There’s a trigger warning note at the beginning of “Blink Twice” that seems a bit excessive. Once the film unfolds, however, you understand why it’s there. “Blink Twice” is a highly upsetting film – particularly when you realize it’s something that could happen.
This image released by Amazon/MGM Studios shows Naomi Ackie, left, and Alia Shawka in a scene from "Blink Twice." Uncredited - handout one time use, ASSOCIATED PRESS Frida (Naomi Ackie) and her roommate Jess (Alia Shawkat) serve as waiters at a gala hosted by a tech giant, Slater King (Channing Tatum), who is coming back from some unidentified “problem.” The event is lavish and, sure enough, the two servers figure out how to mingle with the rich and mighty after they’ve passed a tray of appetizers.
When Frida falls, the person who’s there to help her is none other than Slater. He expresses considerable interest and invites the two to his private island for a getaway. People are also reading.
.. Naomi Ackie, left, and Channing Tatum in a scene from "Blink Twice.
" Carlos Somonte, Amazon-MGM There, everything is provided. The guests don’t have to worry about food, clothing or fun and can basically relax. Drink and drugs are plentiful and then one of the guests goes missing.
That’s essential to the story and the start of “Blink Twice’s” problems. While this easily could be a commentary on the culture that led to #MeToo, there’s enough here that others could find unsettling. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack In Jordan Peele’s hands, the concept could work.
Zoe Kravitz, however, isn't quite sure where she wants to point the finger. As director, she exhibits great visual style but gets into murkier territory with the story. It wants to head everywhere.
This image released by Amazon/MGM Studios shows Channing Tatum in a scene from "Blink Twice." Uncredited - handout one time use, ASSOCIATED PRESS Immediately, “Epstein’s Island” comes to mind when you see the hosts and their guests. Christian Slater, Haley Joel Osment and Simon Rex are among the men entertaining the women.
They’re a mixed bag (particularly when stirred with Kyle MacLachlan as a therapist and Geena Davis as Slater’s sister). Dinners have a creepy, “try this” tone and soon guests are passing out. When Frida decides to cool it on the drugs, she gets a clearer head and realizes all is not what it seems.
This image released by Amazon/MGM Studios shows Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie in a scene from "Blink Twice." Carlos Somonte - handout one time use, ASSOCIATED PRESS She finds an ally in a contestant from a “Survivor”-like show and begins her escape. Unfortunately, Kravitz doesn’t view that as a way to right the wrongs but as one to turn the tables.
That’s where “Blink Twice” loses its power. Ackie and Tatum are fine in their roles; Slater is overdone and Rex has potential. But this is one of those “what if?” dramas that makes you want to exit, not learn more.
When Kravitz gets to her big “a-ha” ending, “Blink Twice” becomes a means to an end, not an end to a problem. The best movies of 2024 so far #5. The Settlers - Director: Felipe Gálvez Haberle- Metascore: 80- IMDb user rating: 7.
1- Run time: 97 minutesFelipe Gálvez Haberle's feature directorial debut, "The Settlers," is a revisionist Western that follows three horsemen who find themselves mixed up in the South American land grab and the genocide of the Selk'nam people at the beginning of the 20th century.Premiering at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, the film didn't get a widespread release until early this year, but critical reviews have been overwhelmingly positive since its debut. Writing for Observer, one critic called it "a brutal, chilling indictment of capitalist colonialism," while IndieWire wrote that "it's one of the most chilling art-Westerns to come along in some time, as provocative for its ideas, dialogue, and characterizations, as for the beauty of its empty landscapes.
" Mathew Tsang // Getty Images #2. Totem - Director: Lila Avilés- Metascore: 91- IMDb user rating: 7.1- Run time: 95 minutesThe National Board of Review named "Totem" one of the best international films of the year, which is as winning of an endorsement as one could hope to receive.
The Mexican project follows a 7-year-old girl as she celebrates her father's birthday and struggles to come to terms with the fact that it will likely be his last. Variety called the movie "lifelike and lived-in" and commended filmmaker Lila Avilés' "generous, open-ended" style. Sebastian Reuter // Getty Images #1.
Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell - Director: Thien An Pham- Metascore: 93- IMDb user rating: 6.7- Run time: 179 minutesStraddling the line between surrealism and realism, "Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell" follows a young Vietnamese man as he navigates the unexpected loss of a family member and grapples with larger questions of faith, god, and the afterlife. Director Thien An Pham's feature debut, the movie won the Camera d'Or (the award given to the best debut feature film) at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
Outlets like IndieWire have gushed over the project's unique cinematic style (there are long, uninterrupted shots that run for up to 20 minutes at a time), which has already earned praise from critics internationally.Data reporting by Luke Hicks. Story editing by Carren Jao.
Copy editing by Tim Bruns. Lionel Hahn // Getty Images #25. How to Have Sex - Director: Molly Manning Walker- Metascore: 79- IMDb user rating: 6.
5- Run time: 91 minutesFirst premiering at the Cannes Film Festival's Un Certain Regard competition, "How to Have Sex" follows three young women as they embark on their first real adult vacation. RogerEbert.com called the movie, which is Molly Manning Walker's feature directorial debut, "a blisteringly real survey of female coming of age.
" The visuals here are arguably among the year's best, which is perhaps not all that surprising considering Walker's background as a cinematographer. Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images #24. Dune: Part Two - Director: Denis Villeneuve- Metascore: 79- IMDb user rating: 8.
6- Run time: 166 minutesThe follow-up to the 2021 smash-hit adaptation of the Frank Herbert sci-fi novel, "Dune: Part Two" continues the story of Paul Atreides and the Fremen people as they wage war against the cruel House Harkonnen. The commercially successful film has a massive, all-star cast that includes actors like Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, and Josh Brolin. Critics, like those at Slate, have sung the movie's praises, celebrating everything from its complex, attention-grabbing plot to its jaw-dropping special effects to its cinematography and score.
Dimitrios Kambouris // Getty Images #23. Io Capitano - Director: Matteo Garrone- Metascore: 79- IMDb user rating: 7.6- Run time: 121 minutesInspired by the real stories of migrants' journeys to Europe through Africa, "Io Capitano" tells the story of two young men who leave their native Dakar in search of a better life in Italy.
Nominated for Best International Feature Film at this year's Oscars, the movie's cast comprises mostly unknown actors, which lends an even more raw and real tone to the story. Audiences should note that the film is a hard watch—heavy topics like abuse and slavery are tackled—but, as Observer notes, it's important in that it keeps the reality of this international crisis at the forefront of conversations. Alessandra Benedetti - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images #22.
Hundreds of Beavers - Director: Mike Cheslik- Metascore: 80- IMDb user rating: 7.8- Run time: 108 minutesOne of the most unique comedies of the last few years, "Hundreds of Beavers" is a black-and-white, slapstick gem about an enterprising woodsman who finds himself facing off against a slew of forest creatures for control of his homestead. With little to no dialogue, a wild soundtrack, and a cast of human actors in mascot-style animal costumes, it's safe to assume you've never seen anything like this ever before.
Critics and audiences alike love the way the film pays homage to the cartoons of yesteryear (think "Looney Tunes") and how genuinely funny the physical humor actually is. Rich Polk // Getty Images for SRH #21. The Settlers - Director: Felipe Gálvez Haberle- Metascore: 80- IMDb user rating: 7- Run time: 97 minutesFelipe Gálvez Haberle's feature directorial debut, "The Settlers," is a revisionist Western that follows three horsemen who find themselves mixed up in the South American land grab and the genocide of the Selk'nam people at the beginning of the 20th century.
Premiering at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, the film didn't get a widespread release until early this year, but critical reviews have been overwhelmingly positive since its debut. Writing for Observer, one critic called it "a brutal, chilling indictment of capitalist colonialism," while IndieWire wrote that "it's one of the most chilling art-Westerns to come along in some time, as provocative for its ideas, dialogue, and characterizations, as for the beauty of its empty landscapes."You may also like: The most successful long movies of all time Mathew Tsang // Getty Images #20.
