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The Sundance 2020 Movie Scorecard

Another year, another Sundance: Some event films of the 2020 edition included Miss Americana, the Taylor Swift documentary, and Zola, a Spring Breakers/Hustlers hybrid based on an infamous Twitter thread. Then there was The 40-Year-Old Version, about a New York playwright who becomes a rapper at 40, and Promising Young Woman, a raucous revenge thriller starring Carey Mulligan. Also featured: Beasts of the Southern Wild director Benh Zeitlin’s return with a Peter Pan adaptation, Wendy. And if the wheelings and dealings of Sundance are your thing, Rebecca Hall ghost story The Night House sold for $12 million, while Hulu and NEON has snatched up Palm Springs for 17,500,00 dollars (American) and 69 cents, officially beating the previous high set by Birth of a Nation by less than a buck.

See every movie that got a Tomatometer at the festival with The Sundance 2020 Movie Scorecard! —Alex Vo

#117
#117
Adjusted Score: 112556%
Critics Consensus: Powerfully acted and directed, Never Rarely Sometimes Always reaffirms writer-director Eliza Hittman as a filmmaker of uncommon sensitivity and grace.
Synopsis: Faced with an unintended pregnancy and a lack of local support, Autumn and her cousin, Skylar, travel across state lines... [More]
Starring: Ryan Eggold, Théodore Pellerin, Sharon Van Etten, Sidney Flanigan
Directed By: Eliza Hittman

#116

La llorona (2019)
96%

#116
Adjusted Score: 100510%
Critics Consensus: La Llorona puts a fresh spin on the familiar legend by blending the supernatural and the political to resolutely chilling effect.
Synopsis: Alma is murdered with her children during a military attack in Guatemala, but when the general who ordered the genocide... [More]
Starring: María Mercedes Coroy, Sabrina De La Hoz, Margarita Kénefic, Julio Diaz
Directed By: Jayro Bustamante

#115

Crip Camp (2020)
100%

#115
Adjusted Score: 105040%
Critics Consensus: As entertaining as it is inspiring, Crip Camp uses one group's remarkable story to highlight hope for the future and the power of community.
Synopsis: A groundbreaking summer camp galvanizes teens who have disabilities.... [More]
Starring: Dennis Billups, HolLynn D'Lil, Judith Heumann, Denise Sherer Jacobson
Directed By: James Lebrecht, Nicole Newnham

#114

Collective (2019)
99%

#114
Adjusted Score: 105656%
Critics Consensus: Collective presents a darkly effective overview of the cycle of political corruption and public cynicism that takes hold when government abrogates its responsibility to the people.
Synopsis: Directed by Alexander Nanau (TOTO AND HIS SISTERS), COLLECTIVE follows a heroic team of journalists as they uncover shocking, widespread... [More]
Starring:
Directed By: Alexander Nanau

#113

Herself (2020)
94%

#113
Adjusted Score: 101455%
Critics Consensus: Sensitively directed by Phyllida Lloyd and brought to life by co-writer Clare Dunne's starring performance, Herself charts one woman's journey with empathy and grace.
Synopsis: Single mother Sandra (Clare Dunne) escapes her abusive partner with her two young children, only to find herself trapped in... [More]
Starring: Clare Dunne, Harriet Walter, Conleth Hill, Cathy Belton
Directed By: Phyllida Lloyd

#112
#112
Adjusted Score: 106214%
Critics Consensus: The Forty-Year-Old Version opens a compelling window into the ebbs and flows of the artist's life -- and announces writer-director-star Radha Blank as a major filmmaking talent with her feature debut.
Synopsis: Radha, a down-on-her-luck NY playwright, is desperate for a breakthrough before 40. But when she foils what seems like her... [More]
Starring: Welker White, Reed Birney, Radha Blank, Peter Kim
Directed By: Radha Blank

#111

The Dissident (2020)
96%

#111
Adjusted Score: 100854%
Critics Consensus: The Dissident offers little catharsis in its unflinching look at a grisly murder -- and gives no quarter in its forceful reminder of the fragility of free speech.
Synopsis: When Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi disappears after entering Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul, his fiancée and dissidents around the... [More]
Starring:
Directed By: Bryan Fogel

#110
#110
Adjusted Score: 102986%
Critics Consensus: An absorbing and affectionate tribute to a unique individual, Mucho Mucho Amor should prove fascinating for Walter Mercado fans as well as first-timers.
Synopsis: Puerto Rican astrologer and psychic Walter Mercado discusses his life, career and post-fame seclusion.... [More]
Starring: Walter Mercado
Directed By: Cristina Constantini, Kareem Tabsch

