We have been given many new movies over this past year, and in this age of streaming, we have more exposure to new media than ever before. Across all of these platforms, I have put together a list of my must-watch movies of this year. Some were released in theaters, while others on digital platforms. I narrowed it down to my top 10 movies. Each falls into one of the following five categories: horror, comedy, Wes Anderson, biopics and weird. I could not bring myself to rank them.
Horror:
We all like a good scare, so here are two films I consider to be instant horror classics.
“Talk to Me”
As psychological thrillers grow in popularity, movies with such genius as “Talk to Me” emerge.
“Talk to Me” is an Australian horror film directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman and was inspired by a concept by Daley Pearson.
The movie follows Mia (Sophie Wilde), who recently lost her mother and is struggling with her sudden death. Mia and her brother, Riley (Joe Bird), attend a party where the guests are invited to play a game similar to an Ouija board. The game is played with a dismembered and misshapen hand that appears to be embalmed. The hand’s origins are unknown, but it holds a lot of power.
If a participant shakes the hand, lights a candle and says, “Talk to me,” the participant will be possessed by a spirit through the hand after saying, “I let you in.” In order to prevent spirits from binding themselves to that person, someone else must end the possession in 90 seconds by pulling away the embalmed hand and blowing out a candle to cut the connection.
Mia volunteers to go first and is possessed by a spirit that displays a menacing focus on Riley. Following this experience, Riley goes next and displays the spirit of his and Mia’s mother. Mia, happy to speak to her mother, ignores the time limit and causes the spirit to latch onto Riley, causing him to self-harm.
The experience gave Mia such a euphoric high that she continued to use the hand, causing reality and hallucinations to blend together, inflicting pain on herself and those around her.
What makes this movie so memorable is the grasp it has on the viewer. The story is so original and shocking it holds you on the edge of a cliff the entire time. Critical and public response to the film is fairly consistent in favor of the film.
“The Last Voyage of the Demeter”
“The Last Voyage of the Demeter” is an American supernatural film based on the chapter of Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula: The Captain’s Log.” Directed by Bragi F. Schut Jr. and Zak Olkewicz, “The Last Voyage of Demeter” follows what was supposed to be a typical trip on a merchant ship called the Demeter. The Demeter makes a port in Varna, Bulgaria, to pick up cargo for transportation to London.
The shipment, consisting of large wooden crates, is transported by locals from Romania. However, the locals refuse to load the cargo onto the ship, insisting they must leave the area before sundown.
One of the crew members, Clemens (Corey Hawkins), is a doctor. While exploring the ship, he finds a spilled crate with a woman inside who appears to have been buried alive and heavily deficient in blood.
In the original telling of the Demeter, it sailed into the harbor empty with no crew aboard. While the ending of this story may seem apparent to you, the writing and directing still do a fantastic job of keeping you on your toes. What put this story on my top 10 list is that it is a perfect example of a classic with a twist. We all know the story of Dracula, but do we know how he came to London and at what cost?
Comedy:
It’s easy to dismiss comedy as a serious category as the market is flushed with lowbrow pandering blockbusters, but these movies break out of the stereotype and bring a good laugh and great story.
“Bottoms”
“Bottoms” is an awkward, satirical teen comedy written by Rachel Sennott and Emma Seligman and directed by Seligman. From producers Elizabeth Banks, Max Handelman and Alison Smith, this movie was sure to be a sight to see, as they had formerly produced “Pitch Perfect” and “Cocaine Bear.” Audiences had no clue what to expect.
Josie (Ayo Edebiri) and PJ (Rachel Sennott) are typical, awkward high school teens who have never had sex. The girls have crushes on the cheerleaders at their school but don’t know how to approach them in a way that wouldn’t make high school even harder for them.
After an outing at the beginning of the year that resulted in the injury of a friend’s boyfriend, the girls come back to lofty rumors at school, making them gain a stuffy and feared reputation. When their principal threatens them with expulsion, Josie lies that they were simply practicing for a feminist self-defense club.
