My movie watching journey with IMDb

Since 2000, I have been referring to IMDb ratings before watching any unknown English movie, and I usually skip it if it is below 7/10.

I also have been trying to catch up on the Worldwide Box Office Hits, which is now moved to Box Office Mojo. But IMDb Top 250 movies has always my go to place for picking good movies. The list keeps changing over time, and I keep chasing it. But over these years, it is either The Shawshank Redemption or The Godfather at #1.

Then they introduced IMDb Top 250 Indian movies, which introduced me to several movies I would otherwise never have heard of. C/o Kancharapalem, Sairat, Omkara, Mathu Vadalara, Ulidavaru Kandanthe, Sapta Sagaradaache Ello: Side A to name a few.

Later, they introduced a subset of the Top 50 movies from Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. 

After finally gathering the courage to watch Pithamagan and Peranbu (I had thought both would be too depressing), I have now completed all the films in the Top 50 Tamil movies.

So, one more list conquered. 😊

I am long way away with the international list having seen only 172/250. So now the target is Top 250 Indian movies as rated by IMDb Users (202/250 watched).

My Top 10 Tamil Films from 2010 to 2019 yearwise

Earlier I have listed My Favorite 100 Tamil Films of the decade 2010-2019. This time I am listing My Top 10 Tamil Films from 2010 to 2019 year wise, in alphabetical order.

2010

1) Aayirathil Oruvan
2) Angadi Theru
3) Easan
4) Enthiran
5) Kalavani
6) Mynaa
7) Naan Mahaan Alla
8) Paiyaa
9) Singam
10) Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa

2011

1) Aadukalam
2) Aaranya Kaandam
3) Azhagarsamiyin Kuthirai
4) Engaeyum Eppothum
5) Ko
6) Mankatha
7) Mayakkam Enna
8) Siruthai
9) Velayudham
10) Yuddham Sei 

2012

1) Kadhalil Sodhappuvadhu Yeppadi
2) Kumki
3) Naan Ee
4) Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom
5) Neethaane En Ponvasantham
6) Pizza
7) Sundarapandian
8) Thadaiyara Thaakka
9) Vazhakku Enn 18/9
10) Thuppakki

2013

1) Endrendrum Punnagai
2) Ethir Neechal
3) Haridas
4) Kalyana Samayal Saadham
5) Moodar Koodam
6) Neram
7) Pandiya Naadu
8) Soodhu Kavvum
9) Thanga Meenkal
10) Vishwaroopam 

2014

1) Burma

2) Goli Soda

3) Jeeva

4) Jigarthanda

5) Kaaka Muttai

6) Kaaviya Thalaivan

7) Kaththi

8) Kuttram Kadithal

9) Pisaasu

10) Sathuranga Vettai

2015

1) 36 Vayadhinile
2) Demonte Colony
3) Ennai Arindhal
4) I
5) Indru Netru Naalai
6) Kirumi
7) Naanum Rowdydhaan
8) O Kadhal Kanmani
9) Papanasam
10) Thani Oruvan

2016

1) Dhuruvangal Pathinaaru
2) Iraivi
3) Kabali
4) Kodi
5) Kuttrame Thandanai
6) Pichaikkaran
7) Sethupathi
8) Theri
9) Uriyadi
10) Visaranai 

2017

1) Aruvi

2) Kadugu

3) Kurangu Bommai

4) Maanagaram

5) Rangoon

6) Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru

7) Tolet

8) Velaikaaran

9) Vikram Vedha

10) Visaranai

 

Oscar Winning Movies I have Seen!

I've come a long way from avoiding Oscar-winning movies to actively seeking them out and appreciating them! After watching Wall Street—without realizing that Michael Douglas had won the Best Actor Oscar for it—I decided to keep a list of the movies I've seen that have won a major Academy Award.

