It's already that time of year to do a wrap-up. (How does time fly so fast...?) I think I watched about 70 movies in theaters this year. Out of those, I’d like to introduce the 10 movies I enjoyed the most. This is based on Korean theatrical release dates and is extremely subjective, so please be generous with your opinions.
10th Place
No Bears (Jafar Panahi) The Panahi-style humor filling the first half shines as much as the lingering resonance of the intense ending. The lively humor felt in the commotions involving priest outfits and the happenings at the hospital gave off a vitality rarely seen in recent Iranian cinema.
9th Place
Queer (Luca Guadagnino) Works based on William Burroughs' originals always seem to accompany unbearable loneliness, depression, and inexpressible guilt. I think this might be Guadagnino's masterpiece.
8th Place
Grand Tour (Miguel Gomes) A work that deconstructs and reconstructs the historical sense of debt left by colonial and imperialist perspectives using his own unique grammar.
7th Place
The Other Way Around (Jonás Trueba) A film that feels like the antithesis of a classic screwball comedy. It comes across as an experiment on relationships and a massive process of trial and error.
6th Place
Hard Truths (Mike Leigh) A film that offers a mysterious experience where the protagonist's actions, which seemed impossible to understand, start feeling like my own pain by the time the movie ends.
5th Place
Mirror Number 3 (Christian Petzold) I think this is the most underrated work of the year. It’s a fascinating film that feels calm and beautiful, yet somehow carries an eerie atmosphere.
4th Place
Misericordia (Alain Guiraudie) A masterpiece that uses human desire as a medium to make you feel both the sublimity and the chill of life.
3rd Place
Showing Up (Kelly Reichardt) A work that feels like a sincere self-confession about art, putting a working-class artist at the forefront.
2nd Place
One Battle After Another (Paul Thomas Anderson) I think its greatness lies in the fact that it didn't depict a fictional society where public power is abused as a typical dystopia.
The long-awaited 1st Place is...
Sound of Falling (Marsha Shilinsky) A masterpiece that is structurally very original, intersecting the stories of four girls living in different eras non-linearly.
"Serious cinephiles are geeking out over niche indie picks while complaining about blockbusters like Avatar and Zootopia hogging all the screens. Also, everyone's dying to hear legendary critic Jung Sung-il's 1-hour plot summary."
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