The last of this year's lists is a rundown of my favourite feature-length works.
I actually got out to the cinema for a few of these, but the rest should be on streaming services by now if you want to form your own opinions - as ever, do let me know what I've got wrong, or what I've missed.
Spinal Tap II
In honour of Rob Reiner’s recent demise I paid a fiver to rent the sequel to the original and best rockumentary. The star-studded-ness of the whole affair just about makes up for the gags that fall a bit flat. Still, it’s nice to spend a bit more time with the band before any more of them shuffle off.
Similar/honourable mention: I Am Martin Parr
Rest in photography one of the best brits to ever do it. This is a lovely little doc looking over the man’s career in pictures. I hadn’t seen his early black and white work before, which shows that even without the saturated colour he became known for later, the sense of humour was always there. His average white bloke invisibility and civility mean he’s been able to capture, perhaps better than anyone else, the spirit of Englishness, particularly when at their leisure.
Thunderbolts
We seem to be in a weird space for the MCU, in-between the Avengers phase and the forthcoming blockbusters of the multiverse saga, where things like this can exist. It’s essentially a fairly throwaway film, answering the question ‘what became of Black Widow’s sister and father’, plus Bucky Barnes and a few others, who end up forming the title troupe. Because it doesn’t seem to matter that much in the grand scheme of things, they seem to be having fun with it, and aside from the anti-hero’s mental health struggle storyline, there’s plenty of snappy dialogue, particularly between Florence Pugh’s character and Lily Allen’s randy ex.
Similar/honourable mention: Fantastic Four: First Steps
Low expectations were pleasingly exceeded here too, as a solid cast work with a good script and lots of easter-egg-y detail in the retro-futurist aesthetic. The multiverse is a neat trick to let Marvel’s bosses interweave IP like the Fantastic Four and X-Men via parallel universes colliding. In this version of reality everything’s got a 1960s feel, with the plot pitched somewhere between a sitcom and sci-fi from that time. While inevitably there’s a fair bit of superhero smash, crash, bang business, the best bits always seem to concern the interplay between this unconventional family - particularly the relatable final scene with three blokes struggling to install a baby seat.
The Brutalist
I really like Adrien Brody, I’m a big fan of Guy Pearce, and I also love Bauhaus school of design, so this should be a slam dunk; but man is it slow moving. That’s not to say it’s a bad film, but when and why did directors and editors become so self indulgent? The myth of the American dream for post-war immigrants and the difficulties of Jewish integration could have been told perfectly well in about half the time.
Frankenstein
Benicio del Toro’s take on the well-worn Mary Shelley masterpiece weaves a dramatic story with just the right amount of embellishment and directorial license. Money has clearly been spent on lavish set design, gory special effects and big set pieces - making the most of Edinburgh’s finest period architecture - while Oscar Isaac is well cast as Victor, throwing himself into the prodigious arrogance and moral ambiguity of the character. Jacob Elordi is unrecognisable as the monster, but all the better for it, as he tells his side of the story with subtlety that the rest of the film lacks at times. Indeed, the final act gets rather overwrought for my tastes - reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast - but overall it seems like a worthwhile endeavour.
Ocean with David Attenborough
This may be the most important thing he’s ever done. It’s as gorgeously shot as anything he ever put together with the BBC, but this time it really leans into the environmental consequences; rather than just a bit of guilt tripping here and there. Crucially, rather than just focusing on the flora and fauna impact, the production team actually talk to the people being impacted by unsustainable fishing practices - and perhaps more importantly, there’s a proper look at solutions and how quickly the seabed can recover. Given just how crucial the ocean’s carbon sucking - or emitting - properties are, we just have to hope that, given how widely this has been shown, enough people in the relevant positions of power see and act upon it.
The Contestant
This one’s about a Japanese production company pioneering reality TV in the 1990s and coming up with the concept of sticking a chap in a small room, naked, with only a radio, phone and a shelf of magazines - with which he has to enter competitions to win the prizes that will hopefully bring adequate sustenance, clothing, etc. Our plucky contestant, Nasubi, isn’t aware that his efforts are edited into a weekly show that is increasingly watched by millions, as he struggles for more than a year. Starved of human contact, he starts breaking down, but even when he hits a winning target, he’s transferred to do it all over again in South Korea by the distinctly exploitative producer. Things get arguably even wilder after he’s allowed back into society, as he decides to use his new-found fame for good, helping out earthquake victims in his hometown of Fukushima. To further aid the city, he then decides to summit Everest, only to be hit by another earthquake; surviving the base camp avalanche to help out with rescue efforts. It’s a heartwarming conclusion to a tale that would have sent most people over the edge.
