Special Report

50 Best Movies Available to Stream That You've Never Seen

Through streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, Americans have been able to use their time at home to revisit some of the most widely beloved films released throughout the years. Many good films, with virtues similar to classic movies, may have been missed as they are far less well known.

In certain cases, they may only appeal to a specific subset of audiences or be too downbeat to excite the masses. Other times, they may simply have been overlooked for reasons such a lack of widespread distribution — a challenge generally alleviated by streaming technology

To aid viewers in discovering these hidden gems, 24/7 Tempo has identified 50 best movies available to stream that you’ve never seen. These are the top-rated films on user-based websites Rotten Tomatoes and Internet Movie Database that have comparatively fewer total user ratings and can be currently watched on numerous streaming platforms.

Many of these films were made with relatively small budgets and may have simply been overlooked during this age of big budget blockbusters. Dramas released in just the past couple of years such as “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” and “Waves,” despite being critical successes remain far underseen, be it due to audiences’ access or other reasons.

Other movies may have been overlooked as they never appeared in theaters. “The Tale,” starring Laura Dern, and “Bang Bang You’re Dead” are two films that were released to cable networks HBO and Showtime, respectively. Those that have seen them have generally loved them. However, their viewership has thus far been limited.

All of these films can now be streamed on demand from the comfort of one’s home. And for those streaming fans with a taste for marathon viewing, here are the most binge-worthy series you can stream right now.

Click here to see the 50 best movies available to stream that you’ve never seen.

To determine the 50 best movies available to stream that you’ve never seen, 24/7 Tempo created an index based on each film’s Rotten Tomatoes average critic rating, Rotten Tomatoes average audience rating, and Internet Movie Database average user rating. To be considered, each film needed to have between 5,000 and 15,000 IMDb user ratings and 10,000 or fewer Rotten Tomatoes user ratings. Only films released since 1990 with English language dialogue were considered as a proxy for cultural relevance.

We averaged the user ratings from Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb and weighted by the number of votes for each. The combined user rating was then averaged with the Rotten Tomatoes critic rating.

We then determined whether each film was available for streaming as of May 13, 2020, based on data from website JustWatch.

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

50. Mother (1996)
> Directed by: Albert Brooks
> Starring: Albert Brooks, Debbie Reynolds, Paul Collins
> Genre: Comedy, Drama
> Available on: Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video, Redbox, Microsoft Store, Tubi TV, FandangoNOW

Co-writer and director Albert Brooks stars alongside Debbie Reynolds (“Singin’ in the Rain”) in this mother-son comedy that at times may hit too close to home. Though the film failed to amaze audiences, it received a 90% Freshness score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes who appreciated Brooks’ biting insights.

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Courtesy of Trimark Pictures

49. Box of Moonlight (1996)
> Directed by: Tom DiCillo
> Starring: John Turturro, Sam Rockwell, Catherine Keener
> Genre: Comedy, Drama
> Available on: Google Play Movies, YouTube

Tom DiCillo directed this whimsical story of a deadline-obsessed engineer whose life is changed when he meets a free-spirited young man who lives in a trailer in the woods. With a strong cast that includes John Turturro, Sam Rockwell, and Catherine Keener, “Box of Moonlight” has an audience approval score of 81% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

48. Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2001)
> Directed by: Jill Sprecher
> Starring: Alan Arkin, John Turturro, Matthew McConaughey
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW

This art house drama follows a cast of characters — including ones played by Matthew McConaughey, David Connelly, and John Turturro — whose lives cross paths in New York City. One of three directorial efforts from filmmaker Jill Sprecher (the others being “Clockwatchers” and “Thin Ice”), “Thirteen Conversations About One Thing” received an 83% Freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where it is described as “intelligent and poignant.”

