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The Best Arthouse Movies Of All-Time

“What are the best Art House movies of all-time?” We looked at 162 of the top Art-House films, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!

The top 26 films, all appearing on 2 or more “Best Art House” movie lists, are ranked below by how many times they appear. The remaining 125+ movies, as well as the sources we used, are in alphabetical order on the bottom of the page.

Happy Scrolling!



Top 26 Arthouse Movies



26 .) 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) directed by Stanley Kubrick

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Lists It Appears On:

  • IMDB
  • Magnolia Forever

Humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface and sets off to find its origins with the help of HAL 9000, the world’s most advanced super computer.



25 .) directed by Federico Fellini

8½

Lists It Appears On:

  • Magnolia Forever
  • Quora

With 8½ Frederico Fellini leaves a self-portrait where dreams and reality are a mix. With help from a most excellent cast and unique scenery this self reflecting film is one of his master works.



24 .) Antichrist (2009) directed by Lars von Trier

Antichrist (2009)

Lists It Appears On:

  • IMDB
  • TV OVer Mind

A grieving couple retreats to their cabin ‘Eden’ in the woods, hoping to repair their broken hearts and troubled marriage. But nature takes its course and things go from bad to worse.



23 .) Badlands (1973) directed by Terrence Malick

Badlands (1973)

Lists It Appears On:

  • IMDB
  • Quora

Dramatization of the Starkweather-Fugate killing spree of the 1950s, in which a teenage girl and her twenty-something boyfriend slaughtered her entire family and several others in the Dakota badlands.



22 .) Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Quora
  • Stark Insider

A fading actor best known for his portrayal of a popular superhero attempts to mount a comeback by appearing in a Broadway play. As opening night approaches, his attempts to become more altruistic, rebuild his career, and reconnect with friends and family prove more difficult than expected.



21 .) Black Swan (2010) directed by Darren Aronofsky

Black Swan (2010)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Quora
  • Stark Insider

A journey through the psyche of a young ballerina whose starring role as the duplicitous swan queen turns out to be a part for which she becomes frighteningly perfect.



20 .) Elephant (2003) directed by Gus Van Sant

Elephant (2003)

Lists It Appears On:

  • IMDB
  • Reddit

Several ordinary high school students go through their daily routine as two others prepare for something more malevolent. The film chronicles the events surrounding a school shooting.



19 .) Fanny and Alexander directed by Ingmar Bergman

Fanny and Alexander

Lists It Appears On:

  • Magnolia Forever
  • The Guardian

As children in the loving Ekdahl family, Fanny and Alexander enjoy a happy life with their parents, who run a theater company. After their father dies unexpectedly, however, the siblings end up in a joyless home when their mother, Emilie, marries a stern bishop. The bleak situation gradually grows worse as the bishop becomes more controlling, but dedicated relatives make a valiant attempt to aid Emilie, Fanny and Alexander.



18 .) Fantastic Planet directed by René Laloux

Fantastic Planet

Lists It Appears On:

  • Quora
  • Reddit

The story of the “Oms”, human-like creatures kept as domesticated pets by an alien race of blue giants called “Draags.” The story takes place on the Draags’ planet Ygam, where we follow our narrator, an Om called Terr, from infancy to adulthood. He manages to escape enslavement from a Draag learning device used to educate the savage Oms — and begins to organise an Om revolt.



17 .) Gerry (2002) directed by Gus Van Sant

Gerry (2002)

Lists It Appears On:

  • IMDB
  • Magnolia Forever

Two friends named Gerry become lost in the desert after taking a wrong turn. Their attempts to find their way home only lead them into further trouble.



16 .) Melancholia (2011) directed by Lars von Trier

Melancholia (2011)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Film School Rejects
  • IMDB

Two sisters find their already strained relationship challenged as a mysterious new planet threatens to collide with Earth.



15 .) Moon (2009) directed by Duncan Jones

Moon (2009)

Lists It Appears On:

  • IMDB
  • Quora

With only three weeks left in his three year contract, Sam Bell is getting anxious to finally return to Earth. He is the only occupant of a Moon-based manufacturing facility along with his computer and assistant, GERTY. When he has an accident however, he wakens to find that he is not alone.



