The Holdovers (2023): After the dud that was Downsizing, a rare blip in Alexander Payne’s illustrious directorial career, he returns with one of his best movies yet. Set in the magical 70s (seriously, any movie set in the 70s and 80s is basically playing the game with cheat mode on), Paul Giamatti plays a grumpy and overall unpleasant teacher (also named Paul) at a prep school and he is delegated to chaperone students who don’t go home over the winter holidays (i.e. the holdovers). The biggest rub is between Paul and Angus (first-timer Dominic Sessa) and their dynamic evolves in such a way to make them both face realities they would rather ignore and discover complexities in each other they had denied themselves from the outset. Alongside the school’s chef Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) they spend a holiday season together that hits all the right emotional notes. This is a must see on your Christmas watchlist and I’ll go so far as to say that if you only watch something else alongside Home Alone, this should be it. It doesn’t defy expectations, but it rises perfectly to them. 8
Modern Romance (1981): Following the documentary on Albert Brooks, I felt it might be time to catch up on the several movies of his that I had not seen. Modern Romance takes the stereotypical Woody Allen nerd-character and gives him a darker shade of truth, turning Robert Cole into an obnoxious, self-absorbed individual. His romance with the attractive Mary is anything but trouble-free, as Robert’s insecurities frequently undermine any potential the relationship might have. The movie is not ha-ha funny, but it’s definitely not without humour, while also finding pockets of insightfulness. The trouble is that catering for so long to a such an unlikable character can prove challenging. 7
Sly (2023): In the timeless debate of the 90s, Stallone or Schwarzenegger, I used to position myself in the former’s camp. I thought Arnie never had his Rocky (1976), a role with dramatic nuance that went beyond his usual typecasting. Not sure I would stand behind my assessment now, as both actors have their charm and wits about them. The documentary focuses on Sly’s (Stallone’s, if it needs saying) relationship with his father and his unlikely rise as a movie A-lister, one that came about with grit and perseverance – and, ultimately, writing his own stories. It’s a shame that the film doesn’t prod very deeply beyond the façade, but even so, it paints an encompassing picture of the guy who marked many a childhood for my generation – and not only. 7
David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived (2023): There are many angles to the world of Harry Potter, but this is one that I never thought I would get to know. While preparing to film the first part of the last entry in the series, David Holmes, stunt double to Daniel Radcliffe, suffered a terrible accident on set and was to be paralyzed. This documentary is more a testament to the David’s will and energy, in particular, as well as the professionalism and dedication of the countless people who work on a film and never get exposure. What’s just as interesting is the dynamic between Radcliffe and the stunt crew, a bond that feels authentic and caring, in spite of the aforementioned disparity. While The Boy Who Lived doesn’t break new ground, it’s a heartfelt and emotional tribute that should work your empathy bone. 7
Fingernails (2023): Doing movies that are so explicitly about “knowing love” usually proves to be unsatisfying. That is the case here is well. In a world where you can do a course and then test whether you love and are loved in a relationship, with the mere inconvenience of ripping of a fingernail, Anna (Jessie Buckley) seems to be in a settled relationship until she meets Amir (Riz Ahmed). The potential interest doesn’t feel like something major, though, as the movie tries to waltz between the big question and the practical reality with little elegance. I struggled to get behind the premise of the story but after making some allowances, I think Christos Nikou just about nibbles at what should have been the extended focus of this, the craving to have your own love confirmed to oneself. 6
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