Tag: AWordofDreams

The 25 Best Books of 2022

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By Andrew Buckner

25. Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir

By Bob Odenkirk

24. Quicksilver

By Dean Koontz

23. Diablo Mesa

By Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child

22. Road of Bones

By Christopher Golden

21. Stella Maris

By Cormac McCarthy 

20. Monstervision: The Films of John and Mark Polonia

By Douglas Alan Waltz

19. Fight or Play Basketball: every shot counts

By Mike Messier

18. The House Across the Lake

By Riley Sager

17. The Girl Who Outgrew the World

By Zoje Stage

16. Sundial

By Catriona Ward

15. Gwendy’s Final Task

By Stephen King, Richard Chizmar

14. Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head: Poems

By Warsan Shire

13. Sparring Partners

By John Grisham

12. All the Flowers Kneeling

By Paul Tran

11. The Passenger

By Cormac McCarthy

10. Devil House

By John Darnielle

9. Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance

By John Waters 

8. The Kaiju Preservation Society

By John Scalzi 

7. Feel Your Way Through: A Book of Poetry

By Kelsea Ballerini

6. The Pallbearers Club

By Paul Tremblay

5. Hell Spring

By Isaac Thorne

4. Fairy Tale

By Stephen King

3. The Boys from Biloxi

By John Grisham

2. The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, From the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us

By Steve Brusatte

1. Cinema Speculation

By Quentin Tarantino

Runners-Up:

The Babysitter Lives

By Stephen Graham Jones

Celest

By Sandy Robson

Child Zero: A Novel

By Chris Holm

City on Fire

By Don Winslow

Stinetinglers: All New Stories by the Master of Scary Tales

By R.L. Stine

The 25 Best Short Films of 2022

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By Andrew Buckner

25. “Two Wrongs”

Director: Damien Nembhard

24. “New Years”

Director: Kris Salvi

23. “Heart Shot”

Director: Marielle Woods

22. “Life’s Good”

Director: Jackson Tsi

21. “Erax” 

Director: Hebru Brantley

20. “When the Daemon Takes Hold”

Director: Jackson Batchelor

19. “The Time Travelers”

Director: Killarney Traynor

18. “Not Waving but Drowning”

Director: Thara Popoola

17. “Briefcase Paranoia 2”

Director: Nicholas Hatch

16. “Wanna Play a Game”

Director: Brad Case

15. “Nightcap”

Director: Sam Mason-Bell

14. “A Christmas Card From a Hit Woman in Leominister”

Director: Kris Salvi

13. “Forgive Us Our Sins”

Director: Ashley Eakin

12. “He Comes to Kill”

Director: August Anthony Aguilar

11. “Lux Aeterna”

Director: Gaspar Noe

10. “Scribbles After Midnight”

Director: Jeremy Arruda

9. “Private”

Director: Steve Blackwood

8. “Step Right Up”

Director: Kris Salvi

7. ”Night Owls”

Director: Gabrielle Rosson

6. “Sighs from the Depths”

Director: Richard Griffin

5. “113 N Indigo Dr (Chapters 1-3)”

Director: Adam Michael

4. “The End is Nigh” 

Director: Jamie Lyn Bagley

3. “Amityville: The People of New York vs Ronald J DeFeo Jr.”

Director: Rob Levinson

2. “The Blood of the Dinosaurs”

Director: Joe Badon

1. “Theater 4”

Director: Adam Michael 

The 80 Best Feature Films of 2022 (So Far)

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By Andrew Buckner

*All feature films included herein are based on the criteria of an official 2022 release date in the U.S.*

80. Father Stu

Director: Rosalind Ross

79. Incantation

Director: Ke Mengrong

78. The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

Director: Tom Gormican

77. Brian and Charles

Director: Jim Archer

76. The Batman

Director: Matt Reeves

75. Watcher

Director: Chloe Okuno

74. Dashcam

Director: Rob Savage

73. Monstrous

Director: Chris Sivertson

72. Cyst

Director: Tyler Russell

71. Death Count

Director: Michael Su

70. Dead by Midnight (Y2Kill)

Directors: Davi Crimmins, Eric Davis, Hannah Fierman, Greg Garrison, Melissa Haas, Torey Haas, Jay Holloway, Jenna Kanell, Anissa Matlock, Tony Reames

