Aaron’s Top 10 Films of 2023

I watched 215 new films in 2023 and it’s time to talk about my favorites of the year.

0:22 – Favorite Experiences
05:42 – Documentaries & Short Films
09:06 – The Next Ten (11-20)
10:00 – The Top Ten Films of 2023

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Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society, Hollywood Creative Alliance, Cascadia Film & TV Critics Association. He reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted, and follow along with his daily film thoughts on Letterboxd. 

Aaron’s Top 10 Films of 2022

It all comes to this. As usual, I don’t believe in weak movie years. There may be genres that have weaker output some years, but overall there will always exist a plethora of amazing films to discover. Sometimes you just have to look a little harder and seek them out. I hope that my work throughout the year in reviewing new releases has helped you do just that at some point and will continue in the future, too.

This year I did a lot of video gaming (favorites: Elden Ring, Triangle Strategy, Vampire Survivors) and co-hosted The Games We Love Podcast for a few months. I also watched quite a bit of TV and other serial content (favorites: Andor, The Terminal List, Tokyo Vice). These other hobbies impacted my overall film viewing total but I still saw 185 new releases in the 2022 SFCS Awards Cycle. It’s important for me to mention that to get ahead of any “where is ???? movie on your list” questions. I’ve seen A LOT. Just because a movie doesn’t show up in my lists here doesn’t mean I don’t think it’s worthy of attention. Last year, I decided not to limit myself to a Top Ten or to rank that final list, but rather to share about my favorites no matter how many there were and to only call-out my overall #1. Even when releasing my podcast episode about my favorites last week, I had intended to do the same again. But after some reflection, I really just don’t feel good about not ranking my list. The thing is – none of this matters. Are some of these choices incredibly difficult? Sure. Does it mean that I don’t love my #3 movie as much as my #2 movie? No. All of this is just a subjective exercise in showcasing ten of the best I saw in a given year, so back to ranking them we go. This collection reflects my taste, what I appreciate in filmmaking for any number of reasons, and is full of movies that I believe are worth seeing and likely enjoying yourself. I’ve also shared some of my favorites in certain award categories as a little bonus. Hopefully you find some new films to check out by reading this article, that give a very happy start to 2023.


HONORABLE MENTIONS

* Streaming service is noted in parentheses next to each film where applicable. 

  • BARBARIAN (HBO Max) – surprisingly hilarious, twisty, and sometimes campy horror thriller
  • DECISION TO LEAVE (Mubi) – swoon-worthy cinematic murder mystery that morphs into an unexpected, challenging love story
  • EMERGENCY (Amazon Prime Video) – atypical buddy comedy that is an increasingly tense and serious look at being a minority in America
  • ESCAPE FROM KABUL (HBO Max) – riveting and shocking documentary that recounts the harrowing 2021 evacuation of Afghan citizens & U.S. troops from Kabul
  • EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (Showtime) – creative original alternate universe story with touching family relationships
  • THE FALLOUT (HBO Max) – tackles the traumatic aftermath of a school shooting from the students’ perspective with careful restraint
  • GOOD NIGHT OPPY (Amazon Prime Video) – inspiring documentary about the incredible human inventiveness, determination, passion, and love that goes into space exploration
  • HUSTLE (Netflix) – underdog sports story about a struggling NBA agent finding the next big phenom overseas
  • MARRY ME (Amazon Prime Video) – a modern rom-com that is charming and endearing with subtle humor that feels completely unforced and tender chemistry between mismatched leads
  • NAVALNY (HBO Max) – documentary that turns into a real-life spy thriller when its subject faces an assassination attempt by poisoning while filming it
  • PREY (Hulu) – propulsive, action-packed, and bloody sequel that pits a Predator against a Comanche heroine
  • PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH – vibrantly animated, clever and exciting fantastical blending of nursery rhymes and fairy tales that smartly handles themes of companionship, fear of trusting others, mortality, childhood trauma, and more while also having slick action
  • RRR (Netflix) – energetic, electric, and utterly engaging tale that is pure action spectacle of tremendous production value with a beautiful bromance, some historical epic drama, and a few wildly entertaining musical numbers
  • THE SEA BEAST (Netflix) – gorgeously animated, epic work of high seas adventure where human and monster form a bond that challenges societal norms
  • SHE SAID – critical dramatization of the amazing journalism work by Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor that exposed decades of abuse by Harvey Weinstein
  • SOMETHING IN THE DIRT – faux found footage documentary of mysterious investigation that feels like PRIMER meets PARANORMAL ACTIVITY meets X-FILES
  • STRANGE WORLD (Disney Plus) – exciting original adventure story with super creative creatures and world design, beautifully animated environments, hilarious fun of exploring a new place with a diverse group of people, and a heartfelt story about legacies and fatherhood
  • THE TERRITORY (Disney Plus) – gripping, educational documentary about an indigenous people in danger of genocide who are fighting to retain their land and way of life as the world literally closes in around them
  • TÁR – fascinating, expertly crafted character piece about a fictional abuser in position of high power due to her artistic genius
  • WILDCAT (Amazon Prime Video) – powerful documentary about wildlife rescue of a baby ocelot, forest conservation, and mental health
  • THE WOMAN KING – roaring, powerful, emotional, and somewhat revisionist historical action-drama with an incredible ensemble cast and brutally entertaining fight choreography that is reminiscent of classic Hollywood epics

AWARD LISTS

The below lists are an example of how I may have voted in this year’s Seattle Film Critics Society awards. There are always way more worthy contenders than can be captured in a few nomination slots, but these are some of my favorites this year in a handful of the biggest categories. Perhaps this will serve as some extra encouragement to seek out these particular films.

Best Director

  • Joseph Kosinski (TOP GUN: MAVERICK)
  • S. S. Rajamouli (RRR)
  • Park Chan-wook (DECISION TO LEAVE)
  • Charlotte Wells (AFTERSUN)
  • James Cameron (AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER)

Best Actor

  • Tom Cruise (TOP GUN: MAVERICK)
  • Paul Mescal (AFTERSUN)
  • Brendan Fraser (THE WHALE)
  • Austin Butler (ELVIS)
  • Park Hae-il (DECISION TO LEAVE)

Best Actress

  • Cate Blanchett (TÁR)
  • Ana de Armas (BLONDE)
  • Tang Wei (DECISION TO LEAVE)
  • Park Ji-min (RETURN TO SEOUL)
  • Michelle Yeoh (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE)

Best Supporting Actor

  • Ke Huy Quan (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE)
  • Daryl McCormack (GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE)
  • Colin Farrell (THE BATMAN)
  • Jake Gyllenhaal (AMBULANCE)
  • Ralph Fiennes (THE MENU)

Best Supporting Actress

  • Stephanie Hsu (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE)
  • Dakota Johnson (CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH)
  • Lashana Lynch (THE WOMAN KING)
  • Janelle Monáe (GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY)
  • Angela Bassett (BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER)

Best Cinematography

  • TOP GUN: MAVERICK (Claudio Miranda)
  • DECISION TO LEAVE (Kim Ji-yong)
  • THE BATMAN (Greig Fraser)
  • AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER (Russell Carpenter)
  • RRR (K. K. Senthil Kumar)

Best Original Score

  • THE BATMAN (Michael Giacchino)
  • GOOD NIGHT OPPY (Blake Neely)
  • BABYLON (Justin Hurwitz)
  • TOP GUN: MAVERICK (Lorne Balfe, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, and Hans Zimmer)
  • AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER (Simon Franglen)

Best Animated

  • MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON
  • PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH
  • THE SEA BEAST
  • STRANGE WORLD
  • LIGHTYEAR

Best Documentary

  • GOOD NIGHT OPPY
  • FIRE OF LOVE
  • WILDCAT
  • ESCAPE FROM KABUL
  • THE TERRITORY

Best International

  • DECISION TO LEAVE
  • RRR
  • THE INNOCENTS
  • ATHENA
  • RETURN TO SEOUL

THE TOP 10

* Streaming service is noted in parentheses next to each film where applicable. 

