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: Charlie Kaufman's ambitious directorial debut occasionally strains to connect, but ultimately provides fascinating insight into a writer's mind.

Synopsis: Life is looking pretty bleak for theater director Caden Cotard. His wife and daughter have left him, his therapist is more interested in plugging her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Michelle Williams, Catherine Keener

Directed By: Charlie Kaufman

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

Critics Consensus: Propelled by Charlie Kaufman's smart, imaginative script and Michel Gondry's equally daring directorial touch, Eternal Sunshine is a twisty yet heartfelt look at relationships and heartache.

Synopsis: After a painful breakup, Clementine (Kate Winslet) undergoes a procedure to erase memories of her former boyfriend Joel (Jim Carrey) from her mind. When Joel... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo

Directed By: Michel Gondry

Critics Consensus: Annihilation backs up its sci-fi visual wonders and visceral genre thrills with an impressively ambitious -- and surprisingly strange -- exploration of challenging themes that should leave audiences pondering long after the end credits roll.

Synopsis: Lena, a biologist and former soldier, joins a mission to uncover what happened to her husband inside Area X -- a sinister and mysterious phenomenon... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson

Directed By: Alex Garland

Critics Consensus: An eruption of feeling that's as overwhelming as it is overwrought, Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia reaches a feverish crescendo and sustains it thanks to its fearlessly committed ensemble.

Synopsis: On one random day in the San Fernando Valley, a dying father, a young wife, a male caretaker, a famous lost son, a police officer... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jason Robards, Julianne Moore, Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Directed By: Paul Thomas Anderson

Critics Consensus: The plot's a bit of a jumble, but excellent performances and mind-blowing plot twists make 12 Monkeys a kooky, effective experience.

Synopsis: Traveling back in time isn't simple, as James Cole (Bruce Willis) learns the hard way. Imprisoned in the 2030s, James is recruited for a mission... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, Christopher Plummer

Directed By: Terry Gilliam

Critics Consensus: A quiet, dialogue-driven thriller that delivers with scene after scene of gut-wrenching anxiety. David Fincher also spends more time illustrating nuances of his characters and recreating the mood of the '70s than he does on gory details of murder.

Synopsis: In the late 1960s and 1970s, fear grips the city of San Francisco as a serial killer called Zodiac stalks its residents. Investigators (Mark Ruffalo,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Edwards

Directed By: David Fincher

Critics Consensus: Silence ends Martin Scorsese's decades-long creative quest with a thoughtful, emotionally resonant look at spirituality and human nature that stands among the director's finest works.

Synopsis: Two 17th-century Portuguese missionaries, Father Sebastian Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) and Father Francisco Garupe (Adam Driver), embark on a perilous journey to Japan to find their... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Tadanobu Asano, Ciarán Hinds

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

Critics Consensus: Its greatness is blunted by its length and one-sided point of view, but the film's weaknesses are overpowered by Michael Cimino's sympathetic direction and a series of heartbreaking performances from Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and Christopher Walken.

Synopsis: In 1968, Michael (Robert De Niro), Nick (Christopher Walken) and Steven (John Savage), lifelong friends from a working-class Pennsylvania steel town, prepare to ship out... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, John Cazale

Directed By: Michael Cimino

Critics Consensus: An urgent, brilliantly layered look at timely social themes, Parasite finds writer-director Bong Joon Ho in near-total command of his craft.

Synopsis: Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.

Starring: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Jo Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-sik

Directed By: Bong Joon Ho

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: The ending could use a little work but this is otherwise another sterling example of David Fincher's iron grip on atmosphere and storytelling.

Synopsis: Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas) is a successful banker who keeps mostly to himself. When his estranged brother Conrad (Sean Penn) returns on his birthday... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, Deborah Kara Unger, James Rebhorn

Directed By: David Fincher

Critics Consensus: Inherent Vice may prove frustrating for viewers who demand absolute coherence, but it does justice to its acclaimed source material -- and should satisfy fans of director P.T. Anderson.

Synopsis: In a California beach community, private detective Larry "Doc" Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) tends to work his cases through a smoky haze of marijuana. One day,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Katherine Waterston

Directed By: Paul Thomas Anderson

Critics Consensus: Burning patiently lures audiences into a slow-burning character study that ultimately rewards the viewer's patience -- and subverts many of their expectations.

Synopsis: Jong-soo runs into Hae-mi, a girl who once lived in his neighborhood, and she asks him to watch her cat while she's out of town.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, Jeon Jong-seo, Kim Soo-kyung

Directed By: Lee Chang-dong

Critics Consensus: An unpredictable scary thriller that doubles as a mournful meditation on love, loss, and human comfort.

