It's time once again for the Sundance Film Festival! After two years of the festival being held completely virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Sundance is FINALLY returning to Park City and I couldn't be happier. Sundance begins tomorrow night, so as per tradition, I've compiled my list of the ten movies I'm most excited to see and why they're on my radar. Read on! 10. YOU HURT MY FEELINGS Sundance Summary: New York novelist Beth has been working for years on the follow-up to her somewhat successful memoir, sharing countless drafts with her approving, supportive husband Don. Beth’s world quickly unravels when she overhears Don admit to her brother-in-law, Mark, that actually, he doesn’t like the new book. She vents to her sister Sara that decades of a loving, committed marriage pale in comparison to this immense betrayal. Meanwhile, therapist Don faces his own professional problems as he finds himself unable to care about or even recall his unhappy patients' issues anymore… and they’ve begun to notice. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: Julia Louis-Dreyfus reunites with her Enough Said director Nicole Holofcener for another dramedy that's sure to suit her talents. I loved Enough Said and thought it was among some of Julia's best work (aside from Seinfeld of course), so I'm excited to see them take this simple premise and flesh it out with all the complexities and nuances as only Julia Louis-Dreyfus can. 9. POLITE SOCIETY Sundance Summary: A London schoolgirl and tireless martial-artist-in-training, Ria Khan is determined to become a world-renowned stunt woman. She’s crushed when her big sister, Lena, drops out of art school, starts dating Salim — the charming, wealthy son of the prominent Shah family — and announces, after barely a month, that they plan to marry and move to Singapore! How could Lena abandon her artistic dreams to become some trophy wife? But Ria soon realizes that something isn’t right, leaving her no choice but to enlist her friends in a daring mission to kidnap Lena from her own wedding. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: This movie sounds like it has it all. The film is tagged on Sundance's site as: action, adventure, comedy AND horror. It's also described as "an Austenesque tale of two sisters (one in wedding shackles) by way of a loving, anarchic mashup of genres (action comedy, heist, martial arts, Bollywood, social horror)." That's a pretty tall order of a film. How can I not want to see if such a feat can be pulled off?? 8. CAT PERSON Sundance Summary: Margot, a college student working concessions at an art house theater, meets frequent filmgoer — and rather older local — Robert, on the job. Flirtation across the counter evolves into continuous texting. As the two inch toward romance, shifts between them, awkward moments, red flags, and discomforts pile up. Margot feels both attached and reticent, as her gnawing hesitations blossom into vivid daydreams where Robert realizes his most threatening potential. As her distrust and uncertainty mount, an evening, their relationship, and possibly their lives unravel. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: I'm super intrigued to see up and comer Emilia Jone's Sundance follow-up to the nearly universally beloved best picture winner CODA. The description here has me intrigued. Could we have another Fresh on our hands? Plus, I'm honestly in just based on the title alone. 7. SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT DYING Sundance Summary: Lost on the dreary Oregon coast, Fran wastes her daylight hours in the solitude of a cubicle, listening to the constant hum of officemates, occasionally daydreaming to pass the time. She is ghosting through life unable to pop her bubble of isolation. And then Robert starts up at the company. He is new to town and the dynamics of the office. He is a naturally friendly person who keeps trying to chat with Fran. Though it goes against every fiber of her being, she may have to give this guy a chance. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: Always curious to see Daisy Ridley's post-Sequel trilogy work. She showed such promise in The Force Awakens, but even with being the lead wasn't given a great deal of depth to make Rey special. This could be just the film for her talents and hopefully helps her break out of the Star Wars lead actor curse. 6. PAST LIVES Sundance Summary: A budding childhood romance between Nora and Hae Sung, classmates at a primary school in Seoul, ends abruptly when Nora’s family emigrates to Canada. Twelve years later, Nora, now a playwriting student in New York, notices that Hae Sung’s been searching social media for her. They reconnect online, begin talking frequently, and even imagine a reunion. But another dozen years pass before they finally meet over a few fateful days during his visit to New York. Although their lives have changed dramatically, they remain bound by a wistful connection. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: This movie sounds so romantic, and I'm a huge sucker for romance & relationship films. This line on Sundance's page has me absolutely sold: "An aching, deeply romantic debut feature from playwright Celine Song (Endlings), Past Lives is a love story — indeed, several — told across three moments in time." I love this idea and only hope the execution is pulled off to meet its potential. 5. RUN RABBIT RUN Sundance Summary: Fertility doctor Sarah begins her beloved daughter Mia’s seventh birthday expecting nothing amiss. But as an ominous wind swirls in, Sarah’s carefully controlled world begins to alter. Mia begins behaving oddly and a rabbit appears outside their front door — a mysterious birthday gift that delights Mia but seems to deeply disconcert Sarah. As days pass, Mia becomes increasingly not herself, demanding to see Sarah’s long-estranged, hospitalized mother (the grandmother she’s never met before) and fraying Sarah’s nerves as the child’s bizarre tantrums begin to point her toward Sarah’s own dark history. As a ghost from her past re-enters Sarah’s life, she struggles to cling to her distant young daughter. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: Sundance's horror section is ALWAYS on my radar. This has the potential to be more elevated horror, and some of my favorite Sundance horror movies from the last few years have been the ones to not only try to scare us, but to explore the traumas that haunt us too. 4. BIRTH/REBIRTH Sundance Summary: Rose is a pathologist who prefers working with corpses over social interaction. She also has an obsession — the reanimation of the dead. Celie is a maternity nurse who has built her life around her bouncy, chatterbox 6-year-old daughter, Lila. One unfortunate day, their worlds crash into each other. The two women and young girl embark on a dark path of no return where they will be forced to confront how far they are willing to go to protect what they hold most dear. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: Could this be The Babadook version of Re-Animator? I sure hope so. Or Pet Semetary? Either way it has all the classic ingredients for a fun horror romp and I pray it delivers. We've had kind of a drought in knockout Sundance horror the last few years and could really use something fantastic. 3. THE POD GENERATION Sundance Summary: A New York couple, Rachel (Emilia Clarke) and Alvy (Chiwetel Ejiofor) live in a not-so-distant future where technology provides ever-more convenient living. A rising tech company executive, Rachel lands a coveted spot at the Womb Center, which offers couples a convenient (and shareable) maternity by way of detachable artificial wombs, or pods. But Alvy, a botanist with an affection for nature, prefers a natural pregnancy. And yet, as Rachel’s AI therapist puts it, why is that “natural”? So begins the tech-paved path to parenthood. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: I absolutely love this concept and the fact that it's already been given an award, not to mention it's one of the opening night films speaks to the fact that Sundance really believes in this film. Sometimes an opening night film is CODA and Whiplash. Sometimes it's When You Finish Saving the World. Excited to see Emilia Clarke in this role and think this could be great. It wouldn't be Sundance without some weird "not-so-distant future" sci-fi film right? 2. INFINITY POOL Sundance Summary: James and Em Foster take off to an all-inclusive beach getaway in the fictional state of Li Tolqa to help jump-start his writer’s block. Their lazy days are spent relegated to their pricey resort, isolated from the surrounding land. Gabby introduces herself and her partner, Al, as she’s a fan of James’ last novel, and they would like to spend some time together with the Fosters. The couples plan a secret daytrip outside the compound that ends in a fatal accident with James to blame. For a hefty price, there are loopholes to aid foreign travelers convicted of crimes there, which is how James is first introduced to a perverse subculture of hedonistic tourism. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: I'm excited to see Brandon Cronenberg's follow-up to the visceral Possessor. Plus Mia Goth is the horror queen "it girl" and I just love Alexander Skarsgård. The Sundance promo image is so great at piquing interest, and I'm doing my best to resist watching the trailer so I can have my traditional Sundance experience. 1. FLORA & SON Sundance Summary: Flora, a young mother living in Dublin, lost touch with aspiration long ago. She juggles a sustenance-necessitated child care job and a fraught co-parenting arrangement with her unkind ex as she tries to raise her son, Max. Flora and Max’s brash rapport is both hilarious and revealing of their struggle to understand each other — she searches for autonomy and self-love masquerading as selfishness, while his longing for independence and self-expression manifests as delinquency. When the two connect over a twice-discarded used guitar, the uniting power of music brings them closer than what simple proximity can provide. WHY I WANT TO SEE IT: This film was added last minute to the line-up and I couldn't have been more excited when I saw its addition. Sing Street is one of my favorite Sundance films EVER and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is always a personal favorite. I cannot wait to see this collaboration between John Carney and JGL and I hope it lives up to my self imposed hype. Well that does it! Keep an eye on the blog throughout the next week for continued coverage and reviews of everything I get the chance to see! Happy Sundancing!

2022 was a year with a lot of very good movies, even great movies. There's a lot on this list I admired, but few that I downright loved. Simply put, 2022 wasn't the type of year where I had movies I wanted to constantly rave about and tell others to go out and see. In the early part of the year, it looked to be promising, but the second half didn't quite deliver the goods that I had hoped. And yet, there were still many honorable mentions that easily could swap out half of the entries on this list. So be sure to check my picks at the end to see which movies just missed the cut. 10. TIE The Fabelmans Steven Spielberg's fictional in name only auto-biopic The Fabelmans was a fascinating peek into the man behind the camera. Scene by scene, Spielberg reveals how his artistic gift shaped his life both for the positive and the negative. I expected the Spielberg version of Cinema Paradiso, in thinking it would be much more about the love of the art of movies themselves and how it inspired him. I didn't expect the glimpse we got of Spielberg's family dysfunction and the difficult positions he found himself put in time and time again, often in conjunction because of his love of the craft. The Fabelman's is a very good film and perfectly cast. Seeing recreations of Spielberg's original teenage films was an absolute joy. 10. TIE The Banshees of Inisherin The Banshees of Inisherin is the fascinating look at what happens when a people pleaser just can't please a particular someone. There's a certain type of person that just cannot handle leaving something unresolved and are determined to fix the unfixable. Such efforts only make things worse. There's a feeling of helplessness that occurs when a relationship you once valued goes by the wayside and you have no choice but to accept and respect the other person's wishes, no matter how slighted you feel. Performances across the board are amazing and the script is constantly biting and darkly comedic. 