CRITERIA FOR OVERLOOKED: Originally used a previous Letterboxd competition's requirements that the films have to have under 15K users who viewed the film - but that would mean that some films I wanted to discusswould have just missed the cut, even though I genuinely do believe they are very much 'overlooked' films. So I used a more generous under 20K users threshold.
Mike Leigh has a remarkable knack for getting into the little nuances of interpersonal relationships, and this is one of his strongest films in that regard. Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen are quietly charming as an older couple we follow over a year, but the real driving force of the film is their mutual friend Mary, played by a simply astonishing Lesley Manville, an alcoholic depressed divorcee who is so irritating, toxic yet utterly sympathetic. The film is a series of emotionally ugly sequences, and what makes it all work is the unflinching eye of Leigh who doesn't simplify any of the interactions or characters and creates a real sense of understanding with each of these flawed characters.
Incarcerated for drug crimes in a Thai prison, the real-life story of Billy Moore (a physically committed turn from Joe Cole) using Muay Thai tournaments as a way of survival is a very interesting one ripe for tone deafness which is entirely avoided here. The film is first and foremost an effective character study of a very flawed man, and the environment around him without the usual trappings of films like Midnight Express. It doesn't try to make things eviler than they are or pile on the suffering to an unrealistic degree, it keeps everything realistic, tight to the chest and in the process makes the film. so much more interesting than a more Hollywood approach would have been. 19. Maudie
A very sweet and beautiful looking biopic of Maud Dowley, a 1930s Canadian folk artist living with Arthritis played to perfection by Sally Hawkins, and her relationship with employer and subsequent husband Everett Lewis, played to perfection by Ethan Hawke. The film is an incredible acting showcase for both actors with the Hawkin's expressive optimism and depiction of how she overcomes her disabilities contrasting so well against Hawke's unpeeling layers of cynicism and gruffness, and Aisiling Walsh's quietly affecting direction makes it a great watch throughout even when it marches into potentially schmaltzy territory.
18. New World
A stylish, twisty gangster drama with a constant sense of intensity pulsating through conversations and fisticuffs alike as we follow the story of undercover cop Lee Ja-sung (Lee Jeong-jae) - with on one hand the calculated manipulations of his police chief (Choi Min-sik) and on the other his loyalties to his gangster friend and potential chairman-in-waiting to the crime syndicate, Jung Chung - a terrific Hwang Jung-min giving a scene-stealing portrayal of both the vices and undying loyalty of the career criminal. It's a rich offering of so much the genre has to offer and is one of the more underrated crime films of the past decade.
Compiling the perspectives of several survivors from the 1966 University of Texas at Austin mass shooting through archival footage, in-depth interviews and rotoscopic animation, Keith Maitland's compelling documentary offers such a touching tribute to bravery and humanity in the midst of a horrible event. The editing in particular is a highlight here in crafting a one-of-a-kind juxtaposition between events of the past, and the reminisces of the present, and avoids emotional manipulation by granting a very honesty approach to the material at hand.
16. Of Gods and Men
Yeah...there's a lot of pretty haunting films on this list, including this one based on the 1996 kidnapping and murder of seven monks in politically and religiously tumultuous Algeria. Helping make the already potent real-life narrative of the dilemma facing the monks in light of the Islamic insurgent uprising is a terrific ensemble cast who all do their part in creating the community and conflict between the monks as. well as the nature of their faith. It's such an intriguing religious film regardless of where you fall on the beliefs system as it demonstrates without a hint of sanctimony the plight of these men and making their perseverance truly inspiring.
More than just the novelty of seeing the Muscles from Brussels playing himself, Jean-Claude Van Damme gives a sensational performance not as some ridiculously overpowered action hero but as the man behind all that. Using a bank heist/hostage as a backdrop to the examination of Van Damme's star persona and his personal issues is such a compelling combination and makes for a film that is very entertaining but also moving, particularly in the sequence
14. Tyrannosaur
I'll be discussing him in more detail later on in a separate capacity, but as a director Paddy Considine is really, really good at what he does. He tells small-scale narratives about the margins we often as society choose to neglect. In Peter Mullan's violent, destructive Joseph and in Olivia Colman's Hannah (a career-best performance which is saying something) whose kindness, charity and care being put to the ultimate extremes of despair, he paints in its own strange way a beautiful film that painstakingly details the ugly side of humanity while also altering it with seeds of healing and regrowth.
13. Mississippi Grind
Buddy comedies rely on well, believing in the buddies as buddies. And boy are Ben Mendelsohn - as gambling addict Gerry, well past his prime if he ever had one -, an Ryan Reynolds - charismatic younger likeable fella Curtis - buddies. I'm not big on poker myself, but the way this film enraptures you with the antics of these two buddies as they go through all the trials and tribulations, the successes and failures of gambling, and some surprisingly tender scenes (one involving a piano will break your heart) as well as some ridiculously funny ones. Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (who would later go on to work with Mendelsohn on Captain Marvel) this is a breezy yet in its own way substantial little film that really hits the sweet spot.
Sometimes simple, traditional and classical is the way to go, and for this very old-fashioned and heartrending tale of a loveless marriage of two British expats put to the test by a cholera outbreak in China that's exactly what it does. John Curran's very much old-school 40s/50s prestige picture approach to the proceedings is lovely, extending to the two great leading performances by Edward Norton and especially Naomi Watts, which are accompanied by technical excellence among them Alexandre Desplat's terrific score. It's a very straightforward moving tale told with the best possible intentions in the best possible way, and shows that sometimes it's all about execution rather than originality.
