed by Masaki Kobayashi, was released in 1965. Bizarre and beautiful, Kwaidan is split into four parts which are based on Japanese folktales.

With “Kwaidan” translating to “ghost story”, each of the four parts of the film tells an unconnected ghost story. Although the stories are not explicitly scary, they do involve mysterious entities and concepts that link to the existential horrors of the real world, making Kwaidan a horror film that is oddly in tune with everyday experiences.

From the first frame of Kwaidan, the audience is treated to a visual experience that is surreal and exquisite, using a variety of vibrant colors that are not always associated with horror films. Kwaidan received much critical praise upon its release in 1965, winning a prize at Cannes Film Festival and garnering an Oscar nomination. Ultimately, Kwaidan may not be a terrifying viewing experience, but this stunning and thoughtful horror should be viewed by fans of the Asian horror genre.

3. Whispering Corridors (1998)

Whispering Corridors is a 1998 Korean supernatural horror film directed by Park Ki-hyung. Wildly successful upon release in South Korea with four sequels, Whispering Corridors concerns itself with an all-girls high school where a teacher is found violently murdered.

Hur Eun-young is a new teacher at the high school she attended as a young girl. One evening, she receives a distressing call from an older teacher named Mrs. Park, who is found hanging from a noose at school the next morning. The three girls who found their dead teacher are very different and experience the trauma in contrasting ways. Soon, other acts of mysterious violence begin to occur in the school, and Hur Eun-young and her three students search the past and present for answers to the supernatural incidents.

Whispering Corridors presents itself as a gory, campy mystery with tremendous entertainment value. The blood-gushing sequences of over-the-top violence in contrast to the film’s strict all-girls academy setting works amazingly well, creating a horror film unlike many that came before or after Whispering Corridors. Upon release in South Korea the film served as a satirical criticism of the country’s rigid education structures, proving that this extraordinary horror film existed outside of the realm of entertainment. Whispering Corridors is a positively iconic Asian horror film that many audiences would be delighted with.

4. Dumplings (2004)

Dumplings is a 2004 Hong Kong horror film directed by Fruit Chan. Difficult to forget after viewing, Dumplings is a truly strange and singular film focusing on a middle aged woman who goes to extreme lengths to combat the inevitable process of growing old.

Mrs. Li is an aging actress who grows concerned when she learns her husband is having an affair with a much younger woman. Looking to boost her beauty, Mrs. Li seeks assistance from a woman called Aunt Mei, a former-doctor at an abortion clinic in Mainland China who now sustains a dumpling-making business out of her home. Shortly after beginning to eat Aunt Mei’s mysterious rejuvenation dumplings, Mrs. Lei learns that they are actually filled with human fetuses and the film unfolds into a wild and disturbing horror unlike any other.

Dumplings is doubtlessly a graphic film that could be considered too disturbing for many viewers, even for many connoisseurs of the horror genre. Despite the provocativeness of the film’s central idea, Dumplings can be seen as a satirical criticism of traditional male-female roles in society. As an aging woman, Mrs. Li is forced by societal pressures to seek out such extreme methods to combat growing older, fighting the same beauty standards that many women face. The extreme depictions of violence in the film are interestingly balanced by an even-paced story and lush cinematography, making Dumplings a disturbing but stimulating Asian horror film worth seeing.

5. Shutter (2004)

Shutter is a 2004 film from Thai director Banjong Pisanthankun. Filled with appeasing devices of the horror genre including shocking plot twists and startling jump cuts, Shutter proved to be a very successful horror flick in Thailand, with remakes created in many other countries. Shutter revolves around a photographer and his girlfriend whose lives are upended by a mysterious supernatural entity after strange shadows begin to appear in the man’s photos.

In Bangkok, a photographer named Tun is leaving a party one night with his girlfriend Jane when they run over a girl in the middle of the road. Instead of stopping to check on the girl they hit Tun insists on fleeing the scene, which Jane finds highly perturbing. Soon after, unexplainable shadows begin to appear in Tun’s developed film and Jane wonders if it could be the spirit of the girl they hit. Jane becomes fixated with figuring out the identity of the girl and acts of violence begin to occur all around the couple. As Jane learns more about the girl, she also unexpectedly learns about Tun’s dark past.

Shutter is a supernatural film packed with entertaining twists and turns to keep viewers invested and left satisfied. While the film may falter in moments due to editing choices that cloud the storyline, the film delivers many great moments of suspense. The film surpasses pure entertainment with its interesting portrayals of men and women, leaving the film with an unexpected hero in the end. Although Shutter may not be as artistically interesting as other films included on this list, this conventional horror film could be greatly enjoyed by many Asian horror enthusiasts.

The Western genre has been a popular exploration of filmmaking since the birth of cinema. The sprawling landscapes and epic tales of the genre lend themselves to great interpretation, as seen through the multitude of sub genres that have stemmed from the Western in the past fifty-plus years.

Now available to stream on Amazon Prime are many interesting Western films from across the globe, films old and new that provide fresh and distinctive perspectives on the Western genre. Whether they be undiscovered films or older works buried in the history of cinema, here is a list of great Western films you may have never seen that are readily available to stream on Amazon Prime:

1. One-Eyed Jacks (Marlon Brando, 1961)

One-Eyed Jacks is an American Western released in 1961 directed by none other than Marlon Brando. In many ways indicative of the traditional Western, One-Eyed Jacks in an epic story of romance and revenge.

