Underappreciated Movies You Missed In 2019

If 2019 had gone differently, The Kid Who Would Be King would be the king of the box office. Alas, this year wasn't kind to The Kid Who Would Be King, which went largely unnoticed in cinemas. Written and directed by Ant-Man scribe and Attack the Block filmmaker Joe Cornish, The Kid Who Would Be King takes a familiar tale and gives it a modern facelift. Viewers watch as 12-year-old student Alex Elliot (Louis Ashbourne Serkis, the son of director and motion-capture genius Andy Serkis) discovers he's the sole person on the planet who can swing the mythical sword of King Arthur, Excalibur, out from its stone — the weapon that can vanquish the sinful sorceress Morgana (Rebecca Ferguson). Alex gathers up his friends (and frenemies) to serve as his knights, and the whole crew enlists the aid of the backwards-aging wizard Merlin (Patrick Stewart and Angus Imrie) to help take down Morgana before an impending solar eclipse allows her to assume her highest form and enslave the people of England.

Whether marketing was to blame or it was a case of other movies (like fellow January releases Glass and Serenity) drawing viewers away from The Kid Who Would Be King, the movie wound up a critical success but a commercial failure. Though the movie lost tens of millions, reviewers praised it as an inventive take on an Arthurian legend that's "sentimental in all the right places and impossible to dislike."

Debuting at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival on the first of February before making its way to Netflix just before the end of that month, Paddleton is an unlikely charmer about an unlikely friendship — featuring actors in what many might feel are unlikely roles.

The film, a comedy-drama directed by Alex Lehmann from a script he whipped up with actor Mark Duplass, centers on Duplass' Michael Thompson, who is diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer and carries on a strange and sweet "bromance" with his neighbor Andy Freeman, played by Ray Romano. Traditionally viewed as comedic actors, Duplass and Romano prove their dramatic chops as the two give themselves over to their respective characters in a way that's organic and affecting. The most impressive part of Paddleton, and the element that makes it stand out amongst the sea of other films about the big C-word? There's not a lot of dialogue — a reflection of Michael and Andy's shared distaste for small talk that guarantees every line of Paddleton is a meaningful one.

Both genuinely funny and genuinely heartbreaking, Paddleton will pull you in with its premise and hold you there with its tender relationship between Michael and Andy, its intimate atmosphere, and its moving ending. Queue up Paddleton for your next Netflix session (which, let's be real, is likely very soon) — just be sure to have a box of tissues at the ready.

No, this isn't a movie that will teach you all the ways to cook an egg, or the proper protocol to follow if you want to keep your favorite breakfast food from turning green. 

Directed by Marianna Palka, Egg is a whip-smart comedy starring Alysia Reiner (Orange Is the New Black) as an artist named Tina and Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Deuce) as her onscreen husband Wayne. Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) plays Tina's rival, the mother-to-be Karen, who spouts off cold remarks about how she pities childless people. Tina gains what she believes is the upper hand when she invites Karen and her husband Doug (David Alan Basche) to her New York loft to make a major announcement: Tina and Wayne are expecting via the bubbly blonde surrogate Kiki (Anna Camp)... who is ditzy but certainly not innocent. 

That's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to radical reveals in Egg, a fierce chamber piece that weaves through all the weirdness of what it means to be a woman and a mother, a "drama laced with unblinkered truths about the sometimes ruthless, sometimes warm-hearted ways that women see themselves and each other."

This kind of subject matter isn't everyone's cup of tea, of course, but critics are urging people of all types to see Egg. One wrote, "This film is wonderful for the way it takes you into yourself and exposes you to your own contradictions and emotions."

Starring Rashida Jones as Eva Smalley and James Franco as her husband Roman Smalley, Don't Come Back from the Moon is as deeply affecting as its title suggests. The film, an adaptation of Dean Bakopoulos' novel directed by Bruce Thierry Cheung, angles itself from the perspective of the Smalleys' 16-year-old son Mickey (Jeffrey Wahlberg), who is grappling with feelings of intense abandonment after his father becomes the latest man in their California town to pack his bags and leave, vanishing without another word. 

It sounds like the logline of a new paranormal sci-fi series, but Don't Come Back from the Moon is rooted in a harsh reality: the fathers and husbands in the rundown desert community walk away from their lives because they have nothing better to do — because they don't care that they're leaving behind boys who must turn into men before their time, and children who don't know why their dads always end up "going to the moon." As Eva resists the urge to self-medicate with alcohol, Mickey looks after his younger brother Kolya (Zackary Arthur), explores his sexuality, and lets his angst manifest in a rebellious streak — the whole time weaving a tale that's "piercingly observant about the fragility of the family foundation."

