With movie theaters closed and many productions halted worldwide, film fans are at a loss when it comes to new releases. In these times, many turn to streaming services as an outlet to watch old favorites, and these services have catalogs with an extensive number of films. It’s a better time than ever to give a chance to some films that didn’t get their just due when they first came out.

Amazon Prime has one of the best lineups of any streaming service, and while they get a lot of attention for their original films, such as Manchester by the Sea, Honey Boy, and Suspiria, they also have one of the best collections of recent films. Here are ten great recent films on Amazon Prime you may have missed.

10. Arbitrage (2012)

While he was once considered to be one of the most successful movie stars of his generation, Richard Gere has taken a break from being in the spotlight, but that doesn’t mean he’s stopped working all together. In fact, Gere has been doing some of the best work of his entire career in the last few years working outside of the Hollywood system and pursuing independent projects, including Arbitrage, where he gives what is quite possibly the performance of his career.

Gere stars as hedge fund manager Robert Miller, who is planning on selling his empire in the days surrounding his sixtieth birthday. As Miller attempts to pull off the deal that will encapsulate his legacy, he hides a plethora of secrets from his family, including a deadly accident in which he was responsible for the death of a young woman he’d had an affair with. It’s an anxiety-inducing thrill ride that thrusts the audience into the cutthroat world of corporate sabotage, and despite the fact that Miller is often an unlikeable protagonist, it’s impossible to look away from him.

9. The Yellow Birds (2017)

Despite making a splash when it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival, The Yellow Birds was mostly forgotten and became just another indie drama dumped on to VOD. It’s an abrasive and contemplative war film, told in a nonlinear fashion that can make it challenging to follow, but the device works in disorienting the audience and drawing them into the story. Many war films contain graphic content, but The Yellow Birds justifies the shocking material by diving deep into the characters’ and their reactions to combat.

John Bartle (Alden Ehrenreich) and Daniel Murphy (Tye Sheridan) are two young soldiers who form an early bond during their training, and their friendship continues as they venture into Iraq. The film centers around Murphy’s disappearance and the residual guilt that Bartle feels, particularly as he tries to live up to a promise he made to Murphy’s mother (Jennifer Aniston). The gut wrenching story is made even more emotional thanks to the terrific performances; Ehrenreich captures a maturity and grace that is rare among young actors, and Sheridan is perfectly cast as a timid, naive young man who is thrust into hell.

8. Night Moves (2013)

One of the most distinct films within the filmography of Kelly Reichardt, Night Moves is a slow burn thriller that successfully shows the feelings of anxiety that result from having a guilty conscience. Reichardt aims for absolute realism, and while her emphasis on capturing the minutiae of everyday details may seem pointless at first, it ends up helping the audience relate to the characters as their lives are rocked by traumatic events.

Josh (Jesse Eisenberg), Dena (Dakota Johnson), and Harmon (Peter Sarsgaard) are three radical environmentalists that plot to blow up a dam in protest of issues they care about. Josh and Dena have mixed feelings about the endeavour and the fallout that could occur, and they’re thrust into a difficult position when their actions end up having unexpected consequences. What’s great about the story is that there’s not only tension surrounding whether the characters will be apprehended, but internal struggles as Josh and Dena are forced to live with their actions for the rest of their lives.

7. Charlie Bartlett (2007)

The 2010s saw a revitalization of the coming of age high school dramedy, with films such as Lady Bird, The Edge of Seventeen, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, The Spectacular Now, and Sing Street often compared to the John Hughes classics of the 80s. However, when looking at the resurgence of the genre, a film that is often overlooked is one that preceded these films, and that’s the 2007 film Charlie Bartlett, which stars the late great Anton Yelchin as a rich kid who becomes an underground therapist and psychiatrist to the students at his new high school.

The best coming of age stories are the ones that allow the audience to empathize with the characters, and Charlie Bartlett does a great job at showing how each character has an internal struggle that they’re now sharing with Charlie. Yelchin has terrific comedic timing, and does a great job at making Charlie’s desire to help others feel sincere but also completely naive. It’s also the rare high school movie that doesn’t demonize all the adult characters, as Charlie’s nemesis Principal Nath Gardner (Robert Downey Jr.) ends up also being sympathetic.

6. Rampart (2011)

There are innumerable films about corrupt cops, but Rampart ranks among the very best things to the relentlessly nihilistic direction from director Oren Moverman and the incredible lead performance by Woody Harrelson as LAPD Officer Dave Brown. The film doesn’t sanitize the brutality that exists within the L.A. crime scene, and shows how Brown’s destructive behavior isolates him from his family and makes him a target of governmental agents.

Harrelson has an abrasive magnetism, and is able to escalate Brown’s behavior in any given situation as he becomes buried under the consequences of his own actions. While the film isn’t necessarily asking the audience to sympathize with Brown, it does show how Brown justifies his actions to himself, such as when he tells his daughters that he “only hurts bad people.” It’s a thought provoking crime film that easily ranks among the best performances that Harrelson has ever given.

With the announcement that production has begun on Pedro Almodóvar’s first foray into English filmmaking, fans and moviegoers are waiting excitedly to see how the director, whose films have helped define Spain’s international image, will express himself in another language.

With language comes a mass of cultural context, which can sometimes seem impenetrable to outsiders. Yet many directors have been tempted to take a leap into the unfamiliar, perhaps for the opportunity to work with a certain actor – Almodóvar was coaxed by the allure of Tilda Swinton – and the chance to reach new audiences, or because of the challenges of making films in their own countries.

In anticipation of Almodóvar’s upcoming film The Human Voice, here are ten great movies made by directors not working in their native language.

1. Family Romance LLC (2019) – Werner Herzog

In his latest film, prolific director Werner Herzog turns his focus towards Japan’s burgeoning rent-a-relative industry. The docudrama Family Romance LLC follows a Tokyo company of the same name that provides actors to those in need of a stand in for weddings, funerals or other, more unusual occasions.

We meet Yuichi Ishii, the real-life founder of the company, tasked with pretending to be the estranged father of a shy 12-year-old girl, taking a scolding from the boss of a railway employee and helping a lottery winner relive the moment of her big win. Herzog wanted to make the film after reading an article about the company and, while he wrote the script, the interactions are based on Ishii’s actual experiences with clients.

The film doesn’t linger on questions of morality or even suggest to international viewers why such a service has become popular in Japan. There is no voiceover or explanatory title sequence and, as such, at times the film provides more questions than answers. Occasional, tantalising glimpses into Ishii’s feelings about his work come when he reveals to a stranger that he is nervous about being found out and considers what to do about a client who is becoming too attached. For the most part, however, the man behind the thriving company remains a mystery.

Tokyo’s beauty is undeniable throughout and Herzog films it to perfection. In his hands, what could have been a sneering gawk at a bizarre industry is instead a muted and sensitive film that encourages questions about the people in our lives and the roles we need them to play.

2. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017) – Yorgos Lanthimos

In 2015, Yorgos Lanthimos swapped making films in his native Greek for doing so in English with dystopian romance The Lobster and he hasn’t looked back since, going onto garner major plaudits for his bombastic historical drama The Favourite in 2018.

Sandwiched in between these treats is The Killing of a Sacred Deer, a thriller by turns disturbing and hilarious that centres around an unlikely friendship between heart surgeon Steven (Colin Farrell) and Martin (Barry Keoghan), a teenager whose father died on Steven’s operating table. What at first seems innocent gradually becomes uncomfortable as Martin makes increasing demands of Steven and ingratiates himself into the surgeon’s life by becoming involved with his daughter and seemingly attempting to set Steven up with his mum (a fun cameo from Alicia Silverstone). Further down the line, the discomfort bleeds into outright terror as the film descends into horror with doctors unable to cure the strange afflictions plaguing Steven’s children.

The clean almost sterile sets, both in the hospital and at Steven’s home add to the film’s sense of unease, as does the ominous music, with every element combining to suggest that beneath the outward perfection something’s not quite right here.

Farrell and Nicole Kidman (who plays Steven’s wife) are laugh-out-loud funny in their deadpan exchanges and almost robotic unflappability but it is Keoghan who dominates the film. His performance is absolutely electric as Martin moves from friendly-but-a-bit-odd territory into a stone-cold psycho bent on some Old Testament style revenge.

3. Everybody Knows (2018) – Asghar Farhadi

Asghar Farhadi’s films provide a window into modern life in his native Iran, a country often obscured by negative stereotypes in film and other media. His sensitive portrayals of family and married life have brought the director international acclaim and seen him take home an Oscar for Best International Feature Film in 2012 and 2017 for A Separation and The Salesman respectively.

But Farhadi has been known to turn his auteur’s eye elsewhere, making his French-language debut in 2013 with The Past, which follows an Iranian man as he arrives in France to finalise his divorce. That same year, Farhadi approached Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz about making a film in Spain. Five years later, they headed to a village outside Madrid to shoot the drama Everybody Knows.

In the film, Laura (Cruz) travels home for her sister’s wedding but as guests dance and drink the night away, Laura’s daughter Irene goes missing. It soon emerges that Irene (Carla Campra) has been kidnapped and, with her husband at home in Buenos Aires, Laura seeks help from her childhood sweetheart Paco (Bardem). Bitter rivalries begin to bubble over and long-buried secrets are unearthed as the mystery unravels.

Farhadi, who speaks some Spanish, used interpreters to make the film and has said that the experience immersed him in Spanish culture, describing it as similar to taking a holiday, albeit a challenging one.

4. Jackie (2016) – Pablo Larraín

When it comes to tackling iconic figures, Pablo Larraín knows no fear. The Chilean director has taken on his country’s most famous son with Neruda (2016) and its most controversial in dictator Augusto Pinochet, whose figure stalks the boundaries of Tony Manero (2008), Post Mortem (2010) and No (2012).

In 2016, he brought his outsider’s perspective to former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, after original director Darren Aronofsky and star Rachel Weisz dropped out of the project following their split, making way for Larraín and Natalie Portman. While Kennedy has been portrayed in numerous films and television series over the years, Jackie is distinct in placing her at the heart of the story. As with Larraín’s other biopics, the film is a snapshot in time, rather than a cradle-to-grave retelling of a life. It hones in on the days following the assassination of John F. Kennedy as Jackie attempts to organise his very public funeral while wrestling with her private grief.

There are excellent turns from a supporting cast featuring Richard E. Grant, John Hurt and Peter Sarsgaard, but it is Portman’s towering performance that stands out. As Jackie she breathes new life into a figure many feel they already know without straying into impersonation or sentimentality. Her wonderfully expressive face is childlike one moment, cold and knowing the next and framed to moving effect in close ups, which highlight just how alone Jackie is in her distress. Thousands of articles have been written about Jackie’s style but here her glamour becomes a shield from unwanted intrusion for a woman falling apart on the inside: her tailored suits are her armour, her bouffant is her helmet.

The movie succeeds in making Jackie, so often held up as a symbol of perfection, feel human, vulnerable and relatable and no doubt many will now be wondering if Larraín can repeat this feat. In 2020, he sent shockwaves through the media when it was announced that American actress Kristen Stewart was set to play Princess Diana in his upcoming film Spencer.

5. The Truth (2019) – Hirokazu Kore-eda

Some filmmakers can captivate a large international following without ever venturing outside their native language. This has been the case for Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, whose stories of dysfunctional families have delighted audiences at home and abroad.

With such a reputation, and fresh from his Palme d’Or win for Shoplifters (2018), Kore-eda was able to attract an enviable cast to make the French drama The Truth. The project was the first to unite French megastars Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche; a pairing that ensured anticipation was high even among those who’d never heard of Kore-eda. The addition of Ethan Hawke as Binoche’s American husband added further intrigue.

In the film, aging actress Fabienne (Deneuve) is about to release her memoirs when her daughter Lumir (Binoche) and her family come for a visit. Lumir reads an author’s copy of the book and is enraged that Fabienne has apparently fabricated entire scenes of Lumir’s childhood, claimed that her father is dead (he isn’t) and – worst of all – has made no mention of Sarah, a fellow actress who was a mother figure to Lumir before killing herself.

During Lumir’s visit, Fabienne has a small part in a film that deals with a mother-daughter relationship and features an actress who reminds everyone of Sarah. Remembering Sarah and disagreements over the memoir place added strain on the relationship between the Lumir and Fabienne, with Lumir frequently mothering the disorganised, childish Fabienne, rather than the other way around.

The dynamic between Deneuve and Binoche is the stuff of movie fantasies with Deneuve essentially playing a parody of herself opposite Binoche’s practical, exasperated Lumir. Hawke is divine as the handsome, hapless husband, who doesn’t speak French and is somewhat at sea when arguments break out over dinner. A television actor, he is in awe of legendary Fabienne, despite her silliness, and so frequently fails to support his wife during spats.

The film did not receive a wide release due to the coronavirus pandemic but was met with favourable reviews, with many critics noting that Kore-eda’s film felt so French, it was difficult to believe it was made by a foreigner.

It is often hard to predict what films will end up growing a cult following, as cult films emerge for different reasons. Some cult films, such as Clerks or Reservoir Dogs, emerged first among niche audiences before growing into mainstream successes, and some films, such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show, have developed a cultural impact through years of unique traditions. Quality isn’t even a determining factor; many of the most famous cult films are in the tradition of Plan 9 From Outer Space or The Room, in that they are so bad that they’re good.

While some films grow an immediate cult following, others take a longer time to emerge, growing new fans through word of mouth. In today’s age of social media and the advent of streaming services, films have a greater chance of being seen and recognized for their cult potential. Here are ten recent films that could become cult classics.

10. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

The work of author Seth Grahame-Smith had mainstream success, so it was only a matter of time before his two most famous novels, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, were adapted for the big screen. While Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter was an outright failure, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was a surprisingly entertaining twist on the Victorian romantic tale. It’s a film that aims to please both zombie movie fans and those familiar with the original novel, and the fact that it only somewhat succeeds at both makes it a fascinating experiment.

What’s notable is the film never descends into an all-out parody of either genre; the central romance between Elizabeth Bennet (Lily James) and Mr. Darcy (Sam Riley) is surprisingly well-developed, and despite the PG-13 rating, the film is able to produce some outrageous zombie gore that is clearly inspired by The Evil Dead and the work of Sam Raimi. It’s a strange bit of revisionist fiction with a larger budget than most cult horror films, but Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has such a specific niche that it could end up being an object of cult appreciation.

9. The Art of Self-Defense

After its debut last year at the SXSW Film Festival, The Art of Self-Defense drew many comparisons with Fight Club, one of the most famous cult films of all-time. Not only do both movies use a darkly humorous premise centering around a violent, ritualized activity to explore how a reserved person can be indoctrinated by a charismatic leader, but both are able to satire group thinking, toxic masculinity, and the fascination with violence. However, The Art of Self-Defense isn’t just a Fight Club imitator, but an original and surprisingly thrilling dark comedy.

Jesse Eisenberg stars as Casey Davies, an awkward, quiet accountant who looks for a way to deal with his anxiety after he is attacked in the street. Casey decides to learn karate, and comes under the influence of the charismatic Sensei (Alessandro Nirvola), who encourages his students to embrace their inherent masculinity and bring their aggressive behavior into all aspects of their lives. The idiosyncratic ways in which Casey brings Sensei’s teachings into his life are often humorous, and the off-kilter humor is sure to make The Art of Self-Defense a hit among cult movie enthusiasts.

8. Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk

Ang Lee’s Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk was intended to be a breakthrough film thanks to its groundbreaking technological advances, which utilized 120 fps 4K 3D to craft an unprecedented immersive experience, but the film’s unique visual look drew polarizing responses and led it to become one of the more notorious box office failures of the past decade. Time will only tell whether Lee’s interest in high frames per second will pay off, as he used a similarly high frame rate on his follow up film Gemini Man.

Beyond the unique visual design, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk is a very unusual film, one that satirizes the nature of heroism within the eyes of popular media and entertainment. The titular character, as played brilliantly by Joe Alwyn, is a young veteran of the Iraq War who unexpectedly becomes a media sensation thanks to a viral video of him saving a comrade in battle. Lee offers some uneasy truths about the nature of Lynn’s naive thinking, and the frequently bizarre dialogue mixed with hyper realistic visuals make the film a strange moment in film history that could attract further attention as the years go on.

7. Come to Daddy

Few films in recent memory seem designed to be a cult favorite as much as Come to Daddy; while the film has many elements in common with cult horror films, such as the cabin in the woods setting, it works as an effective combination of bizarre familial bonding, narcissistic characters, and shocking moments of macabre violence. It’s hard to pin Come to Daddy as one genre because it encapsulates the essence of so many.

Elijah Wood stars as Norval Greenwood, a self-centered music executive who arrives at a mysterious cabin after hearing from his reclusive father (Stephen McHattie). What starts as an awkward family reunion turns into a much more violent affair after a shocking turn of events forces Norval to remain isolated in this solitary environment. Thanks to the peculiar performance by Wood and the dark sense of humor, Come to Daddy is perfectly suited for genre fans.

6. The Belko Experiment

An outrageous horror-thriller, The Belko Experiment combines the satire of corporate culture within Office Space with the outrageous conflict of Battle Royale. The subversive screenplay, penned by James Gunn, follows the employees of Belko Industries as they are locked within a building and commanded to kill their employees by a mysterious figure. Chaos follows as these casual co-workers begin to splinter into groups and turn on each other.

The dialogue is often fresh and clever, and while the cast features no A-list stars, it has a wonderful collection of character actors, including Michael Rooker, Tony Goldwyn, Sean Gunn, Josh Brener, John C. McGinley, and Brent Sexton just to name a few. In particular, John Gallagher Jr. is truly phenomenal as the film’s lead Mike Milch, a reserved and respected staffer who finds himself unable to contain the violence surrounding him. Featuring inventive death scenes, odd bits of physical comedy, and memorable characters, The Belko Experiment is a thoroughly abrasive and enjoyable experience.

It seems that now, more than ever before, it can be so easy to become pre-occupied and forget about those films we’ve really been wanting to see. It’s becoming tricker to keep up with what is and isn’t out, what’s available and what isn’t… but it’s alright as there are still more than enough quality films having lasting impacts and being readily available. To function as something of a guide, this article will reveal ten more recently released films (the oldest being from 2013 and the latest from 2018) that may have slipped under your radar undeservedly.

1. Welcome to New York (Abel Ferrara, 2014)

Let’s start with a bang – from the cult legend Abel Ferrara comes his most overtly political film, focusing on Gerard Depardieu as Devereaux, a politician who finds himself some real trouble after committing a crime. Coming out just a couple of years before the #metoo situation would finally come to light and be talked about generally, Ferrara’s Welcome to New York seems to pre-date all of what was to come with Harvey Weinstein, and as if this early focus on such a pervasive and provocative theme wasn’t impressive or bold enough, Ferrara’s switch in style also marks a drastic change in his approach to cinema that started with 4:44 Last Day on Earth (2011) and continues now with his latest films, too.

There is something so darkly electrifying in the story being told, and Depardieu gives such a terrific performance as this man who is intoxicated by his own power to the point that he thinks he is above both the law and mortality. Welcome to New York is one of the most striking films of the 2010s as a whole, and it’s a film that really should be seen by all who can manage to get access to it.

2. Creepy (Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 2016)

Stepping back a bit for what is just a damn great moody thriller, Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Creepy is one of the most overlooked thrillers of recent memory. Becoming something of a sleeper hit, maybe due to the focus on a more straight forward murder mystery narrative as opposed to Kiyoshi’s typically more supernatural interests, Creepy is one of the most overlooked films from one of Japan’s most brilliant directors currently working.

To put it simply, no one makes horror films quite like Kiyoshi Kurosawa. There is something within his films that remains unspoken by anyone, this horrific feeling of pure dread and tension that matches up perfectly with just the right amount of giddiness from the audience being in on what’s happening, especially in Creepy where the mystery is only really given to the characters whilst the audience has a rough idea of what’s happening the entire time. Kurosawa’s blocking is just wonderful, the way that his camera moves is impossibly elegant and the performances he manages to drag out of the depths of his actors, especially from Teruyuki Kagawa who is totally unforgettable. Creepy is a living and breathing revitalisation of the seemingly dormant serial killer genre, and God is it good!

