The prestige production company and movie distributor A24 is about to celebrate its 12th anniversary. During its twelve years the New York City based company has quickly evolved into one of the most acclaimed names in cinema. In the process they have cultivated an indie style all their own which has developed quite the cult following. They have opened the doors to so many different voices and have given creators an avenue to tell stories that would otherwise have a hard time finding an audience.

For that reason I’m celebrating A24 by listing my ten favorite films from their lengthy catalog. There are so many gems to choose from, and you might be surprised by what’s included and what’s left off. Hit the comments and let me know what you think…

#10 – “White Noise” (2022)

Ok, let me go ahead and get this one out of the way. In what is sure to be a bewildering choice to some, I stand by “White Noise” and its spot on this list. It took a couple of viewings for me to fully get in rhythm with what Noah Baumbach was doing. But once I did, I was hooked. I love the performances from Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig, and it features an end-credits dance number for the ages. I love it. [MY REVIEW]

#9 – “After Yang” (2021)

I adored Kogonada’s feature film debut, “Columbus”. He hit his mark again with “After Yang”, an artful and quietly stirring reflection on humanity, family, and self-discovery. It’s very meditative in nature, using the camera and much as its script to immerse us in its heartfelt story. Elegantly directed, brilliantly acted, and visually arresting – “After Yang” is a beautiful film. [MY REVIEW]

#8 – “Minari” (2020)

Few movies have cut me to the heart quite like Lee Isaac Chung’s deeply personal family drama “Minari”. Subdued in all the right ways and anchored in the human experience, “Minari” follows a South Korean immigrant family and their search for the American Dream. The film earned six well-deserved Academy Award nominations and still stands firm as one of A24’s most affecting movies. [MY REVIEW]

#7 – “The Iron Claw” (2023)

While “The Iron Claw” received rave reviews from fellow critics, it still feels like a movie that never got the attention it deserved, especially during awards season. This crushing biographical drama based on the tragic true story of professional wrestling’s Von Erich family features a sublime ensemble cast and a career best performance from Zac Efron. Even better, it tells their devastating story with compassion and empathy. [MY REVIEW]

#6 – “Past Lives” (2023)

2023 was a stellar year for A24 (even more from it in a moment) and “Past Lives” was a big reason why. There is so much to love about this emotionally penetrating drama. It marked the spectacular feature film debut for writer-director Celine Song. And it featured one of the year’s very best performances from Greta Lee. “Past Lives” has stuck with me ever since first seeing it. [MY REVIEW]

#5 – “A Most Violent Year” (2014)

Here’s another movie that deserves more long-term love that it gets. J.C. Chandor’s rich and gritty crime drama “A Most Violent Year” was shunned by all the major Awards ceremonies. Still, it remains one of the best films of 2014 and one that has steadily gotten better with each viewing. The starring duo of Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain are magnetic, and Chandor’s storytelling sucks you in. [MY REVIEW]

#4 – “The Rover” (2014)

I’m guessing this is a pick that will surprise a lot of people. Nevertheless I’m a huge fan of “The Rover”, David Michôd’s dark and gritty dystopian drama set in a lawless Australian outback. Guy Pearce delivers a phenomenal lead performance, but it’s Robert Pattinson who steals the show. This is the performance that opened many of our eyes to the “Twilight” star and he hasn’t looked back since. If you haven’t seen “The Rover”, do yourself a favor and check it out. [MY REVIEW]

#3 – “The Witch” (2015)

Writer-director Robert Eggers burst onto the scene with one of the best directorial debuts of the past decade. “The Witch” is a masterclass in how to do amazing things with a tiny budget. Eggers’ film is expertly crafted – chilling and tension-soaked. And if that wasn’t enough, it made a star of young Anya Taylor-Joy whose big screen career has only blossomed. “The Witch” remains etched as one of my all-time favorite horror films. [MY REVIEW]

#2 – “First Reformed” (2018)