11. Poetry
WARNING: this is a rough watch. Grandma Mi Ja (the brilliant Yoon Jeong-hee) is diagnosed with Alzheimers and uses poetry classes to cling onto memories and thoughts through the written word, while dealing with her troublesome grandson. Yoon's beautifully measured performance is supplanted by a film that is heartfelt and full of resolve while also being bleak and heart wrenching. It may be frustrating to some in its very deliberate approach, but lean into it and embrace it. It's definitely worth the emotional journey it takes the viewer through. 10. Dead Man's Shoes
Shane Meadows is just a very underrated director altogether, and yes I know This is England is a great film and was a huge hit in the UK, but honestly he deserves so much more praise than just for that. This psychological thriller takes an approach to the genre that few other films dare. In that it grants us an antihero and instead of making him easy to root for or likeable, makes him genuinely quite terrifying thanks to Paddy Considine who for lack of a better word, is simply nightmarishly good here. It's a surprisingly funny film in parts too, while never diminishing the terror of watching a man dealing with his mentally disabled brothers' abusers.
9. The Station Agent
So three SAG nominations and a BAFTA win should disqualify this from the list right? Maybe, but I do think this film should get more attention than it does since even post-Game of Thrones I don't think it's gained as much traction as it should as an early indication of Peter Dinklage's immense talent. Tom McCarthy has a light yet assured touch as a director evident in other works such as Win Win and Spotlight and here with his debut film provides a wonderful acting showcase for his leading man as Finbar, a quietly withdrawn social outcast who gets brought out of his shell by a snack truck owner (Bobby Cannvale) and an artist dealing with the fallout of a family tragedy (Patricia Clarkson). It's not nearly as depressing as it all might seem as it is frequently a rather funny and uplifting film while never shying away from its dark elements, and best of all makes you really enjoy the time you spend with these characters.
8. Bright Star
As mentioned before capturing poetry onscreen is tricky. This film captures not just the essence of John Keats' poetry but also the essence of Keats as a man, telling the story through the narrative of the burgeoning relationship between Keats (a perfect Ben Whishaw) and Fanny Brawne (a perfect Abbie Cornish) gives a film that is as sensuous, loving, bittersweet as the finest of Keats' works. Oh for a draught of more Jane Campion on film, and I'm very eagerly awaiting her next film as her wonderful touches of the visually, emotionally arresting imagery in nature, in human nature and all in between to amplify the beauty that is Keatsian poetry. I'll admit I'm particularly fond of it because Keats is my favourite poet, but so what? He should be yours too.
7. A Bittersweet Life
An enrapturing study of a mob enforcer (Lee Byung-hun) who is assigned to shadow and spy over his boss' young mistress. A fairly well worn type of plot but so well handled by Kim Jee-Woon as the bloody, grim world of the gangster life contrasted with the serene, innocent world of the young mistress and its collision bring out humanity to the enforcer, without compromising the brutality of the environment, and the way everything plays out by the end is simply one of the most cathartic moments in all Korean cinema.
6. Bullhead
The excellent Rust and Bone is often cited as the mainstream breakthrough for Matthias Schoenaerts, one of the best actors working today, but it is in the Oscar-nominated Belgian crime thriller Bullhead where he first started to get notices and awards citations. Schoenaerts is magnificent, earning comparisons to Marlon Brando as gruff, intimidating cattle farmer Jacky who gets wound up in shady trade deals and criminal activities, while also confronting demons from past trauma that continues to haunt him. Michaël R. Roskam's fascinating unique take on the crime genre is curiously mismatched with humour and dark themes but is such a tightly wound thriller honing in on the vulnerabilities of a brute of a man, creating an eclectic blend. that's quite the mesmerising experience. (Also not as underseen but also terrific: Roskam's The Drop starring Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, the late James Gandolfini and yes, Schoenaerts).
5. The Guilty
Making a phone call cinematically compelling in a scene is difficult; to use it as the whole pitch and concept the film unfolds around, even more so. This Danish film about a Copenhagen police officer on emergency call duty who picks up a distress call from a woman who appears to have been kidnapped. It is a phenomenal film just in terms of ratcheting up the tension through a combination of smart editing, efficient and to the point direction from Gustav Möller, a taut and economic screenplay, and a fantastic performance from Jakob Cedergren in providing the right reactionary anchor to the proceedings while revealing more of the man's own set of demons. If you're looking for a quick yet immersive watch, this is just the film for you.
4. The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki
Probably the 'nicest' film to watch on this list (sorry if the tone of so many of these 'overlooked' films makes me seem like a miserable sod!), it is the most everyday, uneventful sports biopic ever in the best possible way - think Finnish Jim Jarmusch taking on the underdog boxer formula and you have this delightful dramedy from Juho Kuosmanen which is less about the punches thrown in the ring and more about the man throwing them. The boxing scenes themselves are definitely well down, amplified by the grainy B&W 60s look that amplifies the feel of a particularly intimate documentary watching over the training of the titular boxer (Jarkko Lahti). What makes the film particularly special is how it sketches his atypical, for a boxing film, relationships with his manager (Eero Milinoff), and girlfriend (Oona Airola). Olli getting increasingly distracted from his training for a big fight is all handled in such a sincere, casual and often hilarious way as you chill and relax alongside Olli and friends and enjoy your time with him thoroughly. 3. Dirty Pretty Things
This got itself a surprise Oscar nod for Best Original Screenplay for Steven Knight (don't let Serenity fool you the man has so much talent). I'm a mark for films which explore the 'underlying' parts of society which Knight and director Stephen Frears do here with a captivating at look at UK immigrants. I love diversity, and especially when it is used as wonderfully here with a cast of all sort of nationalities creating this rich tapestry among the council estates, the mortuary, the sweatshops, and a hotel that staffs immigrants. It creates characters who feel so lived-in down to the smallest part, with even Amelie herself Audrey Tautou fitting in quite well as Turkish Muslim immigrant Senay. She's luminous here, as are the supporting cast made up of such stalwarts as Benedict Wong, Sergi Lopez and Sophie Okonedo, but the shining star is Chiwetel Ejiofor as Okwe, the quiet beating heart of the film who reflects both the quiet struggle but also the earnest hope that persists throughout the film. 2. Like Father, Like Son
