15 Movies From the Last 5 Years That Are Perfect From Start to Finish

Some films feel as close to perfection as cinema allows. That sense is subjective, shared by viewers and the directors who grew up loving movies; over the last five years, several titles have pushed boundaries, sparked comebacks and reminded audiences why film remains so resonant across genres and ages.

Kaiju fans found unexpected depth in Godzilla Minus One, the first Japanese Godzilla film since Shin Godzilla. Praised for its performances, grounded writing and impressive visual effects, it reverses the usual impulse by making you cheer for the people rather than the monster.

The story follows kamikaze pilot Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki), who lands on Odo, witnesses a deep-sea creature dubbed Godzilla, settles in Tokyo with a woman and child he finds homeless, and joins experts trying to stop the advancing threat. No Other Choice reunites Park Chan-wook and Lee Byung-hun after 25 years in a dark comedy–satire–thriller adapted from Donald Westlake’s The Ax and dedicated to Costa-Gavras.

Japan, Tokyo

godzilla, shin godzilla, kaiju, ryunosuke kamiki, shikishima, tokyo, park chan-wook, lee byung-hun, donald westlake, the ax