Netflix’s 100 Best Movies RIGHT NOW (August 2026)

Critics Consensus: Comforting as cheese and crackers, with some gentle ribbing of modern technology sprinkled on top, Vengeance Most Fowl revives this lovable pair with all their charm intact.

Synopsis: Aardman’s four-time Academy Award®-winning director Nick Park and Emmy Award-nominated Merlin Crossingham return with a brand new epic adventure, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl…. View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ben Whitehead, Peter Kay, Lauren Patel, Reece Shearsmith

Directed By: Merlin Crossingham, Nick Park

Critics Consensus: As gripping as it is deeply unsettling, The Perfect Neighbor lays bare the systemic failures and the quiet terror embedded in American legal systems with surgical precision.

Synopsis: A seemingly minor neighborhood dispute in Florida escalates into deadly violence. Police bodycam footage and investigative interviews expose the consequences of Florida’s “stand your ground”… View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Geeta Gandbhir, Sam Pollard, Soledad O'Brien, Takema Robinson

Critics Consensus: With engaging human stories anchoring the action, Godzilla Minus One is one kaiju movie that remains truly compelling between the scenes of mass destruction.

Synopsis: Japan is already devastated by the war when a new crisis emerges in the form of a giant monster.

Starring: Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka

Directed By: Takashi Yamazaki

Critics Consensus: Under the Shadow deftly blends seemingly disparate genres to deliver an effective chiller with timely themes and thought-provoking social subtext.

Synopsis: After Shideh’s building is hit by a missile during the Iran-Iraq War, a superstitious neighbor suggests that the missile was cursed and might be carrying… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi, Bobby Naderi, Ray Haratian

Directed By: Babak Anvari, Patrick Fischer, Khaled Haddad, Nick Harbinson

Critics Consensus: Schindler’s List blends the abject horror of the Holocaust with Steven Spielberg’s signature tender humanism to create the director’s dramatic masterpiece.

Synopsis: Businessman Oskar Schindler arrives in Kraków in 1939, ready to make his fortune from World War II, which has just started. After joining the Nazi… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall

Directed By: Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy

Critics Consensus: Framed by a pair of powerhouse performances, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom pays affectionate tribute to a blues legend — and Black culture at large.

Synopsis: Tensions and temperatures rise at a Chicago music studio in 1927 when fiery, fearless blues singer Ma Rainey joins her band for a recording session.

Starring: Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo

Directed By: George C. Wolfe

Critics Consensus: Beautifully animated and utterly unique, I Lost My Body takes audiences on a singularly strange journey whose unexpected contours lead to a wholly satisfying destination.

Synopsis: A severed hand escapes from a dissection lab, determined to find its body again.

Starring: Hakim Faris, Victoire Du Bois, Patrick d'Assumçao, Belek Abdelmalek

Directed By: Jérémy Clapin, Camille Wiplier, Lucie Bolze

Critics Consensus: With intelligence as sharp as its humor, BlackBerry takes a terrifically entertaining look at the rise and fall of a generation-defining gadget.

Synopsis: ‘BlackBerry’ tells the story of Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, the two men that charted the course of the spectacular rise and catastrophic demise of… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton, Matt Johnson, Rich Sommer

Directed By: Matt Johnson, Adrian Love, Jay McCarrol, Noah Segal

Critics Consensus: Carried along by Fernanda Torres’ superb performance, I’m Still Here poignantly explores a nation’s upheaval through one family’s search for answers.

Synopsis: As Brazil faces the tightening grip of a military dictatorship, Eunice Paiva, a mother of five, must reinvent herself and her family when authorities abduct… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello, Valentina Herszage, Luiza Kosovski

Directed By: Walter Salles, Guilherme Terra, Thierry de Clermont-Tonnerre, Renata Brandão

Critics Consensus: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse matches bold storytelling with striking animation for a purely enjoyable adventure with heart, humor, and plenty of superhero action.