Paul Schrader’s “First Reformed” is the kind of wrenching movie that you wrestle with for days after seeing it. And that’s a big part of what makes its searing exploration of guilt, obsession, self-destruction, and despair so effective. Ethan Hawke delivers the performance of his career, fully embodying Schrader’s tragic lead. Meanwhile the influence of auteurs such as Bresson and Bergman can be seen everywhere. A brilliant film top to bottom. [MY REVIEW]

#1 – “The Zone of Interest” (2023)

Some may be quick to cry “recency bias” and I can understand why. But don’t be so quick to dismiss the stunningly brilliant film that is “The Zone of Interest”. Jonathan Glazer’s daringly precise and artfully calculated Holocaust drama is so quietly chilling that the true insidious nature of what we see creeps up on us. It’s fittingly unsettling yet strategic in how it conveys its horrors. As a result we get a landmark achievement both in filmmaking and as a historical reflection. [MY REVIEW]

In an era when the movie industry is growing more and more reliant on established IP, it’s great to see a franchise film really show its worth beyond just making money. Don’t get me wrong, “Alien: Romulus” is tracking towards a strong opening weekend at the box office. But what’s more exciting is seeing director and co-writer Fede Álvarez return to the franchise’s roots. Shades of his work in 2013’s “Evil Dead” and 2016’s “Don’t Breathe” are hard to miss. But it’s Álvarez’s clear esteem for the earlier Alien films that make this such a treat.

“Alien: Romulus” is the seventh installment in the long-running sci-fi horror franchise. Its story (co-written by Álvarez and his frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues) is set between the events of Ridley Scott’s seminal 1979 classic “Alien” and James Cameron’s equally brilliant 1986 sequel “Aliens”. While it’s not directly connected to either of those movies, “Romulus” fits nicely with both, in style, in tone, and in quality.

“Romulus” tells a contained story which (much like the original “Alien”) proves to be a big strength. A small handful of characters, a confined setting, a terrifying unknown threat – it’s a formula that has fit this franchise well and Álvarez utilizes it to perfection. We may not learn much new and “Romulus” may not catapult the franchise into uncharted directions. But it is an extraordinary Alien movie.

One of the first things you’ll notice is that “Romulus” looks and sounds amazing. It has become somewhat cliché to say, but this is a film that begs to be seen on the big screen (it’s hard to believe 20th Century Studios once considered releasing it exclusively on Hulu). The movie is a technical marvel as seen in its spectacular practical and digital effects, Galo Olivares’ jaw-dropping cinematography, and awards-worthy production design from Naaman Marshall.

Narratively, the story does everything we need it to do. It patiently introduces the characters, defines their mission and motivations, and then plunges them and us into a perilous and propulsive nightmare. Álvarez nails the tone and steadily ratchets up suffocating tension on his way to a bonkers ending that hits you with something you’ll never see coming.

As for the cast and characters, Álvarez puts together a solid ensemble to play a group of young space colonists living on an oppressive corporate mining planet. The group of friends consists of Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny), her adopted android brother, Andy (David Jonsson), Rain’s boyfriend, Tyler (Archie Renaux), Tyler’s sister, Kay (Isabela Merced), the mouthy Bjorn (Spike Fearn), and Bjorn’s girlfriend Navarro (Aileen Wu).

The mining operation is ran by Weyland-Yutani Corporation, a name Alien fans are very familiar with. The company runs the colony through forced labor contracts which keeps the people obligated to work. Even worse, they withhold travel permits under everchanging contract quotas which further restricts their workers from leaving. Tired of their harsh conditions, the friends resolve not to end up like their parents who all died working in the mines.

After getting word that a derelict Weyland space station has drifted into the planet’s orbit, they hatch a plan – sneak aboard the vacant station and steal cryo-pods so they can make the long journey to a far away paradise planet. Once onboard they’ll have three hours until the station crashes into the planet’s rings and is obliterated. That would be more than enough time if not for the horrifying discoveries they make. You guessed it – xenomorphs.

Spaeny’s star is steadily rising and she continues the franchise’s trend of strong female protagonists. We don’t get much in terms of her backstory with most of it coming through Andy. We learn Andy was given to Rain by her late father who programmed him with a collection of bad dad jokes and a prime directive to take care of her at all costs. But over the course of the film, it’s Andy’s dramatic evolution that makes him the film’s most compelling character.