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

47. Liberty Heights (1999)
> Directed by: Barry Levinson
> Starring: Adrien Brody, Bebe Neuwirth, Joe Mantegna
> Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video, VUDU Free, FandangoNOW

Barry Levinson, whose movie canon includes coming-of-age film credits such as “Diner” and period motion pictures including “Bugsy,” directed this movie. The film tells the story of a Jewish family in Baltimore witnessing the changes in 1950s America, such as desegregation, the advent of rock ‘n’ roll, and the impact of automobiles and greater mobility on society. The film stars Adrien Brody, Bebe Neuwirth, and Joe Mantegna and holds an 85% Freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes, with 76% of audiences enjoying the movie.

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Courtesy of TriStar Pictures

46. Avalon (1990)
> Directed by: Barry Levinson
> Starring: Aidan Quinn, Elizabeth Perkins, Leo Fuchs
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Google Play Movies, Vudu, YouTube, Apple iTunes, Microsoft Store, Pluto TV, FandangoNOW

Barry Levinson (“Rain Man,” “Wag the Dog”) wrote and directed this drama about a Polish-Jewish family immigrating to the U.S. in the early 1900s. Critics describe the movie as slow, melancholy, and ultimately rewarding, giving it a Freshness rating of 83%.

Courtesy of International Film Circuit

45. Shotgun Stories (2007)
> Directed by: Jeff Nichols
> Starring: Michael Shannon, Douglas Ligon, Barlow Jacobs
> Genre: Drama, Thriller
> Available on: Google Play Movies, YouTube, Apple iTunes

The directorial debut of Jeff Nichols, “Shotgun Stories” is about two families in the South linked by the same father whose rivalry explodes into violence after his death. The film holds a 90% Freshness rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and 80% of audiences like the film.

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Courtesy of Miramax

44. The Mighty (1998)
> Directed by: Peter Chelsom
> Starring: Kieran Culkin, Elden Henson, Sharon Stone
> Genre: Comedy, Drama
> Available on: Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video, Hoopla, Vudu, Redbox, Microsoft Store

This tale of an unlikely friendship between two young outcasts boasts an eclectic cast that includes Harry Dean Stanton, Gena Rowlands, Sharon Stone, Gillian Anderson, and James Gandolfini. The movie received positive reviews from 75% of critics and 79% of audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, though it may appeal most to pre-teen viewers.

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

43. Safe (1995)
> Directed by: Todd Haynes
> Starring: Julianne Moore, Xander Berkeley, Dean Norris
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Criterion Channel

Julianne Moore stars in this eerie social drama about a suburban housewife who enters a dubious new-age retreat while suffering from undetermined illness from the environment. “Safe” was screened at the Sundance Film Festival in January of 1995 and debuted that summer after being acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. The movie was directed and written by Oscar nominee Todd Haynes and received an 86% Freshness rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and 75% of audiences enjoyed the film.

Courtesy of Miramax

42. Strawberry and Chocolate (1993)
> Directed by: Tomás Gutiérrez Alea
> Starring: Jorge Perugorría, Vladimir Cruz, Mirta Ibarra
> Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, YouTube Free, Showtime, Showtime Amazon Channel, DIRECTV, FandangoNOW, Amazon Prime Video, VUDU Free

A homosexual Castro critic and a heterosexual Communist in Havana develop a relationship in this Oscar-nominated coming-of-age story. The movie “movingly depicts” the friendship “against the backdrop of a pivotal moment in Cuban history,” according to Rotten Tomatoes’ Critics Consensus. Critics on the site gave the flick an 81% Freshness rating, while 84% of audiences liked it.

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Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

41. Little Men (2016)
> Directed by: Ira Sachs
> Starring: Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Ehle, Paulina García
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Vudu, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, FlixFling, Microsoft Store, Redbox, FandangoNOW, Tubi TV, Hoopla, Hulu

Ira Sachs directed this piercing look at how a dispute between adults can impact the friendship of young children. The film stars Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Ehle, and Paulina García, and holds a 96% Freshness rating among Rotten Tomatoes critics. Nigel Andrews of the Financial Times said, “as a picture of ticking intergenerational lives and their complex movements, it’s as exact as a watch.”

