Tanveer M. KhanThe seventeenth letter of the English alphabet – Q- is one of the most dreaded alphabets, for people think there are not many words that can begin with it when it comes to quick thinking! But that is not the case with filmmakers across the globe, who look at the letter Q for inspiration. There are a lot of world movies that start with the letter “Q,” and surprisingly, most of them have had a successful run at the box office, too. The following are some of the best movies to start with the letter Q.
25. Quo Vadis (1951)
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, ‘Quo Vadis’ is an epic drama set between 64 AD and 68 AD in ancient Rome against the backdrop of the conflict between the Roman Empire and Christianity. It centers on Roman commander Marcus Vinicius (Robert Taylor), who returns home after being away for many years at battle and falls for a woman named Lygia (Deborah Kerr), who is of staunch Christian faith. Naturally, his advances are met with rejection, but he, on the other hand, starts succumbing to her faith. Meanwhile, unforeseen circumstances threaten the very existence of Rome. Will Marcus be able to save his city and the woman he loves? You can stream the film, nominated for 8 Oscars, here and find out.
24. Queen of Katwe (2016)
Directed by Mira Nair, ‘Queen of Katwe’ is a biographical sports drama showcasing the life of Ugandan World Chess Champion Phiona Mutesi. Hailing from the Katwe slum in Kampala, Uganda, Phiona (Madina Nalwanga) was introduced to chess at the age of 10 by Robert Katende, a chess coach played by David Oyelowo. Phiona’s rise from the slum to one of the best chess players in the world is what the film showcases. Lupita Nyong’o plays Phiona’s mother. You can stream the film here.
23. Quartet (1948)
This is a four-story anthology film based on W. Somerset Maugham’s stories, with each directed by one among Harold French, Arthur Crabtree, Ralph Smart, and Ken Annakin. The four stories are “The Facts of Life,” “The Alien Corn,” “The Kite,” and “The Colonel’s Lady.” In each of these films, we come across a protagonist who finds himself experiencing the unexpected, willingly or otherwise.
22. Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020)
Directed by Jasmila Žbanić, ‘Quo Vadis, Aida?’ showcases the Srebrenica massacre of July 1995, wherein Bosniak Muslim boys and men were killed by Serbian Troops on the orders of war criminal Ratko Mladić. However, we see the tragic event through the eyes of Aida, who is an interpreter at a UN base near Srebrenica. With her husband and two sons’ lives at risk, she will have to do everything she can to ensure their safety as well as act as a negotiator in a hostile environment underscored by bureaucracy and false promises. You can stream the film here.
21. Queen & Slim (2019)
Directed by Melina Matsoukas, ‘Queen & Slim’ shows how the first date of Slim (Daniel Kaluuya) and Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) take a wrong turn after a traffic violation that inadvertently leads to the death of a policeman at the hands of Slim. With no other option but to go on the run to avoid being caught, the lovebirds turn into faces of terror and pain. To find out what fate has in store for them, you can stream the film here.
20. Queen Margot (1954)
This Jean Dréville directorial is a French-Italian venture that stars Jeanne Moreau, Françoise Rosay, Armando Francioli, and André Versini. Based on Alexandre Dumas’s 1845 novel ‘La Reine Margot,’ the film is set in 1572 and shows King Charles IX of France marrying his sister Marguerite de Valois to Huguenot prince Henri de Bourbon as a way to end the enmity between Catholics and Protestants. However, unbeknownst to Charles or Marguerite, this step is a plan of their mother, Queen Catherine de Medici, to bring the Huguenots closer so that they can be massacred. Meanwhile, Marguerite, now a Queen too, gets involved in an affair with a Protestant named Joseph de la Mole.
19. Queen and Country (2014)
Directed by John Boorman, this movie is a sequel to ‘Hope and Glory’ (1987) and is based against the backdrop of the Korean War. It tells the story of 18-year-old Billy Rohan, who is enlisted in the British Army. Despite his nature, which prevents him from following orders, he manages to stay, thanks to the recognition of his intelligence, which lets him remain on base and not be sent to other places around the globe. Taking advantage of this, he, along with his friends, came up with different ways to annoy their seniors. He also finds himself attracted to a woman. To know how this turns out, you can stream the film here.
