movie reviews from rotten tomatoes

30 Highest Rated Movies of all Time: Movies With 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

For 23 years, Rotten Tomatoes has been the go-to for those looking to get the scoop on what is new in movies. Aggregating opinions from fans and critics across the country, Rotten Tomatoes uses its “Tomatometer” system to calculate critical reception for any given film. If 60% of reviews are positive, the movie is given a “Fresh” status, but if positive reviews fall below that benchmark, it is deemed “Rotten.” A popular piece of media will typically fall between the 70-90% range, but rarely, a project will receive a 100% score. This means every last review from critics was positive.

Close to 480 films with at least 20 reviews have achieved a 100% score, with many coming very close. Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird” had a 100% rating with 196 positive reviews before a critic submitted a negative one, knocking it down to 99%. The immortal classic “Citizen Kane” had a 100% rating until a negative review from a 1941 issue of the Chicago Tribune was rediscovered, revoking its 100% status.

Here are Rotten Tomatoes’ highest-rated movies that have managed to maintain a 100% score and have the highest number of reviews.

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

“The Philadelphia Story” is based on the 1939 Broadway play and follows a socialite whose wedding plans are complicated by the arrival of her ex-husband and a tabloid magazine journalist. Directed by George Cukor, he film stars Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, James Stewart and Ruth Hussey.

“It’s definitely not a celluloid adventure for wee lads and lassies and no doubt some of the faithful watchers-out for other people’s souls are going to have a word about that,” Variety ‘s review said. “…All of which, in addition to a generous taste of socialite quaffing to excess and talk of virtue, easy and uneasy, makes “The Philadelphia Story” a picture every suburban mamma and poppa must see – after Junior and little Elsie Dinsmore are tucked away.”

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)

Christmas musical film “Meet Me in St. Louis” follows a year of the Smith family’s life in St. Louis leading up to the opening of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, known as the St. Louis World’s Fair, in the spring of 1904. The film stars Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake, Leon Ames, Marjorie Main, June Lockhart and Joan Carroll and directed by Vincente Minnelli, who Garland later married.

“‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ is wholesome in story [from the book by Sally Benson], colorful both in background and its literal Technicolor, and as American as the World’s Series,” Variety ‘s review said. “Garland achieves true stature with her deeply understanding performance, while her sisterly running-mate, Lucille Bremer, likewise makes excellent impact with a well-balanced performance.”

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

The musical romantic comedy “Singin’ In the Rain” follows three Hollywood stars in the late 1920s dealing with the transition from silent films to talkies. Starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor, the movie was one of the first 25 films selected by the U.S. Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry.

“‘Singin’ In the Rain’ is a fancy package of musical entertainment with wide appeal and bright grossing prospects,” Variety ‘s review said. “Concocted by Arthur Freed with showmanship know-how, it glitters with color, talent and tunes, and an infectious air that will click with ticket buyers in all types of situations.”

Seven Samurai (1954)

Epic samurai action film “Seven Samurai” follows the story of a village of farmers in 1586 who seek to hire samurai to protect their crops from thieves. The film was the most expensive movie made in Japan at the time.

“Director Akira Kurosawa has given this a virile mounting,” Variety ‘s review said. “It is primarily a man’s film, with the brief romantic interludes also done with taste. Each character is firmly molded. Toshiro Mifune as the bold, hairbrained but courageous warrior weaves a colossal portrait. He dominates the picture although he has an extremely strong supporting cast.”

The Terminator (1984)

Sci-fi action film “The Terminator” follows a cyborg assassin (Arnold Schwarzenegger) sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whose son will one day save mankind from extinction from artificial intelligence, Skynet. Co-written and directed by James Cameron and co-written and produced by Gale Anne Hurd, the film topped the U.S. box office for two weeks and grossed $78.3 million.

“‘The Terminator,’ which opens today at Loews State and other theaters, is a B-movie with flair. Much of it, as directed by James Cameron (‘Piranha II’), has suspense and personality, and only the obligatory mayhem becomes dull,” wrote Janet Maslin in a New York Times review. “There is far too much of the latter, in the form of car chases, messy shootouts and Mr. Schwarzenegger’s slamming brutally into anything that gets in his way. Far better are the scenes that follow Sarah (Linda Hamilton) from cheerful obliviousness to the grim knowledge that someone horrible is on her trail.”

Toy Story (1995)

Animated comedy film “Toy Story” follows the first adventures of cowboy doll Woody and space cadet action figure Buzz Lightyear. Owned by a boy named Andy, Woody and Buzz are a part of a group of toys that spring to life when humans aren’t around. Birthed after the success of Pixar’s short film “Tin Toy,” “Toy Story” was the first feature film from Pixar and the first entirely computer-animated feature film.

“To swipe Buzz’s motto –“To infinity and beyond”–“Toy Story” aims high to go where no animator has gone before,” wrote Leonard Klady in a 1995 Variety film review . “Fears at mission control of the whole effort crashing to Earth proved unwarranted; this is one entertainment that soars to new heights.”

Toy Story 2 (1999)

“Toy Story 2” continues Woody and Buzz Lightyear’s journey as the co-leaders of the toy group. When Woody is stolen by a toy collector, Buzz and the other toys must find set out to find him. During his time with the collector, Woody meets Jessie and Stinky Pete, other toys also based on characters from the TV show “Woody’s Roundup.” The animated film was originally supposed to be a direct-to-video sequel, but was upgraded to a theatrical release by Disney.

“In the realm of sequels, “Toy Story 2″ is to “Toy Story” what “The Empire Strikes Back” was to its predecessor, a richer, more satisfying film in every respect,” wrote former chief film critic Todd McCarthy in a 1999 Variety film review . “The comparison between these two franchises will be pursued no further, given their utter dissimilarity. But John Lasseter and his team, their confidence clearly bolstered by the massive success of their 1995 blockbuster, have conspired to vigorously push the new entry further with fresh characters, broadened scope, boisterous humor and, most of all, a gratifying emotional and thematic depth.”

Deliver Us From Evil (2006)

“Deliver Us From Evil” is a documentary that follows the case of convicted pedophile Oliver O’Grady, who molested approximately 25 children as a priest in northern California between the late 1970s through early 1990s. Filmmaker Amy Berg tracks O’Grady down to Ireland, where he was deported after being convicted of child molestation in 1993 and serving seven years in prison.

“Given how strong this kind of testimony is, “Deliver Us From Evil’s” decision to hype it more than it needs to be is unfortunate,” L.A. Times film critic Kenneth Turan said about the film in a 2006 review. “The film has a weakness for over-dramatization, for unsettling music and portentous close-ups of O’Grady’s hands and lips that are distracting and unnecessary.”

“There is nothing over-dramatic, however, about the deeply painful testimony of the adults who were victimized as children and their still traumatized parents,” he continued. “’He was the closest thing to God that we knew,’ one mother says. ‘I let the wolf in through the gate.'”

Taxi to the Dark Side (2007)

“Taxi to the Dark Side” is a documentary film directed by Alex Gibney about the 2002 killing of an Afghan taxi drive named Dilawar, who was beaten to death by American soldiers while being detained without a trial and interrogated at a black site, a detention center operated by a state where prisoners are incarcerated without due process or court order.

The film was a part of the “Why Democracy?” series, produced by The Why Foundation, which consisted of 10 documentary films examining democracy.

“Gibney (“Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room”) has crafted more than just an important document of systemic abuse — he’s stripped the rhetoric from official doublespeak to expose a callous disregard for not only the Geneva Conventions but the vision of the Founding Fathers,” writes Jay Weissberg in a Variety film review . “All enemies in wartime are perceived as animals, but Gibney uncovers the ways the White House and Pentagon have encouraged torture while distancing themselves from responsibility.”

Man on Wire (2008)

James Marsh’s “Man on Wire” documents the death-defining hire-wire stunts of Philippe Petit, who in 1974, performed a tightrope walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. “For contemporary audiences, Petit’s moment of mastery is inevitably shot through with a sense of loss; the following scenes, which reveal the band’s subsequent dissolution, reaffirm the bittersweet truth that triumph is but fleeting,” wrote Catherine Wheatley, who reviewed the film for Sight and Sound in 2010. “The film’s vision, though, is ultimately uplifting: relationships, like buildings, can collapse into rubble, but as [Annie Allix] tenderly puts it, sometimes ‘It is beautiful that way’.”

Poetry (2010)

Lee Chang-dong’s “Poetry” chronicles the life of Mija, a Korean grandmother who is simultaneously dealing with an early-onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis and the violent crime committed by her teenage grandson. “Now is the time to bestow on yourself the gift of one of the most, well, poetic films of 2010,” Lisa Kennedy wrote for the Denver Post in 2011. “And by ‘poetic,’ we mean rich with soulful pauses that are at once visual and aural and deeply observant of the dance of routine and quiet surprise.”

Waste Land (2010)

Lucy Walker’s “Waste Land” follows modern artist Vik Muniz to Jardim Gramacho, Brazil, the world’s largest landfill. There, he photographs the work of “catadores,” men and women who collect the refuse to recreate classical art. Legendary film critic Roger Ebert wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times in 2011, “I do not mean to make their lives seem easy or pleasant. It is miserable work, even after they grow accustomed to the smell. But it is useful work, and I have been thinking much about the happiness to be found by work that is honest and valuable.”

The Square (2013)

“The Square” is a documentary film by Jehane Noujaim, which follows Egyptian revolutionaries during the Egyptian Crisis, a period that started with the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 at Tahrir Square and lasted for three years. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and won three Emmys.

“Continuing to follow a group of activists as they rally against the undue powers of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Army, ‘The Square’ understands that the Revolution itself is a work in progress, and while its immediacy means it, too, will soon be superseded, it stands as a vigorous, useful account,” writes Jay Weissberg in a 2013 Variety film review .

Gloria (2013)

Sebastián Lelio’s “Gloria” follows the relationship between an aging divorce and an amusement park operator after their chance encounter at a singles disco. “With someone else in the central role, ‘Gloria’ might have been cloyingly sentimental or downright maudlin,” wrote Joe Morgenstern in his 2014 Wall St. Journal review. “With [Paulina García] on hand, it’s a mostly convincing celebration of unquenchable energy.”

The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2014)

Isao Takahata’s “The Tale of Princess Kaguya” tells the fable of a beautiful young woman who sends her suitors away on impossible tasks in hopes of avoiding a loveless marriage. In a 2015 review for Sight and Sound, Andrew Osmond wrote, “While the characters feel very simplified at times, there are scenes that put great weight on performance and subtle expressions, in a way that’s nearer to the classical Disney tradition than most Japanese animation.”

Seymour: An Introduction (2014)

Ethan Hawke’s documentary “Seymour: An Introduction” chronicles the life of Seymour Bernstein, a concert pianist who, at age 50, gave up performing to become an educator and composer. “Coming off of his superb one-two performances for Richard Linklater in ‘Before Midnight’ and ‘Boyhood,’ Hawke continues to work at a creative high level,” wrote Bruce Ingram in his 2015 review for the Chicago Sun-Times. “He demonstrates a rapport and openness with his subject that proves exceptionally affecting.”

Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (2014)

From directors Ronit and Shlomi Elkabetz, “Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem” follows an Israeli woman’s three-year battle to separate from her husband who refuses to dissolve their marriage. “Ultimately the movie is wearying, but then it’s likely supposed to be,” Tom Long wrote for Detroit News in 2015. “If Viviane’s going through the wringer, you’re going through the wringer too.”

One Cut of the Dead (2017)

Shin’ichirô Ueda’s “One Cut of the Dead” follows Director Higurashi and his crew who attempt to shoot a zombie movie at an abandoned WWII Japanese facility. Things go wrong when they realize they are being attacked by real zombies. In his 2019 Los Angeles Times review, Carlos Aguilar called the film, “A master class in endless narrative inventiveness and an ode to the resourceful and collaborative spirit of hands-on filmmaking, ‘One Cut of the Dead’ amounts to an explosively hilarious rarity.”

Leave No Trace (2018)

Debra Granik’s “Leave No Trace” follows a father and daughter hiding in the forests of Portland, Ore. When a misstep tips off their location to local authorities, they must escape and find a new place to call home. Peter Travers wrote in his 2018 Rolling Stone review, “Debra Granik’s drama about a damaged war vet (Ben Foster) living off the grid with his teen daughter, brilliantly played by breakout star Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, is hypnotic, haunting and one of the year’s best.”

Summer 1993 (2018)

Carla Simón’s “Summer 1993” is told through the eyes of six-year-old Frida, who watches in silence as her recently deceased mother’s last possessions are packed into boxes. “Some creatures are able to grow new limbs,” wrote Joe Morgenstern in his 2018 Wall Street Journal review. “Frida, given more than half a chance after demanding it, achieves something no less remarkable. She grows new joy and hope.”

Minding the Gap (2018)

“Minding the Gap” follows the relationship of three boys who use skateboarding as an outlet to escape their hardships at home. “The film captures more than a decade long documentary footage showcasing their friendship. In some documentaries, the filmmakers attempt to make themselves invisible. Despite Liu’s camera-shyness, he never pretends to be anything other than a part of the story, hitting his subjects with direct, deeply personal questions,” wrote Peter Debruge, who reviewed the film for Variety in 2018.

