6 Best Films of Recent Years — According to IndieWire

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In this list are pain, beauty, love, darkness and hope, captured in the most diverse genres.

IndieWire, the publication that keeps a sharp eye on arthouse cinema, auteur films, and major discoveries, has released its top 100 films of the 2020s.

Today I'll tell you about the films from the top six that truly deserve your attention. So if you're looking for more than just "something to watch tonight" but a real experience — here's your curated list.

Nickel Boys (2024)

A brutal, unflinching, and devastatingly important drama by RaMell Ross about two Black teenagers sent to a reform school in 1960s Florida.
Nickel Boys Trailer
Except this place looks more like a zone of cruelty and humiliation. The film is based on Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and doesn't give viewers a chance to remain indifferent.

The Zone of Interest (2023)

Jonathan Glazer shows the daily life of the Auschwitz commandant — not in hell, but literally next to the fence of hell.
The Zone of Interest Trailer
Domestic comfort in a garden with a swimming pool sits right next to the walls of a death camp. One of the most powerful anti-war films in recent years — and simultaneously frighteningly quiet.

Aftersun (2022)

An adult woman's memories of childhood spent with her father. Seems like nothing special: a resort, a video camera, smiles. But between the lines — pain, loneliness, and what a child reads on an adult's face.
Aftersun Trailer
A sad, tender, and deeply personal debut from Charlotte Wells.

Tár (2022)

Cate Blanchett as the genius-obsessed conductor Lydia Tár, whose career and personal life crumble under the weight of internal and external conflicts, as well as the death of one of her protégés.
Actress Cate Blanchett in a black suit glares menacingly at the camera against a backdrop of violinists
Frames from the Tár trailer
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This is a film about power, music, ego, and the price of talent. One of the smartest and most precise statements in recent years.

The Boy and the Heron (2023)

A Hayao Miyazaki return is always an event. His latest work is a flight of imagination, where a gray heron leads a boy named Mahito through a fantastical world full of pain, loss, and self-discovery.
A boy in a gray suit holds a bow in his hands next to a large bird
Frames from the anime film The Boy and the Heron
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This isn't just an anime film — it's a true philosophical parable in the best traditions of the Japanese animation master.

Lovers Rock (2020)

For almost an hour of screen time, nobody's rushing anywhere: people dance, embrace, fall in love.
Lovers Rock Trailer
In this part of Steve McQueen's "Small Axe" anthology, there's no action — just atmosphere. So vivid that you feel like you're at an '80s party yourself, with Janet Kay samples and the smell of curry from the kitchen.

P.S. In IndieWire's list, you'll also find more mainstream hits — "Everything Everywhere All at Once," "Barbie," or "The Green Knight." The publication placed Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis" in 100th place, by the way. Earlier on zoomboola.com, we covered three new films that came out on June 12: a drama with Sydney Sweeney, an action flick with Rebel Wilson, and a rom-com from A24.