18. Quincy (2018)
Directed by Alan Hicks and Rashida Jones, this documentary film throws light on the life and career of American musical icon Quincy Jones, winner of 27 Grammys and 79 Grammy nominations. His all-time-greatest album is Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ which is also the best-selling album ever. If you want to know more about him, all you have to do is stream the film right here.
17. Queen Bees (2021)
From director Michael Lembeck, ‘Queen Bees’ is a rom-com starring Ellen Burstyn, James Caan and Ann-Margret. It tells the story of independent elderly Helen who, with much reluctance, moves to a retirement community only to find out that it is a high school for people her age. Here, she makes new friends and, more importantly, finds multiple suitors who bring to the table the possibility of love all over again. Her husband is dead, by the way. You can stream the film here to find out how she maneuvers in her new environment.
16. Quinceañera (2006)
This movie is directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland and tells the story of 14-year-old Magdalena, whose dream of celebrating her quinceañera (when she hits 15) is squashed after it is found that she is pregnant. As a result, she is abandoned by her family as well as by the father of the baby she is carrying. With nowhere else to go, she lands at her great-granduncle Tomas Alvarez, who lovingly ushers her in and introduces her to his gay nephew Carlos. Thus, Magdalena gets a new life. However, bad things are on the way, and only by staying together can they face them. You can stream the film here and find out whether they are able to do so.
15. Quarantine (2008)
Earning a Saturn Award nomination, the horror movie features Jennifer Carpenter, Steve Harris, and Jay Hernandez in lead roles and is a remake of the Spanish film ‘REC.’ When a news reporter and cameraman follow strange noises in the middle of their assignment, they realize there’s an unusual virus outbreak in the locality, and it has spread inside one of the buildings, affecting several people who are now quarantined inside. The horror movie received mixed reviews, but fans of the genre appreciated the way the subject was handled and its thrill quotient. You can watch the film here.
14. Quest For Camelot (1998)
When one of the knights of King Arthur’s Round Table is killed because a jealous knight wants to take the throne for himself, the deceased knight’s daughter swears revenge. Years later, when Camelot is in trouble and the legendary Excalibur is missing, the knight’s daughter risks everything and goes in search of the sword, solving one mystery after another as she comes closer to becoming one true knight. The Warner Bros. musical animated feature film, starring voice talents of Gary Oldman, Pierce Brosnan, and Jane Seymour, was an average grosser, but it still attracted younger audiences. You can watch the movie here.
13. The Quick And The Dead (1995)
Borrowing heavily from Sergio Leone’s spaghetti western “Dollars Trilogy,” director Sam Raimi roped in Gene Hackman, Sharon Stone, Russell Crowe, and Leonardo DiCaprio to star in the same genre, where he turned the tables and made Stone the gun-toting leading woman. Not naming most of his characters, Raimi’s film follows The Lady’s story, who, to avenge the death of her father, sets foot in a town, which is governed by the main antagonist, Herod. The film received generally favorable reviews all over. Feel free to check out the movie here.
12. Q&A (1990)
Based on a book by an American judge, the crime film stars Nick Nolte in the lead, as a veteran top cop, who, in a bid to wash his hands off a crime involving a gang, threatens his witnesses, only going from bad to worse by the day. When a deputy DA is assigned the task of looking into the cop’s case, he goes all out to prosecute the officer while facing pressure from the gang leader’s boss, whose wife happens to be his former girlfriend. The movie, which mixed up too many angles in one, did pretty well at the box office, while Nolte’s performance stood out.
11. Quantum Of Solace (2008)
Post the events of ‘Casino Royale,’ when the suave James Bond’s delivery of Mr. White at the HQ goes awry, he is sent all the way to Haiti to locate the man who started it all – eco-terrorist Dominic Greene. More of a revenge saga, which was Daniel Craig’s second appearance as the MI 6 agent, ‘Quantum Of Solace’ ties up a few loose ends from its previous installment and, along with some smart action choreography and a story that was absorbing enough, became one of the highest grosses of the year. You can watch ‘Quantum Of Solace’ here.
10. Quick Change (1990)
Produced by, co-directed by, and starring Bill Murray, the crime comedy film was a critical success, although audiences did not give their thumbs up to it. The movie narrates the story of a man who, along with his friends, who are also his accomplices, robs a bank and is trying to flee the country via the airport when things begin to go haywire for the three of them. With quick run-ins with a con artist, the police, the fire department, and later a foreign cabbie, the trio races against time to escape unscathed. You may watch the movie here.