Synopsis: Bitten by a radioactive spider in the subway, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into the one and only Spider-Man…. View Full Synopsis

Starring: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali

Directed By: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Stan Lee

Critics Consensus: Roma finds writer-director Alfonso Cuarón in complete, enthralling command of his visual craft – and telling the most powerfully personal story of his career.

Synopsis: Cleo is one of two domestic workers who help Antonio and Sofía take care of their four children in the 1970s Mexico City. Complications soon… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Marco Graf, Fernando Grediaga

Directed By: Alfonso Cuarón, David Linde, Jeff Skoll, Jonathan King

Critics Consensus: Boasting beautiful animation, a charming voice cast, laugh-a-minute gags, and a surprisingly thoughtful story, The Lego Movie is colorful fun for all ages.

Synopsis: An ordinary LEGO figurine Emmet who always follows the rules, is mistakenly identified as an extraordinary being and the key to saving the world. He… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman, Elizabeth Banks

Directed By: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Jill Wilfert, Matthew Ashton

Critics Consensus: A smart, solidly crafted procedural that’s anchored in family drama, Anatomy of a Fall finds star Sandra Hüller and director/co-writer Justine Triet operating at peak power.

Synopsis: For the past year, Sandra, her husband Samuel, and their eleven-year-old son Daniel have lived a secluded life in a remote town in the French… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sandra Hüller, Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado Graner, Antoine Reinartz

Directed By: Justine Triet

Critics Consensus: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before plays by the teen rom-com rules, but relatable characters and a thoroughly charming cast more than make up for a lack of surprises.

Synopsis: A teenage girl’s love letters are exposed and wreak havoc on her life.

Starring: Lana Condor, John Corbett, Noah Centineo, Emilija Baranac

Directed By: Susan Johnson, Don Dunn, Jenny Han, Robyn Marshall

Critics Consensus: An epic gangster drama that earns its extended runtime, The Irishman finds Martin Scorsese revisiting familiar themes to poignant, funny, and profound effect.

Synopsis: In the 1950s, truck driver Frank Sheeran gets involved with Russell Bufalino and his Pennsylvania crime family. As Sheeran climbs the ranks to become a… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Anna Paquin

Directed By: Martin Scorsese, Richard Baratta, Niels Juul, Jai Stefan

Critics Consensus: Observing a splintering union with compassion and expansive grace, the powerfully acted Marriage Story ranks among writer-director Noah Baumbach’s best works.

Synopsis: A stage director and his actor wife struggle through a grueling divorce that pushes them to their limits.

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Azhy Robertson, Laura Dern

Directed By: Noah Baumbach, Craig Shilowich

Critics Consensus: A deceptively dark thriller that’s also loaded with laughs, Hit Man is an outstanding showcase for leading man Glen Powell — and one of the most purely entertaining films of Richard Linklater’s career.

Synopsis: Oscar-nominated director Richard Linklater’s sunlit neo-noir stars Glen Powell as strait-laced professor Gary Johnson, who moonlights as a fake hit man for the New Orleans… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, Retta

Directed By: Richard Linklater, Steve Barnett, Scott Brown, Megan Creydt

Critics Consensus: Much like the beloved TV personality that inspired it, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood offers a powerfully affecting message about acceptance and understanding.

Synopsis: Lloyd Vogel is an investigative journalist who receives an assignment to profile Fred Rogers, aka Mr. Rogers. He approaches the interview with skepticism, as he… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Susan Kelechi Watson, Chris Cooper

Directed By: Marielle Heller, Bergen Swanson, Noah Harpster, Micah Fitzerman-Blue

Critics Consensus: They Cloned Tyrone is provocative, clever sci-fi with an exceptional cast.

Synopsis: A series of eerie events thrusts an unlikely trio (John Boyega, Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris) onto the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy in… View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, Teyonah Parris, Kiefer Sutherland

Directed By: Juel Taylor, Poppy Hanks, Jack L. Murray, Dana Sano

Critics Consensus: An intelligent and gripping vehicle for Aaron Pierre’s star-making performance, Rebel Ridge lays down the law on its action-thriller contemporaries.