Released in a limited run in mid-January, Don't Come Back from the Moon has garnered sweeping praise from critics, who regard the film as "poignant and visually striking," "an artful and affecting mix of harshly defined specifics and impressionistic storytelling."

Moviegoers Down Under may have already caught this Jason Raftopoulos-directed drama last year, but those living Stateside didn't have a chance until January 2019. But even then, West of Sunshine slipped right under most people's radars and wrapped up its theatrical run before the mainstream caught a whiff of it.

From the arresting performances that real-life stepfather-and-son pair Damian Hill (who sadly died shortly after the film's release in Australia) and Tyler Perham give to the slice-of-life, scraggly-around-the-edges directorial style that first-time feature filmmaker Jason Raftopoulos implements to a story that serves as a "timely and intelligent essay on the eternal theme of how fathers can both inspire and alienate their sons," West of Sunshine has everything the audience will want. Critics agree: viewers will root for Hill's Jimmy, a gambling addict who has forgotten how to be a good father, on his journey toward redemption, and will be moved to tears as they follow Jimmy and Alex cruising around Melbourne, Australia and ultimately reconnecting with one another.

Like one critic said of the film, "In a sense, West of Sunshine is a coming of age drama, yet one where the adult learns how to take those first steps and fulfill his duty as a father. After you watch him do so, wipe those tears from your eyes, and be sure to hug your kids (if you have them), and tell your dad you love him."

As Thor: Ragnarok proved to global audiences in 2017, and as What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople showed New Zealander moviegoers in the years prior, writer-director Taika Waititi's creative visions snap, crackle, and pop on the screen regardless of how he's involved in a project. Yet another film that evidence's Waititi's talents is 2019's The Breaker Uppererers, which he executive produced alongside writers, directors, and lead actresses Madeleine Sami and Jackie van Beek.

Centered on a pair of romance-averse ladies (Sami's Jen and van Beek's Mel) who make a career out of their love-related cynicism by breaking up couples who are headed towards splitsville, The Breaker Upperers opened in New Zealand theaters in May of 2018, but only just made its way across the ocean and to U.S. Netflix in February of 2019. The buddy comedy was, sadly, hit with the same wave of content that swallowed it up and left it largely unseen — but there are plenty of testimonials from professional critics who can't rave enough  about The Breaker Upperers and can't overstate the kind of fun you're missing out on if you haven't yet seen it.

Graeme Tuckett of Stuff summed it up best: "The Breaker Upperers is the funniest and most likable film I've seen this year. Go see it."

With Apollo 11, director-producer-editor Todd Douglas Miller took a true-life story everyone knows and transformed it into an entirely new, absolutely breathtaking experience.

Featuring archival footage and 70mm film never before seen by the public, Apollo 11 chronicles the 1969 spaceflight mission (for which the film is named) that saw lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin and commander Neil Armstrong become the first humans in history to set foot on the surface of the Moon. History books and several past documentaries have taught the world about the Apollo 11 landing and return, but Miller's film sheds a unique and vivid light on the mission. Teaming with NASA, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the New York-based post-production company Final Frame, Miller crafted high-resolution scans of hundreds of hours of footage and obtained thousands of hours of audio recordings for use in Apollo 11 — clips that hadn't been viewed or listened to by the masses until now. 

What makes Apollo 11 even more striking is that it implements a direct cinema approach: it doesn't include any narration, voiceovers, or interviews beyond those found in the archival source material. This all comes together to create what critics have called "a visually outstanding and remarkably visceral piece of filmmaking" and the best thriller film of 2019. 

Once declared Hollywood's wild new it girl, Olivia Wilde is far more than a pretty face and a cool attitude in writer-director Sarah Daggar-Nickson's directorial debut. She's a vigilante — literally. Wilde top-lines A Vigilante as Sadie, a domestic abuse survivor who commits to a life of retribution and vengeance as she saves those currently suffering from abuse and continues a years-long journey to find and kill her ultimate target: her husband (Morgan Spector), who is so vile that no one dares speak his name. Seriously, take our word for it: he's like Lord Voldemort times a million.