Courtesy of Geffen Pictures

40. The Butcher Boy (1997)
> Directed by: Neil Jordan
> Starring: Stephen Rea, Fiona Shaw, Eamonn Owens
> Genre: Comedy, Drama
> Available on: Vudu, YouTube, Google Play Movies, VUDU Free, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW

This movie about a downtrodden 12-year-old Irish boy’s retreat into fantasy and delusion is at times both humorous and horrific. Though some viewers may find it unsettling, 77% of critics and 82% of viewers on Rotten Tomatoes gave it positive reviews.

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Courtesy of The Film Arcade

39. James White (2015)
> Directed by: Josh Mond
> Starring: Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Kid Cudi
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Tubi TV, Amazon Prime Video, VUDU Free, FandangoNOW

“James White” was the directorial debut of Josh Mond, who also wrote the screenplay. The film is about a young man living in New York and battling self-destructive impulses who is forced to take control of his life when his mother falls ill. The movie had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014 and won the “Best of Next” Audience Award. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a 92% Freshness score, citing the performances of Cynthia Nixon and Christopher Abbott.

Courtesy of Orion Pictures

38. Ulee’s Gold (1997)
> Directed by: Victor Nunez
> Starring: Peter Fonda, Patricia Richardson, Christine Dunford
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Vudu, Cinemax Amazon Channel, DIRECTV, HBO Now, HBO Go, HBO Now Amazon Channel

Peter Fonda leads the cast of this 1997 drama about a beekeeper struggling to pull his broken family together. Fonda won the 1998 Golden Globe for Best Actor for his work in “Ulee’s Gold” and was nominated for an Oscar. The film also stars a young Jessica Biel as Ulee’s granddaughter. It currently has a Freshness rating of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Courtesy of Filmes Castello Lopes

37. Mrs Brown (1997)
> Directed by: John Madden
> Starring: Judi Dench, Billy Connolly, Geoffrey Palmer
> Genre: Biography, Drama, History
> Available on: Hoopla, BritBox, BritBox Amazon Channel

Entertaining, witty, and not totally factual, the film is about Queen Victoria’s scandalous friendship with a Scottish groom who helped the monarch emerge from the doldrums following the death of her husband, Prince Albert, in 1861. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes appreciated the John Madden-directed effort that stars Judi Dench as Victoria for its look at the rarely explored chapter in Victoria’s life, awarding it a Freshness score of 92%.

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Courtesy of Strand Releasing

36. Clean, Shaven (1993)
> Directed by: Lodge Kerrigan
> Starring: Peter Greene, Alice Levitt, Megan Owen
> Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Kanopy, Criterion Channel, Amazon Video

“Clean, Shaven” follows a schizophrenic man as he attempts to retrieve his daughter from her adoptive family following his release from a mental institution. Roger Ebert described it as “a harrowing, exhausting, painful film, and a very good one.” The majority of critics and viewers agree that the highly disturbing movie is indeed very good, giving it 90% and 83% approval ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, respectively.

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

35. Reversal of Fortune (1990)
> Directed by: Barbet Schroeder
> Starring: Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close, Ron Silver
> Genre: Biography, Drama, Mystery
> Available on: Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, Cinemax Amazon Channel, Amazon Video, HBO Now, HBO Now Amazon Channel, HBO Go, DIRECTV, FandangoNOW, Microsoft Store, Apple iTunes

Jeremy Irons stars as disgraced New York socialite Claus Von Bulow who is accused of poisoning his wife Sunny with an overdose of insulin after she ends up in a coma. The movie was directed by Barbet Schroeder and is based on the book by Von Bulow’s defense attorney Alan Dershowitz. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes hailed the screenplay from Nicholas Kazan and gave the movie a Freshness score of 94%.

