The Top 25 Favorite INFP Movies
Ever wondered which movies would appeal to your specific personality type? Over the course of several months, I surveyed hundreds of INFPs about their favorite films, and learned that they feel a strong emotional connection to the movies they love. They have an enthusiasm for storytelling and film that is contagious. They yearn to be swept away by the imagination and fantasy of it all.
More than anything, INFPs mentioned that they loved to watch a movie that made them reflect on their lives and the meaning of life. They wanted to be inspired and moved when they watched a movie. While they do enjoy entertainment for entertainment’s sake, they often use movies as a way to connect to their emotionally-rich inner world. They see movies as a pathway to hidden possibilities and insights into the meaning of life or the future. Movies carry with them the possibility of seeing something they’ve never seen before or connecting with a character in a way they never have. Movies engage the INFP Feeling side while stimulating the possibility-focused nature of Extraverted Intuition (Ne). Because of this, INFPs are probably the most enthusiastic group I’ve spoken with so far about movies.
Table of contents
- When it came to movie genres these were the INFP favorites:
- 1. The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- 2. Amelie
- 3. Into the Wild
- 4. The Lord of the Rings
- 5. Fight Club
- 6. Donnie Darko
- 7. Inception
- 8. Howl’s Moving Castle
- 9. Star Wars
- 10. Inside Out
- 11. Groundhog Day
- 12. A Silent Voice
- 13. The Harry Potter Series
- 14. The Elephant Man
- 15. Spirited Away
- 16. Romeo and Juliet
- 17. The Princess Bride
- 18. (500) Days of Summer
- 19. Garden State
- 20. Dead Poets Society
- 21. Moulin Rouge
- 22. Edward Scissorhands
- 23. Lion
- 24. Breakfast at Tiffany’s
- 25. Brazil
Estimated reading time: 23 minutes
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When it came to movie genres these were the INFP favorites:
1 – Science Fiction/Fantasy
2 – Drama
3 – Comedy
4 – Horror
5 – Art/House
And here are the top 25 movies – remember, if you are an INFP it doesn’t mean you are bound to like every single one of these movies. Out of 576 movies this list only includes the 25 with the highest number of votes. Don’t feel bad if you don’t like one or two of these (or any of them!)
1. The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Why INFPs Love It: The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a love story that is both realistic and enchanting. It’s a movie that asks us; “why did we fall out of love in the first place? did those little things that annoyed us so much really matter?” It takes us to the root of our relationships and our stories to the real reasons we love. Many INFPs may also relate to Clementine, an ENFP character, as she displays the emotional richness and open-mindedness that so many INFPs also embody.
2. Amelie
Why INFPs Love It: INFPs are inspired by Amelie’s story and her passion for making a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She’s a true idealist, and INFPs will enjoy the whimsy, the charming comedy, and the quirky romance that embody the movie. There is even some controversy about whether the character of Amelie is INFP or INFJ – while most typologists class her as INFJ, obviously many INFPs very much relate to her!
3. Into the Wild
Into the Wild tells the remarkable true story of Christopher McCandless – he graduated at the top of his class and was known for his athletic skills in school. But he leaves all that behind, abandoning his possessions and donating his entire $24,000 savings account to charity to hitchhike to Alaska and live in the wilderness. Throughout his travels, he seeks and ultimately finds pleasure and joy along with a sense of truth and purpose he has been yearning for all his life.
Why INFPs Love It:
INFPs are driven by the desire to experience the world in all its beauty – without the restraints and corruption of modern-day advances. Into the Wild is a soul-searching movie about testing yourself, seeing the unspoiled beauty and ferocity of nature, and living a life free of restraints. As INFP Andra Proca said; “This was one of the most meaningful movies I’ve ever seen. I felt somehow understood while watching it because sometimes I just want to have that kind of life and adventure and just exist. I have always wanted to be in solitude to discover myself. What I like the most about this movie is the authenticity of the main character and the fact that he fights for what he believes in. Into the Wild is in a few words inspiring, idealistic and authentic.”
4. The Lord of the Rings
Lord of the Rings follows the adventures of Hobbits, Men, Elves and more as they try to destroy the One Ring, which had been lost for centuries, and is now being hunted by evil forces from Mordor. It’s up to Frodo Baggins and his friends to destroy the ring, fight evil and defeat the forces of the Dark Lord Sauron.
Why INFPs Love It: INFPs love the fantasy world, and they can often connect with Frodo – who many believe to be an INFP character. They admire the character’s struggle of fighting good with evil, fighting against one’s own will for power, and being brave in the face of danger. As one INFP said; “I love The Lord of the Rings. I love the fantasy of elves, dwarfs, humans and the fight against good and bad. I love the adventure and the dream-like world it brings.”
5. Fight Club
Edward Norton and Brad Pitt
(Screengrab)
Fight Club follows the life of a depressed office worker who suffers from insomnia and a nagging feeling of emptiness in his daily life. He meets the reckless, devil-may-care Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) who takes him under his wing and together they start an underground fight club for men who are fed up with their mundane lives. However, this club evolves and becomes much more sinister than our main character ever imagined.
Why INFPs Love It: INFPs aren’t driven by materialism and find themselves often confused in a society which highly promotes materialism and greed in one form or another. INFPs long for authenticity and meaning, which is something the main character of Fight Club also is fighting for. What does all this mean? What’s the purpose of everything? Those are the questions that Fight Club is asking. Many typologists also believe that the female character, Marla Singer, is an INFP.
6. Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko feels out of place among his family and his peers. On top of his isolation and depression, Donnie Darko is plagued by visions of a large bunny rabbit that manipulates him into committing a series of crimes – through these visions, he learns that the world will soon be coming to an end. Seeking answers, Donnie investigates time travel in an attempt to turn back the clock and prevent the world’s seemingly impending doom… actions that cause bizarre and life-changing results.
Why INFPs Love It: Donnie Darko asks the question ‘Would the world be better off without me?’ and he deals with a huge gamut of emotions and questions that will leave you thinking long after you’ve watched the movie. Many INFPs will relate to this dialogue between Donnie Darko and his teacher, Kitty Farmer.
Kitty Farmer: Fear and love are the deepest of human emotions.
Donnie: Okay. But you’re not listening to me. There are other things that need to be taken into account here, like the whole spectrum of human emotion. You can’t just lump everything into these two categories and then just deny everything else.
7. Inception
Inception tells the story of Don Cobb, a ‘mind thief’ who has the ability to enter people’s dreams and steal their secrets. His skill has put him in high-demand by the corporate espionage world, but it has also cost him the people he loves most. Cobb gets a chance to start over with his life if he can successfully plant an idea in someone’s mind. If he succeeds, it will change everything – but a dangerous enemy anticipates Cobb’s every move.
Why INFPs Love It: INFPs love the complexity of what’s going on beneath the surface in Inception. While at first glance it may seem like your typical thriller, there is a deeper emotional context and depth to the storyline. Inception deals with dreams – and INFPs are the quintessential “dreamers.” It also deals with the meaning of reality – and this question about whether fantasy or reality is more important is a question that many INFPs will relate to. They love the fantasy world and often find reality somewhat lackluster. One INFP I spoke with said that Inception is “the definitive INFP movie.”
