Critics Consensus: Featuring an atmospherically grimy futuristic metropolis, Escape from New York is a strange, entertaining jumble of thrilling action and oddball weirdness.

Synopsis: In 1997, a major war between the United States and the Soviet Union is concluding, and the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kurt Russell, Ernest Borgnine, Adrienne Barbeau, Lee Van Cleef

Directed By: John Carpenter

Critics Consensus: Sergio Leone's epic crime drama is visually stunning, stylistically bold, and emotionally haunting, and filled with great performances from the likes of Robert De Niro and James Woods.

Synopsis: In 1968, the elderly David "Noodles" Aaronson (Robert De Niro) returns to New York, where he had a career in the criminal underground in the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert De Niro, James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern, Treat Williams

Directed By: Sergio Leone

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: After a former model is drowned in her bathtub, Detective James Halloran (Don Taylor) and Lieutenant Dan Muldoon (Barry Fitzgerald) attempt to piece together her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Barry Fitzgerald, Howard Duff, Dorothy Hart, Don Taylor

Directed By: Jules Dassin

Critics Consensus: As violent as it is stylish, The Warriors is a thrilling piece of pulp filmmaking.

Synopsis: A turf battle between New York City street gangs that rages from Coney Island to the Bronx. The Warriors are mistakenly fingered for the killing... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Beck, James Remar, Dorsey Wright, Brian Tyler

Directed By: Walter Hill

Critics Consensus: Poignant and piercingly honest, While We're Young finds writer-director Noah Baumbach delivering some of his funniest lines through some of his most relatable characters.

Synopsis: Middle-aged filmmaker Josh Srebnick (Ben Stiller) and his wife, Cornelia (Naomi Watts), are happily married, but stuck in a rut. So, when free-spirited couple Jamie... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts, Adam Driver, Amanda Seyfried

Directed By: Noah Baumbach

Critics Consensus: This post-Watergate thriller captures the paranoid tenor of the times, thanks to Syndey Pollack's taut direction and excellent performances from Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway.

Synopsis: On a seemingly ordinary day, Joe Turner (Robert Redford), a quiet CIA codebreaker, walks into his workplace and finds that all of his coworkers have... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, Max von Sydow

Directed By: Sydney Pollack

Critics Consensus: This is the man that would risk his neck for his brother, man. Can you dig it?

Synopsis: John Shaft (Richard Roundtree) is the ultimate in suave black detectives. He first finds himself up against Bumpy (Moses Gunn), the leader of the black... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Richard Roundtree, Moses Gunn, Christopher St. John, Charles Cioffi

Directed By: Gordon Parks

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

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

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

Directed By: J.C. Chandor

Critics Consensus: The divorce subject isn't as shocking, but the film is still a thoughtful, well-acted drama that resists the urge to take sides or give easy answers.

Synopsis: On the same day Manhattan advertising executive Ted Kramer (Dustin Hoffman) lands the biggest account of his career, he learns that his wife, Joanna (Meryl... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Justin Henry, Jane Alexander

Directed By: Robert Benton

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: As his 30th birthday nears, the aristocratic Elger Winthrop Enders (Beau Bridges) finally decides to leave his parents' home, and he purchases an apartment complex... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Beau Bridges, Pearl Bailey, Diana Sands, Louis Gossett Jr.

Directed By: Hal Ashby

Critics Consensus: Bursting with frantic energy and tinged with black humor, After Hours is a masterful -- and often overlooked -- detour in Martin Scorsese's filmography.

Synopsis: In a Manhattan café, word processor Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne) meets and talks literature with Marcy (Rosanna Arquette). Later that night, Paul takes a cab... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette, Teri Garr, Verna Bloom

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Old friends Wallace (Wallace Shawn) and Andre (Andre Gregory) haven't seen each another in five years and agree to meet for dinner. Andre, a once... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Wallace Shawn, Andre Gregory, Jean Lenauer

Directed By: Louis Malle

Critics Consensus: Featuring state-of-the-art special effects, terrific performances, and a majestic sense of spectacle, Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong is a potent epic that's faithful to the spirit of the 1933 original.

