drama

Rodrigo Sorogoyen's As Bestas

There’s not a film in the past decade that’s more effectively played with escalating and deescalating tension, though, beyond that, what I found most compelling about As Bestas were the layers and layers of philosophical inquiries, each lurking just beneath the surface of the story, asking morally confounding question after morally confounding question about male intimidation, the rights of natives versus those of expatriates, and the personal sacrifices we make in our relationships.

Megan Park's My Old Ass

Megan Park’s My Old Ass plays with coming-of-age tropes inventively enough to stand out in a relatively crowded category. Aubrey Plaza and Maisy Stella both turn in witty performances, and the clever central plot device provides a distinct lens for a coming-of-age story.

Bong Joon Ho's Memories of Murder

The very best crime films haunt you in a way that’s hard to describe. Within these films is a delicate alchemy of visceral truth, potent atmosphere, unforgettable character work. It’s this alchemy that makes Bong Joon Ho's Memories of Murder a pantry staple in the crime drama genre.

Florian Zeller's The Father

Mental deterioration and aging and losing one’s mind is among life’s most great and mysterious tragedies, and, of course, there’s no greater testament to Florian Zeller’s filmmaking brilliance to make such a mystery so legible and penetrating for the rest of us in his feature debut, The Father.

Derek Cianfrance's Roofman

Derek Cianfrance’s crowd-pleasing Roofman was compelling and charming and ultimately made to be liked. If you’re the kind of person who can lose yourself in a film without overthinking it, you’ll have fun with it.

Mary Bronstein's If I Had Legs I'd Kick You

Rose Byrne's role in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You is one of the tightest ropes an actor has had to walk in the past decade, and she handles it with all the grace and empathy and raw tenacity for which she’s become known.

Lee Isaac Chung's Minari

Lee Isaac Chung’s Minari is a beautiful film that lands with all the artistry of a delicate watercolor painting. What makes this familiar tale so particularly special is the exceptional character drawings from the director and masterful performances from his cast, helmed by Steven Yeun and Han Ye-ri.

Gregg Araki's Mysterious Skin

Writer-director Gregg Araki's Mysterious Skin is not an easy watch, but it’s a brilliant and visceral piece that you’ll probably never want to see again.

James Sweeney's Twinless

Writer-director-actor James Sweeney’s Twinless is a beautifully written reflection on companionship, envy, loss, and forgiveness.

Jim Cummings' Thunder Road

Writer-director Jim Cummings so deftly balances the emotional with the downright silly, a thesis you’ll find immediately proven right even if you merely humor me and only watch the opening scene.

Josh Safdie's Marty Supreme

The tale of Marty Mauser is at once a series of hysterical misadventures and a deeply affecting character study about greed, fame, dreams, and ambition.

Lodge Kerrigan's Clean, Shaven

Gia Coppola's The Last Showgirl

Mike Mills' C'mon C'mon

Sebastian Schipper's Victoria

Charlotte Wells' "Aftersun"

Jeremy Saulnier's "Blue Ruin"

Michael Angelo Covino's "The Climb"

Coralie Fargeat's "Revenge"

Janicza Bravo's "Zola"

Michael Sarnoski's "Pig"

Rose Glass’s "Love Lies Bleeding"

Sean Baker's "Anora", "Red Rocket"

Aaron Schimberg's "A Different Man"

Jesse Eisenberg’s “A Real Pain”