Movies Seen 2020
i have seen over 95 movies and TV shows so far this year, on my way to my goal of seeing 100 shows by the end of the year. I saw a wide variety – SF, thrillers, classics, K drama, comedy. I need to see at least one Spanish and one Bollywood to complete my goals. I included at the end a list of the best movies so far. The one I really want to see is Bill and Ted Face the Music since the Bill and Ted movies (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, and Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey) are among my favorite movies.
best movies 2020
goals: 100 movies
a mixture of classic, thriller, SF, comedy include one Korean movie/tv show per week, and at least one Spanish language movie and one Bollywood movie
the List
the List (default is netflix)
- Better Call Saul
- Nigh flyer
- The rim of the World
- Joker
- Venom
- Lost in Space
- Jurassic World
- 100
- Birdbox
- I Am Number Four(film)
- Umbrella Academy
- Locke and Key
- Sense 8
- Away
- Titan
- The Mist
- The Order
- October Faction
- The Man in the High Castle
- The Expanse
- Legends of Tomorrow
- The Messiah
- The OA
- Lucy
- Timeless
- Travelers
- Alice Through the Looking Glass
- Annihilation
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
- Prince Caspian
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
- How It Ends
- Itaewon Class
- Zoo
- Extinction
- 6 Underground
- Ballade of Buster Scruggs
- How It Ends
- Tau
- Series of Unfortunate Events
- The Darkest Dawn
- The IO
- Ozark
- Avengers Day of Ultron
- Prometheus
- Another Life
- Land of the Lost
- Kim’s Convenience Store
- The Cloverfield Paradox
- The A- Team
- Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales
- Salvation
- Iron Man 2
- Total Recall
- The Machine (Hoopla)
- Absolutely Anything (Hoopla)
- The Adventurer Curse of the Midas Touch (Hoopla)
- The Endless (Hoopla)
- Color Out of Time (Hoopla)
- The Librarian Curse of the Judas Chalice (Hoopla)
- The Librarian King Soloman’s Mine (Hoopla)
- The Librarian Quest for the Spear (Hoopla)
- Dinosaur Island (Hoopla)
- Land that Time Forgot (Hoopla)
- Dark Prophecy (Hoopla)
- The Villainess (Hoopla)
- Bad Boys for Life
- Outer Banks
- Suicide squad
- Abyss
- Series of unfortunate events
- Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
- Superman Vs Batman Star of Justice
- Last Man Standing K Political Drama
- Honest Candidate k Drama
- Irishman
- Project Power
- Once Upon a Time In Hollywood
- Kim Ji Young K Drama
- The Sting
- Focus
- Fantasy Island
- Warrior nun
- Good Omens amazon
- Sneaky Pete Amazon
- Blood Shot Netflix
- Jupiter ascendant Netflix
- White Line
- Bloodlines
- Wu Assassins
- Inside Bill’s Brain
- War Dogs
- Alice in the Borderlands
- The i- land
- Black Mirror
- The Colony
Updated September 2, 2020
2020’s been a year of limitless upheaval, and yet the show must go on. The movies have been made, their stories yearning to seek an audience, whether through a traditional theatrical route or through more creative streaming means as studios indie and major have experimented with these past months. However they’re getting delivered to you, we’re now ranking the best movies of 2020 by Tomatometer, all Certified Fresh!
In the movie theater space of the bygone epoch that is early 2020, we saw surprise critical hits like Bad Boys For Life, Birds of Prey, and The Invisible Man. Nic Cage’s The Color Out of Space and Elijah Wood-starring Come To Daddy got people talking in the indie genre circuit, while Onward did as well as one would expect for Pixar-lite. As the world turned to streaming platforms, there was a Certified Fresh movie every other week that seemed to command everyone’s attention, including The Platform, Shirley, Da 5 Bloods, The Vast of Night, Blow the Man Down, The Willoughbys, and Hamilton.
We’ll be updating this list as more critically acclaimed movies release and theaters navigate the choppy reopening surf, so check back to keep discovering the best movies of 2020. And don’t forget to check out the most anticipated movies of 2020, along with the year’s best horror movies so far.
Now, continue on to discover critic-approved quality films, and be reminded of the ones you want to rewatch, with our list of the very best movies of 2020. And be sure to let us know your favorite 2020 films in the comments.
Update: Class Action Park, The Rental, Bill & Ted Face the Music, I’m Thinking of Ending Things added.
Critics Consensus: Led by an impressive Riley Keough performance, The Lodge should prove a suitably unsettling destination for fans of darkly atmospheric horror.
Synopsis: A bone-chilling nightmare from the directors of GOODNIGHT MOMMY, THE LODGE follows a family who retreat to their remote winter…[More]
Critics Consensus: To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You may feel like little more than an amiable postscript to its predecessor, but fans of the original should still find this a swoonworthy sequel.
Synopsis: It’s a new year and Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter (Noah Centineo) are no longer pretending to be a… [More]
Directed By: Michael Fimognari
Critics Consensus: The Wretched stirs up a savory blend of witch-in-the-woods horror ingredients that should leave genre fans hungry for a second helping from writer-directors Brett and Drew T. Pierce.
Synopsis: Following his parents’ separation, a rebellious teenage boy, Ben, is sent to live with his father for the summer and… [More]
Critics Consensus: Some tricky genre juggling makes The Rental a bit of a fixer-upper, but effective chills and a solid cast make this a fine destination for horror fans.
