And, so, 2024 has come to a close. As we transition into 2025, I have decided that I will not be continuing my Month In Review posts, so this will be my last one. I started making these posts back in January 2014, inspired by some other blogs which I saw making these posts on a monthly basis, so the fact that I've continued this for over a decade is fascinating to me. I intended to release these early within the month, and that has largely not been the case, although I am grateful for every one of you who read one of these posts. If you are still interested in what films I watch, recreationally or to review, then be sure to follow me over at Letterboxd.
So, for one last time, let's see what films I watched this past December.
Don't Expect Too Much (2011) - 2.5/5 - I've seen Rebel Without A Cause, but I cannot say that I know much about Nicolas Ray, so I took a chance on this documentary following the director as he left Hollywood to teach as a University professor. It was an interesting idea as the director opted for a practical approach, deciding to teach his students the filmmaking process by having them work various roles on a film set. Sadly, it was a documentary that lost my attention a lot of the time despite its short runtime. It was a bit too navel gazing and focused on the less interesting talking head interviews, making for a work that struggled to hold my focus.
Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem (2003) - 3.5/5 - Have you ever fancied listening to Daft Punk's Discovery album set to anime? Even if your answer is no, this feature is absolutely worth the watch. A gorgeous visual album which utilizes the songs to tell a story about an alien band being kidnapped, brainwashed, and forced to fit a corporation's suffocating expectations in the name of mainstream success. There are times when the the story and characters can feel lacking, but it's worth persevering through for this tremendous experience.
Your Monster (2024) - 4.5/5 - A roaring success which delivers on the emotional character drama.
The Good, The Bad, The Weird (2008) [rewatch] - 4/5 - An exceptional blend of genres brought alive with exceptional craft.
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| Best film of the month and Best film rewatched: Paddington 2 (2017) |
Paddington in Peru (2024) - 3/5 - After the heights of Paddington 2, it seemed like an uphill battle for this Paul King-less follow-up to make its mark. What director Dougal Wilson and screenwriter James Lamont, Jon Foster, & Mark Burton do is take the titular Bear back to his roots in deepest darkest Peru, only to have him and the Brown family get lost in a wilderness adventure.
What unfolds is an often charming ride courtesy of the terrific cast, particularly Antonio Banderas and Olivia Colman as they perfectly slot into this series. At the centre is a tale about the fear of family growing apart, although it often feels like this film is under the belief that it can recapture the same magic as its predecessors by half-assing a quirky incident or suddenly including a call-back to get people nostalgic for a film from 7-years ago. It's saddening that this film repeatedly feels as though it is on autopilot, and that results in it feeling like the weakest in the series.
Home Alone (1990) [rewatch] - 3.5/5 - The film that gave kids unrealistic expectations regarding how they could handle home invaders. At it's heart, this is a charming work about a kid realizing the world isn't as scary a place as he imagined while giving burglars brain damage and a burnt scalp. I still think that it's really contrived, but I cannot deny the charms of a plucky Macaulay Culkin.
Abigail (2024) - 3.5/5 - It's an utter shame that the marketing gave away such a key point of this film, because what Radio Silence have crafted works wonderfully within its unfolding narrative. I won't give away that element, so I will just say that a group of criminals who kidnap a young ballet dancer find their ransom plans going sideways. What unfolds is a fresh take on familiar material, which may not be groundbreaking, yet operates on an entertaining and grisly level which makes it such a fun watch. A great cast is assembled, particularly with Kevin Durand and Alisha Weir terrifically filling their roles, but the standout is easily Dan Stevens. In a year full of great performances that elevate their films, this may be his crowning achievement of 2024.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024) - 2.5/5 - Anime may meet Tolkien's works, but the result is too devoid of personality.
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| Best film seen in cinemas: Conclave (2024) |
Conclave (2024) - 4.5/5 - Who knew that the Papel version of Mean Girls mixed with a mystery would be so engrossing?
