After two abysmal years for cinema to start the 2020s, last year’s slate offered a strong comeback. I really enjoyed putting my list together for 2022 and consider it one of the stronger groups in recent memory. Unfortunately, 2023 took a step back in the wrong direction, though it didn’t quite sink to the lowly depths of 2020 and 2021.

Based on the many lists and articles I’ve read, it would seem that lots of people disagree and think 2023 was a great year for cinema. I wish I felt that way, but for me, the year was characterized by missed opportunities and disappointments, often fueled by poor writing (particularly ironic in a year when a long strike by the WGA showed how little Hollywood cares for writers).

Going into December, I had given up on the idea of writing a top ten list for 2023 – there simply weren’t enough movies worth writing about. This made me sad, since I really enjoy the process of compiling my list at the end of each year. Ultimately, I decided there were just barely enough good movies to justify the effort. But even though this is a relatively weak top ten, every film on here is at least worth watching and talking about.

10. BlackBerry (Matt Johnson)

Remember when checking emails on your phone felt like a revolutionary thing? For a brief, shining moment in time, the BlackBerry was the peak of cell phone technology and made up almost 50% of the market – until the iPhone came along and made it obsolete practically overnight. From Canadian writer/director Matt Johnson (who also plays the goofy but kind-hearted co-founder Doug Fredin in the film), BlackBerry charts the quick rise and even more precipitous fall of the world’s first smartphone.

It’s not the most surprising or exciting story, as it basically amounts to how a good idea can be driven into the ground by a combination of greed, naiveté, and the unrealistic demands of the financial marketplace. But while the film feels lacking in drama and suspense, it still manages to leave an impression thanks to a solid lead performance by Jay Baruchel and an explosive supporting turn by It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia star Glenn Howerton that’s worth the price of admission on its own.

9. Killers of the Flower Moon (Martin Scorsese)

This was my most anticipated film of the year, hands down. A compelling and little-known true story about the systematic robbing and murder of the Osage Nation directed by Martin Scorcese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro – how could it not be a masterpiece? But sadly, as much as I wanted to love this movie, I found it to be very disappointing.

Based on a book by David Grann, the film tells the story of the Osage tribe, who became extremely wealthy after discovering oil on their land. However, it wasn’t long before greedy, evil white people started scheming to steal all the wealth through a series of manipulative marriages and brutal murders, robbing the Osage of what was rightfully theirs and leaving them with nothing. The sinister plan is led by King William Hale (De Niro), who enlists his nephew Ernest (DiCaprio) to help by marrying a rich Osage woman named Mollie (Lily Gladstone).

It sounds like a great movie and it could’ve been, but the telling of this story is riddled with flaws, chief among them the regrettable decision (seemingly spurred by DiCaprio) to tell the story from Ernest’s perspective. Ernest is a dull, one-note character who becomes extremely tiresome over the course of such a long movie – Hale is similarly one-dimensional, a banal portrait of evil. Not only are they boring characters, but we know all the details of their plan from the beginning of the film, creating a feeling of repetitiveness and inevitability that robs the story of any tension or momentum.

This is especially problematic considering the gargantuan three-and-a-half-hour runtime, which frequently drags in a way that The Irishman didn’t. The film moves in fits and spurts, often feeling like it doesn’t prioritize the right things. For example, Ernest and Mollie’s relationship never feels like it makes sense and the FBI investigation that ultimately uncovered the crimes is completely glossed over.

This really should be Mollie’s story and Gladstone gives easily the best performance in the film, which makes it all the more frustrating that she’s left underdeveloped and sidelined for a large portion of the narrative. Overall, Killers of the Flower Moon is well-shot, well-acted, and features some powerful moments – it’s certainly not a bad movie, but it could’ve been so much better, making it hard to not see it as a missed opportunity.

8. Oppenheimer (Christopher Nolan)

Christopher Nolan is one of my favorite filmmakers and he’s made some genuine masterpieces (The Dark Knight, Inception, Memento) – however, I was left unimpressed by Dunkirk and outright hated the disaster that was Tenet. Oppenheimer represents a return-to-form of sorts for Nolan after two unsatisfying films in a row, but I still can’t say that I loved this movie the way most people seem to.

Part of the disconnect for me has to do with my own personal feelings – I simply do not care about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man who invented a weapon that killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people, nor can I empathize with him. I was bored for most of the first half of this movie, as Nolan’s script gets bogged down in long explanations of theoretical physics and underdeveloped, passionless romances. The three-hour runtime feels significantly too long for this story and I can’t say I felt that I understood or cared about Oppenheimer as a person any more at the end of the movie than I did going in.

However, there is still much to praise about this film. For starters, Cillian Murphy is terrific in the title role and the supporting cast is filled with great character actors doing solid work, including Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, and Benny Safdie. It’s also immaculate on a technical level, from its stunning cinematography and pitch-perfect set design to the jaw-dropping sound work and Ludwig Göransson’s pulsing, hypnotic score.

The sequence depicting the first test of the atom bomb is a master-class in suspense and the final hour of the film thankfully delves into the fallout and moral implications of what Oppenheimer did, ending the story on a chilling and thought-provoking note. Personally, I would’ve liked to see a lot more of that and a lot less about the creation of the bomb or the private hearing to revoke Oppenheimer’s security clearance. But even though I have some significant issues with the film and am not enthralled by it the way most people seem to be, it’s undeniably well-crafted and worth experiencing on the biggest screen you can find.

7. Sanctuary (Zachary Wigon)

Eroticism is a quality that I find to be sorely lacking in current cinema. For that reason, I found Sanctuary to be a refreshing and entertaining experience, despite its limitations. The bare-bones plot centers on Hal (Christopher Abbott), a shy and self-loathing man on the verge of inheriting the CEO position of a lucrative hotel chain from his recently deceased father. Knowing he’s about to be thrust into a position of power and fearing the public spotlight that will come with it, he attempts to end his long-time relationship with professional dominatrix Rebecca (Margaret Qualley).

Rebecca doesn’t take this casual dismissal well and demands compensation for helping Hal become the man he is today, saying he could never be a CEO without her. Things quickly get out of hand, escalating into blackmail and violence, as the intense power struggle between the duo threatens to upend both of their lives.

Sanctuary is about as simple and minimalist as a film can be, with all of the action taking place in a single room and only featuring the two main characters. However, it’s never boring thanks to the short runtime, clever script, and outstanding performances by the two leads. Qualley in particular is revelatory in a performance that’s sexy, frightening, and vulnerable all at once.

Ultimately, despite all the kinkiness that may make some viewers uncomfortable, Sanctuary is a genuinely affectionate love story between two broken people who are only right for each other. It’s unlike any relationship I’ve seen onscreen before and I hope it inspires other filmmakers to push the boundaries of conventional romance.

6. Thanksgiving (Eli Roth)

Of the several fake trailers made for Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s iconic Grindhouse double feature experience, Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving was my favorite of the bunch. Now, over 15 years later, Roth has expanded the idea into a feature-length film and it’s easily his best work to date. Though not as sleazy and shocking as the original trailer, Thanksgiving is a gory, hilarious blast of a movie that gleefully pays homage to the glory days of slasher cinema.

Set in Plymouth, a small town in Massachusetts that takes great pride in its Thanksgiving celebrations, the film begins with a bang as chaos erupts at a superstore on Black Friday. It’s an alternately hysterical and thrilling opening sequence, making you cringe at the behavior of the characters and wince at the unhinged violence that follows. By the time the title card filled the screen, I already knew I was in for a treat.

The plot quickly jumps to the following year, with the town still reeling from last year’s riot, yet planning to carry on with the usual festivities anyway. But suddenly, bodies start dropping all over town, victims of a killer who conceals his face with a mask of original pilgrim John Carver. It quickly becomes apparent that the killer has some sort of personal grudge related to the riot, as he targets a group of teenagers who were all there that night and played a role in escalating the situation.

If you’re looking for a great mystery or a genuinely frightening horror film, this isn’t it. But if you like horror that’s self-aware and takes a more comedic approach to the material, this is one of the best examples in recent memory. Featuring its fair share of laugh-out-loud one-liners and some genuinely creative, iconic kill sequences, Thanksgiving is the most fun I had in a movie theater last year.

5. Anatomy of a Fall (Justine Triet)

The Palme D’Or winner at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Anatomy of a Fall is a ruthless and riveting French courtroom drama that puts a fractured relationship on trial after the husband (Samuel Theis) suspiciously falls to his death. When his body is discovered by the couple’s blind son Daniel (Milo Machado Graner), it triggers an investigation that quickly casts suspicion on Sandra (a terrific Sandra Huller) and results in her indictment, with the lengthy trial leaving no stone unturned in the couple’s tumultuous past.

A successful writer who’s known for crafting fictional narratives that draw heavily from her real-life experience, Sandra is almost immediately vilified by the public and the prosecution, as details in her story fail to add up and surprising new evidence is discovered. From the beginning of the film, it’s easy to jump to the conclusion that she’s guilty – but is the case really that simple? Writer/director Justine Triet, along with her co-writer and real-life husband Arthur Hararri, dole out information slowly and methodically, casting doubt on what really happened and never offering a definitive answer.

Some viewers may find the ambiguity frustrating, but for me, it’s what makes the film a memorable and thought-provoking experience. Instead of a typical whodunit murder mystery, the script is more interested in how quickly people form assumptions without knowing the full context behind events, and how the process of being tried can irreparably shatter people’s lives regardless of what the verdict ends up being. When it’s impossible to ever know the truth of something, how do we decide what the truth is for ourselves? After giving us all the known details of the case, Anatomy of a Fall poses this difficult question to the viewer and asks them to form their own opinion.

4. The Boy and the Heron (Hiyao Miyazaki)

The twelfth and most likely final film from legendary anime director Hiyao Miyazaki, The Boy and the Heron is yet another transfixing, fantastical journey from an animator who remains unrivaled in his ability to conjure sensations of child-like awe. Each of Miyazaki’s films, even the weaker ones, give you the feeling of being pulled into a vivid dream and this one is no exception.

After losing his mother in a hospital fire, a young boy named Mahito is forced to move to the countryside with his emotionally distant father, who quickly gets remarried to the sister of his deceased wife. Unsurprisingly, Mahito isn’t quick to warm up to his new mother and struggles to fit in at school. After a fight in which he’s seriously injured, strange things begin to happen, including frequent visits from a talking grey heron. Eventually, Mahito decides to follow the heron into a mysterious tower that seems to be the gateway to another world, pulling the boy into a hallucinatory odyssey that will teach him many things about himself and the mother he lost.

As viewers have come to expect from Miyazaki, the quality of the animation is top-tier and the sheer imaginativeness of the world-building is staggering. It’s probably one of the most beautiful-looking animated films that I’ve seen and features a mature, complex story to go with it. In fact, the film is layered with personal meaning to the point that I know I’ll need a second viewing to fully absorb it.

Released in Japan under the much-cooler and more appropriate title How Do You Live?, the 83 year-old filmmaker uses this dark fable of a movie to reflect on his own legacy and challenge his audience with that very question. In a world filled with darkness and despair, is it possible to build a reality that’s pure and untouched by evil? According to Miyazaki, the best way to start is to embrace the people you have in your life, learning to love and accept them for who they really are.

3. Dream Scenario (Kristoffer Borgli)

Featuring the most bizarre and mind-bending narrative of the year, Dream Scenario mixes elements of science fiction, absurdist comedy, social satire, and even a bit of psychological horror into an unforgettable experience that stayed in my thoughts well after the credits rolled. Touching on themes including the fickle nature of celebrity, the cynicism of advertising, the hive mind effect of social media, and more, it’s a movie that gives the audience a lot to think about while also never failing to entertain.

Nicholas Cage gives one of the best performances of his career as Paul Matthews, a sad sack college professor who doesn’t seem capable of commanding much attention or respect from anybody. Suddenly, everything changes when people start claiming that he’s been appearing in their dreams, including many who he’s never met. This bizarre and inexplicable phenomenon (the script wisely never offers a reason why it’s happening) thrusts Paul into the spotlight and turns him into a celebrity almost overnight.

Rather than acting cautiously or questioning the situation, Paul revels in the newfound attention, seeing it as a springboard to help him achieve his unfulfilled professional ambitions. Before long, his presence in others’ dreams evolves from a passive bystander into an active participant, with results that range from hilarious to deeply disturbing as Paul quickly learns that fame doesn’t come without consequences.

To say anything more would be revealing too much – this is an unpredictable film that holds many surprises in its clever, intricate script. Filmed in an unconventional, surrealist style that blurs the line between what’s real and what’s imagined, Dream Scenario repeatedly disorients the viewer all the way up to its bittersweet and moving conclusion – a final scene that suggests if there are no happy endings in real life, at least we can create one in our dreams.

2. Poor Things (Yorgos Lanthimos)

Yorgos Lanthimos is undoubtedly one of the most unique filmmakers working today, though I mostly haven’t been a fan of his previous films. He finally won me over with Poor Things, a demented comedy and witty feminist parable that’s unlike any other film I’ve seen. With its gorgeous cinematography that evolves from stark black-and-white to eye-popping color and its inventive set design that blends Victorian era society with a sci-fi steampunk aesthetic, it’s the most visually striking movie of the year.

But as stunning as the craftsmanship behind this film is, what really makes Poor Things a memorable experience are the delightful characters, impeccably brought to life by some phenomenal actors. Emma Stone gives the best performance of the year (and her career) as Bella Baxter, an adult woman with the brain of an infant child. It’s an incredibly challenging role that requires the star to fearlessly bare her body and lose all recognizable traces of herself, from her voice to her appearance to the way she moves, as Bella gradually learns about the world and her place in it.

Willem Dafoe is equally brilliant as Godwin, who Bella amusingly calls “God”, the mad but tender-hearted scientist who gave Bella life and desperately tries to protect her innocence. But as Bella gradually becomes aware that there’s a whole world outside of the carefully maintained bubble she’s been kept in, she insists on seeing it for herself and embarks on an odyssey of self-discovery that opens her eyes to the joys of sexual pleasure and friendship, as well as more serious topics including the horrors of patriarchal society and the injustice of economic inequality.

Joining Bella on this journey is Duncan (Mark Ruffalo), a shallow and manipulative womanizer who only grows more loathsome and pathetic throughout the film as he realizes that the seemingly innocent and naïve Bella isn’t so easy for him to control. Ruffalo strikes comic gold in a role that seems way against type for him, completing a trifecta of award-worthy performances from this stacked ensemble. Offering a rare combination of rich characters, dreamy visuals, sharp social commentary, and gut-busting laughs, Poor Things is an enchanting fairytale that you won’t forget.

1. Monster (Hirokazu Kore-Eda)

Who’s the monster? The newest film from acclaimed Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-Eda (Shoplifters) asks that question several times over the course of its runtime without ever providing an answer – it’s up to the viewer to decide for themselves and your answer is likely to change several times. One could even argue that there isn’t a monster in this story at all, as the deceptively layered script shifts perspectives throughout, revisiting scenes through the eyes of different characters to give them new meaning until the whole truth is finally revealed.

The plot centers on Minato (Sōya Kurokawa), a young boy who has lost his father and seems to have emotional issues of some sort. His mother Saori (Sakura Andō) grows suspicious of her son’s strange behavior and when she finally confronts him, he reluctantly admits that he’s being abused by his teacher, Mr. Hori (Eita Nagayama). Saori complains to the school about her son’s abuse and is outraged when Mr. Hori suggests that Minato isn’t a victim at all, but has in fact been bullying another student, a social outcast named Yori (Hinata Hiiragi).

To say anything more would spoil the film, as the story keeps you questioning who’s telling the truth and what’s really going on until the very end. Perhaps the real monster is the audience, as we’re quick to judge the characters and form conclusions about what’s happening before we really know the motivation behind their actions. Wonderfully acted and backed by a gorgeous piano score from the legendary Ryuichi Sakamoto (his final film credit), Monster is a quietly devastating, deeply human film with a haunting conclusion that lingered in my thoughts for days.

It’s been an awful year for movies, to the point that I won’t be writing a top ten films list this year – but thankfully, we still have good music. This year’s group of albums was a particularly strong one, with a few instant classics topping the list, and one album in particular that ranks among the finest musical achievements in recent memory.

Check out my top ten favorite records of the year below.

10. Slowdive – Everything Is Alive

It’s been six years since the legendary shoegaze outfit made a triumphant comeback with their uneven, but mostly excellent self-titled record. On this new album, their fifth overall, consistency is once again an issue, with a few tracks standing head and shoulders above the rest. I also would’ve liked to hear more vocals on these songs from Rachel Goswell, whose angelic voice has aged much better than frontman Neil Halstead’s.