Ryota Nonoyima (Masaharu Fukuyama), a workaholic businessman, discovers that his biological son with Midori (Machiko Onon) was switched at birth with a working class couple (Lily Franky and Yoko Maki). What ensues is not some loud, dramatic melodramatic acting showcase, but Hirokazi Kore-eda fashions it into such a compelling exploration of exactly what it means to be a parent. The contrast between the two families is so well drawn from social status, parenting methods, and also the way they react to such a difficult situation, is so remarkable and you really get a sense of what every character is going through. It is often heartbreaking, yet never goes straight for the tear ducts with cheap emotional manipulation but earns your heart through a delicate touch of hand; and is just as often very funny, very sweet, and always very honest film from a terrific filmmaker I'm very excited to see more work of. Also some surprisingly great cinematography here which never draws attention to itself, and I don't think Kore-eda gets enough credit for how visually inventive a director he can be. 1. Revanche
(WARNING: trailer is a bit spoiler-y)
My choice for most overlooked film of the 21st Century so far was actually Australia's submission for the 81st Academy Awards and got nominated, yet I would say it still hasn't quite gotten the attention it deserves as it's one of the best films in recent years, and I'd dare say one of the best revenge thrillers I've ever seen. An atypical take on a genre that can easily go stale in the wrong hands, as though the title is literally 'revenge' that's not all the film is about, and even when it is about that it's not exactly the way you'd except. The film introduces several flawed yet oh so human characters and how their lives converge through a swift, tragic encounter, principally focusing on ex-con Alex, wonderfully played by Johannes Krisch. It is one of those films which sneaks upon you with how powerful it is, as director/writer Götz Spielmann achieves an incredibly difficult balance between a casual mood building and short bursts of emotion which create a truly immersive experience into one man's experience as you take in everything he endures and feel the release along with him, as the narrative weaves you in and out of essentially the standard 'beats' for a revenge thriller.
Just a few cool parallels you can make in the ensemble staging and composition
of shots between Akira Kurosawa's High and Low and Bong Joon Ho's Parasite
WARNING: Spoilers for Parasite to follow. Minimal for High and Low because that's the film I want to recommend to anyone who hasn't seen it yet but if you kind of want to go in cold, then go ahead and skip this article. And if you want to keep thoughts about the two films separate, key individual thoughts on High and Low will be in blue, Parasite will be in red, while I'll also keep key thoughts on the films' common dominant themes in bold. 'Your house looked like heaven, high up there'.
It's a line uttered by a character at the finale of High and Low but could easily come from the mouth of any members of the Kim family to any of the Park family in Parasite. Wealth in both films is epitomised through elevation upon a hill: the 'heavenly', wealthy environment presiding over the impoverished lower depths of the 'hell', epitomised by the impoverished tiny flat of the 'villain' of High and Low, and the semi-basement apartment in Parasite which the camera frequently encloses the characters within a tight space with little breathing room - literal and figurative immobility, while the elaborate world of the mansion and the bunker underneath the Park mansion which literally manifests into a living hell shows the tenuous, fragile co-existence of these two worlds. Sometimes so close yet so apart. A simple enough starting point as a theme, commonly explored through social inequality and class conflict dramas. The approaches that Kurosawa and Bong are very different, though - the former puts you within the wealthy environment as the initial perspective and then branches 'downwards' as the world collides. While the latter introduces you to the impoverished family 'below' and with them ascends gradually upwards.
In line with this, the wealthy patriarchal figure in both films are very different. Both Toshiro Mifune's King Gondo and Lee Sun Kyun's Mr Park are both presented as composed, calmly dignified figures. Perspective comes into play beautifully with just how differently they are presented though: Gondo is essentially our protagonist for the first half of the film, and yet there is also a certain distance we are granted to him. It is not coldness or even calculation really, but the reserved determination of a businessman who puts his own set of ethics, business or otherwise, above all else - he is who he is and sticks to his beliefs and ethics. Whereas with Mr Park, who deals with everything from work to the possibility of his driver leaving his bodily deposits in the backseat of his car, it's all handled very to the point in a professional manner. We are given an outsider's perspective of essentially a polite 'front' by Mr Park in dealing with everything in the most professional of manners that he can switch on and off, while Gondo he expresses his anger at the kidnapper seeking to undermine him very clearly, announcing it very clearly to everyone in the room as just part of who he is.
In Parasite the poor consider the niceness of the Parks, with 'no resentments' and 'no creases' being on account of money being an 'iron' which smooths out these creases - 'they are nicebecause they are rich' and 'if I had all this I would be kinder' remarks the poor mother Chung-sook (Jang Hye-jin) muses as she looks around the wealthy Park mansion. Meanwhile in High and Low Gondo's distanced presence initially puts off the detectives on the case, but ultimately through his actions proves them wrong about their preconceptions. As one of the detectives remarks, 'that Gondo is all right. Usually, l waste no love on the rich. l didn't like him at first. Excuse me.' Both rich patriarchal figures are put to the test of just how 'nice' they are, not a simple litmus test by any means and far from conclusive about the overall messages of their respective films, but it is an interesting thing to note about both films.
The visual storytelling in both films is just superb as distance is always distinctly conveyed with Gondo and Mr Park. In the introduction between Mr Park and 'Driver' Kim in Parasite, a line in the dividing glass separates the two, and in the subsequent car scene their interactions are conveyed with edits, always separate even when the conversations are flowing with earnest appreciation for one another. Mr Park is friendly, warm, but there is always a divide in the car with the exception of a panning shot where Driver Kim asks Mr Park whether he loves his wife - the 'crossing' of the line that Mr Park intensely dislikes.
