Watch Loadout Episode 5: How The Iconic Pulse Rifle Was Made And Influenced Sci-Fi

#1 Lady Bird (2017) 99% #1 Adjusted Score: 126564% Critics Consensus: Lady Bird delivers fresh insights about the turmoil of adolescence -- and reveals writer-director Greta Gerwig as a fully formed filmmaking talent. Synopsis: A teenager (Saoirse Ronan) navigates a loving but turbulent relationship with her strong-willed mother (Laurie Metcalf) over the course of... [More] Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Timothée Chalamet, Lucas Hedges Directed By: Greta Gerwig #2 Eighth Grade (2018) 99% #2 Adjusted Score: 114563% Critics Consensus: Eighth Grade takes a look at its titular time period that offers a rare and resounding ring of truth while heralding breakthroughs for writer-director Bo Burnham and captivating star Elsie Fisher. Synopsis: Thirteen-year-old Kayla endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of... [More] Starring: Elsie Fisher, Daniel Zolghadri, Fred Hechinger, Imani Lewis Directed By: Bo Burnham #3 Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021) 99% #3 Adjusted Score: 105143% Critics Consensus: Poignant, profound, and utterly heartwarming, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is animated entertainment with real heart. Synopsis: Marcel is an adorable one-inch-tall shell who ekes out a colorful existence with his grandmother Connie and their pet lint,... [More] Starring: Jenny Slate, Rosa Salazar, Thomas Mann, Isabella Rossellini Directed By: Dean Fleischer-Camp #4 Moonlight (2016) 98% #4 Adjusted Score: 120359% Critics Consensus: Moonlight uses one man's story to offer a remarkable and brilliantly crafted look at lives too rarely seen in cinema. Synopsis: A look at three defining chapters in the life of Chiron, a young black man growing up in Miami. His... [More] Starring: Mahershala Ali, Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, Trevante Rhodes Directed By: Barry Jenkins #5 Minari (2020) 98% #5 Adjusted Score: 112017% Critics Consensus: Led by arresting performances from Steven Yeun and Yeri Han, Minari offers an intimate and heart-wrenching portrait of family and assimilation in 1980s America. Synopsis: A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to a tiny Arkansas... [More] Starring: Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Youn Yuh-jung, Will Patton Directed By: Lee Isaac Chung #6 The Farewell (2019) 97% #6 Adjusted Score: 116052% Critics Consensus: The Farewell deftly captures complicated family dynamics with a poignant, well-acted drama that marries cultural specificity with universally relatable themes. Synopsis: Billi's family returns to China under the guise of a fake wedding to stealthily say goodbye to their beloved matriarch... [More] Starring: Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Gil Perez-Abraham Directed By: Lulu Wang #7 The Florida Project (2017) 96% #7 Adjusted Score: 117944% Critics Consensus: The Florida Project offers a colorfully empathetic look at an underrepresented part of the population that proves absorbing even as it raises sobering questions about modern America. Synopsis: Set in the shadow of the most magical place on Earth, 6-year-old Moonee and her two best friends forge their... [More] Starring: Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite, Valeria Cotto Directed By: Sean Baker #8 First Cow (2019) 96% #8 Adjusted Score: 109327% Critics Consensus: First Cow finds director Kelly Reichardt revisiting territory and themes that will be familiar to fans of her previous work -- with typically rewarding results. Synopsis: Two travelers, on the run from a band of vengeful hunters in the 1820s Northwest, dream of striking it rich... [More] Starring: John Magaro, Orion Lee, Alia Shawkat, Toby Jones Directed By: Kelly Reichardt #9 Menashe (2017) 95% #9 Adjusted Score: 102537% Critics Consensus: Menashe offers an intriguing look at a culture whose unfamiliarity to many viewers will be rendered irrelevant by the story's universally affecting themes and thoughtful approach. Synopsis: Deep in the heart of New York's notoriously secretive Hasidic Jewish community, Menashe, a good-hearted but somewhat hapless grocery store... [More] Starring: Menashe Lustig, Ruben Niborski, Yoel Weisshaus, Meyer Schwartz Directed By: Joshua Z Weinstein #10 Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) 95% #10 Adjusted Score: 110534% Critics Consensus: Led by an outstanding Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once lives up to its title with an expertly calibrated assault on the senses. Synopsis: Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as Daniels, the film is a hilarious and big-hearted sci-fi action... [More] Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong Directed By: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert #11 Amy (2015) 95% #11 Adjusted Score: 103134% Critics Consensus: As riveting as it is sad, Amy is a powerfully honest look at the twisted relationship between art and celebrity -- and the lethal