So there’s the best overall movie, and then you have these secondary best pictures, each representing their niche corner of the cinema-sphere… unless your Parasite and take home the secondary and the main prize. But more often than not, I enjoy the movies in these categories better than the main Best Picture pool.

Best Animated Feature Film

5. Turning Red

This was the only one of these animated movies that I couldn’t get into. Maybe it’s because the film is an allegory for young girls experiencing their periods for the first time, which is an event that I was lucky enough to not experience in my life, mainly because I lack the physical parts, if you know what I mean.

4. The Sea Beast

The Sea Beast is straight forward classic animation storytelling. We get a little girl that wants to sneak away and join up with monster killing pirates only to uncover a darker secret. Pretty standard stuff, but enjoyable nonetheless.

3. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

There’s no reason a Puss in Boots movie should be this good. I had my doubts going into this but once Puss was going hand to hand with Death, I was all in. A perfect mix of childish humor with themes to keep the adults occupied for 90 minutes.

2. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

This is Pinocchio like I’ve never seen him. He’s boaderline creepy and would probably make for good nightmare fuel for children. I do love this animation style it looks glorious and fits Del Toro’s sensibilities to a tee.

1. Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

Isabella Rossellini should be in every movie… even if she’s playing a small elder sentient shell. I’m a sucker for mockumentaries, and even though I struggle with calling this an animated movie rather than a movie with some animation in it, it still scratches all my sweet spots.

Best Documentary Feature Film

5. All That Breathes

This one, I didn’t much care for. Using injured birds and wildlife as a framing device to explore all of India’s new growth, for better or worse. But then agin, I really hate birds.

4. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

This is another one with some odd framing devices. We get to take a look of the life of Nan Goldin, who’s had a great career as a photographer and artist. But there’s a secondary story about her activism against the opioid epidemic. And then we get bits and pieces about her involvement in the AIDS crisis. It’s a bit too scattered, but it does have a banging soundtrack.

3. Navalny

The ending to Navalny, the only serious challenger that Putin has ever really had, is quiet depressing. Navalny survives an assassination attempt and even uncovers the government’s plot to kill him, only to have Putin crush any opposition.

2. A House Made of Splinters

In the Ukraine, before the war, we watch as parent’s abandon their children into state ran orphanages. It’s in credibly heartbreaking to see circles of violence repeat themselves and to see children realize that their mother’s just don’t want them any more.

1. Fire of Love

A married couple that seeks adventure and knowledge about volcanos, the only thing hotter than their love for each other. At the start of the movie we are told that these two will burn alive together on the side of a mountain, killed by the thing that fascinated them most. But the story narrator, Miranda July, weaves makes us feel like we know these two crazy cats and the love that they shared.

Best International Feature Film

5. “Argentina, 1985” (Argentina) 

I don’t know, court room dramas really don’t do it for me, even though this one has a nice ratio of court scenes to political ones. It’s a fine movie about an important subject, but the film itself isn’t that important.

4. “Close” (Belgium)

This is like the 13 year old equivalent of Banshees of Inisherin. Two close friends have a tragic falling out all because of bullies. It’s sad, real sad. And it’s a good example of how many great foreign films there are this year.

3. “EO” (Poland) 

Speaking of sad, what to watch a donkey get abused for 2 hours? If the answer is ‘yes’ I’d recommend Au Hasard Balthazar, but if you can’t find a copy of that, EO makes for a really good second choice. Animal abuse never looke more pretty.

2. “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Germany) 

The downside to this movie is that we’ve seen it twice before, and it doesn’t quite live up to the standard that it’s 1930 version has set. But it gets close to achieving that high bar, espeically by adding in some new subplots.

1. “The Quiet Girl” (Ireland) 

I swoon for this film. It is subtle and quiet and touching for a film about a girl going to live with a foster family for the summer. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately watched it a second time.