50. PIECE BY PIECE

Piece By Piece is baffling. The equivalent of a feature-length troll, this movie lacks any semblance of sincerity towards Pharrell's story, and it tries to disguise that with a questionable LEGO filter. Piece does nothing to change our perception of Pharrell, and it’s more interested in being a fluff piece with comically little about his family life or any humiliating conflict, not to mention a final ten minutes that just made me go, "No, they are not doing this!" If there is something more to Pharrell's story, this movie does a poor job showing that, and for a movie that preaches imagination, this had none.

49. ON SWIFT HORSES I couldn't have left the theatre faster once On Swift Horses ended. A truly dreadful experience, it may bring up some interesting ideas on sexuality and impulse, but it winds up being dull and shallow, evaporating any intrigue it ever presented. The cast is... decent. Jacob Elordi is clearly the best-in-show, but it gets so lost in itself and so visually ugly that I struggled to fully grasp what the central point of everything was. Some moments felt like they existed only to amp up the drama, but it ended up making me feel nothing.

48. PEDRO PÁRAMO

Man, I was really rooting for Rodrigo Prieto. In his directorial debut, the legendary cinematographer shows nothing but absolute incompetency with Pedro Páramo, with everything looking poorly lit with plenty of weak backdrops. Worst of all, though, it is way too quickly into the movie’s sloppy structure and confused narrative when I was just completely out of it. It lost me so hard that, around the 40-minute mark, I fully gave up on trying to piece together what I was supposed to take away from this, which made the rest of the film pretty nauseating to sit through.

47. RUMOURS I'll always respect a swing for the fences, but you gotta have something to back those swings up. Rumours doesn't have that. I liked the ensemble, and it got some laughs out of me, but it pretty quickly falls off its central concept. Then, the laughter begins to trickle out, and the movie becomes utter nonsense. Its commentary on world leaders' incompetency is lazy, and for a movie with three directors, one of which is the seasoned Guy Maddin, it feels a lot like a student film. Rumours is just a really bad movie, plain and simple.

46. THE DEB At the beginning of The Deb, Rebel Wilson shows some heavy promise as a director through an excellent musical number. It all goes downhill from there. From then on out, the music is somewhat catchy, but the numbers are bland; the humour is incredibly obvious; it looks really ugly; and its commentary on Gen-Z is as shallow as the people it's trying to mock. I have no real issues with the ensemble, and the film itself has a sincere message, but overall, I thought a lot of this movie was rough.

45. OH, CANADA

Thank God, Oh, Canada is short because I struggled through this one. Richard Gere and Jacob Elordi are great, but writer/director Paul Schrader's meditation on life and taking into account one's regrets winds up being self-indulgent to the point where the film's thesis gets lost. Schrader’s approach is just too all over the place to even respect the ambition. Not every directorial and writing decision is awful, but the vast majority are a huge miss. On top of that, the ending is laughably bad. Granted, I haven't loved late-stage Schrader, but this is my least favourite from him.

44. K-POPS! From an objective standpoint, K-Pops is horrible. The direction from Anderson.Paak is supremely flat with pacing that doesn't even exist, while the writing is a minefield of cliché, toothless commentary on pop culture, unfunny jokes, and unjustifiably half-assed story beats. And yet, despite all that, I kinda fell for it. Again, awful movie, but Anderson.Paak is entertaining in front of the camera, making it endearing to watch. Shortcomings aside, it's clearly made with no cynicism; it's just that Anderson.Paak is bad at making movies. Still, I didn't hate watching it.

43. PAYING FOR IT Paying For It hits the ground running quickly with an interesting concept that very quickly shows that director/co-writer Sook-Yin Lee didn't have that much on her mind. It could've been an interesting look at polyamorous relationships, but it's just the two main characters sleeping with other people for its whole runtime, never really evolving its thesis, content to just go in circles. There are a few laughs, and the two central performances are great, but when the movie ended, I didn’t feel like I went through anything interesting. A very repetitive movie that falls flat in too many ways.

