Summer is approaching and I am only just now releasing my top films list of 2023...and I have to say that I am pretty pleased with the output here!
Just in case you didn't read it or may have forgotten about it, this was a direct quote from what I had to say when I made my top 10 list for 2022:
"I am more pensive about 2023 than I was for 2022. Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised when I start to write this post for next year".
I am quite pleased, indeed! For the most part, I feel like a lot of people agree with me that 2023 is the best year for film in quite a few years...although there was one random YouTuber I came across who proceeded to say 2022 was so much better and I had to click away.
Looking at my top 10 for last year and the films selected by the Academy, the difference is night and day between then and now. To give you an idea of how drastic the quality difference is, NONE of the films from my top 10 last year would make my top 10 this year, except for maybe my #1 film which was Park Chan-wook's Decision to Leave.
Unlike a lot of people, I was actually rather fond of the indie output given in 2020...but I felt that 2021 was a pretty weak year aside from a small handful of fantastic films.
2023 is at least on par with 2019 in my eyes, which equally had a strong number of films I liked. However, what I found remarkable about this year is how much some of my favorites ended up aligning with a lot of the films that got awards attention.
Here's a little mini-spoiler before we get started: 5 of the 10 best picture nominees made my top 10 list...and 3 more would make my top 20. This kind of outcome is very, very rare; I do think 2019-2020 had a great overlap, but for 5 films to also make my top 10 is something highly unusual. It did happen in 2017, but I do think I would be curious to go back and see if it has happened much more.
This list will contain my top 10 along with 5 Honorable Mentions. I am also giving one film a special mention which I will explain here in a moment.
Needless to say, I found this year to be rather glorious. I am not sure I would consider it as one of the best years of film ever (it is too early to make such a call), but I will say it is easily the best film year of the 2020s thus far and easily one of my favorites of the 21st Century.
Let's begin with that special mention I brought up as there is some confusion over what year the film truly qualified.
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SPECIAL MENTION:
GODLAND
Written & Directed by Hlynur Palmason
This is one of those films, much like
Beanpole and
Bacarau back in 2019/2020, where we weren't really exposed to it until the year after it technically premiered in its home country and on the festival circuit...and because of this, I feel a little strange about including it on this list. I will admit that I probably break my own rules here and there, but I am going to stick with considering this a 2022 film even though I didn't see or hear of it really until 2023...not to mention it was submitted as Iceland's selection for this year's International Feature Oscar...a nom it did not receive in the end.
Godland could be seen as a pretentious effort, but I think its settings and themes and even its visual aesthetic really thrilled me because it felt like Hlynur Palmason was the reincarnation of Ingmar Bergman, the filmmaker I often dub as, to use a term the kids use today, the GOAT.
It is set in the 19th Century and involves a Lutheran priest named Lucas, who is asked to leave his parish in Denmark to form a new church in Iceland. While there, he suffers adjusting to living in a rural setting and also feels like he is lost in translation while trying to communicate with his Icelandic guide Ragnar.
In a year like 2023, Godland would not make my top 10 as I feel like the output was just that strong...but in a year like 2022, it would've cracked my top 5.
This was certainly a slow and moody piece, and not exactly something I would watch again any time soon, but I greatly admired what Palmason achieved here.
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HONORABLE MENTIONS:
#15 - MONSTER
Directed by Hirokazu Kore-ada
Written by Yuji Sakamoto
One of my favorite filmmakers of the last 20 years is Japan's Hirokazu Kore-ada, who has been behind such masterpieces as
Shoplifters and
Nobody Knows. Monster is unique in that he doesn't write the script himself but is working with the text of Yuji Sakamoto. The final result is a beautiful example of how young kids can overcome the struggle of acceptance and be able to support each other.
Kids can be cruel, adults can be cruel...but there is always the one friend who will love you no matter what and accept you.
This film taps into that message so beautifully.
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#14 - BOTTOMS
Written & Directed by Emma Seligman
Co-written by Rachel Sennott
After having loved Shiva Baby, the previous outing from Seligman and Sennott, I was rather intrigued by Bottoms. It also doesn't hurt that Ayo Edebiri is in it being the Queen that she is.
This one is bonkers and ridiculous, but that is why I enjoyed it. It took the concept of a raunchy teen sex comedy, but made it about lesbians who use the idea Fight Club as a means to empower and meet women they want to sleep with.
