Here’s my list of ten movies to help you improve your English comprehension, arranged in increasing difficulty. In my list, I give two examples each from the five following levels:
- Beginner Level (a combination of simple language, clear dialogue and straightforward plots)
- Upper Beginner Level (offering more variety in accents, with simple plots and themes)
- Intermediate Level (with more complex themes, idioms and natural speech patterns)
- Upper Intermediate Level (consisting of complex themes, faster dialogue and more natural, colloquial language)
- Advanced Level (expressing sophisticated language, abstract themes and complex storytelling)
The progression goes from simple plots and language to more complex themes with refined cultural references and dialogue styles. My list also covers a variety of accents and dialects, as well as a range of idiomatic expressions, all helping you improve your English language skills while allowing you to enjoy a wide range of films!
Let us proceed:
1. “The Lion King” (1994) – Beginner Level (A1 and above)
It’s about Simba who, as a cub, is forced to leave the Pride Lands after his father Mufasa is murdered by his wicked uncle, Scar. Years later, he returns as a young lion to reclaim his throne. It stars Jeremy Irons as Scar and Matthew Broderick playing Simba.
This movie has dialogue that is easy to understand. It has a classic storyline and includes some memorable characters.
2. “Paddington” (2014) – Beginner Level (A1+ and above)
The film is about a young bear, who can walk and talk, who travels to London from the jungles of Peru. When he gets there, he is adopted by the Brown family and goes through many adventures in the big city. It’s a star-studded cast with Ben Whishaw (Paddington Bear), Hugh Bonneville, Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant and Julie Walters.
This is a gentle, heart-warming film. It has easy vocabulary and is expressed in clear British accents.
3. “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) – Upper Beginner Level (A2 and above)
It’s about a young girl from Kansas who dreams of a better life “somewhere over the rainbow”. She is caught in the eye of a tornado and lands in the fantasy world of Oz where she is joined by an assortment of characters. Judy Garland stars as Dorothy, the young girl while Jack Haley plays the Tin Man, Ray Boger the Scarecrow, Bert Lahr the Cowardly Lion, Frank Morgan the Wizard of Oz and Margaret Hamilton the Wicked Witch.
This is unquestionably a classic film, a musical fantasy with conversations that are easy to follow and it includes plenty of memorable scenes and songs.
4. “Home Alone” (1990) – Upper Beginner Level (A2+ and above)
It’s about an eight-year-old called Kevin who is accidentally left behind when his family leaves for France. At first, he’s perfectly happy to be in charge; but when thieves try to break into his home, he overcomes his initial fear and puts up a fight like no other. It stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin and alongside him are Joe Pesci and Catherine O’Hara.
The movie is billed as a family comedy and contains both simple and repetitive dialogue, thus making it fairly straightforward to follow.
5. “The King’s Speech” (2010) – Intermediate Level (B1+ and above)
This film tells the story of King George VI as he tries to overcome his stammering problem with the help of speech therapist Lionel Logue. He is needing to make himself worthy enough to make speeches as he endeavours to lead his country through World War II.
The King’s Speech is a historical drama. It contains formal English and is an inspiring story about how to overcome difficulties with language. In it, Colin Firth won an Oscar as the King and is ably supported by Geoffrey Rush as the therapist and Helena Bonham-Carter as the Queen.
6. “Cast Away” (2000) – Intermediate Level (B1+ and above)
This film draws inspiration from real-life survival experiences to create a narrative in which Chuck Noland wakes up on a deserted island after his plane crashes into the Pacific. He has to harness every skill he knows to survive the mental and physical agony of living alone. Tom Hanks stars as Chuck while alongside him are Helen Hunt and Chris Noth.
In this movie, there is quite a lot of self-talk, but also conversations at the beginning and the end of the story. The dialogues are relatively easy to understand and to focus upon.
(Side note: Talking to yourself in English (and recording yourself) is actually a great way to improve your fluency and pronunciation when learning the English language!)
7. Dead Poets Society” (1989) – Upper Intermediate Level (B2 and above)
This is a tale about a class of students who, in a highly conservative boarding school, are taught to rebel against the status quo and search for a deeper meaning to life. This all happens with the help of their new poetry teacher John Keating who is played by Robin Williams. Ethan Hawke also stars in the movie.
It’s a deep, poignant film that has poetic language as well as cultural references and, of course, a fair share of philosophical themes.
8. “Inception” (2010) – Upper Intermediate Level (B2 and above)
In this film, Cobb, played by and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, steals information from his targets by means of entering their dreams. He is wanted for his alleged role in his wife’s murder and yet his only chance at redemption is to perform a nearly impossible task. The cast also includes Cillian Murphy, Marion Cotillard and Michael Caine.
In ‘Inception’ there is some rather complex dialogue as it tries to blend dreams with reality. The speech can be faster and there are occasionally some abstract themes at play.
9. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014) – Advanced Level (B2+ and above)
This Wes Anderson movie involves Gustave H, a concierge who works at a famous European hotel. He has to prove his innocence when he is framed for a murder. In the process of doing so, he strikes up a great friendship with a lobby boy. It stars Ralph Fiennes with Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton
The Grand Budapest Hotel is undoubtedly a quirky film, but it possesses elaborate, formal dialogue and, with it, a fast-paced narrative structure.
10. “The Godfather” (1972) – Advanced Level (B2+ and above)
It tells the story of a certain Don Vito Corleone, the head of a mafia family. He decides to hand over his empire to his youngest son, Michael. However, his decision unintentionally puts the lives of his relatives at serious risk. It stars Marlon Brando and Al Pacino.
One of the all-time classics, this is a complex film with varied Italian-American accents and nuanced dialogue.
Conclusion
I trust this selection of ten movies arranged in increasing levels of difficulty will help you improve your English vocabulary, your listening comprehension, and your appreciation for the English language.
Watching movies is essential when learning English. Some other entertaining activities that can help improve your level of English are: visiting English-speaking countries, listening to podcasts or the radio in English, and reading international news in English. And if you have the financial means to combine these activities with one-to-one online lessons with qualified and experienced native English teachers, then your progression will be even faster.
Good luck!
This article was written by Break Into English’s blog contributor Adam Jacot de Boinod.