Best movies to stream on Hulu, according to audiences

- Director: Luke Korem
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.62
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 66
- Runtime: 85 min

Meet Richard Turner. He’s 62 years old, completely blind, and one of the world’s greatest card trick experts. His story of tragedy and triumph is quite literally the stuff of magic.

- Director: Kevin Macdonald
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.62
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 75
- Runtime: 120 min

Documentarian Kevin Macdonald provides an intimate and comprehensive overview of pop legend Whitney Houston. Archival footage, rare recordings, and candid interviews present the iconic singer as viewers have never seen her before. In addition to chronicling her meteoric career, the sheds light on her abusive childhood and tragic downfall.

- Director: Stephen T. Maing
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.62
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: 88
- Runtime: 112 min

Unfairly punished by illegal policing quotas, a group of NYPD officers takes on its own employer in this taut documentary. Culling from four years of recorded footage, it captures both the real-life struggles and the adjoining class action lawsuit. Fans of the popular podcast “Conviction” might recognize the name Manuel ‘Manny’ Gomez, who plays an important role in the film.

- Directors: Rachel Dretzin, Jamila Ephron
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.62
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 70
- Runtime: 93 min

This illuminating documentary adapts a best-selling non-fiction book of the same name. Featuring four case studies, it examines families and individuals that have been deemed “abnormal” by society. Preconceived notions and narrow definitions will be abandoned by the time the end credits roll.

- Director: Alex Garland
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.63
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Metascore: 79
- Runtime: 115 min

Director Alex Garland’s follow-up to the cult smash “Ex Machina” similarly blends humanist drama with sci-fi horror. It follows biologist Lena, played by Natalie Portman, into a mysterious realm, where the traditional laws of nature don’t apply. Watch this and then catch up on Garland’s new TV show “Devs,” which is also available on Hulu.

- Director: Kim Jee-woon
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.63
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: 69
- Runtime: 130 min

South Korea’s answer to the spaghetti Western centers on three World War II-era gunslingers and a treasure map. When Japanese armed forces and Chinese bandits get in on the hunt, bullets fly and bodies drop. Director Kim Jee-woon’s next film was the twisted thriller “I Saw the Devil.”

- Director: Penny Lane
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.63
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: 76
- Runtime: 95 min

Documentarian Penny Lane gained exclusive access into The Satanic Temple, a controversial religious organization. As viewers soon discover, the relatively new movement is not what it appears to be. This film currently holds a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.

- Director: Paul Justman
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.63
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 76
- Runtime: 108 min

Everybody’s heard of soul icons such as Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, but what about the Funk Brothers? This documentary gives the Detroit backup players their due, chronicling the rise of Motown in the process. Archival footage, interviews, and live performances bring the story further to life.

- Director: Matteo Garrone
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.64
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 71
- Runtime: 103 min

Marcello is a small-town dog groomer who sells cocaine as a side hustle. At the behest of his thuggish acquaintance, this otherwise mild man engages in dangerous acts of violence. The Italian film was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Palm Dog Award.

- Director: Neil Berkeley
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.64
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 73
- Runtime: 94 min

There’s more to comedian Gilbert Gottfried than his grating persona might suggest. Going beyond the routine, this insightful documentary uncovers the man behind the man. In addition to Gottfried and his family, it features interviews with assorted comedy legends.

- Director: Anthony Maras
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.64
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 62
- Runtime: 123 min

Dev Patel and Armie Hammer star in this violent drama, which tells the true story of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. In the face of life-threatening danger, various staff members and guests rise to the occasion. This is the first full-length feature from Australian director Anthony Maras.

- Directors: Henriette Mantel, Steve Skrovan
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.65
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Metascore: 75
- Runtime: 122 min

The name Ralph Nader continues to inspire passionate cheers and jeers in equal measure. A career activist and politician, he remains best known for his influence on the 2000 Presidential election between Al Gore and George W. Bush. Here’s his story.

- Director: Angela Robinson
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.66
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 68
- Runtime: 108 min

Filmmaker Angela Robinson pulls back the curtain of history to reveal Wonder Woman’s true comic book origins. What viewers might not expect is a tale of polyamorous love between a Harvard professor and two women. This unconventional relationship inspires both the character’s creation and her enduring female empowerment.

