The first weekend of Sundance is now in the books and the movies keep coming! I watched five movies yesterday, so it's been a bit more challenging to keep up with the blogging. But now I can scratch off Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Kinda Feel Left Out, Other People's Children, Fairyland, Polite Society, and In My Mother's Skin from my Sundance watchlist. ALIENS ABDUCTED MY PARENTS AND NOW I KINDA FEEL LEFT OUT Itsy (Emma Tremblay) and her younger brother Evan (Kenneth Cummins) have just moved to a new town with their parents in the middle of nowhere. It's a big change from their life in the city, and teenaged Itsy would do anything to get back to her old life. When new classmate Heather suggests they team up to write an article for a chance at a scholarship to NYU, Itsy can't agree too fast. The only catch is that Itsy befriends the weird kid in town Calvin (Jacob Buster) who believes his family was abducted by aliens. While Itsy is initially skeptical of Calvin's claims, she can't help but be drawn in by his sincerity and warmth, and the two become very close. Calvin's sure he can prove his story to Itsy and authenticate the existence of aliens since the comet he believes attracts them is coming back to earth imminently. Aliens is a surprisingly sweet and sincere teenage rom-com. There are a few scenes toward the end that had so much heart and emotion, I actually found myself getting choked up. The ending keeps the film from being great because it settles for something pretty goofy, while the rest of the tone had been so grounded. Emma Tremblay and Jacob Buster were both delightful though and did a great job at selling some of the more difficult scenes. Overall, Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Kinda Feel Left Out was delightfully refreshing. RATING: 7/10 OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN Other People's Children is the story of a woman named Rachel (Virginie Efira) whose years have gotten away from her. She finds herself at 40 years old, wanting to be a mother but seeing her window closing very rapidly. When she begins dating single parent Ali (Roschdy Zem), his four-year-old daughter Leila (Callie Ferreira-Goncalves) becomes a big part of Rachel's life. Rachel finds herself happily taking on all the motherly responsibilities for Leila, and discovers the role suits her. But Rachel finds that performing the duties of a mother without being one, leads to a lot of investment without the same reward. Other People's Children feels like a breezy French film about a woman thrown into parenting until it becomes something much deeper. I didn't realize how invested I was in it until it broke my heart. Virginie Efira gives a magnetic performance and wears so much emotion in her expressions. Rachel's story feels common, messy, and deeply sad. It's a story that rings true for many women and it is carefully and beautifully told. RATING: 7.5/10 FAIRYLAND Fairyland tells the tale of Alysia Abbott, a young girl (Nessa Dougherty) whose mother unexpectedly passes away in a car crash. It's the 1970's and Alysia's father Steve (Scoot McNairy) decides with his wife's passing that now is the time for him to live freely as a gay man and moves him and his daughter to San Francisco. He spends much of Alysia's childhood absent, hooking up and doing drugs while trying to teach his daughter some independence and to be accepting and loving of everyone. Later, an adult Alysia (Emilia Jones) must examine and reconcile the complicated feelings she has about the upbringing she wished she had, with knowing who her father is and what he could handle. Fairyland overcomes a bit of a slow and repetitive start to become a solid coming-of-age tale, even if at times it feels a little predictable. I do feel that I wish more introspection had been given and a more nuanced conclusion given than what we were shown with regard to Alysia's childhood. While we can give grace to our parents for doing their best, we can still recognize when they made mistakes and the film feels like it absolves Steve a lot when the situation is far more complex. Still, Emilia Jones and Scoot McNairy give great performances here and make Fairyland worth watching. RATING: 7/10 POLITE SOCIETY Two sisters are torn apart when older sister Lena gives up her dreams of being an artist to marry the handsome and rich Salim. Younger sister and aspiring stunt woman Ria, knows there's no way this could be true love since the two have only been dating a month and she tries to make Lena come to her senses. Lena is determined to pursue the relationship, so Ria makes it her personal mission to stop at nothing to sabotage the wedding and save her sister from herself. Polite Society is wildly funny and an absolute blast. I was hooked right from the start with its Scott Pilgrim vs the World-type antics. Yet the film has a humor and style all its