Honeyland (2019)

“Honeyland” is a Macedonian documentary film that was directed by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov. The movie follows a woman and her beekeeping traditions to cultivate honey in the mountains of North Macedonia. Guy Lodge from Variety describes “Honeyland” as it begins as a “calm, captured-in-amber character study, before stumbling upon another, more conflict-driven story altogether — as younger interlopers on the land threaten not just Hatidze’s solitude but her very livelihood with their newer, less nature-conscious farming methods,” he said.

Welcome to Chechnya (2020)

“Welcome to Chechnya” released in 2020, exposes Russian leader Ramzan Kadyrov and his government as they try to detain, torture and execute LGBTQ Chechens. “A vital, pulse-quickening new documentary from journalist-turned-filmmaker David France that urgently lifts the lid on one of the most horrifying humanitarian crises of present times: the state-sanctioned purge of LGBTQ people in the eponymous southern Russian republic,” wrote Guy Lodge from Variety in 2020.

Crip Camp (2020)

“Crip Camp” is based on Camp Jened, which was a summer camp for teens with disabilities in the ’70s that inspired real-life activism. The film eliminates stereotypes and challenges the way people think about disabilities. “It may be startling for those who haven’t spent time with people with cerebral palsy or polio to see how a paraplegic gets from his wheelchair into the pool,” wrote Peter Debruge for Variety in 2020. “On closer inspection, it becomes clear that these teenagers…are having the time of their lives.”

76 Days (2020)

“76 Days” is a documentary released on Netflix in 2020 that shows the struggles of medical professionals and patients in Wuhan, China dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. “As an artifact alone, the result is remarkable, capturing all the panic and pragmatism greeting a disaster before its entire global impact had been gauged, while strategies and protocols are adjusted on the hoof,” wrote Guy Lodge for Variety in 2020. “That it’s so artfully and elegantly observed, and packs such a candid wallop of feeling, atop its frontline urgency is testament to the grace and sensitivity of its directorial team, not just their timely savvy.”

His House (2020)

“His House” is a horror movie that initially released on Netflix and terrified audiences. The plot follows a refugee couple that try to create a new life for themselves in an English town by escaping South Sudan but find their new home is haunted. Jessica Kiang reviewed the film for Variety in 2020 and wrote “‘His House’ is at its most persuasively terrifying when it gets out of the house and into the existential terror of reality. Out there are aspects of the refugee experience that contain greater horrors and mortifications than all the blackening plaster, childish ghostly humming and skittering presences in the walls could ever hope to suggest.”

Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020)

“Quo Vadis, Aida?” documents the journey of Aida, a translator for the U.N. in Srebrenica interpreting the crime taking place when the Serbian army takes over the Bosnian town. “This is not historical revisionism, if anything, ‘Quo Vadis, Aida?’ works to un-revise history, re-centering the victims’ plight as the eye of a storm of evils — not only the massacre itself, but the broader evils of institutional failure and international indifference,” wrote Jessica Kiang, who reviewed the film in 2020 for Variety.

Hive (2021)

“Hive” tells the true story about a woman, Fahrije, who becomes an entrepreneur, after her husband goes missing during the Kosovo War. She sells her own red pepper ajvar and honey, and recruiting more women to join her. “Within the heavily patriarchal hierarchy of the country’s rural society, this places these maybe-widows in an impossible situation, especially when, like Fahrije, they have a family to care for,” writes Jessica Kiang for Variety . “They are expected to wait in continual expectation of their breadwinner-husbands’ return, subsisting on paltry welfare handouts, because to take a job or set up a business is looked on not only as a subversion of the natural order, but as a sign of disrespect to the husband and possibly loose morals.” 

Descendant (2022)

Netflix described its 2022 film, saying, “Descendants of the enslaved Africans on an illegal ship that arrived in Alabama in 1860 seek justice and healing when the craft’s remains are discovered.” “This past remains present, Brown shows, as activists explain how the land on which Africatown (formerly Magazine Point) was established once belonged to Meaher, who sold some of it to former slaves.,” wrote Peter Debruge for Variety . “Talk of racial injustice calls for nuance, and it’s impressive just how many facets of the conversation Brown is able to include in her film.”

20 Days in Mariupol (2023)

“20 Days in Mariupol” tells the story of a group of Ukrainian journalists who are trapped in Mariupol during the Russian invasion and struggle to continue documenting the war. The film is directed by Mstyslav Chernov, a Ukrainian director and it won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature Film in 2024. “Powerful as those glimpses were to international viewers, Chernov doesn’t spare his documentary more brutally sustained moments,” wrote Dennis Harvey for Variety . “There’s no political analysis or sermonizing here, just a punishingly up-close look at the toll of modern warfare on a population.”

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The Flawless Club: 20 Best Movies With a Perfect 100% Score on Rotten Tomatoes

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Since 1998, the website Rotten Tomatoes has been aggregating top critics' movie reviews and turning them into the Tomatometer, a score that reflects the percentage of critics who liked a given film and would recommend it. Only a select group of amazing films have ever achieved the top honor of Rotten Tomatoes: landing a perfect 100% on the Tomatometer.

From classics of silent cinema like Charles Chaplin 's The Kid to landmarks of the animation genre like Toy Story , the members of the flawless club of Rotten Tomatoes all have something special that makes them stand out as some of critics' favorite movies. Whether that's an innovative approach to the filmmaking process, a compelling story with fascinating characters, or a unique directorial vision gluing the whole thing together, these are must-see films with no equal.

20 'Tampopo' (1985)

Directed by jūzō itami.

Tampopo is a Japanese comedy film directed by Jūzō Itami that follows the titular protagonist, a young lady who dreams of owning the ultimate noodle store. Known as a parody of the spaghetti Western genre, the film depicts Tampopo's wacky experiences as she embarks on a mission to master the art of noodle-making and produce the perfect bowl of ramen.

Tampopo was a critical and commercial success in Japan, and later developed a surprising cult following outside the country over time. The film is recognized to this day for its seamless combination of humor, drama, and food-related themes , as well as its unique and eccentric characters. It's considered the first Ramen Western for its role in popularizing ramen and Japanese noodle culture in the West.

Watch on Max

19 'Grave of the Fireflies' (1988)

Directed by isao takahata.

One of the first films by the highly acclaimed Studio Ghibli, Grave of the Fireflies sees a teenager having to care for his little sister during WWII after a terrible bombing by the Allies destroys their house. The most harrowing war films are those that successfully depict war as an inescapable hellscape, and through the innocent perspective of two children, director Isao Takahata certainly succeeds in this respect.

This devastating film is often counted among the saddest movies ever made , and once the credits (and tears!) start rolling, it's not hard to see why. The relationship between the two main characters is incredibly moving, with an eventual conclusion that should leave no dry eyes in the house. The animation is a gorgeous accompaniment to the poignant story, and the ending packs an emotional punch whose heights not many films are able to achieve.

Grave of the Fireflies

Buy on Amazon

18 'Pinocchio' (1940)

Directed by norman ferguson, t. hee, wilfred jackson, jack kinney, bill roberts, hamilton luske, and ben sharpsteen.

Disney's Pinocchio is a 1940 animated musical fantasy film based on Carlo Collodi 's Italian children's story The Adventures of Pinocchio . The film depicts the tale of a wooden puppet who is brought to life and then led on a quest to become a real boy by his conscience, Jiminy Cricket — an actual talking cricket. This was only Disney's second feature, but it already felt like a product by the legendary childhood-defining studio that they would soon prove to be.

The movie's use of Technicolor, groundbreaking special effects, and unforgettable music contributed to Disney's position as an industry leader in animation. The film, one of the most rewatchable Disney classics , has been hailed as a timeless masterpiece by numerous critics for its touching plot, endearing characters, and beautiful animation. There are some films that just don't age, and this is one of them.

Watch on Disney+

17 'Tokyo Story' (1953)

Directed by yasujirō ozu.

Tokyo Story is a drama that follows Shukichi and Tomi Hirayama, an old couple who move from their tiny town to Tokyo to visit their children and grandkids. Their children are, unfortunately, too busy with their own lives to pay any attention to their parents, making the couple feel alienated and ignored. This is one of the best Japanese films of all time , well known for director Yasujirō Ozu 's unique minimalistic touch.

Tokyo Story is widely known as an international masterpiece. The film is worth seeing for its delicate and understated storytelling, complex and realistic depiction of family interactions, and stunning cinematography . It's also credited with helping to pioneer the "home drama" genre in Japanese cinema, which Ozu became known for, as well as inspiring a slew of other filmmakers and artists.

Tokyo Story

16 'one cut of the dead' (2017), directed by shin'ichirô ueda.

One Cut of the Dead is one of those movies that potential viewers need to go into as blind as possible in order to fully appreciate its brilliance. In broad terms, it's about a group of zombies attacking a film crew who are shooting a low-budget horror movie in an abandoned Japanese WWII facility. That's all anyone needs to know in order to soak in the film's myriad of twists and surprises.

One of Letterboxd's favorite zombie movies , One Cut of the Dead is clever in its satire, gory in its horror, and absolutely delightful in its bountiful excess of creativity and boldness. It was immediately praised by critics all across the board and said to be a revitalization of the zombie genre, bringing dynamism and originality to a genre that all to often falls into the same tropes and clichés.

One Cut of the Dead

Watch on Shudder

15 'It's Such a Beautiful Day' (2012)

Directed by don hertzfeldt.

A deeply moving collection of indie animation filmmaker Don Hertzfeldt 's short films, It's Such a Beautiful Day is one of the most emotionally powerful films of the 2010s, as well as one of the decade's best indies . It's the story of Bill, an anxious stickman struggling to put together his shattered psyche. Simultaneously heartbreaking and life-affirming, surreal and highly relatable, it's one of the most stunning animated movies ever made — and at only a little over an hour in length, it's a breeze to get through, too.

Don't be fooled by the animation's apparent simplicity: With inventive uses of color and a unique art style, Hertzfeldt provides some of the medium's most memorable shots . Critics evidently agreed with audiences that It's Such a Beautiful Day was perfect from start to finish, praising its philosophical depth, distinct sound design, engaging story, and ability to make the simple seem complex.

14 'The Philadelphia Story' (1940)

Directed by george cukor.

As far as Hollywood classics go, The Philadelphia Story is a must-see without equal. Gleefully romantic and wittily funny, it's an old rom-com about a rich woman who begins to learn certain truths about herself when her ex-husband and an attractive reporter turn up just before her planned remarriage. With a legendary trifecta comprised of Katherine Hepburn , Jimmy Stewart , and Cary Grant at the center, classic Hollywood rom-coms were rarely this fun and attractive.

According to critics on Rotten Tomatoes, The Philadelphia Story sees director George Cukor 's style at its most polished. With clever dialogue and smoldering performances by the star-studded cast, it's no wonder why this is considered a perfect film, a worthy classic, and one of Rotten Tomatoes' best movies .

The Philadelphia Story

Not available

13 'The Gold Rush' (1925)

Directed by charlie chaplin.

Charlie Chaplin is nothing short of the face of silent cinema, director, and star of the best silent comedies in history . The Gold Rush , the last movie Chaplin made before the advent of sound, is one of his funniest works. It's the tale of a prospector going to the Klondike in the 1890s during the Gold Rush, hoping to make the fortune that he's dreamed of for years. There, he's smitten by a girl he meets in the dance hall.

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes adore Chaplin, but The Gold Rush is one of their favorites of his. Calling it the first comedy epic, they bring attention to the impressively elaborate gags and the love-it-or-hate-it sentimentalism that characterizes Chaplin's work. This is one of those comedies that are hilarious from start to finish, without sacrificing its ability to tell an emotionally resonant love story.

The Gold Rush

12 'before sunrise' (1995), directed by richard linklater.

One of the highest-rated movie franchises on Rotten Tomatoes, Richard Linklater 's wonderful Before trilogy began with Before Sunrise , a romantic drama about a young American man and a young French woman who spend a day together in Vienna, talking about all sorts of topics and slowly falling in love. It's a dialogue-heavy romantic drama for sure, but those who enjoy these kinds of movies are bound to adore Before Sunrise .

Although it's especially enriched when considered as a package deal with its two sequels, Before Sunrise is in its own right an experience like no other . Gorgeously written and carried by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy 's magnetic performances, it's the perfect romantic movie for those who don't like the genre. Poetic and beautifully idealized, it's perhaps the film that best embodies the magic of young love.

Before Sunrise

11 'the kid' (1921).

Chaplin was one of the most important voices in early cinema, and some (including critics, apparently) say that Chaplin's funniest and best-made feature film was actually his first: The Kid , about a tramp who cares for a boy after he's abandoned as a newborn. Arguably the director's most melodramatic comedy, it's a magnificent introduction to the style that would go on to define him in the future.

Chaplin was a master of his craft, and it's abundantly clear in The Kid . His slapstick comedy is polished, idiosyncratic, and absolutely gut-busting . Couple this with a beautifully poignant story about fatherhood, and one gets one of the most emotionally moving films of the 1920s, which is hilarious and all-around perfect from start to finish .