3. The Childhood of a Leader (Brady Corbet, 2015)

Brady Corbet is definitely not someone you’d have expected to secretly be an excellent director, but between Childhood of a Leader and his more recent (and more well known) Vox Lux both releasing in the second half of the 2010s he’s made a real name for himself that marks the arrival of a seriously exciting new vision. Making use of a very detached style that shows the influence from some of the directors Corbet worked with, particularly that of the prolific Michel Haneke, Corbet manages to merge so many different styles together that it’s difficult not to be impressed by his confidence, especially in Childhood of a Leader considering that it is a debut feature.

Childhood of a Leader looks at the son of a man working for the government to create the Treaty of Versailles in 1918, with his experiences in the world moulding him into an increasingly despicable person. Helped along by an incredible score from the one of a kind Scott Walker, Brady Corbet’s debut feature (and the film he made to follow it!) really deserves to be seen by a larger crowd.

4. Pendular (Julia Murat, 2017)

Possibly the least known film on this list, Julia Murat’s incredibly tender Pendular is one of the most beautiful films of the last few years. Reminiscent of the style of Claire Denis (this one is especially similar in style to Beau Travail, what with its focus on movement and the body in contrast to setting) among others, the film follows the relationship between two artists and examines the connection between love (and the lack thereof) in accordance with creation.

With some of the most breathtaking dance sequences put to film, there is so much power given to movement and to the body in Pendular, and it makes for some of the most unforgettably expressive sequences in modern cinema. It’s so refreshing to see a film with such a simple narrative dig so deep in terms of content, going so much further than is really required. An incredible film, really, and one that still deserves so much more credit than it receives.

5. Season of the Devil (Lav Diaz, 2018)

Lav Diaz seems to have slowly been becoming more well known around the world as his towering works continue to come to life. Season of the Devil is one of his most recent outings, and it is also one of his most experimental. Being a pioneer of the slow cinema movement, the last thing that Diaz’s audience would have been expecting from him would be a musical, and yet, Season of the Devil is exactly that.

Of course, Diaz didn’t make any tradition musical, though, and instead he channels his usual themes surrounding oppression in Filipino history and the people who bravely fought back against and continue to fight against that oppression. Clocking in at Diaz’s characteristically long runtime of four hours (short compared to his others!), Season of the Devil is, surprisingly, one of his more accessible efforts next to Norte, The End of History (2013), and it is one of the best films of the last few years, too.

Not the score, not the sound effects or foley, but the sound design, what is it? We hear it when we watch a film and if done to par excellence, we don’t even notice it, it just adds to the cinematic experience. When it comes to sound design, we are talking about the overall mixing and editing of all the sounds in the film, from the dialogue, ambient sound, soundtrack, effect and so forth. Therefore, here are 10 recent films with a great sound design.

1. Good Time (2017) – Josh and Benny Safdie

Before this year’s “Uncut Gems,” the Safdies really took control of their craft in this adrenaline-filled, panic attack low-level criminality of a film. From the beginning of the film where Robert Pattinson’s crazed Connie takes his brother Nick out of a therapist’s office, we are almost assaulted with sound and imagery.

From the realistic sounds of the streets of Queens in New York to the overlapping dialogue to Oneohtrix Point Never’s unparalleled soundtrack and music, it’s a unique approach to the design. At some points, some levels are higher or lower than a commercial type of film, which only adds to the uniqueness of this film. More importantly, it allows us to enter the world and the mind of Connie that the Safdies created.

Again, the Safdies began their mastering of sound design in this film and with its independent approach, they prove that design is an integral part of the filmmaking process.

2. A Quiet Place (2018) – John Krasinski

An unexpected hit where, aside from the bonding of the family portrayed by real-life couple John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, sound is the true principle character here. With a horror premise where making any sounds will ultimately led to your death by attack, the film must be as silent as it can be.

Of course, American Sign Language is the means of communication, but what about the footsteps of sand, a young boy’s toy, monsters’ creaking around, and even a foot stepping on a nail, it all adds the layering of sounds in this film. When watching it, an audience member is almost compelled to remain silent to hear and experience the design of this film, literally placing you into this world.

In the end, the sound is so precise, it can’t be missed. You must truly listen with the highest level of detail to experience this film, not because the volume is low but because the world is so exact and visionary.

3. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – George Miller

Where to even begin on this film? From Junkie XL’s score to the insane amount of realistic and futuristic anomaly of sounds on machinery and humanity. Miller used his entire filmography of work, obviously the Mad Max series, to perfect his vision of sound design in this film.

What is truly flawless in this film is the combination of sound foley, such as roaring engines, metal clanks and gun shots without the compromise of the killer soundtrack or even the Flame Throwing Guitar Dude. It layers onto one another where we hear and feel all these sounds in this post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Showered with well-deserved awards, this is an action film looking to capitalize on the essence of sound design or any film in general, particularly blockbusters coming out of Hollywood. Please take note of this film.

4. Whiplash (2014) – Damien Chazelle

From Buddy Rich, Charlie Parker, and all the jazz sessions in between, this film hit a new high for all films. Not only because the film is based around music, and obviously in our case, jazz, Chazelle was able to include and overlap some sounds, much like a jazz piece itself.

Whether listening to music, performing it in a classroom or solo, or even the sounds of the real world or non-jazz scenes, we get a sense of the design that fuels the film. Take the final scene, for example; from “Caravan” to the almost muted tappings on the drum or silent gestures between Teller’s Andrew and Simmons’ Fletcher, all aspects are explored. With the music, silence, ambient sound in the rooms, and of course, Hurwitz’s score, nothing is left off the table.

We saw the brilliance of design under Chazelle’s direction; the final scene in this film will be hard to beat for himself but watching any scene from this film, one can learn, and more importantly feel, how the subjects and content of a film are actually played out in the sound design from start to finish.

5. Krisha (2015) – Trey Edward Shults

A truly original score, which adds layers to the setting, context, and emotion of the film, is the first aspect of the sound design that sticks out. Shults manages to incorporate yelling verbosity, some of which was improved along with household sounds for a unique design.

The film in and of itself is an experimentation in style, shifting aspect ratios or keeping the narrative in one location. Therefore, why wouldn’t the sound design have a unique approach and not necessarily stand out but enhance our viewing experience? Shults continues to explore how sounds can add to the mental mind state of the character and environment, but with his debut feature, he set a high bar for himself in the future.

Judging a movie solely by its Rotten Tomatoes score isn’t a great idea, but if you know how the Tomatometer works it can be easier to find out if a film is worth your time or not.

Many people still don’t know that the Tomatometer score just represents the percent of critics who gave a film positive reviews, so if a movie gets one hundred 7/10 reviews, it will have a 100% score, but that doesn’t automatically make it better than other movies with lower scores but higher average rating, which is the more accurate way to judge a film’s value. Also, you have to take into account the total count of reviewers that have reviewed the film.

That is why for this list of movies with a 100% Tomatometer score we only chose films with more than 20 reviews and an average rating higher than 7. It is a pretty diverse list and although most of the films aren’t that well-known, they are all great and deserve more recognition. Let us know in the comments if you’ve seen any of them.