Synopsis: Terry Richmond enters the town of Shelby Springs on a simple but urgent mission– post bail for his cousin and save him from imminent danger…. View Full Synopsis

Starring: Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb, David Denman

Directed By: Jeremy Saulnier, Macon Blair, Daniel Jason Heffner, Louise Lovegrove

Critics Consensus: Bolstered by exceptional cinematography, powerful storytelling, and an Oscar-winning performance by Denzel Washington, Glory remains one of the finest Civil War movies ever made.

Synopsis: Following the Battle of Antietam, Col. Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) is offered command of the United States’ first all-African-American regiment, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes

Directed By: Edward Zwick

Critics Consensus: With The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, Wes Anderson returns to the world of Roald Dahl — and proves his distinctive style is a comfortable fit for one of the author’s sweetest stories.

Synopsis: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar: A rich man learns about a guru who can see without using his eyes. He sets out to master… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Dev Patel

Directed By: Wes Anderson

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, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner

Critics Consensus: Brought to life by a stellar ensemble led by Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog reaffirms writer-director Jane Campion as one of her generation’s finest filmmakers.

Synopsis: Severe, pale-eyed, handsome, Phil Burbank is brutally beguiling. All of Phil’s romance, power and fragility is trapped in the past and in the land: He… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee

Directed By: Jane Campion, Rose Garnett, Simon Gillis, John Woodward

Critics Consensus: Hustle doesn’t have any fancy moves, but it doesn’t need them — Adam Sandler’s everyman charm makes this easy layup fun to watch.

Synopsis: Stanley Sugerman’s (Adam Sandler) love for basketball is unparalleled, but the travel weary Philadelphia 76ers scout who has higher ambitions of being a coach remains… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Adam Sandler, Juancho Hernangomez, Queen Latifah, Ben Foster

Directed By: Jeremiah Zagar, Will Fetters, Spencer Beighley, Barry Bernardi

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, Aaron Ryder

Critics Consensus: Intense, inspiring, and well-acted, Whiplash is a brilliant sophomore effort from director Damien Chazelle and a riveting vehicle for stars J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller.

Synopsis: Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) is an ambitious young jazz drummer, in pursuit of rising to the top of his elite music conservatory. Terence Fletcher (J.K…. View Full Synopsis

Starring: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Melissa Benoist, Paul Reiser

Directed By: Damien Chazelle, Jason Reitman, Couper Samuelson, Gary Michael Walters

Critics Consensus: Director Bennett Miller, along with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, take a niche subject and turn it into a sharp, funny, and touching portrait worthy of baseball lore.

Synopsis: Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), general manager of the Oakland A’s, one day has an epiphany: Baseball’s conventional wisdom is all wrong. Faced with a tight… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright

Directed By: Bennett Miller, Scott Rudin, Andrew S. Karsch, Sidney Kimmel

Critics Consensus: An original animated tale that’s often as daring as its characters, The Sea Beast sends audiences on a voyage well worth taking.

Synopsis: In an era when terrifying beasts roamed the seas, monster hunters were celebrated heroes — and none were more beloved than the great Jacob Holland…. View Full Synopsis

Starring: Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris, Dan Stevens

Directed By: Chris Williams, Melissa Cobb

Critics Consensus: Private Life uses one couple’s bumpy journey to take an affecting look at an easily identifiable – and too rarely dramatized – rite of adult passage.

Synopsis: A couple coping with infertility struggle to keep their marriage going as they navigate through the world of adoption and assisted reproduction.

Starring: Paul Giamatti, Kathryn Hahn, Kayli Carter, Molly Shannon

Directed By: Tamara Jenkins

Critics Consensus: With a gripping story and impressive practical effects, Talk to Me spins a terrifically creepy 21st-century horror yarn built on classic foundations.

Synopsis: When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sophie Wilde, Miranda Otto, Otis Dhanji, Alexandra Jensen

Directed By: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou, Stephen Kelliher, Sophie Green

Critics Consensus: A gorgeous meditation on America, ably shouldered by one of Joel Edgerton’s very best performances, Train Dreams takes on mythic proportions while maintaining an intimate emotional delicacy.

