Fantastic Films to Improve Your Understanding of American Accents
/22 Great American Movies
Hollywood is a powerhouse in the film industry. Earning billions in revenue each year, it is no surprise that American movies are so well known. Fortunately, watching American films can help you improve your comprehension and your understanding of American accents. I have included a list below of 22 fantastic American films to help you improve your understanding of American accents.
If you would like to see my list of recommended TV series, click here.
If you would like to see my list of recommended British films, click here.
If you prefer to watch family-friendly films, click here.
Enjoy watching!
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Starring Audrey Hepburn, a young New York socialite finds herself infatuated with her new neighbor. As they get to know each other, they find themselves at odds and are afraid to share their personal secrets in fear of those secrets splitting them apart.
Once Upon a Time in America
After leaving behind the life of a gangster, David "Noodles" Aaronson returns to Manhattan after a 35-year absence. Haunted by the memories of his past, David reminisces with a friend as he confronts his past.
Dirty Dancing
An American classic, Dirty Dancing is a movie about a forbidden romance between Frances "Baby" Houseman and Johnny Castle. Set in 1963, Baby is a privileged girl who plans to attend college, join the Peace Corps, and marry a doctor. However, when Baby becomes Johnny’s dance partner, they both start to fall in love. Tensions rise when Baby’s father discovers the relationship, forbidding his daughter from continuing this romance. Torn between family and love, Baby has to make a difficult choice.
Dead Poets Society (1989)
When Todd Anderson joins the Weldon Academy, he is everything but excited. Pressured to perform as well as his older brother, he can’t help feeling overwhelmed. Todd meets a bright group of friends who also are under the pressure of their parent’s expectations. Their school life seems rigid at first until they meet John Keatings, who seeks to enhance their passion for life with poetry.
As Mr. Keating shares with the class his wisdom, the boys are encouraged to challenge the status quo, seize the day, and live vicariously. Ultimately this leads to the revival of the Dead Poets Society.
The Silence of the Lambs*
Starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, The Silence of the Lambs is a classic American thriller. Young F.B.I. cadet Clarice Starling must team up with a notorious serial killer and cannibal to hunt down another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.
Mrs. Doubtfire
After a bitter divorce, actor Daniel Hillard is only able to see his children one day a week. When he sees his wife put out an ad for a nanny, Daniel disguises himself as an elderly British woman so that he can spend more time with his children.
Shawshank Redemption*
Falsely accused of murdering his wife, Andy Dufrene is sentenced to life in prison in Shawshank. The film follows Andy as he befriends other prisoners like Red (Morgan Freeman), and he shows a unique perspective despite the hellish conditions of the prison. Over the years, Andy and Red learn to find redemption in the small acts of being good people.
Good Will Hunting
Starring Matt Damon, Robin Williams, and Ben Affleck, Good Will Hunting is a story about Will Hunting, a young man who serves as a janitor in MIT. When a university professor discovers Will has a talent for higher mathematics, he tries to encourage Will to pursue a career in mathematics. However, Will seems to be struggling with his identity and relationships, leading to him meeting a psychologist who will change his life forever.
Little Miss Sunshine
The Hoover family is far from perfect. Sheryl Hoover tries to bring her brother nearer to her family after he attempted suicide over his rejection from his boyfriend. Her husband Richard is a failed entrepreneur. Her son, Dwayne, has taken a vow of silence as a follower of Nietzche. And despite all this family turmoil, her daughter Olive dreams of winning the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. In this hilarious comedy and drama, the Hoover family puts aside their differences and travels cross country to help Olive win the Little Miss Sunshine pageant.
Julie and Julia
The lives of Julie Powell and Julia Childs intertwine when Julie decides to add some purpose to her humdrum life by cooking every one of the 524 recipes in acclaimed chef Julia Child's book Mastering the Art of French Cooking. As she cooks each recipe, Julie blogs about her experiences.
The Adjustment Bureau
Right as he is about to win a seat in the US senate, politician David Norris meets a ballet dancer named Elise Sellas. Elise is unlike any woman he has ever met and he starts to fall in love with her. However, when an organisation known only as the Adjustment Bureau seeks to keep them apart, David and Elise must choose to live either a predetermined life or risk everything to live life on their own terms.
Great Gatsby
Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book of the same name, The Great Gatsby is a story about how writer and trader Nick Carraway is brought into the world of millionaire Jay Gatsby. Amidst all the lavish parties and extravagance, Nick starts to realise there is more to Jay’s life beyond his affluence.
Now You See Me
When four magicians come together, they form a team known as the four horsemen. During their sold-out show, they perform a live bank heist and give the money to the audience. This forces F.B.I. Agents Dylan Rhodes and Interpol Agent Alma Dray to investigate and uncover how they did it. This leads them deep into a complex investigation where they uncover illusions, puzzles, and ulterior motives far beyond what they expected.
Gone Girl *
On the day of his 5th anniversary, Nick Dunne reports that his wife, Amy, has gone missing. As the investigation begins, the media catches wind of Amy’s disappearance. Eventually, pressure is put on Nick by both the police and the media. Did Nick Dunne kill his wife?
The Intern
A retired widower, Ben (Robert De Niro), finds himself bored with his retired life and applies to be a senior intern at an online fashion retailer. Landing the job, his manager Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway), is a demanding and driven workaholic. Ben is not given much work as an intern but over time, he starts to show his manager not only that he is helpful, but also a source of wisdom and support.
Florence Foster Jenkins
Florence Foster Jenkins is the story of an NYC heiress who always dreamed of playing piano in Carnegie Hall. After an unfortunate accident, her dreams of playing piano were dashed. Wanting to still perform at Carnegie Hall, Florence decides to pick up opera singing, even though she has no experience. With her “practice, practice, practice” mindset, nothing is able to stop her from reaching her goals.
Hidden Figures
During the race to outer space in the 1960s, Hidden Figures is the story of 3 African-American women whose knowledge in mathematics helped aid NASA in the historic astronaut launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, and guaranteed his safe return. Based on the true story of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Gobels Johnson, all three women challenged racial, gender, and cultural norms to help achieve one of the most historic accomplishments in human history.
Green Book
Based on a true story in 1962, Green Book is the story of Tony "Tony Lip" Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen), an Italian-American bouncer looking for work who finds himself under the employment of classical pianist Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali). Dr. Shirley has a concert tour in the southern United States where the people are still discriminating against African Americans.
Knives Out
When the famous crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead after his 85th birthday, Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is brought on to investigate his death. Detective Blanc must analyse the stories of Harlan’s dysfunctional family and his staff to uncover the hidden truth behind his mysterious death.
Marriage Story
Marriage Story is an Academy Award Nominated Netflix film that tells the story of the marriage between Charlie and Nicole Barber. Throughout the film you see the many facets of marriage and follow the Barbers in their journey from breaking down to staying together for their family.
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Based on the true story and friendship of Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks) and journalist Tom Junod. When Tom is assigned to profile Mr. Rogers, Tom slowly learns from his new friend how to overcome pessimism, be empathetic, and how kindness always wins in the end.
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) has fallen into some hard times. Her writing career had achieved little success leading to her struggling to pay for her expenses. Her situation is worsened when she burns bridges with everyone her agent has introduced her to. When her debts start to pile up, Lee turns to fraudulently selling fake celebrity memorabilia to make ends meet. However when the scam starts to catch up with her, Lee finds herself in a precarious situation.
* My personal favourites
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