14 .) Mother! (2017) directed by Darren Aronofsky

Mother! (2017)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Another Mag
  • TV OVer Mind

A couple’s relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.



13 .) Nightcrawler (2014) directed by Dan Gilroy

Nightcrawler (2014)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Quora
  • Stark Insider

When Lou Bloom, desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina, a TV-news veteran.



12 .) Primer (2004) directed by Shane Carruth

Primer (2004)

Lists It Appears On:

  • IMDB
  • Quora

Friends and fledgling entrepreneurs invent a device in their garage which reduces the apparent mass of any object placed inside it, but they discover that it has some highly unexpected capabilities – ones that could enable them to do and to have seemingly anything they want. Taking advantage of this unique opportunity is the first challenge they face. Dealing with the consequences is the next.



11 .) Requiem for a Dream (2000) directed by Darren Aronofsky

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Lists It Appears On:

  • IMDB
  • Quora

The hopes and dreams of four ambitious people are shattered when their drug addictions begin spiraling out of control. A look into addiction and how it overcomes the mind and body.



10 .) Somewhere (2010) directed by Sofia Coppola

Somewhere (2010)

Lists It Appears On:

  • IMDB
  • Magnolia Forever

After withdrawing to the Chateau Marmont, a passionless Hollywood actor reexamines his life when his eleven-year-old daughter surprises him with a visit.



9 .) The Babadook (2014) directed by Jennifer Kent

The Babadook (2014)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Stark Insider
  • TV OVer Mind

A single mother, plagued by the violent death of her husband, battles with her son’s fear of a monster lurking in the house, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her.



8 .) The Box (2009) directed by Richard Kelly

The Box (2009)

Lists It Appears On:

  • IMDB
  • Quora

Norma and Arthur Lewis, a suburban couple with a young child, receive a simple wooden box as a gift, which bears fatal and irrevocable consequences. A mysterious stranger delivers the message that the box promises to bestow upon its owner $1 million with the press of a button. However pressing this button will simultaneously cause the death of another human being somewhere in the world; someone they don’t know. With just 24 hours to have the box in their possession, Norma and Arthur find themselves in the cross-hairs of a startling moral dilemma and must face the true nature of their humanity.



7 .) The White Ribbon directed by Michael Haneke

The White Ribbon

Lists It Appears On:

  • Magnolia Forever
  • The Guardian

Strange events happen in a small village in the north of Germany during the years just before World War I, which seem to be ritual punishment. The abused and suppressed children of the villagers seem to be at the heart of this mystery.



6 .) Tideland (2005) directed by Terry Gilliam

Tideland (2005)

Lists It Appears On:

  • IMDB
  • Quora

Because of the actions of her irresponsible parents, a young girl is left alone on a decrepit country estate and survives inside her fantastic imagination.



5 .) Tokyo Story directed by Yasujirō Ozu

Tokyo Story

Lists It Appears On:

  • Quora
  • The Guardian

The elderly Shukishi and his wife, Tomi, take the long journey from their small seaside village to visit their adult children in Tokyo. Their elder son, Koichi, a doctor, and their daughter, Shige, a hairdresser, don’t have much time to spend with their aged parents, and so it falls to Noriko, the widow of their younger son who was killed in the war, to keep her in-laws company.



4 .) Enter the Void (2009) directed by Gaspar Noé

Enter the Void (2009)

Lists It Appears On:

  • IMDB
  • Quora
  • Stark Insider

This psychedelic tour of life after death is seen entirely from the point of view of Oscar (Nathaniel Brown), a young American drug dealer and addict living in Tokyo with his prostitute sister, Linda (Paz de la Huerta). When Oscar is killed by police during a bust gone bad, his spirit journeys from the past — where he sees his parents before their deaths — to the present — where he witnesses his own autopsy — and then to the future, where he looks out for his sister from beyond the grave.



3 .) Eraserhead (1977) directed by David Lynch

Eraserhead (1977)

Lists It Appears On:

  • IMDB
  • Magnolia Forever
  • Reddit

Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child.



2 .) Mulholland Drive (2001) directed by David Lynch

Mulholland Drive (2001)

Lists It Appears On:

  • IMDB
  • Magnolia Forever
  • The Guardian

Blonde Betty Elms has only just arrived in Hollywood to become a movie star when she meets an enigmatic brunette with amnesia. Meanwhile, as the two set off to solve the second woman’s identity, filmmaker Adam Kesher runs into ominous trouble while casting his latest project.



