Kickstart Your Cinematic Year: 32 Fun Movie Challenge Ideas.

Movie lovers unite! Join the yearly challenge featuring 32 fun tasks and a treasure trove of 125+ films to explore! You will immerse yourself in cinema by solving riddles and looking for unusual films that fit the descriptions. And you can choose films that suit your tastes or check out my suggestions. 

This challenge is for fun and education. I’m sure you will find new great pictures. I suggest finishing this challenge by the end of 2025 but feel free to do it at your own pace. 

32 fun movie challenge ideas.

A movie where Bruce Willis doesn’t kill anyone.

Look at the blockbuster hero from a different angle.

Moonrise Kingdom, 2012. Family, comedy, drama. 

In the 1960s, two teenage lovers living on an island in New England ran away from adult supervision. After discovering their disappearance, the local sheriff began an investigation, and the Boy Scout camp counselor organized a search party.

It is a good role for Willis and an absolute masterpiece by Wes Anderson.

Blind Date, 1987. Romance, comedy.

Walter is a workaholic, and it is quite natural that he devotes all his attention to work. Walter needed a companion for a critical business meeting in a restaurant with a new partner from Japan. He found a young woman, but there is one thing: his companion is not allowed to drink… at all! Unfortunately, Walter ignored this warning.

The Kid, 2000. Fantasy, comedy, family. 

Time moves from the past to the present and does not make leaps, but sometimes, this perfect mechanism fails. The victim of such a mysterious accident was forty-year-old Russ, who had the fate of meeting his younger self. An adult and a child – two sides of one person – are trying to change their common fate radically.

I’ll watch The Story of Us, 1999. Romance, drama, comedy. 

After 15 years together, Ben and Katie, a couple who seemed to have it all, are now on the brink of splitting up. They’re trying to save their marriage, but the irritation they’ve built up over the years keeps spilling out. Maybe the solution is to love each other just the way they are?

Woody Allen’s movie without Woody Allen.

Woody Allen directed more than 50 movies and starred in 30 movies. Let’s try to find tapes where he was only a director.

The Purple Rose of Cairo, 1985. Fantasy, romance, comedy.

It’s the 1930s, the Great Depression in the USA. Modest waitress, Cecilia tries to escape from the cruel reality by enjoying movies in the cinema. One day, a miracle happens: her idol Tom Baxter, “Mr. Perfect,” comes down from the black-and-white screen into the audience into the arms of Cecilia, who is mad with happiness…

Match Point, 2005. Thriller, drama, romance.

The once-famous tennis player Chris is going through hard times. He needs to get settled in life, and then, to his misfortune, he meets Nola, a typical femme fatale from whom you can expect nothing but trouble. Chris falls in love with Nola, and she dates his friend Tom.

It is a well-known film, but I envy you if you haven’t seen it yet!

Bullets Over Broadway, 1994. Comedy, crime. 

A young and talented playwright has written a play, but, as always, there is not enough money for the production. A famous gangster from New York comes to the rescue, offering money but demanding that his untalented girlfriend be cast in the lead role. The playwright is in a tough spot: cash on the table, but the actress is terrible. Without an actress, there’s no show.

I’ll watch Rifkin’s Festival, 2020. Romance, comedy.

It is Woody Allen’s new comedy about love in the atmosphere of a Spanish film festival.

A film shot in Paris, but not a comedy or a rom-com.

Paris is known as the city of love, and it’s pretty tough to find a movie shot there without a comedic twist. But I have something for you.

Eiffel, 2021. Biopic, romance, history.

The architect intends to impress his former lover. It is An elegant love story set against the backdrop of a historical Parisian construction site.

The Da Vinci Code, 2006. Thriller, detective.

Harvard professor Robert Langdon is suspected of a heinous crime he did not commit. Langdon meets Parisian police cryptographer Sophie Neveu, and they try to uncover a secret that could undermine the power of the Catholic Church.

You will enjoy Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou and Parisian architecture.

As Above, So Below, 2014. Horror. 

