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The shocking murder of UnitedHealth Group executive, Brian Thompson, allegedly by Luigi Mangione, continues to shake the healthcare industry. Mangione, who was not a UnitedHealth customer, faces murder charges following the incident near a Manhattan hotel. While there's no clear link between Mangione's actions and his personal health struggles, the event has fueled widespread anger towards the complexities of the U.S. healthcare system. Public figures, including UnitedHealth Group's CEO Andrew Witty, have condemned the glorification of the accused on social media. As healthcare companies reassess their security measures, public demands for transparency and better communication of coverage decisions grow louder. Meanwhile, analysts suggest the incident could represent a pivotal moment for potential change in the industry. (With inputs from agencies.)
My love of movie scoundrels has been sorely tested this year. When I was young, I daydreamed of exotic heists, slick con artists and lovable crooks I’d seen on screen. For most of my moviegoing life, I’ve been a sucker for larceny done well. Most of us are, probably. Related Articles Movies | ‘Nightbitch’ review: Amy Adams goes feral in a cautionary tale of love and parental imbalance Movies | Review: Angelina Jolie glides through ‘Maria’ like an iceberg, but a chilly Callas isn’t enough Movies | ‘Sweethearts’ review: Breakup-focused romcom is largely engaging Movies | Making ‘Queer’ required openness. Daniel Craig was ready Movies | 18 most anticipated movies in holiday season 2024 But now it’s late 2024. Mood is wrong. In the real world, in America, it’s scoundrel time all the time. Maybe Charles Dickens was right. In “American Notes for General Circulation” (1842), the English literary superstar chronicled his travels and detected a widespread, peculiarly American “love of ‘smart’ dealing” across the land. In business and in politics, Dickens observed, slavish admiration of the con men among them “gilds over many a swindle and gross breach of trust.” And here we are. It’ll pass, this scoundrel reprieve of mine. In fact it just did. All it took was thinking about the conspicuous, roguish outlier on my best-of-2024 list: “Challengers.” It’s what this year needed and didn’t know it: a tricky story of lying, duplicitous weasels on and off the court. The best films this year showed me things I hadn’t seen, following familiar character dynamics into fresh territory. Some were more visually distinctive than others; all made eloquent cases for how, and where, their stories unfolded. “All We Imagine as Light,” recently at the Gene Siskel Film Center, works like a poem, or a sustained exhalation of breath, in its simply designed narrative of three Mumbai hospital workers. Fluid, subtly political, filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s achievement is very nearly perfect. So is cowriter-director RaMell Ross’ adaptation of the Colson Whitehead novel “The Nickel Boys,” arriving in Chicago-area theaters on Jan. 3, 2025. “Nickel Boys,” the film, loses the “the” in Whitehead’s title but gains an astonishingly realized visual perspective. If Ross never makes another movie, he’ll have an American masterpiece to his credit. The following top 10 movies of 2024 are in alphabetical order. “All We Imagine as Light” Both a mosaic of urban ebb and flow, and a delicate revelation of character, director and writer Payal Kapadia’s Mumbai story is hypnotic, patient and in its more traditional story progression, a second feature every bit as good as Kapadia’s first, 2021’s “A Night of Knowing Nothing.” “Anora” Mikey Madison gives one of the year’s funniest, saddest, truest performances as a Brooklyn exotic dancer who takes a shine to the gangly son of a Russian oligarch, and he to her. Their transactional courtship and dizzying Vegas marriage, followed by violently escalating complications, add up to filmmaker Sean Baker’s triumph, capped by an ending full of exquisite mysteries of the human heart. “The Brutalist” As played by Adrien Brody, the title character is a visionary architect and Hungarian Jewish emigre arriving in America in 1947 after the Holocaust. (That said, the title refers to more than one character.) His patron, and his nemesis, is the Philadelphia blueblood industrialist played by Guy Pearce. Director/co-writer Brady Corbet’s