own. The film is almost always captivating, save for losing a bit of steam midway through. But it bounces back with one of the most hilarious and entertaining finales in recent memory. Performances all across the board are excellent and the direction is top-notch for everything this film tries and succeeds in accomplishing. See it as soon as you can! RATING: 8.5/10 IN MY MOTHER'S SKIN A young daughter seeks the help of a deceptively evil fairy in the horror selection In My Mother's Skin. With her mother violently sick and her father nowhere to be found, Tala is hopeless about her and her brother's fate and seeks a miracle. When she comes across this fairy, Tala trusts her to heal her mother and make their family whole again. But little does Tala know, this fairy does not have her best interests at heart and only seeks to destroy everything that Tala holds dear. In My Mother's Skin is a hauntingly nightmarish dark fairy tale in the vein of Pan's Labyrinth. Its pacing is very slow, which coming off the heels of watching Polite Society was very jarring. I admit that watching the two of them back to back may have affected my viewing here and I'm eager to watch it again later in the year when it's released to a wider audience to see if my opinion of the film softens. The film's imagery is disturbing and visceral, yet I had a hard time feeling drawn in or invested in the characters, even if I felt the story was a good one. For some reason, I just failed to connect to this on a deeper level. Still, the atmosphere throughout is endlessly creepy--it's the stuff of nightmares and I won't be forgetting about it anytime soon. RATING: 6.5/10

We're now three days into Sundance 2023, so let's keep the reviews coming! Yesterday I was able to see three films and all happened to be quite good. Here are my quick reviews on Fair Play, Birth/Rebirth and Radical. FAIR PLAY A young couple's relationship is pushed to its limits in Fair Play. Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) and Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) have a bright future in front them--they just got engaged, and a promotion for Luke seems to be in the cards at the company where the two of them work. Despite the engagement, the two have never gone public with their relationship at work for fear of losing their jobs. The two work at an aggressive hedge fund, where everyone is always fighting their way to the top and neither of them ever want to risk being on the chopping block. When Emily unexpectedly receives the promotion over Luke, tensions start to rise. Jealousy gives way to resentment and soon everything the two of them have worked for, both professionally and personally, are at stake. Fair Play takes a simple premise and executes it beautifully. What starts as an understandable disappointment in feeling slighted, slowly begins to drive a wedge further and further into the relationship. Alden Ehrenreich and Phoebe Dynevor both give excellent performances here playing two sides of an impossible situation. Ehrenreich's Luke struggles to balance being the supportive partner while managing his sadness over losing out on his dream job, while Dynevor's Emily is fighting against corporate sexism to prove she deserves a spot at the table and that her merits to the role are not just based on her looks. The deeper the hurt and envy go, the more the relationship starts to come apart at the seams. I am blown away that this is a debut feature from writer-director Chloe Dumont. It's so self assured in its narrative from beginning to end--Dumont makes it look easy. While the characters go on a huge journey from where they start from the beginning, she makes the character progressions seem natural and believable; we understand why both see things the way they do--and how their relationship self-destructs. Fair Play is very very good, and its ending is pitch perfect. RATING: 8/10 BIRTH/REBIRTH Fate brings two very different women together in Birth/Rebirth. One, a grieving mother who must deal with the sudden and tragic death of her daughter, and the other--a woman determined to push the limits of medicine and science to once again make the dead come back to life. Though this setup has all the makings of a great horror film, Birth/Rebirth is not traditional horror. Writer-director Laura Moss isn't concerned with terrifying her audience with jump scares--this horror is far more psychological. Instead she presents us with a modern day Frankenstein--this time a cautionary tale about the lengths a mother will go to for the sake of her child. Birth/Rebirth is very deliberately paced though I was invested in the story all throughout. At first the women's gambit to re-animate the child seems self-sustained, but when the two women realize they'll have to get their hands dirty to keep her alive, the moral quandary over what they're doing gets increasingly difficult. Judy