Synopsis: Two couples on an oceanside getaway grow suspicious that the host of their seemingly perfect rental house may be spying… [More]
Directed By: Dave Franco
Critics Consensus: It may not win writer-director Guy Ritchie many new converts, but for those already attuned to the filmmaker’s brash wavelength, The Gentlemen stands tall.
Synopsis: THE GENTLEMEN follows American expat Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) who built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word… [More]
Directed By: Guy Ritchie
Critics Consensus: A fascinating exploration of human connection, Family Romance, LLC sees Werner Herzog following an unconventional path to existentialism.
Synopsis: Romance is a business. Family, friends, followers. All available for hire. A man is hired to impersonate the missing father… [More]
Directed By: Werner Herzog
Critics Consensus: In Summerland, the living is a little too easy to raise dramatic stakes — but Gemma Arterton’s performance adds some much-needed extra heat.
Synopsis: Alice is a reclusive writer, resigned to a solitary life on the seaside cliffs of Southern England while World War… [More]
Directed By: Jessica Swale
Critics Consensus: Like a favorite song you know by heart, Military Wives offers few surprises — but its pleasures are no less formidable for their familiarity.
Synopsis: Military Wives centers on a group of women from different backgrounds whose partners are away serving in Afghanistan. Faced with…[More]
Directed By: Peter Cattaneo
Critics Consensus: This late-capitalism comedy is undeniably uneven, but Zoey Deutch’s effervescent performance gives Buffaloed wings.
Synopsis: Peg Dahl (Zoey Deutch) has never run with the Buffalo pack. As a young girl obsessed with making enough cash… [More]
Directed By: Tanya Wexler
Critics Consensus: Loaded up with action and a double helping of leading-man charisma, Bad Boys for Life reinvigorates this long-dormant franchise by playing squarely to its strengths.
Synopsis: The Bad Boys Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) are back together for one last ride in… [More]
Critics Consensus: While admittedly a self-indulgent exercise, Tommaso is powerfully anchored by an outstanding central performance from Willem Dafoe.
Synopsis: Playing opposite the director’s own wife and daughter, Willem Dafoe is a Ferrara-like American artist living in Rome in this… [More]
Directed By: Abel Ferrara
Critics Consensus: Greyhound’s characters aren’t as robust as its action sequences, but this fast-paced World War II thriller benefits from its efficiently economical approach.
Synopsis: In the early days of WWII, an international convoy of 37 Allied ships, led by captain Ernest Krause (Hanks) in… [More]
Directed By:
Critics Consensus: With a fresh perspective, some new friends, and loads of fast-paced action, Birds of Prey captures the colorfully anarchic spirit of Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn.
Synopsis: You ever hear the one about the cop, the songbird, the psycho and the mafia princess? “Birds of Prey (And… [More]
Directed By: Cathy Yan
Critics Consensus: Its unusual approach won’t be for all viewers, but True History of the Kelly Gang takes a distinctively postmodern look at Australia’s past.
Synopsis: Set against the badlands of colonial Australia where the English rule with a bloody fist and the Irish endure, Ned… [More]
Directed By: Justin Kurzel
Critics Consensus: Uneven yet revealing, Tigertail offers a well-acted — and ultimately valuable — look at the immigrant experience in America.
Synopsis: In this poignant multi-generational drama, Pin-Jui (Hong-Chi Lee) is a free-spirited yet impoverished young Taiwanese factory worker, who makes the… [More]
Directed By: Alan Yang
Critics Consensus: Brutally uncompromising in its portrayal of Nazi Germany, The Painted Bird is a difficult watch that justifies its stark horror with searing impact.
Synopsis: In an effort to save their child from the massive extermination of Jews, a Jewish couple send their son to… [More]
Directed By: Václav Marhoul
Critics Consensus: While it may feel muddled at times, The Platform is an inventive and captivating dystopian thriller.
Synopsis: One day Goreng wakes up with his future colleague Trimagasi in the 33rd level of a prison style place, crossed… [More]
Directed By: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Critics Consensus: Led by Beanie Feldstein’s charming performance, How to Build a Girl puts a disarmingly earnest spin on the familiar coming-of-age comedy formula.
Synopsis: Johanna Morrigan (Beanie Feldstein) is a bright, quirky, 16-year-old who uses her colorful imagination to regularly escape her humdrum life…[More]
Directed By: Coky Giedroyc
Critics Consensus: VHYes is a unique film for specific tastes — and a rare, albeit grimy gift for viewers who can appreciate its retro aesthetic and absurd humor.
Synopsis: A bizarre retro comedy shot entirely on VHS, VHYes takes us back to a simpler time, when twelve-year-old Ralph mistakenly… [More]
Directed By: Jack Henry Robbins
Critics Consensus: Porno mines sexual repression to produce a laughably lurid — and genuinely scary — outing that should delight genre fans in search of a good time.
Synopsis: Four repressed, religious teens and a straight-edge projectionist working at a small-town movie theater in the 1990s discover a secret… [More]
Directed By: Keola Racela
Critics Consensus: Its reach may occasionally exceed its grasp, but To the Stars uses its period setting as an effective backdrop for an insightful look at female friendship.