thrillingly ambitious epic, imperfect but loaded with rewarding risks, was shot mostly in widescreen VistaVision. Worth seeing on the biggest screen you can find. Opens in Chicago-area theaters on Jan. 10, 2025. “Challengers” Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor play games with each other, on the tennis court and in beds, while director Luca Guadagnino builds to a match-point climax that can’t possibly work, and doesn’t quite — but I saw the thing twice anyway. “Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World” In Bucharest, production assistant Angela zigzags around the city interviewing people for her employer’s workplace safety video. If that sounds less than promising, even for a deadpan Romanian slice-of-life tragicomedy, go ahead and make the mistake of skipping this one. llinca Manolache is terrific as Angela. “Green Border” Like “Do Not Expect Too Much,” director Agnieszka Holland’s harrowing slice of recent history was a 2023 release, making it to Chicago in early 2024. Set along the densely forested Poland/Belarus border, this is a model of well-dramatized fiction honoring what refugees have always known: the fully justified, ever-present fear of the unknown. “Janet Planet” A quiet marvel of a feature debut from writer-director Annie Baker, this is a mother/daughter tale rich in ambiguities and wry humor, set in a lovely, slightly forlorn corner of rural Massachusetts. Julianne Nicholson, never better; Zoe Ziegler as young, hawk-eyed Lacy, equally memorable. “My Old Ass” I love this year’s nicest surprise. The premise: A teenager’s future 39-year-old self appears to her, magically, via a strong dose of mushrooms. The surprise: Writer-director Megan Park gradually deepens her scenario and sticks a powerfully emotional landing. Wonderful work from Aubrey Plaza, Maisy Stella, Maria Dizzia and everybody, really. “Nickel Boys” From the horrific true story of a Florida reform school and its decades of abuse, neglect and enraging injustice toward its Black residents, novelist Colson Whitehead’s fictionalized novel makes a remarkable jump to the screen thanks to co-writer/director RaMell Ross’s feature debut. “A Real Pain” Cousins, not as close as they once were, reunite for a Holocaust heritage tour in Poland and their own search for their late grandmother’s childhood home. They’re the rootless Benji (Kieran Culkin) and tightly sprung David (Jesse Eisenberg, who wrote and directed). Small but very sure, this movie’s themes of genocidal trauma and Jewish legacy support the narrative every step of the way. Culkin is marvelous; so is the perpetually undervalued Eisenberg. To the above, I’ll add 10 more runners-up, again in alphabetical order: “Blink Twice,” directed by Zoe Kravitz. “Conclave,” directed by Edward Berger. “Dune: Part Two ,” directed by Denis Villeneuve. “Good One ,” directed by India Donaldson. “Hit Man,” directed by Richard Linklater. “Joker: Folie a Deux,” directed by Todd Phillips. “Nosferatu,” directed by Robert Eggers, opens in Chicago-area theaters on Dec. 25. “The Outrun,” directed by Nora Fingscheidt. “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat,” directed by Johan Grimonprez. “Tuesday,” directed by Daina O. Pusić. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.Steven V. Roberts: Biden’s surprising pardon of his son helps Trump
Stowaway who boarded New York-to-Paris flight claims she sought asylum in FranceSeveral states are looking to strengthen oversight of medical credit cards.WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump on Friday named Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer to lead the Department of Labor in his second administration, elevating a Republican congresswoman who has strong support from unions in her district but lost reelection in November. Chavez-DeRemer will have to be confirmed by the Senate, which will be under Republican control when Trump takes office on Jan. 20, 2025, and can formally send nominations to Capitol Hill. Here are things to know about the labor secretary-designate, the agency she would lead if she wins Senate approval and how she could matter to Trump’s encore presidency. Related Story: Chavez-DeRemer’s Pro-Labor Record Chavez-DeRemer is a one-term congresswoman, having lost reelection in her competitive Oregon district earlier this month. But in her short stint on Capitol Hill she has established a clear record