#109
#109
Adjusted Score: 97251%
Critics Consensus: An intoxicating blend of documentary and fiction, Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets surveys the bar-going life with a remarkably sober eye.
Synopsis: On the eve of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, and on its final night before closing, a Las Vegas dive... [More]
Starring: Michael Martin, Peter Elwell, Shay Walker
Directed By: Bill Ross IV, Turner Ross

#108
#108
Adjusted Score: 103978%
Critics Consensus: Dick Johnson Is Dead celebrates a life with bittersweet humor and grace, offering a deeply resonant perspective on mortality in the bargain.
Synopsis: A filmmaker and her elderly father stage his death in various ways to help them face his inevitable demise.... [More]
Starring: Dick Johnson
Directed By: Kirsten Johnson

#107

On the Record (2020)
99%

#107
Adjusted Score: 102529%
Critics Consensus: On the Record uses harrowing first-person accounts to powerfully and persuasively confront the entrenched sexism of an industry and its culture.
Synopsis: Filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering examine the sexual assault allegations against hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons.... [More]
Starring: Sil Lai Abrams, Tarana Burke, Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, Jenny Lumet
Directed By: Kirby Dick, Amy Ziering

#106

Minari (2020)
98%

#106
Adjusted Score: 116508%
Critics Consensus: Led by arresting performances from Steven Yeun and Yeri Han, Minari offers an intimate and heart-wrenching portrait of family and assimilation in 1980s America.
Synopsis: A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas... [More]
Starring: Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Youn Yuh-jung, Will Patton
Directed By: Lee Isaac Chung

#105
#105
Adjusted Score: 103467%
Critics Consensus: An illuminating and urgent call to action, Welcome to Chechnya portrays the horrors of the mass persecution of the LGBTQ+ community in the Chechen Republic with tenacity and tenderness.
Synopsis: Activists risk their lives to confront Russian leader Ramzan Kadyrov and his government-directed campaign to detain, torture and execute LGBTQ... [More]
Starring:
Directed By: David France

#104
#104
Adjusted Score: 102704%
Critics Consensus: The Painter and the Thief uses the unlikely bond between a criminal and his victim as the canvas for a compelling portrait of compassion and forgiveness.
Synopsis: Czech artist Barbora Kysilkova develops an unlikely friendship with the man who stole two of her paintings.... [More]
Starring: Barbora Kysilkova, Karl-Bertil Nordland, Øystein Stene
Directed By: Benjamin Ree

#103

The Father (2020)
98%

#103
Adjusted Score: 114757%
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... [More]
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss, Imogen Poots
Directed By: Florian Zeller

#102

The Fight (2020)
99%

#102
Adjusted Score: 102166%
Critics Consensus: The Fight takes an engaging look at some of the people working on the front lines for the ACLU -- and makes a passionate case for the legal battles they wage.
Synopsis: At a defining moment in American history, a scrappy team of heroic ACLU lawyers battles for abortion rights, immigrant rights,... [More]
Starring: Brigitte Amiri, Lee Gelernt, Brett Kavanaugh, Chase Strangio
Directed By: Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman, Eli B. Despres

#101

Feels Good Man (2020)
95%

#101
Adjusted Score: 98949%
Critics Consensus: A cautionary tale on internet culture, Feels Good Man is a compelling look at an artist's journey to salvage his creation.
Synopsis: An animated frog becomes a symbol of hate.... [More]
Starring: Jeremy Blackburn, Susan Blackmore, Matt Braynard, Joel Finkelstein
Directed By: Arthur Jones

#100

The Go-Go's (2020)
98%

#100
Adjusted Score: 99898%
Critics Consensus: Emulating the spirit of punk in form and function, The Go-Go's is a raucous celebration of the pioneering band and a stylistic knockout that will blow viewers' hair back.
Synopsis: The Go-Go's become the first successful, all-girl band to write their own songs and play their own instruments while making... [More]
Starring:
Directed By: Alison Ellwood

#99

Relic (2020)
92%

#99
Adjusted Score: 105435%
Critics Consensus: Relic ratchets up its slowly building tension in an expertly crafted atmosphere of dread, adding up to an outstanding feature debut for director/co-writer Natalie Erika James.
Synopsis: A woman links her mother's increasingly volatile behavior to an evil presence at their family's decaying country home.... [More]
Starring: Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin, Bella Heathcote, Chris Bunton
Directed By: Natalie Erika James

#98

Palm Springs (2020)
94%

#98
Adjusted Score: 108280%
Critics Consensus: Strong performances, assured direction, and a refreshingly original concept make Palm Springs a romcom that's easy to fall in love with.
Synopsis: Stuck in a time loop, two wedding guests develop a budding romance while living the same day over and over... [More]
Starring: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons, Meredith Hagner
Directed By: Max Barbakow