Evocative of other feminist revenge thrillers like Enough and Ms. 45 and in the same vein of vigilantism-focused works such as The Punisher and The Equalizer, A Vigilante is explosive, gritty, and oh-so-raw — a showcase of Wilde's top-of-her-game talents and an indication that Daggar-Nickson is a filmmaker to watch.

"Wilde's performance is so committed that there are times when you may fear for her physical safety and emotional health," Matt Zoller Seitz of RogerEbert.com wrote. "A Vigilante... is one of those small but brutal films that major directorial careers are made from." Added The Young Folks' Brian Thompson, "Skillfully straddling the line between mourning and hope, A Vigilante delivers a precious commodity we too rarely see at the movies: sincerity. This is the kind of sleek, devastating character piece that indie directors build entire careers upon."

Writer-director Ivan Kavanagh's Never Grow Old in three words? "Debauchery. Greed. Murder."

Starring Emile Hirsch and John Cusack, Never Grow Old is a  "dark and spare and blood-spattered Western" that centers on Hirsch's undertaker and carpenter Patrick Tate and Cusack's ruthless outlaw Dutch Albert in the formerly quiet town of Garlow in 1849. You see, Garlow's leader, Preacher Pike (Danny Webb), banned alcohol, harlots, and gambling throughout the town — which created a kind of peace begging to be broken. Cue the arrival of Dutch and his fearsome men, who enter Garlow to carry out a single mission. 

The cold-hearted Dutch doesn't intend to stay in Garlow after completing his deadly act, but he soon takes an interest in refilling bottles with liquor and the saloon with working girls. Dutch also finds himself drawn to Patrick, obliging the Irish immigrant to bury his many victims in exchange for blood money. Should Pat refuse, Dutch will come after his wife Audrey (Déborah François) and his children. It isn't long before the tragedies, the rising death toll, and Dutch's viciousness drive Pat to violence, ultimately forcing him to confront his own conscience and morality.

Like most films on this list, Never Grow Old saw a limited-release run and didn't generate much mainstream buzz. That's a shame, as the film depicts Hirsch and Cusack in ways audiences have never seen them before. Believe you us: you'll want to see Never Grow Old before you grow old yourself.

One of the greatest superhero films of 2019 was one the vast majority of moviegoers completely missed out on. Fast Color, directed and co-written by Miss Stevens filmmaker Julia Hart, stars The Cloverfield Paradox actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Ruth, whose seizures cause massive earthquakes, and Orange Is the New Black alum Lorraine Toussaint as Bo, Ruth's mother who has the ability to disintegrate and reassemble objects with her mind and to see "the colors" — vivid flashes of light.

When Ruth makes the trek to her old family home in search of shelter and to reunite with her mother and daughter Lila (Saniyya Sidney), a series of events exposes her supernatural powers to the world. A scientist named Bill (Christopher Denham), the local sheriff Ellis (David Strathairn Ellis), and mysterious forces are after Ruth — who embarks on a journey of self-discovery in a film that winds up feeling just as much about superheroism as it is about family, secrets, and personal trauma.

Critics agree that Fast Color is a movie in a league of its own. The Movie Critic's Sean P. Means said of the underappreciated pic, "In a movie world overrun with superheroes, director Julia Hart's independent gem Fast Color delivers something even more fascinating: Characters for whom special powers are both a curse and a valuable tool."

In a cinema landscape littered with space movies, High Life takes a giant leap ahead of the others in its genre. Unfortunately, many missed out on the visually moving, emotionally stirring, and deeply haunting film in favor of other movies that debuted on April 5, 2019.

Robert Pattinson leads the movie, helmed by 35 Shots of Rum director Claire Denis, as Monte, a man who is on death row for killing his friend when he was a child. Monte, his fellow inmates, and their criminal supervisor Dr. Dibs (Juliette Binoche) are carrying out a dangerous mission in space, hurtling toward a black hole for reasons not initially explicitly known. The journey doesn't end well, and the path that the prisoners walk along is just as devastating. Told in a nonlinear fashion, High Life follows Monte as he attempts to learn what actually happened to the other inmates aboard the ship while caring for his infant daughter, Willow, who was born during the mission under chilling circumstances.

High Life isn't a film for everyone — there's a big divide between the critical rating and audience score on Rotten Tomatoes — but it's perfect for those wanting to experience something completely new. As The New Republic's Josephine Livingstone wrote, "High Life will send you back out into the world with a totally new idea of what black holes symbolize. It is an elliptical film, yes, because it will answer only the questions that you did not think to ask."

