So here are the first five films of my annual list

1. Past Lives
   Good human drama films can not only interest but also energize me sometimes, and Celine Song’s remarkable debut feature film “Past Lives” is one of such fantastic examples. When I watched it, I was not so sure about whether I could watch one more film due to some physical exhaustion at that time, but, what do you know, I soon found myself thoroughly captivated by its exquisite handling of story, mood, and characters, and I was quite touched as observing how effortlessly and powerfully it pulls out a sublime finale to remember in the end. Folks, here is a truly exceptional human drama you should not miss at any chance.

2. Killers of the Flower Moon
Martin Scorsese’s new film “Killers of the Flower Moon” is a stunningly epic piece of work vividly looking into one massive injustice against a Native American tribe during the early 1920s. While often touching on the recurring personal themes of many of Scorsese films, the movie also firmly stays focused on the devastatingly tragic aspects of its real-life story, and the underlying pain and sadness of its ambitious tale will linger on your mind for a while after it is over. While cinema may be really declining to its eventual demise, Scorsese is fortunately still around us to remind us of how artistically powerful cinema can be, and the sheer cinematic qualities of “Killers of the Flower Moon” certainly remind me again of why I still go to movie theaters.

3. Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan’s latest film “Oppenheimer” is overwhelming to say the least. If you do not have much knowledge about its real-life hero’s life and career, you may get confused more than once as it busily and briskly juggles its multiple storylines and numerous figures around its real-life hero from the beginning to the end, but you will be also captivated by its sheer cinematic craft fueled by Nolan’s undeniably intense artistic vision and talent during its 3-hour running time. Although this is your typical Nolan flick in many ways, it is one of his better works nonetheless, and it is surely one of the highlights of this summer season.

4. The Holdovers
Alexnader Payne’s latest film “The Holdovers is a dry but humorous character drama which will grow on you a lot for its excellent mood, performance, and storytelling. While it is often amusing as a sort of comic antithesis to Peter Weir’s “Dead Poets Society” (1989), the movie also shows some genuine care and affection toward its three different main characters who happen to be stuck together during one Christmas season, and it is funny and touching to observe how much they have changed around the end of the story. This is one of major delights around the end of this year besides being one of better works from Payne, and I am certainly glad to report to you that he is back in element now.

5. Monster
Hirokazu Kore-eda’s latest film “Monster” seems rather disturbing and frustrating at first and then becomes something much more compelling and powerful than expected. As moving from one viewpoint to another along the plot, the movie gradually and sensitively delves into the aching matters of heart occupying the center of the story, and the result is another stellar work from a master filmmaker who has consistently impressed us during last three decades since “Maboroshi” (1995). It is another terrific work from one of the great filmmakers in our time, and you should certainly check it out especially if you have admired many of Kore-eda’s films as I have for years.