5. West Side Story 

Two gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, on the Upper West Side battle for life and love through dazzling songs and boiling intensity, 

Spielberg has managed to impress me for several apparent reasons outside of this being a very entertaining and impressive experience. He hasn’t made a film that I’ve loved in nearly 20 years, so the fact that he was able to somehow pull off an iconic musical is simply incredible.

Each musical number either explodes with enthusiasm or emotion, or both. The magic of the soundtrack is perfectly captured, with standouts being “I Feel Pretty,” “America,” “Tonight,” and “Gee, Officer Krupke.” As for the performances, it’s clear that the energy and passion is there. Rachel Zegler, who plays Maria, is someone who everyone should have on their radar (and will) after this, as her breakout is enthralling and graces the screen with transcending depth and power. However, Ariana DeBose, who plays Anita, is clearly the scene stealer. The timing, the voice, the fluidity, the presence, the physicality…she should be walking away with the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

4. CODA

Ruby is a CODA, a child of deaf adults. Ruby wants to be a singer, however her family runs a successful fishing business which is currently facing a crisis and she must decide between her roots and her ambition. 

This is a beautiful, touching, and easygoing film that one wouldn’t expect to get nominated for Best Picture. Recently, it seems that we’ve been getting a plethora of yearly family dramas that showcase uniqueness and differences. CODA is centered around deafness, but it isn’t exactly a film about being deaf or even about understanding deafness. It’s about the ability one has to balance and separate themselves from who and what they’re closest to.

It’s got heart and it’s got lots and lots of laughs. Clearly the film to watch with the family. 

3. The Power of the Dog 

Set in 1925 Montana, rancher Paul Burbank torments his surroundings and influences Peter Gordon, a vulnerable young man, into a chaotic illusion of the world of the ranch and homosexual repression. 

The Power of the Dog is a slow burn done correctly. The exhibition in absorbing your surroundings wonderfully contributes to the environmental story and delicate touch of ambition. It’s something that is entirely distinct and unforgettable and is surprisingly engaging while doing a great job at placing its viewer in the headspace of its characters. 

The atmosphere is dirty, eerie, and smooth. It’s one that requires a rewatch to pick up on its hidden, subdued devices and detailed character arcs. This is a film that understands the difference between quirkiness and curiosity. Whether it’s through an awkward interaction or a moment of bursted repression, director Jane Campion places an emphasis on the fact that, if the viewer were to react strangely, it’s due to the fact that they are not yet at the level of understanding that they will be in the end. 

2. Licorice Pizza 

A friendship between a child actor and an aimless woman build in the San Fernando Valley throughout the 1970s. 

This film has had its fair share of controversy, but I don’t believe that it deserves it at all. Licorice Pizza not only allowed me to visit the 1970’s but also made me feel like I lived in them. The title cards are a time machine, and the experience itself is like creating an immersion between yourself and your biggest inspirations. 

Everything about it is an absolutely wonderful experience that steps you into a different universe in which you get woefully lost in. A euphoric and engaging coming-of-age story. 

1. Drive My Car

Yusuke Kafuku is a stage actor and director who has recently suffered the loss of his beloved wife. In order to try and  cope with his depression, he accepts to direct Uncle Vanja at a theater festival in Hiroshima. There he meets Misaki, an introverted young woman, appointed to drive his car. In between rides, secrets from the past and heartfelt confessions will be unveiled.

If, a year ago, you were to tell me that a slow, three-hour, independent Japanese film was going to get nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, I would’ve laughed. It’s kind of a miracle that Drive My Car managed to pull off the feat that it did, but I have to feel thankful, as it’s absolutely beautiful and should be taking home the top prize. 

An entirely subdued and consistent approach to the processes within creative and visionary arts that never tries to be bigger or more complicated than it is. Director Ryusuke Hamaguchi excellently paves a path for the depth within simplicity to shine, as he provides realistic scenarios in order for the characters to flow and develop with grace. Scenes meander yet never feel lost as they wonderfully represent the sentiments that regard how loose relationships and occupations can be. It’s long, yet so rewarding. Every scene has such a boiling intensity to its subtleties which provides for a beautifully intimate experience.