20. “tick, tick… BOOM!” (Lin-Manuel Miranda)
Life, death, and the unstoppable urge to create as every second slip away. Anyone who has experienced groggy writing sessions ending at sunrise or grasping moments between busy shifts at the job du jour knows what Jonathan Larson was speaking about in “tick, tick… BOOM!” It’s about surviving while never giving up on the artistic urges that truly keep us alive. In his portrayal of “Rent” composer Larson, Andrew Garfield superbly captures the artist’s spirit, pursuing each aspect of Larson with a heartfelt devotion that goes beyond hitting all the right notes. Director Lin-Manuel Miranda’s debut as a film director is a tribute to Larson that takes its cues from everything that made early ‘90s New York unlike anywhere else in the world. In one of the movie’s best moments, Miranda introduces a veritable who’s who of Broadway legends for a performance of “Sunday” that would surely make Larson himself smile. – Valerie Thompson (Our review of “tick, tick… BOOM!”)
19. “Limbo” (Ben Sharrock)
Sometimes tone is in large part about how you use the camera, and how you block your actors. Ben Sharrock’s “Limbo” owes itself to the dry comedies of slow cinema, and uses long takes and static shots to convey the quiet absurdity of refugees waiting for their asylum requests to be answered, creating a tone that’s equally funny and heartrending. A Syrian musician like Omar (Amir El-Masry) waits by the phone on a remote Scottish island, while others linger, dotted in different parts of the frame like a Wes Anderson diorama big on empty space. In close-up, Sharrock has numerous memorable faces like that of El-Masry and Vikash Bhai (as Boris, Omar’s impromptu manager), whose time spent in such a strange environment makes way for tender comic sequences and warm moments of connection. And waiting. Lots of waiting. – Nick Allen (Our review of “Limbo”)
18. “The Mitchells vs. The Machines” (Mike Rianda)
Sony Animation is having some killer years happening now, and following “Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse,” the outstanding “The Mitchells Vs. The Machines,” makes the case that Phil Lord and Chris Miller should produce and oversee all their animated films (note: Sony sold the film to Netflix in the end, which is shortsighted because they probably gave the streamer a Best Animated Oscar freebie). But let’s not shortchange writer/director Mike Rianda and his terrific script. Melding luddites with technophobia, “Mitchells” crafts a simple, but effective story: what if a douchebag tech bro unwittingly unleashes a Robotpocalypse on the world, and the only people to save the day are a dysfunctional family whose eldest daughter is set to head off to college? “Mitchells” is deeply hilarious, hyperdynamic in its vibrant animation, heartfelt af, and doesn’t waste half a second of downtime in its utterly perfect script. If it doesn’t take the Oscar, we riot. – Rodrigo Perez (Our review of “The Mitchells vs. The Machines”)
17. “Flee” (Jonas Poher Rasmussen)
Director Jonas Poher Rasmussen pushes the forms of animation and non-fiction filmmaking with “Flee,” his stunningly moving study of the life of an immigrant he knew growing up in Copenhagen named Amin. Rather than merely telling Amin’s story in a traditional manner, he allows it to unfold artistically through a visual language that only film can provide. The structure of “Flee” is that of a friend telling a filmmaker about his life, but Rasmussen’s approach brings viewers into the conversation in a manner that allows the images to feel like shared memories. The choice doesn’t distance like filmed re-creations often do but gives the impression that what Amin is sharing is literally coming to life, allowing viewers to experience instead of just listen. Strongly received when it premiered at Sundance 2021, it feels even more resonant at the end of another long year, one in which connection and safety feel more important than ever. – Brian Tallerico (Our review of “Flee”)
16. “Bergman Island” (Mia Hansen-Løve)
A filmmaker stuck in a creative slump accompanies her partner (a director himself, to somewhat greater acclaim) on a getaway to Ingmar Bergman’s one-time island home, where she slips into her own imagination. The film follows her process as she concocts an avatar suffused with her own longing discontent, and in doing so, invites the viewer to turn the creator-creation relationship one meta-layer outward and consider how director Mia Hansen-Løve or her former lover Olivier Assayas might be projected onto this narrative. The fascinating textual games never run the risk of getting lost in their own cerebral hall of mirrors, however, each scene is rich in the simple pleasures of rambles around a picturesque locale and stimulating conversation with a friendly stranger. And who better to spend this time with than Vicky Krieps and Mia Wasikowska, two prodigiously talented actresses well-versed in the desirous unsureness that defines their twinned roles? Their sensitive yet reserved film is a vacation destination you wish you could live inside. – Charles Bramesco (Our review of “Bergman Island”)
