(Photo by Walt Disney Pictures, Magnolia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection)
Certified Fresh Japanese Movies
Japan rose to almost immediate cinematic prominence with the one-two punch of Yasujiro Ozu’s 1953 Tokyo Story and Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 Seven Samurai, part of a creatively fertile post-war period that saw similar artistic strides in Italy, France, and Sweden. Ozu’s deeply human drama and Kurosawa’s action-genre big bang are both Certified Fresh, meaning they’ve maintained a 75% after at least 40 critics reviews. That’s the only Ozu movie on our guide to Japanese Certified Fresh films (though plenty of his movies are currently 100%, they don’t meet the minimum reviews threshold), while Kurosawa appears five more times with Rashomon, Ikiru, Throne of Blood, Yojimbo, and Ran.
Others director featured in our guide to Certified Fresh films produced in Japan include Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters), genre icon Takeshi Kitano (Zatoichi), Neon Genesis Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno (Shin Godzilla), the impossibly prolific Takashi Miike (Audition, 13 Assassins), and Yojiro Takita, whose Departures took home the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award in 2008, a first for Japan.
Anime has been one of Japan’s greatest entertainment exports, with Hayao Miyazaki’s films (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke) at the forefront. Other prominent animation directors include Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies, The Tale of Princess Kaguya), Makoto Shinkai (Your Name, Weathering With You), Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue), and Mamoru Hosada (Mirai).
Read on for our guide to Certified Fresh Japanese movies! And let us know your favorite films from Japan (Certified Fresh or not!) in the comments. —Alex Vo
Critics Consensus: Norwegian Wood is a poetic adaptation of the Haruki Murakami novel that uses rapturous visuals to draw viewers in its exploration of young love and lasting death.
Synopsis: Toru thinks back to the '60s when he grew close to Naoko after his friend Kizuki killed himself. [More]
Critics Consensus:Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai adds an atypically restrained entry to the Takashi Miike filmography that loses little impact in favoring human drama over action.
Synopsis: A samurai (Ebizô Ichikawa) asks permission to commit ritual suicide in the courtyard of a prominent feudal lord and hears [More]
Critics Consensus: A whimsically engaging sex comedy.
Synopsis: Brimming with magical realism, sensuality, and humor, the final film by revered filmmaker Shohei Imamura is "an enlightening, even liberating, [More]
Critics Consensus:Outrage packs enough violent impact to satisfy - even if fans of writer-director Takeshi Kitano will find themselves familiar with many of its ingredients.
Synopsis: After his men go too far in their confrontation with a rival gang, a yakuza henchman (Beat Takeshi) gets caught [More]
Critics Consensus:Dragon Ball Super: Broly may seem like colorful chaos to newcomers, but for longtime fans, it represents this long-running franchise near its action-packed apogee.
Synopsis: Goku and Vegeta encounter Broly, a Saiyan warrior. [More]
Critics Consensus: An audacious, unsettling Japanese horror film from director Takashi Miike, Audition entertains as both a grisly shocker and a psychological drama.
Synopsis: This disturbing Japanese thriller follows Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi), a widower who decides to start dating again. Aided by a film-producer [More]
Critics Consensus:Sweet Bean's deliberate pace demands patience, but the satisfying simplicity of its story -- and Kirin Kiki's absorbing performance -- yield an array of riches well worth the wait.
Synopsis: A baker's (Masatoshi Nagase) business takes off when he hires an eccentric 76-year-old woman (Kirin Kiki) who specializes in making [More]
Critics Consensus: A remarkable technical achievement, Metropolis' eye-popping visuals more than compensate for its relatively routine story.
Synopsis: Visually stunning Japanese anime interpretation of Fritz Lang's classic film, also based on Osamu Tezuka's outstanding 1945 illustrations. A Japanese [More]
Critics Consensus:Godzilla Resurgence offers a refreshingly low-fi -- and altogether entertaining -- return to the monster's classic creature-feature roots.
Synopsis: Something has surfaced in Tokyo Bay. As the Prime Minister of Japan pleads with the public to remain calm, a [More]
Critics Consensus: Gentle and nostalgic, From Up on Poppy Hill is one of Studio Ghibli's sweeter efforts -- and if it doesn't push the boundaries of the genre, it remains as engagingly lovely as Ghibli fans have come to expect.
Synopsis: Yokohama teens try to save their school's clubhouse from being demolished. [More]
Critics Consensus:Blade of the Immortal highlights Takashi Miike's flair for balletic violence, making up what it lacks in strict originality with rich characterizations and kinetic thrills.
Synopsis: Cursed with immortality, a highly skilled samurai in feudal Japan promises to help a young woman avenge the death of [More]
Critics Consensus:The Third Murder makes satisfying work of its weighty themes, even if it doesn't quite stand with writer-director Hirokazu Koreeda's best efforts.
Synopsis: Well-known attorney Shigemori takes on the defense of murder-robbery suspect Misumi, who served jail time for another murder 30 years [More]
Critics Consensus: Sensitively written, smartly directed, and powerfully performed, Like Father, Like Son uses familiar-seeming elements to tell a thought-provoking story.
Synopsis: Ryota learns that his biological son was switched at birth with the boy he has raised, and he must make [More]
Critics Consensus: Colorful, rich with action and wonderfully choreographed, Takeshi Kitano takes on the classic samurai character with his own brand of cinematic flair.
Synopsis: Blind traveler Zatoichi (Beat Takeshi) is a master swordsman and a masseur with a fondness for gambling on dice games. [More]
Critics Consensus: Exquisitely illustrated by master animator Miyazaki, Howl's Moving Castle will delight children with its fantastical story and touch the hearts and minds of older viewers as well.
Synopsis: Sophie (Emily Mortimer) has an uneventful life at her late father's hat shop, but all that changes when she befriends [More]
Critics Consensus: A finely calibrated WWII-era thriller, Wife of a Spy delicately balances the weight of national loyalty against our moral obligations to our fellow human beings.
Synopsis: The year is 1940 in Kobe, on the eve of the outbreak of World War II. Local merchant and amateur [More]
Critics Consensus:The Boy and the Beast combines familiar parts to create a gripping, beautifully animated adventure with inventive storytelling to match its visual appeal.
Synopsis: Kyuta slips into an alternate universe where he is raised by a bear-man, Kumatetsu. Kyuta is eventually thrust into an [More]
Critics Consensus:Mary and the Witch's Flower honors its creator's Studio Ghibli roots with a gentle, beautifully animated story whose simplicity is rounded out by its entrancing visuals.
Synopsis: Young Mary follows a mysterious cat into the nearby forest and discovers an old broomstick and the strange Fly-by-Night flower, [More]
Critics Consensus:My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising sends fans of the saga on an exhilarating adventure that ends the series on a beautifully animated high note.
