Tag: Movie

There are just no good films anymore

I hate that statement reader. I disagree with it hugely. I could talk about fifty good films that are out, but shall limit myself. In a scene which is dominated by an increasingly creatively bankrupt Hollywood, it’s important to realise that for every boring blockbuster, there are ten films which are created purely out of love of the medium and not every one is a winner, but so many are.

This list reflects my top thirty films of the year reader and before you continue, I must ask you not to abuse this list. Don’t just flick down to the films you recognise. Sure do that, but also look at the films you don’t. Most are streaming. Read them, watch the trailers, consider what you’d find interesting and watch them. I can’t promise you’ll like all thirty, but there should be one you will like. Take a chance on them, I hope you’ll find it rewarding.

Of course it goes without saying that there are great films which didn’t make this list. I could name another twenty or thirty films I saw which could have easily been found on here, but alas the decision was made. (Note I count the year as Boxing Day 23-Christmas 24, UK releases. Full ranking: https://letterboxd.com/thefilmramble/list/2024-ranked/)

30) Kensuke’s Kingdom

A fairly underappreciated animation film, Kensuke’s Kingdom is a retelling of Michael Morpurgo’s famous book about a boy who finds himself trapped on a desert island with his dog and the titular Kensuke, an old Japanese man who has taken to protecting the rainforest. Beautiful in its almost storybook like animation, and quietly moving with Kensuke’s character, it’s a really sweet family film to kick off this list.

29) Ama Gloria

George from work’s film of the year and the shortest movie on this list, Ama Gloria is a movie about a girl called Cleo and her relationship with her nanny Gloria. With Gloria needing to return to Cape Verde to help her children, she invites Cleo to join her for the summer. There Cleo meets Gloria’s pregnant daughter and her young son who is resentful of Cleo for having stolen his mother. A sweet, empathetic and simple movie, Ama Gloria really is an emotional powerhouse with a phenomenal lead performance from young Louise Mauroy-Panzani.

Ama Gloria is streaming on BFI Player

28) Anora

The winner of the Palme D’or in Cannes and a current front runner to win best picture as far as the bookies are concerned, it’s a testament to how good movies have been this year that this movie is coming up so early in this blog. An absolute crowd pleaser, Sean Baker’s new movie introduces us to Ani who is a sex worker who meets, falls in love with and marries the son of a Russian Billionaire tycoon , Vanya. When his family turn up to try and force an annulment, all chaos breaks loose in this comedic caper. Baker switches what would be real tension for comedy up to 11 and Mikey Maddison brings this in droves as the lead actress. A fun and pretty easy watch.

Anora is currently in cinemas

27) His Three Daughters

Far more of a stage play in its format, His Three Daughters kind of came and went without much fanfare, which is a shame because it was such an emotive and well acted movie. Three sisters come to spend their father’s final few days with him. Their relationships are strained, especially Carrie Coon’s uptight but absent Katie and Natashia Lyonne’s seemingly delinquent Rachel. As the movie carries on, we learn more about all the characters which challenges our early judgements and we watch these three talk through their differences. Well acted and with a really tight script, this movie is accessible and worth a watch.

His Three Daughters is streaming on Netflix

26) The Book of Clarence

In terms of bat shit crazy comedies, The Book of Clarence is at a solid #2 this year. Jeymes Samuel’s second film has LaKeith Stansfield playing Clarence, a swindler who always finds himself in trouble trying to pay off his debts. When Jesus comes to Rome with his desciples, Clarence decides he should do what Jesus does as a fellow fraudster in order to make power and money. Soon he has a set of followers and attracts the not so positive attention of Rome at the same time as Jesus. A religious satire, this movie has a good bite and easily passes the six laugh test. As always, comedy is subjective, but I liked it and this is my list.