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Courtesy of Showtime

34. Bang Bang You’re Dead (2002)
> Directed by: Guy Ferland
> Starring: Tom Cavanagh, Ben Foster, Randy Harrison
> Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
> Available on: Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, DIRECTV, Microsoft Store, Redbox, FandangoNOW

Produced in part by Showtime Networks, this portrayal of a bullied adolescent explores the topic of violence in schools. Though it premiered on television, the movie has since garnered a rating of 90% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes with more than 8,000 users voting.

Courtesy of Miramax

33. The Wings of the Dove (1997)
> Directed by: Iain Softley
> Starring: Helena Bonham Carter, Linus Roache, Alex Jennings
> Genre: Drama, Romance
> Available on: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Hoopla, Vudu, Redbox, Cinemax Amazon Channel, Max Go

Helen Bonham Carter (“The King’s Speech” “The Crown”) stars in this story about the class divides in Europe at the turn of the last century and the experiences of star-crossed lovers. Iain Softley directed the story based on a Henry James novel. Carol Buckland of CNN.com called the movie “exquisite — and very adult — entertainment.”

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment

32. Saving Face (2004)
> Directed by: Alice Wu
> Starring: Joan Chen, Michelle Krusiec, Lynn Chen
> Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
> Available on: YouTube, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, Vudu, Apple iTunes, Microsoft Store, FandangoNOW

“Saving Face” tells the story of two young Chinese-American women who fall in love despite the stigma of homosexuality in their culture. The character-driven film’s mix of drama, romance, and comedy was a hit with most of the critics and audiences who saw it, earning ratings of 86% from the former and 88% from the latter on Rotten Tomatoes.

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Courtesy of Music Box Films

31. Any Day Now (2012)
> Directed by: Travis Fine
> Starring: Alan Cumming, Garret Dillahunt, Isaac Leyva
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Google Play Movies, Vudu, Amazon Video, Kanopy, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Apple iTunes, Fandor Amazon Channel, Hoopla

Alan Cumming and Garret Dillahunt play a couple that take in a teenager with Down syndrome who has been abandoned by his mother. But their attempt to adopt him is opposed by the legal system. The film received a Freshness score of 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, and 76% of audiences liked the movie.

Courtesy of Fine Line Features

30. Trust (1990)
> Directed by: Hal Hartley
> Starring: Adrienne Shelly, Martin Donovan, Rebecca Nelson
> Genre: Comedy, Drama
> Available on: Hoopla

This underseen indie comedy follows the unconventional relationship between a pregnant high school student and a perpetually unemployed electronics repairman. Of the slightly more than 5,000 viewers to rate it on Rotten Tomatoes, 94% enjoyed the film, which critic Harriet Waugh of The Spectator describes as “a bizarre little love story.”

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

29. Dogfight (1991)
> Directed by: Nancy Savoca
> Starring: River Phoenix, Lili Taylor, Richard Panebianco
> Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, Vudu, YouTube, Amazon Video, VUDU Free, FandangoNOW

River Phoenix stars in this film about a group of Marines about to be shipped out to Vietnam in the early 1960s who make a bet to see who can have sex with the ugliest girl they can find. Lili Taylor plays a young woman who shames Phoenix over the misogynistic behavior. Critics liked the casting of the film and gave it a Freshness score of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, while 87% of audiences like the movie.

Courtesy of A24

28. Krisha (2015)
> Directed by: Trey Edward Shults
> Starring: Krisha Fairchild, Alex Dobrenko, Robyn Fairchild
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Netflix, Kanopy, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, FandangoNOW, Hoopla

Following a decade of separation, troubled Krisha joins her family for an ill-fated Thanksgiving dinner in this debut film from writer and director Trey Edward Shults. While the drama received above average reviews from audiences, it wowed critics who gave it a 95% Freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The site’s Critics Consensus describes it as “raw, bracingly honest, and refreshingly unconventional.”