“Alien: Romulus” is sprinkled with cool nods to the franchise’s mythology including some ingenious connections to the original “Alien”. Much comes through the effort poured into the details, from the costumes to computer terminals to the space station design. And of course the alien effects are superb, once again proving the xenomorphs to be one of cinema’s most terrifying creations. Overall Álvarez may not bring many groundbreaking new ideas, but he understands the nuts-and-bolts mechanics and has the necessary passion. And that’s what makes this an exhilarating triumph that delivers everything Alien fans could want. “Alien: Romulus” opens in theaters today.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

It’s common knowledge that Sony’s run of non-MCU Marvel movies has been rocky at best. There have been some big box office hits and some major flops. Meanwhile the quality of the films has been mostly disappointing leaving people wondering what to expect from their upcoming offerings. Chief among them is “Kraven the Hunter”. After a series of strategic reshoots, the film was pushed to December. Now we have a new trailer and director J. C. Chandor says his movie is going to surprise a lot of people.

This R-rated Spider-Man spinoff sees Aaron Taylor-Johnson playing Sergei Kravinoff, aka Kraven. His complicated relationship with his father, Nikolai Kravinoff (played by Russell Crowe) puts him on a violent and bloody path to becoming on of Spider-Man’s most noteworthy adversaries. The movie also features Ariana DeBose, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott, and Fred Hechinger. The trailer looks fittingly brutal and Taylor-Johnson definitely has the grit for this kind of role. Hopefully it delivers.

“Kraven the Hunter” is set to release December 13th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is bringing “The Bikeriders” to home video via a fabulous new collector’s edition. Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, “The Bikeriders” is a gritty period biker drama inspired by Danny Lyon’s 1968 photo-book of the same name. In the film, Nichols tells the story of the Vandals Motorcycle Club, putting a special focus on two close-knit brothers. Incredible performances by the trio of Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, and Jodie Comer drive this fascinating feature.

This special collector’s edition of “The Bikeriders” features the film on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and Digital. It will be available to purchase on August 13th. See below for a full synopsis and release information including special features.

About the Film:

Year: 2023

Runtime: 116 Minutes

Director: Jeff Nichols

Screenwriter: Jeff Nichols

Cast: Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Norman Reedus, Boyd Holbrook, Damon Herriman, Beau Knapp, Emory Cohen, Karl Glusman, Toby Wallace, Happy Anderson, Paul Sparks, Will Oldham

Rating: R

“The Bikeriders” captures a rebellious time in America when the culture and people were changing. After a chance encounter at a local bar, strong-willed Kathy (Comer) is inextricably drawn to Benny (Butler), the newest member of Midwestern motorcycle club the Vandals, led by the enigmatic Johnny (Hardy). Much like the country around it, the club begins to evolve, transforming from a gathering place for local outsiders into a dangerous underworld of violence, forcing Benny to choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.

Written and directed by Jeff Nichols (“Mud”, “Take Shelter”), “The Bikeriders” boasts a power-house ensemble cast including Emmy, BAFTA, and Tony Award winner Jodie Comer (“Killing Eve”, “The Last Duel”) alongside Academy Award nominee Austin Butler (“Elvis”, “Dune: Part Two”) and Academy Award nominee Tom Hardy (“The Revenant”, “Dunkirk”, “Inception”). Other impressive cast members include two-time Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon, Boyd Holbrook (“Logan”, “The Predator”), Mike Faist (“Challengers”, “West Side Story”), and Norman Reedus (“The Walking Dead”, “Triple 9”).

Special Features:

Bonus Content for “The Bikeriders” includes:

     FEATURETTE: Johnny, Benny, & Kathy

From the accents to the attitude, get to know the lead characters of “THE BIKERIDERS”. Hear from the cast and producing team on how they took the personalities and environments from a book of photographs and brought a narrative to the big screen.

FEATURETTE: The Era of “THE BIKERIDERS“

Grab your leather jacket and gear up for a ride as we enter the era of “THE BIKERIDERS”. This piece focuses on the authenticity that was captured by the brilliant production team who nailed the look, feel, and sound of the late 1960s Midwest.