However, there’s still a lot to love here – opening track “Shanty” is a spellbinding intro, building layers upon layers of hypnotic synths, wailing guitars, and ghostly vocal harmonies that lull the listener into a deep trance. “Alife” and “Kisses” find the group at their most accessible, with soaring guitar riffs and anthemic hooks that lodge immediately in the brain. Best of all is “Chained to a Cloud,” featuring gorgeous swells of instrumentation and whispery vocals that swirl together into a sound bath of epic proportions.

Though Everything is Alive can’t match the band’s classic 90’s releases, it’s still a memorable listen that will make longtime fans grateful for their return.

9. Colin Stetson – When We Were That What Wept For The Sea

Colin Stetson is an experimental musician who uses the saxophone in ways I’ve never heard before. On this album, he builds an immersive world of sound through his instrument, incorporating rhythmic breathing, spoken word poetry, and more into his usual approach. The album has a nautical theme to it, evoking imagery of a mysterious lighthouse beaming its signal through a thick blanket of fog.

This is an ideal late-night listening record, the kind of album that will make you space out to the point you forget what you’re listening to. At 70 minutes, it feels a bit longer than it needs to be, but Stetson’s brilliant playing and singular style are enough to keep the experience engaging from start to finish.

8. Tim Hecker – No Highs

Tim Hecker is a model of consistency – all of the ambient drone master’s records offer an intoxicating experience, pulling the listener deep into a meditative trance with subtle melodies and textures that seem to emerge directly from the subconscious. On No Highs, he incorporates horns for the first time in his discography (including a guest appearance by Colin Stetson), adding a dynamic new layer to his singular ocean of sound.

Coming on the heels of three consecutive masterworks (Virgins, Love Steams, and Konoyo), this album doesn’t quite reach the same level. The transitions between tracks aren’t his smoothest and the sound palette doesn’t feel as unique as those recent triumphs. Still, tracks like “Monotony,” “Lotus Light,” and “Living Spa Water” are mesmerizing soundscapes, offering a potent reminder that no one else can do what Hecker does.

7. Mndsgn – Snaxxx

Mndsgn is one of the most skilled producers working today, shifting between Dilla-esque beat collages and more traditional R&B music that showcases his soothing vocals. On Snaxxx, the final and best installment of a trilogy that began in 2018, he blends everything together into a psychedelic swirl that offers a little bit of everything I love about his music.

With a runtime just under 30 minutes, Snaxxx doesn’t allow any melody or idea to overstay its welcome, gently guiding the listener from track to track with smooth transitions. It has the loose feel of a beat tape, but also incorporates lots of vocal hooks and features some of the musician’s best songwriting to date. Whether you’re bumping it in the car, listening on headphones, or blasting it with friends, Snaxxx provides an instant mood lift that will leave you hungry for more.

6. George Clanton – Ooh Rap I Ya

George Clanton has been making music under a variety of aliases for over a decade now, but his popularity has increased significantly over the last few years, with many listeners such as myself stumbling across his unique brand of hypnagogic pop and quickly becoming fans. The charmingly-titled Ooh Rap I Ya is his first album in five years and finds the singer/songwriter/producer pushing his signature sound in a more psychedelic direction.

Tracks such as “Vapor King/SubReal” and “You Hold The Key And I Found It” eschew traditional song structures, entrancing the listener with glossy synth textures, bouncy percussion, and abstract vocal hooks that are practically dripping in reverb. For listeners who find these songs too spacey, there are more accessible tracks spread throughout the record, most notably “I Been Young,” which features possibly the most memorable hook that Clanton has written to date.

Every track here is enjoyable, but it’s the final two songs that really solidify this record among the year’s best. “Ooh Rap I Ya” features arguably Clanton’s best vocal performance to date, building up to a rhythmic chant that explains the album’s enigmatic title over an explosive, head-bopping beat. Finally, closing track “For You, I Will” ends the listening experience on a triumphant high, with ethereal guest vocals from Australian musician Hatchie mixing seamlessly into a shoegaze-meets-vaporwave symphony that makes me feel like I’m soaring through the air.

5. Lavarr The Star – Illusions Ago

Ishmael “Ish” Butler is, without a doubt, my favorite rapper alive. After establishing himself in the 90’s with Digable Planets, he reinvented his sound over the last decade-plus as Shabazz Palaces with instant classics such as Black Up and Lese Majesty. Now, he’s back with yet another alter-ego that finds him singing more than rapping, often with heavy effects on his voice. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this project, but as it turns out, Illusions Ago is my favorite new release from him in a while.

The record is short but sweet, taking the listener on a half-hour journey that will leave you eager to dive right back in. Opening track “Luxury Us Love” sets the tone beautifully, with auto-tuned vocal harmonies swimming in layers of sci-fi synths and bass tones that are sure to rattle the walls when played through a good speaker system.

Other highlights include “Mind Glow Rodeo,” showcasing Ish’s buttery-smooth flow and knack for iconic one-liners over a woozy beat that eventually explodes into disco-funk ecstasy; “Real Frenz,” a heartfelt tribute to the people you can count on in your life with a killer hook; and “Glass Top Roof (The One),” a bass-heavy romantic ballad that feels like the sonic equivalent of a warm embrace. Whether he continues to use this alias or not, I’ll always look forward to whatever Ish comes up with next.

4. Avey Tare – 7s

Released almost ten months ago, this fourth full-length solo effort from singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and Animal Collective frontman Avey Tare has remained in my top five all year long. While I don’t think it quite measures up to his best solo albums (Down There, Eucalyptus), it’s another brain-melting journey that takes the listener through a whirlwind of sonic universes, each of the record’s seven tracks standing on its own as a crowning achievement.

Opener “Invisible Darlings” finds Avey at his most unabashedly sentimental, with beautiful lyrics that alternately thank and comfort the listener, his unmistakable voice morphed through swampy effects over an outrageously catchy piano loop. “Lips At Night” is a wistful love song built on acoustic guitar strums accented with unusual percussion, such as the sound of a baseball thumping into a catcher’s mitt. “The Musical” is a song about the love of music itself, featuring Avey waxing poetic about what drew him to become a musician in the first place as layers of guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums build to a stunning crescendo.

As good as the first three tracks are, the second half of the album is even better. “Hey Bog”, the record’s nearly ten-minute centerpiece, feels like a perfect example of everything Avey does well, swirling layers of textures and melodies together into a psychedelic stew that invites you to sink in and melt away. The end of the song flows right into “Sweeper’s Grin,” another long track that disorients the listener with a hypnotic structure that seems to keep building upon itself.

Yet another seamless transition brings the album to “Neurons,” an explosion of sound with an addictive hook that features Avey playing the Kalimba (a small, wooden piano originating from Africa that’s played with your thumbs). Finally, “Cloud Stop Rest Start” ends the album on a haunting note, with Avey’s tender vocals reassuring the listener as a restlessly droning synth seems to signal imminent doom. Overall, 7s is the most sonically diverse record to date from one of the most unique and talented musicians on the planet – don’t sleep on it.

3. Oneohtrix Point Never – Again

Oneohtrix Point Never is one of my favorite musicians, but I have to say I felt a bit underwhelmed by his last two efforts. Thankfully, Again is a triumphant return to form that digs back through his large discography to re-explore the many sounds that made me fall in love with his music in the first place.

This isn’t his most unique or cohesive effort, with most of the album reminding you of previous things he’s done and none of the tracks seeming to connect to each other in any sort of meaningful way. This is my one complaint about the record that leaves it just short of reaching masterpiece status for me – with thirteen borderline structureless tracks that feature a multitude of starts and stops and run nearly an hour combined, it’s a bit of an exhausting listen that I find difficult to absorb all at once.

However, this feels like nitpicking considering how incredible nearly every song on here is individually. The title track mesmerizes with its glitchy vocal samples pitching up and down over a wall of siren-like synths that suck the listener down into a bottomless rabbit hole. “Locrian Midwest” conjures powerful swells of emotion and nostalgia with its arpeggiated chords tinged with lush textures, while “Plastic Antique” jars the listener with unpredictably shifting rhythms before dissolving into a massive sea of swelling synths, one of the most gorgeous and awe-inspiring moments in his entire discography.

Other highlights include “Gray Subviolet,” with its overwhelming blend of strings, piano, and choral vocals that merge together into a glorious cacophony, and “Memories of Music,” an electro-prog jam that evokes what the band Yes might sound like if they were active today and utilized modern production methods. Closing track “A Barely Lit Path” ends things on a fittingly epic note, running back through all the sounds of the record in what feels like a well-earned victory lap for one of the most accomplished composers making music today.

2. Alan Palomo – World Of Hassle

Alan Palomo (better known as chillwave pioneer Neon Indian) hadn’t released a new album in eight years, a long enough gap that longtime fans like me worried he might be gone for good. Thankfully, he made a glorious and triumphant return this year with World of Hassle, the first record he’s released under his real name and his most accomplished work to date. With its combination of irresistible hooks, danceable rhythms, and flawless production, all filtered through Palomo’s lovably idiosyncratic personality, this is an immensely gratifying listening experience that offers a little bit of something for everyone.

Opening track “The Wailing Mall” sets the tone perfectly with a sound palette that somehow feels both retro and modern at the same time, blending seductive saxophone passages with melodic synth pads and booming bongos as Palomo weaves an amusing tale from a childhood memory of being lost in the mall. “Meutrière” makes me feel like I’m in a classic giallo film (shoutout Dario Argento), with its club-ready beat offering a perfect backdrop for guest vocalist Flore Benguigui to serenade the listener in French.

Continuing the multicultural vibes, “La Madrileña” and “Nudista Mundial ’89” are both absolute bangers that feature Palomo singing in Spanish for the first time in his career. From there, the mood shifts to disco-jazz fusion with “The Return of Mickey Milan,” “Stay-At-Home-DJ,” and “Club People,” all of which offer unforgettable hooks and rhythms that may lead you to discover new dance moves you didn’t even know you were capable of.

Palomo gives his listeners a much-needed breather with “Alibi For Petra,” a laid-back instrumental interlude that transitions beautifully into “Nobody’s Woman,” a dub-inspired jam that gives new meaning to the word smooth. “Is There Nightlife After Death?” is a slow, sax-heavy groove that finds Palomo questioning the existence of party culture in the afterlife, while he uses “Big Night of Heartache” to transform a painful memory of romantic rejection into humorous, self-deprecating lyrics sung over alluring keyboard washes punctuated with trippy, pitch-shifted vocal samples (“I’m not crying, it’s just the spice”).

“The Island Years” begins with the gentle sound of ocean waves before launching into a tropical beach bop in which Palomo invites a lover to escape with him into sexual bliss and live out the rest of their days in paradise. Just as the track feels like it’s peaking with a crescendo of synths, flute, and percussion, it suddenly cuts out, giving the impression that perhaps this has all been just an elaborate romantic fantasy and now reality has cut back in.

The sound of the ocean carries the listener along into “Trouble in Mind,” a short instrumental outro that brings the album full circle and ends the experience with an exclamation point. While I really hope Palomo never goes eight years without releasing music again, the long wait is a small price to pay for a masterwork like this.

1. Animal Collective – Isn’t It Now?

After tiding us over with the remotely-recorded Time Skiffs (released in February of last year), Animal Collective are back with their longest studio album to date, finally releasing the remainder of the new songs they’ve been playing live since 2019 and bringing this pandemic-marred era to a close. Even with the far-from-ideal recording process, Time Skiffs turned out great and felt like the group’s strongest effort in a while. But as much as I loved that record, Isn’t It Now? absolutely blows it out of the water and ranks among my favorite albums they’ve ever done.

The hour-plus journey begins with “Soul Capturer,” a warm hug of an opener that slowly lulls the listener into a deep trance with its repetitive rhythms and flawless harmonies, climaxing with a mind-blowing transition that makes me feel like I’m slipping through a portal into another universe. On the other side of the portal is “Genie’s Open,” a subtle and mysterious epic that dazzles the listener with gorgeous vocals and a complex structure that takes you through a variety of moods, finishing with a bouncy tropical jam that never fails to put a smile on my face.

After two longer tracks, “Broke Zodiac” offers a perfect breather with its surprisingly simple construction, building to a sugary hook that will have you instantly humming along. From here, things cross back into epic territory with the nearly-ten-minute “Magicians From Baltimore,” an absolute stunner of a track that evolves from a spacey, ambient intro laden with effects to a head-banging psych-rock jam, complete with soaring harmonies, wailing guitar riffs, and a honky-tonk piano solo.

Up next is the album’s 22-minute centerpiece, “Defeat,” a true epic in every sense of the word. Consisting of two long, slow sections with a short, upbeat interlude in the middle, it feels like a mini-album of its own, taking the listener on a sonic journey that reaches a breathtaking crescendo. The emotional power of this song is nothing less than staggering, to the point I have to take a deep breath when it’s over – even after dozens of listens, I still find myself getting chills and tearing up nearly every time. I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say it’s among the most brilliant and affecting pieces of music I’ve ever heard in my life.

Moving into the final stretch of the record, “Gem and I” provides a much-needed pick-me-up after the emotional odyssey of “Defeat,” with its jaunty rhythms and addictive chorus delivering an instant serotonin boost. “Stride Rite” slows things down again with raw, earnest vocals over a lovely piano riff backed with jazzy percussion.

“All The Clubs Are Broken” is a short loop that feels like a barbershop quartet on acid, complete with hand claps and doo-wop backing vocals. Though it may feel out of place to some listeners, I think the jarring effect of the track is intentional, acting as a warning that it’s almost time to leave the vast musical universe of the album and return to reality.

As you reckon with these thoughts and the accompanying sadness of realizing the journey is coming to an end, “King’s Walk” closes the album on a transcendent note with goosebump-inducing three-part harmonies over a backdrop of eye-popping sound effects and acoustic guitar strums. The final lyric of the record perfectly expresses the primal terror of living in the modern world while retaining a spirit of optimism: “This old world is almost getting cooked, this old world is tougher than it looks.”

How many bands continue to experiment with their sound and try new things over twenty years into their career? The answer is very few, and I would argue that no group has done it as successfully as Animal Collective. Every member feels at the peak of their powers here, with this collection of songs allowing each of them to shine individually while simultaneously showcasing their unparalleled chemistry. Given the chance to all record together in person for the first time in a decade, the sense of love and gratitude on this album is palpable.

Though they’ve reached the age when many bands start winding down, content to coast on old songs and fan nostalgia, Animal Collective feel like a group that’s still restlessly exploring the limits of their capabilities. After a relatively slow decade that saw each member more focused on solo releases and side projects, Isn’t It Now? offers a resounding reminder that this band hasn’t lost a step at all – and they aren’t anywhere close to being finished yet.

In 2001, Cartoon Network changed the world of animation forever with the debut of its late-night programming block Adult Swim. Featuring original series with mature content that’s not appropriate for younger viewers, Adult Swim played a huge role in transforming the short-sighted perception that cartoons are only for kids.

Over the course of the last twenty-plus years, Adult Swim has become a thriving institution that’s produced close to one hundred original series. Their scope has expanded beyond animation, proving that live-action shows can be just as strange and surreal as cartoons. All of this adds up to a staggeringly diverse and bizarre collection of programming that feels more like a curated art gallery than a television network.

I’ve been a fan of Adult Swim since I was a teenager and my love for the channel has only increased over the years as streaming has made their incredible library of content more accessible than ever. I’ve seen at least snippets of just about every show they’ve produced and I’ve watched at least twenty-five Adult Swim series in their entirety.

With so many memorable and unique shows to consider, it wasn’t easy narrowing things down to a top ten. In fact, it was so difficult that I had to include two honorable mentions. But if you’re a fan of animation, hallucinatory visuals, and dark comedy, then every single one of these series should be on your watch list.

Honorable Mentions

4. Metalocalypse

I didn’t expect to like this show since I’m not a fan of metal music. As it turns out, Metalocalypse is one of the funniest and most addicting cartoons that I’ve seen. And while I generally wouldn’t listen to it outside the context of the show, I’ve even grown to appreciate the ultra-heavy original songs that pop up throughout the series.

Metalocalypse tells the story of the fictitious metal band Dethklok, a group that has achieved such overwhelming international success that they’re described as the seventh largest economy in the world and are allowed to maintain their own police force. Their fans are so devoted that they sign pain waivers before entering a show, legally absolving Dethklok of any injuries or deaths that occur. Despite this immense power and influence, the members of the band are unimaginably stupid and tend to unleash disaster and destruction wherever they go.

