Time seems like such a distant memory sometimes. Seems like just the other day I was celebrating New Year’s Day and prepping for my first review of the year with Candy Land, or even traveling up to space for one of the first episodes of Abyss Gazing this year with Jason X. Last year I boasted about how hard making that list was. While last year took me through a whirlwind of emotions, this year brought me out to a multitude of countries. I was fortunate enough to cover film festivals like GenreBlast and Popcorn Frights. These festivals have brought me into some of the darkest corners of the world with films like Biters & Bleeders, Abruptio, and Fat Fleshy Fingers.
I mentioned earlier about how some of my viewing habits and festival coverage have taken me into different countries. Even with our own film festival, Horrific Hope, we got marvelous selections like Welcome to Candy’s, out of France, Hold Me Till the End, out of Australia, and La Nueva, out of Spain. Some of the movies on this list weren’t even on my radar and floored me, a complete surprise. That’s a word that I’ll probably throw around a whole hell of a lot. Though many will not agree with some of these movies, here are my picks for the top 10 movies of the year.
Honorable Mentions:
In the thick of providing a stellar lineup for this year’s Horrific Hope but also coming to provide press coverage for other film festivals, I came across a great deal of amazing short films this year. Our audience award winner, Hold Me Till the End, definitely tops the list for me this year. As someone who is a survivor of suicide loss, those 20 minutes carried a relatable and heartbreaking connection for me. Other short films of note this year include Incubus, South Park: Joining the Panderverse, and Gnomes. The last of those is in the process of becoming a feature film. As previously mentioned, a lot of the films on this list, and even here in the honorable mention section, truly did surprise me. One of those surprises was Bottoms, which is a movie that is basically Fight Club with girls but with the sexual charge of an 80s comedy in the vein of Porkys. This movie took me completely off guard. The film not only didn’t take itself seriously but also had some of the best character development I found in any film this year. Then there are documentaries like Pamela, A Love Story and Satan Wants You, stories that are being told in both shocking and intimate fashion.
10 - Polite Society (Focus Features)
When speaking about surprises, no movie on this list sideswiped me to the degree that Polite Society did. This is a coming of age story with John Wick vibes that completely takes a hard left in its third act. The fight choreography in this movie was top tier. The comedy was well delivered. At its core, this is a beautiful story about two sisters who want the absolute best for one another. Sometimes that journey can be messy and even provide some comical results. That’s part of the reason I appreciated Polite Society as much as I did. As a final thought, the chemistry between Ritu Arya and Priya Kansara was phenomenal.
9 - Dream Scenario (A24)
Back when we sat down with the director of FredHeads: The Documentary, I noted that I’m not the biggest Freddy Krueger fan. I like the character and the Nightmare movies, but he’s far from my favorite slasher villain. But what happens when you strip that concept of its magic and predatory nature and center that curse around an average man played by Nicolas Cage? Well the answer is you get Dream Scenario. This movie is a master class in genre fluidity, flowing through dark comedy, fantasy, horror, and drama - all in the span of two hours. Cage is incredible. The script and direction is well executed, especially for a director as young as Kristoffer Borgli.
8 - The Holdovers (Focus Features)
I’m not the type who likes holiday movies. Every year, with the exception of The Advent Calendar, I find most Christmas movies kind of find me right in the middle of the road. They are fine for a one-time watch. Then you get something like The Holdovers. The Paul Giamatti-led holiday movie is bound for re-watches, but it set itself apart from the pack by being a brutally honest story of humanity. Not everyone gets a happy holiday. Some of us are left to grieve for those who we have lost that respective year. Some of us are estranged from our families for reasons unknown and we are forced to make our own families and traditions. Through its own heartwarming way, this is the heartbeat of The Holdovers. It’s a beautiful story about making the best of bad situations and how those seasons of life grow us.