Opus
Ayo Edebiri is perfectly cast as a young features writer unexpectedly invited (alongside the brilliant Murray Bartlett as her editor) to an album launch retreat at the secretive compound of an ageing pop mega-star recluse, played by John Malkovich. That quizzical expression that became such a fixture of The Bear is put to good use as she tries to document the cultish goings on at the ranch. As seems to be something of a theme among these stylish A24 thrillers, what starts dazzling, quickly turns peculiar and then descends into deadly. The twist at the end is quite intriguing, but it does feel like this plot path has been well trodden.
Eternal Spring: The Heist of China’s Airwaves
This documentary tells the story of a high-stakes hijacking of state TV by the persecuted Buddhist group Falun Jong. Told via accounts from the survivors living outside China and beautifully animated recreations of the action and its fallout, I’m always fascinated to get glimpses of what really goes on behind the communist curtain - and certainly hadn’t realised it was such a big deal back in 2002.
Similar/honourable mention: The Librarians
As someone who watches John Oliver’s Last Week Tonight, the US library book banning wasn’t new to me, but this is nonetheless a very important doc for those that aren’t aware of the right wing coordination to get rid of any texts including black history, LGBTQ issues, discussion of sex and even more tangentially ‘anti-Christian values’.
Weapons
All the secrecy and hype around this film may have raised expectations a bit high - the fact a stingy git like me paid to rent it on Sky suggests I was caught up. It’s a solid suburban missing person case premise, shot sumptuously and well portrayed by the likes of Josh Brolin and young Hans Solo, which then starts getting weird about a third of the way in. As we move from the perspective of the teacher whose pupils have disappeared, to one of the parents, and on to the only kid in the class still around, we are introduced to his peculiar aunt. Her malign presence only gets more intense as the power of her spells are revealed, and while there are some nice action sequences and a few decent scares, it’s in the final third that the film lost me. Such suspense and intrigue really has to build to a satisfying conclusion/climax, but I felt somewhat shortchanged once the credits rolled.
Listers
An odd little birdwatching film available for free on YouTube where a couple of brothers decide - apparently on a stoned whim - to take on a ‘big year’ of trying to spot as many birds across America as possible. Their enthusiasm is infectious and they genuinely get hooked on birding, documenting the subculture with rigour, humour and surprisingly good production values. Much like anything these days, the addiction is accelerated via an app - in this case eBird - but as social media craves go, it’s pretty wholesome. I’m aware that this may come off as a hard sell, but if you’ve got a couple of hours to spare sometime, I promise you won’t regret devoting them to this.
Wake Up Dead Man
Rian Johnson’s latest twisty whodunnit is just as enjoyable as its predecessors, but with a bit of religion-versus-reason thrown in for good measure. The starry ensemble cast is excellent - but in danger of being outshone (often literally, with a recurring motif being the use of natural light streaming in to signify divine inspiration) by the young priest under suspicion, played by Josh O’Connor. Here’s to the Benoit Blanc franchise lasting as long as the likes of Poirot or Marple.
Flow
Easily the best children’s animation of the year, and it’s from a wee Estonian studio - and completely free of humans and their words. Instead we get a combination of The Life of Pi and Homeward Bound, as a cat is forced by flood into a boat with a capybara, golden retriever, ring-tailed lemur and a secretary bird. Their adventure is as beguiling as it is beautiful, easily on par with anything Pixar or Ghibli has produced. Even without, or perhaps because of the lack of, words, it’s engrossing to the end for kids and adults alike.
Mickey 17
The latest in the continued evolution of Robert Pattinson, alongside a bold move away from the Oscar-winning formula of Parasite’s Bong Joon Ho. This is a future where they’ve figured out how to reprint humans, but the ethical, moral and legal issues mean the superbly-douchey Mark Ruffalo failed politician has only been able to get away with doing it to help with the tasks that an ‘expendable’ crew member can aid a mission to a new planet with. Mickey, then, is up to his 17th form when an inhabitant creature saves him, rather than eating him. With another version created, drama ensues alongside 18, as the ‘multiples’ vie for survival, as well as defending the peaceful alien race. It’s got hints of Terry Gilliam in the freewheeling plot and sense of humour, which seem to have made it hard to pigeon-hole for some reviewers. But don’t take it too seriously and you’ll have a really good time; just like RPats seems to be doing.
No Other Land
The most worthy of this year’s Oscar winners by a long stretch. The tale of a Palestinian community in the occupied West Bank which has been resisting forced displacement after being designated a firing range for Israel’s military - it’s incredibly frustrating to watch, but at the same time, I think it’s important to bear witness to what’s going on there as well, even if it’s often overshadowed these days by the atrocities in Gaza. As usual, I still feel completely powerless to help in any meaningful way, but hopefully the more people that see the film - overcoming streaming and cinema bans - the more chance something can be done to halt the illegal land grabs.
