150 Best Sony Pictures Classics Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer

Critics Consensus: Morally complex, suspenseful, and consistently involving, A Separation captures the messiness of a dissolving relationship with keen insight and searing intensity.

Synopsis: When Nader (Payman Maadi), a bank employee, refuses to leave Tehran, his wife, Simin (Leila Hatami) sues for divorce in the hope that she can... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Peyman Moaadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat, Shahab Hosseini

Directed By: Asghar Farhadi

Critics Consensus: Transgressive in the best possible way, Wadjda presents a startlingly assured new voice from a corner of the globe where cinema has been all but silenced.

Synopsis: A rebellious Saudi girl (Waad Mohammed) enters a Koran recitation competition at her school and hopes to win enough money to buy her own bicycle.

Starring: Reem Abdullah, Waad Mohammed, Abdullrahman Al Gohani, Ahd

Directed By: Haifaa Al-Mansour

Critics Consensus: Led by stellar performances and artfully helmed by writer-director Florian Zeller, The Father presents a devastatingly empathetic portrayal of dementia.

Synopsis: Anthony (Academy Award Winner, Anthony Hopkins) is 80, mischievous, living defiantly alone and rejecting the carers that his daughter, Anne (Academy Award and Golden Globe... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss, Imogen Poots

Directed By: Florian Zeller

Critics Consensus: Building on the first two installments in Richard Linklater's well-crafted Before trilogy, Before Midnight offers intelligent, powerfully acted perspectives on love, marriage, and long-term commitment.

Synopsis: On the last night of their idyllic Greek vacation, longtime lovers Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) reminisce about their lives together and what... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick, Jennifer Prior

Directed By: Richard Linklater

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: Disheartening but essential viewing, Charles Ferguson's documentary explores the 2008 Global Financial Crisis with exemplary rigor.

Synopsis: The global financial meltdown that took place in Fall 2008 caused millions of job and home losses and plunged the United States into a deep... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matt Damon, Gylfi Zoega, Andri Snær Magnason, Sigridur Benediktsdottir

Directed By: Charles Ferguson

Critics Consensus: The Band's Visit is both a clever, subtle slice-of-life comedy, and poignant cross-cultural exploration.

Synopsis: The eight Egyptian musicians who comprise the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra arrive by mistake in a small town in Israel's Negev Desert. Their booking set... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sasson Gabay, Ronit Elkabetz, Saleh Bakri, Khalifa Natour

Directed By: Eran Kolirin

Critics Consensus: Enthralling viewing even for audiences with little to no knowledge of or interest in sailing, Maiden pays powerful tribute to a true pioneer.

Synopsis: In 1989 Tracy Edwards leads the first all-female crew in the Whitbread Round the World Race, a grueling yachting competition that covers 33,000 miles and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tracy Edwards, Nancy Harris, John Chittenden, Bruno De Bois

Directed By: Alex Holmes

Critics Consensus: Almodovar weaves together a magnificent tapestry of femininity with an affectionate wink to classics of theater and cinema in this poignant story of love, loss and compassion.

Synopsis: New friends help a woman (Cecilia Roth) struggling to get her life in order after her son's (Eloy Azorín) death.

Starring: Cecilia Roth, Eloy Azorín, Marisa Paredes, Penélope Cruz

Directed By: Pedro Almodóvar

Critics Consensus: Kaurismäki delivers another droll comedy full of his trademark humor.

Synopsis: After a brutal beating in a Helsinki park, a middle-aged welder (Markku Peltola) falls into a coma. When he wakes up, he cannot recollect a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Markku Peltola, Kati Outinen, Juhani Niemelä, Kaija Pakarinen

Directed By: Aki Kaurismäki

Critics Consensus: A documentary that feels like a heist thriller, The Lost Leonardo paints an arresting portrait of some of the art world's most colorful characters.

Synopsis: THE LOST LEONARDO tells the inside story behind the Salvator Mundi, the most expensive painting ever sold at $450 million, claimed to be a long-lost... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jerry Saltz, Dianne Dwyer Modestini, Martin Kemp, Robert K. Wittman

Directed By: Andreas Koefoed

Critics Consensus: While fittingly echoing Yogi Berra's famously sunny disposition, It Ain't Over persuasively makes the case for his incredible achievements on and off the baseball diamond.

Synopsis: An intimate portrait of a misunderstood American icon, this emotional and uplifting documentary about Yogi Berra takes us beyond the caricatures and "Yogisms," and into... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Billy Crystal, Bob Costas, Willie Randolph, Derek Jeter

Directed By: Sean Mullin

Critics Consensus: Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America offers a stirring and persuasive reckoning with a subject that's as fundamental as it is highly charged.

Synopsis: Interweaving lecture, personal anecdotes, interviews, and shocking revelations, in WHO WE ARE: A Chronicle of Racism in America, criminal defense/civil rights lawyer Jeffery Robinson draws... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jeffery Robinson

Directed By: Emily Kunstler, Sarah Kunstler

Critics Consensus: A rare opportunity to look back at history being made, The Human Factor offers an engrossing behind-the-scenes look at efforts to end generations of bloodshed.

Synopsis: With unprecedented access to the foremost American negotiators, THE HUMAN FACTOR is the behind-the-scenes story from the last 25 years, of how the United States... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Dror Moreh

Critics Consensus: Carried along by Fernanda Torres' superb performance, I'm Still Here poignantly explores a nation's upheaval through one family's search for answers.

Synopsis: As Brazil faces the tightening grip of a military dictatorship, Eunice Paiva, a mother of five, must reinvent herself and her family when authorities abduct... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello, Valentina Herszage, Luiza Kosovski

Directed By: Walter Salles

Critics Consensus: The Rider's hard-hitting drama is only made more effective through writer-director Chloé Zhao's use of untrained actors to tell the movie's fact-based tale.

Synopsis: After a riding accident leaves him unable to compete on the rodeo circuit, a young cowboy searches for a new purpose.

Starring: Brady Jandreau, Tim Jandreau, Lilly Jandreau, Lane Scott

Directed By: Chloé Zhao

Critics Consensus: A wholly innovative, original, and vital history lesson, with pioneering animation, Waltz With Bashir delivers its message about the Middle East in a mesmerizing fashion.

Synopsis: Israeli filmmaker Ari Folman wrote, directed and stars in this autobiographical animated film. As a 19-year-old infantry soldier in the 1982 war with Lebanon, Folman... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ron Ben-Yishai, Ronny Dayag, Ari Folman, Dror Harazi

Directed By: Ari Folman

Critics Consensus: A sweet swan song for director Roger Michell, The Duke offers a well-acted and engaging dramatization of an entertainingly improbable true story.

Synopsis: In 1961, Kempton Bunton, a 60-year old taxi driver, stole Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. It was... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jim Broadbent, Helen Mirren, Fionn Whitehead, Aimée Kelly

Directed By: Roger Michell

Critics Consensus: Leviathan lives up to its title, offering trenchant, well-crafted social satire on a suitably grand scale.

Synopsis: A Russian fisherman (Alexey Serebryakov) fights back when a corrupt mayor tries to seize possession of his ancestral home.

