Uncut Gems (2019): The Safdie brothers are officially the directing duo to get excited about. Not everyone’s cup of tea though, that’s for sure. Similarly to Heaven Knows What and Good Time, their last two movies, Uncut Gems is a nerve-wrecking ride, that will bludgeon you emotionally. It takes no hostages and constantly defies your expectations. What can go wrong, will go wrong, and you damned well know you deserve all these horrible things that are being inflicted upon their characters. The mirror-image of the brutality underlying the mining of gemstones is unflinching and unrelenting. And at the center of it is bloody Adam Sandler, who delivers one of the best performances of his career, a rare feature that defies the man’s cinematic reputation. So yeah, must-see. 9/10

Olympic Dreams (2019): As far as sports romcoms go, this is an unusual movie, in that it’s shot at the Olympic Village during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. This very real backdrop is fleshed out in a bunch of scenes with equally real athletes, capturing an unfamiliar flavour. Starring alongside the established Nick Kroll is the movie’s co-writer, Alexi Pappas, former Olympian, just like Gus Kenworthy and Morgan Schild, who also have small roles to play. There’s a bit of a Lost in Translation (in sports) feeling to Olympic Dreams, which unfortunately doesn’t get the chance to really catch on, as the movie stumbles to its predictable finale. The good thing is Pappas and Kroll are both likable on screen, and Pappas captures a bit of the forlorn solitude of elite athletes and the harsh realities of the Olympic cycle. Not in enough depth to really make the movie memorable, but sufficiently to put a personal twist to a familiar tale. 6/10

Come to Daddy (2019): Talking of twists, why not try this one on for size? A son (Elijah Wood) goes out in the middle of nowhere to visit his estranged father, whom he’s never met before. He encounters a snarky man (Stephen McHattie), who is really difficult to get along, making him question his willingness to reopen an old wound. And then thing go from nuts to whipped cream with crazy brownies. It’s mostly entertaining, even if it fails to be as clever as it wants itself to seem. The resolution, inevitably, feels like a let-down, which is why Come to Daddy is more of a curiosity than the crazy romp it aspires to. 6/10

To All the Boys: P.S. (2020): You might remember I found the original Netflix production surprisingly sweet. Well, this sequel was just…tiresome. The story goes into a familiar place, as a new potential love interest enters the scene, the receiver of one of the unanswered love letters that built the premise of the first movie. While Lara Jean is posed with some realistic romantic conundrums, and she remains a more grounded character than your usual rom-com leads, I found this whole affair to be tedious and uninspired, lacking the personality to stand out, and taking no risks worth mentioning. 4/10

Becoming Bond (2017): For whatever reason, I forgot to review this a few weeks back, when I saw it. A quaint and highly enjoyable movie, Becoming Bond takes the rarely walked path of combining documentary filmmaking with cinematic reenactments (i.e. actors of some esteem taking up the key roles). It doesn’t always work, but George Lazenby’s persona irons over any inconsistencies, making for an entertaining story that retains its ‘larger than life’ feel. Funnily, I’m not sure it’s a must-see for fans of the newer Bonds, but if you’re up for a heck of a life’s story, then this is definitely something to indulge in. 7/10

Love, Antosha (2019): The death of Anton Yelchin was a real shock at the time, not only because a young person died at the age of 27, but also because of the absolutely bizarre manner of his death. Love, Antosha unveils an incredibly complex guy, who ultimately left an enduring legacy in spite of his untimely passing. Yelchin suffered from cystic fibrosis, a disease that used to be a death sentence for children, which can now be managed up to the age of around 40. So this is the context of his life, of his particular tragedy, a life of chronic pain that he has defied in a manner that feels inspiring and frustrating in equal measures. I was praising Lebouf, but Yelchin is the definition of the actor who transcends film to be a full-fledged artist, a thinker, so analytical it’s intimidating to see. The film left me wondering about what I’ve done with life during my twenties. 8/10