Synopsis: Based on the beloved novella by Denis Johnson, Train Dreams is the moving portrait of Robert Grainier (Golden Globe-nominee Joel Edgerton), whose life unfolds during… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joel Edgerton, Clifton Collins Jr., Felicity Jones, Alfred Hsing

Directed By: Clint Bentley, Joel Edgerton, John Friedberg, Scott Hinckley

Critics Consensus: Sisu: Road to Revenge consistently and creatively kills the competition.

Synopsis: SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE is a wall-to-wall cinematic action event, a sequel to the original sleeper hit SISU. Returning to the house where his family… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jorma Tommila, Stephen Lang, Richard Brake, Tommi Korpela

Directed By: Jalmari Helander, Gregory Ouanhon, Antonio Salas

Critics Consensus: A poetic character study on the forgotten and downtrodden, Nomadland beautifully captures the restlessness left in the wake of the Great Recession.

Synopsis: A woman in her sixties embarks on a journey through the American West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad after losing everything in the Great… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May, Swankie

Directed By: Chloé Zhao

Critics Consensus: Smart and suspenseful, CAM is a techno-thriller that’s far more than the sum of its salacious parts — and an outstanding showcase for Madeline Brewer in the leading role.

Synopsis: A camgirl has her principles, until a mysterious woman who looks just like her takes over her channel.

Starring: Madeline Brewer, Patch Darragh, Melora Walters, Devin Druid

Directed By: Daniel Goldhaber, Floris Bauer, Michael Joe, Isa Mazzei

Critics Consensus: Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical brings the classic story back to the screen with a delightful Emma Thompson, dazzling dancing, and a suitably irascible take on the source material.

Synopsis: An extraordinary girl with a sharp mind and vivid imagination takes a daring stand to change her story — with miraculous results.

Starring: Alisha Weir, Emma Thompson, Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham

Directed By: Matthew Warchus

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: Four African American vets battle the forces of man and nature when they return to Vietnam seeking the remains of their fallen squad leader and… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis

Directed By: Spike Lee, Mike Bundlie, Jonathan Filley, Barry Levine

Critics Consensus: Spider-Man: Homecoming does whatever a second reboot can, delivering a colorful, fun adventure that fits snugly in the sprawling MCU without getting bogged down in franchise-building.

Synopsis: Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, young Peter Parker returns home to live with his Aunt May. Under the watchful eye of mentor Tony… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei

Directed By: Jon Watts, Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Patricia Whitcher

Critics Consensus: Marking an auspicious feature film debut for Eddie Murphy, 48 Hrs. is a briskly paced action comedy that succeeds largely due to the outstanding chemistry between its two leads.

Synopsis: Renegade cop Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) pulls bank robber Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy) from a federal prison on a 48-hour leave to help him capture… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nick Nolte, Eddie Murphy, Annette O'Toole, Frank McRae

Directed By: Walter Hill, D. Constantine Conte

Critics Consensus: Sam Mendes brings Bond surging back with a smart, sexy, riveting action thriller that qualifies as one of the best 007 films to date.

Synopsis: When James Bond’s (Daniel Craig) latest assignment goes terribly wrong, it leads to a calamitous turn of events: Undercover agents around the world are exposed,… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes

Directed By: Sam Mendes, Callum McDougall

Critics Consensus: Entertaining if not essential, El Camino adds a satisfying belated coda to the Breaking Bad story — led by a career-best performance from Aaron Paul.

Synopsis: Jesse Pinkman flees from the police and tries to escape his inner turmoil.

Starring: Aaron Paul, Matt L. Jones, Charles Baker, Jonathan Banks

Directed By: Vince Gilligan, Diane Mercer

Critics Consensus: Tapping a rich emotional vein with its splendid animation and thoughtful allegory, Nimona is a deeply lovable animated adventure.

