Posted by I have not been able to get to the cinema as much as I would have liked this year as life has been rather busy, a new job and a child one after the other. In cinema news Barbie and Oppenheimer had a little box office rivalry, dubbed Barbenheimer, which helped get bums on seats and rake in over $2.3B between them. Which is impressive given the glut of viewing options available, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Disney plus, Hulu, Now TV, Paramount Plus and Netflix to name but a few.
Aside from the satisfying conclusion to the Guardians Of The Galaxy trilogy, the marvel universe stuttered slightly – have people finally tired of the same film with a fresh lick of paint? Actors and writers went on strike in America over the summer and autumn, over pay, rights and AI, which delayed several things. At the Oscars earlier this year, the sublime Everything Everywhere All at Once swept the board winning 7 awards – including best picture, director and actress. Amongst other winners that night was Guillermo Del Torro’s beautiful, charming and dark Pinocchio winning best animated feature. No one got slapped this year as well, which is a bonus.
Out of the films I did see, here are my top ten. Aside from repeats of Bullseye I managed to watch a fair bit of TV this year as well, so below are a few of my faves.
5. Talk To Me –
Australian horror film Talk To Me is the directorial debut of YouTubers Danny and Michael Philippou. It follows a group of foolish teens who stumble upon a supernatural hand that lets them contact the spirits of the dead, first there are larks aplenty then things get deadly. This is an engrossingly dark and freaky film that, similar to Hereditary, gets creepier and creepier until it suddenly turns. It is a tad predictable but bloody enjoyable.
4. Cocaine Bear –
By the title alone you know what you are in for. The year is 1985 and a black bear deep in an American national park stumbles across some cocaine dumped by drug smugglers. The bear quaffs a fair amount and develops a taste for it and hilarious carnage ensues. Stuffed with gore, subplots and laughs galore, Cocaine Bear is a B movie comedy horror that does not take itself too seriously and is all the better for it.
3. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar –
Directed by Wes Anderson, and carrying all his hallmarks, is The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar – short film based on a Roald Dahl short story of the same name. After hearing the story of Imdad Khan (Ben Kingsley) and his ability to see with his eyes closed, Henry Sugar (Benedict Cumberbatch) learns this skill so he can cheat at cards. It is a colourful, whimsical and utterly charming fable that is beautifully told and acted – by the aforementioned as well as Dev Patel, Ralph Fiennes and Richard Ayoade.
2. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One –
27 years and seven films later Mission Impossible gets better and better. Christopher McQuarrie returned to direct Dead Reckoning Part One which, bland AI mcguffin plot aside, is a fantastic action film with tricks, fights, chases and stunts that will leave you on the edge of your seat and desperate for part two. It is the perfect rollercoaster ride tailor made for the big screen, and proof that no one does blockbusters like Tom Cruise.
1. Oppenheimer
Following on from the twisty, turny Sci Fi spy thriller Tenet is Oppenheimer, a tense thriller about the father of the atomic bomb Robert J. Oppenheimer, his life, how he made the bomb and the consequences of it. With a three hour run time and huge ensemble cast – Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh and Robert Downey Jr. amongst the cream of the crop – Oppenheimer is a tense, visually impressive, thriller with a sombre atmosphere that takes a close look at the man and his deadly creation.
Occupying places six to ten are Leave The World Behind – an apocalyptic thriller with a great cast directed by Sam Esmail and based on a book of the same name by Rumaan Alam. It plays out like a mix between Hitchcock and War of the Worlds, creating an oppressive sense of unease and forthcoming disaster. A Haunting In Venice, Guardians of the Galaxy 3.
How To Blow Up A Pipeline – A slow burning global warming thriller about a bunch of environmental activists wreaking havoc on an oil pipeline. It provides an intriguing look into the motives and the people involved in eco terrorism, and ramps up the suspense along the way. And The Swan – another charming Wes Anderson retelling of a Roald Dahl short story, lovingly created and a joy to watch.
Out of the TV shows I watched if you are after a cosy, Agatha Christie style whodunnit to watch on lazy Sundays then look no further than Magpie Murders. Also on the BBC was The Gold, a cracking show based on the Brink’s Mat gold robbery of 1983 – it is that rare breed of crime drama where you end up cheering for the bad guys, one of which is charmingly played by Jack Lowden. If you are after comedy the Australian Colin From Accounts offers up laughs aplenty, and does so without pretense or preaching. If you like your comedy to be slightly manic then go for Beef on Netflix, it is an exhilarating sitcom which escalates at an impressive rate. Not forgetting House of the Dragon, an entertaining prequel to Game of Thrones stuffed with the expected level of backstabbing, scheming, political manoeuvrings and enough blood and guts to make Tarantino blush. An addiction of mine is Netflix’s Drive To Survive, showcasing the drama, bitchiness and skulduggery of Formula 1 – it is Eastenders for F1 fans and I am all for it.
Lofty Music and Film 