Courtesy of Paramount Classics

27. Sunshine (1999)
> Directed by: István Szabó
> Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Rosemary Harris, Rachel Weisz
> Genre: Drama, History, Romance
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Tubi TV

“Sunshine” is a sprawling motion picture that follows the tragedies and triumphs of a Hungarian Jewish family over 150 years, with Ralph Fiennes playing three roles in the film. István Szabó’s three-hour epic, whose name is the English translation of the family name, holds a 74% Freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes, and 81% of audiences like the movie.

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Courtesy of A24

26. The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019)
> Directed by: Joe Talbot
> Starring: Jimmie Fails, Jonathan Majors, Rob Morgan
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, DIRECTV, Amazon Prime Video, Kanopy, Redbox, FandangoNOW

Jimmie Fails stars in this movie about a young man struggling to get by in the Bay Area city where he was raised. Co-produced and distributed by the popular indie film company A24, “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” has been well received since its release in June 2019, earning a Freshness rating of 93%.

Courtesy of HBO Films

25. The Tale (2018)
> Directed by: Jennifer Fox
> Starring: Laura Dern, Jason Ritter, Common
> Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
> Available on: HBO Now, HBO Go, Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, HBO Now Amazon Channel, DIRECTV, Microsoft Store, FandangoNOW

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave “The Tale” a Freshness score of 99%. In particular, they hailed the performance of Laura Dern as a filmmaker who, while filming a documentary about childhood rape victims, is forced to revisit her first sexual encounter with her riding instructor and running coach. The movie was directed and written by Jennifer Fox.

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

24. Without Limits (1998)
> Directed by: Robert Towne
> Starring: Billy Crudup, Donald Sutherland, Monica Potter
> Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, VUDU Free, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, FandangoNOW

This biographical sports movie tells the story of famous Olympian runner Steve Prefontaine and his relationship with coach Bill Bowerman. Billy Crudup and Donald Sutherland — who was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role — lead the film’s cast, helping it earn a 91% approval rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.

Courtesy of USA Films

23. Topsy-Turvy (1999)
> Directed by: Mike Leigh
> Starring: Jim Broadbent, Allan Corduner, Dexter Fletcher
> Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
> Available on: Hoopla

Mike Leigh directed and wrote the entertaining romp of how Albert Schwenck Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan averted the dissolution of their musical partnership and wrote their comic opera “The Mikado.” The film that stars Jim Broadbent and Allan Corduner as Gilbert and Sullivan has an 89% Freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes, and 79% of audiences were entertained by the movie.

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

22. Rosewood (1997)
> Directed by: John Singleton
> Starring: Jon Voight, Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle
> Genre: Action, Drama, History
> Available on: Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video, Apple iTunes, DIRECTV, Microsoft Store, FandangoNOW

John Singleton (“Boyz n the Hood,” “2 Fast 2 Furious”) directs Jon Voight, Ving Rhames, and Don Cheadle in this film about a 1923 racist attack on an African American community in Florida. Though the movie was a box office bomb, failing to gross even half of its reported $31 million production budget at the box office, it was a critical success with a Freshness rating of 86%.

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Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

21. In the Company of Men (1997)
> Directed by: Neil LaBute
> Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Matt Malloy, Stacy Edwards
> Genre: Comedy, Drama
> Available on: Apple iTunes

Neil LaBute directed and wrote the screenplay about two business executives — one a misogynist and the other a man rejected by his love interest — who seek the most innocent girl they can find and ruin her life. But their sophomoric prank leads to tension between them. Critics hailed Aaron Eckhart’s “breakout” performance, and gave it an 89% Freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Courtesy of Network Releasing

20. Columbus (2017)
> Directed by: Kogonada
> Starring: John Cho, Haley Lu Richardson, Parker Posey
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Kanopy, Yupp TV

John Cho (“Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle,” “Star Trek”) stars in this story about a young man who finds himself stranded in Columbus, Indiana, after his father falls ill. There he meets a woman who plans to stay in the small city to care for her mother. The quiet drama was described by the Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw as “a challengingly intelligent film” and won over 97% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

