100 Best Movies on HBO and MAX (January 2025)

Critics Consensus: Arguably Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece, The Seven Samurai is an epic adventure classic with an engrossing story, memorable characters, and stunning action sequences that make it one of the most influential films ever made.

Synopsis: A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, so the samurai gathers six... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Yoshio Inaba, Seiji Miyaguchi

Directed By: Akira Kurosawa

Critics Consensus: Boasting narrative depth, frank honesty, and exquisite visual beauty, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a modern animated treasure with timeless appeal.

Synopsis: A tiny nymph found inside a bamboo stalk grows into a beautiful and desirable young woman, who orders her suitors to prove their love by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Darren Criss

Directed By: Isao Takahata

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: Only Yesterday's long-delayed U.S. debut fills a frustrating gap for American Ghibli fans while offering further proof of the studio's incredibly consistent commitment to quality.

Synopsis: A put-upon 27-year-old Japanese office worker travels to the countryside and reminisces about her childhood in Tokyo and what life could have been.

Starring: Daisy Ridley, Dev Patel, Ashley Eckstein, Alison Fernandez

Directed By: Isao Takahata

Critics Consensus: Tokyo Story is a Yasujiro Ozu masterpiece whose rewarding complexity has lost none of its power more than half a century on.

Synopsis: The elderly Shukishi (Chishu Ryu) and his wife, Tomi (Chieko Higashiyama), take the long journey from their small seaside village to visit their adult children... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chishu Ryu, Chieko Higashiyama, Setsuko Hara, Haruko Sugimura

Directed By: Yasujirô Ozu

Critics Consensus: A technical masterpiece, Battleship Potemkin is Soviet cinema at its finest, and its montage editing techniques remain influential to this day.

Synopsis: When they are fed rancid meat, the sailors on the Potemkin revolt against their harsh conditions. Led by Vakulinchuk, the sailors kill the officers of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Aleksandr Antonov, Vladimir Barskiy, Grigoriy Aleksandrov, Mikhail Gomorov

Directed By: Sergei M. Eisenstein

Critics Consensus: Ingmar Bergman conveys the sweep of childhood with a fastidious attention to detail and sumptuous insight into human frailty in Fanny & Alexander, a masterwork that crystalizes many of the directors' preoccupations into a familial epic.

Synopsis: As children in the loving Ekdahl family, Fanny and Alexander enjoy a happy life with their parents, who run a theater company. After their father... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Pernilla Allwin, Bertil Guve, Erland Josephson, Gunn Wållgren

Directed By: Ingmar Bergman

Critics Consensus: Stalker is a complex, oblique parable that draws unforgettable images and philosophical musings from its sci-fi/thriller setting.

Synopsis: In an unnamed country at an unspecified time, there is a fiercely protected post-apocalyptic wasteland known as The Zone. An illegal guide (Aleksandr Kajdanovsky), whose... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Aleksandr Kajdanovsky, Nikolay Grinko, Anatoliy Solonitsyn, Alisa Freyndlikh

Directed By: Andrei Tarkovsky

Critics Consensus: Lady Bird delivers fresh insights about the turmoil of adolescence -- and reveals writer-director Greta Gerwig as a fully formed filmmaking talent.

Synopsis: A teenager (Saoirse Ronan) navigates a loving but turbulent relationship with her strong-willed mother (Laurie Metcalf) over the course of an eventful and poignant senior... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Timothée Chalamet, Lucas Hedges

Directed By: Greta Gerwig

Critics Consensus: An undisputed masterpiece and perhaps Hollywood's quintessential statement on love and romance, Casablanca has only improved with age, boasting career-defining performances from Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.

Synopsis: Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), who owns a nightclub in Casablanca, discovers his old flame Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) is in town with her husband, Victor Laszlo... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains

Directed By: Michael Curtiz

Critics Consensus: A documentary-like depiction of a nation's real-life efforts to expel a colonizing force, The Battle of Algiers puts viewers on the front lines with gripping realism.

Synopsis: Paratrooper commander Colonel Mathieu (Jean Martin), a former French Resistance fighter during World War II, is sent to 1950s Algeria to reinforce efforts to squelch... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean Martin, Yacef Saadi, Brahim Haggiag, Tommaso Neri

Directed By: Gillo Pontecorvo

Critics Consensus: A poetic tribute to tenacity, All That Breathes uses two brothers' tireless efforts to make a broader point about finding triumph within tragedy.