Synopsis: In a god-fearing small town in 1960s Oklahoma, bespectacled and reclusive teen Iris endures the booze-induced antics of her mother… [More]
Directed By: Martha Stephens
Critics Consensus: As wholesomely goofy as its heroes, Bill and Ted Face the Music is a rare long-belated sequel that largely recaptures the franchise’s original charm.
Synopsis: The stakes are higher than ever for the time-traveling exploits of William “Bill” S. Preston Esq. and Theodore “Ted” Logan…. [More]
Directed By: Dean Parisot
Critics Consensus: The Old Guard is occasionally restricted by genre conventions, but director Gina Prince-Bythewood brings a sophisticated vision to the superhero genre – and some knockout action sequences led by Charlize Theron.
Synopsis: Led by a warrior named Andy (Charlize Theron), a covert group of tight-knit mercenaries with a mysterious inability to die… [More]
Directed By: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Critics Consensus: Once Were Brothers my frustrate Band fans looking for a less narrowly focused overview, but the group’s music and history remain as engrossing as ever.
Synopsis: Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band is a confessional, cautionary, and occasionally humorous tale of Robbie Robertson’s young… [More]
Directed By: Daniel Roher
Critics Consensus: Like the grieving Scrabble enthusiast at the heart of its unique story, Sometimes Always Never scores high enough to be well worth a play.
Synopsis: Alan is a stylish tailor with moves as sharp as his suits. He has spent years searching tirelessly for his… [More]
Directed By: Carl Hunter
Critics Consensus: The Whistlers finds writer-director Corneliu Porumboiu working in a more crowd-pleasing vein than previous efforts, with thoroughly entertaining results.
Synopsis: In THE WHISTLERS, not everything is as it seems for Cristi, a police inspector in Bucharest who plays both sides… [More]
Directed By: Corneliu Porumboiu
Critics Consensus: The Way Back’s occasionally frustrating treatment of a formulaic story is often outweighed by Ben Affleck’s outstanding work in the central role.
Synopsis: Back in high school, Jack Cunningham (Ben Affleck) had everything going for him. A basketball phenom, he could have punched… [More]
Directed By: Gavin O’Connor
Critics Consensus: Flawed yet fundamentally worthy, Mr. Jones peers into the past to tell a fact-based story that remains troublingly relevant today.
Synopsis: Agnieszka Holland’s thriller, set on the eve of WWII, sees Hitler’s rise to power and Stalin’s Soviet propaganda machine pushing… [More]
Directed By: Agnieszka Holland
Critics Consensus: While it doesn’t probe particularly far below the surface of its central character, The Traitor tells its fact-based story with enough energy to entertain.
Synopsis: THE TRAITOR tells the true story of Tommaso Buscetta, the man who brought down the Cosa Nostra. In the early… [More]
Directed By: Marco Bellocchio
Critics Consensus: Formally provocative and emotionally raw, She Dies Tomorrow confirms writer-director Amy Seimetz as a filmmaker with a unique — and timely — vision.
Synopsis: After waking up convinced that she is going to die tomorrow, Amy’s carefully mended life begins to unravel. As her… [More]
Directed By: Amy Seimetz
Critics Consensus: If the strain of its ambitious juggling act sometimes shows, Zombi Child remains an entertainingly audacious experience, enlivened with thought-provoking themes.
Synopsis: Haiti, 1962: A man is brought back from the dead only to be sent to the living hell of the… [More]
Directed By: Bertrand Bonello
Critics Consensus: Funny, heartfelt, and brought to life by a smartly assembled ensemble, Big Time Adolescence finds fresh pleasures in the crowded coming-of-age genre.
Synopsis: A seemingly bright and mostly innocent 16-year-old named Mo (Griffin Gluck) attempts to navigate high school under the guidance of… [More]
Directed By: Jason Orley
Critics Consensus: Aided by stellar performances from Jessie Buckley and Jesse Plemons, I’m Thinking of Ending Things finds writer-director Charlie Kaufman grappling with the human condition as only he can.
Synopsis: Despite second thoughts about their relationship, a young woman (Jessie Buckley) takes a road trip with her new boyfriend (Jesse… [More]
Directed By: Charlie Kaufman
Critics Consensus: If Sea Fever never quite heats up as much as it could, it remains an engrossing, well-acted sci-fi thriller with effective horror elements.
Synopsis: Siobhán’s a marine biology student who prefers spending her days alone in a lab. She has to endure a week… [More]
Directed By: Neasa Hardiman
Critics Consensus: A welcome return for director Richard Stanley, Color Out of Space mixes tart B-movie pulp with visually alluring Lovecraftian horror and a dash of gonzo Nicolas Cage.
Synopsis: After a meteorite lands in the front yard of their farm, Nathan Gardner (Nicolas Cage) and his family find themselves… [More]
Directed By: Richard Stanley
Critics Consensus: 1BR’s occasionally ordinary storytelling is more than outweighed by tight direction, interesting ideas, and an effective blend of horror and thoughtful drama.
Synopsis: After leaving behind a painful past to follow her dreams, Sarah scores the perfect Hollywood apartment. But something is not… [More]
Directed By: David Marmor
Critics Consensus: Bloody horror with barbed wit, Come to Daddy anchors its brutal violence in a surprisingly mature approach to provocative themes.
