I was able to see 37 first run films this year and herewith I present the list of my 10 favorite films from that list – in order of favoriteness.

Barbie. It has been a long time since I had this much fun at a film! I went for the fun, and stayed for the searing though remarkably hilarious social commentary. And please, people, don’t take your “Oscar Nomination Hate” out on Ryan Gosling. Along with Margot Robbie he was superb in this role. If Axe Body Spray were a person, it would be Gosling as Ken. Shout out to Simu Liu for his outstanding kenergy. I see you, man, and I applaud your 100% commitment to every scene!

The Holdovers. An acerbic and touching look at three people who have been individually marooned in their own lives, who are forced together by accident and who – through the mystery of human resilience – find a glimmer of meaning, personal insight and understanding. Also it is funny and Paul Giamatti and Da’vine Joy Randolph shine in their roles. 

Anatomy of a Fall. The mechanics of the film seem obvious – a legal procedural around a whodunit, but you suddenly find yourself mired in second guessing yourself, the facts presented, and the motivations and actions of everyone. Sandra Huller is absolutely wondrous in this performance, as are her two co-leads. Well, three co-leads if you count the dog who turns in an outstanding performance as well. Along the way, we learn you can do anything you want in a French courtroom, people!

American Fiction. You can watch this as a straight-up fun ride about a principled writer who cynically decides to submit a work of blacksploitation drivel to his publisher – and succeeds in an unnerving fashion. Or you can take it as a sobering indictment of us white people who dominate and manipulate cultural outlets for personal gain and other unsettling reasons. Or you can see it as a family drama. Cause it is all three and the glue holding it together is Jeffery Wright’s superb and restrained performance.

Godzilla Minus One. This version effectively amplifies the central metaphor of the Godzilla story to interrogate the American firebombing of Tokyo, the use of atomic weapons to destroy Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Imperialism of the Japanese and American governments,  the fact that nuclear families can sometimes be actually – uh – nuclear, and that – sometimes  - ‘we the people’ must take matters into our hands. Plus. Really excellent monster with very effective “death ray” capabilities.  Bonus for you “war bird nerds” – you get to see a couple of very interesting aircraft including the audaciously designed Kyūshū J7W Shinden fighter that was prototyped but never deployed. In the words of Ken: “So cool.”

All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt. A very, very quiet film with absolutely ravishing visuals. The story follows a young woman through several seasons of life – juxtaposing the internal and external chaos of her life against the quietude and solace of nature. A painterly, poetic film which may leave you scratching your head if you prefer a narrative-driven experience. 

John Wick 4. The customary wall-to-wall mayhem is revved up to new levels of baroque extravagance. And Donny Yen (arguably the best male martial artist actor working today) is just so darned much fun hamming it up alongside our beloved Keanu Reeves. I was pleased that the movie was approximately as loud as an airport runway because that covered my frequent guffawing and chuckling.

The Color Purple. A whirlwind of color, movement, song, and emotion. Everything a musical should be and more. I laughed, I cried, I emoted on demand. An excellent transfer of a complex, beautiful, and beloved book to the screen and musical format.

Poor Things. Well. I can honestly say that I have never seen anything like that before. And I am pretty sure I never want to see anything like that again. I marveled at so many of the elements of the film including design, costumes, screenplay, and performance that I could not look away even as I found it repulsive. PSA and Special Note For Those of You Who Have Not Followed the Chatter on This Film: Of the 141 minute run time, I would guess that at least 60 minutes is devoted to graphic, unerotic and unfun sex between the female main character and a series of grotesque men. I tell you this because it may not be your thing – as it is not mine, either! There are various interpretations of the utility and meaning regarding the director’s choice on this. I’m just a girl who likes the movies pointing out the facts.

Killers of the Flower Moon. There is a lot to admire in this film. Mainly Lilly Gladstone. When Ms. Gladstone was not on the screen, I confess that my mind wandered and I took in the excellent set design and marveled at the fact that the town clearly had a multitude of topnotch laundry and hairstyling services as everyone looked bandbox fresh in every scene – even if they had just had the stuffing knocked out of them or they were poisoned or in a drunken stupor or what have you.

Bonus: In these dark and difficult days for humanity I believe it is time, as Boone said (or was it Otter?) for a really stupid and futile gesture. And that gesture is a movie called Theatre Camp, which made me laugh out loud rather a lot. Oh, and Renfield. Delightfully, over the top, ridiculously stupid vampire movie with Nick Cage and Nicholas Holt providing the kenergy.

And everything else I saw in no particular order and I liked many of these quite a lot: Guardians of the Galaxy 3; Air; Blackberry; Beau is Afraid; Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning; Miracle Club; Mami Wata; Oppenheimer; Eileen; Rye Lane; Pigeon Tunnel; Ernest and Celestine the Trip to Gibberteria; Spiderman Spiderverse; Asteroid City; Equalizer 3; Three Women; Y2K; Natalia; Fallen Leaves; Fremont; Boy and the Heron; Wonka; Dream Scenario; Past Lives; Blue Caftan.

See you at the movies, people!