In High and Low the distance betweenn Gondo and the people who work for him, whether it's his assistant or chauffeur or the police detectives, is conveyed through Mifune's acting where it is not a wall, or a line even, it is just how he deals with people. And as the high stakes of the film begin to transpire through the kidnapping plot the distance between characters grows tighter, leading to the shot of Gondo sitting quietly in contemplation as he considers his options, surrounded by subordinates. He is enclosed whereas Mr Park is divided. What to make of this? Honestly, it's all up to interpretation. It's a cool, fascinating and invigorating ensemble staging choice for both directors, and you can make of it what you want to make of it.
Moving away from Mr Park and Gondo for awhile, there's just so many other fascinating parallels in the films which I, upon five re-watches of Parasite, have yet to even get to the bottom with. You could have a field day just by looking at how the figure of the 'rich kid' is presented in both films. Both love playing dress up, both seem to take after or look after their fathers more, both are a central yet almost passive element to things getting out of hand in both films. Gondo, however, notably lets his kid play with the chauffeur's son Shinichi - they are friends and while he doesn't treat the chauffeur and his son like 'family' so to speak in terms of interactions or anything, what he ultimately does, the decision he makes over the course of the film is essentially that of pretty much treating the chauffeur's son as his own son.
While Gondo's chauffeur's child plays with Shinichi, the Park family never enquire about Kims' family, andthe son's playtime buddies are the first housekeeper Moon-gwang (Lee Jung-eu), the Kim daughter Ki-jung who tutors him in art (Park So Dam), and his papa. Oh and if getting scared into convulsions by the fella living in the basement underneath counts, I guess him too. They're all dead by the end of the film. Is there something to take away from that? I think so, what a little brat. In all seriousness though the rich son is a figure in Parasite who while almost peripheral is utterly essential to the proceedings, and there's so much that could be unpicked in that regard.
Phones are an essential driving force to both films. In High and Low it is the means with which the lower class kidnapper threatens the upper class Gondo through ransom demands. As the call proceeds, all people in Gondo's living room converge upon it as the lifeline they are all clinging onto. In Parasite the phone is essentially a weapon wielded to gain the upper hand as in effect one group of 'parasites' seeks to wipe the other group of parasites out, even if it means taking themselves down along with them. As expected, everything unfolds into chaos as all hands converge upon essentially a matter of life or death with regards to the lower class being able to stay within the upper stratosphere of the Park family home. The basement dwelling Geun-sae (Park Myung-hoon) compares it quite aptly to a North Korean missile launcher. One push and everything will implode an already tense and messy situation into oblivion, and even the temporary resolution of it only paves way to increase chaos.
It is a dog eat dog world in both films, where the only way that the poor can maintain any sort of stability is by in effect stepping over the other, gaining control of the other. The kidnapper in High and Low makes use of a frenzied junkie in the slums to his own advantage by testing heroin on her, and in Parasite the Kims sacrifice one working class employee after another to their schemes, and Mr Kim is forced to restrain the first housekeeper and her husband in the bunker in order to maintain the Kim's increasingly fragile web of lies. Hell as it is was concocted and kept under wraps by the first housekeeper, maintaining the fragile balance within the household as she kept her husband within the bunker and providing him with regular food. Once she dies, like Odin in Thor Ragnarok it paves way for hell being unwrapped and unchained (going into hiding for a bit while Martin Scorsese puts a hit on me for putting a MCU film in discussion with Parasite) and hell implodes onto the surface, resulting in quite the disastrous birthday party for the rich son.
Hell is quelled but at a cost to both parties in both films: in High and Low the kidnapper 'loses' but the money cannot be recovered in time to save Gondo's business pursuits. In Parasite both the rich and poor families lose family members close and dear to them, as the frenzied rage of the bunker-dwelling Geun-sae murders Ki-jung, the only 'poor' character who really 'fit' into the wealthy surroundings and is in turn murdered himself, reverting things back to the equilibrium in a tragic fashion; while the poor father murders the rich father in a blind rage as a buildup of his resentment toward Mr Park mocking his 'scent' of poverty behind his back, the tragedy ensuing for his family in front of him, and the rage at his lot in life that has been building on since the beginning. It is the the rage and resentment of the class divide that instigates and de-escalates over the course of both High and Low and Parasite, resulting in sombre reflections of the fallout for both. In both films the plans of the impoverished do not work out: the kidnapper 'loses' to Gondo in High and Low after being caught by the authorities, and it all amounted to nothing. One of his last lines concerns how his hatred of Gondo gave him a 'purpose in life' where it was 'interesting to make fortunate men unfortunate'. His plan was to ruin Gondo's life, but ultimately his failure and irony in making a 'hero' of King Gondo due to the positive publicity he gets in the process, is both a cathartic and tragic element of the film. His plan did not succeed, and his death is simply a footnote on the 'hell' he was born into. In Parasite the poor son Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik) repeatedly talks of plans to which his poor father sombrely reflects that the only kind of plan that cannot fail is 'no plan at all'.
Both films end on the tragic note of the class divide being the one constant as Gondo, the rich man tries to comprehend the tragedy of the poor man not for any personal gain, not for any sort of desire for vengeance, but sadness reflecting the immeasurable divide between the two through the wire mesh divide. 'If I had to go to heaven, I'd really tremble' bitterly remarks the kidnapper - there is no place for him there. And yet Gondo tries to understand and deeply sympathises.And as Parasite concludes the poor son lays out the plan, a 'fundamental plan' to earn money and but the house to rescue his father who is hiding in the bunker who has in effect replaced the previous parasite and descending into an even lower hell than he was in before. This 'fundamental plan' however is a futile hope that will never work out. A self-comforting wish fulfilment fantasy that will never be fulfilled. 'Take care until then' is a then that will never come, and the poor son is stuck where he was in the beginning, only with even less than he had before. 'I do think the film has a hopeful streak', screenwriter Han Jin Won says on Parasite, however, and I agree with him in the sense that while it is a bleak tale, it carries with it an optimism in terms of stories being heard. That's another discussion for another day I suppose.
