It is no mystery that many movies that are incredibly popular in the US were made in that country. Of the ten highest-grossing movies in America in 2025, all of them were made by American studios. In addition, as an American, I have noticed that most of the movies played at theaters near me have been American, and most of the films my American friends and family know are from the same country.
This is not necessarily a bad thing, as many American movies are very good. For example, my personal favorite film, John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), is an American movie with an average score of 3.7/5 on Letterboxd. However, I do feel that there are many really good foreign movies that often fly under the radar. Therefore, I have created a list of five foreign movies that I personally recommend.
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024)
I believe that How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024) is the best foreign film I have ever watched. It is a Thai-language drama made in Thailand and directed by Pat Boonnitipat. Bonnitipat wrote the film alongside Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn. The film follows a college dropout named M as he takes care of his elderly grandmother in the hopes that she will give him her inheritance when she dies.
I really enjoyed this movie because its characters are very well written. The character development M goes through as he starts to care more about his grandma is wholesome. However, there are also some very tragic moments that are made more heartwrenching by the fact that the film gets you so attached to its characters. I personally love this movie and recommend it to anybody interested in tragedies, dramas, and movies about family.
The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013)
Although The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013) is not my favorite foreign film, I do believe it is one of the prettiest films that I have seen. The movie is an animated movie with a beautiful 2D artstyle. Itwas made in Japan and is entirely in Japanese. It was directed by Isao Takahata and written by Takahata alongside Riko Sakaguchi. It is about a supernatural young girl who goes from being an ordinary kid to becoming an aristocrat.
Although a family film, the movie does not let its kid-friendly nature prevent it from allowing it to tell a tragic and captivating story. As a story about a girl who goes from rags to riches, the film subverts this cliche by making the restrictions of her aristocratic life far more miserable than the simplicity and kindness she experienced as a lower-class child. This uncommon subversion, although unusual, is backed up by a well written story that justifies the reason for its negative portrayal of such a usually positive trope. In addition, the art style is beautiful and makes each scene seem like a watercolor painting.
Flow (2024)
Flow (2024) is probably my favorite film from 2024. It is a 3D animated movie. It was made by studios in Belgium, Latvia, and France and has no spoken language. In fact, none of the characters speak over the course of this movie. This film was directed by Gints Zilbalodis, who wrote the film alongside Matīss Kaža and Ron Dyens. The film is about a cat that gets trapped on a boat with some animals during a massive flood.
All the characters in this film are animals. However, each one behaves like an animal realistically would instead of like an anthropomorphic animal to the point that the film has no dialogue, as none of the characters can speak. Despite this, the film still creates unique personalities for all of its characters as well as interesting relationships among the main cast. The film also manages to make each character expressive enough for the audience to easily determine how they are feeling. The end result is an interesting story with animal characters that feel real.
I Swear (2025)
I Swear (2025) is an entertaining and sympathetic drama movie about John Davidson. The film explores the life of Davidson, a real person and activist for the acceptance of and education about Tourette’s Syndrome. The movie is entirely in English, and was created in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The film was directed and written by Kirk Jones.
One nice attribute to the film is that it does not use Davidson’s disability, Tourette’s Syndrome, as a way to make jokes. Rather, it respects people with the condition by avoiding such moments and showing how Tourette’s can make one’s life harder instead of funnier. In addition, the movie recognizes Davidson’s real-life achievements and avoids depicting him as helpless without turning the film into inspiration porn. This allows the movie’s portrayal of Davidson to feel more realistic and relatable. In addition, the film does a very good job of depicting the people in Davidson’s life, both good and bad, as realistic characters as well. Davidson’s character development is also very appealing as the film gets its viewers attached to him and wanting him to succeed.
No Other Choice (2025)
No Other Choice (2025) is an exciting thriller, crime, and drama film that deals with real-life issues. The film was made in South Korea and France. The majority of the movie is in Korean, but English is also spoken during the run time, although briefly. The film was directed by Chan-wook Park, who wrote the film alongside Kyoung-mi Lee, Don McKellar, and Ja-hye Lee. It is an adaptation of The Ax, a 1997 American novel by Donald Westlake. It is about a man who gets fired from his job and attempts to boost his chances of finding employment by killing his competitors.
The film may be relatable to some viewers due to its portrayal of a near-impenetrable job market as well as the desperation and insecurity that define unemployment. In addition, the film addresses the anxieties many people have concerning AI taking jobs through its somber ending. The movie is also a very interesting thriller as the story depicts its protagonist going through extreme lengths in order to be hired in the same field that he specializes in. The lead actor, Byung-hun Lee, also does a great job of being threatening in some moments and completely unassuming in others.