Synopsis: Deku and the rest of Class 1-A must save a group of islanders from a villain with an unfathomable quirk. [More]
Critics Consensus:Belladonna of Sadness has more than enough brilliant visual artistry to keep audiences enraptured even as the film's narrative reach slightly exceeds its grasp.
Synopsis: A peasant woman is banished from her village and makes a deal with the devil to gain magical powers. [More]
Critics Consensus:Akira is strikingly bloody and violent, but its phenomenal animation and sheer kinetic energy helped set the standard for modern anime.
Synopsis: In 1988 the Japanese government drops an atomic bomb on Tokyo after ESP experiments on children go awry. In 2019, [More]
Critics Consensus: The simplicity and colorful warmth of Mirai's animation is underscored by a story with surprising - and deeply affecting - depth and emotional resonance.
Synopsis: A young boy named Kun feels forgotten by his family when his little sister Mirai arrives. Running away from home, [More]
Critics Consensus:True Mothers uses an intractable conflict to explore the bonds of parenthood with director/co-writer Naomi Kawase's usual sensitivity and grace.
Synopsis: An adopted son's mother receives an unexpected visit from the boy's biological mother. [More]
Critics Consensus:When Marnie Was There is still blessed with enough visual and narrative beauty to recommend, even if it isn't quite as magical as Studio Ghibli's greatest works.
Synopsis: A tomboy (Hailee Steinfeld) explores a long-abandoned villa and meets a mysterious blonde girl only she can see. [More]
Critics Consensus: Beautifully animated and narratively engaging, Weathering with You further establishes writer-director Makoto Shinkai as a singularly talented filmmaker.
Synopsis: The summer of his high school freshman year, Hodaka runs away from his remote island home to Tokyo, and quickly [More]
Critics Consensus: The story of an aging movie actress' complicated personal saga unfolds in this sophisticated anime film that deftly blurs memory and make-believe into a meditation on the nature of cinema itself.
Synopsis: In this animated movie, filmmaker Genya Tachibana begins work on a documentary about famed Japanese actress Chiyoko Fujiwara. Now well [More]
Critics Consensus: Elliptical and deliberately paced yet steadily absorbing, I Wish presents a beguiling portrait of childhood that grounds its sweetly nostalgic glow with well-rounded characters and attention to detail.
Synopsis: Forced to live apart due to their parents' separation, a sixth-grader (Koki Maeda) and his younger brother (Ohshiro Maeda) hatch [More]
Critics Consensus: J-Horror director Kiyoshi Kurosawa turns successfully to dramedy and gives a unique (and specifically national) perspective to the universal subjects of family and identity.
Synopsis: Ryûhei Sasaki (Teruyuki Kagawa) is keeping a secret from his wife, Megumi (Kyôko Koizumi), and his two teenage sons. Even [More]
Critics Consensus: As effortlessly engaging as it is widely influential, Yojimbo represents Kurosawa at the peak of his powers -- and lays the groundwork for the modern American western.
Synopsis: A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master (Toshirô Mifune), enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival [More]
Critics Consensus: Takashi Miike's electric remake of Eiichi Kudo's 1963 period action film is a wild spectacle executed with killer, dizzying panache.
Synopsis: In this remake of a 1963 film based on historical events, Shinzaemon Shimada leads a team of assassins in 19th-century [More]
Critics Consensus: Visually lush, refreshingly free of family-friendly clatter, and anchored with soulful depth, The Secret World of Arrietty lives up to Studio Ghibli's reputation.
Synopsis: Arrietty, a tiny teenager, lives with her parents in the recesses of a suburban home, unbeknown to the homeowner and [More]
Critics Consensus: Akira Kurosawa's sprawling, epic take on King Lear should be required viewing for fans of westerns, war movies, or period films in general.
Synopsis: At the age of seventy, after years of consolidating his empire, the Great Lord Hidetora Ichimonji (Tatsuya Nakadai) decides to [More]
Critics Consensus:After the Storm crosses cultural lines to offer timeless observations about parental responsibilities, personal bonds, and the capacity for forgiveness.
Synopsis: A dissolute private detective (Hiroshi Abe) attempts to reconnect with his distrustful family following the death of his father. [More]
Critics Consensus: A stunning feat of modern animation, Ghost in the Shell offers a thoughtful, complex treat for anime fans, as well as a perfect introduction for viewers new to the medium.
Synopsis: In this Japanese animation, cyborg federal agent Maj. Motoko Kusanagi (Mimi Woods) trails "The Puppet Master" (Abe Lasser), who illegally [More]
Critics Consensus:First Love's blend of violence, comedy, and romance might seem disparate -- but for director Takashi Miike, it's just another wildly entertaining entry in a filmography full of them.
Synopsis: One night in Tokyo, a self-confident young boxer and a prostitute get caught up in a drug-smuggling plot involving organized [More]
Critics Consensus:Spirited Away is a dazzling, enchanting, and gorgeously drawn fairy tale that will leave viewers a little more curious and fascinated by the world around them.
Synopsis: 10-year-old Chihiro (Daveigh Chase) moves with her parents to a new home in the Japanese countryside. After taking a wrong [More]
Critics Consensus:Demon Slayer's visually stunning animation and masterful action set pieces serve a heartfelt plot that is sure to satisfy fans.
Synopsis: Falling forever into an endless dream... Tanjiro and the group have completed their rehabilitation training at the Butterfly Mansion, and [More]
Critics Consensus:Demon Slayer's visually stunning animation and masterful action set pieces serve a heartfelt plot that is sure to satisfy fans.
Synopsis: Falling forever into an endless dream... Tanjiro and the group have completed their rehabilitation training at the Butterfly Mansion, and [More]
Critics Consensus: Ikiru is a well-acted and deeply moving humanist tale about a man facing his own mortality, one of legendary director Akira Kurosawa's most intimate films.
Synopsis: Mr. Watanabe suddenly finds that he has terminal cancer. He vows to make his final days meaningful. His attempts to [More]
Critics Consensus: One of legendary director Akira Kurosawa's most acclaimed films, Rashomon features an innovative narrative structure, brilliant acting, and a thoughtful exploration of reality versus perception.
Synopsis: Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, "Rashomon" is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the [More]
Critics Consensus: As beautifully animated as it is emotionally satisfying, Your Name adds another outstanding chapter to writer-director Makoto Shinkai's filmography.
Synopsis: A teenage boy and girl embark on a quest to meet each other for the first time after they magically [More]
Critics Consensus: Beautiful, thoughtful, and engrossing, Jiro Dreams of Sushi should prove satisfying even for filmgoers who don't care for the cuisine.
Synopsis: Revered sushi chef Jiro Ono strives for perfection in his work, while his eldest son, Yoshikazu, has trouble living up [More]
Critics Consensus: Thanks to director Juzo Itami's offbeat humor and sharp satirical edge, Tampopo is a funny, sexy, affectionate celebration of food and its broad influence on Japanese culture.