Starring: Alexey Serebryakov, Elena Lyadova, Sergey Pokhodaev, Roman Madyanov

Directed By: Andrey Zvyagintsev

Critics Consensus: Sensitively attuned to its protagonist's quest, Return to Seoul uses one woman's story to explore universal truths about the human condition.

Synopsis: On an impulse to reconnect with her origins, Freddie, 25, returns to South Korea for the first time, where she was born before being adopted... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Oh Kwang-rok, Kim Sun-young, Yoann Zimmer, Louis-Do de Lencquesaing

Directed By: Davy Chou

Critics Consensus: The Truffle Hunters explores a world most viewers will know nothing about -- with delightfully savory results.

Synopsis: A handful of men search for rare, expensive and delicious white Alba truffles deep in the forests of Piedmont, Italy.

Starring: Enrico Crippa, Carlo Gondola, Piero Botto, Sergio Cauda

Directed By: Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw

Critics Consensus: Warm, affectionate, and sweet but not cloying, The Lunchbox is a clever crowd-pleaser from first-time director Ritesh Batra.

Synopsis: Lonely housewife Ila (Nimrat Kaur) decides to try adding some spice to her stale marriage by preparing a special lunch for her neglectful husband. Unfortunately,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Denzil Smith

Directed By: Ritesh Batra

Critics Consensus: Part thoughtful tribute, part bittersweet reminder of a missed opportunity, Jodorowsky's Dune offers a fascinating look at a lost sci-fi legend.

Synopsis: Filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky discusses how he would have adapted Frank Herbert's classic sci-fi novel "Dune" for the big screen.

Starring: Alejandro Jodorowsky, Amanda Lear, Brontis Jodorowsky, Chris Foss

Directed By: Frank Pavich

Critics Consensus: An understated yet impactful story of female empowerment, Shayda establishes first-time feature filmmaker Noora Niasari as a remarkably assured talent.

Synopsis: SHAYDA, a brave Iranian mother, finds refuge in an Australian women's shelter with her six-year-old daughter. Over Persian New Year, they take solace in Nowruz... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Zar Amir-Ebrahimi, Mojean Aria, Leah Purcell, Jillian Nguyen

Directed By: Noora Niasari

Critics Consensus: A remarkable feature debut for director Heidi Ewing, I Carry You with Me finds universally resonant themes in a specific, richly detailed time and place.

Synopsis: Based on true love, this decades spanning romance begins in Mexico between an aspiring chef (Armando Espitia) and a teacher (Christian Vázquez). Their lives restart... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Armando Espitia, Christian Vazquez, Michelle Rodríguez, Ángeles Cruz

Directed By: Heidi Ewing

Critics Consensus: The Human Voice unites Pedro Almodóvar and Tilda Swinton for a short film whose rich rewards are belied by its abbreviated length.

Synopsis: A woman watches time passing next to the suitcases of her ex-lover (who is supposed to come pick them up, but never arrives) and a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tilda Swinton

Directed By: Pedro Almodóvar

Critics Consensus: Pain and Glory finds writer-director Pedro Almodóvar drawing on his own life to rewarding effect -- and honoring his craft as only a master filmmaker can.

Synopsis: An aging Spanish film director in the middle of a creative crisis revisits memorable events of his past.

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Asier Etxeandia, Penélope Cruz, Leonardo Sbaraglia

Directed By: Pedro Almodóvar

Critics Consensus: A brilliant forum for Penélope Cruz's talent, Parallel Mothers reaffirms the familiar pleasures of Almodóvar's filmmaking while proving he's still capable of growth.

Synopsis: Two women, Janis and Ana, coincide in a hospital room where they are going to give birth. Both are single and became pregnant by accident.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Penélope Cruz, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Milena Smit, Israel Elejalde

Directed By: Pedro Almodóvar

Critics Consensus: Grimly intense yet thoroughly rewarding, Son of Saul offers an unforgettable viewing experience -- and establishes director László Nemes as a talent to watch.

Synopsis: During World War II, a Jewish worker (Géza Röhrig) at the Auschwitz concentration camp tries to find a rabbi to give a child a proper... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Géza Röhrig, Kecske Molnár Levente, Todd Charmont, Sándor Zsótér

Directed By: László Nemes

Critics Consensus: Living sets a high bar for itself in setting out to remake a Kurosawa classic -- and director Oliver Hermanus and star Bill Nighy clear it in triumphant fashion.

Synopsis: LIVING is the story of an ordinary man, reduced by years of oppressive office routine to a shadow existence, who at the eleventh hour makes... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bill Nighy, Aimee Lou Wood, Alex Sharp, Tom Burke

Directed By: Oliver Hermanus

Critics Consensus: Led by a masterful performance from Timothy Spall and brilliantly directed by Mike Leigh, Mr. Turner is a superior Hollywood biopic.

Synopsis: Eccentric British painter J.M.W. Turner (Timothy Spall) lives his last 25 years with gusto and secretly becomes involved with a seaside landlady, while his faithful... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Timothy Spall, Paul Jesson, Dorothy Atkinson, Marion Bailey

Directed By: Mike Leigh

Critics Consensus: Persepolis is an emotionally powerful, dramatically enthralling autobiographical gem, and the film's simple black-and-white images are effective and bold.

Synopsis: Based on Satrapi's graphic novel about her life in pre and post-revolutionary Iran and then in Europe. The film traces Satrapi's growth from child to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chiara Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve, Danielle Darrieux, Simon Abkarian

Directed By: Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud

Critics Consensus: Featuring an impressive star turn by newcomer Tahar Rahim, A Prophet is a French gangster film filled with arresting, immediate details.

Synopsis: This acclaimed crime drama follows Malik El Djebena (Tahar Rahim), a delinquent young Muslim man, who is struggling to get by in a French prison.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif, Reda Kateb

Directed By: Jacques Audiard

Critics Consensus: A smart and provocative modern parable with the heart of a thriller, The Teachers' Lounge brilliantly uses its setting as the backdrop for a look at how quickly even tight-knit communities can be destabilized.

Synopsis: Carla Nowak, a dedicated sports and math teacher, starts her first job at a high school. She stands out among the new staff because of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Leonie Benesch, Leonard Stettnisch, Eva Löbau, Michael Klammer

Directed By: Ilker Çatak

Critics Consensus: A rebellious anthem for cultural preservation, Kneecap is as shaggy, rambunctious, and lovable as the eponymous hip hop group at its center.

Synopsis: When fate brings Belfast schoolteacher JJ into the orbit of self-confessed 'low life scum' Naoise and Liam Og, the needle drops on a hip hop... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, DJ Próvai, Michael Fassbender

Directed By: Rich Peppiatt

Critics Consensus: The Fog of War draws on decades of bitter experience to offer a piercing perspective on the Cold War from one of its major architects.

Synopsis: Former corporate whiz kid Robert McNamara was the controversial Secretary of Defense in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, during the height of the Vietnam War.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert S. McNamara, Lyndon B. Johnson

Directed By: Errol Morris

Critics Consensus: Befitting the culinary aesthetic favored by the brilliant chef it honors, Julia uses fresh, simple ingredients to create a sumptuous documentary feast.