Director Zhang Yimou redeemed himself for the truly terrible 2017 film The Great Wall with Shadow, the Chinese epic that critics say you have to see to believe.

Deng Chao stars as both military commander Commander Ziyu and Jingzhou, a man who was adopted when he was young for his striking resemblance to Ziyu. Jingzhou grows up in a secluded cave and trains to become Ziyu's "shadow" — his body double — to stand in for him should someone make an attempt on his life. His time strikes in a tense ancient China where King Peiliang (Zheng Kai) is clueless and craven, Princess Qingping (Guan Xiaotong) is unreliable, everyone wants a taste of power, and kingdoms are falling. Ziyu is a hero ready to battle against challenging commander Yang (Jun Hu), and Jingzhou is the man who must rise to replace him when things go awry. 

There's so much more to Shadow than meets the eye (like court intrigue, hopeless romance, fight sequences that captivate, and weapons that would make comic book villains drool with envy), but it's the exploration of yin and yang that makes Shadow unforgettable — "a masterful spectacle of human frailty and intellectual dishonesty that only grows in resonance as it goes along."

A candid celebration of the pop music boom in Los Angeles' Laurel Canyon, Echo in the Canyon is a film whose title you probably didn't hear until this very moment. It quietly slipped into theaters on May 24, 2019 (alongside Disney's big-ticket Aladdin remake) and never registered on most people's radar. Anyone interested in learning how folk-rock music morphed into the signature California sound in the late '60s; discovering how bands such as the Beach Boys, the Byrds, and the Mamas and the Papas shaped a whole music movement; and bearing witness to never-before-disclosed intel on the groups that inspired generations — plus interviews with famed musicians like Brian Wilson, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, the late Tom Petty, and so many more — will find heaven in this documentary written and directed by Andrew Slater. Not only will it move and delight you, but it will also leave you humming the tune of "Good Vibrations" for days on end. It's a win-win if we've ever heard one.

Step aside, A Star Is Born — Wild Rose is here to take your glory. 

An invigorating take on the star-is-born tale, Wild Rose puts aspiring country star Rose-Lynn Harlan (Jessie Buckley) up on stage, then draws the curtain back to show what life beyond the twangy tunes and cowboy boots is really like. You see, Rose-Lynn isn't your typical doe-eyed country musician with a dream in her heart and a guitar in her hand — she's also Scottish, an ex-convict, and the mother of two children. Struggling to make ends meet, to avoid falling back into the habits that landed her in jail in the first place, and to realize her ultimate goal of becoming the next Dolly Parton, Rose-Lynn hits a crossroads when the doors that lead to a better life finally open... and draw her away from her kids. 

After Entertainment One rolled out Wild Rose in U.K. cinemas in April, NEON put the flick into stateside theaters in June. Sadly, Wild Rose had a limited release and went up against the mammoth Toy Story 4 and the Child's Play remake, which both debuted on June 21. Those who did show up to a screening of Wild Rose fell head over heels for it and for lead actress Buckley. As critic Mike McGranaghan wrote, "On its own, the movie is an entertaining music drama that's worth seeing. Anchored by Jessie Buckley's riveting work, however, it becomes a touching, inspiring tale with singing that'll blow you away."

You know the name from Back to the Future, but do you know the man who brought it to life? The double-gull-wing-doored DeLorean is an icon of pop culture, and its creator, the engineer and executive John DeLorean, has been both famous and infamous. Framing John DeLorean explains why. 

An engrossing documentary from filmmakers Don Argott and Sheena M. Joyce, Framing John DeLorean chronicles DeLorean's rise through General Motors and to the height of U.S. auto industry ingenuity, followed by his jaw-dropping fall when he was arrested for trafficking cocaine. The film takes an interesting approach to the documentary genre, stitching together archival footage of DeLorean and the people in his life with scenes performed by Alec Baldwin as the DeLorean Motor Company founder whose want for the American Dream got the best of him. 

Also starring Deadpool's Morena Baccarin as DeLorean's one-time wife Cristina Ferrare, Framing John DeLorean gripped audiences at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2019, but didn't attract many moviegoers or much money during its theatrical run that started on June 7. This was down to box office competition (hello, The Secret Life of Pets 2 and Dark Phoenix) and a lack of big-budget marketing. It's a darn shame, as critics have called it "an excellent film that leaves no stone uncovered in its pursuit of peeling back the layers of a genius who turned corrupt."