Just accept it and enjoy the sadisitic ride.
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#13 - PERFECT DAYS
Written & Directed by Wim Wenders
Co-written by Takuma Takasaki
A film in Japanese that is set in Tokyo, but made by German filmmaker Wim Wenders?
It may seem odd, but it works. While a bit plodding, this is a true slice-of-life piece about Hiriyama (Koji Yakusho), a middle-aged man who works as a public toilet cleaner. A lot of the film is us watching him doing his work, interacting with others, and him driving around the city while listening to his favorite tunes.
Maybe not as rapturous about the film as some are, but there is a simplistic beauty about it that is hard to ignore.
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#12 - FALLEN LEAVES
Written & Directed by Aki Kaurismaki
At times quirky and surreal, at other times rather bleak, Fallen Leaves takes a look at two lonely souls living just above the poverty line in Helsinki who seem to possibly be destined to be together but face obstacle after obstacle.
Perhaps one of the best efforts given to us by Kaurismaki, the most prominent Finnish filmmaker.
It is a little slow-paced despite being less than 90 minutes long, but it is certainly a film high on the atmosphere of Jim Jarmusch-esque indie charm.
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#11 - LA CHIMERA
Written & Directed by Alice Rohrwacher
I was not really familiar with Italian filmmaker Alice Rohrwacher prior to this, but I have to say that now I hope she keeps this up.
La Chimera is truly bonkers tale about an English archaeologist named Arthur (Josh O'Connor) who is released from prison and is desperate to find his ex-girlfriend Beniamina. On his journey, he returns to his group of accomplices he worked with in the past - a group of grave robbers. While robbing graves, he is determined to find Beniamina...even if it means finding a portal to the afterlife to find her.
This one has grown on me the more I think about.
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THE TOP 10:
#10 - THEATER CAMP
A film like
Theater Camp being on a list like this might not seem like a surprise to many of you who know me, but there was a very strong chance that this film could've failed.
As a theatre kid, I know that as a group we have a tendency to be very annoying. Even as an adult, I find myself a tad distanced at times from even following theatre message boards due to the catty behavior.
Theater Camp worked for me in that it still felt true to the world of being a young theatre kid, but it also managed to have a nice mix of sentimentality and snark that made it feel way more tolerable than one might've expected.
We have seen a similar film to this one in the past...which happened to be called Camp. However, there was a certain silly whimsy to Theater Camp that made it stand out more for me.
Sure, it may have dealt with certain plot tropes we've seen before, but it made realize why I loved being around artsy loving people like these...even the kids.
This is certainly a niche film, and one I don't expect will appeal to many people as it is very specific in tapping into the world of theatre arts...but that's okay, in the end, not every film is going to be accessible for everyone. I will still watch this with more glee before any kind of superhero film.
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#9 - GODZILLA MINUS ONE
Written & Directed by Takashi Yamazaki
I suppose one could call films from the
Godzilla world as something of a niche genre...but I think it was apparent with the response that this film received...at least stateside rather than its native Japan...that it struck a deeper chord.
Would I say that I am a fan of Godzilla films or monster movies in general? Eh, not really. I appreciate the value in stuff like the original King Kong or something such as An American Werewolf in London, but I had always acknowledged that something with Godzilla at its best could be an entertaining watch.
We've seen an uptick recently in new Godzilla material, and frankly I haven't exactly followed all of it. 2016's Shin Godzilla managed to surprise with how well it tapped into bureaucratic side of Tokyo trying to deal with a sea monster that just keeps evolving every time it is attacked.
I think that film managed to walk so that Godzilla Minus One could blow out an atomic blast from its mouth...which I suppose would make more sense if you've seen the film.
While the film definitely has that kind of melodramatic acting style that can seem very cheesy at times, it does fit the world rather well...and a lot of that is due to its setting.
A lot of what made this work so well for me was the strong emotional story.
The film's protagonist Koichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki) is a kamikaze pilot during the end of WWII who has the chance to stop Godzilla from attacking a base camp but freezes up in the moment causing all but himself and one other person to perish.
A lot of the plot elements are quite similar to the original Godzilla from 1954 but focusing on Koichi's PTSD following WWII and the destruction of much of Japan by our bombs, it gives the film such an added weight.