Synopsis: Norval Greenwood, a privileged man-child arrives at the beautiful and remote coastal cabin of his estranged father, who he hasn’t… [More]
Directed By: Ant Timpson
Critics Consensus: Led by a daring performance from Jean Dujardin, Deerskin finds writer-director Quentin Dupieux working in a more accessible — yet still distinctive — vein.
Synopsis: In this black comedy of middle-aged masculinity gone awry, Academy Award winner Jean Dujardin (The Artist) is a recent divorcee… [More]
Directed By: Quentin Dupieux
Critics Consensus: Spaceship Earth achieves liftoff as an engaging behind-the-scenes record of an audacious experiment — and settles into orbit as poignant proof of the power of a shared dream.
Synopsis: Spaceship Earth is the true, stranger-than-fiction, adventure of eight visionaries who in 1991 spent two years quarantined inside of a… [More]
Starring:
Directed By: Matt Wolf
Critics Consensus: The Trip to Greece sees this series subject to the laws of diminishing returns, but Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan remain reliably enjoying company.
Synopsis: When Odysseus left Troy it took him ten years to get back to his home in Ithaca. Steve and Rob… [More]
Directed By: Michael Winterbottom
Critics Consensus: Sorry We Missed You may strike some as tending toward the righteously didactic, but director Ken Loach’s passionate approach remains effective.
Synopsis: Ricky and his family have been fighting an uphill struggle against debt since the 2008 financial crash. An opportunity to… [More]
Directed By: Ken Loach
Critics Consensus: Elevated by outstanding work from Elisabeth Moss, Shirley pays tribute to its subject’s pioneering legacy with a biopic that ignores the commonly accepted boundaries of the form.
Synopsis: Renowned horror writer Shirley Jackson is on the precipice of writing her masterpiece when the arrival of newlyweds upends her… [More]
Directed By: Josephine Decker
Critics Consensus: Les Misérables transcends its unwieldy story with compelling ideas and an infectious energy that boils over during a thrilling final act.
Synopsis: Stephane, only just arrived from Cherbourg, joins the anti-criminality brigade of Montfermeil in a sensitive district of the Paris suburbs….[More]
Directed By: Ladj Ly
Critics Consensus: Other adaptations may do a better job of consistently capturing the spirit of the classic source material, but Jane Austen fans should still find a solid match in this Emma.
Synopsis: Jane Austen’s beloved comedy about finding your equal and earning your happy ending, is reimagined in this delicious new film… [More]
Directed By: Autumn de Wilde
Critics Consensus: Sensitive, well-acted, and solidly directed, Words on Bathroom Walls is an admirable addition to a genre that too rarely does justice to its worthy themes.
Synopsis: WORDS ON BATHROOM WALLS tells the story of witty and introspective Adam (Charlie Plummer), who appears to be your typical… [More]
Directed By: Thor Freudenthal
Critics Consensus: Effective space alien horror with a Soviet-era twist, Sputnik proves there are still some scary good sci-fi thrillers left in the galaxy.
Synopsis: Due to her controversial methods, young doctor Tatiana Yurievna (Oksana Akinshina) is on the precipice of losing her medical license…. [More]
Directed By: Egor Abramenko
Critics Consensus: A smart, well-acted, and refreshingly messy coming-of-age story, Selah and the Spades suggests a bright future for debuting writer-director Tayarisha Poe.
Synopsis: In the closed world of an elite Pennsylvania boarding school, Haldwell, the student body is run by five factions. Seventeen-year-old… [More]
Directed By: Tayarisha Poe
Critics Consensus: The Truth may not stand with Hirokazu Kore-eda’s best work, but it finds the writer-director revisiting familiar themes with a typically sensitive touch.
Synopsis: Legends of French cinema Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche join masterful filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda (Shoplifters, Still Walking) to paint a… [More]
Directed By: Hirokazu Koreeda
Critics Consensus: It may suffer in comparison to Pixar’s classics, but Onward makes effective use of the studio’s formula — and stands on its own merits as a funny, heartwarming, dazzlingly animated adventure.
Synopsis: In “Onward,” teenage elf brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot (voices of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) get an unexpected opportunity… [More]
Directed By: Dan Scanlon
Critics Consensus: Banana Split serves up a sweet comedic dish that serves as a delightful calling card for co-writer and star Hannah Marks.
Synopsis: April (Hannah Marks) has spent the last two years of high school in a relationship with Nick (Dylan Sprouse), from… [More]
Directed By: Benjamin Kasulke
Critics Consensus: It may not change many minds regarding Showgirls, but You Don’t Nomi is a solidly entertaining postmortem of an infamous flop.
Synopsis: In YOU DON’T NOMI, a chorus of film critics and fervent devotees explore the complicated afterlife of 1995’s biggest film… [More]
Directed By: Jeffrey McHale
Critics Consensus: Swallow’s unconventional approach to exploring domestic ennui is elevated by a well-told story and Haley Bennett’s powerful leading performance.
Synopsis: On the surface, Hunter (Haley Bennett) appears to have it all. A newly pregnant housewife, she seems content to spend… [More]
Directed By: Carlo Mirabella-Davis
Critics Consensus: Inviting viewers into a fascinating world of bibliophiles, The Booksellers is a documentary that’s easy to curl up and get lost in.