9. Babylon Damian Chazelle is such a talent and I really admired Babylon--the flip side of fame and chasing dreams he previously portrayed in La La Land. Babylon isn't the most accessible film, nor the easiest to recommend, but his style and dedication to the craft is undeniable. This year had a lot of good films as I said, but having a filmmaker at the helm with such vision makes all the difference and gets Babylon a spot on my list. Chazelle's choices are just a thrill to watch from start to finish, and that's quite the feat considering its hefty runtime. The first 20 minutes are a fever dream that lead into a deep dive of Hollywood history, from silent films to the rise of talkies. I know the term "love letter to cinema" has been overused, but when the shoe fits, it must be said! The only catch is, Babylon not only covers the highs of fame, but the absolute lows and how fleeting it all is. Yet the beauty of cinema is that it always lives on. 8. Top Gun: Maverick For someone who was ambivalent to borderline meh about the original film, liking Top Gun: Maverick as much I did was definitely a surprise. Not to mention it also had the baggage of a huge mountain of hype working against its favor too. The film had a lot to live up to and yet somehow it made it all look so easy. The dogfighting scenes are absolutely thrilling to behold, and knowing the lengths Cruise went to for himself, as well as pushing the rest of the cast for a certain level of authenticity shows. It's not only a legacy sequel done right, but the perfect blue print for a summer blockbuster. After years of superhero films taking up cinema screens, Top Gun: Maverick felt like a breath of fresh air. 7. Cha Cha Real Smooth Every January when I catch up with the Sundance Film Festival. I hope to find a crowd pleasing dramedy that wins my heart and makes me smile. In 2022, it was Cha Cha Real Smooth. I love relationship films, as well as a good coming of age story, and this was told with real warmth, heart and humor. Seeing the differing perspectives of someone with their wide eyed optimism of their 20s contrasted with the learned lessons of someone in their 30s really hit close to home. It's like taking one of the characters in Before Sunrise and matching them up with another from Before Sunset. The only possible outcome can possibly be heartbreak and growth. 6. The Northman Robert Eggers is in fine form giving us the Viking version of Hamlet with The Northman. The Northman is filmmaking firing on all cylinders, where every element is perfectly executed. From the score, the performances, the cinematography and editing--every single thing in this film is top notch. It's Eggers coming down a little bit from the inaccessibility of The Lighthouse, but still pushing the limits in his own ways and proving again why he's such a talent to watch. 5. Decision to Leave Decision to Leave is as close to a modern day Alfred Hitchcock movie as you can get. As a huge fan of Hitchcock, that made this film instantly one of my favorites of the year. Its initial mystery pulls you in, but before you know it you find yourself caught up in this web of underlying passion and obsession. I love its stylish moodiness and how it's a story of two separate halves. Initially there came a point in the first half where I felt like the movie had reached its natural end, and yet it went on and still continued to draw me in. Decision to Leave is a fantastic mystery thriller with a surprisingly tender romance at its center, even when you shouldn't be rooting for it. 4. The Menu While the film might be a bit on the nose for some, I couldn't help but eat up every morsel from The Menu. It is black comedy satire (with a dash of horror), at its finest. The Menu feels reminiscent of some of my favorite films, but still manages its own unique flavor. I particularly love the commentary on the art of professional criticism, and how eventually it can destroy a creators passion for the things they love to create. Ralph Fiennes sinks his teeth into his role as usual, Anya is magnificent as always and Nicholas Hoult is an absolute hoot. 3. The Batman Matt Reeves had an unenviable task ahead of him in creating yet another iteration of the Batman character (the third in the span of a decade). Yet somehow, he created a Batman film that while just as rooted in reality as the Nolan films, still managed to have its own identity. Reeves smartly made this a detective film first and a Batman film second, which is actually why it succeeds. It both feels familiar and new at the same time. We aren't given his origin story for the umpteenth time, but we don't need it. We are given just the pieces we need for the story to work and to understand that this is a Batman in the early stages of his career. The cast all around is excellent, and the story incredibly strong. Really excited to see where Reeves takes the characters next. 2. Everything Everywhere All At Once Like Top Gun: Maverick, Everything Everywhere All At Once had an enormous amount of hype to live up to by the time I was able to see it. I worried there was no possible way to match the type of praise people were giving it. Yet as I went on its wild ride, I couldn't help but love it all. It's endlessly funny, thrilling, imaginative and profound. I love its message of the wounds we pass on from generation to generation, and how important it is to not continue to perpetuate the toxic cycles we've been taught. 1. Barbarian This may be an unorthodox pick for my number one, and truly better films were made this year--BUT Barbarian was undeniably my favorite time I had at the movies all year. Plus I don't think I've been more passionately vocal in trying to get people to watch any other movie in 2022 than this one. I just love how brilliantly it plays with audience's expectations of horror to deliver the most perfect hairpin turn in the genre in recent memory (okay save for Hereditary). Its cleverness works due to the perfect casting of its three leads, and in their performances this movie is able to truly pull off the impossible: to surprise you. HONORABLE MENTIONS: I loved seeing Baz Luhrmann at it again with his unique flair in ELVIS. Austin Butler impressed by pulling off a nearly impossible role inhabiting the rock legend. Tom Hanks' performance keeps it from greatness. UNBREAKABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT had me in massive stitches from start to end, and honestly I LOVED this film. It's generic finale though was my only issue. SHE SAID like Spotlight is a solid investigative journalism tale that really moved me, but seemed to be missing some pivotal scenes to stick the landing. TÁR features a magnetic performance from Cate Blanchett in a biting take at cancel culture. While the film is composed of incredibly framed shots, its pacing definitely felt tedious at times and its the type of movie that makes the audience work for it. I WANT YOU BACK is one of the funniest and most charming romantic comedies in some time. Only problem is Charlie Day as a rom-com lead is a tough sell no matter how funny he is.