For what it was, this was a truly astounding effort with amazing Oscar-winning visual effects that netted the franchise its first win 70 years after it began. I would like to see more films like this one made by this team.
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#8 - ANATOMY OF A FALL
Written & Directed by Justine Triet
Co-written by Arthur Harari
As winner of the 2023 Palme d'Or from the Cannes Film Festival, Anatomy of a Fall managed to strike a nerve around the world...and certainly with me as it took a relatively simple concept (did our leading lady commit murder?) and managed to make it a fascinating look in the French legal system.
German actress Sandra Huller plays Sandra, a novelist who lives in the village of Grenoble amidst the French Alps with her husband Samuel and their pre-teen son Daniel (Milo Machado-Graner), who is visually impaired and uses a guide dog named Snoop.
While being interviewed in their home, Samuel plays loud music from the attic (the absurdly catchy calypso instrumental version of 50 Cent's P.I.M.P.) which disrupts Sandra's discussion, so they agree to cut the interview short.
Shortly thereafter, Daniel returns from a walk with Snoop and finds Samuel laying on the ground dead with a massive headwound seemingly having fallen from the attic above...but Sandra's public celebrity puts her under more scrutiny and suspicion leads people to believe she could have murdered him rather than it being an actual fall.
There was a slow burn quality to the film where, at times, I did admittedly wonder if I was going to take to it. I do think it truly was fascinating to see how a French courtroom is set up and these scenes were particularly impressive with the work of the seemingly chauvinistic prosecutor played by Antoine Reinartz.
There is a sleek style to the film that is quiet but noticeable, and that is certainly thanks to the work of Justine Triet, whom I was thrilled to see get that Best Director nomination along with the Original Screenplay win she shared with life partner Arthur Harari. It felt like divine justice after France refused to submit the film for the International Film Oscar due to Triet being a harsh critic of French President Emmanuel Macron's centrist policies among such things as pension form that she deemed "neo-liberal".
I am especially pleased this film gave a bigger spotlight to the great actress Sandra Huller, who plays the role with such a cold sustained stillness most of the time until we get to witness the last huge fight she had with Samuel days before his death. It is a scene that works so strongly due to the dialogue and what she mines out of it.
I do want to single out young Milo Machado-Graner as Daniel, because as far as child performances go, he was simply magnificent and frankly, I would've strongly considered giving him my vote for the Oscar in Supporting Actor.
Oh and yes - I cannot forget the truly good boy that is Snoop, played by Messi. It makes me wish we could give animals an Honorary Oscar because this dog was trained to perfection to make one particular scene work so startingly well!
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#7 - SCRAPPER
Written & Directed by Charlotte Regan
It is kind of a shame when a film premieres at Sundance and despite winning one of the key prizes, doesn't seem to take off beyond that.
In fact, Scrapper didn't even end up getting an official release in the US. I only found out about via its Sundance inclusion and hearing some of my followers mention it on Letterboxd.
Being a tad coy, you could describe Scrapper as a modern-day reinvention of Punky Brewster, which for those of you who don't know what that is, it was an 80s sitcom about a young girl who was abandoned by her parents and eventually taken in by a cantankerous older man whose life she manages to brighten...as sitcoms of that era loved having their core story come from a place of tragedy...
Scrapper isn't exactly about that, but it is about a young girl named Georgie (Lola Campbell) who is actually living all by herself in a North London flat after the death of her mother. She is able to fend off social services by concocting a plan that she is staying with an uncle that doesn't really exist.
In order to make money, she and her friend Ali steal bikes to sell for scrap and for the most part, the arrangement is working out well enough for her...until one day, her estranged father Jason (Harris Dickinson) shows up whom she has never met as he has been living in Spain for several years.
He insists he stay there otherwise he will reveal to social services what she has been doing all this time.
Scrapper is the film debut of British director Charlotte Regan, who had previously been known for working in the music video world. She has such a clear, distinct voice here...and her use of a documentary/interview motif at times gives the film a lovely charm that adds something unique to a trope that has been used in the past for such films as When Harry Met Sally.
For such a dark topic, the film works surprisingly well and is handled with such care that I couldn't help but fall for it. I just wish more people could've seen it!