8. Howl’s Moving Castle
Young Sophie Hatter is cursed by the Witch of the Waste, and transformed into an old woman. Her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking castle.
Why INFPs Love It: Howl’s Moving Castle is a beautiful love story full of magic, fantasy, and imagination. These themes are sure to inspire an INFP audience who love something that takes them to another world where magic and adventure are very real.
9. Star Wars
Star Wars is an epic masterpiece of cinema – telling the story of good versus evil in the unforgettable way only Sci-Fi can. Star Wars follows young Luke Skywalker as he joins forces with a Jedi knight, a reckless pilot, a wookee and two droids on an adventure to save the universe from the Empire’s evil forces.
Why INFPs Love It: INFPs love Science Fiction, and Star Wars is one of the very best Sci-Fi classics of our time. Star Wars immerses the viewer in an extraordinary world beyond our galaxy, and lifts the imagination of the INFP viewer taking them on adventures and dealing with the unseen ‘force’ that can be used for good or evil. This fight of good versus evil captures the attention of the value-oriented INFP and the world George Lucas created delights their sense of imagination.
10. Inside Out
This surprisingly thought-provoking Pixar film takes us through a journey of the human emotional experience, particularly when it comes to depression. Inside Out introduces us to the characters Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear, as they help their “child” Riley to cope with an unexpected move to San Francisco.
Why INFPs Love It: The emotional richness of this film is astonishing, especially because of the fact that we’re dealing with animated characters! While Inside Out is touted as a “kid’s movie” it’s helped many INFPs deal with their own complicated emotions and struggles in life.
11. Groundhog Day
Misanthropic TV broadcaster, Phil Connors, is irritated and despondent when he’s assigned the job of covering the annual Groundhog festivities in the small town of Punxsutawney. Things only get worse for Connors when he somehow gets stuck reliving the same day (Groundhog Day) over, and over again. Stuck in town due to a severe blizzard, Phil struggles to find a way to escape, or make the best of, his seemingly hopeless situation.
Why INFPs Love It: Underneath its light-hearted, comedic exterior Groundhog Day is a comedy that asks some existential questions like ‘what would you do if you only had one day?’. This movie touches on themes of self-realization and the meaning of life without being pretentious or overly serious. It’s full of laughs, sweetness, and fun – and INFPs enjoy a movie that can ask serious questions in an entertaining way.
12. A Silent Voice
When a grade school student with impaired hearing is terribly bullied, she transfers to another school. Years later, one of her former bullies sets out to make amends for his past failures.
Why INFPs Love It: The complex characters, the focus on redemption, and the lush visual imagery will all sweep INFPs into A Silent Voice’s story. This story makes you want to believe in humanity again and teaches you that everyone deserves a second chance.
13. The Harry Potter Series
The Harry Potter series follows the daring adventures of wizarding wonder, Harry Potter, and his delightful friends and intriguing mentors. Going from a miserable, lonely existence as a mistreated orphan to a famed wizard at Hogwarts, Harry discovers the meaning of honor, friendship, and selflessness as he faces his dangerous enemy, Lord Voldemort.
Why INFPs Love It: Harry Potter is the epic fantasy that INFPs love, full of sweeping adventure, magical possibilities, and breathtaking imagery. INFPs enjoy the variety of characters, the fight for good to triumph over evil, and the idea of this Wizarding world living alongside our human world. Many INFPs would have probably loved to get a letter inviting them to Hogwarts at eleven-years-old. Many typologists also believe the character Luna Lovegood is an INFP.
14. The Elephant Man
John Merrick is an intelligent and kind man, yet he is hated by Victorian-era English society because he is severely deformed. Dr. Frederick Treves, however, sees beyond appearances and saves him from his life in a freak show. This is the story of how John Merrick tries to regain freedom and dignity in life with the help of his friend Dr. Treves.
Why INFPs Love It: INFPs have a deep sense of compassion for people who are misunderstood, abused, or judged unfairly. They are known for “championing” those they feel have been cast aside by society. The Elephant Man engages their strong sense of compassion and helps them to feel in touch with their strong inner emotions and values. Some have even been inspired to reach out to others they feel are misunderstood by watching this movie.
15. Spirited Away
Spirited Away is a magical fantasy about a young girl, Chihiro, trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon a courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world.
Why INFPs Love It: Spirited Away is an enchanting story that deals with death, pain, and difficult subject matter in a way that is both beautiful and emotionally rich.
Fi-dominant INFPs will be drawn in by Chihiro’s story and mesmerized by the gorgeous hand-drawn animation and the magic and enchantment of the fairy tale itself.
16. Romeo and Juliet
This modern twist on a classic masterpiece sets Romeo and Juliet in the bustling city of Verona Beach. The Montagues and Capulets are two feuding families, whose children meet and fall in love. They are forced to hide their love from the world because they know that their parents will not allow them to be together. Although this story is set in modern times, it is still the same timeless story of the “star crossed lovers”.
Why INFPs Love It: INFPs are true romantics, and you can’t get much more romantic than Romeo and Juliet. As the blog Cultural Disasters puts it; “A little known fact about William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is that it wasn’t just the greatest love story of all time. It was the love story because it was written by an INFP, about two INFPs, for INFPs. INFPs are by far the most romantic personality type on the spectrum.”
17. The Princess Bride
This fairy tale adventure tells the story of beautiful, young Buttercup and her one true love, Wesley. After a long separation, Buttercup is forcibly engaged to the evil Prince Humperdink. In Wesley’s attempts to save her, he must battle the evils of the mythical kingdom of Florin to be reunited with her. Based on the William Goldman novel “The Princess Bride” which earned its own loyal audience.
Why INFPs Love It: The Princess Bride seems to be a favorite among every personality type I’ve surveyed. It’s just that good. Why do INFPs like it in particular? Probably because INFPs love comedy, romance, and fantasy – you combine them all in a movie this good and they’re bound to enjoy it!
18. (500) Days of Summer
Tom Hansen is a hopeless romantic from New Jersey, working in LA as a greeting card writer. He meets Summer and is instantly smitten with her. We jump back and forth in time: from their budding relationship to her decision that they stay just friends. Tom is sure that Summer is the one for him, and tries desperately to understand what went wrong and how to fix their relationship.
Why INFPs Love It: (500) Days of Summer puts a comedic spin on the struggles that many idealists face in relationships. INFP Tom Hansen idealizes his relationship with Summer and sees her as the perfect soulmate. The romantic heart of the Idealist is often met with confusion in today’s dating world where many types just don’t take things quite as seriously. INFPs may find some connection and quite a few laughs in this offbeat “romantic” comedy.