Synopsis: Two Japanese milk-truck drivers (Tsutomu Yamazaki, Ken Watanabe) help a restaurant owner (Nobuko Miyamoto) learn how to cook great noodles. [More]
Critics Consensus:Only Yesterday's long-delayed U.S. debut fills a frustrating gap for American Ghibli fans while offering further proof of the studio's incredibly consistent commitment to quality.
Synopsis: A put-upon 27-year-old Japanese office worker travels to the countryside and reminisces about her childhood in Tokyo and what life [More]
Critics Consensus: Hirokazu Kore-eda's film may seem modest at first, but this family drama casts a delicate, entrancing spell.
Synopsis: Twelve years after their beloved eldest son, Junpei, drowned while saving a stranger's life, Kyohei (Yoshio Harada) and Toshiko (Kirin [More]
Critics Consensus:Drive My Car's imposing runtime holds a rich, patiently engrossing drama that reckons with self-acceptance and regret.
Synopsis: Two years after his wife's unexpected death, Yusuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima), a renowned stage actor and director, receives an offer [More]
Critics Consensus: Arguably Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece, The Seven Samurai is an epic adventure classic with an engrossing story, memorable characters, and stunning action sequences that make it one of the most influential films ever made.
Synopsis: A samurai answers a village's request for protection after he falls on hard times. The town needs protection from bandits, [More]
Critics Consensus: Boasting narrative depth, frank honesty, and exquisite visual beauty, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a modern animated treasure with timeless appeal.
Synopsis: A tiny nymph found inside a bamboo stalk grows into a beautiful and desirable young woman, who orders her suitors [More]
The 2016 Academy Awards are in, and Leonardo DiCaprio finally has his golden trophy. In addition to DiCaprio’s Best Actor award, The Revenant also took home honors for Best Directing and Best Cinematography, but it lost the Best Picture race to another early favorite, Spotlight. In the meantime, George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road, also grabbed a whopping six Oscars of its own. Read on for the full list of winners.
A Girl on the River: The Price of Forgiveness *WINNER*
Last Day of Freedom
It’s almost Oscars time! And in anticipation of the biggest award show of the year, we at Rotten Tomatoes gathered all of our interviews with the 2016 nominees into one big list. From The Big Short to Youth, enjoy these 14 conversations with the actors and directors that will be celebrated by the Academy this weekend.
Director Kenneth Branagh and stars Lily James and Richard Madden tell what their least favorite duties were as children. And when Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett weighs in, she really lets loose.
Sylvester Stallone and cast discuss why Rocky is such an inspiring character, talk about their favorite moments on set, and play the Rocky Trivia Game.Sylvester Stallone and cast discuss why Rocky is such an inspiring character, talk about their favorite moments on set, and play the Rocky Trivia Game.
Eddie Redmayne talks about working with Tom Hooper and the artistry of making a film about artists. Then he discussed the reception The Danish Girl has received so far and the exploration of Lily Elbe removing society’s trappings to find herself. Alicia Vikander also discusses her education, revelations, and exploration of transgender issues in preparation for the role of Gerda Wegener. The cast talked about the (sometimes difficult) experience of watching themselves on screen, and director Tom Hooper delves further into the making of the film.
Nominated for:
Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design
Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tim Roth, Walton Goggins, Demian Bichir, Bruce Dern, Michael Madsen, and writer/director Quentin Tarantino play a round of “Was That For Real?!?” Then they reveal whether they would bring their bounty in dead or alive.
Nominated for:
Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Cinematography, Best Music – Original Score
Grae Drake leads the cast through a twisty-turny road of feelings and asks them about what their imaginary friend would look like if they had one today.
Nominated for:
Best Animated Feature Film, Best Writing – Original Screenplay
Mad Max surges onto the Fury Road in George Miller’s fourth film in the series starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz, and Courtney Eaton. The cast discuss the beauty in the details of the film, what it’s like to be tied to the hood of a car, the film’s blooper reel, and what the cast and George Miller think happened to Furiosa’s (missing) arm.
Nominated for:
Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, Best Make Up and Hairstyling
RT went on a mission to NASA to ask Matt Damon why he keeps getting left in space in his films, what sci-fi technology we need in the real world, and whether The Martian will finally be his ticket to a Golden Tomato Award!
Nominated for:
Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects
Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay talk about the details hidden within the film, Brie’s new BFF, and what Jacob and Tom Cruise have in common. Then we speak to director Lenny Abrahamson and writer Emma Donoghue about the rules and challenges of shooting Room.
Nominated for:
Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay
Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin and Emily Blunt from Sicario discuss the realness of Del Toro’s characters, the warning signs in wardrobe choices, and the magic of the film’s score.
Nominated for:
Best Cinematography, Best Music – Original Score, Best Sound Editing
Craig discusses people’s love/hate relationship with the character and how even though Bond creator Ian Fleming tried to kill off 007 a few times, but the superspy still holds an undeniable appeal for fans. After discussing the role and being told that he’d be missed, Craig replied “I’m not gone yet.” Dave Bautista talls about how his character, Mr. Hinx, should be in the whole movie, and Christoph Waltz speculates about what Spectre’s legit ventures might be.
Grae Drake plays a stellar game of “Star Wars or Florida?” with Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Gwendoline Christie, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong’o, and director J.J. Abrams.
Nominated for:
Best Film Editing, Best Music – Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects
Jason Mitchell, Corey Hawkins, and O’Shea Jackson Jr. reveal the secret ingredient to playing a member of N.W.A., and we get a glimpse of how deep the family resemblance to Ice Cube runs. Also, F. Gary Gray discusses his inspirations in directing this film.
The cast talks about Dalton Trumbo and Hedda Hopper, the power of hats and mustaches, and where in the house everyone does their best work. Plus, director Jay Roach discusses the souls at stake in this film.
Award-winning actor Harvey Keitel tells us about his favorite definition of philosophy and his affinity for the youths in Youth.
Nominated for:
Best Music – Original Song
As the Oscars quickly approach, we know that many of you are looking to play a little bit of catch-up, not just with the Best Picture nominees, but with a lot of the other notable films that are up for awards in other categories. To that end, we’ve compiled a list of the various places — whether in the theater, on DVD and Blu-ray, or on streaming video — where you can catch this year’s potential honorees before the big celebration on February 28th. Unfortunately, a handful of them are currently stuck in that limbo period between the end of their theater run and the beginning of their home video distribution, so they aren’t available to watch at the moment. Aside from those, however, here’s where you can watch all 42 feature films nominated for an Oscar this year:
6 nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Writing – Original Screenplay, Best Music – Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Sound Mixing
6 nominations: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Music – Original Score, Best Costume Design
10 nominations: Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, Best Make Up and Hairstyling
7 nominations: Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Writing – Adapted Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects
11 nominations: Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, Best Make Up and Hairstyling
6 nominations: Best Picture, Best Directing, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Film Editing, Best Writing – Original Screenplay
The Academy Awards nominations for 2016 are in! Read through for the full list of nominees announced this morning by actor John Krasinski, Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs, and filmmakers Guillermo del Toro and Ang Lee. The 88th Oscars will be hosted by comedian Chris Rock on Sunday, February 28, 2016.