#10 GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY (Netflix) – As much as I enjoyed the structure and ensemble in KNIVES OUT, it was a bit slow and stuffy for me, and the mystery wasn’t all that interesting. GLASS ONION improves upon it substantially and provided me with one of the most start-to-finish entertaining theater experiences of the year. Rian Johnson’s follow-up case for Beoit Blanc to solve is a riotous, twisty good time that has a high energy, brightness, and modernity about it that I loved. Each performance is so great that it’s genuinely hard to pick a favorite. Its mystery is a layered puzzle box of a tale that keeps you guessing as new details are revealed and Johnson’s script strikes a brilliant balance between clever, smart, and outright hilarious, and I enjoyed the roasting of several extreme personality types. I didn’t even mind some old genre tropes that help make the surprises possible because I enjoyed seeing the way the story was structured so much. It’s a film that would make Agatha Christie proud and like the best the genre has to offer It is exceptionally fun to watch a second time when you know what is happening. I hope that Johnson just keeps making more of these. (Hear our discussion about GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY in Episode 352 here.)

 

#9 BLONDE (Netflix) – I am one of the film’s few but strong supporters and have no reservations about that whatsoever. I fully understand why many did not enjoy watching it, and I can’t blame them for reacting that way because I’ve had my fair share of that this year as well (TRIANGLE OF SADNESS and BABYLON come to mind as movies that I can see strong work in but hated watching). That being said, I find BLONDE to be masterful, mesmerizing, heavy, and deeply challenging filmmaking by Andrew Dominik with a bravura performance from Ana de Armas as the famous icon. It’s unlike any biopic I’ve ever seen; part fantasy and part biography. It’s an intimate and at times poetic portrait of a fatherless, abused, and broken woman that isn’t at all about celebration of its subject matter’s achievements but rather a flat-out tragedy that should make you examine how you (and the world) view the idea of a Hollywood sex symbol and celebrity in general. I think if you’re viewing this through any other lens or letting yourself get angry because you think the movie is ruining Marilyn’s legacy then you are entirely missing the point. I can’t say it’s an easy watch and there are ton of trigger warnings that apply, but sometimes the most divisive films are the best ones because they provoke actual conversation and force self-reflection. Dominik has definitely done something unique here that I respect overall even if I don’t think it’s quite perfect.

 

#8 AMBULANCE (Amazon Prime Video) – What a rush! I’ve always loved Bayhem and seeing him execute this adrenaline-fueled heist and chase epic on a budget of “only” $40 million was like watching an exceptional athlete learn a new skill and be just as dominant. This is pure action cinema pornography to me, full of classic swirling 360 degree hero shots, super low angles, and plenty of vehicular carnage. The way that Bay also incorporates drone footage into his filming repertoire makes for some of the sickest camera shots in the film. The characters and plot are deeper than you might expect for a movie that is 90% vehicle chase and the performances are all excellent with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Eiza Gonzalez managing to achieve some heavy emotional nuance and Jake Gyllenhaal being batshit insane in the best way possible. The movie is pure energy with one of the best musical scores of the year just rattling your body with its powerful base. It feels like an EMT shocking you constantly with defibrillator paddles. Even re-watching it at home multiple times, I caught myself not even breathing because the intensity level is kept so high for so long. In a good way, of course. I love that Bay cuts out much of the silly comedy in favor of keeping this situation deadly serious and it’s a formula that results in one of my favorite action films in years. (Hear our discussion about AMBULANCE in Episode 317 here.)

 

#7 FIRE OF LOVE (Disney Plus) – Much like Sundance, it seems every year that National Geographic puts out one or more of my favorite films of the year. FIRE OF LOVE is the first of two documentaries in this list and the best among a super strong group overall. Artistry, reverence, and an abundance of astonishing archival footage come together brilliantly in this captivating documentary that tells a one-of-a-kind love story. It’s a beautiful, poetic, and passionate relationship that volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft together share – both for each other and collectively for the destructive but incredible natural wonders that they spent their lives dedicated to studying. Narrated softly by Miranda July, this is an expertly edited piece that is presented in a manner which captures the love and quirkiness of their relationship as well as the awe-inspiring work they did. It is also quite educational along the way, and what makes a documentary stand out most to me is when it can both provide me new information while also making me feel something emotionally.

 

#6 AFTERSUN – I watch so many movies. Plenty of them are entertaining and plenty of them are full of technical strengths. But every once in a while you get one of those special experiences. The kind that impacts you in a way you never saw coming. Charlotte Wells feature film directorial debut lets us spend one memorable summer vacation with young teen Sophie and her father Calum. He’s clearly depressed and trying to hide it; she’s coming of age. It’s eventually known that this is a sort of reflection for Sophie of what this time in her life was like and what she might have missed. The story is melancholic but filled with so much love. As a girl-Dad myself, I was walloped by the presentation of their relationship. This is one of the movies that I have thought about the most after it ended.

 

#5 CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH (Apple TV+) – There always seems to be some indie picture out of Sundance that makes me swoon. Last year it was CODA and this year it’s CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH. I really adore Cooper Raiff’s whole awkwardly charming, tender, incredibly earnest filmmaking style. This has some modern rom-com/coming-of-age vibes to it with its aimless depiction of finding your way through young adulthood with all the yearning and bitterness in relationships that come with that, and it has a wonderfully sincere depiction of an unexpected and wholesome friendship. I’ll admit that having a crush on Dakota Johnson is super relatable, as well, but the fact that this movie doesn’t lean into any sort of vulgarity and still respects the importance of commitment meant a lot to me. It also has a fantastic soundtrack and all-around tremendous performances by the primary trio of Raiff, Johnson, and Burghardt. It’s a movie that, also like CODA, left me feeling warm inside. (Hear our discussion about CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH in Episode 329 here.)

 

#4 AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER – Everything in the story feels authentic, with multiple interesting characters who have their own arc of emotional growth, and yet its staggeringly, technically marvelous and has plenty of spectacular action. There’s something masterful about what James Cameron can do and it is so incredibly refreshing to have this storytelling taking place outside of a long-lived IP where everything that happens is on its third or fourth recycling of the same plotlines. THE WAY OF WATER was worth every bit of the wait and has me seeing a bland and boring world which makes me yearn to be back in Pandora. It is no surprise, but this is astonishing work by Cameron once again, who proves that he is in a league of his own when it comes to original blockbuster storytelling. (Hear our discussion about AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER in Episode 351 here.)

 

#3 THE BATMAN (HBO Max) – I’m a Batman guy. He’s my favorite DC superhero by a longshot and has been since as long as I can remember. Even being a fan of every casting choice and Matt Reeves, I had my doubts that we were ready for yet another iteration on the character, and it took me two viewings to really appreciate fully. But I’m there now and think this is just a masterful depiction of a moody young Batman in a dark and gritty Gotham City dealing with a truly nefarious, unhinged villain that Paul Dano scarily brings to life. The chemistry between Pattinson and Kravitz works for me, Farrell is astonishing as Penguin, Giacchino’s ominous score is one of the best of the year, and I particularly love that the combat and focus on detective work feel straight out of the Arkham series of video games. It all comes together for me in an exquisite marriage of storytelling and production that continues the trend of outstanding different takes on the caped crusader. I’m so glad that I don’t have to choose a favorite version of Batman and can just enjoy them all for their strengths. (Hear our discussion about THE BATMAN in Episode 313 here.)

 

#2 MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON -This is the purest distillation of charming, wholesome storytelling that I’ve seen in some time and my favorite animated film of the year by a large margin. The character of Marcel’s boundless curiosity and creativity, and his infectious love of life and community, result in a beautiful, exceptionally tender and hilarious journey told via outstanding stop-motion animation. It’s truly incredible what they were able to accomplish over the many years it took to bring this mix of live-action and stop-motion animation to life, and when I learned about some of their processes in behind the scenes featurettes, I was so impressed. Jenny Slate’s vocal performance as the titular shell is one of the best I’ve ever heard – a wonderful marriage to the endearing on-screen animation of little Marcel and a pitch-perfect mockumentary script. This film (and GLASS ONION) made me laugh more than I have any other time in a theater this year, and cry several times over. He is a character that inspires so many of the best qualities in us. He warms the heart and he will not soon be forgotten. (Hear our discussion about MARCL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON in Episode 343 here.)

