AMC SceneWatch List

Hidden Gem Movies In 2023

January 13th, 2023

From all the exciting comic book movies on the horizon, the chilling horror movies that are sure to make a scream, and the return of none other than Indiana Jones in the hero’s fifth film, 2023 is looking to be a pretty massive year for the cinema. However, every once in a while, it is nice to look beyond all the high-profile blockbusters and seek out the potential hidden gems.

Some moviegoers may find it an especially rewarding experience to stumble upon the films that do not always get the attention they deserve, but often tend to become the more acclaimed of the year. Allow us to help narrow your search for films with big potential in 2023 that you should consider checking out when they head to AMC Theatres.

Jesus Revolution

A young man (Joel Courtney) finds the spiritual guidance he had been searching for in the collaboration of an older, conservative pastor (Kelsey Grammer) with a younger, more liberal preacher (Jonathan Roumie) and his community of hippies in 1970s California. Whatever walk of life they come from, audiences may find something to be inspired by from JESUS REVOLUTION, which is based on the memoir by Greg Laurie.

JESUS REVOLUTION opens February 24th

Champions

The last time Woody Harrelson worked with director Bobby Farrelly was in 1996 for the cult sports comedy classic KINGPIN. Now the Academy Award® nominated actor and Farrelly are reuniting for a heartfelt sports “dramedy” called CHAMPIONS, in which Harrelson plays a minor-league basketball coach overseeing a team of intellectually disabled athletes as community service.

CHAMPIONS opens March 24th

The Lost King

Two-time Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Stephen Frears directs two-time Academy Award-nominated actor Sally Hawkins in a charming performance as a woman who begins to see Richard III’s “ghost” while searching for his remains. Also starring Steve Coogan and Harry Lloyd, THE LOST KING is inspired by the true story of writer Philippa Langley and how her obsession led to an important moment in British history.

THE LOST KING opens March 24th

A Good Person

One of the most sought after performers of her generation, Florence Pugh, and one of the most respected actors of the last few generations, Morgan Freeman, share the screen for the first time in A GOOD PERSON. Written and directed by Zach Braff – who first broke out as a filmmaker with 2004’s GARDEN STATE – the somber dramedy follows a relationship that forms between a woman and the man who almost became her father-in-law in the midst of a devastating accident.

A GOOD PERSON opens March 24th

A Thousand And One

Award-winning R&B singer, dancer and choreographer Teyana Taylor made her acting debut in 2010’s STOMP THE YARD 2: HOMECOMING, which led to roles on co-creator Lee Daniels’ series STAR and alongside Eddie Murphy in COMING 2 AMERICA, more recently. She leads the cast of in A THOUSAND AND ONE – writer and director A.V. Rockwell’s story of a woman who believes kidnapping her own son will place her on the right path toward redemption.

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A THOUSAND AND ONE opens March 31st

The Blackening

Until recently – and with some noteworthy help from Jordan Peele – Black actors and characters in mainstream horror movies were predominantly associated with tasteless stereotypes and overused tropes (i.e. often being a villain’s first victim). Director Tim Story and writers Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins aim to poke fun at this misbegotten era with the upcoming horror-comedy, THE BLACKENING, in which an all-Black cast must use their scary movie expertise to outwit a vengeful killer.

THE BLACKENING opens June 16th

Untitled Please Don’t Destroy Project

We would not be surprised if UNTITLED PLEASE DON’T DESTROY PROJECT turns out to be the official name for this upcoming film from “Saturday Night Live” writers Martin Herlihy, John Higgins and Ben Marshall, considering their bizarre brand of comedy. The underrated trio of writers – indeed collectively known as Please Don’t Destroy – will share the screen in director Paul Briganti’s feature with fellow “SNL” collaborator Bowen Yang and talk show icon Conan O’Brien, who previously wrote for the sketch series.

*The Untitled PLEASE DON’T DESTROY project opens August 18th. *

Next Goal Wins

Despite getting his start as a filmmaker with indie comedies like WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS and HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE and even winning an Oscar® for penning the satirical period drama JOJO RABBIT, Taika Waititi is most commonly associated these days as the director of hit Marvel movies – namely 2017’s THOR: RAGNAROK and its 2022 follow-up, THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER. The New Zealand-based multi-hyphenate appears to be returning to his roots with NEXT GOAL WINS – the story of an underdog soccer team and the coach who helped turn their luck around (Michael Fassbender) that was previously told in a 2014 documentary of the same name.

NEXT GOAL WINS opens September 22nd

With how fascinating and exciting the titles above sound, 2023 could be a great year for movies. Be sure to keep an eye out for them when they arrive an AMC Theatres location near you.