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It's another late list so I could use the Christmas break to fit in the big movies I missed, but despite this, some big names will still be missing.
A failure to fit in Jordan Peele's latest, Us, is the biggest anomaly, so apologies to all fans of that movie. I'm still really looking forward to it.
As usual this is a personal look back at this year's releases, so this
is not necessarily a list of the greatest movies of the past twelve
months, but a collection of my recommendations. As usual any feedback
and discussion is welcome.
Disclaimer! - Many other films of the year lists will contain films yet to be released in the UK. I don't include these in mine, even if I've seen them at preview screenings. We usually get these films in January and February, so there's lots to look forward to early in the year. This year those films include Jo Jo Rabbit (3rd January), Waves (17th January), Uncut Gems (10th January), Parasite (7th February) and Portrait of a Lady on Fire (28th February). Jo Jo Rabbit, Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Waves were at Brighton's Cinecity Film Festival, so I've already seen them and highly recommend them all. It's highly likely they'll make it into next year's list.
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10. Border
A dark modern fairytale rooted in grim reality, Border explores the life of Tina, a customs officer whose chance encounter with a suspicious stranger leads to a very strange romance and an awakening of her true nature. A highly inventive film with a very dark centre, it's well worth a watch if you can handle bucket loads of weird.
Available for streaming rental.
9. Eighth Grade
A troubling, but ultimately touching, look at the life of a thirteen year old girl as she gets ready to leave eighth grade and move to high school. The highs and lows of school life are further warped by the pressures of social media and the difficulty of not just figuring out who you are, but who you want to present yourself as outwardly to the world. If you're over thirty like I am, it'll make you glad you didn't grow up worrying about the likes on your Youtube channel.
Available for streaming rental.
8. The Farewell
A stylish but warm-hearted film that sheds light on the cultural
differences (and similarities) between West and East. For a film about
loss, it’s surprisingly light and funny. Awkwafina heads a brilliant cast that admirably balance these contrasting elements as you are drawn into the intense family dilemma at the heart of the film.
Currently in cinemas in London (just about)
7. Avengers Endgame
As Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has shown, it's very hard to forge a satisfying end to a long running film series. To round out the current era of Marvel movies, Avengers Endgame offers up a fan pleasing (but not pandering) finale, that is surprisingly warm, funny and unlike Rise of Skywalker, takes the time for smaller character moments.
Currently available to stream on NowTV.
6. Ad Astra
If you’re into slow, beautiful, thoughtful sci-fi of the more spiritual
kind, then this is a gem. Brad Pitt's astronaut ventures into space on a covert operation to find and neutralise his long lost rogue father, Tommy Lee Jones. Imagine Terence Malick remaking Apocalypse Now
in space and you won’t be far off. It won’t appeal to everyone, but I
loved it.
Available for streaming rental.
5. Marriage Story
An intense reflection on a failed marriage that constantly shifts your sympathies. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson are great portraying the heart wrenching difficulties of separating their intertwined lives. Just as you feel more invested in one parent's woes, the film re-frames the situation from the other side and re-balances your allegiances.
Available to stream on Netflix.
4. Booksmart
Olivia Wilde's high school comedy is a joy of a film that
delivers belly laughs throughout. The leads Beanie Feldstein
and Kaitlyn Dever create a truly genuine friendship, acting like real teens in a school that defies the usual tropes. Wilde eschews the usual cliques and cliches to mark a refreshing change. It's sort of like a more female centric “Superbad” with
perhaps more emotional heft.
Available for streaming rental.
3. Little Women
It turns out I didn’t really know the story of Little Women... I was taken by surprise and ended up getting quite tearful! Greta Gerwig has crafted a faithful but exuberant adaptation that manages to feel true to the era whilst adding something fresh. Her use of fractured time and her excellent casting create a compelling family drama with lots of heart.
Currently in cinemas.
2. The Favourite
I first saw The Favourite at Brighton's Cinecity
film festival back in November 2018 and loved it, but it wasn't released until the first day of 2019, so wasn't eligible for last year's list. Despite this, it's stayed vivid enough in my memory to take second place.
It's a delightful black
comedy, with excellent performances throughout. Unlike director Lanthimos’ previous movies, like the stilted conversations of The Lobster,
the dialogue is darting and witty, with the actors relishing the
obscurity of the royal household. It's a refreshing take on the period
drama, blowing away any stuffiness with incongruous modern
idiosyncrasies like modern dance moves.
Available for streaming rental.
1. Knives Out
With so many great movies, choosing a number one wasn't easy, so I decided to choose the film I most enjoyed watching and have already seen multiple times.
Rian Johnson's Knives Out is a cinematic delight, a brilliant ensemble murder mystery in the tradition of Agatha Christie, but modern and thought provoking. Even more impressive is that underneath the highly entertaining and imaginative mystery is an excellent commentary on modern America, its contradictions, and its hypocrisies.
Currently in cinemas.
