[tps_title]Allyson Johnson‘s Top Midyear Picks in Movies [/tps_title]
- Mommy (Xavier Dolan)
For readers’ sakes I’ll keep this short, but in recent years, this is the only film that induced a comparable reaction to that of the ending of Dolan’s previous film, Laurence Anyways. Mommy doesn’t just leave me feeling that way at the end of the film, but also at about five other moments throughout the story. It’s a breathless experience and an exhilarating one. I was viscerally moved, whether it was through sadness or joy, and when the film ended I was sad to say goodbye to these characters. Dolan is without question one of the most interesting directors of his generation, and watching his films always elicits an enthusiastic response, but Mommy was a film that lingered, and it’s one that’s stuck months later.
- Ex Machina (Alex Garland)
Oscar Isaac’s enigmatic performance aside, there is plenty to love in what will likely be this years best science fiction film. All three acts are scripted wonderfully, with momentum to the climax that is tense and frightening. The visuals are wonderfully juxtaposed, with the human-made technology being planted straight in the middle of overgrown wilderness, and the performances are strong across the board. It’s a film about big ideas and big choices that never feels the need to talk above itself, while refusing to simplify–it’s a confident film, one that captures our interest immediately without ever going beyond it’s means.
- Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (Alfonso Gomez-Rejon)
I walked out of the theater with an abundance of affection for this film. From its stop motion animation and subtly sweeping score to the wonderfully assured leading performance from Thomas Mann as Greg, this film had me instantly hooked. There is plenty of laughter and emotional resonance to spare, and there’s a moment in the third act that is as good as any great film of the past ten years. Effortlessly moving, playfully charming, and hosting a fantastic score–Alfonso Gomez-Rejon has created a coming-of-age classic.
- ‘71 (Yann Demange)
The Jack O’Connell-led scorcher of a film is a sprint in narrative, never taking a moment to catch its breath. With a tight script and singular focus, the film is a demonstration of the destructive nature of war and what it means when older men use boys to go off and play soldier, utilizing them as weapons rather than humans. O’Connell continues his hot streak of performances, cementing himself as one of the more interesting actors on the rise.
- Girlhood (Celine Sciamma)
These are the movies I want to see more of: ones where there is a female director behind the lens and it’s a woman’s story being told in front. Girhood is bracingly honest in its depiction of one girl’s life, all the while managing to speak to larger, more universal themes. It also wins in having one of the best musical moments in film I’ve ever seen with Rhianna’s “Diamonds,” a five-minute sequence that speaks to femininity, friendship, and growth, as we get to peek in and see a moment of pure, uninhibited happiness.
Honorable Mentions: Cinderella, What We Do in the Shadows, Mad Max: Fury Road, Appropriate Behaviour, About Elly.
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