Free Films on YouTube Best Films

Man With A Movie Camera – Cinematic Innovation from Soviet Russia

Man With A Movie Camera Film Difficulty Ranking: 3

Man With A Movie Camera is one of the most influential films from the silent era. Made in 1929 by Dziga Vertov, it uses a range of effects that have been copied throughout the existence of cinema. It was one of the first to employ rapid cutting, split screens, slow motion, and dissolves. It also threw in a load of magic through messing with perspective, using stop motion, and literally having magicians on screen. All the effects come together to create a work imbued with excitement for the potential of modernity to change Russia and the world. This film feels like a celebration of life bottled up in a time capsule from 1920’s urban Russia.

From: Russia, Europe
Watch: Kanopy, YouTube, JustWatch
Next: Battleship Potemkin, I Am Cuba, Metropolis

The Scent of Green Papaya – Serenity in Saigon

The Scent of Green Papaya Film Difficulty Ranking: 3

If you want to see beauty in the little things in 1950’s Saigon, check out The Scent of Green Papaya. It follows a young maid who is hired to work for an upper class family. Their home and garden is a quiet sanctuary in the middle of a busy city, where her inquisitive nature finds beauty everywhere. It’s a delight for the senses.

From: Vietnam, Asia
Watch: Trailer, Rent on Amazon, Buy on Amazon, Watch on YouTube
Next: In the Mood for Love, Good Morning, Black Girl

Colour of Pomegranates (Armenia) – Travel Back in Time

Colour of Pomegranates Film Difficulty Ranking: 5

Colour of Pomegranates is not a biography of the 18th Century Armenian poet Sayat Nova, but a film which tries to depict his poetry on film. If you’re looking for plot, storyline, and a conclusion, stay away from this movie. However, if you want to explore how you can use film as an artistic medium, check out this brilliantly esoteric and stylish film.

From: Armenia, Asia
Watch: 
Amazon (Buy), YouTube
Next: Un Chien Andalou, Edvard Munch, Neruda

The Death of Mister Lazarescu – A Dying Man in Real-Time

The Death of Mister Lazarescu Film Difficulty Ranking: 3

Meet Mister Lazarescu. He’s an old man living in an Communist-era apartment block in Bucharest with some cats. Problem is, he’s an alcoholic, and his last few drinks are sending him over the edge of life. Join him in his last few hours as he navigates the bureaucratic Romanian health system. It’s his last nightmare and one to put you off drinking for life.

From: Romania, Europe
Watch: Trailer, Watch on YouTube, Buy on Amazon, Watch on Vudu
Next: I, Daniel Blake, Beauty and the Dogs, Cosy Dens

Little Dieter Needs to Fly – Another Epic Survival Story

Little Dieter Needs to Fly Film Difficulty Ranking: 1

This documentary from German master Werner Herzog explores the balance between life and death in the epic survival story of Little Dieter.

From: Germany, Europe
Watch: Trailer, Watch on YouTube, Rent on Amazon, Buy on Amazon, Tubi
Next: Rescue Dawn, The Great Escape, The Marriage of Maria Braun