Please note that the list below is ranked by the number of times a film appeared on one of our individual top ten lists. Ties were broken based on placement on the list.

50. UNDERTONETHE STORY – The host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way.
THE CAST – Nina Kiri, Adam DiMarco, Michèle Duquet, Keana Lyn Bastidas & Jeff Yung
THE TEAM – Ian Tuason (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 93 Minutes

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49. MARTY, LIFE IS SHORTTHE STORY – The definitive documentary on comedian Martin Short, exploring his career across film, television, theater, and comedy.
THE CAST – Martin Short, Tom Hanks, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Steve Martin, John Mulaney, Conan O’Brien, Catherine O’Hara, Paul Shaffer, Steven Spielberg & Rita Wilson
THE TEAM – Lawrence Kasdan (Director)
THE RUNNING TIME – 99 Minutes

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48. FORBIDDEN FRUITSTHE STORY – At a mall store, Apple leads a secret witch cult with coworkers Cherry and Fig. New hire Pumpkin questions their sisterhood, forcing them to confront inner darkness or meet violent ends.
THE CAST – Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Chamberlain & Gabrielle Union
THE TEAM – Meredith Alloway (Director/Writer) & Lily Houghton (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 103 Minutes

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47. THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOODTHE STORY – Grappling with his past after a life of crime and murder, Robin Hood finds himself gravely injured after a battle he thought would be his last. In the hands of a mysterious woman, he is offered a chance at salvation.
THE CAST – Hugh Jackman, Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård, Murray Bartlett & Noah Jupe
THE TEAM – Michael Sarnoski (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 122 Minutes

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46. PRESSURETHE STORY – In the tense 72 hours before D-Day, General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Captain James Stagg face an impossible choice: launch the most dangerous seaborne invasion in history or risk losing the war altogether.
THE CAST – Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon, Chris Messina & Damian Lewis
THE TEAM – Anthony Maras (Director/Writer) & David Haig (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 100 Minutes

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45. ERUPCJATHE STORY – While on vacation in Poland, Bethany breaks away from a romantic itinerary planned by her doting boyfriend, Rob, fearing that a marriage proposal is imminent. Reuniting instead with an old friend, Nel, the two women rekindle a uniquely combustible chemistry over the course of a few days in a chaste but burning tryst predicated on sapphic synchronicity and a mutual penchant for poetry.
THE CAST – Charli xcx, Lena Góra, Jeremy O. Harris, Will Madden & Agata Trzebuchowska
THE TEAM – Pete Ohs (Director & Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 71 Minutes

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44. MIROIRS No. 3THE STORY – On a weekend trip, Laura survives a car crash. Unhurt but shaken, Laura is taken in by a local women who witnessed the accident, and cares for her. Despite her families resistance, they enter into a routine.
THE CAST – Paula Beer, Barbara Auer, Matthias Brandt & Enno Trebs
THE TEAM – Christian Petzold (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 86 Minutes

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43. CAROLINA CAROLINETHE STORY – A young woman joins a charming con man on the run, leaving a trail of crime and passion as they hustle through the Southeast in search of her estranged mother.
THE CAST – Samara Weaving, Kyle Gallner, Kyra Sedgwick & Jon Gries
THE TEAM – Adam Carter Rehmeier (Director) & Tom Dean (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 105 Minutes

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42. FORASTERATHE STORY – Cata sees her summer vacation disrupted by the absurd and sudden death of her grandmother, which only she witnesses. Her grief shifts when she casually turns to play pretend, transforming into the deceased. What begins with a game of dress-up will blur the lines of reality and family roles.
THE CAST – Zoe Stein, Lluís Homar, Núria Prims, Nonni Ardal Hammarström & Martina García
THE TEAM – Lucía Aleñar Iglesias (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 97 Minutes

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41. OMAHATHE STORY – After a family tragedy, siblings Ella and Charlie are unexpectedly woken up by their dad and taken on a journey across the country, experiencing a world they’ve never seen before. As their adventure unfolds, Ella begins to understand that things might not be what they seem.
THE CAST – John Magaro, Molly Belle Wright & Wyatt Solis
THE TEAM – Cole Webley (Director) & Robert Machoian (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 83 Minutes

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40. OUR HERO BALTHAZARTHE STORY – When ultra-wealthy NYC teenager Balthy makes dramatic gun control videos to impress his activist crush. When an online troll targets his content, Balthy becomes convinced he’s communicating with a potential school shooter and embarks on an ill-advised journey to Texas to confront him.
THE CAST – Jaden Martell, Asa Butterfield, Chris Bauer, Jennifer Ehle, Anna Baryshnikov, Noah Centineo, Becky Ann Baker, Avan Jogia & Pippa Knowles
THE TEAM – Oscar Boyson (Director/Writer) & Ricky Camilleri (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 91 Minutes

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39. MADDIE’S SECRETTHE STORY – While Maddie Ralph’s life seems picturesque — perfect hubby, wild lesbian bestie, and a cupboard full of women-owned ethically-sourced chili crisp to boot — she simultaneously conceals a dark past with a severe eating disorder. Knowing her history of self-harm conflicts with the perfect image she puts forth to her followers, she continues to hide her bulimic tendencies from friends and family, even when she begins to relapse.
THE CAST – John Early, Kate Berlant, Eric Rahill, Kristen Johnston, Claudia O’Doherty, Conner O’Malley, Vanessa Bayer, & Chris Bauer
THE TEAM – John Early (Writer/Director)
THE RUNNING TIME – 98 Minutes