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#6 - THE TEACHERS' LOUNGE
Written & Directed by Ilker Catak
Co-written by Johannes Duncker
I was truly happy to see that
The Teachers' Lounge managed to make it into the Best International Feature race at the Oscars, as I found it to be a truly wonderful film that showcases the difficulty that teachers often face, especially when dealing with students and the rumors that can spread.
German actress Leonie Benesch plays our lead, Carla Nowak. My only previous experience of her that I can recall was way back in 2009's divisive The White Ribbon. I loved seeing her be able to tackle a great role like this and I hope she can soon receive more widespread exposure similar to that of Sandra Huller this past year.
Carla is a 7th grade teacher who recently transferred to the school and ends up becoming something of a pariah as she is highly uncomfortable with the methods in which the school is trying to combat a series of thefts from the teachers' lounge.
This leads to the school asking for students to show their wallets for inspection and they find a Middle Eastern student named Ali who has a lot of money in his wallet...and they assume the only reason for the volume of money is that he stole it, which obviously leads to complaints from his parents that he was racially profiled. As expected, Ali is innocent and his parents gave him the money.
The real situation proves to be a little more involved than just a student stealing.
I think one of the biggest things I loved about The Teachers' Lounge is how much the tension at times plays like a suspense thriller...but considering how it could also be taken as bleak subject matter, it still manages to find brief moments of levity. It is that combination that made me truly enjoy the film and was happy that it got a little bit of a boost with the nomination.
I was also pleasantly surprised when director Ilker Catak and Leonie Benesch were interviewed on the main Red Carpet show prior to the Oscars just because films like this don't always receive attention unless they manage to slip into other major categories as well. I even noticed ads popping up for the film online, so yes...I would recommend seeing this film and love that it has begun receiving a little more widespread advertising.
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#5 - THE ZONE OF INTEREST
Written & Directed by Jonathan Glazer
When Rudolf looks towards the camera and we quickly cut to present-day Germany, it feels like a gut punch that we weren't expecting. Considering how much everything had been pretty much kept off-screen and behind the walls, we were now seeing Auschwitz in its current form: a museum that is meticulously kept.
And then, it cuts back to Rudolf, who proceeds to walk away into the darkness. A very matter-of-fact moment in terms of symbolism, but it works strongly nonetheless.
The Zone of Interest was 2023's auteur film statement that also managed to find its way into the Best Picture race. Its acclaim was so strong that it even surprised many of us that it managed to slip into the more mainstream leaning Producers' Guild of America nominations for Best Picture.
When I wrote about the film upon first seeing it, my statement was that I actually didn't know if I felt strongly about the film in a positive way or a negative way. I even thought for a moment that I hated the film and considered it pretentious trash.
The more I thought about the film over a couple of days, the more I realized I by no means hated it, but respected it highly. It just...stayed in mind and wouldn't leave.
As I watched it, I feel as though certain moments just glazed over me more because I was just feeling so uncomfortable being placed in this setting. I would be watching two characters speak only to hear gunshots in the background...or we'd watch Sandra Huller trying on a mink coat that had been taken from one of the camp victims.
As the days passed, it was like realizations of bits from the film would wash over me and I would get placed back into that uncomfortable feeling...and I think a lot of that was due to relatively distinct way that Glazer presented the material. It was more or less presenting these issues bare for what they were...and that matter-of-fact nature is simply chilling.
In terms of the filmgoing experience, I have to commend The Zone of Interest for invoking the feelings it did out of me. I can see why others would respond to it more harshly, but I feel like Glazer achieved something truly stunning here.
Shout-out to the intricate Oscar-winning Sound design by Tam Willers and Jonnie Burn. It is deceptive in its approach, but the sounds of the camp next door to the sounds of the family casually living their life make for some truly devastating and horrific moments....and all based on the sound and visuals.
The more I think about the film, the more I find myself considering it a masterwork.
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#4 - PAST LIVES
Written & Directed by Celine Song
2023 gave us a couple of early in the year releases that managed to hold out for awards attention. Not only did you have the Barbenheimer duo opening in July, but there was also Past Lives in June.
I think you could make a case that Past Lives might be the most beloved film of 2023 if you were to ask the most devout of film buffs. It seems like if you didn't have it as your #1 film of the year, it was at least on your top 10 list. Frankly, the fact I even have it as #4 on this list is merely a formality as this is quite possibly the strongest top 5 I have had for a year of film in a while.