PJ and Josie decide to actually set up the self-defense club in the name of female empowerment. However, the motives of this club are hazy. The girls want to use it to get attractive girls to have sex with them. They ask Mr. G (Marshawn Lynch), a careless and disinterested history teacher currently going through a divorce, to be their advisor.
As expected, the club is less than productive, and the girls get into trouble as their lie expands and truths resurface, but when faced with actual danger, the club is more than ready to take action.
Again, originality takes the cake, as this film was unlike any that I had seen yet. Its bizarre and, at times, hyperbolic storyline made for an ironic and hilarious movie.
“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.”
Based on a 1970s novel for young readers Margaret Simon, the movie follows the storyline of the book quite closely. The film was written by Kelly Fremon Craig.
We follow 11-year-old Margaret Simon (Abby Ryder Fortson) being told by her parents, Barbara (Rachel McAdams) and Herb (Benny Safdie), that they are moving from New York to the suburbs of New Jersey. Not wanting to leave her friends and grandmother behind, she pleads with God.
Because her mother is Christian and her father is Jewish, Margeret was raised without religion or religious holidays. For the remainder of the film, we see Margaret navigate friendship, religion, faith, love, anxiety and anger.
This is a feel-good movie, for sure. It’s cute and relatable, as we have all been 11 before, and we know the tribulations that follow. It’s well-written and follows the novel quite nicely. This coming-of-age film is my new favorite.
Wes Anderson:
With such a brilliant director as Anderson, it’s hard not to give him his own category.
“Asteroid City”
While some call “Asteroid City” a dramatic comedy, I find it more humorous than dramatic.
Like most Wes Anderson movies, there is a sense of whimsy and dry humor throughout the film. Anderson wrote, directed and produced the film. Although many think of Anderson as an indie filmmaker, this movie did tremendously at the box office.
The film is a live production of a play set in the 1950s. The play takes place in a strange place called Asteroid City. In the play, a youth astronomy convention is held in the fictional desert town.
A photojournalist (Jason Schwartzman) and his genius son (Jones Hall) arrive at the junior stargazers convention held in the city. After some car trouble on the way there and a gruff interaction with their father-in-law, some unfortunate news is revealed to the child.
Once they make it to the convention, the father and son make themselves comfortable in the city and even gain love interests, but when some extraterrestrial intervention occurs, the play takes an unexpected turn. The play gained national popularity.
What makes this film so special is how “Wes Anderson” it is. This movie encapsulates his style to a T. Some think he leans too far into the fine details, but I think that’s what makes this film so special. Anderson’s color palette, balanced framing, deliberate character movement and “out there” script make “Astroid City” a must-watch for those wishing to dip their toes in the fantastical world of Wes Anderson.
“The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”
“The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” is based on Roald Dahl’s short story “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More.” The film is the second book adapted by Anderson, the first being “The Fantastic Mr. Fox.” “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” was written, directed and produced by Anderson.
The film is narrated and follows the text of the story rather than adapting it to a script. We follow Henry Sugar (Benedict Cumberbatch), the sobriquet of a bachelor who uses his inherited fortune to fund his gambling habits.
One day, he comes across a book of a doctor’s report of Imdad Khan (Ben Kingsley), a man who claimed he could see without using his eyes. After reading the book, Henry sets out to learn how to see without using his eyes to become a better gambler.
He follows a strict regimen and finally gains the ability to see without looking after many years of practice and solitude. After making an insurmountable fortune, he decides there is more to life than money and sets out to make a difference.
What makes this film so amazing is its juxtaposition of a classic story being told in a fresh way. The message of this work is the most powerful of any on this list. I won’t go into it out of fear of spoiling it, but if you were to watch any film from this list, make this the one you watch.
Biopics:
With so many amazing people on this earth, it’s rare that we get the chance to hear their stories. Here are two stories that truly inspired me this year. Movies can often inspire us, but when you know that it’s the story of real people making real change in the world, it’s all the more powerful.
“Nyad”
“Nyad” is a biopic directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, and written by Julia Cox. The sports drama follows the legacy of Diana Nyad, a professional swimmer, and stars Annette Bening as Nyad.