#97

Sylvie's Love (2020)
93%

#97
Adjusted Score: 99670%
Critics Consensus: A romance for the ages, Sylvie's Love wraps audiences in the sweet embrace of its old-fashioned romance and celebration of Black love.
Synopsis: In Sylvie’s Love, the jazz is smooth and the air sultry in the hot New York summer of 1957. Robert... [More]
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Nnamdi Asomugha, Eva Longoria, Aja Naomi King
Directed By: Eugene Ashe

#96
#96
Adjusted Score: 101613%
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... [More]
Starring: Armando Espitia, Christian Vazquez, Michelle Rodríguez, Ángeles Cruz
Directed By: Heidi Ewing

#95
#95
Adjusted Score: 103731%
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.... [More]
Starring: Enrico Crippa, Carlo Gondola, Piero Botto, Sergio Cauda
Directed By: Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw

#94
#94
Adjusted Score: 94711%
Critics Consensus: Rounded out by a pair of satisfying performances, Dinner in America is a coming-of-age rom-com with infectious punk rock energy.
Synopsis: An on-the-lam punk rocker and a young woman obsessed with his band go on an unexpected and epic journey together... [More]
Starring: Kyle Gallner, Emily Skeggs, Griffin Gluck, Pat Healy
Directed By: Adam Rehmeier

#93

Assassins (2020)
98%

#93
Adjusted Score: 99597%
Critics Consensus: A deft and illuminating journalistic investigation, Assassins depicts the mechanics of North Korean politics to a chilling effect.
Synopsis: The audacious murder of the brother of North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jon Un in a crowded Malaysian airport sparked... [More]
Starring:
Directed By: Ryan White

#92

Into the Deep (2020)
100%

#92
Adjusted Score: 54337%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: ... [More]
Starring:
Directed By: Emma Sullivan

#91
#91
Adjusted Score: 101108%
Critics Consensus: This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection stands in the fault line between the cradle of tradition and tomorrow, defiantly insisting that one need not exist at the expense of the other.
Synopsis: An 80-year-old widow stands up to local officials who want to build a dam and resettle her village.... [More]
Starring: Mary Twala, Jerry Mofokeng, Makhaola Ndebele, Tseko Monaheng
Directed By: Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese

#90
#90
Adjusted Score: 84932%
Critics Consensus: A fun, fast paced film for all, Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made celebrates the power of imagination with a delightful sense of humor and just the right amount of bears.
Synopsis: Eleven-year-old Timmy Failure and Total, his imaginary 1,500-pound polar bear partner, operate Total Failure Inc., a detective agency in Portland,... [More]
Starring: Winslow Fegley, Ophelia Lovibond, Wallace Shawn, Craig Robinson
Directed By: Tom McCarthy

#89

Save Yourselves! (2020)
89%

#89
Adjusted Score: 93433%
Critics Consensus: Save Yourselves! doesn't do anything unexpected with its one-joke premise -- but fortunately, that one joke turns out to be consistently funny anyway.
Synopsis: A young Brooklyn couple head to an upstate cabin to unplug from their phones and reconnect with each other. Blissfully... [More]
Starring: Sunita Mani, John Reynolds, Ben Sinclair, John Early
Directed By: Alex Huston Fischer, Eleanor Wilson

#88

Tesla (2020)
58%

#88
Adjusted Score: 68173%
Critics Consensus: Appropriately bold and ambitious, Tesla takes a number of risks that don't always pay off -- but Ethan Hawke's performance makes those flaws easier to forgive.
Synopsis: Visionary inventor Nikola Tesla fights an uphill battle to bring his revolutionary electrical system to fruition, then faces thornier challenges... [More]
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Kyle MacLachlan, Eve Hewson, Jim Gaffigan
Directed By: Michael Almereyda

#87
#87
Adjusted Score: 114729%
Critics Consensus: A boldly provocative, timely thriller, Promising Young Woman is an auspicious feature debut for writer-director Emerald Fennell -- and a career highlight for Carey Mulligan.
Synopsis: Nothing in Cassie's life is what it appears to be -- she's wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she's living a... [More]
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Laverne Cox, Bo Burnham, Clancy Brown
Directed By: Emerald Fennell

#86

Shirley (2020)
87%

#86
Adjusted Score: 101824%
Critics Consensus: Elevated by outstanding work from Elisabeth Moss, Shirley pays tribute to its subject's pioneering legacy with a biopic that ignores the commonly accepted boundaries of the form.
Synopsis: A famous horror writer finds inspiration for her next book after she and her husband take in a young couple.... [More]
Starring: Elisabeth Moss, Michael Stuhlbarg, Odessa Young, Logan Lerman
Directed By: Josephine Decker