The concept is undeniably silly, but the show commits to it admirably and never lets the humor get stale. Most importantly, all 5 band members are iconic: singer Nathan Explosion, lead guitarist Skwisgaar Skwigelf, rhythm guitarist Toki Wartooth, bassist William Murderface, and drummer Pickles. Rounding out this classic group of characters is the band’s manager and financial advisor Charles Foster Offdensen (CFO), who’s frequently exasperated by the group’s antics but remains tirelessly dedicated to protecting them.

While Metalocalypse can easily be enjoyed as just a pure comedy, it became more plot-driven over the course of the series, developing a surprisingly complex and mysterious mythology around the band involving an ancient prophecy about the end of the world and a vicious monster called Salacia. Criminally, the story was left unfinished when the show was canceled in 2013 – but ten years later, we finally got a definitive conclusion in the form of a movie called Army of the Doomstar.

I can’t say that the film is the home run finale I’d hoped for, as it suffers from some pacing issues and feels lacking in the signature humor that defined the series. However, it accomplishes the most important goals of tying up loose ends in the plot and giving the show’s loyal fanbase some much-needed and well-deserved closure for these dumb, toxic characters who we all grew to love so much.

3. The Boondocks 

One of the most shocking and daring satires to ever air on television, animated or otherwise, The Boondocks is bound to offend people with its unapologetically honest take on racism in America. A casual viewer coming across the show will likely feel horrified by the constant N-bombs and outrageous stereotypes on display. But if this viewer were to stop and actually watch the show, they’d see the larger purpose of what creator Aaron McGruder and company are doing.

The Boondocks is deliberately over-the-top and offensive in order to rub your nose in the ugliness of racism – but it doesn’t do this in a way that feels preachy or lecturing. Instead, the show’s perspective feels authentic and insightful, managing to find humor in even the most horrible issues while still forcing you to think about them.

The series is largely plotless in following the exploits of the Freemans, a Black family that moves into a wealthy and mostly White suburb called Woodcrest. The main characters are brothers Huey and Riley (both voiced by Regina King), who live with their grandfather Robert (John Witherspoon). Huey is a deep-thinking political revolutionary who acts as the voice of reason on the show, while Riley is an ignorant wanna-be thug and Robert is a former civil rights activist who just wants to take it easy in his final years.

Also part of the unforgettable cast are whitewashed district attorney Tom DuBois, moronic rapper Thugnificent, and best of all, crusty old racist Uncle Ruckus – one of the most complex and hysterical characters ever created. These characters, along with the searing political commentary and anime-inspired visual aesthetic, make The Boondocks a cartoon for the ages.

2. Aqua Teen Hunger Force 

Aqua Teen Hunger Force is one of the earliest and longest-running series to air on Adult Swim. Though the show was canceled in 2015 after eleven seasons and a theatrical film, it remains one of Adult Swim’s most popular shows and was recently revived for another movie (the fun but somewhat forgettable Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm), with a twelfth season now supposedly on the way.

The show follows the exploits and misadventures of three talking fast food items that live together in a small house in New Jersey. They are the shallow and narcissistic Master Shake, the intelligent and practical Frylock, and the innocent but naïve Meatwad. The trio is frequently joined by their human neighbor Carl, a pathetic loser who appears to spend all of his time masturbating and watching sports. All four of these characters are immediately lovable and hilarious.

To say that the show makes no sense is an understatement. Beyond a lack of continuity between episodes, there’s no real rules or sense of logic even within a given episode. For example, characters often die brutally before reappearing without explanation and random objects frequently explode without warning for no apparent reason. This creates a thrilling and unpredictable dynamic where it truly feels like anything and everything can happen at any time.

In response to the detractors who argue this show has no purpose or merit, I would argue it is the best symbolic representation I’ve ever seen of the randomness of existence. Consider the ending of a season 2 episode when Master Shake is arguing with Carl and Carl’s head suddenly explodes. Meatwad asks, “Why’d he do that?” and Shake immediately replies: “Why wouldn’t he?”

I can’t think of a better scene to summarize the unique, surreal humor of this show – and I can’t think of a better show to start your journey into the wonderful world of Adult Swim.

1. The Venture Bros.

Arguably the most ambitious and well-written American cartoon ever made, The Venture Bros. maintained an astonishing level of consistency and continuity throughout its seven-season run. The show features an overwhelmingly large group of characters in a highly-detailed universe that feels like it’s always expanding. In fact, the history and lore of the show’s world are so impressively established from the beginning that it feels like the series has been on forever, even when you just start watching it.

While it’s fruitless to try to summarize even a fraction of the characters and plotlines in The Venture Bros., the show focuses on Dr. Thaddeus “Rusty” Venture and his twin sons, Hank and Dean. Dr. Venture is essentially a projection of who Jonny Quest might’ve become as an adult after a childhood of being dragged around the globe on death-defying adventures with his selfish and abusive super-scientist father. Meanwhile, Rusty is now unwittingly damaging his own sons in the same way that he was traumatized as a child.

Other noteworthy characters include the Venture family’s ultra-violent bodyguard Brock Samson (voiced by Patrick Warburton in arguably his best role), butterfly-themed super-villain The Monarch, his sexy but deep-voiced partner Dr. Girlfriend, and theatrical necromancer Dr. Byron Orpheus. These characters represent just the tip of the iceberg, as the story seemingly introduces a new classic character every episode.

The Venture Bros. is a difficult show to describe or make sense of to a newcomer. The series is ultimately a loving deconstruction of cartoons, comic books, and pretty much everything pop-culture obsessives like me were raised on. In a way, it re-contextualizes your childhood from the perspective of an adult, creating moments of powerful emotion and nostalgia in the midst of non-stop laughs.

I was heartbroken, along with many other fans, when the series was cancelled in 2020. But thankfully, creators Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer were given the opportunity to conclude their story with a movie released earlier this year, given the phenomenal title Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart.

While a proper final season would’ve obviously been ideal, the movie maximizes every second of its 84-minute runtime to deliver just the right balance of action, humor, surprising revelations, and emotional closure. It may not be how the creators planned to wrap up their show, but it feels like a near-perfect ending regardless and solidifies The Venture Bros. as a classic that will stand the test of time.

It wasn’t until the late 90’s that HBO began to seriously invest in developing original series, but it didn’t take long for some of these shows to catch fire, starting a revolution in the industry that completely transformed the perception of TV in our culture. To that point, TV was considered the most restricted and dumbed-down medium for artists to work in – thanks to HBO, the possibilities of what you could do on TV suddenly felt limitless.

Now, more than 25 years since that revolution began, HBO is no longer the only destination for challenging, high-quality television. However, their library of original content remains unrivaled in its depth of unforgettable shows that left an indelible mark on pop culture. Beyond that, the brand of HBO still carries a certain air of prestige that no other network can hope to match – after all, as the network’s slogan says: “It’s not TV. It’s HBO.”

Of course, with such a diverse roster of shows, it isn’t easy to decide on ten favorites, much less rank them. But as a longtime HBO fan and an obsessive-compulsive person who loves making lists, I’ve decided to do just that. If you’re a newcomer to the world of HBO, this will give you helpful suggestions where to start. And if you’re a longtime viewer like me, hopefully the list will inspire some fun debates trying to answer the ultimate question – which is the greatest HBO series?

Honorable Mention (Best Miniseries)

I decided not to consider miniseries for this top ten list, as it didn’t feel fair to compare single-season shows to ones that ran for multiple seasons. But even if they don’t qualify for this list, HBO has produced its fair share of excellent miniseries that shouldn’t be overlooked, some of which include Mare of Easttown, Sharp Objects, The Night Of, and Chernobyl.

Best of all is Damon Lindelof’s interpretation of Alan Moore’s seminal graphic novel Watchmen, a radical alternate take on the story’s themes that imagines the future of some of its characters while also inventing entirely new characters and plot lines that take place in the same world. Not an adaptation or a straightforward continuation, it’s more like a remix that retains the essential themes of the book and shows how resonant they remain today, even if the issues plaguing our current headlines are a bit different.

The wildly ambitious narrative finds time to include, among other things, the Tulsa race massacre of 1921, the psychological fall out from the giant squid attacks that concluded the novel, a group of white supremacists who wear Rorschach masks, the ever-resilient Adrian Veidt (Jeremy Irons, having a ball) plotting to escape interstellar imprisonment, and a downright brilliant depiction of how the God-like figure Dr. Manhattan experiences time. It’s a borderline sacrilegious idea that absolutely should not have worked, yet it somehow all comes together beautifully.

Top Ten Series

10. The Wire (2002-2008)

One of the most ambitious and multi-faceted drama series to ever air on television, The Wire is a show unlike any other. Over the course of five seasons, creator David Simon and company delve deep into the city of Baltimore to dissect the problems that lay at the root of virtually every major institution in modern America.

At its best, the show is thought-provoking and heartbreaking in equal measure, showing how our society runs on a self-perpetuating system that’s fundamentally incapable of change. Dividing its time between the law, organized politics, public education, and the media, The Wire argues that even those with the most noble intentions are inevitably ground into dust by the immovable system they all have no choice but to serve. This rare level of thematic depth and searing political commentary is why it’s often cited by critics as the best TV show ever made.

So why is it only number ten on my list? While I appreciate the uniqueness of the structure and thought the series hit some tremendous high points (especially in seasons 3 and 4), I can’t say that it lived up to the hype overall for me. I found the pacing to be almost unbearably slow at times, while some characters and storylines just didn’t interest me at all (the dock workers in season 2, the newsroom in season 5, most of the cop characters throughout the series). As a result, it was somewhat of a slog for me to get through.

However, there are other characters from the show who will undoubtedly stick with me, such as the struggling addict Bubbles (Andre Royo), pragmatic drug dealer Stringer Bell (Idris Elba), and fearless stick-up man Omar Little (Michael K. Williams). Furthermore, as the institutions we depend on continue to crumble around us, the thesis of The Wire rings as loud and true as ever.

9. Succession (2018-2023)

The show that it feels like everyone has been talking about for the last few years, Succession is a timely examination of the corrupting power of wealth and how dangerous it is to let any individuals (i.e. billionaires) possess too much power and influence in our society. The story focuses on Logan Roy (a ferocious, terrifying Brian Cox), the head of a massive media empire who begins to suffer from health problems, leaving the question of which of his children will succeed him.

The problem is all of his kids are emotionally stunted narcissists and Logan himself is not exactly eager to give up the keys to the kingdom, no matter his physical or mental condition. This leads to four seasons’ worth of devious plotting, scheming, and double-crossing, as the egomaniac Kendall (Jeremy Strong), emotionally weak Roman (Kieran Culkin), and ice-cold Shiv (Sarah Snook) all struggle to show their dad that they’re capable of being just as ruthless as he is.

There’s also their half-brother Connor (Alan Ruck), the sibling who no one really pays attention to or takes seriously, even when he decides to run for President. Best of all is the comic dream team of Shiv’s power-hungry, status-obsessed partner Tom (Matthew Macfayden) and the siblings’ cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun), a bumbling fool who proves over time to be just as conniving and morally bankrupt as anyone else in the show.

Considering its depressing themes and loathsome characters, Succession was a very difficult watch for me. There’s an almost sickening feeling when you spend too much time with these people, any one of whom I would be happy to see drive off a cliff in real life. At the same time, the series is so well-written and brilliantly acted that it’s hard to turn off, and its unflinching examination of the failures of capitalism feels like a message that needs to be heard right now.

8. The Deuce (2017-2019)

It might seem crazy to place The Deuce, David Simon’s third HBO series, ahead of his first (The Wire) – but this is my list and I’m ranking these shows based solely on how much I enjoyed them. Co-created with George Pelecanos (who wrote many of the best episodes of The Wire), The Deuce is a period piece set in New York City during the ‘70s and ‘80s, depicting the rise of the porn industry and how Times Square transformed from the seedy underbelly of the city to the corporate playground for tourists that it’s become.

Much like The Wire, the story casts a wide net to include all sorts of fascinating characters and show how everything is connected – from the pimps to the prostitutes to the cops to the mafia and even the government. The show features a terrific ensemble cast including James Franco as twin brothers Vincent and Frankie Martino, Maggie Gyllenhaal as street girl turned auteur filmmaker Candy Renee, and Emily Meade as Lori Madison, a naïve girl from Minnesota who falls under the thumb of a ruthless pimp named C.C. (Gary Carr).

This description represents just the tip of the iceberg, as the series is packed with colorful characters and award-worthy performances. It’s also one of the most gorgeously shot and impressively designed shows you’ll ever see, seamlessly immersing the audience in the time period to the point that you’ll feel like you’ve actually been there. With its eye-popping visual style, rich characters, and deeply layered narrative, The Deuce is easily one of the most underrated and affecting dramas in recent memory.

7. The Righteous Gemstones (2019-present)

I’m guessing this ranking will seem shockingly high for many readers, but what can I say? I love Danny McBride and his singular style of humor. I enjoyed his first HBO series, Eastbound and Down, though I found it to be inconsistent. After that, he teamed up with Walton Goggins for Vice Principals, a perfectly paced and hysterical series that doesn’t get enough love in my opinion. But The Righteous Gemstones is easily his best work to date, featuring a stacked ensemble cast and impressive sense of scale that elevates it far beyond mere silliness.

The story focuses on the Gemstone family, led by patriarch Eli (John Goodman). He’s frequently appalled by the antics of his three spoiled, incompetent children, played by McBride, Adam Devine, and Edi Patterson. At the same time, he recognizes that he’s getting old and it will soon be time to pass down the reins of the Gemstone family’s lucrative mega church business (yes, there are some obvious thematic parallels to Succession here, but don’t make the mistake of lumping the two shows together – they couldn’t be more different in their approach).

Whether the over-the-top style of The Righteous Gemstones works for you will depend largely on your sense of humor and how much you enjoy the performances of the cast members. McBride, Devine, and Patterson are all comic marvels in their respective roles, while Goodman brings a much-needed sense of gravitas to the material. Best of all is Walton Goggins as Uncle Baby Billy, one of the most riotous characters to ever appear on screen – it’s not an exaggeration to say that Goggins steals every scene he’s in.

The show features even more great characters than the ones mentioned above, and the plot and structure are far more ambitious than you might imagine for a series of this nature. Over the course of its three seasons to date, The Righteous Gemstones has given us eye-opening plot twists, thrilling shootouts and car chases, toe-tapping musical numbers, and more. It’s about as close to a cartoon as a live-action show can get and will inevitably turn some viewers off with its crudeness. But if you can get on McBride’s wavelength, this is the funniest show on TV right now.

6. Veep (2012-2019)

A clueless, self-centered, toxic politician rising all the way to The White House seemed like an absurd concept when Veep debuted in 2012. Just four years later, Donald Trump was in office, making it seem like this show had predicted our future. In hindsight, none of us should’ve been as surprised as we were – the whole point of this show is that people who have no business being in charge of anything can and frequently do rise to power in American politics. And barring huge structural changes to our political process, they will continue to do so.

This may sound like a bummer, but Veep is an absolute blast to watch. Focusing on incompetent Vice President Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and her devoted staff, the show is a razor-sharp satire packed with unforgettable performances and some of the most hysterical one-liners you’ll ever hear. It also moves at a breakneck pace, never slowing down throughout its seven-season run while finding time to skewer just about every aspect imaginable of contemporary politics.

Louis-Dreyfus feels like she was born to play Selina Meyer and it’s no surprise that she won six consecutive Emmys for the role. However, it’s the supporting cast that really makes this series shine for me, including Selina’s extremely loyal assistant Gary (Tony Hale), her shockingly lazy communications director Mike (Matt Walsh), savant-like campaign aide Richard (Sam Richardson), and delusional White House liaison Jonah Ryan (Timothy Simons).

All of these characters and more cement Veep as a classic comedy series that’s unlikely to lose any of its bite over time, as our political leaders seem hell-bent on proving they can make the real world just as ridiculous as anything on TV.

5. Oz (1997-2003)

When people talk about the rise of HBO, they tend to cite The Sopranos or Sex and the City as the series that started it all. But even before those shows, there was Oz, the very first original drama series produced by HBO. Premiering in 1997, Oz was downright shocking in its gritty, unrestrained depiction of life in American prisons, featuring scenes of graphic violence and sexual content unlike anything seen on television to that point.

Even by today’s standards, the show is a brutal watch, with its pilot episode alone featuring a major character getting burned to death and another one being dominated into submission by a white supremacist who ultimately brands him with a swastika. But don’t make the mistake of dismissing Oz as cheap exploitation – this is a sophisticated piece of dramatic storytelling, using the prison system to explore societal issues including addiction, healthcare, racism, homophobia, religious extremism, and much more.