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38. BILLIE EILISH – HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: THE TOUR (LIVE IN 3D)THE STORY – Captured during her sold-out world tour, Billie Eilish brings an innovative new concert experience to the big screen from one of the most celebrated and successful artists of her generation. Presented in immersive 3D.
THE CAST – Billie Eilish & Finneas
THE TEAM – Billie Eilish (Director/Writer) & James Cameron (Director)
THE RUNNING TIME – 114 Minutes

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37. THE LAST VIKINGTHE STORY – Anker is released from prison after a fifteen year sentence for robbery. The money from the heist was buried his brother, Manfred. Only he knows where it is. Unfortunately, Manfred has since developed a mental disorder, causing him to forget everything. Together, the brothers embark on an unexpected journey to locate the money — and discover who they really are.
THE CAST – Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Mads Mikkelsen, Sofie Gråbøl, Søren Malling, Bodil Jørgensen, Lars Brygmann, Kardo Razzazi, Nicolas Bro & Peter Düring
THE TEAM – Anders Thomas Jensen (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 116 Minutes

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36. THE RIP
THE STORY – A group of Miami cops discovers a stash of millions in cash, leading to distrust as outsiders learn about the huge seizure, making them question who to rely on.
THE CAST – Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor
Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Scott Adkins & Kyle Chandler
THE TEAM – Joe Carnahan (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 112 Minutes

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35. ASK E. JEANTHE STORY – The thrilling and adventurous life of beloved advice columnist and gonzo journalist E. Jean Carroll, the only woman to beat Trump in court. Twice.
THE CAST – E. Jean Carroll
THE TEAM – Ivy Meeropol (Director/Writer), Leah Goudsmit & Ferne Pearlstein (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 91 Minutes

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34. LATE SHIFTTHE STORY – Floria, a nurse, works with great dedication and professionalism on the surgical ward of a Swiss hospital. Despite the hectic pace, Floria manages to look after a seriously ill mother and an old man urgently awaiting a diagnosis with just as much care and expertise as she does when attending to a private patient with all his special demands. But then she makes a disastrous mistake, and the shift threatens to run completely off the rails. A nerve-racking race against time begins.
THE CAST – Leonie Benesch, Sonja Riesen, Urs Bihler & Margherita Schoch
THE TEAM – Petra Volpe (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 92 Minutes

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33. YES!THE STORY – In the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, Y., a jazz musician, struggles to make ends meet, until he is given a mission to create a new national anthem.
THE CAST – Ariel Bronz, Efrat Dor, Sharon Alexander, Naama Preis & Aleksei Serebryakov
THE TEAM – Nadav Lapid (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 150 Minutes

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32. HOKUMTHE STORY – When novelist Ohm Bauman retreats to a remote inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, he is consumed by tales of a witch haunting the honeymoon suite. Disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance forces him to confront dark corners of his past.
THE CAST – Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Will O’Connell, Michael Patric, Siox C, Brendan Conroy, Austin Amelio & Ezra Carlisle
THE TEAM – Damian McCarthy (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 101 Minutes

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31. THE AI DOC: OR HOW I BECAME AN APOCALOPTIMISTTHE STORY – A father-to-be tries to figure out what is happening with all this AI insanity.
THE CAST – Daniel Roher
THE TEAM – Daniel Roher & Charlie Tyrell (Directors)
THE RUNNING TIME – 103 Minutes

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IN-STUDIO WITH DANIEL ROHER

30. TIME AND WATERTHE STORY – An Icelandic writer preserves vanishing glaciers, departed grandparents, family memories, and flowing time in his personal archives, transforming loss into a time capsule.
THE CAST – Andri Snær Magnason
THE TEAM – Sara Dosa (Director), Andri Snær Magnason, Sara Dosa, Erin Casper & Jocelyne Chaput (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 90 Minutes

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29. WUTHERING HEIGHTSTHE STORY – Tragedy strikes when Heathcliff falls in love with Catherine Earnshaw, a woman from a wealthy family in 18th-century England.
THE CAST – Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes, Owen Cooper & Ewan Mitchell
THE TEAM – Emerald Fennell (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 136 Minutes

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28. READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COMETHE STORY – After surviving one deadly game, Grace and her sister Faith must now outrun four rival families competing for a powerful throne – winner takes all.
THE CAST – Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, David Cronenberg, Elijah Wood, Néstor Carbonell, Kevin Durand, Olivia Cheng & Varun Saranga
THE TEAM – Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett (Directors), Guy Busick & R. Christopher Murphy (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 108 Minutes

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27. TWO PROSECUTORSTHE STORY – In 1937, amid Joseph Stalin’s Great Purge, a young Soviet prosecutor comes across a letter written by a prisoner in Bryansk. Believing the man to be the victim of NKVD corruption, the prosecutor seeks out justice with the Procurator General.
THE CAST – Aleksandr Filippenko, Aleksandr Kuznetsov & Anatoliy Beliy
THE TEAM – Sergei Loznitsa (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 118 Minutes