10 'M' (1931)

Directed by fritz lang.

Legendary Austrian director Fritz Lang 's German masterpiece M is a crime thriller about a children-hunting serial killer who suddenly becomes the focus of a massive Berlin police manhunt. One of the best German Expressionist films , led by a riveting turn from Peter Lorre , it's quite surprising how often M is still praised as one of the most groundbreaking mystery thrillers ever made.

The importance of German cinema to the evolution of the art form cannot be overlooked, with German Expressionism being one of the film movements that completely revolutionized cinema. M is one of the most influential films to ever come out of the country . It's a magnificently-made precursor to the noir and thriller genres, with phenomenal directing and performances.

9 'Toy Story 2' (1999)

Directed by john lasseter.

What's even better than an entertaining, groundbreaking animated family comedy? A sequel that somehow manages to be very bit as good – or even, depending on who you ask, surpass it. According to many (including most critics), Toy Story 2 is one of the greatest animated sequels of all time, where Andy's toys set off to rescue Woody from a greedy collector who has toynapped him.

Gorgeously animated and surprisingly ambitious in its incredibly fun storytelling , the film still stands as one of Pixar's most delightful efforts . If the first installment was the one that originated computer-generated animation, the second one was the one that pushed it to the forefront, which makes it no surprise that it's considered one of the few flawless movies that have ever been made.

Toy Story 2

8 'the tale of the princess kaguya' (2013).

Directed by Isao Takahata and produced by Studio Ghibli, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is an incredible animated fantasy film based on the Japanese folktale "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter." It depicts a bamboo cutter and his wife discovering a small princess within a bamboo stalk, who they then adopt and raise as their own beloved child.

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was well-received for its gorgeous hand-drawn animation, compelling storytelling and themes of love, grief, and the concept of identity. The film is a brilliant and emotionally impactful work of animation that ranks among Studio Ghibli's greatest movies . It's a stunning and heartbreaking homage to the craft of hand-drawn animation, as well as a timeless classic that addresses universal topics with depth and empathy.

7 'The Terminator' (1984)

Directed by james cameron.

Unsurprisingly one of Rotten Tomatoes' top movies, director James Cameron 's The Terminator is a sci-fi film that needs no introduction. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger , the story is set in a dystopian future where humanity is on the verge of extinction as a result of a nuclear war. In order to secure the human race's survival, a group of rebels sends a soldier back in time to safeguard a young woman who will give birth to the leader of the human resistance.

The film received critical acclaim for its intense R-rated action , creative special effects, and unforgettable performances. The Terminator has had a broad impact, including catapulting Cameron and Schwarzenegger's careers as prominent players in the industry . The film's distinct aesthetic and famous iconography have left an indelible mark on popular culture and have been referenced and parodied in a slew of other films and television series.

The Terminator

6 'toy story' (1995).

Pixar's Toy Story , about two toys who have to learn to put aside their differences in order to return to their owner, was the first entirely computer-animated feature film, and it lives up to that achievement. The world feels vivid and lived-in, the characters are all colorful and engaging, and the story is simple yet full of emotion and excitement for kids and adults alike.

The effort put into this movie is noticeable and an absolute delight. The script is earnest and creative, making the breezy 80 minutes of the movie's runtime fly right by as audiences are delighted by the endearing and delightful story. It was an outstanding achievement back then and still feels equally amazing today . It was the studio's first feature film, and it still remains one of their best.

5 'Singin' in the Rain' (1952)

Directed by gene kelly and stanley donen.

Watching Singin' in the Rain is like having a bowl of warm, delicious soup on a gloomy and rainy day. It's a delightfully fun musical about a Hollywood silent film production company that makes a difficult transition to sound, full of iconic musical numbers and laugh-out-loud funny scenes. It's one of the best movies about Classical Hollywood , depicting all the period's many idiosyncrasies with charm, humor, and iconic music.

It's next to impossible to not enjoy this movie. The song-and-dance numbers are boisterous; the performances are both hilarious and endearing ; and although it's simple, the story is so enjoyable, joyous, and sweet that it makes it easy to decipher why this is such a widely beloved film. Critics love it, proving that super-complex narratives aren't required to make an exceptional movie.

Singin' in the Rain

4 'seven samurai' (1954), directed by akira kurosawa.

One of the most commonly imitated stories in cinema is that of Seven Samurai , Akira Kurosawa 's ultimate masterpiece about a team of samurai who aid a small village by protecting them from vicious bandits. Even those who have never seen the movie are most likely familiar with stories that pay homage to it, such as films like The Magnificent Seven and episodes of shows like Star Wars: The Clone Wars .

With Kurosawa's elegant directing, an incredibly dedicated cast, and an ensemble of vibrant and memorable characters , Seven Samurai makes sure that audiences' eyes are glued to the screen throughout every second of the 3-and-a-half-hour runtime. Action epics are definitely not as common today as they were back in the day, but with masterpieces like this one already out there, who needs new ones?

Seven Samurai

3 'fanny and alexander' (1982), directed by ingmar bergman.

Ingmar Bergman is, simply put, the face of Swedish cinema. Truly, rarely has the Seventh Art been graced with filmmakers as naturally talented and fascinating as Bergman. Fanny and Alexander is one of his best films, an over-three-hour-long family drama mixed with slight elements of fantasy about two young Swedish children in the 1990s, experiencing the many comedies and tragedies of their quasi-theatrical lives.

Critics were impressed with Bergman's work more often than not, but their love for Fanny and Alexander is special even then . Calling it one of the best foreign arthouse films of all time , they praised it for Bergman's unique perspective on childhood innocence and the unique way in which he depicted his filmography's typical thematic concerns.

Fanny and Alexander

2 'stalker' (1979), directed by andrei tarkovsky.

In this Soviet sci-fi masterpiece, there is a city called the Zone where the laws of physics are victim to frequent anomalies. A guide takes two men into the Zone, to a place called the Room that can grant visitors their innermost desire. Atmospheric and poetic, this is certainly not your typical sci-fi film. Spaceships and loud action sequences are nowhere to be found. Instead, this is a movie all about its introspective themes and intriguing characters.

Stalker happens to be the most acclaimed film of Andrei Tarkovsky 's flawless career, and even if it isn't his most accessible, it definitely deserves the title. Its visuals are mystifying and enveloping, its story is fascinating, and like all of Tarkovsky's movies , it contains a myriad of profound and philosophical themes to meditate on once the credits roll.

1 '12 Angry Men' (1957)

Directed by sidney lumet.

12 Angry Men lasts a little over 97 minutes, is relatively simple, and takes place almost entirely in a single location. Yet this Sidney Lumet masterpiece about a juror trying to convince his peers of a young man's innocence is one of the most thematically sprawling and narratively rich films ever, sensitively portraying themes and messages that are just as important today as they were in the '50s.

The story is riveting, the characters are compelling, and the themes are thought-provoking. 12 Angry Men magnificently explores the human spirit in unparalleled ways , with excellent directing and flawless writing. It's no wonder why many call it the greatest courtroom drama ever made : Concise and potent, it's a masterclass in filmmaking the way they don't make them anymore.

Watch on Amazon Prime

NEXT: Nearly Perfect Movies With a 99% Score on Rotten Tomatoes

23 highest-rated Netflix movies that are 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes

These Netflix movies are required viewing

Let’s be frank, Netflix movies don’t have the best reputation , especially the Netflix Originals. That little red “N” logo on a movie poster is often less of a seal of approval, and has become a warning to skip rather than stream. That doesn’t mean the streamer never gets it right. In fact, there are plenty of Netflix movies that aren’t just good, but downright great — a few are legit masterpieces. And, of course, Netflix's movies aren't just limited to those it produces, as we've just added two critically-acclaimed titles it licensed in.

Here at Tom’s Guide, putting together a list of our favorite Netflix movies involves days of debate — as our staffers disagree on many picks. And while we relish those polite arguments, sometimes it’s good to look at the bigger picture. In this case, that means taking a look at review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes , which offers a broad critical consensus that helps provide insight to help us pick the Netflix movies that truly deserve top billing. 

Once you're done with this list, though, peep the list of new Netflix movies in 2023 to see what's on deck and see what new Netflix titles to watch this weekend. As for what Netflix has just added, we've got the latest batch of the best new Netflix movies that are 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes based on February additions.

Now we’re not suggesting these are the only Netflix movies worth watching. For starters, I think crime thriller Windfall is hugely underrated (and it scored only 59% on RT). However, if you’re looking for something new to watch on Netflix you really can’t go wrong with any of these 23 options. So without any more preamble, these are the highest-rated Netflix movies with a high Rotten Tomatoes score that you watch right now.  

Call Me by Your Name (2002)

While not a Netflix Original (which means it's not likely to stay here forever), Call Me by Your Name a fantastic and critically acclaimed film that just recently returned to Netflix. Call Me By Your name was also the big break for director Luca Guadagnino, who's gone on to make similarly complexed and nuanced films.

Call Me by Your Name gives audiences the vantage point of young 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet), who is as inexperienced as he is pretentious. On vacation with his family in Italy — while his father (Michael Stuhlbarg) is working on his academic studies — Elio meets Oliver (Armie Hammer), a 24-year-old interning with Elio's father.

While Elio and Oliver don't click at first, they soon actually find a spark. Unfortunately, it doesn't end as well as both parties would prefer. – Henry T. Casey

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Genre: Romantic drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 94% Stream it on Netflix

The Woman King (2022)

The Woman King is based on the impressive and intimidating all-women army of the Agojie tribe, from the Dahomey Kingdom in West Africa. This film sees General Nanisca (Viola Davis) working both to prepare her new class of warriors to protect the region from colonizers, and disagreeing with King Ghezo (John Boyega).

We should note that The Woman King got hit with a boycott, with some arguing it glosses over the Dahomey Kingdom's involvement in the slave trade. That said, if you're going into The Woman King for a film that's less of a historical document than a feel-good action movie with some basis in reality, you'll be entertained. Davis and Boyega may be the stars, but Lashana Lynch and Thuso Mbedu earned critical applause for their supporting roles. – Henry T. Casey

Genre: Action/Drama Rotten Tomatoes: 94% Watch on Netflix right now

 Marriage Story (2019)

Inspired by the breakup of his own marriage, director/writer Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story is sort of like Kramer vs Kramer for the modern age. Carried by towering leading performances from Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, this emotionally charged film follows a theater director and his leading lady as their relationship dissolves. The filmmaking on display is excellent throughout, but it’s the nearly flawless screenplay that holds the whole picture together. – Rory Mellon

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 95% Stream it on Netflix

Da 5 Bloods (2020)

Spike Lee doesn’t do half-measures, and he goes all in on Da 5 Bloods. The film focuses on a group of Vietnam vets who return to the country in search of the remains of their fallen squad leader. The central foursome — Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters and Norm Lewis — are excellent, as is the late Chadwick Boseman as the leader of the Bloods in several flashback sequences. Commenting on both the past and the present, Da 5 Bloods is a gripping post-war movie that will have you laughing and crying throughout its lengthy 156 minute runtime. – RM Genre: War Rotten Tomatoes score: 92% Stream it on Netflix

The Irishman (2019)

Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman spent years in development hell and at one point it looked as if the project was destined to never see the light of day. Thankfully all that waiting, and perseverance from the famed director, was worth it. It may be almost three and a half hours long but The Irishman holds your attention throughout. Reuniting Scorsese with Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, The Irishman tells the tale of a truck driver turned mobster with focus on his swift rise and inevitable fall. Although the digital de-aging tech is a mixed bag, it’s a gangster movie that hits hard.  – RM

Genre: Crime Rotten Tomaotes score: 95% Stream on Netflix

 Roma (2018)

A passion project for director Alfonso Cuarón, Roma is a semi-autobiographical recount of his own upbringing in Mexico City.  Cuarón rightly won Best Director at the Academy Awards for this deeply personal film about family, loss and growing up. Actress Yalitza Aparicio is truly phenomenal as Cleo, a maid helping a mother take care of her four children in the 1970s. If one film on this list is going to make you tear up, it’ll almost certainly be Roma.  – RM

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 96% Stream it on Netflix

The Two Popes (2019)

Based on true events, The Two Popes is a real actors movie giving legends of the screen Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce the chance to shine. The film sees Hopkin’s play Pope Benedict XVI as he seeks to convince Jorge Mario Bergoglio (who is now the serving Pope) to reconsider his decision to resign as an archbishop. It might not sound the most thrilling concept on paper, but the interplay between Hopkin and Pryce keeps the film comfortably ticking along across its entire two-hour runtime. – RM

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 90% Stream on Netflix

Beasts of No Nation (2015)

One of the first Netflix Original movies to make waves on the awards circuit, Beasts of No Nation sees Idris Elba play a fierce African warlord who takes in a young boy named Agu (Abraham Attah) in order to train him to fight in his guerrilla army. Director Cary Joji Fukunaga has since gone on to helm Daniel Craig’s last Bond outing, No Time to Die, and directed and produced the first season of HBO’s True Detective, but Beasts of No Nation arguably remains his best work.    – RM

