Las 150 mejores películas femeninas del siglo XXI

(Foto de A24, Paramount, Summit Entertainment, Focus Features, Annapurna / Courtesy Everett Collection)

Para el Mes de la Historia de la Mujer, Rotten Tomatoes conmemora el trabajo de las directoras a lo largo del siglo XXI. Nuestra guía de las 150 películas mejor revisadas por mujeres cineastas desde 2000 incluye maravillas documentales como Nanfu Wang One Child Nation y Kirsten Johnson Camarógrafo así como características narrativas inolvidables como Marielle Heller ¿Puedes perdonarme alguna vez? y Ava DuVernay’s Selma . Las películas en la lista cubren una amplia gama de temas, personajes e historias. Disipan la falacia de que las directoras solo pueden contar un tipo de historia, una imagen hermosa después de mover una historia tras otra.

Las mujeres han estado dando forma al cine desde sus primeros días. Pioneros de la era silenciosa como Alice Guy-Blaché y Lois Weber abrieron un camino tan influyente como sus homólogos masculinos; guionistas como Francis Marion y editores como Margaret Booth fueron celebrados por su trabajo, y Booth se convertiría en una de las voces más influyentes en el lote de MGM Studio. Pero a medida que el negocio del cine se volvió más lucrativo, las mujeres fueron expulsadas en gran parte y sin ceremonias del lado creativo y de toma de decisiones de la cinematografía. Mientras que muchos lograron un trabajo increíble, entre ellos Dorothy Arzner, Elaine May, Agnès Varda y Kathryn Bigelow, quienes se convirtieron en la primera mujer en ganar el Oscar al Mejor Director por su película The Hurt Locker : las décadas posteriores a la era silenciosa y hasta el final del siglo XX vieron la realización de películas, especialmente en la corriente principal, cada vez más dominadas por los hombres.

Sin embargo, las últimas dos décadas han visto un gran movimiento y algunos hitos importantes ( que Oscar ganó para Bigelow; el trabajo histórico de Patty Jenkins en Wonder Woman ) Los directores en esta lista incluyen a Lulu Wang, cuya conmovedora película The Farewell ganó el reconocimiento de la crítica y la industria, así como Céline Sciamma por su última película, [19459005 ] Retrato de una dama en llamas . (Ahora, si tan solo la Academia reconociera sus esfuerzos …). También está Waad Al-Kateab, quien con su compañero director Edward Watts, llevó su experiencia personal del conflicto sirio a los televidentes de todo el mundo en Para Sama , y Dominga Sotomayor Castillo, quien se llevó al público con ella a la década de 1990 en Chile en su drama sobre la mayoría de edad Demasiado tarde para morir joven . El debut de Sabaah Folayan ¿De quién son las calles? se sienta cerca de los documentales finales de Agnès Varda Varda por Agnès y ] .

Para hacer la lista, miramos las 150 mejores películas certificadas por Fresh, dirigidas por mujeres, incluidas las de los equipos directores, que se habían estrenado en los cines desde 2000. Dejamos las películas que se transmitieron directamente a la transmisión o la televisión a menos que tuvieran una estreno teatral, carreras clasificatorias al Oscar incluidas. Los ordenamos cronológicamente.

Disfruta de la siguiente lista como guía de algunas de las mejores películas de directoras en lo que va del siglo. No hay dos películas iguales en su capacidad para entretenernos, informarnos o contactarnos. Si desea agregar más películas a nuestra lista, infórmenos en los comentarios a continuación. – Mónica Castillo

# 150

Puntuación ajustada: 98.731%

Consenso de críticos: La vida y los tiempos de Hank Greenberg es un retrato cariñoso, a menudo muy divertido, de un pionero del béisbol.

                          Sinopsis: Retrato del legendario jugador de béisbol judío nacido en el Bronx que estuvo cerca de romper el récord de Babe Ruth: bateó 58 jonrones en … [Más] [19459015 ]

# 149

Puntuación ajustada: 101.479%

Consenso de críticos: El gusto de los demás es una comedia fresca e ingeniosa sobre la atracción de los opuestos. Los personajes son bien dibujados y atractivos y sus interacciones sociales son creíbles.

                          Sinopsis: Agnes Jaoui co-escribe y dirige esta comedia romántica de modales ambientada en la rústica Provenza francesa. El industrial sin pulir y ultrapragmático Jean-Jacques … [Más]

# 148

Puntuación ajustada: 93.575%

Consenso de críticos: The Gleaners y yo damos una mirada compasiva a una subcultura raramente considerada cuyo individualismo resuena poderosamente con el enfoque humanista del director Agnès Varda.

                          Sinopsis: Tanto un diario como una especie de ensayo extendido sobre la pobreza, el ahorro y el curioso lugar de recolección en francés … [Más]

# 147

Puntuación ajustada: 98.026%

Consenso de críticos: Una mezcla perspicaz y enérgica de los estilos de Hollywood y Bollywood, Monsoon Wedding es una celebración colorida y exuberante de la India moderna, la familia, el amor y la vida.

                          Sinopsis: Después de su controvertido drama erótico Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, Mira Nair dirige este encantador drama familiar … [Más]

# 146

Puntuación ajustada: 95.896%

Consenso de críticos: Pulsando con honestidad, esta película pone al descubierto la crudeza de la emoción humana con una historia que se hace aún más creíble gracias a su enfoque valioso y de bajo presupuesto.

                          Sinopsis: Dos personas se ven unidas por un trágico accidente en este drama emocional. Joachim (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) y Cecilie (Sonja … [Más]

# 145

Puntuación ajustada: 96.564%

Consenso de críticos: Una mirada desgarradora e iluminadora del conflicto israelí y palestino a través de los ojos de los niños.

                          Sinopsis: Varios niños judíos y palestinos son seguidos durante tres años y se ponen en contacto entre ellos, en esta alternativa … [Más]

# 144

Puntuación ajustada: 99,233%

Consenso de críticos: Emocionante tanto estilísticamente como por su interpretación entretenida y conmovedora de un hombre, American Splendor es un retrato de un verdadero original underground.

                          Sinopsis: Harvey Pekar es archivero en el hospital local de VA. Sus interacciones con sus compañeros de trabajo ofrecen cierto alivio de la … [Más]

# 143

Puntuación ajustada: 101.673%

Consenso de críticos: Efectivamente equilibrando el humor y el sutil pathos, Sofia Coppola crea una historia conmovedora y melancólica que sirve como escaparate para Bill Murray y Scarlett Johansson.

                          Sinopsis: Después de hacer un sorprendente debut como directora con su adaptación cinematográfica de The Virgin Suicides, Sofia Coppola ofrece una historia de … [Más]

# 142

Puntuación ajustada: 98.575%

Consenso de críticos: La revolución no será televisada es tan persuasiva y fascinante como sin prejuicios.

