2023 Toronto Film Festival Movie Scorecard: Best Movies at TIFF

Critics Consensus: Jonathan Demme's Stop Making Sense captures the energetic, unpredictable live act of peak Talking Heads with color and visual wit.

Synopsis: Filmmaker Jonathan Demme captures Talking Heads and an ecstatic ensemble of musicians at their exhilarating best in this iconic live performance.

Starring: David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth

Directed By: Jonathan Demme

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

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

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

Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki

Critics Consensus: A quirky tale of star-crossed lovers, Fallen Leaves is a life-affirming gem from Finnish filmmaker Kaurismäki.

Synopsis: In modern-day Helsinki, two lonely souls in search of love meet by chance in a local karaoke bar. However, the pair's path to happiness is... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Alma Pöysti, Jussi Vatanen, Janne Hyytiäinen, Alina Tomnikov

Directed By: Aki Kaurismäki

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: Dealing with thorny family dynamics while remaining warm as a throw blanket, His Three Daughters is a compelling showcase for Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, and Carrie Coon.

Synopsis: From writer-director Azazel Jacobs (French Exit, The Lovers) comes this bittersweet and often funny story of an elderly patriarch and the three grown daughters who... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, Carrie Coon, Jovan Adepo

Directed By: Azazel Jacobs

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: Following its own alluringly inscrutable path between past, present, reality, and dreams, Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell rewards patient viewers with an absorbing spiritual odyssey.

Synopsis: Winner of the prestigious Camera d’Or for best first film at this year's Cannes Film Festival, the enthralling Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell from Vietnamese... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Le Phong Vu, Nguyen Thi Truc Quynh, Nguyen Thinh, Vu Ngoc Manh

Directed By: Pham Thien An

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Frybread Face and Me follows two adolescent Navajo cousins from different worlds as they bond during a summer on their grandmother's Arizona ranch, learning more... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keir Tallman, Charley Hogan, Martin Sensmeier, Morningstar Angeline

Directed By: Billy Luther

Critics Consensus: As harrowing as it is humane, The Settlers serves as a sharp-edged excavation of long-marginalized history.

Synopsis: Chile, 1901. Three horsemen embark on an expedition, tasked with securing a wealthy landowner's vast property. Accompanying a reckless British lieutenant and an American mercenary... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sam Spruell, Alfredo Castro, Mariano Llinás, Marcelo Alonso

Directed By: Felipe Gálvez Haberle

Critics Consensus: A moving celebration of art's redemptive power, Sing Sing draws its estimable emotional resonance from a never better Colman Domingo and equally impressive ensemble players.

Synopsis: Divine G (Colman Domingo), imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Paul Raci, Sean San José

Directed By: Greg Kwedar

Critics Consensus: A solid courtroom drama led by a pair of nicely contrasted performances, The Burial hits the expected genre beats -- and remains a crowd-pleasing treat at every turn.

Synopsis: Inspired by true events, when a handshake deal goes sour, funeral home owner Jeremiah O'Keefe (Academy Award® winner Tommy Lee Jones) enlists charismatic, smooth-talking attorney... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Jamie Foxx, Jurnee Smollett, Mamoudou Athie

Directed By: Maggie Betts

Critics Consensus: Joanna Arnow finds bleak humor in the struggle to connect with The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed, a deadpan comedy that discomfits as confidently as it amuses.

Synopsis: Ann, a morose New Yorker in her 30's, feels stuck in all areas of her life. To her dismay, the years have gone by quickly... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joanna Arnow, Scott Cohen, Babak Tafti, Michael Cyril Creighton

Directed By: Joanna Arnow

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A widow pretends to be pregnant with a son in order to save her daughter and home from a relative exploiting Jordan's patriarchal inheritance laws.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mouna Hawa, Haitham Alomari, Yumna Marwan, Salwa Nakkara

Directed By: Amjad Al Rasheed

Critics Consensus: As heartbreaking as it is heartwarming, Robot Dreams is the stuff good animation is made of.

Synopsis: DOG lives in Manhattan and he's tired of being alone. One day he decides to build himself a robot, a companion. Their friendship blossoms, until... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Pablo Berger

Critics Consensus: A beautifully acted and observant portrait of a family and their community, Mountains marks an impressive debut by director Monica Sorelle.