Though we predict with bottled anticipation that Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip‘s next two-hundred reviews will be positives, for now there exists 144 Certified Fresh movies from this year (compared to 133 in 2014, and 114 in 2013). How many have you seen?
Fun genre fare with uncommon intelligence, Predestination serves as a better-than-average sci-fi adventure — and offers a starmaking turn from Sarah Snook.
Human Capital Tomatometer: 80%
Release: Jan. 14
Part character study, part socioeconomic fable, Human Capital offers trenchant commentary as well as absorbing drama.
Paddington Tomatometer: 98%
Release: Jan. 16
Paddington brings a beloved children’s character into the 21st century without sacrificing his essential charm, delivering a family-friendly adventure as irresistibly cuddly as its star.
Appropriate Behavior Tomatometer: 98%
Release: Jan. 16
Warm, funny, and quietly profound, Appropriate Behavior serves as a thoroughly compelling calling card for writer, director, and star Desiree Akhavan.
Black Sea Tomatometer: 81%
Release: Jan. 23
Black Sea may not be particularly deep, but thanks to Kevin Macdonald’s judicious direction and a magnetic performance from Jude Law, it remains an efficiently well-crafted thriller.
The Duke of Burgundy Tomatometer: 92%
Release: Jan. 23
Stylish, sensual, and smart, The Duke of Burgundy proves that erotic cinema can have genuine substance.
Red Army Tomatometer: 97%
Release: Jan. 23
Fun and fascinating, Red Army delivers absorbing documentary drama for hockey fans and sports novices alike.
Timbuktu Tomatometer: 99%
Release: Jan. 28
Gracefully assembled and ultimately disquieting, Timbuktu is a timely film with a powerful message.
Girlhood Tomatometer: 95%
Release: Jan. 30
Powerfully acted and smartly scripted, Girlhood offers a fresh perspective on familiar cinematic territory.
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water Tomatometer: 79%
Release: Feb. 6
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water won’t win over many viewers who aren’t fans of the show, but for the converted, it’s another colorful burst of manic fun.
GETT: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem Tomatometer: 100%
Release: Feb. 13
On paper, GETT: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem might seem less than thrilling, but on the screen, it delivers two hours of nonstop, tightly wound, brilliantly acted drama.
What We Do in the Shadows Tomatometer: 96%
Release: Feb. 13
Smarter, fresher, and funnier than a modern vampire movie has any right to be, What We Do in the Shadows is bloody good fun.
Queen and Country Tomatometer: 78%
Release: Feb. 18
Graceful and bittersweet, Queen and Country finds writer-director John Boorman revisiting past glories with warmth and wisdom.
Wild Tales Tomatometer: 95%
Release: Feb. 20
Wickedly hilarious and delightfully deranged, Wild Tales is a subversive satire that doubles as a uniformly entertaining anthology film.
McFarland, USA Tomatometer: 79%
Release: Feb. 20
Disney’s inspirational sports drama formula might be old hat, but McFarland, USA proves it still works — especially with a talented director and eminently likable star in the mix.
’71 Tomatometer: 96%
Release: Feb. 27
Powerfully directed and acted, ’71 stays true to its fact-based origins while remaining as gripping as any solidly crafted action thriller.
The Hunting Ground Tomatometer: 92%
Release: Feb. 27
The Hunting Ground isn’t director Kirby Dick’s strongest work as a filmmaker, but the movie’s powerful message more than trumps any technical weaknesses.
Merchants of Doubt Tomatometer: 85%
Release: Mar. 6
Merchants of Doubt is a thought-provoking documentary assembled with energy and style, even if it doesn’t dig as deep as it could.
It Follows Tomatometer: 96%
Release: Mar. 13
Smart, original, and above all terrifying, It Follows is the rare modern horror film that works on multiple levels — and leaves a lingering sting.
Seymour: An Introduction Tomatometer: 100%
Release: Mar. 13
Seymour Bernstein’s genuineness shines so brightly in Seymour: An Introduction that viewers will forgive debuting director Ethan Hawke’s reverent treatment.
The Wrecking Crew Tomatometer: 93%
Release: Mar. 13
The Wrecking Crew may not achieve the greatness of the many classic songs its subjects helped bring to life, but it remains a heartfelt, overdue tribute to overshadowed brilliance.
Cinderella Tomatometer: 84%
Release: Mar. 13
Refreshingly traditional in a revisionist era, Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella proves Disney hasn’t lost any of its old-fashioned magic.
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter Tomatometer: 87%
Release: Mar. 18
Powerfully acted and lovely to look at, Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter offers a treat for cinephiles with a taste for the pleasantly peculiar.
Danny Collins Tomatometer: 78%
Release: Mar. 20
Thanks to Al Pacino’s stirring central performance – and excellent work from an esteemed supporting cast — Danny Collins manages to overcome its more predictable and heavy-handed moments to deliver a heartfelt tale of redemption.
Jauja Tomatometer: 89%
Release: Mar. 20
Jauja will prove haunting for those lured in by its deliberate pace and lovely visuals, though it may test some viewers’ patience.
The Salt of the Earth Tomatometer: 95%
Release: Mar. 27
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.
While We’re Young Tomatometer: 83%
Release: Mar. 27
Poignant and piercingly honest, While We’re Young finds writer-director Noah Baumbach delivering some of his funniest lines through some of his most relatable characters.
White God Tomatometer: 90%
Release: Mar. 27
White God isn’t an easy watch, but its soaring ambition and powerful acting — human and canine alike — make it well worth the effort.
Furious 7 Tomatometer: 81%
Release: Apr. 3
Serving up a fresh round of over-the-top thrills while adding unexpected dramatic heft, Furious 7 keeps the franchise moving in more ways than one.
Lambert & Stamp Tomatometer: 87%
Release: Apr. 3
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.
About Elly Tomatometer: 97%
Release: Apr. 8
About Elly offers viewers performances as powerful as its thought-provoking ideas, and adds another strong entry to Asghar Farhadi’s impressive filmography.
Black Souls Tomatometer: 97%
Release: Apr. 10
Black Souls works within familiar themes to explore intelligent — and thrillingly entertaining — dramatic arcs that plunge into the deliciously dark depths of Mafia crime.
Clouds of Sils Maria Tomatometer: 89%
Release: Apr. 10
Bolstered by a trio of powerful performances from its talented leads, Clouds of Sils Maria is an absorbing, richly detailed drama with impressive depth and intelligence.
Dior and I Tomatometer: 82%
Release: Apr. 10
Dior and I will obviously appeal to fashion fans, but this beautifully tailored documentary may draw in even the least sartorially inclined.