 

#1 TOP GUN: MAVERICK (Paramount Plus) – Legacy sequels are a scary thing. I’m of the belief that many are made for no other reason than to capitalize on a bankable IP, and not because there is a burning continuation of a story to be told. For me, this was a sequel to one of my Top 5 favorite movies of all-time, so I’ll freely admit that despite my faith in Tom Cruise and my general love for Kosinski’s filmmaking – I was very, very nervous. But it didn’t take long for that worry to disappear and thankfully what replaced it was pure joy. MAVERICK just works. Every single bit of it. Because of attention to detail and the actors actually flying, the aerial action is unmatched, and the character progression for Pete Mitchell makes perfect sense. Cruise performs the role of an aging aviator with a sensational balance of his youthful arrogance with a veteran’s seasoned maturity. The entire supporting cast is on top of their game and Kosinski doles out scenes of tension and excitement with emotional relationship beats and brief comedic moments of levity with perfect pacing. The high that I felt when leaving the theater is unrivaled and I’ve felt it every time since when watching the movie at home, too. I felt so many things in this movie, which is what I love most about this medium of storytelling in the first place, and I’m just so grateful to be given a new chapter in this series that I didn’t even know I needed until it was here. (Hear our discussion about TOP GUN: MAVERICK in Episode 324 here.)



Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. He reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted, and follow along with his daily film thoughts on Letterboxd. 

Aaron’s Top 10 Films of 2021

2021 – we got back into the theater, y’all! For me, this year was a strong rebound from the roller coaster ride that was 2020. There were still some film delays to endure, but also a return of blockbusters to the big screen, and several studios experimented with a same day theater plus streaming release strategy which was fascinating to see play out. As was the case last year, Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, and more continue to battle for our subscription, and also like last year, something from each of them can be found in my list of favorites.

This year I watched more TV content than I have in a long time, including all of “Yellowstone” through Season 4 (a new all-time favorite show for me), five seasons (!?) of Marvel content, and a handful of limited or miniseries (the best of which in 2021 was probably “Midnight Mass” and my favorite overall was “Looking For Alaska”). As of this writing, I’ve still managed to see 200 new releases in this SFCS awards cycle (February-December), 24 of which are documentaries and 27 that are animated. I’ve seen so many amazing films and since it is always difficult for me to settle on a top ten, twenty, etc., I’ve decided to go against the norm and do things a little differently.

For this year, I am going to list my Top 12 because that is the group of films I feel strongest about. I am not going to rank them, but I will share which is my #1 film of the year. They instead will be presented in alphabetical order, as will my additional picks in the honorable mention section. Where possible, the film titles will all be linked to a corresponding Letterboxd entry and I will note where a film can be viewed if available on a streaming service. Honestly, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with the struggle of ranking and making lists for years now. It can be fun to do and argue about, but the reality is that picking just ten movies to highlight gives me anxiety sometimes and comes down to nitpicking and debating minor flaws in pieces of art that I absolutely love. I think all lists are about personal resonance, and in keeping it on brand, mine is a group of movies that made me feel the most and debating what is “better or worse” than something else on the list doesn’t bring me joy. This collection reflects my taste, what I appreciate in filmmaking for any number of reasons, and is full of movies that I think are worth seeing and probably enjoying yourself.

Oh, and I’ve also decided not to separate documentaries and feature films as I have in past years. So let’s get to it, shall we?


HONORABLE MENTIONS

(Film titles linked to Letterboxd entry where one exists)


THE TOP 12

CODA (Apple TV Plus) – The big winner at 2021’s Sundance Film Festival, the grand jury and audience got this right. I’m admittedly a mark for a great family-focused heartwarming high school coming-of-age story. Throw in a little romance, music, and a very genuinely depicted and unique conflict due to deafness – I WAS HOOKED. The film’s relationships are beautiful and every performance feels authentic. It may follow a predictable formula but that doesn’t detract one bit from how powerful and special its message is. And the final 10 minutes, where I’m just overwhelmed with emotion and happy tears, comes as a result of incredible storytelling and character work up to that point. It’s my favorite single part of a film in 2021. You’re either moved by it, or dead inside. No in-between.  ❤️ (Hear our discussion about “CODA” in Episode 290 here.)

 

DEAR EVAN HANSEN – This musical means a lot to me. The stage production has long been a favorite of mine and this adaptation does it justice. The casting of Ben Platt, who is clearly older than his character now, doesn’t bother me at all. Evan is Ben, and Ben is Evan. He understands this character in such a deep way that no one else really ever could. I’ve seen much criticism over the way his social anxiety and depression are depicted, yet multiple HS teacher friends have expressed just how realistic this portrayal is. Kids do act this way and things become stereotypes because they are common. Platt may look awkward when mumbling and fidgeting his way throughout the perfromance, but it perfectly captures the way so many people just don’t feel comfortable with themselves, especially around others. When it comes to emoting and singing, he absolutely cannot be beat and delivers the exceptional vocals as only he can.

I adore the fact that this story tackles teenage anxiety, depression, the need to be seen and feel like your voice matters. Is it a morally challenging tale? Absolutely! Evan’s actions aren’t something to be endorsed, but how the film handles this is beautiful. There are consequences for his actions and his positive impact on others cannot be denied and should not be dismissed. The film differs a bit from the musical and shows us that Evan, who made some huge mistakes, is worthy of forgiveness, redemption, happiness, and love. Most people in this world don’t live life in only black or white, and for an extremely sad and struggling character like Evan to go through this and come out on the other side better for it is a triumph. The additions to the end of the story and Connor’s beautiful new song are perfect.

The film also treats suicide realistically, with not everyone instantly being torn to pieces but sometimes wondering why they should be sad about losing someone who was terrible to them. We usually only see overwhelming sadness, but the tragedy of suicide can evoke a lot more varied reactions from people close to a lost one. And then there’s Evan’s relationship with his Mom and the underlying effects of his absent Dad that weigh heavy on his decision-making, too. All of these things are presented together so well, in my opinion, to make an entertaining yet touching movie that isn’t so morose it loses the audience completely and ruins its opportunity to provoke empathy (for everyone).

The music is simply amazing and a big part of why the original production is so beloved. Pasek and Paul write simple lyrics that are so relatable and their melodies are either poppy and catchy or just incredibly soulful and beautiful. With an excellent supporting cast and wonderful direction, I was swept away by Stephen Chbosky’s lovely adaptation that is every bit as good as I’d hoped for. (Hear our discussion about “Dear Evan Hansen” in Episode 293 here.)

 

DUNE – “The mystery of life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” Every bit the epic feeling and faithful adaptation that I was hoping for from this. “Dune” is a story that may have its focus mostly hitched onto the character of Paul but it is universal in nature. Its scope is so large, dealing with politics and religion and mysticism and economics all within a fascinating futuristic setting. Denis Villeneuve understands this and tells the story the only way that can work in such a short runtime, with incredible visual design and a perfectly accenting Zimmer score helping to drive the emotion and support a lack of character exposition. The film only adapts half of the book but still has to cover a whole lot of ground and it does this with expertly refined character development and a quickened pace. The awe-inducing nature of the production was awesome as we moved from one major event to another, with just the right amount of detail given to always provide context, depth, and hints at what may be to come. The cast is made up of A-listers and it absolutely shows. Even smaller parts are elevated by considerable talent and I loved every single performance so much. There’s action, heart, intrigue, and a whole lot of mystery. I was breathless when it ended and dying to see the culminating part two immediately! This is the kind of science fiction that I deeply love and an example of why we go to the movies, to be transported and fully immersed into worlds that are not our own. “Dune” went above my already lofty expectations and is one of the most satisfying blockbusters of the past few years. (Hear our discussion about “Dune” in Episode 296 here.)

 

FLEE – “Flee” is a staggering, harrowing, one-of-a-kind work. When you break it down, it’s a rather simple retelling of one man’s life as an Afghan refugee fleeing his war-torn country while simultaneously coming to terms with his own homosexuality, all relayed through personal interviews. But the unique presentation of this material is unlike anything I’ve seen before. Using a blend of powerful archival footage and absolutely beautiful mixture of animation styles which visualize Amin’s life events and feelings, this documentary is able to emotionally convey his terrifying, tragic, and oh so difficult experiences as he fully opens himself up for the first time and comes to terms with his own history and present. It never feels sensationalized either and yet really hammers home the horrors that so many people must endure simply because of where and/or how they’re born. I couldn’t help but immediately begin to reflect on my own blessings, something I think myself and many others do not think of nearly enough. I’m so grateful for the incredible filmmaking team who used their gifts to shine a light on this story in such a respectful, tender, and masterfully cinematic way. And I’m especially thankful to Amin, for bearing his soul and sharing himself with all of us, so that we may better understand and perhaps even influence the world for the better because of it.