19. Garden State
Andrew “Large” Largeman has shuffled through life in a lithium-induced coma for too long. Upon the news of his mother’s death, he decides to take a break from the pills to experience life for what it really is. By a twist of fate, Large meets Sam, a colorful girl who is everything he isn’t. Sam becomes the perfect sidekick, inspiring him to really truly live. Her warmth and bold nature give Large the courage to open his heart to the joy and pain that life has to offer.
Why INFPs Love It: Garden State is surprisingly deep and funny, capturing the quirky, confusing nature of life in your late teens and early twenties. It’s about experiencing life in all its fullness of emotion – something that will appeal to the Fi-dominant INFPs.
20. Dead Poets Society
Maverick teacher John Keating uses poetry to help his students to “seize the day” and embark on new heights of self-expression and exploration. He uses unorthodox methods to help his students break out of their shells and set themselves free from the oppressive demands and restrictions of their authorities.
Why INFPs Love It: John Keating, an ENFP, will inspire INFPs with his unconventional approach to everything in life. He challenges his students to find meaning, to take risks, and to be more authentic to who they really are. His messages will be relatable and inspiring to INFPs who long for a life outside the bounds of tradition.
21. Moulin Rouge
The year is 1899, and Christian, a young English writer, has defied his father by coming to Paris and following the Bohemian revolution taking hold of the city’s underworld. Nowhere is the thrill of the underworld more alive than at the Moulin Rouge, a night club where rich and poor men alike come to be entertained by the dancers. Little does Christian know that when he starts a deadly love affair with the star courtesan of the club; Satine, a dangerous love triangle will ensue.
Why INFPs Love It: Moulin Rouge is an epic love story led by Christian – an INFP. Many INFPs can relate to his passion, his dedication, his desire to be true to himself no matter the cost. Also, the music is pretty good 🙂
22. Edward Scissorhands
In a foreboding, lonely castle there lives an inventor’s greatest creation – Edward, a near-complete person. The creator died before he could finish Edward’s hands; instead, he is left with metal scissors for hands. Since then, he has lived alone, until a kind Avon lady named Peg discovers him and welcomes him into her home. At first, everyone welcomes him into the community, but soon things begin to take a turn for the worse.
Why INFPs Love It:
Edward Scissorhands is such a unique and sensitive character that you can’t help but feel for him – and many INFPs will especially relate to him because he is an INFP.
His authenticity, gentleness, and creativity are often hallmarks of INFPs, and his story here is unforgettable.
23. Lion
After five-year-old Saroo gets lost on a train, he winds up on a dangerous journey through Kolkuta, India, before being adopted by an Australian family. Twenty-five years later, armed with only a few memories, he embarks on a journey to find his lost family and return home.
Why INFPs Love It:
Lion is emotionally moving without ever being emotionally manipulative or phony. The story is based on true experiences and does an incredible job of building up the characters and making you feel connected to their stories and struggles. There’s never a dull moment, but you’ll definitely need a box of tissues handy!
24. Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Struggling writer Paul Varjak moves into a New York apartment building and quickly becomes intrigued by his beautiful, unusual neighbor Holly Golightly. Holly’s lifestyle confuses and fascinates Paul; in public she flits through parties with sexy sophistication, but when they’re alone she transforms into a sweetly vulnerable, confused girl with numerous issues on her mind.
Why INFPs Love It: Holly Golightly is a classic ENFP character and many INFPs can instantly relate to her. She’s a dreamer with rich fantasies and a desire to be free. Many INFPs love her quote “You mustn’t give your heart to a wild thing. The more you do, the stronger they get, until they’re strong enough to run into the woods or fly into a tree. And then to a higher tree and then to the sky.”
25. Brazil
In a retro-future world, the populace is completely controlled by the state, while technology remains almost as it was in the 1970’s. Sam Lowry, a civil servant by day, spots a mistake in one of the pieces of paperwork passing through his office. The mistake leads to the arrest of an entirely innocent man, and although Lowry attempts to correct the error, things just get worse and worse, to the point where Lowry can see no way out.
Why INFPs Love It: This is another movie I haven’t seen and the INFPs who voted for it didn’t explain why it was a favorite. So, unfortunately, I can’t explain why they love it – if you’re an INFP who loves this movie, let me know why and I can revise this with your thoughts!
What Are Your Thoughts?
Are there any other movies you wish were on this list? What do you think of the selections? Share your thoughts with other readers in the comments!
Find out more about your personality type in our eBooks, Discovering You: Unlocking the Power of Personality Type, The INFJ – Understanding the Mystic, and The INFP – Understanding the Dreamer. You can also connect with me via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!
Other Articles You Might Enjoy:
Understanding INFP Darkness – Getting to Know the INFP’s Shadow Functions
10 Things You Should Never Say to an INFP
10 Surprising Truths About INFPs
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I’m an INFP and a movie lover. This list doesn’t even close! I even hate a couple of movies that are on this list. The only movie I agree with is Amelie.
I’m sorry to hear that! What would your top 10 have been? I didn’t pick the movies myself, I simply asked all the INFPs I could find on forums, groups, in real life, etc,. for their favorites and then tallied them all up and ordered the list by which movies got the most votes. There were hundreds of movies on the list when it was all said and done, so there are definitely many other movies that INFPs enjoy as well that just didn’t get as many votes as these 25.
Some of the movies l never heard of( lol).. Most of the others l watched one time and that was enough for me. I liked maybe 2 movies on this list. I liked the istj movie list better than my own lol. Besides l couldnt rank my favorite movies theres just too many. Oh, l do like john hughes movies though, but that is all l could tell you. Actually, l am glad to have my own personal taste in movies that appearently has nothing to do with my type, but me as an individual.
Thanks for your input on this! It’s definitely helpful. I’m doing these movie posts kind of as an experiment to see if there are patterns – it’s easier to see the patterns when I look at the entire list of all the favorites for each type – those lists are usually over 500 movies long. I can see patterns there. When I narrow it down to the top 25 it gets harder to see the patterns, and I know there’s a wide variety of tastes that are independent of personality type. Like I tell everyone, I didn’t pick the movies myself – they were all voted on by other INFPs and once I got at least 250 voters opinions I tallied up the favorites. It’s nice to know what other people think though, so thank you!
No one mentioned “Mr. Nobody”?
It seems like this movie is happening inside my head. It’s so awesome although I don’t find the guy so suitable.
I agree with Gloria and Jay. Some of these movies I HATE and some of them never heard of. I understand you didn’t pick them though.
I have to stay away from violence. It affects me too greatly, and some movies have stayed with me for months or even years. So for that reason I tend towards comedy, foreign and romantic films.
My top ones would be (not in this specific order) movies like Penelope, Something’s Gotta Give, Baby Boom, While You Were Sleeping, When Harry Met Sally, Le Petit Nicolas, Return to Me, Romantics Anonymous, As It Is in Heaven (foreign), About Time, Thomas Crown Affair, The Awful Truth (Cary Grant), Christmas in the Clouds, Groundhog Day, Home Alone, Notting Hill, Almost Love (Korean I think), Blast from the Past, Moonstruck, Crazy Stupid Love, Duck Soup, Fever Pitch, Lars & The Real Girl, Dear Frankie (one of my top five!), Death at a Funeral (British version), I am David, Vitus, Bienvenue Chez Les Ch’tis, 50 First Dates, and The Holiday (Jude Law).