The Beast - Director: Bertrand Bonello- Metascore: 80- IMDb user rating: 6.8- Run time: 146 minutesLoosely based on a Henry James short story titled "The Beast in the Jungle," "The Beast" is essentially about how humanity's pursuit of authenticity is often thwarted by roadblocks of its own making. A bizarre sci-fi and horror mashup, the film is set across three distinct time periods (1910, 2014, and 2044) and follows one woman as she attempts to rid herself of all emotion and the ripple effect that has on all of her past lives.
Unsettling and thought-provoking, the movie certainly isn't a mindless watch, but it is an important one. Vittorio Zunino Celotto // Getty Images #19. Housekeeping for Beginners - Director: Goran Stolevski- Metascore: 80- IMDb user rating: 7- Run time: 107 minutesSet in North Macedonia, "Housekeeping for Beginners" follows one woman as she does her best to raise her deceased girlfriend's two daughters despite never wanting to be a mother herself.
Full of found family and LGBTQ+ themes, the movie is deeply emotional and raw, feelings that are compounded by the fact that director Goran Stolevski allowed the actors (many of whom made their big-screen debut here) to improvise large sections of the finished product. Lia Toby // Getty Images for BFI #18. Skin Deep - Director: Alex Schaad- Metascore: 81- IMDb user rating: 6.
2- Run time: 103 minutes"Skin Deep" is a philosophical relationship drama that follows a young couple who find themselves in a body-swapping situation during a visit to a mysterious island. The New York Times lauded the way the film handled deep questions that might arise in romantic relationships and broader society should body-swapping become an established, serious possibility. Written by brothers Alex and Dimitrij Schaad, the film first premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival and only made its way to the U.
S. this year. It is also Alex's feature-length directorial debut.
Jörg Carstensen/picture alliance via Getty Images #17. Aisha - Director: Frank Berry- Metascore: 81- IMDb user rating: 6.6- Run time: 94 minutesSet in Ireland, "Aisha" examines the complicated friendship that grows between an asylum seeker and a security guard at the accommodation center where she is living.
Perhaps best known for her role in the "Black Panther" movies, Letitia Wright has been praised by outlets across the internet for the controlled anger, dignity, and quiet power she infused into the character. While the film is understated in its tone and emotional pull, it's sure to have viewers reevaluating their thoughts on the immigrant experience around the world. Shane Anthony Sinclair // Getty Images for BFI #16.
Challengers - Director: Luca Guadagnino- Metascore: 82- IMDb user rating: 7.3- Run time: 131 minutesStarring Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist, "Challengers" follows the tense dynamic that unfolds between a tennis coach, her player/husband who is on a losing streak, and his former best friend and rival/her former lover. Told largely through a series of flashbacks and flash-forwards, the movie is messy, dramatic, and very, very sexy (including a highly charged churro scene).
Critics have praised the stars' performances as well as the complex editing, which makes what could be a fairly basic story far more compelling.You may also like: How much does it cost to win Best Picture? Breaking down the biggest and smallest budgets. Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures #15.
Hit Man - Director: Richard Linklater- Metascore: 82- IMDb user rating: 7.1- Run time: 115 minutesIn this Netflix original, Glen Powell (who co-wrote the screenplay) plays an undercover cop posing as a hit man who falls in love with a woman who has hired him to help kill her husband. The black comedy has garnered tons of praise for feeling like an old-school movie—one of those delightfully fun romps that's also well-acted, sufficiently funded, and not unduly concerned with getting a message across.
SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images #14. Inshallah a Boy - Director: Amjad Al Rasheed- Metascore: 83- IMDb user rating: 7.2- Run time: 113 minutesWrestling with the devastating effects of Jordan's patriarchal inheritance laws, "Inshallah a Boy" is a thriller about a woman who pretends to be pregnant with a son in order to save herself and her young daughter.
The film was the first Jordanian project to ever compete at Cannes, and what a stunning debut it was. The New York Times praised the performance of Palestinian actor Mouna Hawa, calling it "commanding," and Variety applauded director Al Rasheed's prowess in casting a social-realist drama as a riveting escape thriller. PATRICK BAZ/Red Sea Film Festival/AFP via Getty Images #13.