The daughter of an archaeologist who committed suicide, Scarlett has devoted her entire adult life to searching for the philosopher’s stone. The girl uncompromisingly pursues her intended goal, and she even manages to determine the supposed location of the stone—the catacombs under Paris—and find local guides—a team of fearless lovers climbing through the narrow passages of the largest crypt in the world.

I’ll watch Irréversible, 2002. Romance, drama, crime.

The movie has a gloomy atmosphere – the darkness of the night, crimson reflections on the brothel’s walls, faces pale as a sheet. The hero rushes about in the labyrinth of stairs and passages.  The goal is to find and kill a man he has never even laid eyes on. But he has a good reason to hate him: a stranger raped his girlfriend to death, whom he accidentally ran into in a deserted city passage.

This film is in French, but I don’t mind subtitles and love Monica Belucci and Vincent Cassel.

A sad movie.

 At this point, get out your handkerchiefs before watching this genre.

Pieces of a Woman, 2020. Drama.

A young mother loses her baby due to complications during a home birth. She tries to cope with her grief while simultaneously sorting out her complicated relationships with her husband and mother.

Five Feet Apart, 2019. Drama, romance. 

Two lonely teenagers suffering from the same disease, cystic fibrosis, meet in a city hospital. Everything would be fine, but patients with such a disease are strictly forbidden to approach people with the same diagnosis to avoid infection. 

Our Friend, 2019. Drama.

After learning that his terminally ill wife has six months to live, a man accepts help and support from his best friend, who temporarily moves into their home. But his contribution to the family is much more significant than anyone could have imagined.

I’ll watch 6 Balloons, 2017. Drama.

Katie throws a surprise party for her boyfriend. On her way to get a cake, she stops by her brother Seth to pick him up with their daughter for the party and discovers that he has started using drugs again.

A movie about friendship with an animal.

Dolittle, 2020. Fantasy, family, adventure.

It is a dizzying adventure of a veterinarian with animals.

Water for Elephants, 2011. Drama, romance,

The Great Depression. Veterinary student Jacob drops out of school after his parents die and joins the most ambitious circus show on Earth. There, he begins working as a veterinarian and, at the same time, falls in love with the beautiful rider Marlena, who, however, is married to August, a charismatic but cruel trainer.

War Horse, 2011. Drama, war, adventure.

The story of the incredible friendship between a boy named Albert and a horse named Joey.

When World War I begins and Joey is sent to the battlefields of France with a cavalry regiment, Albert, despite being too young for military service, still goes to the front to find and save his friend.

This film will touch you no less than Hachiko!

I`ll watch White Fang, 1991. Drama, family, adventure.

The story is about a wolf named White Fang, who was left an orphan after a hunter killed his mother, and a young man named Jack, who arrived in the Klondike during the Gold Rush on a plot of land left to him by his father.

A movie starring the director’s wife.

Planet of the Apes, 2001. Fantasy, action, drama.

Warlike primates capture Mark Wahlberg from a distant planet—Tim Burton’s space blockbuster.

Director Tim Burton and his wife Helena Bonham Carter.

Jeanne d’Arc, 1999. History, war, drama, biopic.

XV century. A young, pious peasant woman goes to war against the British. It is a historical drama by Luc Besson about the national heroine of France.

Director Luc Besson and his wife Milla Jovovich

Underworld: Evolution, 2005. Fantasy, action, thriller.

In a world inaccessible to mere mortals, vampires and werewolves struggle. The film’s events tell about the origins of this feud, which became a curse for the vampire Celine and Michael, a half-werewolf. Fighting enemies from both clans, they learn the secret of their origin. 

Director Len Wiseman, wife Kate Beckinsale

I will watch Alice, 1990. Comedy, romance.

The story is about a rich, bored, shop-obsessed Manhattanite who dreams of meeting Mother Teresa. Her selfish husband constantly cheats on her. But then life suddenly and forever changes when she meets a kind and mysterious man from the East with miraculous powers, including hypnosis.

Director Woody Allen, wife Mia Farrow.

A film with a scary title.

I’m really into thrillers and horror movies, so this part of my movie challenge is super exciting.