The Book of Clarence is streaming on Now Cinema (Also Available to rent online)

25) Emilia Perez

Another potential awards contender, and with best picture odds at 12/1 this is the one I’d stick a fiver on winning the best picture, Emilia Perez was a lot of things. A crime musical in which the cartel leader transitions to a woman, before trying to redeem her past crimes and also be close to her kids and wife who don’t recognise her, this movie could easily be accused of being messy. However, I found it a really entertaining romp, with catchy musical numbers, entertaining set pieces, engaging melodrama and some fantastic lead performances from Karla Sofia Gascon, Zoe Saldana and Selena Gomez. There is a lot going on, but this movie has so much energy that it transports you along, once it gets going.

Emilia Perez is streaming on Netflix

24) Robot Dreams

The sort of film to make you go “Wow, there won’t be a better animated movie about a robot befriending an animal”. A silent animated movie, Robot Dreams is about a lonely dog who buys a robot friend. He gives the dog a lust for life, and all is grand until one day, Robot gets water in his circuits and is stuck on the beach for the winter. The movie then sees them try and re-unite while getting a brutal understanding of the world around them. The movie looks and sounds beautiful, and is made with such great heart that it keeps you smiling and caring for the characters throughout. It also has the best needle drop of the year, with a late “Earth Wind and Fire” scene.

Robot Dreams is streaming on MUBI

23) Daughters

Having really shorted documentaries in my last year list, I’m glad to be able to put a couple in this years’. It’s a testament to the power of Daughters that it had me crying while watching on my phone on the train. A group of incarcerated fathers start in a group therapy workshop in the lead up to a daddy-daughter dance. You hear their stories and see that the penal system has hurt their relationships. You also meet the daughters who all have different feelings about their fathers and their lives in general. It’s affecting stuff which leads to the emotional tipping point of the dance itself. A beautiful movie which shows a pure humanity.

Daughters is streaming on Netflix

22) Kneecap

Both Matt and James at works’ favourite movie of the year, Kneecap is the sort of film which made me realise I couldn’t just do a top 20, because it’s actually pretty damn good. Based on a true story, a couple of Irish speaking lads are getting in trouble with the brits in the 2010’s and following the arrest of one of them, their translator who is also a music teacher sees one of their lyrics, and encourages the three of them to create a rap group. With the members of Kneecap starring, this movie is just fun. It’s enjoyable, with a huge advocacy towards promoting native language. The acting at times is moving, and there is a strong sense of style and place. As an 18 rated movie, it’s not a family affair with its heavy drug use, but it’s the sort of movie that both you and your dad will enjoy.

Kneecap is streaming on Prime Video

21) Society of the Snow

Controversy alert, this is technically a 2023 movie, but as it came out during the amnesty period, it’s part of this years list. Another true story, SotS is about a rugby team in a plane crash in the Andes. Over the course of weeks and months, they aren’t found so have to learn to survive in the harshest environment. Well shot and acted, it can be tough to keep up with who is who, but it is an engrossing, inspiring and interesting movie.

Society of the Snow is streaming on Netflix

20) The Promised Land

When I was studying the money and banking side of economics at university, I hated it. It was dull. Wall Street wasn’t for me. When I had an exam, I actually learnt most of it through watching the Big Short. These days, I specialise in farms. Shamefully, I must say I referred to my watching of The Promised Land to attempt to sound like an expert in my day job. A Danish film starring Mads Mikkelsen (that one Danish actor you know), he plays Ludvig Kahlen, a poor officer who starts a farm in the worst conditions growing potatoes. He falls in love, tries to adopt a child and finds himself running in against the wealthy land owner who owns most of the other farms in the locale. A fairly standard drama, it’s intense and interesting with Mads giving the high calibre performances he always does.

The Promised Land is Streaming on BBC iPlayer

19) Monkey Man

A wham bam crashing action revenge movie on my top 20? This must be special. Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) stars in his own directing debut as a man who starts as a wrestler and learns to fight in order to get revenge against the people who killed his mother (I think, it was a while ago), by learning the arts of the Monkey Man. Plot wise, the first half is pretty standard, then the second half is all action with no holding back. Brilliantly shot and acted, this movie is expertly crafted with some of the most engaging and energetic action I’ve seen for a while, reminding me of Oldboy.