The show takes place in a fictional prison called Oswald Correctional Facility, with most of the action occurring in an experimental unit called Emerald City. The cast is as large and diverse a group as you’ll ever see on TV, with standouts including the radical Islamist activist Kareem Said (Eamonn Walker), swaggering sociopath Simon Adebisi (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), vicious Nazi leader Vern Schillinger (J.K. Simmons), and wheelchair-bound inmate Augustus Hill (Harold Perrineau, who also narrates the show and provides thematic context for the audience).

Perhaps most important of all is Tobias Beecher (Lee Tergesen), a mild-mannered attorney who winds up in Oz after killing a young girl while driving drunk. Watching what Beecher goes through and how he’s forced to transform in order to survive within this world will make you question how sending someone to prison could ever possibly make them a better person.

This only scratches the surface of the many fascinating characters and heartbreaking stories that unfold inside Oz over the course of six seasons. The show arguably ran a bit too long, with the quality showing signs of decline towards the end, but it still concluded on a solid note. And even with the occasional narrative stumble, the show never failed to be riveting and emotionally devastating. By the time you get to the end, you’ll feel like you’ve been locked up alongside these characters and suffering with them, struggling to remember the last time you felt the warmth of the sun.

4. Boardwalk Empire (2010-2014)

For whatever reason, Boardwalk Empire is rarely talked about as one of HBO’s finest achievements. I’m not sure why, as it’s got everything you could want in a drama series: unforgettable characters, terrific writing, expansive world-building, constant conflict, and to top it all off, an immersive period setting rendered in stunning technical detail. Sure it moves at a methodical pace, but the series consistently rewards your patience by ensuring the details add up in surprising and satisfying ways, all the way up to a series finale that feels poetic and perfect in the way it brings the narrative full-circle.

The story takes place in Atlantic City in the 1920s, during the height of Prohibition. Treasurer Nucky Thompson (a brilliant Steve Buscemi) is one of many people in power using the demand for illegal booze to make himself a fortune. The scope of the series seems to be forever expanding, casting a wide net to include politicians, gangsters, prohibition agents, and more. It’s a world where everything is connected and no one is innocent, not even Nucky’s progressive-minded wife Margaret (Kelly Macdonald).

The cast is impeccable, a dream team of veteran actors given the chance to run with wonderfully-written, complex roles. Just a few of the many great characters who populate the world of the show include African-American kingpin Chalky White (played with incomparable swagger by Michael K. Williams), brutally disfigured ex-soldier Richard Harrow (a soulful Jack Huston), and humorless Prohibition agent turned criminal Nelson Van Alden (Michael Shannon in the performance of a lifetime). The story also makes room for real historical figures like Arnold Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg) and Al Capone (Stephen Graham).

With its expensive set design and mesmerizing cinematic style (Martin Scorsese directed the pilot), Boardwalk Empire might be the most gorgeous show to ever air on television. Few, if any shows, can boast the kind of immersive atmosphere and technical craftsmanship on display here. Combined with the top-notch performances and consistently excellent writing, it’s easily one of my favorite drama series that I’ve watched and among HBO’s crown jewels.

3. Barry (2018-2023)

When Barry debuted in 2018, I found myself in almost immediate awe of it, recommending it to anyone I talked to. With its unique tone of outrageous, borderline Looney Tunes-esque comedy that can erupt into genuinely disturbing violence at a moment’s notice, it’s certainly not a show for everyone. But if you have a dark (really dark) sense of humor, you might find yourself tearing up from laughing so hard – and eventually, as the characters make poor choices and unravel into despair, the tears will come back for very different reasons.

Barry Berkman (Bill Hader in a tour-de-force performance) is a former U.S Marine who now uses his military skills to work as a professional hitman, carrying out dangerous assignments for his mentor and father figure Monroe Fuches (a despicably hilarious Stephen Root). While tracking a target, Barry accidentally stumbles into an acting class led by pompous teacher Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler, never better) where he quickly becomes smitten with one of the students, Sally Reed (a terrific Sarah Goldberg).

Complications continue to stack up from here, as Barry’s desperate attempt to reinvent himself as an actor and win Sally’s affection creates dangerous ripples that affect the lives of everyone around him, many of whom are innocent. The premise of the series starts as something that sounds like a bad sketch idea (what if a hitman became an actor?) and evolves into a thought-provoking examination of whether human beings are really capable of changing their true nature.

Yet for all the weighty subject matter, Barry is also a show that gives plenty of screentime to a gay albino Chechen mobster named NoHo Hank (a hysterical Anthony Carrigan), one of the most absurd and ridiculous characters to ever appear on television. A show that veers between biting Hollywood satire, goofy slapstick comedy, and emotionally traumatizing violence shouldn’t work – but somehow, thanks to the singular vision of Hader and his collaborators, the show never falls apart.

It also moves at a blistering pace, with a total of just thirty-two half-hour episodes, ensuring the story and characters never have time to grow stale. After a roller-coaster ride of murders, betrayals, identity changes, and more, it all culminates in a stunner of an ending that left me thinking about it for days.

2. Deadwood (2004-2006)

“Every fuckin’ beatin’ I’m grateful for. Every fuckin’ one of them. Get all the trust beat outa you. And you know what the fuckin’ world is.” – Al Swearengen

“Every day takes figuring out all over again how to fuckin’ live.” – Calamity Jane

“Announcing your plans is a good way to hear God laugh.” – Al Swearengen

These are just a few short examples of the endlessly quotable dialogue in Deadwood, a show that will surely never be topped in the richness and inventiveness of its language, not to mention its gleeful profanity. As written by David Milch, the characters in Deadwood never stop talking and rarely feel the need to resort to physical violence, when a perfectly-worded insult can achieve the same effect.

Despite taking place in the old west, you can count the noteworthy brawls and shootouts in the series on one hand – this is not a show you watch for action, or plot for that matter. The joy of Deadwood is simply basking in its primitive world and savoring your time with its deeply flawed but lovable characters, brought to life by a brilliant ensemble cast in which nearly every member gives the best performance of his or her career.

This is especially true of Ian McShane, who tears into the role of saloon owner Al Swearengen with the gusto of an actor who knows he’s stumbled into a once-in-a-lifetime role. But there are many more classic characters and performances on display here, from Timothy Olyphant as temperamental sheriff Seth Bullock to the great Powers Boothe as Swearengen’s rival Cy Tolliver. I could keep listing characters and raving about the cast all day, but we’d never reach the end of this article.

So what is Deadwood really about? It’s about a town of disparate outsiders (prospectors, criminals, prostitutes, etc.) coming together against all odds to form a functioning community, all while fighting against the inevitable hostile takeover of big capital (embodied to loathsome perfection by Gerald Mcraney’s George Hearst). It’s a story that finds nuggets of beauty and human kindness in an ugly world that’s ruled by greed.

The show was left criminally unfinished when HBO canceled it after season 3, but thanks to demand from the fans, we finally got a movie to wrap things up in 2019, nearly 15 years after the original series ended. While it should never have taken that long, most viewers will agree it was worth the wait.

1. The Sopranos (1999-2007)

What is there left to say about The Sopranos? If you haven’t watched it yet, you undoubtedly have encountered many people in your life already who have told you it’s the greatest show of all time and you really need to watch it. And you may be skeptical, or turned off by the length of the series, but they’re absolutely right. The Sopranos is the rare pop culture phenomenon that lives up to the hype, a universally praised work of art that deserves every accolade it’s received and maybe more.

So what makes it so great? Start with the characters, led by James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano in arguably the single greatest performance in TV history. Tony’s a husband and father, making tons of money and living a cushy suburban lifestyle while secretly wondering what the point of it all is and why none of the luxuries he’s achieved in life seem to bring him any happiness. This is a condition at the heart of modern life that will make him instantly relatable to most viewers.

The thing is, Tony is also a mob boss, a sociopathic criminal who takes whatever he wants and doesn’t hesitate to kill whoever stands in his way. And he also has to deal with his nagging mother (a hilarious Nancy Marchand) and cranky uncle Junior (an exceptional Dominic Chianese), who may or may not be in cahoots to have Tony whacked.

Furthermore, his relationship with his wife Carmela (Edie Falco in another all-timer performance) seems to grow more and more strained by the day. With all this going on, it’s no wonder he starts having panic attacks that land him in therapy with the ever-patient Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco, bringing a touch of mob movie royalty).

What I’ve described so far is basically just the events that kick off season 1. I would need a whole book to talk about the endless plotlines, characters, and themes that emerge over the course of eighty-six episodes. Hell, I could write a whole article just about the side-splitting antics of Tony’s nephew Christopher (a sensational Michael Imperioli) and veteran crew member Paulie Walnuts (an unforgettable Tony Sirico). As the series evolves, characters and stories come and go, but the world of the show is so vast and vividly realized that you feel like it could just keep on going forever.

It doesn’t, of course – by now, it’s no spoiler to talk about the ending, possibly the most endlessly discussed and debated conclusion to a series ever. While many were infuriated by the sudden cut to black, leaving the fate of Tony and his loved ones in a permanent state of mystery, I was profoundly moved by the ending. It’s surprising, it’s impossible to predict, it avoids easy resolution or definitive closure, and it forcefully snaps you out of the world of the show back to reality, forcing you to start thinking about your own life and the choices you’ve made.

Something may have happened in that diner, or nothing may have happened – Tony could be dead facedown on the table, or he could simply be enjoying a basket of onion rings with his family. Either way, the point is that life is precious and we should enjoy every moment of it that we can because at any second, without warning, it could all be taken away from us.

The nominations for the 95^th Academy Awards were announced this morning. As is often the case, the selections made by the Academy are a mixed bag for me.

On the one hand, I’m thrilled by the recognition for Everything Everywhere All At Once, which led all films with eleven nominations. I was also happy to see Bardo and RRR each score a nomination for cinematography and original song, respectively. On the other hand, I was dismayed to see Decision to Leave left out of the International Feature race and genuinely baffled by the three nominations for Triangle of Sadness, possibly the worst film I saw last year.

Since 2022 was an above-average year for movies and I have particularly strong opinions about this group of films, I thought it would be fun to try something new and fill out my own Oscar ballot. Below are my picks for who I believe to be the most deserving nominees and winners in each category.

A few quick notes before we get started:

• I followed the Academy rules of ten nominees for Best Picture and five nominees for everything else. In a few categories, I didn’t think there were five worthy nominees, so I only included the ones I found deserving.
• In each category, the nominees are listed in alphabetical order with the winner highlighted in bold.
• I have no opinions in the documentary and short film categories, so I’ve omitted those here. 

Visual Effects

1. Avatar: The Way of Water
2. Bardo
3. The Batman
4. Everything Everywhere All At Once
5. RRR

I’m not an Avatar fan, but when it comes to visual effects, nothing else out there comes close to James Cameron’s ultra-expensive blockbuster.

Sound

1. Bardo
2. Everything Everywhere All At Once
3. Mad God
4. Men
5. Tár

This is one of the more difficult categories for me to judge – the work that goes into making sound for films isn’t always obvious. With that being said, Bardo is the movie from last year that I most remember the sound being a vital part of the experience. The film features several long takes with no dialogue, relying on ambient noise and sensory details to keep you immersed.

Makeup & Hairstyling

1. Crimes of the Future
2. Everything Everywhere All At Once
3. The Sadness
4. Terrifier 2
5. The Whale

I give serious props to the team behind The Whale for transforming Brendan Fraser’s appearance and the team behind Crimes of the Future for crafting some unforgettably disturbing looks (particularly the man with ears all over his face). However, I think Damien Leone and his team deserve to be recognized here for some of the best practical effects and prosthetics work I’ve ever seen in a horror film. The old-school gore in Terrifier 2 pays tribute to the glory days of films like John Carpenter’s The Thing, before CGI became widespread and made a lot of people lazy.

Costume Design

1. Shirley Kurata (Everything Everywhere All At Once)
2. Linda Muir (The Northman)
3. Rama Rajamouli (RRR)
4. Olga Turka (Terrifier 2)
5. Mary Zophres (Babylon)

Make it two awards in a row for Terrifier 2. I was tempted to reward the inventive quirkiness of Everything Everywhere All At Once or the lavish detail of RRR in this category, but I couldn’t pass up the iconic looks in Terrifier 2. Art the Clown is a vision to behold in his blood-spattered clown suit and cockeyed mini black fedora, while Sienna’s angel warrior costume is just epic in every sense of the word.

Production Design

1. Babylon
2. The Banshees of Inisherin
3. Bardo
4. Everything Everywhere All At Once
5. The Northman

This category features two films that I was lukewarm on (The Northman, Banshees) and one film that I downright hated (Babylon), all of which feature undeniably impressive set design. And of course, there’s Everything Everywhere All At Once, which is so well-executed down to the smallest details that it shows up in nearly every category on this ballot. But my vote goes to Bardo for its imaginative world-building and impeccable attention to detail.

Editing

1. Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu (Bardo)
2. Blair McClendon (Aftersun)
3. Sreekar Prasad (RRR)
4. Paul Rogers (Everything Everywhere All At Once)
5. Andrew Weisblum (The Whale)

Can you imagine what it was like editing together all the raw footage of Everything Everywhere All At Once? The film has several sequences and montages that cut around so fast, it’s enough to give you whiplash. In a lesser editor’s hands, the movie could’ve been a complete mess. Thankfully, Paul Rogers knows what he’s doing.

Cinematography

1. Jarin Blaschke (The Northman)
2. Rob Hardy (Men)
3. Darius Khondji (Bardo)
4. Gregory Oke (Aftersun)
5. Kim Ji-Yong (Decision To Leave)

This is a strong category. I was left underwhelmed by Aftersun as a film, but I love the warm and washed-out look of it. The Northman was a huge letdown for me overall, but the camerawork is undeniable. Additionally, Men and Decision To Leave feature some of the most stunning images of the year – but none of these nominees can compete with Darius Khondji’s work in Bardo. It’s the kind of movie where the shots are so gorgeous and precisely composed that you’re frequently tempted to pause and study the screen, basking in the pure cinema of it all.

Score

1. Bryce Dessner & Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu (Bardo)
2. Michael Giacchino (The Batman)
3. Justin Hurwitz (Babylon)
4. M.M. Keeravaani (RRR)
5. Ben Salisbury & Geoff Barrow (Men)

No disrespect to the other four nominees, but M.M. Keeravaani’s score for RRR deserves its own category. One of the most rousing, infectious, and memorable scores I’ve ever heard in a film, this is the definition of a slam-dunk win – yet somehow, it didn’t even make the shortlist for the Oscars.

Original Song

1. Jon Kaplan, Al Kaplan, Leah Voysey – Clown Café (Terrifier 2)
2. M.M. Keeravaani, Kala Bhairava, Rahul Sipligunj, Chandrabose – Naatu Naatu (RRR)
3. Son Lux, Mitski, David Byrne – This Is A Life (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

Once again, nothing comes close to RRR here. In fact, the film actually has four or five worthy candidates for this category, though Naatu Naatu is the best and most deserving choice to represent the film. The song is so outrageously catchy and energetic that it turns theater screenings into concerts, with audience members unable to resist singing, dancing, and clapping along. I cannot wait to see this performed on stage at the Oscars – it could go down as one of the best moments in the ceremony’s history.

Also, while it can’t top Naatu Naatu, I have to give a shout out to the Clown Café song from Terrifier 2. Just try to get that creepy jingle out of your head after seeing the film.

Animated Feature

1. Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio
2. Mad God

It wasn’t a good year for animation and the Oscar will all-but-certainly go to Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio, a gorgeously animated film that can’t quite transcend the limits of its source material. As an alternate pick, I would give the award to Phil Tippett’s Mad God, a movie that’s narratively incoherent to the point of being frustrating, but genuinely mind-blowing as a work of technical craftsmanship.

International Feature

1. Bardo (Mexico)
2. Decision To Leave (South Korea)
3. RRR (India)
4. The Sadness (Taiwan)

As opposed to animation, it was a strong year for international cinema, as all four of these films made my top ten list. In most years, India’s unfathomably entertaining RRR would be a lock to take home this award and it’s genuinely painful for me to pass it up here. But I have to give the win to Mexico’s Bardo, a stunning piece of filmmaking with the kind of thematic and emotional depth that demands repeat viewings. The fact that critics and awards shows have completely overlooked this movie only further motivates me to reward it.

Adapted Screenplay

1. Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale)
2. Rian Johnson (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery)
3. Damien Leone (Terrifier 2)

Adapted screenplay is a weak category this year, with only three films that I found worthy of being recognized. Of those three, the clear winner is Samuel D. Hunter, who effectively adapted his own stage play into a memorable film.

