By Nicole Ackman ​​

With autumn comes back to school season for students of all ages. While many of us are no longer in school, I’m sure I’m not the only one who still associates the end of summer with the start of a new school year. Thus, August seems to be the perfect time to take a look at an interesting subset of the coming-of-age genre: the high school film. For the past several decades, movies about high school students have been popular from John Hughes’s films like “16 Candles” to this year’s “Booksmart.” 

High school movies are a particularly female-focused genre and the more recent ones often tell the stories of social outsiders on the high school scene: the geeks, the nerds, the overachievers. These films span many genres from superhero movies like “Spider-Man: Homecoming” to modern adaptations of classic works of literature like “10 Things I Hate About You.” Many musical adaptations have been made of these films from the popular Broadway hit “Mean Girls” to the cult classic “Heathers,” which Next Best Theatre covered earlier this year.

These high school movies have often provided breakout roles to young actors, such as Anne Hathaway in “The Princess Diaries” and Emma Stone in “Easy A.” Netflix has recently announced that in addition to their sequel coming out next year, a third movie is being made for “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” starring Lana Condor. 

Here is a compilation of the Next Best Picture team’s favorite movies set during high school, presented in the order that they were released. 

By Danilo Castro 

There’s a fine line between laughter and fear. Both elicit strong reactions, and both rely on the unexpected to keep viewers on their toes. A good laugh can turn into a scream, just as a bloodcurdling scream can devolve into laughter. This overlap is best exemplified through the sub-genre known as horror-comedy. A seemingly incongruous blend, the horror-comedy has proven to be one of the most durable in cinema, with the ability to reflect societal changes through a heady (often self-aware) brew of violence and satire.

“Ready Or Not,” the new film from directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, is the latest horror-comedy gem, and a breath of fresh air for an otherwise stuffy year (at least, so far). In honor of “Ready Or Not,” we’ve decided to suit up, light a candle, and run screaming through the top 1o best horror-comedies of all time.​

By Josh Parham 

​A few days ago, Bond fans across the world were greeted with some good news as the announcement of the new title for the 25th Bond film finally came. The specifics had been guarded for quite some time, but it was eventually revealed that “No Time To Die” would be the official title. The timing of this is also fortuitous because it coincides around the 89th birthday of Sir Sean Connery (three days from now), most known as the originator of the role of James Bond. Connery played the character through seven films (six official entries, and one unofficial) and for many, like me, has been the defining image of this character’s representation in the culture. 
 
In honor of his birthday and the news related to the new film, I have provided my own personal rankings of all the 007 films in which he appeared in. The most interesting element to the Bond fandom is that, while there are trends one can point to, many people carry their own unique perspectives on this series, so I certainly do not mean this to be a definitive ranking. However, as a bigger fan of this series than most others you will likely meet, I do have my own passionate opinions about what some of the best and weakest entries in this series.

By Hannah Lorence 

With a combined runtime of nearly 210 hours, watching every single movie on the American Film Institute’s Top 100 list is a commitment. Each film on the list has its own merit in the cultural context in which it was created and contributes in some meaningful way to the conversations that were happening at that time, but as I watched each film, I had to ask myself: “If this film were removed from the list, would it really matter in the grand scheme of cinema history?”  

We don’t need multiple retellings of the horrors of the Vietnam war. Between "Apocalypse Now," "Platoon," "Taxi Driver" and "The Deer Hunter," is it really necessary to drive the point home that the war was awful? Why not make room on the list for women filmmakers or directors of color? There are so many diverse artists who make up this country’s history and have important stories to tell.

Even though not all of the movies justify their existence on the list, many made a big impression on me. Some of them are indelibly ingrained in my memory. They are absolutely worth your time, so even if you don’t want to tackle the whole list you can at least seek out these titles. Even if you’ve seen every film on this list there’s never a bad time to revisit a timeless classic!

Here are 10 movies from the AFI Top 100 list you should definitely watch…

By Danilo Castro ​

​Quentin Tarantino has pioneered the notion of the director as DJ. He’s made a career of taking his favorite movies and sampling them, or remixing them, to suit his own storytelling needs. Like a Dr. Dre or J Dilla, however, Tarantino has the taste and artistry to take these samples and sculpt them into something altogether new. It’s this self-aware, postmodern approach that’s made him one of the most studied filmmakers of all time. 

Tarantino’s latest release, “Once Upon a Time In Hollywood,” proves that he is still king when it comes to capturing America’s insatiable love for violence and pop culture. With that in mind, we’ve decided to kick our feet up, order a Big Kahuna Burger, and rank Tarantino’s nine feature films from worst to best. 