Synopsis: In one of the world's most populated cities, cows, rats, monkeys, frogs, and hogs jostle cheek-by-jowl with people. Here, two brothers fall in love with... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Shaunak Sen

Critics Consensus: A seminal French New Wave film that offers an honest, sympathetic, and wholly heartbreaking observation of adolescence without trite nostalgia.

Synopsis: For young Parisian boy Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud), life is one difficult situation after another. Surrounded by inconsiderate adults, including his neglectful parents (Claire Maurier,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Remy, Guy Decomble

Directed By: François Truffaut

Critics Consensus: An Italian neorealism exemplar, Bicycle Thieves thrives on its non-flashy performances and searing emotion.

Synopsis: Unemployed Antonio Ricci (Lamberto Maggiorani) is elated when he finally finds work hanging posters around war-torn Rome. His wife, Maria (Lianella Carell), sells the family's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lamberto Maggiorani, Lianella Carell, Enzo Staiola, Elena Altieri

Directed By: Vittorio De Sica

Critics Consensus: An affectionate retrospective on Christopher Reeve's bravery and heroism in his own personal life, Super/Man takes to the skies in inspirational uplift.

Synopsis: The story of Christopher Reeve is an astonishing rise from unknown actor to iconic movie star, and his definitive portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman set the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Glenn Close, Jeff Daniels, Whoopi Goldberg, Susan Sarandon

Directed By: Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui

Critics Consensus: A Hard Day's Night, despite its age, is still a delight to watch and has proven itself to be a rock-and-roll movie classic.

Synopsis: The Beatles in their feature film debut, one of the greatest rock-and-roll comedy adventures ever. The film has a fully restored negative and digitally restored... View Full Synopsis

Starring: The Beatles, Wilfrid Brambell, Norman Rossington, John Junkin

Directed By: Richard Lester

Critics Consensus: Whose Streets? takes a close-up look at the civil unrest that erupted after a shocking act of violence in Ferguson, Missouri - and the decades of simmering tension leading up to it.

Synopsis: An account of the Ferguson uprising as told by the people who lived it. The filmmakers look at how the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Sabaah Folayan

Critics Consensus: One of legendary director Akira Kurosawa's most acclaimed films, Rashomon features an innovative narrative structure, brilliant acting, and a thoughtful exploration of reality versus perception.

Synopsis: Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, "Rashomon" is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyō, Takashi Shimura, Masayuki Mori

Directed By: Akira Kurosawa

Critics Consensus: Ikiru is a well-acted and deeply moving humanist tale about a man facing his own mortality, one of legendary director Akira Kurosawa's most intimate films.

Synopsis: Mr. Watanabe suddenly finds that he has terminal cancer. He vows to make his final days meaningful. His attempts to communicate his anguish to his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Takashi Shimura, Miki Odagiri, Kyôko Seki

Directed By: Akira Kurosawa

Critics Consensus: Soulfully exploring thought-provoking themes through a beautifully animated lens, The Boy and the Heron is another Miyazaki masterpiece.

Synopsis: From the legendary Studio Ghibli and Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) comes a new critically-acclaimed fantasy adventure. After losing his mother during the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Luca Padovan, Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan

Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki

Critics Consensus: Catapulting Ang Lee into the upper echelon of Hollywood filmmakers, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon features a deft mix of amazing martial arts battles, beautiful scenery, and tasteful drama.

Synopsis: In 19th century Qing Dynasty China, a warrior (Chow Yun-Fat) gives his sword, Green Destiny, to his lover (Michelle Yeoh) to deliver to safe keeping,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen

Directed By: Ang Lee

Critics Consensus: Inventive, thought-provoking, and funny, 8 1/2 represents the arguable peak of Federico Fellini's many towering feats of cinema.

Synopsis: Troubled Italian filmmaker Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) struggles with creative stasis as he attempts to get a new movie off the ground. Overwhelmed by his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimée, Sandra Milo

Directed By: Federico Fellini

Critics Consensus: Jacques Demy elevates the basic drama of everyday life into a soaring opera full of bittersweet passion and playful charm, featuring a timeless performance from Catherine Deneuve.