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26. BLUE FILMTHE STORY – Fetish camboy Aaron Eagle agrees to spend the night with an anonymous client, only to discover a disturbing tie to his past
THE CAST – Kieron Moore & Reed Birney
THE TEAM – Elliot Tuttle (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 82 Minutes

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25. TOY STORY 5THE STORY – When Bonnie receives a Lilypad tablet as a gift and becomes obsessed, Buzz, Woody, Jessie, and the rest of the gang’s jobs become exponentially harder when they have to go head-to-head with the all-new threat to playtime.
THE CAST – Tim Allen, Tom Hanks, Joan Cusack, Tony Hale, John Ratzenberger, Wallace Shawn, Blake Clark, Annie Potts, Bonnie Hunt, Melissa Villaseñor, Kristen Schaal, Keanu Reeves, Ally Maki, Greta Lee, Conan O’Brien, Craig Robinson, Shelby Rabara, Scarlett Spears, Mykal-Michelle Harris, Matty Matheson, Jeff Bergman, Anna Vocino, John Hopkins, Bad Bunny, Ernie Hudson & Alan Cumming
THE TEAM – Andrew Stanton (Director/Writer) & McKenna Harris (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 102 Minutes

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24. CRIME 101THE STORY – An elusive thief, eyeing his final score, encounters a disillusioned insurance broker at her own crossroads. As their paths intertwine, a relentless detective trails them, hoping to thwart the multi-million dollar heist they are planning.
THE CAST – Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Halle Berry, Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh & Nick Nolte
THE TEAM – Bart Layton (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 140 Minutes

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23. THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2THE STORY – Andy Sachs returns to Runway as Miranda Priestly navigates a new media landscape and Runway’s position within it. They reconnect with another former assistant, Emily, in a search for funding to ensure Runway’s survival.
THE CAST – Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Justin Theroux, Lucy Liu, Kenneth Branagh & Stanley Tucci
THE TEAM – David Frankel (Director) & Aline Brosh McKenna (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 119 Minutes

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22. THE FURIOUSTHE STORY – A father fiercely fights against ruthless kidnappers to save his abducted daughter.
THE CAST – Xie Miao, Joe Taslim, Yang Enyou, Yayan Ruhian, Brian Le, Joey Iwanaga, Jija Yanin, Sahajak Boonthanakit, Manatsanun Phanlerdwongsakul, Guo Junqing & Winai Wiangyangkung
THE TEAM – Kenji Tanigaki (Director) & Mak Tin-shu (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 113 Minutes

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21. MILE END KICKSTHE STORY – A 24-year-old music critic gets romantically involved with members of an indie band she decides to publicize, set against Montreal’s indie music scene in 2011.
THE CAST – Barbie Ferreira, Devon Bostick, Stanley Simons, Juliette Gariépy & Jay Baruchel
THE TEAM – Chandler Levack (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 111 Minutes

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20. HOPPERSTHE STORY – A 19-year-old animal lover uses technology that places her consciousness into a robotic beaver to uncover mysteries within the animal world beyond her imagination.
THE CAST – Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, Eduardo Franco, Aparna Nancherla, Sam Richardson, Melissa Villaseñor, Isaiah Whitlock Jr., Ego Nwodim, Vanessa Bayer & Meryl Streep
THE TEAM – Daniel Chong (Director) & Jesse Andrews (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 104 Minutes

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19. THE MOMENTTHE STORY – A rising pop star navigates the complexities of fame and industry pressure while preparing for her arena tour debut.
THE CAST – Charli XCX, Rosanna Arquette, Kate Berlant, Jamie Demetriou, Hailey Gates & Alexander Skarsgård
THE TEAM – Aidan Zamiri (Director/Writer) & Bertie Brandes (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 103 Minutes

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18. LEVITICUSTHE STORY – Two star-crossed teenage boys must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most — each other.
THE CAST – Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen, Mia Wasikowska, Jeremy Blewitt, Ewen Leslie & Davida McKenzie
THE TEAM – Adrian Chiarella (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 88 Minutes

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17. TUNERTHE STORY – A gifted piano tuner’s meticulous skills for tuning pianos lead him to discover an unexpected aptitude for cracking safes, turning his life upside down.
THE CAST – Leo Woodall, Dustin Hoffman, Havana Rose Liu, Lior Raz & Tovah Feldshuh
THE TEAM – Daniel Roher (Director/Writer) & Robert Ramsey (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 109 Minutes

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16. BACKROOMSTHE STORY – Therapist Dr. Mary Kline ventures into an otherworldly dimension in search of her missing patient, Clark.
THE CAST – Renate Reinsve, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett & Lukita Maxwell
THE TEAM – Kane Parsons (Director) & Will Soodik (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 110 Minutes

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15. THE SHEEP DETECTIVESTHE STORY – On a farm in the English countryside, shepherd George Hardy spends his time reading murder mystery novels to his flock of sheep, pretending that they follow along with the stories. When one morning he is discovered dead – murdered – the sheep go about thinking on how to solve the murder.
THE CAST – Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, Brett Goldstein, Hong Chau & Emma Thompson
THE TEAM – Kyle Balda (Director) & Craig Mazin (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 109 Minutes

