1. The Personal History Of David Copperfield (AKA ‘The Life of Dev Patel III: Victorian Dev’) – This adaptation of the Dickens classic charts the changing fortunes of its eponymous hero, as well as those of the colourful characters he meets along the way. Armando Ianucci brings his signature naturalistic dialogue to the classic story, plus spot-on colour-blind casting and minus his usual unpleasantness. Particular praise goes to lead actor Dev Patel and to Christopher Willis’s gorgeous soundtrack. And, of course, Charles Dickens.
2. 1917 (AKA ‘George McKay Goes Forth’) – Two British soldiers in the First World War must face the dangers of No Man’s Land to stop a doomed attack and save the lives of sixteen hundred men. There’s nothing quite like an immersive experience. With the help of omnipotent cinematographer Roger Deakins, director Sam Mendes enters the Great Hollywood Long-Take Battle and beats Alfonso Cuaron and Alejandro G. Innaritu at their own game. Credit to Thomas Newman for the pulse-pounding score and Krysty Wilson-Cairns for a screenplay that develops character through action more than dialogue.
3. Parasite (AKA ‘A Sweet, Collaborative Family Project’) – The working class Kim family will do whatever it takes to find lucrative employment with the wealthy Parks, even if it kills them. There’s something of a Shakespearean tragedy to this that I really like. Sympathetic antiheros, dark farcical comedy and a suitably bloody conclusion make this one of Bong Joon-ho’s more coherent pieces of social commentary.
4. Atlantics (AKA ‘What Happens When You Don’t Pay Your Employees’) – Ada’s happiness if threatened when her lover, Souleiman attempts to flee Senegal by boat. This starts out as a slow-paced mood piece, then changes gear halfway through as it becomes a crime film with undertones of soft-horror. It looks gorgeous and sounds even better, with a haunting score and effective use of the natural sound of the sea, wind and other elements.
5. His House (AKA ‘Walls… I Scream’) – A Sudanese couple seek refuge in the UK, but are unable to escape the horror they left behind. It’s a tried and tested horror formula: a strained family unit try to come to terms with shared trauma against the backdrop of an important social issue. But it’s really well executed. The understated tone left me unprepared for the brazenly nightmarish imagery.
6. A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood (AKA ‘Man Feelings’) – A troubled journalist is asked to write a profile on wholesome children’s television presenter Fred Rogers. There’s not much to say about this one. A sweet, sometimes surreal, tearjerker about facing up to your trauma and dealing with your emotions. Very nice.
7. Uncut Gems (AKA ‘Camera Enters Sandman’) – A New York jeweller and compulsive gambler takes a series of increasingly dangerous risks. This doesn’t build tension so much as it is tension, throughout. The only drawback is that Adam Sandler’s Howie is so unlikeable that I didn’t care what happened to him, unlike in the Safdie brother’s more morally ambiguous film Good Time. Still, a great ensemble cast and skilled sound mixing make this a uniquely gripping experience.
8. Marriage Story (AKA ‘Divorce Me, You Meaty Oak Tree!’) – A couple fight an increasingly hostile custody battle for their child during their divorce proceedings. This would be an amazing play. Acting and writing are all spot on, evoking the relatable nuances of a fraught relationship as well as illuminating the farcical process of divorce. But the potential that film offers as a medium is underused, besides some nice colour grading.
9. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (AKA ‘I Miss Theatres’) – A 1920’s Chicago blues band embark on a tumultuous recording session. This has all the strengths and weaknesses of a play. The spectacle of cinema is done away with in order to spotlight the many dialogues and monologues in a way that feels unnatural for a film. But the source material is excellent and the cast definitely do it justice.
10. Tenet (AKA ‘Taco Cat’) – A mercenary known only as ‘The Protagonist’ gets caught up with time travel, a Russian oligarch and the threat of Armageddon when he joins the mysterious ‘Tenet’ organisation. This is way too long and the endless, inaudible exposition gets dull very quickly but the inventive and heart-racing action sequences more or less make up for that. The male actors all play their roles with charisma while Elizabeth Debicki is left to do the emotional heavy lifting.
11. Dolemite Is My Name (‘AKA And F***ing Up Motherf***ers Is My Game’) – Standup comedian Rudy Ray Moore crafts his comic persona, Dolemite. Though this is a little formulaic in its adherence to the standard biopic structure, it surpasses the likes of ‘Nowhere Boy’, ‘Walk The Line’ or ‘Good Vibrations’ by having a protagonist who isn’t a total arsehole. And if you’re going to recreate the aesthetic of a film genre, Blaxploitation is at least at lot of fun.
12. Jojo Rabbit (AKA ‘Moonreich Kingdom) – An enthusiastic Hitler Youth member reconsiders his beliefs when he discovers a Jewish girl living in his house. If you go into this expecting to see the film that will single-handedly end global fascism, prepare for disappointment. What you really get is a sweet and funny coming of age story in a mildly controversial setting.
13. Saint Maud (AKA ‘I’m Walking On Thumb Tacks Oh-oh’) – A hospice nurse and recent Christian convert, believes she must save the soul of her terminally ill patient. I never say this, but Saint Maud could have been longer. The first seventy minutes go for slow building tension but that leaves the last half hour with not enough time to bring things to a head. The creepy atmosphere is carried by the music and visuals more than the understated performance of the two leads.
14. Uncorked (AKA ‘Billy Sommeliot’) – A young man from Memphis dreams of leaving his parents’ barbeque restaurant to become a sommelier. This just kinda follows the formula of ‘young working class guy wants to do something his parents don’t approve of’. It’s competently made but not really imaginative and wastes the opportunity for some great food porn.
15. Eurovision Song Contest – The Story Of Fire Saga (AKA ‘I Went And Watched ‘Atlantics’ Instead’) – An Icelandic singing duo realise their lifelong dream of competing in the Eurovision Song Contest. If I were a professional critic I would never review a film that I’d stopped watching after 30 minutes. But I’m not, so here it is in last place.
