THE GREASY STRANGLER
0 star reviews! That says it all. A masterpiece and an instant cult classic.
EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT
Reminiscent of Werner Herzog's early work (Aguirre, the Wrath of God; Fitzcarraldo) this brought out my inner anthropologist. Stunning.
HELL OR HIGH WATER
After a drought of decent films, it was refreshing to see this. It takes a British filmmaker (and the Nick Cave/Warren Ellis soundtrack) to convey the beauty and desolateness of the Southwest - a contemporary Western, with none of the clichés.
UNDER THE SHADOW
Without wishing to give away any spoilers... It starts as one thing, and ends in another.
GREEN ROOM
It's got horror, it's got punk, it's got a low budget - what's not to love?
VICTORIA
No, I'M Victoria. Completely could've seen myself in that situation when I was young and carefree and living alone in Berlin. And it really WAS filmed in one shot [coughs-Birdman].
UNITED STATES OF LOVE
Bold and brave and very, very dark. I found it immensely aesthetically pleasing - both the film and the director.
ZOOTROPOLIS
I never cease to surprise myself, but I think this is the best Disney film ever made - it's original, funny, subversive with a complex and nuanced message.
WEINER
What a d*ck.
BONE TOMAHAWK
And with this becomes apparent for the first time even to me, what my favourite genre is. I loved that it took so long to get to the point and when it finally did, what a point it was: pointier than a boney stick. And it urinates on the Tarantino film that came out around the same time. [can I say that?]
THE CHILDHOOD OF A LEADER
It's Scott Walker's genre-bending score that makes this film. Screening notes, plus intensive Hannah Arendt and JP Sartre-reading recommended prior to watching this.
Honourable mentions should also go to NOCTURNAL ANIMALS and CHEVALIER and MUSTANG and ONE MORE TIME WITH FEELING.