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14. I SWEARTHE STORY – John Davidson grows up with Tourette syndrome in 1980s Scotland. He faces a society that does not understand his condition. He eventually becomes a campaigner to increase public awareness.
THE CAST – Robert Aramayo, Maxine Peake, Shirley Henderson, Peter Mullan & Scott Ellis Watson
THE TEAM – Kirk Jones (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 120 Minutes

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13. SILENT FRIENDTHE STORY – Tales told from the perspective of a lonely old tree standing in the middle of a botanical garden.
THE CAST – Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Luna Wedler, Enzo Brumm, Sylvester Groth, Martin Wuttke, Johannes Hegemann, Rainer Bock & Léa Seydoux
THE TEAM – Ildikó Enyedi (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 145 Minutes

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12. I LOVE BOOSTERSTHE STORY – A crew of professional shoplifters known as The Velvet Gang take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven.
THE CAST – Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, Poppy Liu, Eiza González, LaKeith Stanfield, Will Poulter & Demi Moore
THE TEAM – Boots Riley (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 105 Minutes

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11. IS GOD IS

THE STORY – Twin sisters with disfiguring burn scars are ordered by their bedridden mother to kill their abusive father, who caused their scars. They must decide whether to seek vengeance or find mercy.
THE CAST – Kara Young, Mallori Johnson, Janelle Monae, Erika Alexander, Mykelti Williamson, Josiah Cross, Vivica A. Fox & Sterling K. Brown
THE TEAM – Aleshea Harris (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 100 Minutes

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10. OBSESSIONTHE STORY – When a hopeless romantic makes a wish that his long-time crush will fall in love with him, a sinister enchantment ensues.
THE CAST – Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson & Megan Lawless
THE TEAM – Curry Barker (Director & Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 108 Minutes

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9. MOTHER MARYTHE STORY – Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer Sam Anselm on the eve of her comeback performance.
THE CAST – Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer, Atheena Frizzell, Kaia Gerber, Jessica Brown Findlay, Alba Baptista, Isaura Barbé-Brown, Sian Clifford & FKA Twigs
THE TEAM – David Lowery (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 112 Minutes

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8. SEND HELPTHE STORY – A woman and her overbearing boss become stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash. They must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it’s a battle of wills and wits to make it out alive.
THE CAST – Rachel McAdams & Dylan O’Brien
THE TEAM – Sam Raimi (Director), Damian Shannon & Mark Swift (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 113 Minutes

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7. THE DRAMATHE STORY – A happily engaged couple get put to the test when an unexpected revelation sends their wedding week off the rails
THE CAST – Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie, Zoë Winters & Hailey Benton Gates
THE TEAM – Kristoffer Borgli (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 105 minutes

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6. THE INVITETHE STORY – Joe and Angela don’t have people over often. Tonight, their mysterious upstairs neighbors are coming down for dinner. What follows is an evening of unexpected twists and turns, revealing deeply repressed emotions and unexplored sexuality.
THE CAST – Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz & Edward Norton
THE TEAM – Olivia Wilde (Director), Will McCormack & Rashida Jones (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 107 Minutes

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5. BLUE HERONTHE STORY – A family of six settles into their new home on Vancouver Island as internal dynamics are slowly revealed through the eyes of the youngest child.
THE CAST – Eylul Guven, Amy Zimmer, Iringó Réti, Adam Tompa, Edik Beddoes, Liam Serg & Preston Drabble
THE TEAM – Sophy Romvari (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 90 Minutes

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4. NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIETHE STORY – When their plan to book a show at the Rivoli goes horribly wrong, Matt and Jay accidentally travel back to the year 2008.
THE CAST – Matt Johnson & Jay McCarrol
THE TEAM – Matt Johnson (Director/Writer) & Jay McCarrol (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 95 Minutes

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3. 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLETHE STORY – Dr. Kelson finds himself in a shocking new relationship with consequences that could change the world as he knows it, while Spike’s encounter with Jimmy Crystal becomes a nightmare he can’t escape.
THE CAST – Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman & Chi Lewis-Parry
THE TEAM – Nia DaCosta (Director) & Alex Garland (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 109 Minutes

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2. DISCLOSURE DAYTHE STORY – As a massive government conspiracy unravels, a targeted whistleblower races against time to bring about the extraordinary event that will change human history forever: the day of ultimate alien disclosure.
THE CAST – Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo & Wyatt Russell
THE TEAM – Steven Spielberg (Director) & David Koepp (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 145 Minutes

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1. PROJECT HAIL MARYTHE STORY – Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship light-years from Earth. As his memory returns, he uncovers a mission to stop a mysterious substance killing the sun, and save Earth. An unexpected friendship may be the key.
THE CAST – Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung & Milana Vayntrub
THE TEAM – Phil Lord, Chris Miller (Directors) & Drew Goddard (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 156 Minutes

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What has been your favorite film from the first half of 2026? What are you looking forward to for the rest of the year? Please let us know in the comments section below or on our X account.

The post The 50 Best Films Of 2026 So Far appeared first on Next Best Picture.

