10. The Teacher's Lounge
This German movie is a perfect suspense film. Without much in the way of action, this film kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish, always wondering what is going to happen next. This movie also perfectly melds in some incredible intelligent social commentary in its very smart script. Add a wonderful performance from Leonie Benesch and you have a truly incredible movie.
9. Facing the Laughter: Minnie Pearl
This documentary probably won't be on many people's top ten lists for this year, but it is a film that is tailor made for me. I'm someone who grew up with re-runs of Hee Haw and since that show began my love of country music, it holds a special place in my heart. This also means that Minnie Pearl is someone who is very near and dear to me. This in depth documentary perfectly captures this wonderful country-fied comedian in all her glory. While I may admit a personal bias here, I think even those who have never heard of Minnie Pearl will enjoy this film.
8. Killers of the Flower Moon
Any other year and this film would have been at the top of this list, but this year was simply an incredible year for movies. This film is a perfect reminder why Martian Scorsese is a master filmmaker. Despite its very long length, the film is gripping for that entire runtime. Robert De Niro and Lilly Gladstone gives simply incredible performances that are as good as acting gets.
7. Past Lives
A masterful romantic comedy that is just as intelligent as it is charming. Director Celine Song's first feature film proves her to be a filmmaker to look out for.
6. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Interestingly in a year, where "superhero fatigue" has become a common saying and many superhero films have not received the best reception from critics or audiences, comes out one of the best superhero movies or all time. This animated film is a masterpiece of the genre and perfectly combines great storytelling and incredibly visuals in a simply perfect way. As a comic book lover and this film feeling like a comic book come to life again gives me a personal bias for this being on the list but is it is truly a great movie.
5. Anatomy of a Fall
This French film can hold its own with some of the greatest courtroom dramas of all time. Justine Triet's direction and Sandra Huller's performance are pitch perfect. This is a gripping film that will simply leave you amazed.
4. The Boy and the Heron
Hayao Miyazaki is one of my favorite filmmakers of all time. This might be his last film and if it is, I am perfectly fine with this. This is simply a wonderful animated movie and proves why Miyazaki is a master filmmaker. This is definitely a film in which you need to watch many times to get the full effect of. Fantastic and a great possible send-off to one of the all-time great filmmakers.
3. Fallen Leaves
This film from Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki is one of his best films in decades. This movie takes his trademark style of filmmaking to its absolute best. In lesser hands this could have simply been another romantic comedy. Yet the expert filmmaking makes this something much more beautiful, moving and laugh out loud funny.
2. The Taste of Things
It is amazing that this simply beautiful French film did not receive the attention it so rightful deserves. While with its slow pace and long scenes simply of characters cooking may make it not appeal to a mainstream audience for those of us who love arthouse cinema, this is simply a masterpiece. It is also simply an incredibly moving romance that had me leaving the theater in near tears. This is one of the most emotional cinematic experiences in a long time. This deserves to take its place in the great arthouse movies of all time. Any other year this would be number one but...
1. Zone of Interest
Possibly the best movie about the Holocaust ever made. This film is one of the most emotional draining films I have ever seen. Though the Holocaust is never directly shown, this movie leaves you absolutely horrified in a way that even the best horror films can't. Without a real story and simply focusing on a family living next door to a concentration camp leading perfectly normal lives makes this one of the most unique movies about the second world war ever created. I have never experienced anything like this before and I doubt I ever will again. This is the type of film that will be deeply studied in film classes many decades from now. While this film is very hard to watch, it is something that every true cinema fan must watch at least once in their lives. You will not leave the film quite the same as when you came in.
My gosh looking at this list, it is so amazing what an incredible year for movies last year was. Every film I listed is a truly great and if you have not seen any of them you must watch them immediately.
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