Synopsis: Hitchcock's romantic story of obsession, manipulation and fear. A detective is forced to retire after his fear of heights causes the death of a fellow... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes, Tom Helmore

Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock

Critics Consensus: Terrence Malick's singularly deliberate style may prove unrewarding for some, but for patient viewers, Tree of Life is an emotional as well as visual treat.

Synopsis: In this highly philosophical film by acclaimed director Terrence Malick, young Jack (Hunter McCracken) is one of three brothers growing up as part of the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain, Fiona Shaw

Directed By: Terrence Malick

Critics Consensus: Full of twists and turns, The Prestige is a dazzling period piece that never stops challenging the audience.

Synopsis: An illusion gone horribly wrong pits two 19th-century magicians, Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) and Rupert Angier (Hugh Jackman), against each other in a bitter battle... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

Critics Consensus: Its message may prove elusive for some, but with absorbing imagery and a mesmerizing performance from Scarlett Johansson, Under the Skin is a haunting viewing experience.

Synopsis: Disguising herself as a human female, an extraterrestrial (Scarlett Johansson) drives around Scotland and tries to lure unsuspecting men into her van.

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy McWilliams, Lynsey Taylor Mackay, Dougie McConnell

Directed By: Jonathan Glazer

Critics Consensus: Intelligent and scientifically provocative, Gattaca is an absorbing sci fi drama that poses important interesting ethical questions about the nature of science.

Synopsis: Vincent Freeman has always fantasized about traveling into outer space, but is grounded by his status as a genetically inferior in-valid. He decides to fight... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Gore Vidal

Directed By: Andrew Niccol

Critics Consensus: Benigni's earnest charm, when not overstepping its bounds into the unnecessarily treacly, offers the possibility of hope in the face of unflinching horror.

Synopsis: A gentle Jewish-Italian waiter, Guido Orefice (Roberto Benigni), meets Dora (Nicoletta Braschi), a pretty schoolteacher, and wins her over with his charm and humor. Eventually... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini, Giustino Durano

Directed By: Roberto Benigni

Critics Consensus: Pan's Labyrinth is Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups, with the horrors of both reality and fantasy blended together into an extraordinary, spellbinding fable.

Synopsis: In 1944 in Spain, Ofelia and her ailing mother arrive at the post of her mother's new husband, a sadistic army officer who is trying... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, Ivana Baquero, Álex Angulo

Directed By: Guillermo del Toro

Critics Consensus: Not all great soundtracks make good movies, and Beaches lacks the wind beneath its wings.

Synopsis: Hillary (Barbara Hershey) and CC (Bette Midler) meet as children vacationing in Atlantic City, N.J., and remain friends throughout the decades. As CC, a loud... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey, John Heard, Spalding Gray

Directed By: Garry Marshall

Critics Consensus: Steel Magnolias has jokes and characters to spare, which makes it more dangerous (and effective) when it goes for the full melodrama by the end.

Synopsis: M'Lynn (Sally Field) is the mother of bride-to-be Shelby Eatenton (Julia Roberts), and as friend Truvy Jones (Dolly Parton) fixes the women's hair for the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah

Directed By: Herbert Ross

Critics Consensus: Solid work from Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon isn't enough to save Stepmom from a story whose manipulations dilute the effectiveness of a potentially affecting drama.

Synopsis: Three years after divorcing Jackie (Susan Sarandon), the mother of his children, Luke Harrison (Ed Harris) decides to take the next step with his significantly... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Ed Harris, Jena Malone

Directed By: Chris Columbus

Critics Consensus: It might have been better served by a filmmaker with a deeper connection to the source material, but The Color Purple remains a worthy, well-acted adaptation of Alice Walker's classic novel.

Synopsis: An epic tale spanning forty years in the life of Celie, an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. After... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winfrey

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: A classic tearjerker, Terms of Endearment isn't shy about reaching for the heartstrings -- but is so well-acted and smartly scripted that it's almost impossible to resist.

Synopsis: Widow Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine) and her daughter, Emma (Debra Winger), have a strong bond, but Emma marries teacher Flap Horton (Jeff Daniels) against her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, Jeff Daniels

Directed By: James L. Brooks

Critics Consensus: Deftly blending comedy, adventure, and honest emotion, Toy Story 3 is a rare second sequel that really works.

Synopsis: With their beloved Andy preparing to leave for college, Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), and the rest of the toys... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty

Directed By: Lee Unkrich

Critics Consensus: Wise, funny, and heartbreaking without resorting to exploitation, The Fault In Our Stars does right by its bestselling source material.