Reyes and Marin Ireland are both very good here and each completely sell their roles; Reyes as desperate mother Celie and Ireland as the mad scientist Rose, respectively. It's easy to get frustrated during the runtime that more isn't happening, especially when one expects a certain level of Pet Sematary mayhem that just never occurs. From a horror perspective you want certain things to be explored, but the film isn't interested in that. Once you get to the film's ending, everything all makes sense. For me, the finale brings adds a much needed punctuation to the film and truly makes it complete. RATING: 7/10 RADICAL It would be easy to dismiss Radical as a run of the mill, "inspirational" teacher story. In fact, I almost did. But Radical has a beautiful earnestness that sets it apart from other films that tell similar stories. Radical tells the story of Sergio (Eugenio Derbez), a teacher determined help the kids in his class achieve a future that no one, not even themselves, believe is possible. Sergio's methods are unorthodox, and everyone around him--from the principal to fellow teachers, and the students--have no idea what to make of them. Sergio isn't concerned with tests, but rather preparing the kids to create the future they want and to be successful in obtaining it. Sergio is the type of figure every child needs in their life. A person who not only sees potential, but does everything in their power to make everyone else see that potential too. The time spent with Sergio in his class is optimistic and full of joy. But when the students go home to their realities, in the contrast between his world and theirs becomes more stark. Each of their individual circumstances make it hard to picture a future for them. The cards are stacked against these kids and Sergio's dreams for these kids become too painful to even hope for. Eugenio Derbez shows his wide range here in a role that requires a certain depth and strength. He really shines and it truly feels like the part was made for him. The final act of the film brings the emotional weight and the film is all the stronger for it. RATING: 8/10

Sundance is now officially in full swing with several films making their festival debut today. Instead of attending any premieres today, I caught up with two of my most anticipated film's second screenings: Sometimes I Think About Dying and Run Rabbit Run. SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT DYING In Sometimes I Think About Dying, Daisy Ridley stars as Fran, the embodiment of social anxiety. She lives a ho-hum life working a boring office job in a tight knit office, where she spends her time trying to be invisible and thinking about death. When a gregarious new coworker (Dave Merheje) joins the team and shows an immediate interest in wanting to know the real Fran, Fran must decide whether or not showing her true self is worth the risk. Daisy Ridley takes on a very difficult character and isn't quite able to completely elevate her past the caricature she's often written as. While she plays Fran's anxieties well, she isn't able to draw us into her story and give enough glimpse as to who she is underneath all of her fears. Though the film manages to put the audience in Fran's shoes in various situations, somehow we still feel like we're kept at arms length with both the character and the film as a whole. While that might be intentional, it is no less frustrating. Sometimes I Think About Dying is adapted from a short film and it shows. While there's some magic to the concept of the right person being able to bring another out of their shell, this felt like it was explored with too much restraint fo feel satisfying. Though it had some quiet poignant moments, overall I hoped for more with this. RATING: 5.5/10 RUN RABBIT RUN Sarah's (Sarah Snook) daughter Mia (impressive newcomer Lily LaTorre) has just turned 7 years old and all of a sudden isn't acting much like herself in Run Rabbit Run. On Mia's birthday, a mysterious rabbit shows up at their door and soon Mia seems to have a connection to a past that Sarah has previously kept well hidden from her daughter. Now Mia demands to know more about Sarah's childhood and the two find themselves spiraling towards a dangerous rabbit hole (pun intended). Run Rabbit Run is a moody, atmospheric slow burn horror with some very great performances that pulls the viewer in. Sarah Snook and Lily LaTorre are both fantastic here and really carry the movie on their backs. But unfortunately the film has a few issues that keep it from greatness. A main ingredient to a successful slow burn horror movie is the ability to pay off the audience's patience in the end and sadly that doesn't come to pass here. The film feels like the diet version of The Babadook or Hereditary, where similar themes are explored and the film is certainly made with care...it just unfortunately is more eerie than