The film begins in 1880 Mexico with Brando starring as gunslinger Rio “The Kid” and his mentor Doc, played by Karl Maiden, fleeing for the American border with stolen gold in their saddlebags. On the run from mounted police, the duo find themselves trapped on a cliff with one horse between them. Doc promises to find help, but when he does not return Rio is captured by the police and sent to a brutal mining prison. Upon escaping five years later, Rio learns that Doc has left his gun slinging days behind him and is working as a sheriff in California. One-Eyed Jacks unfolds as Rio heads to California to seek revenge on his old partner in crime.

Well-known as Brando’s only pursuit into directing, One-Eyed Jacks has become a celebrated Western in recent years. The film’s expansive narrative works well in conformity with thematic traditions of the Hollywood Western – delivering considerable drama, violence, and romance to make for a grandeur cinematic experience. Any Western fan with an Amazon Prime account should definitely check out this time-honored film.

2. Sabata (Frank Kramer, 1969)

Italian filmmaker Gianfranco Parolini, working under the moniker Frank Kramer, released his Spaghetti Western Sabata in 1969. An iconic score, expansive landscapes, and a suave lone rider work in tandem to make Sabata a quintessential Spaghetti Western.

A quiet,mysterious cowboy called Sabata shows up in a small Texas town, preventing a huge bank robbery from happening shortly after arriving. When Sabata learns that the robbery was planned by seedy town leaders, he attempts to blackmail them and much conflict and confrontation ensues for Sabata.

As with many Spaghetti Westerns, Sabata presents a straightforward plot that is more about the action and less about a narrative arc. The film’s rich style feels very European and influenced by the contemporary times, adding an almost campy element to Sabata that is perfectly exhibited through one recurring character’s banjo/rifle hybrid. Sabata also hones in on each of its characters’ fixations with wealth and greed, emphasizing the capitalistic motivations behind the settlement of the American West. An awesome classic Spaghetti Western that many could find entertaining, Sabata is a hidden gem on Amazon Prime.

3. Little Big Man (Arthur Penn, 1970)

Little Big Man was directed by Arthur Penn and released in 1970. Adapted from a novel of the same name and starring the likes of Dustin Hoffman, Chief Dan George and Faye Dunaway, Little Big Man re-examines America’s beginnings in the West and many of the religious, social, and political implications that colonization brought upon the region.

Little Big Man begins in the present time of 1970 with the 121 year old Jack Crabbe, Dustin Hoffman’s character, being interviewed by a historian who is interested in Jack’s experiences of the Old West. Jack tells his life story, which he breaks into sections that align with essential elements from the myth of the American West – his time living among the Cheyenne Native Americans, his time as a Christian, a gunslinger, even his time as a scout for General Custer. Jack, also known by his Cheyenne-given name Little Big Man, finds himself caught between white and native cultures and as the film progresses, questioning the morality and spirituality in this evolving world of the American West in the face of colonization and capitalism.

Satirical, melancholy, violent, and metaphysical, Penn’s Little Big Man is an epic Western that successfully sheds light on many realities of the American Frontier. Another ‘70’s film on this list to prescribe to notions of New Hollywood filmmaking, Little Big Man works to confront America’s past and highlight its connections to the anti-establishment sentiments that were relevant upon the film’s original release.

Unlike many earlier Hollywood films, Little Big Man works to greatly humanize Native Americans and give depth to the Cheyenne and Pawnee cultures portrayed. Actor and real life First Nations leader Chief Dan George was even nominated for an Academy Award for his supporting role as the Cheyenne tribe leader Old Lodge Skins, still today one of the only indigenous people to be nominated for the award. An ambitious and epic Western perfectly indicative of 1970’s counterculture, Little Big Man is a revisionist western classic that should be added to many Amazon Prime watch lists.

4. Bad Company (Robert Benton,1972)

Bad Company is a 1972 Western directed by Robert Benton, the American filmmaker well-known for writing and directing Kramer vs. Kramer. Starring Jeff Bridges and Barry Brown, Bad Company is the story of young men escaping the draft of the American Civil War to seek prosperity in the budding American West.

Drew Dixon is a young Christian fellow who dodges the Confederate draft with one-hundred dollars in his shoe and a plan of escaping the war by heading out west. At the start of his journey, Drew is conned and robbed by an unruly young man named Jake, Jeff Bridges’ character. Upon confronting the thief, Drew is convinced to join Jake and his rowdy posse of young companions who are also heading west. Believing that they will find wealth and adventure in their travels, the group of immature young men become disillusioned with the grand ideas of the American West as Bad Company moves forward.

A Western that aligns with the New Hollywood movement, Bad Company combines elements of epic, big-budget filmmaking with thematic fundamentals that incite deeper thinking. Released during the later years of the Vietnam War, Bad Company reflects the anti-war sentiments of the times through its representation of this gang of young men escaping a war with questionable motives.

As with many Westerns, Bad Company depicts the physical journey of Drew and Jake through the ever-changing landscapes of the West as well as their mental and moral journeys, making this a film of great highs and lows that leads the viewer down an absorbing path of emotions. An amazing model of 1970’s filmmaking in America, Bad Company is a revisionist film not to be missed by any Western fan with an Amazon Prime account.