Synopsis: In Miami's Little Haiti, Xavier (Atibon Nazaire) makes a living as a demolition worker while his wife Esperance (Sheila Anozier) holds down two jobs to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Karina Bonnefil, Yaniel Castillo, Serafin Falcon, Tibon Nazaire

Directed By: Monica Sorelle

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Suellen, a Brazilian toll booth attendant and mother, falls in with a gang of thieves in an attempt to keep her family afloat. In doing... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Maeve Jinkings, Kauan Alvarenga, Thomas Aquino, Isac Graca

Directed By: Carolina Markowicz

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: After the mayor of an idyllic island village discovers a child with mysterious powers awash on their shores, the once peaceful community devolves into civil... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Frances Fisher, Clayne Crawford, Alix West Lefler, Aden Young

Directed By: Christian Sparkes

Critics Consensus: Deftly balancing the moods of kitchen sink drama and buoyant romantic comedy, Chuck Chuck Baby is a winning first feature effort from writer-director Janis Pugh.

Synopsis: Present day, industrial North Wales. Helen, late 30's, spends her nights packing chickens and her days caring for dying mother-figure Gwen. Helen's mundane world takes... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Louise Brealey, Annabel Scholey, Sorcha Cusack, Celyn Jones

Directed By: Janis Pugh

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: In 1975, French Oscar-winning director Pierre-Dominique Gaisseau travels to Panama to film the Kuna community, where women are sacred. Gaisseau, his wife and their little... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Andres Peyrot

Critics Consensus: Surrounding its poignant insights with a gentle layer of crowd-pleasing comedy, The Monk and the Gun is a timely political satire that underscores the fragility of democracy.

Synopsis: The Monk And The Gun captures the wonder and disruption as Bhutan becomes one of the world's youngest democracies. Known throughout the world for its... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Harry Einhorn, Tandin Wangchuk, Deki Lhamo, Pema Zangmo Sherpa

Directed By: Pawo Choyning Dorji

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Emma, a talented conductor and rising star on the Montreal stage, has a complicated relationship with her father and agent, Patrick. She must confront her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sophie Desmarais, Sylvain Marcel, Nour Belkhiria, Maude Guérin

Directed By: Chloé Robichaud

Critics Consensus: A vibrant queer romance enlivened by its distinctive milieu, Solo is a striking breakthrough from writer-director Sophie Dupuis.

Synopsis: Simon (Théodore Pellerin) is a rising star in Montreal's drag scene performing lively disco pop numbers weekly at his local club. Friendly with his fellow... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Théodore Pellerin, Félix Maritaud, Alice Moreault, Vlad Alexis

Directed By: Sophie Dupuis

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Ze is a timid 17-year-old shaman. He studies hard at school to succeed in the cold, callous society of modern Mongolia, while communing with his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tergel Bold-Erdene, Nomin-Erdene Ariunbyamba, Bulgan Chuluunbat, Ganzorig Tsetsgee

Directed By: Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir

Critics Consensus: Shoshana is a solidly fact-based historical thriller whose complex themes are occasionally underserved by director Michael Winterbottom's facile treatment.

Synopsis: In this edge-of-your-seat thriller inspired by real events, a British police officer and a Jewish woman fall in love amidst the political turmoil of 1930s... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Douglas Booth, Irina Starshenbaum, Harry Melling, Ofer Seker

Directed By: Michael Winterbottom

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: After the Umbrella Men's successful heist, Jerome, Morty, Mila, Keisha and Auntie Val are moving up in the world. Life is sweet. But that's when... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jaques De Silva, Shamilla Miller, Bronté Snell, Keenan Arrison

Directed By: John Barker

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: When investigative journalist Luyanda Masinda narrowly survives the assassination of her whistleblower lover, she joins forces with his inside man to expose the deep-rooted state... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Noxolo Dlamini, Irshaad Ally, Anthony Oseyemi, Kathleen Stephens

Directed By: Ian Gabriel

Critics Consensus: A smart, solidly crafted procedural that's anchored in family drama, Anatomy of a Fall finds star Sandra Hüller and director/co-writer Justine Triet operating at peak power.

