There are so many great Russian movies. They include epic war films, thought-provoking sci-fi, intense dramas, and dark comedies. If you want to find the best Russian movies, then this post is for you.
Best Russian War Movies
Russian filmmakers have created some of the most harrowing and realistic war films. These movies often focus on WWII (known as the Great Patriotic War in Russia) but also explore other conflicts.
The Cranes Are Flying
- Year: 1957
- Director: Mikhail Kalatozov
- Why recommend: If you’re exploring classic Russian movies, start here. This beautiful WWII romance movie tells a moving story of love and loss with stunning visuals. Young lovers Boris and Veronica are split apart after he enlists in the military during World War II. A distraught Veronica is tricked into marrying Boris’s cynical cousin after Boris is assumed dead on the battlefield. The film, which is set against the backdrop of WWII Russia, depicts her ongoing grief and shame. Their tale, which has touched audiences for generations, is one of personal sorrow, lost love, and the resiliency of the human spirit. It ends with a moving and memorable climax.
Come and See
- Year: 1985
- Director: Elem Klimov
- Why recommend: A teenage lad in German-occupied Belarus named Flyora enthusiastically enlists in the partisan struggle. When he witnesses the sheer savagery of the Nazi extermination effort, his idealistic outlook is swiftly dashed. Through Flyora’s eyes, the video depicts a terrifying journey into hell as he watches his innocence destroyed and his tribe massacred. A vivid and fantastical anti-war classic, it evokes the horrors of war in a way that cannot be forgotten.
9th Company
- Year: 2005
- Director: Fyodor Bondarchuk
- Why recommend: From their arduous boot camp in 1987 to their deployment in the Soviet-Afghan War, the movie chronicles the experiences of a group of young Soviet recruits. Their close-knit fraternity is put to the test when they are tasked with protecting a distant outpost on a hill. The film, which is based on a true event, shows their valiant and heartbreaking final fight against overwhelming Mujahideen forces, underscoring the pointlessness and human cost of the war waged so far from home.
Best Russian Drama Movies
Russian dramas are known for their deep character studies, social commentary, and melancholic beauty.
Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears
- Year: 1980
- Director: Vladimir Menshov
- Why recommend: Three young women – Katerina, Lyudmila, and Antonina – manage work, love, and ambition in Moscow in the 1950s. The movie goes back to them twenty years later. Katerina, a lonely yet successful factory director, unexpectedly gets another chance at love with Gosha, a basic mechanic. The film captures the essence of late Soviet-era culture and is a warm, heartfelt drama about friendship, life’s unexpected turns, and the belief that happiness is always possible. If you are looking for the best Russian movies of romance and inspiration, you must watch this!
Leviathan
- Year: 2014
- Director: Andrey Zvyagintsev
- Why recommend: Kolya, a mechanic in a tiny seaside town, battles the dishonest mayor who wants to take over his land and car shop. The mayor crushes Kolya with the whole power of the state and the Orthodox church. Personal betrayals inside his own family cause Kolya’s life to fall apart as he fights back with the assistance of a lawyer buddy. This contemporary tragedy is a biting indictment of injustice, power, and corruption in modern-day Russia.
Also read: 25+ Best Chinese Dramas with Highest IMDb Ratings (2025)
Best Russian Sci-Fi & Fantasy Movies
There are so many best sci-fi movies you might have missed, but why not try watching Russian sci-fi? It often leans toward philosophical and dystopian themes rather than flashy action.
Solaris
- Year: 1972
- Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
- Why recommend: To look into the weird psychiatric reports from the crew, psychologist Kris Kelvin is dispatched to a space station orbiting the enigmatic ocean-planet Solaris. When he first arrives, he sees actual representations of his most painful memories and regrets, such as his late wife Hari. Human awareness appears to materialize on the planet. Love, shame, memory, and the impossibility of fully comprehending something outside of human experience are all themes in this film’s long, philosophical reflection.
Stalker
- Year: 1979
- Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
- Why recommend: Two men – a cynical writer and a sensible professor – are brought by a guide known as the Stalker into the Zone, a dangerous and prohibited territory in a grim, dystopian future. There is a room at its center that is said to fulfill one’s deepest wishes. Their voyage, which takes place amid dilapidated industrial landscapes, is more of a philosophical pilgrimage than a physical one, testing their views on faith, art, science, and the true nature of their own desires.
Night Watch
- Year: 2004
- Director: Timur Bekmambetov
- Why recommend: In contemporary Moscow, the Night Watch (Light Others who guard Dark Others) and the Day Watch uphold an antiquated ceasefire between the armies of Light and Dark. A strong young woman who threatens to upset the equilibrium is discovered by Anton, a reluctant Light Other. As Anton attempts to stop a post-apocalyptic conflict between the factions, the movie immerses the audience in a world of vampires, witches, and magical conflicts while fusing urban fantasy with chic action.
Best Russian Comedy Movies
Russian humor ranges from Soviet era satire to modern dark comedies.