If you loved Awkwafina in Ocean's 8, then fell fully head over heels for her in Crazy Rich Asians, The Farewell will solidify your adoration for the comedian-turned-actress (soon to enter the MCU in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings). The film, a moving comedy-drama from writer-director Lulu Wang, isn't a film one would normally associate with Awkwafina. That makes it all the more impressive that she brings an astonishingly dynamic performance to The Farewell that makes it completely irresistible. 

Released by A24 in a limited run on July 12, The Farewell centers on Awkwafina's Billi, an aspiring Chinese American writer, and her family, who are shocked to learn that their beloved Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen) — Mandarin for "grandmother" — is dying. Billi's parents Haiyan (Tzi Ma) and Jian (Diana Lin) notify her just days after she's turned down for a writing grant that Nai Nai has terminal lung cancer and only a few months left to live. 

Billi's family decides not to tell Nai Nai of her impending fate. They repeatedly deceive the ailing woman in an effort to realize the old adage about ignorance being bliss, ultimately scheduling a wedding for Billi's cousin Hao Hao (Chen Han) as a way to unite the family for one last celebration before Nai Nai passes. However, Billi is uneasy about lying to her grandmother and ends up disobeying her family's request, showing up in China to rock the boat. 

An antique sword your deceased family member insisted was proof the southern states won the U.S. Civil War is probably the last thing you'd ever think would be passed down to you when your grandfather dies. But that's exactly what Cynthia (Workaholics favorite Jillian Bell) inherits in Sword of Trust. The film sees Cynthia and Mary (Saturday Night Live alum Michaela Watkins) heading to a pawn shop run by the ill-tempered Mel (GLOW's Marc Maron) to see if they can swap the strange sword for some actual cash — you know, something that would be more useful to Cynthia. Mel and his juvenile assistant-slash-sidekick Nathaniel (Molly's Game actor Jon Bass) soon discover that the relic is worth a lot of money... to people who want to prove that the South actually did win the Civil War. The two men are bent on selling the sword to the highest bidder, and they join forces with Cynthia and Mary on a journey through wild conspiracy theories and even weirder potential buyers. 

Sword of Trust hit theaters in the mid-July box office lull, after Spider-Man: Far from Home swung into cinemas and before things heated up with the late July launch of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Most people missed Sword of Trust, which is a crying shame considering it features Maron at the top of his game and offers some spot-on commentary about the current state of the world.

Step aside, Jaws. The best new disaster-film-slash-creature-feature on the block is Crawl. Set in Florida during a Category 5 hurricane, Crawl follows aspiring college swimmer Haley (Kaya Scodelario) fending off a horde of alligators who are out for blood. Haley has ignored orders to evacuate the state, as she wanted to find her father, Dave (Barry Pepper), and bring him to safety. She does eventually find him... unconscious in the crawl space of their family home. When she races down to retrieve him, they both become trapped by rising floodwaters and a group of vicious alligators. Time is running out to flee from Florida, and the threat of drowning and/or being eaten alive by the hungry gators grows with each passing minute. 

Unlike most of the movies on this list, Crawl actually scored a wide release (through Paramount Pictures, no less), but that didn't help the film rope in a huge audience. It went mostly unnoticed at the box office, raking in only $55 million worldwide. It did, however, kick up a ton of talk among critics, who have praised it as "a lean-and-mean thriller" and a film that's "beautifully crafted, immaculately paced, and genuinely shocking."

At the intersection of Bruce Springsteen's heart-tugging lyrics and the life of a teen in 1980s England is a story of self-discovery, coming of age, and the transformative power of a chorus that begs to be belted out loud. From director Gurinder Chadha, Blinded by the Light tells this very tale: contemporary rock fan and aspiring songwriter and poet Javed Khan (Viveik Kalra), the son of two Pakistani immigrants living in the south east of England, discovers Bruce Springsteen and is suddenly struck with a feeling he's never experienced before. 

Though "The Boss" and the wide-eyed teen lead two very different lives, Javed finds all too relatable Springsteen's lyrics of wanting to break free from his small town and make a name for himself. His parents (Kulvinder Ghir and Meera Ganatra) and his best friend Matt (Game of Thrones' Dean-Charles Chapman) may not understand, but Javed feels like he was born to run — outside the city limits of Luton, away from his traditional family values, and into a world where his dreams can become reality. 