Sinopsis: Mientras los cineastas irlandeses Kim Bartley y Donnacha O’Briain estaban en Venezuela para hacer un documental sobre los carismáticos, elegidos democráticamente … [Más]

Protagonista:

# 141

Puntuación ajustada: 96.365%

Consenso de críticos: Encantador y extrañamente conmovedor.

                          Sinopsis: Dirigida por Luigi Falomi y el documentalista mongol Byambasuren Davaa, Die Geschichte vom Weinenden Kamel (La historia del llanto … [Más]

# 140

Puntuación ajustada: 97.626%

Consenso de críticos: Una mirada entre bastidores fascinante e esclarecedora a la red de Al Jazeera.

                          Sinopsis: Una crónica que proporciona una ventana rara a la percepción internacional de la Guerra de Irak, cortesía de Al Jazeera, el … [Más]

# 139

Puntuación ajustada: 95.438%

Consenso de críticos: Los niños perdidos de Sudán funcionan como un documental fascinante y una acusación mordaz del colonialismo.

Sinopsis: El galardonado documental de Lost Boys of Sudan de Megan Mylan y Jon Shenk examina lo que sucede cuando un par de chicos sudaneses, … [Más]

Protagonista:

# 138

Puntuación ajustada: 97.496%

Consenso de críticos: Un documental poderoso y estimulante.

                          Sinopsis: Esta película es un retrato de un grupo de niños inolvidables en el barrio rojo de Calcuta. Luchador, resistente y malvado … [Más]

# 137

Puntuación ajustada: 96.83%

Consenso de críticos: Un drama que es divertido y conmovedor.

                          Sinopsis: Una familia se ve obligada a engañar por el bien de su matriarca en este drama conmovedor. Tres generaciones de mujeres … [Más]

# 136

Puntuación ajustada: 97.852%

Consenso de críticos: Interesante y atractivo como estudio tanto del hombre como de la naturaleza.

                          Sinopsis: Telegraph Hill es un vecindario en una de las secciones más montañosas de San Francisco que con los años se ha convertido en … [Más]

# 135

Puntuación ajustada: 93,74%

Consenso de los críticos: Culpe a Fidel es una encantadora comedia de modales, clase y política, elevada por una notable actuación de la actriz infantil Nina Kervel.

                          Sinopsis: Cuando sus padres adinerados se sienten repentinamente motivados a adoptar una postura abiertamente política a medida que se produce un cambio político y económico masivo … [Más]

# 134

Puntuación ajustada: 97.126%

Consenso de críticos: Igual misterio y biografía, Deep Water es a la vez un documental fascinante y un tratado conmovedor sobre la locura y la obsesión humana.

                          Sinopsis: El documental histórico de Deep Water de los codirectores Louise Osmond y Jerry Rothwell narra una de las tragedias náuticas más infames de … [Más]

# 133

Puntuación ajustada: 98.933%

Consenso de críticos: Una visión poderosa de las posibilidades de trascendencia en la realización de documentales directos y la discapacidad física extrema.

                          Sinopsis: Con el impresionante telón de fondo del Himalaya, «Blindsight» sigue la apasionante aventura de seis adolescentes tibetanos que partieron … [Más]

# 132

Puntuación ajustada: 99.513%

Consenso de los críticos: Las imágenes sinceras y reveladoras brindan a los espectadores un primer plano, y educativo, de las experiencias de los soldados estadounidenses en Irak, un punto de vista que normalmente no se ve.

                          Sinopsis: Utiliza imágenes filmadas por tres miembros de la Guardia Nacional desplegados en Irak. El sargento Steve Pink es un carpintero bromista … [Más]

# 131

Puntuación ajustada: 98.495%

Consenso de críticos: Un exitoso debut como director de Sarah Polley, Away From Her es una exploración conmovedora de los efectos del Alzheimer, en la que la tierna sabiduría del guión de Polley se complementa maravillosamente con una maravillosa actuación de Julie Christie

                          Sinopsis: Casados durante casi 50 años, el compromiso de Grant y Fiona entre sí parece inquebrantable, y su vida cotidiana está llena … [Más]

# 130

Puntuación ajustada: 101.102%

Consenso de críticos: Persépolis es una gema autobiográfica emocionalmente poderosa y dramáticamente fascinante, y las imágenes en blanco y negro simples de la película son efectivas y audaces.

                          Sinopsis: Marjane es una joven iraní precoz y abierta que tenía nueve años durante la Revolución Islámica cuando los fundamentalistas … [Más]

# 129

Puntuación ajustada: 98.668%

Consenso de los críticos: Un drama emocionalmente contundente y apasionante, Grbavica explora hábilmente el costo emocional que todas las guerras tienen para quienes les sobreviven.

                          Sinopsis: Una mujer ve su propio pasado traumático reflejado en las acciones de su hija adolescente en este drama desde la primera vez … [Más]

# 128

Puntuación ajustada: 98.971%

Consenso de los críticos: El diablo vino a caballo es un fuerte iniciador sobre las complejidades de la situación en Darfur y un terrible documento en primera persona.

                          Sinopsis: La violencia y la tragedia del genocidio que tiene lugar en Darfur visto a través de los ojos de un testigo estadounidense … [Más]

# 127

Puntuación ajustada: 98.193%

Consenso de críticos: Este increíble documental muestra la tragedia y la mala gestión de Katrina junto con el heroísmo de extraños y sobrevivientes.

                          Sinopsis: «Trouble the Water» te lleva dentro del huracán Katrina de una manera nunca antes vista en la pantalla. La película abre el … [Más]

# 126

Puntuación ajustada: 97.983%

Consenso de críticos: Un encantador autorretrato de un veterano director, Beach of Agnes es a la vez juguetón y profundo.

                          Sinopsis: Agnès Varda ha sido una de las voces más distintas en el cine francés desde su debut como directora con La … [Más]

# 125

Puntuación ajustada: 98.731%

Consenso de críticos: Este drama familiar francés de lento movimiento es rico, complejo, sutil y emocionalmente elocuente.

                          Sinopsis: El tiempo y la atracción romántica amenazan con agriar una relación familiar en este drama de la escritora y directora Claire Denis. Lionel … [Más]

# 124

Puntuación ajustada: 94.456%

Consenso de críticos: Edificación y entretenimiento en partes iguales, el tierno homenaje de Kempner a un pionero olvidado del entretenimiento estadounidense es muy merecido y hace mucho tiempo.

                          Sinopsis: La verdadera historia del pionero de la televisión, Gertrude Berg, el creador, escritor principal y estrella de «The Goldbergs», una radio popular … [Más]

# 123

Puntuación ajustada: 100.042%

Consenso de los críticos: Aunque la última parte de la película puede no ser atractiva para todos, An Education es una encantadora historia sobre la mayoría de edad impulsada por la fuerza del desempeño sobresaliente del recién llegado Carey Mulligan.