Synopsis: Geneviève (Catherine Deneuve), a beautiful young Frenchwoman who works at a small-town boutique selling umbrellas, falls for dashing mechanic Guy (Nino Castelnuovo). Their brief romance... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Nino Castelnuovo, Anne Vernon, Marc Michel

Directed By: Jacques Demy

Critics Consensus: Bitingly cynical without succumbing to bitterness, The Player is one of the all-time great Hollywood satires -- and an ensemble-driven highlight of the Altman oeuvre.

Synopsis: Certain that the anonymous threats he's been receiving are the work of David Kahane (Vincent D'Onofrio), producer Griffin Mill (Tim Robbins) tries to fix things... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tim Robbins, Greta Scacchi, Fred Ward, Whoopi Goldberg

Directed By: Robert Altman

Critics Consensus: It requires some viewing commitment, but this beautifully assembled showcase for Douglas Fairbanks' acting offers some splendid treats for classic film fans.

Synopsis: A thief sneaks into a royal palace, where he sees and falls instantly in love with a beautiful princess. Pretending to be a prince, the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Douglas Fairbanks, Snitz Edwards, Charles Belcher, Julanne Johnston

Directed By: Raoul Walsh

Critics Consensus: Paddington brings a beloved children's character into the 21st century without sacrificing his essential charm, delivering a family-friendly adventure as irresistibly cuddly as its star.

Synopsis: After a deadly earthquake destroys his home in Peruvian rainforest, a young bear makes his way to England in search of a new home. The... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent

Directed By: Paul King

Critics Consensus: Drive My Car's imposing runtime holds a rich, patiently engrossing drama that reckons with self-acceptance and regret.

Synopsis: Two years after his wife's unexpected death, Yusuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima), a renowned stage actor and director, receives an offer to direct a production of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hidetoshi Nishijima, Toko Miura, Reika Kirishima, Yoo-rim Park

Directed By: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi

Critics Consensus: A horrific tale of guilt and obsession, Eyes Without a Face is just as chilling and poetic today as it was when it was first released.

Synopsis: Dr. Génessier (Pierre Brasseur) is riddled with guilt after an accident that he caused disfigures the face of his daughter, the once beautiful Christiane (Edith... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Pierre Brasseur, Alida Valli, Edith Scob, Juliette Mayniel

Directed By: Georges Franju

Critics Consensus: Thrilling, powerfully acted, and visually dazzling, Deathly Hallows Part II brings the Harry Potter franchise to a satisfying -- and suitably magical -- conclusion.

Synopsis: A clash between good and evil awaits as young Harry, Ron and Hermione prepare for a final battle against Lord Voldemort. Harry has grown into... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes

Directed By: David Yates

Critics Consensus: The Florida Project offers a colorfully empathetic look at an underrepresented part of the population that proves absorbing even as it raises sobering questions about modern America.

Synopsis: Set in the shadow of the most magical place on Earth, 6-year-old Moonee and her two best friends forge their own adventures, while Moonee's struggling... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite, Valeria Cotto

Directed By: Sean Baker

Critics Consensus: Spirited Away is a dazzling, enchanting, and gorgeously drawn fairy tale that will leave viewers a little more curious and fascinated by the world around them.

Synopsis: 10-year-old Chihiro (Daveigh Chase) moves with her parents to a new home in the Japanese countryside. After taking a wrong turn down a wooded path,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Jason Marsden, Susan Egan

Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki

Critics Consensus: A feudal adventure told from an eccentric perspective, The Hidden Fortress is among Akira Kurosawa's most purely enjoyable epics.

Synopsis: Japanese peasants Matashichi (Kamatari Fujiwara) and Tahei (Minoru Chiaki) try and fail to make a profit from a tribal war. They find a man and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Misa Uehara, Minoru Chiaki, Kamatari Fujiwara

Directed By: Akira Kurosawa

Critics Consensus: A career high point for Akira Kurosawa -- and one of the best film adaptations of a Shakespeare play.

Synopsis: Returning to their lord's castle, samurai warriors Washizu (Toshirô Mifune) and Miki (Minoru Chiaki) are waylaid by a spirit who predicts their futures. When the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Takashi Shimura, Minoru Chiaki

Directed By: Akira Kurosawa

Critics Consensus: Tangerine shatters casting conventions and its filmmaking techniques are up-to-the-minute, but it's an old-fashioned comedy at heart -- and a pretty wonderful one at that.

Synopsis: After hearing that her boyfriend/pimp cheated on her while she was in jail, a transgender sex worker and her best friend set out to find... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan

Directed By: Sean Baker

Critics Consensus: Call Me by Your Name offers a melancholy, powerfully affecting portrait of first love, empathetically acted by Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer.