The film begins in 2000 Seoul with two 12-year-olds named Na Young and Hae Sung who are attracted to one another which leads their parents to set up a date. However, we learn that Na Young's family is planning to immigrate to Canada which effectively ends the relationship before it can truly begin.
We then skip ahead 12 years where Na Young now goes by Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) reconnect on Skype after she finds out he has been looking for her over Facebook. He still lives in Seoul after serving in the military while she now works as a writer in New York. Despite long Skype conversations and an obvious connection there, neither seem willing to take any drastic steps. She doesn't really want to return to Seoul while he doesn't seem to have the means to fly to New York. They stop communicating and both end up in relationships not long after. Him with a woman that isn't really a good fit for him, while she meets a fellow writer named Arthur (John Magaro) at a retreat out in Montauk.
Like clockwork 12 years later, Hae Sung wants to reconnect with Nora and now has the means to come visit...which leads to a rather dignified love triangle.
In fact, calling Past Lives a "love triangle" film sells it a bit short. I think what makes it work so well is how much these three people actually feel like real people. Nora certainly feels the history with Hae Sung and there is such a subtle but brimming life within Greta Lee's work. She is absolutely the soul of this film, but that would make Teo Yoo the film's heart.
Yoo comes across as a gentle soul and when he first sees Nora in the flesh for the first time in over two decades, we watch a thirtysomething guy turn back into a 12-year-old before our eyes. He is bashful and almost blushing; it is hard not to deny him what he wants.
Then you have Magaro's Arthur, who perhaps does hold a bit of jealously at the dynamic, but he is never bitter or rude. If anything, he gives them space to let them have their peace...and it feels so refreshing to see this kind of dynamic in a film.
Past Lives is one of those films that is so deceptive in its approach that at first glance, it may not seem that special...but it just stays with you. Considering this was her film debut, we can now put Celine Song down as one of the most promising filmmakers in quite some time.
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#3 - POOR THINGS
Written by Tony McNamara
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
There always seems to be that one film that gets a copious amount of praise but has enough of a negative vocal minority that you can't help but wonder whose side you will fall on.
Going into Poor Things, I had a semblance of hope because I have often been a fan of the filmography of Yorgos Lanthimos, save for The Killing of a Sacred Deer, but even that had its intriguing qualities. Still though, I just felt like there was a chance I would find it overhyped or perhaps it would be too weird for the sake of being weird.
Sure, being based on a previous novel helped I am sure...but in short, Poor Things lived up to its high expectations and I found it to be a completely wacky and absurd and very uncomfortable delight.
Set in a very abstract version of Victorian London, a disfigured scientist/professor by the name of Godwin Baxter has taken on a new experiment. After finding the body of a young pregnant woman floating in the Thames, he manages to pull her out and uses the brain of the unborn fetus (cue gasps of Republicans here) to try to bring the woman back to life.
He names her Bella (Emma Stone), and she is basically a toddler in adult body form at this point. To add to the chaos, a student of Godwin's named Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef) becomes enamored with her. Godwin encourages the two to get married and hires a lawyer to draw up the nuptial agreement.
Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo) is rather infatuated with Bella when she comes along, and she is at a point where she is starting to mature more...not to mention discovering sexual pleasure...and he promises to show her around Europe, much to the dismay of Godwin and Max.
From there, the film is nothing short of a bizarre odyssey to say the least.
Everything about this film is an absolute marvel from the direction, the script, the performances, and the designs. Emma Stone got her 2nd Oscar for this, and, on the whole, it was richly deserved...but I still think Mark Ruffalo stole the film as Duncan. This role, in which he is a vile, sexist cad in over-the-top comedic form, is unlike any role we have seen him tackle and he soars in it.
I will stress that I can see why the film won't work for everyone. The obvious grooming angle from all the men (even the nicer ones like Godwin and Max) is undeniable, but I still view it as important because by the end, Bella comes out on top. She gets the autonomy we crave to get, and she realizes she deserves.
Another homerun for Lanthimos and McNamara.
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#2 - RYE LANE
Written by Nathan Byron & Tom Melia
Directed by Raine Allen-Miller
When I wrote about Rye Lane a few months ago, I was of the belief that it was one of the true hidden gems of 2023...and in fact, I only stand behind that belief with more fervor now.