5. There’s A Noose Waiting for you… Trinity! (Alfonso Balcázar, 1972)

There’s a Noose Waiting for you… Trinity! Is a 1972 Spaghetti Western film directed by Spanish filmmaker Alfonso Balcázar. Co-starring the infamous German actor Klaus Kinski, There’s a Noose Waiting for you… Trinity! is a flawed but entertaining film with many elements worth appreciating.

In a typical sort of Spaghetti Western narrative fashion, a former-gunslinger named Trinity leaves his family behind to avenge his murdered brother. A successful bounty hunter, Kinski’s character, is hired to track Trinity down and bring him in to be hanged for the crimes of his past criminal life.

There’s a Noose Waiting for you… Trinity! does little to reinvent the Spaghetti Western wheel – employing a sparse script and relying on Western stereotypes of crooked cops and helpless women to push through yet another story of vengeance and redemption. Regardless of the film’s shortcomings it does have an amazing score composed by the brilliant Ennio Morricone and overall it provides a pleasant level of over-the-top entertainment value. So although it is not the perfect film, There’s a Noose Waiting for you… Trinity! should be added to the watch lists of any Spaghetti Western devotee who has an Amazon Prime subscription.

The myth of the American West is one that has been constantly reexamined since the birth of cinema. The vast landscapes and sweeping tales of the West fluidly lend themselves to reinterpretations of the past through filmmaking.

While many classic Western films by the likes of Leone the Coen Brothers are currently available on Netflix, many contemporary Westerns or Western-influenced films are also conveniently accessible to stream as well. Westerns from less-known directors from across the world are waiting to be streamed, many excellent films that examine the Western genre from fresh perspectives. Here are ten Westerns or Western-influenced films from the past decade that are available right now on Netflix:

1. Slow West (2015)

John Maclean’s 2015 Western Revisionist film Slow West won the World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic upon its release at Sundance Film Festival, making it one of the most critically acclaimed films included on this list. A visually stunning film, Slow West interestingly presents foreign perspectives of the myth of the American West.

A prosperous Scotsman called Jay Cavendish leaves his homeland for the American West in search of a woman he loves named Rose, who was forced to flee from Scotland after her father accidentally kills Jay’s uncle. Young and naive, Jay hires a bounty hunter named Silas to lead him to his destination and provide protection in the lawless lands of the West.

Many compellingly unique attributes work together to make Slow West an amazing film. Each character introduced to the plot has an interesting and diverse cultural history, roles even performed by well-known talents including Michael Fassbender and Ben Mendelsohn, creating a roster of characters from all walks of life attempting to map out their own prosperity in the vast and unknown West.

Slow West was also filmed in New Zealand, a place with diverse natural topography and climates which in ways mirrors the diversity of the American West. But choosing to film in New Zealand almost creates a novel unfamiliarity with the film’s depiction of the West, making the imagery of the film seem as unknown to the viewer as it is to the film’s characters. Slow West is fascinating to watch – there are moments of humor, companionship, tranquility, violence, sadness, and many other emotions and feelings which ground the film in a sense of important realism. Slow West is a Contemporary Western available on Netflix that is a must-see.

2. Sad Hill Unearthed (2017)

Although it is a contemporary documentary feature, Sad Hill Unearthed concerns itself with important elements of one of the Western genre’s most iconic films. Directed by Guillermo de Oliviera and released in 2017, Sad Hill Unearthed documents the real-life restoration of the Sad Hill Cemetery set where the iconic climax was shot for Sergio Leone’s The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly roughly fifty years before.

Sad Hill Unearthed largely focuses on documenting this restoration which began as as a passion project by four local Spanish men who were lifelong fans of The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly that quickly grew and flourished with the support from other cinephiles and Leone fans from other parts of the world. Just as with any Western film, Sad Hill Unearthed places huge importance in physical location and the dynamic qualities that a landscape can portray through filmmaking. The documentary also goes into the fascinating production details of how Sad Hill Cemetery was originally built during the late-60’s and how even the Francoist Spanish Army was utilized in constructing the iconic set.

Sad Hill Unearthed meanders too far from its interesting original content at times, mainly in the form of the irrelevant inclusion of interviews from a Metallica frontman who was apparently a huge fan of The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly. However, the passions and connections portrayed in this documentary that can be appreciated by film buffs or lovers of the Western film genre everywhere. For anyone making their way through the Western picks on Netflix, Sad Hill Unearthed is a documentary worth seeing.

3. Hostiles (2017)

A recent addition to Netflix was Scott Cooper’s 2017 Revisionist Western film Hostiles. Expansive, bleak, brutal – Hostiles is a Western that surely lives up to its name. An impressive cast including Christian Bale, Wes Studi, Rosamund Pike, and Timothée Chalamet make up central characters in this modern Western that works in many ways to portray the violent truth behind the history of the American West that often goes ignored in older Western films.

Hostiles begins with an extremely vicious act of violence that sets the framework for the film to come. Set during the late years of the 19th century, Christian Bale leads the film as distinguished U.S military captain Captain Joseph Blocker who has been given the final task before retirement of escorting the imprisoned Cheyenne chief Yellow Hawk, portrayed by Wes Studi, and his family back to their tribal lands in Montana. Blocker initially resists his final assignment as it is clear that he has been involved in unspeakable acts of cruelty and violence with the Native Americans. As Blocker undertakes this journey from New Mexico to Montana with a rather uncommon group of people, he finds himself facing the moral questions of humanity and fellowship along with the cruel actions of his past.