69. Munich – The Edge of War

Director: Christian Schwochow

68. My Best Friend Anne Frank

Director: Ben Sombogaart

67. Fresh

Director: Mimi Cave

66. White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch

Director: Alison Klayman

65. Infinite Storm

Director: Malgorzata Szumowska

64. Hatching

Director: Hanna Bergholm

63. Men

Director: Alex Garland

62. Painted in Blood

Director: Aaron Mirtes

61. On the 3rd Day

Director: Daniel de la Vega

60. A Banquet

Director: Ruth Paxton

59. The Seed

Director: Sam Walker

58. The Wasteland

Director: David Casademunt

57. The Cursed

Director: Sean Ellis

56. Livid

Directors: Alexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury

55. No Exit

Director: Damien Power

54. Everything Everywhere All at Once

Directors: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Schienert

53. They Live in the Grey

Directors: Abel Vang, Burlee Vang

52. Deep Water

Director: Adrian Lyne

51. The Sadness

Director: Rob Jabbaz

50. You Are Not My Mother

Director: Kate Dolan

49. Godforsaken

Directors: Ali Akbar, Akbar Kamal

48. Ultrasound

Director: Rob Schroeder

47. Operation Mincemeat

Director: John Madden

46. The Last Thing Mary Saw

Director: Edoardo Vitaletti

45. Jackass Forever

Director: Jeff Tremaine

44. Straight to VHS

Director: Emilio Silva Torres

43. Studio 666

Director: BJ McDonnell

42. Scream

Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillet

41. Hellbender

Directors: John Adams, Zelda Adams, Toby Poser

40. Flux Gourmet

Director: Peter Strickland

39. The Hurt We Share

Director: Vega Montanez

38. Nezura 1964

Director: Hiroto Yokokawa

37. Belle

Director: Mamoru Hosoda

36. RRR (Rise Roar Revolt)

Director: S.S. Rajamouli

35. We’re All Going to the World’s Fair

Director: Jane Shoenburn

34. You Won’t Be Alone

Director: Goran Stolevski

33. VHS Love: Cult Cinema Obsession

Director: Tony Newton

32. The Found Footage Phenomenon

Directors: Sarah Appleton, Phillip Escott

31. #Shakespeare’s Sh*tstorm

Director: Lloyd Kaufman

30. Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe

Director: Mike Judge

29. The Black Phone

Director: Scott Derrickson

28. Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood

Director: Richard Linklater

27. Elvis

Director: Baz Luhrman

26. Strawberry Mansion

Directors: Kentucker Audley, Albert Birney

25. X

Director: Ti West

24. Cow

Director: Andrea Arnold

23. The Innocents

Director: Eskil Vogt

22. Crimes of the Future

Director: David Cronenberg

21. Lux Aeterna

Director: Gaspar Noe

20. Petite Maman

Director: Celine Sciamma

19. Uncle Sleazo’s Toxic & Terrifying TV Hour

Director: Lucky Cerruti

18. Nitram

Director: Justin Kurzel

17. The Outfit

Director: Graham Moore

16. Nocturna: Side A- The Great Old Man’s Night

Director: Gonzalo Calzada

15. Luci and Desi

Director: Amy Poehler

14. The Northman

Director: Robert Eggers

13. Downfall: The Case Against Boeing

Director: Rory Kennedy

12. Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom

Director: Pawo Choyning Dorji

11. A Hero

Director: Asghar Farhadi

10. The Worst Person in the World

Director: Joachim Trier

9. Disorienting Dick

Director: Richard Griffin

8. The House

Directors: Paloma Baeza, Emma De Swaef, Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Marc James Roels

7. Cyrano

Director: Joe Wright

6. Nocturna: Side B- Where the Elephants Go To Die

Director: Gonzalo Calzada

5. Happening

Director: Audrey Diwana

4. Mad God

Director: Phil Tippett

3. Neptune Frost

Directors: Saul Williams, Anisia Uzeyman

2. Jurassic World: Dominion

Director: Colin Trevorrow

1. Vortex

Director: Gaspar Noe

The 35 Best Albums/EPs of 2022 (So Far)

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By Andrew Buckner

*All albums and EPs included in this list are incorporated herein based on an original release date in 2022.