Drag Me to Hell, 2009. Horror.

A gypsy woman curses a bank employee after being denied a mortgage deferment.

Shooting Dogs, 2005. Drama, history.

The film tells about the events in Rwanda in 1994 – the genocide of one people (Hutu) by another (Tutsi), when, according to various estimates, from 600,000 to 1 million people were killed over three months. The civil war is shown through the fate of a young Englishman, a volunteer teacher at the Ecole College in Kigali.

It is not horror; this is a very heavy film. I have a link to it.

Dead Silence, 2006. Horror.

It is a horror about demonic ventriloquist dolls and revenge from the distant past.

I will watch Bone Tomahawk, 2015. Horror, western. 

Four men go to the remote lands of the Wild West to rescue a group of captives from cannibal caves.

A western and a horror in one film? Give me 2!

A movie based on a true story.

Only the Brave, 2017. Drama, history. 

This is the story of a team of firefighters called the Granite Mountain Hotshots who faced one of the deadliest wildfires in Arizona history.

The Zookeeper’s Wife, 2017. Drama, war, biopic.

1939, Poland. The Warsaw Zoo is run by Dr. Jan Zabiński and his wife Antonina. Their quiet life ends on September 1, when Nazi Germany begins to occupy Poland. From that day on, terrible news follows one after another: animals are dying, the zoo must be liquidated, and Polish Jews are sent to a ghetto.

Lo imposible, 2012. Drama, history.

This movie is based on a true story about a powerful tsunami that hit a family on vacation in Thailand in 2004.

I’ve watched this movie many times. Great picture!

I’ll watch 12 Strong, 2018. Drama, war, history.

The declassified story of the cavalry soldiers who went to Afghanistan to find those responsible for the 9/11 terrorist attack

Oscar and Golden Globe Award-winning film.

Slumdog Millionaire, 2008. Crime, drama.

A Mumbai boy is fortunate in a popular TV game show. Behind this luck are hidden amazing stories from his life.

Gandhi, 1982. Drama, biopic, history.

This British film tells the story of Mahatma Gandhi’s life, his role in global political changes in India, and the modernization of Indian society.

It Happened One Night, 1934. Romance, comedy.

The madcap comedy about the journey of the daughter of a major tycoon and journalist across the States became the first film in history to receive the great five Oscars.

I will watch Ordinary People, 1980. Drama.

A misfortune happens to a wealthy family – the eldest of two sons of a successful lawyer dies due to an absurd accident. His younger brother, Konrad, a delicate and vulnerable man, takes this loss so hard that he wants to commit suicide. To save their son, Konrad’s parents decide to send him to psychotherapy sessions, unaware of what this will turn out to be for them.

Original of a modern remake.

Planet of the Apes 1968 vs 2001. Fantasy, adventure.

In the year 3978, an earthling spaceship crashes on a distant planet. The astronauts who survived the disaster are surprised at how similar it is to their homes. They soon learn that the planet is inhabited by intelligent monkeys and people who have degraded to an animal state.

Mad Max 1979 vs 2015. Fantasy, action.

Shortly, after a major disaster, all life is concentrated along countless highways. A gang of bikers, wanting to pay for a murdered comrade, pursues a young policeman Max. 

Father of the Bride 1950 vs 1991. Comedy, romance.

Lawyer Stanley T. Banks suddenly realizes that his beloved daughter Kate is no longer a silly child but an attractive adult lady. And the girl is going to get married. Of course, Stanley tries to resist this, which leads to many comic situations but does not change the young’s aspirations.

I’ll watch King Kong 1933 vs 2005. Action, fantasy, romance.

On a remote, wild island, a scientific expedition captures a giant anthropoid ape and, without further ado, brings it to New York to show it to the idle public.

Who would have thought that this terrible monster is capable of such a subtle feeling as love – this damn monkey cannot live without a miniature and gentle heroine. 

British cinema.

The Danish Girl, 2015. Drama, biopic.

Debmark 1920s. It is a beautifully shot story about the first person to undergo gender reassignment surgery.