So crucial to the western genre, Hostiles does an amazing job of capturing the savage beauty and unpredictability of the unsettled West through its imagery. The ever-changing landscapes captured in the film assist in understanding the main characters as their perceptions of the world shift and change as the film moves forward.

At moments Hostiles can be criticized for its blurred narrative – too many plot points make it difficult to decipher between what is truly important to the story. But overall Hostiles effectively works towards correcting many myths of the American West and the injustices that occurred, interesting examples including the film’s portrayals of Native American culture and language of both the Cheyenne and Comanche nations. A darker and more accurate depiction of the American West, Hostiles is a Contemporary Western on Netflix that is worth watching for any fans of the genre.

4. Bad Day For The Cut (2017)

The 2017 Irish film Bad Day for the Cut may seem like an unlikely Western, but it could be argued that this film combines elements of the crime thriller and Western genres to create a truly incomparable revenge film. Directed by Chris Baugh, Bad Day for the Cut highlights many influences from the Western genre.

Bad Day for the Cut has a clear-cut plot in which a middle-aged Irish farmer is set on a winding road of revenge when his mother is murdered in their home. Donel, the film’s protagonist, learns much about his family’s past as he searches for answers to explain his mother’s death.
Bad Day for the Cut begins on the farm where Donel lives, visually referencing a natural setting that is commonly used in Western films.

Whenever diegetic music is utilized in the film, it is always country music, again inciting associations to the Western genre and taking viewers far away from the film’s Irish setting. One of the most persuasive arguments to be made for considering Bad Day for the Cut to be a contemporary Western is the film’s robust usage of criminality and violence, with an early scene even portraying a modern-day hanging, a punishment classically used in the Old West. The extreme violence in this film may not be suitable for all Netflix subscribers, but Bad Day for the Cut is a film that will definitely be approved by lovers of a great revenge flick.

5. Fishtail (2014)

Another documentary to make this list, Fishtail depicts the classic and forgotten way of living in the American West at Fishtail Basin Ranch in Montana. Directed by Andrew Renzi and released in 2014, Fishtail was filmed over just three days during the birthing season on the two-thousand acre cattle ranch.

Fishtail is a uniquely shot and edited documentary, choosing to operate without relying on formal interview footage and utilizing camerawork full of movement and life which is compellingly reflective of the film’s natural surroundings. Shot on 16mm film, the cinematography of the documentary harkens back a bit to Classic Western films through its imagery, even using an old-fashioned font in inter-titles which further gives a vintage feeling.

Fishtail is a rare documentary that successfully platforms a lost way of life in the American West while also showing the immense beauty and simplicity that life can possess. Clocking in at approximately an hour in length, Fishtail is a quick watch for any Netflix viewer interested in the Western genre.

While the Academy Awards have always been favorable towards English language films, it has also honored some of cinema’s most iconic international films since the Academy first created a separate category for foreign language films in 1956. Filmmakers including the likes of Almodovar, De Sica, and Kurasowa have all received the Academy Award for Best International Film during their careers.

Since the 21st century began, films from all around the globe have been honored with the Oscar for Best International Film. Many of these films have gained much notoriety following their Oscar wins, garnering critical and commercial success that they may not have received had they not been Oscar winners. Here is a list of Best International Film winners of the 21st century, ranking from worst to best.

20. Departures (2008)

The winner of Best International Film at the eighty-first Academy awards was the Japanese film Departures, directed by Yōjirō Takita. After failing to find a career as a successful cellist, a young man returns to his hometown where he is able to find a job working for a traditional Japanese mortician. Coming from Japan where there are culturally-specific connotations surrounding death, Departures explores its protagonist’s journey as he connects with his new career. Often stepping over the line of too conventional and too sentimental, Departures was a bit of an off-beat winner of the Academy Award for Best International Film.

19. In a Better World (2010)

Another female filmmaker who has won the Oscar for Best International Film during the 21st century is Susanne Bier, whose film In a Better World won the award for Denmark in 2010. The film is an intense modern day thriller that cuts between a doctor working in a Sudanese refugee camp and his adolescent son’s life back in Denmark as the two navigate their own senses of justice and righteousness. The ideas and themes presented in this film are provocative, leaning towards decisions and developments that are too disturbing, leaving this film at the bottom of the list.

18. The Barbarian Invasions (2003)

The Barbarian Invasions won the Academy Award for Best International Film in 2003, where it was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay. Directed by Denys Arcand, this was Canada’s first winner for Best International Film. A sequel to an earlier Arcand film, The Barbarian Invasions focuses on middle-aged Sébastien who returns home to Montreal after learning that his father is dying from cancer. A film that taps into post-millennial changes in the world and aging characters in contemplation of life, The Barbarian Invasions is a bit of a misanthropic film that could be loved or hated by viewers.

17. Tsotsi (2005)

The only film on this list from the African continent, Tsotsi directed by Gavin Hood won the Best International Film Oscar in 2005. Taking place in a South African slum, the film’s protagonist Tsotsi is a young criminal who is led on a journey of righteousness after being left with a baby to care for following a crime gone wrong. Platforming many African languages and presenting perspectives typically uncommon in western cultures, Tsotsi is deserving of its Best International Film win.