Synopsis: JULIA tells the story of the legendary cookbook author and television superstar who changed the way Americans think about food, television, and even about women.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: José Andrés, Julia Child

Directed By: Julie Cohen, Betsy West

Critics Consensus: Dark Horse offers a thoroughly crowd-pleasing look at an incredible -- and inspirational -- real-life story that will thrill equine enthusiasts and novices alike.

Synopsis: A barmaid in a poor Welsh mining village convinces some of her fellow residents to pool their resources to compete in the "sport of kings"... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tony Kerby, Maureen Jones, Eddie Thomas

Directed By: Louise Osmond

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A documentary about the remarkable fifty-year relationship between two literary legends, writer Robert Caro and his longtime editor Robert Gottlieb. Now 86, Caro is working... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert A. Caro, Robert Gottlieb, Ethan Hawke, Conan O'Brien

Directed By: Lizzie Gottlieb

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: In a poverty-stricken village, a teacher goes away for a month and leaves a barely literate teenage girl (Minzhi Wei) in his place.

Starring: Minzhi Wei, Zhang Huike, Tian Zhenda, Gao Enman

Directed By: Yimou Zhang

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: Boldly unconventional and refreshingly honest, Diary of a Teenage Girl is a frank coming-of-age story that addresses its themes -- and its protagonist -- without judgment.

Synopsis: In the 1970s San Francisco, a precocious 15-year-old embarks on an enthusiastic sexual odyssey, beginning with her mother's current lover.

Starring: Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Kristen Wiig, Christopher Meloni

Directed By: Marielle Heller

Critics Consensus: Energetic and bright, this hybrid of documentary style and dramatic plotting looks at the present and future of France through the interactions of a teacher and his students in an inner city high school.

Synopsis: Francois Marin (François Bégaudeau) is a French language and literature teacher at an inner-city Paris high school. As the new school year begins, he introduces... View Full Synopsis

Starring: François Bégaudeau, Esmeralda Ouertani, Rachel Regulier, Franck Keita

Directed By: Laurent Cantet

Critics Consensus: A fascinating portrait of a forgotten musical pioneer, Searching for Sugar Man is by turns informative and mysterious.

Synopsis: Though he faded into obscurity in the U.S., an early '70s musician known as Rodriguez became a huge hit in South Africa and was widely... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman, Dennis Coffey, Mike Theodore, Dan DiMaggio

Directed By: Malik Bendjelloul

Critics Consensus: A marvel to watch.

Synopsis: This documentary presents an epic portrait of winter bird migration. Filmed on all seven continents over four years, the footage is brought together into one... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jacques Perrin

Directed By: Jacques Perrin

Critics Consensus: Both a sobering look at a true crime story and a scathing indictment of the American justice system, West of Memphis is a real-life horror story told with fury and compassion.

Synopsis: Filmmaker Amy Berg tells the story of the fight to stop the state of Arkansas from executing an innocent man. Beginning with an examination into... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Baden, Jason Baldwin, John Mark Byers, Lorri Davis

Directed By: Amy Berg

Critics Consensus: Lagaan is lavish, rousing entertainment in the old-fashioned tradition of Hollywood musicals.

Synopsis: The year is 1893 and India is under British occupation. In a small village, the tyrannical Captain Russell (Paul Blackthorne) has imposed an unprecedented land... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley, Paul Blackthorne

Directed By: Ashutosh Gowariker

Critics Consensus: Crumb is a frank and surreal chronicle of artistic expression and family trauma, offering an unblinking gaze into the mind and work of cartoonist Robert Crumb that will endear as much as it unsettles.

Synopsis: Filmmaker Terry Zwigoff creates a complex but affectionate portrait of his longtime friend, underground cartoonist Robert Crumb. A notorious curmudgeon who would prefer to be... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Crumb, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, Charles Crumb, Maxon Crumb

Directed By: Terry Zwigoff

Critics Consensus: Intense, inspiring, and well-acted, Whiplash is a brilliant sophomore effort from director Damien Chazelle and a riveting vehicle for stars J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller.

Synopsis: Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) is an ambitious young jazz drummer, in pursuit of rising to the top of his elite music conservatory. Terence Fletcher (J.K.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Melissa Benoist, Paul Reiser

Directed By: Damien Chazelle

Critics Consensus: Subtle and tender, A Fantastic Woman handles its timely, sensitive subject matter with care.

Synopsis: A transgender singer faces scorn and discrimination after the sudden death of her older boyfriend.

Starring: Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco, Aline Küppenheim

Directed By: Sebastián Lelio

Critics Consensus: Loveless uses its riveting portrait of a family in crisis to offer thought-provoking commentary on modern life in Russia -- and the world beyond its borders.

Synopsis: An estranged Russian couple going through a brutal divorce both have new partners and want to start over until their 12-year-old son disappears after witnessing... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Maryana Spivak, Alexey Rozin, Matvey Novikov, Marina Vasilyeva

Directed By: Andrey Zvyagintsev

Critics Consensus: With confident pacing, a smart script, and a top-notch cast, Animal Kingdom represents the best the Australian film industry has to offer.

Synopsis: In this gritty Australian crime drama, young Joshua J Cody (James Frecheville) is taken in by his extended family after his mother dies of an... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton, Guy Pearce, Luke Ford

Directed By: David Michôd

Critics Consensus: Wickedly hilarious and delightfully deranged, Wild Tales is a subversive satire that doubles as a uniformly entertaining anthology film.

Synopsis: A waitress adds a special ingredient to an arrogant loan shark's meal in one of several tales dealing with extremes of human behavior.

Starring: Ricardo Darín, Oscar Martínez, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Érica Rivas

Directed By: Damián David Szifron

Critics Consensus: Richly detailed and loaded with surreal touches, The Triplets of Belleville is an odd, delightful charmer.

Synopsis: This animated film follows elderly Frenchwoman Madame Souza as she becomes involved in international intrigue when her grandson, Champion, a professional cyclist, is kidnapped and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean-Claude Donda, Michel Robin, Monica Viegas, Michèle Caucheteux

Directed By: Sylvain Chomet

Critics Consensus: Foxtrot uses topical themes to deliver a bruising sociopolitical statement that's equally effective taken simply as an absorbing, well-acted drama.

Synopsis: A knock on the door leads to unfathomable grief as a man and his wife learn that their son died in the line of duty... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lior Ashkenazi, Sarah Adler, Gefen Barkai, Dekel Adin

Directed By: Samuel Maoz

Critics Consensus: A violent, crackerjack comedy with a strong Irish flavor and an eminently likable Brendan Gleeson in the main role.

Synopsis: A vulgar Irish cop (Brendan Gleeson) and a straight-laced American FBI agent (Don Cheadle) uncover police corruption among the former's superiors while probing a drug-trafficking... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, David Wilmot

Directed By: John Michael McDonagh

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: Strikingly stark, brutally honest, and rivetingly assembled, The Gatekeepers offers essential perspective on a seemingly intractable war from some of the men who fought it.

Synopsis: Six former heads of Israel's secret service agency, the Shin Bet, discuss their organization's successes and failures since the Six Day War in 1967.

Starring: Ami Ayalon, Avi Dichter

Directed By: Dror Moreh

Critics Consensus: A visually stunning and contemplative piece of work.

