Challengers

Film of the year, point blank. Luca Guadagnino's Challengers struck the perfect balance between virtuosic filmmaking and commercial appeal. This is an utterly deranged film on a formal level — the jitterbug editing and constant digital flare is enough to make one's head spin faster than a CGI tennis ball — but it also has a bonafide movie star performance at its center from Zendaya, as well as two lovable, rascally breakthrough outings from Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor. It combines two beloved fandoms, film and sports, and tosses in a love triangle for the ages. Watching the opening scene for the first time, with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' floor-thumping score pulsing through the theater, felt like a religious experience.

How much time do you have? There are several transcendent moments in this film, but the final tennis match between Art and Patrick, which amounts to a romantic joust that touches every corner of the central love triangle, is just all-time stuff. Watch this movie!

This film should age incredibly well. Zendaya was a movie star already, but this is easily the defining performance of her career to date. Josh O'Connor and Mike Faist should both be stars, and this will be the launchpad. Luca Guadagnino has several delightful films under his belt, but this might be his apex. It's certainly the closest he's gotten to mainstream appeal.