Evil Does Not Exist - Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi- Metascore: 83- IMDb user rating: 7.1- Run time: 106 minutesThe winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 80th Venice Film Festival, "Evil Does Not Exist" is a Japanese film that follows the residents of a small village as they push back against the development of the forest they live near. Described as "sparsely written" and "unsettling in tone" by NPR, the film is far from predictable with an ending that leaves audiences with plenty to think about.
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images #12. Terrestrial Verses - Directors: Ali Asgari, Alireza Khatami- Metascore: 83- IMDb user rating: 7.4- Run time: 77 minutesIn this Iranian film, directors Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami follow nine individuals as they face off against different iterations of power in the Middle Eastern country.
At times comedic and difficult, the stories examine the way certain codes of behavior (whether dictated by culture or religion) can often be used as a channel for more deeply held prejudices. Lionel Hahn // Getty Images #11. Janet Planet - Director: Annie Baker- Metascore: 84- IMDb user rating: 6.
6- Run time: 113 minutesSet in the early '90s, this drama follows a hippie mother (Julianne Nicholson) and her preteen daughter (Zoe Ziegler) over the course of one slow summer as they spend nearly all of their time together and confront changes in their relationship. The movie is the feature directorial debut of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker, who also wrote the screenplay.You may also like: From 'Metropolis' to 'Parasite': 100 best international movies of all time Steven Ferdman // Getty Images #10.
Chicken for Linda! - Directors: Sébastien Laudenbach, Chiara Malta- Metascore: 84- IMDb user rating: 7.1- Run time: 73 minutesIn this animated film, a mother sets out to make amends with her daughter by cooking her favorite meal, despite her lack of culinary knowledge and a strike that's essentially shut down their city. The French project is playful and emotional, exploring themes like grief and memory in ways that will appeal to audiences of all ages.
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images #9. I Saw the TV Glow - Director: Jane Schoenbrun- Metascore: 84- IMDb user rating: 7- Run time: 100 minutesDubbed "weird and transfixing" by NPR, "I Saw the TV Glow" follows two teenagers who bond over a supernatural TV series only to have their lives go off the rails years after the show's cancellation. Produced by Emma Stone and Dave McCary's company Fruit Tree, the movie stars Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine and is far more unsettling than the previews may have led viewers to believe.
Frazer Harrison // Getty Images #8. Pictures of Ghosts - Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho- Metascore: 88- IMDb user rating: 7.7- Run time: 93 minutesIn this documentary, filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho revisits his life in Brazil, recalling its glory days through the prism of the various cinemas he frequented as a child.
The New York Times praised the film, which combines both new and archived footage, for the way it inspires a "rumination on life, death, family, movies, and those complicated, invariably haunted places we call home." Meanwhile, IndieWire hailed the documentary's celebratory spirit, noting that Filho is able to give the film "a joyful rhythm, full of hope and wonder." Theo Wargo // Getty Images for FLC #7.
About Dry Grasses - Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan- Metascore: 88- IMDb user rating: 7.8- Run time: 197 minutesThis Turkish-language drama follows a teacher who finds his future threatened after a female student alleges inappropriate contact. As is the case with many of Nuri Bilge Ceylan's projects, the movie is slow and sparse, with a strong emphasis placed on still photography.
The New Yorker called it "nimble, alert, and alive," stressing that it "brims with a bitingly melancholy Chekhovian spirit," something that's sure to appeal to certain moviegoers. Lionel Hahn // Getty Images #6. La Chimera - Director: Alice Rohrwacher- Metascore: 91- IMDb user rating: 7.
3- Run time: 130 minutesSet in the '80s, "La Chimera" follows a lovelorn archaeologist who unwittingly finds himself the head of a ragtag gang of grave robbers, stealing artifacts and passing them on to a mysterious buyer. The Guardian called it "uproarious and celebratory" noting that its tone—and the way it teems with life—is one of the best things about it. Meanwhile, Slant loved the way it wrestles with time and its effect on all of our lives.
You may also like: Highest-grossing movies released on Halloween weekend Theo Wargo // Getty Images for FLC #5. Tótem - Director: Lila Avilés- Metascore: 91- IMDb user rating: 7.1- Run time: 95 minutesThe National Board of Review named "Tótem" one of the best international films of the year, which is as winning of an endorsement as one could hope to receive.