Ex Machina Tomatometer: 92%
Release: Apr. 10
Ex Machina leans heavier on ideas than effects, but it’s still a visually polished piece of work — and an uncommonly engaging sci-fi feature.
Monkey Kingdom Tomatometer: 94%
Release: Apr. 17
Monkey Kingdom‘s breathtaking footage of primates in the wild is likely to please animal lovers of all ages.
Tangerines Tomatometer: 85%
Release: Apr. 17
Tangerines‘ impassioned message and the strong work of a solid cast more than make up for the movie’s flawed narrative and uneven structure.
Avengers: Age of Ultron Tomatometer: 84%
Release: May 1
Exuberant and eye-popping, Avengers: Age of Ultron serves as an overstuffed but mostly satisfying sequel, reuniting its predecessor’s unwieldy cast with a few new additions and a worthy foe.
Far From the Madding Crowd Tomatometer: 86%
Release: May 1
Far from the Madding Crowd invites tough comparisons to Thomas Hardy’s classic novel — and its previous adaptation — but stands on its own thanks to strong direction and a talented cast.
Iris Tomatometer: 97%
Release: May 1
A small, insightful feature with a deceptively thoughtful thesis, Iris adds a bittersweet postscript to director Albert Maysles’ filmography.
I Am Big Bird: The Carroll Spinney Story Tomatometer: 84%
Release: May 6
Every bit as good-natured as longtime fans might hope, I Am Big Bird: The Carroll Spinney Story offers heartwarming behind-the-scenes perspective on a cultural icon.
Mad Max: Fury Road Tomatometer: 97%
Release: May 15
With exhilarating action and a surprising amount of narrative heft, Mad Max: Fury Road brings George Miller’s post-apocalyptic franchise roaring vigorously back to life.
Good Kill Tomatometer: 76%
Release: May 15
Thought-provoking, timely, and anchored by a strong performance from Ethan Hawke, Good Kill is a modern war movie with a troubled conscience.
I’ll See You In My Dreams Tomatometer: 93%
Release: May 15
I’ll See You in My Dreams would be worth watching even if Blythe Danner’s central performance was all it had going for it, but this thoughtful drama satisfies on multiple levels.
Güeros Tomatometer: 93%
Release: May 20
A striking effort that synthesizes disparate influences with inventive flair, Güeros marks a bold step forward for modern Mexican cinema.
Slow West Tomatometer: 92%
Release: May 20
Slow West serves as an impressive calling card for first-time writer-director John M. Maclean — and offers an inventive treat for fans of the Western.
Sunshine Superman Tomatometer: 90%
Release: May 22
Sunshine Superman shines a light on a fascinating life with copious amounts of incredible, thrilling footage.
When Marnie Was There Tomatometer: 90%
Release: May 22
When Marnie Was There is still blessed with enough visual and narrative beauty to recommend, even if it isn’t quite as magical as Studio Ghibli’s greatest works.
Results Tomatometer: 82%
Release: May 29
Results moves stubbornly at its own deliberate pace, but the well-chosen cast — and writer-director Andrew Bujalski’s insightful observations — offer rich rewards for patient viewers.
Heaven Knows What Tomatometer: 84%
Release: May 29
Grueling and rewarding in equal measure, Heaven Knows What hits hard — and serves as a powerful calling card for its captivating star, Arielle Holmes.
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence Tomatometer: 89%
Release: Jun. 3
Expertly assembled and indelibly original, A Pigeon Sat on a Branch concludes writer-director Roy Andersson’s Living trilogy in style.
Love & Mercy Tomatometer: 90%
Release: Jun. 5
As unconventional and unwieldy as the life and legacy it honors, Love & Mercy should prove moving for Brian Wilson fans while still satisfying neophytes.
Testament of Youth Tomatometer: 82%
Release: Jun. 5
Testament of Youth is well-acted and beautifully filmed, adding up to an enriching if not adventurous experience for fans of British period dramas.
Spy Tomatometer: 93%
Release: Jun. 5
Simultaneously broad and progressive, Spy offers further proof that Melissa McCarthy and writer-director Paul Feig bring out the best in one another — and delivers scores of belly laughs along the way.
Batkid Begins Tomatometer: 81%
Release: Jun. 12
Sweet and unabashedly sentimental, Batkid Begins is an uplifting look at a selfless act that brought a city together.
Big Game Tomatometer: 75%
Release: Jun. 12
Big Game‘s enthusiastic throwback vibe will appeal to fans of low-budget ’80s action movies, but co-writer/director Jalmari Helander adds a level of smarts and skill that make it more than just an homage.
The Wolfpack Tomatometer: 84%
Release: Jun. 12
Offering a unique look at modern fears and our fascination with film, The Wolfpack is a fascinating — and ultimately haunting — urban fable.
The Tribe Tomatometer: 87%
Release: Jun. 17
A bleak, haunting drama whose wordless dialogue speaks volumes, The Tribe is a bold, innovative take on silent films for a contemporary audience.
Inside Out Tomatometer: 98%
Release: Jun. 19
Inventive, gorgeously animated, and powerfully moving, Inside Out is another outstanding addition to the Pixar library of modern animated classics.
Me & Earl & the Dying Girl Tomatometer: 82%
Release: Jun. 12
Beautifully scripted and perfectly cast, Me & Earl & the Dying Girl is a coming-of-age movie with uncommon charm and insight.
Dope Tomatometer: 88%
Release: Jun. 19
Featuring a starmaking performance from Shameik Moore and a refreshingly original point of view from writer-director Rick Famuyiwa, Dope is smart, insightful entertainment.
Eden Tomatometer: 82%
Release: Jun. 19
Eden uses 1990s club culture as the appropriately intoxicating backdrop for a sensitive, low-key look at aging and the price of pursuing one’s dreams.
Infinitely Polar Bear Tomatometer: 80%
Release: Jun. 19
Infinitely Polar Bear handles its thorny themes with a somewhat troublesomely light touch, but Mark Ruffalo’s complex performance keeps the drama solidly grounded.
The Overnight Tomatometer: 82%
Release: Jun. 19
Witty and unpredictable, The Overnight benefits from writer-director Patrick Brice’s sure-handed touch and strong performances from a talented cast.
Amy Tomatometer: 96%
Release: Jul. 3
As riveting as it is sad, Amy is a powerfully honest look at the twisted relationship between art and celebrity — and the lethal spiral of addiction.
Cartel Land Tomatometer: 92%
Release: Jul. 3
Raw, brutal, and bitter, Cartel Land offers a ground-level look at vigilante efforts to thwart organized crime at the Mexican-American border.
Jimmy’s Hall Tomatometer: 77%
Release: Jul. 3
Benefiting from a talented cast and sensitive work from director Ken Loach, Jimmy’s Hall offers period drama rich with relevant sociopolitical themes.
Do I Sound Gay? Tomatometer: 84%
Release: Jul. 10
Do I Sound Gay? proves to be a light, affable, entertaining look at a largely unexplored issue.
