Moonlight

A gay kid bullied without knowing why, born into a world of drugs and prison, discovering a surrogate home. A teenager, subject to both a great tragedy and an ultimate kindness. And a hardened man reconciling identity, sexuality, masculinity. Seamlessly, poetically woven together by three actors in the visually stunning backdrop of the housing projects and isolated beaches of Miami. Every scene, shot, dialogue evocative and sharp. A rare masterpiece about a forgotten person.

Elle

Paul Verhoeven (RoboCop) begins the story with Michèle being sexually assaulted in her home by a masked stranger as her cat watches. We see her later composed, clean up and ordering food for dinner. She has a high level of infamy for being the daughter of a notorious imprisoned murderer in France. She also runs her a violent video game company and is sleeping with her best friend's husband. An already full life, when she gets a text from her rapist... and plots her revenge. The melodramatic plot twists are engrossing and carried by a pitch-perfect, masterful black humor and wryness from Isabelle Hupert.

La La Land

This movie is about the sacrifices inherent in the pursuit of ambition. Can you make your dreams conflate with your relationships? The twists of fate in this romance test people who clearly belong together, despite their meet-cute being more like minor road rage. A thrilling and heart-wrenching score, Gosling and Stone's easy chemistry, and beautiful shots of old L.A. make this a must-see.