And here are the other 5 movies in my list – with other films good enough to be mentioned.

6. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
   Mary Bronstein’s second feature film “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” is probably one of the most intensely uncomfortable movie experiences I have ever had during this year. Closely and vividly sticking to the increasingly unstable mindset of one very troubled mother, the movie constantly unnerves us via a series of emotionally tense moments which will definitely make you wince and cringe a lot, but it firmly holds our attention to the end mainly thanks to Rose Byrne’s unforgettable lead performance. Yes, this is surely not something you can casually watch on Sunday afternoon, but it is worthwhile to watch for its considerable emotional intensity and the strong lead performance behind it.

7. Universal Language
   Matthew Rankin’s “Universal Language” is a singular cinematic mix to behold. While clearly influenced by the works of Guy Maddin, Wes Anderson, and Roy Andersson, the movie also distinguishes itself a lot with its own unconventional cultural concoction, and it also shows a bit of surprising human poignancy behind its many moments of deadpan comedy. In short, this is one of the best films I saw during this year, and I am willing to revisit its odd but interesting world just for cherishing more of its distinctive mood and details.

8. Sorry, Baby
   Eva Victor’s first feature film “Sorry, Baby” superlative for its thoughtful and sensitive storytelling as well as a number of stellar performances to remember. I will not tell you much for good reasons, but I can tell you instead that Victor is another promising American filmmaker to watch, and I will have some expectation on whatever may come next from this new interesting filmmaker after this remarkable debut work.

9. Sirāt
   Óliver Laxe’s “Sirāt” impresses me a lot with its stark existential wasteland. As its few main characters are merely heading to somewhere across that vast and remote wasteland, the movie often captivates us with its striking visual qualities, and you will admire that more once you come to see what and how it is about.
   I must point out that I was a bit disappointed with its eventual arrival point, but the rest of the film vividly remains on my mind even at this point, and that is more than enough for recommendation in my inconsequential opinion.

10. Weapons
    Zach Cregger’s “Weapons” is a creepy horror thriller film which works best if you do not know a lot about the story and characters before watching it. After drawing your attention with a substantial amount of creepiness and anxiety on the screen, it gradually builds up the story and characters step by step before eventually revealing the chilling darkness hidden at its center, and the result is quite compelling to watch. This.is indeed a top-notch work which deserves to be admired for its superlative mood and stellar performances, and it surely shows that Cregger, who previously drew our attention with “Barbarian” (2022), is a skillful filmmaker who does know how to engage and then thrill us.

Runner-ups (In alphabetical order)

“Black Bag”, “Blue Moon”, “Familial Touch”, “A House of Dynamite”, “Left-handed Girl”, “The Life of Chuck”, “Mickey 17”, “Misericordia”, “No Other Choice”, “Souleymane’s Story”, and “Wake up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”

Documentary (In alphabetical order)
“Apocalypse in the Tropics”, “Come See Me in the Good Light”, “Deaf President Now!”, “Mr. Scorsese”, and “The Perfect Neighbor”

Animation (In alphabetical order)
“Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc”, “Elio”, “In Your Dream”, “KPop Demon Hunters” and “Zootopia 2”

Honorable mention (In alphabetical order)
“28 Years Later”, “Bugonia”, “Eephus”, “Exit 8”, “Final Destination Bloodlines”, “Good Boy”, “Grand Tour”, “Happyend”, “Highest 2 Lowest”, “Jay Kelly”, “Kokuko”, “Kontinental ‘25”, “Materialists”, “Miroirs No. 3”, “Nouvelle Vague”, “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl“, “The Phoenician Scheme”, “Predator: Badland”, “The Ugly Stepsister”, and “The Wedding Banquet”

Yes, I belatedly watched them, and they are all good (In alphabetical order)
“Dahomey”, “The Brutalist”, “Hard Truths”, “I’m Still Here”, “Nickel Boys”, “No Other Land”, and “A Real Pain”