Leave it up to the experts!
That’s exactly what Museum of the Moving Image did to create Curators’ Choice 2023, which runs from Tuesday, Dec. 26, to Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024.
This year’s annual program screens 31 of the world’s best films as chosen by MoMI Curator of Film Eric Hynes and Associate Curator Edo Choi with contributions from Michael Koresky and Sonia Epstein. (Most movies are from 2023, but a few are from 2022.)
To answer the obvious question, Yes, Oppenheimer is on the list. In fact, it shows five times. Other selections include adventure, comedy, drama, horror, romance, and war. And some directors will be on hand to watch and discuss their pieces.
Tickets are $15.
Here are the films, times, and short descriptions.
Oppenheimer: Dec. 26 at 3 pm; Dec. 27 at 3 pm; Dec. 28 at 3 pm; Dec. 29 at 5 pm; and Jan. 4 at 6:30 pm. (Some of these screenings are in high-def film and cost $20.)
Director Christopher Nolan. 2023. U.S., 181 minutes. With Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Kenneth Branagh, David Krumholtz, Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Tom Conti.
Beau Is Afraid with director Ari Aster in person: Jan. 3 at 6:30 pm.
Director Ari Aster. 2023. U.S., 179 minutes. DCP. With Joaquin Phoenix, Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Patti LuPone. An A24 release.
Anatomy of a Fall: Jan. 5 at 6:30 pm.
Director Justine Triet. 2023, France. 150 minutes. DCP. With Sandra Hüller, Swann Arlaud, Samuel Theis, Antoine Reinartz. A NEON release.
Fallen Leaves: Jan. 6, 3:30 pm.
Director Aki Kaurismäki. 2023. Finland, 81 minutes. In Finnish with English subtitles. With Alma Pöysti, Martti Suosalo, Jussi Vatanen. A MUBI release.
The Zone of Interest: Jan. 6, at 5:30 pm.
Director Jonathan Glazer. 2023, U.K./U.S./Poland, 105 minutes. DCP. In German and Polish with English subtitles. With Christian Friedel, Sandra Hûller. An A24 release.
Godland: Jan. 7 at 3 pm.
Director Hlynur Pálmason. 2022, Iceland. 143 minutes. DCP. In Icelandic and Danish with English subtitles. With Elliott Crosset Hove, Ingvar Sigurðsson. A Janus Films release.
Succession, Season 4, Episode 3: Connor’s Wedding with director Mark Mylod in person: Jan. 7, 6 pm.
Director Mark Mylod. Written by Jesse Armstrong. 2023, U.S. 62 minutes. DCP. With Nicholas Braun, Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin, Dagmar Dominczyk, Peter Friedman, Justine Lupe, Matthew Macfadyen, David Rasche, Alan Ruck, J. Smith-Cameron, Sarah Snook, Fisher Stevens, Jeremy Strong. Free with MoMI admission.
The Holdovers with director Alexander Payne in person: Jan. 10 at 7 pm.
Director Alexander Payne. 2023, 133 minutes. DCP. With Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa. A Focus Features release. Free with RSVP.
Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros: Jan. 12 at 2:30 pm and Jan. 14 at 1 pm.
Director Frederick Wiseman. 2023, France/U.S. 240 minutes. DCP. A Zipporah Films release.
R.M.N.: Jan. 12 at 7 pm.
Director Cristian Mungiu. 2022, Romania/France. 125 minutes. DCP. With Marin Grigore, Judith State, Macrina Barladeanu. An IFC Films release.
Passages with director Ira Sachs in person: Jan. 12 at 7:15 pm.
Director Ira Sachs. 2023, France/U.S. 91 minutes. DCP. With Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw, Adèle Exarchopoulos. A MUBI release.
The Killer: Jan. 13 at 3 pm.
Director David Fincher. 2023, U.S. 118 minutes. DCP. With Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, Arliss Howard, Charles Parnell, Kerry O’Malley, Sala Baker, Sophie Charlotte. A Netflix release.
The Eternal Memory with director Maite Alberti in person: Jan. 13 at 3:30 pm.
Director Maite Alberti. 2023, 85 minutes. DCP. In Spanish with English subtitles. An MTV Films release.
Killers of the Flower Moon: Jan. 13 at 5:30 pm.
