Home

 › 

Entertainment

 › 

50 Hidden Gems: Great Films You’ve Probably Never Watched

50 Hidden Gems: Great Films You’ve Probably Never Watched

Published: by

Courtesy of Orion Classics

50. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

49. Europa Europa (1991)

Courtesy of Orion Classics

48. Withnail & I (1987)

Courtesy of Cineplex Odeon Films

47. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)

Courtesy of Fine Line Features

46. Marty (1955)

Courtesy of United Artists

45. Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)

Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

44. Weathering with You (2019)

Courtesy of GKIDS

43. One Cut of the Dead (2017)

Courtesy of Shudder

42. El Dorado (1966)

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

41. Farewell My Concubine (1993)

Courtesy of Miramax

40. How to Steal a Million (1966)

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

39. A Woman Under the Influence (1974)

Courtesy of Faces International

38. Fail Safe (1964)

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

37. Zelig (1983)

Courtesy of Orion Pictures

36. Kolya (1997)

Courtesy of Miramax

35. The Color of Paradise (2000)

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

34. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)

Courtesy of United Artists

33. Inherit the Wind (1960)

Courtesy of United Artists

32. A Face in the Crowd (1957)

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

31. Wait Until Dark (1967)

Courtesy of Warner Bros./Seven Arts

30. The Man Who Would Be King (1975)

Courtesy of Allied Artists Pictures

29. Auntie Mame (1958)

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

28. Ernest & Celestine (2012)

Courtesy of GKIDS

27. Ace in the Hole (1951)

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

26. The Miracle Worker (1962)

Courtesy of United Artists

25. My Life as a Zucchini (2016)

Courtesy of GKIDS

24. Babette's Feast (1987)

Courtesy of Orion Classics

23. A Taxi Driver (2017)

Courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment

22. Opening Night (1977)

Courtesy of Faces Distribution

21. Love and Death (1975)

Courtesy of United Artists

20. Once Were Warriors (1995)

Courtesy of Fine Line Features

19. Sleuth (1972)

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

18. Secrets & Lies (1996)

Courtesy of October Films

17. The Killer (1989)

Vinnie Zuffante / Archive Photos via Getty Images

16. Days of Wine and Roses (1962)

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

15. Limelight (1952)

Hulton Archive / Moviepix via Getty Images

14. Paper Moon (1973)

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

13. Z (1969)

Courtesy of Cinema V

12. The Big Country (1958)

Courtesy of United Artists

11. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

10. Central Station (1998)

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

9. Yi Yi: A One and a Two (2000)

Courtesy of WinStar Cinema

8. The Court Jester (1955)

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

7. The Big Heat (1953)

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

6. Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

Courtesy of United Artists

5. The Last Picture Show (1971)

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

4. The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)

Courtesy of Bir Film

3. Tampopo (1985)

Courtesy of New Yorker Films

2. Raise the Red Lantern (1992)

Courtesy of Orion Classics

1. It's Such a Beautiful Day (2012)

Courtesy of Cinemad Presents

50. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
49. Europa Europa (1991)
48. Withnail & I (1987)
47. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
46. Marty (1955)
45. Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
44. Weathering with You (2019)
43. One Cut of the Dead (2017)
42. El Dorado (1966)
41. Farewell My Concubine (1993)
40. How to Steal a Million (1966)
39. A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
38. Fail Safe (1964)
37. Zelig (1983)
36. Kolya (1997)
35. The Color of Paradise (2000)
34. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
33. Inherit the Wind (1960)
32. A Face in the Crowd (1957)
31. Wait Until Dark (1967)
30. The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
29. Auntie Mame (1958)
28. Ernest & Celestine (2012)
27. Ace in the Hole (1951)
26. The Miracle Worker (1962)
25. My Life as a Zucchini (2016)
24. Babette's Feast (1987)
23. A Taxi Driver (2017)
22. Opening Night (1977)
21. Love and Death (1975)
20. Once Were Warriors (1995)
19. Sleuth (1972)
18. Secrets & Lies (1996)
17. The Killer (1989)
16. Days of Wine and Roses (1962)
15. Limelight (1952)
14. Paper Moon (1973)
13. Z (1969)
12. The Big Country (1958)
11. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)
10. Central Station (1998)
9. Yi Yi: A One and a Two (2000)
8. The Court Jester (1955)
7. The Big Heat (1953)
6. Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
5. The Last Picture Show (1971)
4. The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2013)
3. Tampopo (1985)
2. Raise the Red Lantern (1992)
1. It's Such a Beautiful Day (2012)

It can be an impossible feat to watch every film that Hollywood churns out each year. While the number produced varies by year, there is still a staggering amount of films to watch even in a low-producing year, like in 2023 which saw more than 500 movies hit theaters. Compare that to 2019 which had more than 1,500 movies released, and it can be overwhelming trying to decide what great films to watch.

Even if you watched a movie every day for the year, odds are you've missed a few great ones. This is why we've created a list to ensure you don't miss any of the truly great films. These films run the gamut — horror, comedy, Westerns, drama, and even animation. (Here's a list of the best Westerns you probably haven't seen.)

To determine 50 hidden gems: great films you've probably never watched, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of early October 2023, weighting all ratings equally.

We considered only movies with between 10,000 and 50,000 audience reviews on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes and ruled out documentaries. Directorial credits are from IMDb.

Here are 50 hidden gems: great films you've probably never watched.

To top