2024 - IN REVIEW: TOP TWENTY FIVE BEST FILMS: #10 - 1

10. THE ROOM NEXT DOOR

Spanish director Pedro Almodovar has been, in my opinion, the most consistent director working in cinema over the past thirty years, in terms of quality. The man has not made a bad film during that time, and while it is obviously true that some of his features are more successful than others, there is not one film that I can point at and say that it is poor. Even the critical bomb that was 2013's “I'm So Excited!”, I found hilarious and a lovely nod to the cinema Almodovar himself made back in the 1980's. For his latest film, “The Room Next Door”, Almodovar has given himself a new challenge as this is his first feature that has been shot in English. Despite this change in language, I am happy to say that this is an Almodovar film through and through. It looks like an Almodovar film, it sounds like an Almodovar film, it moves like an Almodovar film, and once again, it is a story about women. “The Room Next Door” is about Ingrid and Martha, who used to be quite close when they worked together at a magazine, who reconnect and resume their friendship later in life when Martha confides in Ingrid that she has cancer. Sick of all the treatments, chemotherapy and radiation, Martha has had enough and asks Ingrid for the ultimate gift of their friendship; that she would help her to die. Ingrid is initially horrified, but Martha explains that through her connections (she is a war reporter) she has been able to obtain a euthanasia pill that will extinguish her life once she takes it. All she wants Ingrid to do, is be in the room next door when she does it, although she doesn't want to set a predetermined date to do it; she will know when the time is right. Until that time, the two of them will rent out a luxury villa, reconnecting and enjoying their last moments together. After deliberating briefly, Ingrid agrees, but is not entirely ready for what this commitment actually means. It is funny just how many directors make a movie about death as its theme, late in their careers, and I guess this is Pedro Almodovar's take on that. The most amazing thing about “The Room Next Door” is that because of the topic, you think that the film is going to be dark, heavy and sombre, but it is nothing of the sort. It is surprisingly uplifting and life affirming, as Martha really focuses on just how beautiful the simple things in life really are, and just how important a close friendship can be. As good as Tilda Swinton is as Martha, I was most impressed with Julianne Moore's performance as Ingrid and the way she treats Martha and her illness. She isn't overbearingly concerned constantly looking sad and saying “you poor thing, are you okay?”. She is always upbeat and positive, while being respectful of Martha's wish to die. She briefly tries to talk her out of it, but once she understands that her mind is made up, all Ingrid wants to do is make her final weeks to be as pleasurable as possible. Almodovar doesn't sugar coat the cancer though, and there are some tough scenes relating to it, particularly early on when Martha is in hospital, but for the most part this is a story told from a positive perspective. It is also, at times, very funny because being in a house with the same person for an extended period, you can get on each other's nerves, and this is shown amusingly. Like all of Pedro Almodovar's films, “The Room Next Door” has been beautifully put together, with his use of colour once again front and centre, although for this film he has used a new cinematographer, Eduard Grau, who has no problem at creating the “Almodovar” look. It is such a wonderful looking film, with some lovely visual moments throughout, like for instance the scene when it snows pink snow. Once again, Alberto Iglesias returns to create the score for the film, and as usual it is glorious, with the music toeing the line between sadness and happiness, which compliments the film perfectly. I did have a little issue with the flashback scenes in the film, as I felt they weren't really needed, but my biggest issue with “The Room Next Door” was a casting decision late in the film, which made me roll my eyes, only because it has been done to death by now. It is a minor thing to dislike in this very good film, which let me also mention, would've been on my most anticipated films of 2024 if I thought Almodovar had the time to finish it before year's end. Sometimes I forget just how quickly he can put together a film, because it was done and ready to premiere at Venice back in August, where it won the Golden Lion for “Best Film” at the film festival. “The Room Next Door” is yet another success for this brilliant director and continues his run of amazing films.