Uhoh. I think I went over. If you’ve read this far, thank you! lol
You suggested some REALLY good movies! Thank you! I know not everyone is going to like the lists – I’m an INFJ and I didn’t like every movie on the INFJ list myself. I’m glad you recognized that I didn’t come up with the list myself – since I’m not an INFP that would be very presumptuous of me, but I don’t think most people have realized that. I love Lars & The Real Girl, all the old classics you mentioned, etc,.. I also have a hard time with very violent/graphic movies. I think idealists sometimes struggle with that because we have this idea (at least I do) of how the world should be and that people should be kind to each other, and certain movies display evil in such graphic, horrific ways and it kind of makes us lose our faith in humanity a little bit. But I’m more talking for myself there, it could be different for other idealists. Anyway, thanks again for the comment!
This is a great list. Moonstruck! Dear Frankie! Return to Me! Of the movies in the original post, I liked the ones that I’ve seen. Putting the rest on my list.
As an INFP I also liked a lot of these! It included a lot of my favs like Princess Bride and Lord of the Rings. Fight Club was a movie I saw in college and assumed I would hate and was shocked by how much I loved it. My absolute fav movie is Life is Beautiful. A few of my other favorites are Office Space, The Full Monty, Mary Poppins, Ever After, Stranger Than Fiction, and About Time.
I’m so glad you liked the list! I like the other movies you suggested as well – although I haven’t seen About Time yet (I need to add that to my list of movies to watch now). Thanks again for your input! I appreciate it 🙂
The Little Prince and Alice in Wonderland are my favorites. The Little Prince always shows the readers what they value and whether it is relevant to the society doesn’t matter because it is what one holds deep inside one’s heart. Alice in Wonderland has so much room for imagination and creativity that I can’t help but trip myself over. The characters and the plot are fascinating, down to the scenery and the timing!
Did they make a movie of the Little Prince? I love the book! Those are excellent choices!
I am an infp and my favorite movies are about people with problems, people who are misunderstood, like Mask or Rain Man. I also like good comedies like Tootsie and Knocked Up, and I like a lot of dramas and suspense thrillers. I hate stuff like Goodfellas. I hate action movies, most sci fi and most horror.
Wow spot on. I’d say Inception and American Beauty are my top 2 films, and I absolutely love Eternal Sunshine, Star Wars, Groundhog Day, Butterfly Effect and 500 Days!
Thank you for your feedback!! So glad you enjoyed the list!!
I believe that INFPs love Goodfellas is because the trio get to be themselves and enjoy their lives with little to no restrictions. Despite the fact that they are criminals, they are living in a real-life fantasy. They have jobs they enjoy so much, have a large variety of friends and loved ones, and get to say/do whatever they want to people they like or hate.
Henry Hill (main character): For as long as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster. To me that was better than being president of the United States. To be a gangster was to own the world. (IMDB)
Sounds like an (unhealthy) NF quote
Thank you for your take on this! I might have to revise the post and put in your quote if you’re okay with this? Would you mind me quoting you? If I did, could I use your name or would you prefer it to be anonymous? Thanks again for letting me know your point of view!
I am a fan of your website. And yes, you can use my name for the post 🙂
Thank you very much! I hope to edit this post and get your quote in there sometime next week 🙂
INFP here, wonderful list. I haven’t actually seen all the movies on here…thanks for the recommendations.
And yes, Brazil is a pretty obvious INFP pick if you ask me. It’s about a guy who’s always been a loyal cog in the machine, but is drawn into a conspiracy (and romance) of course that forces him to come into his own. It’s simultaneously a power fantasy and intimidating challenge for the usually understated INFP. It’s almost intentionally over-complicated, but that encourages (and rewards) multiple viewings.
That, and the visuals are fracking gorgeous.
Thanks so much for giving me your thoughts on the list! I really appreciate it. I am really wanting to see Brazil as I’ve never actually watched it before and reading your thoughts on it makes it sound even more compelling. Thanks again for your feedback!
Yeah Brazil is an amazing film; Steven has a pretty good breakdown on it, although the only thing I would add that is relative to the INFP would be that he is a loyal cog in the machine who is not materialistic, has no desire for promotion, and is constantly dreaming of a fantasy world (with the movie displaying his “dreams”). It’s pretty much (imo) a movie made by a possible INFP (Terry Gilliam, that freakin genius) for INFP’s (probably not overtly, but it does seem to describe our struggles). Great list. I think I liked almost all but 1 to 3 choices, but otherwise spot on.
To be honest there are a lot of movies here that I love
I’m so glad!!!
You had me at eternal sunshine of the spotless mind. ?
Such a good movie!! 🙂
I was so surprised that so many people had suggest these movies.. A huge portion of them are some of my favorites including Amelie and Stardust, they aren’t big movies but INFPs still gravitated towards them. I haven’t seen about half of them so in looking forward to checking them out. I definitely loved groundhog day, harry Potter, star wars, and others. Fight club and american beauty I will never each again because they made such a dramatic impression. While I enjoyed them, they were emotional raw and it took a lot out of me.
Wow, this list is so accurate! My favourite movies are all here, except Rocky and The Shawshank Redemption.
Thank you! Yes, those two got a lot of votes! Just not quite as many as the other 25. Maybe I need to do a 25-50 list 🙂
I like Stardust – I remember watching it as a teenager and being absolutely captivated by it. Unfortunately besides Amelie, Howl’s Moving Castle and Spirited Away, I disliked everything else on the list. I would actually suggest The Perks of Being a Wallflower – the main character, Charlie is an INFP and I related so well to him.
What are the ENFJ favorite movies?
I’m working on that one! These movie posts have taken a lot longer than I expected just because I try to get so many responses. Would you like to give me your top 10 favorite movies? I will add it to my ENFJ list 🙂
Munich, Inception, Star Trek (2009), Pacific Rim, Warrior, Super 8, Limitless, Burnt
For my last two, I would add Boreal Express and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
I would also add Ex Machina, Tron: Legacy, and Steve Jobs.
Wow, such a great list, thank you Susan! I saw most of these movies, and I love them! I recommend to watch these ones, too: Blade Runner; Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring; Three Colors Trilogy; The Piano; Out of Africa; The Big Blue; Leon: The Professional; All About My Mother.
Thank you, Agnes! I will definitely add those movies to my must-watch list 🙂 I know some of them definitely got voted for back when I was working on this post! I’m really glad you enjoyed the list, and thanks again for the movie recommendations 🙂
While I have not seen a lot of these movies, I definitely love the Fantasy genre and Tim Burton, so I was glad to see Edward Scissorhands and Lord of the Rings. Now I have a movie list to check out. Thanks!
