Nomadland

In Chloé Zhao's inspired and inspiring Nomadland, Frances McDormand plays Fern, a member of the tribe of "houseless" Americans who crisscross the country's expansive middle section chasing piece work and peace. Midway through the film, Fern sells the last of the possessions that will not fit in her life, that is, in her van. Fern, who followed, married, nursed and then buried a dreamy manchild in the middle of Nevada and never found her footing -- and perhaps herself -- again, meets fellow nomads in an RV park and chooses them, and they her, as family.

Zhao, using actual nomads in this film just as she cast damaged but determined bronc busters in The Rider in 2017, has an amazingly discerning eye for one not born in the U.S. (she's Chinese and schooled in England). She knows telling details and displays incredible patience with the film's pacing and its nuances. She balances breathtaking openness with remarkable passages of introspection, many of the most riveting are delivered by McDormand, who, once again, shows audiences why she is one of the most engaging and reflective actresses on the screen.

Nomadland's narrative sparsity and the impecuniousness of the characters stand in stark contrast to Middle American greed and waste. The storage unit industry generates $40 billion each year renting out the 2 billion square feet of storage space across the country.