25. HOW TO MAKE A KILLING

THE STORY – Disowned at birth by his wealthy family, Becket Redfellow will stop at nothing to reclaim his inheritance, no matter how many relatives stand in his way.
THE CAST – Glen Powell, Margaret Qualley, Jessica Henwick, Bill Camp, Zach Woods, Topher Grace & Ed Harris
THE TEAM – John Patton Ford (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 105 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Powell’s charisma, the breezy storytelling, morally complex characters doing heinous things.

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24. GOAT

THE STORY – A small goat with big dreams gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball, a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world.
THE CAST – Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, Stephen Curry, Nicola Coughlan, Nick Kroll, David Harbour, Jenifer Lewis, Aaron Pierre, Jennifer Hudson, Patton Oswalt, Eduardo Franco & Sherry Cola
THE TEAM – Tyree Dillihay (Director), Aaron Buchsbaum & Teddy Riley (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 100 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Electric animation, fun voice acting, a well-told sports story.

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23. GOOD LUCK, HAVE FUN, DON’T DIE

THE STORY – A man claiming to be from the future takes the patrons of an iconic West Hollywood diner hostage in search of unlikely recruits in a quest to save the world.
THE CAST – Sam Rockwell, Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Peña, Zazie Beetz, Asim Chaudhry, Tom Taylor & Juno Temple
THE TEAM – Gore Verbinski (Director) & Matthew Robinson (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 134 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Gore Verbinski is back and working with his maximalist style under budget constraints. Sam Rockwell and Haley Lu Richardson’s performances. Screw AI!

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22. FORBIDDEN FRUITS

THE STORY – At a mall store, Apple leads a secret witch cult with coworkers Cherry and Fig. New hire Pumpkin questions their sisterhood, forcing them to confront inner darkness or meet violent ends.
THE CAST – Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Chamberlain & Gabrielle Union
THE TEAM – Meredith Alloway (Director/Writer) & Lily Houghton (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 103 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Campy, gory, fun, with a well positioned ensemble and a hilarious screenplay.

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21. UNDERTONE

THE STORY – The host of a popular paranormal podcast becomes haunted by terrifying recordings mysteriously sent her way.
THE CAST – Nina Kiri, Adam DiMarco, Michèle Duquet, Keana Lyn Bastidas & Jeff Yung
THE TEAM – Ian Tuason (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 93 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Unnerving and overall brilliant sound design. An exercise in minimalist horror filmmaking. Builds tremendous tension to a terrifying climax.

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20. TOW

THE STORY – Inspired by the true story of Amanda Ogle, this inspiring drama follows Amanda, an unhoused woman living in her blue 1991 Toyota Corolla as she seeks employment in Seattle. Her precarious situation escalates when her car is stolen and later impounded, with the towing company demanding exorbitant fees she can’t afford. Refusing to accept this injustice, Amanda confronts the broken system, engaging in a year-long legal battle to reclaim not only her vehicle but also her dignity. Along the way, she forms meaningful connections with other women in similar circumstances, gradually rebuilding her life and sobriety through community and persistence.
THE CAST – Rose Byrne, Octavia Spencer, Dominic Sessa, Elsie Fisher, Ariana DeBose, Demi Lovato, Corbin Bernsen & Simon Rex
THE TEAM – Stephanie Laing (Director), Jonathan Keasey & Brant Boivin (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 105 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Rose Byrne. Need we say more? Okay, how about you also get Octavia Spencer, Dominic Sessa, Elsie Fisher, Ariana DeBose, Demi Lovato, Corbin Bernsen and Simon Rex in this true story that may remind you why you love “Erin Brockovich.”

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19. YES!

THE STORY – In the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, Y., a jazz musician, struggles to make ends meet, until he is given a mission to create a new national anthem.
THE CAST – Ariel Bronz, Efrat Dor, Sharon Alexander, Naama Preis & Aleksei Serebryakov
THE TEAM – Nadav Lapid (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 150 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Audacious, ambitious, bold filmmaking. Go-for-broke, all-in performances from Ariel Bronz and Efrat Dor.

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18. CRIME 101

THE STORY – An elusive thief, eyeing his final score, encounters a disillusioned insurance broker at her own crossroads. As their paths intertwine, a relentless detective trails them, hoping to thwart the multi-million dollar heist they are planning.
THE CAST – Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Halle Berry, Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh & Nick Nolte
THE TEAM – Bart Layton (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 140 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Slick studio crime film with big stars. Character-driven.

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17. THE RIP

THE STORY – A group of Miami cops discovers a stash of millions in cash, leading to distrust as outsiders learn about the huge seizure, making them question who to rely on.
THE CAST – Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Scott Adkins & Kyle Chandler
THE TEAM – Joe Carnahan (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME –  112 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Ben and Matt are back together in a crime film with Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Scott Adkins, and Kyle Chandler. The main duo’s chemistry makes this an entertaining crime film to throw on Netflix.

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16. LATE SHIFT

THE STORY – Floria, a nurse, works with great dedication and professionalism on the surgical ward of a Swiss hospital. Despite the hectic pace, Floria manages to look after a seriously ill mother and an old man urgently awaiting a diagnosis with just as much care and expertise as she does when attending to a private patient with all his special demands. But then she makes a disastrous mistake, and the shift threatens to run completely off the rails. A nerve-racking race against time begins.
THE CAST – Leonie Benesch, Sonja Riesen, Urs Bihler & Margherita Schoch
THE TEAM – Petra Volpe (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 92 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Leonie Benesch’s fiercely emotive lead performance. Petra Volpe’s lively and immersive direction. The relevance of its socially motivated narrative.

