Theatrical & Festival Movies to Watch For
by FilmTVDiversity | created - 02 Sep 2016 | updated - 02 Sep 2016 | Publica FilmTVDiversity curated list of notable Theatrical and Festival films to have on your radar for viewing.
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1. Moonlight (I) (2016)
R | 111 min | Drama
A young African-American man grapples with his identity and sexuality while experiencing the everyday struggles of childhood, adolescence, and burgeoning adulthood.
Director: Barry Jenkins | Stars: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Trevante Rhodes, Alex R. Hibbert
Votes: 331,903 | Gross: $27.85M
2. Queen of Katwe (2016)
PG | 124 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
A Ugandan girl sees her world rapidly change after being introduced to the game of chess.
Director: Mira Nair | Stars: Madina Nalwanga, David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong'o, Martin Kabanza
Votes: 18,679 | Gross: $8.81M
3. Southside with You (2016)
PG-13 | 84 min | Biography, Drama, History
Chronicles the 1989 summer afternoon when the future President of the United States, Barack Obama, wooed his future First Lady, Michelle Obama, on a first date across Chicago's South Side.
Director: Richard Tanne | Stars: Tika Sumpter, Parker Sawyers, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Phillip Edward Van Lear
Votes: 10,135 | Gross: $6.30M
4. Captain America: Civil War (2016)
PG-13 | 147 min | Action, Sci-Fi
Political involvement in the Avengers' affairs causes a rift between Captain America and Iron Man.
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo | Stars: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan
Votes: 850,083 | Gross: $408.08M
5. Suicide Squad (2016)
PG-13 | 123 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
A secret government agency recruits some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains to form a defensive task force. Their first mission: save the world from the apocalypse.
Director: David Ayer | Stars: Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis
Votes: 722,350 | Gross: $325.10M
6. Moana (I) (2016)
PG | 107 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
In ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by the demigod Maui reaches Moana's island, she answers the Ocean's call to seek out Maui to set things right.
Directors: Ron Clements, John Musker, Don Hall, Chris Williams | Stars: Auli'i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison
Votes: 378,241 | Gross: $248.76M
7. When the Bough Breaks (2016)
PG-13 | 107 min | Drama, Thriller
A surrogate mom for a couple becomes dangerously obsessed with the soon-to-be father.
Director: Jon Cassar | Stars: Morris Chestnut, Regina Hall, Romany Malco, Michael Kenneth Williams
Votes: 7,819 | Gross: $29.70M
8. Bilal: A New Breed of Hero (2015)
PG-13 | 105 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
A thousand years ago, one boy with a dream of becoming a great warrior is abducted with his sister and taken to a land far away from home. Thrown into a world where greed and injustice rule all, Bilal finds the courage to raise his voice and make a change. Inspired by true events, this is a story of a real hero who earned his remembrance in time and history.
Directors: Khurram H. Alavi, Ayman Jamal | Stars: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ian McShane, Engin Altan Düzyatan, China Anne McClain
Votes: 19,229 | Gross: $0.49M
9. The Jungle Book (2016)
PG | 106 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
After a threat from the tiger Shere Khan forces him to flee the jungle, a man-cub named Mowgli embarks on a journey of self discovery with the help of panther Bagheera and free-spirited bear Baloo.
Director: Jon Favreau | Stars: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, Idris Elba
Votes: 292,088 | Gross: $364.00M
10. The Magnificent Seven (2016)
PG-13 | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Seven gunmen from a variety of backgrounds are brought together by a vengeful young widow to protect her town from the private army of a destructive industrialist.
Director: Antoine Fuqua | Stars: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio
Votes: 228,222 | Gross: $93.43M
11. Sultan (2016)
Not Rated | 170 min | Action, Drama, Romance
Sultan is a classic underdog tale about a wrestler's journey, looking for a comeback by defeating all odds.
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar | Stars: Salman Khan, Anushka Sharma, Randeep Hooda, Amit Sadh
Votes: 51,900 | Gross: $6.20M
12. Curse of Mesopotamia (2015)
91 min | Horror, Thriller
Five strangers, one nightmare, Hell reincarnated. Curse of Mesopotamia is the first english language genre film coming out of the Middle East. Starring a diverse international cast, it is based on the Newroz legend.
Director: Lauand Omar | Stars: Melissa Mars, Terrell Carter, Karim Saidi, Kaoutar Boudarraja
Votes: 245
13. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)
PG-13 | 105 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
High schooler Greg, who spends most of his time making parodies of classic movies with his co-worker Earl, finds his outlook forever altered after befriending a classmate who has just been diagnosed with cancer.
Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon | Stars: Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman
Votes: 138,291 | Gross: $6.74M
14. A United Kingdom (2016)
PG-13 | 111 min | Biography, Drama, History
The story of King Seretse Khama of Botswana and how his loving but controversial marriage to a British white woman, Ruth Williams, put his kingdom into political and diplomatic turmoil.
Director: Amma Asante | Stars: David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike, Tom Felton, Jack Davenport
Votes: 16,986 | Gross: $3.90M
15. Destined (2016)
95 min | Drama, Fantasy
Destined tells the parallel stories of Sheed and Rasheed the same actor played by (Cory Hardrict) as they explore the idea of destiny as well as how the smallest incident can manifest itself into a life changing event.
Director: Qasim Basir | Stars: Jesse Metcalfe, Jason Dohring, Hill Harper, James McCaffrey
Votes: 179
16. 9 Rides (2016)
TV-PG | 83 min | Drama
An Uber driver gets life changing news on the busiest night of the year.
Director: Matthew A. Cherry | Stars: Dorian Missick, Omar J. Dorsey, Robinne Lee, Xosha Roquemore
Votes: 95
17. Lion (2016)
PG-13 | 118 min | Biography, Drama
A five-year-old Indian boy is adopted by an Australian couple after getting lost hundreds of kilometers from home. 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.
Director: Garth Davis | Stars: Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, Rooney Mara, Sunny Pawar
Votes: 251,183 | Gross: $51.74M
18. Justice League (2017)
PG-13 | 120 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his new-found ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy.
Director: Zack Snyder | Stars: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa, Ezra Miller
Votes: 478,663 | Gross: $229.02M
19. The 33 (2015)
PG-13 | 127 min | Biography, Drama, History
Based on the real-life event, when a gold and copper mine collapses, it traps 33 miners underground for 69 days.
Director: Patricia Riggen | Stars: Antonio Banderas, Rodrigo Santoro, Juliette Binoche, James Brolin
Votes: 39,751 | Gross: $12.19M
20. Dope (2015)
R | 103 min | Adventure, Comedy, Crime
Life changes for Malcolm, a geek who's surviving life in a tough neighborhood, after a chance invitation to an underground party leads him and his friends into a Los Angeles adventure.
Director: Rick Famuyiwa | Stars: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Kimberly Elise
Votes: 89,315 | Gross: $17.51M
21. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
PG-13 | 144 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
In the 1980s the X-Men must defeat an ancient all-powerful mutant, En Sabah Nur, who intends to thrive through bringing destruction to the world.
Director: Bryan Singer | Stars: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult
Votes: 461,142 | Gross: $155.44M
22. Hands of Stone (2016)
R | 111 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
The legendary Roberto Duran and his equally legendary trainer Ray Arcel change each other's lives.
Director: Jonathan Jakubowicz | Stars: Edgar Ramírez, Usher, Robert De Niro, Rubén Blades
Votes: 17,563 | Gross: $4.71M
23. Star Trek Beyond (2016)
PG-13 | 122 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
The crew of the USS Enterprise explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a new ruthless enemy, who puts them, and everything the Federation stands for, to the test.
Director: Justin Lin | Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana
Votes: 258,516 | Gross: $158.85M
24. The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015)
PG-13 | 108 min | Biography, Drama
The story of the life and academic career of the pioneer Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan, and his friendship with his mentor, Professor G.H. Hardy.
Director: Matt Brown | Stars: Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons, Malcolm Sinclair, Raghuvir Joshi
Votes: 62,146 | Gross: $3.87M
25. Kidnap (I) (2017)
R | 95 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
A mother stops at nothing to recover her kidnapped son.
Director: Luis Prieto | Stars: Halle Berry, Sage Correa, Chris McGinn, Lew Temple
Votes: 39,086 | Gross: $30.72M
26. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
PG-13 | 133 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire's ultimate weapon of destruction.
Director: Gareth Edwards | Stars: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, Donnie Yen
Votes: 686,526 | Gross: $532.18M
27. Hidden Figures (2016)
PG | 127 min | Biography, Drama, History
The story of a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program.
Director: Theodore Melfi | Stars: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner
Votes: 255,307 | Gross: $169.61M
28. Ringside (2016 TV Movie)
Drama
Ringside follows the road leading up to the biggest fight of the year between Spencer "timber" collier (Allen Maldonado) and Jaxon Holley (Tyler Lepley) as Jaxon tries to navigate a ... See full summary »
Director: Russ Parr | Stars: Stéphen Banks, Julissa Bermudez, Christie Black, Raney Branch
Votes: 64
29. The Birth of a Nation (2016)
R | 120 min | Biography, Drama, History
Nat Turner, a literate slave and preacher in the antebellum South, orchestrates an uprising.