9. Quality Time (2017)
The Dutch film with a narrative arc, which was selected to be sent to the Oscars in the foreign language film category (sadly, it didn’t make it anywhere!), is a collection of five different stories, each laced with an eccentric turn of events. While the five leading men, all down with depression for reasons of their own, deal with their tragedy, the events that unfold give way to laughter. The entertaining film is imaginative and totally mirrors today’s times.
8. Quality Of Life (2004)
Also known as ‘Against The Wall’ in most parts of the world, the low-budget indie film garnered enough attention at the Berlin Film Festival and later had a limited release in theatres, although it wasn’t intended to initially. It narrates the story of two young San Francisco friends who are extremely good at graffiti art. Once they get on the wrong side of the law, but when they return to the scene on divergent paths, their friendship and their street art are at risk.
7. Quill: The Life Of A Guide Dog (2004)
Released five years before ‘Hachi,’ the Japanese film is one of the most successful films with a dog at their center. The heartwarming movie focuses on a Labrador named Quill, after a peculiar-shaped bird on one of its sides. The movie depicts the life of Quill and its journey from being a cute puppy in a litter of five to becoming a guide dog for a blind journalist, its fair share of limitations in becoming what it was trained for, and also its attempts to bond with the new master. You can stream the film here.
6. Quadrophenia (1979)
Set in the 1960s, a young London lad who hates both his parents and his dull job decides to turn to Mod culture, taking to all its flashy traits and gelling in with his peers. At a weekend getaway, his group clashes with their rivals, thus forcing him to return to his previous tedious life while he is still disillusioned by the flamboyant gang leader. The British film, which holds a cult status, was widely appreciated for its gripping content that had a touch of realism to it. You can stream ‘Quadrophenia’ here.
5. Quills (2000)
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Philip Kaufman and starring a long list of celebrated actors, ‘Quills’ is a semi-biographical period drama that narrates the story of famous French author Marquis de Sade, who was imprisoned in various lunatic asylums for most parts of his life, where he wrote books, all devoid of moral values, based on sexual fantasies, while violence, blasphemy, crime, and eroticism remained their integral parts. The movie, starring Kate Winslet, Geoffrey Rush, Joaquin Phoenix, and Michael Caine, was highly praised for its unabashed performances and graphic content that earned an R rating from MPAA. You can stream it here.
4. The Queen (2006)
With multiple award nominations at international ceremonies, the British drama film was a fictionalized take on the post-death events of Princess of Wales, Lady Diana. As the events unfolded after August 1997 and Tony Blair took office, both the government and the Royal Family were in a tussle concerning the Spencers’ request to conduct the Princess’ funeral in private. Helen Mirren received an Oscar for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II and as many as eleven other international awards for a portrayal of a lifetime! You can check out the movie here.
3. Quiz Show (1994)
Starring Ralph Fiennes, John Turturro, Hank Azaria, and Rob Morrow and nominated for seven Golden Globes and an Oscar, the Robert Redford directorial is based on one of the most sensationalized scandals of the late 50s that were rampant within the television industry. The film follows the real-life story of Charles Van Doren, who rose to prominence after his winning streak on the popular TV game show ‘Twenty-One’ and his subsequent fall as a result of the show being rigged by the producers. Though the movie did not pull in too many audiences, it is clearly a critical success. You can watch it here.
2. Queen (2013)
A one-of-a-kind coming-of-age drama, ‘Queen’ is. Hindi movie that follows Rani Mehra (Kanga who takes her heartbroken self on a solo Honeymoon trip to Europe after her fiance breaks up with her only a couple of days before their wedding. The journey of self-discovery that her trip, including the friends she makes, the people she meets, and the places she visits, takes her through, makes ‘Queen’ a must-watch movie. You laugh with Rani, you cry with Rani, you regret with Rani, you celebrate with Rani ,and in the end, you smile with Rani. You can watch ‘Queen’ here.
1. Queen Christina (1933)
The biographical drama from the early Hollywood era is based on the life of the queen of Sweden – Christina – who, at the age of six, ascended the throne after her father died in battle. The film starring one of yesteryear’s greatest actresses, Greta Garbo, is a wildly successful movie, which narrates the tale of the devoted queen who dutifully ruled her kingdom until she lost her heart to a Spanish diplomat while she was once snowbound with him at an inn. The movie was hailed at the box office for its content-driven performances back then. You can watch it here.
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