Top 10 Canadian Movies Ever Till 2022

No matter where or when they take place, Canadian films tell tales through the many different lenses that make up our nation. You might be forced to ponder what it means to be a Canadian by them. You might even say they enlarge our bond.

1. Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001)

The film, set in the distant past, retells an Inuit legend passed down through centuries of oral tradition. It centres on the title character, whose marriage to his two wives earns him the wrath of the band leader's son, who murders Atanarjuat's brother and forces Atanarjuat to flee on foot.

2. Bon Cop, Bad Cop (2006)

In order to solve a string of murders connected to the NHL, Bon Cop, Bad Cop updates the clichéd "mismatched cops" movie trope by pairing a rigid Toronto officer (Colm Feore) with a renegade Montreal officer (Patrick Huard). The welcome sign at the Ontario-Quebec border is where the movie starts, with a body hanging from it. Huard informs his new Anglo partner that the back end belongs to him and that the head faces east. This is a fun movie to watch because of the Canadian slurs and inside jokes, as well as the clever banter between the two leads.

3. Eastern Promises (2007)

This film starring Naomi Watts as a midwife attempting to defend a newborn from the Russian Mafia, is a heart-pounding thriller. Although Vincent Cassel also stars as the deranged scion of a wealthy don, Viggo Mortensen is the star of Eastern Promises. His body is covered in tattoos, each one a representation of his fidelity and position as the boss's reticent bodyguard and driver. In one notoriously frantic fight scene, when he is attacked in a Russian steam bath, all are on display. You can feel every painful smack as his naked body slams into the floor.

4. The F Word (2013)

In this fantastic romantic comedy from Michael Dowse and Elan Mastai, sparks fly between two friends (Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan) who are trying to deny their feelings for one another. Toronto is showcased in all of its splendour, from city skyline views to a local diner and a bonfire at the Scarborough Bluffs before a moonlit skinny-dip for the two leads. Co-starring with Adam Driver are Mackenzie Davis and future Oscar nominees.

5. I’ve Heard The Mermaids Singing (1987)

In the film, Rootless The gallery manager, Gabrielle (Paule Baillargeon), is the object of Polly's crush when she gets a job there as an assistant. However, Polly's rose-colored glasses begin to come off when Gabrielle's lover, Ann-Marie MacDonald, reveals some unexpected truths. In this delightful comedic drama, fantasy and skillful storytelling intertwine.

6. Last Night (1998)

In his directorial debut, Don McKellar examines the issue in an unsentimental dark comedy that also happens to be one of my all-time favourite Canadian movies. Sandra Oh, Sarah Polley, David Cronenberg, and Callum Turner make up an outstanding cast. Keith Rennie, Tracy Wright, and McKellar, who has perfect comedic timing and is a pessimistic everyman. The characters' end-of-the-world plans are motivated by a variety of factors, but we are not entirely sure why the end of the world is near.

7. Rebelle (2012)

In Rebelle, directed by Kim Nguyen, a young girl (Rachel Mwanza) who was brutally sold into slavery as a child soldier is haunted by the ghosts of murdered villagers. When Mwanza was cast, she was a 14-year-old street dweller in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Her character tells the story by having conversations with the unborn child she is carrying while sharing memories from the previous two years. Rebelle, an eerie drama with elements of magic, violence, and torment, was a contender for Best International Feature Film at the 85th Academy Awards.

8. Monsieur Lazhar (2011)

Immigrant Bachir Lazhar (Mohamed Fellag), a long-time educator in his native Algeria, takes over a Grade 6 class in Montreal after the death of the previous instructor. The children experience grief and loss, but Lazhar—a traditional teacher confronted by prejudice, cultural clashes, and an educational system he finds perplexing—also struggles with these emotions. The movie by director Philippe Falardeau has heartwarming, sad, and humorous moments.

9. Pontypool (2008)

In the inventive, low-budget film Pontypool by director Bruce McDonald, Stephen McHattie plays a former big-time shock jock who believes that having to work in a small-town Ontario radio station's basement studio is the worst thing that has ever happened to him. The station staff may be the only ones left alive as things outside start to get strange—and they are the only ones who can determine what sends the bloodthirsty marauders on the rampage.

10. Stories We Tell (2012)

Each family is secretive. These truths are interwoven in Sarah Polley's deeply personal documentary as she investigates rumours that surrounded her late mother, the actor and casting director Diane Polley. Diane's friends and family are questioned about their perceptions of her past. As they proceed, a fresh narrative emerges—one that is unexpected, revelatory, and will permanently alter Polley's sense of self.