1 .) Under the Skin (2013) directed by Jonathan Glazer

Under the Skin (2013)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Huffington Post
  • IMDB
  • Reddit
  • Stark Insider
  • TV OVer Mind

A seductive alien prowls the streets of Glasgow in search of prey: unsuspecting men who fall under her spell.




The 125+ Additional Best Art-House Movies



# Movies Directors Lists
27
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
 
Magnolia Forever
28 A Clockwork Orange  
The Guardian
29 A Fantastic Woman  
Another Mag
30
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
 
Stark Insider
31 A Scanner Darkly (2006) Richard Linklater IMDB
32 A Serious Man  
Magnolia Forever
33 A Woman Under the Influence  
Magnolia Forever
34 Adaptation Spike Jonze IMDB
35 Aguirre, Wrath of God  
The Guardian
36 Andrei Rublev  
The Guardian
37 Another Earth (2011) Mike Cahill IMDB
38 Au Hasard Balthazar  
Magnolia Forever
39 Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) Werner Herzog IMDB
40 Barry Lyndon   Quora
41 Batman Tim Burton Mandatory
42 Being John Malkovich (1999) Spike Jonze IMDB
43 Birth (2004) Jonathan Glazer IMDB
44 Blade Runner (1982) Ridley Scott IMDB
45 Breaking the Waves  
Magnolia Forever
46 Brick (2005) Rian Johnson IMDB
47 Call Me By Your Name  
Another Mag
48 Certified Copy  
Magnolia Forever
49 Citizen Kane  
The Guardian
50 Code Unknown  
Magnolia Forever
51 Days of Heaven  
The Guardian
52 Decoder (1984)  
Film School Rejects
53
Did You Wonder Who Fired the Gun?
 
Another Mag
54 Django Sergio Corbucci Mandatory
55 Dogville (2003) Lars von Trier IMDB
56 Donnie Darko (2001) Richard Kelly IMDB
57 Drive (2011)  
Stark Insider
58 El Mariachi Robert Rodriguez Mandatory
59 El Topo  
Magnolia Forever
60 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Michel Gondry IMDB
61 Ex Machina (2015)  
Stark Insider
62 Eyes Wide Shut  
Magnolia Forever
63 Eyes Without A Face”  
Huffington Post
64 Father of My Children (2009) Mia Hansen-Løve IMDB
65 Five Easy Pieces (1970) Bob Rafelson IMDB
66 Funny Games” (1997)  
Huffington Post
67 Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai Jim Jarmusch Mandatory
68 Gloria John Cassavetes Mandatory
69 Good Time  
Another Mag
70 Gosford Park   Reddit
71 Haywire Steven Soderbergh Mandatory
72 Her (2013)   Quora
73 I Am Curious (Yellow)   Quora
74 I Melt with You (2011) Mark Pellington IMDB
75 Inland Empire  
Magnolia Forever
76 Irreversible (2002) Gaspar Noé IMDB
77
Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
 
Magnolia Forever
78 Koyaanisqatsi  
Magnolia Forever
79 Kwaidan”  
Huffington Post
80 L’Atalante  
The Guardian
81 L’Avventura  
Magnolia Forever
82 La Jetée (1962)  
Film School Rejects
83 Last Days (2005) Gus Van Sant IMDB
84 Last Tango in Paris  
Magnolia Forever
85 Last Year at Marienbad  
Magnolia Forever
86 Léon: The Professional Luc Besson Mandatory
87 Let The Right One In”  
Huffington Post
88 Let the Sunshine In  
Another Mag
89 Lost in Translation (2003) Sofia Coppola IMDB
90 Magnolia  
Magnolia Forever
91
Me and You and Everyone We Know
 