It may be a film twitter faux-pas at this point, but it's also a tradition of mine that lives to fight another year: the worst films of 2022. Or to put it less harshly: my least favorite films of 2022. I'm not saying that everyone involved turned in shoddy work or that I can't enjoy these filmmakers and what they were attempting. I'm not saying anyone set out to make a bad film and can respect the effort that went into these films. But movies are an art, and they're here to be judged. Not everything can be everyone's cup of tea and that's okay! But in an attempt to be nicer, I'll try to throw in one redeeming quality of the film (so long as I can find one.) So let's get to it shall we? 10. HALLOWEEN ENDS Halloween (2018) had such promise, but was followed by the lackluster Halloween Kills in 2021. It was up to Halloween Ends to redeem the trilogy and conclude the story of Laurie Strode and Mike Meyers with a bang (or a stab). Instead....Halloween Ends focused on some random dude we'd never seen or heard of before. Makes total sense. Redeeming quality: This isn't really a terrible movie and had some interesting things to say about the effects of bullying. Plus the cold open was incredible. But for what it sold itself as, it IS a bad Halloween movie. 9. THOR Taika Waititi reinvigorated the Thor franchise with Thor: Ragnorak that it was a no brainer to bring him back for another film. Thor: Love & Thunder was poised for success in bringing the fantastic Christian Bale in as a villain and bringing back Natalie Portman to the role of Jane Foster, but this time with the ability to become The Mighty Thor. Unfortunately, Waititi doubled down on all of his worst instincts and subsequently the tone of this film could never seem to take the subject matter it tried to present seriously. Incredibly unfunny and dull. It's one I'll never revisit. Redeeming quality: Christian Bale totally killed it as Gorr and the film needed far more of him. 8. BLACK ADAM Black Adam is a joyless superhero film that answers the question what if Dwayne Johnson played a character with no charisma. This was such an odd choice to cast him in a role that uses none of his onscreen talents (aside from looking the part). A boring fish out of water with no humor or charm. Unfortunately, no one else in the film has it either, apart from a semi-amusing Pierce Brosnan. Redeeming quality: The Zack Snyder ripoff action sequences I guess. 7. 355 There were a lot of squandered opportunities on this list, but this one is among the worst. How do you get a cast this good and deliver something so generic? I forgot everything about this movie within hours of seeing it. Redeeming quality: Cast is innocent. They tried to elevate the material, but they could only do so much! 6. DEEP WATER Deep Water is such a ludicrous "lifetime movie" of a film. Surprisingly though, it actually has its moments--but it's certainly not the sexy thriller it was meant to be. The storytelling here is odd, and you can't help but feel everyone is kind of embarrassed by the proceedings. Redeeming quality: It did have some genuinely well done scenes (the pool party caught my interest and gave me hope maybe the film would get better). But I have to say the unintentionally hilarious ending was my favorite part. 5. FIRESTARTER Who knew horror could be so tedious. Okay, I've obviously watched a lot of bad horror in my days, but this one was up there. Bad performances all around, and Zac Efron in particular definitely phones it in (hey I'm not a total monster here, I'm not gonna rag on a child's performance). Redeeming quality: The score!!! John Carpenter came to play, even if no one else did. The score goes hard. 4. TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE Woof. This movie. It wanted so bad to do for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre what Halloween (2018) did for Halloween (1978). Unfortunately it only managed to deliver a tension free, ridiculous horror re-quel to the original classic. The film features some of the most unlikable characters in a horror movie ever (save for maybe those in Bodies Bodies Bodies, but there it seems more clear it's in the name of satire) making the audience not only never invested in their safety, but actively looking forward to when each one bites the dust. Redeeming quality: Um.....Elsie fisher was fine. The recast of the final girl was also fine. Some of the kills were amusing. 3. PERSUASION Poor Jane Austen is rolling in her grave with this ghastly adaptation of Persuasion that somehow manages to fundamentally misunderstand every single thing about the classic novel upon which it is based. The film wants to have its cake and eat it too. Forcing the story to be something its not: Pride & Prejudice meets Bridgerton. This Persuasion is anachronistic for the sake of anachronistic and fatally forgets that its heroine is far different than the feisty Elizabeth Bennet, with the woefully miscast Dakota Johnson as Anne Elliott. If you get the heroine wrong, the whole movie is wrong. Redeeming quality: Production values were still nice. The gal who played Mary was a hoot. 2. PINOCCHIO This movie should have been scrapped for firewood. I can't even count the egregious offenses or how hard I was cringing the entire way through. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, I love you to death, but your Jiminy Cricket voice is the stuff of nightmares. Garish CGI from beginning to end, and really guys you had to even animate Figaro?? Is it impossible to use real cats anymore? But worst of all, it totally doesn't get the point of the original and absolves Pinocchio from needing to learn anything at all. Plus the weird ambiguous ending leaving his fate up in the air was a final middle finger to viewers. Robert Zemeckis, what happened to you? Redeeming quality: REALLY hard to come up with anything here. Despite my gripes with the CGI, animated Figaro was still cute even if a real cat would have been preferable. 1. THE BUBBLE Nothing can top this dreadful film and the emotional anguish I felt in forcing myself to finish it. Unfunny to the point of causing true pain. Like others on this list, a lot of talented people involved to deliver something so completely devoid of entertainment or joy. Please never watch this. Redeeming quality: N/A And that does it! Keep an eye out for my 10 Best List, coming soon to a blog near you.