Monkey Man is streaming on Now Cinema

18) Conclave

Old Men being Mean Girls. The plot of Conclave doesn’t sound engaging. Following the death of a pope, the Dean Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) must run the new election of the pope within his conclave of cardinals. However, as a politcal thriller, it feels incredibly timely and appropriately campy as every candidate has baggage and different views on the future of the church. Expertly told as a story with fantastic costumes and set designs, this movie is phenomenal, and that’s before we even mention Ralph Fiennes who is at his best as a troubled leader who has a crisis of faith in god and the catholic church. It sounds boring, but trust me, it’s actually really good.

Conclave is currently in Cinemas

17) Evil Does Not Exist

There are slow films, then there are films by Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car). The film awarded best film at the 2023 London Film Festival is an eco-parable about a group who want to build a campsite in the local forest, much to the disgust of the locals who are worried about the impact on their water supply. They look to teach the business their ways, while heads of the business want this campsite no matter what. An intriguing film, it breathes and reveals its characters to be more than we originally think them to be, with their true souls emerging throughout the film. Meditative and really interesting, Evil Does Not Exist is essential viewing

Evil Does Not Exist is Streaming on BFI Player

16) Thelma

Going back to more of a mainstream taste with this one, Thelma is a comedy about getting old. June Squibb plays the titular Thelma who has been scammed out of money following a scam call about her son being in jail. She finds the adress, then sets out on her electric scooter to get her money back along with Ben who has given up his lust for life. Directed by Josh Margolin, he based his character on his own grandmother, and this movie reminded me of mine. With the heart that a grand parent has, Squibb’s character was lovely and never annoying. She was also emotional to watch, as she saw those around her struggling at the end as well as herself. Really moving and full of soul, this comedy sees mission impossible meet octogenarians. Frankly, what more can you want.

Thelma is available to purchase online

15) The Boy and the Heron

The first movie I watched in 2024, who knew then that only fourteen would be better. Hayao Miyazaki’s alleged final movie was a personal one about a boy who lost his mother during the fire bombing at the end of the second world war. He follows a heron into a mysterious world to find her. This tale about grief and coming of age is confusing, however much like all the other Studio Ghibli films, it looks beautiful, has a wonderful score and a melancholy dream like film.

The Boy and the Heron is streaming on Netflix

14) Monster

We go east again for Hirokazu Kore-Eda’s return to Japanese film making following a successful Korea trip and less successful France on. Monster is a movie about a boy who appears to be unruly, fighting and out of hand. However, we soon learn about his friendship with another boy as we see this story from multiple perspectives in a Rashomon effect. Well made, full of heart and my favourite film score of the year, this movie is gentle, warm and ultimately full of hope, despite its chilling title.

Monster is streaming on BFI Player.

13) The Wild Robot

The better animated movie about a robot and animal unlikely duo is the best animated movie of the year. With Dreamworks in full force following the success of Puss In Boots 2, The Wild Robot takes all the concepts from that and makes it better. A Robot named “Roz” gets trapped on n abandoned island and looks to assist the animals whom are hostile towards her. When she accidentally destroys a duck nest, one egg remains which she decides to raise in order to get it ready for winter migration. A really touching movie, if a tad generic in plot, The Wild Robot is an animation tour de force, with each still looking beautiful and a wonderful score to boot. A real piece of art, this is the sort of film you need to watch with your family.

The Wild Robot is available for purchase on streaming services

12) The Holdovers

A rare modern Christmas film and one made for me. I love a melancholic Christmas movie, think It’s A Wonderful Life or The Apartment. These are the good ones, and the grainy eighties movie style with the cynicism of Alexander Payne’s writing are what makes this movie so great. Paul Hunman is a teacher who hates kids and is stuck supervising the young rebel Tully over Christmas, alongside Mary the cook. All three of them learn to love and understand eachother with each having their own fleshed out background and story. Fundamentally festive in a non-overly cheery way, but in a way that maintains heart, I really hope that the Holdovers with its three phenomenal performances becomes an all time great Christmas movie loved by the masses.

