I haven't been in appropriate frame of mind to spend time anguishing over my choices this year or their respective placings in the list so here are the ones which leapt out for me. Both choices and positions may well change tomorrow. Too bad if they do 'cos there'll be no updates!
10. The Wife - Glenn Close shows again why she deserves the accolade of 'star'.
9. Widows - Steve McQueen pulls off a thoroughly enjoyable heist romp with a spectacular twist.
8. The Post - lucid account of struggle between American newspaper and government. With Streep and Hanks leading the cast it could hardly have been bettered.
7. Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again - Many said that this was even better than the original. I'll only say that it was at least as good, which is sufficiently handsome praise in itself.
6. A Quiet Place - one of those films, in this case a 'horror', which haunts the mind and will stay with me probably forever.
5. American Animals
4. BlacKkKlansman
3. Mary Poppins Returns
2. Three Billboards Ourside Ebbing Missouri
And a drumroll, please, for...........
1. The Phantom Thread
Totally hypnotic from start to finish, though you do need to be a Daniel Day Lewis fan to appreciate it to its fullest. Even if this turns out not to have been his final screen appearance he's going to find it very hard indeed to top this. My idea of cinematic perfection.
My short list consisted of 32 films (out of 87, one less than 2017) but I don't have time nor inclination to argue why so many of them missed out on final inclusion. Gripe if you want to!
Oh, and my 'Turkey of the Year'? That goes to 'Stanley: Man of Variety' which you almost certainly won't recall or will ever have heard of, despite it virtually solely starring that dependable stalwart, Timothy Spall. But that's the way the cookie crumbles, is it not?
I'm with you on Phantom Thread, The Wife, Three Billboards, A Quiet Place, The Post and BlacKkKlansman.
ReplyDeleteWe haven't seen Widows; it got pretty rough reviews over here but I do love Miss Davis.
I had never heard of American Animals, but will certainly look for it.
And I worried about Poppins, thinking they might ruin an original, but it got such raves we will add it to our list.
Sadly, I can't with Mamma Mia; I can't with ABA whether there's Cher and or Meryl.
Oh yeah .... and thanks for all your reviews. i find them immensely helpful, and interesting.
DeleteAnd feel better!
Try not to see 'Poppins' as a 're-make', Bob, which is what a lot of people are doing, and could be why some are disappointed. It's not - it's a sequel, and being so more than stands up on its own terms.
Delete'Widows' had stuck in my mind whereas for about half of my short-list which was initially based on the ratings I gave them at the time, I had to look up to remind myself what they were about. Not so with 'Widows'.
Fair enough re your views on the ABBA film(s). You really have to be a fan of their music beforehand - and you're by no means alone in not being one.
But I'm satisfied that you and I are so much in accord with a large part of my ultimate list.
This is great, I will use it as my list of movies to catch up on that I missed.
ReplyDeleteHope it'll point you to some pleasures and one or two excitements which might otherwise have passed you by, Soooo.
DeleteI am in shock
ReplyDeleteThat Thread film was the pits. No wonder you knew I wouldn't like your top film. I thought it was going to be The Bookshop which I rated on a par with Thread and you liked that too. I am surprised Bohemian Rhapsody wasn't there in place of Mamma Mia.
I assumed that you'd have guessed my Number One, Rachel, but there you are!'Rhapsody' was one of my initial selection of 30-odd (unlike 'Bookshop'), but being a sucker for sheer exuberance (as was also to the fore in 'Poppins 2') it was always going to be the ABBA that won me over.
DeleteI am surprised A Star is Born isn't in there.
DeleteIt was one of several that were oh-so-close. If I hadn't been so familiar with its prior incarnations I might well have been sufficiently impressed to have heaved it into the 10. It certainly WAS good, though.
DeleteThanks you, Ray. I see very few films these days (they have to come to me, as I am not quite able to go to them). So Three Billboards was the only one on the list that I have actually seen. I didn't really expect to like it much, but loved it!
ReplyDeleteI hope you are feeling much better soon.
And where are all these pussies springing from - I thought you were down to just two?
Flu is going in up-down waves, Rozzie. A nasty little interlude which I can't wait to shake off. Thanks for your thoughts.
