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Last Active 01-03-23 11:21 pm
Joined 06-03-16

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 Lists
03.28.24 20NEEK23 - Musics ♦03.02.24 20NEEK23 - Films ♦
10.21.23 Neek's 2023 Cram List ♦10.16.23 favorite alex garland movie
10.12.23 favorite robert eggers movie10.09.23 favorite ari aster movie
08.06.23 20NEEK22 - Album Ranking06.28.23 Neek's 2000 Ratings Spectacular (+ 7 YE ♦
05.13.23 Black Sabbath: Album Covers Ranked04.14.23 Metallica: Album Covers Ranked
02.15.23 Neek's 2023 Movie Hub01.11.23 20NEEK22 - Film Ranking ♦
11.28.22 i need a new favorite band05.05.22 Best Album Covers: Apr. 2022
05.01.22 Neek's 2022 Movie Hub04.24.22 neek is nonbinary and old ♦
04.21.22 Paramore NEEK'D03.23.22 Best Album Covers: Q1 2022 ♦
More »

20NEEK23 - Films
72John Williams
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Rebel Moon - Part One: A Child of Fire // Action (Space Opera) // 0.9
dir. Zack Snyder

I'm a pretty big Synder defender (for Watchmen and Man of Steel, not Sucker Punch) so to me the idea of him going full space-opera seemed like the perfect way for him to flex his wings. About two minutes in, I realized I was gravely mistaken. Not only is this carved from the cadaver of his 2015 Star Wars pitch to Disney when they bought the franchise, it is peppered with any number of scenes and sequences d i r e c t l y lifted from other better, hugely well known films. Is it stealing if none of the substance makes it through? Because this is the most dramatically lifeless anything I've seen from Snyder, and I've always credited him with infusing emotional stakes in his action movies the way many other Hollywood directors can't. Just don't let him touch anymore scripts.
71Christophe Beck
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania // Superhero (Sci-Fi) // 1.5
dir. Payton Reed

A dramatically stilted, comedically lifeless, CGI fuckfest, Quantumania is the clearest example so far that the MCU is spinning wheels with nowhere to go. I'm not even gonna get into how fucking dumb it is to introduce your new main villain as someone that ANT-MAN can fucking take on. I won't rant about how Evangeline Lilly has about five minutes of screen time despite her sharing the title with Paul Rudd. But I will say that, maybe, just maybe, audiences don't need every protagonist to be a straight white male asshole like it's still 2008. And please stop hiring Rick and Morty writers to write science fiction.
70Pantera
Vulgar Display of Power

Fast X // Action (Thriller) // 1.7
dir. Louis Leterrier

There really is only so far I can stretch my poptimism, and this is just stupendously stupid action dreck wrapped in indecipherable exposition and expressionless babble. It feels like the product of mashing every pop franchise into one movie, something that exists only as a transitory phase for an overarching narrative, like an odd-numbered GOT episode or recent MCU film. It's a shame because this was always a franchise that you could count on being fun in the moment, but this film is purely in service to future films that we can only hope will be more fun than this.
69Benjamin Wallfisch
The Flash

The Flash // Superhero (Sci-Fi) // 1.7
dir. Andy Muschietti

Honestly, it was pretty brilliant making a Flash film that's best played at x1.5 speed. I kid of course, because there's nothing the least bit intelligent about this clusterfuck of a sci-fi/superhero film. Chuck full of some of the thinnest characterization and most ridiculous plotting yet for the genre, it also fails to produce a rousing finale at nearly every level. Ezra is trying, but he seems profoundly uncomfortable in a film that features Barry Allen talking to himself far more than any other character combined. It's also a trainwreck from a design, conceptual, and directorial standpoint. But yknow what? I'm a sucker for Man of Steel, Michael Keaton, and Sasha Calle, so in the end there are worse things on this side of the multiverse.
68Weezer
Weezer

Blue Beetle // Superhero (Action) // 1.9
dir. Ángel Manuel Soto

What does it say about the state of superhero movies that this is only the third-worst of the year? What Blue Beetle does have going for it is, yes, the family. If we're going to continue defining minority superheroes by the strengths of their endless familial side characters, George Lopez brings a hugely necessary ease and warmth to a film that's as nervous to prove itself as its main character is. From its glossy color scheme to its try-hard fight "choreography," Blue Beetle really, really wants you to like it, as if it weren't the 14th installment of a now decade-long franchise.
67Sachiko M
Bar Sachiko

Skinamarink // Horror (Experimental) // 2.2
dir. Kyle Edward Ball

An abusively overlong tone-poem that preys on millenial nostalgia as much as it does cheap jumpscares, Skinamarink is more believable as a curio than as a potential cornerstone of future horror. Ball clearly has some talent with texture and sound, but as it stands this is an intermittently compelling series of gifs. Just hire an actual editor next time man.
66Rupert Gregson-Williams
Aquaman

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom // Superhero (Fantasy) // 2.2
dir. James Wan

Ugh, the first one was a blast of fun at a time when Superhero movies were becoming less and less that, and now that we need it even more, Wan delivers a limp-dick, hilariously overcooked superhero odyssey that I'm genuinely struggling to remember moments from that weren't in the trailers. I do remember Patrick Wilson and Jason Momoa showing some signs of life, and that the only moments with Amber Heard left were where she saved Aquaman's ass repeatedly. Of course it's not without its few moments of nd so, fittingly, the DCEU ends on maybe the most confused (but far from worst) franchise film yet.
65Marco Beltrami
A Quiet Place