35. Sad Girl Blues (EP) by Lauren Brabson

34. Back in Black by Cypress hill

33. Dawn FM by The Weeknd

32. Ramona Park Broke My Heart by Vince Staples

31. Driplomatic Immunity by 183rd, Nym Lo, Smoke DZA

30. Get Well Soon by King ISO

29. It’s Almost Dry: Pharrell vs. Ye by Pusha T

28. The Brave by Tom MacDonald, Adam Calhoun

27. The Gospel According to Nikki Giovanni by Javon Jackson

26. Mood Swings (EP) by Real Bad Man, Smoke DZA

25. The Three Fantastic Supermen EPics (EP) by Killah Priest

24. SICK! by Earl Sweatshirt

23. Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar

22. Onyx versus Everybody by Onyx

21. Peter by Bizarre

20. Firestarter (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by John Carpenter, Daniel Davies, Cody Carpenter

19. Super Beast by Madchild

18. Skylar Grey by Skylar Grey

17. Continuance by Curren$y, The Alchemist 

16. Sometimes Y by Yelawolf, Shooter Jennings

15. Tana Talk 4 by Benny the Butcher

14. God Don’t Make Mistakes by Conway the Machine

13. Saturday Afternoon Kung-Fu Theater (EP) by Rza, DJ Scratch

12. No Fear of Time by Black Star

11. Medicine at Midnight by Foo Fighters

10. Zhigeist by Elzhi, Georgia Anne Muldrow

9. Detroit Life 2 by Swifty McVay

8. Renaissance Kings by The Snowgoons

7. Forever by Phife Dawg

6. 1993 by Onyx

5. Czarmageddon! by Czarface

4. Aethiopes by Billy Woods

3. Sentimental Ballad by Teagan Johnston

2. Horrah Scope by Killah Priest

1. I M A M C R U 1 2 by Krs-One

The 21 Best Books of 2022 (So Far)

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By Andrew Buckner

*All the books included herein are incorporated into this list based on an original 2022 publication date.

21. City on Fire

By Don Winslow

20. Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir

By Bob Odenkirk

19. Child Zero: A Novel

By Chris Holm

18. Celest

By Sandy Robson

17. Quicksilver

By Dean Koontz

16. Diablo Mesa

By Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child

15. Finn

By Stephen King

14. Road of Bones

By Christopher Golden

13. Monstervsion: The Films of John and Mark Polonia

By Douglas Alan Waltz

12. The Girl Who Outgrew the World

By Zoje Stage

11. Fight or Play Basketball: every shot counts

By Mike Messier

10. Gwendy’s Final Task

By Stephen King, Richard Chizmar

9. Sundial

By Catriona Ward

8. Devil House

By John Darnielle

7. Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head: Poems

By Warsan Shire

6. Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance

By John Waters

5. Sparring Partners

By John Grisham

4. All the Flowers Kneeling

By Paul Tran

3. The Kaiju Preservation Society

By John Scalzi

2. Feel Your Way Through: A Book of Poetry

By Kelsea Ballerini

1 The Rise and Reign of the Mammals: A New History, From the Shadow of the Dinosaurs to Us

By Steve Brusatte

“Fight or Play Basketball” (2022) by Mike Messier (Book Review)

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By Andrew Buckner

Rating: ****1/2 out of *****.

