The 24 best movies you probably didn't see this year

At the end of every year, critics and award groups highlight their picks for the best movies of the year, and movie studios tout their biggest blockbusters in box-office memos.

Those movies are usually pretty great, but there's more out there that's worth watching.

Some of the features on this list were swept under the rug. Some didn't resonate with audiences when they hit theaters, were marketed poorly, aren't part of the Oscar conversation, or are rightly recognized in some circles, but those circles aren't wide enough. While some have been recognized by critics, they may be smaller indies catered toward a smaller niche.

One thing they have in common is that they're all excellent. Here are the 2016 movies you may have missed.