65 // Sci-Fi (Thriller) // 2.3
dir. Scott Beck / Bryan Woods

Look, if anybody wants to love a potential sci-fi blockbuster it's me, but this creative team clearly have no clue how to master anything other than momentary tension. Because of this it's not useless, and it's certainly far more watchable than other films on this list, but the story lacks core logic from the very beginning, with a setup that feels so bizarre it could only have come from a desperate need to not replicate Terra Nova or After Earth more than they already had. The central dynamic between Adam Driver and the kid could've been a lot worse, but it's not nearly engaging enough to string your attention along for the "dramatic" moments. I wish I could reccomend this as pure genre trash, but it's just irritating enough to skip.
64Christophe Beck
Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Shazam! Fury of the Gods // Superhero (Fantasy) // 2.3
dir. David F. Sandberg

Shazam 2 is yet another laborously weak entry in the now-failed DCEU. Whatever good nature and bouncy fun the original had is almost immediately snuffed out in a first act so laden with joyless fantasy lore and expoisition that it feels like a soulslike game. While I continue to strangely relate to Billy as a protagonist, his arc this time around is so thinly developed for a film that really has nothing better to do and seems content to do just that--nothing--for the majority of its runtime. So yes this is a cut above "Blue Beetle" or "The Flash" thanks to the odd joke or beat that works, but as the third act continues to drone on and on you'll have long forgotten that these movies used to be fun.
63Daniel Hart
Peter Pan and Wendy

Peter Pan & Wendy // Fantasy (Adventure) // 2.4
dir. David Lowery

Lowery is one of my favorite directors working today, but there already was a 2003 live-action Peter Pan, and in every moment it felt more magical and compelling than the beats recreated here. I genuinely have no idea what inspired the choice to use his trademark naturalism to depict this magical fantasy land, but it genuinely robbed the material of its spark. There's some nice character work here, especially with Jude Law's Captain Hook, but its calculated length leaves too little time for just Peter Pan and Wendy by the time we really need to buy into their relationship. It's easy to see why it was given an unceremonious dump on Disney+. It's a distressing miss, but at least it's pleasant, with strong performances and inspired cinematography.
62Horrendous
Ontological Mysterium

It Lives Inside // Horror (Supernatural) // 2.4
dir. Bishal Dutta

That It Lives Inside attempts to craft real drama and horror from the mythology and insecurities of Indian-American culture is admirable, but in every other way it is a painfully generic and sluggishly directed supernatural horror film that, not unlike its protagonist, pains so greatly to fit in with its peers that it loses nearly every shred of itself along the way. Luckily the film depends greatly on Megan Suri's simmering performance, who attacks the plot with such clarity that she threatens to make even the most undercooked sequences make sense. It mines some memorable moments from its premise at the bookends, but it's hard to imagine this leaving an impact on anyone already familiar with its influences.
61Mark Mothersbaugh
Cocaine Bear

Cocaine Bear // Comedy (Horror) // 2.5
dir. Elizabeth Banks

While there's certainly some dumb fun to be had, Cocaine Bear wastes its ludicrous premise and studio budget on a hodge-podge of flat scares and awkward comedy. It seriously could've been a great callback to the screwball ensemble comedies of yore, but with a killer tiwst, and instead we have a film that seems caught under option paralysis and chooses to do the dumbest things possible. I admit some sequences hit harder than others (I do love the protracted gazebo sequence), but the fact that all this B-movie goofiness culminates in one of the worst-staged and poorly-lit climaxes I've ever seen in film history lowers it down to a C-movie.
60Citizen
Calling the Dogs

A Haunting in Venice // Mystery (Horror) // 2.5
dir. Kenneth Branagh

Oh Kenneth, when will you learn? While the script definitely hasn't done him any favors this time around, this trilogy has never felt more obligatory and reflexive than it has here. So little thought seems to be put into anything other than the pretty sets and shots; even Tina Fey and Michelle Yeoh seem more mildly amused than the slightest bit invested in this beleaguered caper. Yes yes, it serves a reasonably diverting afternoon paired with a bottle of wine, but far less so than the prior two entries, which never let up on the visual grandeur or hedonistic genre tendencies--both are gone by act three this time around, and trying to give a shit about this case without them in like slipping off a rockface without a grip.
59Brian Tyler
The Super Mario Bros. Movie

The Super Mario Bros. Movie // Adventure (Family) // 2.6
dir. Aaron Horvath / Michael Jelenic

The film that has threatened existence for decades now is finally here--an animated Mario movie. This sugar-rush gut-punch of dazzling color and scope is just further proof that Illumination is either completely unwilling or incapable of challenging a young audience. I'm certainly not gonna go on a generational tirade about how "Pixar and Dreamworks are where it's at" but this is the exact kind of film that dares me to. Sure, the voice cast is great (except for Pratt, obvs), and it's an occasionally thrilling romp, but there's no semblance of any meaningful characterization, intrigue, or suspense to be found here.
58There Will Be Fireworks
Summer Moon

Master Gardener // Drama (Thriller) // 2.6
dir. Paul Schrader

Erg. I really wanted to like this, and it starts really well as a delicate blend of his previous two features until it becomes woefully clear that Schrader has absolutely nothing to say about any of it this time around. And it’s like, about the kind of shit that one should have a take on before sharing with the class. Iif Schrader intended to craft a microcosm of our collective potential to heal from generational trauma, instead it feels as insular and dated as its protagonist’s carefully manicured life. Ultimately it’s little more than a well sculpted but toothless dedication to the power of love in the face of hate.
57Anthony Willis
Promising Young Woman

