Top 15 films of 2015

I’ve had so much free time since October so I’m catching up on 2015 films just before the Oscars. It’s been a challenge because Spanish cinemas dub everything. Anyway, here’s my top 15. I haven’t included films which were nominated for last year’s awards.

Spoiler-free.

15. Wild Tales (dir. Damián Szifron)

This film is made of 6 short stories which aren’t linked at all except for their overall theme of how humans behave in extreme situations. The first one is so surreal and funny, cut to open credits and you know you’re in for a good ride! Some of the segments are quite dark and a little scary in the sense that it feels like it could happen to people around you. Six fun stories for the price of one!

14. Miss Hokusai (dir. Keiichi Hara)

I don’t normally watch animated films unless I know they’re good, but this one surprised me. It’s told from the viewpoint of Hokusai’s daughter, O-Ei, who is also a talented painter. There isn’t much of a big story, and it feels more like a glimpse into their lives. There are many haunting moments, some beautiful imagery, and I think I remember liking the music too for the most part. Really pretty. The Japanese Edo period comes alive.

13. Pawn Sacrifice (dir. Edward Zwick)

Based on the true story of American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer, set during the Cold War. We see him take on the Soviet Empire as well as struggle against his own mental illness, with the whole world watching. I’m not particularly interested in chess, but I still found this to be really enjoyable. Some reviewers are saying that the documentary Bobby Fischer Against the World is far superior, which is true in the sense that it’s more historical accurate and there’s more depth, but this film is worth seeing for Tobey Maguire’s captivating performance as an eccentric, paranoid, sad but also charming Bobby Fischer. The ending comes somewhat suddenly and the story of his later life is explained in the form of text, and I can’t help but feel that there was plenty more interesting story to be told, but perhaps the tone would have shifted too much. For the full experience, see the film and the 2011 documentary, but as a work of fiction based on true events, this was plenty enjoyable.

12. Phoenix (dir. Christian Petzold)

This is a really dark, haunting film about identity, denial, loss, and searching for answers in the post-war era. Nina is a concentration camp survivor, but has been heavily disfigured. She undergoes facial reconstruction surgery and asks the surgeon to give her back the face she used to have. Then she goes on a desperate search for her husband. She finds him, but what awaits her is more and more heartbreak. It’s really gripping, right until the end credits, stylishly shot but the symbolism is subtle and not in your face. The acting is really great too. I saw this just once way back in the summer but it was such a powerful film, it still resonates with me.

11. Room (dir. Lenny Abrahamson)

I wasn’t sure whether to add this to the list or not, because I never want to watch it again. Well, not anytime soon anyway. It’s a harrowing story that was painful to watch, but it also explores the great, loving bond between this mother and her son. It’s a film that I’m really glad I watched, and if you haven’t seen it, you definitely should. I won’t say what this film is about; the less you know before seeing it, the better I think. It’s a raw, emotional experience I’ll never forget. Brie Larson is fantastic as the mother, and the 9 year old Jacob Tremblay was even better as little Jack. He must’ve been like…8 or even 7 during filming? Wow. It’s the best child performance I’ve ever seen. Credit to director Lenny Abrahamson too, for getting such an amazing performance out of a child. He directed Frank from last year, a film I really enjoyed as well.

10. Taxi Tehran (dir. Jafar Panahi)

In 2010 Jafar Panahi was charged with propaganda and banned from making films for at least a decade. I’d seen some of his most famous films before, like Crimson Gold and The White Balloon, but was unaware of the more recent happenings until I accidentally stumbled across his latest film Taxi Tehran. This is actually his third ‘film’ since his ban. The first one being a documentary filmed on an iPhone when he was under house arrest, called This Is Not a Film. I need to check these out. Anyway, in Taxi, Jafar Panahi poses as a taxi driver and has unknown actors play various passengers. Each passenger’s story paints a little picture of what life is like in Iran, and some of them give full-on speeches about topics such as the criminal justice system, and talk about how such views would be banned by the Iranian government if they were to ever put it into a film (ha). The director’s actual niece plays his niece, who has been assigned by her school to make a film as homework, but has been given a list of detailed instructions on what she isn’t allowed to include. It’s all very in-the-face, but also very entertaining. Some of the things that happen and the things they talk about are really humorous and enjoyable. Despite the cameras never leaving the taxi and the film being a series of passengers, it feels quite fleshed out. The director’s courage and reluctance to give up making films in itself makes this film precious, but it’s really also a lot of fun.