Genre: War Rotten Tomatoes score: 91% Stream on Netflix

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)

We definitely didn’t need a follow-up to Breaking Bad in the form of a feature-length movie, but El Camino proved there was another story worth telling in this universe. Serving as an epilogue to the original series, El Camino follows Jesse Pinkman as he seeks to evade the cops and leave New Mexico behind forever. The film’s narrative does spin its wheels a little, but the strength of the performances from Aaron Paul and Jesse Plemons are once again top-notch. And necessary or not, it’s nice to get some closure after Breaking Bad’s slightly ambiguous ending.  – RM

Genre: Thriller Rotten Tomatoes score: 92% Stream it on Netflix

Dolemite is My Name (2019)  

Dolemite is My Name sees Eddie Murphy play Rudy Ray Moore, the larger-than-life performer better known under his stage name, you guessed it, Dolemite. Murphy completely loses himself in the role and was rightly nominated for a Golden Globe for his work. The film’s unique comedy styling also helps set it apart. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself needing to pause Dolemite is My Name in order to compose yourself after some of its best gags.  – RM

Genre: Comedy Rotten Tomatoes score: 97% Stream it on Netflix

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

Did we need another feature-film adaptation of the 1929 novel All Quiet on the Western Front? Probably not, the 1930 Best Picture-winning original is still a hugely powerful watch. Netflix’s effort from last year just about stands shoulder to shoulder with the older versions of this film. The movie follows an idealistic 17-year-old named Paul who enlists in the Imperial German Army during the First World War. His head stuffed full of propaganda and believing he's set to become a war hero, the brutal realities of the harrowing conflict soon rock the schoolboy to his core. This staunchly anti-war picture is a hard watch, but it’s also a timely reminder that in war there are no real winners.   – RM

Genre: War Rotten Tomatoes score: 91% Stream it on Netflix

Uncorked (2020)

Strained family relationships are something that many of us can relate to, and it’s those dynamics that Uncorked plays with. Mamoudou Athie plays Elijah, a wannabe sommelier struggling to deal with the expectations of his demanding father (Courtney B. Vance) who insists that Elijah will take over the family barbecue business. A deeply tender film about personal aspirations and growing into the person you want to be, much like a fine wine, Uncorked should be savored.  – RM

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 92% Stream it on Netflix

Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (2020)

Crip Camp is a Netflix documentary film that focuses on a summer camp in New York named Camp Jened. Described as a “loose, free-spirited camp designed for teens with disabilities,” the film focuses on the loveable cast of campers and their fight for stronger accessibility laws. Regardless of whether you’ve been to summer camp or not, Crip Camp is sure to strike a chord with you. And frankly there’s something refreshing about a Netflix doc that isn’t in the true crime genre.   – RM   

Genre: Documentary Rotten Tomatoes score: 100% Stream it on Netflix

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

While some of the best Netflix movies are prestigious dramas, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is one of the best Netflix movies in ages and also very easy to watch. Almost akin to a bag of chips you can't stop eating, Glass Onion is a very fun watch. In it, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is back with another mystery on his hands, but not the one he or you will expect. The mystery unravels in an incredibly modern situation — tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) has invited his merry band of influencers to a private island — and riffs on most aspects of modern culture. Kate Hudson (who plays the dim-witted Birdie) gets most of the best lines, which she delivers with a perfect lack of awareness. – Henry T. Casey

Genre: Comedy/Mystery Rotten Tomatoes score: 92% Watch it on Netflix

Descendant (2022)

While many an education included a history lesson or few on the slave trade, the story of Africatown is one that's gone under the radar for many. This region (found near Mobile, Alabama) is finally getting its spotlight thanks to director Margaret Brown's film Descendant. In it, the descendants of those aboard the last known ship to smuggle stolen Africans to America finally get the chance to tell their own story. An engrossing film that reminds us all of the need to pass down truths that haven't been told to a wider audience, Descendant is a must-see. – HTC

Genre: Documentary Rotten Tomatoes score: 100% S tream it on Netflix

The Lost Daughter (2021)

Helmed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, in her feature film directional debut, The Lost Daughter follows an older woman (Olivia Coleman) who becomes obsessed with a young mother (Dakota Johnson) and her daughter while holidaying alone. Coleman is truly phenomenal in the leading role and rightfully received a wave of awards nominations for her performance. But it should be noted that The Lost Daughter is actually a fairly divisive movie. While its RT score from critics is almost perfect, its audience rating is far less impressive at just 52%. So be mindful, this ambitious flick won’t be to everybody’s tastes. – RM

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 94% Stream it on Netflix

Mudbound (2017)

Set in the American South during World War II, Mudbound is a story of two families made enemies by the social hierarchy of the times but bonded together by shared farmland in the Mississippi Delta. Packing an ensemble cast that includes Carey Mulligan, Rob Morgan, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Clarke, Jonathan Banks and Mary J. Blige, Mudbound boasts tour-de-force performances all over the place. But it’s the emotionally devastating ending that will truly stick with you. One of the earliest examples of a Netflix Original movie that really made waves. – RM

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 97% Stream it on Netflix

The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)

Considering its produced by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who also worked on Spider-Man : into the Spider-verse and The Lego Movie, it should come as little surprise to learn that The Mitchells vs. the Machines is a delightfully fresh animated movie. Focused on the eponymous family, the zany flick sees the Mitchell's road trip vacation disrupted when the world's electronic devices come together to stage an uprising. It's now down to the bumbling family foursome (and their beloved pet pooch) to save the world. We're doomed!  – RM

Genre: Animation Rotten Tomatoes: 97% Stream it on Netflix

The Tinder Swindler (2022)

Netflix offered a tidal wave of true crime in 2022, and one of the streamer's most popular documentary offerings of last year was undoubtedly The Tinder Swindler. Centred on the exploits of conman Simon Leviev, it showcased how he was able to use the popular dating application to connect with various individuals across the world and manipulate them into supporting his lavish lifestyle. The Tinder Swindler is the perfect blend of shocking and compelling, and it's all packaged together with highly polished production values. After watching this feature-length true crime doc you just might find yourself deleting all your dating profiles. – RM

Genre: Documentary Rotten Tomatoes: 97% Stream it on Netflix

Hustle (2022)

Adam Sandler doesn't just make movies for Netflix that involve copious amounts of fart jokes. Hustle is a sports drama movie that sees Sandler play an NBA scout who discovers a raw but very talented basketball player in Spain (Juancho Hernangómez) and sets out to prepare him for that season's NBA draft. It's an against-type performance from Sandler that earned him his first Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, and a well-time reminder that while he may often plight his trade in toilet humor he's actually a very talented drama actor as well. – RM 

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes: 93% Stream it on Netflix

Matilda the Musical (2022)

Based on the Tony-award-winning stage production of the same name, Matilda the Musical is an all-singing all-dancing retelling of the beloved Roald Dahl book. It sees Alisha Weir play the eponymous young child who is neglected by her parents and mistreated at school by the sinister Miss Trunchbull (Emma Thompson) but develops magical powers that help her overcome the obstacles in her life. With new songs written by original composer Tim Minchin, Matilda the Musical is sure to be a family favorite for years to come. – RM

Genre: Musical Rotten Tomatoes: 92% Stream it on Netflix

 Enola Holmes (2020)

Enola Holmes follows the teenage sister of world-famous detective Sherlock Holmes as she attempts to strike out on her own and prove herself equally adept at solving mysteries. But what starts out as a search for her missing mother soon becomes a whole lot bigger as a plot that threatens the entire United Kingdom comes to light. Millie Bobby Brown, most well-known for her role in Stranger Things, stars in the eponymous role while Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin and Helena Bonham Carter also feature. Plus, if you enjoy this zippy mystery film, it's now part of a franchise. Enola Holmes 2 was released on Netflix last year and pulled an even more impressive 94% on Rotten Tomatoes . – RM

Genre: Adventure Rotten Tomatoes: 91% Stream it on Netflix

Miss Americana (2020)

Taylor Swift continues to be one of the biggest stars in the world, and this 2020 documentary offers an exclusive sneak peek behind the scenes at her life. It primarily covers a tumultuous period of Swift’s career that saw her struggle against a sizeable social media backlash as well as voice her political opinions in public for the first time. There’s also a smattering of behind-the-scenes concert footage from Swift’s 2018 Reputation Stadium tour, and plenty of insight into the recording of her seventh studio album Lover. One of Netflix’s best biographical docs to date, this slickly-presented film just might convert you to a Swiftie, if you're not one already! – RM

Genre: Documentary Rotten Tomatoes: 92% Stream it on Netflix

Read next: I canceled Netflix for these three streaming services

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team. 

• Henry T. Casey Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

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You should ignore film ratings on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes

Picking a film to watch is an emotional rollercoaster. First, you have to deal with the crushing knowledge that none of your streaming services of choice actually have the film you want to watch. Then you narrow the field down to three films that you never really intended to watch but are the only half-decent options available.

At this point, paralysed by the thought of making the wrong decisions in life, you will Google the ratings of these films to find out if they’re worth your time. Three hours later – unable to make a decision because of the conflicting information – you realise that it’s too late to start watching a film now anyway and settle down to watch old episodes of Parks and Rec .

But why do the big film-ranking sites come up with such radically different options? Is The Wizard of Oz really best film of all time, or is it The Shawshank Redemption ? Why does Metacritic think that Ratatouille is the twenty-third best film in the history of cinema?

To answer all these questions, let’s take a look at how the three biggest film-ranking sites come up with their ratings, and why you should ignore them all.

Movie-rating: the methodology

On IMDb, all films are given an overall rating out of ten. In a roundabout way, these ratings are derived from votes submitted by IMDb users, not movie critics.

All registered IMDb users can submit a single rating – a number between one and ten – for any film on the website. These votes are then re-jigged so that certain demographics (newly-registered users, for example) don’t disproportionately influence the overall ranking of the film. IMDb doesn’t disclose how it re-jigs these votes, but what does mean is that a film’s ranking is not quite an overall average of all its user scores, but it’s probably quite close.

Read more: 52 of the best films on Netflix UK this week

Just to be extra helpful, IMDb’s Top 250 films are ranked in a slightly different way. Only votes from ‘regular IMDb voters’ are used to make up these rankings. Helpfully, IMDb doesn’t say what makes someone a regular IMDb voter.

In short: IMDb ratings are based on the votes of the website’s users, with a little bit of mathematical re-jigging to stop certain groups disproportionately influencing the vote.

This all sounds very egalitarian, but as we’ll see, most IMDb voters are male, which seems to skew the rankings in favour of films that are aimed more towards men.

****: 1. The Shawshank Redemption

****: 2. The Godfather

****: 3. The Godfather: Part II

****: 4. The Dark Knight

****: 5. 12 Angry Men

****: 6. Schindler's List

****: 7. Pulp Fiction

****: 8. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

****: 9. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

****: 10. Fight Club

Rotten Tomatoes gives films a score out of 100 based on the averaged reviews of professional film critics. If a film gets a rating of 60 or more it gets a ‘fresh’ red tomato on the site. Less than 60 and it gets a rotten tomato. The best films are picked out for a ‘certified fresh’ rating, which usually means the film has at least 80 critical reviews and a rating of 75 or more. The website also separately ranks film by user scores, but let’s not get distracted by that here.

For its main rankings, Rotten Tomatoes only takes into account reviews from approved critics and approved publications. To rank as an approved critic , you have to write for a large or well-regarded website, magazine or newspaper.

But just to make things a little more complicated, Rotten Tomatoes also weights its rankings depending on how many reviews a film has. That’s why The Wizard of Oz with an average score of 99 from 111 reviews beats Citizen Kane , which an average score of 100 from 75 reviews, to the top spot.

In short: Rotten Tomatoes ranks selected critics' reviews, and tweaks the rankings to favour films with a large number of positive reviews,

And you guessed it. Most of rotten Tomatoes’ selected critics are men.

****: 1. The Wizard of Oz

****: 2. Citizen Kane

****: 3. The Third Man

****: 4. Get Out

****: 5. Mad Max: Fury Road

****: 6. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari)

****: 7. All About Eve

****: 8. Inside Out

****: 9. Metropolis

****: 10. The Godfather

Metacritic also gives films a score out of 100, based on published critics’ reviews. The site converts letter or number scores from reviews into a score out of 100 and then weights those scores so that some reviews influence the score a little more than others do.

The website doesn’t publish a list of its featured critics, but you can see the list of which publications it aggregates scores from here . This list of publications is updated on a regular basis, but Metacritic doesn’t say why it picks some websites and ignores others.

Read more: 40 of the best documentaries you need to watch

Unlike Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic seems to calculate its ranks based on fairly small numbers of critics’ reviews, so they are more subject to strange fluctuations in the rankings.

In short: Metacritic works a bit like Rotten Tomatoes, but with fewer reviews.

Metacritic seems to place a bit more emphasis on publishers rather than critics, so it’s hard to get an idea what the gender balance of reviewers is. Its top-ranking film – Citizen Kane – is based on reviews from only two women and ten men, though.

