Run Time: 2 hr 32 min | Director: Ridley Scott

Cast: Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, Ben Affleck

The Last Duel is a gripping adaptation of Eric Jager’s book by the same name, which explores one of the last judicial duels fought in France. Based on true events, Ridley Scott’s second film of 2021 is set in medieval France where Jean de Carrouges’ (Matt Damon) wife Marguerite (Jodie Comer) accuses Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) of raping her, leading to a nail-biting duel to the death between de Carrouges and Le Gris. The Last Duel is ingenious in the way that it allows viewers to see the case laid out from each character’s point of view with both subtle and profound changes in line delivery, physicality, and context. It is presented in three chapters: “The Truth According to de Carrouges,” “The Truth According to Le Gris,” and finally, “The Truth.” The film makes it clear that Marguerite’s account is the most accurate point of view presented, though it doesn’t lessen how disturbing it is to witness Le Gris assault her twice.

As with most of Scott’s films, The Last Duel is a visual masterpiece, and he expertly crafts a captivating movie out of historical realities. Unfortunately, this sensitive topic would have benefited from a more feminine touch, beyond Nicole Holofcener’s involvement in writing the script. Medieval France, like many periods throughout history, was incredibly difficult for women and there were missed opportunities to more deeply explore how Marguerite was treated as an object without agency. – Maggie Lovitt

Run Time: 1 hr 27 min | Director: Kitty Green

Cast: Julia Garner, Owen Holland, Jon Orsini

Award-winning filmmaker Kitty Green (Ukraine Is Not a Brothel) takes a step out of the world of documentaries to present a scathing look at the life of executive assistants in this scripted drama that she wrote, directed, and edited. The Assistant follows a young executive assistant played by Julia Garner (Ozark) through a single day of her life where she has to navigate harassment, sexual impropriety in the workplace, and discrimination while trying to walk the fine line of professionalism that could mean the difference between keeping her job and not being able to pay her bills. Green perfectly captures the struggles of a low-status worker trying to survive in a cut-throat corporate environment.

Run Time: 2 hr 6 min | Director: Gus Van Sant

Cast: Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck

Good Will Hunting is the Academy Award-winning breakout hit co-written by best friends and frequent collaborators Matt Damon (The Martian) and Ben Affleck (Argo). The story follows a brilliant yet troubled young man named Will Hunting, who is given a chance to attend MIT and study under the top math professor — under the condition that he sees a therapist. Through his time with his new unorthodox therapist, played by the immensely talented Robin Williams (Mrs. Doubtfire), Will slowly learns to embrace his potential and question what he truly wants. The film earns every accolade thrown at it, presenting a deep meditation on the ways we can be our own biggest obstacle in life while delivering stunningly real dialogue in every scene. – Tauri Miller

Run Time: 1 hr 23 min | Genre: Drama | Director: Tina Satter

Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Josh Hamilton, Marchánt Davis

Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria) knocks it out of the park in this docudrama about the real-life FBI investigation into leaked classified documents. Sweeney plays Reality Winner, a young US Air Force member and NSA translator, giving a masterful performance that feels incredibly real as she navigates the flurry of questions thrown at her throughout this interrogation. Further bolstering Sweeny’s performance is the captivating film direction by Tina Satter, who adapts her stage play Is This a Room and finds a way to perfectly utilize the new medium to give a fresh perspective on the story. – Tauri Miller

Run Time: 2 hr 7 min | Genre: Drama, Sports | Director: McG

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, Ian McShane, Anthony Mackie

Based on the true story of the aftermath of a tragic plane crash that killed most of the players on the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team and five coaches, We Are Marshall is an inspirational film about the resilience of the human spirit — a reminder that there can be joy on the other side of grief. Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar) steps up as the replacement coach Jack Lengyel, who seeks to rebuild the team and finish out the season. McConaughey gives a stellar performance, but it would be nothing without his phenomenal supporting cast, especially Matthew Fox (Lost), who delivers a number of passionate and emotional moments throughout the whole film.