Synopsis: It's the summer of 1983, and precocious 17-year-old Elio Perlman is spending the days with his family at their 17th-century villa in Lombardy, Italy. He... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar

Directed By: Luca Guadagnino

Critics Consensus: One of the best underdog romance movies ever, with an ending that will light up any heart.

Synopsis: A hapless but resilient tramp (Charlie Chaplin) falls in love with a blind flower girl (Virginia Cherrill) on the tough city streets. Upon learning that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Charlie Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Harry Myers, Hank Mann

Directed By: Charlie Chaplin

Critics Consensus: Cruel, dark, but undeniably effective, Diabolique is a suspense thriller as effective as Hitchcock's best work and with a brilliant twist ending.

Synopsis: In this classic of French suspense, the cruel and abusive headmaster of a boarding school, Michel Delassalle, becomes the target of a murder plot hatched... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Simone Signoret, Véra Clouzot, Paul Meurisse, Charles Vanel

Directed By: Henri-Georges Clouzot

Critics Consensus: Beyond ravishing, Wings of Desire is Wim Wenders' is aching and heartbreaking exploration of how love makes us human.

Synopsis: Two angels, Damiel (Bruno Ganz) and Cassiel (Otto Sander), glide through the streets of Berlin, observing the bustling population, providing invisible rays of hope to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin, Otto Sander, Curt Bois

Directed By: Wim Wenders

Critics Consensus: Breathless rewrote the rules of cinema -- and more than 50 years after its arrival, Jean-Luc Godard's paradigm-shifting classic remains every bit as vital.

Synopsis: Petty thug Michel (Jean-Paul Belmondo) considers himself a suave bad guy in the manner of Humphrey Bogart, but panics and impulsively kills a policeman while... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg, Daniel Boulanger, Jean-Pierre Melville

Directed By: Jean-Luc Godard

Critics Consensus: A terrific popcorn thriller, Speed is taut, tense, and energetic, with outstanding performances from Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, and Sandra Bullock.

Synopsis: Los Angeles police officer Jack (Keanu Reeves) angers retired bomb squad member Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper) by foiling his attempt at taking hostages. In revenge,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock, Joe Morton

Directed By: Jan de Bont

Critics Consensus: Smart, original, and above all terrifying, It Follows is the rare modern horror film that works on multiple levels -- and leaves a lingering sting.

Synopsis: After carefree teenager Jay (Maika Monroe) sleeps with her new boyfriend, Hugh (Jake Weary), for the first time, she learns that she is the latest... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary

Directed By: David Robert Mitchell

Critics Consensus: A quiet yet deeply moving kind of Western, Paris, Texas captures a place and people like never before (or after).

Synopsis: A disheveled man who wanders out of the desert, Travis Henderson (Harry Dean Stanton) seems to have no idea who he is. When a stranger... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell, Aurore Clément

Directed By: Wim Wenders

Critics Consensus: All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is a bone-deep look at a photographer's fight against addiction and the institution responsible for her pain through her gritty lens.

Synopsis: Directed by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Laura Poitras, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is an epic, emotional and interconnected story about internationally renowned artist and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nan Goldin, David Velasco, Megan Kapler, Patrick Radden Keefe

Directed By: Laura Poitras

Critics Consensus: Lust and violence collide to powerfully pulpy effect in Love Lies Bleeding, a well-acted addition to writer-director Rose Glass' growing body of exceptional work.

Synopsis: From Director Rose Glass comes an electric new love story; reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, Ed Harris, Dave Franco

Directed By: Rose Glass

Critics Consensus: Passionate and powerfully acted, Fruitvale Station serves as a celebration of life, a condemnation of death, and a triumph for star Michael B. Jordan.

Synopsis: Though he once spent time in San Quentin, 22-year-old black man Oscar Grant (Michael B. Jordan) is now trying hard to live a clean life... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Melonie Diaz, Ahna O'Reilly

Directed By: Ryan Coogler

Critics Consensus: Exhilarating both stylistically and for its entertaining, moving portrayal of an everyman, American Splendor is a portrait of a true underground original.

