Two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them.
2
“Tár”
Todd Field
Focus Features
Set in the international world of classical music, the film centers on Lydia Tár. widely considered one of the greatest living composer/conductors and first-ever female chief conductor of a major German orchestra.
3
“Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
A24
An aging Chinese immigrant is swept up in an insane adventure, where she alone can save the world by exploring other universes connecting with the lives she could have led.
4
“The Fabelmans”
Tony Kushner, Steven Spielberg
Universal Pictures
A semi-autobiography based on Spielberg’s own childhood growing up in post-war Arizona, from age seven to eighteen.
5
“Triangle of Sadness”
Ruben Östlund
Neon
A cruise for the super-rich sinks thus leaving survivors, including a fashion model celebrity couple, trapped on an island.
Next in Line
6
“Aftersun”
Charlotte Wells
A24
Sophie reflects on the shared joy and private melancholy of a holiday she took with her father twenty years earlier. Memories real and imagined fill the gaps between as she tries to reconcile the father she knew with the man she didn’t.
7
“Elvis”
Baz Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce, Jeremy Doner
Warner Bros.
Biopic of Elvis Presley, from his childhood to becoming a rock and movie star in the 1950s while maintaining a complex relationship with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
8
“Babylon”
Damien Chazelle
Paramount Pictures
A deeply personal coming-of-age story about the strength of family and the generational pursuit of the American Dream.
9
“Till”
Keith Beauchamp, Chinonye Chukwu, Michael Reilly
Orion/United Artists Releasing
A young, gay Black man, rejected by his mother and with few options for his future, decides to join the Marines, doing whatever it takes to succeed in a system that would cast him aside.
10
“The Woman King”
Maria Bello, Dana Stevens
TriStar Pictures
A historical epic inspired by true events that took place in The Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Other Top-Tier Contenders
11
“The Menu”
Seth Reiss, Will Tracy
Searchlight Pictures
12
“Armageddon Time”
James Gray
Focus Features
13
“Nope”
Jordan Peele
Universal Pictures
13
“The Inspection”
Elegance Bratton
A24
14
“RRR”
S.S. Rajamouli, Vijayendra Prasad
Variance Films
15
“Empire of Light”
Sam Mendes
Searchlight Pictures
17
“Close”
Lukas Dhont, Angelo Tijssens
A24
18
“Decision to Leave”
Park Chan-wook, Seo-kyeong Jeong
Mubi
19
“Nanny”
Nikyatu Jusu
Amazon Studios
20
“Broker”
Hirokazu Kore-eda
Neon
Also In Contention
21
“Holy Spider”
Ali Abbasi, Afshin Kamran Bahrami
Utopia
22
“Cha Cha Real Smooth”
Cooper Raiff
Apple Original Films
23
“Thirteen Lives”
William Nicholson, Don MacPherson
Amazon Studios/MGM
24
“Call Jane”
Hayley Schore, Roshan Sethi
Roadside Attractions
25
“Emancipation”
Bill Collage
Apple Original Films
All Contenders Listed (Unranked-Alphabetical)
—
“A Jazzman’s Blues”
Tyler Perry
Netflix
—
“A Love Song”
Max Walker-Silverman
Bleecker Street
—
“Aftersun”
Charlotte Wells
A24
—
“Palm Trees and Power Lines”
Jamie Dack, Audrey Findlay
Momentum Pictures
—
“You Won’t Be Alone”
Goran Stolevski
Focus Features
—
“Alice, Darling”
Alanna Francis
Lionsgate
—
“Am I OK?”
Lauren Pomerantz
HBO Max
—
“Amsterdam”
David O. Russell
20th Century Studios
—
“Argentina, 1985”
Mariano Llinás, Santiago Mitre
Amazon Studios
—
“Armageddon Time”
James Gray
Focus Features
—
“As They Made Us”
Mayim Bialik
Quiver
—
“Athena”
Elias Belkeddar, Romain Gavras, Ladj Ly
Netflix
—
“Babylon”
Damien Chazelle
Paramount Pictures
—
“God’s Creatures”
Shane Crowley, Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly
A24
—
“Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths”
Nicolás Giacobone, Alejandro González Iñárritu
Netflix
—
“The Eternal Daughter”
Joanna Hogg
A24
—
“Bodies Bodies Bodies”
Sarah DeLappe, Kristen Roupenian
A24
—
“Broker”
Hirokazu Kore-eda
Neon
—
“Bros”
Billy Eichner, Nicholas Stoller
Universal Pictures
—
“Call Jane”
Hayley Schore, Roshan Sethi
Roadside Attractions
—
“Causeway”
Luke Goebel, Ottessa Moshfegh
A24/Apple Original Films
—
“Cha Cha Real Smooth”
Cooper Raiff
Apple Original Films
—
“Close”
Lukas Dhont, Angelo Tijssens
A24
—
“Corsage”
Marie Kreutzer
IFC Films
—
“Crimes of the Future”
David Cronenberg
Neon
—
“Decision to Leave”
Jeong Seo-kyeong, Park Chan-wook
Mubi
—
“Dog”
Reid Carolin, Brett Rodriguez
MGM/United Artists Releasing
—
“Don’t Worry Darling”
Katie Silberman, Carey Van Dyke, Shane Van Dyke
Warner Bros
—
“Elvis”
Baz Luhrmann, Sam Bromell, Craig Pearce, Jeremy Doner
Warner Bros.
—
“Emancipation”
William D. Collage
Apple Original Films
—
“Emily the Criminal”
John Patton Ford
Roadside Attractions/Vertical Entertainment
—
“Empire of Light”
Sam Mendes
Searchlight Pictures
—
“Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
A24
—
“God’s Country”
Julian Higgins, Shaye Ogbonna
IFC Films
—
“Good Luck to You, Leo Grande”
Katy Brand
Searchlight Pictures
—
“Good Night Oppy”
Ryan White, Helen Kearns
Amazon Studios
—
“Holy Spider”
Ali Abbasi, Afshin Kamran Bahrami
Utopia
—
“Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.”
Adamma Ebo
Focus Features
—
“The Outfit”
Graham Moore, Johnathan McClain
Focus Features
—
“Hustle”
Taylor Materne, Will Fetters
Netflix
—
“I Love My Dad”
James Morosini
Magnolia Pictures
—
“Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody”
Anthony McCLofty Sky Distributionn
Sony Pictures
—
“Master”
Mariama Diallo
Amazon Studios
—
“Montana Story”
Scott McGehee, David Siegel, Mike Spreter
Bleecker Street
—
“Nanny”
Nikyatu Jusu
Amazon Studios
—
“Nitram”
To be added
IFC Films
—
“Nope”
Jordan Peele
Universal Pictures
—
“One Fine Morning”
Mia Hansen-Løve
Sony Pictures Classics
—
“Piggy”
Carlota Pereda
Magnolia Pictures
—
“Raymond & Ray”
To be added
Apple Original Films
—
“Resurrection”
Andrew Semans
IFC Films
—
“RRR”
Vijayendra Prasad, S.S. Rajamouli
Variance Films
—
“Saint Omer”
Alice Diop, Amrita Davis, Zoé Galeron, Marie N’Diaye