16. The Sea Inside (2004)

Alejandro Amenåbar’s The Sea Inside won the Oscar for Best International Film for Spain at the 2004 ceremony. The Sea Inside is based on the true story of Ramón Sampedro, a quadriplegic who fought European legal systems for nearly three decades for the right to an assisted suicide. Starring Javier Bardem in a role far away from his typical suave appearance, The Sea Inside is a sorrowful story that manages to evoke the sense of lightheartedness or comedy that is ever present in real life. A heavy topic that is carried by strong performances make The Sea Inside a befitting winner of Best International Film.

15. Nowhere in Africa (2002)

The first German recipient of the Oscar for Best International film in the past twenty years is 2002’s winner Nowhere in Africa. Female Filmmaker Caroline Link directed the film, based on a memoir by a German-Jewish woman whose family moved to Kenya before World War II to escape persecution. A graceful and romantic movie, Nowhere in Africa works to capture the experience of its central family as they grapple with geographical and emotional transitions.

14. The Secret in Their Eyes (2009)

An Argentinian film won the Oscar for Best International Film in 2009 with Juan José Campanella’s The Secret in Their Eyes. Based on a novel (whose author co-wrote the film’s script) about the investigation of a brutal murder during the 1970’s, the film also addresses the instability within Argentina during the times. The Secret in Their Eyes is surprising and entrancing, with a mysterious story unlike any other winner on this list.

13. The Counterfeiters (2007)

Austrian film The Counterfeiters directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky won Best International Film at the 80th Academy Awards ceremony. Another winner on this list that deals with themes of the Holocaust, The Counterfeiters is based on the real experiences of a Jewish counterfeiter who survived the Holocaust by forging Nazi documents and currencies. This film finds itself in the thirteenth position on this list because of its conventional story arc, cinematography, and use of flashback that has been seen in other Holocaust films.

12. The Great Beauty (2013)

The Great Beauty won the Oscar for Best International Film in 2013. Directed by Italian filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino, The Great Beauty harkens back to classic Italian films such as 8 ½ in the way the film centers on an aging man facing the moral dilemmas of life. Profound connections to the modern human experience and amazing cinematography elevate The Great Beauty to a must-see Oscar winner.

11. A Fantastic Woman (2017)

Chile received its first win in the Best International Film category at the Oscars in 2017 with A Fantastic Woman. Directed by Sebastián Lelio, the film focuses on a transgender woman in Santiago as she faces the aftermath of her boyfriend’s sudden death. Starring a real transgender actress and confronting issues faced by the transgender community in Chile and worldwide, A Fantastic Woman has become a far-reaching LGBTQ film. A Fantastic Woman serves as an important film of representation in the history of the Academy Awards.

American filmmaker Noah Baumbach has been widely celebrated since his first film was released in the mid 1990’s. The majority of Baumbach’s films take place in or around New York City and the iconic settings are explored by the Brooklyn-born director in a terrific manner, almost harkening back to the iconic city’s rich filmic history. Baumbach’s sensibility possesses a deadpan humor that is unique to his style of filmmaking. Arguably Baumbach’s most distinguishing talent as a contemporary director comes through his storytelling, he is able to explore the universal questions of existence faced by all such as growing older and the maintenance of important relationships.

While it could be argued that the characters of Noah Baumbach’s films are too restricted to the upper-middle class and do little to represent society outside of creative spirits and well-off New Yorkers, the stories told in his films undeniably tap into experiences and crises that are faced by everyone in crossroads of their lives. This pragmatic sincerity is what makes the director stand out as one of the most relevant filmmakers of today’s world. Here is a list that considers ten of Baumbach’s films over the past twenty-five years, ranking from worst to best:

10. Margot at the Wedding

Arguably Baumbach’s most difficult and criticized film came in 2007 with Margot at the Wedding. As with many of Baumbach’s films, this one concerns itself with a dysfunctional family going through phases of change, specifically focused on a successful writer named Margot as she travels from Manhattan to Long Island to attend her sister’s wedding. While Margot at the Wedding possesses many solid elements of Baumbach’s filmmaking style, the story and characters ultimately ward off viewers from relating to the film’s overall direction.

The film’s eponymous character is well-acted by Nicole Kidman, but she experiences very little character development for the audience to connect to. Margot is selfish, critical and at times manic. While the audience does learn a bit about Margot’s difficult childhood and traumatic past, many of her self-centered actions seem still difficult to understand, especially when she is taking for granted the care and compassion she receives from her son and estranged husband.

As the film continues, Margot’s sister’s wedding grows closer and the relationships between family members begin to collapse in a frenzied fashion that would be interesting to watch, if only the film’s characters were more lovable or even more detestable. Overall, Margot at the Wedding is not a terrible film but it misses too many opportunities to resonate with viewers, making it a rather lifeless film to sit through in comparison to Baumbach’s other work.

9. Kicking and Screaming

Baumbach released his first feature film Kicking and Screaming in 1995. A story based on four young men left in an existential standstill after graduating from college, Kicking and Screaming shows Baumbach’s fascination with people in stages of life transition from the very beginning of his successful career.