Though the overly vague and distant approach to the material by Jean-Marc Vallée limits her a bit, Blunt is certainly very well cast as Queen Victoria, bringing out the right sort of royal grace and assertiveness even when the writing tries to make her more meek than she should be. I really wouldn't recommend the film too much since it's a fairly bland affair but it's an early good leading role of hers.
9. My Summer of Love
The same goes for this intimate drama by Paweł Pawlikowski which again, nothing amazing (beautifully shot though) and is a decent watch, and Blunt is pretty good here as wealthy girl Tamsin who takes interest in working class Mona (Natalie Press). This is one of those films which doesn't distinguish itself much from the other sorts but is a notable early strong turn from Blunt in playing up the shallow vivaciousness of her character, and a sign of her talent prior to more high profile roles.
8. A Quiet Place
A very simple reactionary performance that's all about helping to amplify her husband John Krasinki's atmospheric direction and concept, and out of the cast she nails it (no pun intended) the best. It's all about delivering in the 'in the moment' tension and she does a great job at selling every tense sequence and reflecting the emotional exhaustion from dealing with fear in silence.
7. Into the Woods
Blunt is particularly suited to musicals not just because she has a strong voice but also because she's very good at bringing a certain naturalism to musical numbers, where she really does do a good job of 'acting' through the music. I have to give her all the credit in the world also for making the weirdly written character of the Baker's Wife make sense and in the process making the ending of the film quite moving in its own way.
6. The Devil Wears Prada
Her breakthrough turn for which she got acclaim and awards notices for (though unfortunately fell just short of an Oscar nom), Blunt is a true scene-stealer in the best way here as the highly stressed and constantly on the move assistant to Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly. She's consistently the funniest and most engaging part of the film and makes every one-liner flourish regardless of the quality, and is just very endearing and in a way is the star of the film even though it's not really about her character.
5. Looper
Looking over Rian Johnson's filmography, one cannot deny that he is an ambitious chap who seeks to do things his way, and I respect him wholeheartedly for that. Blunt's part of that in his decision to halfway through Looper change the pacing and focus to the farm where Blunt's Sara and her son live. I actually really like the film's slowed down approach in this regard and Blunt is particularly good in giving such a lived in portrayal of her character's position in life, and making sense of her gradual revelations of something more beneath the surface.
4. The Adjustment Bureau
A great example of how charm and star power can make so much out of a fairly simple role. At the end of the day there's not much to Blunt and her co-star Matt Damon's roles as luminous ballet dancer and ambitious congressman, but the sheer chemistry and enthusiasm they bring to their roles makes this such a fun film to watch. They make the film's simplification of a more complex concept not as frustrating as it could be because of how much you root for them to make their romance work, and is an example of why Blunt should be even more of a star than she is.
3. Mary Poppins Returns
There is no other Julie Andrews and the role of Mary Poppins is undoubtedly hers, but what Blunt does in this better than expected sequel (I for one was very cynical about it) is take on her own approach, which is a bit less overly warm and a bit more incisive which works very well for the very different story this film takes on. Blunt as before thrives within the musical elements of the film and to her credit does find a nice alternate take on Poppins' warmth that is a highlight in her career, and I respect her very much for delivering in a role which could've easily gone all wrong.
2. Sicario
The film itself actually underwrites her character a bit, as there's not much meat to her Kate Mercer so to speak beyond being an FBI agent thrown out of her element into a shady task force in Mexico. That's no real obstacle to Blunt who acts as a brilliant anchor to the film's hellish atmosphere and she's utterly convincing every step of the way in reflecting the increasing tension of the horrible things she sees, the bureaucratic frustrations of dealing with the cartel, and even manages to make some of the lesser elements work. Her final scene with Benicio del Toro in particular is one of the best acted scenes of the past decade, and her presence was sorely missed in the very underwhelming sequel.
1. Edge of Tomorrow
A performance that like the film has only grown with time. The whole idea behind her character of essentially a video game NPC who is aware of the constant loop she's being put in, is a great concept and Blunt and her co-star Tom Cruise as the video game avatar create a fascinating dynamic out of this. As she's essentially giving a live, die and repeat performance over and over again while showing the different ways her character reacts to scenarios and how Cruise's character changes, her character changes too 'refreshes' after every square one. It's the type of performance that doesn't get enough credit in general beyond just the fact that she's a terrific and surprisingly convincing action hero. Incidentally the film itself is quite underrated in its own way.
John Hurt as the titular 'Elephant Man' John Merrick, with Anthony Hopkins as Dr Frederick Treves; Director David Lynch conversing with Hurt
I've always remarked that Lynch is at heart an optimist - and you only have to watch scenes like Major Briggs having a heart to heart with Bobby in Twin Peaks, any scene with Laura Dern in Blue Velvet, The Straight Story all throughout, to know that besides the bizarre flairs we all see there's also an utter sincerity that helps ground each of his works. Weirdness and warmth is all one and part of the overall package that makes him one of a kind. Now I've always been a mark for each and every one of Lynch's works, with Twin Peaks being up there with my favourite television series of all-time, and Blue Velvet being one of the greatest films of all-time. His crowning achievement though, for me, has to be his sophomore effort where he took the ambition and potential he showed in Eraserhead and crafted what some might consider in retrospect to be a compromise of his style to a studio system, but what I consider a flourishing masterpiece that set the mark for the rest of his career and truly set him up as one of a kind.
Moulds of Christopher Tucker's immaculate prosthetic effects
The first two things that are often remarked upon this film are the makeup used to transform the late great John Hurt into the titular 'Elephant Man' a.k.a. John Merrick, enduring his severe deformity in 19th Century London. Amidst Lynch's filmography this is hardly the most 'snubbed' of his films at the Oscars - it's the only one to receive multiple nominations and the only one to be recognised outside of Lynch's direction and performances (Richard Farnsworth in The Straight Story and Diane Ladd in Wild at Heart) - but it is notable that the film helped usher in the makeup effects category at the Academy Awards (just in time to award the brilliant Rick Baker for his work in An American Werewolf in London) Christopher Tucker's work here is superlative in helping transform Hurt into Merrick without a hint of artifice, you really feel like you're watching this very particular individual with the immensely complicated makeup process not just for Merrick's facial structure but his entire body.