                          Sinopsis: Es 1961 y atractiva, brillante colegiala de 16 años, Jenny está al borde de la feminidad. Sofocado por el tedio de … [Más]

# 122

Puntuación ajustada: 96.986%

Consenso de críticos: Aún no hay consenso.

                          Sinopsis: Daniel Ellsberg, un funcionario de alto nivel del Pentágono y estratega de la guerra de Vietnam, concluye que la guerra se basa en décadas de mentiras … [Más]

# 121

Puntuación ajustada: 98.239%

Consenso de críticos: A la vez tierno y poco sentimental, Sweetgrass captura con gracia la belleza y las dificultades de un estilo de vida moribundo.

                          Sinopsis: Los cineastas Ilisa Barbash y Lucien Castaing-Taylor continúan su trabajo capturando la belleza y el peligro del paisaje occidental con … [Más]

# 120

Puntuación ajustada: 106,221%

Consenso de críticos: Una épica de guerra bien actuada, intensamente disparada y llena de acción, The Hurt Locker de Kathryn Bigelow es hasta ahora la mejor de las dramatizaciones recientes de la Guerra de Irak.

                          Sinopsis: Basado en las experiencias personales en tiempo de guerra del periodista Mark Boal (quien adaptó sus experiencias con un escuadrón de bombas en … [Más]

# 119

Puntuación ajustada: 101.239%

Consenso de críticos: Un documental esclarecedor y aleccionador sobre el propio Factor X de Afganistán.

                          Sinopsis: Después de 30 años de guerra y gobierno talibán, «Pop Idol» ha aparecido en televisión en Afganistán. Aquí, seguimos cuatro … [Más]

# 118

Puntuación ajustada: 99.497%

Consenso de críticos: Vale la pena tanto como una pieza de conjunto bien actuada como una declaración inteligente y cálida sobre los valores familiares, The Kids Are All Right es notable.

                          Sinopsis: Dos niños adolescentes tienen la idea de buscar a su padre biológico e introducirlo en la vida familiar que … [Más]

# 117

Puntuación ajustada: 98.809%

Consenso de críticos: sombrío, inquietante y aún así de alguna manera esperanzador, Winter’s Bone es el mejor trabajo de la escritora y directora Debra Granik hasta el momento, y cuenta con una increíble actuación de Jennifer Lawrence.

                          Sinopsis: La casa de su familia en peligro de ser embargada después de que su padre que cocinaba metanfetamina saltara la fianza y desapareciera, la adolescente Ozark Ree Dolly … [Más]

# 116

Puntuación ajustada: 98.195%

Consenso de críticos: Un documento histórico desgarrador e inquietante, A Film Unfinished excava un capítulo particularmente horrible de la historia del Holocausto, y al hacerlo, la película ofrece un vistazo a la máquina de propaganda nazi.

Sinopsis: El poderoso documental de Yael Hersonski logra una hazaña notable a través de su penetrante mirada a otra película, la ahora infame película producida por los nazis sobre … [Más] [ 19459015]

Protagonista:

# 115

Puntuación ajustada: 101.398%

Consenso de críticos: Waste Land comienza con una premisa ecológica, pero se transforma rápidamente en un retrato inspirador del poder del arte y la dignidad del espíritu humano.

                          Sinopsis: Filmado durante casi tres años, WASTE LAND sigue al reconocido artista Vik Muniz mientras viaja desde su base de operaciones en … [Más]

# 114

Puntuación ajustada: 97.976%

Consenso de críticos: Pulsando con autenticidad y liderado por una conmovedora actuación principal de Adepero Oduye, Pariah es una poderosa película de presentación / llegada de la mayoría de edad que señala la llegada de un nuevo talento nuevo en el escritor / director Dee Rees.

                          Sinopsis: Adepero Oduye retrata a Alike (pronunciado ah-lee-kay), una mujer afroamericana de 17 años que vive con sus padres Audrey y Arthur (Kim Wayans … [19459271 ] [Más]

# 113

Puntuación ajustada: 96.72%

Consenso de críticos: Aún no hay consenso.

                          Sinopsis: Amado por niños de todas las edades en todo el mundo, Elmo es un ícono internacional. Pocas personas conocen a su creador, Kevin … [Más]

# 112

Puntuación ajustada: 96.604%

Consenso de críticos: Inteligente e inventivo, The Arbor ofrece algunos giros intensamente memorables en tropos documentales cansados.

                          Sinopsis: En cambio, si hace un documental convencional o adapta la obra de Dunbar The Arbor para la pantalla, el director Clio Barnard ha creado … [Más]

# 111

Puntuación ajustada: 98.267%

Consenso de críticos: En sintonía con la emoción y las tribulaciones de la infancia, Tomboy es una película encantadora que trata su tema principal con calidez y corazón.

                          Sinopsis: Una familia francesa con dos hijas, Laure de 10 años y Jeanne de 6 años, se muda a un nuevo vecindario durante las vacaciones de verano …. [Más ]

# 110

Puntuación ajustada: 95.051%

Consenso de críticos: Un documental optimista y visualmente dramático del ballet para niños, First Position muestra el potencial del espíritu humano cuando se fomenta a una edad temprana.

                          Sinopsis: Cada año, miles de aspirantes a bailarines participan en una de las competiciones de ballet más prestigiosas del mundo, el Gran Premio Youth America, … [Más]

# 109

Puntuación ajustada: 93,79%

Consenso de críticos: Aún no hay consenso.

                          Sinopsis: Alma (Helene Bergsholm) de 15 años es consumida por sus hormonas y fantasías fuera de control que van desde imágenes dulcemente románticas de Artur, … [Más ]

# 108

Puntuación ajustada: 95.848%

Consenso de los críticos: Un retrato afectuoso creado con un toque visual, Diana Vreeland es entretenido, informativo y elegante, debido en gran parte a su tema carismático.

                          Sinopsis: Durante el reinado de cincuenta años de Diana Vreeland como «Emperatriz de la moda», lanzó Twiggy, asesoró a Jackie Onassis y estableció innumerables … [Más] [19459015 ]

# 107

Puntuación ajustada: 98.719%

Consenso de los críticos: La Reina de Versalles es un retrato oportuno, atractivo y ricamente dibujado del sueño americano, compuesto de manera improbable de compasión y schadenfreude a partes iguales.

                          Sinopsis: La Reina de Versalles es un documental basado en personajes sobre una familia multimillonaria y sus desafíos financieros a raíz de … [Más]

# 106

Puntuación ajustada: 98.719%

Consenso de los críticos: Tanto una mirada aleccionadora de una verdadera historia de crimen como una acusación mordaz del sistema de justicia estadounidense, West of Memphis es una historia de horror de la vida real contada con furia y compasión.

