Photo Credit (Pixabay)

This year saw cinematic highs for studio blockbusters like “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” while independent darlings like “American Fiction” and “Past Lives” received positive reviews from reviewers and audiences. However, not all films can make a splash at the box office or attract a devoted following (or obsessed reviewer) to support their releases.

The flood of content can make it difficult to discover hidden treasures, which is why end-of-year lists exist—so Variety asked writers and editors to recommend their lesser-known favorite films of the year. While you’re looking for new stuff, check out Nida Manzoor’s jaw-dropping action film “Polite Society” or the emotionally charged animation film “Robot Dreams.”

Do not miss the middle-of-nowhere Australian crime documentary “Last Stop Larrimah,” which revolves around the inexplicable disappearance of a local favorite, making everyone a suspect. If you’re searching for a thriller, watch the screenshot film “Missing,” which takes place solely on a teenager’s laptop and phone as she tries to unearth the truth behind her mother’s abrupt and mysterious disappearance (from the makers of “Searching”).

If you’re searching for something lighter, we recommend Peter Dinklage, Anne Hathaway, and Marisa Tomei’s weird little comedy “She Came to Me,” about a composer who finds inspiration for his next musical masterpiece while cheating on his wife with a tugboat captain.

Instead of re-watching “The West Wing” or bingeing on “The Sopranos,” try out some films you might have missed.

Christian Petzold
The Wallners’ catchy song “In My Mind” opens and finishes German filmmaker Christian Petzold’s insightful picture of Leon, a young novelist who travels to a family cottage on the Baltic shore to finish his second manuscript. While his housemates spend their afternoons swimming, flirting, and falling in love, Leon wanders around the home, looking for inspiration but mostly squandering time. When the others invite him to join in, he quickly declines, saying, “My work won’t allow it.” Smart and erotic, “Afire” is above all intensely incisive about the vulnerabilities of a bright, borderline-insufferable writer trapped in his own head. — PD

Cat Person
While the New Yorker short story “Cat Person” went viral, its ambitious film version was not as successful. “Cat Person” uses horror to depict the unpleasant tension between two people who are unable to communicate. It is anchored by a tension-filled push and pull between Emilia Jones’ Margot, a college student, and Nicholas Braun’s Robert, an older, awkward man who begins to court her. The boundary between quirky and sinister is constantly shifting, and Jones and Braun do an excellent job of mismatching in subtle ways that build and build. The finale loses the thread, but “Cat Person” will appeal to anyone dating in the present day. — WE

Fancy Dance.
2023 is the year of Lily Gladstone. While she has received recognition for her work on Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “The Unknown Country,” Erica Tremblay’s “Fancy Dance,” which premiered at Sundance earlier this year, is still looking for a distributor. Set in northeastern Oklahoma’s Indian Country, “Fancy Dance” is a coming-of-age narrative starring Gladstone as Jax, who travels with her niece to find Tawi (Hauli Gray). Tawi has gone missing. Along the way, the two get into a lot of trouble, stealing cars and money and cheating others in card games. Everyone should have the opportunity to see Gladstone shine and demonstrate her acting abilities, and this film should not be forgotten. — JT

Joy Ride
Hands down the funniest film of 2023, “Joy Ride” failed to find the theatrical audience you’d anticipate for an unpredictably raw, “Hangover”-style road-trip comedy. It placed just slightly ahead of indie breakout “Bottoms,” but the latter had insane per-screen numbers. Watching both films with a crowd at the SXSW Film Festival demonstrated how they could bring the house down, particularly when Stephanie Hsu shows her character’s prohibited tattoo. But even when played alone on streaming, “Joy Ride” hits like a laughing gas leak. — PD

Land of Gold
Nardeep Khurmi’s insightful, heartfelt debut film follows a truck driver and his young Mexican-American stowaway on a road trip, but it ends at a beautiful crossroads between obligation (professional, cultural, and familial) and larger human understanding. Eager to defy expectations with the relationship between Kiran (Khurmi, also starring) and Elena (Caroline Valencia), “Land of Gold” delivers a referendum on politics, parenthood, and personal responsibility with unexpected emotional depth while capturing beautiful performances and imagery with his camera. Khurmi’s debut is understated but promising, heralding the coming of a director with much more to say—and not in the ways spectators might expect. — TG

Last Stop: Larrimah
The bizarre concept of this HBO true crime documentary: When one member of an 11-person commune goes missing, everyone is a suspect. What begins as a film about a small town’s shock that a crime might have occurred in their neighborhood quickly peels back layers to reveal deep feuds and resentments that muddy the waters. Each of Larrimah’s occupants is a complex character, and the drama that emerges at the local watering hole is enough to fuel a miniseries. By the end, you’ll be as hungry for the town’s famous meat pies as you are for answers. — WE