Synopsis: A young Buddhist apprentice is mentored by an aging monk (Oh Yeong-su) at a secluded monastery in the Korean wilderness. As a teenager, the apprentice... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kim Ki-duk, Ha Yeo-jin, Ji Dae-han, Oh Yeong-su

Directed By: Kim Ki-duk

Critics Consensus: While the work it honors may pose thorny ethical questions that Salt of the Earth neglects to answer, it remains a shattering, thought-provoking testament to Sebastião Salgado's career.

Synopsis: Juliano Ribeiro Salgado co-directs a look at the career of his father, photographer Sebastião Salgado.

Starring: Sebastião Salgado, Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Hugo Barbier

Directed By: Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado

Critics Consensus: A spirited film that explores gender politics with comedy, intelligence, and a variety of interesting characters.

Synopsis: Since women are banned from soccer matches, Iranian females masquerade as males so they can slip into Tehran's stadium to see the game between Iran... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sima Mobarakshai, Safar Samandar, Shayesteh Irani, Mohamad Kheirabadi

Directed By: Jafar Panahi

Critics Consensus: Director Amir Bar-Lev grapples with exposing the authenticity of four-year-old Marla's paintings at the sake of burdening her publicly shamed family to transfixing results.

Synopsis: After watching her dad paint, 4-year-old Marla Olmstead decides she'd like to be a painter too. Showing remarkable facility, she's soon got paintings hanging in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Amir Bar-Lev, Elizabeth Cohen, Jonathan Crosby, Tara Sands

Directed By: Amir Bar-Lev

Critics Consensus: Earnestly dedicated to the women depicted on screen, East of Wall displays the grit and grind of living life as it comes in the Badlands while never muddying its subjects.

Synopsis: A rebellious South Dakotan rancher makes hard decisions related to her fractured family, financial uncertainty and unresolved grief, all while providing refuge for a group... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tabatha Zimiga, Porshia Zimiga, Scoot McNairy, Jennifer Ehle

Directed By: Kate Beecroft

Critics Consensus: A superbly-mounted adaptation of E.M. Forster's tale of British class tension, with exceptional performances all round, Howard's End ranks among the best of Merchant-Ivory's work.

Synopsis: Helen Schlegel falls for Paul Wilcox, but is rebuffed. Her sister Margaret becomes friends with his mother, who promises her the family house, Howards End.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Vanessa Redgrave

Directed By: James Ivory

Critics Consensus: An outstanding sophomore feature, Welcome to the Dollhouse sees writer-director Todd Solondz mining suburban teen angst for black, biting comedy.

Synopsis: Middle-school student Dawn Weiner (Heather Matarazzo) faces degradation at school -- where she is teased constantly -- and at home. The middle child between nerdy... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Heather Matarazzo, Daria Kalinina, Matthew Faber, Angela Pietropinto

Directed By: Todd Solondz

Critics Consensus: Well worth watching for film buffs and anyone who believes in following your dreams, American Movie is a warm, funny, and engrossing ode to creative passion.

Synopsis: In this cult-favorite documentary, Mark Borchardt, an aspiring filmmaker from a working-class Wisconsin background, is set on finishing his low-budget horror movie, despite a barrage... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mark Borchardt, Tom Schimmels, Monica Borchardt, Alex Borchardt

Directed By: Chris Smith

Critics Consensus: Director Salles transcends road-movie clichés and crafts a film that is as moving as it is universal.

Synopsis: Bitter former schoolteacher Dora (Fernanda Montenegro) supports herself by taking dictation from illiterate people in Rio de Janeiro who want to write letters to their... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Fernanda Montenegro, Vinícius de Oliveira, Marília Pêra, Soia Lira

Directed By: Walter Salles

Critics Consensus: Toni Erdmann pairs carefully constructed, three-dimensional characters in a tenderly funny character study that's both genuinely moving and impressively ambitious.

Synopsis: A film by Maren Ade.

Starring: Peter Simonischek, Sandra Hüller, Michael Wittenborn, Thomas Loibl

Directed By: Maren Ade

Critics Consensus: It may not boast the depth of his classic films, but the sweetly sentimental Midnight in Paris is funny and charming enough to satisfy Woody Allen fans.

Synopsis: Gil Pender is a screenwriter and aspiring novelist. Vacationing in Paris with his fiancée, he has taken to touring the city alone. On one such... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Michael Sheen

Directed By: Woody Allen

Critics Consensus: Stan & Ollie pays tribute to a pair of beloved entertainers with an affectionate look behind the scenes -- and a moving look at the burdens and blessings of a creative bond.

Synopsis: Laurel and Hardy -- the world's greatest comedy team -- face an uncertain future as their golden era of Hollywood films remain long behind them.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Steve Coogan, John C. Reilly, Shirley Henderson, Nina Arianda

Directed By: Jon S. Baird

Critics Consensus: With towering performances and an unflinching script from Michael Haneke, Amour represents an honest, heartwrenching depiction of deep love and responsibility.

Synopsis: Retired music teachers Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) have spent their lives devoted to their careers and to each other. Their relationship faces... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert, Alexandre Tharaud

Directed By: Michael Haneke

Critics Consensus: Though the latter part of the film may not appeal to all, An Education is a charming coming-of-age tale powered by the strength of relative newcomer Carey Mulligan's standout performance.

Synopsis: Despite her sheltered upbringing, Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is a teen with a bright future; she's smart, pretty, and has aspirations of attending Oxford University. When... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Peter Sarsgaard, Carey Mulligan, Alfred Molina, Dominic Cooper

Directed By: Lone Scherfig

Critics Consensus: The Red Turtle adds to Studio Ghibli's estimable legacy with a beautifully animated effort whose deceptively simple story boasts narrative layers as richly absorbing as its lovely visuals.

Synopsis: Recounting the milestones in the life of a human being through the story of a man shipwrecked on a tropical island inhabited by turtles, crabs... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Barbara Beretta, Tom Hudson G, Emmanuel Garijo, Maud Brethenoux

Directed By: Michael Dudok de Wit

Critics Consensus: Held aloft by remarkable performances from John Lithgow and Alfred Molina, Love Is Strange serves as a graceful tribute to the beauty of commitment in the face of adversity.

Synopsis: A recently married gay couple (John Lithgow, Alfred Molina) are forced to move into separate households after they lose their home.

Starring: John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Marisa Tomei, Cheyenne Jackson

Directed By: Ira Sachs

Critics Consensus: Characterized by strong performances and the director's trademark feel for the nuances of everyday life, Another Year marks another solid entry in Mike Leigh's career of kitchen-sink English drama.

Synopsis: Tom (Jim Broadbent) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen) are an older couple who have been happily married for a long time, making them an anomaly among... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jim Broadbent, Ruth Sheen, Lesley Manville, Oliver Maltman

Directed By: Mike Leigh

Critics Consensus: Finely wrought to a fault, One Fine Morning presents a subtle, well-acted look at life and love.

Synopsis: Sandra, a young mother who raises her daughter alone, pays regular visits to her sick father. While she and her family fight tooth and nail... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Léa Seydoux, Pascal Greggory, Melvil Poupaud, Nicole Garcia

Directed By: Mia Hansen-Løve

Critics Consensus: Sugar is an exceptionally-crafted film -- part sports flick, part immigrant tale -- with touching and poignant drama highlighted by splendid performances.