Thank you for reading! I’m glad you enjoyed the list, and hope you enjoy the movies 🙂
I haven’t seen most of the movies you mentioned. I’m definitely an INFP, also a Type 4 on the Enneagram. My most favorite movie is “Legends of the Fall”, followed most likely by “Dr. Zhivago”. I absolutely cannot stand sci-fi or horror films. I did enjoy “The Princess Bride”. I enjoy seeing what others like and don’t like. Sometimes I don’t think it is so much about our “type” as it is about our life experience. But, I’m not a psychologist or anything.
I’m an INFP and I like alot of those movies. I agree with one of the commenters about Perks of Being a Wallflower too. I was thinking a few to add: Midnight in Paris, The Wedding Singer, The Way Way Back, and definitely my favorite – Dead Poets Society
Thanks for your feedback and suggestions! I am going to add your suggestions to my list and if over time they make it into the top 25 I will revise it (Dead Poets Society and Perks of Being a Wallflower are SO close!)
harold and maude and heathers should definitely be on the list 😉
Those ones were definitely voted for! Unfortunately, they didn’t have as many votes as the top 25, but I can see where they would be favorites among INFPS:)
As INFP, I really love Amelie. The other movies that I love are Peterpan, Nanny Mcphee and the big bang and the other fairytale movies. And I suggest to all INFP people, you should read How To Live Forever. I dont know why but this book is really a top list book you should read as INFP. If you love my kind of movies, you can reply this comment maybe we can exchange another movies.tx!
Sweeny Todd (INFP villain) 😀
I thoroughly enjoyed Anne of Green Gables because Anne is exactly like me. My childhood was basically yelling at people and having to apologize for it lol.
Oh, I love Anne of Green Gables! That would have been a lot of fun to put on the list if it had gotten more votes!
Also the Secret Life of Walter Mitty!!! I’m 99.9% sure he’s an infp. And A Little Princess!
Spirited Away 🙂
Yes, just yes. As a cinema-obsessed INFP, I have raved about Eternal Sunshine for years now. I have never seen anything as beautiful.
I’m glad you like the list! I love Eternal Sunshine too 🙂
As an INFP, this list makes so much sense to me. I love and relate to a lot of the movies on this list. Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Amelie, Moulin Rouge, Edward Scissorhands,Inception, Eternal Sunshine, the Star Wars series are all some of my personal favorites too! Now I’m curious as to whether other faves are INFP movies as well, like Big Fish, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Swing Kids, Scott Pilgrim vs the World, Never been Kissed, Phantom of the Opera, My Best Friend’s Wedding, The Science of Sleep, Hot Rod, the Wedding Singer, Northanger Abbey, Across the Universe etc. As you can see, I seem to gravitate towards Comedy, Romance and definitely lots of adventure whether it’s realistic or fantasy.
I love all of the fantasy movies on this list, and The Princess Bride is my all time favorite movie. I am a huge Harry Potter and Star Wars nerd. It didn’t make the list, but are any other INFPs Firefly/Serenity fans?
As an INFP who loves Brazil I can tell you why it appeals to me: the film is about a dreamer in a totalitarian society who attempts to play the hero in real life. The film is actually quite pessimistic, but it has a dark yet quirky sense of humor, great visuals, and is a kind of rallying cry against mindless conformity and lack of imagination and responsibility.
Love most of the movies on the list, but have to add; Little miss sunshine, The station agent and La viva bella, to my top picks <3
All good movies, except I haven’t seen La Viva Bella 🙂 I will have to add that to my list!
Love the list- but have to add my personal favorits; The station agent and Little miss sunshine <3
I’m a fan of sleepless in Seattle, ratatouille, deja vu with Denzel Washington,
The only movie that I’ve seen that I have to disagree with here is Moulin Rouge. I don’t know why but that entire movie just annoyed me. I should have loved it because of the romance, music, costumes, all of that, but I just could not deal with any of the annoying characters or weird mashups. Apologies to anyone who loves this movie, but I just can’t. Maybe because I’m not the stongest INFP, my logical side gets in the way of me enoying things sometimes lol
Goodfellas is a fave among infps for the introspective veiw into a gangsters life love loss and headspace
I like Goodfellas, and really any mob/organized crime movie or show, mainly because I like the complexity of characters who have to live in two separate worlds at once. Most of the characters, at least the main characters have certain very relatable positive traits with specific demons they are constantly battling. I think because INFPs are so aware of the dark side of humanity, and drawn to sad, dark things, it makes mob movies especially interesting.
This is an interesting perspective!! I never thought about it like that. Thank you!
I’d like to add in Pan’s Labyrinth. As an INFP I absolutely adore this movie and I’m drawn to how Ofelia finds a fantastical escape amidst all the terrible things happening around her and her mother. Its story is compelling and tragic and definitely a good watch. I also agree strongly with most movies on this list, especially Donnie Darko.
Exactly. it’s definetly one of my favourite movies. The mix of her own escape, the metaphores, the drama outside and the dark fantasy, all seen through the eyes of a child seems like something INFPs could enjoy.
This is sooooo weird. I am an INFP and in every “INFP Movie List” I find my absolutely fave movies of all time alongside the ones I hated the most (American Beauty, Edward Scissorhads, etc). No in-betweens.
It’s weird because everything else INFP-related is 100% me.
(Oh look! an INFP that feels misunderstood! how rare! LOL)
I would definitely add more movies about time-travel (No, Donnie Darko does not count in this context to me). I am obsessed with that! It’s a different kind of fantasy world which I adore. I love BTTF (of course) but I specially like the ones that have a sad tone somewhere like “About time”
I love this post, thank you! I also recommend The Light Between Oceans. It is a drama with some romance and makes you think deeply about what you would do in such an extraordinary situation. It’s fairly new and its my new favourite movie!
Glad you enjoyed it! I will have to find that movie and watch it 🙂
Well this makes me question everything. I hated half of these movies, disliked the rest, except Stardust. That one I liked.
I’m not all that surprised to see many movies based on books by famous INFPs on this list. Shakespeare, Neil Gaiman, JRR Tolkien, JK Rowling. I love reading INFP writing and seeing INFP characters. It makes me feel less alone in the world.
Let’s throw Penelope in there. We won’t be sad we did 🙂
Hehe Howl’s moving castle is my fave actually
Goonies?
No surprise that 2 of Miyazaki’s films made it to the list: Miyazaki-san himself is rumored to be an INFP too. I love all the Studio Ghibli films. Kiki’s Delivery Service and The Cat Returns are my two favorites, but I’ll never say no to watching Howl or Spirited Away.
Why do INFPs like Brazil….because of its quirkiness and simply covers a wide range of emotions. Great dialogue good plot, a very visual film, very art in places, quite dark and bleak…whats not to like? Factor in the main thrust of the story is the everyman just wanting to find and be with his dream girl and its got tons of elements to like…oh good soundtrack too
I prefered ” Time Bandits “, ” the Fischer King “, or ” 12 Monkeys ” which are all of that too, but a tad bit less boring to be honest.
Moulin Rouge… favorite movie of all time! I would like to add Midnight in Paris…a very INFP movie in my opinion!