- Director: Matthew Heineman
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.66
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: 76
- Runtime: 100 min

Documentarian Matthew Heineman chronicles the Mexican drug war from both sides of the border. At the heart of this story are the members of two separate vigilante groups, who risk their lives by taking on the Knights Templar Cartel. Winner of three prime-time Emmy Awards, the film was nominated for best documentary feature at the 2016 Oscars.

- Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.66
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 94 min

Set in feudal Japan, this blood-soaked anime follows the adventures of a wandering swordsman and his cohorts. It comes from Yoshiaki Kawajiri, the same creative genius behind films such as "Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.” Writing for CineVue, critic Russell Cook said the film “is a champion of anime and belongs in the upper echelons of its history.”

- Director: John Chester
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.66
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Metascore: 73
- Runtime: 91 min

Documentarian John Chester and his wife Molly operate a sustainable farm in this festival favorite. A testament to nature’s magic and mystery, the film delivers lush visuals while raising environmental awareness. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 91% critic score and 95% audience score.

- Director: Peter Strickland
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.67
- IMDb user rating: 6.6
- Metascore: 87
- Runtime: 104 min

Lepidopterology, i.e., the study of moths and butterflies, serves as an underlying motif in this British drama about the dangerous romance between two women. Themes of sadomasochism also play an important role. Alt-pop duo Cat’s Eye provides the score.

- Director: Dean DeBlois
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.67
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 71
- Runtime: 104 min

Hiccup and Toothless uncover a secret dragon utopia in the third and reportedly final installment of a celebrated franchise. Featuring vivid computer animation, the film was nominated for both an Oscar and a Golden Globe. Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, Kit Harington, and others, provide voices.

- Director: Julien Temple
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.67
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 79
- Runtime: 124 min

As a former frontman for The Clash, Joe Strummer played a pivotal role in the evolution of music and culture alike. Calling upon several iconic artists, this award-winning documentary chronicles Strummer’s rise to fame and his lasting influence. It’s a must-watch for music lovers.

- Director: James Keach
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.67
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Metascore: 79
- Runtime: 116 min

In 2011, country music legend Glen Campbell was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Refusing to succumb quietly, he embarked on a now-famous farewell tour. Equal parts intimate and epic, this Oscar-nominated documentary captures his story of love and resilience.

- Director: Joachim Trier
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.68
- IMDb user rating: 7.0
- Metascore: 74
- Runtime: 116 min

Hailing from Norway, this supernatural thriller centers on an ultra-orthodox Christian named Thelma, played by Eili Harboe. Upon falling in love with another woman, Thelma’s repressed urges manifest by way of an uncontrollable power. A little on the nose perhaps, but visually striking.

- Director: Jennifer Kent
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.68
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: 77
- Runtime: 136 min

Filmmaker Jennifer Kent followed up her cult horror smash “The Babadook” with this brutal revenge tale. Set in early 19th-century Tasmania, it sends a young Irish woman, played by Aisling Franciosi, on the trail of a vicious killer. Themes of imperialism abound on every conceivable level.

- Directors: Robert Gordon, Morgan Neville
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.68
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 77
- Runtime: 87 min

In 1968, intellectuals Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr. engaged in a series of intense debates. Political discourse and punditry TV were never quite the same. Featuring interviews and archival footage, this documentary examines the showdown that changed televised political discourse.

- Director: Alejandro Landes
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.69
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 78
- Runtime: 102 min

Deep in the mountains of Latin America, teenage commandos learn to kill while channeling their hedonistic whims. So goes this violent drama from Alejandro Landes, which delivers unforgettable performances and jaw-dropping visuals. While a hallucinatory vibe persists, the story’s tragic underpinnings are all too real.

- Directors: Lisa Immordino Vreeland, Bent-Jorgen Perlmutt, Frédéric Tcheng
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.69
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 69
- Runtime: 86 min

The story of modern fashion isn’t complete without Diana Vreeland and her larger-than-life persona. Trace her early childhood in Paris to her influential stints as a magazine editor and beyond. The film features interviews with a number of important figures, including Vreeland herself.