Synopsis: Hazel Grace Lancaster, a 16-year-old cancer patient, meets and falls in love with Gus Waters, a similarly afflicted teen from her cancer support group. Hazel... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Willem Dafoe, Nat Wolff

Directed By: Josh Boone

Critics Consensus: Michelle Williams gives a heartbreaking performance in Wendy and Lucy, a timely portrait of loneliness and struggle.

Synopsis: Wendy (Michelle Williams), a near-penniless drifter, is traveling to Alaska in search of work, and her only companion is her dog, Lucy. Already perilously close... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michelle Williams, Will Patton, Will Oldham, John Robinson

Directed By: Kelly Reichardt

Critics Consensus: My Girl has a mostly sweet story and a pair of appealing young leads, but it's largely undone by its aggressively tearjerking ending.

Synopsis: Tomboy Vada Sultenfuss (Anna Chlumsky) has good reason to be morbid: her mother died giving birth to her, and her father (Dan Aykroyd) operates a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anna Chlumsky, Macaulay Culkin, Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis

Directed By: Howard Zieff

Critics Consensus: Selena occasionally struggles to tell its subject's story with depth or perspective, but those flaws are rendered largely irrelevant by Jennifer Lopez in the title role.

Synopsis: In this biographical drama, Selena Quintanilla (Jennifer Lopez) is born into a musical Mexican-American family in Texas. Her father, Abraham (Edward James Olmos), realizes that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Edward James Olmos, Jon Seda, Constance Marie

Directed By: Gregory Nava

Critics Consensus: An exciting, funny, and poignant adventure, Up offers an impeccably crafted story told with wit and arranged with depth, as well as yet another visual Pixar treat.

Synopsis: Carl Fredricksen, a 78-year-old balloon salesman, is about to fulfill a lifelong dream. Tying thousands of balloons to his house, he flies away to the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson

Directed By: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson

Critics Consensus: Playing as both an exciting sci-fi adventure and a remarkable portrait of childhood, Steven Spielberg's touching tale of a homesick alien remains a piece of movie magic for young and old.

Synopsis: After a gentle alien becomes stranded on Earth, the being is discovered and befriended by a young boy named Elliott (Henry Thomas). Bringing the extraterrestrial... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Peter Coyote, Drew Barrymore

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: Beautifully scripted and perfectly cast, Me & Earl & the Dying Girl is a coming-of-age movie with uncommon charm and insight.

Synopsis: An awkward high-school senior (Thomas Mann) and a gravely ill classmate (Olivia Cooke) surprise themselves by becoming inseparable friends.

Starring: Thomas Mann, Olivia Cooke, RJ Cyler, Nick Offerman

Directed By: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Critics Consensus: In Stories We Tell, Sarah Polley plays with the documentary format to explore the nature of memory and storytelling, crafting a thoughtful, compelling narrative that unfolds like a mystery.

Synopsis: Through a series of revealing interviews, filmmaker Sarah Polley investigates the truth about her family history.

Starring: Sarah Polley, Michael Polley, Harry Gulkin

Directed By: Sarah Polley

Critics Consensus: Old Yeller is an exemplary coming of age tale, packing an emotional wallop through smart pacing and a keen understanding of the elemental bonding between humanity and their furry best friends.

Synopsis: While Jim Coates (Fess Parker) is off on a cattle drive, his wife, Katie (Dorothy McGuire), and sons, Travis (Tommy Kirk) and Arliss (Kevin Corcoran),... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dorothy McGuire, Fess Parker, Tommy Kirk, Kevin Corcoran

Directed By: Robert Stevenson

Critics Consensus: Pet owners should love it, but Marley and Me is only sporadically successful in wringing drama and laughs from its scenario.

Synopsis: Newlyweds John and Jenny Grogan leave behind snowy Michigan and move to Florida, where they buy their first home and find jobs at competing newspapers.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston, Eric Dane, Kathleen Turner

Directed By: David Frankel

Critics Consensus: Though wholesome, the Mandy Moore vehicle A Walk to Remember is also bland and oppressively syrupy.

Synopsis: Set in North Carolina, "A Walk To Remember" follows the rite of passage of a jaded, aimless high school senior (Shane West) who falls in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Shane West, Mandy Moore, Peter Coyote, Daryl Hannah

Directed By: Adam Shankman

Critics Consensus: Warm, whimsical, and poignant, the immaculately framed and beautifully acted Moonrise Kingdom presents writer/director Wes Anderson at his idiosyncratic best.

Synopsis: The year is 1965, and the residents of New Penzance, an island off the coast of New England, inhabit a community that seems untouched by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand

Directed By: Wes Anderson

Critics Consensus: Smart, sweet, and inventive, Groundhog Day highlights Murray's dramatic gifts while still leaving plenty of room for laughs.

