10 Recent Movies That Totally Took You By Surprise

10. Anora

Sean Baker has proved time and time again that he is one of the most fearless and finest directors around, with the likes of Tangerine, Red Rocket, and The Florida Project perfect examples of this.

But surely he wouldn't have expected his latest film, Anora, to receive the critical admiration and acclaim that it has, especially winning gold in arguably the five most notable and prestigious Oscar categories - acting, directing, editing, writing, and, of course, the pick of the bunch, best picture.  

The reception that Anora received is remarkable, but that's only possible due to the film itself, which is nothing short of a masterclass in independent filmmaking.

The premise is simple: a young Brooklyn stripper, Ani (Mikey Maddison), falls in love with the son of a Russian Oligarch (Mark Eydelshteyn), but once word reaches Russia, her dream soon turns into a nightmare. 

Like many of the features that occupy this list, Anora beautifully employs and exhibits multiple genres that make it hilarious at times, whilst also being heartbreaking at others, which makes for the perfect balance to tell a story that deals with such a sensitive subject matter. Baker's track record of turning actors into stars is second to none, but Mikey Maddison's performance is quite something to behold. 

It's raw and revealing as she pours her heart and soul into a character who is as real and empathetic as Ani is.  And let's not forget about the opposition that Anora found itself competing against during awards season. Kudos to you, Mr Baker.