Synopsis: Antiquarian booksellers are part scholar, part detective and part businessperson, and their personalities and knowledge are as broad as the…[More]
Directed By: D.W. Young
Critics Consensus: An appealing animated adventure whose silliness is anchored in genuine emotion, The Willoughbys offers fanciful fun the entire family can enjoy.
Synopsis: Convinced they’d be better off raising themselves, the Willoughby children hatch a sneaky plan to send their selfish parents on… [More]
Directed By: Kris Pearn
Critics Consensus: Blood Quantum blends bloody horror with sociopolitical subtext, taking a fresh bite out of the crowded zombie genre in the bargain.
Synopsis: The dead are coming back to life outside the isolated Mi’gMaq reserve of Red Crow, except for its Indigenous inhabitants… [More]
Directed By: Jeff Barnaby
Critics Consensus: From the horror of natural disaster to the spirit summoned behind the titular effort, Rebuilding Paradise stirringly depicts one community’s perseverance.
Synopsis: On the morning of Nov. 8, 2018, a devastating firestorm engulfed the picturesque city of Paradise, California. By the time… [More]
Starring:
Directed By: Ron Howard
Critics Consensus: Smart and stylish, The Wild Goose Lake blends B-movie thrills with bold filmmaking choices and thought-provoking social commentary.
Synopsis: Fleeing from the law, gangster Zenong Zhou (Ge Hu) crosses paths with an innocent-looking woman named Aiai Liu (Lun-Mei Kwei)…. [More]
Directed By: Diao Yinan
Critics Consensus: An intimate two-hander anchored by a pair of well-matched actors, Bull takes an achingly empathetic look at life on the economic margins.
Synopsis: In a near-abandoned subdivision west of Houston, a wayward teen runs headlong into her equally willful and unforgiving neighbor, an… [More]
Directed By: Annie Silverstein
Critics Consensus: Miss Americana provides an engaging if somewhat deliberately opaque backstage look at a pop star turned cultural phenomenon.
Synopsis: Miss Americana is a raw and emotionally revealing look at one of the most iconic artists of our time during… [More]
Starring: Taylor Swift
Directed By: Lana Wilson
Critics Consensus: Beautifully animated and narratively engaging, Weathering with You further establishes writer-director Makoto Shinkai as a singularly talented filmmaker.
Synopsis: The summer of his high school freshman year, Hodaka runs away from his remote island home to Tokyo, and quickly… [More]
Directed By: Makoto Shinkai
Critics Consensus: Filmed with impressive skill and brought to life by unforgettable performances, Beanpole takes a heartbreakingly empathetic look at lives shattered by war.
Synopsis: 1945, Leningrad. World War II has devastated the city, demolishing its buildings and leaving its citizens in tatters, physically and… [More]
Directed By: Kantemir Balagov
Critics Consensus: Formally thrilling and narratively daring, Bacurau draws on modern Brazilian sociopolitical concerns to deliver a hard-hitting, genre-blurring drama.
Synopsis: A few years from now… Bacurau, a small village in the Brazilian sertão, mourns the loss of its matriarch, Carmelita,… [More]
Critics Consensus: Relic ratchets up its slowly building tension in an expertly crafted atmosphere of dread, adding up to an outstanding feature debut for director/co-writer Natalie Erika James.
Synopsis: When Edna, the elderly and widowed matriarch of the family, goes missing, her daughter Kay and granddaughter Sam travel to… [More]
Directed By: Natalie Erika James
Critics Consensus: Smart, well-acted, and above all scary, The Invisible Man proves that sometimes, the classic source material for a fresh reboot can be hiding in plain sight.
Synopsis: Trapped in a violent, controlling relationship with a wealthy and brilliant scientist, Cecilia Kass (Moss) escapes in the dead of… [More]
Directed By: Leigh Whannell
Critics Consensus: A Good Woman Is Hard to Find, but it isn’t difficult to see a star in the making while watching Sarah Bolger’s powerful performance in this gritty thriller.
Synopsis: Sarah is a recently widowed young mother. Her son Ben has been an elective mute since the day he witnessed… [More]
Directed By: Abner Pastoll
Critics Consensus: Premature transcends its familiar trappings with sharp dialogue and a strong sense of setting that further establish Rashaad Ernesto Green as a gifted filmmaker.
Synopsis: On a summer night in Harlem during her last months at home before starting college, seventeen-year-old poet Ayanna (Zora Howard)… [More]
Directed By: Rashaad Ernesto Green
Critics Consensus: Steered by a pair of powerful lead performances, End of Sentence is a road trip movie that takes audiences on a satisfying emotional journey.
Synopsis: After being widowed, Frank Fogle reluctantly embarks on a journey to honor his wife’s last wish of spreading her ashes… [More]
Directed By: Elfar, Adalsteins
Critics Consensus: An intoxicating blend of documentary and fiction, Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets surveys the bar-going life with a remarkably sober eye.
Synopsis: Co-directors Bill Ross IV and Turner Ross’s genre-bending docudrama focuses on a Las Vegas dive bar named ‘The Roaring 20s’… [More]
Critics Consensus: Led by a powerhouse performance from Julia Garner, The Assistant offers a withering critique of workplace harassment and systemic oppression.
Synopsis: “The Assistant” follows one day in the life of Jane (Julia Garner), a recent college graduate and aspiring film producer,… [More]
Directed By: Kitty Green
Critics Consensus: An engrossing sci-fi thriller that transcends its period trappings, The Vast of Night suggests great things for debuting director Andrew Patterson.