                          Sinopsis: De la directora Amy Berg, en colaboración con los productores por primera vez Damien Echols y Lorri Davis junto con los cineastas Peter Jackson … [Más]

#105

Adjusted Score: 95.627%

Critics Consensus: Sing Your Song takes an absorbing — if decidedly non-critical — look at an incredible show business career and admirable public life.

                          Synopsis: Sing Your Song, surveys the life and times of singer/actor/activist Harry Belafonte. From his rise to fame as a singer,… [More]

#104

Adjusted Score: 97.116%

Critics Consensus: Brooklyn Castle is a warm, engaging, and even uplifting documentary about chess-playing whiz kids.

                          Synopsis: Brooklyn Castle is the remarkable and improbable true story of I.S. 318 in Brooklyn. The school, where 65% of students… [More]

#103

Adjusted Score: 97.848%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Simon (Kacey Mottet Klein) lives with his older sister (Léa Seydoux) in a housing complex below a luxury Swiss ski… [More]

Starring:

#102

Adjusted Score: 100.336%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

                          Synopsis: Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry is the first feature-length film about the internationally renowned Chinese artist and activist, Ai Weiwei. In… [More]

#101

Adjusted Score: 97.846%

Critics Consensus: Newcomer Saskia Rosendahl gives an astonishingly assured performance in the title role, and director Cate Shortland establishes a delicate, disturbingly ominous tone in the powerful World War II drama Lore.

                          Synopsis: Left to fend for themselves after their SS officer father and mother, a staunch Nazi believer, are interred by the… [More]

#100

Adjusted Score: 99.121%

Critics Consensus: In Stories We Tell, Sarah Polley plays with the documentary format to explore the nature of memory and storytelling, crafting a thoughtful, compelling narrative that unfolds like a mystery.

                          Synopsis: In this inspired, genre-twisting new film, Oscar (R)-nominated writer/director Sarah Polley discovers that the truth depends on who’s telling it…. [More]

#99

Adjusted Score: 101.949%

Critics Consensus: Wryly charming, impeccably acted, and ultimately quite bittersweet, Enough Said is a grown-up movie in the best possible way.

                          Synopsis: A divorced and single parent, Eva (Julia Louis Dreyfus) spends her days enjoying work as a masseuse but dreading her… [More]

#98

Adjusted Score: 96.955%

Critics Consensus: Smart, compassionate, and moving, The Crash Reel uses the familiar sport-doc formula to subvert expectations and ask challenging questions about ambition and achievement.

                          Synopsis: This eye-popping, yet intimate, story of U.S. champion snowboarder Kevin Pearce uses years of vérité footage to expose the potentially… [More]

#97

Adjusted Score: 98.913%

Critics Consensus: Alternately horrific and uplifting, Call Me Kuchu exposes heinous systematic brutality with a clear eye and admirable precision.

                          Synopsis: In Uganda, a new bill threatens to make homosexuality punishable by death. With unprecedented access, the filmmakers follow David Kato… [More]

#96

Adjusted Score: 100.613%

Critics Consensus: Starkly emotional and beautifully directed, The Selfish Giant uses a lovely script and some powerful performances to present some of the best that modern British cinema has to offer.

                          Synopsis: THE SELFISH GIANT is a contemporary fable about 13 year old Arbor (Conner Chapman) and his best friend Swifty (Shaun… [More]

#95

Adjusted Score: 102.484%

Critics Consensus: Blackfish is an aggressive, impassioned documentary that will change the way you look at performance killer whales.

                          Synopsis: Magnolia Pictures invites you and a guest to attend an advance screening of BLACKFISH, an eye-opening documentary directed by Gabriela… [More]

#94

Adjusted Score: 103.101%

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

                          Synopsis: WADJDA is a movie of firsts. This first feature film shot entirely in Saudi Arabia is the story of a… [More]

#93

Adjusted Score: 101.891%

Critics Consensus: The Square offers an electrifying — and edifying — ground-level glimpse of life inside a real-life political revolution.

                          Synopsis: The Egyptian Revolution has been an ongoing rollercoaster over the past two and a half years. Through the news, we… [More]

#92

Adjusted Score: 93.728%

Critics Consensus: She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry takes an entertaining, informative look at the dawn of the American women’s movement — and the oft-overlooked activists who fought for it.

                          Synopsis: SHE’S BEAUTIFUL WHEN SHE’S ANGRY resurrects the buried history of the outrageous, often brilliant women who founded the modern women’s… [More]

#91

Adjusted Score: 97.759%

Critics Consensus: Revealing yet respectful, 20,000 Days on Earth is essential viewing for any Nick Cave fan.

                          Synopsis: Drama and reality combine in a fictitious 24 hours in the life of musician and international cultural icon, Nick Cave…. [More]

#90

Adjusted Score: 100.617%

Critics Consensus: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night blends conventional elements into something brilliantly original — and serves as a striking calling card for writer-director Ana Lily Amirpour.

                          Synopsis: The first Iranian Vampire Western ever made, Ana Lily Amirpour’s debut basks in the sheer pleasure of pulp. A joyful… [More]

#89

Adjusted Score: 101.265%

Critics Consensus: Part real-life thriller, part sobering examination of 21st century civil liberties, Citizenfour transcends ideology to offer riveting, must-see cinema.

                          Synopsis: In January 2013, Poitras (recipient of the 2012 MacArthur Genius Fellowship and co-recipient of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Public… [More]

#88

Adjusted Score: 107.153%

Critics Consensus: The Babadook relies on real horror rather than cheap jump scares — and boasts a heartfelt, genuinely moving story to boot.

                          Synopsis: Six years after the violent death of her husband, Amelia (Essie Davis) is at a loss. She struggles to discipline… [More]

#87

Adjusted Score: 100.895%

Critics Consensus: Brutally honest and utterly compelling, Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me offers a riveting, vanity-free portrait of its legendary subject while offering a few essential truths about the human condition.

                          Synopsis: Now in her late 80s, Broadway legend Elaine Stritch remains as ferociously funny as ever. In this bold, hilarious and… [More]

#86

Adjusted Score: 111.135%

Critics Consensus: Fueled by a gripping performance from David Oyelowo, Selma draws inspiration and dramatic power from the life and death of Martin Luther King, Jr. — but doesn’t ignore how far we remain from the ideals his work embodied.

                          Synopsis: SELMA is the story of a movement. The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther… [More]

#85

Adjusted Score: 95.03%

Critics Consensus: 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.

