The top 8 underrated films of April: From the best Indian movie of the year so far to a harrowing coming-of-age drama

You can check out our top picks from January and February by clicking on them.

Palm Trees and Power Lines – Available to rent and purchase on iTunes, Google, YouTube and Amazon in the US

The title card for Palm Trees and Power Lines.

A difficult-to-watch indie featuring a stunning central performance by newcomer Lily McInerny, Palm Trees and Power Lines tells the story of a teenage girl who develops an intimate relationship with a much older man. The movie doesn’t at all feel exploitative, even though what the protagonist goes through is shocking on many levels. Palm Trees and Power Lines is ultimately about a very particular kind of bloodless violence that leaves scars deeper than any knife attack ever could.

I Got a Monster – Available to rent and purchase on iTunes, Amazon, Vudu and Microsoft in the US

The title card for I Got a Monster.

An unfussy examination of police brutality in one of America’s most militarised cities, Baltimore, the documentary I Got a Monster chronicles the efforts that went into bringing a handful of bad apples to justice. Like every good documentary, it makes sure to get as many key participants on camera as possible, but I Got a Monster also sources CCTV and body cam footage to craft a compelling narrative about abuse of power.

Close – Mubi

The title card for Close.

Director Lukas Dhont switches genres and tones with decisive clarity in his second feature film. A coming-of-age story about two young boys who are put through the ringer by both their peers and Dhont himself, Close is a film of unusual empathy and simmering anger. It’s a delicate portrait of young love, a moving portrayal of grief, and ultimately an uplifting story about the power of human connection.

What’s Love Got to Do with It? – Available to rent and purchase on iTunes, Sky Store, Amazon and Curzon Home Cinema in the UK

The title card for What’s Love Got to Do with It?

Starved as audiences are for good old-fashioned theatrical rom-coms — most of them seem to have been designed for streaming these days — nobody really showed up for Shekhar Kapur’s What’s Love Got to Do with It? A romantic comedy in which the tropes are almost incidental to the story — it’s actually more of a character study about Lily James’ protagonist — What’s Love Got to Do with It? offers plenty of cross-cultural humour, and finds Emma Thompson in a particularly enthusiastic mood.

Rye Lane – Hulu in the US

The title card for Rye Lane.

Speaking of romantic comedies, they don’t get as unusual as Rye Lane, the dazzling directorial debut of Raine Allen-Miller. Starring Vivian Oparah and David Jonsson, Rye Lane unfolds strictly within the parameters of the rom-com, but it gives the impression that it has a carefree disregard for them. Allen-Miller’s inventive visual style gives the movie a music video-style energy, but the performances are heartfelt, and despite belonging to a genre that often relies on being as universally accessible as possible, Rye Lane has a strong sense of cultural specificity.

Hunger – Netflix

The title card for Hunger.

A heady concoction of several ingredients, the Thai-language thriller Hunger juggles a Whiplash-style tone with broad satire about class conflict. It follows the rise of a talented young chef, who goes from cooking noodles at her street-side family restaurant to facing off against the country’s top chef in the world of haute cuisine. Hunger is consistently engaging, and leaves you with more to chew than it initially lets on.

Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam – Netflix

The title card for Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam.

The best Indian film of the year so far, director Lijo Jose Pellissery’s impeccable Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam combines the magic realism of Garbriel Garcia Marquez with the grave absurdity of Wes Anderson. Mammootty is stunning as a universally disliked middle-aged man, who one summer day assumes the identity of somebody else. What unfolds is a movie that can be enjoyed for its superficial charms, but will likely offer even more to those who have a closer understanding of the culture.

Living – Available to rent and purchase on iTunes, Google, Amazon, YouTube in the US

The title card for Living.

It is said that films should only be remade on two conditions — when the original is so poor that it can only be improved, or when it is so universally beloved that it offers genuine opportunity for reinvention. Living, directed by Oliver Hermanus, belongs to the second category. A remake of Akira Kurosawa’s classic Ikiru, which in turn was inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Living is centred around the curmudgeonly government servant Mr Williams, who is told one day that he is terminally ill. Living earned the great Bill Nighy his first-ever Oscar nomination, and his emotionally restrained performance is easily the highlight of this life-affirming film.