- Director: Stephen Chbosky
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.69
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Metascore: 66
- Runtime: 113 min

A bestselling novel leaps onto the big screen in this heartwarming drama. It follows a young boy, portrayed by Jacob Tremblay, with facial differences as he enters prep school for the first time. Bring tissues.

- Directors: Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, Simon Wells
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.70
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 64
- Runtime: 99 min

A financial disappointment upon its initial release, this animated Dreamworks musical has developed a cult following in the time since. It tells the story of young Moses, who must fulfill his destiny by freeing the slaves from Egypt. A number of well-known celebrities provide voices, including Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Steve Martin, Helen Mirren, Danny Glover, Martin Short, and Jeff Goldblum.

- Director: Bong Joon Ho
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.70
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 85
- Runtime: 120 min

From the director of “Parasite” comes this beloved sea monster movie with environmental undertones. As with much of Bong Joon Ho’s output, it strikes a perfect balance between various genres. One could also say it’s the film that put him on the international map.

- Director: Anthony Mann
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.70
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 109 min

This 1950 Western depicts the fiery clash between a headstrong heiress, played by Barbara Stanwyck, and Walter Huston, her merciless father. Tensions reach a boiling point when the father brings a new woman into his life. The Criterion Collection describes it as “a hidden treasure of American filmmaking.”

- Directors: Julie Cohen, Betsy West
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.70
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 71
- Runtime: 98 min

As the second American woman nominated to the Supreme Court, 87-year-old Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg remains a feminist trailblazer and cultural icon. Here’s her story in all its breadth, which goes from her birth in Brooklyn up to her current achievements on the bench. It features interviews with everyone from childhood friends to former presidents.

- Director: Bill Pohlad
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.71
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: 80
- Runtime: 121 min

Former Beach Boy Brian Wilson was a musical genius and a tormented one as well. Spanning separate eras, this acclaimed drama examines his life during two of its most defining periods. Paul Dano plays the younger version of Wilson and John Cusack the older one.

- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.71
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 62
- Runtime: 153 min

Steven Spielberg pivoted from blockbuster family fare toward serious subject matter in the mid- to-late 1980s. One result was this World War II drama, starring young Christian Bale as a boy named Jim. After being separated from his parents, Jim struggles to survive inside a Japanese confinement camp.

- Director: Josh Greenbaum
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.71
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 92 min

Buried in the annals of TV history is a short-lived and wildly experimental sketch comedy from Dana Carvey. Among its talented cast members are future legends such as Steve Carrell and Stephen Colbert. Watch this documentary to relive the best thing that barely was.

- Directors: Don Argott, Sheena M. Joyce
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.71
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 93 min

Unbeknownst to a number of comic book fans, Batman was co-created by a man named Milton Finger. Known professionally as Bill Finger, his contributions to the beloved character have gone largely uncredited. Author Marc Tyler Nobleman aims to right history’s wrong, and this documentary captures the process.

- Director: Crystal Moselle
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.72
- IMDb user rating: 6.8
- Metascore: 72
- Runtime: 106 min

Inspired by real-life counterparts, this indie drama follows a group of female skateboarders. Director Crystal Moselle created a short film with some of the group’s actual members before creating this full-length version. Look for an appearance from Jaden Smith as Devon.

- Director: Tim Wardle
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.72
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 81
- Runtime: 96 min

Through a sheer stroke of luck, three men discover that they’re identical triplets who were separated at birth. They’re incredulous story veers into dark and even sinister territory as the documentary unfolds. File this one under stranger than fiction.

- Directors: David Farrier, Dylan Reeve
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.73
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 76
- Runtime: 92 min

New Zealand reporter David Farrier uncovers a hidden world of endurance tickling and things only get weirder from there. As he digs deeper, he crosses paths with one of the Internet’s most entitled bullies. To say anything more is to give too much away.

- Director: Boots Riley
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.74
- IMDb user rating: 6.9
- Metascore: 80
- Runtime: 112 min

LaKeith Stanfield plays telemarketer Cassius Green, who climbs the corporate ladder by adopting a stereotypical white persona. What begins as an off-kilter comedy becomes downright bonkers by the final act. No matter how crazy the action gets, themes of racial and economic injustice remain palpable.