Little Women (2019): If Greta Gerwig needed to prove anything after Lady Bird, she did. Little Women is a touching adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s novel (adapted oh-so-many times along the years), which plays like a slightly more modern Jane Austen movie. That’s a good thing. The four March sisters are getting ready to step into the world, each as different from the other as two failed marriages, with young Jo (Saoirse Ronan) the most unorthodox of the bunch. In spite of the obvious themes of women empowerment, the movie is never overbearing or pedantic, it carries its weight with grace and finds humor in unexpected places. More than that, it paints an endearing family portrait, that you’re just bound to get caught in emotionally. 8/10

Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey (2020): …or Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn as the original title went, before Warner Bros. decided to rename it to something more manageable for the DC fanbase. Talking of which, as far as DC goes, this wasn’t a terrible flick. Coming from the inexperienced hands of director Cathy Yan, it’s a movie that doesn’t take itself seriously, goes nuts whenever it can and proves that an all female cast can just as well make an average script work, as long as there’s some chemistry involved. Margot Robbie, who almost made Suicide Squad watchable by herself, deserved this movie and she delivers the same energetic touch. Her co-stars prove a solid fit, as does the equally outrageous Ewan McGregor, playing the villainous Roman Sionis. There’s a lot of glee to go around here, glee in violence, suffering, revenge, reasonably well executed in a Joker without the burdensome gravitas. 7/10

Honey Boy (2019): So Shia LaBeouf wrote this autobiographical story about his struggles as a child actor, the turbulent relationship with his (deadbeat) father, as well as the shit-hitting-the-fan episodes of his later life. He plays his own dad in it, a depressingly accurate meta commentary on the whole situation, starring across Noah Jupe, who portrays the young Shia, as well as Lucas Hedges as the twenty something year old Beoufinator. For a (long) while the movie is just a troubling exploration of a terrible father-son relationship, but it finds emotional depth in the nuanced character of said father, as well as in its stirring final act. Shia is definitely a man of many shapes, and like all difficult (public) people, easy to judge and easy to condemn. The way he’s channeled that in his last two movies (this and The Peanut Butter Falcon) hints towards a shift within him and reinforces his conviction as an actor with something to say. 8/10

Jojo Rabbit (2019): It’s hard to believe that as a fan of Taika Waititi, I find myself less than fascinated with Jojo Rabbit – a Wes Anderson-esque take on a child in Nazi Germany end-days. I honestly find it hard to say why. The movie is witty and borderline ridiculous at times, something I totally dig, but the overall feeling is that it’s more routine than it wants to be. Safety safe, in both its humor and its implications. Ultimately, Jojo is more a series of inspired moments, than an enthralling film, relying too much on the personal charm of its cast. And then it won the Oscar for best screenplay, which I find odd, because both Little Women and the Irishman had more going for them as far as adaptations are concerned. Ah, what do I know. 6/10

1917 (2019): It seems a lock by now, that 1917 is going to win big at the Oscars. I was weary about yet another war movie, but Sam Mendes’s latest proved a pleasant surprise. You’ve probably heard about the (fake) single-shot appearance the movie provides, an inspired artistic choice, that just swallows you up. Sure, there isn’t much in terms of characterization, this isn’t Saving Private Ryan, and the big-name secondary acts are…I don’t know, distracting? But 1917 has real flow, a swagger about itself that’s enticing and traumatic, real cinematic quality. Maybe not among my favourites of the year, but definitely one that stands out from the crowd. 8/10

Bad Boys for Life (2020): Whatcha gonna dooo? It’s unusual that the first fresh film in a series be the third of the bunch, but that’s the case here. I haven’t even seen the first one, but did watch the second a million years ago, which really didn’t help me understand what all the fuss was about. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence get on well in this latest installment, which has the added benefit of not being directed by Michael Bay. There’s no shortage of crashes, explosions and sexy moments in the movie though, as it runs along smoothly and offers solid entertainment value. You don’t expect Bad Boys to revolutionize cinema, all you want is to have some fun and indulge in the nostalgia factor – both can be found on the menu here. 7/10

