Lights, Camera, Action

  PART VII (40-31) 40) Triangle of Sadness Director: Ruben Östlund ( Force Majeure , The Square )  Cast: Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, Woody Harrelson, Zlatko Burić, Iris Berben, Sunnyi Melles, Henrik Dorsin, Dolly De Leon, Vicki Berlin, and Oliver Ford Davies. Ruben Östlund has a sharp and wicked tongue when it comes to dark comedy and satire, one that even rivals the acidity and wit of more mainstream auteurs in the genre such as Yorgos Lanthimos and Martin McDonagh.  And although most American audiences are still in the dark about who he is (they probably had no idea that last year's comedy Downhill with Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus was a poor remake of his debut hit, Force Majeure ), it's only a matter of time before the right film comes along that puts him on everyone's radar.  Perhaps the director's upcoming dark comedy,  Triangle of Sadness ,   will finally be that film, which  follows a fashion model celebrity couple (Harris Dickinson...

I do apologize for the delay in posts for this year's list.  I sustained two critical injuries all within a month- both of which sent me to the ER- that made it difficult for me to type and update my blog.  Thankfully, it's been a slow movie year, so there's still plenty of upcoming releases to look forward to.  Hope you are all enjoying my picks.  Thanks for reading!   THE TOP 50 PART VI (50-41) 50) Stowaway Director: Joe Penna ( Arctic )  Cast: Toni Collette, Anna Kendrick, Daniel Dae Kim, and Shamier Anderson. I love it when a debut film comes along from a new director that leaves you completely blindsided by how unexpectedly exceptional it is.  Such was the case for me when I watched Joe Penna's Arctic , a minimalist indie gem that still managed to feel epic in scope thanks to its powerful, humanistic drama, gorgeous photography, and a riveting performance from Mads Mikkelsen.  Truthfully, I had only walked into the film to begin with because ...

  PART V (60-51) 60) In the Earth Director: Ben Wheatley ( A Field in England , Kill List )  Cast: Joel Fry, Ellora Torchia, Hayley Squires, and Reece Shearsmith.  In the previous entry, I mentioned how it wasn't uncommon for directors to shoot projects in secret and that one such project was even included on this list.  That would be the latest horror film from avant-garde auteur, Ben Wheatley, which was picked up by Neon before debuting last month at the Sundance Film Festival.  Set during a global pandemic as the world searches for a cure to an unnamed virus, In the Earth follows a scientist and park ranger who venture into the woods on a routine equipment run, getting much more than they bargained for as they find themselves in the middle of a clash between human nature and mother nature.  Based on the plot description, it's easy to believe that Wheatley wrote the script for this during last year's lockdown (which he then shot over the course of 15 days...

  PART IV (70-61) 70) Eternals Director: Chloé Zhao ( Nomadland , The Rider )  Cast: Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Lia McHugh, Ma Dong-seok, Kit Harrington, Gemma Chan, Barry Keoghan, and Haaz Sleiman. First off, I know what some of you must be thinking: How shocking it is that I would select a Marvel film to be in my list, and furthermore, place it above films directed by the likes of Ridley Scott, David O. Russell, and Steven Spielberg.  Anyone who is familiar with my posts on social media knows I give Marvel a tough time because of how repetitive and empty their formula has become.  However, Eternals - the upcoming superhero film from Chloé Zhao and her debut blockbuster- does not look to be like a typical offering from the MCU.  The story, which follows a group of immortal extraterrestrial beings who have shaped Earth's history and civilizations, will introduce audiences to a new group of her...