Worthy Mentions
Not quite on the main list...
Can you Ever Forgive Me - The closest to making the list, it had a compelling story and a couple of very fun performances from Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant.
If Beale Street Could Talk - A beautiful tragic film from Barry Jenkins.
Spider-Man: Far from Home - Another great adventure for Marvel's Spider-Man, this time with a great turn by Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio and a great end credits cameo.
Toy Story 4 - Another film in the series seemed like a bad idea, but once again Toy Story continues to defy expectations and continue its tale in a thoughtful and fulfilling way.
Vice - Preachy it may be, this film still chronicles an incredibly important but oft forgotten figure in Christian Bale's Dick Cheney. Bale is excellent in the role, disappearing into the Cheney's mumbles and tight lipped smiles.
The Irishman - A bit long for my taste and I don't quite buy the de-aging (see disappointments), but Scorcese still brings the magic. I especially love Joe Pesci's subdued performance.
The Souvenir - A sombre actorly piece on addiction from Joanna Hogg.
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood - A film I mostly enjoyed, but I felt uncomfortable with Tarantino's use of real people (see disappointments).
Midsommar - Another tense gruesome horror film from Ari Aster, but doesn't quite nail the landing.
The Sisters Brothers - A beautiful adaptation of a book I love with a great cast, especially Joaquin Phoenix and John C Reilly as the titular brotherly duo.
Rocketman - A big surprise. I had no interest in this film, refused to see it at the cinema, but then really enjoyed this biopic musical at home. Far better than last year's Bohemian Rhapsody.
Films worth a watch - Always be My Maybe, Fighting with my Family, Stan and Ollie, Apollo 11, Captain Marvel, Wild Rose, Shazam!, Hobbs and Shaw, John Wick 3, Support the Girls, Lego Movie 2, Joker, High Life, The Day Shall Come, The Hustle (just about)
Disappointments
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - In revising all the progress of The Last Jedi, we end the Skywalker saga on a muddled, silly and disappointing note. It felt more like fan-fiction than a true continuation of the story.
Joker - I liked a lot of elements, but it couldn't hit the heights of the films its style aped, coming across as a muddled combination of The King of Comedy and Taxi Driver. Joaquin Phoenix is phenomenal in the lead role however.
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood - Another frustrating experience with Quentin Tarantino, once again a
victim of his own bravado. Every scene is expertly crafted and, despite
its length, doesn’t feel like a chore. The dialogue zips and tension is
built and then dissipated in classic Tarantino fashion. However, his
treatment of the extremely tragic events and the real people involved,
wasn’t for me. In the end I think your enjoyment of the film lies with
your perception of the finale. I found it morally objectionable, denting
an otherwise enjoyable experience, but I’m sure I’m in the minority.
The Irishman - There's so much to enjoy, but once you get to this length of film, it becomes hard to focus, especially when you can only watch it at home on Netflix. I felt like the story may have been better served as four one hour episodes rather than one huge movie.
High Life - As I've shown with my love of Ad Astra, I love a philosophical space drama, but there didn't feel like there was enough substance to this tale.
The Day Shall Come - Not a bad film per se, but a disappointment considering the talent
involved. Not funny enough to be a black comedy, not dramatic enough to
be truly compelling, Chris Morris hasn’t bought his usual bite to this
one.
Awful...
A Beautiful boy, Lucy in the Sky, Vox Lux
The ones that got away...
The big misses of this year, I regret I didn't get to see...
Us, Monos, Burning, Bait, Under the Silver Lake, The Mule, Pain and Glory, I Lost my Body (I've seen part of it, ironically), In Fabric, Ash is Purest White, Transit, Zombieland: Double Tap, Hustlers, The Nightingale, Doctor Sleep, Terminator: Dark fate, The Dead Don't Die, Climax
In an ideal world, I would have seen these too...
Glass, Boy Erased, On the Basis of Sex, Everybody Knows, Benjamin, At Eternity’s Gate, Missing Link, Hellboy, Late Night, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, Jumanji: The Next Level
Hope you enjoyed reading my breakdown, Happy New Year!
2018 Update
The ones I caught up with that I missed last year...
I liked...
The Old Man and the Gun, Bad Times at the El Royale, Blindspotting, Green Book, Overlord,
Pacific Rim: Uprising, Tully, Aquaman, Ralph
Breaks the Internet, Incredibles 2
I wasn't so keen on...
Bohemian Rhapsody
The ones I didn't catch up on...
A
Fantastic Woman, 120bpm, Faces
Places, The Rider, Burning, Darkest Hour, Free Solo, Wildlife, They Shall Not Grow Old, "Love, Simon", Halloween, Peterloo, Bumblebee
Last Years Top Ten
10. Spider-Man- Into the Spiderverse
09. First Reformed
08. Shoplifters
07. First Man
06. Isle of Dogs
05. Phantom Thread
04. BlacKKKlansman
03. Lady Bird
02. Sorry to Bother You
01. Mandy
A super late list this year (I didn't even finalise my top 10 while still in 2018) but that was so I could use the Christmas break to cram in as many extra films as possible.