- Director: Lars von Trier
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.74
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 80
- Runtime: 135 min

Lars von Trier puts his unique twist on end times in this arthouse drama. It stars Kirsten Dunst as a young woman named Justine, who has a unique relationship with an approaching planet. Dunst won best actress at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, from which von Trier was famously banned.

- Director: James Ward Byrkit
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.74
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 65
- Runtime: 89 min

Shot on a reported budget of approximately $50,000, this sci-fi thriller takes place during an intimate dinner party. When a comet passes overhead, time and space are thrown for a loop. It’s a must-see movie for fans of micro-budget mind-benders such as “Primer” or “Triangle.”

- Director: John Carroll Lynch
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.74
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: 80
- Runtime: 88 min

The directorial debut from John Carroll Lynch stars Harry Dean Stanton in his final film role. Co-written as a “love letter” to the actor, it documents the spiritual journey of a 90-year-old man named Lucky. Filmmaker and occasional Stanton collaborator David Lynch appears in a supporting role.

- Director: John Krasinski
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.74
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 82
- Runtime: 90 min

A man, portrayed by John Krasinski, and his family can’t make a sound if they’re going to survive the alien invasion. Nail-biting tension and heartfelt drama turned this mid-budget thriller into a critical and commercial smash. Its hotly anticipated sequel was recently pushed back to early September due to the coronavirus outbreak.

- Director: Ryan White
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.74
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 68
- Runtime: 100 min

Holocaust survivor turned famous sex therapist Ruth Westheimer reflects upon her extraordinary life. According to Entertainment Weekly critic Maureen Lee Lenker, the documentary “seeks to peel back the layers” on the cultural icon known as Dr. Ruth. It comes from Ryan White, co-director of the same-sex marriage documentary “The Case Against 8.”

- Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.74
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 80
- Runtime: 110 min

An old John Wayne classic gets a modern update with help from filmmaking duo the Coen Brothers. Jeff Bridges stars as U.S. Marshal Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn, who’s tasked with tracking down a rugged killer played by Josh Brolin. This is the highest-grossing Coen Brothers film and by a rather wide margin.

- Director: Elia Suleiman
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.75
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 74
- Runtime: 109 min

Director Elia Suleiman tracks the history of Israel from a Palestinian perspective in this semi-autobiographical work. Decades of political turmoil are counterbalanced by the film’s uniquely comic sensibility. It’s part of Suleiman’s trilogy about Israel and Palestine.

- Directors: Will Lovelace, Dylan Southern
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.75
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: 72
- Runtime: 108 min

Follow LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy as he retires from music in spectacular fashion. The documentary also features an interview between Murphy and journalist Chuck Klosterman. Spoiler alert: LCD Soundsystem has since come out of retirement.

- Director: Sean Baker
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.77
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 86
- Runtime: 88 min

Director Sean Baker shot this indie dramedy using only three Apple iPhones and a video app. Set in Los Angeles, it chronicles the exploits of a transgender working girl named Sin-Dee Rella, played by Kitana Kiki Rodriguez. Look beyond the wild veneer to find genuine heart and emotion.

- Director: Gustav Möller
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.77
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 83
- Runtime: 85 min

An emergency dispatcher played by Jakob Cedergren is in a race against time to save a kidnapped woman. Danish director Gustav Möller injects humane drama into a somewhat familiar premise. Nearly all of the action is confined to the call center and the protagonist’s point of view.

- Director: Guy Hamilton
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.77
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 87
- Runtime: 110 min

While not the first Bond film, “Goldfinger” is widely considered the most important. Starring Sean Connery as Agent 007, it set the tone and template for numerous installments to come. Everything that makes the franchise iconic is here in top form.

- Director: Ron Howard
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.77
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 72
- Runtime: 106 min

Culling from various types of archival footage, director Ron Howard tracks the Fab Four at the height of Beatlemania. The documentary covers 250 concerts between the years of 1962 and 1966. Nothing was ever quite the same.

