2023's Film-Watching Summary

 

2023 - They Cloned Tyrone
2023 - The Venture Bros.: Radiant is the Blood of the Baboon Heart (excellent culmination of one of the greatest animated shows of all time)
2022 - The Menu
2022 - RRR
2022 - Barbarian
2021 - Petite Maman
2020 - Palm Springs
2019 - Parasite
2009 - A Perfect Getaway
1991 - A Brighter Summer Day
1979 - Porridge
1970 - Donkey Skin
1968 - If.... 
1959 - Black Orpheus
1955 - Summertime
1954 - La Strada
1952 - The White Sheik
1952 - Ikiru
1937 - Grand Illusion
1937 - Pepé le Moko
1934 - L'Atalante
1926 - Faust                                       } no reviews for these
1922 - Nosferatu                                } because Jami was in charge
1920 - The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari       } of writing them
1920 - The Golem                               }

 Well that's a pretty paltry collection!  I guess we were too absorbed with the golden age of television this year (concluding with a binge of all three seasons of Slow Horses in December).  Also, not having the Criterion Channel hurt.  We'll see if we can do better next year.  Probably the standout in terms of pure entertainment was Barbarian (although, perhaps if we'd watched Parasite first that might have pipped it - but the thematic overlap took some of the shine off the latter).  Having said that, Grand Illusion is definitely a greater film and we're much more likely to return to it, but Barbarian was just such a fun series of left turns.  If I had to have a top 5, then If...., L'Atalante and ooh, let's say The White Sheik round it out.  There weren't really any complete stinkers in there but I'd probably give The Menu the razzie this year.

[It's worth mentioning a couple of those TV shows that might have flown under the radar.  Two animated shows were particularly impressive: Scavengers Reign (a beautiful mixture of sci-fi and body horror) and Carol & Ehe End of the World (putatively a comedy but oozing with existential dread; also beautiful in its own ugly way (the drawing style reminds me a little of Gahan Wilson). I amazed that either got made, and would not be surprised if we never see either's like again. On a more mainstream note: huge shout-out to the excellent Bad Sisters for having the most hateable antagonist in any show ever.]