Saltburn // Mystery (Psychological) // 2.7
dir. Emerald Fennell

The word I see floating around Emerald Fennell right now is "provacateur," and I couldn't agree more. Her well-intentioned but horrifically misguided "Promising Young Woman" inexplicably earned her several Oscar noms in 2020 (it was a slow year), and now she's back with the better-but-still-ehhh "Saltburn." I actually enjoy and like this film a significant amount better than her debut, as this one has plenty of great scenes and momentary pleasures. But its mystery and drama just doesn't hold up to scrutiny, and falls apart the longer she tries explaining it to you.
56Lorne Balfe
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves // Fantasy (Action) // 2.7
dir. Jonathan Goldstein / John Francis Daley

D&D comes from an impressive lineage of talent both behind and in front of the camera, which is why I was disappointed that this is less "Game Night" and more of a C-tier Marvel movie. It happily skimps on the fantasy scenery to romp around empty halls and courtyards, and the cast's chemistry is left to the wayside for an endless revolving door of poorly-staged theatrics and action sequences. There are definitely some great crowd-pleasing moments here, and I'm not gonna act like it was a total slog (I do see why it's been clicking with millennials so much), but to me it feels as arduous and tired as any action movie delivered in the last 10 years.
55Michael Giacchino
Jojo Rabbit

Next Goal Wins // Sports (Comedy) // 2.7
dir. Taika Waititi

A well-meaning and occaisionally very funny sports comedy that simply fails to transcend itself and do really anything memorable. (Bias alert, I really liked the depiction of the team's third gender athlete. It could've been so much worse, especially for how delicate situation the situation was.) Michael Fassbener is a convincing grump who finds his way, but his journey is riddled with cliche and his transformation is a little hard to believe. It doesn't really all come together in the end, but it's a good time while it's on.
54The HIRS Collective
We're Still Here

Talk to Me // Horror (Supernatural) // 2.8
dir. Danny Philippou / Michael Philippou

A moderately enticing classical horror is both fresh in its casting and style, but frustratingly old-school in its narrative. The Philippou twins do great work getting the audience invested in their characters and freaky premise before ultimately losing them as their plot slowly bleeds out well before the climax. Don't get me wrong, the effects are dope and the talent is clearly there on both sides of the screen, but by the end the gnarliness isn't enough to keep me invested. I'm even more curious how audiences will feel about seeing the exact same thing again in "Talk 2 Me" next year.
53Joseph LoDuca
Ash Vs. Evil Dead

Evil Dead Rise // Horror (Supernatural) // 2.9
dir. Lee Cronin

While there is some delirious fun to be had here, and the action is shot and cut with impressive intent and clarity, I'm just not sold on this direction for the franchise. First off, maybe it's just me, but all the constant mutilitation and gore is significantly less fun when there's kids around. Turning Evil Dead into a "family possession horror" film seems weirdly reductive--the straight seriousness casts such a dour shadow over the potential for pure genre thrills (even the reboot was more exciting than this). Much of this flick feels like the exact thing The original Evil Dead was mocking from the very beginning.
52John Williams
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny // Adventure (Action) // 3.0
dir. James Mangold

A pleasant nostalgia ride for those that are still into that, Indiana Jones sidesteps many mistakes of recent franchise tentpoles while running headfirst into many others. There's some serious fun to had here and there, but its most memorable sequences don't compare to even its direct predecessor's. Harrison Ford's charm certainly hasn't left him, but most of the action has, which gives a hollow ring to most of its second-half theatrics that involve supporting characters jumping through significantly less inspired obstacle courses than Indy has run before. Still, it's definitely got a wow factor that might just surprise you, and James Mangold has never been less than solid as an action director.
51death's dynamic shroud
After Angel

The Creator // Sci-Fi (Action) // 3.0
dir. Gareth Edwards

Gorgeously shot but narratively hollow, Edwards nevertheless manages to wrap some human warmth around what might be the most creatively-bereft rendition of an AI conflict since Overwatch. No, these characters never mean as enough to you for most of this to work, but anyone that leans toward intricately designed, modestly developed science fiction worlds may intermittently find themselves in heaven anyway.
50Dire Straits
Brothers in Arms

Air // Drama (Sports) // 3.1
dir. Ben Affleck

Air is fine! Despite groan-inducing trailers (it must have been very hard to make this film look exciting), it's not nearly as overbaked it could've been. Ben Affleck clearly only needed the lightest touch with a cacst this qualified, and the film definitely carries the vibe of being made by 5 buddies dicking around in a room. It's a pleasant, more enjoyable than expected, little inspo-drama.
49Jessie Ware
That! Feels Good!