- Director: Michael Lehmann
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.78
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 72
- Runtime: 103 min

Two lovestruck teenagers, played by Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, take out the local mean girls in this cult comedy. Putting a dark twist on the standard high school movie, it continues to make waves more than 30 years after its release. Stage and small screen adaptations have followed.

- Director: Benedikt Erlingsson
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.78
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: 81
- Runtime: 101 min

In this Icelandic dramedy, a woman’s eco-terrorist agenda threatens to disrupt her adoption efforts. Rife with modern themes, the film holds a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.

- Director: Ruben Östlund
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.79
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: 87
- Runtime: 120 min

A natural disaster gives way to a domestic one in this Swedish dramedy, which takes place during a family ski trip. It was recently remade as the American film “Downhill,” starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrell. If reviews and ratings are anything to go by, stick with the original.

- Director: Takashi Miike
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.79
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 84
- Runtime: 141 min

An iconic 1963 action film gets the remake treatment from cult director Takashi Miike. Set in the mid-19th century, the story finds 13 assassins joining forces to take down an evil lord. A slow build culminates with an epic battle between the assassins and a small army.

- Director: Craig Gillespie
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.81
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 77
- Runtime: 119 min

Actor Margot Robbie is a talent to behold in this entertaining biopic. She plays infamous former ice skater Tonya Harding, who was once at the center of a massive sports scandal. Based on rumors and reports alike, the film pulls off a miracle by eliciting actual empathy.

- Director: Clint Eastwood
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.81
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 66
- Runtime: 135 min

Clint Eastwood directs and stars in this graceful adaptation of a bestselling novel. Set over the course of four days, it portrays the secret romance between Eastwood, a photographer, and a housewife played by Meryl Streep. While blatantly sentimental, the film isn’t quite as sappy as the book upon which it’s based.

- Director: Jacques Rivette
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.83
- IMDb user rating: 6.5
- Metascore: 74
- Runtime: 137 min

Based on a novel by Honoré de Balzac, this French period drama tells a tale of love and torment. The romance between a war general, played by Guillaume Depardieu, and a socialite, played by Jeanne Balibar, infers a broader survey of class and gender relations. Its original title was “Ne touchez pas la hache,” which translates to “Don’t Touch the Axe.”

- Directors: Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.84
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 62
- Runtime: 94 min

This Oscar-nominated drama follows a young man to the final resting place of Vincent van Gogh. As he investigates the painter’s mysterious life and supposed suicide, a mystery unfolds. Each animated frame consists of an expressionist oil painting.

- Director: Na Hong-jin
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.84
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Metascore: 64
- Runtime: 125 min

This directorial debut for Na Hong-jin is a gritty thriller about an ex-detective turned criminal hustler. When a woman goes missing, it puts him on the path of a dangerous killer. The story was inspired by real-life serial killer Yoo Young-chul.

- Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.85
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Metascore: 83
- Runtime: 83 min

Witness a documentary so impactful that it sparked public wrath and financial strain upon SeaWorld. By examining the capture and captivity of killer whales, it exposes a cruel and dangerous industry. In direct response to both the film and its efforts, SeaWorld stopped breeding orcas in 2016.

- Director: Lynne Ramsay
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.87
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 68
- Runtime: 112 min

This disturbing psychological thriller presents a mother (Tilda Swinton) with the ultimate dilemma. Can she still love her son in spite of his strange and increasingly sadistic behavior? Was she somehow responsible for his heinous act?

- Director: Mel Brooks
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.87
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 73
- Runtime: 93 min

Comedy legend Mel Brooks skewers American bigotry in the most politically incorrect way imaginable. Cleavon Little stars as an African American sheriff who must overcome various obstacles while running a small town. Beyond the veneer of crude humor is some poignant satire.

- Director: Matt Ross
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.87
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Metascore: 72
- Runtime: 118 min

Matt Ross won a directing prize at the Cannes Film Festival for this offbeat dramedy. It follows a family of survivalists as they leave the wilderness behind for the civilized world. For patriarch Ben Cash, played by Viggo Mortensen, the transition might be too much to bear.

- Director: Robin Campillo
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.88
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: 84
- Runtime: 143 min

It’s the early 1990s and the AIDS epidemic continues to claim French lives at an alarming rate. Fed up with government indifference, members of ACT UP go to militant extremes. This is their story.