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Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

19. Henry Fool (1997)
> Directed by: Hal Hartley
> Starring: Thomas Jay Ryan, James Urbaniak, Parker Posey
> Genre: Comedy, Drama
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Vudu, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, DIRECTV, FandangoNOW, Microsoft Store

Hal Hartley’s twist on the Oscar’s Wilde Pygmalion tale is about an aimless trash hauler named Simon who befriends a witty though talentless novelist (Henry Fool) who enlightens the garbage collector to the world of literature. The movie holds an 89% Freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes, and 82% of audiences like the film.

Courtesy of A24

18. Waves (2019)
> Directed by: Trey Edward Shults
> Starring: Taylor Russell, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Alexa Demie
> Genre: Drama, Romance, Sport
> Available on: Microsoft Store, Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video, FlixFling, Redbox, FandangoNOW, Apple iTunes

“Waves” is the third feature film from writer-director Trey Edward Shults, whose debut “Krisha” landed at No. 28 on this list. The movie portrays a family’s journey following a loss. It has a Freshness rating of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and was selected as one of the top films of 2019 by the National Board of Review film organization.

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

17. The Winslow Boy (1999)
> Directed by: David Mamet
> Starring: Rebecca Pidgeon, Jeremy Northam, Nigel Hawthorne
> Genre: Drama, Romance
> Available on: Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, Amazon Video, FandangoNOW

David Mamet directed and co-wrote “The Winslow Boy,” a remake of the 1948 film set in early 20th-century England about a prominent attorney asked to defend a 14-year-old naval cadet accused of theft. The Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes found “The Winslow Boy” to be “smart and engaging,” and 97% of critics gave the motion picture a Freshness score of 97%, with 77% of audiences applauding the movies.

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Courtesy of Lionsgate

16. The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete (2013)
> Directed by: George Tillman Jr.
> Starring: Skylan Brooks, Ethan Dizon, Jordin Sparks Thomas
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, HBO Now Amazon Channel, Amazon Video, Cinemax Amazon Channel, DIRECTV, Microsoft Store, FandangoNOW

“The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete” is about two boys living in low-income housing in Brooklyn who must fend for themselves after their mothers are arrested. With its gritty setting and impressive lead performances the movie is a creative success that earned positive reviews from 86% of critics and 88% of audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.

Courtesy of Laurenfilm

15. The Apostle (1997)
> Directed by: Robert Duvall
> Starring: Robert Duvall, Todd Allen, Paul Bagget
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video, Starz Play Amazon Channel, Starz, DIRECTV, Microsoft Store, FandangoNOW

Robert Duvall wrote, directed, and produced “The Apostle.” Duvall plays a Pentecostal preacher trying to run from his past. He changes his name and begins preaching on the radio in Louisiana. Critics called Duvall’s performance a tour de force, and he was nominated for a Best Actor Academy Award. The film received a Freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes of 90%, and 79% of audiences like the movie.

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Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

14. Queen of Katwe (2016)
> Directed by: Mira Nair
> Starring: Madina Nalwanga, David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong’o
> Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport
> Available on: Vudu, Amazon Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, Apple iTunes, AMC on Demand, DIRECTV, Disney Plus, FandangoNOW

From Walt Disney Studios comes this true life tale of a young Ugandan girl whose life changes dramatically as she learns the game of chess. The feel-good flick has a Freshness rating of 93% from critics thanks in part thanks to the exceptional performances of Lupita Nyong’o (“12 Years a Slave,” “Black Panther”) and David Oyelowo (“Selma”).

