Best Movies from Last Year
Good afternoon, everyone.
For some reason, I'm thinking about the Butterfield Fallacy this morning. The fallacy, coined by WSJ journalist James Taranto, consists of misidentifying as a paradox what is a simple cause-and-effect relationship.
For example, a Tennessee Lookout headline from December 2023 read “Tennessee’s prison population grows as violent crime drops steeply.” Uh, well yeah.
Onward.
The Oscars haven’t been relevant for the past twenty years–or so goes the prevailing sentiment. But, this year’s race for gold-stature glory has found itself at the epicenter of the same issues its most noxious personalities like to lecture the rest of us about. Whether through revelations that the post-WWII architecture epic The Brutalist used A.I. to tweak Adrien Brody’s accent or that Anora director Sean Baker and star Mikey Madison opted to avoid an intimacy coordinator to handle the awards frontrunner’s abundant nude scenes, Hollywood has offered a tacit rejoinder to the trumped-up hoopla that invaded the industry shortly after 45’s inauguration and has devolved into the unintentional self-parody most of us knew it was all along.
One wonders how Tinseltown’s political integrity will ever recover from the deathblow of Emilia Pérez–Netflix’s trans cartel musical that quickly gained critical mass as Trump 2.0 pièce de résistance, but imploded when its star’s resurfaced tweets critical of Europe’s immigration policies and George Floyd mania exposed the simplicity of identity politics.
For years, the Right culture warriors who now find themselves ascendant have used Hollywood as a pejorative despite their own largely embarrassing forays to execute an alternative. Such philistinism is all the more shameful because 2024’s cinematic output made for a banner year full of arthouse masterworks and epic blockbusters. On Oscar’s eve, we offer our own take on the best last year had to offer.
10. Ghostlight
There are a lot of ways a movie about a construction worker (Keith Kupferer) who finds purpose acting in a community theater production of Romeo and Juliet after the entirely preventable tragedy that shattered his family could have gone wrong. Yet, this Illinois-shot film from Sundance upstarts Kelly O’Sullivan and Andrew Thompson masterfully sidesteps showy melodrama and indie tweeness on the way to becoming the closest thing the American cinema has had to a multi-demo crowdpleaser in quite some time. Primarily featuring semi-professional actors, the film strives for a sense of universality and truth that the medium’s most vocal critics accused it of abandoning long ago. In a just world, this one would have been the little Oscar juggernaut that could.
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🚌 Securing the Buses Mayor Freddie O’Connell, MNPD Chief John Drake, and WeGo Public Transit have announced a series of measures aimed at enhancing safety across Nashville’s transit system. Following a comprehensive 14-month review, the Nashville MTA Board has approved a new security contract that will significantly increase security presence, including a 67% boost in staffing hours at key transit facilities.
Key upgrades include the introduction of a mobile security unit to patrol buses and bus stops, as well as the appointment of Captain Brian Williams as MNPD’s first-ever transit liaison. Williams will work closely with WeGo management and security teams to implement data-driven safety strategies, ensuring a secure and comfortable experience for all riders.
With a $6.3 million increase in the WeGo security budget, these initiatives align with Mayor O’Connell’s Choose How You Move plan, reflecting Nashville’s commitment to strengthening public safety as transit ridership grows. The new security contract, awarded to Archangel Protective Services, takes effect April 1.
🧢 Throwing his hat in the Ring Congressman John Rose (TN-06) announced his candidacy for Tennessee governor in 2026 at at an event in Williamson County on Wednesday, WSMV4 reports. Speaking at a Republican women's event in Williamson County, Rose stated his plan to "come home" at the end of his congressional term and run to replace Gov. Bill Lee. A former Tennessee agriculture commissioner, Rose is also a farmer, attorney, and IT business owner. His announcement follows speculation after his 2024 re-election. Meanwhile, Sen. Marsha Blackburn has also expressed interest in a potential gubernatorial bid.
📖 Fighting For Literacy Nashville parents and teachers will soon have access to a free app that helps young children learn to read. Starting this August, Begin Bright will introduce the technology to 30 childcare centers before expanding across the county. Literacy has become a topic of importance as abysmal numbers continue to show that most Nashville school children aren’t reading on grade level.
“While other states are proposing funding cuts for vital partnerships like Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, I've announced a $1 million investment pledge for Begin Bright,” shared Mayor O’Connell at last week’s media roundtable. “This program, anchored by NPLF (Nashville Public Library Foundation), aims to have every Nashville child start kindergarten reading ready. It combines Dolly Parton's long-standing Imagination Library commitment to getting high quality, age-appropriate books free of charge to children from birth to age five, with Nashville Public Library's innovative, award-winning early literacy programming.” The county music legend has also pledged to donate books to 400 childcare centers for the first four years of the program, and $4.5 million in support for the program.
DEVELOPMENT
✹ WEEKLY FILM RUNDOWN: February 28-March 6
Last Breath (Dir. Alex Parkinson; Starring Woody Harrleson and Simu Liu) It’s The Martian, but underwater as a team of deep-sea divers led by Woody Harrelson risks life and limb to rescue a team member in this taut and handsome thriller. Now playing in theaters.
My Dead Friend Zoe (Dir. Kyle Hausmann-Stokes; Starring Natalie Morales, Morgan Freeman, and Ed Harris) An Army vet who can’t shake the appearances of her best friend from beyond the grave faces reality while taking care of her ornery grandfather in this breakout from last year’s South By Southwest. Now playing in theaters.
New York, New York (Dir. Martin Scorsese; Starring Robert De Niro and Liza Minnelli) Marty’s foray into the musical with this tale of a saxophonist and showgirl’s rise and fall led to box-office disaster in 1977, but has rehabbed its reputation in the intervening years. Screening in 35mm Monday at the Belcourt.
Brothers After War (Dir. Jake Rademacher) A former embedded journalist reunites with the Iraq vets he met on assignment for this “now and then” documentary glimpse into the true cost of war. Now playing in theaters.
THINGS TO DO
View our calendar for the week here and our weekly film rundown here.
📅 Visit our On The Radar list to find upcoming events around Nashville.
🎧 On Spotify: Pamphleteer's Picks, a playlist of our favorite bands in town this week.
👨🏻🌾 Check out our Nashville farmer's market guide.
TONIGHT
🪕 Billy Strings @ Bridgestone Arena, 7:30p, $57+, Info
🪕 Kristi Cox & Grasstime @ Station Inn, 9p, $25, Info
🎸 Shovels & Rope @ Brooklyn Bowl Nashville, 8p, $30, Info
🎻 Tchaikovsky's Fifth @ Schermerhorn Symphony Center, 7:30p, $29+, Info
🎸 Brother and The Hayes with Cole Ritter and Cody Bolden @ Dee's Lounge, 8p, $5, Info
🪕 The Cowpokes @ Acme Feed & Seed, 12p, Free, Info
🍀 Live Irish Music @ McNamara’s Irish Pub, 6p, Free, Info
🎸 Kelley’s Heroes @ Robert’s Western World, 6:30p, Free, Info
📰 Check out the full newsletter archive here.