10. Weathering With You (2019)

“Weathering With You” is written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, who is best known for his 2016 film “Your Name”, one of the best and most successful animations of the decade and a must-see for every film lover.

While “Weathering With You” isn’t as good as “Your Name” – but that would have been pretty hard to achieve – this is still a great film and among the best animations of 2019.

Set in Japan, the movie follows a high school boy called Hodaka Morishima who leaves his isolated island home and moves to Tokyo. There, he befriends a girl who seems to be able to control the weather and the two of them start a small business and charge people money in order to get rid of the rain.

Like “Your Name”, this film benefits of gorgeous animation and is worth watching for its visuals only. The only negative aspect we can point out is the somewhat lack of originality: the film’s structure and the romantic plot are very similar to the former film and – while they are good – they sometimes feel like a rehash.

However, for someone who hasn’t seen Makoto Shinkai’s previous film yet, this aspect will not be a problem at all. Overall, the incredible animation and very moving story make “Weathering With You” a film worth watching and we can only recommend it.

9. Creep 2 (2017)

The follow-up to 2014’s “Creep”, which was one of the most entertaining horror movies of the last few years, “Creep 2” is a sequel that holds its own.

The film takes place after the funny yet disturbing story from the original and once again stars Mark Duplass as Josef (now known as Aaron), a deranged man who employs people to film him while he… has his own way with them.

While in the first movie we saw director Patrick Bryce getting creeped out by Duplass’ character, in the sequel the protagonist is Sara (played by Desiree Akhavan), a college student who works as a videographer and has the bad idea to accept to document one day of Josef’s life for her YouTube series entitled “Encounters”.

“Creep 2” is a great sequel which recaptures the atmosphere of the original film and, while it isn’t as thrilling as its predecessor, it is equally engaging, even more fun and – in some critics’ eyes – an improvement over the first one.

8. Night Comes On (2018)

Jordana Spiro’s gritty and intimate study of vengeance and forgiveness tells the powerful story of two sisters who embark on a journey of revenge after their father murders their mother and manages to stay out of prison due to lack of evidence.

Angel (Dominique Fishback), the older sister, was just released from juvenile detention and she is not the most charismatic protagonist. She is about to turn 18 years old, but she seems to have lost her childhood innocence. On the outside, she comes across as a tough young woman, but it’s obvious that she is very troubled and you can see the sadness in her eyes. The death of her mother has turned her whole world upside down and she is determined to avenge her murder, but the fact that the person she has to kill is her own father makes it a most painful task.

On the other hand, her sister Abby (Tatum Marilyn Hall) is still a child and doesn’t really seem to realize the wrongfulness of her life. While we still wouldn’t call her joyous, it’s obvious that her mother’s death didn’t have an impact on her as much as it had on her older sister. It is the benefit of being a child: you don’t fully understand the world around you.

The actresses playing the two sisters did a great job portraying their characters and they really made them feel like real people. However, the glue that holds it all together is the simple yet effective script which was written by Jordana Spiro with the help of Angelica Nwandu and proves once again that sometimes, when making a good film, less can be more.

7. Chained For Life (2019)

Paying homage to movies such as David Lynch’s “Elephant Man” (1980) or Tod Browning’s “Freaks” (1932) and titled after the 1952 homonymous film, “Chained For Life” is Aaron Schimberg’s second movie and stars Jess Weixler as Mabel, a beautiful actress who is filming an European horror-comedy which takes place in a hospital and features patients with various strange disabilities. In the film within a film, Mabel plays the role of a blind woman who falls in love with a disfigured man called Rosenthal, played by “Under The Skin” actor Adam Pearson”.

“Chained For Life” starts with a quote from film critic Pauline Kael, who talks about actors, beauty and how people like seeing someone appealing on screen. This is probably the most apparent point that the film tries to make and there are many scenes which allude to the importance of looks in the world of filmmaking, but “Chained For Life” doesn’t take itself too seriously and is sprinkled with chuckle-inducing moments and quirky characters.

Among them, there’s a literal half-woman half-man person, a dwarf, a bearded man, a pair of Siamese twins and last but not least a German director with a hilarious accent played by Charlie Korsmo, a former child actor who once played Peter Pan’s kid in Steven Spielberg’s “Hook” (1991). Also, all of the scenes from the film within the film range from serious to goofy, surreal humor or over-the-top bonkers and are – for most of the time – very entertaining to watch.

Overall, “Chained For Life” is not a film without flaws and the most obvious ones are that in the end, it doesn’t seem to say too much and its plot feels a little undercooked. However, even though the whole film is not better than the sum of its parts, there are enough strong moments that – taken individually – make it worth watching.

6. A Good Woman Is Hard To Find (2019)

Sarah, a single young mother of a boy and a girl whose husband was murdered, is struggling with grief and money problems. And as things aren’t already bad enough for her, one day a robber forcefully enters into her house and bullies her into letting him stash some stolen drugs in her apartment. After she finds out that the robber has links to the criminal world, Sarah sees the opportunity and tries to find out what exactly happened with her dead husband.

This British thriller is a slow-burn yet, in the end, an engrossing and rewarding experience. We were pleasantly surprised by Sarah Bolger’s acting range. The 28 years old Irish actress is perfectly cast as the main character and we thought that her excellent performance was the standout of this somewhat middling thriller.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, cinema has continued its path with many new expansions. Today, digital platforms have become an indispensable part of our lives and we have gained new viewing habits. The debate regarding the essence of cinema, how films should be made, and what is ideal, will probably never end.

Beyond all of these discussions, good films that have been released in recent years have been able to gain extra attention with the influence of social media. And the lists, which have been published on different websites in recent years and have become much more popular, create an entertaining and discovery process for cinephiles to catch great movies that don’t get the attention they deserve, or are waiting to be discovered.

Here are the 10 great recent movies you may have missed:

10. My Life as a Courgette (2016)

Claude Barras’ stop-motion animated film “My Life As A Courgette,” co-produced by Switzerland and France, is one of the most impressive works of recent years. Adapted from the French writer Gilles Paris’s novel “Autobiographie d’une Courgette,” this warm film deals with a fundamental issue in the midst of everyday life without dramatizing it.

Courgette is the nickname of the 9-year-old in the film. After his mother’s sudden death, Raymond, a police officer, takes care of Courgette at the orphanage. At first Courgette sees this place as hostile and unfamiliar, but with the help of the police officer, he will make new friends, learn to trust, built a new family, and find true love.

It is appealing to audiences of all ages with its dark and naive style. Although it doesn’t have the rhythm we are used to in popular animations, it is still a great stop with its sharp transitions between sadness and happiness, adorable characters, social realistic approach, and great sound use.

This marvelous animated film was nominated for Academy Awards and won the Best Film and Audience Special Award at the Annecy Festival.