Synopsis: When Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed), a knight in a futuristic medieval world, is framed for a crime he didn’t commit, the only one who can… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Eugene Lee Yang, Jordan Gubian

Directed By: Nick Bruno, Troy Quane, Robert L. Baird, Megan Ellison

Critics Consensus: Lily Gladstone’s outstanding performances powers The Unknown Country through some narrative drift to its ultimately profound destination.

Synopsis: Reeling from a devastating loss, Tana (Lily Gladstone) is pulled back into the world by an unexpected invitation to her cousin’s wedding. She packs up… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lily Gladstone, Raymond Lee, Ali Lopez-Sohaili, Richard Ray Whitman

Directed By: Morrisa Maltz, Miranda Bailey, Rachel Crouch, Brenda Haynes

Critics Consensus: An appealing animated adventure whose silliness is anchored in genuine emotion, The Willoughbys offers fanciful fun the entire family can enjoy.

Synopsis: Neglected by their parents, four old-fashioned siblings venture out into the modern world with their new nanny.

Starring: Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, Alessia Cara, Terry Crews

Directed By: Kris Pearn

Critics Consensus: Set It Up follows the long-established outlines of the rom-com template — and in the process, proves there’s still substantial pleasure to be wrought from familiar formulas.

Synopsis: Two overworked and underpaid assistants come up with a plan to get their bosses off their backs by setting them up with each other.

Starring: Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell, Lucy Liu, Taye Diggs

Directed By: Claire Scanlon

Critics Consensus: In recreating the troubled space mission, Apollo 13 pulls no punches: it’s a masterfully told drama from director Ron Howard, bolstered by an ensemble of solid performances.

Synopsis: This Hollywood drama is based on the events of the Apollo 13 lunar mission, astronauts Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise

Directed By: Ron Howard, Todd Hallowell

Critics Consensus: Thanks to director Zak Hilditch’s patient storytelling and strong work from lead Thomas Jane, 1922 ranks among the more satisfying Stephen King adaptations.

Synopsis: A rancher conspires to murder his wife for financial gain and convinces his teenage son to participate.

Starring: Thomas Jane, Neal McDonough, Molly Parker, Brian d'Arcy James

Directed By: Zak Hilditch, Ian Bricke, Jamie Goehring, Samantha Housman

Critics Consensus: A perfectly light, warmly funny romantic comedy that’s kept afloat by Ron Howard’s unobtrusive direction and charming performances from Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah.

Synopsis: A young boy saved from drowning by a beautiful mermaid, falls in love with her 20 years later when she returns to seek him out…. View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, John Candy, Eugene Levy

Directed By: Ron Howard, John Thomas Lenox

Critics Consensus: Animated with infectious energy and vibrant colors, KPop Demon Hunters is jaunty family entertainment with a terrific soundtrack to boot.

Synopsis: When they aren’t selling out stadiums, Kpop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey use their secret identities as badass demon hunters to protect their fans from… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo

Directed By: Chris Appelhans, Maggie Kang

Critics Consensus: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery brings back Benoit Blanc for another wildly entertaining mystery rounded out by an outstanding ensemble cast.

Synopsis: Benoit Blanc returns to peel back the layers in a new Rian Johnson whodunit. This fresh adventure finds the intrepid detective at a lavish private… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson

Directed By: Rian Johnson, Tom Karnowski

Critics Consensus: A Man Called Ove‘s winsome sincerity — and Rolf Lassgård’s affectingly flinty performance in the title role — keep it from succumbing to excess sentimentality.

Synopsis: Ove is the quintessential angry old man next door. An isolated retiree with strict principles and a short fuse, who spends his days enforcing block… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rolf Lassgård, Bahar Pars, Zozan Akgün, Tobias Almborg

Directed By: Hannes Holm, Michael Hjorth, Fredrik Wikström

Critics Consensus: Swaddling its difficult fact-based story in a blanket of campy humor, May December is a seductively discomfiting watch.