****: 1. Citizen Kane

****: 3. Casablanca

****: 4. Boyhood

****: 5. Three Colors: Red

****: 6. Singin' in the Rain

****: 7. Moonlight

****: 8. Pan's Labyrinth

****: 9. Hoop Dreams

****: 10. My Left Foot

Why you should ignore all movie-ranking sites

Don’t be tricked into thinking that movie-ranking sites give some kind of objective rating on how good a film is. All three of the above sites are skewed pretty heavily towards the opinions of men.

Take IMDb’s top-ranked film for example – The Shawshank Redemption . Its score of 9.3 is based on the votes of around 1.86 million IMDb users . 1.2 million of those votes came from men. IMDb does tweak its rankings to lessen the influence of particular demographics, but men often make up over 70 per cent of the voters for any film.

And it turns out that men tend to look much more favourably on films with more masculine themes, or male leading actors.

A look at the ratings for Sex and the City demonstrates how divided the voting audience on IMDb is. Over 29,000 men gave the film an average rating of 5.8, while 43,000 women came up with a score of 8.1. A straight-up averaging of the scores gives it a ranking of 7.4, but IMDb’s maths leaves it with a final score of 7.

IMDb breaks down the voting demographics for all of its films. Take a flick through them and you’ll see that men consistently rank masculine films higher than films that feature female leads or more traditionally female themes.

Rotten Tomatoes doesn’t come off much better. In 2015, Meryl Streep attacked the website for featuring way more male critics. Back then, there were 168 female critics on the websites’ approved list, and 760 men. A 2016 study from San Diego State University found that only 27 per cent of ‘top critics’ on the site were women.

There aren’t comprehensive breakdowns for the gender balance on Metacritic, but since it shares many of the same sources at Rotten Tomatoes, it’s likely that the website suffers from a similar degree of bias.

Just pick a film already

If you came here hoping for a verdict on which site should reign supreme in the movie-ranking stakes, then you must be bitterly disappointed. Really, it boils down to this: if you want to know which movies men on the internet tend to like, look on IMDb. If you’re looking for critics’ favourites, go for Rotten Tomatoes. If you want a slightly worse version of Rotten Tomatoes, opt for Metacritic.

Or just watch Inside Out now because it’s lovely and heartwarming and you are clearly incapable of making a decision independently.

This article was originally published by WIRED UK

The Best Rated Movies On Rotten Tomatoes In 2021

Your hunt for the perfect movie can be daunting when the industry is churning out enough to entertain the masses for millennia. The beginning of 2021 saw the film industry boomerang back to life as vaccines began rolling out and the pandemic eased up. Many major players have jumped into the streaming battlefield, using everything they've got to draw your eyes to their platform. Your time is valuable, though, and choosing how to spend your next 120 minutes is not a question to take lightly. Luckily, we're here to help you decide.

Everyone's tastes vary, but Rotten Tomatoes has proven to be a valuable resource in gauging general public opinion. The almighty Tomatometer helps you pick choice films, letting all the rotten debris fall to the wayside. The result is a delectable array of award-winning films to choose from. 

As of the writing of this article, these are the highest rated movies on Rotten Tomatoes in 2021.

Currently sitting at the top of many 2021 lists is the beautifully assembled Nomadland . The film is helmed by one of Hollywood's finest actors, Frances McDormand , and directed by Chloé Zhao (who is also directing the upcoming Marvel project  Eternals ). For those of us who felt adrift for much of 2020, Nomadland will resonate with its spirit of perseverance. 

It tells the story of Fern (McDormand), a Nebraska woman who loses her job in 2011 when her town's factory shuts down. Still mourning her deceased and much-beloved husband, Fern decides to sell most of her possessions and live out of a van, engaging in a nomadic lifestyle while hunting for work.

Frances McDormand has been receiving incredible reviews for her performance and Rotten Tomatoes has Nomadland sitting at a nice, ripe critic score of 94% — with audience reviews following closely behind. Brian Tallerico over at RogerEbert.com mirrored our opinion on this movie best when he stated, "It is a gorgeous film that's alternately dreamlike in the way it captures the beauty of this country and grounded in its story about the kind of person we don't usually see in movies. I love everything about it."

Judas and the Black Messiah

One of the most talked-about films of 2021 has been Judas and the Black Messiah . The Tomatometer has the movie sporting a healthy 96% among critics and 95% among audiences. It was also nominated for six Oscars , including a best picture nod and acting nominations for Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield (both of Get Out fame) — who both prove why they are still hot commodities in Hollywood. It's unlikely any other film this year will be as crucial viewing as the true story told here with skillful filmmaking.

Set in the late 1960s,  Judas and the Black Messiah  dives into the story of the leader of the Black Panther Party , Fred Hampton (Kaluuya), and his subsequent murder at the hands of police. Stanfield plays William O'Neal, a small-time criminal picked up by the FBI and given a plea deal in exchange for infiltrating the Black Panthers. LaKeith Stanfield helps you connect with the antagonist in this story of betrayal. The subject matter is crucial viewing. Michael Phillips of The Chicago Tribune  notes, "It's a real movie, for one thing — brash, narratively risky, full of life and sneaky wit (even if the dominant tone is one of foreboding) and brimming with terrific actors."

The Father, which premiered at Sundance in 2020 but had its release delayed until early 2021, is a deep dive into the unraveling mind of a dementia patient. Anthony Hopkins plays a man named, well, Anthony. He is living with his daughter (the ever-excellent Olivia Colman) and keeps berating the caretakers she hires. All the characters in his life begin to blur together and large memory gaps leave him scared and confused. The Father is almost a horror thriller with the way it presents the nightmare that is Alzheimer's disease . We couldn't handle more emotion if we tried.

"Deeply sympathetic but never patronizing, The Father is a gentle-handed yet powerful film that forces us through Hopkins's extraordinary performance to have an albeit fleeting window into what living with dementia could be like," Alexandra Heller-Nicholas of ABC Radio states. Other critics and audience members agree. Rotten Tomatoes has The Father at a 98% score , and audiences agree. It may be a challenging movie, but it's worth the journey. Hopkin's acting prowess, which hasn't waned much over the decades, is a marvel.

Raya and the Last Dragon

Want cheerier fare for the whole family? For a movie you can watch with any age group, look no further than Raya and the Last Dragon .

Leave it to Disney to once again deliver the goods in a competitive movie landscape. While Raya and the Last Dragon may not have any major, earth-shattering plot twists, it makes up for it with mesmerizing imagery and wholesome storytelling. The film is certified fresh for a score of 94% — no easy feat in the animated storytelling battlefield. "The story, the dialogue, the voicework, and animation are all of the highest caliber. "Not only are the visuals imaginative and gorgeous, but there are life lessons to be learned about trust and selflessness and taking chances," according to Diane Pershing of The Malibu Times .

Raya and The Last Dragon tells the story of (you guessed it) Raya, the daughter of the chief of the Heart Tribe. Their land is split into five villages, which quarrel with each other over a magical orb that defeated a powerful enemy called the Druun 500 years earlier. The orb is powered by dragons , but unfortunately, all but one were slain while fighting against the Druun in their previous conflict. Eventually, each village takes pieces of the orbs for themselves. This reawakens the evil spirits, who turn people to stone. Raya must journey to find the last living dragon. 

If you want to learn more about the troubling racial inequality of the past and how it echoes through current times, watch  MLK/FBI . It's an incredible documentary to dive into. Reviews across Rotten Tomatoes have given Sam Pollard's  MLK/FBI  a 99% rating and a Certified Fresh label. "What are we going to do with the material itself? It's a question whose answers remain to be seen. The accomplishment of Pollard's documentary is that it so capably and persuasively prepares us to ask it," K. Austin Collins of Rolling Stone declares of the film. 

This documentary mostly consists of archival footage of Martin Luther King Jr. 's time as a civil rights activist, presented chronologically and leading up to his assassination. MLK/FBI , as the title nods towards, centers largely on the FBI's attempts to discredit MLK — for example, surveilling his infidelity and weaponizing recordings from his tapped phone conversations. It becomes apparent that J. Edgar Hoover was relentless in his desire to paint Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. as a villain.  MLK/FBI doesn't feature any bombshell revelatory information, but it assembles what we do know in an extremely informative way. The documentary fans any flames simmering underneath the questions we should still be asking today, all these years later.

Summer of Soul

In the summer of 1969, there was a festival that rivaled any before it. No, not Woodstock: 100 miles away, the Harlem Cultural Festival took place, with over 300,000 people in attendance. The festival lasted for six weeks and there was a hearty amount of footage shot covering the events. Unfortunately, that footage was placed in a basement and forgotten for almost 50 years. Director Ahmir Khalib Thompson (known professionally as Questlove ) assembled the footage expertly in the documentary Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) . A fantastic feat, considering the circumstances. Selome Hailu of The Austin Chronicle paints a clearer picture of the achievement by stating, "The footage was shot by producer Hal Tulchin and amassed to about 40 hours in total, but sat dormant for decades... So by resurrecting the event, Questlove has made space for neglected memories."

This lively documentary has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and nary a backhanded compliment amongst a long list of positive reviews. For an event featuring the likes of Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight, with an insane amount of people in attendance, the Harlem Cultural Festival remained a rather obscure moment in history. Summer of Soul takes care to examine the reasoning behind that fact. The documentary is laced with revealing interviews that push the soul of the film into the forefront. Summer of Soul is a wonderful watch for both history and music fans alike.

Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry

If you are reading this wondering who Billie Eilish is, then we have to inquire as to what dark hole you've been hiding in. The young breakout star has been dominating the music industry since she released her song "Ocean Eyes" on SoundCloud, which is where this documentary begins. Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry covers the young singer on the road and reveals intimate details about her life and songwriting process. Most of the footage is from 2018, when Eilish was only 17 years old and already a music mega-star.

Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry was released on Apple TV+ on Feb. 21, 2021, and the documentary's reception has been nothing short of amazing. According to Alexis Nedd at Mashable, it "offers a glimmer of hope in the alluring darkness of Eilish's musical universe — the hope that she, and those who come after her, will have the opportunity to share their gifts with the world without surrendering their command of themselves." Billie Eilish's fan's love for her is undeniable and her symbiotic relationship with them shines through in The World's a Little Blurry . Critics echo the sentiment in a resounding  Tomatometer of 98%. This documentary is a wonderful experience both if you are curious about the hype or already a fan.

Identifying Features

It is a special moment when a film is emotionally engaging while also informing us of national crises. Identifying Features touches on the thousands of immigrants lost while searching for a better life. For an issue that is widely known, the entire experience feels remarkably personal and eye-opening.  Carlos Aguilar of AV Club speaks highly of Identifying Features : "Making her feature debut, Mexican writer-director Fernanda Valadez finds a personal tragedy within a national one... She's made a humanitarian lament by way of a slow-burn thriller."

Identifying Features centers around Magdalena (Mercedes Hernández) as she searches for answers regarding her son. He'd attempted to migrate to the U.S. with his friend but went missing. She finds his face in a photo of those who died journeying north, but discovers no hints about where his friend may be. Authorities are of little use, declaring the situation hopeless since he has no unique identifying features. Identifying Features has a 100% Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences. We can honestly say we haven't seen that type of unanimous praise before.  Identifying Features takes a major crisis and makes you feel every raw emotion it entails, all without relying on shock tactics or tired tropes.

Quo Vadis, Aida?

It's extremely difficult to depict the failures of policy on camera, given that most of them are wrapped up in boring, action-absent bureaucracy. Considering this,  Quo Vadis, Aida?  — which debuted at the 2020 Venice International Film Festival before its 2021 release — does an incredible job presenting the plight of refugees during the Srebrenica massacre in 1995 amidst the war between the Serbians and the Bosnians. The primary protagonist in this tale is Aida (Jasna Đuričić), a translator for the UN. As refugees stream toward the UN camp to escape advancing troops, the gates are closed after only a few hundred are let in, stranding people between a fence and the threat they were fleeing.

"Refreshingly, this is a war drama that doesn't hinge on indulgent or shameless violence. Instead, it focuses on the heart-wrenching devastation of more offhand cruelties," states Anna Swanson of The   Globe and Mail . We couldn't agree more. While watching Quo Vadis, Aida? you feel as though imminent danger is closing in and there is nothing you can do to stop it. You feel as helpless as the people on screen, watching Aida scramble to get her husband and son across the gate to safety — even though the camp itself still doesn't feel entirely safe. For a different perspective on the horrors of war, there are few as unique as this true story. Rotten Tomatoes has Quo Vadis, Aida? Certified Fresh , with a score of 100%. We couldn't agree more.

The Sparks Brothers

People are eager to get back into movie theaters as soon as possible, so the prospect of having to wait to watch one of the films on this list probably falls somewhere between "obnoxious" and "agonizing" on the frustration scale. That said, if there's one worth waiting for, it's The Sparks Brothers, currently slated for release on June 18, 2021. The Sparks Brothers is a documentary helmed by Edgar Wright, the do-no-wrong director of Shaun of the Dead , Baby Driver, and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World . It details the careers of Ron and Russell Mael, the brothers behind the cult musical duo Sparks, and the work they've put out over a career that runs all the way back to 1967. Interviewees run the gamut, ranging from people who are cooler than everyone else to people who are even cooler than cool. Neil Gaiman,  Beck , Bjork , Flea , and Weird Al all make appearances. Frequent Wright collaborators Simon Pegg and Nick Frost even show up, voicing John Lennon and Ringo Starr .