42. SEEDS Seeds is very messy. The movie attempts to comment on the preservation of reservation communities, but, instead, it winds up being as shallow as the Gen-Z archetypes the film is trying to satirize. The movie also can't pick a tone to save its life. I'm not saying I never had fun, but the movie never commits to the horror aspects while a lot of the comedy falls flat. On top of that, a lot of the flashy concepts are underdeveloped to the point of just being nonsense. The ending does leave the film on a high note, but it's an overall mess.

41. THE ROOM NEXT DOOR

It's with a heavy heart that I say The Room Next Door is pretty bad. Granted, it’s not the worst thing in the world, as I thought Julianne Moore and especially Tilda Swinton were great. I also can tell writer/director Pedro Almodóvar's intentions were pure in his approach to morality and accepting death. But, my God, the script is quite terrible. Beyond the Tommy Wiseau-esque dialogue, the movie starts with random non-sequiturs that add to nothing. I didn't buy the central bond, either, and the plot's progressions feel so forced. I love Almodóvar, but this is not it.

40. BETTER MAN

My expectations for Better Man were really low, given that director/co-writer Michael Gracey's last film, The Greatest Showman, is one of my least favourite movies ever. So in that regard, I suppose Better Man surpassed my expectations. The CGI monkey looks amazing, and I do admire how unsanitized the approach to Robbie Williams’ life is. That said, while the movie tries throwing some flashing lights and gimmicks at us, it doesn't change the fact that it follows an uninteresting and basic biopic format. It certainly wasn't as bad as I feared, but I'll never see it again. -

39. UNSTOPPABLE Unstoppable is the same sports biopic you've seen before. I do appreciate how the movie skipped any pity for the protagonist, and I'm once again really impressed with Jharrel Jerome's range. However, it's an obvious movie that begins and ends how you expect it to. That's not to say ineffective, but it's lazy. I don't understand why filmmakers feel the need to go down this path constantly when approaching these types of stories. Also, despite great turns from Jennifer Lopez and Bobby Cannavale, the domestic storyline is really bad. Audiences will fall for Unstoppable, I'm sure. I did not.

38. ICK For the first half of Ick, I was having a ball because I was really into the maximalism of it all. I laughed along with it, I dug the 2000s needle drops, and when the central action first kicked in, it was gross and fun to watch. Then the second half happens, which just isn’t as fun. It gets way too messy, throws in some random COVID-19 metaphors out of left field, and a lot of the jokes and forced heart fall flat. It gets too into itself, and doesn’t have much else to say, sadly.

37. NIGHTBITCH Nightbitch is an interesting movie for many reasons. No matter where you stand on the film itself, it's hard to deny that Amy Adams gives a great and committed performance. However, Nightbitch is a story of two movies. One of them is a grounded and effective domestic story with realistic disputes and challenges, which I've always found writer/director Marielle Heller best at. The second is absurdist, which really brings the total product down. A lot of it felt random without bringing much to the table. It’s just sloppily thought out. I'm in the middle on Nightbitch, leaning slightly towards negative.

36. THE LAST SHOWGIRL

The Last Showgirl just misses the mark for me. The performances are one of the obvious reasons you watch this movie, and they deliver. Pamela Anderson does something unlike anything you've ever seen from her, while Dave Bautista continues to show his range in a silent, nuanced role. Kiernan Shipka and Jamie Lee Curtis also are excellent. And admittedly, the movie is well shot and well paced, too; however, its story of re-discovering your purpose in the world felt pretty underdeveloped. It’s too rushed for its own good, ending up being ineffective. It might resonate with some, but I wanted more. 

35. THE PIANO LESSON

The Piano Lesson sports an incredible ensemble of actors giving it their all, especially Danielle Deadwyler, who carries the movie every time she's on screen. Sadly, that ensemble is the film's brightest spot because, overall, I found the film to be pretty messy. It isn't awful, and unlike previous August Wilson adaptations (Fences and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom), director Malcolm Washington gives this more liveliness than a stagey feel. However, its themes of legacy and family are so lost in the film's many subplots that once the film reached its resolution, I didn't feel anything. 