Synopsis: For the past year, Sandra, her husband Samuel, and their eleven-year-old son Daniel have lived a secluded life in a remote town in the French... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sandra Hüller, Swann Arlaud, Milo Machado Graner, Antoine Reinartz

Directed By: Justine Triet

Critics Consensus: A deceptively dark thriller that's also loaded with laughs, Hit Man is an outstanding showcase for leading man Glen Powell -- and one of the most purely entertaining films of Richard Linklater's career.

Synopsis: Oscar-nominated director Richard Linklater's sunlit neo-noir stars Glen Powell as strait-laced professor Gary Johnson, who moonlights as a fake hit man for the New Orleans... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, Retta

Directed By: Richard Linklater

Critics Consensus: Gently devastating in its compassion, Monster is a masterpiece of shifting perspectives that surprises to the end.

Synopsis: When her young son Minato starts to behave strangely, his mother feels that there is something wrong. Discovering that a teacher is responsible, she storms... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sakura Andô, Eita Nagayama, Soya Kurokawa, Mitsuki Takahata

Directed By: Hirokazu Koreeda

Critics Consensus: Limbo probes Aboriginal injustices with a patient eye, using the scars of history as the backdrop and basis for a powerfully minimalist mystery.

Synopsis: Travis Hurley (Simon Baker), a detective, arrives in the remote outback town of Limbo to investigate the cold case murder of local Indigenous girl Charlotte... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Simon Baker, Rob Collins, Natasha Wanganeen, Nicholas Hope

Directed By: Ivan Sen

Critics Consensus: Evil Does Not Exist stands on the battle lines between modern civilization and the natural world, offering a perspective that's as quietly measured as it is entrancing.

Synopsis: In the rural alpine hamlet of Mizubiki, not far from Tokyo, Takumi and his daughter, Hana, lead a modest life gathering water, wood, and wild... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hitoshi Omika, Ryo Nishikawa, Ryuji Kosaka, Ayaka Shibutani

Directed By: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi

Critics Consensus: Jeffrey Wright and American Fiction will forever be inextricable thanks to the actor's committed approach to the pointedly humorous and insightful material.

Synopsis: AMERICAN FICTION is Cord Jefferson's hilarious directorial debut, which confronts our culture's obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk, a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander

Directed By: Cord Jefferson

Critics Consensus: A chilling immersion into a place and time fraught with constant danger, The Royal Hotel reunites Kitty Green and Julia Garner to electrifying effect.

Synopsis: Americans Hanna and Liv are best friends backpacking in Australia. After they run out of money, Liv, looking for an adventure, convinces Hanna to take... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jessica Henwick, Julia Garner, Hugo Weaving, James Frecheville

Directed By: Kitty Green

Critics Consensus: Dispassionately examining the ordinary existence of people complicit in horrific crimes, The Zone of Interest forces us to take a cold look at the mundanity behind an unforgivable brutality.

Synopsis: The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig, strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Christian Friedel, Sandra Hüller, Medusa Knopf, Daniel Holzberg

Directed By: Jonathan Glazer

Critics Consensus: An absorbing slice-of-life drama led by a remarkable Kôji Yakusho performance, Perfect Days adds a quietly soaring gem to director/co-writer Wim Wenders' estimable filmography.

Synopsis: Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine he enjoys his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kôji Yakusho, Tokio Emoto, Arisa Nakano, Aoi Yamada

Directed By: Wim Wenders

Critics Consensus: Beautifully bittersweet, The Holdovers marks a satisfying return to form for director Alexander Payne.

Synopsis: From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, THE HOLDOVERS follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who is forced to remain on... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa, Carrie Preston

Directed By: Alexander Payne

Critics Consensus: Breaking through the genre wall, The Delinquents is an astute existential heist movie that will reward patient viewers with a humorous fable about freedom.

Synopsis: Buenos Aires bank employee Morán dreams up a scheme to liberate himself from corporate monotony: he'll steal enough money to support a modest retirement, then... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Germán de Silva, Laura Paredes, Margarita Molfino, Daniel Elias

Directed By: Rodrigo Moreno

Critics Consensus: A powerful debut for Molly Manning Walker, How to Have Sex authentically captures female adolescence and friendship with sobering effervescence.

Synopsis: Three British teenage girls go on a rites-of-passage holiday -- drinking, clubbing and hooking up, in what should be the best summer of their lives.

Starring: Mia McKenna-Bruce, Samuel Bottomley, Lara Peake, Shaun Thomas

Directed By: Molly Manning Walker

Critics Consensus: If La Chimera is a wild, improbable pursuit, this marvelous and magical tale by Alice Rochrwacher is the pie in the sky to behold.