Due to spending more time watching the films, I've had far less time to write it all up and as a consequence I've had to be much more concise. Let me know if you prefer the brevity!
As usual this is a personal look back at this year's releases, so this
is not necessarily a list of the greatest movies of the past twelve
months, but a collection of my recommendations. As usual any feedback
and discussion is welcome.
Disclaimer!
- Many other films of the year lists will contain films yet to be
released in the UK. I don't include these in mine, even if I've seen
them at preview screenings. We usually get these films in January and
February, so there's lots to look forward to early in the year. This
year those films include "If Beale Street Could Talk" (18th January), "Vice" (25th January) and "Eighth Grade" (TBA).
11. "Cheat film" - The Favourite
I've added in a cheat film, as every year a film (or sometimes multiple films) are released so close to the turn of the year that there is some ambiguity about which yearly list it should be included in.
The Favourite, released on the first day of 2019, is one such film. I first saw the movie at Brighton's Cinecity film festival back in November and loved it. It's a delightful black comedy, with excellent performances throughout. Unlike director Lanthimos’ previous movies, like the stilted conversations of The Lobster, the dialogue is darting and witty, with the actors relishing the obscurity of the royal household. It's a refreshing take on the period drama, blowing away any stuffiness with incongruous modern idiosyncrasies like modern dance moves. It would have been in my top three if I wasn't counting it as a cheat, so it stands a good chance of making 2019's list.
In cinemas 1st January 2019
10. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
A whole lot of fun, with more geeky Spider-Man references than you can shake a web covered stick at, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more entertaining film from 2018. It skillfully manages the many different realities and characters, whilst always finding the heart of the Spider-Man character, no matter who may be under the mask. Also, the last post credit scene is my all time favourite. On top of that, it uses a phenomenal animation style that challenges animated films to move on from copying Pixar and be far more creative from now on.
Currently in cinemas
9. First Reformed
Ethan Hawke puts in a memorable and nuanced performance as a conflicted priest struggling with the morality of the modern church. Veteran film-maker Paul Shrader has created a slow, quiet movie that takes a rare look at how religion relates to environmentalism. It might not be to everyone's tastes, especially the finale, but it's thought provoking, tense and combative cinema.
Available for streaming rental.
8. Shoplifters
Shoplifters challenges our concept of family with a story that continuously shifts perceptions. As the film progresses and we learn more about the family unit, we find our assumptions defied and the narrative re-framed. It's a funny, touching and at times dark movie that looks at a side of Japanese life not often depicted on the big screen.
Currently in cinemas
7. First Man
Focusing on the sacrifice involved in such an undertaking, Damien Chazelle creates a nuanced and thoughtful movie that questions the motives of space travel whilst also conveying the wonder (and terror). It really brings home how dangerous space travel was (and probably still is), especially in how flimsy and seemingly basic the equipment they used was.
Not available for online rental at the time of writing.
6. Isle of Dogs
With Isle of Dogs you get all the usual elements you’d expect in a Wes Anderson production, but with added (and unexpected) political commentary.
Beautifully designed and animated, it both pulled at my heartstrings and made me smile. Especially potent for dog lovers.
Available to stream on Amazon Prime Video
5. Phantom Thread
Paul Thomas Anderson creates an incredibly classy movie about control that is joyously dark and twisted beneath it's beautiful veneer. With a swelling soundtrack and sumptuous costumes, it's a film to luxuriate in. Daniel Day-Lewis is of course excellent in the role he claims will be his last, but Lesley Manville and Vicky Krieps are equally worthy of praise for their stand out performances.
Available to stream on NowTV and for rental on other streaming services.
4. BlacKKKlansman
An engaging storytelling masterclass, which strikes the perfect tone to deliver its message. Not many movies are both consistently funny and harrowing in equal measure, or as timely. A true return to form from Spike Lee in a film that tells a true but unbelievable story.
Available for streaming rental.
3. Lady Bird
A simple story, told with great warmth and humour, all done in just 95 minutes. It's one of those films that immediately feels perfectly formed, with scene after scene that rings true. The casting is spot on, especially the way Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf portray the relationship between teenage daughter and mother. Greta Gerwig is a director to be very excited about.
Available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
2. Sorry to Bother You
An oddball debut film from Boots Riley that consistently defies expectation. The film's furious heart rages against modern commercialism, but it's all enclosed in a curious comedy that is both visually and conceptually inventive. It's best to go into this movie knowing as little as possible, so I won't say too much more, but I do have to say that Lakeith Standfield is one of the most fascinating and watchable leading actors around today.
Limited screenings still possible, but not yet available for streaming rental at the time of writing.