Original Screenplay

1. Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu (Bardo)
2. Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All At Once)
3. James Morosini (I Love My Dad)
4. Seth Reiss & Will Tracy (The Menu)
5. Park Chan-Wook & Seo-Kyeong Jeong (Decision To Leave)

Though all five nominees are worthy, this category is a no-brainer. Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert deserve to be recognized for writing one of the most original and entertaining scripts in recent memory. Uproariously funny and mind-bending in its complexity with a relatable emotional core, this is the rare script that has it all.

Director

1. Darren Aronofsky (The Whale)
2. Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu (Bardo)
3. Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All At Once)
4. S.S. Rajamouli (RRR)
5. Park Chan-Wook (Decision To Leave)

This is an absolutely loaded category and I could make a legitimate case for any of these five filmmakers to take home the prize. But ultimately, it comes down to a two-way race between Iñárritu and the Daniels for me. And though I have to give credit to Kwan and Scheinert for somehow organizing all the chaos of their multiverse-spanning narrative into a coherent vision with not a detail out of place, Bardo is a masterfully directed film that reaffirms Iñárritu is one of our best living filmmakers.

Supporting Actress

1. Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin)
2. Hong Chau (The Whale)
3. Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All At Once)
4. Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All At Once)
5. Tang Wei (Decision To Leave)

This was the only one of the four acting categories that didn’t feature an obvious winner for me. Hsu and Curtis are both great in Everything Everywhere All At Once, but neither of them feels like an Oscar-winning performance to me. The same goes for Hong Chau’s emotional work in The Whale and Kerry Condon’s graceful acting in The Banshees of Inisherin.

So I decided to give this category to Tang Wei, whose mysterious and magnetic performance in Decision To Leave elevates the entire film. You could argue that she’s really a co-lead in this movie, but I think it’s fair to place her in the supporting category since the film primarily focuses on Hae Il Park’s male detective character. Regardless of whether you consider her lead or supporting, there’s no denying the power of Wei’s acting.

Supporting Actor

1. Ralph Fiennes (The Menu)
2. Rory Kinnear (Men)
3. Patton Oswalt (I Love My Dad)
4. Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All At Once)
5. David Howard Thornton (Terrifier 2)

Is there a better story this awards season than Ke Huy Quan? A child star whose career has essentially been dead for twenty years, his hilarious and heartfelt acting provides the emotional foundation of Everything Everywhere All At Once. He’s a near-lock to win the Oscar and deservedly so.

For the other four slots, I chose to recognize some unsung heroes. Ralph Fiennes brings a perfect balance of humor and menace to The Menu, Rory Kinnear does a phenomenal job embodying multiple characters in Men, and Patton Oswalt displays genuine acting chops while playing against type in I Love My Dad. And who could forget David Howard Thornton’s ultra-committed performance as Art the Clown, bringing to life one of the most charismatic and disturbing killers to ever grace the screen without making so much as a sound.

Actor

1. Daniel Giménez Cacho (Bardo)
2. Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin)
3. Brendan Fraser (The Whale)
4. Gabriel LaBelle (The Fabelmans)
5. Ram Charan & N.T. Rama Rao Jr. (RRR)

Yes, I cheated a bit by having the two leads of RRR share the final nomination slot – but it’s hard to recognize one without the other and this is my Oscar ballot, so I’m free to bend the rules if I feel like it. I also chose to nominate a couple of underappreciated performers in this category, LaBelle and Cacho, for accomplishing the daunting task of portraying fictionalized versions of their directors.

However, none of these performances or even Colin Farrell’s career-best work in The Banshees of Inisherin can match Brendan Fraser’s all-timer of a performance in The Whale. It’s the kind of raw, emotional acting that gets under your skin and sticks with you long after the film is over.

Actress

1. Cate Blanchett (Tár)
2. Jessie Buckley (Men)
3. Lauren LaVera (Terrifier 2)
4. Anya Taylor-Joy (The Menu)
5. Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

I chose to nominate three performances that would never have a shot at the Oscars here. Anya Taylor-Joy’s feisty work in The Menu is a prime example of why she’s a rising star in Hollywood, while Jesse Buckley continued her recent string of excellent acting in Men. Finally, Lauren LaVera announced herself to the world with a fearless performance in Terrifier 2, instantly elevating herself to icon status in the horror community.

While those three are all deserving candidates, my other two nominees are the clear frontrunners for the Oscar. I hated Tar, but I certainly can’t deny the quality of Cate Blanchett’s performance and I understand why she’s likely to win. However, I think Michelle Yeoh is the more deserving winner for her splendid work in Everything Everywhere All At Once. Asked to play infinite versions of herself and display an emotional range far beyond what she’s known for, Yeoh proves herself more than up to the task.

Best Picture

1. Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
2. Decision To Leave
3. Everything Everywhere All At Once
4. I Love My Dad
5. Men
6. The Menu
7. RRR
8. The Sadness
9. Terrifier 2
10. The Whale

This was the easiest category to determine my nominees for – I simply copied and pasted my top ten list from 2022 and crowned my number one pick, Bardo, as the winner. Check out my top ten list write-up for detailed thoughts and analysis on each of my Best Picture nominees.

After two years that saw cinema hit its lowest point in my lifetime, 2022 finally felt like a comeback of sorts. Business-wise, the industry remains in peril, as theater attendance for everything but mega-blockbusters continues to plummet and the streaming bubble is finally starting to burst. But amidst all the financial concerns and cynicism about the state of movies, there was no shortage of excellent films released in 2022 – you just had to put in the work to find them.

For example, nearly half of my list this year is comprised of movies that were made outside the US. Additionally, most of the titles on here only received a limited theatrical release, and not all of them are available on a major streamer either. This is no problem for someone like me, who spends lots of time reading film news and poring over best-of lists to ensure I don’t miss anything – but I recognize this presents a challenge for more casual filmgoers who either can’t or don’t want to devote that kind of time.

This is why my annual tradition of writing a top ten list remains so important to me. In a time when it’s more difficult than ever to decide what to watch, top ten lists serve as a helpful guide to point people in the direction of noteworthy films they may have missed during the year. Beyond that, crafting a top ten list is a personal statement, a subjective exercise that reveals parts of who you are and what you seek out as a filmgoer.

So in that spirit, consider this list my humble contribution to processing and analyzing the moviegoing experience in 2022.

Honorable Mention

Barbarian (Zach Cregger)

A low-budget horror film that became a surprise hit due to strong word-of-mouth, Barbarian is a rare example of the genre that excels at keeping the audience guessing. As an avid horror fan, I thought I knew where this movie was going multiple times and ended up being completely wrong. The unusual plot structure and sheer unpredictability of the way things unfold add a lot of excitement to what may have otherwise been a forgettable film.

I’m not going to get into plot details, because Barbarian is best enjoyed if you go in blind, as I did. The first half of the film expertly builds mystery and suspense to the point that I was on the edge of my seat, desperate to figure out what was happening. Unfortunately, once explanations start to emerge, some aspects of the script don’t quite hold together and the thrilling momentum of the setup is lost.

However, this is still a creative and thoroughly entertaining horror film that I could never have imagined coming from the mind of Whitest Kids U Know alum Zach Cregger. Though Barbarian is a flawed film, it also shows a lot of promise and leaves me eager to see what Cregger will do next.

Top Ten

10. I Love My Dad (James Morosini)

A small and deeply personal film that sneaks up on you, I Love My Dad is the best comedy film of 2022. Inspired by a true story, the plot focuses on Chuck (Patton Oswalt) a desperate father who has been cut out of his twenty-something son’s life after a series of lies and disappointments. When Franklin (James Morosini) takes the drastic step of blocking his dad’s phone number and Facebook account, Chuck comes up with the insane idea of creating a fake account using the photos of a pretty waitress named Becca (an endearing Claudia Sulewski) as a way to get in touch with his son.

Naturally, complications start piling up as the lonely and isolated Franklin quickly falls in love with Becca, resulting in all sorts of cringe-inducing scenarios that had me laughing and squirming in equal measure. The tone of the film is a difficult balancing act that constantly threatens to fall apart but never does, as the script doesn’t settle for cheap laughs or schmaltzy sentimentality. Instead, it expertly balances moments of outrageous humor with genuine heart and sadness, splitting the difference between farce and tragedy.

Patton Oswalt is outstanding in a role that I can’t imagine many other actors pulling off. Chuck is such a horrible father that he could’ve easily been nothing more than a despicable villain, but Oswalt brings a feeling of earnestness and pathetic desperation to the role that makes you feel for the guy against your better judgment. At the same time, Oswalt never glamorizes the character or tries to portray him as misunderstood. He’s a horrible father and a questionable human being, but he also clearly loves his son and is trying his best. It’s a complex portrayal that, in a just world, would result in Oswalt’s first Oscar nomination.

As great as Oswalt is, even more praise must be given to James Morosini, who does an impressive job pulling triple duty as the film’s writer, director, and star. This is his story, a dramatized but achingly authentic and confessional exploration of an emotional trauma that many people would never recover from. He deserves serious props for turning this unfathomable chapter of his life into a cinematic therapy session that invites the audience to share in his catharsis.

9. Men (Alex Garland)

Alex Garland’s Men was one of the more divisive movies this year, turning many viewers off with its inflammatory subject matter and head-scratching conclusion. Count me among the film’s limited admirers – though the script is frustratingly obtuse at times, the technical craftsmanship on display is impeccable and I was riveted from beginning to end.

Jessie Buckley delivers an excellent performance as Harper, a young woman who carries deep scars from a previous relationship with a mentally ill man that ended with him committing suicide right in front of her. In an attempt to get out of her own head, Harper retreats to an isolated rental home in the English countryside, but soon finds herself being stalked by a variety of creepy men who all seem to be subtly gaslighting her. Harper is the only woman around, surrounded by men who all want something from her – so who’s going to believe her when she says she’s in danger?

In a brilliant touch, Rory Kinnear plays all of the men stalking Harper. At one point, his face is even superimposed over a child’s body to unnerving effect. He does an excellent job imbuing all the different characters with distinct personalities, ensuring that each role stands on its own. The outstanding performances from Kinnear and Buckley, along with the striking cinematography and haunting score, are enough to make the film worthwhile on their own.

Though the script does an admirable job of exploring interesting questions and themes, the ending of this movie is baffling, to say the least. I left the film confused and a little frustrated by its conclusion. Yet, at the same time, I continued to think about Men long after it was over and certain images from the film have remained lodged in my brain. To me, that’s the sign of a successful movie, even if I wish it ended on a stronger note.

8. The Whale (Darren Aronofsky)

The most emotionally moving film of 2022, The Whale is a challenging but rewarding watch that’s designed to function as a test of the audience’s empathy. The story centers on Charlie (Brendan Fraser), a man who is so morbidly obese that he can’t even stand up and move around without assistance. He stays isolated in his dingy apartment, teaching college writing courses online while lying that his camera is broken in order to keep his appearance hidden from the students.

Charlie has been binge-eating himself to death since the loss of his partner, a man he loved so much that he left his own wife and young daughter to be with him. His only friend is Liz (Hong Chau), a nurse who cares deeply for Charlie to the point that she can’t decide whether to yell at him or comfort him. When Charlie’s blood pressure rises to a level that signals imminent death, he attempts to reconcile with the daughter he abandoned (Sadie Sink) before it’s too late.

Those are the broad strokes of the plot, but Samuel D. Hunter’s script (adapted from his own stage play) does a good job of slowly layering details to fill in the spaces of these characters’ lives – even if some of the connections and conversations between them feel a bit contrived. Darren Aronofsky’s direction is unusually subtle and restrained by his lofty standards, but no less effective. In a nearly two-hour movie that all takes place in one apartment with just five characters appearing, he maximizes the claustrophobic atmosphere without ever letting the momentum of the film stall.

Brendan Fraser delivers by far the best performance of his career, a devastating tour-de-force that most people probably didn’t think he had in him (I’ll admit that I certainly didn’t). Buried under layers of prosthetics, he never loses sight of the character’s humanity, sometimes carrying entire scenes with just his eyes and facial expressions. Without a doubt, he deserves to win an Oscar for this role. Hong Chau and Sadie Sink also deserve praise, providing excellent support as the two most important people in Charlie’s life.

Aronofsky is possibly my favorite filmmaker and while this is far from his best work, he’s delivered yet another rousing experience with The Whale. The magic trick of this movie is that it portrays a character so outwardly repulsive, your natural instinct is to turn away – but by forcing you to spend time with that character and see life through his eyes, the beauty of the person underneath is gradually revealed. If you’re not crying by the time the film reaches its climax, you might want to double-check that you’re human.

7. The Menu (Mark Mylod)

I didn’t expect to enjoy this movie nearly as much as I did. The Menu is yet another in a long line of recent films that skewer the wealthy and I couldn’t help but worry that it would be too safe and predictable, content to coast on easy jokes about the uber-rich without offering memorable characters or genuine suspense. I was wrong, as The Menu is one of the most sharply-written and purely entertaining movies I saw this year.

The film makes the most of a simple setup, stranding a bunch of pretentious elites on an exclusive dining cruise where the renowned chef (Ralph Fiennes) has decided that he’s had enough of serving these soulless bores. But a wrinkle is thrown into his meticulous plan by the unexpected presence of Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy), a mysterious passenger who doesn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the guest list. What starts as a social satire gradually evolves into a thriller, though the movie’s primary weapon remains humor from beginning to end.

Fiennes’ performance is nothing short of outstanding, turning a role that could’ve been a laughable caricature into an unforgettable villain who toes the line between hilarious and chilling. Taylor-Joy offers the perfect counterpart, strong and feisty enough to stand up to the chef, but also vulnerable and relatable enough to make the audience root for her.

It’s true that the commentary on wealth and privilege is mostly surface-level stuff that we’ve heard before, but that’s okay – the main goal of this movie isn’t to make a thoughtful political statement. Instead, The Menu accomplishes the arguably even more difficult goal of injecting relevant, provocative commentary into a fun, crowd-pleasing thriller, offering a little bit of something for everyone.

6. The Sadness (Rob Jabbaz)

One of the most shockingly brutal, unrelentingly intense, and downright sickening horror films I’ve ever seen, it would be an understatement to say that The Sadness is not an easy watch. Set in Taiwan, the story focuses on the sudden emergence of a new virus that causes the scientific community to sound the alarm, while the government does nothing and the general population fails to take it seriously. Early in the film, characters shrug off ominous news reports, insisting that the virus is a hoax or part of some large conspiracy theory.

Obviously, this subject matter feels all too relevant, no matter what part of the world you’re living in. But unlike COVID-19, the virus in this movie doesn’t make people sick or die – it shuts down the part of their brain that governs aggression with reason, leading those who get it to lose all traces of decency and self-control. They essentially become feral animals, raping, killing, and mutilating any victims unfortunate enough to cross their path.

As the virus spreads, the city turns into a full-on battlefield, with nowhere safe to hide. In the midst of this chaos, two lovers desperately try to survive and make their way to one another before it’s too late. It’s a simple but effective premise, with the script offering just enough development to make us care about the main characters and feel invested in their survival. But after a quick setup, it’s nothing but balls-to-the-wall mania, keeping you pinned to the edge of your seat all the way through the gut-wrenching climax.

Please be advised, this movie is not for the faint of heart. The gore is jaw-droppingly graphic at times, while the scenes of cruel sexual violence and abuse will offend or upset many viewers. But if you’re like me and find most modern horror films to be too safe and predictable, this is the batshit crazy bloodfest you’ve been waiting for.

5. Decision To Leave (Park Chan-Wook)

The latest work from legendary Korean director Park Chan-Wook, Decision To Leave is a surprisingly low-key film. The shocking violence of Oldboy and lusty eroticism of The Handmaiden are nowhere to be found here. Instead, the movie is a quiet and haunting love story, focusing on a homicide detective (Hae il Park) who becomes gradually drawn to a Chinese immigrant (Tang Wei) as he investigates the suspicious death of her husband.

Naturally, things quickly grow complicated, as our protagonist becomes torn between the legal obligations of his job and his increasingly strong feelings for this mysterious woman who may or may not be dangerous. The film is more of a slow-simmering romance than it is a murder mystery, but the script does contain some nice surprises that keep the viewer guessing as to the characters’ true intentions. It all culminates in a haunting conclusion that stuck with me long after the credits rolled.

Park and Wei give excellent performances as the film’s two leads, effectively conveying the loneliness and desperate sense of longing between their characters. The film also benefits from expert direction and some of the most striking cinematography seen on screen this year. Though Decision to Leave isn’t Park Chan-Wook’s best work, it’s a beautifully-shot and well-written piece of classical storytelling, the kind of movie we see all too rarely these days.