9. GOOD ONE

Oh my god, do I love this movie!! It is such a simple, tiny story, but it left such a huge mark on me after I saw it at MIFF. Well after my screening of it, I just kept thinking about “Good One”, little moments from the film, small snippets of dialogue, and just how great the film was in general. The film never left me, and when I was finally able to re-visit it a few months later, I was impressed by it all over again, to the point that I liked it even more. As I said, “Good One” is such a tiny movie, basically comprising of only three characters hiking through the Catskills over the course of a weekend, but all the characters have been fully developed and are well-rounded, and totally believable. You believe both the things they say and the connections they have with one another. These are people with a history together, and it comes across beautifully throughout the movie. It proves that you do not need much to make a great movie. Interesting characters treated realistically and honest, natural dialogue, a stunning location and just a smattering of drama, that is all you need. Whilst I have seen “Good One” described as a coming of age film, it is also about fathers and their connections to their children, while coming to terms with the mistakes they have made in their own lives (which ultimately affect their children's lives too). This is done via three characters; Sam, a seventeen-year-old girl camping with her father Chris, who are joined by Chris's best friend Matt, a recently divorced man who has a combative relationship with his own teenage son, who was originally meant to go on this trip but bailed at the last second after a fight with his father. What I loved most about “Good One” were the conversations between these three characters which felt casual and very real, particularly of people who have known each other for a long time. They talk about real tangible things like their fears, their kids, all the mistakes they have made in their lives, their future and then other times they just hang shit on one another like good friends do. Even when one may be pouring their heart out, someone might then make a joke in poor taste about what they are talking about due to their shared history, and yet it is not offensive. The relationship between Sam and her father is just beautiful and for me, is the heart of the film. Having a seventeen-year-old daughter myself, their connection really resonated with me and touched my heart. The character of Sam gives “Good One” it's soul and she has been played by a stunningly good Lily Collias. She is amazing but so natural in her role; you believe her every moment. She plays Sam with a fun energy, light, sensitive and open to others, always up for frivolity. When the third act arrives and tensions arise, Collias does an excellent job of portraying the hurt and betrayal that she feels, so your heart pours out for her. For mine, Collias gives the best female performance I saw in 2024, she is that good. As I was watching “Good One”, thoroughly engaged in the involving conversations between the three characters, I remember consciously thinking “this is great! You do not need drama in a film to make it good, you just need great characters.” As such, I was thrown for a bit of a loop and unprepared for the third act when tensions arise and relationships change, all due to one stupid mistake. A mistake so obvious that the perpetrator knows immediately that they have messed everything up in this instant. The scene is actually heart breaking and my cinema let out a collective “oh no!!!!” when it happened because we loved these characters so much. The drama is then amplified when the others do not take ownership of their mistake or acknowledge the hurt and pain caused by another. It totally changes the dynamics of the film, and the group, and the final third of “Good One” is both tense and painful. I have only positive things to say about this film, so I guess it is safe to announce that “Good One” is, ahem, a good one (sorry). Click here to read my original review.

8. FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA

The only good thing about “Joker: Folie a Deux” flopping as badly as it did (and I seriously mean the “only” good thing), was that it made people forget just how poorly “Furiosa” also did at the box-office. A failure, mind you, that I just cannot wrap my head around, because this is another exceptional film from George Miller who expands the myths and legends of his Mad Max world in this fifth instalment of the series. The only thing that I can think of for the failure of “Furiosa” is that it is a tough act to follow “Mad Max: Fury Road”, but seriously, Miller does a bloody good job of getting close to it. The action scenes in this film are just insane, as George Miller continues to show that he is the king of kinetic cinema. I know some people bemoan the fact that he used more CGI in “Furiosa” than in “Fury Road” to achieve these scenes, but stunt-people would've been killed trying some of the insane things that happen and are tried in “Furiosa”. What has been done for real is simply breathtaking and awe inspiring. No one today is making action cinema anywhere close to what the past two Mad Max films have given us! Speaking of Max, I love the fact that Miller gives him a tiny cameo in this film too. But the title character here is Furiosa, with the film working as a prequel, giving as the backstory on how she became the kick-arse warrior we know and love from “Fury Road”. Anya Taylor-Joy fills the role of Furiosa this time around, but this is a much different version of the character than the one Charlize Theron played in the previous film. Taylor-Joy is excellent in the role, showing all of her character's vulnerabilities and dreams, before she is forced to abandon them all and become the woman we all know her to be. She also does a fantastic job in all of the action scenes she is a part of, making us fully believe she is capable of becoming a total bad-ass. The biggest surprise of the film though is Chris Hemsworth who plays the evil Dementus, and has the time of his life doing so. It is amazing to think that just with a prosthetic nose, I found him totally unrecognisable. When the trailers started to come out and his name was mentioned in the cast, I couldn't work out who he was, and then it hit me, he was the bad guy. He is so, so good in this, and like I just said, it looks like he is having so much fun in the role. The other person who I loved in the film (which surprised me, because he is an actor who I usually dislike) is Tom Burke who plays Praetorian Jack, who is almost like a Mad Max cipher for this film. Cinematographer John Seale did not return to shoot “Furiosa”, but Simon Duggan does an exceptional job filling in and continuing the uniformed look to this world, convincing us that both films (“Furiosa” and “Fury Road”) exist in the same universe. As usual, George Miller has outdone himself with all of the strange and wonderful vehicles he has come up with, not to mention the odd methods of attack. It is all crazy and brilliant stuff that makes this world so exciting to revisit. My only hope is that the failure of “Furiosa” does not mean that we will no longer get George Miller's final Mad Max film “The Wasteland”, which is already written. Sadly, though, I think it is unlikely that we will see that film anymore, but if that is the case, George Miller can hold his head high knowing he ended the series with a more than worthy (if a little long) effort.

7. THE BEAST

Bertrand Bonello's “The Beast” is a sumptuous cinematic delight that is big in ambition, grand in scale and just oozes style. The film is set in 2044 where artificial intelligence has taken over the running of the world, and due to humanity's emotional response to things, they deem us unfit for work except for the most menial jobs. However, there is a process a human can take where they can “purify their DNA” by revisiting past lives and attempting to remove the emotional response to traumas that happen in those lives, essentially neutering the person and making them more AI like. After resisting the idea for so long, Gabrielle finally decides to go through with purification. She is placed in a shallow bath, filled with thick black liquid, before she is injected with something that begins the process. From here we are witness to two of her timelines, one set in 1910, the other in 2014, while we occasionally return to 2044 as she deals with the after-effects of her treatment. Through all three timelines, she meets up with a man named Louis; what is their connection and are they meant to be together, like soul mates? Wow! What a movie! There is so much in this film that it is an exhilarating watch. At the start it is a little hard to get your head around just what the hell is going on, but when we go back to 1910 for the first of Gabrielle's past lives things begin to make sense as we start to notice patterns, recurring events and dialogue, similar people, objects and warnings in each time line. And pigeons. I absolutely fell in love with the scenes set in 1910 thanks to the stunning production design which appears no money was spared to recreate. The doll factory that Gabrielle's husband owns and runs is both beautiful and creepy in equal measure, as we are shown in detail how these hand crafted dolls are made. It also begins a doll theme within the film that pops up in the other time lines. The thing that surprised me the most about this section though was the fact that Paris actually flooded for real back in 1910, something I had no idea about until this movie. Bonello gives us a romanticised version of this flooding, I am sure, giving Paris the feel of Venice, which adds to the romantic atmosphere of this section of the film. Most of the 1910 sequence happens at a party where an artist is exhibiting their work. Gabrielle is there with her husband, but the two are rarely together. It isn't long until Gabrielle encounters Louis, an American in Paris, who claims the two have met before. There is an instant attraction between the two of them, but with Gabrielle already married, does she dare take a chance on this new love? Just as you are fully enthralled in the 1910 segment, it ends very suddenly, and we are thrust into the next past life of Gabrielle. It is a little jarring at first, but I think this is to give us an indication of how it must feel to Gabrielle herself. The style of this section is completely different (including a different aspect ratio), but no less great. In this section Gabrielle, who is a struggling actress in this life, is house sitting this immaculate mansion in Hollywood when she comes to the attention of Louis, an incel psychopath who regularly spouts his boyfriend credentials on his YouTube account while explaining to his followers that he “deserves women”, and has had enough of being single and a virgin, and was going to do something about it. Both George MacKay and Lea Seydoux are sensational in “The Beast” playing a number of variations of their characters and excelling with all of them. For mine, this is Seydoux's best performance yet, she is phenomenal throughout. It is such a complex role(s) too, but man, is she good. George MacKay also impresses by being seductive, suave and romantic in the 1910 section, also impressing with his French speaking abilities (which he learnt specifically for this role), while being both terrifying and pathetic as Louis Lewanski in the 2014 parts. He is actually really funny in this section particularly because of how pitiful he comes across.......until he becomes scary. I haven't mentioned much about the 2044 section because it has the least amount of screen time but does lead to a very effective finale, which I do not want to ruin. “The Beast” is such a fantastic film and while it's two and a half hour running time may intimidate some viewers, it is well worth the watch, as this is a brilliant genre-hopping film, moving between period drama, sci-fi, horror, and psychological thriller.