The Mexican project follows a 7-year-old girl as she celebrates her father's birthday and struggles to come to terms with the fact that it will likely be his last. Variety called the movie "lifelike and lived-in" and commended filmmaker Lila Avilés' "generous, open-ended" style. Sebastian Reuter // Getty Images #4.
Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus - Director: Neo Sora- Metascore: 91- IMDb user rating: 8.1- Run time: 103 minutesCalled "a parting gift from a master musician" by The New York Times, "Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus" is the pianist's final performance. There are no interviews or introductions in the film, it's simply 103 minutes of the Japanese artist sitting at his piano playing some of his greatest hits.
While it may not sound like the most exciting film the year has had to offer, the space it offers for contemplation is unlike anything else the big screen has ever given us. Arturo Holmes // Getty Images for FLC #3. Here - Director: Bas Devos- Metascore: 93- IMDb user rating: 6.
8- Run time: 84 minutesDubbed "a celebration of connection" by The New York Times, Bas Devos' "Here" follows the lives of a Romanian construction worker and a Belgian-Chinese academic who studies moss. Their lives, which have almost no reason to intersect, inevitably do in the most unusual of places. The quiet film is beautifully photographed and captures a sense of connection where "nothing much and everything happens—or could," according to the Times.
Sebastian Reuter // Getty Images #2. Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell - Director: Thien An Pham- Metascore: 94- IMDb user rating: 6.7- Run time: 179 minutesStraddling the line between surrealism and realism, "Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell" follows a young Vietnamese man as he navigates the unexpected loss of a family member and grapples with larger questions of faith, god, and the afterlife.
The movie won director Thien An Pham the Camera d'Or, the award given to the best debut feature, at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Outlets like IndieWire have gushed over the project's unique cinematic style (there are long, uninterrupted shots that run for up to 20 minutes at a time), which has earned praise from critics internationally. PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images #1.
Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World - Director: Radu Jude- Metascore: 95- IMDb user rating: 7.4- Run time: 163 minutesIn this black comedy, a production assistant is tasked with shooting a workplace safety video, only to find their plans upended when an interviewee makes a surprising statement. Completely unique in its form (it's a mix of new footage; edited excerpts of another 1981 film, "Angela merge mai departe"; and the main character's TikTok videos), Variety called the movie a "dizzying, dazzling feat of social critique, an all-fronts-at-once attack on the zeitgeist, and a mischievous, often hilarious work of art about the artifice of work.
"Data reporting by Luke Hicks. Story editing by Carren Jao and Jaimie Etkin. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.
You may also like: The most popular movies to stream right now Alessandro Levati // Getty Images #25. Hundreds of Beavers - Director: Mike Cheslik- Metascore: 80- IMDb user rating: 7.8- Run time: 1 hour 48 minutesOne of the most unique comedies of the last few years, "Hundreds of Beavers" is a black-and-white, slapstick gem about an enterprising woodsman who finds himself facing off against a slew of forest creatures for control of his homestead.
With little dialogue, a wild soundtrack, and a cast of human actors in mascot-style animal costumes, it's safe to assume you've never seen anything like this ever before. Critics and audiences alike love the way the film pays homage to the cartoons of yesteryear (think "Looney Tunes") and how genuinely funny the physical humor actually is. Rich Polk // Getty Images for SRH #24.
Housekeeping for Beginners - Director: Goran Stolevski- Metascore: 80- IMDb user rating: 7.0- Run time: 1 hour 47 minutesSet in North Macedonia, "Housekeeping for Beginners" centers on a woman doing her best to raise her deceased girlfriend's two daughters despite never wanting to be a mother herself. Full of found family and LGBTQ+ themes, the movie is deeply emotional and raw, feelings that are compounded by the fact that director Goran Stolevski allowed the actors (many of whom made their big-screen debut here) to improvise large sections of the finished product.
Lia Toby // Getty Images for BFI #23. 20,000 Species of Bees - Director: Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren- Metascore: 80- IMDb user rating: 7.0- Run time: 2 hours 8 minutesA coming-of-age story set against the slow, Spanish summer, "20,000 Species of Bees" follows a child who begins to realize that her gender identity may not be in line with the gender she was assigned at birth.