9. The Rider (2017)

After her great first film “Songs My Brothers Taught Me,” Chloé Zhao’s second feature film “The Rider” masterfully combines the reality of life with the magic of cinema.

The young rider Brady struggles to recover from an almost fatal blow to the head during a rodeo. When it is impossible for him to ride a horse again, unanswered questions arise in his mind about who he is and what he wants to do.

Zhao transforms the story of a cowboy into a visual miracle and a realistic critique of American-type masculinity. It reminds us of Terrence Malick with its visual world, Cassavetes with the instant approach, and Kelly Reichardt with social observations. Zhao smoothly combines the documentarist approach with Wild West elements.

This magnificent cinematic poetry cleverly demonstrates the normality and masculine energy and this inevitably strengthens the narrative. It also leaves the audience with one of the most intense finales of recent years.

8. Taxi (2015)

Taxi, which won the Golden Bear in Berlin, is a masterpiece of legendary director Jafar Panahi, who continues to make great films despite being banned in Iran.

The story takes place in a yellow taxi that strolls through the streets of Iran’s capital Tehran, apparently no different from the others. Moving through the colorful streets of Tehran, the taxi welcomes all types of passengers, and the driver seeks to interview each passenger on a different topic.

The person behind the wheel is no one but the famous director Panahi. He presents a rich portrait of Iran, where drama and comedy come together in conversations on different topics, turning the camera mounted on the front panel of the taxi to the passengers.

“Taxi” is an extraordinary work that builds a very creative relationship with reality, using all of its political background for its original idea. It offers an entertaining ride with its flowing editing that does not disturb the audience in the sense of a single space.

Panahi takes a journey not only in Tehran but also in his own cinema. It’s both a fun comedy and a powerful questioning about what is real, what is fiction, and what is criminal.

It constantly deals with freedom of expression and a feeling of hope, with strong references to respect for the freedom of the artist and cinema. After a certain point, this miraculous masterpiece reaches such an extreme that it forces the audience to bring new perspectives on the boundaries of cinema.

7. The Red Turtle (2016)

A Wild Bunch and Studio Ghibli co-production, “The Red Turtle,” which won the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, is Dutch director Michael Dudok de Wit’s first feature film.

“The Red Turtle” has the creativity, simplicity, and poetic traditions of Japanese animations, and it is a meditative narrative without any dialogue, which makes inferences about the meaning of existence, identity and love.

“La Tortue Rouge,” which deals with life cycles and universal aspects of existence with emotion-appealing music and memorable cinematography, is absolutely one of the best animations of recent years.

The film has an impressive cinematic feeling and it is a spiritual experience with its quiet and unique world. And for those who postpone watching with the knowledge that the film does not contain dialogue, it is certainly a great reason to regret.

One of the most original examples of pure cinema.

6. Lady Macbeth (2016)

Based on the novel by Russian writer Nikolai Leskov in 1865, “Lady Macbeth” describes the search for the sexual freedom of a desperate woman in the 19th century world of Northern England.

It sheds a realistic light on the system of Britain in the 1800s, where women are despised in the gender hierarchy, where men dominate women sexistically within the framework of the dominant culture.

It contains quite harsh and disturbing scenes. It is a revolt film that skillfully blends erotic and thriller elements and an interesting experience with its uncompromising and unpredictable structure.

The film stands out with its ability to visualize the desire of the female character. One of the elements that strengthens its feeling is the wonderful performance from Florence Pugh.

And with the elegance of music, it also can capture a beauty reminiscent of an opera.

The Academy Awards are always a source of controversy due to the highly politicized event that it has evolved into. It often seems as if the show is more of a checklist than an actual awards show that wishes to recognize the best that the year has to offer.

In many cases, independent or semi-independent movies are overlooked in exchange for lesser films that are either more recognizable to a mainstream audience or relevant in terms of its politics. The Academy Awards is the most esteemed awards show for cinema, therefore they should be representative of all of cinema. This list will highlight ten films in the last three years that were overlooked or relatively ignored by the Academy.

1. First Reformed (2018)

First Reformed is a gloomy, overbearing film assaults its audience with a sense of genuine truthfulness. The style of this film is the quality that differentiates and thus illuminates it. The impending doom born from the deterioration of the environment, in essence, pollutes Reverend Ernst Toller’s (Ethan Hawke) mind. He becomes overcome with radical ideals and combined with his repressed past and general personality it forms an all together caustic mix.

Paul Schrader – acclaimed writer of Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Last Temptation of Christ – took on the challenge of constructing a film steeped in undertones of religion, the environment, and the radicalization of ideology and somehow fit it all together into a tight 113-minute run time. It is rapidly paced for a film with such a domineering tone and does not hesitate to catch its audience off guard.

The color pallet also adheres to this principle, as it matches the film’s tone and themes to a tee. First Reformed Church puts up a simple visage – all white and wood, no excess- yet, as the film plays out the audience realizes that it is more of a museum or souvenir shop, as the characters sardonically refer to it. Consumerist nature has caused this building of worship into a building of profit – making something pure into something else entirely.

The film is also about people in denial, as the movie’s characters refuse to accept responsibility so very often. They do not heed the warning signs and Schrader parallels this with humanity’s disregard for the warning signs that the environment clearly displays. While one can complain that First Reformed revels in indulgence, one might argue there lies the point. The film partakes in an excess of gloomy imagery to serve its main character, whose grip on reality seems to fade further and further away as he continuously delves deeper into his newfound obsessions.

It is true that this film was nominated for best original screenplay one could reasonably maintain that it was deserving of so much more. Best actor, director, and cinematography are only a few examples of the areas in which this movie shines.

2. Hereditary (2018)

Rarely is it the case that a first time director can produce a product so refined, yet so saturated in subtlety such as Ari Aster accomplishes with his first feature film Hereditary. The genre of horror so frequently lends itself to cheap scares and shallow characters, especially when ghosts are the source of such fear. However, this film is able to deftly subvert these tropes and manifest fear through two main elements – a subtle aesthetic spookiness and masterful performances from its cast.

Hereditary tells the story of the Graham family, who endure grief and horror enough so that the two elements merge until they become inseparable. Annie (Toni Collette) must grapple with the loss of her mother and deal with tribulations of her family, as the events of the film spiral their lives out of control. Family dynamics, one’s relationship to their mother, and grief are a few examples of the themes that Aster seamlessly weaves into this movie. The stark contrast of color, ranging from the dark interiors of the family home to the brightly lit exterior add to the pent up suspense that this film develops.

Collette as well as Gabriel Byrne and Alex Wolff all shine, as the brutal horror of this film is routinely emblazoned on their faces. This is one example of how Hereditary defies the typical ghost story. There are no jump scares to startle audiences, rather they rely upon shock and awe and leave it to the performances to portray the horror, rather than employed a repetitive, trite music track to convey scares.