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15. DEAD MAN’S WIRE

THE STORY – The morning of February 8, 1977, Anthony G. “Tony” Kiritsis, 44, entered the office of Richard O. Hall, president of the Meridian Mortgage Company, and took him hostage with a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun wired with a “dead man’s wire” from the trigger to the Hall’s head. This is the true story of the stand-off that took the world by storm as Tony demanded $5 million, no charges or prosecution, and a personal apology from the Halls for cheating him out of what he was “owed.”
THE CAST – Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Colman Domingo, Al Pacino & Cary Elwes Myha’la
THE TEAM – Gus Van Sant (Director) & Austin Kolodney (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 105 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Bill Skarsgård’s unhinged performance. Dacre Montgomery’s continued impressive display of range. Gus Van Sant telling a true crime thriller centered on its characters.

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14. OUR HERO, BALTHAZAR

THE STORY – When ultra-wealthy NYC teenager Balthy makes dramatic gun control videos to impress his activist crush. When an online troll targets his content, Balthy becomes convinced he’s communicating with a potential school shooter and embarks on an ill-advised journey to Texas to confront him.
THE CAST – Jaden Martell, Asa Butterfield, Chris Bauer, Jennifer Ehle, Anna Baryshnikov, Noah Centineo, Becky Ann Baker, Avan Jogia & Pippa Knowles
THE TEAM – Oscar Boyson (Director/Writer) & Ricky Camilleri (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 91 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – The emotionally complex and psychologically damaged performances from Jaden Martell and Asa Butterfield. A thorny topic that the film invites conversation on.

13. MIROIRS NO.3

THE STORY – On a weekend trip, Laura survives a car crash. Unhurt but shaken, Laura is taken in by a local women who witnessed the accident, and cares for her. Despite her families resistance, they enter into a routine.
THE CAST – Paula Beer, Barbara Auer, Matthias Brandt & Enno Trebs
THE TEAM – Christian Petzold (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 86 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Petzold’s remarkable restraint and confidence in his storytelling. Paula Beer’s subtlety and beauty.

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12. THE AI DOC: OR HOW I BECAME AN APOCALOPTIMIST

THE STORY – A father-to-be tries to figure out what is happening with all this AI insanity.
THE CAST – Daniel Roher
THE TEAM – Daniel Roher & Charlie Tyrell (Directors)
THE RUNNING TIME – 103 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – The energetic editing. The human connection to Roher and his existential fears of both becoming a parent and a father. AI 101 For Dummies…But Still Essential.

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11. THE MOMENT

THE STORY – A rising pop star navigates the complexities of fame and industry pressure while preparing for her arena tour debut.
THE CAST – Charli XCX, Rosanna Arquette, Kate Berlant, Jamie Demetriou, Hailey Gates & Alexander Skarsgård
THE TEAM – Aidan Zamiri (Director/Writer) & Bertie Brandes (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 103 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Charli XCX’s star-power continues to rise in Hollywood with an amazing, captivating performance. Captures the chaotic, intentionally dizzying feeling of the Brat era, which fans are sure to love. Alexander Skarsgård’s goofy and over-the-top work.

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10. PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATIONTHE STORY – Poppy wants to explore the world and Alex prefers to stay home with a good book, but somehow they are the best of friends. They live far apart, but for a decade they have spent one week of summer vacation together.
THE CAST – Emily Bader, Tom Blyth, Lukas Gage, Miles Heizer, Sarah Catherine Hook, Jameela Jamil, & Lucian Laviscount
THE TEAM – Brett Haley (Director); Yulin Kuang, Nunzio Randazzo & Amos Vernon (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 117 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – An endearing “friends-to-lovers” story. Great chemistry between stars Emily Bader and Tom Blyth. Who doesn’t love these vacation spots?

9. WUTHERING HEIGHTS

THE STORY – Tragedy strikes when Heathcliff falls in love with Catherine Earnshaw, a woman from a wealthy family in 18th-century England.
THE CAST – Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes, Owen Cooper & Ewan Mitchell
THE TEAM – Emerald Fennell (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 136 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Gorgeous visuals from Linus Sandgren. Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi’s performances and sizzling chemistry. Fennell’s unique vision and take on the classic story updates it for a new era, while making it feel personal.

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8. READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME

THE STORY – After surviving one deadly game, Grace and her sister Faith must now outrun four rival families competing for a powerful throne – winner takes all.
THE CAST – Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, David Cronenberg, Elijah Wood, Néstor Carbonell, Kevin Durand, Olivia Cheng & Varun Saranga
THE TEAM – Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett (Directors), Guy Busick & R. Christopher Murphy (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 108 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – More of what you got from the first, but we loved the first so what is there to complain about? Kathryn Newton is a great addition. Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy receiving showcase roles in a Radio Silence film? Oh, we’re so ready!