Edie, 2017. Drama.

This motivational drama is about Conquering a mountain at 83 and fulfilling a childhood dream in old age! 

Paddington, 2014. Comedy, fantasy, family.

Meet a bear named Paddington from deep Peru. He came to London to find a family and become an English gentleman. On the way to this goal, adventures full of humor and dangers await him.

It is just a wonderful family film!

I will watch Calendar Girls, 2003. Drama, comedy.

The film is based on real events. In 1999, several respectable housewives from provincial Yorkshire wanted to raise money for a sofa in a hospital. To do this, they are filmed for a yearbook calendar in the nude, and the calendar suddenly becomes a bestseller!…

A film adaptation of a modern bestseller.

Nomadland, 2020. Drama.

After the closure of a drywall factory in January, Frances McDormand roams the United States in a motor home. It is a Poetic adaptation of a bestseller with three major Oscars. I already mentioned this great picture when I wrote post about famous film festivals.

The Fault in Our Stars, 2014. Drama, romance.

Teens from a cancer support group decide to be happy no matter what.

Never Let Me Go, 2010. Fantasy, thriller, drama.

The main characters grew up in a boarding school and were deprived of contact with the outside world. But over time, the friends find out who they really are.

I will watch The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair, 2018. Drama, crime, mini-series

Writer Marcus Goldman finds himself embroiled in a murder investigation in which his mentor, the respected American author, is accused. Marcus must gather evidence of Harry’s innocence. Otherwise, the latter will face the electric chair.

A cult film that is over 30 years old.

Pulp Fiction, 1994. Crime, drama.

It is Gangster tales that conquered the world. Travolta’s dances and L. Jackson’s sermons in Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece

Ghost, 1990. Drama, romance, fantasy.

During an evening walk with his beloved, Sam is killed. But his spirit remains on Earth, although he is invisible to ordinary living people. The ghost begins to investigate his murder. By chance, he ends up with the medium Oda Brown. She becomes an intermediary for Sam’s contacts with his lover and his assistant in the investigation and revenge.

Gone with the Wind, 1939. Drama, romance, history, war.

It is a great love story against the backdrop of civil war.

I will watch The Mask, 1994. Comedy.

A modest and shy bank employee feels insecure with beautiful girls. By the will of fate, a magic mask falls into his hands, and Stanley Ipkiss acquires the ability to turn into an invulnerable cartoon creature with a mischievous character.

A Beautiful Love Story.

Just Like Heaven, 2005. Romance.

It is a movie about the housing issue: a young guy named David and a stranger from the other world Elizabeth are trying to get along in the same apartment.

It is one of my favorite melodramas of the 2000s, to which I always cry.

The Bodyguard, 1992. Drama, romance.

It is the story of the complex relationship between a show business star and her bodyguard.

The Lake House, 2006. Drama, romance.

It is a melodrama about a mystical meeting of lovers who live at different times.

I will watch Call Me by Your Name, 2017. Drama, romance.

17-year-old Elio spends the summer at his parents’ villa in Italy. He reads books, swims, and flirts with his friend Marzia. One fine day, the serenity of the summer holiday is disrupted by the arrival of Elio’s father’s assistant, a young American scientist Oliver.

Tapes filmed in the year you were born.

Sure, you’ll have your birthday movie list, but I’d love to share mine too.

Friday the 13th Part 2, 1981. Horror. 

After the murders that took place at Camp Crystal Lake, the camp was closed, and the sinister Jason Voorhees became a creepy legend told around the campfire. But now, five years later, at a summer camp near the infamous Crystal Lake, a group of carefree young people have an unforgettable encounter with Jason.

Body Heat, 1981. Romance, crime, drama.

Lawyer Ned Racine dives into a steamy romance with Mattie Walker, a married woman. In fact, Mattie plans to get rid of her husband and take over his considerable fortune. Ned kills her husband, and it seems like the crime is perfect, but soon, the police are on the trail of the couple. 

Le professionnel, 1981. Action, crime, drama.

A disgraced spy against the French police and an African dictator. Great action movie with Jean-Paul Belmondo. 