Synopsis: Everyone has their own Chimera, something they try to achieve but never manage to find. For the band of tombaroli, thieves of ancient grave goods... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Josh O'Connor, Isabella Rossellini, Alba Rohrwacher, Luca Chikovani

Directed By: Alice Rohrwacher

Critics Consensus: Nyad is an uplifting sports biopic strictly on the merits of its story, but it's the outstanding performances from Annette Bening and Jodie Foster that really keep this picture afloat.

Synopsis: A remarkable true story of tenacity, friendship and the triumph of the human spirit, NYAD recounts a riveting chapter in the life of world-class athlete... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans, Garland Scott

Directed By: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin

Critics Consensus: Four Daughters' unique approach to documenting real-life horror is a formal gamble that only underscores the bravery and resilience of its subjects.

Synopsis: This riveting exploration of rebellion, memory, and sisterhood reconstructs the story of Olfa Hamrouni and her four daughters, unpacking a complex family history through intimate... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hend Sabry, Olfa Hamrouni, Eya Chikahoui, Tayssir Chikhaoui

Directed By: Kaouther Ben Hania

Critics Consensus: A near-masterpiece for director/co-writer Victor Erice, Close Your Eyes ends his long gap between films with a moving meditation on memory, identity, and cinema itself.

Synopsis: Set in contemporary Madrid, an aging filmmaker named Miguel Garay is called upon to recount his memories of working on his final and still unfinished... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Manolo Solo, José Coronado, Ana Torrent, Petra Martínez

Directed By: Víctor Erice

Critics Consensus: Another music-fueled crowd-pleaser from writer-director John Carney, Flora and Son proves almost impossible to resist.

Synopsis: Single mom Flora (Eve Hewson) is at a loss about what to do with her rebellious teenage son, Max (Orén Kinlan). Encouraged by the police... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Eve Hewson, Orén Kinlan, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jack Reynor

Directed By: John Carney

Critics Consensus: A soulful exploration of sexual fluidity with a vivid Americana backdrop, National Anthem earns a salute.

Synopsis: Dylan (Charlie Plummer), a soft-spoken 21-year-old construction worker, is the de facto father figure to his little brother and works odd jobs to help the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Charlie Plummer, Eve Lindley, Mason Alexander Park, Rene Rosado

Directed By: Luke Gilford

Critics Consensus: Copa 71 uses the real-life saga of a group of pioneering athletes to shine a light on a chapter from sports history that's as infuriating as it is inspiring.

Synopsis: The extraordinary story of the 1971 Women's World Cup, which was held in Mexico City and witnessed by more than 100,000 fans. This landmark tournament... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brandi Chastain, Nicole Mangas, Silvia Zaragoza, Carol Wilson

Directed By: Rachel Ramsay, James Erskine

Critics Consensus: Led by Jodie Comer's gripping performance in the central role, The End We Start From offers a thoughtful, haunting look at the end of the world.

Synopsis: When an environmental crisis sees London submerged by flood waters, a young family is torn apart in the chaos. As a woman and her newborn... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jodie Comer, Joel Fry, Benedict Cumberbatch, Katherine Waterston

Directed By: Mahalia Belo

Critics Consensus: Tenderly performed by Ben Hardy and Jason Patel, Unicorns charts a queer love story with familiar beats but palpable sincerity.

Synopsis: Unable to deny the spark between them the pair are forced down the unexpected path of transformation, where they must question their identities and confront... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ben Hardy, Jason Patel, Hannah Onslow, Ravin J Ganatra

Directed By: Sally El Hosaini, James Krishna Floyd

Critics Consensus: Held aloft by outstanding work from a tremendous cast, One Life pays heartwarming tribute to a remarkable humanitarian effort.

Synopsis: Based on the book If It's Not Impossible...: The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton by Barbara Winton, ONE LIFE tells the incredible, emotional true story... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai

Directed By: James Hawes

Critics Consensus: With assured style that's at times reminiscent of the best '90s nail-biting thrillers, Fair Play juxtaposes premarital disharmony with greed and gender politics in the cutthroat finance world.