The Holdovers is streaming on Now Cinema

11) No Other Land

A documentary almost breaching the top 10, it must be good. No Other Land focuses on small Palestinian villages which is being bulldozed and their citizens displaced by Israel and two journalists, one Palestinian and one Israeli who look to spread this story and the obstacles they face in the run up to the events of October 7th. A really tough watch at times, but incredibly important to watch, it’s a movie which will make you feel anger.

No Other Land is available to purchase for streaming

10) Crossing

A Georgian/Turkish movie the old and grumpy Lia goes to Istanbul to find her transgender niece following her sisters passing. She takes her old student Achi with her who is also lost and finding himself. There they find themselves in a fantastic city meeting a wide variety of people. Lia learns how to live and finds herself determinedly looking for her niece whatever it takes. There is also a B story about a transgender lawyer helping the homeless and vulnerable, which helps to make this city feel more alive. A warm, caring and enjoyable movie.

Crossing is available for streaming on MUBI

9) Hundreds of Beavers

Quite possibly the stupidest member of this top 30, HoB is a Chaplin-esque micro budget silent comedy you have to see to believe. An applejack needs to catch food, regularly stopped by the costumed animals. He soon meets a girl and to win her father’s permission for marriage, he needs to bring him the beavers who are terrorising the local community. With slapstick gags a plenty and phenomenally stupid animal costumes, HoB is a movie that is made by people who love movies for absolutely everyone. The comedy really is funny with regular callbacks to itself and jokes which build throughout the whole movie. It almost feels like a gag gift, but it’s such a clever one with so much heart.

Hundreds of Beavers is available to purchase for streaming

8) Didi

The late 2010’s trend of A24 coming of age movies seemed to be dying a bit, but Didi has brought it back. A late millenial film, a male version of Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade from Sean Wang, this film shows Chris, or Didi, depending on who refers to him have to get through the usual trials and tribulations of middle school in an MSN world. Sweet, but incredibly awkward, this film is full of heart as Chris balances his Chinese and American sides, as well as his shy side with a confident persona. The movie balances the memory of being a teenager with the feeling of relief that you aren’t a teenager to perfection, and with a scene stealing performance from Joan Chen as the mother, it is such a beautiful movie.

Didi is available to purchase on streaming

7) Slow

My first Lithuanian film, Slow is a beautiful understated independent romance with similar energy to movies such as Once. Elena is a dance teacher who meets Dovydas, a sign language interpreter, when he interprets for one of her classes. Not particularly subtle in how they both use their bodies to communicate feeling, but they start falling for eachother. There is a bump in the road though as Dovydas is asexual. This makes him worried he’s not good enough for her and her insecure as she fears there is something wrong with her. Sweet, sensual and made with feeling, this low budget indie film is a really sweet look at the connection between two souls.

Slow is available to stream on MUBI.

6) There’s Still Tomorrow

There’s a strangeness about There’s Still Tomorrow. The big Italian hit about post WWII Italy is about a wife of an abusive husband and her daughter looking to break free of a patriarchy with a mystery letter. The black and white film by director and star Paola Cortelessi is at times terrifying, but also funny and humane and most importantly an empowering story. Having made $50m on a $5m budget in Italy, this movie is deservedly one of the country’s most successful movies of all time.

5) La Chimera

Speaking of phenomenal Italian films, the best one this year was Alice Rohrwacher’s La Chimera. A moving, quiet and spiritual piece, it sees archaeologist Arthur return to his and his deceased wife’s home in Italy following a prison spell to search for treasures in a grave using his supernatural gift, while also somewhat searching for her spirit. Shot on film with a retro look and feel, the movie has a transcendent fable like existence, almost mythical more than surreal, much like Rohrwacher’s previous work Happy As Lazzaro. The whole cast is great with a career best performance from everyone’s favourite tennis boy Josh O’Connor.