Blow (2001): Talking of popular movies I had never seen, here’s Blow – perhaps the first flick I added onto my IMDb watchlist! Some fifteen years later, thanks to Netflix its time has finally come. Unfortunately, the whole thing felt unsurprisingly stale, with drug blockbusters a dime a dozen nowadays. The movie does a poor job in selling Johnny Depp as a teenager, trying to mask his 38 years with a disgusting hairdo and even more disgusting sunglasses. He turns into his sexy, old self midway during the movie, before growing fat and returning to his horrible hairdo of his “youth”, a lack of aesthetic consistency that really troubled me. As did the fact that his “mother”, Rachel Griffiths, is five years younger than Depp. All these nibbles aside, there just isn’t much life in Blow, which feels routine and soulless – barring a surprisingly emotional finale. 6/10

Judy (2019): It’s funny that two average, uninspired movies will provide this year’s best actor Oscars. Judy Garland’s tragic life story – her troubled youth and the last few months of her demise – gets a perfunctory treatment here, in the kind of tired biopic you dread. Renee Zellweger keeps the thing alive, but it’s a real shame that such a sad, drama-rich tale of Hollywood self-absorption and cruel, soul-crushing consumption does not amount to more. There are inklings of real tragedy in Judy, which are never allowed to blossom, stomped out by the mundane undercurrents of her life. 6/10

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019): You might recall that I was a big fan of the Fred Rogers documentary, Won’t You Be My Neighbor, which I also included on my best of 2018 list. This dramatic adaptation, coming from Marielle Heller (most recently known for the excellent Can You Ever Forgive Me) isn’t quite as exceptional as Morgan Neville’s docu, but it strings together a story that becomes compelling every time Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks) is on screen. I’m not sure about the framing of the film as an episode in the Rogers format, because it doesn’t flow as well as I’d like it to, even if it makes sense as a means of reducing the heaviness of Rogers himself – something that co-star Matthew Rhys brings across well. However, there are a few moments of lingering shots and hard-hitting truths that work excellently in carving a complex side to a character that seems a bona-fide Gary Stu (no, not Tributary Stu, but the kind of wish-fulfillment male equivalent to the Mary Sue). This makes A Beautiful Day a beautiful story to boot. 8/10

Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling (2018):  In The Zen Diaries, the title really delivers, you get a portrait of someone as if reading their most intimate thoughts. Just a guy trying to put some order into his life, someone who literally learned how to be funny, for whom it didn’t all come easily. There’s a lot of work that goes into making something seem easy, but there will always be Rafael Nadals to Roger Federers, people who just make you believe that there is more than one path to excellence. More in the full review here. 9/10

Prometheus (2012): Hard to believe it’s been almost eight years since Prometheus was released, not to mention the forty years since the first Alien movie. Alas, that’s how time flies, and Prometheus is still a bitter pill to swallow for many. Some ludicrous set-pieces and underdeveloped characters who have a strong claim for the “who sent these idiots in space” pantheon were frustrating to sit through. However, I loved the look and feel of the movie when I first saw it and I stick to my initial evaluation, the beautiful, eerie, haunting monster design sticking with me well after the end credits. Then again, I’m so committed to the series I would probably volunteer to being facehugged, so maybe look for a second opinion. 7/10

Luce (2019): When a couple are faced with the possibility that their (adopted) son might be more troubled than the average teenager, they suddenly have to answer surprising questions about love, family and loyalty (a bit similar to The Dinner, which I reviewed upon its release). In this unnerving adaptation of J.C. Lee’s play, you get a sense that all is not right, yet most of the movie unfolds along familiar lines. Thankfully there’s enough nuance and subtlety to it, especially in its final third, that Luce manages to stand out and ask some important questions about modern day America and the children of today and tomorrow. So a good dollop of meta commentary to make it worthwhile. 7/10