4. Terrifier 2 (Damien Leone)

I thoroughly enjoyed 2016’s Terrifier, as well as the 2013 anthology film All Hallows Eve that first introduced audiences to Art the Clown. But nothing could’ve prepared me for the bloody mayhem that writer/director/practical effects master Damien Leone unleashes in Terrifier 2, the most ambitious, entertaining, and unforgettable slasher film I’ve seen in ages.

The first Terrifier was a lean and mean movie that served almost entirely as a showcase for Art the Clown and Leone’s knack for crafting stomach-churning kill scenes. In Terrifier 2, there’s an actual plot and lots of time is spent developing the protagonists so the audience feels genuinely invested in them. This is a refreshing change of pace from the usual slasher formula of focusing on dull, generic characters who the audience won’t miss when they’re inevitably slaughtered.

The story centers on Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera), a troubled teenager dealing with emotional issues in the wake of her father’s death. Meanwhile, her younger brother Jonathan (Elliot Fullam) seems a little too fascinated with the details of the massacre that took place in their small town a year ago, and the siblings’ overprotective mother (Sarah Voigt) struggles to hold their dysfunctional family together. Before long, their already-complicated lives unravel into a full-fledged nightmare as Art the Clown returns to Miles County and targets Sienna.

While many viewers will complain about the nearly two and a half hour runtime, the epic length allows Leone to fully flesh out his characters and slowly build an elaborate mythology around Art The Clown. The kill sequences are also thrillingly unrestrained, incorporating brilliant prosthetics and practical effects to achieve some of the most gruesomely gory moments shown on screen in recent memory.

Yet despite all the brutality, Terrifier 2 never fails to be an absolute blast, incorporating plenty of dark humor and a heightened tone that’s rarely seen in modern horror. The epic climactic battle between Sienna and Art is so over-the-top that it feels like you’re watching a supremely messed up superhero movie and is worth the price of admission alone.

Lauren LaVera is terrific as Sienna, a final girl for the ages – I can’t remember the last time I fell in love with a new character/actress so immediately. And once again, David Howard Thornton is brilliant as Art the Clown, solidifying his character as a modern slasher icon who is both hilarious and terrifying, all without making a sound. They’re the perfect stars to bring Leone’s demented vision to life, a vision that feels comfortingly nostalgic and refreshingly new at the same time.

The blood-spattered mania of Terrifier 2 will only appeal to a limited audience, but for hardcore slasher fans, this film is an instant classic. Now, bring on Terrifier 3!

3. RRR (S.S. Rajamouli)

Move over, James Cameron. In a year that was filled with huge blockbuster spectacles, only one of them stuck with me, and it wasn’t the new Avatar. That honor belongs to S.S. Rajamouli’s RRR, a Telugu-language film from India that is truly epic in every sense of the word. Over the course of its three-hour runtime, RRR relentlessly jolts the audience with massive action setpieces and infectiously exuberant song-and-dance numbers, injected into a narrative that’s equal parts mythical fable, tender bromance, and rousing anti-colonialism statement.

If that sounds like a lot of movie, it is – in fact, what primarily makes RRR such a thrilling experience is the sheer largeness of it all. It arguably runs a bit longer than it needs to, but the film is never dull for even a moment. The action is thrilling, the acting is solid, and the story is filled with heart. This is the kind of movie that feels constantly in danger of tipping over the edge into parody, but the passion and sincerity of everyone involved somehow manages to hold it all together. As a bonus, the musical numbers are incredible and that’s coming from a person who typically loathes musicals. There’s one scene in particular that’s so joyous and irresistibly catchy that my friends and I couldn’t help but dance along.

More than just a movie, RRR is an experience, one that’s best enjoyed with a group so you can all laugh, dance, and cheer together. Is it absurdly over-the-top to the point of being cheesy at times? Absolutely, but that’s part of the charm. Rajamouli never makes the mistake of taking himself too seriously, ensuring that RRR is a blast from beginning to end. So round up your closest friends, find the biggest screen you can, and get ready to Rise, Roar, Revolt.

2. Everything Everywhere All At Once (Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert)

When I saw this movie in theaters all the way back in March, I knew that it would be tough to top. And while 2022 turned out to be a strong year with some excellent competition, my prediction that this film would remain at or near the top of my list proved correct. Rarely have I seen a movie that makes me laugh and cry in equal measure, but this mind-bendingly original creation from the Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) manages to achieve exactly that.

The story focuses on Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh), a Chinese immigrant who disappointed her father (James Hong) by marrying the sweet but bumbling Waymond (Ke Huy Quan) and moving to America. At the start of the film, Evelyn is trying to hold her struggling Laundromat business together in the midst of an IRS audit and organize a party for her visiting father. Meanwhile, her marriage with Waymond is falling apart and her relationship with her daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu) is even worse.

In the midst of this stressful and chaotic time in her life, Evelyn finds herself sucked into an inter-dimensional battle that threatens the fate of every reality in the infinite multiverse. As a middle-aged woman who has achieved none of the goals she set for herself in life, Evelyn will have to harness every forgotten talent and unrealized ambition in her arsenal to become the best version of herself and save the world from irreversible destruction.

If you’re like me, that plot synopsis may leave you feeling skeptical. After all, haven’t we had enough of this multiverse stuff recently between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Rick and Morty? Rest assured, you can brush any doubts aside as Everything Everywhere All At Once makes the MCU look like child’s play. The perfect blend of art and spectacle, this is the rare film that works both as an exhilarating roller coaster ride as well as an emotionally resonant, thought-provoking story with fully-fleshed out characters and relatable themes.

The cast is terrific from top to bottom, with Yeoh and Quan especially delivering award-worthy performances and Jamie Lee Curtis stealing every scene she’s in as a ruthless IRS agent. The film is also immaculate on a technical level, as everything from the costumes to the production design to the editing feels carefully considered and masterfully executed. The script is among the most original and entertaining of any film in recent memory, while Kwan and Scheinert’s direction somehow manages to hold all of this chaos together with not a moment feeling wasted or out of place.

There’s a lot more I could say about this film, but I don’t want to spoil any fun surprises. Just know that you’ve never seen anything quite like it in your life, even if you think you have based on the plot description. An absurdist comedy, an ambitious sci-fi spectacle, a martial arts action extravaganza, a tender saga of a broken family, and a poignant rumination on the meaning of existence – this wonderful movie somehow manages to be all of these things, all at once.

1. Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths (Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu)

The latest film from Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu features, among other things, a man attempting to fly, a flood on a Los Angeles Metro car, a dramatic recreation of the Battle of Chapultepec, and a baby refusing to emerge from his mother’s womb because “the world is too fucked up” – and that’s all just in the first twenty minutes.

Sadly dismissed by most critics as overlong and pretentious, Bardo is a challenging and richly layered allegory of a film that finds its acclaimed director interrogating himself with unflinching honesty in an attempt to reckon with his own legacy. The plot rebels against any sort of traditional structure, transcending the chronology of time and even the laws of physics to recount the emotional odyssey of Silverio Gama (Daniel Giménez Cacho), a Mexican journalist turned documentary filmmaker who’s selected to receive a prestigious American journalism award in Los Angeles.

Silverio suffers from impostor syndrome and crippling self-doubt, the type of artist who strives to gain respect and recognition only to immediately withdraw the moment he receives it. Having left his native Mexico for the United States many years ago to escape artistic censorship, he’s now a man without a country – never accepted as a true American, yet at the same time “too gringo” to fit in with his friends and family back home. Often, he seems unsure whether to champion his home country for its rich culture or criticize it for its many shortcomings.

In this way, Silverio lacks a definitive identity, trapped between the conflicting narratives of how he sees himself and the person that everyone wants or imagines him to be. He’s the ultimate tortured artist, driven and possessed by the need to create, but unable to silence the nagging inner voice that tells him nothing he’s doing really matters. Cacho does a great job of bringing this conflicted protagonist to life, while Griselda Sicilliani, Ximena Lamadrid, and Iker Sanchez Solano all deliver strong supporting work as Silverio’s wife and children.

Iñárritu has demonstrated an exceptional command of craft throughout his illustrious filmography, but this may be his best work to date. If nothing else, Bardo is the most visually stunning film experience of 2022, every shot a masterful composition that deserves to be framed. The set design, sound work, editing, and music are all top-notch as well.

It’s hard to talk much about the plot of this movie without spoiling the journey, but rest assured, it all does make sense in the end – just don’t expect Iñárritu to spoon-feed you the meaning. If you’re looking for a simple, easy-to-digest narrative, Bardo is not the movie for you. But if you’re open to an unforgettable cinematic experience unlike anything you’ve seen before, this film will take hold of your imagination and never let go.

What a year! Music is, of course, an entirely subjective art form so opinions may vary significantly depending on your taste – but for me personally, 2022 was the best year for new music in quite some time. There was no shortage of exciting releases to anticipate throughout the year, including a few long-awaited comebacks from some of my favorite artists.

In fact, there were so many memorable releases this year that I couldn’t fit them all into a top ten. Ultimately, I settled on thirteen albums to highlight. Deciding how to rank everything was an agonizing process, but I finally managed to settle on an order that feels right to me.

So without further introduction, let’s dive in.

13. The Smile – A Light For Attracting Attention

The Smile is a collaborative band consisting of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, along with Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner. With that kind of talent involved, it’s no surprise the trio were able to deliver a memorable record. Yorke’s haunting falsetto and Greenwood’s intricate compositions remain intoxicating, while Skinner’s jazzy rhythms provide a solid foundation.

The lyrics take on an acerbic tone throughout, lamenting the recklessness and stupidity of our government leaders while the planet inches ever closer to destruction. As a result, the name of the band feels somewhat sarcastic – this is by no means a happy record. But it is an engaging and sonically interesting one, never content to settle on just one sound or mood. A Light For Attracting Attention doesn’t reach the heights of most Radiohead records, but it’s definitely worth checking out.

12. TOBACCO – Skids & Angels

It feels really weird to rank a new TOBACCO record this low. Generally, any time he comes through with a new release, it ends up at or near the top of my list. But while Skids & Angels is a unique and enjoyable listen, I’m not loving it to the same extent that I usually love his music. To be fair, the album just came out a couple of weeks ago and I’m still wrapping my head around it, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this ranking seems too low in the future. For now though, I can’t place it any higher than this.

Skids & Angels is an instrumental record, lacking TOBACCO’s signature warped vocals. It feels more IDM-influenced than anything he’s done previously, with a focus on skittish drum breaks that would make Aphex Twin proud. There’s also plenty of the bright, whirring synths and hissing tape distortion that fans have come to expect from TOBACCO.

Tracks such as “The Black Album,” “Giff Breed,” and “Intimacy Coordinator” are all face-melting bangers. But too much of the album simply drifts along without really grabbing my attention and the vocoder is sorely missed. This is still one of the better records to come out this year, but it ranks at the bottom of TOBACCO’s deep discography for me.

11. Domi & JD Beck – Not Tight

This is one hell of a debut record and the best jazz album I’ve heard in several years. Keyboardist Domi Louna and drummer JD Beck are both absurdly talented musicians. They may look like they’re still in high school, but don’t be deceived – these two have the kind of chops that most veterans could never achieve even with decades of practice. To watch the two of them jam on stage can only be described as euphoric.

On their first album, the duo keep their jamming to a minimum, focusing on compact songs that often incorporate vocal hooks. As a result, the record doesn’t quite capture the excitement of their live shows. However, it’s still a work of dizzying musicianship that’s enhanced by an incredible list of guest stars.

Thundercat adds a smoldering bass solo to the title track, while Herbie Hancock lends his legendary presence to album highpoint “Moon.” Other guests include Anderson .Paak, Mac Demarco, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Busta Rhymes, and Snoop Dogg. With that kind of support, it’s thrilling to imagine what these young and incredibly talented instrumentalists might do next.

10. Ariel Pink’s Darkside – The Key of Joy is Disobedience

Yeah, yeah, I know his political views are wack – but the truth is, Ariel Pink is still one of my favorite artists and I’m not going to stop listening to his music just because he’s expressed some opinions that I don’t share. After a five-year absence, he returned in 2022 with a new band called Darkside and an album that feels like a significant stylistic departure.

The production is very lo-fi, more similar in sound quality to the early albums he recorded on tape as opposed to his more polished-sounding recent efforts. For the most part, this adds to the strangeness of the record in a positive way – and it is definitely strange. While tracks like “Footsteps” and “Nightbirds After Nightfall” hit the sweet spot of his signature sound, other songs like the maniacal punk rock of “Knot Arthritis” and the bass-heavy trap beats of the title track feel completely out of left field.

These sudden stylistic shifts make the album a bit of a jarring listen at times, but pretty much everything works. While I wouldn’t put this album in the top tier of Ariel Pink’s discography, it reaffirms his inimitable production style and penchant for writing unforgettable hooks.

9. Kai Whiston – Quiet As Kept, F.O.G.

The third album from electronic musician Kai Whiston, Quiet As Kept, F.O.G. is the conclusion of a semi-autobiographical trilogy that started with his debut record in 2018. The first notes of this album pick up directly from his last effort and the final notes loop back around to the beginning sounds of his first album, showing a phenomenal attention to detail that makes the whole experience feel very cohesive.

While I don’t love this one quite as much as his last album (2019’s No World As Good As Mine), Quiet As Kept, F.O.G.is another stunning effort from one of the most exciting electronic artists working today. Punctuated with samples of Whiston’s mom talking about her background as a New Age Traveller in London and the struggles of raising her son while living in poverty, this is an intensely personal effort that finds Whiston grappling with his memories of a difficult childhood.

It’s not just that intimate authenticity that makes this an interesting listen, though. It’s also some of the most propulsive, layered, and memorable music you’ll hear this year, unafraid to take big risks and incorporate organic elements like the sweeping string arrangements on album highpoint “Div Era.” Now that this trilogy is complete, I can’t wait to see what Whiston comes up with next.

8. Shintaro Sakamoto – Like a Fable

The fourth solo album from Shintaro Sakamoto delivers more of the experimental lounge-pop fans have come to expect from him. Perhaps because his lyrics are all sung in Japanese, the singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist doesn’t have a very large following in the US. That’s a shame, because Sakamoto consistently delivers quality records and Like a Fable is no exception.

From the distorted trombone stabs on the opener to the sugary backing vocals on the title track, this is an album filled with subtle hooks that will slowly lodge in your brain. Depending on the song, you’ll also hear lap-steel guitar, flute, saxophone, and more. With its combination of uniquely layered instrumentation, funky grooves, and quality songwriting, Like a Fable has a little bit of something to please everyone.

7. The Mars Volta – The Mars Volta

The return of The Mars Volta after a ten-year hiatus is one of the most significant musical events of my lifetime. Finally getting to see them live was a dream come true, and returning to their music after a long break allowed me to discover a whole new level of appreciation for their discography, elevating them into the top tier of my favorite artists. Albums such as Frances The Mute, Amputechture, and Deloused in the Comatorium are some of the most challenging, yet rewarding, pieces of music that have ever graced my eardrums.

Having said all of that, I can’t let my excitement about the band’s return factor into my evaluation of this new self-titled album. And while it’s a strong effort that ranks among the year’s more enjoyable listens, it’s not a transcendent masterpiece like the records listed above. In all fairness, that seems largely by design – the dynamic duo deliberately challenged themselves to write short, concise songs with no frills, the exact opposite of what they’re known for and what their fans expect. The fact that not a single track on here runs even five minutes long is downright shocking for longtime listeners, and honestly a little disappointing.

At the same time, I salute Cedric and Omar for trying something new and refusing to allow anyone to define their sound. And when you consider this album in the context of its creators’ intentions, it’s actually damn good. The hooks are infectious from beginning to end and none of the tracks are quite as simple as they first seem, with deceptively complex instrumentation and subtle production touches revealing themselves on repeat listens. The lyrics are also more direct and emotionally poignant than anything Cedric has written previously.

Though it doesn’t deliver the visceral energy and mind-blowing experimentation I’ve come to expect from The Mars Volta, this is still a beautiful record that hits hard when you’re in the right mood for it.

6. Porcupine Tree – Closure/Continuation

When I was in middle school, I listened to almost nothing but progressive rock and Porcupine Tree was my favorite band. My tastes have shifted quite a bit since then and I don’t listen to the group often anymore. However, I still have a deep respect and appreciation for their music, not to mention a powerful sense of nostalgia – throwing on one of their records instantly takes me back to the feeling of being a moody teenager.

So when I heard Porcupine Tree was unexpectedly reuniting after a thirteen-year hiatus, I was both excited and nervous. On the one hand, I would finally get to experience a new album and tour cycle from a band that means a lot to me. On the other hand, I worried that their music wouldn’t feel relevant in 2022, or that the group would sound rusty after so many years apart.