Courtesy of IRS Media

13. One False Move (1992)
> Directed by: Carl Franklin
> Starring: Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton, Cynda Williams
> Genre: Crime, Drama
> Available on: Google Play Movies, Vudu, YouTube, Amazon Video, Crackle, Redbox, Microsoft Store, FandangoNOW, fuboTV, Apple iTunes

Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton wrote and starred in his gripping story about a small-town police chief in Arkansas awaiting a confrontation with a group of killers. Critics hailed the action and sly humor of the film, helmed by Carl Franklin in his directorial debut. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 96% Freshness score, and 75% of audiences approved of the film.

Courtesy of ContentFilm International

12. George Washington (2000)
> Directed by: David Gordon Green
> Starring: Candace Evanofski, Donald Holden, Damian Jewan Lee
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Kanopy, Criterion Channel, Pure Flix, Amazon Video

Prior to directing movies such as “Pineapple Express” and the 2018 “Halloween” remake and HBO shows including “Eastbound & Down,” David Gordon Greene wrote and directed this drama about a group of small town friends who become involved in a tragic event. On Rotten Tomatoes, 84% of critics liked it, with the Houston Chronicle’s Eric Harrison praising its “quiet verbal and visual poetry.”

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Courtesy of New Line Cinema

11. Metropolitan (1990)
> Directed by: Whit Stillman
> Starring: Carolyn Farina, Edward Clements, Chris Eigeman
> Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Criterion Channel, Showtime, Showtime Amazon Channel, fuboTV, DIRECTV

Whit Stillman’s “Metropolitan” is an incisive and biting look at young Park Avenue socialites gathering for what they fear is their last debutante season and bemoaning the decline of their privileged class. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a Freshness score of 91%, and 85% of audiences liked the movie.

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

10. The Rider (2017)
> Directed by: Chloé Zhao
> Starring: Brady Jandreau, Mooney, Tim Jandreau
> Genre: Drama, Western
> Available on: Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Starz, Starz Play Amazon Channel, Amazon Video, AMC on Demand, DIRECTV, Redbox, Microsoft Store, FandangoNOW

Dramatic Western “The Rider” has won numerous awards from film festivals across the world and has a 97% Freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite its critical success, the film was only played in 224 theaters at its widest release, according to Box Office Mojo. It can now be viewed on multiple streaming platforms, including Amazon Video.

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Courtesy of Roadside Attractions

9. Goodbye Solo (2008)
> Directed by: Ramin Bahrani
> Starring: Souleymane Sy Savane, Red West, Diana Franco Galindo
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Tribeca Shortlist, Apple iTunes, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store

Ramin Bahrani directed and co-wrote this heartwarming story about friendship. The movie is about a Senegalese taxi driver living in North Carolina hired by an aging white Southerner to drive him to a mountaintop where he plans to jump to his death. It’s up to the driver to try and change his mind. Critics Consensus on Rotten Tomatoes appreciated the “thoughtful human drama” and the film holds a Freshness score of 94%.

Courtesy of Fine Line Features

8. An Angel at My Table (1990)
> Directed by: Jane Campion
> Starring: Kerry Fox, Alexia Keogh, Karen Fergusson
> Genre: Biography, Drama
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Amazon Video, Kanopy, Criterion Channel

“An Angel at My Table” is based on the autobiographies of acclaimed New Zealand writer Janet Frame, who was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia as a child. The movie, which was described by Roger Ebert as “strangely engrossing” and “simply the record of a life as lived,” received ratings of 94% from critics and 90% from users on Rotten Tomatoes.

Courtesy of Trimark Pictures

7. Eve’s Bayou (1997)
> Directed by: Kasi Lemmons
> Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Meagan Good
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Apple iTunes, Vudu, Amazon Video, Cinemax Amazon Channel, DIRECTV, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Redbox, Microsoft Store, HBO Now, HBO Go, HBO Now Amazon Channel

Kasi Lemmons made a memorable directorial debut with the film “Eve’s Bayou” that starred Samuel L. Jackson and Jurnee Smollett-Bell. The film is about a daughter witnessing her father having an affair and the impact it has on their family. Critics lauded Lemmons’ take on disillusionment and forgiveness and gave the movie a Freshness score of 82%, while 90% of audiences liked “Eve’s Bayou.”