Director: Nate Parker | Stars: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller, Jackie Earle Haley
Votes: 21,820 | Gross: $15.86M
30. Ride Along 2 (2016)
PG-13 | 102 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
As his wedding day approaches, Ben heads to Miami with his soon-to-be brother-in-law James to bring down a drug dealer who's supplying the dealers of Atlanta with product.
Director: Tim Story | Stars: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Tika Sumpter, Benjamin Bratt
Votes: 63,088 | Gross: $91.22M
31. Baywatch (2017)
R | 116 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Devoted lifeguard Mitch Buchannon butts heads with a brash new recruit, as they uncover a criminal plot that threatens the future of the bay.
Director: Seth Gordon | Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Zac Efron, Alexandra Daddario, Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Votes: 202,169 | Gross: $58.06M
32. Girls Trip (2017)
R | 122 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
When four lifelong friends travel to New Orleans for the annual Essence Festival, sisterhoods are rekindled, wild sides are rediscovered, and there's enough dancing, drinking, brawling and romancing to make the Big Easy blush.
Director: Malcolm D. Lee | Stars: Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, Tiffany Haddish
Votes: 40,477 | Gross: $115.17M
33. Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016)
PG-13 | 111 min | Comedy, Drama
As their surrounding community has taken a turn for the worse, the crew at Calvin's Barbershop come together to bring some much needed change to their neighborhood.
Director: Malcolm D. Lee | Stars: Ice Cube, Regina Hall, Anthony Anderson, Eve
Votes: 16,136 | Gross: $54.03M
35. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
PG-13 | 119 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Four teenagers are sucked into a magical video game, and the only way they can escape is to work together to finish the game.
Director: Jake Kasdan | Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, Jack Black
Votes: 445,572 | Gross: $404.52M
36. The Upside (2017)
PG-13 | 126 min | Comedy, Drama
A comedic look at the relationship between a wealthy man with quadriplegia and an unemployed man with a criminal record who's hired to help him.
Director: Neil Burger | Stars: Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston, Nicole Kidman, Aja Naomi King
Votes: 63,564 | Gross: $108.25M
37. Central Intelligence (2016)
PG-13 | 107 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
After he reconnects with an awkward pal from high school through Facebook, a mild-mannered accountant is lured into the world of international espionage.
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber | Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Danielle Nicolet, Amy Ryan
Votes: 213,293 | Gross: $127.44M
38. The Fate of the Furious (2017)
PG-13 | 136 min | Action, Crime, Thriller
When a mysterious woman seduces Dominic Toretto into the world of terrorism and a betrayal of those closest to him, the crew face trials that will test them as never before.
Director: F. Gary Gray | Stars: Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez
Votes: 253,938 | Gross: $226.01M
39. Beaches (2017 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 87 min | Drama
The friendship between two women from childhood onwards.
Director: Allison Anders | Stars: Idina Menzel, Nia Long, Sanai Victoria, Antonio Cupo
Votes: 789
40. Keanu (2016)
R | 100 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
When the adorable kitten of an L.A. crime kingpin unexpectedly enters the life of two cousins, they will have to go through tough gangs, pitiless hit-men, and ruthless drug dealers who all claim him, to get him back. How hard can it be?
Director: Peter Atencio | Stars: Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Tiffany Haddish, Method Man
Votes: 51,978 | Gross: $20.57M
41. Addicted to You (2016 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 127 min | Drama
ADDICTED TO YOU takes us back and forth in time as we explore the lives of an estranged mother and her daughter both challenged by love, and bound by blood.
Directors: Ogden Bass, Patricia Cuffie-Jones | Stars: LeToya Luckett, Brely Evans, Thomas Q. Jones, Jasmine Burke
Votes: 24
42. Supermodel (2015)
97 min | Drama
A young girl from the Brooklyn housing projects goes from the subway to the runway becoming one of the most sought after models in the fashion industry. But in the high stakes world of ... See full summary »
Director: Shawn Baker | Stars: Datari Turner, Sessilee Lopez, Tyson Beckford, Tatyana Ali
Votes: 110
43. Almost Christmas (2016)
PG-13 | 111 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A dysfunctional family gathers together for their first Christmas since their mom died.
Director: David E. Talbert | Stars: Kimberly Elise, Omar Epps, Danny Glover, Mo'Nique
Votes: 7,870 | Gross: $41.72M
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