In terms of awards season, the Oscars completely ignored the masterful work put into A24’s daring ghost story. It did not acknowledge Aster’s writing or direction, which is typical for a first time feature filmmaker. However, the actress in a leading role award was a perfect landing spot to acknowledge this film’s excellence. Once again the Academy chose to honor lesser films and condemn this one for the mortal sin of being of the horror genre.

3. They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)

The next entry onto this list is a film that clearly missed out on best documentary feature at the past year’s Academy Awards. This was a passion project of Peter Jackson’s that evolved from a short film for the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I into a full-length feature.

In short, this film is an all-encompassing glance into the past at the people, whose lives were indelibly changed by this conflict. The conditions they faced were abysmal, unsanitary, and revolting. The threats they faced would paralyze some with fear and eventually took an innumerable number of their lives. They Shall Not Grow Old preserves the individuals in the time period that changed their lives forever.

The most striking thing about this documentary is the lack of a narrator, in the place of one there is significant voiceover from the men that the film is honoring. It bookends the film – even though it appears throughout – detailing their sense of duty and honor, to the backdrop of a steady whistle.

The proud voice of one of the men says, “There was a job to be done, and we just went out and did it.” This not only encapsulates the entire film’s sentiment, but also allows the viewer into the mindset of these men. They Shall Not Grow Old is an enlightening, revealing, and emotional tribute to the exceptionally brave generation of men that put their lives aside to sacrifice themselves, or as they saw it to do a job.

4. Mission Impossible Fallout (2018)

An action film being nominated for an Academy Award is rare, especially when it is the product of a long-tenured franchise. The precedent that Mad Max: Fury Road was not enough in this case. Christopher McQuarrie’s second entry into the world of Mission Impossible was exceedingly similar to George Miller’s fourth Mad Max in that both were displays of outstanding filmmaking.

Their camerawork was enthralling, the scope was immense, and both even possessed a distinct color pallet to allow viewers to discern the said entry from previous films of the franchise. Both serve examples of stand-alone films that shine as part of a series. Yet, one was ravishingly bestowed with nomination upon nomination and the other was scoffed at by the Academy.

The probable answer to this quandary is that the media surrounding the release of Fury Road hailed it as a commentary on gender issues. No such clamor arose for Fallout. The determining factor was simply the perceived politics of one movie and the lack of such a theme in the other. This is not to suggest that films that deal with serious social issues should not be valued.

Those films are an important portion of the overall discourse, however, it is not fair to ascribe these values to a film that does not possess them and prop it up due to that. All films are nuanced and comprised of many feelings and themes, the overriding aspects that are paramount in analysis for awards should be the quality of the filmmaking.

5. Good Time (2017)

The second feature film by the Safdie Brothers is a thorough exploration of the criminal justice system and the way in tramples upon the poor. Many of the film’s characters are downtrodden, unable to break loose from the constraints of their society. A multitude of these characters make contemptable choices that the audience can clearly see as wrong or immoral, yet there is enough nuance to create a realistic picture. They are marred in a cyclical pattern that refuses to yield, yet their choices simply cause them to dig a deeper hole for themselves.

Good Time provides no discernable pleasure to those within it, yet the audience will be swallowed up the fast pace and manic aesthetic of it. The Safdie brothers have a propensity for the close-up, yet in this film, it does not become excessive, rather it adds to the tone. The aforementioned nuance of the characters allows one to relate to them, while also realizing their stupidity and unreasonable decisions. They can understand the characters without having to agree with them, thus it appears as events in real life are unfolding as opposed to a film.

This film is far too independent to ever get any recognition at the Academy Awards, yet that should not be an acceptable standard. Robert Pattinson was captivating in his role as Connie Nikas, as he disappeared into his character. A nomination for him or any form of recognition for this film would have been an exceedingly encouraging sign for the progressiveness of the Academy, unfortunately, it did not.

A lot of movies are released every year and, as we get more access to them (aside from movie theaters, there are a number of streaming services, DVDs, compilations and so on) we seem to get lost even amidst the multitude of options. It’s hard to know which movies are really worth watching and, even with the festival filters that draw attention to certain movies with their awards, and the criticism that is contributed by reviewing and commenting, it’s still hard to choose, and we always get the feeling that we are missing something.

The following list contains just a few of these recent films that may have been set aside by a large number of people. Even in such a list, it is necessary to establish some type of filter due to the large number of possible films. The criterion of choice was to add films that have been released over the last three years and which have a considerably lower rating on film-related websites and social networks.

10. 9 Fingers (2017) Directed by F.J. Ossang

F.J. Ossang is a multifaceted French artist who permeates various fields such as literature and music, but it is in the cinema where he seems to be most successful. In his latest film, “9 Fingers,” which earned him the award for best director at the Locarno Film Festival, we follow the protagonist Magloire’s dark and claustrophobic journey through mysterious places, in a mind-blowing escape that we know little about.

The idea behind the narrative is simple but no less interesting: “9 Fingers” works with several well-known noir and thriller codes, but is always trying to contribute aesthetically and narratively by using these tools in an unconventional way, always with a very strong imagery. Throughout the film, Magloire will face gangs, femmes fatale, valuable artifacts, and obscure places.

“9 Fingers” is one of the most visually beautiful films of recent years, emulating a beautiful retro look that dates back to the 1940s and ‘50s noir films, not only because it is in black and white, but also because of its choice of shots and the pace of the editing. We can also notice a great aesthetic influence of films from an even earlier period, such as those of German expressionism.

9. Dovlatov (2018) Directed by Alexey German Jr

Aleksei German Jr.’s new film chronicles a period of about a year in the life of Sergei Dovlatov, a young Soviet writer in the 1970s. Or rather, a young man trying to become a writer. And it is precisely this: the never-ending attempt to become a writer in the Soviet Union of the second half of the 20th century, which the film will explore further during its 126-minute duration.

“Dovlatov” is a film that attempts to portray the difficulties and particularities of being an independent artist in the Soviet Union. This theme has been seen many times in cinema, but it can always yield good narratives because it is a subject of which any aspiring artist can identify.

In German Jr.’s film, Dovlatov is an aspiring writer who has already submitted his manuscripts to numerous literary magazines. However, he has never been published, something that is essential to be accepted in the writers’ union; and, if one cannot be accepted, one cannot can be considered a true writer.

Dovlatov achieves nothing but a few minor works in newspapers, and the film also shows the difficulties of other artists, especially painters and poets, who suffer similar problems. The protagonist follows the trope of the classic aspiring writer with a strong personality, who will sometimes divide the viewer’s opinion by showing their contradictions and shortcomings. A similar example in recent cinema is in “The Wild Pear Three,” by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, in which the protagonist is very similar to Dovlatov.

8. The Burial of Kojo (2018) Directed by Sam Blitz Bazawule

Like F.J. Ossang, Samuel Blitz Bazawule is also known in the music world, where he goes by the name of ‘Blitz the Ambassador’. Having directed a few short films and music videos, the Ghanaian has now directed his debut feature film, “The Burial of Kojo.”