on workers’ rights and organized labor issues that belie the Republican Party’s usual alliances with business interests. She was an enthusiastic back of the PRO Act, legislation that would make it easier to unionize on a federal level. The bill, one of Democratic President Joe Biden’s top legislative priorities, passed the House during Biden’s first two years in office, when Democrats controlled the chamber. But it never had a chance of attracting enough Republican senators to reach the 60 votes required to avoid a filibuster in the Senate. Chavez-DeRemer also co-sponsored another piece of legislation that would protect public-sector workers from having their Social Security benefits docked because of government pension benefits. That proposal also has lingered for a lack of GOP support. Related Story: Labor Leaders Remain Cautious Chavez-DeRemer may give labor plenty to like, but union leaders are not necessarily cheering yet. Many of them still do not trust Trump. The president-elect certainly has styled himself as a friend of the working class. His bond with blue-collar, non-college educated Americans is a core part of his political identity and helped him chip away at Democrats’ historical electoral advantage in households with unionized workers. But he was also the president who chose business-friendly appointees to the National Labor Relations Board during his 2017-21 term and generally has backed policies that would make it harder for workers to unionize. He criticized union bosses on the campaign trail, and at one point suggested members of the United Auto Workers should not pay their dues. His administration did expand overtime eligibility rules, but not nearly as much as Democrats wanted, and a Trump-appointed judge has since struck down the Biden administration’s more generous overtime rules. And though Trump distanced himself from the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 during the campaign, he has since his victory warmed to some of the people involved in that conservative blueprint that, broadly speaking, would tilt power in the workplace even more toward employers and corporations. Among other ideas, the plan also would curb enforcement of workplace safety regulations. After Trump’s announcement Friday, National Education Association President Becky Pringle lauded Chavez-DeRemer’s House record but sounded a note of caution. “Educators and working families across the nation will be watching ... as she moves through the confirmation process,” Pringle said in a statement, “and hope to hear a pledge from her to continue to stand up for workers and students as her record suggests, not blind loyalty to the Project 2025 agenda.” AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler praised Chavez-DeRemer’s “pro-labor record in Congress,” but said “it remains to be seen what she will be permitted to do as Secretary of Labor in an administration with a dramatically anti-worker agenda.” Labor Department’s Potential Spotlight Labor is another executive department that often operates away from the spotlight. But Trump’s emphasis on the working class could intensify attention on the department, especially in an administration replete with tremendously wealthy leaders, including the president-elect. Trump took implicit aim at the department’s historically uncontroversial role of maintaining labor statistics, arguing that Biden’s administration manipulated calculations of unemployment and the workforce. Related Story: If she is confirmed, Chavez-DeRemer could find herself standing between the nonpartisan bureaucrats at the Bureau of Labor Statistics and a president with strong opinions about government stats and what they say about the state of the economy — and the White House’s stewardship. Her handling of overtime rules also would be scrutinized, and she could find herself pulled into whatever becomes of Trump’s promise to launch the largest deportation force in U.S. history, potentially pitting Trump’s administration against economic sectors and companies that depend heavily on immigrant labor. Adding Diversity to the Cabinet Chavez-DeRemer was the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Oregon. She joins Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio, the Florida senator, as the second Latino pick for Trump’s second Cabinet. Trump’s first labor secretary, Alexander Acosta, also was Latino.