I love this movie and Belmondo!

A film longer than 2,5 hours.

Stock up on popcorn, and you can even take a nap.

Babylon, 2022. Drama, comedy, 3h 9m.

1926. At a noisy party in the producer’s mansion, aspiring actress Nellie LaRoy and a guy from the service staff, Manny Torres, meet. Nellie receives an invitation to the filming, and Manny takes home a drunk silent film star Jack Conrad, who asks the guy to work as his assistant. So both end up on the set and begin a career in cinema.

Once Upon a Time in America, 1983. Drama, crime, 3h 49m.

it is The epic gangster saga of Sergio Leone.

The Green Mile, 1999. Drama, crime, 3h 10m.

The warden discovers an innocent healer in a man sentenced to execution. It is a cult drama with Tom Hanks.

I will watch King Kong, 2005. Drama, fantasy, adventure, 3h 7 m.

On an island with dinosaurs, an actress meets a giant gorilla. A spectacular remake of the classic from the director of “The Hobbit.”

A film with a woman in the lead role.

American Woman, 2019. Detective, drama.

In a small town in Pennsylvania, a 32-year-old woman’s daughter disappears, leaving her with a newborn grandson. The film describes the events that took place over 11 years, during which the woman tried to find out where her daughter disappeared.

The Six Triple Eight, 2024. War, biopic, drama.

A battalion made up entirely of black women receives an important task: to sort and send field letters that have been undelivered for three years.

Greta, 2018. Thriller, crime.

A strange woman becomes obsessed with a new acquaintance. It is a thriller about a creepy friendship from the director of Interview with the Vampire.

I will watch Nyad, 2023. Drama, biopic.

Diana Nyad decides to fulfill her long-standing dream: to swim 177 kilometers in the open sea from Cuba to Florida.

A film based on a book that has been adapted for the screen more than twice.

Romeo and Juliet, 1968. Drama, romance, history.

At a ball in the Capulet palace, love is born between two young creatures doomed by fate to hatred. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet fell in love with each other to their misfortune because their families have been waging a deadly feud for many years.

Wuthering Heights, 1992. Drama, romance.

This gothic drama follows the lives of two generations from the Earnshaw and Linton families, the complex interweaving of their lives and destinies, and the fatal curse of two lovers, Heathcliff and Cathy.

Tess of the D’Urbervilles, 2008. Drama, romance, mini-series.

It is a story about the fate of a country girl, Tess Durbeyfield, whose life changes dramatically when her father learns they are distant relatives of the noble D’Urberville family.

I will watch Lady Chatterley’s Lover, 2022. Romance, drama.

An unhappy aristocrat in her marriage starts an affair with a gamekeeper serving on her husband’s estate.

A film about war.

They Shall Not Grow Old, 2018. Documentary, drama.

They were young soldiers. And they were unlucky: their best years were devoured by the First World War. But their faces and smiles remained in the footage of the newsreel.

If you are going to watch a film about war, then start with a documentary.

Anthropoid, 2016. Drama, thriller, war.

1942. British intelligence services, together with the Czech resistance, are preparing Operation Anthropoid to eliminate Reinhard Heydrich, nicknamed the Butcher, the third man in the hierarchy of the Third Reich.

Joyeux Noël, 2005. Drama, history, war.

The year was 1914, and the First World War was underway. On Christmas Eve, an unofficial truce between French, British and German soldiers takes place on one of the sections of the Western Front.

I will watch All Quiet on the Western Front, 2022. War, history.

German Empire, 1917. Full of patriotism, 19-year-old Paul Bäumer and his classmates volunteer for the front, where they will experience the horrors of the First World War.

European cinema.

Dancer in the Dark, 2000. Drama, musical, crime.

An immigrant from Czechoslovakia, Selma adores musicals and works at a factory, all while living in a rented trailer with her son. She has a serious illness that causes her to lose her sight, and the same illness affects her son. Selma hides her illness and tries to work blindly to earn the money needed for her son’s treatment.

The Great Beauty, 2013. Drama, comedy. 