Director Martin Scorsese. 2023, U.S., 206 minutes. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone. An Apple Studios and Paramount Pictures release.
Nothing Lasts Forever with director Jason Kohn in person: Jan. 13 at 6 pm.
Director Jason Kohn. 2022, 87 minutes. DCP.
The Taste of Things: Jan. 14 at 5:15 pm.
Director Tran Anh Hung. 2023, France. 135 minutes. DCP. With Juliette Binoche, Benoît Magimel, Emmanuel Salinger. An IFC Films release.
Pacifiction: Jan. 19 at 6:30 pm.
Director Albert Serra. 2022, France/Spain/Germany/Portugal. 165 minutes. DCP. With Benoît Magimel, Pahoa Mahagafanau, Marc Susini, Alexandre Melo. A Grasshopper Film release.
Scarlet: Jan. 20 at 1 pm.
Director Pietro Marcello. 2022, France/Italy/Germany. 100 minutes. DCP. With Räphael Terry, Juliette Jouan, Louis Garrel. A Kino Lorber release.
The Boy and the Heron: Jan. 20 at 3 pm.
Director Hayao Miyazaki. 2023, Japan. 120 minutes. DCP. In Japanese with English subtitles. A GKIDS release.
Unrest with a video introduction by Cyril Schäublin: Jan. 20 at 3:30 pm.
Director Cyril Schäublin. 2022, Switzerland. 93 minutes. DCP. With Alexei Evstratov, Clara Gostynski. A KimStim release.
May December: Jan. 20 at 6 pm.
Director Todd Haynes. 2023, 113 minutes. 35 mm. With Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Charles Melton, Cory Michael Smith, Elizabeth Yu, Gabriel Chung, Piper Curda. A Netflix release.
Return to Seoul: Jan. 20 at 5:30 pm.
Director Davy Chou. 2022, South Korea/France/Germany. 115 minutes, DCP. With Ji-Min Park, Oh Kwang-rok, Kim Sun-young. A Sony Pictures Classics release.
Youth (Spring): Jan. 21 at 1:30 pm.
Director Wang Bing. 2023, France/Luxembourg/Netherlands. 215 minutes. DCP. An Icarus Films release.
Asteroid City: Jan. 21 at 3 pm.
Director Wes Anderson. 2023, U.S. 104 minutes. DCP. With Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody. A Focus Features release.
Ferrari: Jan. 21 at 5:15 pm.
Director Michael Mann. 2023, U.S. 125 minutes. DCP. With Adam Driver, Penelope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Giuseppe Festinese, Gabriel Leone, Derek Hill, Jack O’Connell, Sarah Gadon, Patrick Dempsey. A NEON release.
A Thousand and One: Jan. 21 at 5:30 pm.
Director A.V. Rockwell. 2023, U.S. 116 minutes. DCP. With Teyana Taylor, Will Catlett, Josiah Cross, Aven Courtney, Aaron Kingsley Adetola. A Focus Features release.
Showing Up with director Kelly Reichardt in person: Jan. 26 at 7 pm.
Director Kelly Reichardt. 2022, U.S. 108 minutes. DCP. With Michelle Williams, Hong Chau, Judd Hirsch, André Benjamin, Heather Lawless. An A24 release.
De Humani Corporis Fabrica with directors Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel in person: Jan. 27 at 3 pm.
Directors Véréna Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor. 2022, France/Switzerland. 117 minutes. DCP. A Grasshopper Film release.
Dry Ground Burning with director Joana Pimenta in person: Jan. 27 at 6 pm.
Directors Joana Pimenta and Adirley Queirós. 2022, Brazil. 152 minutes. DCP. A Grasshopper Film release.
Our Body: Jan. 28 at 1 pm.
Director Claire Simon. 2023, France. 168 minutes. DCP.
Poor Things: Jan. 28 at 5 pm.
Director Yorgos Lanthimos. 2023, U.S./U.K./Ireland. 120 minutes. DCP. With Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Hanna Schygulla, Jerrod Carmichael, Kathryn Hunter, Christopher Abbott. A Searchlight Pictures release.
Museum of the Moving Image is located at 36-01 35th Ave. in Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District.
Image: Museum of the Moving Image