#85
#85
Adjusted Score: 98271%
Critics Consensus: Led by an outstanding performance from Levan Gelbakhiani, And Then We Danced defeats prejudice with overwhelming compassion.
Synopsis: A male dancer and his partner have been training for years for a spot in the National Georgian Ensemble. The... [More]
Starring: Levan Gelbakhiani, Bachi Valishvili, Ana Javakishvili, Giorgi Tsereteli
Directed By: Levan Akin

#84

Boys State (2020)
95%

#84
Adjusted Score: 102999%
Critics Consensus: Startling, upsetting, and overall absorbing, Boys State strikingly depicts American political divisions -- and machinations -- taking root in the next generation.
Synopsis: A raucous journey into the heart of democracy captures an unusual rite of passage: 1,100 teenage boys from across Texas... [More]
Starring:
Directed By: Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss

#83

The Climb (2019)
90%

#83
Adjusted Score: 95768%
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.... [More]
Starring: Kyle Marvin, Michael Angelo Covino, Gayle Rankin, Talia Balsam
Directed By: Michael Angelo Covino

#82

Miss Juneteenth (2020)
99%

#82
Adjusted Score: 107120%
Critics Consensus: Like a pageant winner walking across the stage, Miss Juneteenth follows a familiar path -- but does so with charm and grace.
Synopsis: A former beauty queen and single mom prepares her rebellious teenage daughter for the "Miss Juneteenth" pageant.... [More]
Starring: Nicole Beharie, Kendrick Sampson, Alexis Chikaeze, Lori Hayes
Directed By: Channing Godfrey Peoples

#81

Kajillionaire (2020)
90%

#81
Adjusted Score: 101864%
Critics Consensus: Whether you see Kajillionaire as refreshingly unique or simply bizarre will depend on your cinematic adventurousness -- and fans of writer-director Miranda July wouldn't have it any other way.
Synopsis: Two con artists have spent 26 years training their only daughter to swindle, scam and steal at every turn. During... [More]
Starring: Evan Rachel Wood, Gina Rodriguez, Richard Jenkins, Debra Winger
Directed By: Miranda July

#80

Possessor: Uncut (2020)
94%

#80
Adjusted Score: 106650%
Critics Consensus: Further refining his provocative vision, writer-director Brandon Cronenberg uses Possessor's potentially over-the-top premise as a delivery mechanism for stylishly disturbing thrills.
Synopsis: Tasya Vos, an elite, corporate assassin, takes control of other people's bodies using brain-implant technology to execute high-profile targets.... [More]
Starring: Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Tuppence Middleton, Sean Bean
Directed By: Brandon Cronenberg

#79

The Night House (2020)
88%

#79
Adjusted Score: 99683%
Critics Consensus: Led by Rebecca Hall's gripping central performance, The Night House offers atmospheric horror that engages intellectually as well as emotionally.
Synopsis: Reeling from the unexpected death of her husband, Beth (Rebecca Hall) is left alone in the lakeside home he built... [More]
Starring: Rebecca Hall, Sarah Goldberg, Vondie Curtis Hall, Evan Jonigkeit
Directed By: David Bruckner

#78
#78
Adjusted Score: 95858%
Critics Consensus: Miss Americana provides an engaging if somewhat deliberately opaque backstage look at a pop star turned cultural phenomenon.
Synopsis: Pop singer Taylor Swift reveals intimate details of her life while showcasing backstage and onstage concert footage.... [More]
Starring: Taylor Swift, Stephen Thomas Hatez
Directed By: Lana Wilson

#77

Whirlybird (2020)
83%

#77
Adjusted Score: 84416%
Critics Consensus: Whirlybird might have benefited from a more patient approach, but it remains a fascinating -- and often thrilling -- look at what goes into making the news.
Synopsis: Flying high above Los Angeles in a whirling news helicopter, husband-and-wife team Marika Gerrard and Zoey Tur (then known as... [More]
Starring: Marika Gerrard, Zoey Tur, Katy Tur
Directed By: Matt Yoka

#76
#76
Adjusted Score: 95163%
Critics Consensus: Leap of Faith may not offer hardcore Exorcist fans much new information, but its behind-the-scenes anecdotes are enlivened by William Friedkin's magnetic charm.
Synopsis: A lyrical and spiritual cinematic essay on The Exorcist, Leap Of Faith explores the uncharted depths of William Friedkin's mind's... [More]
Starring: William Friedkin
Directed By: Alexandre O. Philippe

#75

The Mole Agent (2020)
95%

#75
Adjusted Score: 98771%
Critics Consensus: Warm and funny, The Mole Agent offers audiences a poignant reminder that it's never too late to forge new connections and embark on new adventures.
Synopsis: An 83-year-old man poses as a resident in a Chilean nursing home to see if he can find signs of... [More]
Starring: Romulo Aitken, Sergio Chamy, Marta Olivares, Zoila González
Directed By: Maite Alberdi

