Top Films by Year
Top Films of 2025
Top Films of 2020
Top Films of 2017
Top Films of 2015
The Teacher – 8.1
Forget the context of the Palestinian-Israeli struggle, as if that were possible, this film succeeds as a wonderful human drama, a gripping story with superb lead performances by Saleh Bakri and Imogen Poots, both easy on the eyes. Then add the context of Palestinian life in the West Bank, even without Israel’s later all-out assault […]
Misericordia – 7
An affectless Jeremie returns to a small French village (apparent population: 6) and shakes everyone’s world while mainly strolling through beautiful fall woods with mushrooms sprouting. We’re never sure what’s on Jeremie’s mind; like many a good French film, it’s all about relationships. It gives us time to think, and wonder.
The Last Stop in Yuma County – 7.8
A fun and funny dramedy set in a remote Arizona diner where (spoiler alert) everyone gets killed. Everything you need to know about each character is evident from their looks, and is confirmed once they open their mouth. You feel like you’re watching a movie from the ’60s, with no stars, one set and a […]
The Seed of the Sacred Fig – 7
A remarkable challenge to Iran’s theocracy, this Cannes Award-winning film not surprising earned director Mohammad Rasoulof an eight-year prison sentence. The first half was a compelling political drama, intertwined with family dynamics and believable characters. The second half went off the rails, so much so that streaming it on two separate nights we felt we […]
Black Bag – 5
A stylish espionage caper with fine performances by Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender that disguised the holes in the plot. I.e., I had no idea what happened by the end and wondered if the film, by Steven Soderbergh and David Koepp, was satirizing the genre. Put six very flawed spies around a table and see […]