DeleteI've only 'officially' got the one cat, Patchie. The others are visitors through the window from neighbouring domains, two pf which have virtually moved in, doing all their eating and sleeping here. Don't know where they came from. I only wish I did. But I'm too soft to push them out. It's always been my lot to take in any cats who want to visit, and they know that it's a safe territory where they can get their feeds and space to curl up.
Oh pob estÃo. Hope you’re feeling better soon!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mitch. Feeling pretty grotty today, I have to say. :-(
DeletePob estio??? I really should turn off auto-correct when I'm on my iPad! That was supposed to be pobresito. So sorry you're still feeling so awful. If we lived nearby i know Jerry would make you some of MY grandmother's chicken soup.
DeleteI was, shall we say, rather nonplussed by your "Pob estio", Mitch, but quickly dismissed it from my mind.
DeleteJust experienced a troublesome night with much coughing, but at least it's moving along - to somewhere, but where?
I'd be willing to try some of Jerry's (your) grandmother's chicken soup, though only if he could provide a vegan version of it. Nice thought, nonetheless.
Ray: Sorry about the chicken soup offer. Thoughtless of me! Really hope today is better than yesterday!
DeleteThe smile (with effort in current circs) in my response to your chicken soup offer didn't come over in the typed words, Mitch. I can assure you I'm grateful for the kind offer.
DeleteThe slow, inch-by-inch ascent to normal, everyday health is continuing, though with rather a lot of backsliding, I fear. But we'll get there eventually!
So Sorry you are feeling so awful and hope you start to feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteThere are quite a few films there that I will see when they come round. We don't go to the cinema so have to wait for a while for them to come round but I will be looking out for them. The only one we have seen was "three billboards". We really enjoyed it while watching it but felt disappointed that it just seem to come to an abrupt end.I know that with a true story the culprit can't always be found but would have just liked more of an ending. Very well acted though.
I'm more amenable to open endings than some, Carol, and besides that '3 Billboards' was a very strong film. There was never any real doubt that it would end up 'right up there' on my list of favourites.
DeleteI do hope you can catch some of the remainder in any form before too long. They are all worth expending a couple of hours of your life on.
As for my condition, I'm only thankful that, though it's cold it's nowhere near freezing, so got to be appreciative for that at least. But still, roll on Summer!
Thanks for your concern - it's more than I get from the pussies! :-)
A great list and saw maybe five of them. One must know that you really must have loved Mary Poppins for it to have come out late in the year, and STILL make the list. I am only still hear good thing about it, and it seems to be a rare sequel that works. I have yet see it, but though will miss Hermione Baddeley in it. I adore her.
ReplyDeleteI did love it, Maddie, despite more and more appearing who, apparently do NOT. I'd have seen it again before now if only my cough and streaming nose had subsided, and still mean to. I do think it works well on its own terms but anyone trying to compare it with the original in every conceivable way are not doing it any favours - after all it's a sequel not a remake of the 1964 film.
DeleteI knew the name of Hermione Baddely but couldn't have put a face to the name nor cite any of her films - shame on me?
I hope you'll leave the cinema feeling having enjoyed M.P.2 at least more than you expected to.
Happy New Year Ray!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Carol - with the same plus more to your own nearest and dearest. If 2019 is an improvement on the year just slipping away I'll be well satisfied. Hope it's better for you too in whatever way's most appropriate.
DeleteI've only seen two on your list. My favourite, one I'd like to see again, is The Man Who Killed Don Quixote. Mrs G's favourite was Book Club.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year and good viewing!
'Man Who Killed D.Q.' hasn't been given a general British theatrical release. Maybe it won't get one as it's now already 8 months old.
DeleteI wasn't too taken by 'Book Club' (I gave it a '4' rating). Not that I thought it was a 'poor' film, just my own personal response to it.
And a very Happy New Year to you and yours as well, G.W., with some profitable watches for you.
Get well soon
ReplyDeleteThank you for all your movie posts
May 2019 be your best year yet !
It's only this lingering debilitating cough now, Dr Spo, which is clinging on like nobody's business.
DeleteIf 2019 is simply better than last year for all sorts of reasons, that'll do me just fine, thanks.
And a Happy NY to you too.