Best Picture:

• 1939: Gone with the Wind
  
• 1943: Casablanca
• 1954: On the Waterfront 
• 1960: The Apartment
• 1961: Judgment at Nuremberg
• 1962: Lawrence of Arabia
• 1967: In the Heat of the Night
  
• 1972: The Godfather
• 1973: The Sting
• 1974: The Godfather Part II
  
• 1976: Rocky
  
• 1977: Annie Hall
  
• 1982: Gandhi
• 1983: Terms of Endearment
• 1985: Out of Africa
  
• 1986: Platoon
• 1987: The Last Emperor
• 1988: Rain Man
  
• 1990: Dances With Wolves
  
• 1991: The Silence of the Lambs
  
• 1992: Unforgiven
  
• 1993: Schindler's List
  
• 1994: Forrest Gump
  
• 1995: Braveheart
  
• 1996: The English Patient
  
• 1997: Titanic
  
• 1998: Shakespeare in Love
  
• 1999: American Beauty
  
• 2000: Gladiator
• 2001: A Beautiful Mind
• 2002: Chicago
  
• 2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
  
• 2004: Million Dollar Baby
• 2005: Crash
• 2006: The Departed
  
• 2007: No Country for Old Men
  
• 2008: Slumdog Millionaire
• 2009: The Hurt Locker 
• 2010: The King's Speech
• 2011: The Artist 
• 2012: Argo
• 2013: 12 Years a Slave
• 2014: Birdman 
• 2015: Spotlight 
• 2016: Moonlight 
• 2017: The Shape of Water
• 2018: Green Book
• 2019: Parasite (The first foreign language film to win Best Picture)
• 2022: Everything Everywhere All at Once
• 2023: Oppenheimer
• 2024: Anora
• 2025: One Battle after Another 

Best Director:

• 1939: Victor Fleming - Gone with the Wind
• 1943: Michael Curtiz - Casablanca
• 1954: Elia Kazan - On the Waterfront
• 1960: Billy Wilder - The Apartment 
• 1962: David Lean - Lawrence of Arabia
• 1967: Mike Nichols - The Graduate
• 1973: George Roy Hill - The Sting
• 1974: Francis Ford Coppola - The Godfather Part II
  
• 1976: John G. Avildsen - Rocky
  
• 1977: Woody Allen - Annie Hall
  
• 1982: Richard Attenborough - Gandhi
• 1983: James L. Brooks - Terms of Endearment
• 1985: Sydney Pollack - Out of Africa
• 1986: Oliver Stone - Platoon
• 1987: Bernardo Bertolucci -The Last Emperor
  
• 1988: Barry Levinson - Rain Man
  
• 1989: Oliver Stone - Born on the Fourth of July
• 1990: Kevin Costner - Dances With Wolves
  
• 1991: Jonathan Demme - The Silence of the Lambs
  
• 1992: Clint Eastwood - Unforgiven
  
• 1993: Steven Spielberg - Schindler's List
  
• 1994: Robert Zemeckis - Forrest Gump
  
• 1995: Mel Gibson - Braveheart
  
• 1996: Anthony Minghella - The English Patient
  
• 1997: James Cameron - Titanic
  
• 1998: Steven Spielberg - Saving Private Ryan
  
• 1999: Sam Mendes - American Beauty
  
• 2000: Steven Soderbergh - Traffic
• 2001: Ron Howard - A Beautiful Mind
• 2002: Roman Polanski - The Pianist 
• 2003: Peter Jackson - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
  
• 2004: Clint Eastwood - Million Dollar Baby
• 2005: Ang Lee - Brokeback Mountain
• 2006: Martin Scorsese - The Departed
  
• 2007: Ethan Coen & Joel Coen - No Country for Old Men
  
• 2008: Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
• 2009: Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker 
• 2010: Tom Hooper - The King's Speech 
• 2011: Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist 
• 2012: Ang Lee - Life of Pi
• 2013: Alfonso Cuarón - Gravity
• 2014: Alejandro González Iñárritu - Birdman 
• 2015: Alejandro González Iñárritu - The Revenant 
• 2016: Damien Chazelle - La La Land 
• 2017: Guillermo del Toro - The Shape of Water
• 2018: Alfonso Cuarón - Roma 
• 2019: Bong Joon-ho - Parasite
• 2022: Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert - Everything Everywhere All at Once 
• 2023: Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer
• 2024: Sean Baker - Anora
• 2025: Paul Thomas Anderson - One Battle after Another 

Best Actor - Leading Role:

• 1954: Marlon Brando - On the Waterfront
• 1961: Maximilian Schell - Judgment at Nuremberg
• 1963: Sidney Poitier - Lilies of the Field
• 1967: Rod Steiger - In the Heat of the Night
  
• 1972: Marlon Brando - The Godfather [NOTE: Mr. Brando refused the award]
  
• 1976: Peter Finch - Network
• 1980: Robert De Niro - Raging Bull
• 1982: Ben Kingsley - Gandhi
  
