With scenes of harrowing violence, the film often feels totally unsafe: no adult’s motives are beyond reproach. In true Andrea Arnold style, though, it’s also a life-enhancing tale that soars with unexpected grace, optimism and faith in humanity.

It might be brutally upsetting at times, but Haigh’s film disarms you with its tenderness – leaving you with something much more profound to say about the connections we make and break along the way.

Crafting a thriller that is tense and taut, Álvarez truly understands what makes an Alien movie breathe, while also expanding on the mythology of the series.

Bruce Robinson’s tale of two struggling thesps who go on holiday by mistake is one of the greatest films ever made.

Parasite is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Uncut Gems is an anxiety-inducing heart-attack of a movie that grabs its audience by the throat and shakes until there’s no breath left.

If it sounds like Boyle and Garland have been smoking some super-strength Cali weed in the writers’ room, you’ve heard nothing yet.

Opus is yet another priceless gift from a once-in-a-lifetime talent – and a reminder of what we’ve lost. Goodbye maestro – and thank you.

Packed with heart, smarts, jaw-dropping effects and an exquisite ensemble cast (shout out to Harry Hadden-Paton’s nerdy British journalist as comic relief), Twisters will have you singing the praises of the multiplex until the cows come home.

You won’t catch a more satisfying horror film this year. Seek it out.

Inside the Manosphere is a meta masterpiece that tackles the algorithmic poison being served to young men, but also says so much about the battle between new and old media, as well as the toxic battleground of social platforms, contemporary conspiracy theories and the parasocial relationships that make some influencers rich.

Not just the definitive account of the man behind the atom bomb, Oppenheimer is a monumental achievement in grown-up filmmaking. For years, Nolan has been perfecting the art of the serious blockbuster – crafting smart, finely-tuned multiplex epics that demand attention; that can’t be watched anywhere other than in a cinema, uninterrupted, without distractions. But this, somehow, feels bigger.

Whether they return again or not remains to be seen. But even if they don’t, this was one hell of a final fling.

It’s a heartbreaking story and all the more brutal for its surface-level simplicity.

Heart-wrenching, humane and humble, this is something very, very special indeed.

A three hour and thirty minute biopic about art, history, money, sex, trauma and concrete, it’s heavyweight in every sense: a monument to its own greatness that stands a good distance from anything else you’re likely to see at the cinema this year.

Just like their insane live shows and debut album ‘Fine Art’, it’s one hell of a laugh. However it’s also full of heart; telling a real working class story as a call for unity without punching down or patronising.

Like many of Leigh’s best films, it prioritises authenticity and recognisable glimpses of emotion over a splashy narrative arc. That may make it frustrating for some viewers, but there’s no doubt that Leigh and his cast have created a sad, captivating, fascinating slice of everyday life.

Different by name and different by nature, A Different Man is one of the most original films of the year. Not since the days of Charlie Kaufman, with his brilliant scripts for meta-movies Being John Malkovich, Adaptation and Synecdoche, New York, has there been anything this bonkers.

Hamaguchi’s literary and densely layered drama moves slowly through its runtime, but stick with it and Drive My Car rewards patience like almost nothing else.

It’s horrifying in the moment and gnawingly haunting when you process it fully: a sickening satire of society’s obsession with youth and beauty.

A deeply sad movie about thwarted love, The History of Sound is essential viewing.

It’s a tribute to the joy, hope and love that pop culture and a shared devotion to it can bring. It’s proof that stanning a boyband can be a life-changing force for good, rather than the frivolous waste of time some would make it out to be.

Less a horror than an occasionally bloodthirsty character portrait, West dances us through the mind of a serial killer with a visual flair that soars on the big screen.

It’s not all wide-eyed insight and romantic misery though. Past Lives is also very, very funny.

Right People, Wrong Place might be a document of an album, allowing RM to show the contrast between this experience and the more polished, slick workings of BTS. But it also feels like a subtle chronicle of friendship forged through music.

Lydia Tár isn’t a real person, but this riveting film about the corrupting effects of power and privilege will make you think she is. That’s partly because writer-director Todd Field has created a terrifyingly believable character and world that she presides over.

Brilliant and unmissable.

Yes, we get footage of the alien glam god, Ziggy Stardust, strutting across stage and scrambling teen minds with his otherworldly rock and roll. But off-duty, Morgen portrays a quieter icon – deeply thoughtful, often isolated and with a quirky sense of humour.

Condemned in Australia by two of the victim’s families, there’s an argument to be made for Nitram not being watched at all. But by refusing to paint Nitram as an out-and-out monster, the film’s masterstroke is its compassion. It exposes politicians as the real criminals in an unspeakable tragedy that we still haven’t learned from today.

It’s all properly violent and uncivilised.

It is a film about living fully and without fear, a cynicism-free zone where, for all their fast-talking, people love each other so much it makes your heart feel like it’s about to burst. Talk about a smash.