Coatue Management alumnus Michael Gilroy and longtime technology executive Gokul Rajaram are forming a venture firm, according to people with knowledge of the matter. They’re in early discussions to raise capital from anchor investors and have yet to name the firm, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information. They plan to raise $400 million to $500 million for their debut fund, and will formally kick off fundraising in the new year, the person said. The pair, who plan to make early-stage investments in fintech and software companies primarily in the US, have already begun discussing making potential investments in startups, the person said. A representative for Gilroy and Rajaram declined to comment. Gilroy, who oversaw investments in fintech companies including Arta Finance Inc., Melio Solutions Inc. and Pinwheel, was a partner at Coatue and left the hedge fund in January, according to his LinkedIn profile. Previously, he was a partner at Canaan and worked on investments in companies including Contentsquare and Hugo. 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Rajaram was an early investor in companies including Airtable, Cohesity Inc., Cockroach Labs Inc. and Figma Inc., his website shows. Discover the stories of your interest Blockchain 5 Stories Cyber-safety 7 Stories Fintech 9 Stories E-comm 9 Stories ML 8 Stories Edtech 6 Stories Gilroy and Rajaram first met about six years ago and have invested alongside each other in companies including Mercury, Lead Bank and CloudWalk Inc., one of the people said.With Red Sox, Walker Buehler gets complicated contract, unusual jersey number
TOUCHING tributes for the late Jimmy Carter have started to flood in for the "extraordinary leader" who has died aged 100. Joe Biden and Donald Trump have led the heartfelt messages to the beloved former president whose death was confirmed by his family earlier today. Carter, the oldest president in history , and the only one to become a centenarian, has been survived by five other American commander-in-chiefs who have all left touching homages to the great man. President-elect Donald Trump remembered Carter for his leadership and urged Americans to keep the late president's loved ones in their " hearts and prayers". Trump wrote on Truth Social: "The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. "For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude. "Melania and I are thinking warmly of the Carter Family and their loved ones during this difficult time." He later posted a second statement which acknowledged the pair's political and philosophical differences but praised Carter's clear love for America. "He truly loved and respected our Country, and all it stands for," Trump added. "He worked hard to make America a better place, and for that I give him my highest respect. "He was a truly good man and, of course, will be greatly missed. He was also very consequential, far more than most Presidents, after he left the Oval Office." The man Trump is set to replace in the White House in just a few weeks time in Joe Biden described Carter as an "extraordinary leader, statesman, and humanitarian". The fellow Democrat and close friend posted the loving tribute alongside his wife Jill. They said: "Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend." "He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism. We will always cherish seeing him and Rosalynn together." Joe, 82, has now taken on the title as the oldest living president following the passing of Carter. Barack Obama - the youngest living American leader - commended the late humanitarian with his wife Michelle. They said: "Maranatha Baptist Church will be a little quieter on Sundays, but President Carter will never be far away — buried alongside Rosalynn next to a willow tree down the road, his memory calling all of us to heed our better angels. "Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from this remarkable man." Former President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary also praised Carter's commitment to service. They praised him for his "long and good life" and applauded his belief in faith and selflessness. The final remaining president, George W. Bush, joined his wife Laura to call Carter “a man of deeply held convictions” who “dignified the office ". US vice president Kamala Harris made a similar statement praising Carter's "deep and abiding faith in God, America and in humanity". “He reminded our nation and the world that there is strength in decency and compassion," she continued. "I had the privilege of knowing President Carter for years. I will always remember his kindness, wisdom, and profound grace." Tributes to the statesman even came from overseas as the UK's Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer lauded Carter's service. The British PM said he “redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad”. King Charles III also described the former US president as a “committed public servant” who “devoted his life to promoting peace”. Sir Tony Blair soon followed with a powerful statement. It read: "Jimmy Carter's life was a testament to public service; from his time in office, and the Camp David Accords, to his remarkable commitment to the cause of people and peace round the world over the past 40 years. "I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. "He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need." Carter , the 39th president of the United States , has died after nearly two years in hospice care. His son Chip Carter confirmed the former president died at his Georgia home on Sunday around 3:45 pm ET. Carter peacefully passed away surrounded by his family who paid an emotional tribute to the former leader. His son Chip said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love. “My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. "The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.” Public events will commemorate Carter in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. and a state funeral will be held, The Carter Center confirmed. The former president decided to live out the remainder of his days at his home in Plains, Georgia . Carter, the beloved Democrat and Nobel Peace Prize winner, had experienced several health issues in recent years including melanoma that spread to his liver and brain. He became the longest-living president and the first to make it 100 years old. Carter's death came over a year after the death of his wife, Rosalynn Carter , who died on November 19, 2023, at age 96. Two days before her death, Rosalynn joined her husband in hospice care at their home in Georgia. The former first lady and fierce advocate for mental health was diagnosed with dementia in early 2023. Before his death, Jimmy Carter was the first to pay tribute to his wife of 77 years, "Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished. "She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me."Taylor Swift ticket costs spur ‘Bad Blood,’ calls for price-gouging probe
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EMPOLI, Italy (AP) — Scotland international Che Adams scored from almost the halfway line as Torino ended a run of poor form to win at Empoli 1-0 in Serie A on Friday. Adams replaced Antonio Sanabria in the 64th minute and made his mark almost immediately. With 70 gone, he spotted the Empoli goalkeeper off his line and lobbed the ball over his head from inside the center circle. The goal ended his personal eight-game drought in spectacular fashion, and will ease pressure on coach Paolo Vanoli. The Turin club was unbeaten in its first five league games and topped the table for a time. But it has won only one of 10 games since, back in late October. Friday's win lifted Torino into 12th place, two places and three points behind Empoli. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerSignificant milestones in life and career of Jimmy Carter
CLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is ending the season on injured reserve for the second year in a row. The league has been reviewing the case for months , trying to determine whether Watson should be punished. “The matter is closed,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said Friday in an email to The Associated Press. “There was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the personal conduct policy.” Watson, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022, was accused of assault in Texas by a woman in September. She was seeking more than $1 million in damages before the sides reached a confidential settlement. Watson strongly denied the allegations through his attorney, Rusty Hardin. The 29-year-old Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture in October. He's been rehabbing the injury in hopes of returning next season. The Browns still owe Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons after they traded three first-round picks to Houston and signed him to a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract that has backfired. Watson has only played in 19 games over three seasons due to the suspension and injuries. He was acquired by the Browns, who were comfortable with his character despite Watson being accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions while he played for the Texans. While he's in the clear with the league, Watson's future with Cleveland isn't so certain. His massive contract — and its salary-cap ramifications — has put the Browns in a bind in terms of trying to improve their roster. Cleveland has had a disappointing season after making the playoffs a year ago and could move on from Watson, but the cost would be exorbitant if the team just releases him. The Browns signed Jameis Winston for one season to be Watson's backup. Winston has gone 2-3 as a starter since taking over and he's put some life into Cleveland's offense, which didn't score 20 points or gain 300 yards with Watson before his injury. His 2023 season was ended by a broken bone in his shoulder, requiring surgery. Winston has indicated he would come back, and he could be a viable option as a starter even if the Browns draft a young QB. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