Similar/honourable mention: What They Found
Sam Mendes’ rightfully sombre piecing together of footage filmed by two British soldiers that were among the first to liberate Belsen concentration camp. As you’d expect, a lot of what they found is really hard to look at, but again, I think it’s crucial to disseminate these factual accounts as widely as possible, to combat misinformation about the horrors of when ordinary people succumb to fascist regimes.
The Running Man
I've enjoyed pretty much everything Edgar Wright has directed, and this is no exception. His first remake is a bold choice, with many just about remembering a pretty cheesy piece of late eighties Arnie action, not realising that the story comes from a pretty bleak Stephen King story; which it appears this latest incarnation sticks to a bit more closely. That’s not to say this is a dark and dull modern take - no - this is maybe Wright’s crashiest, bashiest film yet, full of chases (obviously), fights, shootouts and pithy one-liners. It does a decent job of balancing between biting satire of American capitalism gone wild, and not taking things too seriously to maintain momentum. In that way, Glen Powell is an ideal leading man, capable of some pathos when required, but never far from a knowing smirk or exasperated look to the heavens.
House of Dynamite
Easily the most stressful film I’ve watched since Uncut Gems. I suppose it’s not surprising really, given the subject matter, but I wouldn’t describe the experience as enjoyable exactly. With Kathryn Bigelow at the helm, it’s all very professional-looking and, we have to assume - although of course the Pentagon denies - accurate to what might happen in such a situation. It goes without saying that the fact this is an entirely plausible chain of events is horrifying - giving nauseating detail to one of the many ways mutually assured destruction might transpire.
Sinners
Michael B Jordan as twins works really well and I liked how the VFX skill was established early with an impressive shot of them passing a cigarette back and forth without cutting away. The musical lineage scene in the juke joint is quite something too - a little bit of a jolt out of the period, but I’ll allow Ryan Coogler a directorial flourish when it looks this good. It’s certainly a new take on the rather tired vampire genre. Apparently the script took just two months to write, but it was informed by years of research into Mississippi Delta folklore and a love of the roots of Black and blues music. The result is a pretty straightforward story, but told with such passion and panache that it’s impossible not to be swept up. Following the Black Panther films it was hard to see how he was going to pull off another blockbuster, but Coogler has proved himself to be one of the finest filmmakers of his generation.
Similar/honourable mention: Highest 2 Lowest
Denzel and Spike seems like a great combination, but I’m really only including this in the list because I saw it last week and wanted to see if anyone else found the original soundtrack as offputting as I. Its persistently over-the-top melodrama really took me out of engaging with the movie - which is especially odd, given the story is all about music and the industry. It gets particularly bad during the two big action sequences, making the ransom money drop slow and underwhelming - as it continually cuts some auld Puerto Rican lad and his band - while the big chase scene gets a jaunty Irish number to mismatch its anticlimactic conclusion, as ASAP Rocky’s bravado is easily beaten out of him by a significantly older man. It’s not all bad, it’s just a bit off. I’m aware Lee has form for this kind of thing, but without a great composer, it just looks and sounds like a Hallmark movie.
A Real Pain
A surprisingly enjoyable buddy/cousin road movie to a concentration camp. Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg are two almost stereotypical American Jewish guys, one a neurotic introvert, the other a chaotic extrovert, sharing a trip to Europe to find out about their recently deceased, Holocaust-surviving, grandma. The bipolar swings and self-loathing are hard to watch at times, but it’s written and acted so well that the whole thing comes off as frequently funny and heartwarming; which is pretty impressive given the circumstances.
One Battle After Another
This film truly lived up to the almost exclusively positive coverage on the various places my finger scrolls. A man of equal parts weird and wonderful, this is definitely Paul Thomas Anderson’s most straightforwardly crowd-pleasing work yet: long, but well paced; thrilling action scenes, balanced with smart dialogue and genuine drama. It’s also a perfectly-timed blueprint of resistance against ICE and the fascists, while not being overtly preachy. I won’t ruin the shaggy dog story of a plot, but it centres around secretive groups on both the far left and right in America, helmed by two extremes of flawed masculinity in Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn’s characters, respectively, with excellent supporting turns from the likes of Benicio del Torro and Teyana Taylor. With seemingly so many movies recently featuring incredibly polished and capable spies and subversives, I felt a certain kinsman-ship with our protagonist blanking on long-forgotten revolutionary codes and generally scraping his way through extreme situations in the way that most normal folk would.