Synopsis: Phil (Bill Murray), a weatherman, is out to cover the annual emergence of the groundhog from its hole. He gets caught in a blizzard that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky

Directed By: Harold Ramis

Critics Consensus: The Goonies is an energetic, sometimes noisy mix of Spielbergian sentiment and funhouse tricks that will appeal to kids and nostalgic adults alike.

Synopsis: When two brothers find out they might lose their house they are desperate to find a way to keep their home. They find a treasure... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman

Directed By: Richard Donner

Critics Consensus: Clever, incisive, and funny, Singin' in the Rain is a masterpiece of the classical Hollywood musical.

Synopsis: A spoof of the turmoil that afflicted the movie industry in the late 1920s when movies went from silent to sound. When two silent movie... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Jean Hagen

Directed By: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly

Critics Consensus: The feel-good Amelie is a lively, fanciful charmer, showcasing Audrey Tautou as its delightful heroine.

Synopsis: "Amélie" is a fanciful comedy about a young woman who discretely orchestrates the lives of the people around her, creating a world exclusively of her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Yolande Moreau

Directed By: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Critics Consensus: A delightfully postmodern fairy tale, The Princess Bride is a deft, intelligent mix of swashbuckling, romance, and comedy that takes an age-old damsel-in-distress story and makes it fresh.

Synopsis: A fairy tale adventure about a beautiful young woman and her one true love. He must find her after a long separation and save her.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon

Directed By: Rob Reiner

Critics Consensus: Mike Nichols wrangles agreeably amusing performances from Robin Williams and Nathan Lane in this fun, if not quite essential, remake of the French comedy La Cage aux Folles.

Synopsis: In Miami Beach, a gay couple pretend to be man and wife when a son's future father-in-law and family visit.

Starring: Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, Dianne Wiest

Directed By: Mike Nichols

Critics Consensus: Matthew Broderick charms in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, a light and irrepressibly fun movie about being young and having fun.

Synopsis: Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) has an uncanny skill at cutting classes and getting away with it. Intending to make one last duck-out before graduation, Ferris... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jennifer Grey

Directed By: John Hughes

Critics Consensus: Zellweger's Bridget Jones is a sympathetic, likable, funny character, giving this romantic comedy a lot of charm.

Synopsis: At the start of the New Year, 32-year-old Bridget (Renée Zellweger) decides it's time to take control of her life -- and start keeping a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Gemma Jones

Directed By: Sharon Maguire

Critics Consensus: A funny and clever reshaping of Emma, Clueless offers a soft satire that pokes as much fun at teen films as it does at the Beverly Hills glitterati.

Synopsis: Shallow, rich and socially successful Cher (Alicia Silverstone) is at the top of her Beverly Hills high school's pecking scale. Seeing herself as a matchmaker,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd

Directed By: Amy Heckerling

Critics Consensus: It handles its potentially prickly subject matter with kid gloves, but Intouchables gets by thanks to its strong cast and some remarkably sensitive direction.

Synopsis: An unlikely friendship develops between a wealthy quadriplegic (François Cluzet) and his caretaker (Omar Sy), just released from prison.

Starring: François Cluzet, Omar Sy, Anne Le Ny, Audrey Fleurot

Directed By: Eric Toledano, Olivier Nakache

Critics Consensus: Though it benefits from the comic charms of its two leads, Tommy Boy too often feels like a familiar sketch stretched thin.

Synopsis: After his beloved father (Brian Dennehy) dies, dim-witted Tommy Callahan (Chris Farley) inherits a near-bankrupt automobile parts factory in Sandusky, Ohio. His brand-new stepmother, Beverly... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chris Farley, David Spade, Brian Dennehy, Bo Derek

Directed By: Peter Segal

Critics Consensus: Little Miss Sunshine succeeds thanks to a strong ensemble cast that includes Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin, and Abigail Breslin, as well as a delightfully funny script.

Synopsis: The Hoover family -- a man (Greg Kinnear), his wife (Toni Collette), an uncle (Steve Carell), a brother (Paul Dano) and a grandfather (Alan Arkin)... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin

Directed By: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris

Critics Consensus: Cheeky and infectiously good-natured, The Full Monty bares its big beating heart with a sly dose of ribald comedy.

Synopsis: After losing his job at a steel factory, Gaz (Robert Carlyle) learns that his wife wants to sue him for missed child support payments. Desperate... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Carlyle, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Addy, Lesley Sharp

Directed By: Peter Cattaneo

Critics Consensus: This jukebox musical is full of fluffy fun but rough singing voices and a campy tone might not make you feel like "You Can Dance" the whole 90 minutes.