Synopsis: Underground comic book writer Harvey Pekar, portrayed by Paul Giamatti but also appearing as himself, is the subject of this inventive biopic. Much of the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Paul Giamatti, Harvey Pekar, Shari Springer Berman, Earl Billings

Directed By: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini

Critics Consensus: Visually lush, refreshingly free of family-friendly clatter, and anchored with soulful depth, The Secret World of Arrietty lives up to Studio Ghibli's reputation.

Synopsis: Arrietty, a tiny teenager, lives with her parents in the recesses of a suburban home, unbeknown to the homeowner and housekeeper. Like others of her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bridgit Mendler, Amy Poehler, David Henrie, Will Arnett

Directed By: Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Gary Rydstrom

Critics Consensus: Brutally violent and shockingly funny in equal measure, Blood Simple offers early evidence of the Coen brothers' twisted sensibilities and filmmaking ingenuity.

Synopsis: "Blood Simple" was the first feature film from Joel and Ethan Coen. This is the newly restored and re-edited director's cut of the film, introduced... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Getz, Frances McDormand, M. Emmet Walsh, Dan Hedaya

Directed By: Joel Coen

Critics Consensus: Wild Strawberries were never so bittersweet as Ingmar Bergman's beautifully written and filmed look at one man's nostalgic journey into the past.

Synopsis: Crotchety retired doctor Isak Borg (Victor Sjöström) travels from Stockholm to Lund, Sweden, with his pregnant and unhappy daughter-in-law, Marianne (Ingrid Thulin), in order to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Victor Sjöström, Ingrid Thulin, Bibi Andersson, Gunnar Björnstrand

Directed By: Ingmar Bergman

Critics Consensus: With its epic story and breathtaking visuals, Princess Mononoke is a landmark in the world of animation.

Synopsis: A prince becomes involved in the struggle between a forest princess and the encroachment of mechanization.

Starring: Claire Danes, Billy Bob Thornton, Gillian Anderson, Billy Crudup

Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki

Critics Consensus: The epic of all epics, Lawrence of Arabia cements director David Lean's status in the filmmaking pantheon with nearly four hours of grand scope, brilliant performances, and beautiful cinematography.

Synopsis: Due to his knowledge of the native Bedouin tribes, British Lieutenant T.E. Lawrence (Peter O'Toole) is sent to Arabia to find Prince Faisal (Alec Guinness)... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif

Directed By: David Lean

Critics Consensus: A good-hearted film about a difficult topic, 50/50 maneuvers between jokes and drama with surprising finesse.

Synopsis: Adam Lerner has always tried to take good care of his health, so it comes as a cruel surprise when he learns that he has... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard

Directed By: Jonathan Levine

Critics Consensus: Thrilling, earnest, and buoyed by Gal Gadot's charismatic performance, Wonder Woman succeeds in spectacular fashion.

Synopsis: Before she is Wonder Woman, she is Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, Diana... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright

Directed By: Patty Jenkins

Critics Consensus: Visually thrilling and narratively epic, Dune: Part Two continues Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of the beloved sci-fi series in spectacular form.

Synopsis: "Dune: Part Two" will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem

Directed By: Denis Villeneuve

Critics Consensus: Full of eye-popping special effects, and featuring a pitch-perfect cast, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring brings J.R.R. Tolkien's classic to vivid life.

Synopsis: The future of civilization rests in the fate of the One Ring, which has been lost for centuries. Powerful forces are unrelenting in their search... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen

Directed By: Peter Jackson

Critics Consensus: A legal thriller with a heavy conscience, Juror #2 is less a summation of Clint Eastwood's storied directorial career than another terrific reminder of his knack for plain-spoken drama.

Synopsis: "Juror #2" follows family man Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) who, while serving as a juror in a high profile murder trial, finds himself struggling with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J.K. Simmons, Chris Messina

Directed By: Clint Eastwood

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: When Marnie Was There is still blessed with enough visual and narrative beauty to recommend, even if it isn't quite as magical as Studio Ghibli's greatest works.

Synopsis: A tomboy (Hailee Steinfeld) explores a long-abandoned villa and meets a mysterious blonde girl only she can see.

Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, Kathy Bates, Mila Brener, Ellen Burstyn

Directed By: Hiromasa Yonebayashi

Critics Consensus: Sarita Choudhury and Denzel Washington's romantic chemistry lights up the screen in Mississippi Masala, Mira Nair's observant and sexy tale of cultures clashing.