Synopsis: In the twilight of the 1950s, on one fateful night in New Mexico, a young, winsome switchboard operator Fay (Sierra… [More]
Directed By: Andrew Patterson
Critics Consensus: Fierce energy and ambition course through Da 5 Bloods, coming together to fuel one of Spike Lee’s most urgent and impactful films.
Synopsis: From Academy Award Winner Spike Lee comes a New Joint: the story of four African-American Vets — Paul (Delroy Lindo),… [More]
Directed By: Spike Lee
Critics Consensus: A too-rare showcase for an ensemble of talented veteran actors, Working Man quietly builds into an absorbing — and timely — character study.
Synopsis: In the Rust Belt of America another factory is closing. After decades on the job, the reclusive Allery Parkes finds… [More]
Directed By: Robert Jury
Critics Consensus: A message movie admirable for its subtlety as well as its execution, The Perfect Candidate faces oppression and powerfully advocates for change.
Synopsis: A revealing look at the changing roles of women in Saudi Arabia from director Haifaa Al-Mansour (WADJDA), THE PERFECT CANDIDATE… [More]
Directed By: Haifaa Al-Mansour
Critics Consensus: Like a good wine, once you let Uncorked breathe, its heartfelt tenderness will yield a sweet time.
Synopsis: Fueled by his love for wine, Elijah enrolls in a course to become a master sommelier, an elite designation given… [More]
Directed By: Prentice Penny
Critics Consensus: It may not get as personal as some viewers might have hoped, but Becoming offers an uplifting look at a pivotal moment in its subject’s public life.
Synopsis: Becoming is an intimate look into the life of former First Lady Michelle Obama during a moment of profound change,… [More]
Starring: Michelle Obama
Directed By: Nadia Hallgren
Critics Consensus: Led by an outstanding performance from Levan Gelbakhiani, And Then We Danced defeats prejudice with overwhelming compassion.
Synopsis: A passionate tale of love and liberation set amidst the ultraconservative confines of modern Georgian society, And Then We Danced…[More]
Directed By: Levan Akin
Critics Consensus: Led by strong performances from Lesley Manville and Liam Neeson, Ordinary Love wrings heartrending drama out of one couple’s medical travails.
Synopsis: Joan and Tom (Academy Award (R) nominee Lesley Manville and Liam Neeson) have been married for many years. An everyday… [More]
Critics Consensus: Natalia Dyer’s charming performance — and writer-director Karen Maine’s sensitive work — will leave audiences saying Yes, God, Yes to this coming-of-age dramedy.
Synopsis: Growing up in the Midwest in the early 00s, sixteen-year-old Alice has always been a good Catholic. But when an… [More]
Directed By: Karen Maine
Critics Consensus: Powerfully acted and sensitively directed, Babyteeth offers audiences a coming-of-age story that’s messier — and more rewarding — than most.
Synopsis: When seriously ill teenager Milla falls madly in love with smalltime drug dealer Moses, it’s her parents’ worst nightmare. But… [More]
Directed By: Shannon Murphy
Critics Consensus: We Are Little Zombies mixes the playful and the profane with a stylish and visually inventive look at death, abandonment, and the grieving process.
Synopsis: When four young orphans–Hikari, Ikuko, Ishi, and Takemura–first meet, their parents’ bodies are being turned into dust, like fine Parmesan…[More]
Directed By: Makoto Nagahisa
Critics Consensus: Come As You Are approaches sensitive subjects with heart and humor, taking audiences on a thoroughly entertaining road trip to a crowd-pleasing destination.
Synopsis: Three young men with disabilities (Grant Rosenmeyer, Hayden Szeto, and Ravi Patel) flee their overbearing parents on a road trip… [More]
Directed By: Richard Wong
Critics Consensus: Startling, upsetting, and overall absorbing, Boys State strikingly depicts American political divisions — and machinations — taking root in the next generation.
Synopsis: Boys State is a political coming-of-age story, examining the health of American democracy through an unusual experiment: a thousand 17-year-old… [More]
Critics Consensus: Strong performances, assured direction, and a refreshingly original concept make Palm Springs a romcom that’s easy to fall in love with.
Synopsis: When carefree Nyles (Andy Samberg) and reluctant maid of honor Sarah (Cristin Milioti) have a chance encounter at a Palm… [More]
Directed By: Max Barbakow
Critics Consensus: Disturbing and thrilling in equal measure, Class Action Park is a raucous chronicle of the infamous waterpark that was as beloved as it was dangerous.
Synopsis: Class Action Park is the first ever documentary on the world’s most dangerous amusement park, Action Park, that had its… [More]
Starring:
Critics Consensus: Howard serves as a bittersweet tribute to the life and legacy of a brilliant artist whose timeless songs served as the soundtrack for a generation of Disney fans.
Synopsis: Directed by Don Hahn (“Beauty and the Beast”), “Howard” is the untold story of Howard Ashman, the brilliant lyricist behind… [More]
Directed By: Don Hahn
Critics Consensus: Comprehensive without getting bogged down in details, Desert One offers a fascinating look at a daring military mission that ended in defeat.