spiral of addiction. Synopsis: Archival footage and personal testimonials present an intimate portrait of the life and career of British singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse.... [More] Starring: Tony Bennett, Pete Doherty, Salaam Remi, Nick Shymansky Directed By: Asif Kapadia #12 Boys State (2020) 95% #12 Adjusted Score: 103805% Critics Consensus: Startling, upsetting, and overall absorbing, Boys State strikingly depicts American political divisions -- and machinations -- taking root in the next generation. Synopsis: A raucous journey into the heart of democracy captures an unusual rite of passage: 1,100 teenage boys from across Texas... [More] Starring: Directed By: Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss #13 De Palma (2015) 95% #13 Adjusted Score: 100716% Critics Consensus: De Palma may not make believers out of the director's detractors, but they'll likely share longtime fans' fascination with his career's worth of entertaining stories. Synopsis: Filmmaker Brian De Palma discusses his body of work, including "Sisters," "Obsession," "Carrie," "Dressed to Kill," "Blow Out," "Scarface," "The... [More] Starring: Brian De Palma Directed By: Noah Baumbach, Jake Paltrow #14 Krisha (2015) 95% #14 Adjusted Score: 98654% Critics Consensus: Raw, bracingly honest, and refreshingly unconventional, Krisha wrings fresh -- and occasionally uncomfortable -- truths from a seemingly familiar premise. Synopsis: Tensions rise at a Thanksgiving gathering when a troubled woman (Krisha Fairchild) reunites with the extended family that she abandoned... [More] Starring: Krisha Fairchild, Robyn Fairchild, Bill Wise, Chris Doubek Directed By: Trey Edward Shults #15 First Reformed (2017) 94% #15 Adjusted Score: 105840% Critics Consensus: Brought to life by delicate work from writer-director Paul Schrader and elevated by a standout performance by Ethan Hawke, First Reformed takes a sensitive and suspenseful look at weighty themes. Synopsis: The pastor of a small church in upstate New York spirals out of control after a soul-shaking encounter with an... [More] Starring: Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Philip Ettinger, Cedric Kyles Directed By: Paul Schrader #16 X (2022) 94% #16 Adjusted Score: 102972% Critics Consensus: A fresh spin on the classic slasher formula, X marks the spot where Ti West gets resoundingly back to his horror roots. Synopsis: In 1979, a group of young filmmakers set out to make an adult film in rural Texas, but when their... [More] Starring: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow Directed By: Ti West #17 C'mon C'mon (2021) 94% #17 Adjusted Score: 102703% Critics Consensus: The sweet chemistry between Joaquin Phoenix and Woody Norman is complemented by writer-director Mike Mills' empathetic work, helping C'mon C'mon transcend its familiar trappings. Synopsis: Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) and his young nephew (Woody Norman) forge a tenuous but transformational relationship when they are unexpectedly thrown... [More] Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman, Scoot McNairy Directed By: Mike Mills #18 Val (2021) 94% #18 Adjusted Score: 98691% Critics Consensus: An absorbingly reflective documentary that benefits from its subject's self-chronicling, Val offers an intimate look at a unique life and career. Synopsis: For over 40 years Val Kilmer, one of Hollywood's most mercurial and/or misunderstood actors has been documenting his own life... [More] Starring: Val Kilmer, Jack Kilmer Directed By: Ting Poo, Leo Scott #19 Room (2015) 93% #19 Adjusted Score: 104832% Critics Consensus: Led by incredible work from Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay, Room makes for an unforgettably harrowing -- and undeniably rewarding -- experience. Synopsis: Held captive for years in an enclosed space, a woman (Brie Larson) and her young son (Jacob Tremblay) finally gain... [More] Starring: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen, Sean Bridgers Directed By: Lenny Abrahamson #20 The Humans (2021) 92% #20 Adjusted Score: 97636% Critics Consensus: The Humans takes its Tony-winning source material from stage to screen without sacrificing the essence of writer-director Stephen Karam's dysfunctional drama. Synopsis: Erik Blake has gathered three generations of his Pennsylvania family to celebrate Thanksgiving at his daughter's apartment in lower Manhattan.... [More] Starring: Richard Jenkins, Amy Schumer, Steven Yeun, Jayne Houdyshell Directed By: Stephen Karam #21 Saint Maud (2019) 93% #21 Adjusted Score: 100975% Critics Consensus: A brilliantly unsettling blend of body horror and psychological thriller, Saint Maud marks an impressive debut for writer-director Rose Glass. Synopsis: The debut film from writer-director Rose Glass, Saint Maud is a chilling and boldly original vision of faith, madness, and... [More] Starring: Morfydd Clark, Jennifer Ehle, Lily Frazer, Lily Knight Directed By: Rose Glass #22 Ex Machina (2014) 92% #22 Adjusted Score: 102467% Critics