Synopsis: Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, Gracie Atherton-Yu and her husband Joe (twenty-three years her junior) brace themselves for their twins… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Cory Michael Smith, Charles Melton

Directed By: Todd Haynes, Lee Broda, Samy Burch, Madeleine K. Rudin

Critics Consensus: Deftly directed by star Anna Kendrick, Woman of the Hour uses an incredible true story as the foundation for a powerful examination of the intersection between systemic misogyny and violence.

Synopsis: An aspiring actress crosses paths with a prolific serial killer in ’70s LA when they’re cast on an episode of “The Dating Game.” Based on… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Tony Hale, Kelley Jakle, Max Lloyd-Jones

Directed By: Anna Kendrick, Stuart Ford, Zach Garrett, Matthew Helderman

Critics Consensus: Well-acted and beautifully made, The White Tiger distills the strengths of its source material into a grimly compelling drama.

Synopsis: Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourav) narrates his epic and darkly humorous rise from poor villager to successful entrepreneur in modern India. Cunning and ambitious, our young… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Adarsh Gourav, Rajkummar Rao, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Vedant Sinha

Directed By: Ramin Bahrani, Prem Akkaraju, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ava DuVernay

Critics Consensus: This is a piercingly honest, acidly witty look at divorce and its impact on a family.

Synopsis: A pair of brothers living in Brooklyn are caught in the middle of, and deeply affected by, the divorce of their erudite parents, Bernard (Jeff… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Jesse Eisenberg, Owen Kline

Directed By: Noah Baumbach

Critics Consensus: Beasts of No Nation finds writer-director Cary Fukunaga working with a talented cast to offer a sobering, uncompromising, yet still somehow hopeful picture of war’s human cost.

Synopsis: As civil war rages in Africa, a fierce warlord (Idris Elba) trains a young orphan (Abraham Attah) to join his group of guerrilla soldiers.

Starring: Idris Elba, Abraham Attah, Opeyemi Fagbohungbe, Kurt Egyiawan

Directed By: Cary Joji Fukunaga, Nnamdi Asomugha, Bill Benenson, Laura Bickford

Critics Consensus: The sweetly nostalgic Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood finds Richard Linklater reusing visual and thematic ingredients in a deeply personal, freshly inspired way.

Synopsis: Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood tells the story of the first moon landing in the summer of 1969 from two interwoven perspectives –… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jack Black, Bill Wise, Lee Eddy, Milo Coy

Directed By: Richard Linklater, John Sloss, Melissa Cobb

Critics Consensus: High Flying Bird takes a thoughtful and engrossing look at professional sports that sees Steven Soderbergh continuing to test the limits of new filmmaking technology.

Synopsis: A sports agent pitches a controversial business opportunity to a rookie basketball player during a lockout.

Starring: André Holland, Zazie Beetz, Bill Duke, Sonja Sohn

Directed By: Steven Soderbergh, André Holland, Ken Meyer

Critics Consensus: Carla Gugino carries Gerald’s Game‘s small-scale suspense with a career-defining performance.

Synopsis: A woman accidentally kills her husband during a kinky game. Handcuffed to her bed with no hope of rescue, she begins hearing voices and seeing… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Henry Thomas, Carel Struycken

Directed By: Mike Flanagan, Ian Bricke, Matt Levin, D. Scott Lumpkin

Critics Consensus: A coming-of-age comedy that sidesteps simple nostalgia, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah finds fresh humor in adolescent anxiety — and suggests a bright future for star Sunny Sandler.

Synopsis: Stacy and Lydia are BFFs who’ve always dreamed about having epic bat mitzvahs. However, things start to go comically awry when a popular boy and… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Idina Menzel, Jackie Sandler, Adam Sandler, Sadie Sandler

Directed By: Sammi Cohen, Judit Maull, Barry Bernardi, Kevin Grady

Critics Consensus: The deft hand of director Stephen Frears and strong performances by the ensemble cast combine to tell an entertaining story with a rock-solid soundtrack.