Synopsis: When a coveted promotion at a cutthroat financial firm arises, once supportive exchanges between lovers Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) begin to sour... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich, Eddie Marsan, Rich Sommer

Directed By: Chloe Domont

Critics Consensus: Deftly directed by star Anna Kendrick, Woman of the Hour uses an incredible true story as the foundation for a powerful examination of the intersection between systemic misogyny and violence.

Synopsis: An aspiring actress crosses paths with a prolific serial killer in '70s LA when they're cast on an episode of "The Dating Game." Based on... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Tony Hale, Kelley Jakle, Max Lloyd-Jones

Directed By: Anna Kendrick

Critics Consensus: Colman Domingo is sensational in Rustin, a stirring biopic that shines an overdue light on a remarkable legacy of public service.

Synopsis: The architect of 1963's momentous March on Washington, Bayard Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known. He challenged... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Audra McDonald

Directed By: George C. Wolfe

Critics Consensus: Unwieldy but rewarding, The Beast uses its sci-fi conceit to explore intriguing themes in largely satisfying fashion.

Synopsis: The year is 2044: artificial intelligence controls all facets of a stoic society as humans routinely "erase" their feelings. Hoping to eliminate pain caused by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Léa Seydoux, George MacKay, Guslagie Malanda, Dasha Nekrasova

Directed By: Bertrand Bonello

Critics Consensus: Quiz Lady's perfectly matched leads help Jessica Yu's occasionally uneven comedy overcome its periodic wobbles and land on the right side of hilarious and heartfelt.

Synopsis: In Quiz Lady, a brilliant but tightly wound, gameshow-obsessed young woman, Anne (Awkwafina), and her estranged, train-wreck of a sister Jenny (Sandra Oh), must work... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, Jason Schwartzman, Holland Taylor

Directed By: Jessica Yu

Critics Consensus: About Dry Grasses keeps us warm with dark humor through its unhurried and verbose wintry meditation on the human condition.

Synopsis: Nestled away in wintry East Anatolia, public-school art teacher Samet (Deniz Celiloğlu) yearns to leave the sleepy village for cosmopolitan Istanbul. Further disenchanted when he... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Deniz Celiloglu, Merve Dizdar, Musab Ekici

Directed By: Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Critics Consensus: A beautifully filmed portrait of twentysomething ennui, The Breaking Ice explores interpersonal connections with a subtle, delicate touch.

Synopsis: Young urbanite Haofeng feels lost and adrift on China's northern border. By chance, he goes on a tour led by Nana, a charming guide who... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Zhou Dongyu, Liu Haoran, Chuxiao Qu

Directed By: Anthony Chen

Critics Consensus: A searingly powerful union of filmmaker and cast, Memory finds writer/director Michel Franco exploring complex, mature themes brought brilliantly to life by stars Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard.

Synopsis: Sylvia (Jessica Chastain) is a social worker who leads a simple and structured life: her daughter, her job, her AA meetings. This is blown open... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jessica Chastain, Peter Sarsgaard, Brooke Timber, Ross Brodar

Directed By: Michel Franco

Critics Consensus: A playful documentary with a poetic spirit, Orlando, My Political Biography uses a seminal novel as the framework for an exploration of personal identity.

Synopsis: "Come, come! I'm sick to death of this particular self. I want another." Taking Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando: A Biography as its starting point, academic... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Paul B. Preciado

Critics Consensus: An outstanding showcase for Devery Jacobs, Backspot is front of the line as an insightful and thrilling sports drama.

Synopsis: An ambitious cheerleader (Devery Jacobs) faces both new adversity and the increased drive for perfection and triumph when she and her girlfriend are selected for... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Devery Jacobs, Evan Rachel Wood, Shannyn Sossamon, Kudakwashe Rutendo

Directed By: D.W. Waterson

Critics Consensus: Another minimalist and abstract offering from Angela Schanelec, Music is the type of art that requires surrendering impatience and logic to feel the beat.

Synopsis: A quietly colossal achievement from one of contemporary cinema's preeminent image makers. On a stormy night in the mountains of Greece, a pair of wayward... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Aliocha Schneider, Agathe Bonitzer, Marisha Triantafyllidou, Argyris Xafis

Directed By: Angela Schanelec

Critics Consensus: From its eyebrow-raising title to its gleefully provocative humor, talented cast, and catchy songs, Dicks: The Musical is a cult movie in the making.

