Four Best Films of the Year
Soul
In the first Pixar cartoon to have an African-American lead character, Jamie Foxx provides the voice of a music teacher who dreams of making it as a jazz pianist in New York. But just after a successful audition, he falls into a hole in the street, and finds himself in a spiritual world where human spirits are given their personalities.
Nomadland
Fem packs her few belongings and drives off into the Nevada desert. She soon discovers that she isn't alone: there is a large community of senior citizens forced to live on the road, supporting themselves with short-term jobs along the way. What makes Nomadland unique is that while Fem is played by an Oscar-winning actress, Frances McDormand, nearly all of the people she meets are real nomads (游牧民).
Wolfwalkers
The year's finest animated film doesn't come from Dreamworks or Pixar, but from Cartoon Saloon. Their latest fairy tale is set in the mid-17th century, when English soldiers are trying to control the wild woods near Kilkenny. One hunter's daughter named Robin learns that there aren't just wolves in the forest, but wolfwalkers, who can change into wolves at night.
The Croods: A New Age
The prehistoric family from the cartoon of 2013,The Croods, makes a welcome return. In the sequel (续集), they meet another family, the Bettermans, whose advanced lifestyle and technology make the Croods look even more primitive. "The Croods lead with their heart while the other with their brain," says Joel Crawford, the film's director. "Of course, there's conflict, but they learn to appreciate each other's differences. There are some deep and powerful themes, but it's a comedy too."
