The Essex Serpent
Like the mythical creature of the title, The Essex Serpent slowly draws you out to sea and before you know it you’re in deep, totally immersed.
Operation Mincemeat
This isn’t a high-octane spy thriller or a war film in the style of Saving Private Ryan. It’s a quiet piece whose entertainment value is found in the incredulous fact that this really did happen, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.
Pachinko
Pachinko is a beautiful, sweeping, historic epic spanning generations as one family faces wars, strife, peace, and its own complex legacy.
Heartstopper
Heartstopper is, without a doubt, the best film or TV show about gay teenagers I have ever seen. Innocent, romantic, and tenderly wrought, it is the story and the representation that the LGBTQ community has been craving for decades.
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Everything Everywhere All At Once is a collage of farce, action, sci-fi, and metaphysical drama that’s entertaining, yet not overdone.
Abbott Elementary
Abbott Elementary will catch you off guard and surprise you. It captures the balance between comedy and heart, much like its mockumentary predecessors—but with a new spin, because the work these characters are doing truly matters.
Together Together
This film is heartwarming and heartbreaking in all the ways you want in a character-driven indie about a subject matter that we need to talk more about.
The Worst Person in the World
The Worst Person in the World is a fluidly told story not about love, but instead about self-awareness, acceptance, and the persistent insecurity that accompanies the pursuit of both.
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
This film might break your heart, but it also might inspire you to action. I ended up energized by the idea that we can reverse the loss of wildlife and slow the pace of climate change, and that doing so will make our lives better.
The Tender Bar
George Clooney directs a compelling movie with relatable and easy-to-root-for characters. The Tender Bar manages to have the emotional depth of any other Oscar contender but without the expected sadness or sturm and drang.