Synopsis: Two self-obsessed businessmen discover they’re long-lost identical twins and come together to plot the reunion of their eccentric divorced parents.

Starring: Megan Mullally, Nathan Lane, Megan Thee Stallion, Bowen Yang

Directed By: Larry Charles

Critics Consensus: Mads Mikkelson leads us through the savage terrain of The Promised Land with a glimmer of hope in this epic Nordic tale with Western bones.

Synopsis: In 18th century Denmark, Captain Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) -- a proud, ambitious, but impoverished war hero -- sets out to tame a vast, uninhabitable... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Amanda Collin, Gustav Lindh, Melina Hagberg

Directed By: Nikolaj Arcel

Critics Consensus: A ruminative chamber piece on wheels, Daddio feels expansive thanks to Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn's compelling rapport.

Synopsis: New York City. JFK airport. A young woman jumps into the backseat of a yellow taxi, the cabbie throws the vehicle into drive as the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dakota Johnson, Sean Penn, Marcos A. Gonzalez, Shannon Gannon

Directed By: Christy Hall

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: Dumb Money's crowd-pleasing dramatization of real-life stock hijinks may not tell the complete story, but it's rousingly entertaining nonetheless.

Synopsis: Dumb Money is the ultimate David vs. Goliath tale, based on the insane true story of everyday people who flipped the script on Wall Street... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Vincent D'Onofrio, America Ferrera

Directed By: Craig Gillespie

Critics Consensus: A solid step forward for Viggo Mortensen as a director, The Dead Don't Hurt offers viewers a comfortably old-fashioned Western with a satisfying, character-driven story.

Synopsis: The Dead Don't Hurt is a story of star-crossed lovers on the western U.S. frontier in the 1860s. Vivienne Le Coudy (Vicky Krieps) is a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Vicky Krieps, Viggo Mortensen, Solly McLeod, Garret Dillahunt

Directed By: Viggo Mortensen

Critics Consensus: Based on indefensible truths,Kidnapped tackles institutional abuse with cinematic pomp and political circumstance.

Synopsis: In 1858, in the Jewish quarter of Bologna, the Pope's soldiers burst into the home of the Mortara family. By order of the cardinal, they... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Fabrizio Gifuni, Filippo Timi, Fausto Russo Alesi, Paolo Pierobon

Directed By: Marco Bellocchio

Critics Consensus: A crunchy action-adventure with insights into imperialism, The Convert is a bloody return to form for Kiwi director Lee Tamahori.

Synopsis: New Zealand in the 1830s is a largely Māori world, dominated by tribal wars. Seeking redemption from a dark past, lay preacher Thomas Munro (GUY... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Guy Pearce, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, Antonio Te Maioha, Jacqueline McKenzie

Directed By: Lee Tamahori

Critics Consensus: Silver Dollar Road's overwhelming compassion for its subjects helps this powerful story transcend its occasionally uneven telling.

Synopsis: From Academy-Award Nominee Raoul Peck, Silver Dollar Road follows the story of the Reels family as told by the matriarch Mamie Reels Ellison and her... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Raoul Peck

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Khédidja works for a wealthy Parisian family who offered her to mind their children for a summer in Corsica. Bringing along her own two teenage... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Aïssatou Diallo Sagna, Denis Podalydès, Virginie Ledoyen, Esther Gohourou

Directed By: Catherine Corsini

Critics Consensus: With its charmingly childlike perspective, Riddle of Fire channels the spirit of youthful adventure with enough exuberance to overcome an occasionally shaggy structure.

Synopsis: This neo-fairytale set in Wyoming, USA follows three mischievous children as they embark on an odyssey when their mother asks them to run an errand.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lio Tipton, Charles Halford, Danielle Hoetmer, Weston Razooli

Directed By: Weston Razooli

Critics Consensus: One of director Atom Egoyan's most successful efforts in years and a multidimensional showcase for Amanda Seyfried, Seven Veils dives from the rafters to make an uneven but ultimately insightful landing.

Synopsis: After years away, theater director Jeanine (Academy Award® nominee Amanda Seyfried) re-enters the opera world to stage her former mentor's most famous work. Haunted by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Rebecca Liddiard, Douglas Smith, Mark O'Brien

Directed By: Atom Egoyan

Critics Consensus: Bolstered by Bill Skarsgård's all-in performance, Boy Kills World may offer just enough action thrills to offset its thinly written characters and predictable plot.