The basis for Kicking and Screaming is quite simple – after graduating four friends refuse to leave behind their rambunctious college days and start their lives as autonomous adults. Young adults in crisis are a theme that Baumbach will come to deeply explore in his career, luckily so because this first film presents as an amusing but disjointed portrayal of youth in development. The ensemble cast of Kicking and Screaming is rendered in an uneven manner, focusing predominantly on certain characters and leaving others to be an afterthought. Superfluous storylines are present in the film that lack purpose, detracting from an otherwise charming and relatable plot.

Baumbach was just twenty-five when he released Kicking and Screaming. Although the film is weak in comparison to the director’s other work, it is still a decent film in the bigger picture that shows much of the Baumbach’s talent that will come to blossom.

8. While We’re Young

In 2014 Baumbach released While We’re Young, another star-studded film with a cast including Naomi Watts, Adam Driver, Ben Stiller, and Amanda Seyfried. The film largely concerns itself with the trials of growing older and finding success, in alignment with the director’s recurring existential themes. While the film is rich with humor and great performances as with Baumbach’s other work, in ways it falls into stereotypes and assumptions of youth that can feel outdated.

Josh and Cornelia (Stiller and Watts) are a middle-aged New York couple experiencing rough times in their relationship. Both working in different aspects of the film industry, Josh is still chasing success while Cornelia is more assured with her position. The couple’s lives are shaken up when they meet a young couple (Driver and Seyfried) who freshen up the older couple’s outlook. The film continues on and Josh and Cornelia soon learn the consequences of idolizing youth.

While We’re Young takes on conventional themes of a couple enduring a midlife crisis with Baumbach’s specific vision, but the director’s treatment of the young couple seems unlike him. The film’s youth are portrayed as the stereotypical Brooklyn-hipsters, which is a bit too shallow and conventional when considering the complexity of other Baumbach characters. While they need to be built up in a certain idealistic manner to serve the plot, the representation of New York youths seems out of tune with Baumbach’s usual precision.

There is no film directed by Noah Baumbach that should not be seen, but While We’re Young is definitely one that could be put on the back burner before viewing many of the director’s other films.

7. Greenberg

Baumbach swaps his typical New York setting for Los Angeles to create a more expansive and isolated film with Greenberg in 2010. Starring Ben Stiller and Greta Gerwig, Baumbach examines two people who strangely come together in the face of very different transitions in their respective lives.

Stiller’s character is Roger Greenberg, a middle-aged man who leaves New York City to stay with his wealthy brother in L.A after suffering from a nervous breakdown. Initially very dislikable, Roger is perceived to be aggressive and codependent in his social interactions.Soon Roger meets his brother’s assistant Florence, played by Gerwig, a twenty-something in the crossroads of adulthood who has recently suffered a breakup. The two begin an awkward, flaky romance and learn much about themselves from the experience.

In divergence from his expected performances, Stiller plays the lead in Greenberg with a special melancholy and detachment that thoroughly services the history of his character. Roger can be easy to hate because of his harsh words and actions, but his broken spirit makes it much easier to sympathize with his perspective. Los Angeles does much service to Roger’s isolation, a New Yorker in a city where a car is practically a necessity, he is constantly walking and asking for rides.

While Greenberg can be taken as one of Baumbach’s most melancholic films, it still finds strength through its interesting storytelling and strong performances. With the exception of being slightly lengthy in its runtime, it is a solid film made by Baumbach during the upswing of his career.

6. Mistress America

Another writing collaboration between Baumbach and Gerwig, Mistress America was released in 2015. A bit of a departure from Baumbach’s typical formula of families or couples, Mistress America centers its story around two young women. Arguably one of Baumbach’s funniest films, Mistress of America maintains a hilarious non-stop pacing that is a breath of fresh air from the director.

Barnard freshman Tracy is having difficulty adjusting to life in New York City, so she reaches out to her future step-sister Brooke. The women meet for an impromptu dinner and Tracy instantly falls in love with Brooke’s lifestyle. Brooke is a bit older – a self-proclaimed autocrat who lives in Time Square, knows everyone, and finds success wherever she seeks it. Tracy continues to trail Brooke’s life in a little-sister fashion, soon learning that Brooke does not have the hold on life that others may believe.

In typical Baumbach fashion, Mistress America contemplates existential worries of success, envy, and isolation in a nuanced manner that only the director is capable of doing. As the film progresses, the story becomes slightly ludicrous as Tracy and Brooke try to figure things out, but ludicrous in an entertaining way that aligns with the unpredictability of the characters. With an undeniably slap-stick climax, Mistress America is an awkwardly playful and funny film that should be seen by all Baumbach fans.

Although cinema is a very contemporary art form in the grand scheme of history, it would still be impossible to see every movie ever made in the past century alone. Many great and bizarre films have been released since the birth of cinema, presenting and expanding upon countless subjects and characters throughout global history, at times presenting offbeat and unique creations to the world. This list highlights 10 diverse and bizarre films from many decades of the history of cinema.

1. Beauty and the Beast (1946,Jean Cocteau)

One of the first adaptations of the classic fairytale, the 1946 film version of Beauty and the Beast has been long celebrated in the culture of French cinema. With the iconic tale known by the masses, Cocteau embeds his version with romance, charm, and a uniquely bizarre style that makes for a classic tale worth revisiting.

