By Carlo Fine

Oh boy another letterboxd user who thinks his opinion matters, I’m sure we’ll be surprised by these hot takes! Alright I know I’m not reinventing the wheel with this format or the movies I’m including, but since Oscar season is approaching and I have strong opinions I might as well. I mean just in case, JUST in case, someone is interested in movies but doesn’t trust the academy or any of the big award shows, this will exist as an alternative. And yes, I know these are all quite popular but if you haven’t seen any then Check. Them. Out. I suppose I’ll label if they have any Oscar nominations in case you’d like to catch up before the awards. Assume If I put “best picture nominee” it’s got other nominations too, if I don’t mention best picture, I’ll mention what it got.

I’m not sure how to format this, if it should be a worst to best, most relevant to least, or just a sprawl of movies I liked. Eh I’ll have my favorites at the end to keep it suspenseful. Ooo I’m gonna annoy some people bwahahaha. Alright without further ado.

Honorable Mentions (all snubs) :

These are extremely different movies that I think deserve recognition but didn’t wow me enough to make the official cut.

C’mon C’mon is sweet, honest, wholesome, and as a friend pitched it to me, “a perfect movie to watch with my mom”. Mills is a sucker for coming-of-age stories and though this story was messy, unconventional, and honest in real life ways, it was a reality that lacks a certain edge. It came off as a watered down French New Wave type of movie. Maybe it’s the lack of immoral characters that exist in Mike Mills movies that interferes with my buying his realities or maybe I’m just too cynical, but I thought this could’ve packed a heavier punch.

Annette is the exact opposite of C’mon C’mon. It is strictly risky in every aspect and completely original in a way in which it almost wants you to not like it. Unfortunately, I did watch this with my mother, so the vivid sex scenes were ~fun~ to say the least. Although I appreciated the originality, it was so out there that after a certain point I found it hard to connect with anything. I respect this film immensely but wouldn’t feel right recommending it to most people.

The French Dispatch is both Wes Andersons best and worst film. It’s the peak of his visual storytelling, completely mastering every aspect of what makes a Wes Anderson film a Wes Anderson film. It’s quite comforting to know a movie like this can be made today. But in saying that, the story is not only confusing but it’s sort of… uninteresting. I don’t think I’d be alone in saying I didn’t care what happened and never felt much connection to any character. It’s impressive but was more potential than anything.

And finally, Pig. It’s the closest to making the list but is just short. It’s paced quite well and emotionally potent when it needs to be, but something about it felt predictable. It was a small story and did everything it was trying to do (which I really appreciate in movies), but even with its unique plot and characters, the way it revealed itself felt a bit on the nose. A bit too perfect.

Alright time for the real stuff: (It’s a top ten who knew?!)

*Power of the Dog*: Jane Campion: Best Picture Nominee

Power of the dog is a film that I couldn’t not include. It will most certainly win best picture, quote me on that after it happens, and it deserves it. I’m not saying it’s the best, or my favorite but it’s so competent in achieving the mood it sets to convey, so I won’t be mad when it wins. It’s tastefully slow, reveals itself subtly, contains some stellar performances, is visually stunning, and pays off by the end. Campion forces you to learn the standard of relationships and character types from the early twentieth century setting. It’s not too foreign from the America we know but is different enough to intrigue and immerse viewers. As for my gripes, at times I thought it was predictable, overly melodramatic, was distracted by some ill-fitting music, and felt how painfully classic American novel adjacent it was. Generally, I’m attracted to something a bit more realistic and applicable to my life, but I still appreciated this for what it was.