A 60-year-old athlete well into retirement reminisces over her failed attempt to swim from Florida to Cuba. Not being able to get the defeat out of her head, Nyad begins to train.
Despite pushback from friends, family and trainers, Nyad sets out to finish what she started all those years ago.
The biggest obstacle is that she wishes to make the journey without a shark cage.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the website’s consensus reads: “‘Nyad’ is an uplifting sports biopic strictly on the merits of its story, but it’s the outstanding performances from Annette Bening and Jodie Foster that really keep this picture afloat.” I couldn’t agree more. This inspirational film is such an uplifting and heartwarming work is fit for the whole family. As a former swimmer, this film was such an inspiration to me as an athlete and many other athletes young and old.
“Flamin’ Hot”
“Flamin’ Hot” is a biographical comedy directed by Eva Longoria and written by Linda Yvette Chávez and Lewis Colick. It is based on the memoir “A Boy, a Burrito and a Cookie: From Janitor to Executive” by Richard Montañez, who claims to have invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Richard Montañez (Jesse Garcia) begins this movie in 1966 as a young boy who sells burritos to other children. He is arrested for the large sum of money he made after nobody believed he made it honestly.
Richard grows up and gets a job as a janitor at Frito-Lay. Richard begins paying attention to all the intricacies of the factory and starts to show an interest in learning the operations of the machines.
After some financial struggles, Frito-Lay is struggling to appeal to people the way they used to, and their profits are struggling. After getting elote with his son, Richard gets an idea. What if they came out with a spicy flavor that appealed to the Hispanic population?
After the higher-ups try his new flavor, they are instantly hooked, and Richard reaps what he sews.
What makes this story so interesting to be on my top 10 list is its originality. This is a story that nobody would have heard otherwise. The story of a true underdog makes it an amazing representation of Hispanic culture making its mark on the United States.
Weird:
This category could very easily be roped in with the horror genre, but the surrealist nature of these movies sets them apart from the rest.
“Beau Is Afraid”
“Beau Is Afraid” is an American surrealist thriller written, directed and produced by Ari Aster. The film is produced by A24, which is my personal favorite production company.
Beau (Joaquin Phoenix) is the son of a world-famous businesswoman who has built a large empire and raised her son without the help of his father, who died the night Beau was conceived.
As an adult, Beau is an anxious recluse in a horribly crime-ridden city. After being mugged, Beau misses a flight to see his mother and is forced to stay on the streets. After a while, he calls his mother to find that something terrible has happened to her. In a state of panic, Beau is injured.
After waking up days later, he finds himself in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people. Beau hitchhikes to his mother’s estate to attend her funeral, only to find that he missed it.
Some odd things start to occur, and Beau is having a hard time discerning truth from reality.
This movie is one of those that you need to take a long walk after watching. It’s heavy, intense, disturbing and euphoric. The movie’s surrealism adds to the torment of this film. This movie did not make it to the horror category as it seemed more like a thriller and ultimately seemed too weird not to get its own category.
“The Menu”
Even though it came out in late 2022, I felt it should still be mentioned in this list. It’s funny, gory, exciting and unique. This American film was written by Seth Reiss and Will Tracy, based on an original story created by Tracy and produced by Adam McKay, Betsy Koch and Will Ferrell.
We follow Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) and Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy). Tyler is a foodie who lives and breathes fine dining, while Margaret is simply his date and is paid to be there. They arrive at an exclusive fine dining restaurant in a remote location that is only accessible by boat. It is revealed that Margot is not Tyler’s designated guest. This causes some issues.
It is revealed that the chef is world-renowned and is heavily revered by his patrons. Chef Slowik is played by Ralph Fiennes. The landscape and decor of the establishment are daunting. The first course causes some discrepancies with the patrons, and some uproar ensues. After the drama dies down, the guests are met with their next course, which is even more disturbing than the last.
After this, the customers realize this is no ordinary restaurant.
This movie takes so many twists and turns it feels like a go-cart track. The unpredictable and unforgettable events will change the way you look at fine dining forever.