I needn’t have worried, as Closure/Continuation is arguably the best record in Porcupine Tree’s large discography. It’s certainly their tightest and best-produced album, running a perfectly-paced fifty minutes and layered with subtle textures from keyboardist Richard Barbieri that can only be heard clearly on headphones. Meanwhile, Steven Wilson’s voice sounds as haunting and earnest as ever, while Gavin Harrison remains arguably the best drummer alive. Listening to this album, you would never know that the band had been apart for so long.

Opening track “Harridan” feels like a perfect summation of everything Porcupine Tree does well, taking the listener on an 8-minute journey that starts as a bass-heavy groove and explodes into an anthemic chorus, diverting into sections of head-banging heavy metal and gorgeous vocal harmonies before circling back to the hook. “Dignity” and “Chimera’s Wreck” showcase the band at their most classically prog-influenced, while “Walk The Plank” may be the weirdest and trippiest song they’ve recorded.

If you’ve never listened to Porcupine Tree, this is a great place to start. And if you’re a long-time fan of the band, have no fear – this album feels like coming home.

5. Malibu – Palaces Of Pity

The second release from French singer/producer Malibu (who also releases music as Belmont Girl and DJ Lostboi), Palaces of Pity is as gorgeous and majestic as ambient music gets. Inspired by the ceaseless ebb and flow of the ocean’s tides, Malibu’s music similarly washes over you in a way that feels simultaneously calming and overwhelming. Each track is built on a wall of droning synths and pulsing sub-bass, with unfathomably angelic vocals soaring over the top.

This is the kind of music that can move a person to tears – it certainly has achieved that effect on me. There’s an emotional quality to the release that feels universal, like Malibu is tapping into all of our collectively shared grief and providing the perfect vessel to let it all out. As a result, the record feels like a cathartic healing experience that will continue to haunt you well after it’s over.

I just wish it was a bit longer. Technically, Palaces Of Pity is an EP, so the 25-minute runtime is adequate, but it leaves me wanting more. If this were a full-length album, it would easily have cracked my top three this year. Hopefully, Malibu will come through with a full-length effort in the near future, because I really want to hear more of this sound.

4. Panda Bear & Sonic Boom – Reset

This isn’t the first time that Animal Collective’s Panda Bear and Spacemen 3’s Sonic Boom have worked together, but it’s the first time they’ve released an official collaboration record. Thankfully, it doesn’t disappoint in the slightest, as Reset finds both of these modern psychedelic legends in top form, delivering an album that’s sure to please hardcore fans of both musicians.

The tracks are built primarily around looped samples from old soul and doo-wop songs, such as The Everly Brothers’ “Love Of My Life” and The Drifters’ “Save The Last Dance For Me.” This lends the record a sense of comforting nostalgia, taking the listener back to a time when life was simpler and happier. These loops offer the perfect backdrop for Panda Bear’s singular golden harmonies, resulting in arguably his most memorable release since 2011’s Tomboy (which Sonic Boom co-produced).

This isn’t a Panda Bear solo record, though. In addition to creating the loops that serve as the foundation of the album, Sonic Boom also harmonizes with Panda on several tracks and even sings lead on a few. It feels like a true collaboration, with both musicians making their stamp and contributing equally to the finished product. If your eyes don’t pop out of your head listening to the soaring harmonies of “In My Body” or the head-spinning vocal hocketing on “Danger,” you might want to double-check that your ears still work.

3. Toro Y Moi – Mahal

Toro Y Moi has been on a hell of a roll for several years now, consistently coming through with great albums that all sound totally different. Mahal is yet another stylistic departure for the singer/songwriter/producer, combining elements of rock, funk, jazz, and more into a psychedelic stew that never fails to hold your attention.

Mahal is a concept album of sorts, taking the listener on a Fear and Loathing style road trip that they’ll never forget. The record flows seamlessly from top to bottom, with the sounds of a revving engine and distorted snippets of radio broadcasts serving as mesmerizing transitions. It’s alternately the most diverse and cohesive Toro Y Moi release to date, rapidly flipping through genres without ever losing its warm, laid-back mood.

This is an album that demands to be listened to all the way through, but some highlights include the bursts of saxophone on “Goes By So Fast,” the transcendent vocal melodies on “Clarity,” and the explosive guitar solo on closing track “Days in Love.” With its memorable songwriting, dynamic instrumentation, and exceptional production, Mahal makes a strong case to be recognized as Toro Y Moi’s defining work.

2. Bjork – Fossora

The queen is back! It’s been a long 5-year wait since her last album (2017’s Utopia), but any amount of waiting would’ve been worth it for an album this monumental. From its opening note to its last, Fossora is a jaw-dropping masterpiece that delivers a little bit of everything I love about Bjork’s music.

You want pulse-pounding beats? Check. How about lavish orchestral arrangements? Yep, plenty of those too. You want chill-inducing vocal performances and raw, unfiltered emotion? This is Bjork we’re talking about, so of course there’s plenty of that. There’s also flawless production and mixing that allows every sound to come through in perfect clarity, with special attention paid to the low end. Whether you blast it through speakers or headphones, Fossora is a total-immersion experience that only continues to sound better with each listen.

The album is also a deeply emotional listen, incorporating universal themes of love, loss, and family. The record’s centerpiece, “Ancestress,” finds Bjork harmonizing with her son to pay tribute to her late mother while closing track “Her Mother’s House” is a stunning duet with her daughter. Best of all is “Allow,” one of the most stunningly beautiful pieces of music I’ve ever heard – seriously, just try listening to that song without getting goosebumps.

I could also talk about the gorgeous string melodies on “Freefall” or the thrilling drum n’ bass explosion that concludes the title track, but this write-up will never end if I try to highlight everything I love about this album. Fossora shows an undisputed master at the peak of her powers, resulting in one of the most memorable and satisfying records in Bjork’s legendary discography.

1. Animal Collective – Time Skiffs

As difficult as ranking all the albums on this list was, I didn’t spend even a moment considering which one would take the top spot. My competition for best album of 2022 essentially ended all the way back in February, when Animal Collective released their first studio album to feature all four members since 2012’s Centipede Hz, a shocking ten years ago. Unsurprisingly, it’s the best thing they’ve done in a long time, feeling like a return to the golden age of the band.

Anyone who knows me is aware that I’m a diehard Animal Collective fan and won’t be even remotely surprised to see Time Skiffs at the top of my list. But while I may be biased as a super-fan, meeting sky-high expectations is no easy thing – that the band was able to deliver everything I wanted while still continuing to surprise and challenge me is nothing short of a magic trick.

The album was recorded remotely during the pandemic, but you’d never know these four guys weren’t in the same room with each other. The chemistry and bond that makes their music so special is felt in abundance, while the production arguably sounds closer to the group’s live sound than any of their previous studio releases. I saw most of these songs performed at Desert Daze all the way back in 2019 and was thrilled to find they lost none of their power in the studio, even after the band had to wait such a long time to record them (thanks a lot, covid!).

Animal Collective have such a large and diverse discography that it’s virtually impossible for them to please everyone. There are always going to be some fans who want them to repeat certain sounds they’ve done in the past, rather than continuing to experiment and embrace new sounds. But that’s not Animal Collective’s style and they have no interest in catering to fans who only like the old stuff – with this band, you’re either along for the ride or you aren’t. Having said that, if you can’t find something to love in the stirring vocal harmonies, intricate rhythms, and brain-tickling textures of Time Skiffs, then it’s hard to imagine how you ever became a fan in the first place.

If you want to read more of my thoughts on Time Skiffs and what the album means to me, check out the in-depth review I wrote earlier this year. As always, thanks for reading and here’s hoping that 2023 is another strong year for music.

Normally, I don’t write album reviews. I like to save my thoughts on individual releases for when I make my top ten list at the end of the year. But on rare occasions, an album comes along that demands more detailed analysis – and Animal Collective’s Time Skiffs is undoubtedly one of those records.

Before diving into my review, it’s necessary to provide some context. Animal Collective have been my favorite musicians since I was 16. I’ve always found their music to be challenging, exciting, and emotionally moving on a level that no one else is capable of reaching for me.

Though there have been plenty of new releases since I became a fan, Time Skiffs is the first Animal Collective album to feature all four members in a decade (since 2012’s Centipede Hz). As if that weren’t enough cause for excitement, I saw many of these new songs performed live over two years ago and have been itching to hear the studio versions ever since.

Considering all of these factors, I went into my first listen of Time Skiffs with sky-high expectations. Honestly, I’m not sure if I’ve ever anticipated an album so much, especially when you add in all of the COVID-induced delays that seemed to keep shifting the goalposts farther and farther away as I waited. So when I put on my headphones and pressed play for the first time, I could hardly contain my excitement.

Within seconds, I was thrown off – after waiting so long and getting used to bootleg recordings of the live versions, the songs didn’t sound right to me. While a few moments immediately clicked with me, most of the album sounded like a big mess and I couldn’t comprehend it at all. I certainly wasn’t rushing to judge on first listen, but I felt disappointed.

As I got deeper into the album, I absorbed less and less of it – the music was too hard for my ears to make sense of. Yet at the same time, I found myself gradually overcome with emotion in the second half. It felt like my brain wasn’t really digesting the album at all, but I was simply feeling the music on a primal level and my emotions were responding accordingly.

In hindsight, my reaction wasn’t all that surprising. I saw this material performed live at Desert Daze in October 2019, one of the best weekends of my life. Since then, a global pandemic has completely upended our society and I lost my father for reasons I’ll never understand.

As I listened to this album, the songs immediately felt like an indelible part of my life, immersing me in specific memories and sensations. I couldn’t help but reflect on all that I’ve lost recently and it was painful to experience – so painful that I was a nervous, shaking mess by the time my first listen ended.

I had no idea what to think of the album. On the one hand, it was so overwhelming and disorienting that I could hardly remember what any of it sounded like, let alone determine if I had liked it. On the other hand, I couldn’t remember ever having such an immediate and powerful emotional response to new music. As I sat and reflected on the experience for a while, slowly calming myself down and gathering my thoughts, it became clear what I had to do next: listen to the album again.

As I hit play for the second time, I could hardly believe my ears. This time, it felt like being embraced by an old friend. The changes from the live versions that initially underwhelmed me now seemed to breathe new life into the songs. Everything felt in its proper place and the emotional nakedness that had made me so uncomfortable on first listen now brought a smile to my face that remained from first track to last.

I have since listened to the album seven more times, including twice on vinyl, and it only keeps getting better. That’s the magical trick of Animal Collective – they never deliver exactly what you expect from them and are always shifting their sound in ways to keep you off-guard. As a result, the first listen to a new Animal Collective project is always the worst one. It’s almost like your brain and ears need to be recalibrated to whatever wavelength the band is on before you can fully appreciate what they’re doing.

This album was made remotely with all four members recording separately in their home studios, making it all the more remarkable that the music sounds so vivid and spontaneous. You can feel the long history and deep bond between these guys, the sensation of joy they achieve through creating music together.

Each of their talents is on display individually and collectively throughout the record. Avey Tare (Dave Portner) brings a sense of unbridled energy and restless creativity that seems to fuel the whole group. Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) acts as a calming counterpart while also shining on the drums more than ever before. Geologist (Brian Weitz) brings his singular samples and sonic details that ensure you’ll hear something new every time you listen. And Deakin (Josh Dibb) adds another distinct presence, contributing a sense of warmth and tenderness that feels like the final piece of the puzzle.

While the songs don’t directly flow into each other and all nine tracks are capable of standing alone, they only achieve their full impact when you experience the album from beginning to end. “Dragon Slayer” and “Car Keys” quickly immerse the listener and set the tone with soaring vocal harmonies and intricate rhythms that lull you into a trance. “Prester John,” “Strung With Everything,” and “Cherokee” are all towering epics, linking together multiple sections resolving in transcendent explosions of sound that cement them as instant classics.

“Walker” and “Passer-by” are growers, short but sweet tracks that leave their mark with mysterious textures and spine-chilling climaxes that conjure swells of bittersweet nostalgia. “We Go Back” is a melody that could only come from this band, an infectious earworm with playfully warped and intertwined vocals that pulses with energy before ultimately settling into a calm bliss as it concludes.

Finally, “Royal and Desire” ends the album on a majestic note – featuring a rare lead vocal turn from Deakin, the song is as graceful and gorgeous as music gets, a gentle giant of a closer that sends the listener back to reality feeling both dazed and renewed.

Even as a long-time fan, I’m still continually surprised by these guys. Living in a time when it’s growing more and more difficult to find any trace of wonder in our lives, Animal Collective proves that there’s still some magic left in this world. They remind me that my capacity for awe hasn’t been entirely diminished just yet. Through their music, I’m reassured that the happiness and optimism of childhood are always within reach.

With Time Skiffs, Animal Collective has emerged from the impenetrable fog of the last two years holding a flaming torch – we may never regain all that’s been lost, but at least there’s a flicker of light to guide us through the darkness.

When the pandemic all but canceled new movies in 2020, the following year seemed poised for a thrilling comeback, with a huge backlog of exciting films waiting to see the light of day. And despite the virus’ continued existence, movie theaters did remain open in most places throughout 2021, offering a reasonable amount of promising titles as the year went on. The emergence of streamers also continued, with companies like Apple and Netflix bringing some of the highest-profile films of the year directly to our homes. In other words, if you’re a passionate cinemagoer like I am, there was no shortage of noteworthy movies to see this year.

The problem is that almost none of them were memorable. Considering how often I went to the theater last year, especially in the last three months, it’s remarkable how few of those movies left even a decent impression on me — and the streaming options weren’t much better. While it certainly wasn’t as dismal of a year as 2020, when the only film I saw in a theater was Christopher Nolan’s massively disappointing Tenet, 2021 featured far more letdowns than enjoyable experiences as a whole.

Some of the biggest letdowns for me were The Many Saints of Newark, Red Rocket, The French Dispatch, Don’t Look Up, and especially Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza, all films that I expected to earn a spot on this list. In fact, it would’ve been much easier to make a list of the most disappointing films of the year rather than a top ten.

However, I don’t want to lose my faith in cinema, especially at a time when the industry is more challenged than ever. So in the spirit of optimism, I’ve waded through all the mediocrity to compile my list of the ten best films of 2021. And even though it’s a weaker list than most years, all of these movies are absolutely worth watching. Here’s hoping that 2022 will be a better year for film, and for the world in general.

10. King Richard (Reinaldo Marcus Green) 

King Richard is a biopic about how Venus and Serena Williams grew up to become the most successful tennis players of all time. But rather than shaping the story around the iconic sisters, the film focuses on their father Richard and his obsessive (bordering on abusive) tactics to turn them into star athletes. For the most part, King Richard is a formulaic sports movie like many you’ve seen before, but it’s more entertaining than most and holds your attention thanks to a career-best performance from Will Smith.

9. Belfast (Kenneth Branagh)

A semi-autobiographical story about Branagh’s time growing up in Belfast, smack in the middle of violent conflict between the Catholics and the Protestants, Belfast is a simple but endearing look at a messy time and place in history through the innocent eyes of a child.

The cast is uniformly excellent with Ciaran Hinds, Jamie Dornan, Caitriona Balfe, Judi Dench, and newcomer Jude Hill all delivering nomination-worthy performances. The black-and-white cinematography with occasional splashes of color also works beautifully, lending the film a nostalgic quality that fits the aesthetic of childhood.

The script feels a bit light at times, leaving some supporting characters underdeveloped and not exploring the Catholics vs. Protestants conflict in as much detail as it could have. But ultimately, this is the story of a boy growing up and being forced to reckon with the possibility of leaving his childhood home, a theme that can resonate with almost anyone.

8. Malignant (James Wan)

One of the most purely entertaining films I saw last year, Malignant is a wild roller coaster ride of a horror movie with one of the most insane plot twists I’ve ever seen. It may or may not entirely make sense and you have to completely suspend your sense of disbelief, but if you’re able to do that, the film leaves a memorable impression. If nothing else, it’s never boring and will keep you guessing until all is revealed.

I don’t want to spoil any elements of the plot, so I won’t go into detail about the story. All I’ll say is that it involves a woman who’s tormented by horrifying visions of people being murdered and slowly realizes that these visions are happening in real life. It’s best not to know any more than that going into the movie.

The bottom line is this: if you prefer horror films that are more realistic and cerebral, you may want to avoid this one. But if you’re up for a balls-to-the-wall, blood-soaked, batshit-crazy experience, Malignant is worth a watch.