Synopsis: Like many young men in the Dominican Republic, 19-year-old Miguel "Sugar" Santos (Algenis Perez Soto) dreams of winning a slot on an American baseball team.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Algenis Perez Soto, Rayniel Rufino, André Holland, Michael Gaston

Directed By: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Critics Consensus: No uses its history-driven storyline to offer a bit of smart, darkly funny perspective on modern democracy and human nature.

Synopsis: In 1988, international pressure comes to bear on Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, forcing him to call a referendum on his presidency. The country will vote... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Gael García Bernal, Alfredo Castro, Luis Gnecco, Antonia Zegers

Directed By: Pablo Larraín

Critics Consensus: The Counterfeiters is a gripping account of one prisoner's moral dilemma, superbly portrayed by Karl Markovics.

Synopsis: Salomon Sorowitsch lives a mischievous life of cards, booze, and women in Berlin during the Nazi-era. He suddenly gets arrested and thrown into a concentration... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Karl Markovics, August Diehl, Devid Striesow, Martin Brambach

Directed By: Stefan Ruzowitzky

Critics Consensus: Compartment No. 6 can get a little stuffy within its narrative confines, but this well-acted, subtly told love story rewards the viewer's patience.

Synopsis: A young Finnish woman escapes an enigmatic love affair in Moscow by boarding a train to the arctic port of Murmansk. Forced to share the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Seidi Haarla, Dinara Drukarova, Tomi Alatalo, Juri Borisov

Directed By: Juho Kuosmanen

Critics Consensus: Our Little Sister uses the story of one fractured family to offer universal -- and deeply moving -- observations on the human condition.

Synopsis: After the death of their estranged father, three siblings (Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho) invite their half sister (Suzu Hirose) to live with them.

Starring: Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho, Suzu Hirose

Directed By: Hirokazu Koreeda

Critics Consensus: Creepily atmospheric and haunting, The Devil's Backbone is both a potent ghost story and an intelligent political allegory.

Synopsis: After losing his father, 10-year-old Carlos (Fernando Tielve) arrives at the Santa Lucia School, which shelters orphans of the Republican militia and politicians, and is... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Marisa Paredes, Eduardo Noriega, Federico Luppi, Fernando Tielve

Directed By: Guillermo del Toro

Critics Consensus: Patient and restrained, Of Gods and Men asks deep, profound questions that will linger in the audience's mind long after the movie.

Synopsis: An order of Trappist monks whose members include Christian (Lambert Wilson) and Luc (Michael Lonsdale) live among the Muslim population in a quiet corner of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lambert Wilson, Michaël Lonsdale, Olivier Rabourdin, Philippe Laudenbach

Directed By: Xavier Beauvois

Critics Consensus: Jockey rests almost entirely on Clifton Collins Jr. in the title role -- and he proves more than up to the task with a brilliant performance that gives this poignant drama its soul.

Synopsis: An aging jockey (Clifton Collins Jr.), hopes to win one last title for his longtime trainer (Molly Parker), who has acquired what appears to be... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Clifton Collins Jr., Molly Parker, Moises Arias, Logan Cormier

Directed By: Clint Bentley

Critics Consensus: A great addition to the existing surfing documentaries.

Synopsis: Part sports history, part thrill ride, skateboarder Stacy Peralta's documentary pays homage to the brave, foolish surfers who dare ride the world's biggest waves. Peralta... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Darrick Doerner, Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama, Brian L. Keaulana

Directed By: Stacy Peralta

Critics Consensus: More fun than a barrel of Jean-Paul Sartre, pic's energy riffs on an engaging love story and really human performances while offering a series of what-ifs and a blood-stirring soundtrack.

Synopsis: In this visually and conceptually impressive film, two-bit Berlin criminal Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu) delivers some smuggled loot for his boss, Ronnie (Heino Ferch), but accidentally... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup, Armin Rohde

Directed By: Tom Tykwer

Critics Consensus: Casting grim environs in a nostalgic glow, We Grown Now is a coming-of-age story whose tinges of fantasy only make it feel more honest.

Synopsis: In 1992 Chicago, as Michael Jordan solidifies himself as a champion, a story of two young legends in their own right begins. As wide-eyed and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Blake Cameron James, Gian Knight Ramirez, S. Epatha Merkerson, Lil Rel Howery

Directed By: Minhal Baig

Critics Consensus: While not the flashiest Richard Linklater film, Blue Moon boasts a wonderful performance by Ethan Hawke as he embodies a man hanging on by a thread while the audience hangs on to every word said.

Synopsis: ...You know how in marriage they say "for better or for worse"? I think, in terms of my life, I have entered the "for worse"... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Bobby Cannavale, Andrew Scott

Directed By: Richard Linklater

Critics Consensus: Showcasing excellent lead performances, The Dreamlife of Angels is an intelligent, absorbing character study of two women.

Synopsis: Isa (Élodie Bouchez) and Marie (Natacha Régnier) bond while working in a French sweatshop and soon begin sharing an apartment that Marie is watching for... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Élodie Bouchez, Natacha Régnier, Grégoire Colin, Jo Prestia

Directed By: Erick Zonca

Critics Consensus: Like the music showcased by the titular festival, Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story incorporates a long list of rich, colorful ingredients -- and truly comes alive onstage.

Synopsis: JAZZ FEST: A NEW ORLEANS STORY weaves together live performances and interviews from the 50th anniversary of The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jimmy Buffett, Pitbull, Bruce Springsteen, Katy Perry

Directed By: Frank Marshall, Ryan Suffern

Critics Consensus: Boasting a stellar performance from Lily Tomlin and some powerfully empathetic work from writer-director Paul Weitz, Grandma is a dramedy that shouldn't have to ask you to visit.

Synopsis: A misanthropic poet (Lily Tomlin) takes her granddaughter (Julia Garner) across Los Angeles in search of the money she needs to terminate her unwanted pregnancy.

Starring: Lily Tomlin, Julia Garner, Marcia Gay Harden, Judy Greer

Directed By: Paul Weitz

Critics Consensus: Michael Shannon gives a powerhouse performance and the purposefully subtle filmmaking creates a perfect blend of drama, terror, and dread.

Synopsis: Curtis LaForche lives in a small Ohio town with his loving wife and hearing-impaired daughter. Though money is tight, he and his family are very... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Shea Whigham, Katy Mixon

Directed By: Jeff Nichols

Critics Consensus: Unlike more traditional spy films, The Lives of Others doesn't sacrifice character for cloak and dagger chases, and the performances (notably that by the late Ulrich Muhe) stay with you.

Synopsis: In 1983 East Berlin, dedicated Stasi officer Gerd Wiesler (Ulrich Mühe), doubting that a famous playwright (Sebastian Koch) is loyal to the Communist Party, receives... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Martina Gedeck, Ulrich Mühe, Sebastian Koch, Ulrich Tukur

Directed By: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Critics Consensus: Beautifully written, sensitively directed, and powerfully acted, The Past serves as another compelling testament to Asghar Farhadi's gift for finely layered drama.