It is an epic satire on the luxurious life of bohemia in modern Rome. Paolo Sorrentino’s Oscar-winning masterpiece

Un plan parfait, 2012. Romance, comedy. 

Isabelle has found the love of her life but is in no hurry to get married. Women of her kind have been cursed for a hundred years and are unhappy in their first marriage.

I’ll watch In Bruges, 2008. Comedy, drama, thriller.

After Ray and Ken, the hired guns, mess up a big job in London, their ruthless boss Harry sends them off to Bruges to lay low for a while. Finding themselves in an old Belgian town, Ray, having nothing better to do, flirts with a local beauty while Ken enjoys life and an unexpected vacation. It seems that nothing foreshadows trouble in the quiet city.

A film by a previously unknown director or actor.

The Education of Fredrick Fitzell, 2019. Drama, fantasy.

The hero finds himself at a crossroads between his dream and his career.

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him, 2013. Drama, romance.

It is the first part of a trilogy about the complex relationship between spouses during a crisis in their family life. We’ll see this part of the story unfold from the man’s angle.

Blood, 2012. Thriller, drama, crime.

Two police brothers are investigating the brutal murder of a girl. There is a suspect, but the evidence is not enough to detain him. Then, the brothers decide to take justice into their own hands.

I will watch Black Butterfly, 2016. Thriller.

The writer is in a creative crisis. What is he willing to pay for a good plot for a new book?

A costume historical drama.

Napoleon, 2023. Biopic, drama, war.

It is the story of Bonaparte’s difficult path to power through the prism of his changeable relationship with the love of his life, Josephine.

Immortal Beloved, 1994. Biopic, romance, drama.

This film is an attempt to tell the true love story of Ludwig van Beethoven.

Restoration, 1995. History, drama, romance.

The life and love of one physician in the surroundings of the English Restoration era.

I`ll watch A Royal Affair, 2012. Drama, romance.

The film takes place in the early 1770s in Denmark. Tired of her crazy husband, the young Queen of Denmark falls in love with the court doctor.

Biopic.

Mary Shelley, 2017. Biopic, romance, drama, history.

When you’re 16 years old, and you fall in love, can you imagine that life will give you a monster?

I really love this girl.

Pawn Sacrifice, 2014. Biopic, drama, sport.

Bobby Fischer, Boris Spassky and the legendary match of the 20th century. It is a biopic about the confrontation between two geniuses and two superpowers.

Tetris, 2023. Biopic, drama.

The plot revolves around the struggle for the distribution rights of the Tetris game.

I’ll be watching  I, Tonya, 2017. Biopic, sport.

The wild and indomitable Margot Robbie in the role of the most daring and perhaps the most unhappy athlete of the 20th century

An arthouse movie.

The Power of the Dog, 2021. Drama, western.

1920s. Brothers Phil and George own the largest ranch in Montana. Despite their kinship and business together, they have little in common: Phil is rude, does not like to wash, and does not miss the opportunity to humiliate the weak, while George is quiet, polite, and prefers to conduct business calmly. When George marries a local widow, Rose, who has a teenage son, Phil can’t come to terms with it.

It’s just a great movie. Give him a chance!

Whiplash, 2013. Drama, music.

A brilliant conductor ignites a fire of ambition in the young drummer. Thriller about a jazz orchestra with three Oscars

The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2014. Comedy, detective.

Hotel staff witness the theft and search for priceless Renaissance paintings, the struggle for a wealthy family’s vast fortune, and profound changes swept across Europe in the time between the two horrific wars of the 20th century.

I’ll be watching Incendies, 2010. Drama, detective, war.

When Marwan’s brother and sister got acquainted with their mother’s will, there was no limit to their surprise. Her last wish was to find her father, whom the twins believed to be dead, and her brother, whose existence they did not even suspect.

A musical movie.

The Greatest Showman, 2017. Drama, biopic, musical.

Phineas Taylor Barnum always dreamed of making history, but all his activities did not please him. When the whole world seemed to turn against him, he decided to follow his dream. Barnum creates a mesmerizing performance, a sensation that became the birth of global show business.