Synopsis: In April 1980, the US government launched the Operation Eagle Claw, their response to the hostage crisis that was happening… [More]
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Directed By: Barbara Kopple
Critics Consensus: It’s far more conventional than the life it honors, but John Lewis: Good Trouble remains a worthy tribute to an inspiring activist and public servant.
Synopsis: Using interviews and rare archival footage, John Lewis: Good Trouble chronicles Lewis’ 60-plus years of social activism and legislative action… [More]
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Directed By: Dawn Porter
Critics Consensus: Here’s a Beastie Boys Story they had to tell, about three bad brothers you know so well. It started way back in history — and for new or old fans, it’s a must-see.
Synopsis: Beastie Boys Mike Diamond and Adam Horovitz tell you an intimate, personal story of their band and 40 years of… [More]
Starring: Mike D
Directed By:
Critics Consensus: First Cow finds director Kelly Reichardt revisiting territory and themes that will be familiar to fans of her previous work — with typically rewarding results.
Synopsis: Kelly Reichardt once again trains her perceptive and patient eye on the Pacific Northwest, this time evoking an authentically hardscrabble… [More]
Directed By: Kelly Reichardt
Critics Consensus: A satisfyingly dark noir elevated by stellar acting and a sharp screenplay, Blood on Her Name thrills in the moment and lingers in the memory.
Synopsis: A woman’s panicked decision to cover up an accidental killing spirals out of control when her conscience demands she return… [More]
Directed By: Matthew Pope
Critics Consensus: A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon retains the charm of its small-screen source material while engagingly expanding the title character’s world.
Synopsis: What begins as an ordinary day for Shaun the Sheep (Justin Fletcher) turns out to be anything but, when an… [More]
Starring: Justin Fletcher
Directed By: Richard Starzak
Critics Consensus: The Painter and the Thief uses the unlikely bond between a criminal and his victim as the canvas for a compelling portrait of compassion and forgiveness.
Synopsis: Desperate for answers about the theft of her 2 paintings, a Czech artist seeks out and befriends the career criminal… [More]
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Directed By:
Critics Consensus: Emulating the spirit of punk in form and function, The Go-Go’s is a raucous celebration of the pioneering band and a stylistic knockout that will blow viewers’ hair back.
Synopsis: As the first multi-platinum-selling, all-female band to play their own instruments, write their own songs and soar to No. 1… [More]
Directed By: Alison Ellwood
Critics Consensus: A White, White Day plunges viewers into the darkness of grief and jealousy, led by Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson’s brilliantly layered performance.
Synopsis: In a remote Icelandic town, an off-duty police chief begins to suspect a local man of having had an affair… [More]
Starring: Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Ída Mekkín Hlynsdóttir, Sara Dögg Ásgeirsdóttir, Bjorn Ingi Hilmarsson
Directed By: Hlynur Pálmason
Critics Consensus: As wickedly smart as it is energetic, Why Don’t You Just Die! should satisfy audiences in the mood for a gore-soaked good time.
Synopsis: Matvey has just one objective: to gain entry to his girlfriend’s parents’ apartment and kill her father Andrey with a… [More]
Directed By: Kirill Sokolov
Critics Consensus: La Llorona puts a fresh spin on the familiar legend by blending the supernatural and the political to resolutely chilling effect.
Synopsis: Indignant retired general Enrique finally faces trial for the genocidal massacre of thousands of Mayans decades ago. As a horde… [More]
Directed By: Jayro Bustamante
Critics Consensus: Led by an impressive performance from Bartosz Bielenia, Corpus Christi thoughtfully and engagingly examines questions of faith and redemption.
Synopsis: Corpus Christi is the story of a 20-year-old Daniel who experiences a spiritual transformation while living in a Youth Detention… [More]
Directed By: Jan Komasa
Critics Consensus: Distinctive in terms of content, perspective, and insight, The Last Tree vividly depicts the turmoil of adolescence with remarkable grace.
Synopsis: THE LAST TREE follows the story of Femi, a British boy of Nigerian heritage who, after a happy childhood in… [More]
Directed By: Shola Amoo
Critics Consensus: Fourteen subtly establishes the bond between its main characters — and the way longtime friendships can erode by a matter of nearly invisible degrees.
Synopsis: Mara and Jo, in their twenties, have been close friends since middle school. Jo, the more outgoing figure, is a… [More]
Directed By: Dan Sallitt
Critics Consensus: Disclosure engrossingly illuminates the history and effects of the way transgender lives are depicted onscreen — and outlines how much progress still needs to be made.
Synopsis: Disclosure is an unprecedented look at the depiction of transgender people and experiences throughout the history of film and television…. [More]
Directed By: Sam Feder
Critics Consensus: Rigorous and beautifully composed, Vitalina Varela is a quietly absorbing drama whose placid surface belies hidden depths.
Synopsis: Vitalina Varela, 55-year-old, Cape Verdean, arrives in Lisbon 3 days after her husband’s funeral. She’s been waiting for her plane… [More]
Directed By: Pedro Costa
Critics Consensus: Beyoncé is King.
Synopsis: The voyages of Black families, throughout time, are honored in a tale about a young king’s transcendent journey through betrayal,… [More]
Directed By: Beyoncé Knowles
Critics Consensus: Like the cheekily named store at this documentary’s center, Circus of Books proves there are countless stories below the surface if we’re only willing to look.