Maestro // Biopic (Drama) // 3.1
dir. Bradley Cooper

I found myself softening to this more than I expected given the ridiculous ego-trip that was Cooper's "A Star Is Born," but other than it being a clear "Fences"-style attempt for its director/actor to snag Best Actor, this is a significantly gentler and more considered picture. Sure it has some of the most confounding structure I've ever seen in a biopic (which is saying something), with time jumps that force a good chunk of scenes to need expoisitional interviews to catch us up to speed, but some of the dialogue and especially the way its delivered by Cooper and the brilliant Carey Mulligan is genuinley affecting. You buy into these people and their problems, it's just a shame the movie isn't quite sure where to take you with it.
48Wesley Gonzalez
Wild Garlic

Dream Scenario // Comedy (Satire) // 3.1
dir. Kristoffer Borgli

Dream Scenario is an exquisitely painful cringe comedy that slowly (yet completely) loses grip of its satire by the end. Nicolas Cage deserves all the praise in the world for adding so so much that isn't on the page, but even he can't save the film from feeling like the longest comedy ever at only 102 minutes.
47Metric
Old World Underground, Where Are You Now

Millenium Bugs // Drama (Comedy) // 3.2
dir. Alejandro Montoya Marin

A twee early-00s-set indie comedy, Millenium Bugs at first struggles to find what its about--but it's not like its protagonist can't relate. Headed by an exceptional performance from Katy Erin, the film settles into a surprisngly poignant drama that makes the best of the chemistry between leads. Marin's exacting direction on both fronts of this dramedy are what make it an ultimate success, and I know what's coming will be even better.
46HEALTH
RAT WARS

15 Cameras // Thriller (Horror) // 3.3
dir. Danny Madden

The geography and logic are frustratingly malleable at times, but overall this is squirmy mix of well-executed suspense and exploitation filmmaking. And while many films that try a similar mix of trash cinema and even-a-modicum-of-awareness fall into neutral, 15 Cameras’ willingness to get its hands dirty compounds its stance on meta-voyeurism rather than detracts.
45Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
The Killer

The Killer // Thriller (Crime) // 3.4
dir. David Fincher

A winking act of form over function, Fincher's deft touch as a master of suspense carries this otherwise slight and self-satisfied vibe thriller over the finish line. Cool and calculated from the getgo, the truncated episodic structure causes the film to regularly run out of steam, with it winding up lost in transition for a large chunk of the runtime.
44Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory OST

Wonka // Musical (Fantasy) // 3.4
dir. Paul King

I had some severe reservations about this, but it's actually a pretty sweet old-school musical with some genuine laughs and an overdose of heart. If anything, I thought it was distinctly lacking that Dahl dark streak that made the previous two Wonka films stand out from other children's entertainment. Also, Timothee Chalamet may not be a great singer, but Gene Wilder was no cuppa tea either--he's a frickin' chocolate maker for crying out loud.
43Brian Tyler and Sven Faulconer
Scream VI

Scream VI // Horror (Slasher) // 3.5
dir. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin / Tyler Gillett

Scream--in New York! Not the greatest pitch, but people seem to prefer this to 5cream. I can see how its urban paranoia and even-more-hyper-meta-commentary would excite an audience, I certainly didn't find its differentiation of "legacy" and "franchise" parody very convincing. The mystery was exceptionally weak this time around, and as much as I appreciate how the lead sisters' dynamic is solidifying, they really go about it in the dumbest way here. Either ditch the generational angle, or get back to making one of these every 11 years.
42Ludwig Goransson
Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer // Thriller (Historical) // 3.5
dir. Christopher Nolan

One-part biopic, one-part political thriller, chopped and screwed in Nolan's typical narrative fashion. I've got to give him credit from the start though, his direction here is truly mesmerizing. I have major problems with the script's structure and pacing (what the fuck is that third act guys, come on), but Nolan (and his entire cast) have a vice-like control of every single scene and what it needs. Not that it always pays off, as most of these subplots and um, any scene containing a woman with dialogue, feel obligatory, manipulative, and strangely untethered from the narrative. But the performances are stellar, and it's ultimately a devastatingly interesting story with some of the best sequences of Nolan's filmography.
41Lorne Balfe
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One // Action (Sci-Fi) // 3.6
dir. Christopher McQuarrie

There's a delirious Spielbergian summer blockbuster energy to Dead Reckoning: Part One (groan) that's been missing from it's colder-cut late sequels, combined with the series most impressive action staging and stunts yet--but seriously, every single time someone started talking about anything plot related it was like a switch went off that suddenly made me give less of a shit than I ever had about the franchise. And it's strange, as I had long been down with the bullshit before. Perhaps its that every line is delivered with an icy seriousness that sucks the air out of the room, or its simply that we've all seen this trick before, and stuffing one half of an action film with dead-weight set-up for its sequel is the type of shit that's killing the movies.
40Hail the Sun
Divine Inner Tension

American Fiction // Drama (Comedy) // 3.6
dir. Cord Jefferson

I was afraid this would be another bone-headed one-joke satire film (sorry "Dream Scenario," you're a *little* more than that), but I was pleasantly surprised to find a respectably poignant drama about creation and the ethics of storytelling, and of course how that relates to the identity of the artist. It can be a bit smug and self-impressed, but it's an amusing and affecting story that I'm glad is resonanting with people as much as it is, not the least because Jeffrey Wright deserves it!
39Tim Hecker
Infinity Pool

Infinity Pool // Horror (Body) // 3.6
dir. Brandon Cronenberg

The young Cronenberg delights in clashing beautiful against disgusting in this tropical horror that pictures lingering imperialism as uncivilized as the nation they take advantage of. While the portrayal of this unnamed nation is problematic at best, Cronenberg luckily skews his equally clinical and visceral anthropological focus towards the beastly vacationeers. Unfortunately that sterile screen between us and our protagonist also stops us from connecting with him, which dulls the impact of his nastier moments. Still, Mia Goth gives a spellbinding performance and the film's unique blend of genres help it to stand out as a clear work of purpose.
38Birdy
Portraits