Understated and emotional, the film delves into the journey many transgender young people, and their families, go through as they start to understand their identity. Juan Naharro Gimenez // Getty Images #22. Skin Deep - Director: Alex Schaad- Metascore: 81- IMDb user rating: 6.
2- Run time: 1 hour 43 minutes"Skin Deep" is a philosophical relationship drama about a young couple who find themselves in a body-swapping situation during a visit to a mysterious island. The New York Times lauded the way the film handled deep questions that might arise in romantic relationships and broader society should body-swapping become an established, serious possibility. Written by brothers Alex and Dimitrij Schaad, the film first premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival and only made its way to the U.
S. this year. It is also Alex's feature-length directorial debut.
Jörg Carstensen/picture alliance via Getty Images #21. Aisha - Director: Frank Berry- Metascore: 81- IMDb user rating: 6.6- Run time: 1 hour 34 minutesSet in Ireland, "Aisha" examines the complicated friendship that grows between an asylum seeker and a security guard at the accommodation center where she is living.
Perhaps best known for her role in the "Black Panther" movies, Letitia Wright has been praised by outlets across the internet for the controlled anger, dignity, and quiet power she infused into the character. While the film is understated in its tone and emotional pull, it's sure to have viewers reevaluating their thoughts on the immigrant experience around the world.You may also like: 50 of the best Christmas movies of all time Shane Anthony Sinclair // Getty Images for BFI #19.
Challengers - Director: Luca Guadagnino- Metascore: 82- IMDb user rating: 7.3- Run time: 2 hours 11 minutesStarring Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, and Mike Faist, "Challengers" follows the tense dynamic that unfolds between a tennis coach, her player/husband who is on a losing streak, and his former best friend and rival/her former lover. Told largely through a series of flashbacks and flash-forwards, the movie is messy, dramatic, and very, very sexy (including a highly charged churro scene).
Critics have praised the stars' performances as well as the complex editing, which makes what could be a fairly basic story far more compelling. Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures #18. Sing Sing - Director: Greg Kwedar- Metascore: 82- IMDb user rating: 8.
1- Run time: 1 hour 45 minutesA prison drama unlike any you've seen before, "Sing Sing" is about a man who has been imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit but finds purpose in a theater group composed of fellow incarcerated men. Colman Domingo plays the lead role and much of the cast is comprised of formerly incarcerated actors who participated in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program, a decision that gives the project an intensity it may not have had otherwise. Amanda Edwards // Getty Images for Film Independent #17.
Hit Man - Director: Richard Linklater- Metascore: 82- IMDb user rating: 6.9- Run time: 1 hour 55 minutesIn this Netflix original, Glen Powell (who co-wrote the screenplay) plays an undercover cop posing as a hit man who falls in love with a woman who has hired him to help kill her husband. The black comedy has garnered tons of praise for feeling like an old-school movie—one of those delightfully fun romps that's also well-acted, sufficiently funded, and not unduly concerned with getting a message across.
SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images #16. Inshallah a Boy - Director: Amjad Al Rasheed- Metascore: 83- IMDb user rating: 7.2- Run time: 1 hour 53 minutesWrestling with the devastating effects of Jordan's patriarchal inheritance laws, "Inshallah a Boy" is a thriller about a woman who pretends to be pregnant with a son in order to save herself and her young daughter.
The film was the first Jordanian project to ever compete at the Cannes Film Festival, and what a stunning debut it was. The New York Times praised the performance of Palestinian actor Mouna Hawa, calling it "commanding," and Variety applauded director Al Rasheed's prowess in casting a social-realist drama as a riveting escape thriller.You may also like: Best Picture losers that won the most Oscars at their ceremony PATRICK BAZ/Red Sea Film Festival/AFP via Getty Images #14.
Evil Does Not Exist - Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi- Metascore: 83- IMDb user rating: 7.0- Run time: 1 hour 46 minutesThe winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 80th Venice Film Festival, "Evil Does Not Exist" is a Japanese film about the residents of a small village who are pushing back against the development of the forest they live near. Described as "sparsely written" and "unsettling in tone" by NPR, "Evil Does Not Exist" is far from predictable with an ending that leaves audiences with plenty to think about.
