A film that was underrated in the theaters, but gained lots of positive attention from critics, was Manchester by the Sea.

   Directed by Kenneth Lonergan, it follows the story of a Boston janitor named Lee Chandler who, played by Casey Affleck, has to look after his nephew when a family tragedy strikes.

  Christian Kim (12), who was able to view this film stated, “If Manchester by the Sea didn’t get any awards in the following award season, I would be a little surprised, but I would not be sad. The fact that the movie is great is an award of itself.”

  Another film that peaked people’s interest was Jackie, starring Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy. This biopic follows the events after President John F. Kennedy’s sudden murder on November 22, 1963.  

  Alaina Arietta (11) expressed how she thinks it’s important to make historical films. She said, “I feel that it was a good idea because it allows people to understand what had really happened. Using this movie, we can see the accuracy of how life changed for Jackie, and for the country as well. This is a movie that I would most definitely love to watch.”

  Nigel M. Smith from The Guardian added to the praise, “Portman is altogether astonishing in the role. [She] also thoroughly nails Kennedy’s breathy and docile-sounding voice. Jackie is not Oscar bait – it’s great cinema.”

 If you’re interested in the films above, you can grab a bucket of popcorn and catch them at your local AMC.