100 Best Free Movies on Tubi (January 2025)

Critics Consensus: Honeyland uses life in a remote village to offer an eye-opening perspective on experiences that should resonate even for audiences halfway around the world.

Synopsis: A woman utilizes ancient beekeeping traditions to cultivate honey in the mountains of North Macedonia. When a neighboring family tries to do the same, it... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Ljubo Stefanov, Tamara Kotevska

Critics Consensus: Sidney Lumet's feature debut is a superbly written, dramatically effective courtroom thriller that rightfully stands as a modern classic.

Synopsis: Following the closing arguments in a murder trial, the 12 members of the jury must deliberate, with a guilty verdict meaning death for the accused,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley, E.G. Marshall

Directed By: Sidney Lumet

Critics Consensus: Good news, rom-com fans: Anyone looking for a smart, funny, and heartwarming new addition to the canon can find it waiting on Rye Lane.

Synopsis: Yas (Vivian Oparah) and Dom (David Jonsson), two twenty-somethings both reeling from bad break-ups, connect over the course of an eventful day in South London... View Full Synopsis

Starring: David Jonsson, Vivian Oparah, Charlie Knight, Simon Manyonda

Directed By: Raine Allen Miller

Critics Consensus: Gunda takes an absorbingly meditative look at farm life from the animals' perspective, tacitly posing questions about our relationship to food along the way.

Synopsis: Experiential cinema in its purest form, GUNDA chronicles the unfiltered lives of a mother pig, a flock of chickens, and a herd of cows with... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Victor Kossakovsky

Critics Consensus: Filled with poignant performances and devastating humor, Annie Hall represents a quantum leap for Woody Allen and remains an American classic.

Synopsis: Comedian Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) examines the rise and fall of his relationship with struggling nightclub singer Annie Hall (Diane Keaton). Speaking directly to the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane

Directed By: Woody Allen

Critics Consensus: In This Corner of the World offers a unique ground-level perspective on an oft-dramatized period in history, further distinguished by beautiful hand-drawn animation.

Synopsis: As she combats her daily struggles In Hiroshima during World War II, an 18-year-old woman gets married and has to maintain the will to live.

Starring: Non, Megumi Han, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Natsuki Inaba

Directed By: Sunao Katabuchi

Critics Consensus: One of the silent era's most influential masterpieces, Nosferatu's eerie, gothic feel -- and a chilling performance from Max Schreck as the vampire -- set the template for the horror films that followed.

Synopsis: Vampire Count Orlok expresses interest in a new residence -- and his new real estate agent Hutter's wife.

Starring: Max Schreck, Alexander Granach, Gustav von Wangenheim, Greta Schroeder

Directed By: F.W. Murnau

Critics Consensus: Kevin Costner is at his funniest and most charismatic in Bull Durham, a film that's as wise about relationships as it is about minor league baseball.

Synopsis: In Durham, N.C., the Bulls minor league baseball team has one asset no other can claim: a poetry-loving groupie named Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon). As... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Trey Wilson

Directed By: Ron Shelton

Critics Consensus: A darkly humorous revenge thriller with satisfying depth and a dash of savory quirk, Riders of Justice makes another compelling case for Mads Mikkelsen as an all-purpose leading man.

Synopsis: RIDERS OF JUSTICE follows recently-deployed Markus (Mads Mikkelsen), who is forced to return home to care for his teenage daughter after his wife is killed... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Andrea Heick Gadeberg, Lars Brygmann

Directed By: Anders Thomas Jensen

Critics Consensus: Smartly written, smoothly directed, and solidly cast, A Fish Called Wanda offers a classic example of a brainy comedy with widespread appeal.

Synopsis: British gangster George Thomason (Tom Georgeson) and his hapless aide, Ken Pile (Michael Palin), draft a pair of arrogant Americans, grifter Wanda Gerschwitz (Jamie Lee... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, Michael Palin

Directed By: Charles Crichton, John Cleese

Critics Consensus: Well-acted and dramatically moving, The Pianist is Polanski's best work in years.

Synopsis: In this adaptation of the autobiography "The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939-1945," Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody), a Polish... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Maureen Lipman

Directed By: Roman Polanski

Critics Consensus: Violent, quirky, and darkly funny, Fargo delivers an original crime story and a wonderful performance by McDormand.

Synopsis: "Fargo" is a reality-based crime drama set in Minnesota in 1987. Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman in Minneapolis who has gotten... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy, Peter Stormare

Directed By: Joel Coen

Critics Consensus: A crowd-pleasing tribute to the magic of silent cinema, The Artist is a clever, joyous film with delightful performances and visual style to spare.

Synopsis: In the 1920s, actor George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a bona fide matinee idol with many adoring fans. While working on his latest film, George... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell

Directed By: Michel Hazanavicius

Critics Consensus: Though it may not always convince, Bowling for Columbine asks important questions and provokes thought.