                          Synopsis: From the team behind THE INVISIBLE WAR, comes a startling exposé of rape crimes on U.S. campuses, institutional cover-ups and… [More]

#84

Adjusted Score: 96.282%

Critics Consensus: Respectful without veering into hagiography and inquisitive without being intrusive, Janis: Little Girl Blue offers an insightful glimpse into the life of a rock ‘n’ roll legend.

                          Synopsis: Janis Joplin is one of the most revered and iconic rock & roll singers of all time, a tragic and… [More]

#83

Adjusted Score: 100.901%

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

                          Synopsis: Like most teenage girls, Minnie Goetze (Bel Powley) is longing for love, acceptance and a sense of purpose in the… [More]

#82

Adjusted Score: 98.324%

Critics Consensus: Powerfully acted and smartly scripted, Girlhood offers a fresh perspective on familiar cinematic territory.

                          Synopsis: Fed up with her abusive family situation, lack of school prospects and the «boys’ law» in the neighborhood, Marieme starts… [More]

#81

Adjusted Score: 98.787%

Critics Consensus: Of a piece with much of director Laurie Anderson’s idiosyncratic output, Heart of a Dog delves into weighty themes with lyrical, haunting grace.

                          Synopsis: Artist Laurie Anderson reflects on the deaths of her husband, mother, beloved dog and subjects such as family memories, surveillance,… [More]

#80

Adjusted Score: 97.903%

Critics Consensus: The Wonders offers a charming coming-of-age tale that doubles as a quietly effective tribute to a vanishing way of life.

                          Synopsis: Rohrwacher’s richly textured sophomore feature centers on a family of beekeepers living in stark isolation in central Italy. The dynamic… [More]

#79

Adjusted Score: 102.228%

Critics Consensus: Mustang delivers a bracing — and thoroughly timely — message whose power is further bolstered by the efforts of a stellar ensemble cast.

                          Synopsis: Early summer in a village in Northern Turkey. Five free-spirited teenaged sisters splash about on the beach with their male… [More]

#78

Adjusted Score: 98.441%

Critics Consensus: Warm, funny, and quietly profound, Appropriate Behavior serves as a thoroughly compelling calling card for writer, director, and star Desiree Akhavan.

                          Synopsis: For Shirin, being part of a perfect Persian family isn’t easy. Acceptance eludes her from all sides: her family doesn’t… [More]

#77

Adjusted Score: 99.703%

Critics Consensus: The Second Mother’s compelling characters serve an artfully drawn, thought-provoking story that’s beautifully brought to life by a talented cast.

                          Synopsis: Val spends 13 years working as nanny to Fabinho in Sao Paulo. She is financially stable but has to live… [More]

#76

Adjusted Score: 98.725%

Critics Consensus: A heartbreaking story told with tremendous narrative and visual skill, Sherpa exposes the audience to a side of Mount Everest that many have never seen or considered.

Synopsis: A brawl on Everest? Director Jennifer Peedom set out to uncover tension in the 2014 Everest climbing season from the… [More]

Starring:

#75

Adjusted Score: 102.24%

Critics Consensus: 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.

                          Synopsis: An Israeli woman (Ronit Elkabetz) seeking to finalize her divorce from her cruel and manipulative husband finds herself effectively put… [More]

#74

Adjusted Score: 93.708%

Critics Consensus: Sand Storm marks an impressive first feature for debuting writer-director Elite Zexer that offers a perceptive — and crucial — look at patriarchal traditions.

                          Synopsis: Desert noon in a Bedouin village in Southern Israel. Jalila is hosting an awkward celebration–the marriage of her husband to… [More]

#73

Adjusted Score: 101.781%

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

                          Synopsis: Winfried doesn’t see much of his working daughter Ines. The suddenly student-less music teacher decides to surprise her with a… [More]

#72

Adjusted Score: 99.773%

Critics Consensus: Queen of Katwe is a feel-good movie of uncommon smarts and passion, and outstanding performances by Lupita Nyong’o and David Oyelowo help to elevate the film past its cliches.

                          Synopsis: «Queen of Katwe» is the colorful true story of a young girl selling corn on the streets of rural Uganda… [More]

#71

Adjusted Score: 95.178%

Critics Consensus: Nuts! lives up to its title in the best way, offering a delightfully unorthodox look at a bizarre — and largely unexplored — chapter in American history.

                          Synopsis: Inventive and wildly fun, NUTS! recounts the mostly-true story of John Romulus Brinkley, a Kansas doctor who in 1917 discovered… [More]

#70

Adjusted Score: 101.841%

Critics Consensus: The Edge of Seventeen’s sharp script — and Hailee Steinfeld’s outstanding lead performance — make this more than just another coming-of-age dramedy.

                          Synopsis: THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN is a new coming-of-age movie in the vein of Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club -… [More]

#69

Adjusted Score: 98.656%

Critics Consensus: The Love Witch offers an absorbing visual homage to a bygone era, arranged subtly in service of a thought-provoking meditation on the battle of the sexes.

                          Synopsis: Elaine, a beautiful young witch, is determined to find a man to love her. In her Gothic Victorian apartment she… [More]

#68

Adjusted Score: 98.784%

Critics Consensus: The Innocents isn’t always easy to watch, but its nuanced exploration of complex themes — and its refreshing perspective — are well worth the effort.

                          Synopsis: Warsaw, December 1945: the second World War is finally over and Mathilde is treating the last of the French survivors… [More]

#67

Adjusted Score: 98.374%

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

                          Synopsis: An inspirational true story of a group of friends from a working men’s club who decide to take on the… [More]

#66

Adjusted Score: 100.1%

Critics Consensus: 13th strikes at the heart of America’s tangled racial history, offering observations as incendiary as they are calmly controlled.

                          Synopsis: The title of Ava DuVernay’s extraordinary and galvanizing documentary refers to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which reads «Neither… [More]

#65

Adjusted Score: 100.57%

Critics Consensus: As gripping as it is unique, the thrillingly kinetic The Fits marks debuting writer-director Anna Rose Holmer as a singular talent.

                          Synopsis: An 11-year-old girl joins a dance drill team at her local rec center but her newfound teammates and friends begin… [More]

#64

Adjusted Score: 103.389%

Critics Consensus: Weiner uses sharp insight and untrammeled access to offer a portrait of a political and personal collapse that’s as queasy as it is undeniably compelling.

                          Synopsis: Former U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner’s catastrophic race for Mayor of New York City in 2013 is detailed in this behind-the-scenes… [More]

#63

Adjusted Score: 102.228%

Critics Consensus: Fresh and inventive yet immediately accessible, Cameraperson distills its subject’s life and career into an experience that should prove immediately absorbing even for those unfamiliar with her work.