Synopsis: Donna (Meryl Streep), an independent hotelier in the Greek islands, is preparing for her daughter's wedding with the help of two old friends. Meanwhile Sophie,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård

Directed By: Phyllida Lloyd

Critics Consensus: Billy Elliot is a charming movie that can evoke both laughter and tears.

Synopsis: The life of 11-year-old Billy Elliot, a coal miner's son in Northern England, is forever changed one day when he stumbles upon a ballet class... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Julie Walters, Jamie Bell, Jamie Draven, Gary Lewis

Directed By: Stephen Daldry

Critics Consensus: Provides lots of laughs with Myers at the healm; as funny or funnier than the original.

Synopsis: In his second screen adventure, British super spy Austin Powers must return to 1969, as arch-nemesis Dr. Evil has ventured back to that year and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mike Myers, Heather Graham, Michael York, Robert Wagner

Directed By: Jay Roach

Critics Consensus: Step Brothers indulges in a cheerfully relentless immaturity that will quickly turn off viewers unamused by Ferrell and Reilly -- and delight those who find their antics hilarious.

Synopsis: Brennan Huff (Will Ferrell) and Dale Doback (John C. Reilly) have one thing in common: they are both lazy, unemployed leeches who still live with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly, Richard Jenkins, Mary Steenburgen

Directed By: Adam McKay

Critics Consensus: Eddie Murphy was in full control at this point, starkly evident in Coming to America's John Landis' coasting direction.

Synopsis: Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) is the prince of a wealthy African country and wants for nothing, except a wife who will love him in spite... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, John Amos, James Earl Jones

Directed By: John Landis

Critics Consensus: Though unabashedly juvenile and silly, Airplane! is nevertheless an uproarious spoof comedy full of quotable lines and slapstick gags that endure to this day.

Synopsis: This spoof comedy takes shots at the slew of disaster movies that were released in the 70s. When the passengers and crew of a jet... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Peter Graves, Robert Stack

Directed By: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker

Critics Consensus: With a talented cast turned loose on a loaded premise -- and a sharp script loaded with dark comedy and unexpected twists -- Game Night might be more fun than the real thing.

Synopsis: Max and Annie's weekly game night gets kicked up a notch when Max's brother Brooks arranges a murder mystery party -- complete with fake thugs... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Kyle Chandler, Sharon Horgan

Directed By: John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein

Critics Consensus: Earnest without being didactic and uplifting without stooping to sentimentality, Pride is a joyous crowd-pleaser that genuinely works.

Synopsis: Realizing that they share common foes in Margaret Thatcher, the police and the conservative press, London-based gays and lesbians lend their support to striking coal... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Dominic West, Paddy Considine

Directed By: Matthew Warchus

Critics Consensus: Pitch Perfect's plot is formulaic, but the performances are excellent and the musical numbers are toe-tapping as well.

Synopsis: College student Beca knows she does not want to be part of a clique, but that's exactly where she finds herself after arriving at her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Rebel Wilson, Adam DeVine

Directed By: Jason Moore

Critics Consensus: The brilliant minds behind Shaun of the Dead successfully take a shot at the buddy cop genre with Hot Fuzz. The result is a bitingly satiric and hugely entertaining parody.

Synopsis: As a former London constable, Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) finds it difficult to adapt to his new assignment in the sleepy British village of Sandford.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Paddy Considine

Directed By: Edgar Wright

Critics Consensus: Undisciplined, scatological, profoundly silly, and often utterly groan-worthy, Robin Hood: Men in Tights still has an amiable, anything-goes goofiness that has made it a cult favorite.

Synopsis: Crusading nobleman Robin of Loxley (Cary Elwes) escapes from prison in Jerusalem and returns home to find that the evil Prince John (Richard Lewis) has... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cary Elwes, Richard Lewis, Roger Rees, Amy Yasbeck

Directed By: Mel Brooks

Critics Consensus: Sing Street is a feel-good musical with huge heart and irresistible optimism, and its charming cast and hummable tunes help to elevate its familiar plotting.

Synopsis: In 1985, a Dublin teenager (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) forms a rock 'n' roll band to win the heart of an aspiring model (Lucy Boynton).

Starring: Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Lucy Boynton, Jack Reynor, Aidan Gillen

Directed By: John Carney

Critics Consensus: Refreshingly sweet and undeniably funny, Big is a showcase for Tom Hanks, who dives into his role and infuses it with charm and surprising poignancy.

