My Top Five Yearly Favorites, Since Reviewing:
2017: Full list, click here.
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#5 Blade Runner 2049A rare sequel that both deepens and expands the universe of Blade Runner. Denis Villeneuve’s masterpiece is probably one of the greatest cinematic experiences I’ve had in a long time. Blade Runner 2049 is a knockout sequel, well worth the 35 year wait.
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#4 Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MOOh man, this was a great movie. Director Martin McDonagh has a gift for crafting well-balanced films. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri was the perfect blend of dark humor and intense drama. Plus, a veteran cast at the core. Actress Frances McDormand might have even surpass her all-star performance from Fargo.
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#3 DunkirkDunkirk is a masterpiece, no questions asked. Plus, seeing it in the 70mm version was a glorious experience. Director Christopher Nolan's film serves up as an emotionally satisfying spectacle and helps break new ground in the war genre. Dunkirk serves as a grand example of spectacular writing, acting and directing.
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#2 Lady BirdSheer perfection. Writer-director Greta Gerwig’s coming-of-age directorial debut is a marvelous gem, while actress Saoirse Ronan has never been better. Lady Bird delivers a fresh insight on the pains of adolescence. All-in-all, Gerwig's first feature film is flat-out amazing.
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#1 The Shape of WaterI don’t have enough words to describe how great this movie is. In the simplest of terms, The Shape of Water is marvelous, just marvelous. Everything about director Guillermo del Toro’s newest creation is exulted to the highest form of perfection. From the writing, to the direction, to the acting; it’s all wonderfully formed with a stroke of tribute to Old Hollywood. The Shape of Water will open your heart and fill it with wondrous imagination.
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2016: Full list, click here.
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#5 Sing StreetDirector John Carney returns to his musical roots fueling the audience with '80s pop vibes. Sing Street will slap a smile on your face while singing its heart out. The Beatles are history and in Brendan Lalor's own words, "No woman can truly love a man who listens to Phil Collins." Sing Street is a feel-good optimist that sends out musical vibes to this generation and brings them back to Dublin in the ‘80s.
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#4 Loving"Tell the judge I love my wife." Astonishing from beginning until end, Loving is a well-crafted historical drama that pays homage to Richard and Mildred Loving. The film's sensible approach in storytelling blossoms its relevance in today's world. This film is a gentle masterpiece.
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#3 Manchester by the SeaDelivering one of the most real dramas of 2016 filled with full-bodied characters, Manchester by the Sea will destroy your heart and soul. Director Kenneth Lonergan's newest film will open a volt to your insecurities about life, love and loss.
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#2 MoonlightSeen through the eyes of one man’s story, Moonlight welds together a beautifully crafted character study of lives too rarely seen in the spotlight. Moonlight is a revolution to the film industry as it helps shine a light in both the African-American and LGBT community. The reason why Moonlight won Best Picture is because it is the best film of 2016.
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#1 La La LandA technicolor musical treasure! La La Land is, hands down, the tap-dancing movie of the year. It's sheer perfection as it refuels a dying genre. I'm a sucker when it comes to musicals, but La La Land will sweep you off your feet with its music, dance numbers, performances, direction and vivid beauty. La La Land is a throwback to the Golden Age of musicals as it takes love and turns it into bittersweet moments. It's my favorite film of 2016.
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2015:
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#5 Inside OutInventive, moving and gorgeously animated, Inside Out is an instant classic and returns Pixar back to modern form. Pixar’s 15th featured length film is a landmark for animation and brilliantly shows us the imagination of an 11-year-old girl. This film will bring you to tears.
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#4 Mad Max: Fury RoadThe No. 1 action flick of the decade is finally here! Brace yourselves; director George Miller’s brutal and cinematic whirlwind is breathtaking on a massive apocalyptic scale. It’s been 30 years since we’ve seen Max on the big screen and with the advancement of technology, Fury Road has changed the definition of action films. It will kick your ass hard.
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#3 Son of SaulA raw point-of-view film from the eyes of a concentration camp inmate. Son of Saul takes a look at a gruesome past with unforgettable results as it numbs your bones in this exceptional directorial debut from László Nemes. It’s formally riveting and emotionally shattering as we are guided through Saul’s weary eyes.
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#2 SpotlightSpotlight respects its attention to detail and its understated approach to the subject matter in this journalist vs. Catholic Church drama. It’s an eye opening film that will shake you to your spiritual core and shows us the fighting spirit of journalism. It’s one of the best films of the year! Spotlight is smashing, just smashing.
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#1 The RevenantHands down my favorite film of 2015, The Revenant is a beautiful time-piece of Western revenge. Led by the committed hands of Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio and the sharp eye of Oscar-winning director Alejandro González Iñárritu; The Revenant is epic in every word has it challenges its audience to new heights and rich rewards.
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2014:
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#5 WhiplashWhiplash explores a verbally and physically abusive relationship between a band conductor and student. This film will get your blood boiling. Staying true to its title, Whiplash throws its audience into a pulse pounding number and in the end, leaves blood on its set. It's the Full Metal Jacket of jazz.
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#4 The Grand Budapest Hotel Director Wes Anderson once again shows us his keen artistic skill in The Grand Budapest Hotel. Through all of Gustave and Zero’s mischief and quirkiness we find a heart-warming story. In this film we see love, murder, heartbreak and, most importantly, friendship. It's brilliant, brilliant I tell you!