For those who were there, the film provides a portal back to a golden age. For everyone else, it’s a reminder of those special teen years – when a plastic cup filled with warm lager and a sunny afternoon in a park makes for the biggest adventure of your life.

In short, this is a terrific documentary from start to finish, beautifully structured and by turns bracingly political, informative and inspiring.

Looking and feeling every inch like a film made without compromise, Pinocchio was worth the wait. Del Toro has been talking about making the film for most of his career now, and the pay-off shows in every brushstroke and thumbprint.

This is how metal should be done. Don’t miss it.

Under Paris, then is a cheesy yet canny creature feature romp with gritty Gallic bite, taking itself – enjoyably – rather more seriously than it deserves.

Gradually, Fine’s sensitive, softly-softly approach works small wonders.

Throughout, Guadagnino audaciously but successfully balances some gut-wrenchingly grim and gory scenes with moments of genuine tenderness.

There’s a kindness and companionship – and freedom – to Jackass Forever that makes for 90 minutes of pure joy.

The bad news is that Moonfall isn’t a great movie. The good news is that it’s hugely enjoyable for most of its running time.

The king of kitschy, campy cinema, understated is not always a word you’d readily associate with Pedro Almodóvar, but in his compassionate hands, motherhood becomes a vehicle for something much more weighty.

Scream movies usually follow the same, tried-and-tested format, but directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett should get credit for an attempt to reinvent their villain.

Gary Oldman made his directorial debut with this startling portrait of life in a deprived part of south-east London.

It’s a lively, enthralling tale with some particularly emotive scenes in the final act that are bound to cause a tear or two. Some will ask why make this film at all? The answer should be, why not?

Among the best horror films of the year.

Best of all, like Ragnarok before it, it’s tremendously entertaining. Welcome to the jungle, indeed.

Neville’s film is so forward-thinking, it’s easy to forgive the more superficial aspects of the production.

Kids are scary. If you didn’t think so before, you definitely will after watching The Innocents – one of the year’s most quietly unsettling horror films.

All the cast play their parts, but an off-the-leash McAvoy is a joy to behold, channeling the same twisted energy he mined for his addict-cop in Irvine Welsh adaptation Filth. Touching on issues of class and the rich-poor divide, the result is a top-notch British thriller that’ll scare the bejesus out of you.

By the end, you won’t quite be levitating off your seat but you’ll definitely be enchanted enough to stream the soundtrack on the way home. Funny, colourful and full of empathy for outsiders, this film really is the Shiz.

A really quite good film has been overshadowed needlessly. And that’s a real shame.

Viewed as a fever-dream psychological horror about somebody unravelling, and how fame is the mask that eats the face, it’s dizzyingly audacious filmmaking.

This film was always going to face accusations of being exploitative – given the way Winehouse was scrutinised when she was alive – but the naysayers needn’t have worried. Taylor-Johnson’s film (particularly the ending) is impressively deft and delicate.

Writer-director Rian Johnson’s script isn’t quite the perfect box of tricks. It’s fairly tenuous that Blanc would turn up for this puzzler – apparently at the behest of Mila Kunis’ local cop. But it’s hard to punch down on a movie with such a riotously entertaining cast.

Hope, then, is the film’s lasting message. Hope that it’ll spark much-needed conversations. But also hope that they won’t be so needed in the future.


Smartly walking that line so that newcomers to this fantasy world and old hands who spent days playing the game can both enjoy, Honour Among Thieves is a satisfying romp. It’s a little formulaic in places, but on the flip side, it pulls some really weird moments out of its sack.

A riot of sex, murder and intoxication presented with an appropriate aural and sonic ferocity.

It’s a marriage drama, corporate comedy, domestic farce and international surveillance thriller in a tight 90-minute package.

Genuinely moving from the very beginning, expect to leave After Yang in a flood of tears. Expect, also, to spend the rest of the night questioning all the things that no one really likes thinking about. And, of course, to want to keep rewatching that dance scene on repeat.

As honest about his ups as he is his downs, it’s a rare thing to see a movie star being so earnest and grounded on camera. Through the film, Guggenheim helps Fox paint an endearing self-portrait of one of Hollywood’s last few nice guys.

If we’re to understand Hoon’s life through his footage, it’s as a victim of a lifestyle that amplifies not just the sounds in your head but the problems at your core.

The telling of Baby’s early life is illuminating. It offers his lived experience as well as an insight into the historical background of oppression and inequality in the US to show how the rapper – a childhood “genius” who would ace exams even though he never showed up to class – would eventually be incarcerated by the age of 20.

Blending fact and fiction in intriguing and unexpected ways, the film is consistently entertaining and can be enjoyed whether you’re a longtime fan of the band or a total newcomer.

