How do you choose between βOppenheimerβ and βKillers of the Flower Moonβ? Both were seminal films done by iconic filmmakers. Both were blessed with performances and technical achievements that will stand the test of time.
In other years, something like βBarbieβ could have been the best film. This year, the bench was deep: βAnatomy of a Fall,β βMaestroβ and βThe Holdoversβ had the kind of hallmarks that could have pushed βCoda,β βEverything Everywhere All at Onceβ and βParasiteβ to second place.
The battle, though, raged between the biography of a man who was a game changer in the race between nations and a look at the greed that fostered a hidden agenda among those determined to get the Osage Nationβs wealth. Both were cautionary tales that let their creators try new ways of storytelling.
Christopher Nolanβs βOppenheimerβ edges Martin Scorseseβs βKillersβ simply because it had a last-hour shift that justified the filmβs running time. It boasted a studioβs worth of actors and surprised with its conclusions regarding the story that unfolded.
The best of the year: βOppenheimer,β but by the slimmest of margins.
- OPPENHEIMER β Christopher Nolan reminded us of the βartβ of cinema with his biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb. He touched on all the disciplines of filmmaking and came away with a film that not only boasted great performances (Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr.) but also great technical achievements. Black and white segments (visible in other top films), compelling sound and superb cinematography made this a filmmakerβs dream β and the best picture of the year.
- KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON β Martin Scorsese continued to prove heβs one of the best directors in the business. Using all sorts of visual ammunition, he targeted a compelling story of the Osage tribe and the people who preyed on them. Lily Gladstone was luminous as a woman struggling to reconcile a life with those who only wanted her tribeβs money. Leonardo Di Caprio was excellent as her husband; as his conniving uncle, Robert De Niro was unlike any character he has played in recent years. Featuring a large cast, the film pulled us into the world and made us understand how politics were played before we even knew there was a game.
- BARBIE β A film about a doll? On a Top 10 list? That wasnβt βMeganβsβ fate but it was βBarbieβs.β Cleverly co-written and directed by Greta Gerwig, βBarbieβ explored the zaftig iconβs value and realized she really was a role model for girls, proving they, too, could be astronauts, presidents and Malibu residents. Margot Robbie captured all her hope; Ryan Gosling, as Ken, played accessory better than a pink Corvette. Together, they helped make the summer film worth a second look and Barbie something more than an object of affection.
- ANATOMY OF A FALL β When a blind boy finds his fatherβs body below his attic window, a guessing game begins. The result was an engrossing drama about what really happened and the people responsible. Sandra Huller, as the manβs wife, and Milo Machado-Graner, as her son, were impossible to ignore, particularly when they were grilled in the court room. Director Justine Triet made you feel like you were there with them, reliving every gruesome moment.Β
- THE HOLDOVERS β When Alexander Payne decided to relive the 1970s, he did so with great style β and friend Paul Giamatti. The heartwarming comedy showed how unlikely relationships blossom in the most trying of times. DaβVine Joy Randolph and newcomer Dominic Sasso joined Giamatti as folks left back at a posh boarding school over the holidays. The new family they formed made this a film to remember β and rewatch.
- POOR THINGS β If Yorgos Lanthimos is the man behind the picture, expect wild things. βPoor Thingsβ was. Emma Stone got another career high as a Frankenstein-like creation who discovered her own worth, desires and lot in life. She was the handiwork of a demanding doctor (a super Willem Dafoe) who played βPygmalionβ games while others (like Mark Ruffalo) had more singular goals. A glorious mix of styles, colors and attitudes, βPoor Thingsβ managed to tweak convention as much as βBarbie.β
- MAESTRO β As a director, Bradley Cooper has a great eye. We saw it on display in βA Star is Born.β In βMaestro,β he took it even further with this look at composer Leonard Bernstein, his wife Felicia and their unconventional relationship. Using snippets from their lives, he created a scrapbook of emotion that gave him (as Bernstein) and Carrie Mulligan (as Felicia) acting highs. The filmβs clever use of Bernstein music also scored.
- AMERICAN FICTION β Itβs hard to tell who the target of this satire was. Director Cord Jefferson took aim at so many sacred cows, it was practically a slaughterhouse. And yet, the message came through, largely due to Jeffrey Wrightβs adept work as an author wondering what he must do to attract the attention of sellers β and buyers. βAmerican Fictionβ neatly skewered poseurs and marketers in the literary world.
- AIR β Michael Jordan was the focus of Ben Affleckβs βbehind-the-scenesβ film, but you rarely saw him. Thatβs because it was a look at the deal that went down when Nike was looking for an athlete to help sell shoes. The machinations, neatly presented by Matt Damon, managed to unite a disparate group of people, including a trash-talking agent (the great Chris Messina), Jordanβs mother (Viola Davis) and a designer who had to be seen to be believed. The film, as a result, soared.
- PAST LIVES β βWhat might have beenβ drove this drama about two friends who questioned the choices they made and the life they could have had. Written and directed by Celine Song, it was like one of those class reunion what ifs that let Greta Lee and Teo Yoo play out the nuance in great form. The first film from Song, βPast Livesβ was a memorable addition to the yearβs eclectic class acts.
