The BBC has a solid track record on news, social and economic issues, and culture. We pulled together the BBC’s top 10 films — handy if you want their take on movies too.
Content
- Robot Dreams
- Conclave
- The Piano Lesson
- The Promised Land
- The Seed of the Sacred Fig
- Dìdi
- A Complete Unknown
- Sugarcane
- Anora
- Dune: Part Two
Robot Dreams
IMDb: 8.0/10
2023, Animation, Drama
Spain, France, PG
Director: Pablo Berger
Robot Dreams is a silent animated film adapted from Sara Varon’s graphic novel and set in 1980s New York. A lonely dog buys a robot companion; they share a carefree summer until the robot rusts on a beach and the dog has to leave it behind.
Separated, both meet new people while trying to find each other again. When they finally cross paths, each has a new friend; the memories remain, and they move on. The film earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature.
Conclave
IMDb: 7.4/10
2024, Thriller
UK, USA, R
Director: Edward Berger
Top Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow
The director, Edward Berger, previously made All Quiet on the Western Front, which won several Oscars. Conclave is just as brilliant, and it brings up important issues.
In the film, when the Pope dies, the College of Cardinals meets to choose a new one. Cardinal Thomas Lawrence, who is in charge of the election, is pulled into a world of scheming, plots, and scandals involving the main candidates. He uncovers a secret that could shake the Catholic Church to its core.
The Piano Lesson
IMDb: 6.9/10
2024, Drama
USA, R
Director: Malcolm Washington
Top Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Ray Fisher
Set in 1936 during the Great Depression, the film focuses on a heated argument between a brother and sister, Boy Willie and Berniece. They’re fighting over a family heirloom: a piano with the carved history of their ancestors. Boy Willie wants to sell it to buy the land where their family was once enslaved, but Berniece refuses to let go of the instrument, seeing it as their link to the past.
The movie is an adaptation of the August Wilson play of the same name, which is part of his “Pittsburgh Cycle” of plays.
The Promised Land
IMDb: 7.9/10
2023, Action, Biography, Drama
Denmark, Germany, Sweden, R
Director: Nikolaj Arcel
Top Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Amanda Collin, Simon Bennebjerg
In the mid-18th century, a retired captain named Ludwig Kahlen gets permission from the King of Denmark to settle the barren wastelands of Jutland. But it’s not a smooth process: he runs into trouble with the local landowner, Frederik Schinkel, who sees Kahlen as a threat to his power.
The Promised Land tells the story of Kahlen’s fight to survive, his drive to build a settlement, and his relationships with the people who join him.
The film is based on the real-life story of Ludwig Kahlen. Its Danish title, “Bastarden,” which translates to “The Bastard,” hints at the main character’s origins and social standing.
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
IMDb: 7.8/10
2024, Drama, Thriller
Iran, Germany, R
Director: Mohammad Rasoulof
Top Cast: Soheila Golestani, Missagh Zareh, Mahsa Rostami
The Seed of the Sacred Fig is one of the gems of 2024. The story takes place in Iran. Iman, an investigator for Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, gets a pistol to protect his family, but it mysteriously disappears. As protests over a young woman’s death grow across the country, Iman’s paranoia gets worse, and he starts to suspect his wife and daughters of taking the weapon.
What’s interesting is that this film was made in secret. The reason is simple: filming is banned in Iran. On top of that, the director, Mohammad Rasoulof, was arrested and sentenced to prison for “conspiracy to commit crimes against national security.” The story behind the scenes makes this film even more valuable.
Dìdi
IMDb: 7.8/10
2024, Comedy, Drama
United States, R
Director: Sean Wang
Top Cast: Izaac Wang, Joan Chen, Shirley Chen
The film is set in the summer of 2008 in California. Chris, a 13-year-old Chinese American kid known as “Dìdi” (which means “little brother”), is trying to figure out where he fits in. He’s into skateboarding and making YouTube videos, dealing with his first crush, and trying to get along with his mom.
The movie is partly based on director Sean Wang’s own life. It shows what it was like to be a teenager in the late 2000s, complete with details like using AOL Instant Messenger.
A Complete Unknown
IMDb: 7.3/10
2024, Biography, Drama, Music
United States, R
Director: James Mangold
Top Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning
You’ve likely heard of this film even if you haven’t seen it yet, since a lot of money went into promoting it. A Complete Unknown is about the early career of the legendary singer Bob Dylan. The story begins in 1961 when a 19-year-old Dylan comes to New York to meet his idol, Woody Guthrie.
Timothée Chalamet plays Bob Dylan, and he did his own singing and guitar playing for the film. The script is based on the book Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald.
Sugarcane
IMDb: 8.2/10
2024, Documentary
Canada, G
Director: Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie
Sugarcane is a powerful documentary about an investigation that began in 2021 after mass unmarked graves were found at Canadian “residential schools” for Indigenous people. The film shares stories from survivors and shows how these communities are trying to heal from the generational trauma caused by the system.
The film won the Directing Award at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. It’s also worth noting that director Julian Brave NoiseCat is himself Indigenous, and his own family history inspired the film.
Anora
IMDb: 8.0/10
2024, Comedy, Drama
United States, R
Director: Sean Baker
Top Cast: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yuriy Borisov, Karren Karagulian
This film was on everyone’s radar, and it’s no surprise, considering it tells a story about immigrants — something many of us can relate to.
It’s the story of Anora, a stripper from Brooklyn who falls in love with the son of a Russian oligarch. Their love is mutual, and their intense romance leads to a spontaneous wedding in Las Vegas. However, the couple’s happiness is threatened when the groom’s parents, after finding out about the marriage, fly to the U.S. to break up the union at all costs.
Director Sean Baker is known for making movies about people on the fringes of society, often using non-professional actors. The idea for Anora came to him in part from a friend who shared a story about a young Russian-American newlywed who was kidnapped for ransom.
Dune: Part Two
IMDb: 8.6/10
2024, Action, Adventure, Drama
United States, PG-13
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Top Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson
The movie continues the story of Paul Atreides. He now joins the Fremen, the native people of the planet Arrakis, to get revenge for his family’s murder and reclaim his throne. Paul proves he can be a leader and unites the Fremen for a war against House Harkonnen and the Emperor. During this time, he discovers his destiny as “Lisan al Gaib” — a prophesied messiah.
This is the second film based on the novel of the same name by Frank Herbert, which was published in 1965.