Tangerine Tomatometer: 96%
Release: Jul. 10
Tangerine shatters casting conventions and its filmmaking techniques are up-to-the-minute, but it’s an old-fashioned comedy at heart — and a pretty wonderful one at that.
Ant-Man Tomatometer: 80%
Release: Jul. 17
Led by a charming performance from Paul Rudd, Ant-Man offers Marvel thrills on an appropriately smaller scale — albeit not as smoothly as its most successful predecessors.
Trainwreck Tomatometer: 85%
Release: Jul. 17
Trainwreck drags commitment out of all but the most rom-com-phobic filmgoers with sharp humor, relatable characters, and hilarious work from Amy Schumer.
The Look of Silence Tomatometer: 96%
Release: Jul. 17
The Look of Silence delivers a less shocking — yet just as terribly compelling — companion piece to Joshua Oppenheimer’s The Act of Killing.
Mr. Holmes Tomatometer: 87%
Release: Jul. 17
Mr. Holmes focuses on the man behind the mysteries, and while it may lack Baker Street thrills, it more than compensates with tenderly wrought, well-acted drama.
The Stanford Prison Experiment Tomatometer: 85%
Release: Jul. 17
As chillingly thought-provoking as it is absorbing and well-acted, The Stanford Prison Experiment offers historical drama that packs a timelessly relevant punch.
Phoenix Tomatometer: 90%
Release: Jul. 24
Tense, complex, and drenched in atmosphere, Phoenix is a well-acted, smartly crafted war drama that finds writer-director Christian Petzold working at peak power.
Listen to Me Marlon Tomatometer: 97%
Release: Jul. 29
Listen to Me Marlon offers a fascinating look at the inner life of a Hollywood icon, told in his own words.
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation Tomatometer: 92%
Release: Jul. 31
Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation continues the franchise’s thrilling resurgence — and proves that Tom Cruise remains an action star without equal.
Best of Enemies Tomatometer: 94%
Release: Jul. 31
Smart, fascinating, and funny, Best of Enemies takes a penetrating — and wildly entertaining — look back at the dawn of pundit politics.
The End of the Tour Tomatometer: 91%
Release: Jul. 31
Brilliantly performed and smartly unconventional, The End of the Tour pays fitting tribute to a singular talent while offering profoundly poignant observations on the human condition.
Shaun the Sheep Tomatometer: 99%
Release: Aug. 5
Warm, funny, and brilliantly animated, Shaun the Sheep is yet another stop-motion jewel in Aardman’s family-friendly crown.
The Gift Tomatometer: 93%
Release: Aug. 7
The Gift is wickedly smart and playfully subversive, challenging the audience’s expectations while leaving them leaning on the edges of their seats.
Cop Car Tomatometer: 79%
Release: Aug. 7
Cop Car boasts a terrific premise and a grimly gripping opening act — and for some viewers, that will be enough to compensate for the movie’s uneven denouement.
Diary of a Teenage Girl Tomatometer: 94%
Release: Aug. 7
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.
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck Tomatometer: 97%
Release: Aug. 7
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck makes a persuasive case for its subject without resorting to hagiography — and includes plenty of rare and unreleased footage for fans.
Straight Outta Compton Tomatometer: 89%
Release: Aug. 11
Straight Outta Compton is a biopic that’s built to last, thanks to F. Gary Gray’s confident direction and engaging performances from a solid cast.
Meru Tomatometer: 90%
Release: Aug. 14
Gripping visually as well as narratively, Meru is the rare documentary that proves thought-provoking while offering thrilling wide-screen vistas.
Mistress America Tomatometer: 82%
Release: Aug. 14
Mistress America brings out the best in collaborators Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig, distilling its star’s charm and director’s dark wit into a ferociously funny co-written story.
People Places Things Tomatometer: 76%
Release: Aug. 14
People Places Things finds writer-director Jim Strouse in peak form — and makes the most of talented stars who help breathe fresh life into familiar narrative territory.
Grandma Tomatometer: 92%
Release: Aug. 21
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.
Queen of Earth Tomatometer: 91%
Release: Aug. 28
Led by a searing performance from Elisabeth Moss, Queen of Earth is a demanding — and ultimately rewarding — addition to writer-director Alex Ross Perry’s impressive filmography.
The Second Mother Tomatometer: 96%
Release: Aug. 28
The Second Mother‘s compelling characters serve an artfully drawn, thought-provoking story that’s beautifully brought to life by a talented cast.
Turbo Kid Tomatometer: 88%
Release: Aug. 28
A nostalgic ode to kids’ movies of yesteryear, Turbo Kid eyes the past through an entertaining — albeit surprisingly gory — postmodern lens.
Z For Zachariah Tomatometer: 78%
Release: Aug. 28
Z for Zachariah wrings compelling drama out of its simplistic premise — albeit at a pace that may test the patience of less contemplative viewers.
Steve Jobs: Man in the Machine Tomatometer: 76%
Release: Sep. 4
Steve Jobs: Man in the Machine offers absorbing viewing, even if it doesn’t delve deeply into its complex subject.
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution Tomatometer: 92%
Release: Sep. 4
The Black Panthers: Vanguard Of The Revolution offers a fascinating — if somewhat rudimentary — introduction to a movement, and an era, that remains soberingly relevant today.
Coming Home Tomatometer: 93%
Release: Sep. 9
The rare tearjerking melodrama with sociopolitical subtext, Coming Home plucks the heartstrings with thought-provoking power.
Breathe Tomatometer: 93%
Release: Sep. 11
Breathe finds writer-director Mélanie Laurent opening a sensitive, well-acted window into the bittersweet upheaval of adolescence.
A Brilliant Young Mind Tomatometer: 85%
Release: Sep. 11
A Brilliant Young Mind is tender and perceptive — and intelligent enough to find a wealth of dramatic riches buried under well-trod narrative ground.
Goodnight Mommy Tomatometer: 82%
Release: Sep. 11
Dark, violent, and drenched in dread, Goodnight Mommy is perfect for extreme horror enthusiasts — or filmgoers who prefer to watch between splayed fingers.
Meet the Patels Tomatometer: 84%
Release: Sep. 11
Meet the Patels works on multiple levels, offering an affably entertaining documentary about one man looking for love while posing thoughtful questions about cultural assimilation and modern romance.
Time Out of Mind Tomatometer: 73%
Release: Sep. 11
Time Out of Mind demands patience, yet its noble intentions — and Richard Gere’s committed performance — are difficult to deny.
Black Mass Tomatometer: 75%
Release: Sep. 18
Black Mass spins a gripping yarn out of its fact-based story — and leaves audiences with one of Johnny Depp’s most compelling performances in years.
The New Girlfriend Tomatometer: 80%
Release: Sep. 18
While flirting with camp, François Ozon’s The New Girlfriend offers thoughtful — and humorous — commentary on sexual and gender identity.