Synopsis: At a carnival, young Josh Baskin wishes he was big, only to wake up the next morning and discover his wish came true. But the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia, John Heard

Directed By: Penny Marshall

Critics Consensus: With a terrific cast and a surfeit of visual razzle dazzle, Crazy Rich Asians takes a satisfying step forward for screen representation while deftly drawing inspiration from the classic -- and still effective -- rom-com formula.

Synopsis: Rachel Chu is happy to accompany her longtime boyfriend, Nick, to his best friend's wedding in Singapore. She's also surprised to learn that Nick's family... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan

Directed By: Jon M. Chu

Critics Consensus: Magic Mike XXL has enough narrative thrust and beefy charm to deliver another helping of well-oiled entertainment, even if this sequel isn't quite as pleasurable as its predecessor.

Synopsis: It's been three years since Mike Lane's (Channing Tatum) retirement from stripping, but the former dancer misses the excitement and feeling of being on stage.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nash

Directed By: Gregory Jacobs

Critics Consensus: Unevenly echoing the work of Alfred Hitchcock, Basic Instinct contains a star-making performance from Sharon Stone but is ultimately undone by its problematic, overly lurid plot.

Synopsis: The mysterious Catherine Tramell, a beautiful crime novelist, becomes a suspect when she is linked to the brutal death of a rock star. Investigated by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn

Directed By: Paul Verhoeven

Critics Consensus: Led by a triumvirate of terrific performances, Alfonso Cuarón's free-spirited road trip through Mexico is a sexy and wistful hymn to the fleetingness of youth.

Synopsis: The lives of Julio and Tenoch, like those of 17-year old boys everywhere, are ruled by raging hormones, intense friendships, and a headlong rush into... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Maribel Verdú, Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, Diana Bracho

Directed By: Alfonso Cuarón

Critics Consensus: Though lushly atmospheric, The Dreamers doesn't engage or provoke as much as it should.

Synopsis: In May 1968, the student riots in Paris only exacerbate the isolation felt by three youths: an American exchange student named Matthew (Michael Pitt) and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Pitt, Eva Green, Louis Garrel, Robin Renucci

Directed By: Bernardo Bertolucci

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: In 1930s Australia, Anglican clergyman Anthony Campion (Hugh Grant) and his prim wife, Estella (Tara Fitzgerald), are asked to visit noted painter Norman Lindsay (Sam... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hugh Grant, Tara Fitzgerald, Sam Neill, Elle Macpherson

Directed By: John Duigan

Critics Consensus: Maggie Gyllenhaal impresses in this romantic comedy with a kinky twist.

Synopsis: Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a young woman with a history of severe emotional problems, is released into the care of her overbearing parents following a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James Spader, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jeremy Davies, Patrick Bauchau

Directed By: Steven Shainberg

Critics Consensus: Grounded in strong characters, bold themes, and subtle storytelling, Boogie Nights is a groundbreaking film both for director P.T. Anderson and star Mark Wahlberg.

Synopsis: In the San Fernando Valley in 1977, teenage busboy Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) gets discovered by porn director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds), who transforms him... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly

Directed By: Paul Thomas Anderson

Critics Consensus: Wild Things is a delightfully salacious, flesh-exposed romp that also requires a high degree of love for trash cinema.

Synopsis: When teen debutante Kelly (Denise Richards) fails to attract the attention of her hunky guidance counselor, Sam (Matt Dillon), she cries rape, igniting a scandal... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon, Neve Campbell, Theresa Russell

Directed By: John McNaughton

Critics Consensus: Diane Lane shines in the role, but the movie adds nothing new to the genre and the resolution is unsatisfying.

Synopsis: Described by director Adrian Lyne ("Fatal Attraction") as "an erotic thriller about the body language of guilt." When Edward innocently learns that his wife Connie... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Olivier Martinez, Erik Per Sullivan

Directed By: Adrian Lyne

Critics Consensus: Bound's more titillating elements attracted attention, but it's the stylish direction, solid performances, and entertaining neo-noir caper plot that make it worth a watch.

Synopsis: Sparks fly when Violet (Jennifer Tilly) sets eyes on Corky (Gina Gershon) in an elevator. Violet is the girlfriend of a violent gangster, Caesar (Joe... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jennifer Tilly, Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, Barry Kivel

Directed By: Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

Critics Consensus: A sensual thriller with two engaging performers demanding our undivided attention.

Synopsis: When uptight British writer Sarah Morton (Charlotte Rampling) has difficulty with her new detective novel, her publisher, John Bosload (Charles Dance), sends her to his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Charlotte Rampling, Ludivine Sagnier, Charles Dance, Marc Fayolle

Directed By: François Ozon

Critics Consensus: David Lynch's dreamlike and mysterious Mulholland Drive is a twisty neo-noir with an unconventional structure that features a mesmerizing performance from Naomi Watts as a woman on the dark fringes of Hollywood.