A new year is here and it's time as always to look ahead to all the movies coming our way in 2023. There's so much to look forward to, with many of my favorite filmmakers releasing a new film this year. I just hope that this year all of my films on this list actually end up coming out, unlike my last two lists! Consequently, a couple of films from last year's list make a re-appearance here, so let's hope their curse of continual delays ends this year. But without further ado, here is a look at the ten films I'm most excited about seeing in 2023. 10. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny I have to preface this by saying that the inclusion of this film on the list is merely a gesture of goodwill because of my feelings about the original three Indiana Jones films. I didn't particularly want a sequel to this series, especially with how the last one turned out. There's been lot of rumors swirling the production, but I just hope that James Mangold can stick the landing and recapture some of Indy's old magic once again. Time will tell if this is just another Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 2.0. 9. John Wick: Chapter 4 This is the first film on my list that I had hoped would come out last year (thus the inclusion on my 2022 list). But alas, it did not and John Wick fans were kept waiting. While I didn't love the third installment as much as the first two, the action set pieces in these films are always so incredible to watch that I can't wait to see how they try to top it next. 8. Knock at the Cabin No matter what, I'm always rooting for M. Night Shyamalan to succeed. To me, Old was outrageously entertaining, but also pretty schlocky. The trailer for this film had me intrigued and excited that there's more to the film than its initial brief, yet mysterious premise. This could go either way, but I'm always hoping Shyamalan can get back on track. 7. M3GAN M3GAN put simply, looks like an absolute hoot. Sure the evil robot doll thing has been done before, but with the writer of Malignant on board I am totally down for this. Being a January horror release doesn't exactly bode well for the film...but I'm hopeful it can be in on the joke enough for this to be silly, yet effective horror. 6. Barbie I (along with everyone else on Twitter) already had my interest piqued by the film's announcement, then the subsequent director announcement, then subsequent casting announcements. This film was on everyone's radar as one of the film events of 2023. But then the trailer just solidified that by being a perfect tease of what's yet to come. The sets. The costumes. The Margot Robbie of it all. If Greta Gerwig nails this, it will be the bubble gum pink perfection we always needed. I just hope it doesn't fall prey too much to the "fish out of water" trope. 5. Spider-man: Across the Spider-verse Into the Spider-verse was the breath of fresh air that the superhero genre needed in 2018. It's been a long four years waiting for a sequel (again I think this appeared on my list last year too), but I'm very hopeful Across the Spider-verse will be worth the wait. There's a lot of pressure to top the original, and it's a tall order...but I'm excited to see what Phil Lord and Chris Miller come up with. 4. Oppenheimer Without a doubt, Christopher Nolan is one of the best and biggest directors working today. He achieves spectacle as no one else can. While I was surprised at this being the film he chose to work on following Tenet, I know he'll give it the signature Nolan twist that will set it apart from your average biopic. 3. Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Another film I had hoped to see sooner, but couldn't be happier that we'll finally get to see the next installment of Mission Impossible. More accurately, I can't wait to see how Tom Cruise will attempt to surpass every stunt he's accomplished thus far in this franchise. The man has no limits and it is incredulous to see. He's an action masterclass and I'll be glued to the seat when this finally hits theaters. 2. Dune Part 2 Dune was my favorite film from 2021, so of course I'm more than eager to return to this world and see what happens next. In my eyes, Denis Villeneuve can pretty much do no wrong at this point, so I'm totally 100% in with whatever he does in a sequel. He brought in even more talent with the sequel and I'm beyond excited. And yet....this film still is my second most anticipated of the year. So what could top it? 1. Beau is Afraid Well. Here we go again. What topped last year is here again, since it never ended up being released in 2022 (Though here it's been retitled from Disappointment Blvd to Beau is Afraid). Ari Aster, you've made a tall order with your first two films being so unbelievably good. The pressure is on once again to deliver something uniquely sophisticated, yet horrifying (though this film is said to be a mix of EVERYTHING). Can't wait to see what he's done.

When you compare Thor's film track record in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's easy to see that the Thor films have definitely been the most inconsistent in quality and tone. Thor was one of the first heroes to have a solo film for Marvel after Iron Man started things off in 2008. Thor's first film was played safe and Shakespearean with Kenneth Branagh in the director's seat telling a classic fish-out-of-water story of a God being placed on a very human earth. Chris Hemsworth played the role seriously, while the comedy came from other characters reacting to his bizarre ways. Its sequel, Thor: The Dark World was to originally be helmed by Patty Jenkins who later directed Wonder Woman, but was let go by Marvel due to creative differences. Marvel instead chose to play it safe and incredibly bland. For their third go-round, Marvel knew Thor needed a major shakeup and Taika Waititi was brought in to give the character and his series a major makeover. He followed James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy template and let Hemsworth really lean into his comedic chops while filling the film with color and music. The resulting film Thor: Ragnorak was a huge success and beloved by fans. While the other phase one Marvel heroes had their trilogies and moved on, the audience and Hemsworth were up for more Thor after feeling like the character had finally been revitalized. For Ragnorak's follow-up, Waititi was once again brought back and decided to double down on all the things he felt made that film great. In Ragnorak he had brought in Oscar-winning talent for his villainess Hela in Cate Blanchett, so once again he sought out the best actor he could find for his villain with Christian Bale set to play the god-butcher Gorr. Waititi also brought back the fan-favorite side characters he introduced in Ragnorak, Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), and Korg (voiced by Waititi himself). But to mix