Sicario Tomatometer: 93%
Release: Sep. 18
Led by outstanding work from Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro, Sicario is a taut, tightly wound thriller with much more on its mind than attention-getting set pieces.
99 Homes Tomatometer: 91%
Release: Sep. 25
Fueled by powerful acting and a taut, patiently constructed narrative, 99 Homes is a modern economic parable whose righteous fury is matched by its intelligence and compassion.
Drunk Stone Brilliant Dead: The Story of The National Lampoon Tomatometer: 87%
Release: Sep. 25
Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead might not be the definitive doc National Lampoon fans are waiting for, but it’s still almost as transgressively funny as the magazine in its heyday.
Mississippi Grind Tomatometer: 89%
Release: Sep. 25
Well-acted and steeped in Southern atmosphere, Mississippi Grind is a road movie and addiction drama that transcends each of its well-worn genres.
The Martian Tomatometer: 93%
Release: Oct. 2
Smart, thrilling, and surprisingly funny, The Martian offers a faithful adaptation of the bestselling book that brings out the best in leading man Matt Damon and director Ridley Scott.
Jafar Panahi’s Taxi Tomatometer: 95%
Release: Oct. 2
Jafar Panahi’s Taxi offers another round of trenchant societal commentary from a director whose entire filmography stands as a daring act of dissent.
Labyrinth of Lies Tomatometer: 75%
Release: Oct. 2
Labyrinth of Lies artfully blends fact with well-intentioned fiction to offer a thought-provoking look at how the lessons of history can be easily lost or forgotten.
The Walk Tomatometer: 85%
Release: Oct. 2
The Walk attempts a tricky balancing act between thrilling visuals and fact-based drama — and like its wire-walking protagonist, pulls it off with impressive élan.
The Forbidden Room Tomatometer: 94%
Release: Oct. 9
The Forbidden Room may frustrate viewers looking for a linear experience, but those seeking a challenge — or already familiar with director Guy Maddin’s work — will be rewarded.
Steve Jobs Tomatometer: 84%
Release: Oct. 9
Like the tech giant co-founded by its subject, Steve Jobs gathers brilliant people to deliver a product whose elegance belies the intricate complexities at its core.
Victoria Tomatometer: 82%
Release: Oct. 9
Victoria‘s single-take production is undeniably impressive, but it’s also an effective drama in its own right — and one that juggles its tonal shifts as deftly as its technical complexities.
Bridge of Spies Tomatometer: 91%
Release: Oct. 16
Bridge of Spies finds new life in Hollywood’s classic Cold War espionage thriller formula, thanks to reliably outstanding work from Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.
The Assassin Tomatometer: 83%
Release: Oct. 16
The Assassin‘s thrilling visuals mark a fresh highlight for director Hsiao-hsien Hou, even if its glacial pace may keep some viewers at arm’s length.
Beasts of No Nation Tomatometer: 90%
Release: Oct. 16
Beasts of No Nation finds writer-director Cary Fukunaga working with a talented cast to offer a sobering, uncompromising, yet still somehow hopeful picture of war’s human cost.
Experimenter Tomatometer: 88%
Release: Oct. 16
Led by a gripping performance from Peter Sarsgaard, Experimenter uses a fact-based story to pose thought-provoking questions about human nature.
Room Tomatometer: 97%
Release: Oct. 16
Led by incredible work from Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay, Room makes for an unforgettably harrowing — and undeniably rewarding — experience.
Tales of Halloween Tomatometer: 79%
Release: Oct. 16
Tales of Halloween boasts a number of fun scares and is overall more consistent than many horror anthology films, even if it isn’t quite as dark or nasty as the classics of the genre.
Bone Tomahawk Tomatometer: 87%
Release: Oct. 23
Bone Tomahawk‘s peculiar genre blend won’t be for everyone, but its gripping performances and a slow-burning story should satisfy those in search of something different.
Heart of a Dog Tomatometer: 98%
Release: Oct. 23
Of a piece with much of director Laurie Anderson’s idiosyncratic output, Heart of a Dog delves into weighty themes with lyrical, haunting grace.
The Wonders Tomatometer: 94%
Release: Oct. 23
The Wonders offers a charming coming-of-age tale that doubles as a quietly effective tribute to a vanishing way of life.
Brooklyn Tomatometer: 98%
Release: Nov. 4
Brooklyn buttresses outstanding performances from Saoirse Ronan and Emory Cohen with a rich period drama that tugs at the heartstrings as deftly as it satisfies the mind.
The Hallow Tomatometer: 73%
Release: Nov. 4
Drenched in dark atmosphere and bolstered with some real emotion underneath all the chills, The Hallow suggests a wonderfully horrifying future for director Corin Hardy.
Spotlight Tomatometer: 97%
Release: Nov. 6
Spotlight gracefully handles the lurid details of its fact-based story while resisting the temptation to lionize its heroes, resulting in a drama that honors the audience as well as its real-life subjects.
The Peanuts Movie Tomatometer: 86%
Release: Nov. 6
The Peanuts Movie offers a colorful gateway into the world of its classic characters and a sweetly nostalgic — if relatively unambitious — treat for the adults who grew up with them.
Theeb Tomatometer: 95%
Release: Nov. 6
Led by an outstanding performance from Jacir Eid Al-Hwietat in the title role, Theeb is a startlingly assured first effort from director/co-writer Naji Abu Nowar.
Entertainment Tomatometer: 85%
Release: Nov. 13
As brilliantly and uncomfortably confrontational as its protagonist, Entertainment is a boundary-blurring exercise in cinematic misanthropy that more than lives up to its title.
James White Tomatometer: 91%
Release: Nov. 13
Led by powerfully complementary performances from Christopher Abbott and Cynthia Nixon, James White offers an affecting calling card for debuting writer-director Josh Mond.
Carol Tomatometer: 93%
Release: Nov. 20
Shaped by Todd Haynes’ deft direction and powered by a strong cast led by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, Carol lives up to its groundbreaking source material.
Mustang Tomatometer: 98%
Release: Nov. 20
Mustang delivers a bracing — and thoroughly timely — message whose power is further bolstered by the efforts of a stellar ensemble cast.
Creed Tomatometer: 93%
Release: Nov. 25
Creed brings the Rocky franchise off the mat for a surprisingly effective seventh round that extends the boxer’s saga in interesting new directions while staying true to its classic predecessors’ roots.
The Good Dinosaur Tomatometer: 77%
Release: Nov. 25
The Good Dinosaur delivers thrillingly beautiful animation in service of a worthy story that, even if it doesn’t quite live up to the lofty standards set by Pixar, still adds up to charming, family-friendly entertainment.
Chi-Raq
Release: Dec. 4
Tomatometer: 80%
Chi-Raq is as urgently topical and satisfyingly ambitious as it is wildly uneven — and it contains some of Spike Lee’s smartest, sharpest, and all-around entertaining late-period work.