                          Synopsis: A boxing match in Brooklyn; life in postwar Bosnia and Herzegovina; the daily routine of a Nigerian midwife; an intimate… [More]

#62

Adjusted Score: 104.065%

Critics Consensus: A union to cherish between a writer-director and star working at peak power, Things to Come offers quietly profound observations on life, love, and the irrevocable passage of time.

                          Synopsis: What happens when the life you’ve worked so hard to build falls apart? In THINGS TO COME, Oscar nominee Isabelle… [More]

#61

Adjusted Score: 112.426%

Critics Consensus: Thrilling, earnest, and buoyed by Gal Gadot’s charismatic performance, Wonder Woman succeeds in spectacular fashion.

                          Synopsis: An Amazon princess (Gal Gadot) finds her idyllic life on an island occupied only by female warriors interrupted when a… [More]

#60

Adjusted Score: 94.066%

Critics Consensus: Most Beautiful Island plunges audiences into a little-seen sector of society, with writer-director Ana Asensio’s fearless performance leading the way.

                          Synopsis: MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND is a psychological thriller examining the plight of undocumented female immigrants hoping to make a life in… [More]

#59

Adjusted Score: 94.111%

Critics Consensus: School Life offers a warm-hearted glimpse of an educational institution that may leave audiences as inspired as the students.

Synopsis: This observational documentary follows a year in the lives of two inspirational teachers at Headfort, the only primary-age boarding school… [More]

Starring:

#58

Adjusted Score: 95.157%

Critics Consensus: All This Panic offers an unvarnished look at the lives of young American women whose less compelling moments are more than balanced out by documentarian Jenny Gage’s empathetic approach.

Synopsis: ALL THIS PANIC takes an intimate look at the interior lives of a group of teenage girls as they come… [More]

Starring:

#57

Adjusted Score: 98.682%

Critics Consensus: The Breadwinner’s stunning visuals are matched by a story that dares to confront sobering real-life issues with uncommon — and richly rewarding — honesty.

                          Synopsis: Parvana is an 11-year-old girl growing up under the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001. When her father is wrongfully arrested,… [More]

#56

Adjusted Score: 98.039%

Critics Consensus: Inspiring and tragic, Bombshell is a bittersweet celebration and reclamation of Hedy Lemarr’s journey from Hollywood legend to technology genius.

                          Synopsis: When Nazi U-Boats torpedo a ship carrying 83 school children during World War II, Hollywood movie star, Hedy Lamarr, decides… [More]

#55

Adjusted Score: 99.636%

Critics Consensus: Step tells an irresistibly crowd-pleasing story in a thoroughly absorbing way — and while smartly incorporating a variety of timely themes.

                          Synopsis: STEP documents the senior year of a girls’ high-school step dance team against the background of inner-city Baltimore. As each… [More]

#54

Adjusted Score: 104.675%

Critics Consensus: Mudbound offers a well-acted, finely detailed snapshot of American history whose scenes of rural class struggle resonate far beyond their period setting.

                          Synopsis: Set in the rural American South during World War II, Dee Rees’ Mudbound is an epic story of two families… [More]

#53

Adjusted Score: 100.856%

Critics Consensus: Whose Streets? takes a close-up look at the civil unrest that erupted after a shocking act of violence in Ferguson, Missouri – and the decades of simmering tension leading up to it.

Synopsis: Told by the activists and leaders who live and breathe this movement for justice, Whose Streets? is an unflinching look… [More]

Starring:

#52

Adjusted Score: 102.692%

Critics Consensus: Kedi is a cat fancier’s dream, but this thoughtful, beautifully filmed look at Istanbul’s street feline population offers absorbing viewing for filmgoers of any purr-suasion.

                          Synopsis: KEDi is not a documentary about house cats or the strays you occasionally see in your back yard. KEDi is… [More]

#51

Adjusted Score: 99.249%

Critics Consensus: Trophy offers a thought-provoking look at big-game hunting that should challenge, trouble, and enrage viewers regardless of their personal perspective.

Synopsis: This documentary looks at the looming extinction of various species of African wildlife as a result of big-game hunting. Directed… [More]

Starring:

#50

Adjusted Score: 115.534%

Critics Consensus: Lady Bird delivers fresh insights about the turmoil of adolescence — and reveals writer-director Greta Gerwig as a fully formed filmmaking talent.

                          Synopsis: In Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig reveals herself to be a bold new cinematic voice with her directorial debut, excavating both… [More]

#49

Adjusted Score: 104.426%

Critics Consensus: Equal parts breezily charming and poignantly powerful, Faces Places is a unique cross-generational portrait of life in rural France from the great Agnès Varda.

                          Synopsis: Agnès Varda and JR have things in common: a passion for and the exploration of images in general, and more… [More]

#48

Adjusted Score: 94.864%

Critics Consensus: Kusama: Infinity shines a richly deserved spotlight on its subject’s brilliant work while opening a fascinating – albeit necessarily incomplete – window into her personal life.

                          Synopsis: Now the top-selling female artist in the world, Yayoi Kusama overcame countless odds to bring her radical artistic vision to… [More]

#47

Adjusted Score: 100.934%

Critics Consensus: RBG might be preaching to the choir of viewers who admire Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, but it does so effectively.

                          Synopsis: At the age of 84, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has developed a breathtaking legal legacy while becoming… [More]

#46

Adjusted Score: 97.741%

Critics Consensus: Private Life uses one couple’s bumpy journey to take an affecting look at an easily identifiable – and too rarely dramatized – rite of adult passage.

                          Synopsis: The new film from Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Tamara Jenkins (The Savages, Slums of Beverly Hills), PRIVATE LIFE is the bracingly… [More]

#45

Adjusted Score: 96.066%

Critics Consensus: Dark Money does an impressive job of tackling a complicated subject in easily understandable — and, for many viewers, utterly enraging — terms.

Synopsis: Dark Money, a political thriller, examines one of the greatest present threats to American democracy: the influence of untraceable corporate… [More]

Starring:

#44

Adjusted Score: 95.972%

Critics Consensus: Good Manners adroitly juggles disparate tonal shifts while taking a uniquely smart and sensitive look at female relationships.

                          Synopsis: Clara, a lonely nurse from the outskirts of São Paulo, is hired by mysterious and wealthy Ana as the nanny… [More]

#43

Adjusted Score: 95.878%

Critics Consensus: Brilliantly brought to life by tenderly empathetic performances from Jay Duplass and Edie Falco, Outside In tells a sobering — yet thoroughly absorbing — story.

                          Synopsis: After serving 20 years for the crime of essentially being in the wrong place at the wrong time, 38-year-old Chris… [More]

#42

Adjusted Score: 97.441%

Critics Consensus: On Her Shoulders traces one woman’s incredible journey to offer an inside look at modern political advocacy – and a challenge to viewers yearning to effect their own change.