6. I SAW THE TV GLOW

Jane Schoenbrun's “I Saw The TV Glow” was a film that took awhile to get it's claws into me. After my first viewing of it, which I enjoyed but wasn't sure I fully understood everything that was going on, it never really left my mind. Images kept replaying in my psyche to the point that I was drawn back to the film for a re-watch.......where this time around I understood a whole lot more, and just fell in love with the film wholeheartedly. Suddenly the trans reading of the film stood out in bright flashing colours, as did the understanding of how painful it must feel to be trapped in the wrong body most of your life, as well as how freeing it has to be when you realise this and begin your journey towards transition. This second viewing was such a powerful experience, that it shook me and excited me that cinema could do this to me. The film is about two teenage friends, Maddy and Owen, bonding over a sci-fi/horror television show called “The Pink Opaque”, which is a Buffy-like show that sees two characters, Tara and Isabel, take on a “monster of the week” each episode to save their town. Both Maddy and Owen obsess about the show, and think it is the greatest show ever made, regularly coming together every Friday night to experience it with one another. However, one day Maddy disappears, and within the same week, “The Pink Opaque” is cancelled. Owen's world is changed forever, as he attempts to move on with his life without his best friend or his favourite television show. Many years later, a chance encounter sees Maddy and Owen re-connect, where Maddy tries to explain that the world he lives in is not real, and that reality is actually The Pink Opaque, and that their true identities are Tara and Isabel. What Maddy is saying is madness, but is there any chance what she is saying could be true?? I actually find it really hard to explain why I love this movie so much as I am also not sure if I truly “get” everything in the film, but it has the most wonderful atmosphere to it all that I am just drawn too. It is mysterious, funny, creepy at times, and there is also a sense of nostalgia in their love for a “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” type show, because I was a massive fan of that show in the 90's too. There is a wonderful moment late in “I Saw The TV Glow” when Owen (now in his 40's) explains that he has started re-watching “The Pink Opaque” once more, and it isn't how he remembers it; it isn't as cool or edgy, but in fact rather pathetic. I mention this because this is the exact reason why I haven't re-watched “Buffy”, as I fear this may happen and destroy my memory of it all. “I Saw The TV Glow” has been gloriously shot on 35mm film and you should see the way the colours pop in this movie. The chalk on the road, that green Mr Whippy truck, the creepy clowns, the colours coming out of the television, it all looks amazing. The performances from Brigette Lundy-Paine and Justice Smith, as Maddy and Owen respectively, are rather unusual if I am to be honest, but work within the world of this film. I was particularly confused by Smith's performance during my first viewing, but my opinion totally reversed on my second, and thought he was quite impressive, particularly late in the film. Speaking of that, there is a moment near the end of “I Saw The TV Glow” that is both shocking and painful (in an emotional sense) that takes place during a birthday party that is one of the highlights of the film. I am not sure “I Saw The TV Glow” will be everyone's cup of tea, but for those that connect with it, it is a hell of a ride, that has a lot to say, and more importantly makes the viewer feel. It is quite the achievement.