*Don’t Look Up*: Adam McKay: Best Picture Nominee

Here’s the part where I annoy people off and lose all credibility. Yes, I’m putting this above Power of the Dog. Don’t Look Up is so widely disliked for reasons I understand. It’s painfully not subtle and is politically preachy in one direction while trying to comment on the country’s political divide. A walking contradiction. But I…enjoyed it. Yes, it’s hypocritical in its big vague message, critiquing billionaires despite being made and starring notoriously out of touch multi-millionaires (Leo). But! In watching this (two times to see if I was crazy for liking it) I realized it’s not trying to be subtle. It made every joke, every millennial quip, and over the top analogy it could, being a gross exaggeration of our sociopolitical climate. From making fun of Trump, his staff, and family, to social media, clickbait, and fame, this absolute blockbuster doesn’t exactly play it safe. Even though it’s not a very realistic representation of our country, I think the fact that this movie exists and stirred the debates it did makes it a must watch for the year. If nothing else, it’s a cultural landmark, that in commenting on our country’s divide became the most divisive movie of the year. And if I’m being honest, I laughed out loud at multiple points, was fascinated by the plot, enjoyed the risks it took in editing, and really loved the ending. So there.

*Spencer*: Pablo Larraín: Best Actress Nominee

Tough to follow Don’t Look Up with anything, but here goes. Spencer is a subtle, gorgeous, moderately unbiased window into Princess Diana’s existence. It takes after hyper realistic movies in its weekend long, non plot, plot, and does not give into the Hollywood packaging with a bow on top. You don’t have to be particularly interested in Royal family lore or Diana to enjoy this; I know I’m not. It exists well as an interesting psychological portrait of a very iconic troubled mind. It’s not reinventing any wheels, but the combination of the tinted film cinematography, Kristen Stewart breakout performance, the brilliantly haunting classical score, and elements of horror, set it apart from most films to come out today.

*Judas and the Black Messiah:* Shaka King: 2020 Best Picture Nominee?

This one isn’t even fun to talk about. It’s just so solid and well put together that I have no jaw dropping things to say. The performances are phenomenal, it employs the Warner Bros big budget filmmaking look tastefully, flows well, has a great score, and there was a great balance between intense spectacle and small intimate moments. There’s also a lot of moral ambiguity where you can judge for yourself and draw the line at certain decisions/statements. It ventures far beyond the obvious “racism is bad” themes and showed lot of situations where questionable decisions were made and debated between people all striving for the same goal. The film did a great job of showing what happened without pushing any one agenda more than others. It's got suspense, action, heart, history, and realism, what more could you ask for. Probably the easiest film to recommend of all of these.

*Licorice Pizza:* Paul Thomas Anderson: Best Picture Nominee

Ok this is a bit more controversial. Centered around a relationship between a 15-year-old boy and a 25-year-old girl, Licorice Pizza is charmingly unconventional. I won’t get into why the age gap of that size existed or speculate theories of the title’s meaning, but I’ll say this: Licorice Pizza is a classic Paul Thomas Anderson weird character driven portrait of the 70s and does its job well. I won’t lie, the hype for this movie got to me and I was slightly let down given PTA just came off doing the masterful Phantom Thread, but this still fills a comfortable place in his catalog. It’s directionless and immersive in a very Robert Altman kind of way, emulative of Andersons early films like Boogie Nights or Magnolia, but with a fresh spin on them. The lack of direction forces you to focus on performance, character dynamics, and simply lose yourself in the world of San Fernando in the 70s. It’s not too heavy but doesn’t shy away from real and dark moments, and because of its zany plot, kept me on the edge of my seat. Like The French Dispatch, it’s very comforting knowing a movie like this could get made today. Timeless, pure cinema.

