With half the year gone, I figured it would be a good time to look back at the movies that have come out this year so far and pick out my 5 favourites. I obviously haven’t seen every movie that has come out this year, but I’ve caught many of the big ones as well as some of the smaller films. A couple of movies that I think may have potentially made the cut here if I had seen them are Elio, Preadator: Killer of Killers, and Sister Midnight. I’ll hope to circle around to those for the end of the year list, but for now they’ll have to wait.
These are my personal top 5 films, but they are organized in alphabetical order rather than in any specific ranking as I want to give myself time to think about how I view them as the year progresses. My descriptions will just be my quick thought on why I think each movie has stood out, but if you want my full thoughts on them (except for one), my full review is linked.
28 Years Later
28 Years Later was a great genre mashup of a zombie horror with a coming of age film. The experimental nature of the way it was shot really gave it a unique language compared to other films while remaining true to the previous entries in the franchise that took similar approaches.
The performances, the cinematography and the directing are all top notch.
Full review: 4 Point Review: 28 Years Later
Black Bag
David Koepp and Steven Soderbergh was a match made in heaven for me when I saw it, and the film did not disappoint. Soderbergh will make a second appearance on this list, but this is the finest distillation of everything a sleek and chic spy thriller should be. As a big fan of everyone involved as well as the genre, I was the perfect audience for it and the movie really knocked it out of the park.
Full review: 4 Point Review: Black Bag
F1
I didn’t write a review for this, but it’s the only film in the list that I’ve gone to see in theaters multiple times. It’s the ultimate sports movie that manages to hit every quadrant while also nailing the technical and fun aspects of a movie like this. I was locked in the whole time – the racing scenes are heart-pounding, the chemistry is palpable, and the jokes just land so well.
I think better than this year’s Mission: Impossible entry, this film is the effervescent blockbuster celebration of film that we deserve. Looks great, sounds great, feels great. And in a rare occurrence, the whole film is in IMAX the whole time. Slobberknocker of a movie.
Presence
Oh would you look at that, another David Koepp and Steven Soderbergh entry. However, Presence couldn’t be further as a movie from Black Bag. It is basically as extremely low budget chamber piece. The film is more a mystery that you’re trying to unravel before you get to the end than a horror movie that you may expect it to be.
It’s so subtle yet poignant once you get the reveal that there’s just something to this that you don’t get everyday. A lot of experimentation and innovation to make a personal story resonate so well.
Full review: 4 Point Review: Presence
Sinners
If I’m being honest, this is probably my #1 movie and will be hard to beat this year. It just does everything perfectly and there are no notes to be given. And although F1 is all in IMAX, this film shows you what IMAX can do when used the right way at the right times. Every screen expansion was a sit up moment to see what you were about to witness.
The thought and passion that went into telling this amazing story steeped in history and folklore is palpable. If you haven’t seen this in IMAX, that’s a shame, but you still have to see it on the biggest screen you can find.
Full review: 4 Point Review: Sinners
Some honourable mentions that fell just short for me are the following: Bring Her Back, Thunderbolts*, and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
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