1. Mandy
This movie made me so, so happy. As a huge Nicolas Cage fan, this ticked all the boxes. If you want to see him crying in anguish in his underpants whilst downing a bottle of booze, it's there. If you want to see him facing down a tiger in a drug addled fever dream, it's there. If you want to see him fighting a gang of twisted gimp bikers, it's there.
It won't be to everyone's tastes, but Panos Cosmatos movie is packed with stunning vivid imagery and insane set pieces. However it also has a playful sense of humour that stops it from becoming too artistically pretentious. This is a mental, psychedelic, LSD fueled horror movie that gives Cage the opportunity to be both the subtle and heartfelt Oscar winner and the batshit crazy meme-generator.
Available for streaming rental.
Worthy Mentions
Not quite on the main list...
Lean on Pete - A heartbreaking story, beautifully told.
Mary Poppins Returns - An enchanting follow up to the original featuring the wonderful Emily Blunt. Near to making the list, but I wasn't so sure about the last act.
You Were Never Really Here - A dark, brutal and intense film from Lynne Ramsay. Joaquin Phoenix is at his emotive best as he struggles with his violent past and present, to the backdrop of another excellent enveloping score from Jonny Greenwood. A quick hit of nerve jangling cinema.
Hereditary - Chilling cinema, with the most shocking moment of any film this year, but it didn’t quite stick the landing for me.
The Square - Another excellent film whose ending left me a little cold. Not quite as good as the director's previous film "Force Majeure" but still a fascinating moral study.
American Animals - An intense docu-drama that makes for engaging but uncomfortable viewing.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - A film I really enjoyed at the time that hasn't stayed with me as much as I thought it would.
Deadpool 2 - A hugely entertaining follow up that introduces some great new characters. Zazie Beetzs "Domino" steals all the scenes she's in.
Mom and Dad - My second favourite insane Nic Cage movie of the year, directed by one half of the team behind the “Crank’ series.
Roma - A stunningly beautiful film I would have loved to have seen at the cinema, rather than just on Netflix. I think I would have appreciated it more in that setting.
The Breadwinner - A beautiful animation that explores the disturbing conditions that the women of Afghanistan lived in under Taliban rule.
Avengers: Infinity War - Packed with EVERYTHING, this is pretty much as good as a film with this many intertwined franchises can be. Long but entertaining, it’s straining at the edges but it definitely has a whole lot of WHOA factor.
Leave No Trace - An excellent film exploring a unique father and daughter relationship from Debra Granik, the director of "Winter's Bone".
Films worth a watch -
The Shape of Water, Antman and the Wasp, Black Panther, Cold War, Widows, Coco, You Were Never Really Here, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, A Quiet Place, Annihilation, "I, Tonya", A Star is Born, Suspiria, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Paddington 2, Creed 2, Ready Player One, Assassination Nation, Molly’s Game, The Post, Downsizing, Game Night, Leave No Trace
Disappointments
Widows - Visually beautiful, but paced too slowly and plotted too loosely to create a gripping heist movie.
A Quiet Place - I’d heard (pun intended) great things, but I couldn’t understand the praise. Frustratingly stupid characters.
Suspiria - A stunning opening, but it was over-long and tonally messy. I'd love to see a version that was edited down by 45 minutes.
Creed II - More conventional than its predecessor and poorer for it.
The Meg - The trailer made it look like an entertaining B-movie, but there was a frustrating lack of craziness.
Rampage - A bit like “The Meg”, the family friendly lack of insanity holds it back.
Solo: A Star Wars Story - Everything I feared a Han Solo prequel movie would be. Contrived and unimaginative, it’s only reason for existence is to explain throw away lines that never needed explaining (much like Rogue One). The actors are game, but they’re given exposition laden clunkers to work with. Some of the content of this movie is as cringe-worthy as it gets... numerous eyes were rolled. It’s not technically a “bad” movie, it’s entertaining in places, it’s just a long pointless one. Why oh why did they sack Lord and Miller!?
The Post - Stoic to the point of blandness, despite its class. A stately film, with all that entails. It’s classy, well acted and has a worthy message...but it’s also slow and self-important. It’s no “Spotlight”.
Ready Player One - As a fan of the book, I was excited to see what Spielberg would do with the adaptation, but it fell flat for me.
Disobedience - Oddly boring, which is a shame as it has a great cast.
Lucky - Harry Dean Stanton is as captivating as ever in his last screen role, but a mostly poor cast surrounds him. While Harry Dean Stanton gives a great central performance in one of his last roles, overall I found the movie plodding and tedious.
Awful...
Cloverfield Paradox
Mute
The ones that got away...
The big misses of this year, I regret I didn't get to see...
A Fantastic Woman, The Old Man and the Gun, 120bpm, Incredibles 2, Faces Places, The Rider, Bad Times at the El Royale, Burning, Blindspotting, Darkest Hour, Green Book, Free Solo, Wildlife, They Shall Not Grow Old
In an ideal world, I would have seen these too...