• 1986: Paul Newman - The Color of Money
  
• 1987: Michael Douglas - Wall Street
  
• 1988: Dustin Hoffman - Rain Man
• 1990: Jeremy Irons - Reversal of Fortune
• 1991: Anthony Hopkins - The Silence of the Lambs
• 1992: Al Pacino - Scent of a Woman
• 1993: Tom Hanks - Philadelphia
  
• 1994: Tom Hanks - Forrest Gump
  
• 1995: Nicolas Cage - Leaving Las Vegas
  
• 1996: Geoffrey Rush - Shine
• 1997: Jack Nicholson - As Good as It Gets
  
• 1998: Roberto Benigni - Life Is Beautiful
  
• 1999: Kevin Spacey - American Beauty
  
• 2000: Russell Crowe - Gladiator
  
• 2001: Denzel Washington - Training Day
• 2002: Adrien Brody - The Pianist 
• 2003: Sean Penn - Mystic River
• 2004: Jamie Foxx - Ray
• 2005: Philip Seymour Hoffman - Capote
• 2006: Forest Whitaker - The Last King of Scotland
• 2007: Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
• 2008: Sean Penn - Milk
• 2009: Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
• 2010: Colin Firth - The King's Speech 
• 2011: Jean Dujardin - The Artist  
• 2012: Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln 
• 2013: Matthew McConaughey - Dallas Buyers Club
• 2014: Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything
• 2015: Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant 
• 2016: Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea 
• 2017: Gary Oldman - Darkest Hour
• 2018: Rami Malek - Bohemian Rhapsody 
• 2019: Joaquin Phoenix - Joker 
• 2020: Anthony Hopkins - The Father 
• 2021: Will Smith - King Richard
  
• 2022: Brendan Fraser - The Whale 
• 2023: Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer
• 2025: Michael B. Jordan - Sinners 

Best Actor - Supporting Role:

• 1974: Robert De Niro - The Godfather Part II
• 1982: Louis Gossett Jr. - An Officer and a Gentleman
  
• 1983: Jack Nicholson - Terms of Endearment
• 1987: Sean Connery - The Untouchables
• 1988: Kevin Kline - A Fish Called Wanda
  
• 1989: Denzel Washington - Glory
  
• 1990: Joe Pesci - Good Fellas
• 1991: Jack Palance - City Slickers
  
• 1992: Gene Hackman - Unforgiven
  
• 1993: Tommy Lee Jones - The Fugitive
• 1994: Martin Landau - Ed Wood
• 1995: Kevin Spacey - The Usual Suspects
  
• 1996: Cuba Gooding, Jr. - Jerry Maguire
  
• 1997: Robin Williams - Good Will Hunting
  
• 2000: Benicio Del Toro - Traffic
• 2001: Jim Broadbent - Iris 
• 2003: Tim Robbins - Mystic River
• 2004: Morgan Freeman - Million Dollar Baby
  
• 2006: Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine
  
• 2007: Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
  
• 2008: Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
• 2009: Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds
• 2010: Christian Bale - The Fighter
• 2012: Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained 
• 2013: Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club 
• 2014: J.K. Simmons - Whiplash
• 2016: Mahershala Ali - Moonlight
• 2017: Sam Rockwell - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri   
• 2018: Mahershala Ali - Green Book 
• 2019: Brad Pitt - Once upon a Time...in Hollywood
  
• 2022: Ke Huy Quan - Everything Everywhere All at Once
• 2023: Robert Downey Jr. - Oppenheimer 
• 2024: Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain 
• 2025: Sean Penn - One Battle after Another 

Best Actress - Leading Role:

• 1939: Vivien Leigh - Gone with the Wind
• 1953: Audrey Hepburn - Roman Holiday
• 1967: Katharine Hepburn - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
• 1976: Faye Dunaway - Network
• 1977: Diane Keaton - Annie Hall
• 1983: Shirley MacLaine - Terms of Endearment
• 1991: Jodie Foster - The Silence of the Lambs
  
• 1995: Susan Sarandon - Dead Man Walking
  
• 1996: Frances McDormand - Fargo
  
• 1997: Helen Hunt - As Good as It Gets
  
• 1998: Gwyneth Paltrow - Shakespeare in Love
  
• 2000: Julia Roberts - Erin Brockovich
  
• 2001: Halle Berry - Monster's Ball
• 2004: Hilary Swank - Million Dollar Baby
• 2006: Helen Mirren - The Queen
• 2009: Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
• 2010: Natalie Portman - Black Swan
• 2012: Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook
• 2014: Julianne Moore - Still Alice
  
