Fast Color
What greater power and sense of triumph is there than that of a woman who’s reclaimed her power in the face of a world wishing to either harness it for themselves or extinguish it before it burns too hot? A story of three generations of women, all of whom possess a certain gift that can take apart and rebuild. Julia Hart has taken what might’ve been a hackneyed attempt to capitalize on the superhero craze and instead woven a story of light and hope set in a world that’s quite been turned to dust. Gugu Mbatha-Raw is astonishing, and her work along with Hart’s storytelling is so subtlety paced, so delicately balanced. A stunning work of the capacity we hold to bring light into a drowning world and the animosity that will always be faced against a woman daring to take the reigns of her agency – her own body – Fast Color is a superb bridge of the supernatural and personal. — Allyson @AllysonAJ
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
A work of art is not simply the training of an artist made visible, but the actual artist and subject taken from the abstract to the concrete and then back into the abstract. Portrait of a Lady on Fire is punctuated with scenes showing the act of painting. That clearly demonstrate this as swaths of color on a blank canvas mirroring the color the characters imbue on the muted but beautiful landscapes they inhabit. Large strokes create a general image, but the subtle details are what add the beauty. The depictions of painting are, I think, a skillful artistic demonstration of the power and meaning of art. — Henry @realHenryB
Hurt by Paradise
Greta Bellamacina evokes the style of Woody Allen, with the film’s opening shots mirroring Manhattan, showing us an all too familiar city in a more poetic and romantic light. Like Allen, Bellamacina’s film has an autobiographical element to it. Bellamacina has also been a struggling poet in London. It must take a great deal of courage, to put this version of yourself on the big screen. Although, Hurt by Paradise does share some striking similarities with Frances Ha, it is its own film, full of life and charm. The film’s strengths not only lie in its performances, but its cinematography by Fabio Paleari and Emily-Jane Robinson, who bring the film to life. — Bianca @the_filmbee
Knock Down The House
It almost seems too much to hope for, even when you know what’s coming. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is running in the Democratic primary in New York’s 14th Congressional district against incumbent, Joe Crowley. She rides the elevator, heading to a bar full of her supporters to hear the result. Director Rachel Lears began work on Knock Down The House the day after Trump was elected, arranging with Justice Democrats to follow four new female candidates in the Primary who heralded real change in America. Cori Bush, Amy Vilela and Paula Jean Swearengin don’t make it. Outside the bar, Ocasio-Cortez stops. “I’m scared, I don’t know if I want to go in,” she tells her boyfriend. Finally, she does – to thunderous applause. It almost seemed too much to hope for. Turns out it was worth it. — Sean @Seanj87
Beats
The preoccupation of the characters in Beats is to attend a rave. One that will give them the much needed relief they long for within a politically charged 90’s Scotland. The journey is bumpy, funny and gorgeously shot in rich monochrome, bar the tiny splashes of colour. They’re just subtle enough that we get to see just how much these characters require their music without feeling overpowered. The rave culminates in a 2001-inspired kaleidoscopic synthesis of catharsis and platonic love between the two leads. It’s a saturation choice that highlights the most primal instincts of the human desiderate, and one of the best films of the year because of it! — Connor @Calbody
Us
Jordan Peele’s sophomore film Us is an interesting entanglement of traditional horror and social commentary. Much like his directorial debut Get Out, Us plays like a thriller, with terrific scares and gore, but it’s the underlaying themes that are bound to keep you up at night. The film follows Adelaide (career-best Lupita Nyongo) and her family on holiday when a family of their doppelgangers invade their home. Peele injects enough thrills to make the film accessible for big audiences, but make no mistake, Us is a difficult film. Not everything is watertight but who cares when it’s this well done? Themes of class and the question of nature-vs-nurture are heavily present here and they are bloody well handled. Nyongo’s double-performance is one for the ages. — Maria @marialattila
Long Day’s Journey Into Night
Bi Gan’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night has been hailed as an astronomical technical achievement. The first hour and a half, presented in dreamy almost disconnected segments, tells a simple story of love in the face of a gang violence, but actually serves as a delivery system for thematic devices. An apple, a mule, a mine shaft, a spinning house and everything that they come to represent are presented in painstaking detail, planted within the viewers mind. And then… the 3D 59 minute long take happens. This too, is simple. A man meets the woman he loved and tries to get her back and yet, it feels like much more because the thematic devices return. A mule contextualizes an apple, contextualizes a spinning house, contextualizes a love. It’s immensely satisfying and beautiful. — Stephen @STronicek
This World Won’t Break
This World Won’t Break comes from Texas filmmaker Josh David Jordan, and serves as a gorgeously filmed love letter to the state and its brand of country music. Highlighted by fantastic performances, the film is a snapshot of great talent in the face of waning ambition. Jordan and cinematographer Chris Bourke seem to be perfectly in sync with one another, framing the drama in such a way that every shot looks like a piece of art on its own. Clearly, the two men have great affection for the Dallas area. Describing it to outsiders can be pretty paradoxical; it is both exactly how you think it would be and completely defiant of your expectations. Texas never really leaves your soul and seeing it here recaptures everything I loved about the Lone Star State. — Andy @FatDudeFlicks
Avengers: Endgame
After last years devastating events that took place in Infinity War, fans now get to witness the Endgame. 11 years and 22 films, it all comes down to this final epic conclusion to an unforgettable trophy case of films. As if the events of Infinity War weren’t emotional enough, this direct follow-up is just as emotional, maybe if not more so. You’ll laugh, cry and scream, this film will take you on a roller coaster of emotions. After 10 years, this is the end, an amazing conclusion and serves as the best “MCU” film of all time. — Alex @AlexMalawski
Ash Is Purest White
Chinese filmmaker, Jia Zhangke, can count himself among the thriving, consistently great works, coming out of Asian cinema. His previous two films, A Touch of Sin and Mountains May Depart, were received with earnest admiration. And his latest, Ash is the Purest White, sees the magnetic Zhao Tao play Qiao, the beau of a mob boss, Bin, set amidst the declining Datong. A masterfully composed drama, part of the film’s beauty and bravura is the resistance to throw in scenes of violence and tension. No, this is a far more mellow affair. Only the midpoint scene involving a vicious attempt on Bin’s life, reaches such adrenaline. And its a key moment. Qiao’s dedication to the man, never quite reciprocated, drives the narrative into a second half of blissful melancholy and a kind of quietly epic character study. — Robin @Filmotomy
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