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#3 IdaA rare black-and-white gem. Ida embarks on a quest of truth, grief and loneliness in this postwar Poland. Ida not only empowers the horrors of human wrongs, but also studies the human condition on loneliness and faith. This master evocation of time is powerfully written and eloquently shot, which makes it one of my favorites of 2014.
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#2 BirdmanDirector Alejandro González Iñárritu leaps into creative mode with this juicy, ambitious, powerhouse story, Birdman. This bold and beautifully captured film shows the human side of actors and their fight for survival on and off the stage. Iñárritu didn’t just create a film; he created a high-flying masterpiece. It's smashing, just smashing.
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#1 BoyhoodWitnessed before your very eyes a 12-year time capsule blossom on film. Boyhood is like no other film you’ve ever seen. Boyhood shows us the beauty in filmmaking and that there is hope for a brighter future in film again, dazzling us on both a technical scale and narrative scope. It’s truly groundbreaking and is the best film of 2014.
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2013: Full list, click here.
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#5 American HustleAmerican Hustle is the high-energy comedy of the year, this film moves fast, talks loud and is explosively entertaining. Plus, there's the powerhouse team consisting of Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Renner
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#4 HerSpike Jonze's Her digs deep and shows us a different perspective on modern human relationships, causing viewers to reflect on their own relationships.
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#3 Before MidnightThe Before Trilogy is a rare gem and Richard Linklater digs even deeper with Jesse and Celine's relationship.
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#2 Inside Llewyn DavisLook into a week of passion and hardships with starving musician Llewyn Davis. This film will restore your faith in music and movies.
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#1 12 Years a SlaveYou don’t just watch 12 Years a Slave, but you live and breathe it. With every single whip lashed, you feel the excruciating pain in your bones and get knots in your stomach. It is the best film of 2013.
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My Top Five Yearly Favorites, Before Website:
2012:
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#5 Les MisérablesDirector Tom Hooper returns to the big screen after his Academy Award winning movie The King's Speech. Now, he brings us a passionate and breathtaking spectacle of the famous Broadway musical. Plus, actors Ann Hathaway, Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe all help shape Les Mis' superbness.
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#4 Django UnchainedDirector Quentin Tarantino is back with a bold, bloody, over-the-top American Spaghetti Western. Django Unchained is Tarantino's best film since Pulp Fiction, bravo.
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#3 The IntouchablesActors Omar Sy and Francois Cluzet give us both compelling performances that makes this movie untouchable. Swallowed by its sweetness and warmth, The Intouchables tugs away at your heartstrings.
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#2 Skyfall50 years of James Bond and Skyfall is one of the best 007 outings to-date. Director Sam Mendes brings Bond back with a smart, classy and stylish action thriller. Blending materials of both classic Bond and Daniel Craig's modern Bond, you're in for a smashing adventure.
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#1 De rouille et d'os (Rust and Bone)Beautifully filmed, wonderfully crafted and emotionally gripping. Plus, strong performances from both Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts, De rouille et d'os (Rust and Bone) brings out the messiness of life. It's my favorite film of 2012.
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2011:
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#5 Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, Part 2The magic ends here. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 brings the wand-twirling saga to magical and overall satisfying conclusion. For the last decade, we got to watch these young actors (Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson) grow on screen as people, performers and actors. Job well done.
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#4 HugoDirector Martin Scorsese transforms Hugo into a magical cinematic experience, while also showing us how movies started in the first place. Hugo is a rare gem that pays homage to the legendary filmmaker, Georges Méliès.
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#3 A SeparationA Separation captures the messiness of a dissolving relationship. Director Asghar Farhadi's potent film with stick with you after the credits. Dense and morally complex, A Separation sets the bar high for future foreign films.
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#2 DriveDrive is an intense and incredibly powerful film from the first frame until the last. Fueled with hyper-stylized violence and music, director Nicolas Winding Refn and actor Ryan Gosling have created an arthouse masterpiece. This film will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire 100-minutes.
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#1 The ArtistThe Artist was a delightful and joyous experience I had seeing in theaters. Plus, a satisfying tribute to the magic of silent cinema. The masterpiece is a real crowd-pleaser that reflects just why we go to the movies. Its the must see film of 2011. Charlie Chaplin would be proud.
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2010:
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#5 Black SwanDirector Darren Aronofsky delivers an intense and twisted masterpiece. Alongside Natalie Portman's committed and daring performance, Black Swan mercifully takes its final bow. So good, I passed out in theaters on the first screening...
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#4 InceptionInnovative and Breathtaking, Inception virtually transcends you into the brilliant mind of writer-director Christopher Nolan. In the end, Inception is just grade-A filmmaking.
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#3 Toy Story 3The Toy Story franchise is one of the best animated series of all-time. Toy Story 3 is emotionally satisfying and is a rare second sequel that ends the series on a grandeur high note. Every genius fiber of Pixar is stamped into this film.
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#2 The Social NetworkBeautifully directed and scripted, The Social Network blends modern filmmaking and a reverting real-life story into one potluck of a movie. This has David Fincher written all over it. The Social Network is one of the best films of the year and will truly capture you, line after line.
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#1 127 Hours127 Hours is touching, inspirational, and just plain incredible. Director Danny Boyle transforms a true story into a heart-pounding gem, backed by an exquisite performance from James Franco. It's my favorite film of the year.
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