#74

Black Bear (2020)
89%

#74
Adjusted Score: 97724%
Critics Consensus: A fascinating look at the creative intricacies of show business, Black Bear is a provocative, mind-bending experience -- and finds Aubrey Plaza at the top of her game.
Synopsis: A filmmaker plays a calculated game of desire and jealousy in pursuit of a work of art that blurs the... [More]
Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, Sarah Gadon, Lindsay Burdge
Directed By: Lawrence Michael Levine

#73

Beast Beast (2020)
79%

#73
Adjusted Score: 79750%
Critics Consensus: Featuring an exceptional performance from Shirley Chen, Beast Beast thoughtfully places its young protagonists on center stage in a conflicting coming of age story.
Synopsis: Three interwoven stories of youth navigating identity, first love, petty crime, and gun violence in a Southern, American town. Brimming... [More]
Starring: Shirley Chen, Will Madden, Jose Angeles, Courtney Dietz
Directed By: Danny Madden

#72

Ema (2019)
87%

#72
Adjusted Score: 94155%
Critics Consensus: Beautifully filmed and powerfully acted, Ema puts a thoroughly distinctive spin on its story of emotional trauma and self-discovery.
Synopsis: After a shocking incident upends her family life and marriage to a tempestuous choreographer, Ema, a reggaeton dancer, sets out... [More]
Starring: Mariana Di Girólamo, Gael García Bernal, Santiago Cabrera, Josefina Fiebelkorn
Directed By: Pablo Larraín

#71

High Tide (2020)
77%

#71
Adjusted Score: 60476%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A woman struggles after having an affair with one of her workers.... [More]
Starring: Gloria Carrá, Jorge Sesán, Cristian Salguero, Mariana Chaud
Directed By: Verónica Chen

#70

The Evening Hour (2020)
71%

#70
Adjusted Score: 71061%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: The autumnal mountains of southern Appalachia hold a haunting power within which Cole Freeman (Philip Ettinger FIRST REFORMED), maintains an... [More]
Starring: Marc Menchaca, Kerry Bishé, Lili Taylor, Stacy Martin
Directed By: Braden King

#69

The Assistant (2019)
93%

#69
Adjusted Score: 105591%
Critics Consensus: Led by a powerhouse performance from Julia Garner, The Assistant offers a withering critique of workplace harassment and systemic oppression.
Synopsis: Jane, a recent college graduate and aspiring film producer, just landed her dream job as a junior assistant to a... [More]
Starring: Julia Garner, Matthew Macfadyen, Makenzie Leigh, Juliana Canfield
Directed By: Kitty Green

#68

Zola (2020)
88%

#68
Adjusted Score: 102280%
Critics Consensus: Zola captures the stranger-than-fiction appeal of the viral Twitter thread that inspired it -- and announces director/co-writer Janicza Bravo as a filmmaker to watch.
Synopsis: "Y'all wanna hear a story about why me & this bitch here fell out? It's kind of long but full... [More]
Starring: Taylour Paige, Riley Keough, Nicholas Braun, Colman Domingo
Directed By: Janicza Bravo

#67

Nine Days (2020)
89%

#67
Adjusted Score: 97543%
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.... [More]
Starring: Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz, Bill Skarsgård, Benedict Wong
Directed By: Edson Oda

#66
#66
Adjusted Score: 96551%
Critics Consensus: A message movie admirable for its subtlety as well as its execution, The Perfect Candidate faces oppression and powerfully advocates for change.
Synopsis: When Maryam, a hardworking young doctor in a small-town clinic, is prevented from flying to Dubai for a conference without... [More]
Starring: Mila Al Zahrani, Dae Al Hilali, Nora Al Awadh, Khalid Abdulraheem
Directed By: Haifaa Al-Mansour

#65

Charm City Kings (2020)
79%

#65
Adjusted Score: 81440%
Critics Consensus: Charm City Kings falls shy of more effective similarly themed coming-of-age films, but strong direction and engaging performances make its flaws easy to forgive.
Synopsis: Growing up in West Baltimore, teenage Mouse (JAHI DI'ALLO WINSTON, Queen & Slim, Proud Mary, The Upside) feels the fierce... [More]
Starring: Jahi Di'Allo Winston, Meek Mill, William Catlett, Teyonah Parris
Directed By: Angel Manuel Soto

#64

The Nest (2020)
90%

#64
Adjusted Score: 100536%
Critics Consensus: An effective pairing of period setting and timeless themes, The Nest wrings additional tension out of its unsettling story with an outstanding pair of lead performances.
Synopsis: An entrepreneur and his family begin to unravel after moving into an old country manor in England in the 1980s.... [More]
Starring: Jude Law, Carrie Coon, Oona Roche, Charlie Shotwell
Directed By: Sean Durkin