 

THE MAP OF TINY PERFECT THINGS (Amazon Prime Video) – Time loops and young adult romance. It’s basically “you had me at hello”. This is full of intelligent, witty, snappy dialogue, tropes I love, and extremely enjoyable and authentic chemistry between two leads who aren’t quite stars yet and thus can disappear into these roles easily. I had a blast watching the characters try to figure out what makes the perfect day, explore the math and science of their situation, and then make the best of it by forming a connection with another person that helps break them out of a feeling of isolation. The filmmaking doesn’t get in its own way, keeping it simple with no special effects to speak of and strong focus on Mark and Margaret instead of trying to introduce side characters and subplots. The titular map ends up being sickly sweet, and I am 100% moved by emotional gestures like it and love the reminder message for us to enjoy the little things and moments of our lives that we tend to pass over without giving a thought. This is the kind of rom-com that I’m always hoping to find and I’ll be championing it for years to come so that people don’t let it slip under the radar and miss out.

 

THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES (Netflix) – This movie is the passion project of first-time director Mike Rianda and it shows. The film, following in the footsteps of producers Lord & Miller’s own previous animated work, is a visual blast and has grown on me with each subsequent viewing throughout the year. It’s a joyful watch full of action and hilarity. I fell for its short film within a film sections, the lively, vibrant, colorful animation and art style, and most importantly how the emotional core of the story (the family’s relationship and how they fix what’s broken) affected me. Having my own daughter who has just left the home for college as Katie is doing in the movie definitely made this hit a little bit harder, too. The story isn’t overly complicated, features some fun pop culture references, and serves as a commentary on our culture’s obsession with technology and gadgets. This one is fun for the entire family and my favorite Western animated film of the year, beating out numerous strong competitors from Disney and Pixar. (Hear our discussion about “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” in Episode 299 here.)

 

NINE DAYS – This is the kind of movie that leaves you at a loss for words. There is something so transcendent about this high-concept fantasy drama that is very much like the live-action companion piece to Pixar’s “Soul” (my #1 film from 2020). I was moved in a way that I have not often felt and challenged to appreciate the awe-inspiring reality of life more deeply on a moment to moment basis than most of us ever do. Slow down. Stop aiming for perfection. Let go of a need to have all the answers. Find the value in everyone and every point of view. Life isn’t this or that. Life is everything.

Edson Oda has crafted such a profound and imaginative debut feature film full of detail that begs exploration of during future viewings. It announces his talent to the world and instantly cements any future projects he does with “must-watch” status. Winston Duke gives a magical, mysterious, spiritual, and utterly transformative performance as a “formerly alive person” who now tests young souls and decides which will have the opportunity to be born and which will not. He is extraordinary and an immaculate recital of a Walt Whitman poem near the end of the film is a career-defining moment for him. The entire cast – Zazie Beetz, Benedict Wong, Tony Hale, and more are every bit his equal, all of them capturing the important essence of their character personalities perfectly. And all of this is presented to us in gorgeous minimalistic nature backed by a beautiful, emotional score by composer Antonio Pinto. Stunning is an understatement for the kind of experience that “Nine Days” is. It’s truly the type of film that I watch hundreds of new movies every year just hoping to discover. The kind that leaves you with nothing to do but just shake your head in wonder and admiration and say “Wow”.

 

THE RESCUE (Disney Plus) – It’s truly incredible what the human race can do when people come together with optimism and relentless determination to put the well-being of others above their own. “The Rescue” tells a story that is every bit as thrilling as the most suspenseful natural disaster movie, but is in fact one that is ripped straight from the 2018 headlines. I certainly thought that I knew what happened going into this completely enthralling doc, but it turns out that I had no idea at all.

The amount of obstacles faced by a collection of Thai Navy SEALS, their government, American military advisors, deep cave divers, medical specialists, thousands of volunteers, and more is staggering. But once again, filmmaking duo Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin capture the events that unfolded in gripping fashion, while never losing touch of the humanity of it all and the poignant nature of the mental and emotional struggles faced along the way in addition to the physical and environmental ones. This doc is a mix of archival cave diving footage brilliantly merged with recreations to the point that you often don’t even know the difference, plenty of on-location planning footage, and interviews with divers and others involved in the rescue. Make no mistake about it, though, this is a “popcorn documentary” that is more about evoking a sense of wonder at the accomplishment than anything else. The film lacks interviews from the boys or their parents and is fully approached from the perspective of the rescue diving team. That didn’t bother me one bit because the rescue itself is just so cinematic and unbelievable. I was all in on this intense journey from start to finish and a complete wreck throughout. Despite knowing the eventual outcome, I found myself near tears, gnawing my fingernails, and even yelling “Are you effing kidding me!?” at various times. Real life heroism will always have my full attention and seeing such a captivating story shared, complete with the positive outcome and heartwarming sacrifices made to achieve it, was a special experience.

 

SCHUMACHER (Netflix) – I was floored by this stunning documentary about one of the greatest racing drivers of all-time. Being a newer fan of F1, I sadly missed the Michael Shumacher era of dominance and only knew about him in context of all the records he holds and how Lewis Hamilton has been breaking them.The filmmakers who are telling Michael’s story here truly love and respect him, as clearly everyone that ever came into his life does, and it makes walking through his career a true joy. Packed with the best thing any sports documentary can have, archival footage, we get to see Michael racing as a child, a ton of F1 racing content, old interviews, and even a wealth of family photos and videos that show a fuller picture of Michael. He wasn’t just a great F1 driver, he was a great son, brother, husband, father, and friend, too.

I’d always just assumed that Michael won his 7 championships all in a row and with one team, but learning about how he burst onto the scene with Benetton, won twice, and then willingly stepped into a worse car and situation because he desired the challenge of bringing Ferrari back to glory made my respect for him grow immensely. This was a man who grew up doing everything the hard way and who was never afraid. He also was hard-headed sometimes to a fault and found it impossible to see and admit any wrongdoing for much of his career (I see so many shades of Max Verstappen in young Schumi). But most of the athletic greats have similar traits. They are driven and focused in a way their peers often are not, and it’s what makes them special, or to use a modern term “built different”. What Michael accomplished in the sport is simply amazing and thanks to this thorough documentary I now can say that having seen how with my own eyes.

 

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME – Tom Holland is back as Spider-Man to wrap-up his (first?) trilogy and this time Marvel really swings for the fences in how it introduces the multiverse into the MCU while telling a personal story with big stakes and emotional outcomes. The integration of Spidey’s old villains from previous universes was handled brilliantly, with most of them being given the opportunity for character growth, and even redemption There is a lot to balance in this film but I was so impressed by the way it handled exciting action, the humor we expect and love from the MCU, painfully serious tragedy, and inspiring heroic actions and heart. Seeing this in a crowded theater full of fans on opening night was one of the best experiences I have had… ever. The room was electric and full of oohs and ahs and squealing at the film’s many surprises. Peter’s journey in this film is deeply affecting and memorable, anchored by Holland’s best performance as the character yet. And I loved how this end of MCU Spider-Man’s arc sets up the future of Peter Parker in this universe. Sure, it’s packed with nostalgia, but nothing here was done without careful thought and it is so much more than just fan service. Spidey finally has another film worthy of his superhero status as a fan favorite and I imagine this will be one the films I re-watch the most from 2021. (Hear our discussion about “Spider-Man: No Way Home” in Episode 303 here.)

 

THE SUMMIT OF THE GODS (Netflix) – “The Summit of the Gods” is a French anime style adaptation of a Japanese manga that itself is an adaptation of Baku Yumemakura’s 1998 historical adventure novel. The plot is fictitious, following a reporter/photojournalist named Fukamachi Makoto who comes in contact with a mysterious climber named Habu Jôji who claims to have the lost camera of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, a real pair of climbers who actually perished on Mount Everest in the 1920’s. Sir Edmund Hillary is famous for being the first to officially summit Everest in 1953, but there have always been questions as to whether Mallory and Irvine maybe did it first. In this tale, the camera in question may have proof that this is the case, and after losing his trace early on Fukamachi spends much of the film trying to piece together Habu’s past and gain access to the camera.

Fukamachi reminds me a lot of Jon Krakauer in that he’s clearly interested in understanding what drives people to risk everything trying to achieve these great heights. His story is partially like solving a mystery but includes loss and personal growth along the way. It was very moving. Ultimately, he ends up going on an ascent of Everest himself and it is one of the most non-stop breathtakingly spectacular pieces of animation I’ve ever seen. The filmmakers took great care to make this very realistic and capture the detail, danger, and beauty in alpine mountaineering. This is also a fairly patient and quiet film. I appreciated how poetic it feels and how focused it is on only a few characters. The score is marvelous, too, setting a melancholy or thrilling tone at different times in the story.