Magnolia Forever
92 Meshes of the Afternoon  
Magnolia Forever
93 Morning Patrol (1987)  
Film School Rejects
94 Mouchette  
Magnolia Forever
95 Murmur of the Heart  
Magnolia Forever
96 My Own Private Idaho (1991) Gus Van Sant IMDB
97 Nosferatu the Vampyre”  
Huffington Post
98 Nostalghia  
Magnolia Forever
99 On Body and Soul  
Another Mag
100 On the Silver Globe (1988)  
Film School Rejects
101 One Hour Photo (2002) Mark Romanek IMDB
102 Only Lovers Left Alive”  
Huffington Post
103 Pather Panchali  
The Guardian
104 Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006) Tom Tykwer IMDB
105 Persona  
Magnolia Forever
106 Repo Man (1984)  
Film School Rejects
107 Repulsion”  
Huffington Post
108 Restless (I) (2011) Gus Van Sant IMDB
109 Revolver (2005) Guy Ritchie IMDB
110 Run Lola Run Tom Tykwer Mandatory
111 Russian Ark  
Magnolia Forever
112 Samson & Delilah (2009) Warwick Thornton IMDB
113 Scary Mother  
Another Mag
114 Seven Samurai Akira Kurosawa Mandatory
115 Shame (1968 film)   Quora
116 Sleeping Beauty (2011) Julia Leigh IMDB
117 Special (2006) Hal Haberman IMDB
118 Stalker (1979)  
Film School Rejects
119 Stranger than Paradise  
Magnolia Forever
120 Suspiria”  
Huffington Post
121 Swimming to Cambodia   Reddit
122 Taste of Cherry  
Magnolia Forever
123 Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989)  
Film School Rejects
124 The 400 Blows  
Magnolia Forever
125 The Apu Trilogy   Quora
126 The Brown Bunny  
Magnolia Forever
127 The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”  
Huffington Post
128 The Conformist  
The Guardian
129 The Decalogue  
Magnolia Forever
130
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
 
Magnolia Forever
131 The Fountain (2006) Darren Aronofsky IMDB
132
The Gospel According to St Matthew
 
The Guardian
133 The Idiots  
Magnolia Forever
134 The Innocents”  
Huffington Post
135 The Killer John Woo Mandatory
136
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
  Quora
137 The Machinist (2004) Brad Anderson IMDB
138 The Neon Demon (2016)  
TV OVer Mind
139 The New World (2005) Terrence Malick IMDB
140 The Passion of Joan of Arc  
Magnolia Forever
141 The Piano Teacher  
Magnolia Forever
142 The Seventh Seal  
Magnolia Forever
143 The Square  
Another Mag
144 The Thin Red Line (1998) Terrence Malick IMDB
145 The Tree of Life (2011) Terrence Malick IMDB
146 The Turin Horse  
Magnolia Forever
147 There Will Be Blood (2007)  
Stark Insider
148 Three Colours  
Magnolia Forever
149 To the Wonder (2012) Terrence Malick IMDB
150 Un Chien Andalou  
Magnolia Forever
151 Upstream Color (2013) Shane Carruth IMDB
152 Videodrome (1983)  
Film School Rejects
153 Vivre sa Vie  
Magnolia Forever
154 Wake in Fright (1971) Ted Kotcheff IMDB
155 Waking Life  
Magnolia Forever
156
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
  Reddit
157 Wavelength  
Magnolia Forever
158 Week End  
Magnolia Forever
159 Werckmeister Harmonies  
Magnolia Forever
160 Where the Wild Things Are (2009) Spike Jonze IMDB
161 World on a Wire (1973)  
Film School Rejects
162
You Have No Idea How Much I Love You
 
Another Mag



11 Best Art House Film Sources/Lists



Source Article
Another Mag Ten of the Best Arthouse Films of 2017 | AnOther
Film School Rejects 10 Essential Arthouse Sci-Fi Films – Film School Rejects
Huffington Post 11 Art-House Horror Movies To Watch This Halloween Instead Of The
IMDB The Essential Must See Top 50 Arthouse Films – IMDb
Magnolia Forever The 50 Essential Arthouse Movies | Southern Vision
Mandatory Best Art House Action Movies – Mandatory
Quora What are some essential arthouse films? – Quora
Reddit Arthouse films for a beginner : movies – Reddit
Stark Insider Top 10 arthouse films of the last 10 years | Stark Insider
The Guardian The 25 best arthouse films of all time | Film | The Guardian
TV OVer Mind Hereditary’–Like: The 5 Best Recent Arthouse Horror Movies