Overlord, Pacific Rim: Uprising, "Love, Simon", Tully, Aquaman, Halloween, Ralph Breaks the Internet, Bohemian Rhapsody, Peterloo, Bumblebee
Hope you enjoyed reading my breakdown, Happy New Year!
2017 Update
The ones I caught up with that I missed last year...
I liked...
Call Me by Your Name, Mother!, War for the Planet of the Apes, Kong Skull Island, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Paddington 2
I wasn't so keen on...
Good Time, The Disaster Artist, Alien Covenant, Baywatch
The ones I didn't catch up on...
Lion, Christine, The Space Between Us, A Cure for Wellness, Beauty and the Beast, Berlin Syndrome, Patticake$, Loving Vincent, Gods Own Country, Mudbound, Casting JonBenet, Battle of the Sexes
Last Years Top Ten
10. I am Not Your Negro
09. Death of Stalin
08. Elle
07. The Florida Project
06. Toni Erdmann
05. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
04. Thor Ragnarok
03. The Handmaiden
02. La La Land
01. The Big Sick
As usual, my Films of the Year list is pretty late to the party. As the clocks ready themselves to tick over into 2018 and most "best-of" lists were done and dusted before Santa came a calling, I've still been cramming in some extra movies to make my list as thorough as possible.
Looking back at 2017, it seems a year of rare blockbuster quality and independent variety. The films of this year have shown true conviction and individuality in a year where those qualities have been lacking in the real world.
As usual this is a personal look back at this year's releases, so this is not necessarily a list of the greatest movies of the past twelve months, but a collection of my recommendations. As usual any feedback and discussion is welcome.
Disclaimer! - Many other films of the year lists will contain films yet to be released in the UK. I don't include these in mine, even if I've seen them at preview screenings. We usually get these films in January and February, so there's lots to look forward to early in the year. This year those films include "Phantom Thread" (2nd February), "The Shape of Water" (14th February), "Lady Bird" (16th February), "You Were Never Really There" (9th March), "120 BPM" (6th April)
This year's trends - Bittersweet modern romances, weird feel-good action movies, women in charge, veganism, empathetic film-making that attempts to understand, if not heal, the cracks in our society.
10. I am Not Your Negro
A very late entry,
having watched it just the day before finalising my list. I don't feel
it's the most polished documentary I've seen, but the subject matter and
insight of author James Baldwin (who I'm ashamed to admit I had
no awareness of before this viewing) are undeniably powerful. His
unique place in history as a contemporary to civil rights leaders Martin
Luther King Jr, Malcolm X and Medgar Evers, combine with his
intelligence and experience to create a thoughtful and insightful
documentary on race, nationalism and the dangers of the American dream.
Director Raoul Peck juxtaposes Baldwin's words from decades ago
with images of modern America, which evocatively frame the endemic
problems that run through society in the USA and beyond. The dangers of
nostalgia exposed in this documentary are particularly prescient in
Brexit Britain.
Available to stream on Amazon Prime Video
9. Death of Stalin
A bleak farce from Armando Iannucci that hugely entertains as easily as it leads you to despair in humanity. Few filmmakers can achieve such a feat, but it's become Iannucci's calling card. Moving on from the the British and US politics of "The Thick of It", "In the Loop" and "Veep" to Stalin's communist Russia, significantly ups the stakes for his characters. I'm sure any of the figures in this film would take a punishing quip from Malcolm Tucker over a stint in a gulag, or worse, a bullet.
Not that this film is missing the put-downs of Iannucci's previous work, they still flow with the same reliable excellence.
A phenomenal cast carry off the various plots and machinations with aplomb, with my personal favourite Steve Buscemi's perfomance as Nikita Khrushchev.
Not available for streaming rental at the time of writing.
8. Elle
Incredibly messed up but....somehow fun? This is a very Paul Verhoeven film; provocative, unpredictable and bloody, with a strong line in jet black comedy. Probably not a film everyone will be willing to watch as it prominently features the scenes of sexual violence, but these distressing moments are central to the narrative and inform us about the characters involved and their motivations. Isabelle Huppert is magnificent (as always) as the titular central character whose idiosyncratic reaction to these harrowing events create this swirling thought provoking narrative.
Despite the tough nature of the film, it's a surprisingly entertaining watch, which rewards you for making it through it's more grueling moments.
Available to stream on Netflix.
7. The Florida Project
An absorbing film with rich characters that luxuriates in the grey areas, "The Florida Project" is a superb follow up to director Sean Baker's breakout film "Tangerine". This time Baker empathetic lense focuses on those living on the edge of homelessness in the shadow of opulence of Florida's "Walt Disney World". Fantastic children's performances full of joy are juxtaposed with a warm, world-weary Willem Dafoe, as we are guided through the tough lives of the residents of the "Magic Castle" motel.
Baker's directorial style never casts any judgement on the actions of these characters, leaving us to make our own judgements about characters like Halley (played ferociously by new comer Bria Vinaite) and her daughter Moonee (the precocious Brooklynn Prince).