I personally can’t get enough of climbing documentaries and though this is a work of fiction, its ties to reality make it almost feel like a documentary at times. It is full of splendor and depicts views we rarely will ever see in such a magnificent way. Sometimes a movie just feels made for you. This is one of those times I get to experience that, and I wish so badly that I could have seen this in a movie theater.

 

#1 THE GREEN KNIGHT“Why greatness? Why is goodness not enough?” David Lowery has already proven himself to be one of the best working directors, but this wholly personal interpretation of the famous Arthurian poem is his most incredible film yet. This captivating journey of medieval not-a-knight Gawain plays out like a slow-burning dark fantasy video game, complete with side quests to test the mettle of the flawed character, teaching lessons along the way before putting in his path an end boss of immeasurable challenge that will require a life-altering choice. The story is told differently than you may know, but like the poem itself this adaptation revels in ambiguity, leaning into visually delightful mystical symbolism to get its point across enough that the tale can be followed while also encouraging its audience to question the very nature (heh) of the chivalric code that its character claims to value so dearly.

Understanding all of the film’s references may take several viewings and a healthy dose of director commentary, but I was beguiled by every frame and after a pulse-raising knockout of an ending, I was left wanting nothing more than to read/watch others interpretations, think deeply on it, and quickly go as fast I could to see it again. This is genuinely the work of a master craftsman, each and every technical element and performances working flawlessly to create a story that begs to live inside your head. I often don’t connect with surreal storytelling methods but something about this (as with “A Ghost Story”) proves Lowery is able to weave that dreamlike quality into a mostly grounded overall structure to a stunning result. (Hear our discussion about “The Green Knight” in Episode 304 here.)



Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. He reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted, and follow along with his daily film thoughts on Letterboxd. 

Aaron’s Top 10 Films of 2020

What. A. Year.

2020 will be remembered as much for the way in which we watched movies as for the movies themselves. In a world shutdown by the COVID-19 virus, theaters closed and kept us indoors more often than not, watching streaming films at an increased rate while seeing major studio tent-pole releases constantly delayed. Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, and more are locked in a battle to secure our subscriptions, and almost all of my Top 10 can be found on one of these services.

Along with the change in release dates came a change in the awards season. With the Academy Awards pushing back until late April 2021, some films that will be eligible won’t even release until January or February 2021. I’ve made the decision to go ahead and finalize my end of year list without seeing a few of those, though they will be a part of my annual voting as a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. This year, our award timeline was delayed as well, and so I do not have a list of my nominations and our winners to share. Hopefully I can remember to come back and edit links to those in after they are complete.

This year I saw a resurgence in gaming, partially due to the launch of a new seasonal podcast about video games called The Games We Love, partially due to some extra free time while working from home for several months, and partially due to the excitement of welcoming the next generation of consoles into my home. I also watched more series content than in recent years, going through all of “Friday Night Lights” with my best friend and watching a season here and there of countless other shows. As of this writing, I’ve still managed to see 166 new films this year, a whopping 29 of which are documentaries. Finding room in my Top 20 (much less my Top 10) for every film that I want to sing the praises of is usually incredibly difficult and this year is no different. There were less films that blew me away this year but the overall quality of what I watched is strong and encompasses a wide range of genres. Since it’s impossible for me to ever just settle on ten best films, you will see some of my favorites of the year in the #11-20 special mention spots, as well as couple of extra highlights. While there are no specific thoughts accompanying the #11-20 films, you can always find my thoughts on what I’m watching at my Letterboxd account, so be sure to follow me there.

With regards to my criteria, when it comes to ranking films critically, I do that as part of my membership in the Seattle Film Critics Society. But on Feelin’ Film we focus more on matters of the heart, so my Top 10 films are often ones that I found the most affecting in 2020 – those movies that provided me an incredibly emotional or memorable experience of some sort. Another thing that factors strongly into my ranking is rewatchability, so think of this list as my favorites, which to me are the best.

In order to make this a tad easier on myself, and also because they truly are a unique medium unto themselves, I always list my Top 5 Documentaries separately. It feels like every year is a great one for non-fiction filmmaking and 2020 was no different. I still have quite a few highly-acclaimed ones to see and may even come back and edit this accordingly when I do. Regardless, I’ve expended this genre’s list to a Top 10 this year due to there being so many great documentaries that I want to bring attention to.

This has been a relatively long intro and I appreciate you taking the time to read it when you could have just scrolled down to the lists. With that said, I won’t take up any more of your time.


BEST NON-FILM

TED LASSO (Apple TV+) – “Ted Lasso” is simply one of the best pieces of entertainment media (film, series, game) that I have enjoyed in year. This ten episode series is based on an old NBC Sports commercial and follows a college football championship winning coach to England where he takes over a floundering Premiere League soccer team, despite knowing next to nothing about the sport. It’s a recipe that could so easily have led to stupidity but instead this show, which can be binged in less than 5 hours, is utterly hopeful and positive at all times. As Ted navigates learning the sport, dealing with the eccentric and egotistical personalities of the adult players he coaches, and struggles with his own quietly hidden relationship issues, this show manages to always keep you smiling and leave you feeling inspired. Response was so great that before season one had even finished airing, Apple TV ordered seasons two and three, so now is a great time to discover it and experience the uplifting ability this show will have on your life.


THE DOCUMENTARIES

10. THE SOCIAL DILEMMA (Netflix)

9. THE DISSIDENT – Oscar-winning director Bryan Fogel (“Icarus”) returns with “The Dissident”, another strong contender that could win him a second statue, about the disappearance of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi and villainy of Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It is a gripping, immersive, and well-told piece of investigative journalism about the suppression of speech. The film covers a lot of information but its thriller style makes it go down easy. It features a fantastic score, too, and is incredibly urgent as the world becomes more and more fractured into sides who refuse to accept opposing viewpoints.

8. TIME (Amazon Prime Video) – “Success is the best revenge.” repeats Sunil Fox Richardson over and over angrily as she tries to convince herself to stay calm during yet another inhuman and unnecessary delay in the journey toward her husband’s release from prison. The resilience of this family on display is incredible and the way their story is told is both artistically compelling and emotionally evocative. This is an urgently needed piece that looks closely at the toll of injustice in America’s prison system, not from a broad statistics viewpoint but from a ground-level human one. The Richardson’s never once complain about having been arrested. They take full responsibility for their crimes but fight for fairness and changes to a system that, tragically, once it has its claws in you just never will let go. Their determination to make their family whole again and desire to see all justice system wrongs righted is hard to watch because you hate the pain and loss of time they’ve lived with, but ultimately an inspirational reminder that we (all of us) cannot allow this to continue in our world.

7. CONSOLE WARS (CBS All-Access) – Can’t really ask for much more from a 1.5 hour adaptation of a 576-page book. The original is definitely more in-depth and focuses even more heavily on SEGA’s perspective, but this visual version does it justice and is enhanced by the ability to show things such as the commercials and events of the console war era, which at times is much more effective than just imagining or trying to remember them when reading. This is a fantastic overview of this critical period of gaming history.

6. DICK JOHNSON IS DEAD (Netflix) – A filmmaker daughter and her aging father stage his death to help prepare for his eventual passing. I cried gobs and gobs because of course I was thinking about my own mom who passed away in 2014 and also remembering the struggles my grandfather had with Alzheimer’s before his death. But there is such joy in what Kirsten Johnson is doing that it far outweighs the sadness; the humorous stunt work, fantastical Heaven sequences, and enjoyment I had from seeing Seattle on screen helped to never let me wallow in the inevitability of what we’re seeing play out for too long at one time. Pictures and videos immortalize our loved ones in ways that fading memory never can quite match. This is beautiful. This is special. I almost feel guilty for peeking into someone’s intimate life story in this way, but I know that the purpose of these two sharing their passions together before Dick is gone forever and putting it on film for us to see in this intelligent, clever, and poignant manner is very much for themselves first and an inspiration for us second.

5. MISS AMERICANA (Netflix) – Taylor gets very raw and real in this documentary where she comes clean about just how hard celebrity life has been for her, in a way that we can never really understand, and puts into perspective how that can negatively affect someone’s emotional and mental well-being. I loved seeing the songwriting process, too. One of my favorite things about Taylor is her storytelling ability. That’s what makes her special, and it was a joy to watch some of these hits developing in their infancy. I also definitely appreciated her vulnerability about eating disorders, the Kanye stuff (that whole incident just makes me even madder now), disagreements with her parents, the awful experience of going through being sexually assaulted, and her struggle with trying to be the picture of who fans wanted instead of the person she actually is inside. Taylor has come a long way and deserves the right to grow and change and voice her opinions just like any of the rest of us do. I laughed, I smiled, I cried, I was brought back to many memories related to her music, and I came away from this feeling like I respect her and love her as an artist even more, but most importantly as a person who has feelings and thoughts and opinions. We so often think celebrities just exist for our entertainment. That may be their job, but there’s so much more to their lives.