7. In The Earth (Ben Wheatley)

Made on a micro-budget with minimal cast and crew in the heart of the pandemic, Ben Wheatley’s In The Earth is a lesson to aspiring filmmakers on how to get the most out of limited resources. While it doesn’t reach the heights of his best works, A Field in England and Kill List, it’s more interesting and memorable than his last few efforts with a haunting quality that lingers in your mind.

The story focuses on two scientists in the midst of a pandemic who are sent to retrieve an important researcher from the heart of the forest. Naturally, complications develop and things get very weird, as the primal forces of nature exert their influence in mysterious and terrifying ways.

In The Earth is definitely a case of style over substance. The script provides some interesting themes and ideas, but leaves most of them unresolved or underdeveloped, and the characters aren’t particularly memorable either. However, the film is oddly mesmerizing even when little is happening, thanks to striking cinematography and a masterful score by Clint Mansell. When the movie veers into psychedelic territory towards the end, it achieves moments of spine-chilling transcendence.

6. Bad Trip (Kitao Sakurai)

He’s not necessarily a household name, but at least within a certain demographic, Eric Andre is one of the most unique and lovable figures in comedy. Primarily known for his wild late-night talk show parody on Adult Swim, The Eric Andre Show, Andre is a ruthless prankster and extreme performance artist who’s always pushing boundaries.

Bad Trip, a buddy comedy that incorporates lots of hidden camera pranks, is relatively tame compared to his show, but feels like the perfect vehicle to package Andre’s shtick for a more mainstream audience. The film is set up as a generic road trip/romantic comedy, with Chris (Andre) and his best friend (Lil Rel Howery) setting out for New York to pursue the girl of his dreams. Meanwhile, they’re pursued by Bud’s dangerous convict sister, played by a nearly unrecognizable Tiffany Haddish in a scene-stealing performance.

While I’m generally not a fan of the hidden-camera prank genre, Andre elevates messing with people to a higher art form. His stunts are so bold and outrageous, and performed with such apparent sincerity, that it’s easy to see why he’s able to pull so many unsuspecting bystanders into his whirlwind of chaos. Best of all, Andre doesn’t settle for the easy route of just pissing people off – in many cases, he’s actually bringing strangers together, thrusting them into the middle of beyond-uncomfortable situations that they’ll never forget.

As a result, Bad Trip is not only the funniest movie of the year by a long shot, but it’s also an oddly optimistic film that shows people are often much more caring and empathetic than we imagine them to be.

5. The Father (Florian Zeller)

Because of the way that COVID-19 screwed up the timeline for last year’s Academy Awards, Anthony Hopkins has already won an Oscar for his performance in this film, and deservedly so. But even if the Academy wants to call The Father a 2020 film, it wasn’t released until February of last year, which means it’s a 2021 film by my definition. And considering the general lack of competition, it had no problem staying in my top five all year long.

Based on a play, The Father tells the story of an elderly man who’s losing his mind to Alzheimer’s disease, suffering from increasing confusion, hallucinations, and paranoia. The film is presented from his perspective, so the viewer is forced to suffer through all the confusion right alongside the main character, not knowing for sure which parts of the story are real or merely delusions. It’s an interesting technique that makes the film far more interesting than it otherwise would’ve been.

Overall, there isn’t much to The Father – it’s a small, simple film and most viewers will understand what it wants to communicate without even watching it. It’s also extremely depressing, especially if you have relatives who suffer from Alzheimer’s, as I do. Having said that, it’s worth a watch for Hopkins’ brilliant performance, and for the lingering emotional impact it leaves by forcing you to consider what it would feel like to lose control of your mind.

4. Nightmare Alley (Guillermo Del Toro)

At this point, I’ve accepted that Guillermo Del Toro will likely never again reach the heights of his 2006 masterpiece, Pan’s Labyrinth. However, he remains a talented filmmaker with a distinctive style and Nightmare Alley is as good, if not better, than anything else in his filmography.

A remake of a 1940s noir film, the story focuses on Stan Carlisle (Bradley Cooper), a lowlife who stumbles into a job at a traveling carnival and uses the tricks he learns from a clairvoyant there to become a lucrative conman. Before long, he’s enlisting the help of a mysterious therapist (Cate Blanchett) to expand the scope of his con and things get increasingly dangerous for everyone involved.

One of the most beautifully-shot and lushly designed films of the year, Nightmare Alley leaves a strong visual impression and does an outstanding job of maintaining its icy mood. The cast is also excellent from top to bottom, with Cooper, Blanchett, and Willem Dafoe leaving the strongest impressions. The pacing is a bit slow and a few elements of the story/characters feel underdeveloped, but the film is an engrossing journey that comes to an appropriately dark and satisfying ending.

3. The Green Knight (David Lowery)

I’m not a fan at all of David Lowery’s previous films, so I went into The Green Knight feeling skeptical. I was both surprised and delighted to find myself immediately immersed, transported into a medieval fairy tale unlike anything I’ve seen before. In hindsight, I really wish I had caught this movie on the big screen, because it’s undoubtedly the most visually-striking film of 2021.

Based on a famous legend, The Green Knight tells the story of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), an underachiever nephew of King Arthur’s who accepts a dangerous challenge to risk his life and confront the mysterious Green Knight in an effort to gain respect. Most of the film focuses on his strange and surreal journey through the forest, with some of his misadventures along the way including a costly run-in with a gang of thieves and a stop to help a woman retrieve her missing head from a pond.

If this all sounds like some sort of mythological vision quest, you wouldn’t be wrong. Audience members who are expecting thrilling sword fights and fire-breathing dragons will be sorely disappointed. The Green Knight is a slow and contemplative film, stuffed with literary symbolism and ambiguities. In fact, there are a few moments that I’m still scratching my head about. But I was never bored for a second, as the film’s gorgeous cinematography and enigmatic storytelling kept my eyes glued to the screen.

2. Last Night in Soho (Edgar Wright)

I’m really surprised this movie wasn’t able to generate any hype at the box office. A dark, stylish, and fast-paced thrill ride with a highly original concept, Last Night in Soho deserves far more attention and accolades than it’s received thus far. When you take into account the success of Wright’s previous films (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Baby Driver), it’s truly baffling that this movie flew under the radar. In fact, I think Last Night in Soho is easily Wright’s best work to date.

The plot features several twists and turns that are best left unspoiled, so don’t read too much about the movie in advance. All you need to know is that it’s about an aspiring fashion student in London (Thomasin Mackenzie) who finds herself inexplicably transported back in time to the 1960s. While there, she discovers a mysterious connection between herself and a lounge singer (Anya Taylor-Joy), with consequences that begin to echo into the present.

It’s a killer concept, the rare type of story that I actually haven’t seen before and couldn’t guess where it was going. The material is complemented perfectly by colorful cinematography, stellar production design, rapid-fire editing, and an excellent soundtrack. Mackenzie and Taylor-Joy are both perfectly cast, with strong support from veteran British character actors Diana Rigg, Rita Tushingham, and Terence Stamp. All of these elements combine to make Last Night in Soho a blast, easily the most fun experience I’ve had in a theater since the start of the pandemic.

1. Titane (Julia Ducournau)

With Titane (French for titanium), Julia Ducournau has asserted herself as one of the most exciting emerging filmmakers in the world, more than following through on the promise shown in her unnerving 2016 debut Raw. That memorable film told the story of a young vegetarian woman who develops a craving for human flesh – yet, amazingly, Titane is an even more original, provocative, and demented vision.

The plot is difficult to summarize and some parts are better left as a surprise. All I knew going in was that it’s about a violent woman who develops an erotic obsession with cars after an accident as a child. That’s really all you need to know and if you’re not even remotely intrigued by that description, it’s probably not worth digging in deeper. However, it’s worth noting that beyond the graphic violence and sexual content, this movie does offer some fascinating ideas about identity, gender, sexuality, and the importance of family (biological or otherwise).

Titane is the kind of film that will have many audience members sprinting for the exits by the fifteen-minute mark, and understandably so. It’s unrelentingly dark, twisted, disturbing, and just downright bizarre from the opening frame. It’s also, in my opinion, easily the best and most original film of 2021. I was riveted from beginning to end, at times literally gaping at the screen in reaction to what was happening.

Films this thrillingly unrestrained just don’t come around often, and while they’re certainly not for everyone, I think it’s important to embrace them. In a literal, logical sense, I couldn’t always make sense of what was happening during Titane. But I didn’t care in the least, because I was too busy being swept away by Ducournau’s singular vision. In a year that was light on major contenders, Titane stands easily above the crowd – beautifully filmed, perversely erotic, shockingly violent, never predictable, and ultimately unforgettable.

Unfortunately, as the world continued to slowly recover from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the impact could be felt on the music industry. In fact, this year seemed to suffer more than 2020, which saw the release of several excellent albums that were completed before recording studios had to shut down. But even though exciting albums were somewhat rare in 2021, every record on the list below forged a meaningful connection with me and helped me to endure a year that was extremely challenging on both a personal and societal level.

I hope this list helps you reconnect with a great album that you forgot about over the course of the year – or even better, maybe it will lead you to an entirely new discovery.

Honorable Mention

11. BADBADNOTGOOD – Talk Memory

The first new album from BBNG in over 5 years, Talk Memory was one of my most-anticipated records of 2021. While I wouldn’t quite label it a disappointment, I will say that I expected it to end up higher on this list. It’s a well-constructed and enjoyable album, showcasing more mature and classically-influenced compositions than the band has ever dabbled in before, but it lacks the group’s signature energy.

To me, it feels like the band was so insistent on upgrading their sound that they forgot to just let loose and have fun on some tracks. The departure of keyboardist Matthew Tavares is also a tough blow, removing one of the most distinctive pillars of BBNG’s sound. Overall, Talk Memory is a solid album that’s absolutely worth listening to, but it doesn’t leave as strong of an impression as the band’s best releases.

Top 10

10. Kai Whiston – Drayan!

Kai Whiston’s last album, No World As Good As Mine, made my top 5 in 2019. Drayan! isn’t the official follow-up to that album, but rather a short mixtape made to tide us over while we wait for his next full-length. In that capacity, it more than achieves its goals, as Whiston continues to demonstrate that he’s one of the most skilled and exciting producers out there right now.

The mixtape showcases nearly everything I’ve come to enjoy about Whiston’s style – the skull-crushing beats, the sweeping orchestral arrangements, and the deceptively melodic vocals, often pitch-shifted beyond recognition. All of these elements can be found in abundance on Drayan!, a triumphant work that accomplishes more in 28 minutes than most artists could hope to achieve in their whole career.

9. Mndsgn – Rare Pleasure

His first official album since 2015’s Body Wash, Mndsgn’s Rare Pleasure is a soulful and immersive listen that’s sure to elevate your mood. Featuring more live instrumentation, vocals, and complex arrangements than any of the artist’s previous projects, this album feels like a big step forward for the singer/songwriter/producer.

Rare Pleasure is a short record, but its relaxed pace and smooth flow make the length feel adequate. While the songs are primarily R&B-influenced, sparks of hip-hop and jazz are readily apparent as well. Though a few tracks stand out, especially the gorgeous “Medium Rare”, it’s an album that really needs to be experienced as a whole to feel its true impact.

8. Madlib – Sound Ancestors

New solo releases from Madlib are few and far between, so they’re always worth checking out. Sound Ancestors, a collection of Madlib beats that were edited and arranged by electronic musician Four Tet, happens to be the best release from the legendary producer in a long time.

Whipping through obscure samples and buttery beats fast enough to make your head spin, Sound Ancestors is a blast of pure nostalgia that feels like home for long-time fans of Madlib’s work.

7. Hiatus Kaiyote – Mood Valiant

It’s been a long six years since Hiatus Kaiyote broke out with their sophomore record, Choose Your Weapon, an album that was overlong but stuffed with moments of brilliance. Wisely, the group restrains themselves to a much more manageable length here and the result is easily their most consistent work to date.

Nai Palm’s vocals remain breathtaking and immensely powerful, while the unpredictable arrangements and lush production behind her keep your ears engaged at all times. This record will have you leaping to your feet for some tracks, like the rhythmic chaos of “All The Words We Don’t Say”, and spacing out for others, like the blissful and serene “Red Room”. After taking a bold leap forward with this album, I can’t wait to see what Hiatus Kaiyote does next.

6. Tim Hecker – The North Water

Tim Hecker is as reliable and consistent as any musician that I’m familiar with – if you enjoy one of his albums, it’s hard to imagine that you won’t enjoy them all. His latest, an original score for a BBC miniseries called The North Water, is an immersive and meditative experience that feels as icy and mysterious as the arctic itself.

Walls of synths and strings are punctuated by outbursts of thunderous percussion, creating a hypnotic drone that holds you in its spell from beginning to end. I haven’t watched the show that this music was composed for, but the album stands easily on its own as yet another triumph from one of my favorite artists.

5. Flying Lotus – Yasuke

Another score for a television series, Yasuke is a collection of haunting and mesmerizing compositions from Flying Lotus that represent some of the artist’s most memorable work to date. Though I wasn’t particularly a fan of the anime series that the music was created for, the soundtrack is unforgettable and works beautifully as a standalone album.

Pairing retro synths with Japanese instrumentation and blending them into FlyLo’s signature bass-heavy grooves sounds like an odd combination on paper, but the end result is masterful. Regardless of whether you’ve watched the series or not, Yasuke the album creates a vivid movie in your mind that you’ll want to keep revisiting.

4. IGLOOGHOST – Lei Line Eon

One of the most exciting and talented electronic musicians on the rise, IGLOOGHOST melted minds with his debut album in 2017. While this sophomore effort lacks the unbridled energy that made Neo Wax Bloom such a blast, it shows the artist maturing as a composer and evolving his sound in unexpected directions.

If nothing else, Lei Line Eon is an immersive sensory experience, with highly detailed soundscapes that bring the fantastical world of the album to life in your imagination. At its best, the combination of IGLOOGHOST’s sonic wizardry, ethereal vocals from frequent collaborator BABii, and gorgeous violin passages make the record soar. Though it does meander a bit at times, the peaks far outweigh the lulls.

3. Shpongle – Carnival of Peculiarities

This release is technically an EP and less than half the length of a typical Shpongle record. It may seem unfair to rank a project so short above full-length albums, but Carnival of Peculiarities is truly that good. In fact, it’s the most exciting music that Shpongle has released in over a decade.

Although there are only three tracks, all of them are masterful and the project flows seamlessly from start to finish. Simon Posford’s production is so clear and expertly mixed that I can hear new details every time I listen, and Raja Ram seems to play his flute with newfound energy. With the duo reportedly working on the seventh Shpongle album, I can’t wait to hear what they have in store for us.

2. TOBACCO – Fucked Up Friends 3

After releasing my favorite albums of the year in 2018 and 2020, as well as a collaboration record that made my top 10 in 2019, TOBACCO could be forgiven for taking some time off. Instead, he’s back with yet another instant classic in 2021 and came very close to taking my top spot for the third time in four years.

FUF3 is a return to the vintage TOBACCO sound, a beat-heavy and mostly instrumental style that he’s moved away from the last several years. But don’t make the mistake of undervaluing this record as a nostalgia trip, because it features some of the artist’s hardest-hitting tracks yet, while also serving as a perfect example of what makes his style so unique and unforgettable.

And as if the music weren’t enough, TOBACCO also released a DVD with visuals for the whole project, transforming the album into a mesmerizing audiovisual experience that’s alternately hilarious and disturbing.

1. Arca – Kick ii, iii, iiii, iiiii

Arca took a huge step forward with last year’s Kick I, my favorite full-length release from the artist to date. As an encore, she’s back with four sequels to complete the Kick series, 47 songs and over two and a half hours of music all released simultaneously.

If that sounds overwhelming, it is – unquestionably, it takes time and effort to sift through this much music at once, especially when most of it is challenging. But if you rise to meet Arca’s demands, you’re in store for a thrilling and endlessly rewarding journey that yields continual surprises along the way. Rest assured, filler is few and far between on these records, with nearly every track leaving a distinct impression.

It would take far too long to review each album in detail, so I’ll only give some brief thoughts on the individual chapters. Kick iii is my favorite, the most consistent and cohesive of the series with a hard-hitting style that never lets up. Kick iiiii is a close runner-up that takes the opposite approach, consisting mostly of gorgeous piano compositions. Kick ii feels the least cohesive as a listening experience, but contains some of my favorite tracks. Finally, Kick iiii is my least-favorite of the series, but it’s still a unique and engaging listen with moments of transcendence.

Though I’m not sure I would consider any of these records individually to be the album of the year, the combination of all four is impossible to argue with, especially when you consider the staggering diversity of the material. With this incredibly ambitious album cycle, Arca has rocketed to the top spot on my 2021 list and elevated herself up the ladder of my favorite artists in general.