RT Recommends: Our Favorite Movies This Week

If you were to ask any member of our staff for a recommendation on what to watch, chances are we’d have a slew of titles to share. We’re exposed to a lot of movies here at Rotten Tomatoes, and we’re not mad about it. That’s why we’ve put together a new weekly guide of films, staff picks in alphabetical order, that we recommend you check out every week. We all have that treasured movie we might have never seen had a friend not peer-pressured us to watch it.

But in all seriousness, if you’re fresh out of ideas on what to watch this week and need a little help, the following list of staff favorites ranges from some of the buzziest titles of 2025 to beloved classics and more. Read on to find out what the folks in the office are recommending and check back every week for a new slate of films, most of which are available on Fandango at Home.

Cinderella Man (2005)

80%

Critics Consensus: With grittiness and an evocative sense of time and place, Cinderella Man is a powerful underdog story. And Ron Howard and Russell Crowe prove to be a solid combination.

Synopsis: During the Great Depression, ex-boxer James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe) works as a day laborer until his former manager Joe Gould (Paul Giamatti) offers him... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Russell Crowe, Renée Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, Craig Bierko

Directed By: Ron Howard

The Haunting (1963)

87%

Critics Consensus: Both psychological and supernatural, The Haunting is a chilling character study.

Synopsis: Dr. John Markway, an anthropologist with an interest in psychic phenomena, takes two specially selected women to Hill House, a reportedly haunted mansion. Eleanor (Julie... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn

Directed By: Robert Wise

Little Women (1994)

92%

Critics Consensus: Thanks to a powerhouse lineup of talented actresses, Gillian Armstrong's take on Louisa May Alcott's Little Women proves that a timeless story can succeed no matter how many times it's told.

Synopsis: In this 1994 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic, the March sisters confront growing pains, financial shortages, family tragedies and romantic rivalries in mid-19th-century Massachusetts.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Winona Ryder, Gabriel Byrne, Trini Alvarado, Samantha Mathis

Directed By: Gillian Armstrong

Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)

94%

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

Midsommar (2019)

83%

Critics Consensus: Ambitious, impressively crafted, and above all unsettling, Midsommar further proves writer-director Ari Aster is a horror auteur to be reckoned with.

Synopsis: A young American couple, their relationship foundering, travel to a Swedish midsummer festival where a seemingly pastoral paradise transforms into a sinister, dread-soaked nightmare as... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Will Poulter

Directed By: Ari Aster

Much Ado About Nothing (2012)

87%

Critics Consensus: Lighthearted to a fault, Much Ado About Nothing's giddy energy and intimate charm make for an entertaining romantic comedy -- and a Shakespearean adaptation that's hard to resist.

Synopsis: After a successful campaign against his rebellious brother, Don John (Sean Maher), Don Pedro (Reed Diamond) visits the governor of Messina. With him are Benedick... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion, Fran Kranz

Directed By: Joss Whedon

Pacific Heights (1990)

52%

Critics Consensus: Michael Keaton certainly proves himself as an effective villain, but Pacific Heights sticks too closely to well-worn thriller conventions.

Synopsis: Unmarried yuppies Patty (Melanie Griffith) and Drake (Matthew Modine) move into an expensive dream home in a high-end neighborhood in San Francisco. As they renovate... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Melanie Griffith, Matthew Modine, Michael Keaton, Mako

Directed By: John Schlesinger

Raising Arizona (1987)

91%

Critics Consensus: A terrifically original, eccentric screwball comedy, Raising Arizona may not be the Coens' most disciplined movie, but it's one of their most purely entertaining.

Synopsis: An ex-con and an ex-cop meet, marry and long for a child of their own. When it is discovered that Hi is unable to have... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, Trey Wilson, John Goodman

Directed By: Joel Coen

Sentimental Value (2025)

96%

Critics Consensus: Deftly exploring the uneasy tension between artistic expression and personal connection, Sentimental Value is a bracingly mature work from writer-director Joachim Trier that's marvelously acted across the board.

Synopsis: Sisters Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged father, the charismatic Gustav, a once-renowned director who offers stage actress Nora a role in what he... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Elle Fanning, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas

Directed By: Joachim Trier

#10

Shrek 2 (2004)

89%

Critics Consensus: It may not be as fresh as the original, but topical humor and colorful secondary characters make Shrek 2 a winner in its own right.

Synopsis: After returning from their honeymoon and showing home movies to their friends, Shrek and Fiona learn that her parents have heard that she has married... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Julie Andrews

Directed By: Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, Conrad Vernon

#11

This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

98%

Critics Consensus: Smartly directed, brilliantly acted, and packed with endlessly quotable moments, This Is Spinal Tap is an all-time comedy classic.

Synopsis: "This Is Spinal Tap" shines a light on the self-contained universe of a metal band struggling to get back on the charts, including everything from... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rob Reiner, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer

Directed By: Rob Reiner

#12

There's Something About Mary (1998)

84%

Critics Consensus: There's Something About Mary proves that unrelentingly, unabashedly puerile humor doesn't necessarily come at the expense of a film's heart.

Synopsis: Ted's dream prom date with Mary never happens due to an embarrassing injury at her home. Years later, Ted hires Pat Healy to track down... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller, Lee Evans

Directed By: Robert Farrelly, Peter Farrelly

#13

Uncut Gems (2019)

91%

Critics Consensus: Uncut Gems reaffirms the Safdies as masters of anxiety-inducing cinema -- and proves Adam Sandler remains a formidable dramatic actor when given the right material.

Synopsis: A charismatic jeweler makes a high-stakes bet that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. In a precarious high-wire act, he must balance business,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Adam Sandler, LaKeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett

Directed By: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie

#14

Weapons (2025)

93%

Critics Consensus: Zach Cregger spins an expertly crafted yarn of terrifying mystery and thrilling intrigue in Weapons, a sophomore triumph that solidifies his status as a master of horror.

Synopsis: When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams

Directed By: Zach Cregger

#15