Foe // Sci-Fi (Romance) // 3.6
dir. Garth Davis

If Paul Mescal and Saorise Ronan weren't so magnetic (talent and hotness-wise) this weather-pounded sci-fi thriller would probably blow right off its hinges. Our near-future dying Earth serves as a metaphor for the fading love between our leads, but I thought this did a wonderful job of avoiding cliche in their romance. The same can't be said for the genre elements, which I'm a sucker for but could've been woven in much cleaner, especially in ways that would discourage brain-dead Black Mirror comparisons.
37John Murphy
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 // Superhero (Sci-Fi) // 3.7
dir. James Gunn

Barring one of the cringiest openings of any film in recent memory, GOTG3 is a surprisingly strong third installment for the Guardians. Brimming with some of the best action sequences in the franchise and genuinely affecting character moments, it's got a real story to tell, even if it gets off track a few too many times. It's also got a villain that could have been terrifying if the film would engage with his viewpoint in any way; once the guy starts screaming things, he doesn't stop. It smartly lets others take the lead and uses Star-Lord as part of the ensemble, and more than any other film, it sells the team as a true, believable unit. For the first time, I really felt that these people wanted to be around each other. Their dynamic sells a lot of the drama better than you'd expect, and much like Vol. 2, it unexpectedly ends up being one of the more heartfelt films in the MCU canon.
36G Jones
Paths

Society of the Snow // Thriller (Survival) // 3.7
dir. J. A. Bayona

By all rights this is a pretty spectacular cross of disaster and survival movies into something lean and mean, but I don't think it's quite as unsentimental as people say. There's plenty of manipulation at work here, even if it isn't as egregious as we've normally come to expect from the genre. But again, there's plenty of thrills here and J.A. Bayona is excellent at delivering them, and there's no shortage of strong moments along the ride.
35Alex Lahey
The Answer Is Always Yes

Eileen // Thriller (Drama) // 3.7
dir. William Oldroyd
34Preoccupations
Arrangements

Knock at the Cabin // Thriller (Apocalypse) // 3.8
dir. M. Night Shyamalan

This is Shyamalan's happy place: a thriller so bizarre and intense you can't do anything but play it straight. The film's focus and brevity are its greatest strength, and the regretful nature of its antagonists gives it a wholly unique flavor versus similar apocalyptic fiction. Most thankfully, it doesn't fall flat on its face with the queer family dynamic either. Bautista gives maybe his most compelling performance yet (that's saying a lot), and the rest of the cast puts their all into it. It's not his cleanest script, and several moments lack the potency he strives for, but overall it's Shyamalan's best film in quite a while.
33East of the Wall
A Neutral Second

Landscape with Invisible Hand // Sci-Fi (Satire) // 3.8
dir. Cory Finley

A wickedly apt Post-COVID sci-fi satire for anyone who stepped out of their apartment one day and felt like they’d time traveled to an even unfriendlier future. Its winding structure and ancillary jabs certainly make it feel like it’s adapted from a novel, but the film is never condescending and rarely obvious. Thought this was a really special and clear-eyed look at artistic struggle and personal integrity when both seem more and more like liabilities every day. Incredible Gen Z leads as well!
32Entropia (PL)
Total

No One Will Save You // Sci-Fi (Thriller) // 3.8
dir. Brian Duffield

A wildly fun and genuinely freaky throwback to B-movies of yore that jettisons dialogue (entirely) in favor of well-staged thrills and patient visual storytelling. It's pumped with enough studio cash and visual flair that its a genuine wonder it didn't come out in theaters--but hopefully is a sign that the future is bright for genre content on streaming.
31Jaimie Branch
Fly or Die Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war))

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget // Comedy (Family) // 3.8
dir. Sam Fell

Despite a pretty huge release gap, I thought Dawn of the Nugget did a reasonably great job of mainitaining Ginger's leadership qualities from the first film while dissecting exactly why it would lead to problems for her as a parent. And barring the emotional intelligence of the script, I just think it's a blast, smartly avoiding while interverting the original in a number of high-wire animated action sequences.
30Glume
Main Character

Priscilla // Romance (Biopic) // 3.8
dir. Sofia Coppola

I had a hard time not comparing this to "Spencer" (Kristen Stewart as Lady Di) in my head the entire time, but I think Coppola might have done an even better job at capturing the internal prison of Priscilla Presley's world. Her romance with Elvis is so artfully handled in the way we sympathize with her lover and confidant, and don't judge her for sticking around when it turns sour. The performances across the board are fantastic, and while the pace may prove intentionally stifling at times, this is an undeniably important and well-crafted picture.
29Sofia Kourtesis
Madres

Fallen Leaves // Drama (Romance) // 3.8
dir. Aki Kaurismäki

An intimate but exquisite small-scale drama about how shit it is to be alive right now, Fallen Leaves is also bouyed by the specificity of its location, and the anxiety of the Ukraine War on Finland's doorstep is palpable through radio broadcasts everyone listens to but dare not mention. But this isn't a hopeless film, quite the opposite--it's the rare romance that highlights how profoundly courageous even just considering a life with another person can be in times like these.
28Wednesday
Rat Saw God

The Royal Hotel // Thriller (Drama) // 3.9
dir. Kitty Green

An explicitly Feminist Thriller, The Royal Hotel is genuinely frightening and surprisingly layered treatise on gender violence. Despite the fact that much of the film is draped in the threat of such violence, Green's assured direction never once dips into explotative territory. She explores a wide range of male characters whose varying temperments create an unpredictablility in the isolated Outback setting our characters find ourselves in. It's a hard sell maybe, but trust me, this film is so so good.
27Pixel Grip
ARENA

