Favorite and Least Favorite Films of the Year

Now that the year’s coming to a close I wanted to reflect on some of my favorites, starting with the some films I loved as well as a few that disappointed.

FAVORITES

1. Oppenheimer

Christopher Nolan’s magnum opus. A utter tour de force in filmmaking. I loved Oppenheimer so much I saw it 5 times. The visuals, the soundtrack, the story, and the superb acting by the stellar cast makes it the standout picture of the year for me. In 70mm IMAX, it was truly a visual and auditory movie-going experience that only the original Avatar could rival for me. I think Cillian Murphy is a shoe-in for Best Actor this year as his portrayal of Oppenheimer is both nuanced and alluring. Great performances by veterans such as Matt Damon and Robert Downey Jr. add to the tension and urgency of the film’s plot. Florence Pugh’s performance deserves a mention too as she commanded attention in every scene she was in. This is a biopic at its best. It often feels like we’re not watching our favorite actors but real people in the actual time period. From the sets to the wardrobe and the cinematography, it’s like peering through a time portal.

I’d be remiss it I didn’t mention the soundtrack. Ludwig Göransson’s haunting and powerful compositions underline the drama on screen perfectly. The booming and goosebump inducing synths of songs like “Can You Hear the Music” call on mental pictures of atomic explosions, fitting for the subject matter of the film. When I first heard it, I assumed it was Hans Zimmer, but Göransson has made a name for himself off the stellar pieces on the soundtrack. Best Original Score hands down.

I can’t praise the film enough. I sort of credit Oppenheimer with make serious, grounded films popular again and I think the industry is starting to follow suit. After years of superhero drudgery, I think we’re getting back to simpler stories set in real, more natural settings. I welcome it as it’s time for a shift in storytelling for a while. Kudos to all involved with this wonderful film.

2. Godzilla Minus One

This film caught me and apparently Hollywood completely off guard. Godzilla Minus One is not simply your typical giant monster film. Sure Godzilla does wreck shit when he shows up, but the story focuses predominantly on the life of a military deserter as he deals with the shame of bailing on his duty during World War II. Taken place during Japan’s reconstruction after the damage of WWII, the film presents a side of Japan rarely seen in film, at least in the mainstream. The soldier’s story goes from one of survivor’s guilt, shame, and cowardice to honor, repentance, and courage. There’s also a touching love story thrown in the mix. It’s both scary, feel good, and emotional which was not what I was expecting from a Godzilla film.

It also should be praised for showing the big studios how to make a successful mid-budget film. With a budget of only $15 Million, the film has grossed over $78 Million worldwide. Don’t let the low budget put you off, the film looks beautiful and has a very unique visual style. No “zoomer” jump cuts all over the place, just balanced compositions, smooth edits, and steady camera work serving to tell a great story. I can’t praise the film enough. I think many people made the mistake as I did and just assumed it was another Godzilla film. This completely trounces the America Godzilla releases and shows you can tell a big monster film with a human story at its core. Go see it in theaters while you can.

3. The Iron Claw

If Oppenheimer was Christopher Nolan’s best work, The Iron Claw is Zac Efron’s hands down. I know some probably still see him as a Disney kid, but Efron really comes into his own in this touching and tragic story about a wrestling family. Just simple folks in the state of Texas trying to do something great but it all falls apart the closer they get to the goal. Efron’s character takes an emotional pummeling in the film and his depiction of these moments is perfect. Strong yet vulnerable. You root for him, feel terrible for him, hell you wish you could give the guy a hug by the end of it. Holt McCallany’s performance as Fritz Von Erich was great as well reminding me of Allison’s Janney stellar performance in I, Tonya. He may be a sleeper in the race for Best Supporting Actor. The overall cast is just fantastic and I can’t lob a criticism at anyone, top marks all.

Due to the emotional subject matter of the film, I can see it not being everyone’s cup of tea, but Efron and company can be proud of this one. If he doesn’t get an Oscar nom, it will be a tragedy.

4. Bone Tomahawk

An older film releasing in 2015, Bone Tomahawk is a brutal low-budget western starring Kurt Russell alongside one of my favorite actors Patrick Wilson(who I believe is a vampire as the man does not age). Wilson’s character’s wife is kidnapped by a mysterious Native American tribe and Russell, playing the sheriff of the small town, assembles a group of willing and disgruntled men to go on a rescue mission. Apparently this tribe are cannibals so they’re working desperately against the clock to pull of this improbable rescue. Think Predator but set in the Wild West.

Performances are all-great. Matthew Fox deserves a lot of praise here and he plays an absolute badass a la Doc Holliday in Tombstone. Loved seeing him in a more high-profile project. The film is obviously shot in the mountains of Los Angeles and you can tell the budget was pretty tight, but if you can overlook that ,what you find is a film full of brilliant acting, intense moments that will have you on the edge of your seat, and a brutality akin to your favorite horror films. It’s raw and real and I loved every minute of it. I look at it as more of a play with simple sets where the actors can just perform. And they bring it. The Native Americans in the story are BRUTAL. Their deadly and cunning tactics make them a formidable foe for the unsuspecting group. They almost remind me of the Mayan’s depicted in Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto. And they’re ability to hunt is very reminiscent of The Predator. They give way more than they take and make you realize you should never underestimate a tribe even if they’re not using advanced weaponry.

A great film and one of my all-time favorite Westerns.