Synopsis: The vibrant cultures of India, Uganda, and the American South are blended and simmered into a rich and fragrant fusion feast in Mira Nair's luminous... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Denzel Washington, Sarita Choudhury, Roshan Seth, Sharmila Tagore

Directed By: Mira Nair

Critics Consensus: Smart, thrilling, and surprisingly funny, The Martian offers a faithful adaptation of the bestselling book that brings out the best in leading man Matt Damon and director Ridley Scott.

Synopsis: When astronauts blast off from the planet Mars, they leave behind Mark Watney, presumed dead after a fierce storm. With only a meager amount of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels

Directed By: Ridley Scott

Critics Consensus: If audiences walk away from this subversive, surreal shocker not fully understanding the story, they might also walk away with a deeper perception of the potential of film storytelling.

Synopsis: College student Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) returns home after his father has a stroke. When he discovers a severed ear in an abandoned field, Beaumont... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern

Directed By: David Lynch

Critics Consensus: While not Miyazaki's best film, Ponyo is a visually stunning fairy tale that's a sweetly poetic treat for children of all ages.

Synopsis: During a forbidden excursion to see the surface world, a goldfish princess encounters a human boy named Sosuke, who gives her the name Ponyo. Ponyo... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Noah Cyrus, Liam Neeson, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon

Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki

Critics Consensus: Visually mesmerizing, Picnic at Hanging Rock is moody, unsettling, and enigmatic -- a masterpiece of Australian cinema and a major early triumph for director Peter Weir.

Synopsis: In the early 1900s, Miranda (Anne Lambert) attends a girls boarding school in Australia. One Valentine's Day, the school's typically strict headmistress (Rachel Roberts) treats... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rachel Roberts, Dominic Guard, Helen Morse, Jacki Weaver

Directed By: Peter Weir

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: Retroactively enriching Fury Road with greater emotional heft if not quite matching it in propulsive throttle, Furiosa is another glorious swerve in mastermind George Miller's breathless race towards cinematic Valhalla.

Synopsis: Snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers, young Furiosa falls into the hands of a great biker horde led by the warlord Dementus. Sweeping... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne

Directed By: George Miller

Critics Consensus: Led by strong work from Margot Robbie and Alison Janney, I, Tonya finds the humor in its real-life story without losing sight of its more tragic -- and emotionally resonant -- elements.

Synopsis: In 1991, talented figure skater Tonya Harding becomes the first American woman to complete a triple axel during a competition. In 1994, her world comes... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney, Julianne Nicholson

Directed By: Craig Gillespie

Critics Consensus: Under the assured direction of Alfonso Cuaron, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban triumphantly strikes a delicate balance between technical wizardry and complex storytelling.

Synopsis: Harry Potter's (Daniel Radcliffe) third year at Hogwarts starts off badly when he learns deranged killer Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped from Azkaban prison... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Gary Oldman

Directed By: Alfonso Cuarón

Critics Consensus: Gone with the Wind's epic grandeur and romantic allure encapsulate an era of Hollywood filmmaking -- but that can't excuse a blinkered perspective that stands on the wrong side of history.

Synopsis: Winner of eight Academy Awards® (plus two special achievement Oscars) Celebrate the 85th Anniversary of one of the most celebrated motion pictures of all time,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland

Directed By: Victor Fleming

Critics Consensus: With appealing leads, deft direction, and an affecting love story, A Star Is Born is a remake done right -- and a reminder that some stories can be just as effective in the retelling.

Synopsis: Seasoned musician Jackson Maine discovers -- and falls in love with -- struggling artist Ally. She has just about given up on her dream to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Sam Elliott, Andrew Dice Clay

Directed By: Bradley Cooper

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: Anchored by a powerful performance from Denzel Washington, Spike Lee's biopic of legendary civil rights leader Malcolm X brings his autobiography to life with an epic sweep and a nuanced message.

Synopsis: A tribute to the controversial black activist and leader of the struggle for black liberation. He hit bottom during his imprisonment in the '50s, he... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Albert Hall, Al Freeman Jr.

Directed By: Spike Lee

Critics Consensus: A buoyant, clever update of the conman flick Bedtime Story, with plenty of comedic jousting resulting from a winning chemistry between Michael Caine and Steve Martin.

Synopsis: Con artist Lawrence Jamieson (Michael Caine) is a longtime resident of a luxurious coastal resort, where he enjoys the fruits of his deceptions -- that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Steve Martin, Michael Caine, Glenne Headly, Anton Rodgers

Directed By: Frank Oz

Critics Consensus: Sweet, smart, and quirky, Waitress hits the right, bittersweet notes through this romantic comedy through its witty script and a superb performance by Keri Russell.