- Director: Nicholas Meyer
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.89
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 67
- Runtime: 113 min

“Khaaaaaaan!” bellows Admiral James T. Kirk, portrayed by William Shatner. That’s just one among a number of reasons to see this iconic sequel, which pits the Enterprise against a deadly foe. On any given list of the best “Star Trek” movies, it always occupies one of the top positions.

- Director: Brett Morgen
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.89
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 87
- Runtime: 90 min

Accomplished documentarian Brett Morgen shines a spotlight on researcher and icon Jane Goodall. From her early days in Tanzania to her ongoing efforts, Goodall has advanced the study of primates to profound effect. Discover a ton of never-before-seen footage.

- Directors: Tamara Kotevska, Ljubomir Stefanov
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.89
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Metascore: 86
- Runtime: 89 min

Nominated for two Academy Awards, this documentary journeys to a remote village in the mountains of North Macedonia. It’s there that viewers meet Hatidže Muratova, one of the last wild beekeepers in all of Europe. Adjacent to her story is an important examination of biodiversity and the natural world.

- Director: Rob Reiner
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.90
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 75
- Runtime: 107 min

While recovering from a near-fatal accident a famous author played by James Caan gets imprisoned by his biggest fan, portrayed by Katy Bates. One of the better Stephen King adaptations, this gripping drama earned Bates a much-deserved Oscar. The parallels to King’s own life might seem obvious, but he claimed the story is a metaphor for addiction and not idolatry.

- Director: Jang Hoon
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.90
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 69
- Runtime: 137 min

Not to be confused with Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece, this South Korean drama takes place during the Gwangju Uprising of 1980. While driving a German reporter, played by Thomas Kretschmann, from Seoul to Gwangju, a widowed taxi driver, played by Kang-ho Song, gets swept up in the escalating violence. It’s inspired by a true story.

- Director: David Gelb
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.90
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Metascore: 77
- Runtime: 81 min

Jiro Ono dreams of sushi and so too will the viewer after watching this brilliant documentary. More than a testament to exceptional food, it provides a window into the nature of perfectionism. The movie was released in 2011 and Jiro is still working at the age of 94.

- Director: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.91
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 82
- Runtime: 120 min

This evocative overview of author Toni Morrison delivers new insight into her personal history and American history alike. Prominent figures such as Oprah Winfrey and Fran Lebowitz lend their perspective, as does Morrison herself. It holds a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.

- Director: Christopher McQuarrie
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.91
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 86
- Runtime: 147 min

Tom Cruise broke his ankle while filming his own stunts for this blockbuster installment. It features an endless series of outrageous action sequences, which build toward a pulse-pounding final act. According to numerous outlets, “Fallout” is the best “Mission: Impossible” of them all.

- Director: Olivia Wilde
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.92
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 84
- Runtime: 102 min

Actor Olivia Wilde steps behind the camera for a surprisingly deft directorial debut. Realizing they’ve missed out on the high school experience, two overachievers—Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein—make up for the loss in one epic night. Strong performances and a heartfelt core provide a consistent anchor to the crazy antics.

- Director: Martin Ritt
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.92
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 62
- Runtime: 112 min

Paul Newman leads a talented ensemble cast in this atypical Western drama. He plays egotistical and unruly hustler Hud Bannon, who struggles to shake off a tragic event from his own past. Hanging in the balance is the fate of his father’s cattle ranch.

- Director: Gavin O'Connor
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.92
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Metascore: 71
- Runtime: 140 min

While not a box office smash, this acclaimed sports drama holds a special place among those who have seen it. Upon returning from self-imposed exile, Tommy Riordan, played by Tom Hardy, enters a winner-takes-all mixed martial arts tournament. That sends him on a collision course with his own estranged brother, played by Joel Edgerton.

- Directors: Alan Elliott, Sydney Pollack
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.93
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 94
- Runtime: 89 min

Due to a technical error that, at the time, was impossible to fix, this concert documentary sat on the shelf for nearly 50 years. New technologies brought the project back to life and audiences were finally able to witness Aretha Franklin at the height of her vocal power. The Queen of Soul viewed a version of the film before her death and “loved it,” according to producer Alan Elliott.