#63

Spaceship Earth (2020)
88%

#63
Adjusted Score: 93764%
Critics Consensus: Spaceship Earth achieves liftoff as an engaging behind-the-scenes record of an audacious experiment -- and settles into orbit as poignant proof of the power of a shared dream.
Synopsis: In 1991 eight visionaries embark on a two-year experiment to quarantine themselves inside Biosphere 2 -- a self-engineered replica of... [More]
Starring: John Allen, Larry Winokur, Tony Burgess, Mark Nelson
Directed By: Matt Wolf

#62

Wander Darkly (2020)
75%

#62
Adjusted Score: 80100%
Critics Consensus: Wander Darkly's risks don't always yield rewards, but strong work from Diego Luna and Sienna Miller helps this romance remain consistently alluring.
Synopsis: A traumatic accident leaves a couple in a surreal state of being that takes them on a disorienting journey through... [More]
Starring: Sienna Miller, Diego Luna, Vanessa Bayer, Aimee Carrero
Directed By: Tara Miele

#61

The Courier (2020)
85%

#61
Adjusted Score: 97046%
Critics Consensus: The Courier delivers a rousingly effective old-school spy adventure elevated by a thrilling fact-based story and Benedict Cumberbatch's nervy central performance.
Synopsis: THE COURIER is a true-life spy thriller, the story of an unassuming British businessman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) recruited into... [More]
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Merab Ninidze, Vladimir Chuprikov, James Schofield
Directed By: Dominic Cooke

#60

Luxor (2020)
92%

#60
Adjusted Score: 95348%
Critics Consensus: Led by Andrea Riseborough's layered performance, Luxor empathetically surveys the crossroads between trauma and recovery.
Synopsis: When British aid worker Hana returns to the ancient city of Luxor, she meets former lover Sultan. As she wanders,... [More]
Starring: Andrea Riseborough, Michael Landes, Sherine Reda, Karim Saleh
Directed By: Zeina Durra

#59

Time (2020)
98%

#59
Adjusted Score: 104912%
Critics Consensus: Time delivers a powerful broadside against the flaws of the American justice system -- and chronicles one family's refusal to give up against all odds.
Synopsis: Entrepreneur Fox Rich spends the last two decades campaigning for the release of her husband, Rob G. Rich, who is... [More]
Starring:
Directed By: Garrett Bradley

#58
#58
Adjusted Score: 95268%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Once prosperous, the village of Congo Mirador now rots away. At the center are two women on opposing sides of... [More]
Starring:
Directed By: Anabel Rodríguez

#57

Cuties (2020)
87%

#57
Adjusted Score: 90949%
Critics Consensus: A thoughtful look at the intricacies of girlhood in the modern age, Cuties is a coming-of-age film that confronts its themes with poignancy and nuance.
Synopsis: A talented 11-year-old girl joins a hip-hop dance troupe.... [More]
Starring: Fathia Youssouf Abdillahi, Medina El Aidi, Esther Gohourou, Ilanah Cami-Goursolas
Directed By: Maïmouna Doucouré

#56

Amulet (2020)
72%

#56
Adjusted Score: 76857%
Critics Consensus: If its chilly sense of dread never quite becomes spine-tingling terror, Amulet remains smart, solidly disquieting fun for genre fans seeking slow-building horror.
Synopsis: Terror strikes when a former soldier takes a job to help a young woman and her housebound mother.... [More]
Starring: Carla Juri, Imelda Staunton, Alec Secareanu, Angeliki Papoulia
Directed By: Romola Garai

#55

Scare Me (2020)
84%

#55
Adjusted Score: 86381%
Critics Consensus: Smart, well-acted, and suitably chilling, Scare Me uses its familiar horror setting as the backdrop for a fresh deconstruction of standard genre ingredients.
Synopsis: Two strangers tell scary stories in a Catskills cabin during a power outage.... [More]
Starring: Aya Cash, Rebecca Drysdale, Chris Redd, Josh Ruben
Directed By: Josh Ruben

#54

Blanco de Verano (2020)
87%

#54
Adjusted Score: 64114%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Rodrigo is a solitary teenager, a king in the private world he shares with his mother. Things change when her... [More]
Starring: Adrián Ross, Sophie Alexander-Katz, Fabián Corres
Directed By: Rodrigo Ruiz Patterson