They Cloned Tyrone // Sci-Fi (Mystery) // 3.9
dir. Juel Taylor

The sharpest black-led sci-fi mystery comedy since "Sorry to Bother You," and unlike that one Tyrone doesn't deflate at the end. Debut director Juel Taylor leads an all-star cast through a plethora of hysterical barb-trading and twist-finding, and the further down the rabbit hole you get, the more interesting it is. Absolutely love the camerawork, expressionist lighting, and costume design. This is where mid-budget genre filmmaking needs to be, and it's good to see it doing well on streaming.
26Frou Frou
Details

Beau Is Afraid // Tragicomedy (Horror) // 3.9
dir. Ari Aster

A true oydessy of bonkers proportions, Aster shines such a bright light to Phoenix's character the entire time that we never lose sight of Beau or what he's Going Through no matter what demented happenings are filling the screen. While it lacks the efficiency and same cathartic blast of Midsommar, and it might not be as resolutely original as A24 would want you to believe (for the pricetag, I don't blame them), it's a brilliant mix of tragicomedy, horror, drama, mystery, and pretty much anything you want thrown in between. It's essentially a 3-hour panic attack, and I can't wait to see what Aster does next now that he's got it out of his system.
25DJ Shadow
Action Adventure

Napoleon // Epic (Historical) // 3.9
dir. Ridley Scott

A camp historical epic that belittles its hero as it brings him to power, Scott proves once again to have a scathing eye for both satire and bloodshed. Its steadfast fixation on Empress Josephine (played by the easy-to-fixate-on Vanessa Kirby) not only strengthens the pace of the film--years, battles, time erases when she's gone--but plays to Napoleon's complete single-mindedness. It's the perfect role for Phoenix, and ultimately an excellent classic epic.
24Garbage
Bleed Like Me

Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre // Action (Espionage) // 4.0
dir. Guy Ritchie

Guy Ritchie has still fuckin' got it, because this thing absolutely rips. Not only does it feature the first (fucking brilliant) pairing of Jason Statham and Aubrey Plaza, whose chemistry is just stellar, but its a banging spy-comedy with clever setups, hilarious characters, and some really great action sequences. This is about as pure pop-action as you can get, so if that's not your thing steer clear, but this has far more brains and balls than most of the action films that didn't drop like a rock in theaters (honestly the release of this was so botched, did you even hear of this one?). Anyway watch this whenever it shows up on a streaming service.
23Jerskin Fendrix
Poor Things

Poor Things // Gothic (Comedy) // 4.0
dir. Yorgos Lanthimos

At once a bewitching fairy-tale and an amusing send-up of cultural norms, with a never-more-confident Emma Stone taking center stage we see Yorgos really getting to let loose with a budget. His gothic-fantasy genre mish-mash does a wonderful job of making its lesser characters' habit of clinging to conformity seem all the more ridiculous. I still can't help but feel that for all its visual anarchy, its satire has little more bite than an above average "we live in a society" meme, but if it isn't Lanthimos's best film, it's one of his more heartfelt pictures, and the drama never feels as artificially constructred as its protagonist.
22Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac

The Holdovers // Drama (Comedy) // 4.1
dir. The Holdovers

The 2023 king of "they don't make 'em like this anymore," The Holdovers not only emulates the 1970s in rigid form (down to the opening logos and camera movement) but in its sweet, hopeful spirit that we really can all get along if we'd just try to give a shit now and then. It's something that easily could've rung pretentious as easily as true, but thanks to a patient and unsentimental script, Payne's piercing eye, and a trio of stellar leads, its a no wonder this is becoming a go-to comfy classic for the holidays.
21Soundtrack (Film)
Barbie: The Album

Barbie // Fantasy (Comedy) // 4.1
dir. Greta Gerwig

A highly ambitious, largely refreshing studio comedy with a lot to offer almost everyone, Gerwig goes above and beyond proving that inclusivity and box office success can easily go hand-in-hand with the right creatives behind the wheel. And while it's not perfectly inclusive, or perfectly original, it does manage to be an absolute blast that goes so much farther than what we've come to expect from the current studio system. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling lead the cast through the longest string of laughs I can remember hearing at the cinema in a long time, and all we can do is hope someone here in Hollywood is taking notes.
20James Newton Howard
The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songsbirds & Snakes // Sci-Fi (Dystopian) // 4.1
dir. Francis Lawrence

I was taken aback by how into this I was--I've always been a fan of the Hunger Games films, but never thought a prequel would be worth its salt, especially after Fantastic Beasts flushed the original franchises' world down the toilet. But no, this is a piercing, almost daring look at what would bring society to the point it's at by the time Katniss is around, and does so by crafting a central romance more compelling than anything the original films had to offer. Sure the theatrics and fireworks aren't quite as exciting this time around, but the Hayden Christensen-like turn Tom Bylth takes in the final act feels devastatingly well earned. It's amazing to see that great Hollywood melodrama is still kicking somewhere.
19Joseph Shirley
Creed III (Original Score)