The Irony of Fate
- Year: 1975
- Director: Eldar Ryazanov
- Why recommend: Zhenya Lukashin is put on a plane to Leningrad after a drunken mix-up involving Moscow pals celebrating in a public bath on New Year’s Eve. He falls asleep in what he believes to be his own apartment after using his key to access a door at the same address because the apartment buildings are identical and date back to the Soviet era. The genuine resident, Nadya, finds him. A delightful and reflective romantic comedy about fate and fresh starts is sparked by this amusing error.
Office Romance
- Year: 1977
- Director: Eldar Ryazanov
- Why recommend: Ludmila Kalugina, the strict, stern director of a statistical agency, is privately lonely. Anatoly Novoseltsev, her shy and divorced subordinate, is convinced by a buddy to try to win her a promotion. Their awkward encounters, which at first seem disastrous, gradually melt her cold façade and expose a warm lady underneath. A timeless workplace comedy from the Soviet era, it follows the endearing and humorous slow-burning romance between two seemingly incompatible individuals.
What Men Talk About
- Year: 2010
- Director: Dmitry Dyachenko
- Why recommend: From Moscow to Odessa, four male pals in their thirties set off on a lengthy road journey. While confined to their vehicle, their dialogue turns into a humorous and frank examination of contemporary life, touching on topics such as marriage, love, regrets, fears, and what happiness really means. The film, which is full of funny banter, realistic insights, and warm humor that speaks to anybody navigating maturity, is more about the journey of male camaraderie than the final destination.
Also read: Best Comedy Movies of All Time
Best Russian Historical & Epic Movies
Russia’s vast history has inspired grand cinematic spectacles.
War and Peace
- Year: 1966
- Director: Sergei Bondarchuk
- Why recommend: The lives of five Russian noble families – including Pierre Bezukhov, Natasha Rostova, and Andrei Bolkonsky – during the Napoleonic Wars are chronicled in this epic version of Tolstoy’s book. The film is a remarkable cinematic feat that captures the broad scope of battle and the intimate depth of human experience by fusing their individual searches for love and meaning with historical occurrences such as the Battle of Austerlitz and the French invasion of Russia.
Andrei Rublev
- Year: 1966
- Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
- Why recommend: The film largely recounts the life of the legendary icon painter Andrei Rublev and is set in Russia during the Tatar invasions in the 15th century. It takes place in a sequence of poetic vignettes and is less of a biopic and more of a philosophical epic. After seeing extreme cruelty and suffering, Rublew has a spiritual crisis and decides to vow to keep quiet. His voyage serves as a profound reflection on faith, art, and the artist’s duty in a violent and harsh world.
Tsar
- Year: 2009
- Director: Pavel Lungin
- Why recommend: The film centers on the complicated and violent relationship between Moscow’s Metropolitan Philip, the spiritual father and close friend of the paranoid Tsar Ivan the Terrible. Philip bravely challenges the Tsar’s brutal and sacrificial actions as Ivan’s rule spirals into lunacy and the Oprichnina’s fear. The fatal conflict between ultimate temporal authority and spiritual conscience is explored in this gripping historical drama.
Best Russian Thriller & Crime Movies
Russian thrillers often blend noir elements with social commentary.
Brother
- Year: 1997
- Director: Aleksei Balabanov
- Why recommend: Danila moves to Saint Petersburg to live with his older brother, a contract killer, after being released from the army. Danila gets dragged into his brother’s criminal life despite being naive and naturally proficient with a gun. In the grim, chaotic post-Soviet criminal scene, he creates his own harsh code of justice and becomes a folk hero for the marginalized. The film is an unvarnished, fashionable, and iconic depiction of Russia in the 1990s.
The Major
- Year: 2013
- Director: Yuri Bykov
- Why recommend: Major Sergei Sobolev, a senior police officer, fatally strikes a small boy with his vehicle by accident. In a panic, he contacts his dishonest boss, who sets up a cover-up and accuses the boy’s mother of committing the murder. The Major is overcome with paranoia and shame as the web of falsehoods gets more intricate. This gripping, ethically nuanced thriller offers a striking analysis of accountability, corruption, and the psychological effects of one catastrophic error.
Also read: 10 Best Shark Movies for Thriller Fans
Where to Watch the Best Russian Movies?
- YouTube: Great for Soviet-era classics and indie films with English subtitles.
- Netflix: Offers modern Russian dramas and thrillers, such as Leviathan.
- MUBI: Curated arthouse platform with classics from Tarkovsky and others.
- Criterion Channel: For restored Soviet masterpieces and deep film insights.
- Kanopy: Available for free via libraries and universities, featuring a Russian film selection.
- Tubi TV: Free streaming with a mix of Russian-language films and dubs.
Tip: If you want to watch these amazing Russian movies via these streaming services, using a VPN might help.
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Bottom Line
No matter if you want a heartbreaking war movie like Come and See, a mind-bending sci-fi such as Stalker, or a Soviet comedy like The Irony of Fate, this post will help you find the best Russian movies by genre.