Run Time: 1 hr 50 min | Director: Ivan Reitman

Cast: Kevin Costner, Chadwick Boseman, Jennifer Garner, Frank Langella

Directed by the late Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters), Draft Day is a sports-focused drama starring Kevin Costner (Yellowstone) as a fictional manager of the real National Football League team, the Cleveland Browns. Co-written by Scott Rothman and Rajiv Joseph, Draft Day relies heavily on football knowledge for the intricate details of the premise while ensuring a showcase of the undeniably talented cast. In addition to Costner, Draft Day stars Jennifer Garner (The Last Thing He Told Me) as his love interest and the late Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) as the top prospect for the upcoming draft. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 50 min | Director: Lee Daniels

Cast: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey

Directed by the prolific Lee Daniels (The Butler), Precious is an award-winning, tear-jerking film that introduced the world to the talent of Gabourey Sidibe (American Horror Story: Coven) and deservedly rewarded Mo'Nique with an Oscar. Sidibe’s moving and raw performance as a teen mom surviving abuse, as well as the welfare system, carried the heartbreaking film, which was set in 1987 New York City. Based on Sapphire’s novel Push, Precious was adapted into a screenplay by writer Geoffrey S. Fletcher and featured surprisingly impressive and touching performances from musical icons Lenny Kravitz and Mariah Carey. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 55 min | Director: Sam Mendes

Cast: Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Colin Firth, Toby Jones

Written and directed by Sam Mendes (1917), Empire of Light is a gripping character-driven film starring Academy Award winner Olivia Coleman (The Favourite). Coleman paints the screen with so much emotion, and co-star Micheal Ward (Blue Story) is the perfect highlight to elevate this work of art. Set in 1980s England, Mendes delivers a story steeped in the sociopolitical landscape of the time while reminding us that issues like mental health stigma and racism are still prevalent in our current climate. Beyond the rich text and heart-wrenching performances that bring it to life, the film is beautifully shot. The cinematography, like the story set in a struggling theater, exhibits a deep love for cinema and the impact it has on the lives of those who experience it. – Tauri Miller

Run Time: 1 hr 46 min | Director: Crystal Moselle

Cast: Rachelle Vinberg, Jaden Smith, Dede Lovelace, Nina Moran, Kabrina Adams

Skate Kitchen is a touching drama film written and directed by Crystal Moselle that ultimately inspired the female skater spin-off series called Betty. Skate Kitchen follows a young woman (Rachelle Vinberg) from Long Island who, after injuring herself in a skateboarding accident, promises her conservative single mother to abandon the sport. Inspired by real female skaters in New York City, Skate Kitchen features not only actors like Jaden Smith but also actual athletes playing fictionalized versions of themselves. An empowering coming-of-age story, Skate Kitchen is authentically written and moving to watch. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 36 min | Director: Megan Park

Cast: Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Niles Fitch, Will Ropp

Written and directed by Megan Park, The Fallout is an unfortunately timely drama that premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival, garnering critical praise for its haunting and raw subject matter. Starring Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) and Maddie Ziegler, The Fallout explores the significant mental and emotional trauma caused by all-too-common school tragedies. Focusing on the victims and survivors, The Fallout uncomfortably reveals the strain on relationships as these youths’ worlds are forever changed and the support they find through their shared trauma. Co-starring with Ortega and Ziegler are Niles Fitch (This Is Us), Julie Bowen (Modern Family), and Shailene Woodley. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 54 min | Director: Martin McDonagh

Cast: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan

Martin McDonagh writes and directs The Banshees of Inisherin, a dark comedy that explores the strange tensions of adult male friendships, as well as themes of isolation, legacy, and mortality. Set on a fictional island, The Banshees of Inisherin takes place in 1923, at the end of the Irish Civil War, and tells the story of Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson), a folk musician, who abruptly ghosts his long-time friend Pádraic Súilleabháin (Colin Farrell). McDonagh’s cinematic eye and solid script have earned critical acclaim, along with stars Gleeson and Farrell. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 38 min | Director: Matt Spicer

Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, Wyatt Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Pom Klementieff, and Billy Magnussen

Hilarious and surprisingly moving, the Sundance hit indie dramedy Ingrid Goes West stars Aubrey Plaza as a lonely, unstable young woman who, after fixating on “lifestyle guru” Taylor Soane’s (Elizabeth Olsen) Instagram, models her social media life after Sloane’s and moves to California to become her best friend. While the premise may sound like it gets worn out fast, Spicer keeps twisting and turning the plot in fascinating directions, and the performances from Plaza and Olsen are spectacular, with O’Shea Jackson Jr. stealing scenes left and right at a Batman-obsessed landlord. Plaza in particular delivers the best performance of her career, a turn that’s hilarious, terrifying, and deeply sad. – Adam Chitwood

Run Time: 2 hrs 9 min | Director: Tom McCarthy

Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Brian d'Arcy James

Based on horrifically true events, Spotlight is an Oscar-winning film chronicling the lengthy investigation of Boston Globe journalists who dared to take on the Catholic church. Spotlight follows the reporters who uncovered the unbelievable facts of the repugnant child abuse scandal and the heinous, decades-long cover-ups by the church. Directed by Tom McCarthy, who co-wrote the script with Josh Singer, Spotlight is an intense drama filled with megastars, including Mark Ruffalo (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law), Michael Keaton (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Rachel McAdams (Doctor Strange), Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins: Wolverine), and Broadway star Brian d'Arcy James (Hawkeye). – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 2 hrs 39 min | Director: Baz Luhrmann

Cast: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Olivia DeJonge

Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis features a flawless performance from Austin Butler as American icon Elvis Presley. Elvis focuses on the musician’s escalation to stardom from the perspective of his manipulative manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). Hanks’ unique turn in unrelenting prosthetics allows him to disappear into the evil character. With a journey spanning most of the singer’s life, Elvis attempts to reveal biographical information that may or may not be factual but is nonetheless entertaining. Disappointingly lacking Luhrmann’s signature flare of whimsy, Elvis instead emphasizes precision in recreating historical moments, including the nearly perfect shot-for-shot reenactment of Presley’s legendary 1968 Comeback Special. On top of Butler’s renditions of beloved songs, Luhrmann’s eclectic soundtrack may be the best part of Elvis. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 2 hr 1 min | Director: Andrew Haigh

Cast: Charlie Plummer, Chloë Sevigny, Travis Fimmel, Steve Buscemi

A beautiful coming-of-age movie, Lean on Pete follows Charley (Charlie Plummer), a teen living with his single father who gets a job caring for an aging racehorse named Lean on Pete. After a tragedy, Charley discovers that Pete will soon be sold and slaughtered and makes it his mission to save him. Charley steals Pete and heads off to Wyoming to find his aunt, leading to a difficult journey of survival. The film has been praised for its empathetic portrayal of growing up and the masterful performance by Charlie Plummer. – Taylor Gates

Run Time: 1 hr 29 min | Director: Robin Wright

Cast: Robin Wright, Demián Bichir, Sarah Dawn Pledge

Robin Wright (WonderWoman) directs and stars in Land, a heart wrenching film about grief and rebirth. Wright plays Edee, a woman who abandons her modern life, escaping to the solitary wilderness of the Rockies, in hopes of overcoming the pain from an immeasurable tragedy. The tear-jerking story is built on the vast scenery, captured honestly by Wright in her directorial debut. Additionally, Wright’s poignant performance Edee is balanced by the brave and blunt Miguel, a grizzled depiction from Demián Bichir (Weeds). Together they confront their harsh realities, no longer able to retreat from the truths of their lives, and discover how to survive. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 41 min | Director: Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris

Cast: Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin, Paul Dano, and Steve Carell

Young Olive (Abigail Breslin) has won a spot in a beauty pageant in California. Her grandfather Edwin (Alan Arkin) encourages her parents (Toni Collette and Greg Kinnear) to be supportive and get her to California to participate. Together with Olive’s half-brother, Dwayne (Paul Dano) and her uncle Frank (Steve Carell) the family piles into a barely functioning VW bug and make the road trip from Albuquerque to Redondo Beach. Along the way, family tensions and drama plays out, but don’t worry, there are plenty of laughs too. Alan Arkin took home the Oscar for his role and Michael Arndt won for Best Original Screenplay at the 2006 Academy Awards for this heartwarming family comedy. – Jennifer McHugh

Run Time: 2 hr 17 min | Director: Clint Eastwood

Cast: Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Emmy Rossum

One of the older films on this list, Mystic River takes on the neo-noir style of crime thrillers with a story about a murder that tears apart the friendship of three men in Boston, Massachusetts in 2000. Based on the book of the same name by Dennis Lehane, the film follows Jimmy (Sean Penn), Dave (Tim Robbins), and Sean (Kevin Bacon); three men who used to be best friends, but the years passed and diverging paths in life have caused them to grow estranged. When Jimmy’s daughter Katie (Emmy Rossum) is found murdered on the same night that Dave comes home to his wife covered in blood, everyone starts pointing fingers and tossing blame.

As the mystery of what really happened to Katie, and whether or not Dave is really telling the truth about that night, starts to unravel, the main characters’ strong emotions of past trauma and regret lead to brutal mistakes and surprising revelations. While the central plotline is a compelling mystery on its own, Mystic River is elevated tenfold by the amazing performances by the main cast of actors, with Penn and Robbins winning the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor Oscars that year, respectively. — Devin Forward

Run Time: 2 hr 26 min | Director: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino

Martin Scorsese’s signature gangster film Goodfellas penetrated pop culture so deeply that I could quote Joe Pesci’s “Am I a clown to you?” rant when I was in 1st grade, years before I ever actually saw it. Featuring Ray Liotta in a star-making role as mob informant Henry Hill, Goodfellas is such an engaging (and surprisingly fun) story that its 140-minute runtime flies by. Seriously, every time it gets to the scene where Liotta is talking directly to the audience in the courtroom, I think, “Aw man, it’s over already?” Pesci’s performance as the violent psychopath Tommy earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and Robert De Niro plays Hill’s mentor Jimmy with an understated menace that steadily becomes more unsettling as the film progresses. Lorraine Bracco rounds out the cast as Hill’s put-upon wife Karen, turning in a fantastic performance that earned her an Oscar nod. — Tom Reimann

Run Time: 2 hr | Director: Alan Taylor

Cast: Alessandro Nivola, Michael Gandolfini, Leslie Odom Jr., Vera Farmiga, Jon Bernthal, Ray Liotta, Michela de Rossi

Prequels, sequels, and threequels are all the rage these days, and The Many Saints of Newark is no exception. Stacked to the gills with character actors, including the likes of Vera Farmiga, Ray Liotta, and Jon Bernthal, among others, the film touches down in Newark, New Jersey, in 1967, and follows the upbringing of everyone’s favorite crime boss amidst the chaos of not only the Newark riots, but of changes in his own family — some more dangerous than others. Michael Gandolfini shines as a younger version of Tony Soprano, the role originated by his late, great father James Gandolfini, but it’s Alessandro Nivola who steals the show as Dickie Moltisanti, Tony’s ruthless and calculating uncle who helped mold him into the most iconic mob boss of all time. For fans of The Sopranos, the film is a welcome dive back into the seedy underbelly of what made the HBO series great, and even for non-fans, David Chase’s newest adventure into the hearts and minds of the famous criminal family — before they’d really made their mark — stands out as an impressive mob film for the ages. —Maggie Boccella