Synopsis: Peter Jackson's expansive remake of the 1933 classic follows director Carl Denham (Jack Black) and his crew on a journey from New York City to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann

Directed By: Peter Jackson

Critics Consensus: With She's Gotta Have It, Spike Lee delivered his bracing first shot across Hollywood's bow -- and set the template for the groundbreaking act to follow.

Synopsis: Beautiful Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) can't decide what kind of man she wants to date, so she decides to date three at the same... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tracy Camilla Johns, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell, Spike Lee

Directed By: Spike Lee

Critics Consensus: An engrossing, immediate depiction of early '70s New York, Serpico is elevated by Al Pacino's ferocious performance.

Synopsis: Frank Serpico is an idealistic New York City cop who refuses to take bribes, unlike the rest of the force. His actions get Frank shunned... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Al Pacino, John Randolph, Jack Kehoe, Biff McGuire

Directed By: Sidney Lumet

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

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

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

Directed By: Claire Scanlon

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

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

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

Directed By: Ron Howard

Critics Consensus: Jill Clayburgh is wondrous as a woman who loses her marriage -- only to find herself -- in this acutely observed and lived-in portrait of New York City life.

Synopsis: An attractive and well-to-do New Yorker, Erica Benton (Jill Clayburgh), finds her comfortable existence upended when her husband, Martin (Michael Murphy), ends their marriage and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jill Clayburgh, Alan Bates, Michael Murphy, Cliff Gorman

Directed By: Paul Mazursky

Critics Consensus: Remixing Roger Corman's B-movie by way of the Off-Broadway musical, Little Shop of Horrors offers camp, horror and catchy tunes in equal measure -- plus some inspired cameos by the likes of Steve Martin and Bill Murray.

Synopsis: Meek flower shop assistant Seymour (Rick Moranis) pines for co-worker Audrey (Ellen Greene). During a total eclipse, he discovers an unusual plant he names Audrey... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Steve Martin, Vincent Gardenia

Directed By: Frank Oz

Critics Consensus: Tootsie doesn't squander its high-concept comedy premise with fine dialogue and sympathetic treatment of the characters.

Synopsis: New York actor Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) is a talented perfectionist who is so hard on himself and others that his agent (Sydney Pollack) can... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman

Directed By: Sydney Pollack

Critics Consensus: Largely misunderstood upon its release, The King of Comedy today looks eerily prescient, and features a fine performance by Robert DeNiro as a strangely sympathetic psychopath.

Synopsis: Rupert Pupkin (Robert De Niro) is a failure in life but a celebrity in his own mind, hosting an imaginary talk show in his mother's... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Sandra Bernhard, Diahnne Abbott

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

Critics Consensus: It contains some ugly anachronisms, but Blake Edwards is at his funniest in this iconic classic, and Audrey Hepburn absolutely lights up the screen.

Synopsis: Based on Truman Capote's novel, this is the story of a young woman in New York City who meets a young man when he moves... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen

Directed By: Blake Edwards

Critics Consensus: Stylish, thrilling, and giddily kinetic, John Wick serves as a satisfying return to action for Keanu Reeves -- and what looks like it could be the first of a franchise.

Synopsis: Legendary assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) retired from his violent career after marrying the love of his life. Her sudden death leaves John in deep... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Willem Dafoe

Directed By: Chad Stahelski

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Priest (Ron O'Neal), a suave top-rung New York City drug dealer, decides that he wants to get out of his dangerous trade. Working with his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ron O'Neal, Carl Lee, Sheila Frazier, Julius Harris

Directed By: Gordon Parks Jr.

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Larry Lipton (Woody Allen) and his wife, Carol (Diane Keaton), are adjusting to life with their son away at college when they meet their older... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Alan Alda, Anjelica Huston

Directed By: Woody Allen

Critics Consensus: Penetrating Rivers' coarse image, this compelling documentary offers an honest, behind-the-scenes look at her career -- and at show business in general.

Synopsis: This revealing documentary follows the life and career of Joan Rivers, a veteran comedienne arguably more known for her extensive plastic surgery than for her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joan Rivers, Jocelyn Pickett, Bill Sammeth, Larry A. Thompson

Directed By: Ricki Stern, Annie Sundberg

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: Trainwreck drags commitment out of all but the most rom-com-phobic filmgoers with sharp humor, relatable characters, and hilarious work from Amy Schumer.

