10. Showing Up
Directed by Kelly Reichardt
Written by Jon Raymond and Kelly Reichardt
A gentle and pictorial insight into a northwestern community or artists where the human side of the creative process really shines through the experimentation and disappointment. Michelle Williams is sparkling in her guarded, empathetic turn of a sculptor shaping her life one finger press at time, constantly shifting and molding the delicate statues that comprise her stubborn career and eccentric family. Kelly Reichardt uses her signature stillness and patient approach to illuminate how artists persistently search for expression and meaning within their work and everything else.
9. The Boy and the Heron
Written and Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Legendary storyteller Hayao Miyazaki returns with a deeply sentimental gift, reflecting on his childhood and analyzing his legacy by asking “How do you live?”. The glorious animation and heart-melting musical score guide us through a remarkable and puzzling odyssey of a young grief-stricken boy on a quest assisted by an unrelenting brash heron. A dreamlike exploration of loss, purpose, and if we choose to impact the world with compassion or cruelty. Beneficial to re-examinations, even just to gaze upon this breathtaking hand drawn wonder.
8. Poor Things
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Written by Tony McNamara
The bold imagination of Yorgos Lanthimos escalates to another level in the dementedly stunning Poor Things, a Frankenstein-esque fairy tale of a woman brought back to life and rediscovering the happiness and horrors of an entangled society. Emma Stone gives it her all as a performer; spontaneous, mimic, and erupting with boundless energy. She transcends the insanity of it all, balancing the tightrope of witty, unapologetic hysteria with a defiant message of autonomy. If you can stomach the delude of debauchery, a touching fable awaits.
7. The Holdovers
Directed by Alexander Payne
Written by David Hemingson
At this point it seems effortless for Alexander Payne, bringing another moving, hilarious and inspirational tale to the screen. A snow blanketed 1970s time capsule capturing the unlucky few left behind at a boarding school during Christmas break. Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and newcomer Dominic Sessa are an exceptional trio, showcasing a wide range of experience in their flawed yet relatable characters. The Holdovers is an instant holiday staple, emphasizing the truly important reason for the season: appreciating the company you’re stuck with.
6. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Written and Directed by James Gunn
The end of an era and it couldn’t have finished on a better note. Unfettered James Gunn lets his freakish flair run wild in a dazzling supersonic romp, expanding and improving all the elements that make the Guardians team so delightful. The infectious passion is on full display, iconic heroes getting their long awaited dues, and an awesome soundtrack to pilot it all home. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a pitch perfect conclusion to the best trilogy of films Marvel Studios has ever produced, and this gang of intergalactic misfits will surely be missed.
5. Past Lives
Written and Directed by Celine Song
A confident and profound first feature by Celine Song, Past Lives ingeniously challenges us to examine our connections to people and how those bonds test the choices we make. Greta Lee and Teo Yoo skillfully convey years of unearthed emotions and expectations, pondering the what-ifs of metaphorical realities. Introspective on the decisions that brought them to the present moment or predicting how they’ll relate to each other in the next life. A nuanced and engaging yarn of lost opportunity, beautifully strung together and elapses in a flash like decades gone bye.
4. Killers of the Flower Moon
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Written by Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese
Deception, greed and murder manifest plainly throughout the Oklahoma reservation of the Osage Nation, fracturing its spirit and the sacred vows they unwillingly share with wolves in sheep's clothing. The longstanding project of the great Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon is a harrowing and tragic investigation of humanity lost and the horrors inflicted upon a fortune-barren society of Native Americans. The powerful soul of the movie is Lily Gladstone and her reckoning tour-de-force portrayal of an Osage heir who helplessly bears witness to the atrocities inflicted on her people. Brutal, haunting, and vividly produced in all aspects that will leave a hole in your heart.
3. John Wick: Chapter 4
Directed by Chad Stahelski
Written by Michael Finch and Shay Hatten
In retrospect, the preceding 3 installments are quaint appetizers leading into the main course that is John Wick: Chapter 4, an astonishing action spectacle for the ages. The sense of amazement still lingers, having witnessed a nonstop series of fantastical globe-trotting set pieces choreographed and shot in neon soaked visionary supremacy. Some sequences are almost too unbelievable, and who else than Keanu Reeves to keep us constantly awestruck and fist pumping the air. The violence is superbly orchestrated, but it’s the addition of instantly beloved new cast of characters, led by Donnie Yen, that tie a nice blood soaked bow on this series built on revenge and reloading. Rest easy, Mr. Wick.
2. Anatomy of a Fall
Directed by Justine Triet
Written by Arthur Harrai and Justine Triet
What we see, hear and what is kept secret is ingeniously determined by Justine Triet in Anatomy of a Fall, a sublime and intricately crafted courtroom drama where the truth is not absolute. Sandra Hueller is defiant and tremendous as a mother on trial for the murder of her husband who fell to his death under bizarre circumstances. A constantly shifting inquisition of shattered truths and distressing revelations as dueling lawyers try to make their claim on a case as it increasingly becomes more perplexing with every newfound detail and doubt. Intensely captivating with fascinating exposure to a foreign legal system and a fierce examination of a troubled household in desperate need of repairs.
1. Oppenheimer
Written and Directed by Christopher Nolan
I could hear a pin drop in the theater when the bomb fell. The dreadful beauty of Oppenheimer's nuclear weapon took my breath away, and once the sound finally hit, I was shaking in my seat. To this day , I’m still shook by the motion picture that defined the year. Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan’s crowning achievement is an accumulation of dozens of tiny miracles assimilated in the creation of a magnificent opus on a scale and quality rarely seen. Heart-stopping tension, thought-provoking concepts, rhythmic pacing, even weird allusions of the mind stretch Nolan’s storytelling abilities and the foundation never cracks. A seemingly endless call sheet of stars, legends and cameos occupy this enormous production and captained by Cillian Murphy‘s career-defining turn, capitalizing on the grand opportunity and flourishes. The stirring score by Ludwig Göransson, spectacular imagery captured by Hoyte van Hoyetema, and brilliantly cut together by Jennifer Lee, it’s not far-fetched to envision the monumental impact this cinematic triumph will have in time.
Previous #1 Selections:
2022 - The Banshees of Inisherin
2021 - The Power of the Dog
2020 - Nomadland
2019 - The Irishman
2018 - Roma
2017 - The Florida Project
2016 - Manchester by the Sea
2015 - Mad Max: Fury Road
2014 - Whiplash
2013 - 12 Years a Slave
2012 - Amour
2011 - The Artist
2010 - Black Swan
2009 - Up in the Air
2008 - WALL-E
2007 - No Country for Old Men
2006 - The Departed
2005 - Capote
2004 - Kill Bill Vol. 2
2003 - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2002 - Adaptation.
2001 - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Thank you for reading and see you at the movies.
C
