If your cinematic horizons this year have been limited to titles like “Tiny Times 3” or “The Continent,” then your understanding of film might be stuck in the past. There’s a wealth of accessible, affordable beauty and emotion waiting to be discovered, and there’s no reason to miss out on them.
The following list is curated based on ratings from the renowned American film review website, Rotten Tomatoes. Whether you prefer dramas or documentaries, animation or live-action, it’s time to discard those rigid categories. In the end, there are only two kinds of movies: the ones you enjoy and the ones you don’t. Of these ten films, only “X-Men: Days of Future Past” and “Edge of Tomorrow” had theatrical releases in China, with mixed reviews. But don’t let that stop you from discovering some truly great cinema.
Top 10 Movies You Might Have Missed
1. The Grand Budapest Hotel
- Rating: 8.4
- Director: Wes Anderson
- Genre: Drama/Comedy
- Country: USA/Germany
- Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Set in the Grand Budapest Hotel between the 1930s and 1960s, the film tells the story of the concierge Gustave H. and his relationship with the wealthy Madame D. After Madame D.'s sudden death, she leaves him a priceless painting, sparking a fierce battle for her estate with her children.
Wes Anderson’s signature style shines through with unconventional camera work and vibrant colors. Though a live-action film, it paints a whimsical, animated-like portrait of European society.
2. The Missing Picture
- Rating: 8.2
- Director: Rithy Panh
- Genre: Animation/Documentary
- Country: Cambodia/France
- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
Even if the missing images are found, they can’t fully capture the darkness of the past. But they can be used to reflect on and record history. The director deliberately uses rough clay animation to depict the haunting memories hidden behind the times. The story of a family devastated by famine and loss serves as a microcosm of a nation’s history. History may fade, but absence can be a powerful presence. The film won the Un Certain Regard award at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.
3. Ernest & Celestine
- Rating: 8.2
- Directors: Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar, Benjamin Renner
- Genre: Animation
- Country: France
- Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Celestine, a little mouse who grew up in an orphanage, escapes the underground rodent world and finds herself in the land of bears. After a series of mishaps, she ends up in Ernest’s trash can, only to wake up and discover she’s about to become his dinner. But instead of eating her, Ernest befriends her, and they become inseparable.
Winner of the 2013 César Award for Best Animated Feature, this film features charming watercolor-style animation. It doesn’t try to be overly profound or preachy, but instead focuses on the simple, heartwarming moments of friendship.
4. The Lego Movie
- Rating: 8.1
- Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
- Genre: Animation/Comedy
- Country: USA
- Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Emmet, an ordinary construction worker who always follows the rules, accidentally stumbles upon a mysterious machine and is mistaken for the savior of the Lego world. He joins the resistance led by the wizard Vitruvius to stop the evil plans of the Lego tyrant.
Although created with CGI, the film looks like it was made with real Lego bricks, creating a stop-motion animation effect. It’s full of imaginative ideas related to the toy material and has a clear, relatable message without being overly didactic. The film also deconstructs comic book heroes and cultural icons, bringing together characters like Batman, Dumbledore, and Gandalf.
5. Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me
- Rating: 8.0
- Director: Chiemi Karasawa
- Genre: Documentary/Biography
- Country: USA
- Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
What’s the difference between the beginning, the end, and the process for a performing artist? Perhaps only Broadway legend Elaine Stritch can answer that question. At 87, she was still performing on stage, sharing her talent with audiences while also revealing her struggles with diabetes, alcoholism, and loneliness.
The director collected valuable archival footage during Stritch’s work and travels and interviewed her friends, piecing together a portrait of a resilient, almost superhuman woman.
6. Jodorowsky’s Dune
- Rating: 8.0
- Director: Frank Pavich
- Genre: Documentary/Sci-Fi
- Country: USA/France
- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
Could this be the greatest science fiction film never made?
After “The Holy Mountain,” Chilean filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky planned to adapt Frank Herbert’s sci-fi classic “Dune,” but the project was abandoned due to a lack of funding. With over 3,000 detailed storyboards and a cast that included Salvador Dalí, Mick Jagger, and Orson Welles, Jodorowsky was confident that the film would be a mind-altering experience without the need for drugs. When David Lynch’s version of “Dune” was released, Jodorowsky refused to watch it, saying, “If I watch it, I’ll die.” But when he heard it was a failure, he was overjoyed. His “Dune” plans circulated in Hollywood and influenced later films like “Alien” and “Star Wars.”
7. Gloria
- Rating: 7.9
- Director: Sebastián Lelio
- Genre: Drama/Comedy
- Country: Chile/Spain
- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
Gloria, a 58-year-old divorcee, enjoys attending singles parties but finds only fleeting moments of connection. When she meets Rodolfo, a former naval officer, she rekindles her passion for life. But his sudden departure at her birthday party plunges her into despair.
Paulina García won the Best Actress award at the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival for her performance. The film’s close-up shots reveal every wrinkle on her face, creating a Chilean version of “American Beauty.”
8. X-Men: Days of Future Past
- Rating: 7.6
- Director: Bryan Singer
- Genre: Action/Sci-Fi
- Country: USA
- Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
In a dystopian future, mutants are hunted by the Sentinels created by Trask Industries. To save the mutant race, Professor X and Magneto must join forces. An unprecedented time-traveling adventure unfolds, where the only way to survive the future is to change the past.
Bringing together both the old and new generations of X-Men, this film boasts an all-star cast unlike any other in the series, earning it the nickname “The Avengers” of the X-Men franchise.
9. We Are the Best!
- Rating: 7.9
- Director: Lukas Moodysson
- Genre: Drama
- Country: Sweden
- Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
In 1982, three teenage girls in Stockholm form a punk band to rebel against their boring school and family lives. They cut their hair short like boys, fight over a fickle boy, and defy the disapproval of their classmates and teachers. Their fearless youth is both silly and sweet.
Winner of the Best Film award at the 2013 Tokyo International Film Festival, this film is based on a graphic novel by the director’s wife. Lukas Moodysson has always been drawn to stories about girls who challenge societal norms.
10. Edge of Tomorrow
- Rating: 7.5
- Director: Doug Liman
- Genre: Action/Sci-Fi
- Country: USA
- Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
In the future, Earth is invaded by alien creatures. Cage, a military officer with no combat experience, is sent to the front lines on a suicide mission. But in his final moments, he gains the ability to travel through time, entering an endless loop of life and death. With each iteration, he becomes stronger and gets closer to defeating the enemy.
Adapted from the Japanese manga “All You Need Is Kill” by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, the film’s time-traveling plot has been cleverly summarized by online critics as: “Lola extracts the source code from the Moonlight Treasure Box and hands it to Haruhi Suzumiya, saying, ‘Please give it to Tom Cruise!’”