The Sparks Brothers premiered at Sundance earlier this year, and reviewers couldn't have given it more glowing reviews. It currently holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The critical consensus points to a film that makes its audience completely lose track of its 135-minute runtime thanks to masterful storytelling, enthusiastic direction, and the quirky lovability of its subject matter.

There's something especially impressive about a first-time director knocking it out of the park. That's exactly what Filippo Meneghetti appears to have done with his romantic feature debut, Two of Us. Originally released in France under the title Deux back in 2019, Two of Us tells the story of two older women, Nina and Madeleine, played by Barbara Sukowa and Martine Chevallier. Supposedly just neighbors, they've actually been in love for years, hiding their lives from their respective families. Unfortunately, their lives are transformed when a tragedy occurs.

Critics loved Two of Us after it hit the U.S. as part of its 2021 Oscar campaign , handing the film a 97% approval rating. Skim the reviews and you'll get the sense that nobody quite knew what to expect from the picture, especially in its third act — in her review for TIME Magazine , Stephanie Zacharek wrote that "Meneghetti leads us through this story with deliberate flourishes of misdirection, sometimes veering off — possibly — into full-on woman-gone-mad psychothriller territory," and went on to posit that "in some ways, Two of Us is a horror movie."

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Rotten Tomatoes, explained

Does a movie’s Rotten Tomatoes score affect its box office returns? And six other questions, answered.

by Alissa Wilkinson

In February 2016, Rotten Tomatoes — the site that aggregates movie and TV critics’ opinions and tabulates a score that’s “fresh” or “rotten” — took on an elevated level of importance. That’s when Rotten Tomatoes (along with its parent company Flixster) was acquired by Fandango , the website that sells advance movie tickets for many major cinema chains.

People had been using Rotten Tomatoes to find movie reviews since it launched in 2000, but after Fandango acquired the site, it began posting “Tomatometer” scores next to movie ticket listings. Since then, studio execs have started to feel as if Rotten Tomatoes matters more than it used to — and in some cases, they’ve rejiggered their marketing strategies accordingly.

It’s easy to see why anyone might assume that Rotten Tomatoes scores became more tightly linked to ticket sales, with potential audiences more likely to buy tickets for a movie with a higher score, and by extension, giving critics more power over the purchase of a ticket.

But that’s not the whole story. And as most movie critics (including myself) will tell you, the correlation between Rotten Tomatoes scores, critical opinion, marketing tactics, and actual box office returns is complicated. It’s not a simple cause-and-effect situation.

My own work is included in both Rotten Tomatoes’ score and that of its more exclusive cousin, Metacritic . So I, along with many other critics , think often of the upsides and pitfalls of aggregating critical opinion and its effect on which movies people see. But for the casual moviegoer, how review aggregators work, what they measure, and how they affect ticket sales can be mysterious.

So when I got curious about how people perceive Rotten Tomatoes and its effect on ticket sales, I did what any self-respecting film critic does: I informally polled my Twitter followers to see what they wanted to know.

Here are seven questions that many people have about Rotten Tomatoes, and review aggregation more generally — and some facts to clear up the confusion.

How is a Rotten Tomatoes score calculated?

The score that Rotten Tomatoes assigns to a film corresponds to the percentage of critics who’ve judged the film to be “fresh,” meaning their opinion of it is more positive than negative. The idea is to quickly offer moviegoers a sense of critical consensus.

“Our goal is to serve fans by giving them useful tools and one-stop access to critic reviews, user ratings, and entertainment news to help with their entertainment viewing decisions,” Jeff Voris, a vice president at Rotten Tomatoes, told me in an email.

The opinions of about 3,000 critics — a.k.a. the “Approved Tomatometer Critics” who have met a series of criteria set by Rotten Tomatoes — are included in the site’s scores, though not every critic reviews every film, so any given score is more typically derived from a few hundred critics, or even less. The scores don’t include just anyone who calls themselves a critic or has a movie blog; Rotten Tomatoes only aggregates critics who have been regularly publishing movie reviews with a reasonably widely read outlet for at least two years, and those critics must be “active,” meaning they’ve published at least one review in the last year. The site also deems a subset of critics to be “top critics” and calculates a separate score that only includes them.

Some critics (or staffers at their publications) upload their own reviews, choose their own pull quotes, and designate their review as “fresh” or “rotten.” Other critics (including myself) have their reviews uploaded, pull-quoted, and tagged as fresh or rotten by the Rotten Tomatoes staff. In the second case, if the staff isn’t sure whether to tag a review as fresh or rotten, they reach out to the critic for clarification. And critics who don’t agree with the site’s designation can request that it be changed.

As the reviews of a given film accumulate, the Rotten Tomatoes score measures the percentage that are more positive than negative, and assigns an overall fresh or rotten rating to the movie. Scores of over 60 percent are considered fresh, and scores of 59 percent and under are rotten. To earn the coveted “designated fresh” seal, a film needs at least 40 reviews, 75 percent of which are fresh, and five of which are from “top” critics.

What does a Rotten Tomatoes score really mean ?

A Rotten Tomatoes score represents the percentage of critics who felt mildly to wildly positively about a given film.

If I give a film a mixed review that’s generally positive (which, in Vox’s rating system, could range from a positive-skewing 3 to the rare totally enamored 5), that review receives the same weight as an all-out rave from another critic. (When I give a movie a 2.5, I consider that to be a neutral score; by Rotten Tomatoes’ reckoning, it’s rotten.) Theoretically, a 100 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating could be made up entirely of middling-to-positive reviews. And if half of the critics the site aggregates only sort of like a movie, and the other half sort of dislike it, the film will hover around 50 percent (which is considered “rotten” by the site).

Contrary to some people’s perceptions, Rotten Tomatoes itself maintains no opinion about a film. What Rotten Tomatoes tries to gauge is critical consensus.

• Why people are freaking out over Wonder Woman’s stellar Rotten Tomatoes score

Critics’ opinions do tend to cluster on most films. But there are always outliers, whether from contrarians (who sometimes seem to figure out what people will say and then take the opposite opinion), or from those who seem to love every film. And critics, like everyone, have various life experiences, aesthetic preferences, and points of view that lead them to have differing opinions on movies.

So in many (if not most) cases, a film’s Rotten Tomatoes score may not correspond to any one critic’s view. It’s more like an imprecise estimate of what would happen if you mashed together every Tomatometer critic and had the resulting super-critic flash a thumbs-up or thumbs-down.

Rotten Tomatoes also lets audiences rate movies, and the score is often out of step with the critical score. Sometimes, the difference is extremely significant, a fact that’s noticeable because the site lists the two scores side by side.

There’s a straightforward reason the two rarely match, though: The critical score is more controlled and methodical.

Why? Most professional critics have to see and review many films, whether or not they’re inclined to like the movie. (Also, most critics don’t pay to see films, because studios hold special early screenings for them ahead of the release date, which removes the decision of whether they’re interested enough in a film to spend their hard-earned money on seeing it.)

But with Rotten Tomatoes’ audience score, the situation is different. Anyone on the internet can contribute — not just those who actually saw the film. As a result, a film’s Rotten Tomatoes score can be gamed by internet trolls seeking to sink it simply because they find its concept offensive. A concerted effort can drive down the film’s audience score before it even comes out, as was the case with the all-female reboot of Ghostbusters .

Even if Rotten Tomatoes required people to pass a quiz on the movie before they rated it, the score would still be somewhat unreliable. Why? Because ordinary audiences are more inclined to buy tickets to movies they’re predisposed to like — who wants to spend $12 to $20 on a film they’re pretty sure they’ll hate?

So audience scores at Rotten Tomatoes (and other audience-driven scores, like the ones at IMDb) naturally skew very positive, or sometimes very negative if there’s any sort of smear campaign in play. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that. But audience scores tend to not account for those who would never buy a ticket to the movie in the first place.

In contrast, since critics see lots of movies — some of which they would have gone to see anyhow, and some of which they would’ve never chosen to see if their editors didn’t make the assignment — their opinion distribution should theoretically be more even, and thus the critical Rotten Tomatoes score more “accurate.”

Or at least that’s what Rotten Tomatoes thinks. The site displays a movie’s critics’ scores — the official Tomatometer — at Fandango and in a more prominent spot on the movie’s Rotten Tomatoes landing page. The audience score is also displayed on the Rotten Tomatoes page, but it’s not factored into the film’s fresh or rotten rating, and doesn’t contribute to a film being labeled as “certified fresh.”

Why do critics often get frustrated by the Tomatometer?

The biggest reason many critics find Rotten Tomatoes frustrating is that most people’s opinions about movies can’t be boiled down to a simple thumbs up or down. And most critics feel that Rotten Tomatoes, in particular, oversimplifies criticism, to the detriment of critics, the audience, and the movies themselves.

In some cases, a film really is almost universally considered to be excellent, or to be a complete catastrophe. But critics usually come away from a movie with a mixed view. Some things work, and others don’t. The actors are great, but the screenplay is lacking. The filmmaking is subpar, but the story is imaginative. Some critics use a four- or five-star rating, sometimes with half-stars included, to help quantify mixed opinions as mostly negative or mostly positive.

The important point here is that no critic who takes their job seriously is going to have a simple yes-or-no system for most movies. Critics watch a film, think about it, and write a review that doesn’t just judge the movie but analyzes, contextualizes, and ruminates over it. The fear among many critics (including myself) is that people who rely largely on Rotten Tomatoes aren’t interested in the nuances of a film, and aren’t particularly interested in reading criticism, either.

But maybe the bigger reason critics are worried about the influence of review aggregators is that they seem to imply there’s a “right” way to evaluate a movie, based on most people’s opinions. We worry that audience members who have different reactions will feel as if their opinion is somehow wrong, rather than seeing the diversity of opinions as an invitation to read and understand how and why people react to art differently.

Plenty of movies — from Psycho to Fight Club to Alien — would have earned a rotten rating from Rotten Tomatoes upon their original release, only to be reconsidered and deemed classics years later as tastes, preferences, and ideas about films changed. Sometimes being an outlier can just mean you’re forward-thinking.

Voris, the Rotten Tomatoes vice president, told me that the site is always trying to grapple with this quandary. “The Rotten Tomatoes curation team is constantly adding and updating reviews for films — both past and present,” he told me. “If there’s a review available from an approved critic or outlet, it will be added.”

What critics are worried about is a tendency toward groupthink, and toward scapegoating people who deviate from the “accepted” analysis. You can easily see this in the hordes of fans that sometimes come after a critic who dares to “ruin” a film’s perfect score . But critics (at least serious ones) don’t write their reviews to fit the Tomatometer, nor are they out to “get” DC Comics movies or religious movies or political movies or any other movies. Critics love movies and want them to be good, and we try to be honest when we see one that we don’t measures up.

That doesn’t mean the audience can’t like a movie with a rotten rating, or hate a movie with a fresh rating. It’s no insult to critics when audience opinion diverges. In fact, it makes talking and thinking about movies more interesting.

If critics are ambivalent about Rotten Tomatoes scores, why do moviegoers use the scores to decide whether to see a movie?

Mainly, it’s easy. You’re buying movie tickets on Fandango, or you’re trying to figure out what to watch on Netflix, so you check the Rotten Tomatoes score to decide. It’s simple. That’s the point.

And that’s not a bad thing. It’s helpful to get a quick sense of critical consensus, even if it’s somewhat imprecise. Many people use Rotten Tomatoes to get a rough idea of whether critics generally liked a film.

The flip side, though, is that some people, whether they’re critics or audience members, will inevitably have opinions that don’t track with the Rotten Tomatoes score at all. Just because an individual’s opinion is out of step with the Tomatometer doesn’t mean the person is “wrong” — it just means they’re an outlier.

And that, frankly, is what makes art, entertainment, and the world at large interesting: Not everyone has the same opinion about everything, because people are not exact replicas of one another. Most critics love arguing about movies, because they often find that disagreeing with their colleagues is what makes their job fun. It’s fine to disagree with others about a movie, and it doesn’t mean you’re “wrong.”

(For what it’s worth, another review aggregation site, Metacritic, maintains an even smaller and more exclusive group of critics than Rotten Tomatoes — its aggregated scores cap out around 50 reviews per movie, instead of the hundreds that can make up a Tomatometer score. Metacritic’s score for a film is different from Rotten Tomatoes’ insofar as each individual review is assigned a rating on a scale of 100 and the overall Metacritic score is a weighted average, the mechanics of which Metacritic absolutely refuses to divulge . But because the site’s ratings are even more carefully controlled to include only experienced professional critics — and because the reviews it aggregates are given a higher level of granularity, and presumably weighted by the perceived influence of the critic’s publication — most critics consider Metacritic a better gauge of critical opinion.)

Does a movie’s Rotten Tomatoes score affect its box office earnings?

The short version: It can, but not necessarily in the ways you might think.

A good Rotten Tomatoes score indicates strong critical consensus, and that can be good for smaller films in particular. It’s common for distributors to roll out such films slowly, opening them in a few key cities (usually New York and Los Angeles, and maybe a few others) to generate good buzz — not just from critics, but also on social media and through word of mouth. The result, they hope, is increased interest and ticket sales when the movie opens in other cities.

Get Out , for example, certainly profited from the 99 percent “fresh” score it earned since its limited opening. And the more recent The Big Sick became one of last summer’s most beloved films, helped along by its 98 percent rating. But a bad score for a small film can help ensure that it will close quickly, or play in fewer cities overall. Its potential box office earnings, in turn, will inevitably take a hit.

Yet when it comes to blockbusters, franchises, and other big studio films (which usually open in many cities at once), it’s much less clear how much a film’s Rotten Tomatoes score affects its box office tally. A good Rotten Tomatoes score, for example, doesn’t necessarily guarantee a film will be a hit. Atomic Blonde is “guaranteed fresh,” with a 77 percent rating, but it didn‘t do very well at the box office despite being an action film starring Charlize Theron.

Still, studios certainly seem to believe the score makes a difference . Last summer, studios blamed Rotten Tomatoes scores (and by extension, critics) when poorly reviewed movies like Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales , Baywatch , and The Mummy performed below expectations at the box office. ( Pirates still went on to be the year’s 19th highest-grossing film.)

2017’s highest grossing movies in the US

But that correlation doesn’t really hold up. The Emoji Movie , for example, was critically panned, garnering an abysmal 6 percent Rotten Tomatoes score. But it still opened to $25 million in the US, which put it just behind the acclaimed Christopher Nolan film Dunkirk . And the more you think about it, the less surprising it is that plenty of people bought tickets to The Emoji Movie in spite of its bad press: It’s an animated movie aimed at children that faced virtually no theatrical competition, and it opened during the summer, when kids are out of school. Great reviews might have inflated its numbers, but almost universally negative ones didn’t seem to hurt it much.

It’s also worth noting that many films with low Rotten Tomatoes scores that also perform poorly in the US (like The Mummy or The Great Wall ) do just fine overseas, particularly in China. The Mummy gave Tom Cruise his biggest global opening ever . If there is a Rotten Tomatoes effect, it seems to only extend to the American market.

Without any consistent proof, why do people still maintain that a bad Rotten Tomatoes score actively hurts a movie at the box office?

While it’s clear that a film’s Rotten Tomatoes score and box office earnings aren’t correlated as strongly as movie studios might like you to think, blaming bad ticket sales on critics is low-hanging fruit.

Plenty of people would like you to believe that the weak link between box office earnings and critical opinion proves that critics are at fault for not liking the film, and that audiences are a better gauge of its quality. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, co-star of Baywatch , certainly took that position when reviews of the 2017 bomb Baywatch came out:

Baywatch ended up with a very comfortably rotten 19 percent Tomatometer score , compared to a just barely fresh 62 percent audience score. But with apologies to The Rock, who I’m sure is a very nice man, critics aren’t weather forecasters or pundits, and they’re not particularly interested in predicting how audiences will respond to a movie. (We are also a rather reserved and nerdy bunch, not regularly armed with venom and knives.) Critics show up where they’re told to show up and watch a film, then go home and evaluate it to the best of their abilities.

The obvious rejoinder, at least from a critic’s point of view, is that if Baywatch was a better movie, there wouldn’t be such a disconnect. But somehow, I suspect that younger ticket buyers — an all-important demographic — lacked nostalgia for 25-year-old lifeguard TV show, and thus weren’t so sure about seeing Baywatch in the first place. Likewise, I doubt that a majority of Americans were ever going to be terribly interested in the fifth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise (which notched a 30 percent Tomatometer score and a 64 percent audience score), especially when they could just watch some other movie.

A pile-up of raves for either of these films might have resulted in stronger sales, because people could have been surprised to learn that a film they didn’t think they were interested in was actually great. But with lackluster reviews, the average moviegoer just had no reason to give them a chance.

Big studio publicists, however, are paid to convince people to see their films, not to candidly discuss the quality of the films themselves. So when a film with bad reviews flops at the box office, it’s not shocking that studios are quick to suggest that critics killed it.

How do movie studios try to blunt the perceived impact when they’re expecting a bad Rotten Tomatoes score?

Of late, some studios — prompted by the idea that critics can kill a film’s buzz before it even comes out — have taken to “ fighting back ” when they’re expecting a rotten Tomatometer score.

Their biggest strategy isn’t super obvious to the average moviegoer, but very clear to critics. When a studio suspects it has a lemon on its hands, it typically hosts the press screening only a day or two ahead of the film’s release, and then sets a review “embargo” that lifts a few hours before the film hits theaters.

Consider, for example, the case of the aforementioned Emoji Movie. I and most other critics hoped the movie would be good, as is the case with all movies see. But once the screening invitations arrived in our inboxes, we pretty much knew, with a sinking feeling, that it wouldn’t be. The tell was pretty straightforward: The film’s only critics’ screening in New York was scheduled for the day before it opened. It screened for press on Wednesday night at 5 pm, and then the review embargo lifted at 3 pm the next day — mere hours before the first public showtimes.

Late critics’ screenings for any given film mean that reviews of the film will necessarily come out very close to its release, and as a result, people purchasing advance tickets might buy them before there are any reviews or Tomatometer score to speak of. Thus, in spite of there being no strong correlation between negative reviews and a low box office, its first-weekend box returns might be less susceptible to any potential harm as a result of bad press. (Such close timing can also backfire; critics liked this summer’s Captain Underpants , for example, but the film was screened too late for the positive reviews to measurably boost its opening box office.)

That first-weekend number is important, because if a movie is the top performer at the box office (or if it simply exceeds expectations, like Dunkirk and Wonder Woman did this summer), its success can function as good advertising for the film, which means its second weekend sales may also be stronger. And that matters , particularly when it means a movie is outperforming its expectations, because it can actually shift the way industry executives think about what kinds of movies people want to watch. Studios do keep an eye on critics’ opinions, but they’re much more interested in ticket sales — which makes it easy to see why they don’t want risk having their opening weekend box office affected by bad reviews, whether there’s a proven correlation or not.

The downside of this strategy, however, is that it encourages critics to instinctively gauge a studio’s level of confidence in a film based on when the press screening takes place. 20th Century Fox, for instance, screened War for the Planet of the Apes weeks ahead of its theatrical release, and lifted the review embargo with plenty of time to spare before the movie came out. The implication was that Fox believed the movie would be a critical success, and indeed, it was — the movie has a 97 percent Tomatometer score and an 86 percent audience score.

And still, late press screenings fail to account for the fact that, while a low Rotten Tomatoes score doesn’t necessarily hurt a film’s total returns, aggregate review scores in general do have a distinct effect on second-weekend sales. In 2016, Metacritic conducted a study of the correlation between its scores and second weekend sales , and found — not surprisingly — that well-reviewed movies dip much less in the second weekend than poorly reviewed movies. This is particularly true of movies with a strong built-in fan base, like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice , which enjoyed inflated box office returns in the first weekend because fans came out to see it, but dropped sharply in its second weekend, at least partly due to extremely negative press .

Most critics who are serious about their work make a good-faith effort to approach each film they see with as few expectations as possible. But it’s hard to have much hope about a movie when it seems obvious that a studio is trying to play keep-away with it. And the more studios try to game the system by withholding their films from critics, the less critics are inclined to enter a screening devoid of expectations, however subconscious.

If you ask critics what studios ought to do to minimize the potential impact of a low Rotten Tomatoes score, their answer is simple: Make better movies. But of course, it’s not that easy; some movies with bad scores do well, while some with good scores still flop. Hiding a film from critics might artificially inflate first-weekend box office returns, but plenty of people are going to go see a franchise film, or a superhero movie, or a family movie, no matter what critics say.

The truth is that neither Rotten Tomatoes nor the critics whose evaluations make up its scores are really at fault here, and it’s silly to act like that’s the case. The website is just one piece of the sprawling and often bewildering film landscape.

As box office analyst Scott Mendelson wrote at Forbes :

[Rotten Tomatoes] is an aggregate website, one with increased power because the media now uses the fresh ranking as a catch-all for critical consensus, with said percentage score popping up when you buy tickets from Fandango or rent the title on Google Market. But it is not magic. At worst, the increased visibility of the site is being used as an excuse by ever-pickier moviegoers to stay in with Netflix or VOD.

For audience members who want to make good moviegoing decisions, the best approach is a two-pronged one. First, check Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic to get a sense of critical consensus. But second, find a few critics — two or three will do — whose taste aligns with (or challenges) your own, and whose insights help you enjoy a movie even more. Read them and rely on them.

And know that it’s okay to form your own opinions, too. After all, in the bigger sense, everyone’s a critic.

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The Penguin Overcomes The Batman With Impressive Rotten Tomatoes Score

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The Penguin earns swimmingly good reviews before its HBO debut. The Batman spinoff gets its first critical score as anticipation grows for the crime drama series.

At the time of writing, The Penguin has a 91% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes , with most critics reportedly getting access to all eight episodes before its debut. The Penguin 's early rating is higher than The Batman, with the Matt Reeves-helmed movie boasting an 85% Rotten Tomatoes score. Reeves serves as an executive producer on The Batman alongside showrunner and creator, Lauren LeFranc .

The Penguin Series Premiere Review: A Prestige Crime Drama That Doesn't Need Batman

While technically a sequel to The Batman, HBO's The Penguin series starring Colin Farrell as Oz Cobb is a prestige crime drama that stands on its own.

Set a week after the events of The Batman , The Penguin chronicles the journey to underworld supremacy for Oswald "Oz" Cobblepot, played by Oscar-nominated actor, Colin Farrell. Following the death of his former boss, Carmine Falcone (Mark Strong), Oz furthers his ambitions of becoming Gotham's ultimate crime boss. However, Oz soon faces opposition from Carmine's daughter Sofia (Cristin Milioti), a psychotic serial killer who fights him for control of the Gotham criminal underworld. The show also features Rhenzy Feliz (Victor Aguilar), Deirdre O'Connell (Francis Cobblepot), Michael Kelly (Johnny Vitti) and Clancy Brown (Salvatore Maroni).

The Penguin Will Focus on Oz's Rise in Gotham

Despite its direct connections to The Batman , The Penguin won't see another confrontation between Robert Pattinson's version of The Dark Knight and its titular villain. LeFranc and Reeves recently dispelled claims Pattinson would make a cameo in The Penguin , choosing to leave Bruce Wayne out as they focused on fleshing out Oz's story. LeFranc also claimed The Penguin 's story is akin to Scarface , though the show would explore his complex emotions and heartbreak. According to the showrunner, Farrell's version of the disfigured character would have some notable differences from his comic book counterpart .

40 Most Iconic Batman Quotes Ever, Ranked

DC fans everywhere know that when Batman speaks, everyone listens. Batman quotes are some of the most famous comic lines in history.

Farrell has teased The Penguin 's dark and violent tone, promising a lot of gore and drama to entice audiences. He told HeyUGuys, "You know, there's a power grab in Gotham now…It's dark, man. Lauren LeFranc with her room of writers…wrote eight extraordinary episodes…I mean, just really, really bold stuff. I couldn't believe that it got as dark as it gets. It would be a Hard R..."

Even if The Penguin 's early momentum holds and the show becomes successful, Farrell has cast doubt on whether he will reprise his role as the underground boss. Though he was "honored" to play the role, Farrell grew frustrated with the preparation time necessary to play Oz and told anyone who would listen that he wanted to be done with it. Meanwhile, The Batman producers have teased another potential villain-centric spinoff after The Penguin airs.

The Penguin premieres via HBO and Max on Sept. 19, with subsequent episodes airing each Sunday at 9 p.m. ET., starting Sept. 29.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

The Penguin

The HBO series based on the Batman villain follows the transformation of Oz Cobb (played by Colin Farrell) from a disfigured nobody to a noted Gotham gangster.

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The Killer's Game Reviews

Bautista makes for a formidable lead and sells his character well. It’s too bad the secondhand material lets him down, especially in the numbing second half where the film’s overcooked ideas ultimately fizzle out.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 16, 2024

The Killer's Game is enjoyable not to complicated not to insane harmless action film that is good for a date night. Some great action scenes make this a nice night out to watch Dave Bautista.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Sep 15, 2024

An action film more obsessed with the in-out traffic of a certain human orifice than delivering a strong setpiece, "The Killer's Game" is a disappointingly anonymous follow-up to 2022's surprisingly fun "Day Shift" by stuntman-turned-filmmaker J.J. Perry.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 14, 2024

It will keep you cheesing for just short of two hours, further cementing Dave Bautista as one of the most reliable and reliably interesting performers working today.

Full Review | Sep 14, 2024

What really makes the movie is Bautista, who projects a comforting sweetness even while he’s snapping some guy’s leg in half, and an intimidating brutality even when he’s struggling to flirt by text.