I feel like Past Lives really struck a chord due to its bittersweet nature, but there was something so sweet and lively and joyous about Rye Lane that I found so infectious to the point where I wished more people would watch it...and I wish it got more attention on the awards circuit.
Even though it premiered to great fanfare at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, the film got bought by Hulu and then tossed onto their platform with very little fanfare that March. So little fanfare that as the months passed, I had forgotten about the film's existence after originally being so excited to see it once it got such high praise at Sundance.
I suppose you could say it still got more of a push than its fellow Sundance contender Scrapper...but barely.
To quickly highlight, Vivian Oparah & David Jonsson shine here as Yas and Dom. I was not familiar with either of them, but both have such amazing chemistry and make for a truly compelling and adorable couple. The vibe does sort of make him out to be more of a sensitive lad while she uses a lot of bravado to cover up pain, but it is clear that they bring out the best in one another.
When it comes to romances, this is easily one of my favorites I have seen in years. It also was such a glorious pop of vibrant color thanks to how Raine Allen-Miller filmed areas of South London...and it felt as though we were getting a glimpse at a world we very rarely see. Almost like the kaleidoscope feeling we got from seeing BedStuy in Do The Right Thing or Borgo San Guiliano in Amarcord.
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#1 - OPPENHEIMER
Written & Directed by Christopher Nolan
The main theme for those who often choose
Oppenheimer as their #1 film of the year is that it feels like such a boring choice...and frankly, I feel the same way.
When I wrote about its pretty much inevitable Best Picture victory following the Oscar ceremony, I made that same comment because normally I tend to find myself supporting more of the underdogs and indie/foreign fare that doesn't always manage to get attention.
In the last decade alone, my #1 film of the year has lined up with the Best Picture selection from the Oscars on 3 different occasions, which may not seem like a lot. To put this into perspective, if I were to go through Oscar history and select the times that they chose the films I would've voted for (strictly based on the actual nominees), the overlap only would've been 20 times...and I might be on the fence with a couple of those.
Oppenheimer felt like a film that I would not be a fan of. It also seems far more likely these days for a film to not live up to the hype, so that was another hurdle I expected it to face. To my surprise, I was amazed at how fast the film was, and a lot of that could be attributed not just to Nolan, but to his award-winning editor Jennifer Lame. I have heard complaints about how the final's final act is rather slow moving and while this may be SLIGHTLY true, I honestly didn't feel this as much as others did.
If anything, I still think Killers of the Flower Moon was the film that needed another trip to Thelma Schoonmaker's office...with all due respect to her and Scorsese.
So yes, Oppenheimer remains one of the best paced films I have ever seen and proved to be an amazing star vehicle for the luminous Cillian Murphy, an actor who has deserved this kind of showcase for many years. Even if I will bemoan the fact that Nolan still should've given more to Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh, the rest of the film is a true masterwork.
I debated a lot about whether or not I wanted to give this film my top slot as a means to shine a light on something else, but everything keeps telling me that THIS is the one. As a whole, despite some little faults, it is a truly monumental achievement.
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FINAL THOUGHTS:
Sigh, this took way too long! I feel like so many factors were keeping me from seeing enough films that made me feel like I could truly make some kind of definitive list...but the truth is that no list of films such as this or going to remain definitive.
Time does a lot to a film and for all I know, I will come back to this list in a decade from now and decide that Oppenheimer should be my #4 selection...although if I am being honest, I think my entire top 5 could swap around and end up being my #1.
I do want to acknowledge some other films that aren't on this list that I did like or enjoy and warrant a mention: Blackberry, American Fiction, Barbie, The Holdovers, How to Have Sex, Society of the Snow, IO Capitano, The Boy & The Heron, and Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse.
Honestly, I think The Boy & The Heron will work its way up (it just missed the #15 slot), but I feel like it may need to grow on me more than other Miyazaki efforts.
I will admit that I am not sure how I feel about the prospects of 2024 yet. With last year's strikes, I feel like it slowed down the output and it could lead to a lesser slate of films for consideration. Although...and this is where I want to be hopeful...I am sort of hoping for a similar outcome to the 2020-2021 award season where certain films with smaller profiles like Sound of Metal, Promising Young Woman, and Minari were able to slip into the Best Picture race when many felt that they likely wouldn't have a shot at first.
It'll be interesting to see how this will pan out...but for now, thanks for reading and hopefully I will have more content up soon!
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