Brendan Fraser’s comeback is an event. He plays Charlie, a 600-pound English teacher trying to reconnect with his spiteful daughter. This film is divisive. Some critics love the singular setting (an apartment) and the raw exploration of binge-eating disorder; others call it miserablist. Our Take: It is hard to watch, but impossible to ignore. Keep tissues nearby. 5. Parasite (2019) – Dir. Bong Joon-ho Review Score: ★★★★★ (5/5) Platform: Hulu / Max
A quiet American dream drama about a Korean family moving to an Arkansas farm. Unlike flashy prestige films, Minari is about water, seeds, and a grandmother who just wants to watch wrestling. Yuh-Jung Youn won an Oscar for her performance as the eccentric grandma. Best For: Fans of Nomadland or The Straight Story —slow, meditative, and beautiful. 10. Joker (2019) – Dir. Todd Phillips Review Score: ★★★★☆ (4/5) Platform: Max / Netflix film semi indonesia tahun 90 an extra quality
Anthony Hopkins became the oldest Best Actor winner for a reason. This film places the audience inside the mind of a man with dementia. The living room changes, the actors swap faces, and time jumps. It is disorienting by design. Review Note: If you have a family member suffering from memory loss, this might be too triggering, but it is a technical masterpiece of empathy. 9. Minari (2020) – Dir. Lee Isaac Chung Review Score: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) Platform: Paramount+ / Showtime Brendan Fraser’s comeback is an event
The gold standard for grief. Casey Affleck won an Oscar playing Lee, a janitor forced to become the guardian of his nephew after his brother dies. Unlike Hollywood dramatics, the characters here cannot "fix" themselves. The scene where Lee runs into his ex-wife (Michelle Williams) on the street is so raw that it feels like an invasion of privacy. Warning: Profoundly sad. Do not watch for a "pick-me-up." 7. Promising Young Woman (2020) – Dir. Emerald Fennell Review Score: ★★★★☆ (4/5) Platform: Starz / Prime Video Some critics love the singular setting (an apartment)
Do not let the title fool you; this is not a romance. It is a surgical dissection of divorce. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson deliver career-best performances as a couple trying to be civil while their lawyers (a scene-stealing Laura Dern) tear them apart. The infamous "argument scene" is arguably the best piece of acting of the decade. Why it works: It is painfully real. If you have ever loved and lost, this film will break you and then put you back together. 2. Oppenheimer (2023) – Dir. Christopher Nolan Review Score: ★★★★★ (5/5) Platform: Peacock / Prime Video
The first streaming film to win the Best Picture Oscar. CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) is a crowd-pleaser in the best sense. It follows Ruby, the only hearing person in her fishing family, who wants to study music. The finale, where the sound cuts out to simulate the family's perspective, is devastating and beautiful. Minor Critique: It follows a predictable underdog formula, but the heart (and Troy Kotsur’s supporting performance) elevates it beyond cliché. 4. The Whale (2022) – Dir. Darren Aronofsky Review Score: ★★★★☆ (4/5) Platform: Showtime / Paramount+