                          Synopsis: Twenty-three-year-old Nadia Murad’s life is a dizzying array of exhausting undertakings-from giving testimony before the U.N. to visiting refugee camps… [More]

#41

Adjusted Score: 98.427%

Critics Consensus: Western earns the viewer’s attention with an unpredictable, patiently told tale that evokes the spirit of the titular genre while adding its own unique touches.

                          Synopsis: A group of German construction workers start a tough job at a remote building site in the Bulgarian countryside. The… [More]

#40

Adjusted Score: 97.394%

Critics Consensus: Oh Lucy! roots its narrative quirks in universal themes and deep empathy for its characters, all brought to life by strong performances from a talented cast led by the thoroughly charming Shinobu Terajima.

                          Synopsis: Setsuko is a single, emotionally unfulfilled woman, seemingly stuck with a drab, meaningless life in Tokyo. At least until she’s… [More]

#39

Adjusted Score: 100.023%

Critics Consensus: Zama offers a series of scathingly insightful observations about colonialism and class dynamics — and satisfyingly ends a long wait between projects from writer-director Lucrecia Martel.

                          Synopsis: Zama, an officer of the Spanish Crown born in South America, waits for a letter from the King granting him… [More]

#38

Adjusted Score: 99.474%

Critics Consensus: I Am Not a Witch approaches real-life injustices with a beguiling blend of sorrow, anger, and humor, marking debuting writer-director Rungano Nyoni as an exciting new talent.

                          Synopsis: After a banal accident in her village, Shula, an eight-year-old girl, is accused of witchcraft. After a quick trial, she… [More]

# 37

Adjusted Score: 99.521%

Critics Consensus: Science Fair offers further proof that real-life academic competition can make for effortlessly entertaining – and ultimately uplifting – cinema.

Synopsis: Hailed by critics as «immensely likeable,» «brilliant and quirky» and an «ode to the teenage science geeks on who our… [More]

Starring:

# 36

Adjusted Score: 102.901%

Critics Consensus: Free Solo depicts athletic feats that many viewers will find beyond reason – and grounds the attempts in passions that are all but universal.

                          Synopsis: From award-winning documentary filmmaker E. Chai Vasarhelyi («MERU») and world-renowned photographer and mountaineer Jimmy Chin comes National Geographic Documentary Film’s… [More]

#35

Adjusted Score: 104.262%

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

                          Synopsis: Based on his a true story, THE RIDER stars breakout Brady Jandreau as a once rising star of the rodeo… [More]

#34

Adjusted Score: 99.145%

Critics Consensus: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before plays by the teen rom-com rules, but relatable characters and a thoroughly charming cast more than make up for a lack of surprises.

                          Synopsis: What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once? Lara Jean Song… [More]

#33

Adjusted Score: 99.004%

Critics Consensus: Pick of the Litter has all the fluffy adorableness audiences expect from a puppy documentary, along with a story that’s as edifying as it is heartwarming.

Synopsis: PICK OF THE LITTER follows a litter of puppies from the moment they’re born and begin their quest to become… [More]

Starring:

#32

Adjusted Score: 99.019%

Critics Consensus: Subversive, gorgeously shot, and suitably visceral, Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts injects timely feminist themes into a neo-western grindhouse framework.

                          Synopsis: Marlina (35) is a grieving woman, hard at work all year long to save enough money for the traditional Sumba… [More]

#31

Adjusted Score: 99.911%

Critics Consensus: In Between takes a light yet nuanced approach to dramatizing complex, timely themes, further enriched by outstanding cinematography and powerful performances.

                          Synopsis: Three Palestinian women attempt to balance faith and tradition with their modern lives while living in the heart of Tel… [More]

#30

Adjusted Score: 110.849%

Critics Consensus: Deftly directed and laced with dark wit, Can You Ever Forgive Me? proves a compelling showcase for deeply affecting work from Richard E. Grant and Melissa McCarthy.

                          Synopsis: In CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?, Melissa McCarthy stars as Lee Israel, the best-selling celebrity biographer (and cat lover) who… [More]

#29

Adjusted Score: 103.131%

Critics Consensus: Summer 1993 (Estiu 1993) finds writer-director Carla Simón drawing on personal memories to create a thoughtful drama elevated by outstanding work from its young leads.

                          Synopsis: In Carla Simón’s touching autobiographical film, six-year-old Frida looks on in silence as the last objects from her recently deceased… [More]

# 28

Adjusted Score: 109.562%

Critics Consensus: Leave No Trace takes an effectively low-key approach to a potentially sensationalistic story — and further benefits from brilliant work by Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie.

                          Synopsis: Will (Ben Foster) and his teenage daughter, Tom (Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie), have lived off the grid for years in the… [More]

# 27

Adjusted Score: 101.206%

Critics Consensus: Steadily drawing viewers into its harrowing tale with equal parts grim intensity and startling compassion, Night Comes On heralds the arrivals of debuting director Jordan Spiro and her magnetic young stars.

                          Synopsis: Angel LaMere is released from juvenile detention on the eve of her 18th birthday. Haunted by her past, Angel embarks… [More]

#26

Adjusted Score: 96.364%

Critics Consensus: Expertly drawn characters and a strong senes of humanity make Sword of Trust an enjoyable — if at times meandering — journey.

                          Synopsis: When Cynthia & Mary (Jillian Bell & Michaela Watkins) show up to collect Cynthia’s inheritance from her deceased grandfather, the… [More]

#25

Adjusted Score: 103.279%

Critics Consensus: Honey Boy serves as an act of cinematic therapy for its screenwriter and subject — one whose unique perspective should strike a chord in audiences from all backgrounds.

                          Synopsis: From a screenplay by Shia LaBeouf, based on his own experiences, award-winning filmmaker Alma Har’el brings to life a young… [More]

# 24

Adjusted Score: 95.618%

Critics Consensus: As sharp, funny, and scathingly irreverent as its subject, Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins pays entertaining tribute to a brilliant writer.

Synopsis: RAISE HELL is a documentary about the celebrated national political columnist and Texan, Molly Ivins who used her razor sharp… [More]

Starring:

#23

Adjusted Score: 99.012%

Critics Consensus: The Mustang finds fresh perspectives in a familiar redemption tale brought brilliantly to life by powerful performances from Bruce Dern and Matthias Schoenaerts.

                          Synopsis: Roman (Matthias Schoenaerts), a convict in a rural Nevada prison who struggles to escape his violent past, is required to… [More]

#22

Adjusted Score: 96.345%

Critics Consensus: Rafiki tells a familiar story with bracing originality, marking director/co-writer Wanuri Kahiu as a talent to watch.

                          Synopsis: «Good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives,» but Kena and Ziki long for something more. Despite the political rivalry between… [More]

#21

Adjusted Score: 110.048%

Critics Consensus: Much like the beloved TV personality that inspired it, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood offers a powerfully affecting message about acceptance and understanding.