things up, he also opted to bring back Thor's love interest Jane (Natalie Portman), who audiences hadn't seen since Thor: The Dark World, but this time with a twist: Jane would become "The Mighty Thor". For those who don't have Marvel arcs memorized, "The Mighty Thor" is a storyline in the comics where Jane herself receives the god-like powers of Thor and dons the mantle, thus becoming an honorary Norse God. This announcement was met with skepticism by fans, though most were willing to go along with Taika's vision and see where it would take the series. Thor: Love & Thunder catches up with our hero Thor directly after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Thor has now teamed up with the Guardians of the Galaxy as they save other planets, while simultaneously working to get his body back in shape after all the grief eating he did after Avengers: Infinity War. Meanwhile, we learn that Thor's old flame Jane is undergoing health issues that have made her desperate for a miracle, and she thinks she may have found one in Thor's original hammer, Mjolnir. Before she (and the audience) knows it, she's essentially become a female Thor and is ready to be a hero when her path inevitably crosses again with Thor. The two must join forces and stop the evil Gorr, who has an ax to grind with all Gods in the universe. He's sworn to destroy them all and only Thor, Valkyrie, and Jane seem willing to try to stop him. As someone who enjoyed Thor: Ragnorak, it gives me no pleasure to say that Thor: Love & Thunder is a half-baked hot mess. It flits along between three acts, strung together with contrivances and constant jokes that never seem to land. The film has a major "show don't tell" problem in that it constantly uses shortcuts through narration and montages to just tell the audience how Thor is feeling, and what we as an audience should be feeling too, rather than showing us. This is most notable in the crux storyline of the film, which is the rekindled romance between Jane and Thor. Waititi realizes the previous films didn't set up the romance that well, so he fills in the gaps with montages telling us how important Jane really was to Thor. As a result, their moments together just kinda fall flat when we should be really rooting for them to make their way back to one another. Plus the small bits of dialogue that do try to get this point across are just downright sloppy and clumsy. Hemsworth's charm makes him watchable, but the film around him just isn't. Portman is along for the ride and while on the surface it appears she's given much more to do this time around, the truth is her role here is hardly a meaty one for her and while she's having fun, I can't sense her trying very hard here. One of the few bright spots is Christian Bale, who gives a deliciously villainous performance as Gorr but is severely under-utilized in the film as a whole. His opening scene is fantastic, but the film needed more scenes like it to build up his reputation and establish him as the threat that Bale portrays him as. Tessa Thompson is solid again as Valkyrie but gets sidelined quite a bit as comic relief. Instead of powerful moments, we get indulgent humor that tries too hard but never once made me laugh. And don't even get me started on whatever it was Russell Crowe was going for with his version of Zeus. Waititi ultimately juggles too much and is unsuccessful in his attempts at pretty much everything he tries to do--be it humor, drama, action, or romance. He may have had a grand vision for his follow-up to Ragnorak and the way to mesh these storylines and genres, but the film is just never able to take off the way it should and ultimately falls flat on its face. Whenever it seems to gain any momentum, Waititi just gets in his own way and drags the whole thing down. The third act is the most egregious example of this as right when the movie seems like it's getting down to the action it hits the brakes, does a U-turn, and gives us a worse finale than the one it set up before. Thor: Love & Thunder is one of the worst and ugliest Marvel films in recent memory and continues the trajectory of the uneven quality found in the previous Thor films. For all the money behind it, the resulting film feels so slapped together, with no care put into it. But then again, can we really be surprised when a film put on autopilot crashes and burns? I went into this with really low expectations, but even that couldn't help this dud. RATING: 4/10

In March, Ti West released X, a slasher with an unusual villain—a horny old woman named Pearl who resented losing her youth and the opportunities that came along with it. Soon after the film's success, it was announced that a surprise prequel to the film exploring Pearl’s origins had filmed concurrently with X and would be released in the fall with Mia Goth reprising the role. As someone who really enjoyed X, Pearl quickly joined my most anticipated films list. Pearl takes place in 1918, and unlike X which mimicked the style of the horror film in the decade it was set in, Pearl does its own weird little thing. Pearl lives an unsatisfying life on a farm with her parents while her husband is off serving in the war amidst the Spanish flu pandemic. Her father is an invalid and her mother is an overbearing disciplinarian. Her only joy is seeing pictures at the local theater where a handsome projectionist befriends her and convinces her to set her sights on stardom. Her sister-in-law presents her with the perfect opportunity to be discovered when she tells her about a traveling dance group that’s holding an audition. Pearl is determined to make her dreams a reality, no matter how deadly the cost is. Mia Goth shines once again under Ti West’s direction playing a different leading role than in X. She makes Pearl complex and fascinating. She proves once again that she’s a true horror queen, especially with her chilling monologue near the end. I just wish she was in a stronger movie this time around. Pearl has some great moments with haunting imagery, but I can’t help but feel like a missed opportunity. It’s very slow-moving with not quite the payoff you’d expect with such a pace. With a character so explosive you think it will build to a huge climax, and thus the end result feels a bit underwhelming given its potential. In the end, Pearl feels too inconsistent from X and it’s to the film's detriment. We don’t get to explore what should be a central relationship for Pearl with her husband (which was crucial in X) and its omission leaves a glaring hole in Pearl’s story. Though Goth gives it her all, the resulting film ends up feeling like too much, but not enough at the same time. RATING: 5/10