Beauty and the Beast relies on little dialogue, instead speaking through the film’s grandiose settings and colossal emotions. Elements of the surreal are also found throughout the film from the beast’s makeup to the stilted abstract set pieces. These surreal touches fuel the lush visual language of the film. Cocteau is an important filmmaker in the history of France’s cinema, and this early dream-like adaptation of a film we have seen in many other forms stands out as a quintessential French film to see.

2. Woman in the Dunes (1964, Hiroshi Teshigahara)

Woman in the Dunes is an avant-garde film of the 1960’s that should always be remembered. Popular upon its release, the film was even nominated for two Academy Awards. When Japanese bug collector Niki Junpei misses the last bus out of a desolate town, he is taken in by a widow who lives alone in the bottom of a quarry, only accessible by a rope ladder. When Junpei finds that the ladder has been taken away and he is trapped, he learns that he is the victim of a scheme to keep him there as a worker in place of the widow’s husband, and the film turns into a strange analysis of the conditioned human psyche.

Shot in black and white, the film shows a barren landscape that is not typically present in depictions of Japan. Woman in the Dunes has nuanced tones of hyer-sexual tension and power struggle between the widow and her trapped lover, which also are not conventionally portrayed in Japanese films of the time. As the bug collector is captured much like the bugs he gathers, Woman in the Dunes expands into an offbeat film loaded with anxiety and suspense. Fans of the unusual would very likely find many ways to enjoy the eccentricities of Woman in the Dunes.

3. Watership Down (1978, Martin Rosen)

1978’s film adaptation of Watership Down must agreeably be one of the most terrifying animated movies ever to be marketed towards an audience of children. It is the story of a group of English rabbits who set out on an expedition to create a new society based on equality and safety. In some ways a survival film, Watership Down captures the unique tangibility of life experienced by prey animals such as rabbits.

Watership Down portrays the danger of being a small animal with many altercations between the rabbits and the rest of the world with a sense of realism that seems difficult to achieve within an animated film. Throughout the film, the focus group of rabbits also battle with personal freedom and dictatorial leadership, interestingly mirroring issues of humankind. Highlights of Watership Down include scenes representing the past as the rabbits share stories of the beginnings of their kind, with rough, almost-psychedelic animation that is captivating to watch. While it may be too much for young children, Watership Down is a striking animated film that vividly depicts the opposing forces of real life and is a work that should be noticed by many.

4. Cat People (1982, Paul Schrader)

Cat People is a quintessential erotic horror film that still sparks provocative interpretations nearly forty years after the film’s release. Loosely based on a 1942 film of the same name, Cat People concerns the story of Irena, a strikingly beautiful woman who resettles in New Orleans to meet her long-lost brother. After meeting a man who gets Irena a job at a zoo that houses many large cats, the two connect romantically and a twisted story of obsession and desire unfolds.

Schrader’s Cat People explores the implicit and explicit taboos of lust, attraction, voyeurism and even incest in a stimulating manner. Irena is an interesting seductress to watch, as her intense allure puts all other characters to her mercy, or inversely her beauty puts her at their mercy. Balancing the more perverse elements, Cat People also possesses the entertaining qualities of a slasher film in many ways, literally emphasizing the film’s notions of carnivorous desire. Astonishing cinematography and a theme song by the iconic David Bowie are other contributing reasons that Cat People is a horror film to be seen.

5. Dead Man (1995, Jim Jarmusch)

Set during the 19th century, Dead Man tells the story of William Blake, a man like many others who becomes disillusioned by promises of success in the developing American Western Frontier. A violent confrontation in a Western outpost town leaves a wounded Blake fleeing the town’s elite, wanted dead or alive. An encounter with a Native American man named Nobody (Gary Farmer in the role) then leads Blake down a path of spiritual rebirth as he moves towards his physical end.

With Dead Man, Jarmusch subverts myths of the American West and reinterprets the past with a dispirited and deliberate tone unique to his work. Dominated with outdoor sequences, the film depicts the destruction of the American West in a bleakly hypnotic manner, often mixing carnage and beauty within the same shots. Blake’s journey into nature led by the all-knowing Nobody is mournfully incredible, with Blake even learning the origins of his own name. Heightened by a superior cast and a score provided by Neil Young, Dead Man is a strange but rewarding period film that should not be missed.

While the language of cinema in 2019 may have told emotional and diverse stories, the 2020 Oscar nominations seemed to have largely shunned unfamiliar creative voices in favor of conventional and recognizable talents. While the past few Oscar seasons have seemingly worked to rectify the cultural callout of 2016’s #OscarsSoWhite, this year’s 2020 nominations are obviously monopolized by male filmmakers, specifically white male filmmakers. This regression in progressive preferences among Oscar voters comes as a blow to the film industry, which has reflected positive steps towards inclusion and diversity in recent years.

Many superb and fascinating films were released in 2019 in cinemas and across streaming platforms around the world, with many of them gaining critical and financial success. However, by being left out of the 2020 Oscar nominations many of these creative talents will not receive the wide scale appreciation that they deserve. Here is a list of ten of the biggest snubs of the 2020 Oscar nominations.

10. Atlantics – Best International Film

Filmmaker Mati Diop’s Wolof-language Atlantics truly stands out as one of the most lyrical and thought-provoking films of 2019. A delicate story of romance, a tragic portrait of the global migration crisis, and a supernatural exploration of memory are combined by Diop to create a completely original film that is sure to stick with viewers long after the film’s credits have ended.