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Courtesy of United Artists

6. Richard III (1995)
> Directed by: Richard Loncraine
> Starring: Ian McKellen, Annette Bening, Christopher Bowen
> Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, War
> Available on: Vudu, VUDU Free, Amazon Prime Video

An all-star British-American cast is topped off by Ian McKellen in the title role of Shakespeare’s blackhearted monarch as reimagined in 1930s England as fascism looms. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes gave “Richard III” a 94% Freshness score, and 85% of audiences liked director Richard Loncraine’s depiction of one of Shakespeare’s greatest villains.

Courtesy of The Samuel Goldwyn Company

5. The Wedding Banquet (1993)
> Directed by: Ang Lee
> Starring: Winston Chao, May Chin, Ah-Lei Gua
> Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
> Available on: Vudu, VUDU Free, Pluto TV, Hoopla

Ang Lee’s hilarious rom-com is about a gay landlord in New York who wants to please his traditional Taiwanese parents by marrying his female tenant in a marriage of convenience. Then a series of farcical situations ensue. The film has a 96% Freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes, and 87% of audiences enjoyed “The Wedding Banquet.” Critic Jonathan Rosenbaum of the Chicago Tribune called the movie “a very adroit and entertaining social comedy.”

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Courtesy of Focus Features

4. Pariah (2011)
> Directed by: Dee Rees
> Starring: Adepero Oduye, Kim Wayans, Aasha Davis
> Genre: Drama
> Available on: Vudu, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Starz Play Amazon Channel, Amazon Video, DIRECTV, FlixFling, Redbox, Microsoft Store, FandangoNOW, Apple iTunes

This coming-of-age film tells the story of a 17-year-old African American woman from Brooklyn as she finds her way through adolescence. The movie — described in its Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus as “pulsing with authenticity” — has a 95% Freshness rating from critics. Audience members were slightly more reserved, with 82% enjoying it.

Courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films

3. Raising Victor Vargas (2002)
> Directed by: Peter Sollett
> Starring: Victor Rasuk, Donna Maldonado, Kevin Rivera
> Genre: Drama, Romance
> Available on: Amazon Video, Amazon Prime Video, Apple iTunes, Kanopy, VUDU Free

Peter Sollett directed and co-wrote this film about a teenage Romeo living on Manhattan’s Lower East Side trying to balance his life with an eccentric grandmother, a new girlfriend, and a bothersome brother. The film resonated with critics on Rotten Tomatoes, who gave “Raising Victor Vargas” a Freshness score of 96%, and 83% of audiences liked the movie.

Courtesy of Miramax

2. Fresh (1994)
> Directed by: Boaz Yakin
> Starring: Sean Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito, Samuel L. Jackson
> Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
> Available on: Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, Hoopla, Pluto TV, Microsoft Store, Vudu, FandangoNOW

The directorial debut from filmmaker Boaz Yakin (“Remember the Titans”) portrays a 12-year-old drug courier who devises a plan to free himself and his family from the clutches of his criminal employers. The urban drama impressed 87% of the critics who reviewed it on Rotten Tomatoes and did even better amongst audience members, with a 92% approval rating.

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Courtesy of The Samuel Goldwyn Company

1. The Secret of Roan Inish (1994)
> Directed by: John Sayles
> Starring: Jeni Courtney, Eileen Colgan, Mick Lally
> Genre: Drama, Family, Fantasy
> Available on: Amazon Video, Amazon Prime Video, Vudu

Critics hailed the direction of John Sayles’ “The Secret of Roan Inish.” The movie tells the story of a young girl staying with her grandparents in Donegal, Ireland, who believes a wild child on the island of Roan Inish is her long-lost little brother. The family film is considered one of the best movies of the 1990s. It has a 95% rating among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and an 87% rating among audiences.

 

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