La Chimera is streaming on MUBI

4) Poor Things

The Barbie Movie for sick freaks. Full of unlikeable characters and uncomfortable moments, Poor Things isn’t a kind film, but an intriguing one nonetheless. After a scientist known as god puts the brain of a baby into Bella Baxter’s body, she finds herself as an infant. At first content in God’s house, soon Bella wants to escape. She has various exploits with men and learns about the good and evil of the world with a keen interest in philosophy. Funny and disgusting at times, this movie is well made with good production design, costumes and cinematography making it a visual treat. It’s also one of Yorgos Lanthimos’ more accessible films, with me never having been a huge fan and it also has the phenomenal Emma Stone at her best

Poor Things is available on Disney+

3) Green Border

I try and rewatch most of my top 10 at the end of the year, but the one film I haven’t even considered starting was Green Border due to just how harrowing it is. In Belarus, they fly in Syrian refugees to use as political pawns as they send them over the border to Poland to gain access to Europe. Polish border forces agonisingly round them up and throw them back. This cycle continues with the refugees becoming ill, beaten and hopeless. Well shot and phenomenally acted, the movie is difficult to get through and had me crying at times. It’s shot from the perspective of refugees, activists and border guards to give a round view of the situation, and with director Agnieszka Holland getting in trouble with the Polish government for the film, it’s a current and urgent film which needs to be seen.

Green Border is streaming on MUBI.

2) The Substance

One of the biggest box office surprise wins, making $70m off a $12m budget, once I’d been to a preview of The Substance, I was desperate for the rest of the world to see it so we could finally talk about it and they did. A body horror which lacks subtlety and has both substance and style, the story is about a dance instructor, Elizabeth Sparkle, who has been fired from her tv celebrity job for turning 50 despite her looking as good as Demi Moore. She is soon told about this mysterious Substance which allows her to be young and beautiful, except she must switch back and forth every seven days between Elizabeth and Sue (Margaret Qualley) with the constant message that “you are one”. Full of style, sound and colour this movie screams about the treatment of older woman compared to young, beautiful women and modern day sexism and microaggressions. With some extreme imagery to boot which I can never do justice this is the sort of film that will make people listen. Get Out for women, the movie gives us Moore at her best, and director Coralie Fargeat pulls no punches. This is no holds barred, exhilarating and unpredictable film making at its best.

The Substance is streaming on MUBI

And the film of the year is

Over the last few years my film of the year has been a film I’ve seen and thought hey that’s pretty good, but never been sure whether I’d see anything better. That’s not to disrespect Rye Lane or the Banshees of Inisherin. However, this time I saw my film of the year pretty early in 2024, and even then I knew it would be the greatest.

Sometimes a film makes you feel strongly, however it’s very rare for a film to do so but also leave you feeling empty. Then comes All of Us Strangers a film about Adam (Andrew Scott), a gay man in his early forties who is living alone in an empty high rise in London. Writing about his parents, one day a neighbour Harry (Paul Mescal) comes along and asks to join him. Adam nervously refuses, then on a trip to his childhood home, he sees his mum and dad (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell) at the same age they were when they died in a car crash, now younger than him. They invite him in and over a few meetings get to know each other again. At the same time Adam and Harry’s relationship blossoms. A supernatural film which remains grounded, it’s not one you think about, almost in fear of it all (you kind of know it’s not real), but more one you feel. Adam remains grown up but retains a child like vulnerability, while the younger parents almost seem more mature and nurturing despite having not aged. It never feels weird, but sweet and vulnerable. As you learn more about Adam, you see him have conversations with them he never had the opportunity to as well as the hard truths. His naturally reserved side falls away as he grows, before the reality comes back and leaves you feeling empty.

The movie is a tapestry of beautiful shots, phenomenal lighting, a ten out of ten script and phenomenal performances from all four of them, especially Scott who’s eyes tell a story without words. The movie is a range of emotions, but I don’t think any show a quiet spiritual sadness as much. It really is a masterpiece which is worthy of the film of the year. As close to perfect as I’ve seen this decade.

All of Us Strangers is streaming on Disney+