Calvin Wilson

A stark, contemplative and hauntingly brilliant film.

In our increasingly polarized time, A Fantastic Woman bridges the gap between ignorance and understanding through the transcendent power of art.

A comedy of discomfort -- and one of their (Coen brothers) best, most insightful and most provocative films.

At its heart, Carol deals with the rules that society imposes on individuals, and the courage necessary to throw those rules out the window.

Cotillard gets so persuasively inside Sandra’s skin that it’s not at all surprising that this performance has earned her another Oscar nomination. And she does so without resorting to shameless, award-baiting grandstanding.

Lady Bird might finally be the role that earns Ronan (“Brooklyn”) an Oscar. As a young woman at odds with the world, and herself, she illuminates the film. Also worthy of Academy attention is Metcalf, who is sheer perfection as the quintessential stressed-out mom.

Portman is simply brilliant, getting to the essence of Jackie without resorting to a mere impersonation.

Seldom has a film so eloquently captured the craziness, brutality and arbitrariness of war. Dunkirk just might be Nolan’s masterpiece.

Doctor Strange doesn’t always make sense — but so what? It’s a mind-blowing special-effects extravaganza, and the most exciting comic-book flick since “Deadpool.”

The film is not only hilariously entertaining, but also firmly in the tradition of such political parables as George Orwell’s “Animal Farm.”

Fruitvale Station has all the impact of a thoroughly researched, well-argued documentary. But Coogler made the right choice in going with drama.

Boldly original, The Revenant puts everything else playing at the multiplexes in the shade.

Ultimately hopeful, but uncompromising in its commitment to exposing a tragic chapter in history.

Gosling is terrific as the coolly introspective yet disarmingly charming Sebastian. And Stone is deservedly generating Oscar buzz for her portrayal of an artist who can’t quite believe she’ll ever be anything other than a barista.

A film that's at once timely and timeless.

Lots of films claim to be different. Birdman is.

At once an unforgettable war film and a brilliant character study.

Far from being preachy, Loving is a beautiful film about daring to love, without fear or compromise.

In a stunning performance, Teller resists the impulse to sugarcoat Andrew’s egocentricity. Simmons is equally impressive, lending Fletcher just enough humanity to render his monstrousness all the more shocking.

Shot mostly in black and white and imbued with a romanticism that's at once nostalgic and exhilarating, Tetro sneaks up on you. What threatens to be a mere exercise in style proves to be as involving as it is inventive.

Oyelowo takes full advantage of his close physical resemblance to King, but he wisely avoids mere impersonation, delivering a performance that’s as sensitive as it is spellbinding.

Don’t be put off by the need to read subtitles. Rarely has a film more eloquently captured the universality of human experience.

An exhilarating balancing act, at once a science-fiction romp, a paranoid thriller and a philosophical treatise.

Often, extending a film franchise signifies a lack of imagination. But Creed is a knockout.

Involves the gradual revelation of the hopes, fears and insecurities of well-observed characters.

Working from a script co-written with Christopher Browne, director Robert Zemeckis (“Forrest Gump”) pulls off a fabulous trick of his own: delivering a mainstream entertainment that has, at its heart, a poetic sensibility.

One of the best films of the year.

Nev and the filmmakers prove to be charismatic, and at times hilarious, investigators of the unfolding mystery.

Entertaining in a way that’s practically unheard of these days. It’s about the sheer exhilaration of expressing yourself, no matter what anybody thinks.

Bursting with smart dialogue, surprising situations and humor that springs from richly imagined characters.

With Manchester by the Sea writer-director Kenneth Lonergan (“You Can Count on Me”) confirms his status as a major American filmmaker.

One of the best films of the year.

Sophisticated comedies have gone out of fashion, largely because Hollywood finds it easier and more profitable to simply gross out moviegoers. But Please Give has real class -- and for that it deserves our gratitude.

Baby Driver zooms onto the screen with an exhilarating combination of smarts and style.

These days, every other film seems to be an audition to make a Marvel movie — but not Loveless. This is cinema of the first order.

What Inside Llewyn Davis is all about: the passion, and the pain, of being an artist.

A cinematic miracle, a film that carves out a vivid space that has nothing to do with wizards or extraterrestrials, but quite a lot to say about the fantastical creatures that roam through the humanity in us all.

Believe the hype: Black Panther transcends its comic-book origins, achieving a mythic grandeur that’s nothing short of exhilarating.

A far more interesting film than its title implies. And a film you’ve never seen before.

With visual and psychological precision, Abrahamson brilliantly evokes the experience of living outside of everyday reality. And he does so without resorting to either creepiness or sentimentality.

Into the Abyss makes a strong case for the inhumanity of capital punishment, regardless of the crime or the criminal.

The film offers insights into Iranian society while also subtly making a case that human foibles are universal.

The year’s most exhilarating film.

The result, Pina, is the most spirited and spectacular film about dance since Robert Altman's "The Company."

One of the best films of the year.

The film is a raw, unsparing look at the downside of humanity.

Acting opposite Day-Lewis must give even the most confident actor pause, but Krieps proves to be up to the challenge. And Manville, perhaps best known for her work with director Mike Leigh, is spellbinding. This film will haunt you.

Brilliantly blending archival material, including clips of Baldwin on television and in public appearances, with narration by Samuel L. Jackson, Peck makes intriguing connections between the 20th century civil rights movement and the contemporary activism of Black Lives Matter.

A timely docudrama about the role of the press in holding politicians accountable. But in the hands of director Steven Spielberg, the film plays more like a thriller than a history lesson.

The story is so masterfully told that one can't help but be enthralled.

