Film-Forward

Top Picks

Jackie

An equally straightforward title for this biopic could be Deconstructing Jackie.

Old Stone

A tightly wound gem of a movie that wastes none of its brisk 80 minutes.

All Governments Lie: Truth, Deception, and the Spirit of I.F. Stone

A rousing call to arms for anyone interested in honest, issues-based journalism, this documentary could not be timelier.

Manchester by the Sea

It’s hard to imagine another American film this year with as many fine acting moments. Watching actor Casey Affleck, who looks like an eternally youthful choir boy, fight his inner demons is worth the price of admission alone.

Arrival

Science fiction and the woman’s picture rarely collide, but here Villeneuve proves that they don’t have to be exclusive from each other.

Notes on Blindness

A gut-wrenching depiction of one man’s gradual loss of sight and a visceral immersion.

Viktoria

A near-epic unspooling of grandiose allegory, deadpan satire, absurd magic realism, and depressive family drama, all co-existing in one movie.

We Are X

X Japan is the premier Japanese metal band, a mélange of thrash, glam, and symphonic rock.

Moonlight

Barry Jenkins’s film is like three short films strung together to tell one sweeping story.