9. The Revenant (dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu)

The grittiness of this film takes a toll on the viewer’s mind, but in terms of filmmaking it’s a masterpiece. It’s almost like realism in a sense, because the cast and crew have gone through hell in actual freezing cold settings, and no artificial light has been used (I read that the director only wanted to use real light so they could only film an hour or two of footage per day). DiCaprio crawls through snow and wades through rivers barely uttering a word, and the agony on his face I’m sure is almost all real. But of course, hundreds of hours of rehearsals have taken place, ensuring that things go to plan in those one or two hours, and that no one gets hurt. CGI has been used sparingly for some of the scenes involving animals. What is this called? Torturealism? I’m here under a warm blanket but I feel like I’ve gone through this epic journey too. The water, the snow, the wind, I can almost feel it. It’s intense, but its beauty takes my breath away. The camera soars into the air, under water, glides between trees, pans 360 degrees, and then even makes us look directly into DiCaprio’s eyes at the end. It’s beautiful and it’s powerful. It makes us understand that the greatest villain of the film is nature. It’s not the most enjoyable film in the world, but it’s great cinema that will no doubt stand the test of time.

8. Carol (dir. Todd Haynes)

Cate Blanchett puts on an exquisite performance. Every glance, every move of her fingers, every word she says kind of floats into the air like smoke, and unlike in a film like Joy for example, where the lead performance tramples all over the flimsy mess of a film, the other parts of this film – the cinematography, the music, the framing, it all blends together. No scene feels out of place, too long or too short, which I feel tends to happen in films adapted from books. Credit to the screenplay. I like the mix of things – it’s a love story, but also feels like a thriller at times, a mystery at times. The film is called Carol, but Rooney Mara’s character is no audience surrogate. She’s a fully formed character in her own right. Naïve but not in the annoying sense. It always felt like these two characters were both trying to figure out the feelings they were feeling.

7. Brooklyn (dir. John Crowley)

Another great adaptation from book to screen. It’s a simple love story, but told so beautifully. It’s sweet, pure, funny at times, and I’m reminded that films don’t have to be complicated or have any surprises to be great. Saoirse Ronan is fantastic. She doesn’t carry the film, the film doesn’t need to be carried, but she makes it so great. Her eyes alone convey so much that words cannot. Some people seem to disagree, but I felt a charming chemistry between her and the actor who plays Tony. I put this higher up on the list than Carol, the other love story on my list, because the theme of homesickness really resonated with me. If you’ve ever felt so miserably homesick that you feel like you have no future, the first half of the film will remind you of that.

6. The Brand New Testament (dir. Jaco Van Dormael)

God lives in Brussels, and he’s a dick. Everyone’s heard of his rebellious son, but no one knows about his daughter… I loved this film! It has a dream-like feel reminiscent of Amelie, and it’s hilarious. In a satirical, dark sense, but also in a delightfully oh wow! sense. The final act was a bit disappointing for me. It dragged on a bit, and didn’t give the film the kind of ending it deserved. But still, it’s so high up on my list because of how imaginative and original it is. It’s a lot of fun, has a couple of really beautiful poetic moments, and should be enjoyed for its charm as I don’t think it’s aiming to offend anyone.

5. Inside Out (dir. Pete Docter, Ronnie Del Carmen)

I didn’t see this film until just a couple of months ago and I really wanted to find that it was overrated because I’m a horrible person like that, but by the time I was halfway in I’d run out of things to mumble about and decided to give in to the sheer awesomeness of it. “That’s definitely not how emotions work”, “I moved schools like every other year and never complained”, and “why don’t they just kill sadness?” being some of the comments I made which I now take back. All the bits inside the mind where Joy and Sadness get lost were so clever and imaginative! The train of thought! Urgh. And at a certain point towards the end of the film I had to bite my lip to stop myself from shedding a single tear. It was a surprisingly emotional journey, and it took me back to when I was a child. The outside world and inside head stories went well together and didn’t seem out of sync or unbalanced. I had a great time.