Synopsis: A dark-haired woman (Laura Elena Harring) is left amnesiac after a car crash. She wanders the streets of Los Angeles in a daze before taking... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Justin Theroux, Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Ann Miller

Directed By: David Lynch

Critics Consensus: Kubrick's intense study of the human psyche yields an impressive cinematic work.

Synopsis: After Dr. Bill Hartford's (Tom Cruise) wife, Alice (Nicole Kidman), admits to having sexual fantasies about a man she met, Bill becomes obsessed with having... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack, Marie Richardson

Directed By: Stanley Kubrick

Critics Consensus: It may be a chamber piece but Weekend's revelations on modern sexuality expand far beyond the modest setting.

Synopsis: A gay man's (Tom Cullen) weekend-long encounter with an artist (Chris New) changes his life in unexpected ways.

Starring: Tom Cullen, Chris New, Jonathan Race, Laura Freeman

Directed By: Andrew Haigh

Critics Consensus: Made from classic noir ingredients and flavored with a heaping helping of steamy modern spice, Body Heat more than lives up to its evocative title.

Synopsis: Shyster lawyer Ned Racine (William Hurt) begins a passionate affair with Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner), wife of a wealthy Florida businessman (Richard Crenna). With the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson

Directed By: Lawrence Kasdan

Critics Consensus: Boasting stellar performances by Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, Shame is a powerful plunge into the mania of addiction affliction.

Synopsis: Successful and handsome New Yorker Brandon (Michael Fassbender) seems to live an ordinary life, but he hides a terrible secret behind his mask of normalcy:... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan, James Badge Dale, Nicole Beharie

Directed By: Steve McQueen

Critics Consensus: Vile, contemptible, garish, and misogynistic -- and that might just be exactly Showgirls' point.

Synopsis: Nomi (Elizabeth Berkley) arrives in Las Vegas with only a suitcase and a dream of becoming a top showgirl. She quickly befriends Molly (Gina Ravera),... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Elizabeth Berkley Lauren, Kyle MacLachlan, Gina Gershon, Glenn Plummer

Directed By: Paul Verhoeven

Critics Consensus: While creatively better endowed than its print counterpart, Fifty Shades of Grey is a less than satisfying experience on the screen.

Synopsis: When college senior Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) steps in for her sick roommate to interview prominent businessman Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) for their campus paper,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle, Eloise Mumford

Directed By: Sam Taylor-Johnson

Critics Consensus: Fear has an appealing young cast, but their efforts aren't enough to consistently distract from an increasingly overblown - and illogical - teen stalker story.

Synopsis: When 16-year-old Nicole Walker (Reese Witherspoon) meets 23-year-old David McCall (Mark Wahlberg) at a Seattle nightclub, she falls in love. David is exciting and charming,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Reese Witherspoon, William Petersen, Amy Brenneman

Directed By: James Foley

Critics Consensus: Deft direction and strong performances from its all-female cast guide The Descent, a riveting, claustrophobic horror film.

Synopsis: A year after a severe emotional trauma, Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) goes to North Carolina to spend some time exploring caves with her friends; after descending... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder

Directed By: Neil Marshall

Critics Consensus: A Quiet Place artfully plays on elemental fears with a ruthlessly intelligent creature feature that's as original as it is scary -- and establishes director John Krasinski as a rising talent.

Synopsis: If they hear you, they hunt you. A family must live in silence to avoid mysterious creatures that hunt by sound. Knowing that even the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe

Directed By: John Krasinski

Critics Consensus: There is indeed a good amount of tension in this French slasher, but the dubbing is bad and the end twist unbelievable.

Synopsis: A beautiful young Frenchwoman, Alex (Maïwenn Le Besco), travels out to the country to visit her family and brings along her friend Marie (Cécile de... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cécile de France, Maïwenn, Philippe Nahon, Franck Khalfoun

Directed By: Alexandre Aja

Critics Consensus: The Strangers has a handful of genuinely scary moments, but they're not enough to elevate the end results above standard slasher fare.

Synopsis: Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman) are expecting a relaxing weekend at a family vacation home, but their stay turns out to be anything... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Gemma Ward, Kip Weeks

Directed By: Bryan Bertino

Critics Consensus: Hush navigates the bloody waters of home invasion thrillers and incisive slashers for a contemporary horror puree.

Synopsis: A deaf woman is stalked by a killer in her home.