5. THE SUBSTANCE

My vote for the flat-out most entertaining movie of 2024 is Coralie Fargeat's “The Substance” which explodes on the screen, grabs you hard and then doesn't let go until the final credits roll. It is loud, bombastic, in your face, offensive, graphic, bloody and very, very entertaining. The film is essentially about the extreme lengths women go (and where men expect them to go), all in the name of looking young and beautiful, but by the end of it, it morphs into a bloody and violent body horror monstrosity that knows no extremes. It is totally unhinged and all the better for it. It is the kind of film David Cronenberg used to make in his prime, although lacking the subtlety of that master director. I was absolutely bowled over with just how great Demi Moore was in “The Substance”, especially since she is an actress I have never been overly impressed with in the past. She has to go to a number of very vulnerable places during the film, with her rarely given a chance to look “good”, not to mention the regular and extended nude scenes that she must perform. She is so brave and such a good sport, and I honestly cannot remember her being better (or more unhinged). The character of Elisabeth Sparkle is an intense one, a former star now fading doing anything in her power to stay relevant and to keep the spotlight shining on her, to which she goes to a very extreme length to succeed. “The Substance” works best knowing as little as possible going into it, but it is safe to say that Elisabeth tries an experimental drug that “unlocks her DNA” giving her the ability to birth a new and better version of herself; young, beautiful and talented to the max. Of course there are rules, with the first being that each version only gets seven days in control (whilst the other sits unconscious and naked on the bathroom floor) before they have to switch and let the other take over for the same period of time, whilst the most important rule to remember is that they are ONE; there is no me and her. Soon enough, a power struggle inevitably begins between them both, the rules are forgotten and thus consequences of breaking those rules must be faced.....and those consequences are insane!! Margaret Qualley plays Sue, the younger, hotter variant of Elisabeth, and while she is good, I feel she has less to work with in the role compared to Moore's Elisabeth as she is the eye candy of the film; she pretty much just has to look sexy and smile......at least initially. When Sue determines that she deserves to be in control for more than the seven days, it is scary the lengths she will go to to succeed in her goal (which should come as no surprise, because she is one with Elisabeth who has the same extreme tenacity). I was not prepared for just how full on “The Substance” was going to be or just how far Coralie Fargeat would go with her idea. No one can say that she did not have the balls to take her idea to it's zenith. Fargeat is not what you would call a subtle director. She uses sledge hammer techniques (loud music, extreme images, large onscreen text), but as I intimated earlier, it works really well in “The Substance” because after coming up with such an insane idea, to then pussy foot around it ending up with a watered down product, would have been entirely pointless. The practical effects are brilliant when the body horror elements begin to take over the film. You are given an early litmus test during the birth of Sue, who arrives out of the spine and back of Elisabeth who then needs to be immediately sewn back together (by Sue) before she bleeds to death. The effects are gooey, gory and impressive......and this is nothing compared to what is to come later in the film. If you find yourself squeamish during this sequence, all I can say is good luck for the rest of the film. The violence within “The Substance” is very full on, and alternates between “fun, horror” violence to an incredibly graphic and disturbing beating that has to be seen to be believed. Amazingly “The Substance” is also very funny at times too. I must admit that I do have a problem with the final fifteen minutes of “The Substance” as I think Fargeat ends up going too far with her story and idea, to the point that it turns camp and almost ruins everything that has come before it.......almost. Before that final sequence though, “The Substance” is absolutely brilliant, and the most entertaining film I saw in a cinema all year long. It is so damned entertaining, the audience at my sold out MIFF session of the film lapped up every minute of it! Click here to read my original review.

4. JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX

Arguably the most poorly reviewed film of 2024, which I also consider the most misunderstood film of 2024, Todd Phillips' “Joker: Folie a Deux” enters my best-of list at number 4, which I say very UN-ironically. This is a brilliant, brilliant film, and yes, I think it is actually better than the original 2019 “Joker”. I have already spoken about the film in my “most underrated” section of this list, but something that I failed to mention was just how great the use of colour is in the film. When the movie begins (after the animated sequence), the colour is totally drained from the picture, to the point that it almost looks like a black and white film. The jail where Arthur is imprisoned looks like a very cold and dreary place. There is no life left within Arthur himself also, who at this moment in the film looks something like a walking corpse. It isn't until he first meets Lee, that the colour slowly comes into the picture, and he finally sees some hope, and hears the music within himself once more. This is shown via the scene immediately after seeing Lee, when he is taken outdoors, across the courtyard to the room to meet his lawyer. It is bucketing down with rain, and all the guards have black umbrellas to protect themselves, but what Arthur sees is umbrellas made of bright colours, the first instance of him finding himself and coming back to life once more. From this moment on, colour becomes more and more integrated into the film, until Lee and Arthur finally become one, and the colour explodes into old school Hollywood musical numbers. It is really well thought out and achieved. In my “most underrated” section, I also mention how this continuation of Arthur Fleck's story really is the most natural progression and just feels right. To now go right to the other end of the film, I also want to briefly talk about the ending of “Joker: Folie a Deux” which again, I think is perfect. It totally feels like this is the only ending possible to this story and everything has been leading up to this one moment. I know a lot of people really hate the ending (well, they hate the whole film, let's face it), but to me it just felt right. I also got a real kick out of what is happening in the background to this scene, which just adds a whole other layer to it, which again works perfectly. I understand that audiences were expecting a completely different film to the one they got with “Joker: Folie a Deux”, and that they wanted something similar to the murder and mayhem of the first film, but I am shocked that people cannot look past the disappointment of their expectations to see just how great the film in front of them really is. This is why I believe “Joker: Folie a Deux” will age like fine wine, and that in twenty years time, people will re-evaluate it, without the heaviness of expectation weighing it down, and realise how well made and brilliant the film actually is. As you should be able to tell, I am a massive fan of “Joker: Folie a Deux”. Click here to read my “most underrated” film of 2024 where I talk more about “Joker: Folie a Deux”.

3. LOVE LIES BLEEDING

Rose Glass's sophomore effort “Love Lies Bleeding” is a superior neo-noir, filled with lesbian love, female body-building, wild hair-cuts and a cool 80's aesthetic. It is also a ton of fun! The film is about a female body builder named Jackie, who is attempting to make her way to Vegas to compete in a tournament that she feels can change her life if she wins. On her way there, she stops in at a small gym in the middle of the desert to get some extra training in, where she meets Lou, and the two are instantly attracted to one another. After flirty conversations quickly turn to sexual lust, the two girls end up in bed, and then plan on escaping to Vegas together. However, a sudden act of violence changes the girl's plans and future forever, as they must stay one step ahead of the cops, gangsters on their tail, and the scariest man on earth, Lou's father. I have watched “Love Lies Bleeding” three times now, and each time I put it on, it just entertains me to the fullest! Right at the centre of the film is the love affair between Lou and Jackie, which is one of the most toxic relationships seen onscreen in 2024, but you just want them to be together. You know that they are not good for one another, and that when they are together, bad things happen, but their love is so true, that you want them to succeed and be one. Kristen Stewart kills it as Lou, this tomboy gym manager, but it really is Katy O'Brien's film, as she transforms herself into this beast (sometimes literally), with muscles popping everywhere, steely focused, which sometimes works against her, as she does not think of the possible consequences. Dave Franco shows up as Lou's sleazy brother-in-law, who has a bad habit of beating up Lou's sister, while Ed Harris is terrifying as Lou's gun smuggling father, complete with ridiculous mullet hairstyle. Everyone is just excellent in their roles, creating a dangerous world where you cannot trust anyone, especially family, where death could be around any corner. As you may expect from a story like this, violence plays a big part of the story, and director Rose Glass is not afraid of showing a bit of blood and gore. What she refuses to do though is to hold on it, and glorify it. The violence in “Love Lies Bleeding” is brutal, very, very graphic, but also very quick. It is usually over before you comprehend what has just happened. You feel the pain, and consequence from each violent act. The gore effects have been brilliantly done though, because they look so real, which makes you turn away in disgust. What I found interesting about the film is the more it goes along, the style changes from hyper real, to something of a fever dream, as some very surreal moments happen towards the end of the film that I am sure will be more than a little controversial for some viewers. Personally I loved the fact that Rose Glass was not willing to go down the usual road, and took a chance with her film to be a little different. Whether or not she fully succeeds is up to each individual to decide, but I thought she did an exceptional job with “Love Lies Bleeding”. One thing that I must mention is just how great the film looks, with it's 1980's period aesthetic, which she never overdoes, that is then ably assisted by the fantastic music she has paired to her visuals. “Love Lies Bleeding” is a super-cool neo-noir film that just hit all the right notes for me, and I loved every second of it!