34. THE END I was hoping that Joshua Oppenheimer, a director whose documentaries have an incredibly cinematic vision, would bring that same vision to feature films. I'm sad to say, though, that his feature debut, The End, is disappointing. That's not to say it's all bad. The ensemble is excellent, the music can be catchy in the moment, and its ideas and execution of its concept are very interesting. That said, as someone who can handle a cold slow burn, this one's distance is not engaging, and it makes the themes of powerful people coping with their actions lacking in long-lasting effect.

33. PRESENCE There is a lot of fun to be had with Presence despite its many obvious shortcomings. I thought the POV gimmick might quickly become annoying, but it wound up being surprisingly effective. That said, the horror is just a weak backdrop to a poorly written family drama with M. Night-level dialogue that only Chris Sullivan is able to make sound believable. As the movie reaches its conclusion, the established rules start to make less and less sense. It genuinely made me wanna scream "WHAT?!" But... I kind of enjoyed that, despite it being utter nonsense.

32. THE LUCKIEST MAN IN AMERICA

The Luckiest Man in America is probably the best version of what a movie adaptation of this story could look like. The story of Michael Larson (Paul Walter Hauser) isn't anything that grand, and I kinda thought the movie's attempts to make him out to be some folk hero were a little misguided; however, I still had fun. Hauser gives yet another great, ego-less performance that's easy to root for, and I enjoyed the kinetic editing. The writing is serviceable enough too, with some effective laughs and heart thrown in there. The overall experience was pleasant but forgettable.

31. ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL

On paper, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl could have been one of the year's most talked about films, but something was lost in the execution. Well acted across the board, Rungano Nyoni wrote and directed this film with a very unique lens, leaning heavily into absurdism in its approach to toxic familial relations and the dark secrets that lurk underneath. That said, a lot of the absurdism winds up being less poignant and more confusing, resulting in a film that winds up being kinda messy and unclear on exactly what it wants to say. I respect the swings, but this was mostly a miss. 

30. KILL THE JOCKEY Kill the Jockey has a whole lot of character to its presentation but falls flat when it comes to its actual characters. I do admire director/co-writer Luis Ortega's ambitions, and I believe the central conceit of "killing your past self so your true self can be born" may resonate with some given the queer storyline. However, I felt nothing for the characters as it became very clear early on that Ortega was more interested in how the story was told and not in the story itself. I wish we could've gotten the more realized version of what was intended.

29. JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE

There is absolutely nothing mind-blowing in Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, but there's also very little to dislike. It's a sweet and innocent film, with sincere intentions in its approach to desire, some laughs, some nice scenery, and a great lead performance from Camille Rutherford. Plot-wise, once it gets going, it's pretty obvious where it's gonna land, and nothing really happens to dispel any predictable outcome I thought would happen. Nonetheless, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life is a nice palette cleanser and an easy watch, even if it's just a one-timer. 

28. EDEN As low a bar as it may be, Eden is director Ron Howard's best effort in a while. It's visually very bland, and it starts off pretty thin and uninteresting. However, once Ana de Armas kicks down the door with her new energy and show-stealing performance, the movie kicks into a much different gear. While still not excellent, the movie becomes an eye-opening rush of adrenaline that keeps upping the ante with its thrilling exploration of human nature and how ugly it can be when ego takes over. I wasn't expecting to be into it, yet I was.

27. EMILIA PÉREZ

While there are a handful of misfires in Emilia Pérez, I still really admire the ambitions. In the back half, the movie gets really messy as they introduce a little too much and the genre anarchy becomes more of a headache than fun. Overall, though, I was into the insanity that writer/director Jacques Audiard introduced. Not all of the music hits, but I enjoyed the musical numbers themselves, and I thought Karla Sodia Gascón and Zoe Saldaña were amazing. Whenever the movie is centred and focused, I was thoroughly engaged enough to say I really enjoyed Emilia Pérez.

26. THE WILD ROBOT The Wild Robot is... it’s solid. The animation is stunning to look at, the score by Kris Bowers is fantastic, it's got a good heart, and its themes of community are genuinely effective. A lot of the movie works, but the overall story is very generic and not that different from other Dreamworks movies. I even found some plot threads to be pretty rushed - for instance, the motherhood storyline - while endearing, I think it’s a little underdeveloped for me to fully feel what it wants me to feel. The Wild Robot is inoffensive and really good even, just nothing special.