Atlantics had an extraordinary premiere at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival where it was in competition for the festival’s highest prize, the Palme D’Or. This achievement for Diop marked the first time in the seventy-three year history of Cannes Film Festival that a female filmmaker of African descent has had a film in competition, a great achievement in the largely male-dominated world of cinema. The film went on to win the Grand Prix at Cannes and Netflix acquired worldwide distribution rights.

While Atlantics did make the Oscar shortlist for Best International Film, being submitted by Senegal back in December, it was ultimately left off of the ballot when the final nominations were announced. Diop’s film is a modern masterpiece very much of the current zeitgeist while also provoking a deep emotional response in its viewers. If Atlantics made the list for Best International Film, it would have given an expansive platform to reach a more-mainstream audience that would greatly benefited from experiencing this incredible film.

9. Mica Levi – Best Original Score for Monos

One of the most memorable film scores of 2019 must include the piercing score created by Mica Levi for Monos. A spanish language film following a fictional group of teenage guerilla soldiers in the mountains of Columbia directed by Alejandro Landes, the savage and surreal film is elevated by a surreal score provided by Levi. Levi’s score is dynamically nuanced and penetrating in a way which almost reflects the overwhelming natural beauty of the film’s South American settings. Mixing airy whistles with bombastic electronic crescendos and ambient natural sounds, Levi’s accompanying score pairs beautifully and dangerously with the erupted forces of Monos.

In the past few years Levi’s work on other film scores including Under The Skin in 2014 and Jackie in 2016 have garnered her much respect and adoration in the world of cinema, even resulting in a Best Score nomination for Jackie. While Levi’s score was kept in many awards conversations throughout 2019 following Mono’s premiere at Sundance, it was left off of even the December Oscar shortlist for Best Score, ending its chances of victory. As with many other Oscars categories that have been mentioned in this list, Best Original Score has also had very few (just nine) female nominees throughout the long history of the awards ceremony, and had Levi been nominated for Monos this year it would have been a major accomplishment for women in cinema.

8. The Lighthouse – Achievement in Production Design

One of the most notable and extraordinary black and white films of 2019 was Robert Egger’s The Lighthouse. A forceful and deranged two-hander between lighthouse keepers Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, The Lighthouse is both rigidly adherent to historical depictions of 19th century maritime culture while also being a completely twisted and contemporary story of isolation and identity. Egger’s 2015 feature debut with The VVitch gained much notoriety for its amazing production design on a budget and with The Lighthouse the promising young director continues to step up his attention to production detail.

The Lighthouse possesses quite a claustrophobic element around its two battling characters, with a very square aspect ratio to further push the characters together. This constrained space within the frame called for tight spaces and certain narrowness within the indoor locations. Being shot on black and white film with a story that necessitated overcast and stormy weather also must have been challenging in regards to production. The crew also built the lighthouse where much of the film takes place in order to conform to how the film was shot.

Although The Lighthouse may present itself at a glance in some ways as being simply a character-focused psychological horror shot in black and white, the film is actually quite successful in combining production elements and a contorted story to create a very complicated technical accomplishment for Eggers and his crew. The Lighthouse very deservingly did end up receiving a Best Cinematography nomination for the work of cinematographer Jarin Blaschke, the marvelous production design was unfortunately overlooked by Academy voters.

7. Claire Mathon – Best Cinematography for Portrait of a Lady on Fire

French female cinematographer Claire Mathon gained much prominence during the 2019 Cannes Film Festival where she was credited for the cinematography of two dazzling films, Atlantics and Portrait of a Lady on Fire. Portrait of a Lady on Fire, directed by French filmmaker Céline Sciamma, is an 18th century romance between two young women who live under very different circumstances. The film possesses themes of art and memory, which Mathon certainly connects to in the stunning manner that the film was shot in. Many scenes in the film are so intensely painterly – many exterior shots by the French seaside that are nearly as experiential as looking at a great piece of 18th century artwork in a museum.

While Mathon has received many accolades for her work on Portrait of a Lady on Fire, including a nomination for Best Cinematographer at the upcoming French César Awards, she failed to receive recognition from the Academy voters this year. Based on her exquisite work on films in 2019 however, Mathon will undoubtedly be a promising hopeful for Oscar seasons yet to come.

6. Song Kang-ho – Supporting Actor for Parasite

It is obvious that the surprise contender in the 2020 Oscar race is South Korean Bong Joon ho’s film Parasite. The Hitchcockian dark comedic depiction of class struggle in modern times has garnered six nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best International film, but unfortunately failed to gain any nominations in the acting categories. While the entire cast of Parasite is exceptional, even winning the Screen Actors Guild for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, actor Song Kang-ho seriously stands out in his hilarious and tragic role as the patriarchal Kim Ki-taek.

Song Kang-ho is well-known in Korean cinema and even for his roles in other Bong Joon-ho films including The Host and Memories of Murder. His latest role in Parasite shows off his impressive acting skills tremendously, as Kim Ki-taek is a very conflicted character who faces the extremities of life in a world where it is increasingly difficult to access higher levels of success and prosperity.

Had Song Kang-ho been nominated for Supporting Actor this year, as his performance in Parasite deserved, he would have been one of the only people of color to be nominated across all acting categories, a serious representation issue that has been highly criticized since the final nominations were released.