Clocking in at a lean 158 pages, Fight or Play Basketball: every shot counts (2022) by filmmaker Mike Messier is a knockout novel. The 44-chapter project is a lot like the lead of the narrative, Jack Scratch. It’s authentic, scrappy, wide-eyed, ambitious, and filled with heart. Moreover, the exercise is elevated by the lively, clear, vivid, and to-the-point prose from Messier. Just as importantly, his paragraphs are never overwhelmed with unnecessary details or figures of speech. In short, his writing is perfect for a young adult audience. The pacing of the work is similarly brisk, efficient, and effective. There isn’t a single excessive or overlong sequence in the effort.

What also enhances the quality of both Messier’s auteurship and the piece overall are the sharply rendered central figures. For example, Scratch is a flawed yet likable and occasionally comedic high school senior that spectators of all ages should find relatable. Scratch’s energetic and defensive mother, Janet Trap, is a constant source of amusement in the fiction. The same can be said of the boxers which assist Scratch on his journey, Karl “Sweet Sugar” Brown and Paveli “Punch” Pangora. They offer elements of humor, inspiration, personality, and leadership to the material. There are even sparks of romance as the duo attempt to win over Trap. Scratch’s basketball coach, “Quick” Rick Steele, is comparatively more garden variety. Nonetheless, he is still a credible and wonderfully developed entity with a pivotal role in Scratch’s life. Such is the case with everyone in the undertaking. In so doing, Messier’s tapestry of realistic dialogue, situations, and characters, as well as their influence on one another, accentuates the richness of the design.

The plot revolves around Scratch: a player of immense skill on the North Providence Cougars basketball team. He has the potential to receive a scholarship from Providence College. There are even whispers that he may be chosen to become involved with the National Basketball Association. His daily muscle-building routines, such as riding his bike in the mornings through North Providence and shooting hoops in the nearby outdoors basketball court, have become a sturdy foundation for him. One morning, his single mother, Trap, is the victim of a failed robbery. The individuals who came to Trap’s rescue during this botched crime, Pangora and Brown, begin to assist Scratch with his boxing abilities at Sweet’s Sweat Box Gym, where they are prominent trainers. As Scratch fosters his abilities on the basketball court and in the boxing ring, he ponders if he should “fight or play basketball”.

Even if the article follows the familiar beats of related items, Messier does a brilliant job of reiterating Scratch’s title-referenced deliberation. Messier specifically addresses where this idea came from in the fascinating “About the Author” section at the end of the tome. Still, there is an intimacy to this inquiry, like all rulings that alter the course of our lives, that is universally relevant. What augments this thoughtful touch, which is so delicately composed throughout the entirety of the volume, is the organic manner with which Messier also taps into the inherent symbolism of this weighty choice.

Boosted by superb cover art design from Nadine G. Messier, which nicely evokes the classically gritty atmosphere of the arrangement, Fight or Play Basketball proudly wears its Rocky (1976) inspiration on its sleeve. This is spied in many of the explicit and indirect references to director John G. Avildsen’s academy-award-winning masterpiece, as well as connected fare, that pleasantly permeate Messier’s opus. Lovingly peppered into the proceedings, these welcome bits align beautifully with the events of Scratch’s story. They also deeply pleased the rampant cinephile in me.

Opening, continuing, and closing in equally strong ways, the latest literary achievement from Messier is excellent on all fronts. True to the spirit of the greatest sports chronicles, it is incessantly entertaining and genuinely motivational. It has a tough edge. However, it is a kind, joyous, and immersive read. Likewise, it doesn’t fully give into the tropes which are anticipated in its finale. The flirtatious relationship between Mindy Kim and Scratch, who bond over their shared interest in athletics, punctuates the emotional accessibility of the venture. It also makes the thematically time-tested yet sturdy construction even more layered. In turn, Messier has crafted a magnificent and passionate coming-of-age drama. It’s one of the best books of the year.

You can purchase Fight or Play Basketball in eBook, hardcover, or paperback format at the following link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VL87KC2/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1.

The 15 Best Short Films of 2022 (So Far)

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By Andrew Buckner

*The inclusion of the short films in this list is based on an official release date of 2022.