4. BOYS STATE (Apple TV+) – A documentary that follows an annual event in Texas where a thousand 17-year-old boys join together to build a representative government from the ground up. It is cinematic, incredibly entertaining, super insightful, and a huge crowd-pleaser. It’s also eerie how much this serves as a microcosm of big-time American politics, but luckily manages to remind us that there is still some hope, as well.

3. TAYLOR SWIFT – FOLKLORE: THE LONG POND STUDIO SESSIONS (Disney+) – I adored this intimate and personal film that doesn’t just have Taylor playing her incredible songs from the Folklore album but provides a much bigger opportunity for her to discuss the stories behind their meaning and how they came to be written, as well as ruminate on her collaborative efforts with The National and Bon Iver. This is such a perfect companion piece to her Resolution Tour film, one that is full of her energy and showmanship. This shows a very different side of her and that is what makes her so special, the ability to be real in both ways and both places. It is an absolutely perfect music documentary on one of the greatest American singer-songwriters ever.

1b. THE LAST DANCE (Netflix/ESPN+) – What really needs to be said? This incredible 10-part documentary captured the attention of every major sports fa  every Sunday night over a month in 2020 as we watched behind the scenes coverage of and relived the Chicago Bulls 1997-98 championship season. Centered around that particular year and the end of a dynasty, the documentary simultaneously serves as a portrait of the career of NBA legend Michael Jordan. It is a riveting piece of work and one of 2020’s best overall cultural moments.

1a. THE HISTORY OF THE SEATTLE MARINERS (YouTube) – Since there are two sports documentaries essentially tied for my favorite of the year, I’m going with the more unique one in this top spot. This film (which you can view in chunks or as one 3.5 hour long supercut at the link above) immediately goes on my Mount Rushmore of sports documentaries. It is an incredible, engaging piece of storytelling and statistics that relives the franchise’s history from its highest highs and “what ifs” to the many, many years that have left fans feeling like the team is cursed. It is an ode to a city, a team, its icons and its villains, that manages to be both entertaining and supremely informational while never once losing my attention. Yes, I may be slightly biased because I’m also a fan of the team being covered, but the format is undeniably mesmerizing regardless, and this is a truly complete history of the team we Mariner fans sometimes hate to love. SoDo Mojo!


HONORABLE MENTION

HAMILTON (Disney+) – Hamilton the stage musical is a perfect piece of groundbreaking theater, one of the greatest shows of all-time, from the mind of absolute genius Lin-Manuel Miranda. And while this filmed version is missing that special energy that makes a live viewing so special, that is more than made up for here with the careful camerawork providing close-ups, unique angles, and tracking shots that allow for a more intimate and detailed experience than the vast majority of viewers would ever be able to have. The show is a masterpiece plain and simple, and I’m glad that they went this route instead of adapting (and lessening) it into a different media form. “Hamilton” the “movie” immediately becomes one of the things I will re-watch the most for the rest of my life. It is simply extraordinary.


THE FEATURE FILMS

20. SOUND OF METAL

19. GREENLAND

18. MONSTER HUNTER

17. ON THE ROCKS

16. GREYHOUND

15. WENDY

14. TENET

13. ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI

12. FIRST COW

11. ONWARD


10. THE INVISIBLE MAN (HBO Max) –  “The Invisible Man” put a new spin on a classic horror property with a sci-fi twist, plenty of surprises, and an all-too-real story from the perspective of someone who is tormented by her long-time domestic abuser. It is not always easy to watch and trigger warnings definitely apply, but for those who can stomach it, the painful brilliance of Moss’ exceptional traumatic performance, catharsis and a genuinely unnerving but entertaining experience is to be had. Universal has finally figured out what a new line of monster movies can look like, with truly evil and unredeemable villainous fiends and social metaphors delivering a contemporary vision all their own. Let’s hope this is the start of a great franchise and not just a splendid flash in the pan. (Hear our discussion about “The Invisible Man” in Episode 219 here.)

 

9. WOLFWALKERS (Apple TV+) – “Wolfwalkers” has so much symmetry that you’d think Wes Anderson directed it. This technique, and accompanying use of varying geometric shapes to display its 2D art style, result in some of the most visually striking, memorable, and sublime animation I’ve seen in years. The story hits emotional beats aplenty with its fable-like tale of friendship between two girls from different worlds and its single-parent relationship struggles. There’s also the historical setting to take in for those who want to learn about this traumatic period of English control in Ireland’s past. And there are some environmental messages here akin to what Miyazaki tackles in his wonderful film “Princess Mononoke”. The musical score is an absolute delight, too, with its traditional Irish folk sounds perfectly matching the wondrous colorful images. Cartoon Saloon puts out nothing but hits and this is simply next in line.

 

8. THE FATHER – With all due respect to the other leading men of the 2020 awards cycle, Sir Anthony Hopkins has entered the room. In a memorable (ironically) performance that absolutely floored me, he brilliantly transports us into the mind of an elderly man suffering from dementia. He navigates a range of emotions from lovable and harmless to infuriating and heartbreaking with delicate expertise. Combined with focused first-time direction from award-winning playwright Florian Zeller and an expertly adapted script of his own work, the story plays out (pun intended) at times almost like a psychological thriller instead of a straight drama. As his daughter (played lovingly committed yet on the cusp of a breakdown at all times by the wonderful Olivia Colman), and others, enter and exit his world, nothing is certain for character or audience, allowing us to feel the suffocating struggle that loss of memory must have on those who suffer from it, and provoking a level of empathy for them that I’ve previously not experienced.

 

7. PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN – Stylish, twisted, bitingly mean, deviously funny, and yet confidently firm in what it has to say about rape culture and those who protect it. Like its title, writer/director Emerald Fennell is a promising young woman, too, crafting a multi-tonal thriller that puts a new spin on a familiar revenge story in a way that definitely leaves a mark. It helps that the film is led by Carey Mulligan, in what is at least equal to the best work of her career, and features an expertly curated soundtrack. This is an ambitious and fascinating confrontation of a toxic masculinity culture that needs to disappear and the grief and trauma victims of it face.

 

6. CHARM CITY KINGS (HBO Max) – It’s not often that a film is as fresh to me as “Charm City Kings”. I can honestly say that I’ve never seen anything quite like the perspective of this coming-of-age story before and I was blown away by the feelings it left me with and the strong character development throughout. It follows a group of young teenagers navigating life in Baltimore while admiring a local biker gang, learning about masculinity and loyalty along the way. Ángel Manuel Soto has created something special and rapper Meek Mill is a revelation in a powerfully emotional supporting role.

 

5. SMALL AXE: LOVERS ROCK (Amazon Prime Video) – This movie is a vibe. Steve McQueen offers a prime example of not padding a story just to hit some arbitrary runtime. This is one night, one party in a West London neighborhood in the 1980s, and the narrative doesn’t need more than that to completely immerse us in the experience of these would-be lovers and others just wanting to dance the night away in carefree bliss. There is no overarching conflict or problem to solve, just a few instances of natural interpersonal drama between party-goers throughout the evening. The aesthetic is incredible with a hazy cinematography as if the camera was shooting through the clouds of marijuana smoke that fill the house, and the music is flat-out incredible, provoking an involuntary response for the viewer’s body to move to the sweet rhythms and lyrical sexiness of Mercury Sound’s reggae jams. In the film’s final moments it captures the hope and feelings of newfound love beautifully and realistically, and leaves us with a smile that will go down as one of 2020’s best film moments for me.

 

4. NOMADLAND – “Nomadland” is a tremendous portrait of the American vagabond uprooted by recession, constantly moving as a means of survival, while simultaneously experiencing the world around her in a way that so few of us ever really do. Chloé Zhao’s use of non-actors again elevates her film, giving it a sort of slightly dramatized documentary feel. Hearing the real-life stories of nomads that Fern meets on the road and watching her learn about their ways was enlightening and humbling, showcasing a segment of humanity that is far less reliant on luxuries than I will likely ever be. Joshua James Richard’s sweeping, majestic Midwestern cinematography captures beautiful landscapes in wide glory but Zhao knows when to have him come in close to show us the incredible emotional tolls on Fern, thanks to what I believe is a career-best performance by the great Frances McDormand. And Ludovico Einaudi’s melancholic and moving score triggered tearful eyes nearly every time it sparingly appeared.