• 2015: Brie Larson - Room
  
• 2016: Emma Stone - La La Land 
• 2017: Frances McDormand - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 
• 2018: Olivia Colman - The Favourite 
• 2022: Michelle Yeoh - Everything Everywhere All at Once 
• 2024: Mikey Madison - Anora 

Best Actress - Supporting Role:

• 1939: Hattie McDaniel - Gone with the Wind
• 1954: Eva Marie Saint - On the Waterfront
• 1970: Helen Hayes - Airport
• 1976: Beatrice Straight - Network
• 1982: Jessica Lange - Tootsie
• 1990: Whoopi Goldberg - Ghost
• 1992: Marisa Tomei - My Cousin Vinny
  
• 1996: Juliette Binoche - The English Patient
• 1997: Kim Basinger - L.A. Confidential
• 1998: Judi Dench - Shakespeare in Love
• 1999: Angelina Jolie - Girl, Interrupted
• 2001: Jennifer Connelly - A Beautiful Mind
• 2002: Catherine Zeta-Jones - Chicago
• 2004: Cate Blanchett - The Aviator
• 2006: Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls
• 2007: Tilda Swinton - Michael Clayton
• 2008: Penélope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
• 2010: Melissa Leo - The Fighter 
• 2011: Octavia Spencer - The Help
• 2012: Anne Hathaway - Les Misérables 
• 2013: Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave
• 2014: Patricia Arquette - Boyhood 
• 2019: Laura Dern - Marriage Story 
  
• 2022: Jamie Lee Curtis - Everything Everywhere All at Once 
• 2023: Emily Blunt - Oppenheimer
• 2025: Amy Madigan - Weapons 

Best International Feature Film

• 1949: The Bicycle Thief (Italy)
• 1951: Rashomon (Japan) 
• 1998: Life Is Beautiful (Italy)
• 2000: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Taiwan)
• 2011: A Separation (Iran)
• 2018: Roma (Mexico) 
• 2019: Parasite (South Korea) 

  Best Animated Feature Film: (Instituted in 2001)

• 2001: Shrek
• 2002: Spirited Away
• 2003: Finding Nemo
  
• 2004: The Incredibles
• 2005: Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
  
• 2006: Happy Feet
  
• 2007: Ratatouille
  
• 2008: WALL*E
• 2009: Up 
• 2010: Toy Story 3
• 2011: Rango
• 2012: Brave
• 2013: Frozen
• 2014: Big Hero 6 
• 2015: Inside Out
• 2016: Zootopia 
• 2017: Coco
• 2018: Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse 
• 2019: Toy Story 4
• 2020: Soul
• 2021: Encanto 
• 2022: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio 