FEATURETTE: The Filmmaker’s Eye: Jeff Nichols

Go behind the lens with director Jeff Nichols as he shared his overall vision for the film, stylistic choices, and how he works with talent. Members of the ensemble cast along with producers chime in on the significance of working on a Jeff Nichols film.

Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Jeff Nichols

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment are bringing the Summer’s best movie to home video. “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”, the high-octane prequel to 2015’s stellar “Mad Max: Fury Road”, sees visionary filmmaker George Miller returning to the dystopian wasteland he first introduced us to in 1979. This exhilarating spin-off digs into the backstory of Furiosa, played in “Fury Road” by Charlize Theron and here by Anya Taylor-Joy.

This 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray edition with Digital Copy of “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” will be available for purchase on August 13th. See below for a full synopsis and release information including special features.

About the Film:

Year: 2024

Runtime: 148 Minutes

Director: George Miller

Screenwriter: George Miller, Nico Lathouris.

Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Alyla Browne, Lachy Hulme, John Howard, George Shevtsov, Angus Sampson, Nathan Jones, Josh Helman, Charlee Fraser, Elsa Pataky, Dylan Adonis, Lee Perry, David Collins, Clarence Ryan, Matuse

Rating: R for sequences of strong violence, and grisly images

Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth star in Academy Award-winning mastermind George Miller’s “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”, the much-anticipated return to the iconic dystopian world he created more than 40 years ago with the seminal Mad Max films. Miller now turns the page again with an all-new original, standalone action adventure that will reveal the origins of the powerhouse character from the multiple Oscar-winning global smash “Mad Max: Fury Road”. The new feature from Warner Bros. Pictures is produced by Miller and his longtime partner, Oscar-nominated producer Doug Mitchell (“Mad Max: Fury Road”, “Babe”), under their Australian-based Kennedy Miller Mitchell banner.

As the world fell, young Furiosa (Taylor-Joy) is snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus (Hemsworth). Sweeping through the Wasteland, they come across the Citadel presided over by The Immortan Joe (Hulme). While the two Tyrants war for dominance, Furiosa must survive many trials as she puts together the means to find her way home.

Miller penned the script with “Mad Max: Fury Road” co-writer Nico Lathouris. Miller’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes first assistant director PJ Voeten and action designer Guy Norris, director of photography Simon Duggan (“Hacksaw Ridge”, “The Great Gatsby”), composer Tom Holkenborg, supervising sound editor Robert Mackenzie, editor Eliot Knapman, visual effects supervisor Andrew Jackson and supervising colorist Eric Whipp. The team also includes other longtime collaborators: production designer Colin Gibson, editor Margaret Sixel, production sound Ben Osmo, costume designer Jenny Beavan and hair and makeup designer Lesley Vanderwalt, each of whom won an Oscar for their work on “Mad Max: Fury Road”.

Special Features:

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” Premium Digital Ownership, 4K UHD and Blu-ray contain the following special features:  

4K UHD

• Highway to Valhalla: In Pursuit of Furiosa
• Stowaway to Nowhere
• Metal Beasts & Holy Motors
• Darkest Angel: Anya Taylor-Joy as Furiosa
• Motorbike Messiah: Chris Hemsworth as Dementus

Blu-ray

• Highway to Valhalla: In Pursuit of Furiosa
• Stowaway to Nowhere

Released on June 20, 1974, the rightly heralded “Chinatown” has firmly held its status as a classic for 50 years. Part old-fashioned film noir, part searing takedown of the ruling class and their institutions – “Chinatown” would go on to earn eleven Academy Award nominations, eleven BAFTA nominations, and nine Golden Globes nominations. But beyond all the accolades, what defines “Chinatown” most is how brilliantly it holds up today.

My last rewatch of “Chinatown” was inspired by Sight and Sound magazine’s most recent “Greatest Films of All Time” poll. For those unfamiliar with it, the poll has been taken every ten years since 1952. A select group of film critics and industry insiders are asked to vote for the ten greatest movies of all time. It has generally been a highly regarded poll partly due to the exclusivity of its voting body. But 2022 brought both controversy and skepticism, with S&S boosting its voters to 1,639 hand-picked participants (there were 145 in the 2002 poll; 846 in 2012). Naturally it resulted in some dramatic and head-scratching changes to list.