2. GRAND TOUR

Miguel Gomes' “Grand Tour” was my favourite film I saw at this year's MIFF because it is a celebration of cinema, of what it can be, and the playfulness that can be had within it. Part documentary, part travelogue, part narrative feature......complete brilliance! I honestly do not know how “Grand Tour” all comes together as well as it does, because it really shouldn't, but I love this film! What I loved so much about “Grand Tour” was that it just felt so fresh and alive; it was so much fun. Gomes was clearly enjoying himself as he was playing around with cinematic convention and styles at a rapid rate, but it all feels of the same whole (if that make sense). I am not really sure how to describe the story so will just use the synopsis the MIFF guide used: “In 1917, British diplomat Edward is stationed in Burma and travels by train from Rangoon to Mandalay, where Molly, his fiancée of seven years, is finally arriving to join him. But before her steamship can dock, Edward loses his nerve and flees on the next boat to Singapore. This doesn’t deter the exuberant Molly, who promptly sets off after her cowardly bridegroom. He leads Molly on a chase through Bangkok, Saigon, Manila, Osaka, Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu and onwards – even through history, transcending storytelling itself.” I must admit that it actually took me a little while to understand what I was looking at, when the film begins with documentary footage of modern Burmese fairground workers before transitioning to the story of Edward, a British man who has been engaged to Molly for the past seven years. Edward's story may take place in the same country as the documentary footage, but his story is set way back in 1917. So for me, the connection between the two elements was not immediate, but once I worked it out, it didn't make me question why the director would choose to put elements so different from one another together, it excited me that he would try such a daring thing. The documentary footage is just as brilliant as the images created for the narrative sections of the film. Basically, every time Edward changes places on his journey, Gomes intercuts documentary footage of that place today. So for instance, when Edward moves on to Vietnam, we are suddenly shown footage of modern day Vietnam and local vendors there trying to make a living. I know that it sounds very odd, but like I keep saying, it just works within this film. Gomes also does another thing with language in that every time we change countries within the narrative, the narrator changes and the narration is then spoken in the language where the film is now set, but what makes it even a little more interesting, is that the characters themselves all speak Portuguese no matter where they are in the story. It may sound confusing, but it is surprisingly beautiful. In regards to the story of Edward and Molly, it is as simple as it comes, with Edward getting cold feet just before reuniting with Molly and fleeing on the first boat he sees. Molly amused by the antics of her fiance, follows on the next boat while anticipating where he may turn up next so she can meet him there. She sends correspondence to him via telegrams, which in turn makes him flee further and the chase continues. The story is a small intimate one, but told in a large grand style. Gomes shot these scenes on a stage with his regular cinematographer Rui Pocas, and the black and white images are stunning. Gomes and Pocas lean into the artifice of cinema creating the most perfectly composed images to tell their story. The stage bound look of these images is obvious and necessary, so Pocas can get the exact light and conditions needed to create said shots. Just like every other part of this film, this narrative section sees Gomes having his fun by using iris shots (like a silent film), superimpositions, and bleeping out unexpected swearing (in a very funny sequence) to name a few. Goncalo Waddington and Crista Alfaiate play our heroes Edward and Molly, and both are wonderful. Waddington plays Edward as a nice guy, a little lost who doesn't really know what he wants, but through his journey begins to discover what is important to him and who. At times he is a little grumpy, and hates on himself the more he discovers how much of a coward he actually is. Alfaiate as Molly though is just this burst of energy. She is constantly smiling, styled in a look as if she had come off of a film set of a 1930's movie, moving through life like a force of nature. She is just so alive, constantly laughing and enjoying every moment of her journey. You cannot help but fall in love with Molly; she is such a beautiful character. “Grand Tour” is exciting cinema, pushing the boundaries of what cinema can be, and I loved every second of it. While I know that it will not be for everyone, I cannot wait to finally be able to revisit this brilliant film once more. Click here to read my original review.