Fireworks (2017) - 1.5/5 - Based on a television series of the same name, this story utilizes an annual fireworks festival as the jumping off point for what is to unfold. As a group of schoolboys argue whether fireworks are round or flat when they are viewed from a different angle, schoolboy Norimichi also deals with his feelings for a girl that his best friend also likes. Central to the story is the eternal question of "What if?", as one wonders how life may have gone if events had occurred differently.
There is something for wanting to focus on the lingering question, the regrets which leave us to ask such a thing, and the inner emotions as we grapple with life not turning out how we wish it would. Instead, it all unfolds in ways that leave the conflict and emotion to feel both mechanical and forced. Nothing flows in a way that feels true to these characters, instead fizzling out before it ever truly ignites. Despite the eye-catching animation, it just brings alive a tale that feels so desperate to replicate Your Name without understanding why that film worked so well.
Most troubling is how perverse this film feels. There are the constant mentions of a teacher's bust, which one could pass off as "true to life" things that teenagers would say. Much less excusable is when the story follows 14-year-old characters, yet the camera lingers on the body of the underage teenage girl. It feels so gross.
Paddington 2 (2017) [rewatch] - 5/5 - Always listen to your local parrot for tips on solving crimes!
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| Best film watched for the first time: How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024) |
Elf (2003) [rewatch] - 3.5/5 - Buddy may have the confidence to sing in public, but he needs to work on his spontaneous songwriting skills.
Tokyo Godfathers (2003) - 4.5/5 - As part of my festive viewing, I decided to finally watch this Satoshi Kon work. The story follows three homeless people who find a baby abandoned among the rubbish and decide to find the baby's parents. What unfolds is a humanist tale following a dysfunctional family trying to understand why somebody would abandon the baby, while encountering prejudice, connections, and Christmas miracles along their journey. The heartfelt writing uncovers layers to each of the characters, aided by expressive animation and a great sense of humour to bring alive this tremendous tale. A marvellous Christmas work that I'm glad nobody has attempted to remake into live-action, and another example of why Kon was such a master filmmaker.
Red One (2024) - 0.5/5 - I detest the word 'content.' When tech giants use it to describe films and shows, it feels like an indicator of how they value quantity over quality, preferring to churn out disposal and soulless works that can clutter their streaming service before eventually being deleted as part of a tax write off.
Red One is the perfect example of 'content.' Every aspect of the story feels run through an algorithm, as though that was a substitute for putting some actual effort into this film. Speaking of lacking effort, the cast are a disappointment through and through. Dwayne Johnson sleepwalks through another role where he plays a contractually unbeatable dullard, Chris Evans is often relegated to repeating exposition in an incredulous tone, and Lucy Liu really deserves better than this underwritten role. J.K. Simmons clearly wanted to play Santa again after Klaus, so combined that his lack of quality control for a role that gets much less screentime than you'd expect.
I'm surprised that Dwayne Johnson pushed for this to get an IMAX release because the distracting greenscreen, ugly CGI, and dull set design makes this look at home streamed on people's smartphones. Blasting this up to IMAX feels like playing a worn out VHS on a 4K TV. But wherever you watch the film, one is left questioning where the $250 million budget went, because it wasn't evident on-screen.
To compare this to another film of 2024, Borderlands was a disaster that was notably hit with production issues that left it delayed for years. Red One is exactly the type of film that it set out to be, one that enables Johnson to reportedly piss in bottles on-set, and remains as festive as pine needles up the urethra.
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| Biggest Disappointment: The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024) |
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) [rewatch] - 5/5 - "BUNNY!"
This simple moment always provides my biggest laugh in this film. Second is the shrunken head reveal.
