Gerard Johnstone’s “M3GAN”
Competent but predictable satirical “horror” that never quite rises to the quality of the design and performance of the robot at its centre
Gastón Duprat & Mariano Cohn’s “Official Competition”
In a year full of satire, this wins out with a sharp and witty script, outstanding performances and great humour that plays out like a combination of Fellini’s “8½” and Frank Oz’s “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” with an Almodovar sensibility
Halina Reijn’s “Bodies Bodies Bodies”
Based on a story by Kristen Roupenian with a crackling script from Sarah DeLappe, this is a fresh take on the genre with terrific direction from Halina Reign supported by excellent casting and a more down-to-earth approach that ends beautifully.
Mark Mylod’s “The Menu”
Dark satire whose genre is probably best unknown prior to viewing offers an entertaining feast if one that’s a little light on calories
Ruben Östlund’s “Triangle of Sadness”
Half-baked with no surprises, this tedious black comedy lacks the punch of Östlund’s earlier work
Noah Baumbach’s “White Noise”
Don DeLillo by way of Spielberg before straying into darkness in this absurdist look at modern American culture