10. Vox Lux
After a shocking and memorable opening sequence, Vox Lux becomes a study of the strange natures of fame and tragedy as we follow the life of a Jersey-accented pop star (Natalie Portman in a fun performance) and listen to the grave narrations of Willem Dafoe. There is less singing than you might expect from a movie about a pop star, but personally I think that's a plus here.
This is one of those films that quietly sits back and observes daily life, favouring long takes to contribute to its level of authenticity. It's visually beautiful and, like the reverse of Vox Lux, the final scene was stunning in a way that had me genuinely concerned for the lives of the kids. As in, not their characters but the actual kids playing them.
There have been enough anti-racism movies in recent years that the message here may not be anything new, but it sure is a compelling, funny, and tension-filled story (and a true story, as crazy as it is).
7. Journeyman
The sad but hopeful story of a champion boxer who suffers brain damage in a fight and must learn how to recover and adjust to life as a now mentally handicapped man. This is the second film by actor turned director Paddy Considine (if you've never seen his other film, Tyrannosaur, seek it out!), and so far his style seems to be about raw, grounded stories featuring characters with ugly sides to them whom we end up loving anyway.
6. Three Identical Strangers
I love it when a documentary has plot twists in it and, boy, was this one a doozy. Three Identical Strangers is the wild but true story about a set of triplets who were separated at birth but managed to accidentally find each other again at 19. At first it's a joyful reunion, but things take an unsettling turn when they start to look into their pasts. Intriguing, right? That's all I need to say.
5. Support the Girls
This movie made me a fan of Regina Hall, who was a standout here. Her character reminded me of Willem Dafoe's character in The Florida Project: a good, hard-working person who takes care of their employees to the point where you feel sympathy and pride for them at the same time.
4. Eighth Grade
While I just missed having to go to school in a time where social media and smartphones existed (and I'll always take comfort in that), the relatability of Eighth Grade is still universal. That awkwardness and insecurity is there regardless of the era you grow up in, and all of the cringey embarrassment in this film will take you right back there.