7 - The Little Mermaid (Disney)
I may not look like it but I absolutely love The Little Mermaid. The original 80s classic along with A Goofy Movie are my two favorite Disney animated movies of all time. Out of every film on this list, this was the one I was most scared to see. The Little Mermaid is, in my opinion, the best Disney live action remake of all time. Everything from its score to set design is remarkable. Halle Bailey completely knocks it out of the park. Not to mention, Melissa McCarthy was marvelous as Ursula. This one made my inner child sing and dance.
6 - Evil Dead Rise (New Line)
Coming out of Abyss Gazing’s Evil Dead April was the latest installment of the franchise with Evil Dead Rise. The sequel presents the familiar feel of the series with some spectacularly brutal scenes. I loved everything about this film. From its quieter moments featuring Lily Sullivan’s character on the verge of becoming a parent to the absolutely insane performance of Alyssa Sutherland. Evil Dead Rise had some of this year’s bloodiest on screen moments and I would even dare say some surprising heartfelt moments. Who doesn’t love the line, “Mommy’s with the maggots now”?
5 - Godzilla Minus One (Toho)
Here comes another big surprise to me as a cinephile. In terms of larger than life franchises, Godzilla is not often on my list of my anticipated or most beloved films of all time though Godzilla Minus One may change that in the future. TOHO’s return to the iconic beast is one filled with some of the best character development of the year. Its commentary on PTSD is unmatched. Finally, we are exploring Godzilla over a couple year period and not just several hours. Godzilla Minus One may be the starting point for all future Godzilla stories.
4 - When Evil Lurks (Shudder)
Coming into this year, The Exorcist: Believer was my most anticipated movie of the year. The original film is one of my all time favorite books and movies respectively. Yet, it’s nowhere to be found on this list, largely because of When Evil Lurks. Demian Rugna took something familiar like a possession movie and basically reinvented the formula. When it comes to these types of movies, there has to be an emotional connection between audience and characters. The core relationship between Ezequiel Rodríguez and Demián Salomón is the driving force behind this movie. It’s their journey that drew me to the edge of my seat and to the edge of tears. This is simply incredible storytelling at its finest.
3 - Joy Ride (Lionsgate)
It would seem that the raunchy comedies like Road Trip, American Pie, or The Hangover have largely passed us by until you get into some of this year’s best comedies like No Hard Feelings and, most notably, Joy Ride. This film is not only one of the funniest films we’ve gotten this year but also has a surprising amount of heart. The film’s theme of finding yourself and understanding identity hiding under the elements of a raunchy comedy not only made this film compelling for me but also nostalgic, having grown up on the aforementioned comedies. The quartet at its core has incredible chemistry. I would love to see them back for future adventures; but only if the story remains as good or better than this one.
2 - Barbie (Warner Brothers)
The event of the year was Barbenheimer. As the year creeped closer to July, we all eagerly awaited the double feature of Barbie and Oppenheimer. The latter was a true feat of storytelling and also worthy of all its praises. It didn’t quite hit me nearly as hard as Barbie did. Much like Joy Ride, this is a movie about identity and learning to love yourself for where you currently are. It’s a bright and boldly pink world that challenges us to take a look in the mirror. Do you think you’re enough? Are you happy with where you are? These are questions that I started asking myself after viewing this movie and part of the reason it ended up as high as it does. I’m just Ken and I’m enough - sometimes it takes a doll movie to get me to realize such facts.
1 - Clock (Hulu)
I said this when we recorded the podcast episode earlier on this movie but I feel like I have never had a movie validate me quite the way this movie did. Clock is a commentary on societal expectations for people in my age range. I grew up fairly conservative and it’s a common practice to expect every married couple to become parents. Then, you get couples like my wife and I, who pushed back against those expectations. That’s why I truly value a movie like Clock. It’s a movie that made me feel seen, heard, and sane. Not only is this movie extraordinarily acted but it is a hell of a debut from writer-director Alexis Jacknow. While it may not hit everyone the same way as me, this one absolutely floored me with every single viewing.