Hurt and Anne Bancroft as Victorian-era actress Madge Kendal
Of course this would be all pointless without the talents of the man beneath the makeup. No one could play a victim quite like John Hurt, who really was the king of getting the cinematic raw end of the deal. Yet what Hurt does with Merrick is grant him a quiet strength of spirit that comes through the prosthetics. The only assets Hurt really has at hand to utilise are his eyes and voice and he makes use of both to such expressive effect, to convey the innate shyness and fear of a man shunned by society gradually opening up to the kindness of others, and showing that sincerity and warmth of personality does not make a character boring, but can make him even more compelling in his own unique way. Anthony Hopkins too is extraordinary in giving such a quiet, realistic arc to Dr Frederick Treves, it's underrated how much of a knack Sir Tony has for playing kindness and generosity when he's best known for Hannibal Lecter. And as with any Lynch film the ensemble is watertight - John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Freddie Jones, Michael Elphick, (a very young) Dexter Fletcher, all add some fine British character actor work to the proceedings, and the lone American (and one of the greatest actors of all-time) Anne Bancroft fits right in with what might be the film's most iconic scene as her Madge Kendal trades lines from Romeo and Juliet with Merrick. It is a film that steps on the fine line between sincerity and schmaltz and achieves the balancing act perfectly as it captures just the right sort of kinship between the kindred spirits through the beautiful Shakespearean scripture.
Freddie Francis' remarkable B&W cinematography
Speaking of writing, the screenplay does something quite remarkable which is delivering a message of generosity and compassion so earnestly while also not shying away from the hypocrisy and horrible treatment prevalent in both sides of society. Decrying the nastiest parts of human nature while also focusing on the best qualities of humanity. It never takes the easy route for kindness, firstly showing all characters as human beings with their own stresses and faults and showing how Merrick's generosity and kindness of spirit helps bring out the best of their nature, whether its Gielguld's hospital governor warming up to Merrick, Hiller's seemingly cold matron calling out the hypocrisy of high class society gawking at Merrick as a circus attraction, and one of the best scenes being Merrick's fellow 'freakshow' performers offering him a helping hand. This is very much a Lynch film in showing its affinity for the odd and shunned while also displaying the horrifying underbelly of much of society in the scenes where Merrick is being mistreated by his nasty showman caretaker. It is an auteur's film through and through with Lynch's individualistic style coming into play in particular. through the surreal bookends to Adagio in Strings (music is a consistently excellent element of the film with use of pre-existing music and John Morris' haunting score) which are just the right blend of out-of-this-world and painfully tragic. Among the other thing to bring up at a technical level is Freddie Francis' strangely snubbed cinematography (particularly since he won the other two times he was nominated for Sons and Lovers and Glory and how beloved this film was in the other technical categories).
In conclusion: if you haven't seen this film yet, whether because you're a bit wary of the concept, a bit scared or tentative, or just haven't piqued up the interest, I assure you it's every bit as brilliant as I've enthusiastically praised here, if not even more so.
(some changes have been made from my previous posts, will update accordingly) Best Picture 2019: Parasite
Runner-up: The Lighthouse
3. 1917
4. Little Women
5. The Irishman
6. Uncut Gems
7. Jojo Rabbit
8. The Farewell
9. Avengers: Endgame
10. A Hidden Life Best Director 2019: Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
Runner-up: Sam Mendes, 1917
3. Robert Eggers, The Lighthouse
4. The Safdie Brothers, Uncut Gems
5. Greta Gerwig, Little Women Best Actor 2019: Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, The Lighthouse
Runner-up: Adam Sandler, Uncut Gems
3. George MacKay, 1917
4. Roman Griffin Davis, Jojo Rabbit
5. Adam Driver, Marriage Story Best Actress 2019: Saoirse Ronan, Little Women
Runner-up: Valerie Pächner, A Hidden Life
3. Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
4. Lupita Nyong'o, Us
5. Jessie Buckley, Wild Rose
Best Supporting Actor 2019: Al Pacino, The Irishman Runner-up: Joe Pesci, The Irishman 3. Timothée Chalamet, Little Women
4. Song Kang-ho, Parasite
5. Sterling K. Brown, Waves Best Supporting Actress 2019: Zhao Shuzhen, The Farewell
Runner-up: Florence Pugh, Little Women
3. Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit
4. Cho Yeo-jong, Parasite
5. Park So-dam, Parasite Best Ensemble 2019: Parasite
Runner-up: Jojo Rabbit
3. Little Women
4. The Farewell 5. The Irishman Best Original Screenplay 2019: Parasite
Runner-up: The Lighthouse
3. Uncut Gems
4. Marriage Story
5. Portrait of a Lady on Fire Best Adapted Screenplay 2019: Little Women Runner-up: The Irishman 3. The Farewell 4. Jojo Rabbit 5. El Camino Best Cinematography 2019: 1917 Runner-up: The Lighthouse 3. Portrait of a Lady on Fire 4. Parasite 5. A Hidden Life Best Editing 2019: Parasite Runner-up: Uncut Gems 3. The Irishman 4. The Lighthouse 5. Little Women Best Costume Design 2019: Jojo Rabbit Runner-up: Little Women 3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 4. The Aeronauts
5. Vita and Virginia Best Production Design 2019: Parasite Runner-up: 1917 3. The Lighthouse 4. Little Women 5. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Best Sound Editing 2019: The Lighthouse
Runner-up: 1917
3. Apollo 11
4. Ford v Ferrari
5. Midsommar Best Sound Mixing 2019: 1917 Runner-up: The Lighthouse 3. Parasite
4. Uncut Gems 5. Ad Astra
Best Visual Effects 2019: 1917 Runner-up: The Lighthouse
3. The Irishman
4. The Aeronauts
5. Godzilla: King of the Monsters Best Makeup and Hairstyling 2019: The Lighthouse
Runner-up: Bombshell
3. The Irishman
4. Midsommar
5. Monos
Best Original Score 2019: 1917 Runner-up: A Hidden Life
3. Parasite
4. Avengers: Endgame
5. Little Women
Best Original Song 2019: 'Stand Up' - Harriet
Runner-up: 'Glasgow', Wild Rose 3. 'I'm Gonna Love Me Again', Rocketman 4. 'Speechless', Aladdin 5. 'Beautiful Ghosts', Cats
Top: Josh and Benny Safdie, Uncut Gems
Bottom: Vince Gilligan, El Camino; Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