The film is a tale about the story of a man named Kojo who is on the brink of death and who is held hostage by his brother Kwabena, in revenge for Kojo for accidentally killing his wife seven years prior. Now, Kojo’s only hope for survival is his young daughter Esi, who sets out in search of his rescue.

Interspersing moments when it takes on a documentary-style camera, with more dreamlike ones where it explores the fantastic, “The Burial of Kojo” is a film that can easily insert more sensory elements without losing or extrapolating the realistic aesthetics that print in most of the narrative. There are several slow-motion moments when the color palette stands out even more, as well as Michael Fernandez’s great cinematography.

Following the example of other established African films, such as those of Mambety, nature and landscapes play a very important role here, becoming almost an intrinsically constant character throughout the narrative.

7. The Wolf House (2018)  Directed by Joaquín Cociña and Cristóbal León

Awarded throughout 2018 in various festivals around the world, the animation of Chileans filmmakers Joaquín Cociña and Cristóbal León is a kind of reimagination of the tale of the three little pigs, here portrayed in a much darker and macabre way.

In “The Wolf House,” we follow the story of Maria, a girl who ends up being punished after she lets three pigs flee the colony where she lives, which is run by a powerful tyrant named Paul Schäfer. The girl decides to run away and take refuge in a mysterious house where she meets two of the runaway pigs, but that’s when things start to get weird.

Blending a huge variety of stop-motion techniques with archival images and other animation techniques, the film impresses not only with the quality of the animation, but also by creating an amazing, scary, and bizarre atmosphere.

6. I Am Not Madame Bovary (2016) Directed by Feng Xiaogang

In “I Am Not Madame Bovary,” we follow Li Xuelin’s journey from her small town in the far reaches of the interior of China to the capital. She will do this to try to prove she is innocent of her husband’s accusation of being an adulteress, but in the process she will face many difficulties.

This film from Feng Xiaogang has a dramatic background, but its development is very light and uncompromising, with even a comical and fun air. One of the film’s strong points is its aesthetic beauty, and most notably the change from screen to circular format, alluding to the Chinese paintings of the Song Dynasty period.

It’s interesting how the movie resonates and resembles some aspects of a movie by Cuban director Tomaz Gutierrez Alea, “The Death of a Bureaucrat.” Like Alea, Feng Xiaogang creates with “I Am Not Madame Bovary” a Kafkian tragic comedy, with a beautiful reflection on how difficulty can interfere with the everyday events of ordinary people, carried to the extreme by its protagonist and gaining epic contours.

Over the ages, there have been many sources of entertainment and enjoyment that people turn to. Among those options is film. Whether they are young or old, movies tend to be a main source of entertainment for many people out in the world.

There are hundreds of thousands of films in the world, so the average person does not get the chance to see many of these. Lucky for you, this list will give you some good flicks to start watching that will hopefully diversify your taste and expand what you know about cinema.

1. The Spectacular Now (2013)

The Spectacular Now is a romance/drama that stars Miles Teller as Sutter Keely and Shailene Woodley as Aimee Finicky. Sutter lives his high school days partying and without a care in the world while Aimee lives by the book and stays on top of her studies. One day Sutter finds himself hungover on Aimee’s lawn and from there- a spark ignites between them as they both seek what they want to do with their lives post-high school.

While the premise seems unoriginal, this movie tackles the romance in a very human manner with such honesty and transparency that makes the movie feel original. The performances and chemistry between the actors is heartwarming and makes the movie come to life along with amazingly developed characters that you can understand and feel for. It is a movie that has a romance in it but that is never necessarily the focus of its story.

The approach taken is about two people on a journey to figure out what they want to do with their lives and happen to find each other along the way. It is a surprising film about purpose that could surely be called spectacular.

2. Swiss Army Man (2016)

Swiss Army Man is a Comedy/Drama film starring Daniel Radcliffe and Paul Dano. It tells the story of a young man, Hank (played by Dano) who is stranded on an island and is about to end his suffering when he suddenly sees a corpse (played by Radcliffe) appear. He quickly notices that the corpse is not dead and can do many things that help him to survive, similar to a swiss army knife, hence the name of the film.

Though the humor can be very off-kilter at times, it is also very pleasant and a breath of fresh air in terms of movie quality. This movie is undoubtedly one of the most original and unique films of this century.

There is much credit to be given to the team that worked on it considering the premise being as silly as it is because the writers still managed to incorporate real emotion into the film that can be very thought-provoking. All of this along with strong performances from Dano and Radcliffe make for an outstanding movie that is sure to simultaneously shock and impress.

3. Brothers (2009)

Brothers is a drama starring Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Natalie Portman. When Tommy Cahill (played by Gyllenhaal) is released out of prison, he seeks to reconnect with his marine brother Sam (played by Maguire) and Sam’s wife Grace (played by Portman).

As this family dynamic builds, Sam wishes to go back into the field for another tour. Unfortunately, he gets stranded in Afghanistan and is believed to be dead. Eventually, this leads to Tommy and Grace forming an unexpected liking towards each other as they grieve Sam’s death while Sam is in Afghanistan fighting to make it back home. This movie, while slower in pace, is strong and worthwhile with its all-star performances from the cast.

It is a great look at the trauma of war for those that serve our country and adds an extra emotional twist that makes the conflict feel increasingly more real and if that isn’t enough, the film delivers an unforgettable performance from Tobey Maguire that sends chills down the spine.

4. Disturbia (2007)

Disturbia is a thriller that stars Shia LaBeouf, David Morse, and Sarah Roemer. When Kale Brecht (played by LaBeouf) loses his father, his life spirals out of control until he ends up on house arrest. When a new girl named Ashley (played by Roemer) moves into the house next door, he grows a liking toward her, but this playful fun they share soon runs out as they find that their neighbor Mr. Turner (played by Morse) may be a serial killer.

This movie may not be completely original as it follows many of the teen thriller movie clichés, but it has a lot of surprises and it does well in taking inspiration from other horror and thriller films while still being able to stand as its own movie

. It can be a very tense film at times and manages to leave you on the edge of your seat, and in a genre that seems to be fueled by annoying characters that are painfully unlikable, this film has characters that are much more enjoyable which is a sigh of relief and results in a far more enjoyable film with far more enjoyable thrills.

5. The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)

The Place Beyond the Pines is a drama/crime film starring Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, and Dane Dehaan. This tells us the story of Luke (played by Gosling) who struggles to make ends meet when he finds out he has a child that being hidden from him.

In order to provide he begins robbing banks and Detective Avery Cross (played by Cooper) working to provide for his own family, begins to notice these robberies and what happens next creates film about consequences and the results that our actions can bring, whether they are good or bad.

It is a generational film as we see Luke and Avery’s story as well as the story of their offspring. This is a very strong movie in every sense of the word. It is emotionally heavy, brutally honest, and exceedingly well-performed with a story that is sure to grip its audience. The Place Beyond the Pines is an irreplaceable film to add to the movie watchlist.