I want to preface this post with this – as much as a loved all the films below, each one was flawed and it has generally been an incredibly underwhelming year for cinema; I’d go as far as to say the worst year this century so far. This decade continues to prove that better writing, directing and acting is on the small screen, as much as that pains me to say. Even the films given the highest rankings on my list pale in comparison to say ‘Parasite’ (2020), ‘Moonlight’ (2017) or ‘There Will Be Blood’ (2007), for example. That said, a lot of the films that are being raved about – ‘Poor Things’, ‘American Fiction’, ‘Zone of Interest’ – have all been given delayed releases in the UK, mostly January 2024, so perhaps it’s unfair to say no masterpieces have been released this year. Time will tell.
As always, I’d encourage everyone to vote with their feet and get to the cinema to support films; failing that please make the effort to pay to view smaller releases, as piracy, big-budget releases and general apathy across the internet toward paying for content is making it near-impossible for film to survive.
Like every year, what you see below is what I’ve seen or heard this year, so there may be a couple of pieces from 2022 in there. But first, I want to start with new discoveries from the past. These were all first time watches for me – I love a good deep dive – and I have to say the best films I have seen this year have not been from this year, but mostly the previous century.
FILM DISCOVERIES
1. Streetwise (1984)
2. Angst (1983)
3. Mikey & Nicky (1976)
4. Cure (1997)
5. Deep End (1970)
6. Days of Wine and Roses (1962)
7. Joint Security Area (2000)
8. Maniac Cop 2 (1990)
9. Pickup on South Street (1953)
10. Miracle Mile (1988)
And back to this year…
FILM
1. The Eight Mountains
2. Return to Seoul
3. Killers of the Flower Moon
4. Oppenheimer
5. Dream Scenario
6. Anatomy of a Fall
7. The Plains
8. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
9. The Killer
10. Past Lives
Honourable Mentions
Babylon, The Creator, The Beasts, How to Blow Up a Pipeline, Broker, Master Gardener, EO, Smile, The Diamond (short), Godland
Overrated
Barbie, Pearl, Passages, How to Have Sex, Maestro, Bottoms, Empire of Light, To Leslie, Beau is Afraid, Infinity Pool, Asteroid City, Creed iii, Mission Impossible, May December
TV
1. Succession
2. The Bear
3. Barry
4. Mr Inbetween
5. Poker Face
6. How to with John Wilson
7. Beef
8. The Curse
9. Jury Duty
10. Painting with John
Honourable Mentions
Fleishman is in Trouble, Drops of God, Rick and Morty, The Last of Us, Ted Lasso, Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Overrated
Black Mirror, Schmigadoon, Our Flag Means Death, Fargo
MUSIC (Albums)
1. Slowdive – Everything is Alive
2. The Waeve – The Waeve
3. Yves Tumor – Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume
4. Boygenius – The Record
5. Youth Lagoon – Heaven is a Junkyard
6. Lana Del Rey – Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
7. Mitski – The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
8. Sufjan Stevens – Javelin
9. Caroline Polachek – Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
10. Animal collective – Isn’t it Now?
Honourable Mentions
bdrmm, Anonhi, Lonnie Holley, Drop Nineteens, The Clientele. Wilco, Protomartyr, Fever Ray, Jonathan Bree, Yo La Tengo, PJ Harvey, Blonde Redhead, King Krule, Jeff Rosenstock
Overrated
Maneskin, Troye Sivan, Pink Pantheress and Ice Spice, Olivia Rodrigo
MUSIC (Singles)
1. Youth Lagoon – Prizefighter
2. Boygenius – Not Strong Enough
3. Sufjan Stevens – Will Anybody Ever Love Me?
4. Lana Del Rey – A&W
5. Protomartyr – Elimination Dances
6. The Waeve – Can I call You
7. Lonnie Holley ft. Sharon van Etten – None Of Us Have But A Little While
8. Slowdive – Kisses
9. Mitski – My Love Mine All Mine
10. Daniel Norgren – As Long as We Last