15. “Bros for Life”

Director: Leo Powell

14. “New Years”

Director: Kris Salvi

13. “Heart Shot”

Director: Marielle Woods

12. “Life’s Good”

Director: Jackson Tisi

11. “Erax”

Director: Hebru Brantley

10. “When the Daemon Takes Hold”

Director: Jackson Batchelor

9. “The Time Travelers”

Director: Killarney Traynor

8. “Not Waving but Drowning”

Director: Thara Popoola

7. “Briefcase Paranoia 2”

Director: Nicholas Hatch

6. “Wanna Play a Game”

Director: Brad Case

5. “Nightcap”

Director: Sam Mason-Bell

4. “A Christmas Card from a Hit Woman in Leominster”

Director: Kris Salvi

3. “Forgive Us Our Trespasses”

Director: Ashley Eakin

2. “Scribbles After Midnight”

Director: Jeremy Arruda

1.“The Blood of the Dinosaurs”

Director: Joe Badon

Runners-Up:

“Two Wrongs”

Director: Damien Nembhard

“Yo!”

Directors: Hamed & Mal

The 135 Best Feature Films of 2021

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By Andrew Buckner

*The criteria utilized for the inclusion of the feature films in this list is an original 2021 release date in the U.S.*

Please note: This article is a work in progress. Please check back often, as I will be adding more films to the list from the year once I have a chance to view them.

135. Parallel Mothers

Director: Pedro Almodovar

134. Acting

Director: Sam Mason-Bell

133. Red Rocket

Director: Sean Baker

132. Flee

Director: Jonas Poher Rasmussen

131. The Year of the Everlasting Storm

Directors: Anthony Chen, David Lowery, Jafar Panahi, Laura Poitras, Malik Vitthal, Apitchatong Weerasethakul, Dominga Sotomayor Castillo.

130. Slumber Party Massacre

Director: Danishka Esterhazy

129. Come True

Director: Anthony Scott Burns

128. Fear Street Part One: 1994

Director: Leigh Janiak

127. A Journal for Jordan

Director: Denzel Washington

126. The Lost Daughter

Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal

125. Bergman Island

Director: Mia Hansen-Love

124. Werewolves Within

Director: Josh Ruben

123. Don’t Look Up

Director: Adam McKay

122. The Spine of Night

Director: Philip Gelatt

121. Being the Ricardos

Director: Aaron Sorkin

120. The Last Matinee

Director: Maximiliano Contenti

119. Last Night in Soho

Director: Edgar Wright

118. King Richard

Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green

117. Earwig and the Witch

Director: Goro Miyazaki

116. Lamb

Director: Valdimir Johannsson

115. My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To

Director: Jonathan Cuartas

114. Agnes

Director: Mickey Reece

113. Extraordinary: The Revelations

Director: Jon Sumple

112. Zeros and Ones

Director: Abel Ferrara

111. Benny Loves You

Director: Karl Holt

110. Red 11

Director: Robert Rodriguez

109. The Night

Director: Kourosh Ahari

108. Siberia

Director: Abel Ferrara

107. Saint Maud

Director: Rose Glass

106. Unknown Dimension: The Story of Paranormal Activity

Director: Joe Bandelli

105. Attica

Directors: Traci Curry, Stanley Nelson

104. The Hand of God

Director: Paolo Sorrentino

103. The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord

Directors: Jared Jay Mason, Clark Runciman

102. The Courier

Director: Dominic Cooke

101. Jakob’s Wife

Director: Travis Stevens

100. The Mitchells vs. the Machines

Directors: Mike Rianda, Jeff Rowe

99. Raya and the Last Dragon

Directors: Carlos Lopez Estrada, Don Hall, Paul Briggs, John Ripa

98. Psycho Goreman

Director: Steven Kostanski

97. Honeydew

Director: Devereux Milburn

96. The Night House

Director: David Bruckner

95. Godzilla vs. Kong

Director: Adam Wingard

94. Nightbooks

Director: David Yarovesky

93. Copshop

Director: Joe Carnahan

92. Nobody

Director: Ilya Naishuller

91. The Voyeurs

Director: Michael Mohan

90. Stillwater

Director: Tom McCarthy

89. Oxygen

Director: Alexandre Aja

88. The Feast

Director: Lee Haven Jones

87. Respect

Director: Liesl Tommy

86. V/H/S/94

Directors: Simon Barrett, Chloe Okuno, Ryan Prows, Jennifer Reeder, Timo Tjahjanto

85. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Director: Destin Daniel Cretton

84. Wrath of Man

Director: Guy Ritchie

83. We Need to Do Something

Director: Sean King O’Grady

82. Candyman

Director: Nia DaCosta

81. The Girl Who Got Away

Director: Michael Morrissey

80. Hail to the Deadites

Director: Steve Villeneuve

79. Clerk.

Director: Malcolm Ingram

78. Dune

Director: Denis Villeneuve

77. The Novice

Director: Lauren Hadaway

76. Malignant

Director: James Wan

75. The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Director: Michael Showalter

74. Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed

Director: Joshua Rofe

73. Lapsis

Director: Noah Hutton

72. The Card Counter

Director: Paul Schrader

71. No Time to Die

Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga

70. Enemies of the State

Director: Sonia Kennebeck

69. In the Earth

Director: Ben Wheatley

68. Violation

Directors: Dusty Mancinelli, Madeline Sims-Fewer

67. In the Heights

Director: Jon M. Chu

66. The Medium

Director: Banjong Pisanthanakun

65. Antlers

Director: Scott Cooper

64. Identifying Features

Director: Fernanda Valadez

63. Tina

Directors: Daniel Lindsay, T.J. Martin

62. Seaspiracy

Director: Ali Tabrizi

61. No Sudden Move

Director: Steven Soderbergh

60. House of Gucci

Director: Ridley Scott

59. Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

Director: Questlove

58. Malcolm and Marie

Director: Sam Levinson

57. I Blame Society

Director: Gillian Wallace Horvat

56. Passing

Director: Rebecca Hall

55. 17 Blocks

Director: Davy Rothbart

54. Falling

Director: Viggo Mortensen

53. The Dig

Director: Simon Stone

52. One Night in Miami

Director: Regina King

51. Test Pattern

Director: Shatara Michelle Ford

50. Slalom

Director: Charlene Favier

49. Spoor

Directors: Agnieszka Holland, Kasia Adamik

48. Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain

Director: Morgan Neville

47. Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster

Director: Thomas Hamilton

46. M.C. Escher: Journey to Infinity

Director: Robin Lutz

45. About Endlessness

Director: Roy Andersson

44. The Man Who Sold His Skin

Director: Kaouther Ben Hania

43. Sator

Director: Jordan Graham

42. Climate of the Hunter

Director: Mickey Reece

41. Dementer

Director: Chad Crawford Kinkle

40. A Quiet Place II

Director: John Krasinski

39. The Boy Behind the Door

Directors: David Charbonier, Justin Powell

38. C’mon C’mon

Director: MIke Mills

37. Censor

Director: Prano Bailey-Bond

36. The Archivist

Director: Eric Hand

35. Jumbo

Director: Zoe Wittock

34. The Mauritanian

Director: Kevin Macdonald

33. Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street

Director: Marilyn Agrelo

32. In Search of Darkness: Part 2

Director: David A. Weiner

31. The Power of the Dog

Director: Jane Campion

30. The Last Duel

Director: Ridley Scott

29. Belfast

Director: Kenneth Branagh

28. The Green Knight

Director: David Lowery

27. Licorice Pizza

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

26. The Mad Women’s Ball

Director: Melanie Laurent

25. Benedetta

Director: Paul Verhoeven

24. Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror

Director: Kier-La Janisse

23. Titane

Director: Julia Ducournau

22. The Meaning of Hitler

Directors: Petra Epperlein, Michael Tucker

21. Judas and the Black Messiah

Director: Shaka King

20. MLK/ FBI

Director: Sam Pollard

19. Nomadland

Director: Chloe Zhao

18. In the Same Breath

Director: Nanfu Wang

17. Gunda