Here’s the thing, I didn’t revisit “Chinatown” because of its prominent place on the latest S&S list. No, instead it was because the landmark 1974 classic was booted from the list entirely. On the surface it seems like a mind-blowing omission and a real shock to the poll’s credibility (“The Godfather Part II”, “Rio Bravo”, “Raging Bull” and others also got the boot). So I fired up the film to see if something had changed. Nope, it still hits every mark and impressed me more this time than during any of my previous viewings. Sorry Sight and Sound. You got this one wrong.

“Chinatown” comes from director Roman Polanski, a blemish that alone probably cost the film several S&S votes. But the pure quality of the movie itself stands on its own. As does the exceptional Oscar-winning screenplay from the late Robert Towne. As does the cool and charismatic lead performance from Jack Nicholson – arguably the best of his career. As does the stellar supporting work from Faye Dunaway and John Huston. As does the period set design and costumes. As does Jerry Goldsmith’s transporting score. I feel like I could go on and on.

Set in 1937 Los Angeles, Nicholson plays a private detective named J. J. “Jake” Gittes. One afternoon a woman (Diane Ladd) identifying herself as Evelyn Mulwray comes to his office. She suspects her husband, Hollis Mulwray (Darrell Zwerling), is having an affair and she wants Gittes to find out. He takes the job and upon investigating learns that Mulwray is the chief engineer at LA’s Department of Water and Power. Gittes starts tailing Mulwray, eventually snapping some photos of him with a young woman – photos that mysterious end up in the newspaper.

The next day Gittes is confronted by the real Evelyn Mulwray (Dunaway) who hits him with a lawsuit. Steamed that he’s been used by someone to disgrace Hollis Mulwray, Gittes and Evelyn cut a deal. He’ll find out who set up her husband, and she’ll drop the lawsuit. Seems simple enough, but of course it’s not. What started as an infidelity case soon gives way to lies, city corruption, and (as in most good noirs) murder. Even worse, there’s something far more sinister underneath it all.

For lovers of classic noirs, “Chinatown” fits snugly within the bygone genre and feels right at home next to the many films that undoubtedly inspired it. Yet Polanski and Towne add their own special seasoning which makes this more than just a copy-and-paste experience. Much of it is in the way Polanski plays with POV or how he shoots his sun-baked Los Angeles (DP John A. Alonzo received an Oscar nomination). But it’s also evident in Polanski’s willingness to tinker with genre conventions, to the point that we’re never certain where he’s taking us.

Then you have Towne’s absorbing screenplay. It has a few signature noir movie twists with everything being revealed at the very end (Interestingly, Polanski added some grit to the ending, changing it up in a way that initially frustrated Towne. Later, Towne would admit that Polanski’s climactic finish was the right choice). But there is so much more to Towne’s dense and complex story. He offers a deep and compelling spin on the California Water War and all the political deception and chicanery that went with it. 

Towne also does some incredible character work. Written specifically for Nicholson, Gittes is a cynical wisecracking sleuth but with an uncommon sense of decency at his core. Dunaway’s Evelyn is an elegant and high-class femme fatale who does her best to hide her fragility. And of course there’s the devilishly good John Huston playing Evelyn’s wealthy and powerful father, Noah Cross. Towne fleshes them all out through his crackling dialogue and his patient attention to detail. They all have roles to play within his winding story, but they are also given plenty of room to develop.

“Chinatown” spends a lot of time covering a lot of ground, yet it’s surprisingly efficient. There’s simply no wasted scenes, no meaningless lines, and no throwaway moments. And while the disgraced director’s post-“Chinatown” offenses undoubtedly hang over his work, there’s a richness to Polanski’s direction. And I love how he entrusts his audience to follow along. In the end, every facet of great filmmaking can be found in “Chinatown”. And I hate to say it, but it’s hard to take a “Greatest Films of All Time” list seriously that doesn’t include this 1974 gem.