Synopsis: An Iranian man (Tahar Rahim) returns to France to finalize his divorce and finds that his estranged wife (Bérénice Bejo) has a new lover (Ali... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bérénice Bejo, Tahar Rahim, Ali Mosaffa, Pauline Burlet

Directed By: Asghar Farhadi

Critics Consensus: Better than your average football pic, Damned United is carried by another star turn from Michael Sheen as Brian Clough.

Synopsis: The story of Brian Clough's 44 day stint as manager of Leeds United Football Club takes place in 1974 England. When Don Revie quits Leeds... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall, Jim Broadbent, Stephen Graham

Directed By: Tom Hooper

Critics Consensus: Fun and fascinating, Red Army delivers absorbing documentary drama for hockey fans and sports novices alike.

Synopsis: Hockey captain Slava Fetisov and four other players form a nearly unbeatable unit known as the "Russian Five," but their coach's brutal regimen leads Fetisov... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Scotty Bowman, Viacheslav Fetisov, Anatoli Karpov, Alexei Kasatonov

Directed By: Gabe Polsky

Critics Consensus: Deliciously twist-filled, Nine Queens is a clever and satisfying crime caper.

Synopsis: "Nine Queens" is the story of two small-time swindlers, Juan (Gastón Pauls) and Marcos (Ricardo Darín), who team up after meeting in a convenience store... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ricardo Darín, Gastón Pauls, Graciela Tenenbaum, Leticia Brédice

Directed By: Fabián Bielinsky

Critics Consensus: Dogtown and Z-Boys is a colorful, exhilarating look at the skateboarding subculture.

Synopsis: "Dogtown and Z-Boys," directed and co-written by skateboard legend-turned-filmmaker Stacy Peralta, is the story of a group of accidental revolutionaries, gifted kids who inadvertently changed... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sean Penn, Jay Adams, Tony Alva, Bob Biniak

Directed By: Stacy Peralta

Critics Consensus: Refreshingly candid and disarmingly reflective, David Crosby: Remember My Name offers an absorbing look at its subject's life and career.

Synopsis: With unflinching honesty, self-examination, regret, fear, exuberance and an unshakable belief in family and the transformative nature of music, singer-songwriter David Crosby shares his often... View Full Synopsis

Starring: David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Cameron Crowe, Henry Diltz

Directed By: A.J. Eaton

Critics Consensus: Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words offers an illuminating primer for Zappa novices as well as an entertaining retrospective for diehard fans.

Synopsis: Interviews, concert performances and archival footage offer insight into the life and career of musician Frank Zappa.

Starring: Steve Allen, Angel, Theodore Bikel, Jimmy Carl Black

Directed By: Thorsten Schütte

Critics Consensus: An accurate and compassionate rendering of an ordinary family in crisis.

Synopsis: Following the unexpected death of their patriarch, the Ulman family is left reeling. While each family member tries to cope emotionally, they must also deal... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Maya Maron, Vladimir Friedman, Daniel Magon, Eliana Magon

Directed By: Nir Bergman

Critics Consensus: Lengthy title notwithstanding, The Return of Tanya Tucker: Featuring Brandi Carlile pays affectionate tribute to the powerful purity of both artists' music.

Synopsis: Trailblazing, hell-raising country music legend Tanya Tucker defied the standards of how a woman in country music was supposed to behave. Decades after Tanya slipped... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tanya Tucker, Brandi Carlile

Directed By: Kathlyn Horan

Critics Consensus: Elle finds director Paul Verhoeven operating at peak power -- and benefiting from a typically outstanding performance from Isabelle Huppert in the central role.

Synopsis: The successful CEO (Isabelle Huppert) of a video game company tries to learn the identity of the man who raped her.

Starring: Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Lafitte, Anne Consigny, Charles Berling

Directed By: Paul Verhoeven

Critics Consensus: Volver catches director Pedro Almodovar and star Penelope Cruz at the peak of their respective powers, in service of a layered, thought-provoking film.

Synopsis: Raimunda works and lives in Madrid with her husband Paco and daughter Paula. Her sister Sole lives nearby and they both miss their mother Irene,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Penélope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Chus Lampreave, Lola Dueñas

Directed By: Pedro Almodóvar

Critics Consensus: Smart and absorbing, Lone Star represents a career high point for writer-director John Sayles -- and '90s independent cinema in general.

Synopsis: In the Texas border town of Frontera, Sheriff Sam Deeds (Chris Cooper) digs up the past when he finds an old skull in the desert.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Peña, Joe Morton, Ron Canada

Directed By: John Sayles

Critics Consensus: Another masterful, compassionate work from Pedro Almodovar.

Synopsis: Male nurse Benigno (Javier Cámara) becomes infatuated with a complete stranger when he watches dancer Alicia (Leonor Watling) practicing from the anonymity of his apartment.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Javier Cámara, Darío Grandinetti, Rosario Flores, Leonor Watling

Directed By: Pedro Almodóvar

Critics Consensus: It's messy, overlong, and a touch melodramatic, but those flaws pale before Incendies' impressive acting and devastating emotional impact.

Synopsis: Nawal (Lubna Azabal), a dying Middle Eastern woman living in Montreal, leaves separate letters to her twin children to be read once she passes away.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lubna Azabal, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin, Maxim Gaudette, Rémy Girard

Directed By: Denis Villeneuve

Critics Consensus: Heartfelt and sly, Good Bye, Lenin! succeeds as a satire by foregrounding the personal before the political, yielding a charming comedy full of sociopolitical insight.

Synopsis: In October 1989, right before the fall of the Berlin Wall, Alex Kerner (Daniel Brühl) is living with his mom, Christiane (Kathrin Sass), and sister,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Brühl, Maria Simon, Chulpan Khamatova, Florian Lukas

Directed By: Wolfgang Becker

Critics Consensus: An entertaining and intriguing tribute to a father from his son.

Synopsis: Director Mario Van Peebles chronicles the complicated production of his father Melvin's classic 1971 film, Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. Playing his father in the film,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mario Van Peebles, Joy Bryant, Terry Crews, Ossie Davis

Directed By: Mario Van Peebles

Critics Consensus: Land of Mine uses an oft-forgotten chapter from the aftermath of World War II to tell a hard-hitting story whose period setting belies its timeless observations about bloodshed and forgiveness.

Synopsis: A group of German POWs are forced to dig up millions of land mines with their bare hands.

Starring: Roland Møller, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Laura Bro, Louis Hofmann

Directed By: Martin Zandvliet

Critics Consensus: Fascinating and insightful, Every Little Step is a thoroughly engrossing behind the scenes look at Broadway performers.

Synopsis: Filmmakers James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo explore the genesis and legacy of the Broadway musical "A Chorus Line." Dancers struggle through auditions for... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Candy Ann Brown, Michelle Liu Coughlin, Mara Davi, Natascia Diaz

Directed By: Adam Del Deo, James D. Stern

Critics Consensus: Poignant and unforgettable, The Italian stands out from other European melodramas. Like its extraordinary child lead, this Russian drama about an orphan's search for his birth mother is small in size and monumental in pathos.

Synopsis: Abandoned by his mother, 6-year-old Vanya (Kolya Spiridonov) lives in an orphanage run by a greedy woman (Mariya Kuznetsova) and her cruel lover (Nikolai Reutov).... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kolya Spiridonov, Mariya Kuznetsova, Nikolai Reutov, Denis Moiseenko

Directed By: Andrey Kravchuk

Critics Consensus: If Saraband appears to be a minor entry in Ingmar Bergman's filmography, it's still an accomplished piece of work from one of cinema's greatest masters.

