10 movies that received a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes this year
Kirsten Acuna
- Insider rounded up films that received perfect scores of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes in 2022 with over 20 reviews.
- Most of the titles are documentaries or international films that you may have missed.
"The Pez Outlaw"
Number of reviews: 24
What it's about: The documentary follows a Pez collector, Steve Glew, on his adventure to find a factory with valuable Pez dispensers to help get his family out of debt. His success was interrupted when a former Pez president, nicknamed The Pezident, went after him for transporting and selling the collector's items.
What critics have said: A quirky, "David vs Goliath" documentary with a short running time that should please Pez fans or those who enjoyed similar documentaries on other fads like Beanie Babies.
"Aftershock"
Number of reviews: 28
What it's about: "Following the deaths of two young women due to childbirth complications, two bereaved families galvanize activists, birth workers, and physicians to reckon with one of the most pressing American crises today: the US maternal health crisis." — IMDb
What critics have said: "'Aftershock' is a disturbing but necessary documentary to watch for a reality check about how systemic racism in the U.S. health care system results in Black women dying shortly after childbirth at disproportionately higher rates than women of other races." — Culture Mix
Where to watch: Hulu
"Saint Omer"
Number of reviews: 35
What it's about: "Young novelist Rama attends the trial of Laurence Coly, a young woman accused of killing her 15-month-old daughter by abandoning her to the rising tide on a beach in northern France. But as the trial continues, the words of the accused and witness testimonies will shake Rama's convictions and call into question our own judgment." — Rotten Tomatoes
What critics have said: "Alice Diop's narrative debut "Saint Omer" is a visually arresting courtroom set drama" — RogerEbert.com
The film was selected as the French entry for best international feature film at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Where to watch: The film premiered at the New York Film Festival in October 2022, but won't be released in US theaters until January 13.
"Free Chol Soo Lee"
Number of reviews: 41
What it's about: "In 1970s San Francisco, 20-year-old Korean immigrant Chol Soo Lee is racially profiled and convicted of a Chinatown gang murder. After spending years fighting to survive, investigative journalist K.W. Lee takes a special interest in his case, igniting an unprecedented social justice movement." — Rotten Tomatoes
What critics have said: "Given the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes and ongoing miscarriages of justice today, Free Chol Soo Lee sadly offers plenty of lessons the world has yet to learn from" — We Love Cinema
"No Bears"
Number of reviews: 43
What it's about: The Iranian drama, shot secretly due to director Jafar Panahi's 20-year ban on film-making in the country, follows "two parallel love stories in which the partners are thwarted by hidden, inevitable obstacles, the force of superstition, and the mechanics of power," according to IMDb.
What critics have said: "A challenging film, made by a surprisingly self-aware filmmaker, who is using his art to talk about himself, about his country, and about the borders that divide us (and have taken away a lot of his freedom for several years)." — Cinencuentro.com
Panahi won the special jury prize at 2022's Venice Film Festival.
Where to watch: limited release December 23, 2022
"The Quiet Girl"
Number of reviews: 46
What it's about: "Cait is sent away from her overcrowded, dysfunctional family to live with foster parents for the summer. Quietly struggling at school and at home, she has learned to hide in plain sight from those around her. She blossoms in their care, but in this house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one painful truth." — Rotten Tomatoes
What critics have said: Critics praised director Colm Bairéad's debut as a heartbreaking gem with a beautiful, simple story and a must-see hug scene.
"The Quiet Girl" won best film at the Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) awards.
Where to watch: in select US theaters on December 16
"Gabby Giffords Won't Back Down"
Number of reviews: 46
What it's about: The documentary looks "at the former congresswoman's courage and perseverance in the aftermath of the 2011 assassination attempt that left her partially paralyzed and with a language impairment, aphasia," according to IMDb.
What critics have said: A moving and inspiring documentary that also doubles as a love story and makes you appreciate Gifford's tenacity.
Where to watch: Available to stream through Direct TV and to rent on Apple TV+, Amazon, Google Play, and YouTube.
"Louis Armstrong: Black & Blues"
Number of reviews: 50
What it's about: "'Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues' offers an intimate and revealing look at the world-changing musician, presented through a lens of archival footage and never-before-heard home recordings and personal conversations." — Rotten Tomatoes
What critics have said: "Black & Blues" isn't a straightforward biography so much as a collection of engaging anecdotes and keen observations, meant to spark a renewed appreciation for someone too often misunderstood." — Los Angeles Times
Where to watch: Apple TV+
"All that Breathes"
Number of reviews: 56
What it's about: "Amidst the darkening backdrop of Delhi's apocalyptic air and escalating violence, two brothers devote their lives to protect one casualty of the turbulent times: the bird known as the Black Kite." — IMDb
What critics have said: "A subtle, haunting reflection on the meaning of humanity — on the breathtaking kindness and heartbreaking cruelty that define our wounded, intrepid, predatory species." — The New York Times
The film won top documentary awards at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and Cannes.
Where to watch: "All that Breathes" will be available on HBO and HBO Max in 2023.
"Descendant"
Number of reviews: 60
What it's about: "Follows descendants of the survivors from the Clotilda, the last ship that carried enslaved Africans to the United States, as they reclaim their story." — IMDb
What critics have said: "Brown roves across the land, crowding her film with a wide spectrum of voices for a living oral history that reckons with the long shadow of slavery." — Associated Press
The film won the special jury award at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival for creative vision.
Where to watch: Netflix
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