Director: Viktor Kossakovsky

16. A Choice of Weapons: Inspired by Gordon Parks

Director: John Maggio

15. Wojnarowicz

Director: Chris McKim

14. A Glitch in the Matrix

Director: Rodney Ascher

13. West Side Story

Director: Steven Spielberg

12. Spencer

Director: Pablo Larrain

11. Nightmare Alley

Director: Guillermo del Toro

10. Bring it Home

Director: Carl Kriss

9. The Father

Director: Florian Zeller

8. Quo Vadis, Aida?

Director: Jasmila Zbanic

7. Acasa, My Home

Director: Radu Ciorniciuc

6. Minari

Director: Lee Isaac Chung

5. 4 Hours at the Capitol

Director: Jamie Roberts

4. The French Dispatch

Director: Wes Anderson

3. This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection

Director: Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese

2. The Amusement Park

Director: George A. Romero

1. Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Director: Jason Reitman

The 20 Best Short Films of 2021

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By Andrew Buckner

*Please note that the short films included in this list are based on an official 2021 U.S. release date.

20. “Bloom”

Director: Richard M. Anthony.

19. “Us Again”

Director: Zach Parrish.

18. “Culpa”

Director: Miguel Angel Ferrer.

17. “La Deuda”

Director: Jeff Prahl.

16. “Twice as Good”

Director: Kristian King.

15. 10:59 P.M.

Director: Kris Salvi.

14. “The Nurturing”

Director: Alex DiVincenzo.

13. “Live Health”

Directors: Jamie Cox, Timothy Cox.

12. “The Flamboyant Rites of Gay Dracula”

Director: Richard Griffin.

11. “Stay Inside, Michael”

Director: Jeremy Arruda.

10. “Heart Wreck”

Director: Gabrielle Rosson.

9. “The Death of David Cronenberg”

Directors: Caitlain Cronenberg, David Cronenberg.

8. “The Present”

Director: Farah Nabulsi.

7. “Trigger Warning: The Life and Art of Chrystal”

Director: Chrystal Shofroth.

6. “The Dreamer”

Director: Jeremy Arruda.

5. “Come Rain or Come Shine”

Director: Mark Maille.

4. “Paul Laurence Dunbar: An American Poet”

Director: Kane Stratton.

3. “The Serpent Writhes in a Glass Coffin”

Director: Richard Griffin.

2. “Undertaker”

Director: Chris Esper.

1. “The Last Cruise”

Director: Hannah Olson.

The 22 Best Books of 2021

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By Andrew Buckner

*The books included in this list are based on the criteria of an original publication date in 2021.*

22. My Heart is a Chainsaw

By Stephen Graham Jones

21. The Final Girl Support Group

By Grady Hendrix

20. The Scorpion’s Tail

By Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child

19. The Plot

By Jean Hanff Korelitz

18. Getaway

By Zoje Stage

17. Rovers

By Richard Lange

16. Survive the Night

By Riley Sager

15. Sooley: A Novel

By John Grisham

14. The Other Emily

By Dean Koontz

13. Bloodless

By Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child

12. Jesus: A New Vision

By Whitley Strieber

11. Distance from Avalon: When the Dying and the Young Unite

By Mike Messier

10. Because He’s Jeff Goldblum: The Movies, Memes and Meaning of Hollywood’s Most Enigmatic Actor

By Travis M. Andrews

9. Later

By Stephen King

8. The Judge’s List

By John Grisham

7. These Fists Break Bricks: How Kung Fu Movies Swept America and Changed the World

By Chris Poggiali, Grady Hendrix.

6. Starstruck: My Unlikely Road to Hollywood

By Leonard Maltin

5. Chasing the Boogeyman

By Richard Chizmar

4. Billy Summers

By Stephen King

3. A Bright Ray of Darkness

By Ethan Hawke

2. Project Hail Mary

By Andy Weir

1. Vibrate Higher: A Rap Story

By Talib Kweli