As I recently posted on social media, I don’t think we’ve really had a single film that can go toe to toe with the best of all time since maybe 2020. ‘Parasite’ was an out and out masterpiece and it still holds up. Looking back through previous end of year lists, while there’s been many a great and enjoyable film, it does appear we’re in a time of diminishing returns. That isn’t to say the films listed below aren’t worth our time, aren’t entertaining or really well executed – there’s many I have and will go back to time and again – it just seems like the idea of a “classic”, something of resounding quality and originality has been lost and is infrequent over the past decade, since the rise of streaming and the slow shrinking of the cinema-going experience, leaving us with films that don’t feel timeless in the same way anymore. One film, yet to be released in the UK this year appears to be cutting close on the grand scale and quality front though and that is ‘The Brutalist’. Will a mainstream audience watch it though? Most likely not. But that’s definitely one to keep an eye out for next year.
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 films 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 2023 in there. But first, I want to continue with something I started last year – new discoveries from the past. These were all first time watches for me and there were some great surprises in there I hope you take the time to check out too.
FILM DISCOVERIES
1. Charley Varrick (1973)
2. Jesus’ Son (1999)
3. State of Grace (1990)
4. Crossing Delancey (1988)
5. Cisco Pike (1971)
6. Another Woman (1988)
7. Comrades: Almost a Love Story (1996)
8. Passion Fish (1992)
9. One Armed Boxer (1971)
10. The Sunshine Limited (2011)
And back to this year…
FILM
1. All of Us Strangers
2. Challengers
3. Love Lies Bleeding
4. The Holdovers
5. Poor Things
6. La Chimera
7. Perfect Days
8. Sometimes I Think About Dying
9. Anora
10. The Iron Claw
Honourable Mentions
Furiosa, Kneecap, A Different Man, Snack Shack, Disco Boy, Between the Temples, American Fiction, My Old Ass, Tuesday, Last Stop in Yuma County, Made in England
Overrated
Trap, The Substance, Megalopolis, Queer, Anyone But You, Late Night with the Devil, Civil War, Back to Black, Hoard, Fall Guy, Hit Man
TV
1. Curb Your Enthusiasm
2. Baby Reindeer
3. Ripley
4. After the Party
5. The Bear
6. Tokyo Vice
7. Industry
8. Inside No.9
9. Families Like Ours
10. The Sympathizer
Honourable Mentions
Masters of the Air, One Day, Fantasmas, Landman, Sugar, We Might Regret This, Hundred years of solitude, Expats, Wiseguy
Overrated
True Detective, Shogun, Only Murders in the Building, Rivals, Kaos
MUSIC (Albums)
1. The Smile – Cutouts
2. Vampire Weekend – Only God Was Above Us
3. Friko – Where we’ve Been…
4. Sleater Kinney – Little Rope
5. Nick Cave – Wild God
6. Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
7. The Hard Quartet – The Hard Quartet
8. Fontaines DC – Romance
9. St Vincent – All Born Screaming
10. Cindy Lee – Diamond Jubilee
Honourable Mentions
Mk.Gee, Marika Hackman, The Decemberists, Elias Ronnenfelt, The Waeve, Idles, Primal Scream, Adult Jazz, Mannequin Pussy, Dirty Three, English Teacher, Pond, Mount Kimbie, Deadletter
Overrated
Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Charli XCX, Adrianne Lenker, Billie Eilish, Waxahatchee, Beyonce
MUSIC (Singles)
1. The Classical – Vampire Weekend
2. Screamland – Father John Misty
3. Friend of a Friend – The Smile
4. No Caffeine – Marika Hackman
5. Floating on a Moment – Beth Gibbons
6. In the Modern world – Fontaines DC
7. Hell – Sleater Kinney
8. I Don’t Know You – Mannequin Pussy
9. Panda Bear – Defense
10. Jessica Pratt – Life Is