Films watched in 2026

1) Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) 8.5/10 

2) Once Upon a Time in America (1984) 8.0/10 
IMDb Top Rated Movies #90

3) Homebound (2025) 9.0/10
IMDb Top Rated Indian Movies #227

4) A Real Pain (2024) 7.5/10

5) Ankhon Dekhi (2013) 7.0/10
IMDb Top Rated Indian Movies #232

6) Joseph (2012) 7.5/10
IMDb Top Rated Indian Movies #233

7) Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016) 7.5/10

8) Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024) 6.5/10

9) Wonder (2017) 8.0/10

10) Padakkalam (2025) 7.0/10

11) Eko (2025) 9.0/10

12) Uncut Gems (2019) 6.0/10

13) Aan Paavam Pollathathu (2025) 7.5/10

14) Narai Ezhuthum Suyasaritham (2016) 8.0/10

15) Mask (2025) 9.0/10

16) Pani (2024) 8.5/10

17) De De Pyaar De (2019) 6.5/10

18) Banking Hours 10 to 4 (2012) 5.0/10

19) Omkara (2006) 7.5/10
IMDb Top Rated Indian Movies #148

20) Sarvam Maya (2025) 7.5/10

21) Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2024) 7.0/10

22) Thalaivar Thambi Thalaimaiyil (2026) 8.0/10

23) Dil Dhadakne Do (2025) 9.0/10

24) The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2010) 9.0/10

25) I Saw the Devil (2012) 9.0/10

26) Ulidavaru Kandanthe (2014) 9.0/10
IMDb Top Rated Indian Movies #203

27) Stand by Me (1986) 8.0/10
IMDb Top Rated Movies #242

28) Me Before You (2016) 9.0/10

29) Halloween (2018) 6.0/10

30) Kalamkaval (2025) 10.0/10

31) Yevade Subramaniam (2015) 7.5/10

32) With Love (2026) 9.0/10

33) One Battle After Another (2025) 9.0/10

34) The Cabin in the Woods (2011) 8.5/10

35) Article 370 (2024) 8.5/10

36) IF (2024) 7.5/10

37) Superbad (2007) 9.0/10

38) Raazi (2018) 7.0/10

39) Host (2020) 6.0/10

40) Rush (2013) 9.0/10
IMDb Top Rated Movies #241

41) A Quiet Place: Day One (2021) 5.5/10

42) Thaai Kizhavi (2026) 10.0/10

43) Youth (2026) 8.5/10

44) Bhoothakaalam (2022) 8.0/10

45) Now You See Me: Now You Don't (2025) 8.0/10

46) Witness for the Prosecution (1957) 8.5/10
IMDb Top Rated Movies #65

47) Kudumbasthan (2025) 8.0/10

48) Man on Fire (2004) 8.0/10

49) Despicable Me 4 (2024) 6.0/10

50) The Raid: Redemption (2011) 7.5/10

51) Middle Class (2025) 8.5/10

52) Tenet (2020) 9.0/10

53) Hit Man (2020) 7.0/10

54) Weapons (2025) 7.0/10

55) Hridayapoorvam (2025) 6.5/10

56) Vaazha II: Biopic of a Billion Bros (2026) 8.5/10

57) Super Sharanya (2022) 7.0/10

58) Unfinished Business (2015) 6.0/10 

59) Madras Cafe (2013) 7.0/10

60) HIT: The Second Case (2022) 8.0/10

 61) Yaaruda Mahesh (2013) 6.0/10

62) Frankenstein (2025) 9.0/10

63) The Big Sick (2017) 8.5/10

64) Sinners (2025) 9.5/10

65) Boyz n the Hood (1991) 8.5/10

66) The Gentlemen (2019) 10.0/10  

67) Couple Friendly (2026) 8.5/10

68) Grave of the Fireflies (1988) 9.0/10
IMDb Top Rated Movies #36

69) Sirai (2025) 8.0/10 

70) Kireedam (1989) 8.5/10
IMDb Top Rated Indian Movies #9

71) Y Tu Mamá También (2001) 8.5/10

72) Kamaraj (2004) 6.5/10

73) Blast (2026) 8.5/10

74) L2: Empuraan (2025) 7.0/10

75) Karuppu (2026) 7.0/10

76) Project Hail Mary (2026) 9.5/10
IMDb Top Rated Movies #147

77) Bramayugam (2024) 9.0/10  

78) Encanto (2021) 6.0/10

79) 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) 8.0/10

80) On the Waterfront (1954) 9.5/10
IMDb Top Rated Movies #229

81) Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) 7.0/10

82) Pathemari (2015) 9.0/10
IMDb Top Rated Indian Movies #248

83) Sisu (2022) 8.5/10 

84) Maa Inti Bangaaram (2026) 7.0/10 

85) Freedom Writers (2007) 10.0/10 

86) Gatta Kusthi (2022) 8.0/10 

87) Paths of Glory (1957) 8.5/10
IMDb Top Rated Movies #67

88) Dhurandhar: The Revenge (2026) 10.0/10
IMDb Top Rated Indian Movies #122

89) Balan: The Boy (2026) 8.0/10 

90) The Big Lebowski (1998) 8.0/10 
IMDb Top Rated Movies #232

91) Con City (2026) 8.0/10 

92) Raajneeti (2010) 7.5/10 

93) Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) 10.0/10 

94) Dil Bechara (2020) 8.0/10

95) Lion (2016) 8.5/10 

96) Star (2024) 8.0/10

97) Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey (2022) 9.0/10 

98) The Client (1994) 7.5/10 

99) Gatta Kusthi 2 (2026) 6.0/10 

100) DC (2026) 9.0/10

101) Jil Jung Juk (2016) 6.0/10

102) Mary Kom (2014) 8.0/10

103) Jana Nayagan (2026) 7.5/10

104) HIT: The Third Case (2025) 6.0/10

105) Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) 9.0/10
IMDb Top Rated Movies #135

106) Oh! Baby (2019) 8.5/10