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images #13. Terrestrial Verses - Directors: Ali Asgari, Alireza Khatami- Metascore: 83- IMDb user rating: 7.4- Run time: 1 hour 17 minutesIn this Iranian film, directors Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami follow nine individuals as they face off against different iterations of power in the Middle Eastern country.
At times comedic and difficult, the stories examine the way certain codes of behavior (whether dictated by culture or religion) can often be used as a channel for more deeply held prejudices. Lionel Hahn // Getty Images #12. Chicken for Linda! - Directors: Sébastien Laudenbach, Chiara Malta- Metascore: 84- IMDb user rating: 7.
1- Run time: 1 hour 13 minutesIn this animated film, a mother sets out to make amends with her daughter by cooking her favorite meal, despite her lack of culinary knowledge and a strike that's essentially shut down their city. The French project is playful and emotional, exploring themes like grief and memory in ways that will appeal to audiences of all ages. Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images #11.
I Saw the TV Glow - Director: Jane Schoenbrun- Metascore: 84- IMDb user rating: 5.9- Run time: 1 hour 40 minutesDubbed "weird and transfixing" by NPR, "I Saw the TV Glow" centers on two teenagers who bond over a supernatural TV series only to have their lives go off the rails years after the show's cancellation. Produced by Emma Stone and Dave McCary's company Fruit Tree, the movie stars Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine and is far more unsettling than the previews may have led viewers to believe.
You may also like: Best summer rom-coms of all time Frazer Harrison // Getty Images #8. Pictures of Ghosts - Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho- Metascore: 88- IMDb user rating: 7.7- Run time: 1 hour 33 minutesIn this documentary, filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho revisits his life in Brazil, recalling its glory days through the prism of the various cinemas he frequented as a child.
The New York Times praised the film, which combines both new and archived footage, for the way it inspires a "rumination on life, death, family, movies, and those complicated, invariably haunted places we call home." Meanwhile, IndieWire hailed the documentary's celebratory spirit, noting that Filho is able to give the film "a joyful rhythm, full of hope and wonder." Theo Wargo // Getty Images for FLC #7.
Green Border - Director: Agnieszka Holland- Metascore: 90- IMDb user rating: 6.4- Run time: 2 hours 32 minutesDescribed by RogerEbert.com as "the best and most important film to be released in the U.
S. so far this year," "Green Border" examines the ongoing European refugee crisis. Set on the border of Belarus and Poland, the movie is gorgeously shot in black and white and manages to perfectly walk the line between real and melodramatic.
It's a must-watch for any politically minded viewer. Gerald Matzka // Getty Images #6. La Chimera - Director: Alice Rohrwacher- Metascore: 91- IMDb user rating: 7.
3- Run time: 2 hours 10 minutesSet in the '80s, "La Chimera" centers on a lovelorn archaeologist who unwittingly finds himself the head of a ragtag gang of grave robbers, stealing artifacts and passing them on to a mysterious buyer. The Guardian called it "uproarious and celebratory" noting that its tone—and the way it teems with life—is one of the best things about it. Meanwhile, Slant loved the way it wrestles with time and its effect on all of our lives.
You may also like: 50 best Western films of all time, according to critics Theo Wargo // Getty Images for FLC #5. Tótem - Director: Lila Avilés- Metascore: 91- IMDb user rating: 7.1- Run time: 1 hour 35 minutesThe National Board of Review named "Tótem" one of the best international films of the year, which is as winning of an endorsement as one could hope to receive.
The Mexican project is about a 7-year-old girl celebrating her father's birthday and struggling to come to terms with the fact that it will likely be his last. Variety called the movie "lifelike and lived-in" and commended filmmaker Lila Avilés' "generous, open-ended" style. Sebastian Reuter // Getty Images #4.
Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus - Director: Neo Sora- Metascore: 91- IMDb user rating: 8.1- Run time: 1 hour 43 minutesCalled "a parting gift from a master musician" by The New York Times, "Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus" is the pianist's final performance. There are no interviews or introductions in the film, it's simply 103 minutes of the Japanese artist sitting at his piano playing some of his greatest hits.