- Director: Gustavo Taretto
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.93
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 60
- Runtime: 95 min

Blending animation and live-action, this Argentine dramedy provides a clever study of modern romance. Set in the bustling city of Buenos Aires, it plays on themes such as alienation and communication. Two strangers must surmount walls both within and without if they want to connect.

- Director: Susan Lacy
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.94
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Metascore: 87
- Runtime: 133 min

Jane Fonda’s legendary career has touched down on virtually every corner of American culture. Calling upon Fonda herself and a number of big-name collaborators, this documentary gives the modern icon her due. At its core is the pursuit and discovery of true independence.

- Director: Bahman Ghobadi
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.94
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Metascore: 85
- Runtime: 98 min

Acclaim is near-universal for this Kurdish drama from Iranian filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi. It takes place in a refugee camp on the Iraqi-Turkish border, just before the American invasion of Iraq. The film pulls no punches in its depiction of damaged children, who exist in the perennial shadow of war.

- Director: Barry Jenkins
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.96
- IMDb user rating: 7.1
- Metascore: 87
- Runtime: 119 min

From the director of “Moonlight” comes this heralded follow-up, which is based on a James Baldwin novel. Two teenage sweethearts, played by KiKi Layne and Stephan James, are ripped apart when one of them gets accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Regina King won an Academy Award for best performance by an actress in a supporting role.

- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.98
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Metascore: 83
- Runtime: 137 min

Quentin Tarantino’s tale of revenge was so monumental that he divided it into two parts. In volume two, The Bride, played by Uma Thurman, continues her hunt for the man who betrayed her, portrayed by David Carradine. A series of brutal battles paves the way for one final showdown.

- Directors: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
- Letterboxd user rating: 3.98
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Metascore: 83
- Runtime: 100 min

Meet Alex Honnold, an American rock climber of audacious bravery. Going where no man has gone before, he attempts a free solo climb of El Capitan. This film won the Oscar for best documentary feature at the 2019 Academy Awards.

- Director: Bong Joon Ho
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.03
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 79
- Runtime: 129 min

A young man has been framed for murder and it’s up to his mother to clear his name. Director Bong Joon Ho punctuates gritty violence with clever comic relief. Miami Herald critic Rene Rodriguez put it best when he wrote, “You've never met a mother quite like this one.”

- Director: Tomas Alfredson
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.03
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Metascore: 82
- Runtime: 114 min

An unmistakable visual palette distinguishes this Swedish vampire film from the standard fare. Depicting romance between two young outcasts, it cranks up the pathos dial while leaving plenty of room for gore. It was remade for American audiences as the 2010 film “Let Me In.”

- Director: Taika Waititi
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.04
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Metascore: 81
- Runtime: 101 min

Just before he was brought in to helm “Thor: Ragnarok,” director Taika Waititi churned out this quirky adventure comedy. It follows a troubled child, played by Julian Dennison, and his cranky foster uncle played by Sam Neill, deep into the New Zealand wilderness. Over on Metacritic, it holds an impressive score of 81.

- Director: Nicholas Ray
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.05
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 83
- Runtime: 110 min

A strong-willed saloon owner, portrayed by Joan Crawford, takes on a determined rival, played by Mercedes McCambridge, in this 1954 Western. While local musician Johnny ‘Guitar’ Logan, played by Sterling Hayden, plays a role, he’s more of a supporting character in the ongoing feud. Some experts view the film as a scathing meditation on Hollywood blacklisting during the McCarthy era.

- Director: Todd Douglas Miller
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.06
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Metascore: 88
- Runtime: 93 min

Employing archival footage and nothing more, this award-winning documentary revisits the legendary Apollo 11 spaceflight. Filmmaker Todd Douglas Miller and his team unearthed a trove of content, including never-before-seen 65mm and 75mm reels. They also used digital technology to improve the quality of iconic shots like the Eagle lunar module landing.

- Director: Ciro Guerra
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.07
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Metascore: 82
- Runtime: 125 min

Karamakate is an Amazonian shaman and the last surviving member of his tribe. On two separate occasions, he leads Western scientists on the search for a sacred healing plant. Presented in stunning black and white, the film explores the relationship between two starkly different worlds.

- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.13
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Metascore: 69
- Runtime: 111 min

Kung fu movie fanatic Quentin Tarantino put his adoration to use with this bloody revenge saga. Upon waking from a coma, Uma Thurman, who portrays The Bride, slices and dices her way through a series of trained assassins. The movie spares no reference or stylistic device as it jumps from one thrilling scene to the next.

- Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.13
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Metascore: 88
- Runtime: 141 min

Four half-siblings are forced to stay inside a small Tokyo apartment, where they must survive without parental guidance. Yûya Yagira won best actor at Cannes for his portrayal of 12-year-old Akira, who assumes responsibility over the others. This film is based on an actual case from 1988.

- Director: Gus Van Sant
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.13
- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- Metascore: 70
- Runtime: 126 min

The movie that turned Matt Damon and Ben Affleck into Hollywood stars hasn’t lost an ounce of its dramatic luster. Damon plays Will Hunting, a troubled young janitor who also happens to be a math genius. Director Gus Van Sant lends an indie edge while Robin Williams gives the performance of his career.

- Director: Wolfgang Petersen
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.14
- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- Metascore: 86
- Runtime: 149 min

Dive below the water’s surface for this World War II epic, which follows a German U-boat and its crew during the Battle of the Atlantic. Various cuts of the film exist, including a 293-minute version that was turned into a miniseries. There’s also a recent TV series reboot—no pun intended—that’s likewise available on Hulu.

- Director: Roman Polanski
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.17
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Metascore: 96
- Runtime: 137 min

Bone-chilling theme music sets the tone for this seminal horror film. A young Catholic woman played by Mia Farrow tries to have a baby and gets far more than she bargained for. See it for the first time, or see it again to get lost in its prolonged fever dream.

- Director: Katsuhiro Ôtomo
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.17
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 124 min

The words “post-apocalyptic cyberpunk anime” probably wouldn’t exist if not for this groundbreaking work of art. Set in post-World War III Neo-Tokyo, it tells the story of biker gang leader Shōtarō Kaneda and his telekinetic friend. A planned live-action remake has been in development for years.

- Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.20
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Metascore: 93
- Runtime: 121 min

A family of shoplifters takes in a new member and it threatens to uproot the entire dynamic. Director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s understated execution is rich in detail and bursting with emotion. This film holds an exceptional 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

- Director: Anna Muylaert
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.21
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 82
- Runtime: 112 min

A Brazilian housekeeper, played by Regina Casé, gets thrown for a loop when she’s reacquainted with her estranged daughter. Director Anna Muylaert uses interpersonal relationships as a gateway to societal themes. Top-notch performances and genuine chemistry drive home the film’s authentic vibe.

- Director: Bing Liu
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.23
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Metascore: 90
- Runtime: 93 min

Beloved by critics and audiences alike, this documentary follows three friends as they come of age in their Rust Belt hometown. One of the friends is filmmaker Bing Liu, who collates 12 years' worth of intimate footage. Innocence goes to experience before the viewer’s very eyes and a shocking secret is exposed.

- Director: Isao Takahata
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.32
- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- Metascore: data not available
- Runtime: 89 min

Separated from their parents during World War II, a young boy and his sister struggle to survive. Studio Ghibli provides the animation for this sobering tale, which is much heavier than its standard fare. It’s based on a semi-autobiographical short story of the same name.

- Director: Céline Sciamma
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.45
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Metascore: 95
- Runtime: 122 min

Love and art collide in this sensuous French drama. Set in 1760, it portrays the blossoming affair between a female painter and her most recent subject. Director Céline Sciamma won both best screenplay and the Queer Palm at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.

- Director: Bong Joon Ho
- Letterboxd user rating: 4.62
- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Metascore: 96
- Runtime: 132 min

The first foreign language film to win best picture at the Oscars tackles socio-economic themes as only Bong Joon Ho can. A lower class family gets a taste of the good life and it leads to all kinds of chaos. Biting comedy grows darker and darker as the story unfolds, culminating with a bout of gruesome violence.