Above all else, “Nomadland” is an inspiration, much in the way that something like “Into the Wild” has always been for me. It offers an awakening to the very real struggles some face in the 21st century, and reminds us that home truly is where the heart is, while no doubt leaving a lingering mark on your soul. Zhao’s storytelling approach is truly something special and combined with her unique cinematic eye and gift in editing this film proves that “The Rider” was no fluke and she is one of the most important voices in American filmmaking right now.

 

3. RIDE YOUR WAVE (Hoopla) – “Ride Your Wave” walloped me emotionally and is my new favorite film from Masaaki Yuasa. It’s a romantic dramedy anime with relatively restrained use of fantasy elements (for Yuasa, at least) and a reoccurring musical theme that gives me strong “La La Land” vibes. It also teaches how to make great coffee, which is a huge bonus! The film is gorgeously animated with a softer style that perfectly fits the tone of its story and has nuanced emotional depth as it deals with love, loss, and what it means to move on. It’s also an extremely accessible anime for mainstream animation fans and nice to see something in the genre that focuses on adults and not teens. Year after year, I continually find myself drawn to romantic stories in anime and while that has mostly been Makoto Shinkai pictures, I’m thrilled to find other directors hitting those same chords that resonate with my heart.

 

2. THE WAY BACK (HBO Max) – “The Way Back” is not without its typical sports cliches in the personalities and stories of the basketball team players, but it is also a film that completely subverts them when it comes to its overall primary character arc and ending. It’s an addiction drama about how we cannot change the past, but how we can affect the future, one step at a time, and of the impactful part relationships and passions play in that process. It is a feel-good basketball story with a dose of exciting in-game action, some hearty laughs, and plenty of sincere feels, made even more special when you consider the cathartic personal role it played in Ben Affleck’s own recovery. Director Gavin O’Connor has cemented himself as the king of this genre and is now 3 for 3 with sports drama masterworks. (Hear our discussion about “The Way Back” in Episode 260 here.)

 

1. SOUL (Disney+) – At first, you might not think “Soul” is Pixar’s most perfectly entertaining film from start to finish. It definitely feels like some of their heaviest existential drama to date and is less accessible for younger kids, but it all comes together to pay off brilliantly in an absolutely triumphant and moving final act reached through a screenplay that deftly navigates complicated concepts. What personality traits are we born with and how do we choose our passions are among the big questions asked by Pete Docter and crew this time around, and it will certainly get you thinking about your own life, how you got here, and where you’ll go next. The score by Reznor and Ross is my favorite of the year and the film’s vibrant visuals (which look incredibly different when in New York or in the spirit world) are stunningly gorgeous, unsurprisingly making me very sad that I wasn’t able to see this in a theater. Thankfully, for viewers who do find it a bit abstract, the talking cat helps keep it light despite the big ideas and characters dealing with death. Ultimately, “Soul” is a tender film and one that is refreshingly all about hope and realizing just how incredible every day of life is whether we have attained our dreams or not.


Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. He reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted, and follow along with his daily film thoughts on Letterboxd. 

MOVIE REVIEW: Made in Italy

Rating: R / Runtime: 1 hour and 33 minutes

The story in James D’Arcy’s directorial debut is a familiar one. A character estranged from someone they love learns the truth about why their relationship has fractured and finds reconciliation while spending time together away from their normal lives with a focus on reminiscing about the past. In this particular telling, Jack (Micheál Richardson) is facing an impending divorce and seeks his father’s help to fix up their old house in Tuscany, Italy in order to sell it so that Jack can purchase a London art gallery from his soon to be ex-wife’s family. The villa is in rough shape, requiring much more effort than Jack was expecting, thus increasing the amount of time he and his bohemian artist father Robert (played by Richardson’s real-life Dad, Liam Neeson) must spend together. They argue often about the prospects of selling the family home and a general air of frustration looms due to the inability of the two men to discuss the circumstances of Jack’s dead mother, who died in Italy while he was a young boy, and why his father has been so removed from his life since then. While in Italy, Jack also meets beautiful local chef, restaurant owner, and single mother Natalia (Valeria Bilello), who further complicates his feelings about the future.

With very little imagination, you can likely figure out where this story goes. It is predictable in the most obvious of ways, despite the occasional surprise reveal about Robert and Jack’s past. And yet, the emotional journey “Made in Italy” takes the viewer on goes through so many feelings. It’s got a fair share of sadness and anger but plenty of happiness and hope, as well. Though the characters aren’t deeply developed, Neeson and Richardson (a first-time leading man) pair well together on screen and deliver an extremely believable portrait of these two men and their strained, yet clearly loving, relationship. The film’s mostly a drama with some hilarious natural comedy, but its romantic subplots are also genuinely sweet, handled with respect, and don’t overwhelm the narrative.
Visually, “Made in Italy” is a lovely film to look at. Mike Eley’s cinematography is effective in close-ups of characters and interior locations but really shines when capturing the beauty of the Italian landscape. There is, however, a lack of magic that many associate with Tuscany. Despite showing a few local meals and one particularly wonderful scene where the town comes together to watch an outdoor movie, it felt oddly like a side character when the setting should have been a star. Alex Belcher’s score is one other highlight to note, bringing in just the right soothing sounds to match the emotional beats of the film, and complemented well by a solid soundtrack.

“Made in Italy” is unlikely to be a film that turns heads as it does nothing flashy at all, but it is the kind of movie we simply don’t see much of anymore. There is no sex, there are no drugs, there is no violence, and its characters deal with their very realistic and human problems with maturity, kindness, and understanding, leading to a sweet depiction of relationship restoration that parallels the restoring of the house. I unexpectedly found myself swept up in its uplifting charm and find it to be some good hearty medicine during a difficult time in world history.

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Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. He writes reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted.

Episode 238: Greyhound

This week we cover the Tom Hanks penned and led intensely focused WW II Naval war film based on 1955 novel The Good Shepherd by C. S. Forester.

Greyhound Spoiler Review – 0:09:29

The Connecting Point – 0:50:05

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MOVIE REVIEW: Greyhound

Rating: PG-13 / Runtime: 1 hour and 31 minutes

“Greyhound” is a fictional wartime Naval drama set over a 5-day period early in 1942 during the Battle of the Atlantic and is based on the 1955 novel The Good Shepherd by C. S. Forester. Like the novel it is adapted from, director Aaron Schneider’s film tells the story of Commander Ernest Krause (Tom Hanks) as he experiences his first wartime action while leading an international convoy of 35+ merchant ships and Naval vessels across a dangerous section of the Atlantic dubbed the “Black Pit”, where ships were out of range and unable to rely on tactical air support. Schneider chooses to drop us directly into the action almost immediately and the film’s runtime of barely over 90 minutes is a gripping, intense sequence of cat and mouse played by the Navy destroyer and handful of dangerous German U-boats hunting the convoy. Unlike many wartime epics that rely on dramatic backstory and character building of the crew and enemy, “Greyhound” instead is experienced entirely from Krause’s point of view as he battles fatigue, self-doubt due to his own inexperience, and depression in addition to tumultuous weather, shortcomings of sonar and radar systems, and the enemy submarines themselves. In fact, there is nary a single named German individual met – the threat is the wolfpack of U-boats themselves and they are plenty deadly without knowing anything about the people who run them. The resulting picture is an engrossing one that thoroughly captures the oftentimes split-second chaotic decision-making that must take place in times of direct Naval conflict. Through the chaos and fear, Hanks carefully portrays Krause as a man who makes smart, quick decisions, and as a man of faith and respected leader whose fellow Officers and crew genuinely believe in and trust despite his own insecurities.

Hanks’ performance carries the emotional load and pairs perfectly with the incredibly well-shot Naval action by cinematographer Shelly Johnson. While some viewers may find the constant dark and stormy blue-gray color palette unappealing, I can tell you from personal experience that it is an accurate representation of how cold and miserable life out at sea in this area can be. Aerial shots of battle maneuvers were particularly awesome to watch, and throughout the film, Johnson is able to show us clearly the precision Naval tactics needed to succeed against such a harrowing threat, no small feat when the majority of camerawork is from the viewpoint of the ship’s bridge. A constantly pulse-pounding score by composer Blake Neely and exceptional sound design (the depth charge explosions, torpedoes, and 5-inch guns are loud and powerful just as they should be) help to round out some of the most immersive cinematic Naval warfare ever.