Synopsis: Ever since her father drilled into her head that monogamy isn't realistic, magazine writer Amy has made promiscuity her credo. As much as she enjoys... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn

Directed By: Judd Apatow

Critics Consensus: Metropolitan gently skewers the young socialite class with a smartly written dramedy whose unique, specific setting yields rich universal truths.

Synopsis: A radical student is adopted by a group of young New Yorkers, serves as a catalyst to alter his and their lives. Gathering in a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Carolyn Farina, Edward Clements, Chris Eigeman, Taylor Nichols

Directed By: Whit Stillman

Critics Consensus: Brittany Runs a Marathon is an earnest and hilarious dramedy that finally gives Jillian Bell a role worthy of her gifts.

Synopsis: A hard-partying woman receives a startling wake-up call when a visit to the doctor reveals how unhealthy she is. Motivated to lose weight, she soon... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jillian Bell, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Michaela Watkins, Lil Rel Howery

Directed By: Paul Downs Colaizzo

Critics Consensus: A simple story well told, The Little Fugitive presents a kid's-eye view of the city that feels refreshingly authentic.

Synopsis: Joey (Richie Andrusco), a bratty 7-year-old kid from a tough Brooklyn, N.Y., neighborhood, is handed off to his older brother Lennie (Rickie Brewster) for the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Richie Andrusco, Rickie Brewster, Winifred Cushing, Will Lee

Directed By: Ray Ashley, Morris Engel, Ruth Orkin

Critics Consensus: Marc Singer's documentary about a group of homeless people living beneath the streets of New York City is haunting and uplifting in equal measure.

Synopsis: "Dark Days" is a feature length documentary about a community of homeless people living in a train tunnel beneath Manhattan. The film depicts a way... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Marc Singer

Directed By: Marc Singer

Critics Consensus: Smart, tender, and funny in equal measure, Hannah and Her Sisters is one of Woody Allen's finest films.

Synopsis: Three successive family Thanksgiving dinners mark time for Hannah (Mia Farrow), her younger sisters Lee (Barbara Hershey) and Holly (Dianne Wiest) and the men in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Michael Caine, Carrie Fisher

Directed By: Woody Allen

Critics Consensus: The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson uses its belated investigation into an activist's murder as the framework for a sobering look at the ongoing battle for equal rights.

Synopsis: Filmmakers re-examine the 1992 death of transgender legend Marsha P. Johnson, who was found floating in the Hudson River. Originally ruled a suicide, many in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James Abreu, Victoria Cruz, Karla Jay, Agosto Machado

Directed By: David France

Critics Consensus: Overflowing with infectious enthusiasm, On the Town is an exhilarating musical ride across the real streets of New York featuring another graceful performance from Gene Kelly.

Synopsis: Fun-loving sailors Gabey (Gene Kelly), Chip (Frank Sinatra) and Ozzie (Jules Munshin) have 24 hours of shore leave in New York City, and they want... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Ann Miller, Vera-Ellen

Directed By: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly

Critics Consensus: Rob Reiner's touching, funny film set a new standard for romantic comedies, and he was ably abetted by the sharp interplay between Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.

Synopsis: In 1977, college graduates Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally Albright (Meg Ryan) share a contentious car ride from Chicago to New York, during which... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby

Directed By: Rob Reiner

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

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

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

Directed By: Noah Baumbach

Critics Consensus: Donald Sutherland is coolly commanding and Jane Fonda a force of nature in Klute, a cuttingly intelligent thriller that generates its most agonizing tension from its stars' repartee.

Synopsis: This acclaimed thriller stars Jane Fonda as Bree Daniel, a New York City call-girl who becomes enmeshed in an investigation into the disappearance of a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, Roy Scheider, Charles Cioffi

Directed By: Alan J. Pakula

Critics Consensus: Brooklyn Castle is a warm, engaging, and even uplifting documentary about chess-playing whiz kids.

Synopsis: Chess helps transforms a New York school into one of the city's best, but recession-driven budget cuts threaten to undermine the school's championship chess team.

