December 19, 2024
What Were the Best Films of 2024?
Frank J. Avella READ TIME: 10 MIN.
"Anora"
On a second viewing, Sean Baker's bitingly satiric yet paradoxically authentic portrait of a doomed love story, "Anora," retains its power and audacity. Ani (a terrific Mikey Madison) is a sex worker who falls for the son of a Russian mobster (fantastic and sexy newcomer Mark Eydelshteyn), and everything goes to shit. The captivating Yura Borisov is featured as a goon with a heart of gold. "Anora" both believes in fairytales and eschews them in favor of something deeper.
"The Room Next Door"
Revisiting Pedro Almodóvar's first English-language film, "The Room Next Door," I was just as struck by the same transcendent feeling as when I first saw it in Venice. Boasting two truly smashing performances by Julianne Moore and, especially, Tilda Swinton, this dense gem is all about the power of love, friendship and death with dignity. Almodóvar continues to create extraordinary cinema that focuses on women and their resilience and strength.