Synopsis: For over 35 years, the gay porn shop, Circus of Books, served as the epicenter for LGBT life and culture… [More]
Directed By: Rachel Mason
Critics Consensus: Well-acted and enlivened by an evocative soundtrack and period detail, Beats draws timeless themes out of its specific story and setting.
Synopsis: A universal story of friendship, rebellion, and the irresistible power of music set against the backdrop of the Criminal Justice… [More]
Directed By: Brian Welsh
Critics Consensus: A horror/rom-com hybrid that somehow manages to blend its ingredients without losing their flavor, Extra Ordinary more than lives up to its title.
Synopsis: Rose, a sweet, small town driving instructor, is gifted with supernatural abilities, “The Talents”, which mean she can talk to… [More]
Critics Consensus: Clever, funny, and original, Blow the Man Down is a cinematic journey that’s not to be missed.
Synopsis: Welcome to Easter Cove, a salty fishing village on the far reaches of Maine’s rocky coast. Grieving the loss of… [More]
Critics Consensus: Look around, look around at how beautifully Hamilton shines beyond Broadway – and at how marvelously Thomas Kail captures the stage show’s infectious energy.
Synopsis: An unforgettable cinematic stage performance, the filmed version of the original Broadway production of “Hamilton” combines the best elements of… [More]
Directed By: Thomas Kail
Critics Consensus: A singularly rich period piece, Portrait of a Lady on Fire finds stirring, thought-provoking drama within a powerfully acted romance.
Synopsis: France, 1760. Marianne is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse, a young woman who has just left the… [More]
Directed By: Céline Sciamma
Critics Consensus: Saint Frances approaches an array of weighty issues with empathy, humor, and grace — and marks star and writer Kelly O’Sullivan as a tremendous talent to watch.
Synopsis: Flailing thirty-four-year-old Bridget (Kelly O’Sullivan) finally catches a break when she meets a nice guy and lands a much-needed job… [More]
Directed By: Alex Thompson
Critics Consensus: Like a pageant winner walking across the stage, Miss Juneteenth follows a familiar path — but does so with charm and grace.
Synopsis: Turquoise Jones is a single mom who holds down a household, a rebellious teenager, and pretty much everything that goes… [More]
Directed By: Channing Godfrey Peoples
Critics Consensus: Powerfully acted and directed, Never Rarely Sometimes Always reaffirms writer-director Eliza Hittman as a filmmaker of uncommon sensitivity and grace.
Synopsis: Faced with an unintended pregnancy and a lack of local support, Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) and her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder)… [More]
Directed By: Eliza Hittman
Critics Consensus: Engrossing for casual listeners as well as hardcore fans, Mystify: Michael Hutchence sheds a poignant light on a life and career cut short by tragedy.
Synopsis: At the height of his internationally renowned career, a sudden blow to the head robs the famously sensual rock star… [More]
Directed By: Richard Lowenstein
Critics Consensus: A striking debut for writer-director Kim Bora, House of Hummingbird delicately captures a turning point in one young woman’s life.
Synopsis: Set against the backdrop of a rapidly expanding Seoul in 1994, a lonely 14-year-old Eun-hee moves through life like a… [More]
Directed By: Kim Bora
Critics Consensus: Rewind pulls at the roots of a family’s horrific trauma with a deeply personal documentary that’s hard to watch, but worth the effort.
Synopsis: In his candid personal memoir, Sasha Joseph Neulinger revisits his childhood and the events that tore apart his seemingly-perfect world…. [More]
Directed By: Sasha Joseph Neulinger
Critics Consensus: In telling one couple’s story, A Secret Love pays understated yet powerful tribute to a lifetime of choices and sacrifices made in the name of enduring devotion.
Synopsis: A Secret Love tells an incredible love story between Terry Donahue and Pat Henschel, whose relationship spans nearly seven decades…. [More]
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Directed By: Chris Bolan
Critics Consensus: Harrowing yet essential viewing, Athlete A shines an unforgiving light on horrific abuses — as well as the culture that allowed them to continue unabated for years.
Synopsis: Athlete A follows a team of reporters from The Indianapolis Star as they investigate claims of abuse at USA Gymnastics,… [More]
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Critics Consensus: An absorbing and affectionate tribute to a unique individual, Mucho Mucho Amor should prove fascinating for Walter Mercado fans as well as first-timers.
Synopsis: Dazzling and tender-hearted, legendary astrologer Walter Mercado vanished at the peak of his fame. This documentary poignantly explains what happened…. [More]
Critics Consensus: The Fight takes an engaging look at some of the people working on the front lines for the ACLU — and makes a passionate case for the legal battles they wage.
Synopsis: At this defining moment in American history, THE FIGHT follows a scrappy team of heroic ACLU lawyers in an electrifying… [More]
Starring:
Critics Consensus: Understated yet powerful, Driveways is a character study anchored in fundamental decency — and a poignant farewell to Brian Dennehy.
Synopsis: Director Andrew Ahn’s intimate drama revolves around the unlikely friendship formed between a lonely young boy (Lucas Jaye) and his… [More]
Directed By: Andrew Ahn
Critics Consensus: As entertaining as it is inspiring, Crip Camp uses one group’s remarkable story to highlight hope for the future and the power of community.
Synopsis: In the early 1970s, teenagers with disabilities faced a future shaped by isolation, discrimination and institutionalization. Camp Jened, a ramshackle… [More]
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