While it may not sound like the most exciting film the year has had to offer, the space it offers for contemplation is unlike anything else the big screen has given us. Arturo Holmes // Getty Images for FLC #3. Here - Director: Bas Devos- Metascore: 92- IMDb user rating: 6.
9- Run time: 1 hour 24 minutesDubbed "a celebration of connection" by The New York Times, Bas Devos' "Here" follows the lives of a Romanian construction worker and a Belgian-Chinese academic who studies moss. Their lives, which have almost no reason to intersect, inevitably do in the most unusual of places. The quiet film is beautifully photographed and captures a sense of connection where "nothing much and everything happens—or could," according to the Times.
Sebastian Reuter // Getty Images #2. Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell - Director: Thien An Pham- Metascore: 94- IMDb user rating: 6.7- Run time: 2 hours 59 minutesStraddling the line between surrealism and realism, "Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell" centers on a young Vietnamese man navigating the unexpected loss of a family member and grappling with larger questions of faith, god, and the afterlife.
The movie won director Thien An Pham the Camera d'Or, the award given to the best debut feature, at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Outlets like IndieWire have gushed over the project's unique cinematic style (there are long, uninterrupted shots that run for up to 20 minutes at a time), which has earned praise from critics internationally. PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images #1.
Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World - Director: Radu Jude- Metascore: 95- IMDb user rating: 7.4- Run time: 2 hours 43 minutesIn this black comedy, a production assistant is tasked with shooting a workplace safety video, only to find their plans upended when an interviewee makes a surprising statement. Completely unique in its form (it's a mix of new footage; edited excerpts of another 1981 film, "Angela merge mai departe"; and the main character's TikTok videos), Variety called the movie a "dizzying, dazzling feat of social critique, an all-fronts-at-once attack on the zeitgeist, and a mischievous, often hilarious work of art about the artifice of work.
"Data reporting by Luke Hicks. Story editing by Carren Jao and Jaimie Etkin. Copy editing by Tim Bruns.
You may also like: 100 best '90s movies Alessandro Levati // Getty Images #20. Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger - Director: David Hinton- Metascore: 82- IMDb user rating: 8.0- Run time: 2 hours 11 minutesIn this essay film, Martin Scorsese guides audiences through the oeuvre of two of the most influential filmmakers of his own career: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.
Part chronological documentary, part film analysis, part personal narrative, the movie is a great way to get to know Powell and Pressburger as well as Scorsese himself, and was described by The New York Times as "a personal, vibrant gift." Richard Blanshard // Getty Images #15. Ghostlight - Directors: Kelly O'Sullivan, Alex Thompson- Metascore: 83- IMDb user rating: 8.
0- Run time: 1 hour 55 minutesA story about the healing power of art, "Ghostlight" follows a grieving construction worker who processes the death of his teenage son through a community theater production of "Romeo and Juliet." Messy, pure, and earnest, the film features an actual family of actors (partners Keith Kupferer and Tara Mallen and their daughter Katherine Mallen Kupferer), making everything feel incredibly real. John Nacion // Getty Images #10.
Janet Planet - Director: Annie Baker- Metascore: 85- IMDb user rating: 6.7- Run time: 1 hour 53 minutesSet in the early '90s, this drama follows a hippie mother (Julianne Nicholson) and her preteen daughter (Zoe Ziegler) over the course of one slow summer as they spend nearly all of their time together and confront changes in their relationship. The movie is the feature directorial debut of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker, who also wrote the screenplay.
Steven Ferdman // Getty Images #9. About Dry Grasses - Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan- Metascore: 87- IMDb user rating: 7.8- Run time: 3 hours 17 minutesThis Turkish-language drama centers on a teacher who finds his future threatened after a female student alleges inappropriate contact.
As is the case with many of Nuri Bilge Ceylan's projects, the movie is slow and sparse, with a strong emphasis placed on still photography. The New Yorker called it "nimble, alert, and alive," stressing that it "brims with a bitingly melancholy Chekhovian spirit," something that's sure to appeal to certain moviegoers. Lionel Hahn // Getty Images Stay up-to-date on what's happening.