There may not be a more punk rock bit of film on earth than George being told the police were on the roof to shut them down, and casually turning his amp back on. For that alone, for all its whitewashing and line-toeing, Let It Be remains a staggering watch. [2024 Restored Version]

Fortunately, the Russo Brothers have managed a rarity in the streaming wars by making a movie that’ll please the Netflix algorithms and human beings alike. Bring on the next one.

A fresh spin on a difficult topic, it’s a high-wire walk that balances sensitivity and sensationalism. You won’t find a more compelling film this winter.

Playful, sexy and compelling, this is one of the best films of the year, with sensational performances from its three leads.

By the end, even the clunky-looking asterisk in the film’s title makes sense. Thunderbolts* doesn’t so much reinvent the wheel as remember what put the wheels on this bandwagon in the first place: an epic blend of thrills, spills and psychological ills. It’s the most fun the MCU’s been in years.

Opus is as off-kilter as they come. Perfectly suited, then, to a man like Malkovich.

Linklater is a master of pacing and he times this story to perfection; you’ll be aching with laughter by the end.

Bros is a cut above most romcoms for one simple reason: it’s funnier.

In the end, there’s no doubt you’re looking at someone who, as academic Jason King puts it, “represented a complete upheaval of the existing social system” – and that we’re still enjoying the fruits of that bravery.

Sheryl is brisk but pretty comprehensive.

Meet Me In The Bathroom makes for a lively snapshot of a very exciting period in rock history. Veterans and newcomers alike should check it out.

The fog shrouds the storyline here, but makes it all the more intriguing and addictive.

The Banshees of Inisherin is that rare thing: a film that will have you chuckling one minute, gasping the next. A story about what matters more – your legacy or your life – McDonagh has created a work of feckin’ brilliance.

Cronenberg playing through the hits is better than most directors’ best work. He’s a filmmaker who has always had apocalyptic visions of humanity: they’re all here and they do hit in a sharp way.

Craig delivers one of his best performances to date as Lee, investing him with a palpable world-weariness and making you feel every moment of hope, desire, ecstasy and crushing disappointment. Starkey is excellent too, generating strong chemistry with Craig.

As ever with Anderson, the design is meticulous. Some can find this style cloying, but it suits this glorified short perfectly, never outstaying its welcome.

Operatic in its intensity and lush in its visuals (Anderson shot with old-school film format VistaVision), it’s a sometimes ragged, unwieldy experience.

Buckle up and enjoy the ride, safe in the knowledge that the tyre talk never gets too overwhelming.

Three films into Ti West’s extraordinary trilogy, Goth proves yet again what a force she is to be reckoned with – and West proves that funny, dark, smart schlock horror still has a lot to say.

That title wrongly suggests the work of an artistic visionary scaling new heights of elevated horror; instead, this is a fun, dumb thrill ride that breathes powerfully fetid air into the ongoing string of mummy movies.

Phillips and Silver have delivered the last thing anyone expected: a socially responsible Joker movie that finds an intriguing way to explore the consequences (both on and offscreen) of the first film. Joker fans shouldn’t cry too hard though – Warner Bros. have cleverly found a way to leave the door open a little for the franchise to continue, should the need arise.

The undisputed highlight of the film are Faithfull’s various musical performances from across her career.

While its oddball nature won’t be to all tastes, the championing of female guile over insufferable male idiocy will surely leave many with a big smile on their faces.

In short, this is a thoroughly entertaining sports biopic that packs one hell of a sentimental gutpunch. It’s smashing stuff.

This is a horror that’s in love with scary movies; a post-modern remix of genre classics filmed through an arthouse gauze that never obscures its goofy sense of humour.

Radcliffe’s winning performance – like a goofy high-schooler who wins the lottery – is enough to keep everyone laughing. Top that off with an album’s worth of quirky cameos, including Conan O’Brien’s genuinely laugh-out-loud Andy Warhol impression, and you’ve got a cult classic in the making. M-m-m-myyy bologna

A tender, thoughtful film that finally brings the legendary singer-songwriter’s story, or at least a snatch of it, to the big screen.

Epic in scope and astonishing in its world-building, Dune: Part Two combines jaw-dropping visuals with imaginative action and morally complex plotting to thrilling effect.

The end result is an achingly gorgeous film that allows his monster-loving sensibilities and signature style to come to the fore.

The Killer is an entertaining, crowd-pleasing banger that stands up to multiple views. It’s a superior hit-man romp that doesn’t outstay its welcome from a director who misses the target less than his protagonist.

Like Afterlife, Frozen Empire ultimately succeeds because it’s so much fun to watch.

Eschewing melodrama for a more low-key register, it may not satisfy those looking for quick thrills. But this slow-burner is a stylish look at a bygone era, when all that mattered was having enough money to put petrol in your tank.

There’s more to Wilson’s film than dread though. In between the terror, the newbie director makes time for actual plot.

Despite its flaws, George Michael Freedom Uncut ultimately succeeds because the man himself remains so compelling.