terrifying and it can't quite stick the landing. But its biggest problem is its pacing in the second half that continually sputters any momentum in keeping the audience invested. Scenes that should pack more punch are moved on from quickly, as great scares are set up often but not executed to their potential. And it must be said, that there are some nonsensical character decisions made here even for a horror film. Overall there is a lot to like here, I just wish the second half had been as strong as the first in truly bringing the horror home. I loved the story, the performances as I said were great, the cinematography was fantastic, the score was unsettling and the directing truly top notch. But a tighter edit and a stronger ending would have made the difference from good to great. RATING: 6.5/10

Imagine a world where pregnancy could be outsourced through technology. Such a future is the one we're invited to catch a glimpse of in The Pod Generation, a comedy satire about the lengths we as a society continually go to depend on technology at the expense of nature. Rachel (Emilia Clarke) is a successful working woman at one of the biggest tech companies of the future. She is a big proponent of tech--she sees an AI therapist, visits "nature pods" for relaxation, and often visits oxygen bars with colleagues. She wants a pregnancy but doesn't want all the negative things that come with pregnancy. That's where the womb center comes in. A lucrative company that takes all of the stress out of pregnancy, by creating the pregnancy in their specially designed pods. It's an expensive process with a never-ending waiting list, but after a promotion, Rachel learns a spot has just opened up. The only hitch will be convincing her traditional husband Alvy (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who believes natural pregnancies are more beneficial for children. The Pod Generation is continually funny and entertaining, all while posing fascinating questions throughout. Given the subject matter, pregnancy and parenthood are naturally a focus of the commentary and as the parent of a toddler, I certainly had a few laughs and could relate. But the film is also very much about the relationship we as humans have with technology as it competes with nature. The scenarios here are absurd and that absurdity was felt and appreciated by its audience. The film makes light of everything it touches on, almost to a fault. It never explores any of what it touches upon in-depth, which makes having a deeper connection to the film difficult. It's content with being satire and only occasionally tries to be too much more. Writer-director Sophie Barthes' world-building of The Pod Generation is so imaginative and detailed. It's a fun future to visit, even if it is a cautionary tale. She makes a lot of great decisions, but the film's strongest is the casting of Emilia Clarke and Chiwetel Ejiofor. The two have an easy rapport and totally make the film work by keeping the viewer engaged in their saga. Ejiofor, in particular, is terrific as the reluctant (to this type of experience anyway), father, who has the task of selling some of the silliest pod bonding scenes. He and Emilia are the heart of the film, but I would have loved a bit more to their ending to really hit home the emotional journey they went on. The Pod Generation might not be for everyone, but I really loved its female perspective on the ups and downs of pregnancy while preparing yourself for the life-changing experience of becoming a parent, and the lessons we want to impart to those we raise once we become one. RATING: 7.5/10

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 I first heard the news of Daniel Radcliffe's casting in a Weird Al biopic, I tweeted something to the effect of "Hollywood must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel for biopics if someone out there is making a Weird Al movie." Foolishly, I hadn't considered the possibility that Weird Al himself might be in on the joke. If Weird taught me anything, it's that it's never wise to count out Weird Al. Weird Al Yankovic saw the sea of endless musician biopics and decided to do what he does best--he chose to spoof them. Weird tells the story of the unparalleled rise to fame of the aforementioned Al Yankovic, better known to the world as simply Weird Al. We first meet Al as a young kid, whose parents just don't understand him. Young Al dreams of pursuing his passion of rewriting the lyrics to popular songs with a comedic spin, but Al is told in no uncertain terms by his parents that they do not support this path. Instead, Al is expected to follow in the footsteps of his father and work in a soul-crushing factory for the rest of his life. But the trajectory of Al's life changes forever when a door-to-door accordion salesman stops by and introduces him to the instrument that would change it all. There is a