I got a Curzon subscription this year, which in effect meant I could go to the cinema as much as I wanted without thinking about the cost. This was an excellent decision, and meant I saw much more than normal. Of the 72 films I saw, here are my favourites.
New releases
Best of the year for me is a tie between three films. Challengers was an absolute riot — I watched it twice in cinemas, and I’ve not stopped thinking about that incredible final scene since. Megalopolis is equally seared into my brain — a truly one-of-a-kind spectacle, a rare example these days of a single artist’s unadulterated and uncompromising vision. And Twisters in 4DX was a proper Going To The Movies experience: at the time, I called it “the experience of a lifetime”, and I stand by that six months later.
From the more conventional “best films” lists, Zone of Interest was probably the best — a truly sickening watch. The Holdovers was the kind of film I normally hate, but I enjoyed it very much. Poor Things was pretty good. And Civil War was, as I’ve said before, a much more politically interesting film than people gave it credit for. And I enjoyed Dune: Part Two a lot at the time, but it’s not stuck with me the way the first one did. Perhaps I’m due another rewatch.
Also enjoyed: Anora, All We Imagine As Light, Perfect Days, How To Have Sex, The Iron Claw, Monster, Hoard, La Chimera, Hit Man, Kinds of Kindness, September Says, Crocodile Tears, Santosh, Queer
Underwhelmed: The Boy and the Heron, Fungi: Web of Life, American Fiction, Evil Does Not Exist, Love Lies Bleeding, Furiosa, The Beast, Sleep, The Substance, Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass, Endurance, The Wolves Always Come At Night, Architecton, Small Things Like These, Conclave, Wicked
New to me
I watched lots of excellent older films last year, too. The standout was probably The Red Shoes, which is a truly incredible film. Cléo from 5 to 7, Paris, Texas, and Days of Heaven are all wonderful, too. On the horror side, I very much enjoyed Psycho, Carrie, and The Wicker Man. Rear Window and Blue Velvet, too. Hoop Dreams is one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen. And Past Lives was a great new-old movie.
Also enjoyed: The Witch, Jodorowsky’s Dune, The Searchers, The Funhouse, Room 666, Mad Max 2, Vermeer: The Greatest Exhibition, Mishima, Nosferatu, Hero, Smoke Sauna Sisterhood
Underwhelmed: Galliano: High and Low, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Artificial Intelligence, Eraserhead
Rewatches
I was lucky enough to rewatch 2001: A Space Odyssey, Dune: Part One, and Interstellar at the BFI IMAX this year. All were excellent, obviously. At home, I enjoyed rewatching Four Lions, The Terminator, and Hereditary. Not so much The Phantom Menace or I, Robot, though.
Essayant 