Master Gardener
In Paul Schrader’s new film, Joel Edgerton plays Narvel Roth, a buttoned-up horticultural. The film is the climax of a new trilogy about individuals dealing with traumatic pasts, which began with “First Reformed” and “The Card Counter.” It is a lushly photographed drama about a man who can’t keep his secrets as hidden as he would want. When his boss, a wealthy woman who hires him to manage her garden (Sigourney Weaver), comes her delinquent niece to work with his meticulously maintained plants, he realizes that he may not be able to hide from the world forever. — PS

Missing

“Missing,” which premiered at Sundance and will be released in theaters on January 20, is, well, missing from the year-end movie discourse. Directed by newcomers Will Merrick and Nick Johnson, it’s a consistently captivating race to the finish with a standout lead performance from Storm Reid, who spends much of the film scouring for clues via Ring camera footage, old emails, and FaceTime calls with a Colombian gig worker after her mother mysteriously disappears while abroad. “Missing” is twisted, suspenseful, and ultimately gratifying—a fine addition to the emerging screenlife genre. — ES

Monica
Trace Lysette, the breakout star of “Transparent,” received a well-deserved nomination for best lead performance at the Indie Spirit Awards for her role in Andrea Pallaoro’s understated drama “Monica,” in which Lysette plays a trans woman who returns home to her estranged family to care for her dying mother (Patricia Clarkson). The IFC Films release failed to break the $200K mark at the box office this year, which is a shame given how much universal sentiment director and co-writer Pallaoro extracts from a story about two women overcoming unsaid wounds from their past to achieve renewed understanding in the present. Lysette is a delicate powerhouse in the lead role, delivering such a lived-in performance that even the film’s most personal scenes carry the emotional weight of an epic. — ZS

Monster
Following “Broker” and “Shoplifters,” director Hirokazu Kore-eda directs “Monster,” his most dramatic and touching film yet, which tells the story of a mother seeking answers from a school about her son’s strange conduct. When Japan chose “Perfect Days” to represent the country in the Academy’s international feature category, critics and cinephiles downgraded “Monster” as a must-see film. Beautiful music by the late Ryuichi Sakamoto and a magnificent ensemble elevate one of the year’s best films, with an ending open to interpretation. — CD

Nam June Paik: Moon is the oldest television.
Many people are familiar with Nam June Paik’s name and have even seen one of his so-pulsating-they’re-alive video projects, but they know little else about him. Amanda Kim’s beautifully crafted documentary does an excellent job of explaining what a visionary figure Paik was—how he interacted with people like John Cage, lived for years as a starving artist in New York, and built his surrealist TV museum exhibits from the ground up, literally inventing an art form. The most captivating aspect of the film is how it transforms into a vehicle for witnessing the psychedelic magnificence of Paik’s works, which were motivated by his preoccupation with discovering technology’s hidden soul. Along with “Little Richard: I Am Everything,” it is this year’s most fascinating portrait of an artist in film. — OG

Of an Age.
Goran Stolevski, an Australian writer-director, creates a whirlwind romantic drama in “Of an Age,” which follows a young guy who forms an intimate relationship with his ballroom dance partner’s brother over the course of a day. Stolevski’s handheld direction captures the dizzying and swoon-worthy pull of first love, while his script balances the warmth of meeting your match with the heartache of not having enough time to make it last. While the film’s major character comes to accept his sexuality over the course of the film, Stolevski refuses to allow his romance drama to become a derivative look at LGBT self-acceptance. That makes it much more refreshing. “Of an Age” is a heartfelt masterpiece laced with exquisite sorrow. — ZS

The Origin of Evil.
Call My Agent!” talent Laure Calamy piqued our interest this year with two virtuosic performances. She was fantastic as an overworked single mom barely holding it together in “Full Time,” but she was much more stunning (and unexpectedly crazy) as the prodigal daughter in this criminally underrated French thriller. Imagine a psychologically coherent version of “Saltburn,” executed in the Claude Chabrol tradition of keeping you guessing, as Calamy’s character reconnects with her estranged father — a man of extravagant wealth (and eccentric household) with nearly an entire island to himself who sees this fortuitous reunion as an opportunity to maintain control of his estate. — PD

Polite society.
This high-octane mashup enthusiastically combines kung fu, sci-fi, and Bollywood. Nida Manzoor wrote and directed the narrative about Ria Khan, a teen stuntwoman who vows to end her sister’s engagement. What begins as a story about Ria’s naivety quickly transforms into something more sinister, as our hero is determined to prevent the wedding from taking place without alienating herself from family and friends. The heightened reality and camerawork would make “Society” an excellent companion piece to Edgar Wright’s “Scott Pilgrim.” Even when the final act takes an unexpected turn, it’s tough not to root for Ria to save the day. — WE