Synopsis: Jenna (Keri Russell) works in a diner in a small Southern town and is a genius at creating luscious desserts, but her marriage to an... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Shelly

Directed By: Adrienne Shelly

Critics Consensus: Barbie is a visually dazzling comedy whose meta humor is smartly complemented by subversive storytelling.

Synopsis: To live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you're a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon

Directed By: Greta Gerwig

Critics Consensus: The main characters are maturing, and the filmmakers are likewise improving on their craft; vibrant special effects and assured performances add up to what is the most complex yet of the Harry Potter films.

Synopsis: During Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts a competition will be held between three schools of wizardry, and contestants will be magically chosen for the very... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane

Directed By: Mike Newell

Critics Consensus: Jackie offers an alluring peek into a beloved American public figure's private world -- and an enthralling starring performance from Natalie Portman in the bargain.

Synopsis: After her husband's assassination, Jackie Kennedy's (Natalie Portman) world is completely shattered. Traumatized and reeling with grief, over the course of the next week she... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup

Directed By: Pablo Larraín

Critics Consensus: Expertly shot and edited, The Usual Suspects gives the audience a simple plot and then piles on layers of deceit, twists, and violence before pulling out the rug from underneath.

Synopsis: "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist," says con man Kint, drawing a comparison to the most enigmatic... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri, Kevin Pollak

Directed By: Bryan Singer

Critics Consensus: As fast, loud, and relentless as the train at the center of the story, Unstoppable is perfect popcorn entertainment -- and director Tony Scott's best movie in years.

Synopsis: When a massive, unmanned locomotive roars out of control, the threat is more ominous than just a derailment. The train is laden with toxic chemicals,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Denzel Washington, Chris Pine, Rosario Dawson, Kevin Dunn

Directed By: Tony Scott

Critics Consensus: It's as conventional as its Midwestern setting, but Cedar Rapids boasts a terrific cast and a script that deftly blends R-rated raunch and endearing sweetness.

Synopsis: Insurance agent Tim Lippe is sublimely naive. He has never stayed in a hotel, has never flown in a plane and has never even left... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Isiah Whitlock Jr.

Directed By: Miguel Arteta

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: Confident directing and acting deliver an insightful look at young athletes.

Synopsis: Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) are two childhood friends who both aspire to be professional basketball players. Quincy, whose father, Zeke (Dennis Haysbert),... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, Alfre Woodard, Dennis Haysbert

Directed By: Gina Prince-Bythewood

Critics Consensus: As comfortingly workmanlike as its protagonist, Sully makes solid use of typically superlative work from its star and director to deliver a quietly stirring tribute to an everyday hero.

Synopsis: On Jan. 15, 2009, Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger (Tom Hanks) tries to make an emergency landing in New York's Hudson River after US Airways Flight... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Valerie Mahaffey, Delphi Harrington

Directed By: Clint Eastwood

Critics Consensus: Bracingly intense, passionate, and wildly melodramatic, Black Swan glides on Darren Aronofsky's bold direction -- and a bravura performance from Natalie Portman.

Synopsis: Nina (Natalie Portman) is a ballerina whose passion for the dance rules every facet of her life. When the company's artistic director decides to replace... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey

Directed By: Darren Aronofsky

Critics Consensus: Unfolding at a gentle pace with an even more subdued sense of drama, Janet Planet revolves around Julianne Nicholson and Zoe Ziegler's outstanding performances.

Synopsis: In rural Western Massachusetts, 11-year-old Lacy spends the summer of 1991 at home, enthralled by her own imagination and the attention of her mother, Janet.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Julianne Nicholson, Zoe Ziegler, Elias Koteas, Will Patton

Directed By: Annie Baker

Critics Consensus: Results moves stubbornly at its own deliberate pace, but the well-chosen cast -- and writer-director Andrew Bujalski's insightful observations -- offer rich rewards for patient viewers.

Synopsis: Personal trainers (Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders) are charged with whipping a newly wealthy and highly unmotivated slob (Kevin Corrigan) into shape.

Starring: Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan, Giovanni Ribisi

Directed By: Andrew Bujalski

Critics Consensus: With a distinctive visual aesthetic that enhances its emotionally resonant narrative, I Saw the TV Glow further establishes writer-director Jane Schoenbrun as a rising talent.