The Phantom of the Opera, 2004. Musical, drama, romance.

The masked ghost will do everything to make her the prima donna of the stage, but he has a powerful rival – the rich Viscount Raoul de Chagny. Having become a prisoner of a love triangle, Kristina must make a choice. But the passions that turned their heads, fierce jealousy and insane love have already pronounced their merciless verdict on their beloved..

An American in Paris, 1951. Musical, romance.

Former soldier Jerry tries to become an artist in post-war Paris. He finds a rich patroness who buys his paintings and recommends them to her friends. One day, Jerry walks into a nightclub and meets Lisa. Young people instantly fall in love. But later, she unexpectedly announces that she is engaged to his friend. Both Jerry and Lisa decide not to date anymore. (6 Oscars)

I’ll watch Les Misérables, 2012. Musical, drama, romance.

The most unusual adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel with the largest number of stars

A classic detective.

Secret Window, 2004. Thriller, detective.

Johnny Depp in a thriller about a writer plagued by a creative crisis and an unpleasant copycat.

Gosford Park, 2001. Drama, comedy, detective.

On a cloudy November day in 1932, guests gather at Gosford Park Estate. Everything is ready for another gorgeous and languid celebration of carefree life-seekers. But suddenly, the owner of the house is found dead, and, most unpleasant of all, someone contributed to his premature death.

Crooked House, 2017. Drama, thriller, detective.

Sofia, the granddaughter of oligarch Aristide Leonides, invites private investigator Charles Hayward to investigate the murder of her grandfather. She is sure that someone from the household poisoned him. Taking up the investigation, Charles discovers that everyone has a motive—even Sofia.

I’ll be watching Invitation to a Murder, 2022. Thriller, detective.

1934. Southern England. Miranda, a 28-year-old flower girl, and five unrelated people are invited to spend the weekend at billionaire Lewis Findlay’s mansion.

A movie with odd characters.

 Powder, 1995. Drama.

Powder is a strange nickname the students give their new classmate Jeremy. His peers are frightened by his unusual appearance, deathly pale skin, and withering gaze penetrating the interlocutor’s heart. But soon, they realize that the Powder has supernatural powers, and a flame of incredible energy is raging behind the white coldness of his face. 

The Man Who Knew Infinity, 2015. Drama, biopic.

The film tells about the life of famous Indian self-taught mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.

American Psycho, 2000. Thriller, crime.

During the day, he is no different from others, and you will not pay attention to him in a crowd. But at night, this plausible citizen turns into a sophisticated killer.

I’ll be watching Van Gogh: Portrait painted with the words, 2010. Drama, biopic.

He started his career in a trading company but was fired. Then, he decided to become a teacher but could not find a permanent job. He then studied to become a priest but failed his exams. He couldn’t do anything, no matter what he did, until he started sketching.

A film with beautiful landscapes.

Australia, 2008. Romance, western, drama.

An English aristocrat inherits a massive ranch north of the Australian mainland. Before the outbreak of World War II, she came to the estate to protect it from attempts by English cattle ranchers to take over the ranch. There, with the help of Drover, a cattle drover, she will have to drive 1,500 cattle to the city of Darwin.

Tracks, 2013. Biopic.

Young Robin decides to cross Australia alone. On the way, she is accompanied only by a dog and four camels. Having become interested in her project, National Geographic magazine offers the girl to write travel notes and gives her a photographer to accompany her.

The Martian, 2015. Drama, fantasy.

A biological engineer plants potatoes on Mars and waits for a rescue ship. Detailed survival instructions from Ridley Scott

This movie is a great opportunity to admire the landscapes of Mars.

I’ll be watching Return to the Blue Lagoon, 1991. Romance, drama.

Two children, a boy and a girl, are in trouble on a beautiful island in the South Pacific Ocean. They’re growing up, and they love each other. But the ship docked on the island brings temptations and fear into their lives.

A movie about food.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi, 2011. Biopic.

