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BEST MOVIES OF 2024

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2024 was a somewhat strange year for film. I personally have never given as many 7/10 grades in a given year, in my life. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but I do perceive 2024 as a "high floor" year as opposed to a "high ceiling" year. There was a deep bench of very strong work and just a handful of truly transfixing movies. Fortunately I am not ranking my 25 best films of the year, but only my 10. I believe these ten (15 if you consider my honorably mentions) stand up well against any year's pantheon. From new genre champions to breakthrough directorial masterpieces, to the freshest takes on well-worn themes, we were treated to an overall fantastic slate of celluloid this year. What stands out about this particular list is how modern these films all feel. We may quietly be sitting on the precipice of a new movement in film over the last couple of years, and this year pushed that boundary to even more exciting places. I think these 10 really showcase that ...
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Final 2024 Oscar Predictions

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Sunday the will mark the 96th annual Academy Awards. Many across the country will dress up, imbibe some wine, scarf down some cheese, and hopefully enjoy a great ceremony. I am here at the last minute to help you win your Oscar Poll and maybe rob you of some the uncertainty surrounding the awards. This year, like all others, there are some great races and some that have been sewn up beyond reasonable doubt for months. Unfortunately this year, the night's top prize falls into the latter category. Instead of hopeful, nervous tension as the last envelope is read, we will all but certainly be witness to Oppenheimer's coronation. What is left to be known is exactly how many total awards the film can win. That and some very intriguing best Lead Actor/Actress races to go along with a bunch of drama in the technical and writing awards. Should be a fun night over all. Last year I mentioned that I thought this was the best group of Best Picture nominees since the Academy expanded to a ma...
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BEST MOVIES OF 2023

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  Even with several titles getting pushed to a 2024 release due to various industry strikes I firmly believe 2023 was one of the best and deepest years in film since I began making this list 15 years ago.  I consider the movies presented here exceptional from top to bottom. Whittling it to ten entries was as tough as it has been in years and slotting them into their proper places was a headache inducing labor of love. From showstopping spectacles, to heart wrenching dramas, and to a vivacious glittering savior of the cinemas, 2023 boasted outstanding work every week of the year. These 10 I believe best represent this phenomenal year of film. A gentle reminder that my list only includes feature films, does not consider documentaries (of which there were a few terrific entries this year), and is limited to only movies I was able to see before the release of this article. There are always a couple of movies I would have love to see but was unable to for various reasons. With that...
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