So I’ve been thinking about how to continue doing this when a) I’m not watching so many films, b) I do not have so much time free, and c) I had to keep talking about films I didn’t think were good, which I didn’t enjoy.

The plan now is to release audio episodes monthly on our Patreon, and to cover only the films I want to recommend. There may be times I talk about every film, or include films I don’t recommend but want to comment on, but in general this will be a distillation of the better films I think people should check out.

These are therefore the films I’ve watched in the first half of 2019 that are worth adding to your watchlist…

Grand Canyon

Steve Martin is a favourite of mine, and this is a very serious role for him, certainly at this time. Looking at Los Angeles at its worst, at a time when the city was on the cusp of major riots and dealing with societal issues, it does well (to an outsider) at showing the gritty difficulties of the city. We covered this on Pop Culturally Deprived if you want to do a deeper dive.

I, Tonya

I recommended this last year and was excited to rewatch it when it came on Amazon Prime Video. I’m pleased to report it’s as good as at the cinema, the performances are great, the method of storytelling still works incredibly well, and visually it’s astounding.

Obvious Child

A surprisingly comedy (Romcom?), told with a lens much more in line with modern women, and tackling harder issues that are often shied away from.

Don Jon

I didn’t expect much from this film but got a lot more. An interesting range of characters, not necessarily the deepest but all interesting when they interact. A good denouement and a cameo like performance from Brie Larson helped set it apart.

Phantom Thread

Much more gripping and interesting than something like Fifty Shades, this has a going on that isn’t necessarily said but is all delivered through the glimpses we see inside the characters.

What We Do In The Shadows

Probably the best comedy I’ve ever seen, this film has it all, and there are moments I will come back to for a very long time. Seek this film out any time it is on.

Period. End of Sentence

The winner of Academy Award for best short documentary, this covers a lot about attitudes and awareness of menstruation in India. A very well done insight and a hopeful story about women taking more control of their health.

L.A. Story

A counterpoint to Grand Canyon, Steve Martin shows the whacky, mystical side of Los Angeles. It’s a lot of fun, with some heavy silliness all the way through, as well as some fantastical romances.

Orlando

Tilda Swinton is the best, very simply, and in this film it could be incredibly difficult to portray the character’s journey, involving heavy elements of costuming and styling, but she does this without needing such peripheral items. Worth it for her alone.

Tag

I did not expect to enjoy this so much, but there was a lot of heart to this comedy which it maintained throughout.