Synopsis: Following Johan (Erland Josephson) and Marianne (Liv Ullmann) 30 years after the events of "Scenes from a Marriage," this sequel finds the couple long since... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Erland Josephson, Liv Ullmann, Börje Ahlstedt, Julia Dufvenius

Directed By: Ingmar Bergman

Critics Consensus: Maria by Callas offers an intimate look at the life of a brilliantly talented artist whose absorbing story matches the operatic heights reached by her work.

Synopsis: Never-before-seen footage and performances offer insight into the life and career of renowned opera singer Maria Callas.

Starring: Fanny Ardant, Joyce DiDonato

Directed By: Tom Volf

Critics Consensus: Tackling thorny themes with fierce intelligence and a wonderful performance by Lexi Venter, Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight is a striking feature debut from writer-director Embeth Davidtz.

Synopsis: "Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight" thrusts us into the tumultuous world of 8-year-old Bobo, whose childhood unfolds on her family's Rhodesian farm, now... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Zikhona Bali, Ilana Cilliers, Andreas Damm, Lexi Venter

Directed By: Embeth Davidtz

Critics Consensus: Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine finds the director in peak late-period form -- and benefiting from a superb cast led by Cate Blanchett.

Synopsis: After her marriage to a wealthy businessman (Alec Baldwin) collapses, New York socialite Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) flees to San Francisco and the modest apartment of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Alec Baldwin, Cate Blanchett, Louis C.K., Bobby Cannavale

Directed By: Woody Allen

Critics Consensus: Boosted by Sam Rockwell's intense performance, Moon is a compelling work of science-fiction, and a promising debut from director Duncan Jones.

Synopsis: Astronaut Sam Bell's (Sam Rockwell) three-year shift at a lunar mine is finally coming to an end, and he's looking forward to his reunion with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Dominique McElligott, Kaya Scodelario, Benedict Wong

Directed By: Duncan Jones

Critics Consensus: Kung Fu Hustle blends special effects, martial arts, and the Looney Toons to hilarious effect.

Synopsis: When the hapless Sing and his dim-witted pal Bone try to scam the residents of Pig Sty Alley into thinking they're members of the dreaded... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Stephen Chow, Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, Siu-Lung Leung

Directed By: Stephen Chow

Critics Consensus: Capernaum hits hard, but rewards viewers with a smart, compassionate, and ultimately stirring picture of lives in the balance.

Synopsis: After fleeing his negligent and abusive parents, a hardened, streetwise 12-year-old boy sues them to protest the life they've given him.

Starring: Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Kawthar Al Haddad, Fadi Yousef

Directed By: Nadine Labaki

Critics Consensus: A knockout feature directorial debut from Edson Oda, Nine Days is an ethereal and evocative film about the meaning of life - elevated by a phenomenal performance from Winston Duke.

Synopsis: A man interviews five unborn souls to determine which one can be given life on Earth.

Starring: Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz, Bill Skarsgård, Benedict Wong

Directed By: Edson Oda

Critics Consensus: Maudie's talented cast -- particularly Sally Hawkins in the title role -- breathe much-needed depth into a story that only skims the surface of a fascinating life and talent.

Synopsis: Canadian folk artist Maud Lewis develops an unlikely romance with reclusive fishmonger Everett Lewis.

Starring: Sally Hawkins, Ethan Hawke, Kari Matchett, Gabrielle Rose

Directed By: Aisling Walsh

Critics Consensus: An engrossing love letter to fans of adult animation, The Illusionist offers a fine antidote to garish mainstream fare.

Synopsis: Magic tricks can't compete with rock 'n' roll in the 1950s, so a French illusionist (Jean-Claude Donda) finds himself touring Scotland's shabby pubs and run-down... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean-Claude Donda, Eilidh Rankin

Directed By: Sylvain Chomet

Critics Consensus: The Climb uses the complicated bond between two friends to dissect male friendships in engaging -- and frequently funny -- fashion.

Synopsis: Two lifelong pals test the boundaries of their friendship when a woman comes between them.

Starring: Kyle Marvin, Michael Angelo Covino, Gayle Rankin, Talia Balsam

Directed By: Michael Angelo Covino

Critics Consensus: Entertaining and profound in equal measure, Tim's Vermeer uses its seemingly esoteric subject to pose fascinating questions about art and obsession.

Synopsis: Inventor Tim Jenison conducts experiments to discover how 17th-century Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer achieved such photographic realism in his paintings.

Starring: Tim Jenison

Directed By: Teller

Critics Consensus: A powerful and personal account of war on the front line, writer-director Samuel Maoz takes the viewer inside an Israeli tank to deliver an exhausting, original film.

Synopsis: This tense war film focuses on a group of Israeli soldiers operating a tank in hostile territory during the 1982 conflict in Lebanon. Hindered by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Yoav Donat, Itay Tiran, Oshri Cohen, Michael Moshonov

Directed By: Samuel Maoz

Critics Consensus: Bent Hamer's latest is a droll, deadpan comedy filled with strange touches and melancholy charm.

Synopsis: At the age of 67, Odd Horten (Baard Owe) is forced to retire from his longtime job as a train engineer. Having lived nearly his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Baard Owe, Espen Skjonberg, Henny Moan, Bjørn Floberg

Directed By: Bent Hamer

Critics Consensus: Divided We Fall takes a complex look at World War II, skillfully balancing humor and gravity.

Synopsis: This dramatic story of a hero against his will is set in a small Czech town occupied by German forces during the last years of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Boleslav Polivka, Csongor Kassai, Jaroslav Dusek, Anna Siskova

Directed By: Jan Hrebejk

Critics Consensus: This documentary focuses less on the music and more on the personality clashes and in-group tensions to great, compelling effect.

Synopsis: Actor Michael Rapaport examines the music of the 1990s hip-hop group as well as the conflicts that drove the band members apart.

Starring: Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Q-Tip, Jarobi White

Directed By: Michael Rapaport

Critics Consensus: This riotously deadpan mockumentary about aspiring community theater performers never stoops to ridicule oft-ridiculous characters.

Synopsis: When the town of Blaine, Mo., approaches its sesquicentennial, there's only one way to celebrate: with a musical revue called "Red, White and Blaine." Hoping... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, Catherine O'Hara

Directed By: Christopher Guest

Critics Consensus: Philip Seymour Hoffman's riveting central performance guides a well-constructed retelling of the most sensational and significant period in author Truman Capote's life.

Synopsis: Reading of the murder of a Kansas family, New York City novelist Truman Capote (Philip Seymour Hoffman) decides to cover the story himself, and travels... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Clifton Collins Jr., Chris Cooper

Directed By: Bennett Miller

Critics Consensus: Led by a marvelous performance from Maggie Smith, Lady in the Van wrings poignant, often hilarious insight from its fact-based source material.

Synopsis: In 1973 London, playwright Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings) develops an unlikely friendship with Miss Shepherd (Maggie Smith), a homeless woman who lives in a van... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings, Roger Allam, Deborah Findlay

Directed By: Nicholas Hytner

Critics Consensus: Unpredictable and rich with symbolism, this Argentinian murder mystery lives up to its Oscar with an engrossing plot, Juan Jose Campanella's assured direction, and mesmerizing performances from its cast.