Not
a film for those that like big plot developments, but if you like a
character study, then this is well worth a look. You'll be hard pressed
to find a better child's-eye-view of the world in modern cinema.
Not available for online rental at the time of writing.
6. Toni Erdmann
Another late entry to my list, as I'd been putting off watching it all year, but you should watch it first chance you can. An almost three hour German comedy is not the most enticing prospect, but Toni Erdmann is a weird and wonderful dramedy, well worth the investment of time.
The magic of this film is how it blends the mundane and the extraordinary. It takes the time to create a rounded world of rich characters so that we can see them experience absurd moments within their lives without them coming across as cheap stunts played for laughs. I don't want to detail them here and ruin the surprise, but there's so many genuinely funny moments that caught me completely unawares.
As
a father creates the persona of "Toni Erdmann" to reconnect with his
workaholic daughter, this character study deftly covers all elements of
modern life, including the pressures of work, growing distance between
generations, capitalism, happiness, pain and love. It's an unwieldy film
to describe, but with a little patience early on, it's a joy to watch
unfold.
Available to stream on Amazon Prime Video
5. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Director Rian Johnson launches Star Wars into exciting new territories with this surprising entry into the space saga. As Luke Skywalker grumbles in the trailer, "this is not going to go the way you think", and he's right.
While the enjoyable "Force Awakens" mined the past to bring Star Wars back to life for a new generation, "The Last Jedi" looks to push the narrative on. Bridging the stylistic gap between the prequels and the original trilogy, Johnson takes us to fantastical new worlds, introduces us to bizarre creatures and generally makes the whole universe seem alive again.
His story has many unexpected twists that freshen up a narrative that could have grown stale. You may not agree with all of Johnson's decisions, but it's hard to deny that he's created the most interesting and thought provoking entry to the series since "The Empire Strikes Back".
To my delight, the movie also carries a lot of positive messages for future generations. This story looks to create a more democratic universe, where
anyone could be the hero, not just the chosen few. Women play a far more central role and it also highlights both wealth inequality and animal welfare. However it still finds plenty of time to create jaw dropping blockbuster visual moments (that I won't spoil for those of you yet to see it) to create a very memorable addition to the Star Wars cannon.
Still in cinemas at the time of writing.
4. Thor: Ragnarok
This was the year where the super hero film lightened up, with even DC comics "Justice League" re-shot to increase the quips. I loved the way "Spider-man: Homecoming" returned the wise cracking Peter Parker to an updated high school setting and how "The Lego Batman Movie" merged all of the diverse versions of the caped crusader into one zany hilarious caper, but no super hero movie bought me as much joy as "Thor Ragnarok".
Taika Waititi has a rare talent for creating pure-unabashed cinematic joy and he lost none of his film making charm when entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Embracing the cosmic nature of the Asgardians, Waititi sends us into a "Flash Gordon" and Jack Kirby inspired universe of weirdos and warriors. What could have been a dark and broody tale of apocalypse, becomes a planet hopping buddy film with the Hulk and Valkyrie in tow.
Tapping into the comic chops of star Chris Hemsworth and throwing in a scenery chewing Cate Blanchett as the sultry villain and a glorious sprinkle of Jeff Goldblum awkwardness, he creates the most unabashedly fun film of the year.
Not available for streaming rental at the time of writing.
3. The Handmaiden
A dark, twisted, erotic movie from Park Chan-wook, the director of "Oldboy". Or in summary, it's a sexed-up Hitchcockian dream.
In practically any other director's hands, this film would have been titillating fluff, but Park Chan-wook masters the tones needed to create a layered thriller of rare pedigree. He artfully guides us through the narrative, regularly pulling the rug out from beneath our feet so that we can fall deeper into this dark tale of lust, love and manipulation.
The films beauty matches it's plotting, with every shot exquisitely capturing the beauty and/or brutality of the scene.
It's
best to go on into this one not knowing too much, as the twists are a
big part of the fun, but it's best to know ahead of watching that the
sex scenes are long and plentiful, so this might not be the best film to
watch with the family...
Available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
2. La La Land
Director
Damien Chazelle follows up "Whiplash" with another full-blooded punch
of jazz that shows once again his unique talent for cinematically capturing
musical performance.
Whilst "Whiplash" was all raw emotion and pounding physicality, "La La land" is lighter on it's feet. Taking the old-school musical framework and updating it whilst maintaining a feeling of giddy nostalgia, it's a joy to watch.
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are actors of rare charm, reveling in the opportunity to poke fun at each other as they sing and dance their dance their way through the movie. However the film's musicality ebbs and flow with their character's love, so as tensions rise, the music falls away to reveal a more dramatic turn. This bothered some, with a final third that was far less theatrical and far more dramatic, but I felt it made for compelling cinema, making the dream-like heartbreak of the musical finale all the more potent.