It is a documentary about the owner of a restaurant in Tokyo, who devoted his whole life to making sushi. Jiro Ono is 85 years old. It’s hard even to call his place a restaurant – it’s a tiny crack in an underpass somewhere in Ginza. There are only ten seats, just a row of high chairs along the counter. The toilet is outside. The menu has only sushi and nothing else. And three Michelin stars. You need to book a chair a month in advance.

Mistress of Spices, 2005. Romance. 

A romantic fairy tale with the scent of Indian saffron about a sect of magical spices that grant wishes

Menu, 2022. Thriller, comedy. 

A young couple goes to an exclusive dinner at a famous restaurant located on a small island. One delicious dish replaces another when it turns out that the chef and his team have studied today’s guests well and are well aware of their tastes and dietary preferences. Besides, the menu contains unpleasant surprises.

I’ll be watching Recipe for Love, 2023. Drama, romance, history.

Benoit Magimel and Juliette Binoche play out the story of love for each other and for food. Winner of the Cannes Award for Directing

An LGBT movie.

Carol, 2015. Drama, romance.

In the unique atmosphere of exquisite New York in the 1950s, young Teresa meets Carol, a dazzling mature woman languishing in a loveless marriage. A fleeting glimmer of attraction develops into an all-consuming feeling that will change their lives forever. But how can you trust love if your fate depends on the prejudices of a ruthless time?

The World to Come, 2020. Drama, romance.

It is a drama about forbidden love between two married women in 19th-century America.

Supernova, 2020. Drama, romance.

Sam and Tasker embark on a journey across the UK that they have long dreamed of. This adventure has a special meaning for them, as Tasker is rapidly losing his memory and thirst for life with it. Will Sam be able to show him along the way that life is the most beautiful of miracles despite all the difficulties?

I already have movie review for this great film.

I`ll watch The Handmaiden, 2016. Drama, romance, history, thriller.

In the 1930s, Korea was under Japanese rule. Fraudsters are going to seduce and deceive a rich bride. It is a beautiful Korean erotic thriller from the director of Oldboy.

A movie recommended by a friend.

My friends recommended these films to me.

City Lights, 1931. Comedy, romance.

A little Tramp falls in love with a young blind flower girl and decides, by all means, to find her money for an operation.

A movie with Charlie Chaplin.

Ratatouille, 2007. Fantasy, family, animated.

Rat Remy has a unique taste. He risks his life to watch his favorite cooking show and get some seasoning or a fresh product. When Remy accidentally finds himself in the kitchen of a posh restaurant, he decides to take the chance and test his skills.

A Clockwork Orange, 1971. Fantasy, crime.

 After being locked up for his gang’s brutal crimes, the harsh leader goes through a special program designed to tame his violent tendencies. But once he’s released, it’s obvious that the attempts to fix his cruel ways don’t change anything.

A feel-good movie.

Well, I suggest we end our yearly movie challenge with something inspiring. 

The Intern, 2015. Romance, comedy.

At 70, widower Ben Whitaker realizes that retirement doesn’t mean it’s all over. He embraces a new adventure as a senior intern at Jules Austin’s online fashion business.

Julie & Julia 2009. Biopic, comedy, romance.

Julie Powell is an aspiring writer and call center operator. To take her mind off work, she sets a goal to cook 524 dishes from Julia Child’s famous book Mastering the Art of French Cuisine in a year.

Good Luck Chuck, 2007. Romance, comedy. 

A young dentist who is happy with life discovers a fantastic thing — any girl, after meeting him literally the next day, finds the perfect life partner. The main character is quite satisfied with this situation — no, you know, obligations and noisy breakups. Of course, the situation radically changes when he finds his soulmate.

I’ll be watching Blinded by the Light, 2019. Drama, comedy, music.

A teenager from a family of Pakistani immigrants in Britain finds his place in life thanks to the music of Bruce Springsteen.

P.S.

Wow. It was a giant movie challenge with an extensive selection of over 150 films, offering enthusiasts a diverse range of viewing options. I believe it’s a great way to explore different genres and discover new favorites.

What are your favorite ideas from this list?

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