Blinded by the Light hit U.K. cinemas on August 9, then arrived in the U.S. a week later on August 16, where it went largely unnoticed at the box office. That's a major shame, considering how many critics have sung its praises on high. Wrote The Wall Street Journal's Joe Morgenstern of Blinded by the Light, "'Nobody wins unless everybody wins,' Springsteen likes to say. This little movie is a big winner."

A gripping mystery-drama from director Julius Onah, Luce picks up ten years after the adoption of Luce Edgar (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), a bright boy born in war-torn Eritrea who has become a respected debater at his high school, an all-star athlete, a beloved member of his Arlington, Virginia community, and, of course, the pride and joy of his parents Amy and Peter Edgar (Naomi Watts and Tim Roth). Luce's dazzling reputation takes an unexpected hit after he submits an assignment — an essay written in the voice of 20th-century political revolutionary Frantz Fanon — to his history teacher Harriet Wilson (Octavia Spencer). The underlying message of Luce's essay causes immediate concern, and when Harriet searches through Luce's locker to see if there are any clues to explain the young man's alarming remarks, she discovers something far worse than words on a page. 

Described by critics as "a powerful film that shows how far some will go to protect the reality they choose to believe," Luce bowed in theaters in early August 2019, remaining under the radar for the entirety of its run. With powerful performances from its cast and a story that will undoubtedly provoke discussion, this film is one to dissect and analyze. As Elements of Madness writer Douglas Davidson said of Luce, "In a tight 109 minutes, Onah puts into motion a film which examines ideas of racial coding, classism, parenting, academic excellence, nature vs. nurture, and more, all without losing an ounce of power or sincerity."

It's been a hot minute since Eddie Murphy put out a film worth watching. Critics put his two most recent films through the shredder, and it seemed that Murphy would never have a hit again — destined to be remembered as a talented comedian who lost his way... or that dude who voiced Donkey in the Shrek franchise. 

That changed with the launch of Dolemite Is My Name. This biographical comedy stars Murphy as real-life actor and singer Rudy Ray Moore, who gained fame for his over-the-top character Dolemite in the blaxploitation films Dolemite, The Human Tornado, and The Return of Dolemite. The flick follows Murphy's Moore as he discovers the key to success after a string of failures: craft the persona of a cane-carrying pimp named Dolemite. The plan works wonderfully — his scandalous records sell like hotcakes — and leads Moore to writer Jerry Jones (Keegan-Michael Key), actress Lady Reed (Da'Vine Joy Randolph), and director D'Urville Martin (Wesley Snipes), who help bring his dream of a Dolemite movie to fruition. 

Like the film within in the film, Dolemite Is My Name is a bona fide smash with critics. But unlike 1975's Dolemite, the 2019 movie that tells of its creation wasn't a box office hit in its limited theatrical release. It sadly went unseen by the masses, but those who did catch it had amazing things to say. "Eddie Murphy is back, baby," wrote The Washington Post's Ann Hornady, "in a performance so big and so generous that it virtually busts through the screen." Hopefully, the Netflix-produced biopic will find more fans on the streaming service.

Praised nearly universally by critics for Elisabeth Moss' "fantastic," "incredible," "gripping," and "fascinating" lead performance, Her Smell follows has-been rock superstar Becky Something, once part of the '90s female grunge band Something She, who now finds herself spiraling in the wake of her former success. Written and directed by Alex Ross Perry, Her Smell is an unflinchingly de-glamorized look at rock and roll stardom and everything that comes with it, as Becky's fame and success is consistently undermined by her own acts of self-sabotage.

Also starring Cara Delevingne, Dan Stevens, Agyness Deyn, Gayle Rankin, Ashley Benson, Dylan Gelula, Virginia Madsen and Amber Heard, Her Smell challenges audiences who are used to seeing gritty rock biopics of both real-life and fictional stars play out a certain way. The typical tropes of addiction and recovery, frenzied highs and dismal lows, and the often-tragic tension between public persona and personal vulnerability are all there, but not in the ways we necessarily expect to see. 

Despite its positive reception from critics, you wouldn't be alone if you missed Her Smell during its limited theatrical run. The "thrilling, funny, and heartbreaking" film failed to sell enough tickets to even make up its modest budget, and much like Becky herself, is in danger of winding up obscure and forgotten, despite its artistic greatness.

