As we conclude this month, civilisation is still just about standing. Britain has left the European Union, although the Corona Virus will make sure to keep news anchors busy over the coming weeks. In the meantime, all this Brexit fatigue has kept me busy trying to watch films. This month’s selection of twenty (Yep, that seems like way too many now) include cult classic films and modern masterpieces from the innocent adventures of a marmalade loving bear to a scene which made one look over their shoulder while showering since. There weren’t any rubbish films this month and be sure to read to the bottom to get my top 5 picks. (I have also given out star ratings for each one).

[N] – Netflix, [P] – Prime [B] – BBC IPlayer

January started with a bit of a world tour. Having seen Obama’s list of films for 2019 and agreeing with most of the ones I’d seen, I decided to tick off one I hadn’t. So my year started in Senegal via Netflix to watch Atlantics (3.5*) [N], a film about migrants trying to escape to Europe leaving their girlfriends behind grieving. The film turns from mourning to zombies and to romance. It works better than it should.

After that I went to America to see We The Animals (4.5*) again, and it’s as fantastic as when I watched it first time as a critique of masculinity. I then went to the darkest corner of the planet. Norwich provided a fun feel good film in Fighting With My Family (4*) [N]. You were guaranteed every cliche in the book, but that didn’t stop the film being as fun and heart felt as it was.

Only then did I return to America’s famous mountain park to see some awful farming practices in Brokeback Mountain (4.5*). While the farming economist within felt deeply uneasy about how the sheep were left in the storm and mixed with the Chilean sheep, the love story was tender and human with two great leads (although the story did drag a bit in some places).

Almost a week into the year did I venture on my first cinema trip and I kicked off with Nazi-Austria comedy JoJo Rabbit (3*), a film with plenty of funny moments although the heartfelt moments didn’t blow me away. (Review: Jojo Rabbit)

By the time I watched Japanese film Our Little Sister (4*) [B], I’d almost ticked off every continent within ten days. This japanese film in which three older sisters agree to look after their little sister after their estranged father dies brilliantly considers the idea of family and mourning. It looks and sounds beautiful, although the last 20 minutes does drag.

I could only follow this up with a trip through time to The Terminator (4*). Its tense action, 80s cliche, great dialogue and naked Arnie are probably some of the reasons it remains a classic. “I’ll be back” and “Come with me if you want to live” transcend time, although the effects aged by the end and it was a clear rip off of Shawn the Sheep: A Close Shave.

I watched a similar film the next day. which Sally Hawkins rather loves a South American creature and works out how to liberate it before an aquatic climatic scene. But that’s enough about Paddington 2 (4.5*) [P] which really was a laugh inducing endearing sweet film.

For the weekend I decided to take a trip through time, starting in 1953 with Tokyo Story (3.5*) which shows how to make a great understated film looking at the role of family and a busy youth. It hasn’t aged brilliantly. However it did give me flashes of Still Walking and Roma, both films I’ll admit I enjoyed more. A 1945 Lancashire train station played host to David Lean’s Brief Encounter (5*), a film which aged fantastically. The love story is immediately invested in as two leads give a fantastic performance in a smart layered piece.

If Brief Encounter was brief, then So Long My Son (3.5*) definitely wasn’t at 3hr 6min. The Chinese film was long and emotionally very heavy. While it was well made and acted, it wasn’t always done so with an audience in mind. (Review: So Long My Son) This was a rather busy week, so by Friday I was exhausted (not just because of the film), which meant an easy cult classic was in order. Enter The Breakfast Club (3*), a surprisingly competent and deep character study. Every cliche was in the book but it wasn’t a shabby effort.

As it’s cinema season, I decided to hit up two films in a weekend. Firstly I watched Waves (4.5*) a brilliantly experimental piece using sight, sound and camera in weird and wonderful ways to tell a great story. It got a lot more right than wrong and its first half really represented everything I wanted Joker to be. (Review: Waves)

Uncut Gems (4*) [N] had a lot to beat and for what it was, it did a decent effort. The good Adam Sandler film has just been released on Netflix and the high octane ride following a greedy Jewell dealer through his awful decisions in an oddball heist movie worked. The use of dialogue means this could easily become a cult film in years to come like Pulp Fiction (although not as good).

Then people wanted to meet me, so the movies dried up. However one Thursday night provided the opportunity to catch Guys and Dolls (3*) before it came off iPlayer. I generally find musicals a bit hit and miss. While I think Singin’ in The Rain is one of the all time great films, I have disdain for West Side Story. Guys and Dolls did drag by the end and the music was forgettable, however Sky and Sister Brown’s chemistry was electric and great to see. It was also fun to see him singing and dancing before he made offers you couldn’t refuse and lost his mind in the Vietnamese jungle.

I then decided to spend the weekend at home, where one feels films may be limited. However, this was not the case as I sat down and watched Coco (4*) with my sister. It looked and sounded great and had every Disney trope, although probably would’ve been better to see in the cinema. The next day, we saw a film which will be miles better in the cinema. 1917 (4.5*) is a masterpiece in cinematography with its one shot style really showing how bad the war was. (Review 1917)

My last cinema trip on the month saw me try a different film in Weathering With You (4*). An anime film about a boy falling in love with a girl who can make the sun appear was sweet if a little odd. I liked it when I saw it and the film has remained in my head since. (Review: Weathering With You)

I finally ended the month with Hitchcock’s Psycho (4*). Going into it, I only knew the shower scene and the big twist. The shower didn’t ruin it too much, but the twist did a bit. The film was still fantastic at driving up the tension.

So what is the film of the month?