25. SUPERBOYS OF MALEGAON There's a lot to like in Superboys of Malegaon, even when it's at its simplest. At over two hours, the movie stretches its basic concept way too wide, and it isn't until the final 30 minutes or so that the movie gets interesting. However, that last bit does successfully salvage the movie for the most part. As uninspired as the movie is, I found myself rooting for its protagonist, laughing alongside, and feeling the beating heart of the film, so it's hard for me to say I didn't enjoy it.

24. YOUNG WERTHER

Young Werther begins pretty basic. The direction is flat and the plot progresses in a fairly familiar way to most rom-coms, only this time with an unlikeable lead. But then, the movie shifts its tone to become more mature. The performances of Douglas Booth and Alison Pill kick up a notch too. I began to appreciate it for its honest and often funny portrayal of modern romance, leaning into the flaws and insecurities of its characters as it approached a satisfying third act. I didn't expect to relate to this film in the way I did.

23. FLOW

Flow is simply adorable, but I kind of wanted a little more. The animation is cute, with some beautifully grand visuals occasionally, and its concept is simple enough, featuring a band of animals trying to survive a flood. Plus, at just under 90 minutes, it never overstays its welcome and I did thankfully find myself constantly drawn towards the increasing action of the plot. However, the climate change themes are overshadowed by the "friends along the way" narrative. That all said, with no dialogue at all, Flow wound up being a very endearing watch. 

22. WE LIVE IN TIME

It's entirely possible that timing with personal things that happened in my life recently played a part, but I fell for We Live in Time. I recognize its shortcomings, namely that it's predictable and the film's non-linear storytelling doesn't add anything. That said, director John Crowley and writer Nick Payne seem to have had sincere intentions in making this, as the movie isn't overly sappy. It’s never trying to get tears, and is much funnier than you'd think. Plus, Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh's chemistry and charm add a lot, making this a lovely film, warts and all. 

21. THE FIRE INSIDE I didn't think I'd dig The Fire Inside, but I did. In her debut, Rachel Morrison shows she has a great directorial eye, as the film is excellently shot, especially the fantastic and kinetic boxing sequences. Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry are both incredible, too. In the first half, while some beats were familiar, it felt more realized than your average Coach Carter ripoff; then the back half made me remember that this was written by Barry Jenkins. Its position shifts to become an engaging and interesting film. The Fire Inside isn't groundbreaking, but I was pleasantly surprised.

20. THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG

For the first two acts of The Seed of the Sacred Fig, the film is a fascinating examination of Iran's corrupt political climate, the way Iran treats women, the new generation's political ideology, and those who blindly worship the political leaders that they are forced to conform to. The use of a family drama chamber piece works wonders early on, even with its obvious symbolism. However, the third act sadly swaps tones to a cat-and-mouse thriller that is riveting on its own, but the points writer/director Mohammad Rasoulof seemingly wanted to make become lost. Still, I'd recommend this film as vital viewing.

19. HERETIC

At its best, Heretic presents a wonderfully tense chamber piece with fascinating conversations about religion. Writer/directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods show off their horror talents when, even in seemingly mundane conversations, something obviously sinister is under the surface. Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East are great, but it is Hugh Grant's deceptive politeness that blew me away. That said, when the movie gets into the back half, it gets a bit too silly. The conversations in the first half struck a good line between silly and intense, but when it leaned too hard into horror, I felt the impact lessen.

18. QUEER Queer is easily director Luca Guadagnino's most out-there film to date, which comes with some downfalls. The movie can be very slight for a lot of people, and some of the more experimental stuff will not be everyone's cup of tea; however, even though the film was close to losing me a couple of times, it never did. I was into Guadagnino's psychedelic and loose portrayal of desire and the dream-like atmosphere throughout, as well as Daniel Craig's outstanding lead performance. This is certainly not the director's best, but Queer is still another win for the filmmaker.

17. DEAD TALENTS SOCIETY

Dead Talents Society is so much fun to watch. What could've been a cheap cult spoof on Beetlejuice turns into a little beast of its own, creating a hilarious, gory, and imaginative experience. The concept could have leaned into lazy jokes, yet it never does, and beyond the mayhem, there's a surprising amount of heart. The movie has a familiar but effective “found family” story that, even with the craziness and ultra-violence, has a touching throughline. Dead Talents Society is such an easy recommendation, and stay until the very end. Trust me.