DETROIT (AP) — For most of a century, the Detroit Lions making the playoffs was a banner day. Suddenly, it has become old hat. After winning their last NFL championship in 1957 , the Lions only played 13 playoff games in the next 75 seasons. They only won one of them — a 38-6 rout of the Dallas Cowboys in 1991. That all changed last season. The Lions beat the Rams 24-23 on Jan. 14 and then defeated Tampa Bay 31-23 a week later. They led the NFC championship game 24-7 at halftime, but the San Francisco 49ers rallied to win 34-31. This year, things have been even better. A week after a Thanksgiving win over the Chicago Bears, the Lions beat Green Bay 34-31 to move to 12-1 and clinch a second straight postseason berth — the first time they've done that since going three years in a row from 1993-95. Coach Dan Campbell didn't even notice his team had secured a playoff spot after beating the Packers. “I just found that out — I didn't even realize,” he said after the game. “It's good. It's good, but it's like, man, we've got four (games) left and we want to get in a different way. We want to go in on our terms and find a way to get this one seed. That's the priority.” Campbell was so oblivious to locking up a spot that he didn't even mention it to the team after the game — although they might have seen “Playoffs Clinched” plastered all over the scoreboards. “I wish I had told the team, but I had no idea,” he said. “Honestly, I think they know. They feel like I feel. We can do the old golf clap, but we know what we want to do.” Jared Goff, who followed Campbell into the interview room, agreed with his coach. “I just heard that,” he said. “It's pretty cool, but it is certainly not what our ultimate goal is. We want to win this division, and we've still got some work to do.” What's working At 12-1 and on an 11-game winning streak, it is hard to find something that isn't working. The Lions offense, though, has been remarkable. They have scored at least 23 points in 10 straight games, including six games over 30, four over 40 and two over 50. They are leading the league in scoring at 32.1 points per game and are fourth in both passing touchdowns (27) and rushing touchdowns (22). What needs help The Lions are second in the league in scoring defense (18.0 ppg), but injuries are starting to catch up to them. Jordan Love averaged 10.3 yards per attempt and 17.2 yards per completion on Thursday — both season-worsts for Detroit's defense — and the Packers were the first team this season to score 30 points against them. Stock up Seven Lions defenders registered a quarterback hit on Thursday night. Linebacker Jack Campbell was a first-round pick in 2023 and has been a fixture on the Detroit defense, but the other six — Al-Quadin Muhammad, Myles Adams, Trevor Nowaske, Za'Darius Smith, Ezekiel Turner and Jonah Williams — have joined the team during the regular season to replace injured players. Stock down Rookie CB Terrion Arnold had a rough day, including yet another pass-interference penalty in the end zone, this one wiping out a Lions interception. He hasn't recorded an interception in his 12-game career and is averaging 0.6 passes defended per game. Injuries The Lions were missing 11 defensive linemen and linebackers against the Packers, then lost key defensive tackle Alim McNeill to a head injury. Most of those players are on injured reserve, but it isn't clear if McNeill, Levi Onwuzurike (hamstring), Josh Paschal (knee) or D.J. Reader (shoulder) will be available to face Buffalo on Dec. 15. Key number 18 — the number of Lions on injured reserve, more than any other team in the NFL. If anything can derail them between now and the Super Bowl, it is going to be running out of healthy players in places other than the defensive front seven. Next steps Get as much rest and healing as possible with a long week ahead. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
The year in money: inflation eased, optimism ticked upwardMy love of movie scoundrels has been sorely tested this year. When I was young, I daydreamed of exotic heists, slick con artists and lovable crooks I’d seen on screen. For most of my moviegoing life, I’ve been a sucker for larceny done well. Most of us are, probably. But now it’s late 2024. Mood is wrong. In the real world, in America, it’s scoundrel time all the time. Maybe Charles Dickens was right. In “American Notes for General Circulation” (1842), the English literary superstar chronicled his travels and detected a widespread, peculiarly American “love of ‘smart’ dealing” across the land. In business and in politics, Dickens observed, slavish admiration of the con men among them “gilds over many a swindle and gross breach of trust.” And here we are. It’ll pass, this scoundrel reprieve of mine. In fact it just did. All it took was thinking about the conspicuous, roguish outlier on my best-of-2024 list: “Challengers.” It’s what this year needed and didn’t know it: a tricky story of lying, duplicitous weasels on and off the court. The best films this year showed me things I hadn’t seen, following