Well, after last year I didn’t think it was possible to watch any more movies, but I surpassed my personal best by sitting through 277 films this year. Honestly, there were a lot more good ones than bad! I even got the chance to participate in a few high profile film festivals this year, which might just be the coolest thing ever! Here’s a list of what ruled, what sucked, and a little bit in between.
The Runner Up List
Pixie – I never knew this small town Irish crime caper would be so funny!
CODA – Probably the most emotional film I watched this year, but beautifully so.
The Climb – The death and life of the most awkward friendship ever. Haven’t stopped thinking about it since I watched it.
I Care A Lot – Rosamund Pike sure can pull off vindictive and scheming. The fact that she’s doing it to the elderly makes it that much more diabolically fun!
Moxie – For a movie about rebellious teens, I liked this movie way more than I thought I should. It was always engrossing and had a killer soundtrack.
Boss Level – Like Groundhog’s Day, but much more violent. And Frank Grillo, so what else do you need?
In the Earth – Maybe the most science-fictiony film I’ve ever seen, and it’s messages haven’t left my mind since I saw it in the theater.
Plan B – So funny I watched it twice! Kudos for taking such a serious subject matter and adding a lot of levity to it!
Fear Street Trilogy – All three were awesome, so I’m counting them as one. The real win for the horror genre this year.
Army of the Dead – It doesn’t make sense that I would like this so much, but the three times I’ve seen this zombie action flick beg to differ.
The Worst
The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard – The confusingly named title should have been enough. Oh, and the fact that I didn’t really care for the first one.
He’s All That – So. Corny. This is proof that a Tik Tok star has no business in show business, and even Cobra Kai’s Tanner Buchanan couldn’t salvage this stinker.
Vacation Friends – With such a funny cast this was wholly un-funny.
Cry Macho – I contemplated leaving the theater about 45 minutes into Clint Eastwood’s latest. Perhaps he should stay behind the screen from now on.
The Marksman – A real B-level offering from the father of action, Liam Neeson. Go watch Cold Pursuit instead – I’m begging you!
Malcolm & Marie – Just two straight hours of talking….well, John David Washington was more yelling, but this thing was horribly boring.
Cherry – I wanted to like this Cleveland-shot film so badly, but it was strangely paced and rather boring, too.
The Woman in the Window – How can such an enticing book and such superb casting produce something this awful?
Annette – The strangest rock opera I hope I ever see. If Pinocchio wasn’t your bag, this won’t be either.
Red Notice – Three of the biggest stars out there managed to produce a completely forgettable action flick. Sad.
The Best
Small Engine Repair – Based on a 2011 play of the same name, this thing was as cathartic as they come. Drama, to horror, to comedy. The golden indie.
The Green Knight – Eerie and gorgeously shot, this epic will have you mesmerized from start to finish.
Zola – I cannot believe the events of this film happened in real life, so I’m glad I only saw this hilarious fictionalized version.
Firebird – A beautifully tragic love story set on a military base in the Soviet Union in the 80s. Most watched movie of the year, hands down.
The Dry – Perfect adaptation of Jane Harper’s excellent novel of the same name. You won’t be disappointed with this mystery-thriller.
The Kid Detective – I’ve never really seen Adam Brody in anything, but he impressed me in this quiet dramatic mystery that delivered an amazing final act.
Mass – Another film based off a play, essentially straight dialogue, but delivered intense and complex performances that really sheds a light on gun violence.
Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar – I laughed so hard my throat hurt! This ridiculous comedy is amazing and gives you Jamie Dornan serenading a seagull.
Pig – I went in expecting John Wick but with Nicolas Cage and a pig, but instead I got a beautifully moving drama.
King Richard – As a tennis lover, this film really captured everything great about two of the greats.