I’m surprised by how little I heard from this movie. Maybe it was the limited release, or just because it was competing with every best picture nominee, but I thought this was fantastic. In my very humble opinion, I’d say this is a step up from Baker’s critically acclaimed previous effort, The Florida Project. While enjoyable and very well made, at times I thought The Florida Project was exploitive of the impoverished lives it followed and pulled heart strings just for the sake of it. Something about showing and casting actual poor people in a fiction film about sad poor people felt like a low blow. Red Rocket on the other hand has the same salt of the earth, poor, underbelly characters (and like Florida Project uses a lot of non-actors whose life is probably similar to the characters they play), but unlike The Florida Project, it allows the viewer to laugh and relax. It’s equally intellectual, morally ambiguous and can be heavy if you’d like to look at it that way, but it can also be a more casual watch. The filmmaking is stylish and quirky, performances all superb, story unique and captivating, and the whole thing is honest! I’m so glad this wasn’t a tragic overdramatic A24 type movie. It’s tone of brutal honesty and comedy was daring and puts it in a lane of its own. Sort of a tragic comedy with more tragedy shown but more humor felt. It’s realistically crude and follows a very unlikable character, but I was able to laugh at him and with him, which is a very impressive feat. I really think this deserves more recognition as a unique, genre bending piece of genuine filmmaking! I hope it develops a cult following, but I have a feeling that a movie about an ex-adult film star and current male manipulator who falls in love with a high schooler isn’t exactly what today’s audience are looking for. All of Baker’s films have something to do with sex work but given this one is from the perspective of “the bad guy”, I don’t think fans of his previous work will have the same empathetic opinion of this. Personally, I see it as a modern French New Wave film in a good, boundary pushing way however: If you think the age gap from Licorice Pizza might disturb you, definitely don’t watch this. But if you’re ok with watching a pretty terrible (but fascinatingly unique!) guy flounder around for two hours, check this out.

As an active stand-up comedy fan, I’ve always felt disconnected from Bo’s work because it felt so theatrical and planned. It was clear he’s a wildly talented guy, but his dark or vulnerable jokes were always delivered in a way that hid his identity. His self-aware, witty observations of the digital world spoke to gen- z kids, and while I am “a gen-z kid” who appreciated him being the first comedian to do this, it also embodied the gen-z style of “everything’s awful but we’ll still laugh about it”. It didn’t show any real vulnerability. Some of my favorite elements of stand up are personal stories, and candid conversation in a way where it feels like you know them. Bo never did that... Until now.

Inside is the magnum opus of gen-z content, embodying the feelings of a generation in a style that makes perfect sense. Bo is forced to show his relationship with himself through the narrative of being stuck inside during the pandemic. While it’s guided by songs that poke fun of the pointless trends, and reality we’ve come to accept in the last year, there are snippets of very real, heart wrenching moments that allowed me to fall in love with him. As it progressed it became more and more meta and the narrative became clear, separating itself from any standup special, or film ever made. I loved 8th grade so much and was hoping he’d go back to movies given how intimate and real it was in showing mental health struggles, but he does it here just as well, so I can’t complain. In many ways this is a sequel to 8th grade with a different structure but similar themes. Because of its brutal honesty, Inside showed me sides of life I wanted to know but have been avoiding coming to terms with. It had very vivid representations of disassociation, anxiety, depression and the disappointment that one who over romanticizes life ultimately faces. I was shocked to find myself crying near the end of it because of how much I felt for Bo and his deteriorating mental state. The production value, music, editing, relevancy, relatability and structure were better than anything I could’ve imagined and what separates this from all his comedy is how real it is. I love Bo Burnham and I wish him blissful ignorance.

*Titane*: Julia Ducournau: Snubbed! (but won the Palme d’Or so..)

To be taught in gender and film classes for decades! More focused than Ducournau’s fascinating debut Raw, Titane is an improvement in every way. Titane doesn’t pander to any audience, being unapologetic in its unconventional genres, story, and visuals. Despite being classified as a Body Horror, I somehow found it to be incredibly heartwarming. The film serves as a metaphor for countless themes in the world of gender equality/expectations/pressures, sex, transgender issues, and the unfairness of womanhood. Building off the legendary body horrors of David Cronenberg and John Carpenter, it's a completely fresh take on the genre. The plot doesn’t wait for you, and if you can’t get behind its surreal and absurd nature, you’ll be lost. Saying that, as someone who doesn’t care for David Lynch surreal metaphor movies, I surprisingly found myself glued to the screen. Maybe because of the realistic acting and dialogue, maybe it’s the incredible visuals, but it just worked for me. While I did sit there theorizing and attempting to attach meanings for what was on the screen, it was still entertaining at face value. It’s stunningly shot, contains beautiful performances, has uniquely detailed characters and was paced so perfectly that I could’ve sat there for hours. Ducournau is an absolute force who I now regard among the ranks of young filmmakers like the Safdie brothers, Greta Girwig, Barry Jenkins, and Trey Edward Shults. It’s been months since I saw this film and I still think about it and what it could mean. My only complaint is that it didn’t go on longer. I didn’t expect to like it, not being a big fan of any sort of horror, but it charmed me beyond belief. If the level of manic rambling of this description hasn’t indicated this statement, I’ll just come out and say it: please see this film. Like it or not, it’s impossible to say Titane isn’t one of a kind. Go in blind and have fun for an insane viewing experience.