Synopsis: Bill Skarsgård stars as "Boy" who vows revenge after his family is murdered by Hilda Van Der Koy (Famke Janssen), the deranged matriarch of a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bill Skarsgård, Famke Janssen, Sharlto Copley, Jessica Rothe

Directed By: Moritz Mohr

Critics Consensus: Good performances give Ezra a resonant emotional core even when its script strains credulity, balancing out into a solid family drama.

Synopsis: EZRA follows Max Bernal (Bobby Cannavale), a stand-up comedian living with his father (Robert De Niro), while struggling to co-parent his autistic son Ezra (introducing... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Vera Farmiga, Whoopi Goldberg

Directed By: Tony Goldwyn

Critics Consensus: The New Boy bites off more than it can comfortably chew, but this heady exploration of faith and cultural tensions has an ethereal allure.

Synopsis: From acclaimed filmmaker Warwick Thornton, The New Boy takes place in 1940s Australia at a remote monastery with a mission for Aboriginal children run by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Aswan Reid, Deborah Mailman, Wayne Blair

Directed By: Warwick Thornton

Critics Consensus: Kate Winslet's gripping performance in the title role helps elevate Lee beyond its disappointingly conventional biopic trappings.

Synopsis: Lee, the directorial feature from award-winning Cinematographer Ellen Kuras, portrays a pivotal decade in the life of American war correspondent and photographer, Lee Miller (Kate... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kate Winslet, Josh O'Connor, Andrea Riseborough, Andy Samberg

Directed By: Ellen Kuras

Critics Consensus: Hell of a Summer shows some promising ingenuity from its young directorial duo, but its lack of tonal cohesion also indicates some room for improvement.

Synopsis: Hell of a Summer follows 24-year-old camp counselor Jason Hochberg (Fred Hechinger), who arrives at Camp Pineway thinking his biggest problem is that he feels... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Fred Hechinger, Finn Wolfhard, Billy Bryk, Pardis Saremi

Directed By: Billy Bryk, Finn Wolfhard

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A local activist and a budding young mayor clash over the best path forward for their impoverished suburb on the outskirts of Paris.

Starring: Anta Diaw, Alexis Manenti, Aristote Luyindula, Steve Tientcheu

Directed By: Ladj Ly

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: LIL NAS X: LONG LIVE MONTERO captures the creative dynamo and mesmerizing star power of Lil Nas X, the groundbreaking, Grammy award-winning rapper, singer, and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lil Nas X, Saul Levitz, Adam Leber, Hodo Musa

Directed By: Carlos López Estrada, Zac Manuel

Critics Consensus: Wildcat brings careful craft and solid acting to bear on an admirable idea; unfortunately, it still struggles to present a compelling picture of a brilliant author's inner life.

Synopsis: Directed and co-written by four-time Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke, WILDCAT invites the audience to weave in and out of celebrated Southern Gothic writer Flannery... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Maya Hawke, Laura Linney, Philip Ettinger, Rafael Casal

Directed By: Ethan Hawke

Critics Consensus: Michael Keaton directs Michael Keaton in Knox Goes Away, and gets a terrific performance out of himself -- albeit one that's left stranded by an underwhelming screenplay.

Synopsis: When a contract killer has a rapidly evolving form of dementia, he is offered an opportunity to redeem himself by saving the life of the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Keaton, Al Pacino, James Marsden, Marcia Gay Harden

Directed By: Michael Keaton

Critics Consensus: Thanks largely to a strong cast that leans into the story's humorous side, Wicked Little Letters is a diverting comedy even if the mystery at its core isn't particularly clever.

Synopsis: A 1920s English seaside town bears witness to a farcical and occasionally sinister scandal in this riotous mystery comedy. Based on a stranger than fiction... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Anjana Vasan, Joanna Scanlan

Directed By: Thea Sharrock

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Set in 1992 in Aspen, Colorado, and inspired by a true story, Gonzo Girl follows Alley Russo, an aspiring writer who takes on an assistant... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Willem Dafoe, Camila Morrone, Patricia Arquette, Elizabeth Lail

Directed By: Patricia Arquette

Critics Consensus: A passion project for Elliot Page that benefits from his naturalism, Close to You's improvisational scripting yields dramatically uneven but ultimately moving results.