16. CONCLAVE

Conclave is so much goofier than you'd expect from a movie about religion, and I say that complimentary. Featuring a stirring performance from Ralph Fiennes, Conclave is sabotage, conspiracy, twists, and shock at almost every turn. All of it is natural, too, never for the sake of a cheap rug pull, but instead to elevate a high-stakes thriller that had me second guessing and feeling tense throughout. The ending could divide audiences, but I thought it was a perfect cap to a film about how religious institutions desperately need to evolve. A well-crafted thrill ride of a film.

15. BABYGIRL

There is something interesting about Babygirl that I really love. It's a horny movie, for sure, but it's also very non-sensational. The eroticism is more in service of what writer/director Halina Reijn wants to say about untapped desire and power balance. Even in the movie's hottest moments, Babygirl is bound by a smart script that offers laughs and shock. With a great ensemble to back it up, I found myself glued to the screen, watching the mind games and dominance go down. If you come for the hot stuff, you'll get it…and a whole lot more. 

14. THE ORDER

I fell so hard for The Order. It wraps itself up a little too quickly, and I was a bit unsatisfied with how it concluded some storylines, but, almost from the jump, I was firmly enthralled with director Justin Kurzel's filmmaking approach to this police procedural and analysis of extreme white supremacy. On top of that, Nicholas Hoult is amazing, while Jude Law gives probably one of my favourite performances of his. Everything here is simply done well. The writing is precise, I loved the cinematography and sound work, and the tone is perfect. The Order is just a great movie.

13. HARD TRUTHS

I've been awaiting the next film from writer/director Mike Leigh, and while Hard Truths doesn't quite reach the heights of his best, it's still a great outing from the filmmaker. Marianne Jean-Baptiste is a force of nature here, especially in the first half, when she performs Leigh's ruthless dialogue with a natural ferocity that made me laugh a lot. The second half dives deep into the darkness that plagues the lead and her family with some unsettling realizations and heartbreaking facts. The ending will leave many unsatisfied with its ambiguity, myself included, but I was really into Hard Truths, overall.

12. SATURDAY NIGHT

Plain and simple, I loved Saturday Night. I do think it wraps up a little too quickly, but director/co-writer Jason Reitman ups his game big time here with a surprisingly effective ticking-clock narrative, unique cinematography choices, a pulse-pounding score, and stress-inducing editing. On top of that, the movie's really funny, as well. With an ensemble that's completely committed, Saturday features laugh-a-minute dialogue that feels perfect with the figures that are represented. Lastly, at a crisp 109 minutes, the movie gets to do everything it wants to do, and it balances all the characters wonderfully. This movie simply rocks. 

11. FRIENDSHIP

As a long-time fan of Tim Robinson's I Think You Should Leave, I'm delighted to say his comedic sensibilities aren't exclusive to sketch comedy. Thanks to Robinson's pitch-perfect delivery, Friendship contains plenty of laughter throughout. The constantly excessive absurdism of the plot and Paul Rudd's delightful straight-man act also add a lot to the experience when it comes to the hilarity. Did I think the movie's message on loneliness could've been executed better? Perhaps. But if you need to laugh consistently for 97 minutes, I don't know how Friendship wouldn't be exactly what you're looking for.

10. WILL & HARPER

Will & Harper is the best Will Ferrell comedy I've seen in some time, featuring the laugh-out-loud moments that have been missing in the comedian’s most recent outings. Will & Harper is much more than laughter, though. For a documentary, the movie is very cinematic, and the core friendship at the heart of the film will make anyone smile. With its mature discussions and examination of post-transition life, this is a road movie that could be seen as necessary viewing. You'll laugh a lot, but when all is said and done, you may even cry.

9. FROM GROUND ZERO

From Ground Zero, a film that is essentially a collection of 22 short documentaries, is a hard watch, but a necessary one. Each segment offers a unique voice and experience of the attacks on Gaza, giving the audience a full view of multiple heart wrenching realities of what life is like in retaliation to the attacks. It has the pitfalls you'd expect from an approach like this (some shorts stand out more than others), but seeing some embrace the dread of it all while others choose hope in the face of horror, From Ground Zero is thoroughly effective.