Starring: John Gallagher Jr., Kate Siegel, Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan

Directed By: Mike Flanagan

Critics Consensus: Kinetically directed by Danny Boyle, 28 Days Later is both a terrifying zombie movie and a sharp political allegory.

Synopsis: A group of misguided animal rights activists free a caged chimp infected with the "Rage" virus from a medical research lab. When London bike courier... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Noah Huntley, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson

Directed By: Danny Boyle

Critics Consensus: A modern classic, Alien blends science fiction, horror and bleak poetry into a seamless whole.

Synopsis: In deep space, the crew of the commercial starship Nostromo is awakened from their cryo-sleep capsules halfway through their journey home to investigate a distress... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright

Directed By: Ridley Scott

Critics Consensus: More tasteful than recent slasher flicks, but Dead Silence is undone by boring characters, bland dialogue, and an unnecessary and obvious twist ending.

Synopsis: After his wife meets a grisly end, Jamie Ashen (Ryan Kwanten) returns to their creepy hometown of Ravens Fair to unravel the mystery of her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryan Kwanten, Amber Valletta, Donnie Wahlberg, Bob Gunton

Directed By: James Wan

Critics Consensus: Though its underlying themes are familiar, House of the Devil effectively sheds the loud and gory cliches of contemporary horror to deliver a tense, slowly building throwback to the fright flicks of decades past.

Synopsis: Desperate to make some money so she can move into a new apartment, college student Samantha Hughes takes a mysterious babysitting job. When she arrives... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jocelin Donahue, Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov, Greta Gerwig

Directed By: Ti West

Critics Consensus: The Others is a spooky thriller that reminds us that a movie doesn't need expensive special effects to be creepy.

Synopsis: Grace (Nicole Kidman), the devoutly religious mother of Anne (Alakina Mann) and Nicholas (James Bentley), moves her family to the English coast during World War... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Christopher Eccleston, Alakina Mann, James Bentley

Directed By: Alejandro Amenábar

Critics Consensus: Don't Breathe smartly twists its sturdy premise to offer a satisfyingly tense, chilling addition to the home invasion genre that's all the more effective for its simplicity.

Synopsis: Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex and Money are three Detroit thieves who get their kicks by breaking into the houses of wealthy people. Money gets word... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto, Stephen Lang

Directed By: Fede Alvarez

Critics Consensus: Though it deviates from Stephen King's novel, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining is a chilling, often baroque journey into madness -- exemplified by an unforgettable turn from Jack Nicholson.

Synopsis: Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) becomes winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado, hoping to cure his writer's block. He settles in along with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers

Directed By: Stanley Kubrick

Critics Consensus: Nail-bitingly tense and brilliantly acted, Wait Until Dark is a compact thriller that makes the most of its fiendishly clever premise.

Synopsis: After a flight back home, Sam Hendrix returns with a doll he innocently acquired along the way. As it turns out, the doll is actually... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna, Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Directed By: Terence Young

Critics Consensus: Well-crafted and gleefully creepy, The Conjuring ratchets up dread through a series of effective old-school scares.

Synopsis: In 1970, paranormal investigators and demonologists Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) and Ed (Patrick Wilson) Warren are summoned to the home of Carolyn (Lili Taylor) and Roger... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston

Directed By: James Wan

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A retired police detective hunts a deranged British seaman out to re-create a babysitter's horror.

Starring: Charles Durning, Carol Kane, Colleen Dewhurst, Rutanya Alda

Directed By: Fred Walton

Critics Consensus: Silent House is more technically proficient and ambitious than most fright-fests, but it also suffers from a disappointing payoff.

Synopsis: Sarah (Elizabeth Olsen) is working with her father (Adam Trese) and uncle (Eric Sheffer Stevens) to renovate an old family home to prepare it for... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Adam Trese, Eric Sheffer Stevens, Julia Chan

Directed By: Chris Kentis, Laura Lau

Critics Consensus: It Comes at Night makes lethally effective use of its bare-bones trappings while proving once again that what's left unseen can be just as horrifying as anything on the screen.

Synopsis: After a mysterious apocalypse leaves the world with few survivors, two families are forced to share a home in an uneasy alliance to keep the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbott, Carmen Ejogo, Riley Keough

Directed By: Trey Edward Shults

Critics Consensus: Deeply unnerving and surprisingly poignant, The Orphanage is an atmospheric, beautifully crafted haunted house horror film that earns scares with a minimum of blood.

Synopsis: Laura (Belén Rueda) has happy memories of her childhood in an orphanage. She convinces her husband to buy the place and help her convert it... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Geraldine Chaplin, Montserrat Carulla

Directed By: J. A. Bayona