Featuring captivating performances from real-life mother-daughter pair Tilda Swinton and Honor Swinton Byrne (who also star as mother and daughter in the film), The Souvenir follows a young woman named Julie who forms an unhealthy relationship with a much older man while attending film school. Based partially on writer/director Joanna Hogg's own experiences at film school, The Souvenir weaves its narrative together using loose, dreamy stitches, relying on the audience to fill in the purposeful spaces it leaves as it skips through time in uneven strides. The result is an often painful and occasionally abstract coming-of-age tale that wrestles with addiction, ambition, and destructive romance that feels more like remembering an experience than telling a story.

Considering the wide discrepancy between the critical consensus and the audience reception, The Souvenir may not be the best movie night pick for a casual film fan, but committed cinephiles should expect to be blown away by its strong performances and expert filmmaking. While this critical gem didn't fare so well during its limited theatrical run, you can catch up with it in the comfort of your own home, since it's now streaming on Amazon Prime.

In an increasingly cynical cinematic landscape, it feels almost subversive that a movie as quiet, gentle, and kindhearted as The Peanut Butter Falcon exists at all. Starring Shia LaBeouf and newcomer Zack Gottsagen, The Peanut Butter Falcon follows Zak (Gottsagen), a young man with Down syndrome, who escapes the nursing home where he's being housed and sets off to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. Shortly into his journey, Zak crosses paths with down-on-his-luck fisherman Tyler (LaBeouf), who reluctantly agrees to accompany him, and as the two travel together to Florida and work to get Zak in shape, they form an unlikely friendship.

Written and directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz, The Peanut Butter Falcon was conceived specifically for Gottsagen, who wanted to be an actor but knew he'd have a hard time getting cast in Hollywood. Drawing from many of Gottsagen's own experiences and ambitions, the Huckleberry Finn-inspired narrative places Zak front and center, and Gottsagen shines as a leading man. It didn't attract large crowds during its theatrical release, but for those who did manage to catch it on the big screen, both audiences and critics agree that The Peanut Butter Falcon was worth the trip to the theater. "[He's] a born entertainer," Schwartz told /Film, speaking of Gottsagen. "[We] built a dance floor, and Zack just went out and danced."

When you think of Jim Gaffigan, your mind probably goes to food-based comedy way before paranormal drama, if the latter even occurs to you at all. But the Knoxville, Tennessee-based Light from Light was actually written specifically for the stand-up comedian, who stars as a man that hires a paranormal investigator when he thinks his late wife may be haunting him. "The way [Gaffigan] just talked about his life and work and different kinds of things, I just thought 'There's a complexity to him... that we hadn't seen on screen, and that that would be interesting to see,'" said writer/director Paul Harrill, who also directed the film. "And he also has the physical presence of the kind of character I was thinking of when I just started drafting."

The unorthodox casting pays off in a quiet, pensive film that's about grief and loss far more than it is about ghosts. Also starring Marin Ireland as the single mother whom Gaffigan's character hires to help him find closure with his deceased wife, Light from Light has been praised for the performances of its two leads, along with its sensitive and intimate examination of the idea of life after death. However, despite the largely positive reviews from critics, Light from Light was almost entirely missed by audiences, thanks to its extremely limited release and lack of promotion.

Described by writer and director Taika Waititi as an "anti-hate satire," Jojo Rabbit takes a bold swing for the fences of good taste in its depiction of a young Nazi boy named Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) living through the waning days of World War II with his imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler. Jojo's world is turned upside down, though, when he discovers that his beloved mother (an effervescent Scarlett Johansson) has been hiding a Jewish teenage girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. At first, Jojo is horrified, having believed all the antisemitic propaganda he's been fed by the Nazi party, but soon begins to question whether the version of reality he's been instructed to believe is, in fact, true.

Waititi, who is himself Jewish, plays the imaginary Hitler with a hefty dose of irreverence, mocking the infamous dictator and imbuing him with a sense of half-witted goofiness while never shying away from the catastrophic effects of his horrifying beliefs and policies. This is the tricky tonal tightrope Jojo Rabbit walks throughout its runtime, attempting to perfectly balance its silly comedy with the gravity of its subject matter. It shouldn't work — reservations about the film's tone divided critics, and perhaps contributed to keeping the film's box office take surprisingly modest, despite its A-list cast — but audiences seem to agree that filtering its discordant narrative through the innocent (if deeply misguided) eyes of a child helps Jojo Rabbit find an enjoyable rhythm that, despite its wackiness, communicates a timely and earnest message about the dangers of hate and the power of compassion.