Synopsis: Political documentary filmmaker Michael Moore explores the circumstances that lead to the 1999 Columbine High School massacre and, more broadly, the proliferation of guns and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Moore, George W. Bush, Dick Clark, Charlton Heston

Directed By: Michael Moore

Critics Consensus: Train to Busan delivers a thrillingly unique -- and purely entertaining -- take on the zombie genre, with fully realized characters and plenty of social commentary to underscore the bursts of skillfully staged action.

Synopsis: A man (Gong Yoo), his estranged daughter and other passengers become trapped on a speeding train during a zombie outbreak in South Korea.

Starring: Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok, Choi Woo-sik

Directed By: Yeon Sang-ho

Critics Consensus: The Love Witch offers an absorbing visual homage to a bygone era, arranged subtly in service of a thought-provoking meditation on the battle of the sexes.

Synopsis: Elaine (Samantha Robinson), a beautiful young witch, is determined to find a man to love her. In her gothic Victorian apartment she makes spells and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Samantha Robinson, Gian Keys, Laura Waddell, Jeffrey Vincent Parise

Directed By: Anna Biller

Critics Consensus: Tense, funny, and thought-provoking all at once, and lifted by strong performances from Sydney Poitier and Rod Steiger, director Norman Jewison's look at murder and racism in small-town America continues to resonate today.

Synopsis: African-American Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) is arrested on suspicion of murder by Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger), the racist police chief of tiny... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Quentin Dean

Directed By: Norman Jewison

Critics Consensus: Memories of Murder blends the familiar crime genre with social satire and comedy, capturing the all-too human desperation of its key characters.

Synopsis: In 1986, Park (Song Kang-ho) and Cho (Kim Roi-ha) were two simple-minded detectives assigned to a double murder investigation in a South Korean province. But... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-kyung, Kim Roe ha, Song Jae-ho

Directed By: Bong Joon Ho

Critics Consensus: A stunning feat of modern animation, Ghost in the Shell offers a thoughtful, complex treat for anime fans, as well as a perfect introduction for viewers new to the medium.

Synopsis: In this Japanese animation, cyborg federal agent Maj. Motoko Kusanagi (Mimi Woods) trails "The Puppet Master" (Abe Lasser), who illegally hacks into the computerized minds... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Richard Epcar, Mimi Woods, William Frederick Knight, Tom Wyner

Directed By: Mamoru Oshii

Critics Consensus: Dark, cynical, and subversive, Heathers gently applies a chainsaw to the conventions of the high school movie -- changing the game for teen comedies to follow.

Synopsis: Veronica (Winona Ryder) is part of the most popular clique at her high school, but she disapproves of the other girls' cruel behavior. When Veronica... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk

Directed By: Michael Lehmann

Critics Consensus: Christopher Nolan skillfully guides the audience through Memento's fractured narrative, seeping his film in existential dread.

Synopsis: Leonard (Guy Pearce) is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty, however, of locating his wife's killer is compounded by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Mark Boone Junior

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

Critics Consensus: A superbly-mounted adaptation of E.M. Forster's tale of British class tension, with exceptional performances all round, Howard's End ranks among the best of Merchant-Ivory's work.

Synopsis: Helen Schlegel falls for Paul Wilcox, but is rebuffed. Her sister Margaret becomes friends with his mother, who promises her the family house, Howards End.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Vanessa Redgrave

Directed By: James Ivory

Critics Consensus: Carrie is a horrifying look at supernatural powers, high school cruelty, and teen angst -- and it brings us one of the most memorable and disturbing prom scenes in history.

Synopsis: In this chilling adaptation of Stephen King's horror novel, withdrawn and sensitive teen Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) faces taunting from classmates at school and abuse... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, William Katt, Amy Irving

Directed By: Brian De Palma

Critics Consensus: The rare action thriller that spikes adrenaline without skimping on character development, Prey is a Predator prequel done right.

Synopsis: Set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, "Prey" is the story of a young woman, Naru, a fierce and highly skilled warrior. She has... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush

Directed By: Dan Trachtenberg

Critics Consensus: All Light, Everywhere poses thought-provoking questions about our view of objective reality -- and the implications for our growing reliance on surveillance technology.

Synopsis: ALL LIGHT, EVERYWHERE is an exploration of the shared histories of cameras, weapons, policing and justice. As surveillance technologies become a fixture in everyday life,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keaver Brenai, Keaver Brenai

Directed By: Theo Anthony

Critics Consensus: The brutality of Amores Perros may be difficult to watch at times, but this intense, gritty film packs a hard wallop.

