Monday 23 December 2019

Watch List 2019


This year, I keep saying it, has been an odd one for films, especially at the festivals. There has been notable ends to massive franchises, Avengers and now Star Wars, as well as some fantastic stories with women front and centre as well as films by women getting the praise they deserve. These are my films of the year, usually picked from what I've written about each month, but we all know I lapsed towards the end. I have included films from festivals as they were brilliant and I think count as a release in the UK. If you're wondering where Jojo Rabbit and Portrait of a Woman on Fire is, they come out next year so I'm afraid won't be included in this year.

This one crept up and made a huge impact on all comic book fans. Its the best comic book film I've seen, maybe even better than my beloved Guardians of the Galaxy. This Spider-Man film not only manages to side step some of the terrible films that came out, it even pokes fun at them. The fact that there are multiple universes and each one there is a Spider-Person must mean that there are multiple versions of all the Marvel characters. In this film, this is Miles' time to shine. The film introduces a new Spider-Man, passes the baton, gives him a worthy story to work with, gives him THE best mentor a would be hero could ask (Peter B. Parker perfectly cast/voiced by Jake Johnson) for AND even has time to introduce 4 other great Spider characters from multiple universes AND bring villain King Pin back to his original place, fighting Spidey as well make Dr Oct a woman voiced by the amazing Kathryn Hahn, literally all my dreams came true with this film. Story and characters aside, the film is brilliantly animated, making it look like a comic literally came to life, with the voiceover, speech bubbles, the black lines of the panels. This film is so brilliantly constructed, it shows up all the previous efforts, this film is pure comic book heart.
 
I first saw the trailer late at night while clicking through various posts and immediately regretted and was excited by it. Using a classic hip hop song to lure you in to the hellscape that await you - genius. A simple story at the core of the film, a family goes on vacation to the beach and are then terrorised by their distorted doubles, leaves so much room for the bigger issues being explored. Appreciating every aspect of the film and how much actual detail in the film is actually enjoyable, inbetween stuffing my mouth with my jacket to stop me yelling out in fear of course. The fact that Jordan Peele's horror film(s) are grounded in the horrific nature of human beings mkaes the horror feel much closer to home, even if a little bit of sci-fi is used to enhance the premise. With creepy twists and turns throughout as well as forehsadowing galore, its much more than I expected.

 So much has been said about Claire Denis' science fiction slightly horror toned drama where Robert Pattinson looks after a baby, at least that's putting it lightly. Death row inmates are given the chance to serve science by journeying into space to extract energy from a black hole. Aboard this particular ship is Dr Dibs, who is obsessed with making babies. She collectes sperm from the willing male inmates and tries to impregnate the female inmates. There is also the terrifyingly shot 'fuck box' which the crew uses to masturbate, all except Monte, nicknamed, the monk. Existence on the ship shifts from sedative induced nights to bleak days, some of the crew finds solace in the ship's garden, others stare into the vast space around them. The mystery unfolds of how Monte comes to be the only crew member left, plus a baby to care for but the true myteries are left unanswered. Such as why were they sent there, what crimes brought them to the ship (only two inmates' backgrounds are revealed) and are there more ships apart from the one with stray dogs? It's a science fiction peice of art that you can dwell on for days. Horror, is other people and the feeling that you're not in control seeps into the cracks of the ship and story and never really leaves you, as well as that damn 'fuck box'.

 An ode to being in the 8th Grade or in the UK, I think this is first year of secondary school. Captures exactly how it feels to be this age. I wrote all about how much I loved this film and everything its about HERE

Is it an origin story or is a slow burn thriller into the dark and dirty depressing side of comedy? Well maybe both. Its the film that caused the biggest discourse of the year. I wrote a long post on this one, so brace yourself, especially if you didn't like the film. Read it HERE

A brilliantly scripted story about two best friends and one night where they want to prove they are fun as well as smart. My post about the film is HERE.

This was my favourite film from EIFF and its about a woman who really can't be bothered to 'grow up', its superb. Really hoping this still gets a release in the UK. My review is over at VultureHound HERE.

Pedro Almodovar is back and he's back not with a vengence or comedy or thriller but a story very close to his heart, or at least it feels that way. Full review is over at Vulturehound HERE.



Jean Dujardin is Georges. He is obessesed with his deerskin jacket. What if his jacket was the only one in the world? Armed with a video camera, a plastic poncho and a ceiling fan blade, he can make that dream come true. The full review is over at Vulturehound and can be read HERE.


Two best friends, one writer, one party connoisseur, live in Dublin drinking their way through life, until one starts to look at their live without the ‘fun’ filter. I wrote more about the film HERE.

Based the novel 'The Sopranos' taking us back to the 90s, a group of friends are let loose on the streets of Edinburgh before a school choir competition, all with similar things in mind, booze, boys and having fun. My full review can be read HERE on Zavvi.