Reality
There are numerous perspectives on Reality Winner, who disclosed secret proof of Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election (to the point where another version, titled “Winner,” will be shown at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival). Tina Satter’s carefully calibrated re-creation, now available on Max, concentrates on the moment the FBI arrived in her driveway with a search warrant rather than the breach itself. The film is guided by a truncated (and heavily redacted) transcript of their interrogation. Sydney Sweeney’s performance makes the national-security pariah/scapegoat seem frighteningly relatable, resulting in a bracingly original political satire that is equal parts gripping true-crime thriller and wickedly amusing cringe comedy. — PD

Robot Dreams.
Imagine sobbing so much over a dog who creates a robot. That is what the audience gets from Pablo Berger’s creative and amusing animated film, which premiered at Cannes. The picture has barely made a dent in the debate, with merely a small awards-qualifying theater run. Disappointing, given the somber themes of loneliness and re-discovering the world through new eyes. It’s one of the most heartwarming films—too hopeful to detest and simply too lovely to dismiss. — CD

Rye Lane
Searchlight’s “Rye Lane” is a wonderful romantic comedy that fell under the radar when it premiered on Hulu in March. It places its dynamic protagonists Dom (David Jonsson) and Yas (Vivian Oparah) in the vibrant South London. After Yas discovers Dom grieving over his ex in an art gallery lavatory, the two roam the streets of Brixton and Peckham, forming an unexpected relationship based on a shared knowledge of their dismal love lives. Wide views and vibrant splashes of color highlight Yas and Dom’s slow-burn romance; first-time filmmaker Raine Allen-Miller drew influence from “Juno,” “Peep Show,” and Roy Andersson’s flicks. It’s ideal for those who prefer cozy, wacky British love stories (with surprise cameos from a certain “Love Actually” actor). — RS

“Sanctuary” was released in theaters at the same time that HBO’s “Succession” series finale aired, and it was the ideal companion piece to the family dynasty drama. Consider an episode in which Roman Roy becomes deeply involved with a dominatrix who fills his desire to be controlled and humiliated by someone else. Suddenly, the psychosexual fantasy evolves into blackmailing his family’s riches and confronting Daddy issues. That’s “Sanctuary” in a nutshell: a two-hander starring Christopher Abbott and Margaret Qualley that takes place over one night in a single hotel room. It’s a seductive, twisted thriller that delves into the complex psyches of a young, multimillionaire CEO and the cunning dominatrix who controls his fortunes. — JM

She came to me.
Indie comedy is frequently categorized as either sincere or offbeat. Rebecca Miller’s fervent ensemble comedy has the offbeat deftness to be both at once. Its principal role is a renowned opera composer, portrayed by Peter Dinklage at his most broodingly compelling, who stops into a dive bar in the morning and is picked up for an exotic adventure by a sexaholic tugboat captain, played with lived-in charm by Marisa Tomei. What follows is a fractured bedroom farce that turns out to be a salvation story. Miller’s pictures, with their sensitive humanity, are fragile blossoms that have too frequently been overlooked. This one is worth finding. — OG

Shortcomings

Randall Park’s directorial debut “Shortcomings” might not have suffered if its cast members, Sherry Cola, Ally Maki, and Justin H. Min, had not been forced to sit out promotion due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. Based on Adrian Tomine’s graphic novel, Min plays Ben, who is struggling after his fiancée Miko (Maki) breaks up with him. The film focuses on the untidy lives of young adults in their twenties dealing with getting dumped and other typical adolescent issues. The lighthearted drama is amusing, and Cola gets to show off her acting skills as the lesbian bestie. — JT

They cloned Tyrone.
“They Cloned Tyrone” has all the elements of a cult classic. The pulpy sci-fi thriller stars John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris as an unlikely trio—a dope boy, a pimp, and a sex worker—who discover a government conspiracy that affects every corner of their community, from the barbershop and beauty salon to the local fried chicken joint. It aired in July to rave reviews and quickly rose to the top of Netflix’s top ten list in 56 countries, but the fact that it debuted during the first week of the SAG-AFTRA strike and lacked promotional appearances from Foxx, who was recovering from a significant medical emergency, tempered some of the excitement. Nonetheless, the slick and stylish film, which takes Blaxploitation stereotypes and spins them on their heads, marks director Juel Taylor, who co-wrote the film with Tony Rettenmaier (“Creed II”), as one to watch. — AJ

When evil lurks
This horror flick from Argentina takes the twisted title of 2023’s scariest movie. “When Evil Lurks” opens with a stomach-churning boom and never lets up. Two brothers discover an unfortunate man possessed by a demon, and his bloated, pus-leaking body is one of the most disgusting pictures you’ll see on film this year. Everyone who comes paths with the devil is bound to a terribly horrible fate, and there are some downright disturbing deaths and stunning scenes that follow. The ending will leave you gut-punched, sitting there in horrified silence as you contemplate the horrors you have just experienced. — JM