Creed III // Sports (Drama) // 4.2
dir. Michael B. Jordan

An extremely thoughtful examination of black power and privilege on top of being a banger of a boxing film, Creed III nears the original in its greatness thanks to an excellent debut turn from Michael B. Jordan as a director. The dialogue scenes between Jordan and Jonathan Majors crackle with even more menace and tension than the fight sequences, which are really great, if a little much imo. Ultimately the series doesn't miss a step leaving behind Rocky and Philly (this is very much an L.A. movie!!), and if this one proves anything, Creed might end up having even better franchise legs than Balboa himself.
18Julien Baker
Sprained Ankle

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. // Coming-of-Age (Drama) // 4.2
dir. Kelly Fremon Craig

Proving herself the "Queen of Coming-of-age," Craig follows her absolutely incredible "Edge of Seventeen" with a pitch-perfect adaptation of one of the genre's literary classics. The choice to leave Margaret in her time period (1970) was the right one I think, for what it does to the generational healing message of the film. Craig delights in celebrating the uniqueness of characters while never losing grasp of the universal truths her characters discover. And oh, my, god, Rachel McAdams!
17Naoki Sato
Godzilla Minus One

Godzilla Minus One // Kaiju (Period) // 4.2
dir. Takashi Yamazaki

The best and truest classical blockbuster since Top Gun: Maverick, Godzilla Minus One daringly reimagines its title character in a time before he was even conceptualized--quite a move for a character nearly 70 years old. Yamazaki not only manages to make great political and personal statements about a traumatic period in his nation's history, but fills it with such dramatic flair and thrilling reversals that he makes it seem easy. Godzilla's redesign is incredible, as are the massive action sequences. And with a ~$15mil price tag, Hollywood is seriously running out of excuses.
16Sorry
Anywhere But Here

Reality // Drama (Thriller) // 4.2
dir. Tina Satter

Was really surprised by this one. A quietly seething, formally taught one-act play that also feels explicitly cinematic. A word-for-word recreation of the questioning and arrest of Reality Winner (who leaked the classfied report proving that Russians interfered in the 2016 U.S. election), Satter's direction infuses every single line with icy realism and the existential dread of a crime thriller. It does a brilliant job of belittling the law enforcement and siding you with Winner all while sticking to the script, even before its confident middle-finger of a third act.
15Chepang
Swatta

The Iron Claw // Drama (Sports) // 4.2
dir. Sean Durkin

A devastating family drama wrapped in the skin of a sports film, The Iron Claw benefits greatly from a stupidly great lead performance of Zac Efron (and really the whole cast) and the clear-eyed vision of its writer/director. It's the kind of film whose flaws could be easily sidestepped, but under anyone else's purview some of its most transcendent moments could be lost. This is a hard story to tell, and they made it hurt so good.
14Anthony Willis
M3GAN

M3GAN // Sci-Fi (Horror) // 4.3
dir. Gerard Johnston

A glorious she-boot of Child's Play that doubles down on the human drama without diluting a ridiclous sense of fun, M3GAN is honestly an incredible pop film. Emphasizing an intelligent sci-fi angle that forces AI to deal with the grief of a child, M3GAN comes across as surprisingly sympathetic (both the film and the character). M3GAN's anger is rightful, the daughter's grief is palpable, and her aunt's scientific desperation is entirely believable. Maybe I'm just not used to this kind of movie putting this much thought into both characterization and being bonkers, but I'll be first in line when MEG4N comes out.
13Teyana Taylor
K.T.S.E.

A Thousand and One // Drama (Social) // 4.3
dir. A.V. Rockwell

I thought this was an absolutely piercing drama that did such a brilliant job of putting us on the level of both mother and son and communicating the conflict between them with exacting precision and rarely ever feeling manipulative. Especially well done was how the confusion of youth was mirrored by the time jumps leaving the audience in the dark about some clues. But even though we might not always know why Teyana Taylor's character is doing everything she's doing, we're eternally sympathetic for her. Stuff like this makes me feel like we've finally broken out of the need for "likable" lead characters, but a complete lack of Oscar buzz for this film (especially Teyana's powerhouse performance) hints otherwise. I'm just grateful it's getting made.
12Lana Del Rey
Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd

May December // Drama (Psychological) // 4.3
dir. Todd Haynes

A lucid, lurid erotic tale plucked from the taboos of our society, May December manages to peer so directly into the heart of the matter by smartly making it thrice-removed. Once by the 20 years between the main events in question, and second by a thick veil of camp satire, which makes the meta-manipulations of an actress trying to crack the case of your average American psycho all the more enticing. Oh, and Charles Melton!!!!!
11Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard
John Wick: Chapter 4

John Wick: Chapter 4 // Action (Thriller) // 4.4
dir. Chad Stahelski

An exhaustive, relentless gauntlet of action and worldbuilding, Stahelski and Co. take us even farther down the rabbit hole of the John Wick franchise. Chapter 3 upped the scope without upping the stakes, while at the same time exaggerating the action to the point of humor (I get it, but this mythic/melodrama shit doesn't work unless it's played straight), but Chapter 4 proves a significant course correction in both ways. Donnie Yen is a perfect compliment to Reeves sincerity, Bill Skarsgård is icily perfect as always, and the setpieces get wilder and wilder every time.
10Militarie Gun
Life Under the Gun

Anatomy of a Fall // Legal (Drama) // 4.4
dir. Justine Triet

No one can really ever know what goes on in another's mind, and Triet's astounding Anatomy of a Fall cuts right to the heart of that fact. It's at once a moving domestic drama about trust, and a spellbinding legal thriller where everything is at stake but nothing is concrete. The writing here is phenomonal yes, but Triet rightfully got nominated for Best Director due to her ability to lead the audience along the razor's edge of her mystery while maintaining profound sympathy for every character.
9Joe Hisaishi
My Neighbor Totoro