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7. EPiC: ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT

THE STORY – Baz Luhrmann returns to the subject of his most audacious film. Free of contemporary interviews with experts, critics, or other stakeholders, the film is propelled by recently discovered archival footage shot at the beginning of the famed performer’s Las Vegas residency. Originally intended to last a few weeks at the International Hotel, the 1969 engagement was shockingly lucrative, and stretched on for over seven years.
THE CAST – N/A
THE TEAM – Baz Luhrmann (Director)
THE RUNNING TIME – 96 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – A dazzling IMAX experience. Stunning visual/audio restoration. Perfectly compliments Luhrmann’s Oscar-nominated feature narrative film on the King of rock n’ roll.

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6. HOPPERS

THE STORY – A 19-year-old animal lover uses technology that places her consciousness into a robotic beaver to uncover mysteries within the animal world beyond her imagination.
THE CAST – Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco, Eduardo Franco, Aparna Nancherla, Sam Richardson, Melissa Villaseñor, Isaiah Whitlock Jr., Ego Nwodim, Vanessa Bayer & Meryl Streep
THE TEAM – Daniel Chong (Director) & Jesse Andrews (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 104 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Pixar storytelling at its (almost) best. Wonderful animation. Very, very funny with high energy and a big environmental friendly heart.

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5. SEND HELP

THE STORY – A woman and her overbearing boss become stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash. They must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it’s a battle of wills and wits to make it out alive
THE CAST – Rachel McAdams & Dylan O’Brien
THE TEAM – Sam Raimi (Director), Damian Shannon & Mark Swift (Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 113 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Sam Raimi is back in sick-o mode! One of Rachel McAdams’ best performances and Dylan O’Brien is with her every step of the way in this scorching hot psychological battle of wills.

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4. PILLION

THE STORY – A directionless man is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive.
THE CAST – Alexander Skarsgård, Harry Melling, Douglas Hodge, Lesley Sharp, Jake Shears & Anthony Welsh
THE TEAM – Harry Lighton (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 106 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling deliver tremendous performances in this hugely entertaining exploration of a topic not often discussed in cinema: BDSM relationships.

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3. NIRVANNA: THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE

THE STORY – When their plan to book a show at the Rivoli goes horribly wrong, Matt and Jay accidentally travel back to the year 2008.
THE CAST – Matt Making dumb seem clever, and clever seem silly, Matt Johnson and company take their mockumentary shtick to new and dizzying heights, literally. & Jay McCarrol
THE TEAM – Matt Johnson (Director/Writer) & Jay McCarrol (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 95 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – The funniest film of the year so far. Destined to become as much of a cult classic as the show that inspired it. Who needs a large budget or permits when you have the brilliant, dizzying talent of Johnson and McCarrol?

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2. 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE

THE STORY – Dr. Kelson finds himself in a shocking new relationship with consequences that could change the world as he knows it, while Spike’s encounter with Jimmy Crystal becomes a nightmare he can’t escape.
THE CAST – Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman & Chi Lewis-Parry
THE TEAM – Nia DaCosta (Director) & Alex Garland (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 109 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – More thematic weight than the last installment, commentating on humanity’s nature and religious fervor. Captivating performances with endearing and menacing portrayals from Ralph Fiennes and Jack O’Connell, respectively. DaCosta honors what came before while making this all her own.

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1. PROJECT HAIL MARY

THE STORY – Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up alone on a spaceship light-years from Earth. As his memory returns, he uncovers a mission to stop a mysterious substance killing the sun, and save Earth. An unexpected friendship may be the key.
THE CAST – Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung & Milana Vayntrub
THE TEAM – Phil Lord, Chris Miller (Directors) & Drew Goddard (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 156 Minutes

WHY WE LOVE IT – What’s not to love? A near-perfect crowd-pleaser. Awe-inspiring technical work. A brilliant adaptation of an already beloved book. Clear and confident direction from Phil Lord & Chris Miller on a large but also intimate scale. Ryan Gosling’s flawless turn is both hilarious and heartbreaking.

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What has been your favorite film from the first three months of 2026? What are you looking forward to for the rest of the year? Please let us know in the comments section below or on our X account.

The post The 25 Best Films Of Q1 2026 appeared first on Next Best Picture.

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The post The Next Best Picture Podcast – Interview With “Yes!” Filmmaker Nadav Lapid appeared first on Next Best Picture.

THE CAST – Ariel Bronz, Efrat Dor, Sharon Alexander, Naama Preis & Aleksei Serebryakov

THE TEAM – Nadav Lapid (Director/Writer)

THE RUNNING TIME – 150 Minutes

Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid’s last film, 2021’s “Ahed’s Knee,” saw him raging against the machine with a white-hot fire in his belly. A blistering attack on art censorship in the Israeli government, “Ahed’s Knee” was a primal scream into the void from a filmmaker who has always used his voice to challenge the complacency of his fellow Israelis. In the wake of the October 7 attacks, there’s far more hypocrisy to call out in Israel than ever before, and given that the whole world is watching closely now, it should be no surprise that Lapid is back and that he’s even angrier than before. “Yes!” is an overstuffed, over-indulgent beast of a film, one that finds Lapid doubling down on the rage that has powered his previous work in an exhilaratingly exhausting fashion.

