Holiday Movie Scorecard 2016

Critics Consensus: Effectively stirring and bolstered by thrilling visuals, The Eagle Huntress uses its heartwarming message to fill up a feature that might have made for an even more powerful short film.

Synopsis: Aisholpan, a 13-year-old girl, trains to become the first female in 12 generations of her Kazakh family to become an eagle hunter and rises to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daisy Ridley, Aisholpan Nurgaiv, Rys Nurgaiv

Directed By: Otto Bell

Critics Consensus: La La Land breathes new life into a bygone genre with thrillingly assured direction, powerful performances, and an irresistible excess of heart.

Synopsis: Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) are drawn together by their common desire to do what they love. But as success mounts they are... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt

Directed By: Damien Chazelle

Critics Consensus: The Edge of Seventeen's sharp script -- and Hailee Steinfeld's outstanding lead performance -- make this more than just another coming-of-age dramedy.

Synopsis: Everyone knows that growing up is hard, and life is no easier for high school junior Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld), who is already at peak awkwardness... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, Haley Lu Richardson, Blake Jenner, Kyra Sedgwick

Directed By: Kelly Fremon Craig

Critics Consensus: Arrival delivers a must-see experience for fans of thinking person's sci-fi that anchors its heady themes with genuinely affecting emotion and a terrific performance from Amy Adams.

Synopsis: Linguistics professor Louise Banks leads an elite team of investigators when gigantic spaceships touch down in 12 locations around the world. As nations teeter on... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg

Directed By: Denis Villeneuve

Critics Consensus: Paterson adds another refreshingly unvarnished entry to Jim Jarmusch's filmography -- and another outstanding performance to Adam Driver's career credits.

Synopsis: Paterson (Adam Driver) is a hardworking bus driver in Paterson, N.J., who follows the same routine every day. He observes the city and listens to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Adam Driver, Golshifteh Farahani, Rizwan Manji, Barry Shabaka Henley

Directed By: Jim Jarmusch

Critics Consensus: With a title character as three-dimensional as its lush animation and a story that adds fresh depth to Disney's time-tested formula, Moana is truly a family-friendly adventure for the ages.

Synopsis: An adventurous teenager sails out on a daring mission to save her people. During her journey, Moana meets the once-mighty demigod Maui, who guides her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Auli'i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison

Directed By: John Musker, Ron Clements

Critics Consensus: Manchester by the Sea delivers affecting drama populated by full-bodied characters, marking another strong step forward for writer-director Kenneth Lonergan.

Synopsis: After the death of his older brother Joe, Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is shocked that Joe has made him sole guardian of his teenage nephew... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges

Directed By: Kenneth Lonergan

Critics Consensus: A union to cherish between a writer-director and star working at peak power, Things to Come offers quietly profound observations on life, love, and the irrevocable passage of time.

Synopsis: A passionate middle-aged philosophy professor (Isabelle Huppert) rethinks her already much-examined life after an unforeseen divorce.

Starring: Isabelle Huppert, André Marcon, Roman Kolinka, Edith Scob

Directed By: Mia Hansen-Løve