Hitchcock/Truffaut
Release: Dec. 4
Tomatometer: 96%
Essential viewing for cineastes while still offering rich rewards for neophytes, Hitchcock/Truffaut offers an affectionate — and well-crafted — tribute to a legend.
The Lady in the Van
Release: Dec. 4
Tomatometer: 92%
Led by a marvelous performance from Maggie Smith, Lady in the Van wrings poignant, often hilarious insight from its fact-based source material.
Macbeth
Release: Dec. 4
Tomatometer: 96%
Faithful to the source material without sacrificing its own cinematic flair, Justin Kurzel’s Macbeth rises on the strength of a mesmerizing Michael Fassbender performance to join the upper echelon of big-screen Shakespeare adaptations.
The Big Short
Release: Dec. 11
Tomatometer: 85%
The Big Short approaches a serious, complicated subject with an impressive attention to detail — and manages to deliver a well-acted, scathingly funny indictment of its real-life villains in the bargain.
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
Release: Dec. 18
Tomatometer: 94%
Packed with action and populated by both familiar faces and fresh blood, The Force Awakens successfully recalls the series’ former glory while injecting it with renewed energy.
Son of Saul
Release: Dec. 18
Tomatometer: 92%
Grimly intense yet thoroughly rewarding, Son of Saul offers an unforgettable viewing experience — and establishes director László Nemes as a talent to watch.
45 Years
Release: Dec. 23
Tomatometer: 98%
45 Years offers richly thought-provoking rewards for fans of adult cinema — and a mesmerizing acting showcase for leads Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay.
The Revenant Tomatometer: 80%
Release: Dec. 25
As starkly beautiful as it is harshly uncompromising, The Revenant uses Leonardo DiCaprio’s committed performance as fuel for an absorbing drama that offers punishing challenges — and rich rewards.
The Hateful Eight Tomatometer: 75%
Release: Dec. 25
The Hateful Eight offers another well-aimed round from Quentin Tarantino’s signature blend of action, humor, and over-the-top violence — all while demonstrating an even stronger grip on his filmmaking craft.
Anomalisa Tomatometer: 96%
Release: Dec. 30
Anomalisa marks another brilliant and utterly distinctive highlight in Charlie Kaufman’s filmography, and a thought-provoking treat for fans of introspective cinema.
This week on home video, we’ve got a steamy sequel, a scary prequel, some heartfelt animation, a stylish horror debut, and a couple seasons of popular (and well-reviewed) television, plus more. Read on for the full list:
The Kings of Tampa decide that if they’re going to leave the adult entertainment world behind, they should go out with a bang. So they head for the Male Strippers Convention in South Carolina to strut their stuff one final time. On the Blu-ray, you’ll get two featurettes and an extended dance scene of Malik (Stephen Boss aka “Twitch”).
The third installment of the Insidious series goes back to the origins of the story in a prequel, recounting how a psychic (Lin Shaye) attempted to help a tormented girl (Stefanie Scott) by contacting the dead. Extras include a making-of doc, a breakdown of a key stunt sequence, a look at character design and effects, and more.
The latest animated treat from Studio Ghibli’s Hiromasa Yonebayashi (The Secret World of Arrietty) tells the story of a lonely foster child who meets a mysterious friend during a summer trip to Hokkaido. Bonus features include a look at the artwork, storyboards, and a making-of featurette, plus more.
Writer/director Ted Geoghegan makes a strong, stylish feature debut with this horror story about a grieving couple who move to a secluded home after the tragic death of their son; little do they know that their new home has a bloody past. The Blu-ray comes with standard extras like commentary and a behind-the-scenes featurette.
Alex Gibney’s multiple Emmy-winning HBO documentary makes use of first-hand accounts and archival footage to profile the history and inner workings of Scientology and delve into the accusations of abuse that have been leveled against the organization over the years.
Showtime’s horror drama improved upon its strong debut season, offering more insight into the life of Vanessa (Eva Green) and following up with Dr. Frankenstein (Harry Treadaway), Ethan (Josh Hartnett), and Sir Malcolm (Timothy Dalton). Extras include a history of the occult, a behind-the-scenes featurette, a video production blog, and more.
Based on the novel of the same name, HBO’s The Leftovers focuses on a small town family as they and their community attempt to make sense of a mysterious event where 2 percent of the world’s population suddenly vanished into thin air.
Gus Van Sant’s acclaimed drama stars River Phoenix as a narcoleptic street kid and Keanu Reeves as the mayor’s son he falls in love with. Already available on DVD, the new Criterion Blu-ray includes a new 4k digital transfer, a making-of doc, deleted scenes, a conversation between Van Sant and Todd Haynes, and more.
Heartfelt, audacious, and visually striking, Tomorrowland is a testament to the power of imagination. Unfortunately, critics say it’s only a half-successful one — while the film is dazzling to the eye, its storytelling is uneven and its overall effect is muted as a result. Brittany Robertson stars as Casey, a smart, idealistic teenager who can’t get the vision of a magical, futuristic realm out of her head. She discovers that Frank (George Clooney), a fallen scientific wunderkind, can help to transport her to the place of her dreams. The pundits say Tomorrowland deserves credit for eschewing predictability and conventionality, but the end result is more admirable than emotionally satisfying. (Check out this week’s Total Recall for our Tomatometer guide to Disneyland, and watch our video interview with Clooney, Robertson, and more.)
Haunted house movies never seem to go out of style, as The Conjuring, Insidious, and Paranormal Activity demonstrate. Now, an update of Poltergeist tries to out-scare the competition, but unfortunately, critics say it’s a professional but lackluster chiller with little to distinguish it beyond its brand name. Strapped for cash, Eric (Sam Rockwell) and Amy (Rosemarie DeWitt) move their family into a suburban fixer-upper. Soon, however, their three children are bedeviled by mysterious supernatural entities, while Eric and Amy discover what happened to the house’s previous occupants. The pundits say Poltergeist offers up a few decent scares, but it’s a far cry from the inventive, iconic 1982 original. (Check out this week’s 24 Frames for a gallery of famous movie clowns.)
What’s On TV:
“Person to Person” (92 percent) shoulders the burden of concluding a masterpiece by avoiding predictability while still offering a sweet sendoff for most of Mad Men‘s main characters.
Unbalanced storytelling and unnecessary, excessive brutality add up to disturbing viewing, although “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken” (59 percent) still includes enough plot revelations to offer hope for future episodes.
Güeros, a dramedy about trio of youths who stave off boredom by tracking down an ailing folksinger, is at 94 percent.
Sunshine Superman, a documentary about BASE-jumping pioneer Carl Boenish, is at 89 percent.
Studio Ghibli’s When Marnie Was There, an animated drama about a lonely teenager who comes out of her shell after making a mysterious new friend, is at 84 percent.
73%
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