A
film that is both technicolor escapism and a more grounded bitter-sweet
romance, it's both a warm nostalgic throwback and a cold jolt of
millennial romance. I
was a relative late-comer to the musical, proclaiming to hate all it's
ilk until about five years ago, when "Singin' in the Rain" won me over and
opened my eyes to their joyful potential. Now as a fan, I hope "La La Land" opens the door for more original musicals on the big screen.
Available to stream on Netflix.
1. The Big Sick
To borrow from the film itself, it "overwhelms" me. Perfectly balancing laughs with drama, it made me shed tears of joy throughout. Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon, in retelling the true story of how they first met, have created a beautiful film, full of charm, humour and heartbreak. As well as co-writing the film, Nanjiani proves a revelation as the dramatic lead, with his tear soaked speech during an ill-timed stand up routine a real highlight.
On the surface "The Big Sick" is a simple boy meets girl story, but the way it subverts expectations makes it a perfect film for 2017. Through the trials and tribulations of their fledgling relationship we get a great portrait of modern dating, ideas of nationality and cultural heritage.
It's a perfectly formed little film, with no fat to be trimmed, everything serves a purpose in creating this very funny but emotionally rich dramedy. Director Michael Showalter also deserves plaudits for this assured handling of tone, never letting it slide too far towards saccharine.
Plus it almost made me forgive Ray Romano for "Everybody Loves Raymond". Almost.
Available for streaming rental.
Worthy Mentions
Not quite on the main list...
Spider-Man: Homecoming - Spider-man is back to being a wisecracking kid in this very entertaining relaunch of the franchise. Back in school, but with an updated and more diverse range of characters to play off, Marvel have smartly bought Peter Parker into the modern day.
The Lego Batman Movie - As a huge Batman fan, this was a hilarious treasure trove of references that spoke directly to me. unfortunately, I smacked my head on a car boot just before running to the cinema just in time to make the screening, so my memories of it are a little hazy, but I do remember absolutely loving it. The head injury aspect made it difficult for me to include in my top ten however...
It Comes at Night - Very close to making my top ten, it's a film that really chimes with our fearful times. Full of paranoia and dread, it all builds to a truly tense finale.
Moonlight - A deft, beautifully crafted film, with handsome cinematography and fantastic performances. It has a look and feel all it's own, giving us a glimpse of the lead's life at three pivotal moments as he comes to terms with his sexuality. However, the opening segment seemed the strongest, with, for me, slightly diminishing returns as we follow the characters through to the conclusion.
Get Out - My views on this film are somewhat muddled by the chatty popcorn girls and the chair kicking lads in my screening. It's a dark, funny and daring film with a lot to commend it and I think if I'd seen it with less distractions, it would have rated a lot higher.
Baby Driver - It starts with a bang and then moves up through the gears to create one of the most entertaining films of the year. However, I didn't love this semi-musical quite as much as I thought I would.
Detroit - The middle third of this movie is disturbing, tense and shocking, but it's sandwiched awkwardly between clunky opening and closing acts.
20th Century Women - An interesting look at the generational differences of three women in 1970s and how those experiences relate to the eldest's son and his upbringing.
Free fire - If not for some extended sub-Tarantino dialogue in the opening of the movie, it may have made my top ten. As usual from director Ben Wheatley, a taut, tense, violent movie, with the blackest of comedy.
The Meyerowitz Stories - Another entertaining family drama from Noah Baumbach, with a particularly great performance form Elizabeth Marvel. His film's usually end up in my top tens, but it was only released on Netflix and my focus at home is rarely as good as in the cinema.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer - Director Lanthimos follows up "The Lobster" with another dark tale. Unfortunately he also brings the stunted speech patterns of his previous film to this one, which make less sense in this universe and detract from the dramatic tension. With that slight adjustment, I would have loved it.
Bladerunner 2049 - Visually stunning, loyal in tone to it's predecessor and well acted, I should have loved this latest film from Denis Villeneuve. However it's ambition is it's downfall, over reaching and losing the simplicity of Ridley Scott's original.
A Ghost Story - A slow, somewhat ponderous film that nonetheless creates a feeling of loneliness and longing all it's own. Not for the impatient or those hoping for a plot driven film.
Dunkirk - It took me a long time to process my feelings on this film.
The first half of the film is superb, building an incredible feeling of suspense through the combination of stark but beautiful cinematography and an incessant Zimmer score. However the the final act of the film didn't stick the landing for me. (see "Disappointments" for more info)
Films worth a watch -
Personal Shopper, A Monster Calls, Silence, Jackie, Split, Certain women, Hidden Figures, Logan, Wonder Woman, Okja, Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2, The Red Turtle, Lost in London, Atomic Blonde, My life as a Courgette, Justice League, T2, The Fits, Prevenge, The Beguiled, The Founder, Loving , The Lost City of Z, John Wick Chapter 2, Lady Macbeth, Raw
Merely okay...