By Beatrice Loayza ​
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Ahead of the release of “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood,” we thought it timely to take a look back at Quentin Tarantino’s best female characters. Considering the post-Cannes discourse surrounding Tarantino’s portrayal of women, and the controversy surrounding Margot Robbie’s lack of dialogue, it's worth considering what his movies have offered actresses in the past. 

While Tarantino doesn’t always write women in a flattering light, they are shown in their vulnerability so much as their strength; often difficult, messy, and morally ambiguous. They are feminist not in the sense of being upright female role models, but they do feel raw and jagged and real, not just mere victims or things to be saved. Though Tarantino himself might not be a good example of a feminist ally, perhaps the question of if his films are feminist ones is still up for debate. Below we consider some of his greatest female roles.

By Dan Bayer ​

I have never attended a film festival before. I’ve always watched them from afar, interested in what is playing and what gets distribution afterward, fascinated by how the narrative about certain films shift between their festival premieres and when they are released to the public. This year, all that changes: I will be attending the Toronto International Film Festival for Next Best Picture. Naturally, I’ve been eagerly anticipating the festival lineup announcement, and on Tuesday, we got our first glance at what will be playing as TIFF announced this year’s Galas and Special Presentations. This is where you will generally find the most high-profile releases of the festival, the ones with glitzy red carpet premieres and the like. But even among this group, some titles fill me with excitement more than most. Now that I’ve finally calmed down and lived with these titles for a couple of days, here is a baker’s dozen of the ones I’m most looking forward to getting on my schedule.

By David Opie 

In recent years, directors like Kim Jee-woon and Park Chan-wook have raised the profile of South Korean cinema to unprecedented heights, winning countless awards and international acclaim from all quarters. Well, almost all quarters. 

Since 1962, South Korea has submitted thirty films for consideration at the Oscars, but so far, only one has made the final shortlist, and that was last year’s “Burning.” Unfortunately, Lee Chang-dong’s masterpiece still failed to secure a nomination even then. 

Don’t count South Korea out just yet though. Following Cannes, there’s already a lot of buzz surrounding “Parasite,” the latest film by Bong Joon-ho, and that’s not the only Korean film you should keep an eye out for in 2019. 

This year marks the 23rd edition of The Fantasia International Film Festival and once again, Korean cinema has a typically strong presence in the lineup. From queer indies and offbeat zombie flicks to gangster murder mysteries, join us as we hone in on some of the best picks from South Korea that will soon hit Fantasia 2019 and maybe a cinema near you.

By Matt Neglia 

​As heard on yesterday's podcast episode, the Next Best Picture team all revealed their Top 10 films of 2019 so far (only films which have received a proper theatrical release in the States this year qualified). We have taken everyon'e individual lists and put them all together to formulate this collective Top 10 which represents the whole team. Films which scored highly with the team but did not make the cut include "Long Shot, " "How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World," "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum," "Yesterday" and more!

​Click below to read the list and bring on the rest of 2019.

​By Beatrice Loayza ​

Memorial Day is in the past and summer movie season is upon us! While the blockbuster is the staple for the hot and humid school’s out season, some indie titles prove just as exciting. Here we take a look at a mix of movies big and small that will be on our radar over the coming months.

By Casey Lee Clark 

The Cannes Film Festival is one of the most well-known and prestigious film festivals in the world, with an emphasis on showcasing the greatest artistic achievements from around the world.  With such a rich history and beautiful setting, Cannes can come across as one big fancy event, with its lavish red carpets and massive press conferences. However, it's impossible to ignore the number of incredible films that come out of the festival every year, some of which would not be on people’s radars otherwise. From massive triumphs by well-known directors to smaller international films, the films that premiere at Cannes are always ones to take notice of and put towards the top of your eventual watchlist for the rest of the coming year. Based on critical buzz and the various awards that were given out, here are ten films that we are excited about from this year’s Cannes Film Festival!​

By Nicole Ackman ​​
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Disney’s live-action remakes of their classic films have been controversial with reviewers. While some are praised for their performances, production values, and originality, others are seen as poor imitations of the animated classics and overly-obvious money-grabs. With “Aladdin” coming out this weekend, “The Lion King” following later in the summer (though, Disney is being careful to call it "photorealistic"), and a sequel to “Maleficent” appearing in the autumn, it felt like a good time to assess the Disney live-action films that have been released thus far.

For the purposes of this ranking, “102 Dalmatians” (2000), “Alice Through the Looking Glass” (2016), and “Christopher Robin” (2018) weren’t included as they are original stories and not a reproduction of a pre-existing film.

The Next Best Picture team definitely has some differing opinions on these films and some that appeared first on someone’s list was also last on someone else’s. However, here is our definitive ranking of the Disney live-action remakes.

By Dan Bayer 

Last week, we saw the release of "The Curse of La Llorona", the latest film in The Conjuring Universe. In large part thanks to the success of the low-fi, restrained, artfully done "The Conjuring" in 2013, the horror genre has been enjoying something of a renaissance in recent years, with lots of indie art house successes ("The Witch", "Under the Shadow", "Hereditary", and this year's "The Wind") making a dent in the culture and critics' lists. As a big fan of ghost stories in any form - from campground stories told by the light of the fire to episodes of "The Twilight Zone" to movies viewed at a slumber party where you can scream along with friends - I thought it would be fun to take a look at what this decade has had to offer on the front of silvery specters and shivery spirits. Join me on this haunted journey through the haunted houses, hotels, and tech of the 2010s.

By Danilo Castro ​

While the concept of a shared universe has been popularized by superheroes and sorcerers, filmmaker James Wan has quietly applied this model to the horror genre. The “Conjuring” series, also known as the “Conjuring” universe, is a series of interconnected films that follow demonic spirits and the mortal victims who encounter them.

While the time periods and protagonists of each film change, Wan makes sure there are enough references and easter eggs to reward loyal viewers. And with the latest installment, “The Curse of La Llorona”, hitting theaters, we decided to rank each of the films in the “Conjuring” universe from worst to best.

By Kt Schaefer

With the rise of streaming services, it is easier than ever to find good documentaries. 2018 brought us some fascinating films from the Oscar award winning "Free Solo" to Netflix’s in-depth Orson Welles documentary "They'll Love Me When I’m Dead." Already in 2019, we have seen "Apollo 11," "Maiden," "Surviving R. Kelly," "Lorena," “Leaving Neverland” and two separate films about the ill-fated Fyre festival. A few of these have had real-world effects as a result of their airing and have been watched by several million people. In 2019 we can expect to see even more great films about unique topics and I’ve listed 5 of the upcoming documentaries that are guaranteed to make you think and one you can watch right now!

By Josh Parham 

​The is an enormous amount of credit I give Tim Burton for kickstarting my love of movies. I vividly remember being six-years-old and seeing “Mars Attacks!” for the first time and feeling absolutely transported into a crazy and wonderful cinematic world. From that moment on, my passion for the art form was ignited, and he has remained a filmmaker I hold very close to my heart. In anticipation for Burton’s remake of the Disney classic “Dumbo”, I decided to look back at his filmography and celebrate some of the finest performances that have been featured in his films. Burton may be known for his visual flair, but there are a number of actors who provide great performances to treasure as well.

By Josh Williams 

​I firmly believe that we are currently living within a horror renaissance. Each year we are graced with another groundbreaking horror film that elevates the genre to new heights. The streak has been pretty consistent lately and it seems like it is not going to slow down anytime soon with 2019 which should cap off an amazing decade for the genre. Whether it be art-house horror like "mother!" or a bit more mainstream horror like "A Quiet Place," this is truly the best time to be a horror fanatic.

2019 looks as if it won't be so different so we here at NBP decided to take a look at some horror films releasing this year that will keep that trend alive. So without further ado, here are some horror films to look forward to in 2019.

By Danilo Castro ​

​There’s no place like home. It’s where we go to relax, secure our cherished belongings, and spend time with the ones we love. It’s where we feel safest, and most removed from the evils of the outside world. Unless, of course,  evil decides to kick in the front door, and turn our very existences upside down. 

The breakdown between private and public is what makes the home invasion such an effective subgenre. By preying on what we know to be safe, these films hit upon primal fears, and force us to consider how we would act in the same situation. Jordan Peele’s “Us” is the latest release to tackles these fears, so with that in mind, we’ve retreated to the attic and compiled our list for the Best Home Invasion Movies. 

​By Nicole Ackman ​​

​With "The Aftermath" coming out this month, it’s a good time to look back over Keira Knightley’s best performances. Her latest film falls into a pattern of her movies that could almost be its own genre: period dramas in which Keira Knightley’s character has an affair. There certainly was a wide variety of choices for this list because even though Knightley is frequently in period films, her roles show substantial range from the hysteria-riddled Sabina in "A Dangerous Method" to the fiery Elizabeth Swan in "The Pirates of the Caribbean" films.

These are my personal five picks for Keira Knightley’s best performances in a period drama.

​By Beatrice Loayza ​

​On Friday, March 8th, the 2019 South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) is set to kick off nine days of world premieres, festival favorites, and speaker events. Known for its multi-genre and multimedia programming, the festival debuts first-time indie features and high-profile Hollywood films alike -- some noteworthy titles include last year’s "A Quiet Place," "Boyhood," "Spring Breakers," "Bridesmaids" and the Lena Dunham TV series "Girls."  

This year myself and fellow Next Best Picture contributor Josh Williams will be headed to Austin to explore the festival’s pickings for ourselves. Here’s a list of some titles to keep an eye out for in the coming days.