There's nothing wrong with a director going back to a tried and tested formula that suits their strengths, and really in the most basic sense that's what these four gentlemen have done with their respective films. There's a reason I'm talking about the following here as each director not only finds something new to offer this time around, they completely re-evaluate and turn in an entirely vivid, new experience for their films I'd never experienced from them before. Vince Gilligan returning to the biggest hit television series of all-time in El Camino gives one the opportunity to hone in on what Jesse Pinkman's been up to since we last saw him making his escape in the Breaking Bad finale. Which was a perfect ending in itself, but what Gilligan does here is craft the perfect epilogue to it. He explores what got Jesse into this situation and what will get him out of it, and creates such an affecting, tense portrait that narrows in on a contemplative exploration of Jesse, and the film works all the better for finding new ground to tread on instead of trying to recreate the Breaking Bad magic. The Safdie brothers Josh and Benny once again turning to a 'man on the ledge' genre to play with in Uncut Gems, presenting us with another dickhead to root for, this time around switching fromGood Time's selfish, high-wire toxic Connie to the selfish, high-wire, toxic but altogether more wealthier Howard. We get a character who once again repeatedly puts himself in ridiculous situations, and through it the Safdies create, through all their technical excellences and conjuring up brilliant performances across the board, the unforgiving world of the New York diamond district where the character bounces off once fuckup after another repeatedly trying to find a way out, and making tension and anxiety over a frankly repulsive individual which is just remarkable. Martin Scorsese makes what might be his last go-around on the mobster genre ride in The Irishman. His decision to make a film about such a decidedly passive character and gradually hone in more and more on him as history unfolds across him is brilliant. Like Gilligan and the Safdies he presents us with a figure going through all sorts of situations that he's played around it before, and like them he presents his protagonist, Frank Sheeran, in an altogether different light, a nostalgic light that's gradually torn away as history catches up to him and he simply can't keep up with it. It's marvellous work from all three directors in conjuring up such compelling narratives, all essentially driven by presenting such a vivid, unforgettable wide scope and then fixating upon such compelling individuals.
Left: Terrence Malick, A Hidden. Life
Right: Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire; Lulu Wang, The Farewell
Terrence Malick has spent the past few years directing glorified perfume adverts, so it's nice to see A Hidden Life as a return to form for him. It's by no means a perfect film, overlong and in need of a more concise edit, but what's there is often very strong and occasionally rather brilliant. Malick once again returns to what really is his greatest strength which is in capturing emotional intimacy in unlikely situations, and the film really excels the most when he allows us to really reflect on and absorb the power of the central relationship. Whether it's showing snippets of an early courtship, letting the camera linger on a husband's joyous return and his heartrending departure, and while there are scenes which come across as pointless navel gazing, particularly in the second half, there are just as many astonishing ones which capture the power of the true story. Meanwhile, Lulu Wang's direction for The Farewell is more understated yet no less powerful in its poignancy. She really does well to sidestep any pitfalls of the indie genre by balancing naturalism with the laughs and drama, and coheres them into a loving, yet observant and take on the family dramedy genre. What I particularly love is that she lets the performances flourish so much without trying to divert attention away from them, which is generally a problem I have with a lot of films, when she does undertake more overt stylistic choices it works, for example the 'funeral' scene or the family wedding montage, but my favourite moments are subtle touches like how she silently uses the camera to tell us the inner emotions of characters. And Céline Sciamma for Portrait of a Lady on Fire crafts an unforgettable immersive experience within a striking romance. Sciamma of course makes use of glorious cinematography and a strong screenplay to fashion such a compelling yet simple narrative, yet what I really have to commend is her restraint. Yes, there are amazing sequences like the titular 'on fire' scene which is just an astonishing piece of stylistic direction, but I really liked too how she allowed other scenes to play out with relative normalcy and calm, and never battering you over the head with the 'passion' between the two character but rather letting it be drawn out and slowly build up. And I keep mentioning it but that ending really is one of the most brilliant pieces of direction of the year.
Alejandro Landes, Monos
Robert Eggers, The Lighthouse; Sam Mendes, 1917
Then you have directorial efforts which really go for the grand, epic, daring scope of capturing very specific atmospheres. In this regard, Alejandro Landes' work on Monos does a terrific job of capturing a consistently unnerving tone. You get pulled into this claustrophobic, hellish little world of child soldiers and the film never really lets go over its duration, and I really dug how Landes keeps these figures at a certain distance from the rest of the world, the isolation which creates even more sense of this often surreal environment. The film is very loosely plotted and the actors while uniformly strong are all very much within the director's vision which is the domineering aspect of the film. Landes runs with this disorientating mad experience and whether or not you like it, you got to admire it. Robert Eggers' The Lighthouse is also madness of an altogether different sort. It's honestly the kind of direction that gets the better the more I think about it, as Eggers does with the likes of Fritz Lang, Bergman, black and white horror cinema on the whole, what someone like Todd Phillips failed to do with Scorsese in Joker. In that the influence on his work is keenly felt, yet it is very much his own imprint on the genre rather than a blind copycat's pastiche. Everything about his direction from the aspect ratio, to the choice of lighting, however he got such brilliant performances out of his actors by often crazy means, every odd choice he makes is astonishing in how well it works. It's a true masterclass in Gothic filmmaking. Meanwhile, Sam Mendes takes a stab at the war genre with an approach like no other with 1917. Honestly, I'm not usually a Mendes fanboy, but this time round he really astonished me in crafting a war epic like no other. It's a virtuoso bit of filmmaking in combining everything - acting, score, CINEMATOGRAPHY, sound, vfx, screenplay - into such a tautly made immersion into the war zone. I love that Mendes is never singular in his intentions, there's variation with quieter moments, that make the primary purpose of a grand war action epic resonate beautifully without ever losing sight of the very personal story at its core. It's invigorating work that's frankly grown even more in my esteem with every re-watch.