Most of the movies here are just so appropriate. I think, The secret life of Walter Mitty could also be added in this list, it’s one of the favorites!
Also secret life of Walter Mitty
Was Phenomenon or August Rush on the list?
Really love all the movies, haven’t seen five of them. I am surprised at all the reasons for liking Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. I mean I am an INFP and would bet everything that Joel is too and that most INFP would relate to him rather than Clementine.
I saw another list that listed him that personality type.
I kept scrolling, looking for Garden State, and there it was. My favorite movie.
A brilliant post.
I find movies by Jim Jarmusch, Andrei Tarkovsky, Terrence Malick, Stanley Kubrick, Francoise Truffaut, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Jean-Luc Godard, Sofia Coppola, Hayao Miyazaki, Jacques Rivette, Federico Fellini, John Carney, Charlie Kaufman, Spike Jonze, Louis Malle, Peter Jackson, Sam Mendes, Govind Nihalani, Bela Tarr, Alan Resnais, Satyajit Ray, Mike Leigh, Ethan/Joel Coen, Denis Villeneuve, David Lynch, Guillermo del Toro (in no particular order) instantly relatable as an INFP.
Forgot to mention Jean Renoir, Shane Carruth, Luis Bunuel, Abbas Kiarostami, Michael Haneke, Wong Kar-wai, Akira Kurosawa, Paul Thomas Anderson, Richard Linklater, Werner Herzog, Darren Aronofsky, Gus Van Sant and Wes Anderson. Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
Dead Poets Society is missing here. It’s an important one, too. INFPs love it: not only do they relate to the struggle of following your passions, but they are also (generally) huge poetry nerds, who will quote that ”these are the things we stay alive for” line throughout their lives. Or turn their lives into that quote, if one can say that.
I am this personality type, and my favorite movie is there will be blood. Anybody else feeling that?
Mr Nobody
Before sunset and before sunrise and before midnight.
My Favorite Year tells the story of an introverted comedy writer who is given a chance to hang out with his hero idol and saves him from disaster thus becoming the hero he has always dreamed of.
Midnight in Paris is a fave of mine. I’ve always loved Moulin Rouge, Amelie, and Donnie Darko, so good picks. Watch Eye Origins if you haven’t yet. It’s so good and will make you think!
Glad I stumbled upon this awesome article and your comment!
I LOVE Midnight in Paris as well! ^___^ Especially Gil’s appreciation for culture and his overall adorable personality, so INFP. XD
I usually like your posts as they are very good descriptions and explanations, but I do not see one single movie in this lot that even remotely attracted me. Most seem to me much more INFJ kind of stories, since many deal with a presumed morality, which Ps are unlikely to accept. Maybe specific movies, like specific actions, behaviour, beliefs or books, is too much. Psychological type, after all, is about tendencies, not specifics.
Interesting! Well this list was all made by votes from INFPs so I didn’t actually select the movies myself. But I like hearing your perspective on this, perhaps some of the people who voted were mistyped!
I love everything on this list that I have seen and am off to see the rest???
Yay!! Hope you enjoy them 🙂
my two favorites as an INFP; “To Kill a Mockingbird” (I believed I was ‘Scout’ as a child; making friends with all the injured, lonely & mentally ill), and the movie; “Harvey” (with Jimmy Stewart playing ‘Elwood P. Dowd’ who has an invisible ‘pooka’ friend; a 6’3″ rabbit named “Harvey” … [‘pooka’; is an Irish phantom fairy friend]. Both Elwood & his sister Veta [who is an INFP] are so endearing, you will fall in love with the both of them (historically; a fantastic film showing the mistreatment of the mentally ill & shocking sexism for you young INFP’s who missed the hell your grandmother’s & great grandmother’s survived ;D)
Many here are on my least favorite list lol! But I do love Edward Scissorhands, Goodfellas, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I agree that I would have added Dead Poet’s Society, along with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Joy Luck Club, The Usual Suspects, The Skeleton Key, Set It Off, and several others lol. My favorite thing about Goodfellas…the soundtrack!!!! Oh Crooners are the best! I love the music from that era, Frank Sinatra, etc, so smooth, emotional and powerful. Plus the movie was hilarious and dark at the same time. There are a few here that I haven’t seen. I’ll have to update my list.
O dear…I am an infp and really dislike many of these movies….movies that are on my black list or never view again list actually….if this is what infp like then I am not one.
Ah, Introverted Feeling, it’s so delightfully subjective that these movies spark all sorts of different reactions in each INFP. I’ll give my personal rating of these films (as an INFP) using the following scale I just made up, which describes my feelings quite well:
10. My Life.
9. Absolutely Adore it.
8. Love it Lots.
7. Really Good.
6. Fine.
5. Neutral, no real opinion, might or might not watch.
4. Not Really My Thing.
3. Dislike.
2. Awful.
1. Can’t even hear about it.
So without further ado:
1. The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: 5
Literally only interested because Elijah Wood, who is pretty much my favorite actor, is in it. Might watch it just because of him. The story sounds like your typical romantic drama, nothing too special by my standards as I’m not really a fan of romantic movies. No idea why it ended up in first place according to me though it does sound like a stereotypical INFP movie.
2. Amelie: 5
I have heard good things about it but so far it hasn’t managed to catch my attention enough to spark interest and watch it. My ISFJ sister loves it, has a nice soundtrack. Might watch it with her if she likes. Another stereotypical INFP film.
3. Into the Wild: 5
I like the premise and the boy’s story (that boy’s got some authenticity, way to go!) but not sure if it would be enough to keep me entertained. I would rather read it.
4. The Lord of the Rings: 10 – Seen.
At last, now we’re talking, huge nerd here, Tolkien is my life, ’nuff said. It’s funny how you described the plot so lightly when it means so much to me and it would be hard for me to describe it because of it. The only thing I wonder is why is it so low when it should be first place? Oh, well, at least an Elijah movie got first place nonetheless, better than nothing.
Where’s The Hobbit trilogy though? Should be here as well.
5. Fight Club: 3-4
I probably wouldn’t like it from what I know of it. Sounds more like an ISFP or ISTP than an INFP movie. Not sure why it’s so high.
6. Donnie Darko: 3-4
Sounds so weird, I might like weird stuff but not when it involves this much sci-fi and reads like horror, which I can’t stand. The premise would be curious in other circumstances however, like without the impending doom and all that drama, if you ask me. No idea why it is so high either.
7. Inception: 6
Terribly overrated in my opinion, good but not great. Watched it in high school psychology class because a classmate suggested it. The complex dream premise is the only thing I like about it, oh and the fact Joseph Gordon-Levitt is in it is nice.
8. Howl’s Moving Castle: 4-5
Sounds like a cute fantasy story but anime is not really my thing, with only one exception and that is the anime adaptation of Les Misérables. Would rather read.
9. Star Wars: 8
Again should be higher, I like them quite a lot, they’re amazing movies, groundbreaking and with a great story and characters. Best of all sci-fi to me. And of course, the original trilogy is the best. My top three favorite characters are Luke, Yoda and C-3PO, love them, they’re adorable.