Directed By: Katie Dellamaggiore

Critics Consensus: Barbara Streisand elevates this otherwise rote melodramatic musical with her ultra-memorable star turn as Fanny Brice.

Synopsis: In this bittersweet, classic musical drama, the vibrant and beautiful young Fanny Brice (Barbra Streisand) starts out as a bit player on the New York... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif, Walter Pidgeon, Kay Medford

Directed By: William Wyler

Critics Consensus: Thanks to a smart script, spectacular set pieces, and charismatic performances from its leads, Men in Black is an entirely satisfying summer blockbuster hit.

Synopsis: Working for a highly funded yet unofficial government agency, Kay and Jay are the Men in Black, providers of immigration services and regulators of all... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio

Directed By: Barry Sonnenfeld

Critics Consensus: Ang Lee's funny and ultimately poignant comedy of manners, The Wedding Banquet reveals the filmmaker's skill across genres.

Synopsis: Wai-Tung (Winston Chao) and his boyfriend (Mitchell Lichtenstein) live happily as a gay couple in New York City. Wai-Tung has not been open about his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Winston Chao, May Chin, Mitchell Lichtenstein, Sihung Lung

Directed By: Ang Lee

Critics Consensus: On the Rocks isn't as potent as its top-shelf ingredients might suggest, but the end result still goes down easy -- and offers high proof of Bill Murray's finely aged charm.

Synopsis: Faced with sudden doubts about her marriage, a young New York mother teams up with her larger-than-life playboy father to tail her husband.

Starring: Bill Murray, Rashida Jones, Marlon Wayans, Jessica Henwick

Directed By: Sofia Coppola

Critics Consensus: A hilarious satire of the business side of Hollywood, The Producers is one of Mel Brooks' finest, as well as funniest films, featuring standout performances by Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel.

Synopsis: Down-and-out producer Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel), who was once the toast of Broadway, trades sexual favors with old ladies for cash contributions. Max's new accountant... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder, Dick Shawn, Kenneth Mars

Directed By: Mel Brooks

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: John Schlesinger's gritty, unrelentingly bleak look at the seedy underbelly of urban American life is undeniably disturbing, but Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight's performances make it difficult to turn away.

Synopsis: Convinced of his irresistible appeal to women, Texas dishwasher Joe Buck (Jon Voight) quits his job and heads for New York City, thinking he'll latch... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight, Sylvia Miles, John McGiver

Directed By: John Schlesinger

Critics Consensus: King Vidor's dynamic direction brings expressionist style to the American Dream in The Crowd, a powerfully humanist picture about the struggle for self-actualization.

Synopsis: Young John Sims (James Murray) weathers the death of his father and travels to New York City in search of success. Instead, he becomes a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Eleanor Boardman, James Murray, Bert Roach, Estelle Clark

Directed By: King Vidor

Critics Consensus: Pulsing with authenticity and led by a stirring lead performance from Adepero Oduye, Pariah is a powerful coming out/coming-of-age film that signals the arrival of a fresh new talent in writer/director Dee Rees.

Synopsis: Teenage Alike (Adepero Oduye) lives in Brooklyn's Fort Greene neighborhood with her parents (Charles Parnell, Kim Wayans) and younger sister (Sahra Mellesse). A lesbian, Alike... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Adepero Oduye, Pernell Walker, Aasha Davis, Charles Parnell

Directed By: Dee Rees

Critics Consensus: Driven by populist fury and elevated by strong direction, powerful acting, and an intelligent script, Network's searing satire of ratings-driven news remains sadly relevant more than four decades later.

Synopsis: In this lauded satire, veteran news anchorman Howard Beale (Peter Finch) discovers that he's being put out to pasture, and he's none too happy about... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch, William Holden, Robert Duvall

Directed By: Sidney Lumet

Critics Consensus: A Bronx Tale sets itself apart from other coming-of-age dramas thanks to a solid script, a terrific cast, and director Robert De Niro's sensitive work behind the camera.

Synopsis: As he grows into a teenager on the streets of the Bronx in the socially turbulent 1960s, Calogero gets taken under the wing of neighborhood... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert De Niro, Chazz Palminteri, Lillo Brancato, Francis Capra

Directed By: Robert De Niro