Bong Joon Ho, Parasite
Greta Gerwig, Little Women; Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit.
Then we have the tricky balancing acts of the tones of these three films by three terrific auteurs. Taika Waititi strikes for the skies with Jojo Rabbit and in my opinion does a great job with it. Waititi's style as a director is particularly attuned to taking on a child's perspective, which he does so with such aplomb here once more. It is a different beast to Wilderpeople or Boy in terms of the subject matter he is dealing with here, and his choice to essentially maintain optimism and idealism in the face of the horrors in the margins is certainly a point of contention, but an approach that entirely worked for me in creating a humorous but also affecting coming-of-age tale with some standout moments like the shoes scenes which are unquestionably brilliant, and moreover his energy and life he brings to every scene is just superb too. Meanwhile, Greta Gerwig was horribly snubbed at the Oscars for her sterling work in Little Women. Her work here is for lack of a better word, wondrously wonderful. Taking her own unique spin of Gerwig-ness to material that doesn't immediately scream 'another adaptation' and making it her own. I have to commend Gerwig so much for really nailing what made Alcott's novel so great was how it is at once one of the most joyous and heartbreaking of stories, and Gerwig's choice to play with the structure and add in little touches of modernity without straying too far, retaining the essence of what made the novel great and adds in so much of her own style, and juggling the tones with som. particularly daring choices in that regard, creates such a fascinating take on the tale of four sisters. Then of course there's Bong Joon Ho and Parasite. What more can be said about the best directed film of the year, by far? First and foremost it's just an incredibly entertaining film. Just the way everything is presented, particularly those stunning montages, the individual musical choices, the brilliant ensemble staging that he's always been known to excel in. It is a film that is as funny as it is dramatically compelling, as thrilling as it is contemplative, and Bong knows when to hold back on one tone to emphasise the other and when to combine them. What goes beyond it just being a hugely entertaining film is how layered it is. It's no exaggeration to say that every frame of the film could be examined for finer details as to how Bong just adds so much more to reappraise in the story, making subsequent re-watches just as, if not even more, compelling. Reel and Roll Awards Best Director 2019
Bong Joon-ho, Parasite
Sam Mendes, 1917
Robert Eggers, The Lighthouse
The Safdie Brothers, Uncut Gems
Greta Gerwig, Little Women
Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit
Alejandro Landes, Monos
Lulu Wang, The Farewell
Terrence Malick, A Hidden Life
Vince Gilligan, El Camino
Rian Johnson, Knives Out
Todd Douglas Miller, Apollo 11
James Mangold, Ford v Ferrari
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Joe and Anthony Russo, Avengers: Endgame
Jordan Peele, Us
Jan Komasa, Corpus Christi
Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story
Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles, Bacurau
Marielle Heller, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood
Dexter Fletcher, Rocketman
Tom Harper, The Aeronauts
Alma Har'el, Honey Boy
Craig Brewer, Dolemite Is My Name
Joe Talbot, The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Jennifer Kent, The Nightingale
Julius Onah, Luce
Tom Harper, Wild Rose
Pedro Almodóvar, Pain and Glory
Lorene Scafaria, Hustlers
Mati Diop, Atlantics
Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz, The Peanut Butter Falcon
Garret Price, Love, Antosha
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, Ready or Not
Edward Norton, Motherless Brooklyn
Josh Cooley, Toy Story 4
Sergio Pablos, Klaus
Joanna Hogg, The Souvenir
Gene Stupnitsky, Good Boys
Laure de Clermont-Tonerre, The Mustang
Harry Wootliff, Only You
Stephen Merchant, Fighting With My Family
Olivia Wilde, Booksmart
David F. Sandberg, Shazam!
Dean DeBlois, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
David Leitch, Hobbs & Shaw
Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Captain Marvel
Clint Eastwood, Richard Jewell
David Michôd, The King
Nahnatchka Khan, Always Be My Maybe
Jim Jarmusch, The Dead Don't Die
Kasi Lemmons, Harriet
Fernando Meirelles, The Two Popes
Ari Aster, Midsommar
Michael Dougherty, Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Destin Daniel Cretton, Just Mercy
Trey Edward Shults, Waves
Chad Stahelski, John Wick: Chapter 3
Chanya Button, Vita and Virginia
Abe Forsythe, Little Monsters
James Gray, Ad Astra
Kantemir Balagov, Beanpole
Grant Sputore, I Am Mother
J.C. Chandor, Triple Frontier
Guy Ritchie, Aladdin
Danny Boyle, Yesterday
Christopher Landon, Happy Death Day 2U
Rob Letterman, Detective Pikachu
Jake Scott, American Woman
Melina Matsoukas, Queen & Slim
Anthony Maras, Hotel Mumbai
Jay Roach, Bombshell
Scott Z. Burns, The Report
Jon Watts, Spider-Man: Far From Home
Brian Kirk, 21 Bridges
Jon Favreau, The Lion King
Dan Gilroy, Velvet Buzzsaw
Tim Burton, Dumbo
Rupert Goold, Judy
Steven Knight, Serenity
Joe Berlinger, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile
