Of all the movies that come out in a given year, not nearly all of them get wide releases, arriving at a theater near you. And, unfortunately, some of those limited release films tend to be the very best—or, at least, the most interesting—cinema the year has to offer.

Here are ten movies I wanted to see this year, but didn't manage to. Maybe you did get to see them, in which case, good on you! But if, like me, you missed them, lucky for us all they're either already on VOD or BluRay, or they will be soon.

  • 10

    The Babadook

    Weird, artsy, and supposedly terrifying without relying on jump scares, this is my kind of horror film. (And there aren't many that are.)

  • 9

    Cheap Thrills

    What would you do for a bundle of cash? This critically acclaimed blackest of black comedies asks exactly that question.

  • 8

    Blue Ruin

    Should you expect anything from a crowdfunded movie? Apparently, the answer is a big "YES" if you're talking about this thriller that stole the show on the festival circuit.

  • 7

    Love is Strange

    Alfred Molina and John Lithgow as lovers separated by circumstance? Sign me up.

  • 6

    The Guest

    The latest film by the director of last year's excellent 'You're Next,' this film promises to offer a similar inversion to all expectations of the genre.

  • 5

    Joe

    Yeah, it's Nic Cage. But, that beard! (Also, he's supposed to be really, really good in this, so.)

  • 4

    A Most Wanted Man

    This spy thriller deserves a spot on everyone's list if only for being Philip Seymour Hoffman's last (not to be released posthumously). Add to it that it's based on the work of John le Carré, and you have a masterwork on your hands.

  • 3

    Under the Skin

    Strange. Sci-Fi(?) Scarlett Johansson. This is the film that 'Lucy' (a near miss from my 5 Films to Skip list) wishes it were.

  • 2

    Birdman

    Michael Keaton as a washed-up actor whose career was soured by his stint as a costumed superhero. Art imitating life, or just art for art's sake? Either way, it's supposed to be breathtaking.

  • 1

    The Interview

    You should've seen this coming. Is there any movie in America this year that more people have been denied seeing? I'm not saying that it's likely to be the best movie on this list, or even that it's the most important movie on this list, but with all the fallout from its failure-to-release, it may prove to be the most historical movie on this list.

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