yes, it’s list time again…

the films I saw this year I liked the most!

a completely subjective list! I liked these for different reasons.

films released this year –

Wild Rose – incredible performance by Jessie Buckley, an actress capable of myriad brilliant performances. She is really something!

The Painted Bird. Devastating but oh so beautiful.

Shoplifters – powerful and unusual

the Souvenir – related to it too much

Us – scary! thought provoking

Blinded by the Light – sweet and heartwarming but with a core of social realism

Bait – brilliant art

Pain & Glory – emotional

The Great Hack – terrifying

What is Democracy? – provocative & intelligent

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – sad, clever

Velvet Buzzsaw – hideously accurate

Roma – everything

The Last Black Man in San Francisco – outstanding and original; cinematography in particular

Border – great adaptation of a John Ajvide Lindqvist story; he is one of my favourite authors

films I just happened to see this year –

Mustang – emotionally gripping Turkish female-centred story

Honeygiver among the Dogs – certainly the only Bhutanese film i have ever seen. excellent reconfiguration of the detective genre. Beautifully shot.

Leto – gorgeous and fascinating portrait of 1980s St Petersburg youth culture

Katka – devastating doc about a female junkie

The Tree of Guernica – Arrabal’s mindblowing extravaganza

I watch lots of films and it’s hard to pick, these ones stood out over the course of the year.