Director Dan Trachtenberg made waves with his directorial debut 10 Cloverfield Lane, the surprise delight of 2016. 10 Cloverfield Lane was a film no one expected, and one that nearly everyone loved (myself included as it earned itself a spot in my top ten films of that year). So it definitely came as a surprise that Trachtenberg hasn't been busier the last several years. Six years passed and the director was still without a sophomore feature film (though notably, directed some television including the excellent pilot episode of The Boys)...that is, until Prey. Like 10 Cloverfield Lane, Prey acts as an isolated story within an existing franchise--though in 10 Cloverfield Lane's case, it was more one very belated and unexpected sequel, while Prey had a bit more baggage to deal with In a little over a decade, the Predator franchise has tried to be revived three times now, and to many, it was beyond hope (much like another Schwarzenegger franchise, The Terminator). Was it time to give up on The Predator having any good sequels and just accept that the only good one was the original? When Prey was announced as being dumped on Hulu it all but assured that would be the case...and then the early reviews came. Critics heralded the film as a triumph and the best Predator film since the original. Admittedly, I haven't seen every film featuring the Predator, so I can't speak to that...but I can confirm Prey is loads better than the last attempt Predators. Whether or not it's deserving of the amount of its current hype though, I'm less certain. Prey takes the predator and places it in an entirely new setting and time--in the Comanche Nation during the early 1700s. Here we follow a determined woman named Naru as she tries to find her place within her tribe. She quickly senses that something dangerous is afoot in her land and she is resolute in getting to the bottom of it. Choosing to make this film a period piece and remove modern technology as a way for protagonists to defend themselves was a really brilliant and fascinating move, which is honestly one of the best decisions the film makes. The execution that we're really seeing a story play out from this time period though isn't always believable (particularly as far as the dialogue is concerned), but it's fun and refreshing all the same. The choice also really highlights what a battle of wits Naru must have to best a creature with such powerful technology, which makes the action scenes all the more tense and exciting. While Prey has a lot going for it, I can't help but feel it really gets tripped up with pacing issues. The film takes a really long time to get going, which wouldn't have been so much of a problem if it focused more on meaningful character development. Instead, Prey's character moments feel like pretty generic material we've seen before with a woman trying to prove herself to all her male doubters. While that's not to say that can't be used as a way to shape a character, here it just felt like a placeholder for something else consequential. Meanwhile, the predator himself takes up time surveying the area with vague glimpses of terror, but it's just not enough to build tension. When he finally shows up, a degree of patience had already been lost and I found myself expecting that the movie needed to make it up to me. Thankfully, once the film becomes more of a cat and mouse game with Naru figuring out how to narrowly avoid becoming the predator's prey the pacing finally picks up. But once we reach the film's climax the film almost immediately concludes without feeling like the story or character had a total resolution. Tonally, the roll to credits almost felt like I was watching some made-for-tv movie from the 90s and the film's importance felt weirdly lessened for it. Overall, I felt mixed on Prey, particularly for the potential I felt that it had with a talented director at the helm, a cool premise, and lots of critical praise going into it. While it had some truly great elements, I'm not sure the sum was greater than its parts. All the same, it's worth a watch and is one of the better films to portray the predator on screen, though it seems nothing will ever touch that original. RATING: 6/10

Where there's a popular best-selling novel, there's almost always a Hollywood adaptation sure to follow soon after. Such is the case with Delia Owen's hit novel Where the Crawdads Sing. The novel debuted in 2018 and quickly became a huge success. No less than four years later a film version makes its way into theaters today with Reese Witherspoon producing and relative newcomer Olivia Newman directing. Can the adaptation live up to the expectations of fans of the novel? As someone who did not read the book, I cannot say how the film works as an adaptation of its source material. Instead, I can only give my thoughts on Where the Crawdads Sing as a film from an impartial observer's perspective. Daisy Edgar-Jones stars as Kya, a girl with a troubled past who is facing an even murkier future. She's wanted for the murder of Chase, the all-American boy next door in their close-knit town. Kya, on the other hand, is the town pariah who seemingly has no friends or family to vouch for her. The town calls her "The Marsh Girl" because she lives out on her own on the edge of the wilderness. She's almost like a wild animal to them, or a myth and most everyone steers clear. Kaya's story flashbacks to her past to show the audience what made her the person she is. Her past is interwoven with the murder trial of Chase as the two lawyers seek to get to the bottom of what happened. Where the Crawdads Sing feels like a cross between a Nicholas Sparks movie and To Kill A Mockingbird. Whether or not that works for you as a viewer, I think your mileage may vary. It's easy to write Crawdads off as just another period piece Southern love story with beautiful scenery, but Kya and her story are a bit more compelling than that. Her past is tragic, and she is instantly sympathetic even when on the surface, she appears feral. The viewer is kept in constant suspense of her guilt or innocence as if we ourselves are members of her jury trying to gauge her character. For me, this film worked because I always felt engaged in the story, even if I sensed that its book counterpart was able to go into much more depth. Daisy Edgar-Jones is burdened in carrying much of the film and she does a good job with a role that I'm sure is much easier to convey on paper. Kya is so damaged and has been through so much, she's incredibly guarded and doesn't want to let anyone in. That's not the easiest type of main character to have in a film, but she pulls off the performance with enough warmness not to seem cold. The supporting cast around her is all solid as well. David Strathairn in particular as Kya's defense lawyer really gives off an unexpected kindness that is much needed for the character. Where the Crawdads Sing is an easy watch for women who happen to love both murder podcasts and romance films. It may not improve upon its source material (though again, I really couldn't say), but it's an entertaining period drama anchored by a solid performance from Daisy Edgar-Jones. Plus the whole thing is nice to look at. While it's definitely flawed (the ending doesn't give quite the payoff we feel promised throughout), you could certainly do worse. You could just be watching pure Nicholas Sparks. Or you could go down the rabbit hole and find out more about the novel's author. RATING: 6.5/10