Director Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival”) delivers a moody, visually stunning celebration of existential angst. Not that he skimps on the kind of mayhem that’s de rigueur these days, but you have to wait for it — and wait for it. But when it does arrive, it’s awesome.

The success of the three, separately screened films -- the first set in 1974, the second in 1980 and the concluding segment in 1983 -- depends not on their specifics, but on their ability to sustain an atmosphere that's appropriate to the dark but haunting story.

Perhaps the greatest triumph of Star Wars: The Force Awakens is that it justifies the enormous hype. Working from a screenplay that he co-wrote with Michael Arndt and Lawrence Kasdan, director J.J. Abrams (“Star Trek”) brings fresh energy to the franchise while adhering to the storytelling values that made it matter in the first place.

The Big Short is the film that “The Wolf of Wall Street” wanted to be.

Ant-Man and the Wasp is a vast improvement on “Ant-Man” (2015) — and one of the most entertaining releases from Marvel Studios.

Unlike too many films these days, Zero Dark Thirty dares to embrace complexity. And that makes it not just state-of-the-art entertainment, but a great film.

The Kids Are All Right probably could have used a few more scenes to come to an even more satisfying conclusion. But it's a terrific film anyway.

Essential viewing for art-film buffs and crime-flick fans, but also for anyone who's looking for a great story, terrific acting and masterful filmmaking.

If you think they don’t make movies like they used to, Brooklyn is glorious proof to the contrary.

A lovably quirky comedy-drama with a rhythm all its own.

A must-see — and one of the best films of the year.

This is the kind of film that benefits from being experienced with as little prior knowledge as possible. As one watches it, certain questions may arise. But don’t worry — the answers are fascinating.

Cruise is as watchable as ever, bringing to Hunt a blend of steeliness and vulnerability.

If you long for a film in the tradition of such grown-up entertainments as “Lawrence of Arabia” and “The English Patient,” this is one to get lost in.

An absorbing drama that represents director Ridley Scott (“The Martian”) at his best.

Traditional in the best sense.

Maudie is a work of art.

Psychological thrillers just don’t get any better than this.

Superior filmmaking. Yes, it runs almost three hours - but you've probably seen 90-minute films that felt a lot longer.

This is a film that's not always easy to watch, but just about impossible to forget.

Aside from art-house fare, American movies of recent decades have tended to ignore even the most urgent social problems. Despite its lapses into melodrama, 99 Homes is a thought-provoking exception.

Director David O. Russell ("Three Kings") delivers a film of staggering impact.

Portman is eminently watchable as Lena, who slowly realizes that she’s in way over her head. And “Ex Machina” star Isaac virtually redefines creepiness.

As enchanting as it is ambitious.

Working from a self-penned screenplay, Tarantino has come up with one of the wordiest Westerns on record, and even some of his most diehard fans may grimace at the film’s occasionally slow pace. But The Hateful Eight more than compensates through its intriguing characters, ominous atmosphere and palpable suspense.

Working from a screenplay that he co-wrote with Christopher Rouse, director Paul Greengrass has come up with a post-Snowden film that delivers nonstop thrills.

An emotionally involving drama that deftly sidesteps mawkishness.

Wysocki is perfectly cast as a teen who's at odds with both his environment and himself. It's a terrific performance. And as the empathetic Fitzgerald, Reilly is at his quirky best.

Once you’re on its wavelength, the film is a mesmerizing experience.

An intense, provocative drama about religion and its impact on those who embrace it as essential to their lives.

The rare film that will remain on your mind long after you’ve left the theater.

Our Idiot Brother is smart entertainment.

Particularly impressive is Ashkenazi (“7 Days in Entebbe”), who brings to Michael a soulful but volatile insecurity. It’s a hauntingly realized performance. This is a different kind of war film — and a brilliant one.

A provocative mood piece. Nichols, who had an art-house hit in 2011 with “Take Shelter,” has a gift for creating characters of unusual depth, and for eliciting performances of emotional resonance. With Mud, he seems to be edging closer to the mainstream, but his skills are as sharp as ever.

One of the freshest and most entertaining films of the year.

Logan isn’t the typical superhero flick. It’s more like a Western, with Jackman turning in a performance that’s reminiscent of Clint Eastwood in his Man With No Name days.

A well-crafted drama about the comforts and insecurities of family life.

The film’s true scene-stealer is Bennett, who brilliantly portrays Sir James as a case study in cluelessness.

The performances are first-rate, with Lindhardt particularly moving as a guy who's in deep denial about just how much he can expect from a relationship with an addict.

Might be mistaken for a mere soap opera. But it's actually an emotional symphony.

If you’re looking for a film that’s guaranteed to have you gripping your seat, this is It.

There’s less a sense of hitting plot points than of capturing life on the fly, and Mendelsohn and Reynolds ride that vibe brilliantly.

Far from being just another crime story, Sicario is cinema at its most ambitious.

Rogue One spins “Star Wars” into a whole new orbit.

Liman and Cruise previously worked together on the brilliant but overlooked science-fiction flick “Edge of Tomorrow.” Their latest collaboration, which boasts one of Cruise’s best and most charismatic performances, deserves to be a hit.

In his best performance since “The Social Network,” Eisenberg is perfectly cast as the neurotic Bobby. But the film truly belongs to Stewart, who brings to Vonnie a haunting luminousness.

Yes, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is often hard to follow, perhaps overestimating the audience's ability to keep track of what's going on and why. But it's a well-crafted film that wears its old-fashionedness with pride.

With Top Five, Rock has finally made the transition to true movie stardom.