Synopsis: "Amores Perros" is a bold, intensely emotional, and ambitious story of lives that collide in a Mexico City car crash. Inventively structured as a triptych... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emilio Echevarría, Gael García Bernal, Goya Toledo, Álvaro Guerrero

Directed By: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Critics Consensus: The Secret of NIMH seeks to resurrect the classical style of American animation and succeeds, telling a mature story with rapturous presentation.

Synopsis: Mrs. Brisby (Elizabeth Hartman), a widowed mouse, must move her children out of their home in a field before the local farmer starts plowing. Unable... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Elizabeth Hartman, Derek Jacobi, Dom DeLuise, Shannen Doherty

Directed By: Don Bluth

Critics Consensus: As visually splendid as it is thought-provoking, Monos takes an unsettling look at human nature whose grim insights leave a lingering impact.

Synopsis: A terrorized American engineer is held captive by teenaged guerilla bandits in a South American jungle.

Starring: Julianne Nicholson, Moises Arias, Sofia Buenaventura, Julián Giraldo

Directed By: Alejandro Landes

Critics Consensus: Arguably Martin Scorsese's and Robert De Niro's finest film, Raging Bull is often painful to watch, but it's a searing, powerful work about an unsympathetic hero.

Synopsis: The story of a middleweight boxer as he rises through ranks to earn his first shot at the middleweight crown. He falls in love with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Frank Vincent

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

Critics Consensus: Brilliantly filmed and fueled with classic physical comedy, The General captures Buster Keaton at his timeless best.

Synopsis: One of the most revered comedies of the silent era, this film finds hapless Southern railroad engineer Johnny Gray (Buster Keaton) facing off against Union... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Buster Keaton, Marion Mack, Glen Cavender, Jim Farley

Directed By: Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton

Critics Consensus: One of the most influential of all sci-fi films -- and one of the most controversial -- Stanley Kubrick's 2001 is a delicate, poetic meditation on the ingenuity -- and folly -- of mankind.

Synopsis: An imposing black structure provides a connection between the past and the future in this enigmatic adaptation of a short story by revered sci-fi author... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Daniel Richter

Directed By: Stanley Kubrick

Critics Consensus: There's no shortage of star-is-born stories, but Wild Rose proves they can still be thoroughly entertaining -- and marks its own transcendent moment for lead Jessie Buckley.

Synopsis: Fresh out of prison, a Scottish woman juggles her job and two children while pursuing her dream of becoming a country music star. She soon... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jessie Buckley, Julie Walters, Sophie Okonedo, James Harkness

Directed By: Tom Harper

Critics Consensus: Led by outstanding work from Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro, Sicario is a taut, tightly wound thriller with much more on its mind than attention-getting set pieces.

Synopsis: After rising through the ranks of her male-dominated profession, idealistic FBI agent Kate Macer receives a top assignment. Recruited by mysterious government official Matt Graver,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Victor Garber

Directed By: Denis Villeneuve

Critics Consensus: Buoyed by Robert Wise's dazzling direction, Leonard Bernstein's score, and Stephen Sondheim's lyrics, West Side Story remains perhaps the most iconic of all the Shakespeare adaptations to visit the big screen.

Synopsis: A musical in which a modern day Romeo and Juliet are involved in New York street gangs. On the harsh streets of the upper west... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, George Chakiris

Directed By: Jerome Robbins, Robert Wise

Critics Consensus: Crafted with eccentric moodiness and style by Steven Soderbergh, The Limey is also a gritty neo-noir showcase for the talent of leading man Terence Stamp.

Synopsis: The Limey follows Wilson (Terence Stamp), a tough English ex-con who travels to Los Angeles to avenge his daughter's death. Upon arrival, Wilson goes to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Terence Stamp, Peter Fonda, Lesley Ann Warren, Luis Guzmán

Directed By: Steven Soderbergh

Critics Consensus: The Cabin in the Woods is an astonishing meta-feat, capable of being funny, strange, and scary -- frequently all at the same time.

Synopsis: When five college friends (Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams) arrive at a remote forest cabin for a little vacation, little... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz

Directed By: Drew Goddard

Critics Consensus: Roger Donaldson's modern spin on the dense, stylish suspense films of the 1940s features fine work from Gene Hackman and Sean Young, as well as the career-making performance that made Kevin Costner a star.

Synopsis: Navy Lt. Tom Farrell (Kevin Costner) meets a young woman, Susan Atwell (Sean Young), and they share a passionate fling. Farrell then finds out that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman, Sean Young, Will Patton

Directed By: Roger Donaldson

Critics Consensus: Entertaining doc about the adverse effects of eating fast food.

Synopsis: Director Morgan Spurlock's social experiment in fast-food gastronomy sees him attempting to subsist uniquely on food from the McDonald's menu for an entire month. In... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Morgan Spurlock

Directed By: Morgan Spurlock

Critics Consensus: Featuring outstanding work from an excellent cast, The Departed is a thoroughly engrossing gangster drama with the gritty authenticity and soupy morality we come to expect from Martin Scorsese.