familiar character dynamics into fresh territory. Some were more visually distinctive than others; all made eloquent cases for how, and where, their stories unfolded. “All We Imagine as Light,” recently at the Gene Siskel Film Center, works like a poem, or a sustained exhalation of breath, in its simply designed narrative of three Mumbai hospital workers. Fluid, subtly political, filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s achievement is very nearly perfect. So is cowriter-director RaMell Ross’ adaptation of the Colson Whitehead novel “The Nickel Boys,” arriving in Chicago-area theaters on Jan. 3, 2025. “Nickel Boys,” the film, loses the “the” in Whitehead’s title but gains an astonishingly realized visual perspective. If Ross never makes another movie, he’ll have an American masterpiece to his credit. The following top 10 movies of 2024 are in alphabetical order. Both a mosaic of urban ebb and flow, and a delicate revelation of character, director and writer Payal Kapadia’s Mumbai story is hypnotic, patient and in its more traditional story progression, a second feature every bit as good as Kapadia’s first, 2021’s “A Night of Knowing Nothing.” Mikey Madison gives one of the year’s funniest, saddest, truest performances as a Brooklyn exotic dancer who takes a shine to the gangly son of a Russian oligarch, and he to her. Their transactional courtship and dizzying Vegas marriage, followed by violently escalating complications, add up to filmmaker Sean Baker’s triumph, capped by an ending full of exquisite mysteries of the human heart. As played by Adrien Brody, the title character is a visionary architect and Hungarian Jewish emigre arriving in America in 1947 after the Holocaust. (That said, the title refers to more than one character.) His patron, and his nemesis, is the Philadelphia blueblood industrialist played by Guy Pearce. Director/co-writer Brady Corbet’s thrillingly ambitious epic, imperfect but loaded with rewarding risks, was shot mostly in widescreen VistaVision. Worth seeing on the biggest screen you can find. Opens in Chicago-area theaters on Jan. 10, 2025. Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor play games with each other, on the tennis court and in beds, while director Luca Guadagnino builds to a match-point climax that can’t possibly work, and doesn’t quite — but I saw the thing twice anyway. In Bucharest, production assistant Angela zigzags around the city interviewing people for her employer’s workplace safety video. If that sounds less than promising, even for a deadpan Romanian slice-of-life tragicomedy, go ahead and make the mistake of skipping this one. llinca Manolache is terrific as Angela. Like “Do Not Expect Too Much,” director Agnieszka Holland’s harrowing slice of recent history was a 2023 release, making it to Chicago in early 2024. Set along the densely forested Poland/Belarus border, this is a model of well-dramatized fiction honoring what refugees have always known: the fully justified, ever-present fear of the unknown. A quiet marvel of a feature debut from writer-director Annie Baker, this is a mother/daughter tale rich in ambiguities and wry humor, set in a lovely, slightly forlorn corner of rural Massachusetts. Julianne Nicholson, never better; Zoe Ziegler as young, hawk-eyed Lacy, equally memorable. I love this year’s nicest surprise. The premise: A teenager’s future 39-year-old self appears to her, magically, via a strong dose of mushrooms. The surprise: Writer-director Megan Park gradually deepens her scenario and sticks a powerfully emotional landing. Wonderful work from Aubrey Plaza, Maisy Stella, Maria Dizzia and everybody, really. From the horrific true story of a Florida reform school and its decades of abuse, neglect and enraging injustice toward its Black residents, novelist Colson Whitehead’s fictionalized novel makes a remarkable jump to the screen thanks to co-writer/director RaMell Ross’s feature debut. Cousins, not as close as they once were, reunite for a Holocaust heritage tour in Poland and their own search for their late grandmother’s childhood home. They’re the rootless Benji (Kieran Culkin) and tightly sprung David (Jesse Eisenberg, who wrote and directed). Small but very sure, this movie’s themes of genocidal trauma and Jewish legacy support the narrative every step of the way. Culkin is marvelous; so is the perpetually undervalued Eisenberg. To the above, I’ll add 10 more runners-up, again in alphabetical order: “Blink Twice,” directed by Zoe Kravitz. “Conclave,” directed by Edward Berger. “Dune: Part Two ,” directed by Denis Villeneuve. “Good One ,” directed by India Donaldson. “Hit Man,” directed by Richard Linklater. “Joker: Folie a Deux,” directed by Todd Phillips. “Nosferatu,” directed by Robert Eggers, opens in Chicago-area theaters on Dec. 25. “The Outrun,” directed by Nora Fingscheidt. “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat,” directed by Johan Grimonprez. “Tuesday,” directed by Daina O. Pusić. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.MECC & Umm Salal SC roll out initiative to boost sustainable environment