perfect genius to Weird and it all just works. Al and his career are the perfect foil to all the iconic musicians whose stories are told in biopic after biopic, all in the hopes of baiting that Oscar gold. His story makes for the perfect parody because he himself is the perfect parody. The movie reflects that and the humor throughout feels as familiar as any one of his songs. There's a real earnestness to the jokes and the characters that somehow make every aspect of the film funnier. Radcliffe gives a hilarious performance--not so much portraying the real Weird Al Yankovic--but rather the Weird Al of an alternate universe where Al became one of the biggest recording artists of all-time, performing concerts shirtless and catching the eye of fellow pop-star, Madonna (Evan Rachel Wood). He's kind of preposterous in the role, but he's supposed to be. Meanwhile Evan Rachel Wood as Madonna is absolute perfection. Her Madonna is a toxic siren leading Al to the brink of destruction. In addition to Radcliffe and Wood, the film boasts numerous cameos of comedians eager to show their love and pay tribute to Al. Weird Al himself who also co-wrote and produced the film even has a small part as well. My only issue with Weird: The Al Yankovic Story is its length. The film seems to run out of steam towards the end and you start to feel that runtime. Sometimes one can have too much of a good thing, and in the case of Weird, a more streamlined climax would have been beneficial in strengthening the film as a whole. Still, comedies this funny are increasingly rare these days, so I can't help but sing its praises to the tunes of Michael Jackson's greatest hits. RATING: 7.5/10

With the release of Marry Me, Bros and now Ticket to Paradise studios in 2022 are hedging their bets that the romantic comedy genre isn't dead, it's just been dormant. Ticket to Paradise casts two of Hollywood's biggest stars in Julia Roberts and George Clooney to sell this second-chance love story of a divorced couple uniting with a common goal-- to prevent the whirlwind wedding of their daughter (Kaitlyn Dever). Can the two make this destination worth the trip, or is this a one-way ticket to disaster? Now that I have my vacation puns out of the way, let's get to the movie! Roberts and Clooney star as Georgia and David, a pair of bickering exes who share an incredibly booksmart daughter named Lily (see what I did there?). For the past few years, she's dedicated her life to law school and finally is allowing herself to have a little fun after she graduates by spending some time in Bali on a girls' trip with her best friend Wren (Billie Lourd). But Lily's plans of pursuing a career change when she's swept off her feet with love at first sight by a charming local named Gede (Maxime Bouttier). She informs her parents by email that she's going to marry her new beau and invites her family to Bali to meet him and attend the wedding. Determined to stop their daughter from making the biggest mistake of her life by throwing away her career for a guy she barely knows, her parents make their way to Bali to do what only Julia Roberts can do best: ruin a wedding. Ticket to Paradise treads well-worn territory. It feels very familiar which makes the viewer feel a bit at home. It doesn't so much feel like a 2022 new release, but rather a movie we've seen a dozen times that came out in 2002. Its stars fall back on their reliable charm, and along with its stunning location (and therefore lovely cinematography), it's a very breezy watch. Movie comfort food that doesn't get made quite as much anymore (at least for big-screen viewing). But does that make it a good movie? Ticket to Paradise is an enjoyable watch, but definitely not without its flaws. At its core, the film is basic and predictable though absolutely elevated by its charming performances--so it's hard to be too mad at it. Honestly, it's just fun to see Clooney and Roberts in these types of roles again and bantering off one another, even if they deserve to be in a better movie together. Supporting performances here are also good with Billie Lourd and Lucas Bravo adding some nice moments of levity, though both could have been written to be a little less one note. Kaitlyn Dever and Maxime Bouttier didn't really sell me on a burning connection that would inspire a complete life change in a matter of two months, but were fine otherwise. Ultimately, Ticket to Ride left me with a lot of questions. Do I think that their daughter still is going to end up regretting her life one day? Yes. Do I think some things happened too fast between Clooney and Roberts without enough proper build-up of chemistry? Also yes. Am I still glad that people are making movies this wholesome and that big stars are agreeing to be in them, even though it's not perfect? Definitely, yes. All in all, it's a decent enough, if unmemorable bonne voyage. RATING: 6/10