Synopsis: Rob Gordon (John Cusack) is the owner of a failing record store in Chicago, where he sells music the old-fashioned way — on vinyl. Although… View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Todd Louiso, Jack Black

Directed By: Stephen Frears, Alan Greenspan, Mike Newell

Critics Consensus: Soothing as a cup of tea while providing a satisfying amount of closure, The Grand Finale is a worthy sendoff for Downton Abbey.

Synopsis: DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE, the cinematic return of the global phenomenon, follows the Crawley family and their staff as they enter the 1930s. When… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Raquel Cassidy

Directed By: Simon Curtis, Nigel Marchant

Critics Consensus: An uncommonly ambitious animated film, Orion and the Dark benefits from a Charlie Kaufman screenplay that isn’t afraid to tangle with existential ideas.

Synopsis: The thing Orion fears the most is the dark. When the embodiment of his worst fear pays a visit, Dark whisks Orion away on a… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Paul Walter Hauser, Werner Herzog, Angela Bassett

Directed By: Sean Charmatz, Bonnie Arnold, Walt Dohrn

Critics Consensus: Capping off Tommy Shelby’s story with grit and swagger, The Immortal Man is a satisfying conclusion to Peaky Blinders that also stands tall on its own self-contained terms.

Synopsis: Birmingham, 1940. Amidst the chaos of WWII, Tommy Shelby is driven back from a self-imposed exile to face his most destructive reckoning yet. With the… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Stephen Graham, Ned Dennehy, Ian Peck

Directed By: Tom Harper, Tom Harper, Andrew Warren, Caryn Mandabach

Critics Consensus: Both timely and timeless, All Quiet on the Western Front retains the power of its classic source material by focusing on the futility of war.

Synopsis: All Quiet on the Western Front tells the gripping story of a young German soldier on the Western Front of World War I. Paul and… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Aaron Hilmer, Moritz Klaus

Directed By: Edward Berger, Malte Grunert

Critics Consensus: The Bad News Bears is rude, profane, and cynical, but shot through with honest, unforced humor, and held together by a deft, understated performance from Walter Matthau.

Synopsis: Hard-drinking, ex-minor-league hopeful Morris Buttermaker grumpily agrees to coach a Little League team at the behest of lawyer-councilman Bob Whitewood, who has a vendetta against… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Walter Matthau, Tatum O'Neal, Vic Morrow, Joyce Van Patten

Directed By: Michael Ritchie

Critics Consensus: Society of the Snow brings masterful technical skill to bear on its tale of real-life tragedy, but none of that spectacle comes at the expense of its simple, powerful message.

Synopsis: In 1972, Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, which had been chartered to fly a rugby team to Chile, crashed in the heart of the Andes…. View Full Synopsis

Starring: Enzo Vogrincic, Agustín Pardella, Esteban Bigliardi, Simón Hempe

Directed By: J. A. Bayona

Critics Consensus: Elevated by a bravura performance from Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Kindergarten Teacher is one American remake that retains its impact the second time around.

Synopsis: A teacher sees such great promise in her 5-year-old student that she goes to unreasonable lengths to protect his talent.

Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gael García Bernal, Michael Chernus, Anna Baryshnikov

Directed By: Sara Colangelo, Lee Broda, Zachery Ty Bryan, Christopher S Burke

Critics Consensus: Tender performances and a strong sense of style combine to create an eccentric, dreamy portrait of love and loneliness in On Body and Soul.

Synopsis: When a man and woman who meet at work begin to know each other, they discover that they have the same dreams at night, and… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Géza Morcsányi, Alexandra Borbély, Zoltán Schneider, Ervin Nagy

Directed By: Ildikó Enyedi

Critics Consensus: The talents of director John Landis and Saturday Night Live’s irrepressible John Belushi conspired to create a rambunctious, subversive college comedy that continues to resonate.

Synopsis: When they arrive at college, socially inept freshmen Larry (Thomas Hulce) and Kent (Stephen Furst) attempt to pledge the snooty Omega Theta Pi House, but… View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Belushi, Kevin Bacon, Donald Sutherland, Karen Allen

Directed By: John Landis

Critics Consensus: The Green Knight honors and deconstructs its source material in equal measure, producing an absorbing adventure that casts a fantastical spell.

