Project Hail Mary (2026)

A man wakes up all alone on a spacecraft with no memory of who he is or how he got there. All the onboard crew is dead, he's floating adrift in space, and the stars are apparently dying. The trailers spoil what's to come, but I won't do that here. This is a voyage of wonder and discovery you must take alone.

Powerhouse directing duo Lord and Miller spin a yarn as old as time, Ryan Gosling remains effortlessly effusive, and while most of the science flies over my head, it's emotionally intelligent to boot. A safe bet for best of the year.

4½ fist bumps out of 5

The Zone of Interest (2023)

This is not an easy watch. A more mundane view of what life must have been life back in 1940s Germany, when it was much easier to stand in line and not question the atrocities that were occurring all around, for fear of one's own livelihood. We see the domestic life of a commandant and his family, whose backyard features a view of a furnace that is constantly burning. There are scenes in this film that are downright chilling to the bone. I wouldn't wish this upon my worst enemy.

4 moments of quiet horror out of 5

Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

AKA: Anatomie d'une chute

The poster does a lot of the heavy lifting here. A man is found dead in the snow. His wife is the main suspect. Her blind son is the only witness. Most of the film is told in a courtroom as we examine the facts and why it may or may not be what we think. It’s a very engaging and contemplative psychological drama. My only note is that it runs too long and it's not entirely satisfying.

Actress Sandra Hüller (Toni Erdmann) is so good here, but it's the canine actor (Messi) who steals the show (and ended up winning a Palm Dog award for it).

4 passive-aggressive songs on repeat out of 5