Silent Night (2021) - 3/5 - Writer/Director Camille Griffin makes her feature debut for tale where old friends reunite for a Christmas party. Things initially seem off, as the children swear and the parents break into a local Tesco for sticky toffee pudding, and the reason soon becomes clear as the narrative unfolds. The nihilistic reality comes alive in darkly comedic ways, and the result is a mixed bag that alternates between hard hitting and floundering. A Christmas feature that has a darker edge to it, and is fascinating in theory more than it is in execution.
The Polar Express (2004) - 1.5/5 - A film that I had avoided until now as I remember the trailers and poster, but never being enticed by the prospect of watching this film. Many of my friends consider this a Christmas classic, so I decided to finally rectify this festive blindspot and see what others like about this. I can see why this train-set tale captured a number of people's hearts, as the story of a boy rediscovering his belief in Santa feels absolutely festive. Admittedly, this did not work for me as I was left bored by what felt like a short film idea stretched out to feature-length. Robert Zemeckis shows some impressive flair, particularly when the camera follows a ticket floating in the wind, but it is overshadowed by the horrific motion-capture realized characters. Honestly, those dead-eyed monstrosities left me more unsettled than many horror films do. I'm glad that so many have taken this film to their hearts each Christmas, but this truly is not one for me.
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999) - 3/5 - A Disney anthology focusing on classic characters during the festive season. Donald Duck tries to make the perfect Christmas for his nephews, which goes awry when the nephews get stuck in a time loop on Christmas Day. Goofy commits excessive property damage to give his son, Max, the perfect Christmas day when he loses faith in Santa Claus. Mickey and Minnie partake in The Gift of Magi when they look to give each other the perfect Christmas presents. It's a charming and gentle assortment of Christmas tales which may not linger in the memory, but it's a solid assortment when they are onscreen.
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| Biggest Surprise: Your Monster (2024) |
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2024) - 4/5 - It's so wonderful to have this duo back on-screen, especially when the result is an absolutely joyous way to celebrate Christmas. This tale involves Wallace inventing a Smart Gnome, an all-purpose device fantastically voiced by Reece Shearsmith who turns bad when Feathers McGraw returns for vengeance. It's astounding how Nick Park is so expressive with such minimalist figures, conveying such terror and menace with a plasticine penguin and a garden gnome. Also on show are a phenomenal amount of sight gags, from a "Keep Out/No, You Keep Out" sign to a newscaster's name of Anton Deck. It is a wonderful little tale, although the plot can feel stretched out at times. Also, while there is wonderful direction that tremendously brings alive the sequences, I was left wanting something more ingenious like The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave perfected. Regardless, this remains another exceptional entry into a uniquely British series.
Wicked (2024) - 4/5 - I finally found the time to watch this on the big-screen and, despite never having seen the Broadway show, I found myself swept away with this feature. Director Jon M. Chu's adaptation focuses on the first half of the show, a choice which allows the story to breathe in wonderful ways that makes the relationships felt and the world to feel utterly real. From Shiz University to Oz, it feels tangible in ways that feel vibrant, although I do wish this vibrancy was matched by some better colour grading.
Central to this tale are some outstanding performances, with Cynthia Erivo exceptionally capturing Elphaba's journey to loving herself despite the others' jeers at her appearance, as she lets down her walls to embrace the person that she is in defiance of others that would paint her as villainous. Opposite her is Ariana Grande, terrifically capturing the popular girl whose mean streak unravels as she befriends Elphaba, becoming a fantastic comedic foil alongside her idealistic status.
Despite this tale running for over 2 and a half hours, the terrific pacing makes it run along so swiftly. Aiding matters is an effective balance of humour, emotion, and relevant messages regarding the weaponisation of hatred and demonisation of "the other." Also helping things are the tremendous songs which deliver the emotion so wonderfully. A dance in a club makes for an emotional understanding between the leads, but Defying Gravity makes for a showstopper of a finale that left me pumped for Part Two. What a fantastic work.
Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey?! (2014) - 0.5/5 - My brothers got me to watch this because they watched it earlier in the week and were fascinated by what they had borne witness to. Now that I have seen this, I can see why they wished to share this with me, because it is a baffling and maddening experience.
