This might be the latest in the year I’ve done my top movies list, but it’s still March (for a tiny bit longer)! I’ve all but stopped going to the theater and there were just a few of the touted films that took a bit to hit streaming. I like to do my movie list based on the calendar year (mostly), but those December limited release ones are always a tough get. I of course do not see everything though I do see more than most, and I almost always see all of the Academy-nominated best pictures. You will see they did not all make my cut.
- Civil War – This was hard to watch this version of dystopian future (and getting harder most days) but very good, Dunst was compelling, and the journalist perspective worked.
- Nickel Boys – I found the first-person camera POV on this very disconcerting at first, but it grew on me (though I probably appreciated the book more), another tough watch around a brutal reformatory in the Jim Crow South but very moving.
- September 5 – A tight thriller on the hostage crisis from the perspective of the 1972 ABC Olympic Sports broadcast coverage, it limited the POV and scope of the story but kept me engaged and on edge.
- Wicked – This Maguire book is an absolute favorite, and I thought the original musical did a great job of capturing the spirit and finding its own groove. I thought the cast of this was great (thought Grande moreso felt like she was channeling Chenoweth). I do remember liking the musical itself better (thought the visuals on this were fun) and personally hate a ‘to be continued.’ I think they could have done it in one go (though this endpoint actually felt like it had some completion).
- A Real Pain – Anxiety-filled and poignant moments as these two cousins join a Poland tour to find their heritage, a little too anxious for me to love but Culkin earns it.
- Conclave – I was expecting to hate this, religion bleh, electing a new religious official double bleh. But although there were some stretches in the story, I was completely engaged in this Pope-fest. And actually more interested in a possible upcoming turnover (not that I’ll get the behind the scenes).
- All of Us Strangers – This might have technically been last year, but Andrew Scott is just so good (in anything). This look at his character’s relationship with a neighbor and his look back at his past was really weird (I had to look at the movie description part way through) but good.
- My Old Ass – I love a good coming of age flick and this version has a character meets an older version of herself, while tripping of course. The dynamics on lessons of plans for our lives, love, and loss were sweet and funny (yes a few quibbles), and yes Aubrey Plaza can also do no wrong.
- Thelma – Some lessons here about how we deal with aging, but this tale of truth and aspirational revenge hit a lot of great notes to be funny, sweet, and satisfying.
- The Idea of You – I don’t know why it’s hard to deliver a good rom-com but this trite-sounding ‘older woman connects with younger famous musician’ hit the right notes and Anne Hathaway brought it.
I would love to know in the comments what your faves of the year were.