Ever since The Witch debuted at Sundance in January 2015, Robert Eggers has been a director whose follow-up films I have eagerly anticipated. I was so impressed that The Witch was his very first film and considered it a horror masterpiece (still do, in fact). His next film, 2019's The Lighthouse was bold and beautiful--a film that I could admire, but one that also kept me at arm's length. This brings us to today as his third film, The Northman is opening in theaters. The Northman is Robert Eggers' retelling of William Shakespeare's Hamlet amid a Viking backdrop. Here, a young prince Amleth witnesses with his very own eyes the murder of his beloved father (Ethan Hawke) at the hands of the King's own brother. After his murderous uncle orders Amleth's death as well, Amleth flees and dedicates his life to revenge in order to avenge his father's death and save his mother (Nicole Kidman) from a life married to his evil uncle. Some years later we meet a now-adult Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) who after being pushed along by destiny, is now ready for vengeance. While I wouldn't say this necessarily reaches the heights of The Witch for me, The Northman is really fantastic in its own right and may even be Robert Eggers' most accessible film to date. Don't worry, the film is still plenty weird though as many Shakespeare stories tend to feature ghosts, magic, or witchcraft and so too does The Northman. As with all his projects thus far, Robert Eggers once again displays incredible attention to historical detail. The way he authentically recreates these time periods for his films is nothing short of marvelous. See this movie on the biggest screen you can so you can take in all the visuals, not to mention so you can be stunned by the stellar sound design as well. The Northman is just expertly crafted from top to bottom and that includes its wonderful cast. Ethan Hawke, Nicole Kidman, and Willem Dafoe each make the absolute most of their screentime and all were phenomenal. Skarsgård is tasked with carrying much of the film and his performance just works. There's nuance to his rage and sadness. The always reliable Anya Taylor-Joy once again continues to be reliable and comes in and steals every scene she's in. She and Eggers just work so well together and I hope they have many more collaborations in years to come. Once again, Robert Eggers has reaffirmed with The Northman that he's a talent to continue to watch. He has such a distinct eye and voice and his gifts are on full display in The Northman. RATING: 8.5/10

Just in time for Memorial Day weekend, the long-awaited sequel Top Gun: Maverick finally flies into theaters. The film was originally intended to be released back in the summer of 2019, before getting pushed back a year. Then 2020 hit and the pandemic happened, putting the film on hold indefinitely. Because of that, I really wasn't sure what to expect. Was the film dumped on the shelf because no one believed in it, or was it so special that the studio was waiting for the right audience? But once all the glowing reviews from Cannes came pouring in hailing the film as the second coming of the blockbuster genre, it was impossible not to raise my expectations. For the second time this year, a film was being heralded to insane degrees. Like Everything Everywhere All At Once, was it possible for Top Gun: Maverick to live up to its enormous hype? Well if Tom Cruise has something to do with it you'd better believe it. Tom Cruise reprises his role as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, one of the roles that made him a star, in Top Gun: Maverick. We catch up with Pete thirty some odd years since we last saw him in Top Gun, this time as he's recruited to prep the newest top gun pilots for a nearly impossible and incredibly dangerous mission. But Maverick's past catches up with him when he learns that one of his new students, Rooster (Miles Teller), happens to be the son of his former wingman Goose who tragically died while flying with Maverick. The two have a complicated history as Pete still mourns the loss of Goose and is overly protective of Rooster, not wanting him to have the same fate as his father. Meanwhile, Rooster blames Maverick for his father's death, as well as stalling his career as a pilot. But in order for the mission to succeed, Maverick must find a way to reconcile their issues, work together and be able to trust one another in following their pilot instincts. Top Gun: Maverick is a lesson in both how to make a legacy sequel, as well as how to make an entertaining blockbuster. Maverick improves upon its predecessor in every way, which isn't necessarily an impossible feat since the first one wasn't a phenomenal film by any means--yet it improves that film by giving it greater importance. It builds upon what came before, yet is very much its own film. It doesn't try to remake Top Gun, it just uses some of the characters from it to tell a new story that both honors what came before, but goes above it too. But aside from that, Maverick is a technical feat and a marvel of filmmaking. Tom Cruise's devotion to action filmmaking and insistence on realism keeps the film grounded, but also allow it to soar. You feel the thrill with every maneuver and it's truly a joy to behold. Similar to his performances in the Mission: Impossible films, Tom Cruise gives a performance here that pours his heart and soul into the action film genre itself. His dedication as a performer is truly incredible and really makes all the difference in how invested we as an audience get. We believe in him. We believe he's capable of doing the things his character does because he makes it feel so real. Cruise is joined by a wonderful supporting cast to work with in Teller, as well as Glen Powell, Jon Hamm, and Jennifer Connelly. Similarly, Cruise pushed the rest of the cast in their dedication to the craft as well and the film is all the stronger for it. While I do have a few nitpicks here and there (ie--the love story needed some proper fleshing out, and some of the top gun pilots could have used a bit more personality), it's hard to hold it against the film. Especially since those issues are a bit par for the course with what came before. Plus Maverick gets so much right and there's truly never a dull moment. Top Gun: Maverick has it all with thrills, humor, and heart. It is the movie of the summer and sets a precedent for entertainment that other blockbusters will have a hard time stacking up against. RATING: 9/10