Emma Thompson – 10 Best Movies

By Vlad Zakh · December 29, 2025

Emma Thompson has an Oscar for acting and another for writing, and both instincts show up in nearly everything she does, whether she’s a repressed Austen heroine or a Disney villain’s origin story. Late Night forces a veteran host’s writers’ room to diversify, Primary Colors exposes a campaign’s messy inner workings, Nanny McPhee disciplines seven unruly children, and Cruella curdles a designer’s rivalry into villainy. Sense and Sensibility, Howards End, Love Actually, Saving Mr. Banks and Stranger Than Fiction round out the list.

Late Night (2019)

TMDB ★ 6.6

A struggling late-night talk show host hires a diversity-hire writer whose fresh perspective threatens the status quo.

Directed by Nisha Ganatra · 1h 42m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Primary Colors (1998)

TMDB ★ 6.6

An idealistic campaign staffer discovers the messy compromises behind his charismatic candidate's presidential run.

Directed by Mike Nichols · 2h 23m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Nanny McPhee (2005)

IMDb ★ 6.6 RT 74% Metacritic 59

A magical nanny disciplines seven unruly children with a walking stick and hard lessons.

Directed by Kirk Jones · 1h 37m · Rated PG

3 wins & 4 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Cruella (2021)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A young, fashion-obsessed grifter transforms into the villainous, dog-loving style icon of London.

Directed by Craig Gillespie · 2h 14m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Love Actually (2003)

IMDb ★ 7.5 RT 65% Metacritic 55

Ten overlapping London love stories converge in the weeks before Christmas.

Directed by Richard Curtis · 2h 15m · Rated R

Won 1 BAFTA Award11 wins & 30 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads, Starz, Starz Apple TV channel, Starz Roku Premium Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A meticulous IRS auditor discovers his mundane life is being narrated by a mysterious, unseen author.

Directed by Marc Forster · 1h 53m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Peacock Premium, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium Plus, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

TMDB ★ 7.5

Colin Farrell shows a warmer, more vulnerable register than in most of his other roles.

Directed by John Lee Hancock · 2h 06m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

IMDb ★ 7.9 RT 90% Metacritic 82

A time-turner, a dementor-infested train and the franchise's most atmospheric instalment.

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón · 2h 21m · Rated PG

Nominated for 2 Oscars17 wins & 56 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium, HBO Max, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Howards End (1992)

TMDB ★ 7.4

The fates of three families from different social classes become entangled around the inheritance of a country house.

Directed by James Ivory · 2h 22m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Cohen Media Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Sense and Sensibility (1995)

TMDB ★ 7.4

Two sisters navigate love and financial ruin in a society with no place for either.

Directed by Ang Lee · 2h 16m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

Emma Thompson – 10 Best Movies

Late Night (2019)

Primary Colors (1998)

Nanny McPhee (2005)

Cruella (2021)

Love Actually (2003)

Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Howards End (1992)

Sense and Sensibility (1995)

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