8. THE SHADOW STRAYS Fifteen minutes into The Shadow Strays, two badass ninjas cut multiple heads off, gun down multiple people, and slice folks up. So, suffice it to say, I fell for this movie quickly. The Shadow Strays rarely lets up with its ultra-violence, and when it does, it elevates the characters and the world around them. The movie never feels repetitive either, as director Timo Tjahjanto finds new and exciting ways to chop bad guys up…so much so that I found myself having a blast for all 144 minutes. If we truly are getting the sequel that is set up, bring it on.

7. ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT

When All We Imagine as Light ended, I just knew I had seen something special. The film takes a very meditative approach, which could be slow for many, but for me, I found writer/director Payal Kapadia's life-affirming film astoundingly well-made and emotionally stirring. The central performances, especially Kani Kusruti, are excellent, the score and cinematography are beautiful, and its themes of love and the joys of just getting by are easy to relate to. By the end, I had water in my eyes and a smile on my face. One of the year's most worthwhile experiences.

6. THE LIFE OF CHUCK

The Life of Chuck will make you want to dance and fall in love with life. Writer/director Mike Flanagan ditches his horror comfort zone in favour of a movie that boasts a great ensemble, a fascinating structure that allows one to piece the film together as it goes, and not an ounce of cynicism in sight. Just a movie about allowing your love to guide the things you do, and enjoying the rewards that come with it. If I had to criticize, the movie looks a bit too polished, but I nonetheless loved The Life of Chuck.

5. I’M STILL HERE I'm Still Here is a powerful history lesson and a tragic family drama wrapped into one wonderful film that sheds a devastating light on the Brazilian military dictatorship of the 70s and pays homage to those who resisted. While some of the images and details can be hard to watch, at the heart of the film is the impact on the central family, which makes way for some emotionally devastating and cathartic moments, led to perfection by Fernanda Torres. It goes on just a little too long, but I was fully enamoured by I'm Still Here.

4. VIKTOR With Viktor, audiences are given access to a whole new way of looking at the Russia-Ukraine war, and I thought it was breathtaking. For one, the cinematography and sound design are astounding, enhancing the movie in every scene. However, what makes Viktor stand out most is that the empathetic look at its central figure allows audiences to view the war at a distance while still feeling the impact of everything as seen through a deaf man's eager eyes. A powerful and thought-provoking look at individuality and one's commitment to their country, Viktor is quite outstanding.

3. THE SUBSTANCE

Dear God, Coralie Fargeat, you absolute mad woman. The Substance is insane. While the film features not one ounce of subtlety, its in-your-face approach winds up contributing to the primal enjoyment of this treat of a film. The execution is unique and fun as hell from the get-go, but towards the end, as it plunges itself deeper into madness, I couldn't keep my jaw off the floor because of the prosthetic work and overall insanity of the situation. It may not be the most effective message on beauty standards, but a one-of-a-kind blast nonetheless.

2. THE BRUTALIST

The mere existence of The Brutalist is something to be amazed with. Writer/director Brady Corbet's three-and-a-half-hour epic harkens back to the likes of films such as Lawrence of Arabia and The Godfather, a grand, multi-decade journey that shows us just how wonderful and ugly the “American Dream” can be, told through a breathtaking performance from Adrien Brody. With its jaw-dropping score, magnificent 70mm cinematography, and script featuring dialogue and circumstances so interesting that it made its long runtime fly by, I imagine The Brutalist will be examined for years to come.

1. ANORA To say writer/director Sean Baker has upped his game would be an understatement. Anora is a laugh-out-loud comedy, a non-judgmental look at the lives of sex workers, an absolute off-the-walls thriller, and a tragic exploration of class and the ways people are struggling to make it by. In many ways, Anora does it all, especially considering the fantastic ensemble, led by a magnum opus performance from Mikey Madison. It made me laugh hysterically. It made me grip my seat. It made my jaw drop. It broke my heart. It’s a one-of-a-kind, entertaining joyride that is Baker's masterpiece.