10. American Beauty: 3-4
No offense but sounds kinda ew from what I’ve heard of it. Watching dysfunctional families and depressed angsty teens is not usually my idea of entertainment unless we’re talking about Next to Normal.
11. Groundhog Day: 5-6
Sounds like a nice comedy, heard good things of it, gets extra points for being kinda vintage, might check it out someday.
12. Stardust: 5-6
Looks mystical, magical. I love fantasy stories so I might like it, sounds good. Might add it to the list. Should be higher.
13. The Harry Potter Series: 9
Should be wayyyy higher but not higher than Lord of the Rings. Huge Potterhead here. I would place my favorite sagas on the list in this way:
1. Lord of the Rings.
2. Harry Potter.
3. Star Wars.
Also, I can relate to Luna a lot (she shares my Enneagram tritype and instinctual variant, yayy!!!). She’s pretty much my favorite character.
14. The Elephant Man: 5
Have heard of it, sounds like a heartwarming story but not sure it’ll keep me interested enough. Sounds like something I’d rather read than watch. Extra points for vintage.
15. Spirited Away: 3-4
Watched it as a child, didn’t understand a thing, it failed to keep me entertained and wanting to keep watching. That said however, I might enjoy it better now that I’m older but in any case, as I said before, not really a fan of anime movies. The two anime movies mentioned sound like something I’d rather read.
16. Romeo and Juliet: 3-4
You might be thinking “what? An INFP who doesn’t love Romeo and Juliet and thinks it’s the most overrated love story ever that will never be able to compare with the stories of Carl and Ellie from Up and Aragorn and Arwen from LotR?” Well, here you have it. 😉 Don’t get me wrong, I might think Shakespeare is overrated but I agree most of his stories are really good and he was a groundbreaking writer. I’m just not the very romantic type (at least not for this story) and well, I can’t say I like it, INFP and all, it’s so stereotypical.
Also loses points for being set in modern times and no, I haven’t seen it.
I did enjoy Gnomeo and Juliet though, it was fun. That’s the one Romeo and Juliet movie I’d recommend.
17. The Princess Bride: 6-7
Haven’t seen it but it’s kinda on my list, my siblings like it, I heard lots of praise for it and it does look like a good movie. Sounds like the live-action version of Shrek in the sense it’s a deconstructed fairy tale. Might check. Probably should be higher.
18. (500) Days of Summer: 4-5
Teen romance? No, thanks. Would rather read than watch.
19. Garden State: 4
Not really sure how I feel about this one, only that it’s probably not my thing either and I have no interest in it. Sounds more like an ENFP movie if you ask me.
20. The Butterfly Effect: 4
I like the meaning behind it but probably not the movie itself. Again rather read than watch.
21. Moulin Rouge: 3-4
All I can say is despite I tend to love musicals, I could barely stand this movie and to this day I haven’t seen it fully nor I mean to. It was shown to me at music class in high school because my classmates liked it (we had vastly different taste, I would’ve picked Les Misérables, the greatest musical ever without a doubt, which I must say I’m extremely disappointed not to see on this list considering Victor Hugo is more INFP than Shakespeare). I find most characters annoying, Christian goes from endearing to unnerving in a matter of seconds (all I can say is I’m endlessly grateful Elijah Wood didn’t get this role and got Frodo’s instead), and well, it’s just not my type of story. I liked the ending somewhat though, but probably because it was emotional.
Glad it’s so low, I must say. Stereotypical INFP movie.
22. Edward Scissorhands: 7-8
Absolutely endearing but always leaves a bittersweet feeling within me at the end, flawless soundtrack (which is what got the 8, the film itself is a 7), not exactly a Tim Burton favorite of mine but I love Edward and Kim (Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder were brilliant) and his art, and the ice dance. It’s adorable. Stereotypical INFP movie. Should be way higher.
23. Goodfellas: 4
Not a gangster film fan, sorry but not sorry. Too hideously realistic for me.
24. Breakfast at Tiffany’s: 5
Not really interested but gets points for vintage and Audrey Hepburn, not really a fan of her but I know she’s a good actress. I might watch it at granny’s if it is on tv.
Holly sounds more ESFP than ENFP if you ask me.
25. Brazil: 4
Not my thing, I’m not a huge fan of sci-fi or this sort of drama. I tend to prefer more lightheartedly epic stuff.
Most of them are 4-5 so not really my thing.
Sorry for the long comment but I felt like knowing exactly how a (probably opinionated) INFP with very odd and unique taste feels about many stereotypically INFP films that were on this list might help. This was also so fun to write, I hope it is fun to read as well.
Great blog and keep up the good work, Susan. 🙂
Oh you simply MUST see the 2013 Romeo and Juliet, must closer to the original from what I remember, and I know you said it’s not your favorite but I thought that too, before I even knew I was an INFP or anything. I thought it was terribly cliche and quite stupid honestly, but Shakespeare is honestly a brilliant writer and understood human emotions painstakingly well. It’s nice to hear good things abt LotR, I’ve never seen it or Harry Potter or Star Wars, etc bc hardly anyone in my family likes sci fi, and I thought I didn’t either, but lately I’ve been thinking that I might like it more than I thought, and I recently saw Tolkien and I fell in love with him as a writer and a person, so now I’m looking into his work specifically. Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a classic, I highly recommend, though I’m not sure if Holly would be an ENFP, though I don’t think it should make much of a difference. Great movie anyway,
Pretty interesting cuz I’m info and I’ve watched 4movies of this list and I didn’t like any of those 4 movies !
Brazil is a Kafkaesque existential absurdist dystopian fantasy akin to 1984, where a white collar worker dreams of breaking free in pursuit of a woman he daydreams about but also happens to be an activist/domestic terrorist. It’s a great movie and taps into the desire to dream of a better world and doing something about it.
Glad I’m not the only one who wasn’t fussed with this list. My fav movies
Fried green tomato’s
Dead poets society
Jane eyre
Happy go lucky
Gattica
Morning glory
Wives and daughters
So many more, but they are the ones that I can think of too my head that stuck the most. Particularly the first 3.
Some of my favorites…Good Will Hunting, Pride & Predjudice, Lord of the Rings, Get Shorty, Walk the Line, Where the Heart Is, The Secret Life of Bees, Nebraska, The Intern, The Wizard of Oz, Slumdog Millionaire, Notting Hill, Philomena, Mr Church, Reign Over Me, The Wedding Singer, The Family Stone, Hope Floats, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel & The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel………..
I almost forgot one of my all time favorites…The Fisher King!
I don’t know if it’s an INFP thing, but some of my all-time favorites are the ‘Before’ trilogy: Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight; especially the first two. How the entire movies are just one long conversation probably sounds boring, but I think the idealist in me loves the notion of finding myself connecting with a stranger in a wonderful, effortless dialogue while wondering around a European city. How I would love for that to happen, but how dare you assume I’d seek that out for myself 😛
Why isn’t Pan’s Labyrinth on this list? You can’t get any more INFP than the work of Guillermo del Toro in general.
