#10. A Star is Born
The magic is in the music and the music performances are solid. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper prove themselves as a musical duo that express themselves well through song. A lot of the songwriting and delivery itself is potent and memorable. The movie shines more towards the end with its themes of addiction. Overall it is a story worth telling and the music packs a punch.
#9. Mission Impossible: Fallout
It’s been a while since an action film has captured the essence of the word epic. Fallout has all the right ingredients:
- Spicy Stylization
- Zesty Action Sequences
- Flavorful Camera Angles and Transitions
- Bittersweet Twists
- Tangy Nail Biting Moments
- And Evil Moustaches
What more can you ask for?
A powerful take on a real issue that affects many; drug addiction. This film doesn’t make you feel good but it shows a real struggle and how the cycle of addiction works. Powerful performances bring the message home and it hits hard. An emotional movie sure to leave you silent after the credits roll.
One of the best romantic comedies I’ve seen in recent years. In a movie genre filled with predictable plotlines and cheesy delivery, this one stands out in being original, authentic, and engaging. The wedding scene alone is worth an entire watch because of how graceful and visually intriguing it is. Great performances from a big ensemble cast and a big victory for westernized-Asian cinema.
#6 Hereditary
Hereditary is a film that stands on the shoulders of the horror classics from the past. This isn’t a bad thing, because it finds its own place in the horror film spectrum, and in the end helps push the genre forward. This doesn’t instill a typical fear in a viewer, instead the fear it instills is a fear surrounding dysfunctionality of the family unit. The way the events tear the family apart is terrifying. The moments of silence hit so hard after intense sequences, especially the dinner scene.
People don’t usually talk about sound design in a film unless it is essential to the plot like how it is in “A Quiet Place.” But it doesn’t solely rely on this aspect of sound to make it great, the performances and the way the film is edited carries a lot of the momentum making this great. The entire plot is incredibly simple, but that doesn’t hinder this concept at all. The empathy for the characters hits home with surprisingly little dialogue. A horror film that doesn’t try to be more than it can be, and it does this well.
#4 Annihilation
I’ve heard a lot of comparisons to Tarkovsky’s “Stalker” for this film. But wherever Tarkovsky inserts meaning into the unknown, Garland rips out meaning of the known. It is well done and really does accomplish leaving the viewer empty. A bright and beautiful world with creatures born straight out of imagination.
A movie filmed over 40 years ago just now gets released on Netflix. It is crazy and chaotic. The editing is intense almost nauseating at times but aligns with the themes of feeling claustrophobic in a famous setting. A lot of powerful lines that seem almost prophetic of the next era of films to come. Stark imagery within the movie that is honestly breathtaking. A film from the past that is still relevant.
Rogers embraces silence, low budget, societal issues and treating every human with dignity. The end product is powerful and this documentary only adds to that power the way it dissects. Rogers’ TV show is unique and its style is one built on its values. It is inspiring for anyone to embrace the same things Mr. Roger’s embraced. Creating art outside of the standard that people expect of art.
#1 Eighth Grade
Awkward is natural here and Elise’s performance makes you really wonder if Bo wandered into a random middle school and picked a random girl and just had her act normal. It works so well and the supporting cast around her really sets in concrete the atmosphere of middle school drama. There are so many facets in this film that work super well and although hard to watch at some parts due to cringe, the viewer is left with a coming of age story that is definitive for this next generation.
