I

t’s hard to succinctly describe Sofia Coppola’s filmography. Her movies span time and space– 18th century France, the Civil War South, modern-day Japan. And yet Coppola’s work feels cohesive, joined by a distinct aesthetic and sensibility. Her films depict a distinct interiority, filled with unforgettable characters alienated from the worlds around them. Each of her movies has something to offer. With that in mind, here is our list of Sofia Coppola movies ranked.

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Sofia Coppola movies ranked

7. On the Rocks

On the Rocks BTS • Movies by Sofia Coppola

As we’ve noted, Sofia Coppola is an uncompromisingly original filmmaker. For that reason, On the Rocks is an outlier. The father-daughter storyline is fairly straightforward, and its cinematography is much more muted than Coppola’s other work.

But the down-the-middle film is by no means a whiff. Rashida Jones and Bill Murray’s chemistry is great, and the investigation of father-daughter dynamics is thoughtful and heart-warming.

Sofia Coppola movies directed

Conclusion

On the Rocks is a fun change of pace for Sofia Coppola. To have it at the bottom of this list is a testament to the strength of her other works.

Sofia Coppola movies ranked

6. Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette scene • Sofia Coppola films

Sofia Coppola and Kirsten Dunst have had one of the most fruitful director-actor partnerships of the century, and Marie Antoinette is no exception. Dunst shines as the doomed monarch, one of the more memorable of Coppola’s teen girl protagonists (which is saying something).

Antoinette is also perhaps Coppola’s most visually stunning film (again, saying something). The colors of 18th century royalty are gorgeous, representative of the decadence the rulers enjoyed while the public starved.

But it’s this point where Antoinette falters. The film doesn’t really have much to say about the disparity between the haves and have-nots. And while this would be fine if the movie was more of a character study, by the end of its runtime the picture of Marie remains murky.

Sofia Coppola movies directed

Conclusion

Marie Antoinette is a delightful watch, filled with pitch-perfect needle-drops and scrumptious imagery. There may not be as much below the surface of the film as with Coppola’s other entries, but it’s worth a viewing for the craft.

Sofia Coppola movies ranked

5. Somewhere

Somewhere movie scene • Sofia Coppola films

To some extent, all of Sofia Coppola’s movies depict isolation. Somewhere may be her most effective depiction of the feeling. The 2010 film roams around Chateau Marmont with an actor in mid-existential spiral, forced to hang out with his 11-year-old daughter.

This feels like a pitch designed in a lab for Sofia Coppola, and, indeed, she knocks it out of the park. It’s a quiet, beautiful film steeped in an Antonioni-esque ennui. 

In comparison to Marie Antoinnette, the visual palette of Somewhere is sparse and understated, bringing the emptiness of Johnny’s life to the fore. It’s perhaps Stephen Dorff’s best performance, and Elle Fanning’s turn is remarkable as well.

Sofia Coppola movies director

Conclusion

Somewhere is one of Sofia Coppola’s most underrated films. It’s a touching mood piece from the master of touching mood pieces. 

Sofia Coppola movies ranked

4. The Bling Ring

The Bling Ring trailer

Probably the most polarizing of Coppola’s films, The Bling Ring is bursting with the wild energy of a Page Six article. The characters are reprehensible, the story is absurd, and the aesthetic is trashy. You can’t look away.

The Bling Ring’s abrasive tone is rooted in its satirical angle, mocking celebrity and consumerism. But it’s also fun, from the banging needle-drops to the ridiculously over-the-top performances (for our money, this is Emma Watson’s greatest work). 

Bling Ring is very 2013, but it’s also become increasingly relevant with the rise of The Influencer. Fame and wealth are intoxicating, and once you get just a little of one or the other, you’ll do anything to get more.

Sofia Coppola movies director

Conclusion

The Bling Ring won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but that’s its strength. Uncompromising and biting, it’s one of Coppola’s most vicious films.

Sofia Coppola movies ranked

3. The Beguiled

The Beguiled scene

The conceit of The Beguiled is too good to pass up: as a wounded Union soldier is nursed back to health in a Southern all-girls school, each girl begins to fall madly in love with him.

Sofia Coppola must have thought the same when she saw the original 1971 film of the same name. Coppola’s adaptation brings to the story everything she’s great at, delving more into the psyches of the girls and imbuing the story with a methodical beauty.

The Beguiled boasts the greatest ensemble of Coppola’s films, including Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, and Colin Farrell. Under Coppola’s direction, the cast navigates multiple genres at once– a comedy of manners, a thriller, a historical romance.

Movies directed by Sofia Coppola

Conclusion

The Beguiled is one of Sofia Coppola’s best, and most unexpected, films. Is it lazy to call it beguiling?

Sofia Coppola movies ranked

2. Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation behind the scenes • Best Sofia Coppola moviesm

It’s hard to talk about Lost in Translation without echoing the endless praise that’s been heaped on the film since its 2003 release. The film is arguably the Sofia Coppola movie; all of her trademarks are in the sophomore work, firing on all cylinders.

Coppola’s favorite themes of alienation and disillusion are the forefront of Lost in Translation, a film following two lonely souls wandering a neon-soaked Tokyo. The evocative soundtrack matched with instantly-iconic imagery have since become a Coppola calling card.

Lost in Translation solidified Sofia Coppola as a force to be reckoned with, earning her Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director as well as a win for Best Original Screenplay. Watching the film, it’s hard to argue with the results.

Sofia Coppola best movies

Conclusion

Can you really be a Sofia Coppola fan without having seen Lost in Translation? Probably not. Jump on the bandwagon and see what everyone’s been talking about.

Movies by Sofia Coppola

1. The Virgin Suicides (1999)

The Virgin Suicides • Sofia Coppola filmography

Not only is The Virgin Suicides the greatest Sofia Coppola film, it is also one of the greatest debut films by a director. Few filmmakers have broken onto the scene with the confidence found in a movie like The Virgin Suicides. Coppola’s first film is evocative, devastating, and quietly subversive.

With Suicides, Coppola examines suburban suffocation through a uniquely feminine lens, interrogating the effects crushing homogeny has on teen girls. If that’s not enough, the film is told as a recollection— a dreamy, half-remembered story— thus also tackling memory and nostalgia.

With her debut, Coppola established herself as a master of the marriage of sight and sound. The hazy cinematography paired with the unforgettable, melancholic score by Air encapsulates both the girls’ depression and the boys’ confused infatuation.

The Virgin Suicides is a one-of-a-kind film from a one-of-a-kind director.

What movies did Sofia Coppola direct?

Conclusion

There are few opening statements as powerful as Sofia Coppola’s debut. As haunting as it is mesmerizing, it’s not to be missed.

And now that we've concluded our list, here's a StudioBinder mood board with some of our favorite shots from Sofia Coppola movies. Click the image link to see the entire collection and download a PDF for future inspiration.

 Sofia Coppola filmography  â€¢  See the entire collection

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