The Boy and the Heron // Fantasy (Drama) // 4.4
dir. Hayao Miazaki

A spectacular swan-song from one of animations most important icons, The Boy and the Heron is fittingly rambunctious and proufound as it rebels against expectations of legacy and succession. That it does all of this without feeling pedantic at all is because the moral is largely about doing what you know is right--trusting in youth to take the lessons they need and to do their own thing.
8Charli XCX
Crash

Bottoms // Comedy (Teen) // 4.5
dir. Emma Seligman

A joyous, irreverent, and absurd teen-comedy that ejects cliches of the genre for an exaggerated look into high school queerness--which I would argue is the only way to do it. No, this doesn't stumble into the tired coming-of-age routine either (this blissfully is not just another Booksmart), rendering a few moral lessons but much more readily jumping headfirst into chaotic sequence after another while effortlessly balancing constant shifts in tone and genre. This is a Gen Z film done right, made by brilliant young filmmakers (Seligman is 28, and her star/co-writer Rachel Sennott is 25), and one that presents us as a generation that can truly flip the script in ways both hysterical and liberating--finally a film for queer pieces of shit like me.
7Baths
Romaplasm

All of Us Strangers // Romance (Supernatural) // 4.5
dir. Andrew Haigh

All of Us Strangers is a devastating drama with fantastical, deeply romantic tendencies. Its depiction of a gay relationship feels so tender and right, as do its more genre elements--they work to serve its lonely core even better. Enough can't be said about these performances and the pure beauty of Haigh's script and direction, and I find myself running out of words whenever I talk about this movie, but god do I love it.
6Alexandre Desplat
Asteroid City

Asteroid City // Comedy (Sci-Fi) // 4.5
dir. Wes Anderson

Featuring perhaps his most unwieldy ensemble yet, Wes Anderson has never made his unique brand of cinema look easier. There's a warmth palpable throughout, even through the sharpest jabs and dourest observations, and his characters rarely come off as three-dimensional as this. It's not that everyone has been propped full of backstory, his rampant humanism continues to lower his trademark veil of irony between characters more with every film. It's a visual and narrative smorgasbord peppered with moments both delightful and surprising. One of his best yet.
5Birds in Row
Gris Klein

How to Blow Up a Pipeline // Thriller (Social) // 4.5
dir. Daniel Goldhaber

Wire taut, pissed-off, and cut with rhythmic precision, this is one of the most radical films I've seen in a theater. It's mechanical structure and industrial bleakness might not make fans out of anyone, but it's an essential feature that couldn't have come out at a better time. It's got such a clarity for its characters and each of their reasons for doing what they're doing, but each of them is so razor sharp that I wish we'd see more sparks fly in their interactions. That being said, it remains constantly engaging up until a dazzling finale. Certainly my favorite film of the year so far.
4Robbie Robertson
Killers of the Flower Moon OST

Killers of the Flower Moon // Crime (Historical) // 4.6
dir. Martin Scorsese

Far from losing his edge, Killers forms a scathing condemnation from Scorsese of a desperate nation terrified of losing its precious whiteness. While it takes the familiar form of the directors many crime sagas, the devasting double-think romance at the core of the film is never less than totally involving, no thanks in small part to staggering performances by DiCaprio and Gladstone. It's also a pretty breezy flick for being 4 hours long; with this much ground to cover you'll hardly feel it tick by.
3King Creosote
I DES

Past Lives // Drama (Romance) // 4.6
dir. Celine Song

A formally exquisite, evocatively rendered portrait of modern romance, I was so touched (and blown away!) by how perfectly written and directed each character was here, especially for a debut feature. Everyone feels real and honest, tension deriving from personal relations rather than cliched plot manipulation. It's another amazing example of tearing down barriers between languages and nations through cinema. It also has some of the best technical work I've seen in a drama like this in quite some time, perfectly patient cinematography, deliberate editing, and a flat-out gorgeous score. Everyone with an interest in film beyond the mainstream should give this one a chance before it stacks up the awards.
2Daniel Pemberton
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse // Superhero (Sci-Fi) // 4.7
dir. Joaquim Dos Santos / Kemp Powers / Justin K. Thompson

A true fucking blessing of cinema. Finally an animated Hollywood blockbuster that uses the form to its full, expressive, boundless potential, and in service to a very GENRE story that is intricately told as it is explosively large in scope. With an insightful gaze into two protagonists of totally different backgrounds, it wraps its way around you from the very start with deliberate rhythm and a massive heart. The biggest thing holding me back is its conclusion--simply, it's not enough. This is definitely a Part 1 movie, with a third act that settles some wonderful character work before whisking off in a different direction full of twists that honestly feel a bit low-energy and disconnected. But everything else about it is truly divine, and at some points genuinely feels like one of the first times our generation has been properly visualized onscreen.
1Mica Levi
Under The Skin OST

The Zone of Interest // Historical (Drama) // 4.9
dir. Jonathan Glazer

A stunningly original look into the humanness of evil, committed by real people doing real things. The objective-styled camerawork passes no direct judgement, and the most horrific things usually happen in the corner of the screen or behind a massive garden wall. The emphasis on the mundane and efficient side of evil makes it all the more believable, and perhaps that's the most important thing about this movie--it makes it so painfully easy to understand that we're capable of this.
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