Anyway, I appreciate most of the movies on this list, but my own tastes are usually a little darker and weirder. El Topo, anyone? What about the work of Ralph Bakshi? Terry Zwigoff? Todd Solondz? Paul Verhoeven?
While I certainly appreciate “Eternal Sunshine”, it’s actually my least favorite of Charlie Kauffman’s screenplays. (500) days of Summer is brilliant, but I also found it depressing to watch. Let’s just say that I’m very, very glad that I’m no longer single, and this movie reminded me why.
I actually dislike Brazil, and think it’s overrated. I didn’t care for Garden State or Edward Scissorhands, either.
I have to agree on LOTR.. but where is The Fifth Element ? Atonement is another favorite. 🙂
I love romeo & Juliet sucha classic
I am an INFP and I definitely have seen most of the movies on this list and I resonate with many of the additional movies shared in the comments by other INFPs (especially Pride & Prejudice!!). I am also a VERY huge fan of gangster films – I loved Goodfellas!! I am obsessed with the series Peaky Blinders and recently enjoyed all 3.5hrs of The Irishman. I’m not sure what it is about these movies that I love – perhaps it’s my Italian blood – but something about them resonates with something deep within me. I wonder if it has to do with satisfying my INFP shadow functions? While I am definitely a very classic INFP – my livelihood is a Yoga and Meditation Teacher, Special Education Advocate, and Musician) I really enjoy Powerlifting in my free time (especially the perfecting of precise form and technique). I wonder if that along with my great joy of gangster films is a way to allow my dominant functions to take a backseat while I indulge my shadow functions? I used to really dismiss and disregard my shadow functions early in life but now, in my 30s, I’m finding pleasure in exploring and indulging in them more… I definitely enjoy paradoxes! But then again maybe this is all more of an expression of my INFP’s complexity and ability to hold more than one truth or possibility at a time? Your guess is as good as mine…
These are some of my fav films!
American Beauty, Amelie, Fight Club, Moulin Rouge, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Garden State, Stardust, Inception, Star Wars, Baz’s Romeo & Juliet, The Elephant Man, Princess Bride, Edward Scissorhands.
Not sure I agree with Butterfly Effect or Goodfellas (Though I loved Donnie Brasco & A History of Violence !) They aren’t at the top of my list anyways.
I would add:
Dead Poet’s Society
Before Sunrise Trilogy
Labyrinth
The last unicorn
The Never Ending Story
Willow
Song of the Sea
The Princess and The Warrior
Sawaariya
Devdas
Harold & Maude
My Life Without Me
Sleeping Beauty
Beetlejuice
Corpse Bride
Return to Oz
Penelope
Miss Meadows
The Great Gatsby
Silver Linings Playbook
Casper
Me, Earl & the Dying Girl
The Fault in Our Stars
13 going on 30
Waitress
Watching the detectives
Anything else
Pandora’s Box
Camelot
Prancer
Ferngully
Whale Rider
Ever After
Pretty in Pink
Sleepy Hollow
The Secret Garden
Still Breathing
Ladyhawk
Coraline
Ruby Sparks
Cashback
Stranger Than Fiction
Her
The Count of Monte Cristo
Little Women
Gattaca
PS I love you
The Fantastic Mr Fox
Metropolis
Blade Runner
Batman
The Goonies
Gaslight
La La Land
Muppet Christmas Carol
Nosferatu
Contact
Singing in the rain
Brave
Anne of Green Gables
Johnathan Strange & Mr Norell
A Walk to Remember..
I think INFPs like Goodfellas because a lot of the relationship dynamics are grounded in loyalty. Also, a lot of the characters are Te/Ti-dom, Se-dom, and Fe-dom, which is always fascinating to me. The characters are good in that they are loyal and want to serve their families, but then bad because of the people they hurt directly and indirectly with their profession as criminals.
“Powder” is a fantastic INFP Movie!
Legend of 1900
La Grande Bellezza
Youth
I was surprised by the list, although some of them I loved. But I don’t like ugliness, so that’s a dealbreaker for me. Some of my favorites are about strong women protagonists–Chocolat, Out of Africa, Dangerous Beauty and The Good Year and they are all visually beautiful which is important to me.
Tracks with Mia Wasikowska and Adam Driver
Great article… I think The Never-Ending Story is an indispensable INFP classic as well!
I love most of the Ghibli movies, but my absolute favorite, which I also consider an INFP movie, is Princess Mononoke.
I was kind of bewildered by many of these choices. I don’t like “feel bad” movies, and can’t imagine why my INFP cohort would go for horror or those ending in cynicism or despair…. so therefore, not tragedy either. (Heroism is fine, but if the dog dies, I don’t wanna watch it.) Give me something with complexity, profundity, and hope. For a romantic comedy, Born Yesterday with Judy Holliday. Courtroom drama? Philadelphia (Tom Hanks). Sci-fi? Wall-E, or E.T. Or 2001: a Space Odyssey. Legal wrangling? Erin Brockovich. I loved the premise of Inside Out but frankly just an okay film…
Somwhere in Time. How far are you willing to go for love?
I’m an INFP and my favorite movie that would quite literally complement us is “The Crow” man comes back to life to avenge him and his partner’s deaths wearing all black, wearing goth make up, has the best goth soundtrack of its era.
All these movies are worthy.
But 2001: A Space Odyssey is the masterpiece of all movies for me. I saw it as a 10 year old when it first came out – in the original release in a hushed and enormous brand new Cinerama movie theater. I was not sure what I had just witnessed, and my friend, a year older, thought it was stupid. I am still in awe of that movie. The technical brilliance of that movie cannot be communicated to anyone younger, since they all grew up with special effects pioneered in that film. I knew I had just seen a movie to define my life, and it does to this day. It was and continues to be a religious experience for me.
And Cloud Atlas is also an amazing movie stressing the big picture view of our existence. Both are catnip for an INFP.
I’ll have to watch the movies in the list I haven’t seen! Some of my favourites:
The Narnian movies
The Lord of the Rings movies
Star Trek
Star Wars
Doctor Who (not a movie exactly (it’s a series) but I have to include it)
2001: a Space Odyssey
Willow (fantasy)
The NeverEnding Story
Howl’s Moving Castle (but the novel it’s based on, by Diana Lynne Jones, is better)
Spirited Away
Anne of Green Gables (the original 1985 series with Megan Follows)
Contact (SF)
The Arrival (based on a novella in Stories of My Life and Others – explores the arrival of an alien species with a totally different concept of time)
E.T.
Moonstruck
Mum (a British series – quirky, funny, sad, subtle)
Little Women
Movie adaptations of Jane Austen’s novels
Doc Martin series (quirky, funny, heartwarming)
Lantana (Australian movie – sad, complex, nuanced)
Picnic at Hanging Rock (Australian – mysterious, haunting)
Labyrinth
Return to Oz