Snow and Steps

Whoah! The dying year. The old year shuffling off the scene. I fear it’s not really gone away though. It’s going to pursue us for some time, out of sight, but we know it’s there. 
We got a fire on early, a whole lot of TV lined up and dipped in and out of social media at the bells before poking our noses out the front door as we’d heard the tiny firework display put on by a few people on the beach. That was it. Back indoors to coorie down. 
But earlier I pulled together my list of new films watched in 2020 and was surprised to find fifty of them. Some seem a long time ago - 1917, Parasite.. The Lighthouse. And then there was Tenet, sticking out half way through the year when cinemas reopened for a while. None of them made the cut of my top ten. No! Ruthless I am. There are standards to maintain. So, here they are with my summarised thoughts, oh yes. Over to you, Martin Dawe.
 
10. The Personal History of David Copperfield. After watching the dreadful trailer with Tilda Swinton screeching "Donkeys" I nearly swerved this and so glad I didn’t - Iannucci’s love of Dickens and his works really came through. 
 
9. The Painter and the Thief. Ha,  five minutes in, I was quite spellbound by the acting. That’s excellent, I whispered, totally believable somehow, the awkward halting dialogue. She looked at me. I looked back. Oh, it’s a documentary. And bloody excellent.

8. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, with Tom Hanks on top form as ever, and a really great performance from Matthew Rhys. Most enjoyable. And nicely strange, really.
 
7. Vivarium. A very beautifully crafted little suburban nightmare. Quite a gem.
 
6. Lovers Rock in Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series. The totally slight story was hardly even noticeable as the film, the sights, the sounds, just took you along. Silly Games never sounded so good.
 
5. Bacurau. Yes, indeed, that’s a watch. One of those where you’re just hooked along, following not knowing where it’s going. Allegorical though, right? 
 
4. Jojo Rabbit. Not to everyone’s tastes, I’m sure but I'm such an idiot I chuckled aloud quite frequently. And the actor playing Jojo is quite quite excellent. And the German Shepherds joke! But dark if you want.
 
3. I’m Thinking of Ending Things with Jessie Buckley on top form (as were the others it must be said). A film that’ll stay with me for sure. And although it was quite longish, with slow passages, I never lost concentration once, which is saying something when you’re watching from a comfy sofa in a warm darkened room.

2. Les Miserables - the new one, not the Russell Crowe singalong - a drama but pretty autobiographical, I understand. The whole thing felt so true to life, being so well acted that I couldn’t help identify with poor Stéphane aka Greaser and the unbearable situation he was getting sucked into.
 
1. Saint Maud - one I saw on the big screen between lockdowns. This is one very excellent film indeed. Honestly, without trying to be pretentious (snigger), the sound was just fantastic, way more than music, a real sound landscape. And the directing was so assured for a debut feature. Every scene. Proper cinema; sadly I don’t think it would really  transfer to the small screen, no matter how large. I was actually quite annoyed when Kermode (who he?) announced it as his film of the year. It’s mine!


Happy New Year!