Judi Dench – 10 Best Movies

By Vlad Zakh · June 24, 2026

GoldenEye through Skyfall show how much authority she brought to M, a role that could have been a footnote, Shakespeare in Love won her an Oscar for about eight minutes on screen, and Philomena shows the quieter dramatic register. Belfast anchors a family through the Troubles as a steady grandmother, Chocolat has a stubborn grandmother charmed by mysterious chocolate, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel starts a widow over at an Indian hotel, and Cats is a game motion-capture role. Mrs. Brown and Notes on a Scandal round out the list.

Cats (2019)

TMDB ★ 4.1

Idris Elba takes a widely mocked but committed motion-capture role in the musical adaptation.

Directed by Tom Hooper · 1h 50m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Belfast (2021)

IMDb ★ 7.2 RT 86% Metacritic 75

A young boy's childhood in Belfast is upended by the outbreak of the Troubles.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh · 1h 38m · Rated PG-13

Won 1 Oscar63 wins & 259 nominations

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Chocolat (2000)

TMDB ★ 7.0

A free-spirited woman's new chocolate shop stirs up passion and controversy in a conservative French village.

Directed by Lasse Hallström · 2h 01m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)

TMDB ★ 7.0

A group of British retirees move to a rundown Indian hotel that turns out to be better in the brochure.

Directed by John Madden · 2h 04m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Mrs. Brown (1997)

TMDB ★ 6.8

Judi Dench earned an Oscar nomination as Queen Victoria in the years after Prince Albert's death.

Directed by John Madden · 1h 45m

Where to watch

Stream: Britbox Apple TV channel, BritBox, BritBox Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Skyfall (2012)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 92% Metacritic 81

Bond's loyalty to M is tested as a former agent returns for personal revenge.

Directed by Sam Mendes · 2h 23m · Rated PG-13

Won 2 Oscars69 wins & 125 nominations

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Notes on a Scandal (2006)

TMDB ★ 7.1

A lonely teacher blackmails a colleague after discovering her affair with a student.

Directed by Richard Eyre · 1h 32m · Rated R

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Philomena (2013)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A mother searches for the son taken from her decades earlier by the nuns who ran her home.

Directed by Stephen Frears · 1h 38m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Britbox Apple TV channel, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel · 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

GoldenEye (1995)

TMDB ★ 6.9

James Bond confronts a former agent turned rogue after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Directed by Martin Campbell · 2h 10m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

TMDB ★ 6.8

A struggling playwright finds inspiration and forbidden romance while staging Romeo and Juliet.

Directed by John Madden · 2h 04m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel · 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.

Judi Dench – 10 Best Movies

Cats (2019)

Belfast (2021)

Chocolat (2000)

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)

Mrs. Brown (1997)

Skyfall (2012)

Notes on a Scandal (2006)

Philomena (2013)

GoldenEye (1995)

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

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