Inspired by a true story that should be shocking, but is becoming sadly less so with every news cycle, Dark Waters stars Mark Ruffalo as Robert Bilott, the lawyer who helped draw a connection between a series of unexplained deaths in Parkersburg, West Virginia, and DuPont, one of America's most powerful corporations. What started as an investigation into the pollution affecting the health of a single town eventually spirals into the realization that DuPont's use of unregulated chemicals in their products is likely poisoning most of the people on the planet. Bilott then embarks on what turns into a years-long quest to hold DuPont accountable for their actions and get justice for the people of Parkersburg, even as his mission threatens to cost him everything.

An outspoken environmental advocate himself, Ruffalo is the ideal person to lead Dark Waters, bringing his own authentic and determined zeal to his portrayal of Bilott. Ruffalo is joined by a powerhouse supporting cast that includes Anne Hathaway as Bilott's wife, Sarah, Tim Robbins as his supervisor, and Victor Garber as DuPont attorney Phil Donnelly. But despite the strong cast, compelling subject matter, and positive reception from both critics and audiences, Dark Waters failed to make a dent at the box office, likely due to debuting in December of 2019 alongside some of the year's biggest blockbusters.

Featuring an impressive ensemble cast that includes Kelvin Harrison, Jr. (It Comes at Night), Sterling K. Brown (This is Us), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Broadway's Hamilton), Taylor Russell (Lost in Space), and Lucas Hedges (Lady Bird), Waves follows a black suburban family in South Florida as they struggle to cope in the wake of one of their own committing a terrible crime. The emotional tale wrestles with good intentions and horrific mistakes, forgiveness and consequences, and the cost of compassion as it follows the various members of the Williams family in their attempts to find peace.

Earning favorable reviews from both critics and audiences, Waves was described as "beautiful and pensive and heartbreaking" by The Chicago Sun-Times, while TIME praised Russell's performance in particular as "a rush of wind on a dry, hot day, the blessing you didn't know you needed." But despite the positive press, the turbulent family drama didn't make many waves at the box office when it hit theater screens in November of 2019, most likely due to its limited release and restrained marketing campaign.

Based on the play The Pope by Anthony McCarten (who also wrote the screenplay), The Two Popes centers around Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins) and Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce), who would later go on to become Pope Francis. Frustrated by the scandals plaguing the Catholic Church in 2012, Bergoglio wishes to retire from his position as Archbishop, but can't provoke a response from the Pope, so he flies to Rome in order to speak to Benedict face to face and deliver his resignation in person.

What follows is a battle of faith and intellect between two formidable opponents who do not see eye to eye on a number of issues affecting the Church, but command one another's respect all the same. The ideas that are wrestled with in The Two Popes are lofty, but the strong performances of the two protagonists help filter them through a personal lens that feels relatable, in spite of the forbidding institution the characters represent. While certain events in the film are based on real happenings, others were invented by McCarten, although he said of his additions, "Hopefully that speculation is based in facts and the truth, and hopefully it's inspired." 

Reviews for the film were largely positive, with particular praise given to the performances of Hopkins and Pryce, as well as the screenplay's handling of its complex theological debates. Not a lot of people got a chance to see The Two Popes in theaters during its limited release, but the film is now on Netflix for anyone eager to check it out.

At the same time that the Michael B. Jordan courtroom drama Just Mercy hit theaters, a different film tackling racism, the criminal justice system, and the death penalty also slipped quietly onto screens. Unlike the former film, we wouldn't be surprised if you've never heard about this one. Written and directed by Chinonye Chukwu, Clemency stars Alfre Woodard as prison warden Bernadine Williams, who is mentally and emotionally fatigued after years of carrying out death row executions. But now, as she prepares to execute yet another inmate (Aldis Hodge), Bernadine is forced to reckon with the toll her job has taken on her, and the connection she feels to the man she's required to kill.

Clemency only premiered in a few select theaters at the end of December, so chances are you didn't get a chance to see it before 2020 arrived. However, among the critics that managed to see it early, it's earning lots of praise, particularly for Woodard's performance, which has been heralded as "superb," in a film that "is remarkable for the understanding it affords to all involved with its wrenching subject matter." Writes Matt Fagerholm in his glowing review at RogerEbert.com, "This is screen acting of a very rare sort, and Clemency is a vital emotional powerhouse sorely deserving of being seen."