Life
Disappointments
Manchester by the Sea - While I was impressed by the film's craft, brilliant acting and the fantastically naturalistic dialogue, I felt slightly at a distance from it. The musical choice used in it's most dramatic scenes also felt very odd to me, as it will to anyone who's ever listened to it's use in Simon Mayo's "Confessions" section on BBC Radio 2.
Fences- Makes 2 hours and 20 minutes seem like 2 days, 20 hours...
Long, stagey and boring. Denzel over indulges himself, chewing scenery like there's no tomorrow, but Viola Davis is exceptional, the movie's only saving grace.
The Love Witch - Stylish, but too long and far too pleased with itself...
Dunkirk - The
final act of the film didn't stick the landing for me. Nolan isn't at
his best when trying to be warm and fluffy, and the proud, patriotic
finale seemed ham-fisted in comparison to the mastery of the opening acts.
It - A tense opening and great chemistry from the young cast are let down by the films over use of very obvious CG effects. If you want real scares this year, watch the harrowing second act of "Detroit".
Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 - An entertaining film, only disappointing as it comes frustratingly close to matching it's superior predecessor. It's looser and messier than volume 1, a trim before release could have worked wonders. It's also incredibly violent for a film shown to millions of children.
Ghost in the Shell - A visually stunning film utterly lacking in any interesting content. Dated themes are exacerbated by huge amounts of unnecessary exposition, which slow the pace and highlight the fairly uninspired fight choreography.
Mindhorn - A thin Alan Partridge-esque plot is stretched even at 89 minutes and the jokes are more chuckle worthy than full belly laughs. There are a few genuinely strange and brilliant moments, but these serve only to highlight the general lack of consistent laughs.
Kingsman the Golden Circle - Super-hyped up nonsense that should be way more fun than it is. Over-long fluff that easily out-juveniles it's predecessor.
It also has given me a new phrase to describe "jumping the shark"... but I can't say what it is without spoiling the ludicrous celebrity cameo.
xXx: Return of Xander Cage - Stupid fun, but not fun enough to justify this creepy Vin Diesel vanity project.
Logan Lucky - Not the fun romp I was hoping for, it sits awkwardly between genres. It may improve with further viewings however.
Atomic Blonde - A film that needed to be twice as clever to succeed, or twice as fast. Brutal fights and stylish shots entertain, but it's paced far too slowly for such a flimsy plot.
Justice League - Despite enjoying the film, it is a mess. The gap in style between Snyder and Whedon's directing is too disparate, creating a film of jumbled style and tone. Mainly disappointing because a very watchable, charismatic cast are under-served.
The Bad Batch - Ana Lily Amirpour disappoints with this undeiably beautiful, but shallow follow up to her excellent debut "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night".
Fast and Furious 8 - The franchise, like xXx, is becoming little more than a Vin Diesel vanity project, which detracts from the regular Fast and Furious mayhem. Perhaps worth watching to see Jason Statham fighting an enemy horde on a plane whilst carrying a baby (but you can just watch that bit on Youtube).
Song to Song - Malick continues his trend of overly long, vacuous films on the relationships of the super wealthy. In many ways his films are the same as Michael Bay's, a collection of cool scenes that struggle to carry a narrative.
The Party - A stereotypical farce, parodying academics and the intelligencia. It felt long even at a trim 1hr 11 minutes and was incredibly pleased with itself, perhaps the smuggest film of the year. Despite a great cast, there's very little I can recommend, but the rest of the cinema laughed riotously throughout, so what do I know. I'm never a fan of "stagey" films, so perhaps I should have steered clear.
The ones that got away...
The big misses of this year, I regret I didn't get to see...
Call Me by My Name, Mother!, Good Time, The Disaster Artist, War for the Planet of the Apes
In an ideal world, I would have seen these too -
Lion, Christine, The Space Between Us, A Cure for Wellness, Kong Skull Island, Beauty and the Beast, Baywatch, Berlin Syndrome, Alien Covenant, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Patticake$, Loving Vincent, Gods Own Country, Paddington 2, Mudbound, Casting JonBenet, Battle of the Sexes
Hope you enjoyed reading my breakdown, Happy New Year!
2016 Update
The ones I caught up with that I missed last year...
I liked... American Honey, Everybody wants Some!!, Moana, The Witch, Finding Dory, Neighbours 2, The Shallows
I wasn't so keen on... Sausage Party
The ones I didn't catch up on...
The BFG, A Bigger Splash, Dheepan, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Light Between Oceans, Love and Friendship, Maggie's Plan, Miles Ahead, Son of Saul, Julieta, Sully, Bone Tomahawk, Secret Life of Pets, Girl on the Train
Last Years Top Ten
10. Captain America:Civil War/Deadpool
09. Captain Fantastic
08. The Hunt for the Wilderpeople
07. Nocturnal Animals
06. Room
05. Arrival
04. Swiss Army Man
03. Spotlight
02. Green Room
01. Anomalisa