Synopsis: An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, THE GREEN KNIGHT tells the story of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), King Arthur’s reckless and… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury

Directed By: David Lowery, Macdara Kelleher, Jason Cloth, Tomas Deckaj

Critics Consensus: An actors’ showcase enlivened by its topical fact-based story, The Trial of the Chicago 7 plays squarely — and compellingly — to Aaron Sorkin’s strengths.

Synopsis: In 1969, seven people were charged by the federal government with conspiracy and more, arising from the protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in…

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Alex Sharp, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jeremy Strong

Directed By: Aaron Sorkin, Jared Underwood, Slava Vladimirov, Marc Butan

Critics Consensus: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs avoids anthology pitfalls with a consistent collection tied together by the Coen brothers’ signature blend of dark drama and black humor.

Synopsis: An anthology of six short films that take place in 19th-century post-Civil War era during the settling of the Old West.

Starring: Tim Blake Nelson, Willie Watson, David Krumholtz, James Franco

Directed By: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Critics Consensus: Led by outstanding performances from its well-matched leads, The Two Popes draws absorbing drama from a pivotal moment in modern organized religion.

Synopsis: Behind the Vatican walls, Pope Benedict and the future Pope Francis must find common ground to forge a new path for the Catholic Church.

Starring: Jonathan Pryce, Anthony Hopkins, Juan Minujín, Sidney Cole

Directed By: Fernando Meirelles, Mark Bauch, Diego Robino

Critics Consensus: I don’t feel at home in this world anymore. transcends its unwieldy title to offer timely, intoxicatingly dark observations on gender dynamics and social norms in modern America.

Synopsis: After being burglarized, a depressed woman (Melanie Lynskey) and her obnoxious neighbor set out to find the thieves, but they soon find themselves up against… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Melanie Lynskey, Elijah Wood, David Yow, Jane Levy

Directed By: Macon Blair, Nick Spicer, Lee Eddy, Matt Levin

Critics Consensus: It takes its time coming together, but the quietly effective Paddleton pulls off a tricky tonal balancing act, thanks largely to the strengths of its well-chosen leads.

Synopsis: An unlikely friendship between two misfit neighbors becomes an unexpected emotional journey when the younger man is diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Starring: Mark Duplass, Ray Romano, Marguerite Moreau, Christine Woods

Directed By: Alex Lehmann, Ray Romano

Critics Consensus: The Breaker Upperers brings the laughs early and often, thanks to the dry wit — and effervescent chemistry — of writer-director-star duo Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami.

Synopsis: Two cynical women create an agency that helps break up couples in an attempt to avoid moving on with their lives.

Starring: Madeleine Sami, Jackie van Beek, James Rolleston, Celia Pacquola

Directed By: Madeleine Sami, Jackie van Beek, Taika Waititi

Critics Consensus: Wickedly funny and featuring plenty of gore, Zombieland is proof that the zombie subgenre is far from dead.

Synopsis: Nerdy college student Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) has survived the plague that has turned mankind into flesh-devouring zombies because he’s scared of just about everything. Gun-toting,… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin

Directed By: Ruben Fleischer, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Ezra Swerdlow

Critics Consensus: A stark, nuanced portrait of life in organized crime, bolstered by strong performances from Al Pacino and Johnny Depp.

Synopsis: Joseph Pistone (Johnny Depp) is an FBI agent who has infiltrated one of the major New York Mafia families and is living under the name… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby

Directed By: Mike Newell, Alan Greenspan, Patrick McCormick

Critics Consensus: Flawed but fascinating, Cast Away offers an intelligent script, some of Robert Zemeckis’ most mature directing, and a showcase performance from Tom Hanks.

Synopsis: Obsessively punctual FedEx executive Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) is en route to an assignment in Malaysia when his plane crashes over the Pacific Ocean during… View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, Nick Searcy, Lari White

Directed By: Robert Zemeckis, Joan Bradshaw