Ford v Ferrari (2019): A perfect ride for racing enthusiasts, a solid ride for those who like movies about people who have obsessions beyond themselves. James Mangold directs Christian Bale and Matt Damon in the story of how Ford Motors came to beat Ferrari at the (in)famous Le Mans 24 hour race for the first time in the 1960s. It’s a movie about ambition, nationhood, pride, and finding that perfect racing line, as the trailer emphasizes. As far as racing movies go, this one is up there with Rush, strong filmmaking with an entertaining rags to riches story to go with it and just enough politics to give it that extra dimension. If there’s something I didn’t like (and generally don’t like), it’s seeing female wife-girlfriend characters with no other purpose than to support/criticize the lead, so it’s a shame Caitriona Balfe didn’t get more to chew on here. Beyond this, I can only recommend FvF, as the epitome of light, yet emotional mainstream entertainment. 8/10

Dark Waters (2019): If you enjoy your Erin Brockoviches, this one will be right up your alley. In the late 90s (that’s more than two decades ago, fyi – I’m sticking with this whole “time, where you gone, dawg?!” theme), cows are dying up shit’s creek USA, and the big bad guys of Megacorp inc. are to blame. So yeah, you’ve seen this, but Dark Waters thrives in its environment, as a successful lawyer played by Mark Ruffalo short-circuits his career (family, health) in order to bring the good fight to DuPont, one of the world’s largest chemical companies. Equality does not factor into this fight, but Rob Bilott somehow has the stomach, determination and masochism to keep at it until something gives. It’s a tastefully done underdog story, and while it doesn’t do anything spectacular, it sure entertains. 7/10

The Irishman (2019): It wasn’t easy to get 3.5 hours together to watch Scorsese’s latest in one sitting, but I guess that’s what the holidays are for. The captivating tale of Jimmy Hoffa’s demise is worth the runtime – that’s if it wasn’t enough for you to watch De Niro, Pacino and Pesci regardless of subject matter. The project’s sheer ambition is impressive and it amounts to a skillfully crafted showcase for what Scorsese does best, even if I didn’t feel that it broke any new ground. What bugged me a little was that its leads are at least a decade too old for their roles and no matter how much you deage them, you just know as a viewer that these guys are in their mid to late 70s. Other than that, a solid mob story. 8/10

Memory: The Origins of Alien (2019): On the film’s 40th anniversary (cray!), a new documentary on the making of Alien, focusing on some of the key elements and scenes was released. If you’re as obsessed about the Alien franchise as I am, this latest refresh brings little to the table, compared to e.g. Alien Evolution (released alongside the Anthology pack) or Jodorowsky’s Dune (which discusses unexpected connections between Jodorowsky, O’Bannon, Giger and the Alien universe). However, it’s a tight package that proves capable of explaining why Alien still stands tall forty years later – a movie made with Ridley Scott’s genius touch, benefiting from an excellent cast and visuals that go a long way towards telling a compelling story. 7/10

Dolemite is My Name (2019): I had no idea what I was going to watch, beyond a supposedly remarkable performance by Eddie Murphy. To my surprise, Dolemite proved to be a story about movie-making, a kind of Ed Wood/The Disaster Artist whose lead gets a lot more respect. The larger than life character of Rudy Ray Moore fits Murphy like a glove, but he’s not alone with a bunch of strong and likable side characters to keep Dolemite entertaining at all times. Unless you become molecularly enraged at the American platitude of “you can be whatever you want to be” which then romanticizes any shortcomings that don’t fit the bill, there is no reason not to enjoy this flick. 8/10

Cocktail (1988): In my attempt to not leave any stone touched by Tom Cruise unturned, it was finally time to dig deep and go for broke with one of the man’s worst reviewed movies. Cocktail turned out to be a watchable affair, in spite of itself, its bland characters, its ridiculous plot, its inane climax and conclusion. It mostly runs on the charm of its leads, Cruise, Bryan Brown and Elisabeth Shue, which is why I don’t feel the need to skewer it. Heck, enough people have done that already, so just try and enjoy the 80s in all their glory. 4/10

Snatchers (2019): This little horror-comedy has people conflicted – is it the worst movie they ever saw or is it just a perfectly pitched genre picture? You can probably guess I find myself in the latter category. On the premise that a girl becomes pregnant after having sex for the first time and gives birth to…something a day later, Snatchers decides to have a lot of fun with its subject matter and manages to do so thanks to the good vibes of its two leads, played by Mary Nepi and Gabrielle Elyse. Like its rom-com equivalents, hor-com movies come down to good chemistry…and how they execute the visuals effects. While I’d have wanted a little more Edgar Wright-ish wit to go with it, there’s no doubt in my mind that Snatchers is worth the time for genre enthusiasts. 6/10

