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.

By DeAnn Knighton 

The 21st Century has seen several attempts by studios to bring female Superheroes to the form, both in leading and supporting roles. While rarely in the titular role, these female characters have worked alongside and, in many cases, upstaged their male counterparts. Some carry mystical and supernatural power and some just simply kick-ass. With the release of "Captain Marvel" this weekend, we thought we would examine some of the best female superheroes the 21st century has brought us.

By Will Mavity ​

​After running an unprecedently in-depth campaign, Netflix ultimately still lost Best Picture to “Green Book” this past weekend. And while they may not have made history, just three years after they were completely shut out from the Oscars for a film like “Beasts of No Nation,” they have established themselves as bona fide awards players. “Roma” may not have won Best Picture, but, it did something that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. They took a slow-paced black and white film in a foreign language, released on a streaming service, with no major stars and netted it a whopping ten Oscar nominations and very nearly won Best Picture. And having gotten themselves a seat at the table, they have directors like Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Soderbergh clamoring to work with them. With even more films planned to release later this year, Netflix is certainly going to be a staple in the Oscar race each year moving forward. The question is, what will their biggest contenders be?

Click below to see some of the films Netflix could push as their awards contenders for 2019.

By Danilo Castro ​

Nobody appreciates a stalker in real life, but films about stalkers are another story altogether. From the finely-tuned suspense to the shocking displays of aggression, films about stalkers can provide audiences with excitement and tales of caution. Especially when the stalker in question is played by a beloved actor or a star typically known for playing dashing heroes.

With the chilling drama “Greta” set for release this week, we decided to relocate our family and hide all our pets (especially rabbits), and assemble the creepiest cases of obsession ever put to film. Here are Next Best Picture’s Top Stalker Movies.

By Michael Schwartz 

I am the last one. Tonight, the NBP Film Awards Nominations will be revealed by the entire Next Best Picture staff. We've been unveiling our Top 10's of 2018 to give you a bit of a preview and up to this point, you've heard from Matt, Danilo, Kt, Josh Parham, Jacey, Celia, Cody, Josh Williams, Nicole Ackman, Daniel Howat, Ryan C. Showers, Beatrice Loayza & Tom O'Brien. And now, it all comes down to my final 10. So please take a moment, check out everyone's favorite films of 2018 and enjoy my top 10 favorite films from last year.

By Tom O'Brien 

Wow, this has been a tough year to narrow a list down to just ten films. We've had some great films about life in eighth grade, leaving no trace in the woods, becoming the first man on the moon and life in Wakanda. But these ten spoke the most to me and will be what I would love most to revisit in the years to come. You've seen the wonderful Top 10 lists from my NBP colleagues Matt, Danilo, Kt, Josh Parham, Jacey, Celia, Cody, Josh Williams, Nicole Ackman, Daniel Howat, Ryan C. Showers & Beatrice Loayza.

​So let me join them and add my ten cents.

By Beatrice Loayza ​

Before I get into my top ten, I have to recognize "BlacKkKlansman" as my #11 pick of the year, as well as give a general shoutout to some honorable mentions in no particular order: "Mandy," "The Third Murder," "Revenge," "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," "Dogman," "Happy as Lazzaro," and "Widows."

As another disclaimer, I had the distinct pleasure of attending TIFF and a local mini-festival at the Silver Spring AFI, which allowed me to preview some titles with a 2019 release date. I’ve restricted my list to 2018 releases, otherwise Christian Petzold’s “Transit”, Radu Jude’s “I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History As Barbarians,” Isabella Eklöf’s “Holiday,” and Claire Denis’ “High Life” would be serious contenders to make my ten. Maybe next year. 

You've seen the Top 10 lists from Matt, Danilo, Kt, Josh Parham, Jacey, Celia, Cody, Josh Williams, Nicole Ackman, Daniel Howat & Ryan C. Showers but without further ado, I present to you, my own top ten of 2018.