The first Nativity film was a good natured work that truly came alive with the titular nativity occurred on-screen. This second sequel is an overstuffed mess that seems to have no idea what it wants to be. For instance, there is no nativity in this film, instead placing the importance upon flashmobs, including having a love rival who is a flashmob celebrity with a massive ego. The climax of the film hinges upon Martin Clunes marrying Catherine Tate in New York, an unnecessary extra step which hinges upon the lead character winning a flashmob competition (did the groom not have a flight booked to get to New York for his own wedding?)
The most maddening thing comes down to this films subtitle. For one, basing it on a 14-year-old adult comedy is a bizarre choice. Another is that the titular Donkey is barely in this overlong film (how is this longer than 80-minutes?) And, when it does appear in the movie, it's just so the donkey can kick Martin Clunes in the head and give him amnesia. Did the plot get decided upon by pulling random plot points out of a hat? At least that would account for so many elements feeling underdeveloped.
I'm not asking for realism within these films, but it would be nice for the characters and their actions to at least feel like something actual people would do. Mr Poppy acts like an utter buffoon, yet this is the second film where he has committed numerous acts that should get him arrested, including kidnapping, and it is brushed off. This feels more fantastical than Wicked, and more brainless than a zombie's victim. By the time the film ends with a donkey twerking, the stop-motion looking attempts feel less realistic than a Wallace & Gromit short. A fascinatingly maddening film that is utterly dreadful, and the best you can hope for is a donkey kick to the head to forget about this tripe.
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| Worst film of the month: Nativity 3: Dude, Where's My Donkey?! (2014) |
Hundreds of Beavers (2024) [rewatch] - 5/5 - An utterly astounding testament to original cinema, with such inventiveness pouring throughout regardless of the low-budget. A blend of silent cinema and Looney Tunes within a video-game style narrative, complete with killer gags and committed performances, for a tremendous example of how far imagination can take you. A perfectly work that has pitch-perfect comedic timing all throughout, from the large set-pieces to the simple sight of following footprints in the snow. Also, it's just endlessly funny to see people in animal costumes beating the absolute crap out of Jean Kayak. If you're ever worried about the state of modern cinema, a film like this is exactly the kind of thing to watch for some much needed reassurance. What an outstanding piece of work.
Blink Twice (2024) - 3.5/5 - Making her directorial debut, Zoë Kravitz depicts two friends taking a dream vacation to a tech billionaire's island. What appears to be a much-needed getaway soon reveals that it is hiding something sinister underneath. I have liked Kravitz as a presence on-screen, but she absolutely knocks it out of the park behind the camera. This is an impressive directorial debut that captures the allure of the setting along with the mounting tension, brought alive in unsettling ways that makes perfect sense by the end. Where it is less assured is in the script, which captures fascinating topics but struggles to feel so assured by the third act, and especially the ending. It feels like one of many films inspired by the success of Get Out, and this may be one of the stronger films to arrive in the wake of Jordan Peele's masterful debut. Round it off with Naomi Ackie's terrific lead performance, Channing Tatum's unsettling portrayal, and you have a fascinating experience that hints at a strong future for Kravitz.
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024) - 4.5/5 - An emotional tale about realizing what is important before it is too late.
Dahomey (2024) - 4.5/5 - In 2021, modern-day Benin saw the return of 26 royal artefacts which were taken by French colonists 130 years prior. These were returned out of thousands that were taken from Dahomey, which leads to many questions from Benin's residents. Through a town hall and a striking voiceover to grant a voice to one of the stolen artefacts, conflicting feels and questions without easy answers are raised across this 68-minute documentary. Mati Diop creates a fascinating work that carves its own distinctive identity in engrossing ways, making for an absolutely tremendous work that tackles cultural identity, colonisation, and the lingering effects on the descendents.
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