Hanks also penned the screenplay for the film and between the dialogue and his performance you can see that he has a passion for telling this story. His dedication to using correct Navy jargon was admirable and greatly enhanced the experience for this former Navy sailor. I found myself frequently noticing how accurate commands being given and life aboard the ship were. This is definitely a difficult choice for a writer to make because it means that some of the terms will not be understood by the audience, but I feel that Schneider took care to show enough visually that viewers will be able to follow what is taking place aboard the ship at all times.

“Greyhound” surprised me with its hyper-focused and claustrophobic storytelling and non-stop intensity, and it thrilled me with its tactical realism, but also managed to affect me emotionally as I considered how many lives were lost to battles like this one and what kind of stress civilian and military sailors must have faced during every crossing. Hanks is fantastic as the subdued Captain of the USS Keeling (call sign “Greyhound”) and has this ship sailing into 2020 claiming its place as one of the most historically accurate and best films centered around Navy combat to ever be made.

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Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. He writes reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Way Back

Rating: R / Runtime: 1 hour and 48 minutes

Director Gavin O’Connor is a master of the sports drama, previously hitting home runs with films about both MMA and ice hockey. Like in those films, his newest is a story that uses the backdrop of athletic competition for a character study. Jack Cunningham (Ben Affleck) is a blue-collar worker and alcoholic, separated from his wife, and drinking his way through life one beer at a time. One day, Jack receives a call from his alma mater, a Catholic High School where Jack was once a basketball star destined for collegiate glory, asking him to come in for a chat. It’s then that Jack is offered the head basketball coaching position for the rest of the season, where he will take over while the current coach recovers from illness. Jack, who has never coached before, reluctantly accepts and must find a way to connect with and teach the young undisciplined and under-talented players of the team, all the while still struggling with his addiction and a haunting past. 

In “The Way Back”, Jack’s alcohol use is front and center much more so than basketball. He always has a beer or a fifth of vodka in his hand, to the point where it might almost seem indulgent on the filmmaker’s part. But what Gavin O’Connor does is never let us forget that alcohol is a part of Jack’s life at all times. Jack is seemingly a good person, not one of the usual physically violent alcoholics we are used to seeing in the movies. His addiction is shown for what it is, a disease that can’t be controlled without intentional steps and help. A disease that finds a person drinking on the job, drinking on the drive to the bar after work, and then carrying a beer can into the shower because having a drink in hand has literally become a physical part of who the person is. Jack, like all alcoholics, drinks for a reason. Jack is angry about his past, something he can’t escape, and like so many who struggle with alcoholism, it has him in a dangerous downward spiral that is ruining his life.

Most films in this genre drive toward a final “big game” in which the sports team or individual must compete at the highest level, overcoming whatever obstacles were in their path to get there and earning redemption along the way. “The Way Back” is slightly different, instead alternating more often than expected between the excitement of Jack’s coaching up his team during the basketball season and the dramatic revelations about pieces of his past that have come to define him and lead to his current relationship with alcohol. O’Connor certainly still gives us time with the team. We get to know the various kids, their strengths and challenges, and a few of them are developed in meaningful (though fairly cliche) ways. But their stories are never the focus of the film. It’s always about Jack, and his life mirrors that of a real one, with ups and downs, wins and losses, belief that things have gotten better and devastating mistakes. It’s a relatable and smooth-transitioning narrative, one that never stopped being compelling.

Affleck’s performance is right there with the best he’s ever given. It’s an emotionally affecting, and clearly very personal, one that rarely goes over-the-top but has power in its subtlety. Coach Cunningham’s journey with the team is inspiring, even as we see his character flaws gradually revealed. It’s easy to have empathy for and root for his redemption, something I craved even more than seeing the team have success. Credit should also go to O’Connor and cinematographer Eduard Grau, whose outstanding use of beautiful close-ups really draws the viewer into some very vulnerable moments, both on Affleck alone and in deeply affecting scenes between him and his estranged wife Angie (Janina Gavankar). The film’s score by Rob Simonsen is absolutely gorgeous and almost ever-present, strings and piano keys nudging our hearts in various directions as Jack’s journey is made.

“The Way Back” is not without its typical sports cliches in the personalities and stories of the basketball team players, but it is also a film that completely subverts them when it comes to its overall primary character arc and ending. It’s an addiction drama about how we cannot change the past, but how we can affect the future, one step at a time, and of the impactful part relationships and passions play in that process. It is simultaneously a feel-good basketball story with a dose of exciting in-game action, some hearty laughs, and plenty of sincere feels.

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Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. He writes reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Invisible Man (2020)

Rating: R / Runtime: 1 hour and 50 minutes

Going back to its original roots as a novel by H.G. Wells and one of the original Universal Pictures Classic Monster Movies, the story of “The Invisible Man” involved a man whose experiments make him unseeable and eventually lead to a descent into madness and violence. For this modern reboot of the film franchise, writer/director Leigh Whannell brings the character crashing into the #MeToo era by centering this story on not The Invisible Man himself, but rather his primary victim. Whereas previous entries have been all about how a person deals with the effects of a strange new ability, Whannell’s film focuses on the perspective of those who suffer from a maniac’s abuse of power and control.

The film opens with an absolutely stunning night-time sequence of Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) suspensefully escaping the gorgeous, isolated home she shares with her brilliant, extremely wealthy, Optics scientist partner Adrien (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). Right from the start, Whannell lays out the kind of experience this film is meant to be, relying on skillful precision in cinematography by Stefan Duscio and a powerful, terrifying score by Benjamin Wallfisch to always keep the audience intensely on edge. Cecilia is a woman who we immediately understand is the victim of awful and frequent abuses. She is clearly terrified and we hold our breath while silently praying she gets away from a man we literally know nothing about yet. And this is merely the beginning.

After living in fear for a few weeks, Cecilia learns that her ex has committed suicide, and she is free to begin healing from the horrible domestic and sexual abuse we learn he committed. But she doesn’t really believe it, and it isn’t long before mysterious things begin happening, signaling to her that someone, or something, is stalking her from outside her view. It should come as no surprise to anyone that’s seen much of Moss’ filmography that the actress is as good as they come, and her performance here ranks among the best she’s ever given. For most of the film, she is in a growing state of panic, slowly losing her sanity, and displaying every emotion one could possibly imagine a victim of these evil crimes might experience. Her ability to convey fear, distrust, and deep deep pain via facial expressions and voice inflection is incredibly impressive and also extremely difficult to watch. 

Despite support and assistance from loved ones like her sister, a childhood friend who is conveniently now a police officer, and his teenage daughter, Cecilia struggles mightily when no one believes her claims that an invisible man is out to get her. The terror he eventually begins to reign on her is some of the best supernatural horror you’ll see. It’s minimalistic for so long in a way that makes the special effects extremely impactful when they do happen, and the same can be said for the film’s reserved use of physical violence. For most of the film, it’s emotional and psychological abuse that Cecilia faces the most, but you can always feel the intensity building to something. Eventually, there are a few spots where brief outbursts of bloody action occurs, often in rather shocking fashion. The film is never too gory, though, so viewers fearing an all-out slasher flick need not worry much. 

I can’t express enough just how wound tight “The Invisible Man” is from start to finish. This is a pressure cooker of a thriller where your body is constantly clinched as you are made to feel as if you know where this hidden assailant is at all times, just waiting for the moment when something extreme is going to happen. Sure, it’s got its share of jump scares, but most are effective and play very well with an excited audience, as does the action choreography, a continuation of the great work Whannell did in 2018’s “Upgrade”. Fight sequences with The Invisible Man are especially wonderfully crafted and very memorable.

“The Invisible Man” puts a new spin on a classic horror property with a sci-fi twist, plenty of surprises, and an all-too-real story from the perspective of someone who is tormented by her long-time domestic abuser. It is not always easy to watch, and trigger warnings definitely apply, but for those who can stomach the painful brilliance of Moss’ exceptional traumatic performance, catharsis and a genuinely unnerving but entertaining experience is to be had. Universal has finally figured out what a new line of monster movies can look like, with truly evil and unredeemable villainous fiends and social metaphors delivering a contemporary vision all their own. Let’s hope this is the start of a great franchise and not just a splendid flash in the pan.

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Aaron White is a Seattle-based film critic and co-creator/co-host of the Feelin’ Film Podcast. He is also a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society. He writes reviews with a focus on the emotional experience he has with a film. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when new content is posted.