
The Return
Ralph Fiennes in "The Return"
Let me preface this by saying this selection reflects my own personal opinions and does not represent the definitive views of Fort Worth Magazine. If your favorite movie is missing, keep in mind there was a lot of great stuff from which to choose, and I wasn’t able to see every movie upon release (and no, Francis Ford Coppola did not make me an offer I couldn’t refuse.)
5. Megalopolis
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Starring Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf
Okay ... I know we’re getting off on the wrong foot but here me out! Writer/director Coppola needs no introduction but, as far as I’m concerned, once you’ve given the world "The Godfather" saga, "The Conversation" and "Apocalypse Now," you’re welcome to make whatever bizarre and uncompromising art film you want.
"Megalopolis" is big, visually interesting, and (understandably) misunderstood, but the idea of a future-set Roman epic filtered through the visual language of Weimar Republic-era filmmaking is enough to keep an open-minded film lover hooked. Can’t get enough? See the similarly decadent "Bram Stoker’s Dracula" (1992) also by Coppola, and Fritz Lang’s "Metropolis" (1927)
4. Speak No Evil
Directed by James Watkins
Starring James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy
This Hollywood remake of a 2022 Danish production stands on its own as a gripping, often funny, and incredibly entertaining thriller. Besides, nobody does toxic and unhinged quite the way a jacked James McAvoy does, as previously seen in "Split" (2016) and "Glass" (2019).
3. The Substance
Directed by Coralie Fargeat
Starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid
Much has already been written about this wildly stylish and amplified body horror flick, but I was more invested in the morality play aspects — this is a story that could easily have been told in the pages of EC Comics (the 1950’s basis for the popular "Tales from the Crypt" media franchise, and unauthorized knock offs, like "Creepshow" and "Tales from the Dark Side"). This moral messaging makes the film more interesting than your typical torture porn/gross-out fare (though it unquestionably delivers in that department as well).
If you like this brand of bloody, be-careful-what-you-wish-for storytelling, check out the anthology horror films of Amicus Productions.
2. Deadpool & Wolverine
Directed by Shawn Levy
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
If I told you how many times I saw this film in theaters, I would instantly lose all credibility.
Yes, Marvel Studios’ "Deadpool & Wolverine" continues the R-Rated hilarity and blood-soaked antics of prior entries, but also places a heavy emphasis on heart. The multiversal shenanigans are merely the sandbox in which Levy and Reynolds can use their action figures to ponder on masculinity and wrestle with obsolescence. A sandbox where X-Men veteran Hugh Jackman can still give his all in a career-high performance, even after carrying Wolverine’s claws for 24 years.
It also pays tribute to the pre-Disney Marvel films of yesteryear and has Channing Tatum sporting the most (intentionally) unintelligible Cajun accent this side of "King of the Hill." What’s not to love? Definitely revisit "Logan" (2017) for a greater appreciation of some of the finer moments in "Deadpool & Wolverine."
1. The Return
Directed by Uberto Pasolini
Starring Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Marwan Kenzari
This stripped-down, partial retelling of Homer’s "Odyssey" relies less on spectacle, becoming more of a meditation on PTSD and a return to normalcy after personal and societal trauma.
The Greek and Italian filming locations lend a gorgeous backdrop to earnest performances, making up for a lack of epic battles or supernatural tribulations.
If you’d like to embrace more of the mythical side of Homer’s tale, see "Ulysses" (1954), starring Kirk Douglas, Sylvia Magnano, and Anthony Quinn. This lavish sword and sandals epic follows a similar structure to "The Return" but relies on elaborate flashbacks to color in the high points of Odysseus’ (or, in this case, Ulysses’) journey.
Honorable Mentions:
"Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story"
"Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger"
"Caligula: The Ultimate Cut"
"Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga"
"Wicked: Part I"