#53

The Nowhere Inn (2020)
67%

#53
Adjusted Score: 69141%
Critics Consensus: The Nowhere Inn may be a clever concept in search of substance, but the results are often oddly appealing.
Synopsis: From real-life friends Annie Clark (a.k.a. GRAMMY award-winning recording and touring artist St. Vincent) and Carrie Brownstein (Portlandia, Sleater-Kinney) comes... [More]
Starring: St. Vincent, Carrie Brownstein, Dakota Johnson, Ezra Buzzington
Directed By: Bill Benz

#52
#52
Adjusted Score: 82993%
Critics Consensus: Despite glossing over some of the darker events in the subject's life, Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story is an engaging look at a groundbreaking show.
Synopsis: Filmmakers Ron Cicero and Kimo Easterwood explore the rise and fall of the groundbreaking animated series "Ren and Stimpy" and... [More]
Starring: John Kricfalusi
Directed By: Ron Cicero, Kimo Easterwood

#51

Come Away (2020)
29%

#51
Adjusted Score: 32164%
Critics Consensus: Largely lacking the fairytale magic it seeks to conjure, Come Away is an initially intriguing fantasy that never really takes flight.
Synopsis: Eight-year-old Alice and her mischievous brother Peter journey to London to sell a treasured heirloom. Returning home, Alice seeks temporary... [More]
Starring: David Oyelowo, Angelina Jolie, Anna Chancellor, Gugu Mbatha-Raw
Directed By: Brenda Chapman

#50

Lost Girls (2020)
73%

#50
Adjusted Score: 75803%
Critics Consensus: Raw yet rewarding, Lost Girls overcomes uneven storytelling with powerful performances and a willingness to resist easy catharsis.
Synopsis: Determined to find her missing daughter, a desperate woman launches a personal investigation that leads police to the unsolved cases... [More]
Starring: Amy Ryan, Thomasin McKenzie, Lola Kirke, Gabriel Byrne
Directed By: Liz Garbus

#49

Spree (2020)
66%

#49
Adjusted Score: 69839%
Critics Consensus: Joe Keery's magnetic screen presence can't disguise Spree's shallow critique of social media culture -- although that lack of depth may be precisely the point.
Synopsis: Thirsty for a following, a rideshare driver has figured out a deadly plan to go viral.... [More]
Starring: Joe Keery, Sasheer Zamata, David Arquette, Kyle Mooney
Directed By: Eugene Kotlyarenko

#48

The Glorias (2020)
68%

#48
Adjusted Score: 75455%
Critics Consensus: Uneven yet engaging, The Glorias honors the work of a pivotal American activist without quite capturing her trailblazing spirit.
Synopsis: The story of Gloria Steinem -- from her childhood in 1940s Ohio to her leading role in the women's liberation... [More]
Starring: Julianne Moore, Alicia Vikander, Lulu Wilson, Ryan Kiera Armstrong
Directed By: Julie Taymor

#47

Uncle Frank (2020)
77%

#47
Adjusted Score: 83429%
Critics Consensus: Uncle Frank finds writer-director Alan Ball still untangling the modern American family dynamic, aided by standout work from Paul Bettany and Sophia Lillis.
Synopsis: In 1973, teenaged Beth Bledsoe (Sophia Lillis) leaves her rural Southern hometown to study at New York University where her... [More]
Starring: Paul Bettany, Sophia Lillis, Peter Macdissi, Steve Zahn
Directed By: Alan Ball

#46

Worth (2020)
82%

#46
Adjusted Score: 86978%
Critics Consensus: It isn't as hard-hitting as one might expect, but Worth remains a powerfully performed and rewardingly complex dramatization of real-life events.
Synopsis: Following the horrific 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, Congress appoints attorney and renowned mediator Kenneth Feinberg... [More]
Starring: Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci, Amy Ryan, Laura Benanti
Directed By: Sara Colangelo

#45
#45
Adjusted Score: 63097%
Critics Consensus: Run Sweetheart Run's heavy-handedness blunts the effectiveness of its message, but this remains a wily, unpredictable thriller.
Synopsis: Initially apprehensive when her boss insists she meet with one of his most important clients, single mom Cherie (Ella Balinska)... [More]
Starring: Ella Balinska, Pilou Asbæk, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Clark Gregg
Directed By: Shana Feste

#44

The Last Shift (2020)
64%

#44
Adjusted Score: 65185%
Critics Consensus: The Last Shift doesn't quite reach the potential of its premise, however a powerful performance from Richard Jenkins makes it worth the watch.
Synopsis: Calling it quits after 38 years, an aging fast-food worker trains his young replacement on the graveyard shift at Oscar's... [More]
Starring: Richard Jenkins, Shane Paul McGhie, Ed O'Neill, Allison Tolman
Directed By: Andrew Cohn