Synopsis: Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show —... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman, Lindsey Jordan

Directed By: Jane Schoenbrun

Critics Consensus: Dune occasionally struggles with its unwieldy source material, but those issues are largely overshadowed by the scope and ambition of this visually thrilling adaptation.

Synopsis: Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to a dangerous planet in the universe... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin

Directed By: Denis Villeneuve

Critics Consensus: Stylish and admirably respectful of the source material, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm succeeds where many of the live-action Batman adaptations have failed.

Synopsis: In this animated feature set in the 1940s, the troubled yet heroic Batman (Kevin Conroy) is pitted against a mysterious figure who is rubbing out... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kevin Conroy, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Bob Hastings, Mark Hamill

Directed By: Eric Radomski, Bruce Timm

Critics Consensus: Dark, thrilling, and occasionally quite funny, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is also visually stunning and emotionally satisfying.

Synopsis: As Death Eaters wreak havoc in both Muggle and Wizard worlds, Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for students. Though Harry suspects there are... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter

Directed By: David Yates

Critics Consensus: Closer to the source material than 1971's Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is for people who like their Chocolate visually appealing and dark.

Synopsis: Based on the beloved Roald Dahl tale, this comedic and fantastical film follows young Charlie Bucket (Freddie Highmore) and his Grandpa Joe (David Kelly) as... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter

Directed By: Tim Burton

Critics Consensus: Though perhaps more enchanting for younger audiences, Chamber of Secrets is nevertheless both darker and livelier than its predecessor, expanding and improving upon the first film's universe.

Synopsis: The follow-up to "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" finds young wizard Harry Potter and his friends, Ron and Hermione, facing new challenges during their... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Kenneth Branagh

Directed By: Chris Columbus

Critics Consensus: Brilliantly bizarre and overflowing with ideas, Beetlejuice offers some of Michael Keaton's most deliciously manic work - and creepy, funny fun for the whole family.

Synopsis: After Barbara and Adam Maitland die in a car accident, they find themselves stuck haunting their country residence, unable to leave the house. When the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jones

Directed By: Tim Burton

Critics Consensus: Led by Rupert Wyatt's stylish direction, some impressive special effects, and a mesmerizing performance by Andy Serkis, Rise of the Planet of the Apes breathes unlikely new life into a long-running franchise.

Synopsis: Will Rodman, a scientist in San Francisco, is experimenting with a drug that he hopes will cure his father's Alzheimer's disease. After his work is... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Brian Cox

Directed By: Rupert Wyatt

Critics Consensus: Building on the legacy of the previous film adaptation while incorporating elements of the stage musical, The Color Purple is a crowd-pleasing testament to resilience in the face of trauma.

Synopsis: A story of love and resilience based on the novel and the Broadway musical, THE COLOR PURPLE is a decades-spanning tale of one woman's journey... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins

Directed By: Blitz Bazawule

Critics Consensus: 42 is an earnest, inspirational, and respectfully told biography of an influential American sports icon, though it might be a little too safe and old-fashioned for some.

Synopsis: In 1946, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford), legendary manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, defies major league baseball's notorious color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman)... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Nicole Beharie, Christopher Meloni

Directed By: Brian Helgeland

Critics Consensus: Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh's palpable chemistry will snatch audiences' hearts before breaking them in We Live in Time, a powerful melodrama that uses its nonlinear structure to thoughtfully explore grief.

Synopsis: Almut (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield) are brought together in a surprise encounter that changes their lives. Through snapshots of their life together --... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh, Adam James, Aoife Hinds

Directed By: John Crowley

Critics Consensus: Fueled by bombastic violence and impressive special effects, rooted in self-satire and deadpan humor, Dredd 3D does a remarkable job of capturing its source material's gritty spirit.

Synopsis: Mega City One is a vast, violent metropolis where felons rule the streets. The only law lies with cops called "judges," who act as judge,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, Wood Harris

Directed By: Pete Travis

Critics Consensus: Well cast and crisply directed, The Bank Job is a thoroughly entertaining British heist thriller.

Synopsis: Self-reformed petty criminal Terry Leather (Jason Statham) has become a financially struggling car dealer and settled into a pedestrian London life with his wife and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows, Richard Lintern, Stephen Campbell Moore

Directed By: Roger Donaldson