                          Synopsis: Tom Hanks portrays Mister Rogers in A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, a timely story of kindness triumphing over cynicism,… [More]

#20

Adjusted Score: 112.327%

Critics Consensus: With a stellar cast and a smart, sensitive retelling of its classic source material, Greta Gerwig’s Little Women proves some stories truly are timeless.

                          Synopsis: Writer-director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) has crafted a Little Women that draws on both the classic novel and the writings… [More]

#19

Adjusted Score: 102.903%

Critics Consensus: Birds of Passage traces the familiar arc of the drug crime thriller from a different direction that’s as visually absorbing as it is hard-hitting.

                          Synopsis: From the Oscar (R)-nominated team behind the genre-defying Embrace of the Serpent, comes an equally audacious saga centered on the… [More]

#18

Adjusted Score: 100.915%

Critics Consensus: Hail Satan? challenges preconceived notions of its subject with a smart, witty, and overall entertaining dispatch from the front lines of the fight for social justice.

Synopsis: Chronicling the extraordinary rise of one of the most colorful and controversial religious movements in American history, Hail Satan? is… [More]

Starring:

#17

Adjusted Score: 99.073%

Critics Consensus: American Factory takes a thoughtful — and troubling — look at the dynamic between workers and employers in the 21st-century globalized economy.

Synopsis: In post-industrial Ohio, a Chinese billionaire opens a new factory in the husk of an abandoned General Motors plant, hiring… [More]

Starring:

#16

Adjusted Score: 99.024%

Critics Consensus: Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché aims an overdue spotlight on a cinematic innovator’s career, with the added benefit of absorbing historical context.

                          Synopsis: A documentary searching for Alice Guy-Blaché, who at 23 was the first female director, became a powerful figure in film,… [More]

Directed By:

# 15

Adjusted Score: 99.558%

Critics Consensus: Led by standout work from Tessa Thompson, Little Woods tells a grimly absorbing tale that marks a commendable debut for writer-director Nia DaCosta.

                          Synopsis: Little Woods, North Dakota, a fracking boomtown well beyond its prime. Ollie is trying to survive the last few days… [More]

#14

Adjusted Score: 112.533%

Critics Consensus: Fast-paced, funny, and fresh, Booksmart does the seemingly impossible by adding a smart new spin to the coming-of-age comedy.

                          Synopsis: The story follows Dever and Feldstein’s characters, two academic superstars and best friends who, on the eve of their high… [More]

# 13

Adjusted Score: 99.055%

Critics Consensus: Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound pays an all-too-rare tribute to an aspect of filmmaking that’s utterly fascinating but often overlooked.

Synopsis: Few realize that sound is 50% of the cinematic experience. Building on the pioneering sight-and-sound discoveries of iconic filmmakers, this… [More]

Starring:

# 12

Adjusted Score: 101.042%

Critics Consensus: Tigers Are Not Afraid draws on childhood trauma for a story that deftly blends magical fantasy and hard-hitting realism – and leaves a lingering impact.

                          Synopsis: A haunting horror fairytale set against the backdrop of Mexico’s devastating drug wars, TIGERS ARE NOT AFRAID follows a group… [More]

# 11

Adjusted Score: 98.861%

Critics Consensus: The Kingmaker aims a disquieting spotlight at the private life of a divisive public figure — as well as the ways in which unchecked power seduces and corrupts.

                          Synopsis: Centered on the indomitable character of Imelda Marcos, The Kingmaker examines, with intimate access, the Marcos family’s improbable return to… [More]

# 10

Adjusted Score: 112.564%

Critics Consensus: The Farewell deftly captures complicated family dynamics with a poignant, well-acted drama that marries cultural specificity with universally relatable themes.

                          Synopsis: The film follows a Chinese family who, when they discover their beloved Grandmother has only a short while left to… [More]

Adjusted Score: 101.606%

Critics Consensus: As illuminating as it is accessible, One Child Nation probes a painful chapter in Chinese history with piercing clarity.

Synopsis: China’s One Child Policy, the extreme population control measure that made it illegal for couples to have more than one… [More]

Starring:

Adjusted Score: 99.667%

Critics Consensus: Too Late to Die Young uses one family’s experiences as the foundation for a dreamily absorbing drama with a poignant, lingering warmth.

                          Synopsis: Democracy comes back to Chile during the summer of 1990. In an isolated community, Sofía (16), Lucas (16) and Clara… [More]

# 7

Adjusted Score: 100.006%

Critics Consensus: The Chambermaid uses one woman’s experiences to take audiences inside a life — and a culture — that’s as bracingly unique as it is hauntingly relatable.

                          Synopsis: Eve, a young chambermaid at a luxurious Mexico City hotel, confronts the monotony of long workdays with quiet examinations of… [More]

# 6

Adjusted Score: 102.412%

Critics Consensus: As intimate as it is heartbreakingly resonant, For Sama powerfully distills the difficult choices faced by citizens of war-torn regions.

Synopsis: FOR SAMA is both an intimate and epic journey into the female experience of war. A love letter from a… [More]

Starring:

Adjusted Score: 101.836%

Critics Consensus: An unpredictable supernatural drama rooted in real-world social commentary, Atlantique suggests a thrillingly bright future for debuting filmmaker Mati Diop.

                          Synopsis: In Dakar, a group of construction workers abandon their work on a sky-scraper in response to months of withheld wages…. [More]

Adjusted Score: 102.073%

Critics Consensus: An encomium that should prove illuminating for casual viewers and satisfying for fans, Varda by Agnès finds a brilliant filmmaker looking back on her own terms.

Synopsis: An unpredictable documentary from a fascinating storyteller, Agnès Varda’s new feature documentary sheds light on her experience as a director,… [More]

Starring:

Adjusted Score: 101.133%

Critics Consensus: Brought to life by a breakout performance by Camila Morrone, Mickey and the Bear finds affecting drama at the crossroads of a young woman’s coming-of-age journey.

                          Synopsis: In Anaconda, Montana, a strong-willed teenage girl navigates a loving but volatile relationship with her veteran father. In a desperate… [More]

Adjusted Score: 104.091%

Critics Consensus: Honeyland uses life in a remote village to offer an eye-opening perspective on experiences that should resonate even for audiences halfway around the world.

Synopsis: Nestled in an isolated mountain region deep within the Balkans, Hatidze Muratova lives with her ailing mother in a village… [More]

Starring:

# 1

Adjusted Score: 110.686%

Critics Consensus: A singularly rich period piece, Portrait of a Lady on Fire finds stirring, thought-provoking drama within a powerfully acted romance.

                          Synopsis: France, 1760. Marianne is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse, a young woman who has just left the… [More]

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