The film’s plot is relatively simple: Musician Y (Ariel Bronz) and his dancer wife Yasmin (Efrat Dor) are struggling to make ends meet despite making connections with Israeli high society through what seems like a never-ending wave of drugs, drinks, and dancing. In the wake of October 7, Y is commissioned to compose music for a new Israeli national anthem. Y and Yasmin, who recently gave birth to a baby boy, fight over whether he should take the commission. He then travels to the border of Gaza to see what’s happening and writes the song. That’s it, and Lapid somehow stretches it out to two hours and forty minutes, an ungodly running time for such a thin plot that nonetheless comes dangerously close to being fully justified by the barely contained rage that boils over in every frame.

The current situation in Israel isn’t particularly subtle; despite the dangers surrounding them, Israel is engaging in war crimes that are a hair’s breadth away from full-on genocide, and many Jewish Israelis flat-out do not care. Since the situation isn’t subtle, Lapid’s film isn’t either, engaging in such obvious symbolism as Y getting down on all fours to lick the boot of the Big Billionaire (Aleksei Serebryakov) financing the song commission, followed by Israeli official Avinoam (Sharon Alexander) being ordered to do the same, creating a chain of bootlickers underneath the money man. There’s no mistaking the message behind these images, and Lapid pushes the scene for far longer than necessary, matching the excessive violence of the Israeli government with his own form of cinematic excess. That excess is evident from the film’s opening moments, a vibrant, hedonistic party that includes a sing-off between Y, Yasmin, and other civilians singing La Bouche’s “Be My Lover” and a group of government and army officials singing “Love Me Tender.”

This vision of Israeli nightlife sets up the film’s most arresting cinematic flourish: Whenever Y or Yasmin receives a news alert about the situation in Gaza, the text is the alert appears onscreen, soundtracked by the explosions, gunfire, and anguished screams of the region, as the citizens of Tel Aviv and other big Israeli cities react with silence, either unfazed by the news or preferring to blissfully ignore it. Given that the country is roughly the size of New Jersey, it’s easy to think that it’s impossible for Israeli citizens to overlook the violence happening in their backyard. Still, Lapid emphasizes just how removed Israelis are from the violence, both in terms of distance and in terms of psychology. His anger at his fellow countrymen is palpable, embodied by the hyperactive camera that follows Y as he walks around with his baby son, telling him how good everything around them is. The camera movement feels violent, an assault on the senses that underlines the fact that no matter how hard Y tries to convince himself and those around him otherwise, there is something rotten in the state of Israel.

Lapid does not mince words, whether in the images he creates or the dialogue he writes. When Y decides to visit the front in order to see Gaza for himself before he composes the music, he’s driven there by an ex-girlfriend and IDF member (Naama Preis) who tells him all about her experience on October 7, listing in stomach-churning detail the atrocities she saw committed by Hamas. The violence committed in Hamas’s name should not be excused, nor can it be forgotten, and the ragged emotion with which Preis spits out this speech is so powerful that it’s all Lapid needs to show the Israeli side of the story. This monologue also includes one of the most astute distillations of the current Israeli moment: “Everyone says, ‘You cannot understand what it’s like to be in Gaza,’ but YOU can’t understand what it’s like to be Israeli,” she says, prompting Y to reply in frustration, “NO ONE understands!” It’s true: No one on any side can fully understand the situation because no one has generations-deep ties to both sides of the conflict. What Lapid has set his sights on are the people who do not care about understanding, those who unthinkingly follow what the Israeli government says while ignoring the truth from inside Gaza. When Y writes the song, he claims to do so in order to secure his son’s future, but Lapid correctly calls it out as an act of cowardice, raining down rocks on Y as he apologizes to no one in particular for his actions.

There’s a lot required of the actor playing Y, and Bronz gives everything he has, cutting himself open and spilling his guts all over the film. He’s incredibly physical, dancing up a storm and flailing his limbs about with abandon as Y parties the nights away. He screams as if possessed, pushing the character as far as it can go without breaking the film. His life force feels like it’s one with the film, pushing, pulling, and tearing at the edges of the frame until the cinematic world starts to bleed into the real one. The ultra-charismatic Dor matches him beat for beat, especially in the film’s second half, when Yasmin starts fighting Y over his decision to compose this song. When she hisses at him that she will use the money to take their child to Europe, where he will grow up knowing nothing about Israel, you feel every bit of her seething rage that this man would do something so ugly. The rift between Y and Yasmin can feel a bit didactic and unmotivated. However, as a piece of expressionist cinema, “Yes!” is less about them as characters and more about them as signifiers of different sides of an argument. Bronz and Dor’s performances fit perfectly into this mold, eschewing subtlety in favor of broad, brash performing styles that are impossible to look away from.

The film is impossible to look away from, with Lapid throwing practically every stylistic flourish he can think of at the screen, with most of it sticking. If “Yes!” is an exhausting, messy film to watch, well, so is the current state of Israel. Subtlety has no place here, and Lapid doesn’t bother with even the tiniest bit of it. If “Ahed’s Knee” was a scream into the void, then “Yes!” is an atom bomb thrown directly into a megaphone. Lapid’s message is urgent, and he has taken every precaution to ensure everyone hears it, except for compromising his vision. It’s certainly not the defining film about the post-October 7, 2023 world, but it’s undeniably the most potent.

The post “YES!” appeared first on Next Best Picture.