#43

Bad Hair (2020)
63%

#43
Adjusted Score: 67190%
Critics Consensus: Bad Hair's unwieldy ambitions are easy to respect -- even if the film's tonal jumble and uneven execution are impossible to ignore.
Synopsis: Terror strikes when a woman's new hair weave seems to take on a life of its own.... [More]
Starring: Elle Lorraine, Jay Pharoah, Lena Waithe, Kelly Rowland
Directed By: Justin Simien

#42

Blast Beat (2020)
61%

#42
Adjusted Score: 61087%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: On the cusp of the year 2000, Colombian brothers Carly (Mateo Arias) and Mateo (Moises Arias) prepare to move to... [More]
Starring: Mateo Arias, Moises Arias, Daniel Dae Kim, Kali Uchis
Directed By: Esteban Arango

#41

Jumbo (2020)
76%

#41
Adjusted Score: 79224%
Critics Consensus: Jumbo might be more compelling as an idea than a complete viewing experience, but whatever this strikingly unusual love story lacks in narrative finesse, it makes up in originality.
Synopsis: Jeanne, a shy young woman, works at night in an amusement park. Fascinated with carousels, she still lives with her... [More]
Starring: Noémie Merlant, Emmanuelle Bercot, Bastien Bouillon, Sam Louwyck
Directed By: Zoé Wittock

#40

Falling (2020)
67%

#40
Adjusted Score: 71798%
Critics Consensus: As messy and complex as the relationship at its center, Falling's repetitive nature can be taxing, but its heart is clearly in the right place.
Synopsis: FALLING follows John (Viggo Mortensen) who lives with his partner, Eric (Terry Chen), and their daughter, Mónica (Gabby Velis), in... [More]
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Lance Henriksen, Laura Linney, Sverrir Gudnason
Directed By: Viggo Mortensen

#39

Wendy (2020)
42%

#39
Adjusted Score: 47825%
Critics Consensus: Wendy dares to do something different with its classic source material; unfortunately, the movie's breathtaking visuals are at odds with a flawed take on the story.
Synopsis: Lost on a mysterious island, a girl fights to save her family, her freedom and the joyous spirit of youth.... [More]
Starring: Devin France, Yashua Mack, Gage Naquin, Gavin Naquin
Directed By: Benh Zeitlin

#38

Surge (2020)
79%

#38
Adjusted Score: 81442%
Critics Consensus: Discomfiting by design, Surge will wear some viewers down -- but Ben Whishaw's mesmerizing performance keeps the action gripping even when it's hard to take.
Synopsis: Joseph (Ben Whishaw) is trapped in a soulless job, living a life devoid of emotion and meaning. After an impulsive... [More]
Starring: Ben Whishaw, Ellie Haddington, Ian Gelder, Jasmine Jobson
Directed By: Aneil Karia

#37

Horse Girl (2020)
71%

#37
Adjusted Score: 73501%
Critics Consensus: Horse Girl proves unwilling or unable to explore the deeper themes it addresses, but this unusual drama is anchored by Alison Brie's committed performance.
Synopsis: A woman's surreal dreams affect her perception of reality.... [More]
Starring: Alison Brie, Debby Ryan, John Reynolds, Molly Shannon
Directed By: Jeff Baena

#36

Us Kids (2020)
88%

#36
Adjusted Score: 89415%
Critics Consensus: Skillfully directed by Kim A. Snyder, Us Kids is a stirring portrait of hope that prevails in the face of tragedy.
Synopsis: Us Kids is an insightful, rousing coming-of-age story of youth leaders determined to fight for justice at a critical time... [More]
Starring: X González, David Hogg, Cameron Kasky, Jaclyn Corin
Directed By: Kim A. Snyder

#35

Downhill (2020)
36%

#35
Adjusted Score: 47985%
Critics Consensus: Fittingly named for a remake whose charms are dwarfed by its superior source material, Downhill is frequently -- and frustratingly -- less than the sum of its talented parts.
Synopsis: A woman starts to have second doubts about her husband after he runs away from an approaching avalanche, leaving her... [More]
Starring: Will Ferrell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Zach Woods, Zoe Chao
Directed By: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash

#34

Four Good Days (2020)
56%

#34
Adjusted Score: 59770%
Critics Consensus: Four Good Days struggles to bring authenticity to its tragic source material and strands its talent in a bland melodrama.
Synopsis: In an emotional journey based on a true story by Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post writer Eli Saslow, 31-year-old Molly begs... [More]
Starring: Glenn Close, Mila Kunis, Stephen Root, Chad Lindberg
Directed By: Rodrigo Garcia

#33
#33
Adjusted Score: 7381%
Critics Consensus: It'll be the last thing most viewers want, too.
Synopsis: When she helps her father broker an arms deal, a reporter becomes involved in the story she's trying to break.... [More]
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Ben Affleck, Willem Dafoe
Directed By: Dee Rees

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