5. In Cold Blood

Another oldie but goodie. I’d read Truman Capote’s excellent novel years ago and always wanted to see the film. Popping up in my Amazon recommendations I decided to give it a watch and found myself glued to the screen. For a film made in 1967, it feels very modern at times in terms of cinematography and acting. Yet on the other hand, it can often feel like an Alfred Hitchcock film with loads of tension, misdirection, and small details that make you smile when you catch them. Even the order in which the story is told is smart. How does one tell a story about the brutal murder of a family but humanize the suspects? Or give the family the proper respect? In Cold Blood walks this tightrope perfectly depicting a loving, caring family in the path of a murderous couple of lowlifes with troubled pasts. By the end of it, you want them to get their comeuppance, but you also can’t help but wonder what everyone’s life would have been like had they taken a different path.

I loved the film so much I bought it on Blu-Ray. It’s my first film I’ve purchased that’s part of the Criterion Collection and I plan to collect more. Recommended.

Not all was rosey this year with films. I saw several duds, but these two stand out most.

Disappointments

1. Maestro

*sigh* Maestro is my most disliked film this year. Bradly Cooper is…fine in it. Carey Mulligan is fantastic and should get a Best Supporting nom, but the film is just bleh. Self-indulgent and sparse are two words I would use to describe. If I had to sum it up in one word, it would be pretentious. It utterly fails as a biopic. Given the title is “Maestro” and depicts the life of conductor Leonard Bernstein, (You know the composer of such beautiful pieces such as Maria from West Side Story, Candide Overture, and Psalm 148?) the film is pretty light on the actual music. Nor does it bother itself with delving into Bernstein’s connection with music. His passion for the art form. Why did he choose to be a conductor? A composer of music? What is his process? What type of music does he enjoy? The audience is given little in regards to his music in favor of telling his story of being a closeted gay man and the many affairs he had while married to his wife Felicia Montealegre.

Not to say that his secret life isn’t interesting or worthy of study, I don’t think that alone gives us an idea of the man himself. All we get is that he’s smitten with his wife(at least publicly), sneaks around with men, conducts the occasional symphony, and bemoans living this hidden life. Additionally given that Bradley Cooper is on the poster, all in the trailers, he’s not as present in the movie as he should be in my opinion. Compare that to Oppenheimer where the majority of scenes feature Oppenheimer. There are so many scenes where Bernstein is absent and we’re given a glimpse into the other characters lives and thoughts on events, but that precious screen time could have been reserved for more character development or backstory on Bernstein. It almost feels more about his wife than him. If you’re not familiar with the man, you won’t leave this film feeling like you know him or his work. And that to me is why it fails.

To end on a positive note, it’s beautifully shot. The costumes are great. Carey Mulligan is magnificent. I love her hair throughout the film.

2. The Boy and The Heron

I am a Studio Ghibli fan. Like, before it was cool. Don’t be coming around talmbout, my favorite film is “Spirited Away” you casual! Kidding.

But as a fan, it pains me to say that The Boy and The Heron is Miyazaki’s worst film. Full stop. It’s beautifully animated, but the story is an incoherent mess. Events just happen, people appear/disappear and nothing’s explained. The main character’s mother tragically passes away in a fire and he blames himself for not being able to help her. Okay, I’m with you. His father remarries, her sister, who is the splitting image of the boy’s mom and it’s completely glossed over. Then a bird, the titular Heron, starts stalking him eventually leading him to some magical world where he meets his mom as a teenager with magical fire powers. Does he stop to tell her “Hey, you’re my mom. You passed away and I feel all alone. I miss you so much.” Nope, just glossed over and not explored. He spends time in the company of this random old lady, who’s now younger in the alternate world, than he does with the young version of his mom. He has literally no emotional connection to this woman but they chose her to be his main ally on the adventure. Imagine all the possibilities if it was his mom instead. To learn more about her. To tell her what happened. To deal with his grief. We get none of that. It’s just dumb. And critics are applauding it like it’s some though-provoking art piece. It’s dreck and dreadful. Ghibli films are also known for their stellar soundtracks. This one has less music than Maestro. No memorable theme. No memorable characters. It’s just confusing scene after confusing scene. I know it’s Miyazaki’s last film, but I refuse to remember him for this one. Don’t waste your time. Now, time to watch Princess Mononoke for the 1000th time. That’s a movie.

3. Killers of the Flower Moon

I love Martin Scorcese’s films. The Aviator starring Leonardo DiCaprio is both my favorite DiCaprio film and Scorcese film. His films have a unique format, wit, solid acting, and good to great cinematography. From the initial trailer, I admittedly wasn’t all that interested in Killers of the Flower Moon. Which was surprising as I read the book during Covid and enjoyed it. The trailer just looked boring and somewhat typical to me. It was trying to hard to be edgy. And I felt like I’d seen this film before.

Upon finally viewing it, I found it self-indulgent, exploitative, and very insensitive with the ending. I’m usually very cool headed about my response to a film touching on social issues or tragedy, but this one left me miffed. I wanted to see more scenes with Lily Gladstone, who in my opinion should have been the lead. I think choosing to tell the film from the perspective of her conniving husband was the wrong choice. Additionally the film is way too long and starts to feel like a slog after the 2 hour mark. The plight of the Osage people is one that should be told, respected, and prevented from happening again at all costs. But Scorcese’s film isn’t the one to portray the ordeal in the most efficient, insightful, and sensitive manner. A beautiful, but bad film.

Inspite of there being some duds here and there, I think this year was a great year overall for films. Everyone seems so glued to some series or another on streaming platforms, but I still enjoy a great movie. The movie going experience is still fun for me and we’ve been fortunate to get some very inspired films this year. I’m not sure if we’ll have to wait a bit in 2024 due to the strikes earlier this year, but I’m hoping next year is even better.