Emphasizing brawn over brains, and spectacle over substance, after a while it starts to feel like an endless, repetitive montage of videogame-style set pieces.

Full Review | Sep 13, 2024

The repetition and sameness got tedious.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Sep 13, 2024

J.J. Perry’s The Killer’s Game knows how to use its monstrously sized star, Dave Bautista, for brutal, over-the-top physicality, Looney Tunes-inspired violence, and gore

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 13, 2024

Seriously, Dave Bautista literally dismembering some K-pop band lookalikes is not as exciting as it may sound. ... Bautista tries to carry the load of the crumbling script on his broad shoulders and overshadow tonal shifts with his huge charisma.

While Bautista is still as engaging as ever ... not even he can save this dud from quickly devolving into 100 minutes of blood-drenched tedium.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Sep 13, 2024

An action film with no thrills and a comedy bereft of laughs, The Killer’s Game plays like a tax shelter disguised as a movie.

This grating debacle is an attempt at a throwback to an era that none of us wants to be thrown back into. The Killer’s Game doesn’t share DNA with John Wick so much as late 1990s/early 2000s “action comedies” that were often neither of those things.

Full Review | Original Score: D- | Sep 13, 2024

Is The Killer's Game fun? Yes. Is it cute? Yes. Is it a movie we NEED? Not by a long shot.

The characters are meant to be outrageous or goofy, but the dials never turn up enough to actually make it memorable or colorful enough

There's an entertaining movie to be made from the elements on display here, but director J.J. Perry's attempt isn't it.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 13, 2024

It’s quite fortunate that Bautista is a strong lead, since many of the film’s other choices work against its success.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Sep 13, 2024

It starts out well enough but gets progressively silly, tedious and repetitious. “The Killer’s Game” is mainly a time killer.

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Everybody's overdressed and over-the-top, but none of them over-the-top enough to make much of an impression and shake off the script's "This could not be dumber" feeling.

The perfect combination of action, romance, and comedy, this movie is an absolute blast. Dave Bautista shows off his proven fighting skills, as well as his softer romantic side.

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Bautista looks the part, but he’s not the right fit for this ultraviolent, broadly comedic offering.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Sep 12, 2024

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Transformers One First Reviews: The Best Transformers Movie Yet

Critics say josh cooley's animated prequel benefits from a dazzling visual style, fantastic voice performances, and a surprisingly thoughtful, emotionally resonant script..

TAGGED AS: movies , transformers

Maybe Transformers should always be animated? Outside of the rare occasion of Bumblebee , every live-action movie in the Transformers franchise has a Rotten score on the Tomatometer, whereas 1986’s Transformers: The Movie and now Transformers One are positive efforts in the eyes of critics. The first reviews of the latter, an animated prequel featuring the voices of Chris Hemsworth , Brian Tyree Henry , and Scarlett Johanson , are mostly raves. From its innovative animation to its emotional storytelling, Transformers One is exactly what you should expect it to be with a Pixar veteran at the helm.

Here’s what critics are saying about Transformers One :

Is this one of the best Transformers movies yet?

Transformers One is the best movie in the Transformers franchise since the 1986 original. — Rafael Motamayor, Slashfilm

There hasn’t been a Transformers film with as thorough and revealing an introduction to the opposed alien-robot factions as Transformers One . — Jeff Ewing, Collider

Transformers One is the best Transformers movie ever made. — Jonathan Sim, ComingSoon.net

It’s the best Transformers movie ever made by a wide margin. — Chris Bumbray, JoBlo’s Movie Network

Transformers One rejuvenates excitement for the franchise. It’s not only a great Transformers movie but a great movie in general. — Mae Abdulbaki, Screen Rant

Consider this a franchise revitalized. — Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

Transformers One ends up exceeding all expectations… It’s obvious that the most exciting future for Transformers lies in the realm of animation. — Andrew J. Salazar, Discussing Film

With so much that Transformers One gets right, there’s still that nagging feeling that we’ve been there, done that. — Leigh Monson, AV Club

(Photo by ©Paramount Pictures)

How is the voice acting?

The central players all excel in developing complex characters that notably evolve with the events of the narrative. — Jeff Ewing, Collider

The voice cast is excellent overall. Jon Hamm seems to be having an especially great time as Sentinel Prime. — Mae Abdulbaki, Screen Rant

It benefits from Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry’s spot-on voice performances… Their charming, brotherly chemistry helps elevate the characters. — Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania

Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry do a good job evoking the buddy-movie chemistry needed between Orion Pax and D-16, with much of the movie playing almost like an animated version of Tango & Cash . — Chris Bumbray, JoBlo’s Movie Network

Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry have some big shoes to fill as two of the most iconic voices in fandom… and trust me when I say, they fill those shoes well. — Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

The impressive stand-out of Transformers One is without a doubt Brian Tyree Henry as Megatron… He conveys emotions extremely well, taking Megatron to a whole different level. — Chalice Williams, Black Girl Nerds

Brian Tyree Henry is fantastic as D-16. — Rafael Motamayor, Slashfilm

Who better to play Bumblebee than Keegan-Michael Key?… He is hilarious in this film. — Jonathan Sim, ComingSoon.net

How good does it look?

Despite the expert visual effects work done by Industrial Light & Magic, Digital Domain and others on the first five live-action Transformers films, ILM not only exceeds itself here in creating believable animated characters but makes a convincing case that photorealism is not the best aesthetic for bringing them to life on screen. — Todd Gilchrist, Variety

The gorgeous 3D-style computer animation is a wonder to behold throughout, from the character designs (these seem the most expressive Transformers yet)… to the varied settings that make the environments seem fully lived-in. There’s so much visual imagination on display that multiple viewings seem essential to take it all in. — Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

It revitalizes the Transformers movies with a freshly animated look, similar to what Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem did. — Jonathan Sim, ComingSoon.net

Transformers One is nice to look at. Visually, Industrial Light & Magic, the studio that did the effects for the live-action films, knocks it out of the park. — Mae Abdulbaki, Screen Rant

The animators at Industrial Light & Magic took on the unenviable challenge of bridging the gap between the quasi-realistic renderings of the live-action films’ Transformers and the emotively cartoonish models of more recent animated offerings… They add enough colorful touches and retro-futuristic flourish to allow the action beats to read as excitingly coherent rather than cluttered. — Leigh Monson, AV Club

Thanks to the ILM wizard’s live-action skills, the film looks as if shot with live-action cameras on an alien planet, giving it a cinematic look that feels grounded and tactile rather than overly polished and artificial as so many 3D-CG movies do nowadays. — Rafael Motamayor, Slashfilm

The computer-generated animation looks stunning on IMAX. — Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania

Are the action scenes any good?

The action is big and exciting and packs a wallop. — Kyle Anderson, Nerdist

It is filled with epic action sequences that not only help to drive the story forward, but are honestly just a lot of fun. — Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

Cooley’s staging and blocking of action is ever so meticulous. Multiple action sequences, in which the heroes constantly transform in and out of their vehicle modes mid-battle, are super imaginative and memorable in the finest of details. — Andrew J. Salazar, Discussing Film

The animation is at its best when it’s in constant motion, as with its stunning action sequences… The action scenes are exciting, never lasting long enough to become dull. — Mae Abdulbaki, Screen Rant

The race is a highlight. — Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

If the battle finale eventually succumbs to the franchise’s customary bombastic overkill, it at least makes you care a little about who’s doing the fighting. — Neil Smith, Total Film

What about the script?

The writing team does a superb job of weaving established Transformers mythos into the shape of a character-driven narrative where it’s easy to like and care about our underdog protagonists. — Leigh Monson, AV Club

The movie is much more compelling than you’d think. — Chris Bumbray, JoBlo’s Movie Network

The visuals, as impressive as they are, wouldn’t amount to much if Transformers One didn’t also have a well-crafted story, multi-dimensional characters, and witty dialogue that brings to mind Pixar at its best. And that’s something I never thought I’d say about a Transformers movie. — Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

[It has] a surprisingly well-told story. — Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania

Transformers One is simply good storytelling. — Mae Abdulbaki, Screen Rant

The reveals around the bots’ missing cogs, including thematic lessons around finding your own potential regardless of societal rules and limitations, are well scripted and hit home. — Jeff Ewing, Collider

Does it honor the lore of the franchise?

Not only does it explore untold lore and answer questions, there are a lot of Easter eggs and references to past Transformers projects. — Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

There are plenty of references to every era of Transformers , from the original cartoons to the Michael Bay movies. — Rafael Motamayor, Slashfilm

It’s distinctive while also paying tribute to the old cartoon show and 1986 film. It’s also set in the same timeline as the modern Transformer movies, but it’s distinct enough that you really don’t have to have seen any of them to enjoy it. — Chris Bumbray, JoBlo’s Movie Network

In an era when so many franchise films aim for easy laughs with tongue-in-cheek jabs at their own existence… Transformers One feels so refreshing just by taking every bit of its connected history seriously. This might also feel miraculous to longtime Transformers fans. — Andrew J. Salazar, Discussing Film

Transformers One approaches the well-known characters with a degree of nuance and complexity (as well as violent finality, in a few cases) that marks the most sophisticated onscreen portrait of them to date… Expectations won’t be subverted, but the film offers more nuanced portrayals of Cybertron’s heroes and villains than ever before. — Todd Gilchrist, Variety

Is it funny?

It’s full of comedy that largely lands, getting legitimate mileage out of simple actions like running away, or punches, thanks to smart timing and skilled vocal performances. — Jeff Ewing, Collider

Transformers One provides numerous witty jokes of both the verbal and visual variety. — Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

The film as a whole is frequently silly, I’d argue that’s preferable to the sophomoric, raunchy, occasionally racist humor of Bay’s live-action films. — Todd Gilchrist, Variety

The mix of lighthearted comedy and broad humor has the feel and tone reminiscent of an overly jokey MCU-style movie. — Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania

The attempts at slapstick would have benefited from a more exaggerated style… Comedic moments feel like forced token gestures, leaning hard into kinetic hyperactivity instead of telling jokes that aren’t already stale before the punchline lands. — Leigh Monson, AV Club

When we get a stray joke or bit of slapstick in the second half, it feels completely at odds with the rest of the movie. — Kyle Anderson, Nerdist

Does it also get emotional?

It’s a fun, action-packed outing with surprisingly effective emotional resonance. — Jeff Ewing, Collider

[It has] one of the most — I can’t believe I’m saying this — heartbreaking moments ever seen in the Transformers franchise. — Casey Chong, Casey’s Movie Mania

It gives fans an origin story filled with heart and emotion. — Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

You can’t help but get invested in the brotherhood between the two robots, and when they eventually turn on each other, it feels pretty epic. — Chris Bumbray, JoBlo’s Movie Network

The tragedy between Orion Pax and D-16 is never sidelined in Transformers One . — Andrew J. Salazar, Discussing Film

It feels both dramatically satisfying and emotionally engaging. — Neil Smith, Total Film

It’s exciting to watch a new installment in this franchise and actually feel something again. — Todd Gilchrist, Variety

Is it mostly aimed at younger, newer fans?

Transformers One feels specifically geared towards a crowd too young for a PG-13 rating, an audience that doesn’t have a relationship with these characters and are discovering these tropes and stories for the first time. — Leigh Monson, AV Club

Transformers One is a film that will add complexity and new emotion to the characters and factions that franchise fans love, while having enough dramatic heft for unfamiliar, new audiences alike. — Jeff Ewing, Collider

It offers detail, solid action, and narrative depth that longtime fans will appreciate while being a nice entry point for those who are newer to the world of Transformers . — Mae Abdulbaki, Screen Rant

This is still obviously a family-friendly animated film, but the best animated pictures can always find a way to explore mature topics as long as they treat their audiences with respect… Those walking in expecting a “children’s movie” will be shocked to see how far Transformers One goes with depicting violence. — Andrew J. Salazar, Discussing Film

Although Transformers One is a more family-oriented Transformers movie, it does not feel like it’s pandering to young children… This movie felt like it was made for everyone. — Jonathan Sim, ComingSoon.net

The early part of the movie is clearly aimed at a younger audience, which I thought was just okay. I’m not saying this is good or bad. I’m merely saying, it gives the movie a bit of an identity crisis. — Kyle Anderson, Nerdist

Are there any major problems?

There’s at least a trilogy’s worth of plot here in just one movie, and at times the pacing is simultaneously too slow as it crams all this worldbuilding and lore, and too fast as it rushes from set piece to set piece, storyline to storyline. — Rafael Motamayor, Slashfilm

The film’s biggest issue stems from the evolution of D-16… The suddenness of the pivot doesn’t make full sense given the character’s initial set-up. — Jeff Ewing, Collider

It rushes through D-16’s conflicted feelings, and I don’t fully believe the change… A bit more time spent on D-16 would’ve made the final moments more effective. Hopefully, the next movie will give us more. — Mae Abdulbaki, Screen Rant

If [Scarlett Johansson’s] character had been removed completely, it wouldn’t have been detrimental, as she didn’t contribute to the film. — Chalice Williams, Black Girl Nerds

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