*The Worst Person in the World*: Joachim Trier: Best Original Screenplay Nomination

Now this is my kind of movie. Even with incredible expectations because of the director, genre, and trailer, I was still blown away. The Worst Person in the World is a fresh take on the coming-of-age film, which as a hopeless romantic I’ll always welcome. Split into 12 chapters serving as a collection of intimate chronological vignettes, it had a fascinating flow to it. Sort of like a dream but also imitative of memory, it provided for a great viewing experience. As far as stand out qualities went, it had a fantastic score/soundtrack, a very romantic naturally lit 35mm film look, was outstandingly written, performed, and did what it set out to do.

A specific quality I loved was how none of the characters were painted as entirely good or bad. Everyone had likable and unlikable qualities and you can form your own opinion on them. An Eric Rohmer movie is less intimate and more like spectating whereas a Richard Linklater film makes you fall in love with the characters. This was an interesting mix where you are very attached to her as if she's supposed to be a normal protagonist that you love and entirely empathize with but she's obviously flawed. You feel with her not for her. I never felt bad for her or particularly happy for her, I felt happy when she was and sad when she was. The themes of restlessness and indecision in adult life weren’t shoved in your face, being at the forefront but rarely addressed verbally. I wouldn’t say it said anything that hasn’t been said, but that’s because of how reflective of life it is. It was just great.

As a fan of this type of film, a romantic, realistic, movie, the type of movie I would like to make, it would be easy for me to put this as my favorite. It would be safe. I knew I would love it and I loved it. But I’d be lying to myself if I didn’t do what I’m about to do.

*Drive My Car*: Ryusuke Hamaguchi: Best Picture Nominee!

This film broke me. Removed from any experience I’ve come close to having, it gave me a new perspective on tragedy. Drive my Car to me is an updated, extended, and more fleshed out version of Three Colors: Blue (my favorite of the trilogy). At first, I was skeptical. I wasn't sure what was happening, what the movie was trying to say, or if it would just be some slow sappy melodrama. Eventually it started to unravel, revealing itself as something completely unique. It took the film school rule of "show don't tell" to uncharted territories, silently showing characters’ lives and letting the audience figure out what was happening (internally and externally) without making that a focal point of the film. It was so subtle and organic in presenting the world with no bias, no emotionally manipulative music, no zooms, not even tracking shots. Just a camera pointed at the characters, so strategically placed that it alone could send me down a spiral of thought. The story built so organically at its own pace, and when you finally figure out what the motivation/internal feelings the character is going through, it is eternally satisfying.

The characters were complex in a subtle way, changed in front of you in a subtle way, and were flawed in subtle ways. It’s just so subtle! One of my favorite themes was silence. Inaction was the big theme, but silence was the practice of it. The powerful silence spoke more than any words could. Throughout the film silence could mean restraint, fear, sadness, or love. It didn't need to make sense or tell a story, and didn't feel like it was, but it did, and it was beautiful.

The only gripe I have is that I'm not familiar with the play that ends up being a prominent guiding point for the plot. I want to watch that, learn it's significance and then re-watch this to fully understand it.

This is possibly the most subtle movie I've ever seen. I still can't believe that it came out in the age we're in and that I saw it in theaters. There were moments that would’ve been melodramatic or even cheesy in any other movie but in Drive My Car they were devastating. Can’t think of the last time a movie like this came out.

I’m crying because they’re not crying.

So that’s it, Power of the Dog is winning it all, Don’t Look Up is better but Drive my Car is the best. Thanks for reading my nonfiction, non-opinion, factual list.