Synopsis: Academy Award Nominee Elliot Page (Juno, The Umbrella Academy, Inception) stars as a trans man who returns to his hometown for the first time in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Elliot Page, Hillary Baack, Wendy Crewson, Peter Outerbridge

Directed By: Dominic Savage

Critics Consensus: A trio of solid performances help Fingernails get its thought-provoking ideas across in spite of an occasionally underwhelming story.

Synopsis: Anna (Jessie Buckley) and Ryan (Jeremy Allen White) have found true love. It's been proven by a controversial new technology. There's just one problem: Anna... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, Jeremy Allen White, Luke Wilson

Directed By: Christos Nikou

Critics Consensus: Everyone's a critic, and Ian McKellen is better than most at playing one, but even his character would give this rote melodrama a so-so review.

Synopsis: Academy Award Nominee Sir Ian McKellen (The Lord of the Rings, The Good Liar) stars as a powerful London theater critic who lures a struggling... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, Lesley Manville

Directed By: Anand Tucker

Critics Consensus: Next Goal Wins finds director/co-writer Taika Waititi with his heart in the right place, even if his crowd-pleasing aim has noticeably strayed from its target.

Synopsis: Directed by Academy Award Winner Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarok), NEXT GOAL WINS follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane

Directed By: Taika Waititi

Critics Consensus: Aggro Dr1ft's innovative and eye-catching visuals are largely undermined by a frequently inscrutable story that aims for provocation but too often frustrates and annoys.

Synopsis: Filmmaker Harmony Korine uses infrared photography in a dreamlike portrait of a tormented assassin.

Starring: Joshua Tilley, Devon James, Jordi Mollà, Travis Scott

Directed By: Harmony Korine

Critics Consensus: Unpacking the consequences -- or lack thereof -- of Louis C.K.'s misconduct as well as scrutinizing the broader comedy circuit, Sorry/Not Sorry is a sobering assessment of how an industry lets bad actors off the hook.

Synopsis: An inside look at Louis CK's public downfall and surprising return to the spotlight. Featuring interviews with women who spoke up about his sexual misconduct,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jen Kirkman, Michael Ian Black, Mike Schur, Aida Rodriguez

Directed By: Cara Mones, Caroline Suh

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A feature-length, in-depth look at one of the world's most successful rock groups. This film tells the real story of Nickelback from their humble beginnings... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nickelback

Directed By: Leigh Brooks

Critics Consensus: Strong work from Benicio del Toro and Alicia Silverstone isn't enough to make up for Reptile's convoluted and ultimately underwhelming story.

Synopsis: Following the brutal murder of a young real estate agent, a hardened detective attempts to uncover the truth in a case where nothing is as... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Benicio del Toro, Justin Timberlake, Eric Bogosian, Alicia Silverstone

Directed By: Grant Singer

Critics Consensus: Despite terrific performances, Mother, Couch is one of those finds that are hard to put together and never quite look like the picture on the box.

Synopsis: The members of a dysfunctional family find themselves mysteriously trapped in an antiquated furniture store when their elderly matriarch (Ellen Burstyn) suddenly refuses to get... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Rhys Ifans, Taylor Russell, Ellen Burstyn

Directed By: Niclas Larsson

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Finestkind tells the story of two brothers (Ben Foster & Toby Wallace), raised in different worlds, who are reunited as adults over a fateful summer.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jenna Ortega, Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Foster, Ismael Cruz Cordova

Directed By: Brian Helgeland

Critics Consensus: First-time director Chris Pine has clearly watched and loved numerous classic L.A.-based neo-noir comedies; unfortunately, Poolman suggests he'd have been better off not trying to add his own entry to the genre.

Synopsis: In Chris Pine's feature directorial debut, Poolman tells the story of Darren Barrenman (Pine), a native Angeleno who spends his days looking after the pool... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chris Pine, Danny DeVito, Annette Bening, Ray Wise

Directed By: Chris Pine

Critics Consensus: Pain Hustlers has some great actors and a worthwhile premise, but lackluster execution dooms this dramatic look at the opioid epidemic.

Synopsis: Liza Drake (Emily Blunt) is a blue-collar single mom who has just lost her job and is at the end of her rope. A chance... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, Andy Garcia, Catherine O'Hara

Directed By: David Yates