Synopsis: Hoping to put to rest years of unease concerning a past case, retired criminal investigator Benjamín Espósito begins writing a novel based on the decades-old... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ricardo Darín, Soledad Villamil, Carla Quevedo, Pablo Rago

Directed By: Juan José Campanella

Critics Consensus: A creepy French psychological thriller that commands the audience's attention throughout.

Synopsis: Without warning, happy, successful Parisian couple Georges (Daniel Auteuil) and Anne Laurent (Juliette Binoche) receive anonymous videos suggesting that they are being stalked. The tapes... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Juliette Binoche, Daniel Auteuil, Maurice Bénichou, Annie Girardot

Directed By: Michael Haneke

Critics Consensus: I've Loved You So Long is a sublimely acted family drama as well as a noteworthy directorial debut from Phillipe Claudel.

Synopsis: After serving 15 years in prison for killing her young son, Juliette (Kristin Scott Thomas) moves in with her younger sister, Lea (Elsa Zylberstein). Though... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kristin Scott Thomas, Elsa Zylberstein, Serge Hazanavicius, Laurent Grévill

Directed By: Philippe Claudel

Critics Consensus: A searing indictment of big business and greed, Who Killed The Electric Car? is a well-tuned doc that simultaneously entertains and enrages.

Synopsis: Following a strict mandate on air emissions in California, General Motors launches the EV-1 in 1997. It is an electric automobile that requires no gas,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Martin Sheen, Reverend Gadget, Ed Begley Jr., Phyllis Diller

Directed By: Chris Paine

Critics Consensus: Beautifully filmed, The Road Home is a simple touching and tender love story.

Synopsis: City businessman Luo Yusheng returns to his home village in North China for the funeral of his father, the village teacher. Before returning to the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Zhang Ziyi, Honglei Sun, Yulian Zhao, Bin Li

Directed By: Yimou Zhang

Critics Consensus: The rare tearjerking melodrama with sociopolitical subtext, Coming Home plucks the heartstrings with thought-provoking power.

Synopsis: A former political prisoner (Chen Daoming) tries to help his wife (Gong Li) regain her memory and rediscover their love for each other.

Starring: Chen Daoming, Gong Li, Zhang Huiwen, Tao Guo

Directed By: Yimou Zhang

Critics Consensus: Graceful, complex, and beautifully layered, Fill the Void offers a sympathetic portrait of an insulated culture by exploring universal themes.

Synopsis: After a young Hasidic woman dies in childbirth, her 18-year-old sister (Hadas Yaron) is asked to cancel her upcoming marriage to a promising young man... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hadas Yaron, Yiftach Klein, Irit Sheleg, Chayim Sharir

Directed By: Rama Burshtein

Critics Consensus: A sharp accounting of an era framed through the early adventures of the Who and the managers who helped make them famous, Lambert & Stamp should prove fascinating for fans and novices alike.

Synopsis: In early '60s London, aspiring filmmakers Chris Stamp and Kit Lambert set out to make a documentary about dissatisfied youth but, instead, discover and mentor... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Richard Barnes, Roger Daltrey, Heather Daltrey, Robert Fearnley-Whittingstall

Directed By: James D. Cooper

Critics Consensus: The Spanish Prisoner delivers just what fans of writer-director David Mamet expect: a smart, solidly constructed drama that keeps viewers guessing... and entertained along the way.

Synopsis: Everything changes for rising corporate star Joe Ross (Campbell Scott) when he meets the wealthy and mysterious Jimmy Dell (Steve Martin) at a tropical resort.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Campbell Scott, Rebecca Pidgeon, Steve Martin, Ricky Jay

Directed By: David Mamet

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Canadian-born singer Neil Young returns to his hometown of Omemee, Ont., and later performs a solo concert at Toronto's Massey Hall.

Starring: Neil Young

Directed By: Jonathan Demme

Critics Consensus: Neil LaBute's pitch-black comedy is a masterful exploration of male insecurity, and it's elevated by a breakout performance by Aaron Eckhart as a businessman who likes to play psychological games.

Synopsis: Chad (Aaron Eckhart) and Howard (Matt Malloy) are junior executives working in the Midwest who are sent on a six-week business trip, with Howard in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Stacy Edwards, Matt Malloy, Mark Rector

Directed By: Neil LaBute

Critics Consensus: A chilling true crime drama, Foxcatcher offers Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, and Channing Tatum a chance to shine -- and all three of them rise to the challenge.

Synopsis: When wealthy John du Pont (Steve Carell) invites Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum) to move to his estate and help form a wrestling team... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave

Directed By: Bennett Miller

Critics Consensus: A layered, wonderfully-acted, and passionate drama.

Synopsis: When an old friend brings filmmaker Enrique Goded a semi-autobiographical script chronicling their adolescence, Enrique is forced to relive his youth spent at a Catholic... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Fele Martínez, Gael García Bernal, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Lluís Homar

Directed By: Pedro Almodóvar

Critics Consensus: Veteran character actress Melissa Leo delivers a stunning performance in this powerful -- if grim -- indie film.

Synopsis: After her husband deserts her, working-class mother Ray Eddy (Melissa Leo) is in great need of money to find a home. Lured by the possibility... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Michael O'Keefe, Mark Boone Junior

Directed By: Courtney Hunt

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Leopold Socha (Robert Wieckiewicz) is a sewer worker in Nazi-occupied Lvov, Poland. When he finds a group of Jews hiding in the sewers, Leopold agrees... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Robert Więckiewicz, Benno Fürmann, Agnieszka Grochowska, Maria Schrader

Directed By: Agnieszka Holland

Critics Consensus: Whether you think this mentally ill cult musician is worthy of being called a "genius," this document of his life is crafted with sincere respect and is fascinating to watch.

Synopsis: Filmmaker Jeff Feuerzeig chronicles the life of a manic-depressive musician and artist, using a blend of home movies, Johnston's own audiotapes, vintage performances and current... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Jeff Feuerzeig

Critics Consensus: An observant drama-comedy about self absorption.

Synopsis: Talented 20-year-old Lolita (Marilou Berry) dreams of a singing career. But her self-esteem is low due to her weight problem and her narcissistic father, Étienne... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Marilou Berry, Agnès Jaoui, Jean-Pierre Bacri, Laurent Grévill

Directed By: Agnès Jaoui

Critics Consensus: A charming tale of a love affair that overcomes cultural taboos.

Synopsis: Wil is a lesbian, but she does not dare tell her widowed mother, Hwei-lan, or her very traditional grandparents. She's shocked, however, to find out... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michelle Krusiec, Joan Chen, Lynn Chen, Jessica Hecht

Directed By: Alice Wu

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Talmud scholar Eliezer Shkolnik (Shlomo Bar-Aba) has worked in obscurity at Jerusalem's Hebrew University. In contrast, Eliezer's son, Uriel (Lior Ashkenazi), also an academic, has... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Shlomo Bar-Aba, Lior Ashkenazi, Aliza Rosen, Alma Zack

Directed By: Joseph Cedar