Consensus: Ex Machina leans heavier on ideas than effects, but it's still a visually polished piece of work -- and an uncommonly engaging sci-fi feature. Synopsis: Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson) a programmer at a huge Internet company, wins a contest that enables him to spend a... [More] Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, Alicia Vikander, Sonoya Mizuno Directed By: Alex Garland #23 The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021) 93% #23 Adjusted Score: 105241% Critics Consensus: Led by a stellar Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth strips the classic story down to its visual and narrative essentials. Synopsis: Joel Coen's bold and fierce adaptation of "Macbeth," a tale of murder, madness, ambition, and wrathful cunning.... [More] Starring: Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Bertie Carvel, Alex Hassell Directed By: Joel Coen #24 Good Time (2017) 91% #24 Adjusted Score: 107141% Critics Consensus: A visual treat filled out by consistently stellar work from Robert Pattinson, Good Time is a singularly distinctive crime drama offering far more than the usual genre thrills. Synopsis: A bank robber stops at nothing to free his brother from prison, launching himself into a nightlong odyssey through New... [More] Starring: Robert Pattinson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Barkhad Abdi, Benny Safdie Directed By: Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie #25 The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019) 92% #25 Adjusted Score: 103043% Critics Consensus: An affecting story powerfully told, The Last Black Man in San Francisco immediately establishes director Joe Talbot as a filmmaker to watch. Synopsis: Jimmie and his best friend Mont try to reclaim the house built by Jimmie's grandfather, launching them on a poignant... [More] Starring: Jimmie Fails, Jonathan Majors, Rob Morgan, Tichina Arnold Directed By: Joe Talbot #26 The End of the Tour (2015) 92% #26 Adjusted Score: 97493% Critics Consensus: Brilliantly performed and smartly unconventional, The End of the Tour pays fitting tribute to a singular talent while offering profoundly poignant observations on the human condition. Synopsis: Writer and journalist David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) interviews author David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel) for Rolling Stone magazine.... [More] Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Jason Segel, Becky Ann Baker, Anna Chlumsky Directed By: James Ponsoldt #27 Slow West (2015) 92% #27 Adjusted Score: 96512% Critics Consensus: Slow West serves as an impressive calling card for first-time writer-director John M. Maclean -- and offers an inventive treat for fans of the Western. Synopsis: A bounty hunter (Michael Fassbender) keeps his true motive a secret from the naive Scottish teenager (Kodi Smit-McPhee) he's offered... [More] Starring: Michael Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ben Mendelsohn, Caren Pistorius Directed By: John Maclean #28 The Souvenir Part II (2021) 90% #28 Adjusted Score: 95215% Critics Consensus: Drawing on another terrific performance from Honor Swinton Byrne, The Souvenir Part II continues its story with profound emotional complexity and elegant storytelling. Synopsis: In the aftermath of her tumultuous relationship with a charismatic and manipulative older man, Julie begins to untangle her fraught... [More] Starring: Honor Swinton Byrne, Jaygann Ayeh, Tilda Swinton, Richard Ayoade Directed By: Joanna Hogg #29 A Prayer Before Dawn (2017) 92% #29 Adjusted Score: 94325% Critics Consensus: A Prayer Before Dawn is far from an easy watch, but this harrowing prison odyssey delivers rich rewards -- led by an outstanding central performance from Joe Cole. Synopsis: The amazing true story of Billy Moore, an English boxer incarcerated in Thailand's most notorious prison. Thrown into a world... [More] Starring: Joe Cole, Billy Moore, Pornchanok Mabklang, Panya Yimmumphai Directed By: Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire #30 The Disaster Artist (2017) 91% #30 Adjusted Score: 115167% Critics Consensus: Oh, hai Mark. The Disaster Artist is a surprisingly poignant and charming movie-about-a-movie that explores the creative process with unexpected delicacy. Synopsis: The incredible true story of aspiring filmmaker and Hollywood outsider Tommy Wiseau as he and his best friend defiantly pursue... [More] Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, Zac Efron Directed By: James Franco #31 Uncut Gems (2019) 91% #31 Adjusted Score: 109831% Critics Consensus: Uncut Gems reaffirms the Safdies as masters of anxiety-inducing cinema -- and proves Adam Sandler remains a formidable dramatic actor when given the right material. Synopsis: A charismatic jeweler makes a high-stakes bet that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. In a precarious high-wire... [More] Starring: Adam Sandler, LaKeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett Directed By: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie #32 Locke (2013) 91% #32 Adjusted Score: 99161% Critics Consensus: A one-man show set in a single confined location, Locke demands a powerful performance -- and gets it from a never-more-compelling Tom Hardy. Synopsis: A man's (Tom Hardy) life unravels after he leaves a construction site at a critical time and drives to London... [More] Starring: Tom Hardy, Ruth Wilson, Andrew Scott, Tom Holland Directed By: Steven Knight #33 Gloria Bell (2018) 91% #33 Adjusted Score: 101840% Critics Consensus: Free of visual or narrative embellishments, Gloria Bell rests almost completely on Julianne Moore's performance in the title role -- and she's gloriously up to the task. Synopsis: A free-spirited divorcee spends her nights on the dance floor, joyfully letting loose at clubs around Los Angeles. She soon... [More] Starring: Julianne Moore, John Turturro, Michael Cera, Brad Garrett Directed By: Sebastián Lelio #34 The Spectacular Now (2013) 91% #34 Adjusted Score: 96969% Critics Consensus: The Spectacular Now is an adroit, sensitive film that avoids typical coming-of-age story trappings. Synopsis: An innocent, bookish teenager (Shailene Woodley) begins dating the charming, freewheeling high-school senior (Miles Teller) who awoke on her lawn... [More] Starring: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh Directed By: James Ponsoldt #35 In Fabric (2018) 91% #35 Adjusted Score: 99235% Critics Consensus: In Fabric's gauzy giallo allure weaves a surreal spell, blending stylish horror and dark comedy to offer audiences a captivating treat. Synopsis: A lonely divorcee visits a bewitching London department store to find a dress to transform her life. She soon finds... [More] Starring: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Hayley Squires, Leo Bill Directed By: Peter Strickland #36 Mississippi Grind (2015) 91% #36 Adjusted Score: 94901% Critics Consensus: Well-acted and steeped in Southern atmosphere, Mississippi Grind is a road movie and addiction drama that transcends each of its well-worn genres. Synopsis: Convinced that his newfound friend (Ryan Reynolds) is a good-luck charm, a gambling addict (Ben Mendelsohn) takes the man on... [More] Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Ben Mendelsohn, Sienna Miller, Analeigh Tipton Directed By: Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden #37 The Lighthouse (2019) 90% #37 Adjusted Score: 111422% Critics Consensus: A gripping story brilliantly filmed and led by a pair of powerhouse performances, The Lighthouse further establishes Robert Eggers as a filmmaker of exceptional talent. Synopsis: Two lighthouse keepers try to maintain their sanity while living on a remote and mysterious New England island in the... [More] Starring: Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe, Valeriia Karaman, Logan Hawkes Directed By: Robert Eggers #38 The Witch (2015) 90% #38 Adjusted Score: 108726% Critics Consensus: As thought-provoking as it is visually compelling, The Witch delivers a deeply unsettling exercise in slow-building horror that suggests great things for debuting writer-director Robert Eggers. Synopsis: In 1630 New England, panic and despair envelops a farmer, his wife and their children when youngest son Samuel suddenly... [More] Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw Directed By: Robert Eggers #39 A Ghost Story (2017) 91% #39 Adjusted Score: 110379% Critics Consensus: A Ghost Story deftly manages its ambitious themes through an inventive, artful, and ultimately poignant exploration of love and loss. Synopsis: A passionate young couple, unexpectedly separated by a shocking loss, discover an eternal connection and a love that is infinite.... [More] Starring: Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara, Kenneisha Thompson, Grover Coulson Directed By: David Lowery #40 Green Room (2015) 90% #40 Adjusted Score: 103662% Critics Consensus: Green Room delivers unapologetic genre thrills with uncommon intelligence and powerfully acted élan. Synopsis: Members (Anton Yelchin, Alia Shawkat) of a punk-rock band and a tough young woman (Imogen Poots) battle murderous white supremacists... [More] Starring: Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, Joe Cole Directed By: Jeremy Saulnier #41 A Most Violent Year (2014) 90% #41 Adjusted Score: 98803% Critics Consensus: Gritty, gripping, and weighted with thought-provoking heft, A Most Violent Year represents another strong entry in writer-director J.C. Chandor's impressive filmography. Synopsis: In 1981 New York, a fuel supplier (Oscar Isaac) tries to adhere to his own moral compass amid the rampant... [More] Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo, Alessandro Nivola Directed By: J.C. Chandor #42 Red Rocket (2021) 90% #42 Adjusted Score: 98618% Critics Consensus: Led by Simon Rex's magnetic performance, Red Rocket is another vibrant, ground-level look at modern American life from director/co-writer Sean Baker. Synopsis: The audaciou