1. ALL OF US STRANGERS

Andrew Haigh's “All Of Us Strangers” was a film that I saw very early in 2024, and even way back then, I was fairly certain that it would be my top film of the year. It is such a rich and emotional experience, that once seen is impossible to forget. As soon as I saw it, I immediately recommended it to a friend (Hi Phill!), who took up my recommendation and ended up loving the film as well. There is just something so transcendent about this film, in the way it deals with past and present at the same time, and you do not question it once. Every moment feels so honest and real, but you also know that it should be impossible too. The film is about a writer, Adam, attempting to write about his childhood, who goes back to his childhood home for inspiration, and finds his parents still there. What is strange about that is that they died in a car accident way back when he was twelve. His parents are still the same age as they were when they died, which means that Adam is now older than them, but the family come together to reconnect, happy to see each other once more. At the same time as this is going on, Adam has also started a new romantic relationship with a neighbour from upstairs named Harry. The two share instant chemistry, and despite the age difference between them, Adam and Harry seem perfect for one another. “All Of Us Strangers” has to be the most achingly beautiful film I saw in all of 2024. It has scenes of such warmth that makes your heart swoon, while at other times it can be as painful as anything you have ever seen before. The scenes between Adam and his mother where he basically comes out to her, are both powerful and heartbreaking, because she doesn't really understand homosexuality as when she died, which was in the 1980's, AIDS was still prevalent so there was a stigma to being gay. While I wouldn't say she is disappointed that her son is gay, it would be true that she questions it, and you can see how painful it is to Adam even though he came out twenty years earlier in his life, and is content with who he is as a person. All of the shame, and uncertainty he felt growing up suddenly comes rushing back to him in an instant, as he is on the verge of tears. I love this scene so much, and it is probably the most perfect scene in a film I saw this year, despite how much it hurts. He has similar moments with his father, who appears more understanding, but it is just lovely seeing these three characters having such honest and heartfelt conversations. But what is going on? Are his parents ghosts, or figments of his imagination, or are they characters in a story he is writing? Is Adam a ghost? We never really find out, and it doesn't matter either because the moments they all have together are worth it, no matter if they are real or fake. When it comes to the romance with Harry, I also wasn't expecting a twist that arrives late in the film, but this moment comes with the most heartbreaking line of dialogue I have heard in forever, which was “how come nobody found me?”. In terms of the performances in “All Of Us Strangers”, this is a masterclass in acting. Everyone is sublime both in their own performances and working off one another. Everything just feels so real and natural, which is so special because what is happening onscreen clearly isn't. For mine, Andrew Scott gives the best male performance of the year as Adam, a role so complex that I have no idea how he makes it look so effortless. His scenes with Paul Mescal, as Harry, are so romantic and genuinely lovely, as the two of them get to know one another by delving into each other's past. My favourite scenes though are with the parents who are played by Jamie Bell and Claire Foy, who are both extraordinary. I have never been a fan of Foy as an actress, but I cannot fault her here, she does not put a foot wrong in her performance, while Jamie Bell is just brilliant as Dad. The fact that these actors are both younger than Andrew Scott, you never question, as Bell and Foy do an exceptional job of making you believe that they are indeed Adam's parents, which is also helped by Scott's reactions to their performances too. He instantly feels younger when talking to his parents compared to when he is talking with Harry. I find that “All Of Us Strangers” is really a hard film to articulate about, because everything you say doesn't fully express how it makes you feel and comes across as kind of trite. It is a film that you feel more than anything, as I do not think you need to understand everything that is happening in the film, as long as you feel it. I think the film is about longing, loss and loneliness. It is incredibly sad while at the same time, being absolutely beautiful and heartfelt. I adore this film with a passion, which is why it is my favourite film of 2024. Thank you to all those involved who made “All Of Us Strangers” the most emotional viewing experience I had (and continue to have) over the past year.

 

 

Well there you have it, that was my  round-up of the year that was 2024; hopefully you got some enjoyment out of it. Now before I finish, lets have a brief look at the upcoming year and my most anticipated films of 2025.