Knives Out (2019): If you’re an Agatha Christie fan, this flick written and directed by Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper and Star Wars VIII) is an absolute treat. With a deliciously over-the-top performance from Daniel Craig as ingenue private detective Benoit Blanc, it’s a whodunit with a twist – the viewer finds out the would-be-murderer early on, which then turns the movie on its head. The high-profile cast (Toni Colette, Michael Shannon, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Chris Evans and Christopher Plummer) forms a family of dysfunctional would-be-heirs to the estate of successful writer of detective mystery stories, Harlan Thrombey (Plummer), whose death occurs in the first scene of the film. They all play second fiddle to Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas), the Ecuadorian-Paraguayan-Uruguayan-Brazilian, salt-of-the-earth house nurse to the deceased, whose physical inability to tell a lie makes for a fun gimmick in unfolding the truth. As you would expect, there will be twists, turns and suspense, in this perfectly executed murder-mystery story of, really, a different age. 8/10

Psych: The Movie (2017): One of my goals for last year was to catch up on the last two seasons of Psych, a show that ended in 2015, and then watch the movie that came out a couple of years ago. It came as a shock to find out that Timothy Omundson, portraying one of the leads, had suffered a massive stroke in early 2017, at the age of 48. He has been recovering since, even made a small (heartbreaking) cameo in the 2017 movie and is headlining a second sequel for the series, to be released this spring. You can watch an excellent interview he did with Larry King a couple of months ago.
That being said, it was both entertaining and difficult to watch the Psych movie, which feels more like an extended (and mostly inspired) episode than a real format transition. It adds Zachary Levi to the cast and only really gets going in the second half, building up to a satisfying finale. If you’ve never seen the show (which is most likely), it’s one of the great buddy comedies out there, led by Shawn Spencer (James Roday), a would-be psychic detective who actually uses his acute powers of observation to make a living at the Santa Barbara police department. Chock full of pop-culture references, there were few shows as quirky and idiosyncratic as Psych out there in the last decade, so this probably won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but for a fan, it sure feels like a welcome story. 7/10

After the Storm (2016): So I kept going with Koreeda and tested everyone’s patience once more with AtS. Featuring a father who is desperately lost in his own life, who is trying to stay close to his son and somehow recapture the attention of his (ex)wife, it’s a truly sad movie of underachievement, of fallibility, of vice. It will probably not be an easy watch unless you’re in the mood, because there’s not much going on in terms of a narrative, but there’s enough poetry in it to satisfy those with more metaphysical tastes. 7/10

Clear and Present Danger (1994): A classic Tom Clancy story cum Harrison Ford vehicle, CaPD is all you would expect of it – a complex story set in political context, with compromised characters contrasting Ford’s Jack Ryan, and quite a few moments of Clancy-esque exaggerations. Alongside it’s prequel, The Hunt for Red October (I have yet to see Patriot Games), the movie is a great treat for conspiracy theorists and political action-thriller lovers, as it outdoes the more recent sequels (The Sum of All Fears, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit). 7/10

Bad Times at the El Royal (2018): It’s hard to say where exactly El Royal gets it wrong. A great cast, starring the likes of Jeff Bridges, Jon Hamm, Dakota Johnson, Cynthia Erivo and Chris Hemsworth, it tells the stories of its characters in a disjointed fashion, making for a much inferior version of The Hateful Eight (2015). It’s a familiar set-up, too: a bunch of strangers with hidden agendas come across one another at the El Royal hotel, a formerly famous resort for the rich and fancy, slowly expiring after its alcohol licence was revoked. At more than 140 minutes, it makes for an interesting start, which then quickly veers towards the tedious, unaided by the jarring timeline shifts used to tell everyone’s backstory. A decent finale brings it back to life, but my take is that it’s an underachievement from all involved, a movie I simply cannot recommend. 5/10