Synopsis: South Boston cop Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) goes undercover to infiltrate the organization of gangland chief Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). As Billy gains the mobster's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

Critics Consensus: Stronger rises on the power of its well-chosen ensemble to offer an emotionally resonant fact-based story that transcends inspirational drama clichés.

Synopsis: Jeff Bauman loses both of his legs when two bombs explode during the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. After regaining consciousness in the hospital,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson, Clancy Brown

Directed By: David Gordon Green

Critics Consensus: A sobering and heartfelt tale about massacre that took place in Rwanda while most of the world looked away.

Synopsis: Hutu Paul Rusesabagina manages the Hôtel des Mille Collines and lives a happy life with his Tutsi wife and their three children, but when Hutu... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Joaquin Phoenix, Nick Nolte

Directed By: Terry George

Critics Consensus: Kung Fu Hustle blends special effects, martial arts, and the Looney Toons to hilarious effect.

Synopsis: When the hapless Sing and his dim-witted pal Bone try to scam the residents of Pig Sty Alley into thinking they're members of the dreaded... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Stephen Chow, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, Siu-Lung Leung

Directed By: Stephen Chow

Critics Consensus: Kubrick's Lolita adapts its seemingly unadaptable source material with a sly comedic touch and a sterling performance by James Mason that transforms the controversial novel into something refreshingly new without sacrificing its essential edge.

Synopsis: With a screenplay penned by the author himself, Stanley Kubrick brings Vladimir Nabokov's controversial tale of forbidden love to the screen. Humbert Humbert (James Mason)... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James Mason, Shelley Winters, Sue Lyon, Peter Sellers

Directed By: Stanley Kubrick

Critics Consensus: This intelligent horror film is subtle in its thrills and chills, with an ending that is both shocking and truly memorable.

Synopsis: Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) arrives on the small Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the report of a missing child. A conservative Christian, the policeman... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland, Diane Cilento

Directed By: Robin Hardy

Critics Consensus: The Endless benefits from its grounded approach to an increasingly bizarre story, elevated by believable performances by filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead.

Synopsis: Two brothers receive a cryptic video message inspiring them to revisit the UFO death cult they escaped a decade earlier. Hoping to find the closure... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson, Callie Hernandez, Tate Ellington

Directed By: Justin Benson

Critics Consensus: Downfall is an illuminating, thoughtful and detailed account of Hitler's last days.

Synopsis: In 1942, young Traudl Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara) lands her dream job -- secretary to Adolf Hitler (Bruno Ganz) at the peak of his power.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruno Ganz, Alexandra Maria Lara, Corinna Harfouch, Ulrich Matthes

Directed By: Oliver Hirschbiegel

Critics Consensus: Battle Royale is a controversial and violent parable of adolescence, heightening teenage melodrama with life-or-death stakes.

Synopsis: 42 9th graders are sent to a deserted island. They are given a map, food, and various weapons. An explosive collar is fitted around their... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tatsuya Fujiwara, Aki Maeda, Taro Yamamoto, Masanobu Andô

Directed By: Kinji Fukasaku

Critics Consensus: Informed by director Oliver Stone's personal experiences in Vietnam, Platoon forgoes easy sermonizing in favor of a harrowing, ground-level view of war, bolstered by no-holds-barred performances from Charlie Sheen and Willem Dafoe.

Synopsis: Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) leaves his university studies to enlist in combat duty in Vietnam in 1967. Once he's on the ground in the middle... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, Forest Whitaker

Directed By: Oliver Stone

Critics Consensus: A must-see film for movie lovers, this Martin Scorsese masterpiece is as hard-hitting as it is compelling, with Robert De Niro at his best.

Synopsis: Suffering from insomnia, disturbed loner Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) takes a job as a New York City cabbie, haunting the streets nightly, growing increasingly... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

Critics Consensus: The Magnificent Seven transplants Seven Samurai into the Old West with a terrific cast of Hollywood stars -- and without losing any of the story's thematic richness.

Synopsis: A Mexican village is at the mercy of Calvera, the leader of a band of outlaws. The townspeople, too afraid to fight for themselves, hire... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen, Horst Bucholz

Directed By: John Sturges

Critics Consensus: Philip Seymour Hoffman's riveting central performance guides a well-constructed retelling of the most sensational and significant period in author Truman Capote's life.

Synopsis: Reading of the murder of a Kansas family, New York City novelist Truman Capote (Philip Seymour Hoffman) decides to cover the story himself, and travels... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Clifton Collins Jr., Chris Cooper

Directed By: Bennett Miller

Critics Consensus: American Woman finds poignant drama in one woman's grueling odyssey, thanks in no small part to Sienna Miller's outstanding work in the leading role.

Synopsis: In a small blue-collar town in Pennsylvania, a 32-year-old woman's teenage daughter goes missing, and she is left to raise her infant grandson alone.

Starring: Sienna Miller, Aaron Paul, Christina Hendricks, Will Sasso

Directed By: Jake Scott

Critics Consensus: Led by energetic performances from Nicolas Cage and Cher, Moonstruck is an exuberantly funny tribute to love and one of the decade's most appealing comedies.

Synopsis: No sooner does Italian-American widow Loretta (Cher) accept a marriage proposal from her doltish boyfriend, Johnny (Danny Aiello), than she finds herself falling for his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cher, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, Olympia Dukakis

Directed By: Norman Jewison

Critics Consensus: Carried by its charismatic young cast, Better Watch Out is an adorably sinister holiday horror film.

Synopsis: Ashley travels to the suburban home of the Lerners to baby-sit their 12-year-old son Luke at Christmastime. She must soon defend herself and the young... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Levi Miller, Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Dacre Montgomery

Directed By: Chris Peckover

Critics Consensus: Similar to the original in all the right ways -- but with enough changes to stand on its own -- Let Me In is the rare Hollywood remake that doesn't add insult to inspiration.

Synopsis: Bullied at school, neglected at home and incredibly lonely, 12-year-old Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) spends his days plotting revenge on his tormentors and spends his nights... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloë Grace Moretz, Richard Jenkins, Cara Buono

Directed By: Matt Reeves

Critics Consensus: Richard Linklater's Bernie is a gently told and unexpectedly amusing true-crime comedy that benefits from an impressive performance by Jack Black.

Synopsis: Assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede is one of the most-beloved residents in the small Texas town of Carthage. Sunday-school teacher, choir member and creator of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey, Brady Coleman

Directed By: Richard Linklater

Critics Consensus: The Last of the Mohicans is a breathless romantic adventure that plays loose with James Fenimore Cooper's novel -- and comes out with a richer action movie for it.

Synopsis: The last members of a dying Native American tribe, the Mohicans -- Uncas, his father Chingachgook, and his adopted half-white brother Hawkeye -- live in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Russell Means, Eric Schweig

Directed By: Michael Mann

Critics Consensus: Richard Kelly's debut feature Donnie Darko is a daring, original vision, packed with jarring ideas and intelligence and featuring a remarkable performance from Jake Gyllenhaal as the troubled title character.

Synopsis: In a funny, moving and distinctly mind-bending journey through suburban America, one extraordinary but disenchanted teenager is about to take Time's Arrow for a ride.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore, James Duval

Directed By: Richard Kelly

Critics Consensus: Following its own brand of logic, Paprika is an eye-opening mind trip that is difficult to follow but never fails to dazzle.

Synopsis: Dr. Atsuko Chiba works as a scientist by day and, under the code name "Paprika," is a dream detective at night. Atsuko and her colleagues... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cindy Robinson, Yuri Lowenthal, Michael Forest, David Lodge

Directed By: Satoshi Kon

Critics Consensus: A tender and moving romance from Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... And Spring's director Kim Ki-Duk.

Synopsis: Tae-suk (Jae-hee) is a lonely drifter who spends his nights in one empty vacation home after another. However, Tae-suk is not your usual squatter, as... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Seung-Yun Lee, Jae-hee, Hyuk-ho Kwon, Joo Jin-mo

Directed By: Kim Ki-duk

Critics Consensus: The music, the performances, the precision in capturing the post-college malaise -- The Graduate's coming-of-age story is indeed one for the ages.

Synopsis: Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) has just finished college and, back at his parents' house, he's trying to avoid the one question everyone keeps asking: What... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross, William Daniels

Directed By: Mike Nichols

Critics Consensus: Dances with Wolves suffers from a simplistic view of the culture it attempts to honor, but the end result remains a stirring western whose noble intentions are often matched by its epic grandeur.

Synopsis: A Civil War soldier develops a relationship with a band of Lakota Indians. Attracted by the simplicity of their lifestyle, he chooses to leave his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene, Rodney A. Grant

Directed By: Kevin Costner

Critics Consensus: Smart, tightly wound, and solidly acted, Margin Call turns the convoluted financial meltdown of '08 into gripping, thought-provoking drama.

Synopsis: When an analyst uncovers information that could ruin them all, the key players (Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany) at an investment firm take extreme measures to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto

Directed By: J.C. Chandor

Critics Consensus: As flying saucer movies go, The Thing From Another World is better than most, thanks to well-drawn characters and concise, tense plotting.

Synopsis: When scientist Dr. Carrington (Robert Cornthwaite) reports a UFO near his North Pole research base, the Air Force sends in a team under Capt. Patrick... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Margaret Sheridan, Kenneth Tobey, James Arness, Robert Cornthwaite

Directed By: Christian Nyby

Critics Consensus: Exquisitely shot and simmering with unease, Michelangelo Antonio's Blow-Up is an enigma that invites audiences to luxuriate in the sensual atmosphere of 1960s London chic.

Synopsis: Thomas (David Hemmings) is a London photographer who spends his time photographing fashion models. But one day he thinks he may have photographed something far... View Full Synopsis

Starring: David Hemmings, Vanessa Redgrave, Sarah Miles, Jane Birkin

Directed By: Michelangelo Antonioni

Critics Consensus: Smart and solidly engrossing, The Master extends Paul Thomas Anderson's winning streak of challenging films for serious audiences.

Synopsis: Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) is a troubled, boozy drifter struggling with the trauma of World War II and whatever inner demons ruled his life before... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Laura Dern

Directed By: Paul Thomas Anderson

Critics Consensus: Uneven yet ultimately hard to resist, Joe Wright's Cyrano puts a well-acted musical spin on the oft-adapted classic tale.

Synopsis: Award-winning director Joe Wright envelops moviegoers in a symphony of emotions with music, romance, and beauty in Cyrano, re-imagining the timeless tale of a heartbreaking... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Ben Mendelsohn

Directed By: Joe Wright

Critics Consensus: A delightfully deadpan comedy with plenty of heart, Wild Men proves there's still plenty of humor to be mined from the male midlife crisis.

Synopsis: Armed only with a bow and an ensemble of animal skins, Martin sets off into the forest in a misguided attempt to overcome his midlife... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rasmus Bjerg, Zaki Youssef, Sofie Gråbøl, Bjørn Sundquist

Directed By: Thomas Daneskov

Critics Consensus: My Friend Dahmer opens a window into the making of a serial killer whose conclusions are as empathetic as they are deeply troubling.

Synopsis: The true, haunting story of young Jeffrey Dahmer -- the shy adolescent in high school who becomes a notorious serial killer years later.

Starring: Ross Lynch, Alex Wolff, Anne Heche, Dallas Roberts

Directed By: Marc Meyers

Critics Consensus: American History X doesn't contend with its subject matter as fully as it could, but Edward Norton's performance gives this hard-hitting drama crucial weight.

Synopsis: Living a life marked by violence and racism, neo-Nazi Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) finally goes to prison after killing two black youths who tried to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Fairuza Balk, Beverly D'Angelo

Directed By: Tony Kaye

Critics Consensus: Thanks to a smart script and documentary-style camerawork, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre achieves start-to-finish suspense, making it a classic in low-budget exploitation cinema.

Synopsis: Young adults encounter a house full of demented butchers who chase them with chain saws and other deadly tools.

Starring: Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Partain

Directed By: Tobe Hooper

Critics Consensus: As can be expected from a Tim Burton movie, Corpse Bride is whimsically macabre, visually imaginative, and emotionally bittersweet.

Synopsis: Victor (Johnny Depp) and Victoria's (Emily Watson) families have arranged their marriage. Though they like each other, Victor is nervous about the ceremony. While he's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson, Tracey Ullman

Directed By: Tim Burton, Mike Johnson

Critics Consensus: While it may lack the revelatory punch of Polanski's finest films, Ghost Writer benefits from stylish direction, a tense screenplay, and a strong central performance from Ewan McGregor.

Synopsis: When a successful ghostwriter, The Ghost (Ewan McGregor), agrees to finish the memoirs of Adam Long (Pierce Brosnan), England's former prime minister, his publisher assures... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams

Directed By: Roman Polanski

Critics Consensus: The unsettling Imperium boasts troublingly timely themes and a talented cast led by Daniel Radcliffe as an undercover FBI agent infiltrating a ring of white supremacists.

Synopsis: An idealistic FBI agent goes undercover to infiltrate a white supremacist group that's plotting an act of terror.

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Toni Collette, Tracy Letts, Sam Trammell

Directed By: Daniel Ragussis

Critics Consensus: The Art of Self-Defense grapples compellingly with modern American masculinity -- and serves as an outstanding calling card for writer-director Riley Stearns.

Synopsis: After getting attacked on the street, Casey enlists in a local dojo that's led by a charismatic and mysterious sensei. He soon uncovers a sinister... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola, Imogen Poots, Steve Terada

Directed By: Riley Stearns

Critics Consensus: An audacious, unsettling Japanese horror film from director Takashi Miike, Audition entertains as both a grisly shocker and a psychological drama.

Synopsis: This disturbing Japanese thriller follows Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi), a widower who decides to start dating again. Aided by a film-producer friend (Miyuki Matsuda), Aoyama uses... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryo Ishibashi, Eihi Shiina, Jun Kunimura, Miyuki Matsuda

Directed By: Takashi Miike

Critics Consensus: Never flinching during its descent into depravity, I Saw the Devil is a pulverizing thriller that will give bloody satisfaction to audiences who like their revenge served with fiery rage.

Synopsis: On a dark road, taxi driver Kyung-chul comes across a scared female motorist stranded in a broken-down vehicle. He pulls over -- but not to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Choi Min-sik, Jeon Gook-hwan, Chun Ho-jin

Directed By: Kim Jee-woon

Critics Consensus: The screenplay isn't quite as powerful as the direction or the acting, but with such an astonishing real-life story at its center, The Impossible is never less than compelling.

Synopsis: A couple and their three sons encounter terror, courage and compassion following the December 2004 tsunami that devastated Thailand.

Starring: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin

Directed By: J. A. Bayona

Critics Consensus: Deepwater Horizon makes effective use of its titular man-made disaster to deliver an uncommonly serious -- yet still suitably gripping -- action thriller.

Synopsis: On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig explodes in the Gulf of Mexico, igniting a massive fireball that kills several crew members. Chief... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, Douglas M. Griffin, James DuMont

Directed By: Peter Berg

Critics Consensus: Quiz Lady's perfectly matched leads help Jessica Yu's occasionally uneven comedy overcome its periodic wobbles and land on the right side of hilarious and heartfelt.

Synopsis: In Quiz Lady, a brilliant but tightly wound, gameshow-obsessed young woman, Anne (Awkwafina), and her estranged, train-wreck of a sister Jenny (Sandra Oh), must work... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, Jason Schwartzman, Holland Taylor

Directed By: Jessica Yu

Critics Consensus: A smart, clever thriller with plenty of disquieting twists, Side Effects is yet another assured effort from director Steven Soderbergh.

Synopsis: For four years, Emily Taylor (Rooney Mara) has awaited the release of her husband, Martin (Channing Tatum), from being imprisoned for insider trading. Finally, Martin... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jude Law, Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Catherine Zeta-Jones

Directed By: Steven Soderbergh

Critics Consensus: Though it may not be as comprehensive as some would like, Francis Ford Coppola's cheerful biopic of the failed automotive designer features sparkling direction and a strong central performance from Jeff Bridges.

Synopsis: Obsessed with cars since childhood, inventor Preston Tucker (Jeff Bridges) has his first successful auto design partnership in the 1930s and designs a successful gun... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Joan Allen, Martin Landau, Frederic Forrest

Directed By: Francis Ford Coppola

Critics Consensus: Refreshingly understated, Ben Is Back subverts family drama stereotypes - and provides a forum for terrific performances from Lucas Hedges and Julia Roberts.

Synopsis: Nineteen-year-old Ben Burns unexpectedly returns to his family's suburban home on Christmas Eve. Ben's mom, Holly, is relieved and welcoming but wary of her son's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges, Courtney B. Vance, Kathryn Newton

Directed By: Peter Hedges

Critics Consensus: A squarely traditional yet somewhat progressive Western, The Homesman adds another absorbing entry to Tommy Lee Jones' directorial résumé.

Synopsis: A frontier farm woman (Hilary Swank) saves the life of a claim-jumper (Tommy Lee Jones) and persuades him to help her escort three insane women... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Hilary Swank, David Dencik, William Fichtner

Directed By: Tommy Lee Jones

Critics Consensus: A bird may love a fish -- and musical fans will love this adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof, even if it isn't quite as transcendent as the long-running stage version.

Synopsis: A lavishly produced and critically acclaimed screen adaptation of the international stage sensation tells the life-affirming story of Tevye, a poor milkman whose love, pride... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, Molly Picon

Directed By: Norman Jewison

Critics Consensus: The Founder puts Michael Keaton's magnetic performance at the center of a smart, satisfying biopic that traces the rise of one of America's most influential businessmen -- and the birth of one of its most far-reaching industries.

Synopsis: The true story of how Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton), a struggling salesman from Illinois, met Mac (John Carroll Lynch) and Dick McDonald (Nick Offerman), who... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch, Laura Dern

Directed By: John Lee Hancock

Critics Consensus: A beguiling tragicomedy, Vicky Cristina Barcelona charms with beautiful views of the Spanish city and a marvelously well-matched cast.

Synopsis: Americans Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) arrive in Spain for a summer vacation at a friend's (Patricia Clarkson) Barcelona home. Visiting an art... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Javier Bardem, Patricia Clarkson, Penélope Cruz, Kevin Dunn

Directed By: Woody Allen

Critics Consensus: Melancholia's dramatic tricks are more obvious than they should be, but this is otherwise a showcase for Kirsten Dunst's acting and for Lars von Trier's profound, visceral vision of depression and destruction.

Synopsis: As a planet hurtles toward a collision course with Earth, two sisters (Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg) cope with the approaching doomsday in different ways.

Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgård, Brady Corbet

Directed By: Lars von Trier

Critics Consensus: Though the movie may be too intense for some to stomach, the wonderful performances and the bleak imagery are hard to forget.

Synopsis: Imaginatively evoking the inner landscape of human beings longing to connect, to love and feel loved, the film is a parable of happiness gloriously found... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans

Directed By: Darren Aronofsky

Critics Consensus: Synchronic sets off on an intriguingly idiosyncratic sci-fi journey that should satisfy fans of Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson's earlier work.

Synopsis: When New Orleans paramedics and longtime best friends Steve and Dennis are called to a series of bizarre and gruesome accidents, they chalk it up... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Jamie Dornan, Katie Aselton, Ally Ioannides

Directed By: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead

Critics Consensus: The Dark Crystal's narrative never quite lives up to the movie's visual splendor, but it remains an admirably inventive and uniquely intense entry in the Jim Henson canon.

Synopsis: Jen (Stephen Garlick), raised by the noble race called the Mystics, has been told that he is the last survivor of his own race, the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Baddeley, Stephen Garlick, David Buck, Barry Dennen

Directed By: Jim Henson, Frank Oz

Critics Consensus: Self-indulgent yet intriguing, Buffalo '66 marks an auspicious feature debut for writer-director-star Vincent Gallo while showcasing a terrific performance from Christina Ricci.

Synopsis: Convict Billy Brown (Vincent Gallo) dreads going home so much upon his release from prison that he tries to get back inside. In desperation, Billy... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Vincent Gallo, Christina Ricci, Anjelica Huston, Ben Gazzara

Directed By: Vincent Gallo

Critics Consensus: Bolstered by the tremendous chemistry between Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan, Kill Your Darlings casts a vivid spotlight on an early chapter in the story of the Beat Generation.

Synopsis: In 1944, young Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe) has a rival for the affections of his charismatic classmate Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan). When the rival is... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, David Cross, Dane DeHaan, Ben Foster

Directed By: John Krokidas

Critics Consensus: Though it's light on character development and cultural empathy, Black Hawk Down is a visceral, pulse-pounding portrait of war, elevated by Ridley Scott's superb technical skill.

Synopsis: In 1993, the U.S. sends special forces into Somalia to destabilize the government and bring food and humanitarian aid to the starving population. Using Black... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, Eric Bana

Directed By: Ridley Scott

Critics Consensus: Its depiction of real-life horror will strike some as exploitative, but Hotel Mumbai remains a well-made dramatization of tragic events.

Synopsis: November 26, 2008 ... terror struck the heart of India. From the producer of Sicario and Wind River.

Starring: Armie Hammer, Dev Patel, Nazanin Boniadi, Tilda Cobham-Hervey

Directed By: Anthony Maras

Critics Consensus: A modern update on the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, Freeway is an audacious black comedy with a star-making performance from the young Reese Witherspoon.

Synopsis: Following the arrest of her mother, Ramona (Amanda Plummer), young Vanessa Lutz (Reese Witherspoon) decides to go in search of her estranged grandmother. On the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Reese Witherspoon, Brooke Shields, Wolfgang Bodison

Directed By: Matthew Bright

Critics Consensus: I'm Not There's unique editing, visuals, and multiple talented actors portraying Bob Dylan make for a deliciously unconventional experience. Each segment brings a new and fresh take on Dylan's life.

Synopsis: Several actors portray legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan at different stages in his personal life and career. In 1959 a guitar-strumming youth (Marcus Carl Franklin) rides... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere

Directed By: Todd Haynes

Critics Consensus: Trumbo serves as an honorable and well-acted tribute to a brilliant writer's principled stand, even if it doesn't quite achieve the greatness of its subject's own classic screenplays.

Synopsis: In 1947, successful screenwriter Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston) and other Hollywood figures get blacklisted for their political beliefs.

Starring: Bryan Cranston, Helen Mirren, Diane Lane, Elle Fanning

Directed By: Jay Roach

Critics Consensus: Undeniably gripping, Bronson forces the viewer to make some hard decisions about where the line between art and exploitation lies.

Synopsis: In this drama based on a true story, there's no one tougher or more brutal in the English penal system than prisoner Michael Peterson, aka... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hardy, Kelly Adams, Luing Andrews, Katy Barker

Directed By: Nicolas Winding Refn

Critics Consensus: The Road's commitment to Cormac McCarthy's dark vision may prove too unyielding for some, but the film benefits from hauntingly powerful performances from Viggo Mortensen and Kodi McPhee.

Synopsis: America is a grim, gray shadow of itself after a catastrophe. A man (Viggo Mortensen) and his young son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) wander through this post-apocalyptic... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall

Directed By: John Hillcoat