4. Tangerine (dir. Sean Baker)

Filmed using iPhones, Tangerine is about a transgender prostitute who has just been released from prison. She finds out that her pimp boyfriend has been cheating on her and charges through the streets of LA to find him with her best friend on Christmas Eve. This just goes to show you don’t need expensive cameras, fancy sets or famous actors to make a great film. Real characters, imagination and anything with a camera in the hands of talent is what you need. The subject matters of prostitutes and drugs don’t particularly interest me, but it looked like a light bit of fun so I sat down to watch it. The two female leads are so powerful and memorable, they drag you through the colourful streets of LA and immerse you into their lives. It all builds up to one hell of a climax, and you realise how surprisingly solid the film was. It’s not just a comedy, it’s also a raw and touching story about friendship and family, and it’s the warmth and love of these characters that makes the film so great.

3. Ex Machina (dir. Alex Garland)

Sci-Fi isn’t usually my cup of tea, but if it’s written by Alex Garland you know it’s going to involve great ideas about what it is to be human, social norms and gender roles. This was his directorial debut, and it’s amazing how masterfully he is able to work visually. There is a sinister feeling throughout the film which engages us for the entire time. The ominous music, the sparse use of colours, smooth surfaces and framing of characters with lots of space all create a claustrophobic feeling. Like Ava, the AI created by Nathan, we feel trapped inside this building in the middle of vast forest assembled by lots of mirrors which create an inwards depth with no way out. Lots of important and interesting questions are asked and get us talking, which I think is also a sign of a great film. I also really liked the conversations between Nathan and Caleb. They use language that’s simple enough to invite us in and be enticing, but it never feels condescending. The use of CGI is really great despite the low budget. The film gets straight to the point and doesn’t ever lose sight of what it set out to do.

2. Victoria (dir. Sebastian Schipper)

Victoria, a young Spanish woman is in Berlin for a few months. One night after clubbing she bumps into a group of local guys who flirt with her, and she joins them for one last beer…the film then takes us on an unexpectedly insane, intense adventure. The entire 2 hour film was filmed in one single take! And they’re not in just a few simple locations or anything. They cycle down roads, go up buildings, drive around in cars…to think of all the preparation that must’ve gone in to film this, it’s just incredible. You literally go on a journey with them, from something like 3 or 4 in the morning until a perfectly timed sunrise. I read that most of the dialogue was improvised, and the cameraman also had to dive around to avoid accidentally filming other crew members etc. Not just that, but the camera often reflects the character’s state of mind. The naturally flowing dialogue is mostly charming and funny. They speak in English, though there is some German spoken among the guys at times. I purposely turned the subtitles off to try and put myself in the protagonist’s shoes, and I’m glad I did as it felt more real and tense. It’s a really intimate, riveting experience and I’m glad I came across this film.

1. Clouds of Sils Maria (dir. Olivier Assayas)

The female version of Birdman! But easier to understand. That being said I can’t really explain the film… It’s about growing older, various approaches to acting, being ‘relevant’…but there are so many layers to this film that it’s so much more than that. It’s a great work of art set in beautiful locations that blurs the line between what is real and what isn’t at times, and these moments are delightful. Art is a way to express oneself, so really it’s relatable to anyone. Juliette Binoche is remarkable as Maria Enders, an actress who has agreed to play the older woman in a revival of the play that made her famous, opposite the younger character she played all those years ago who is now being played by hip new actress Jo-Ann Ellis (Chloe Grace Moretz) who is talented but full of scandals. Kristen Stewart holds her own next to Binoche as her personal assistant. They recite lines together, and the conversations they have are a joy to watch. My favourite film of 2015.

Top 5 films of 2013 so far

I’ve excluded Side Effects and The Paperboy from the list since I already wrote about them earlier this year and I think The Paperboy is considered a 2012 film anyway. So without further ado, my top 5 of 2013 so far (no spoilers):

5) Upstream Color dir. Shane Carruth

I wouldn’t exactly say that I enjoyed this film (especially the first viewing) but it had my brain racing and asking questions for its entire duration. The narrative is far from linear so if you don’t like your mind getting f***ed then this may not be for you. That being said, it’s not in any way an unpleasant experience; there isn’t really anything disturbing except for the fact that you may not understand what’s going on and that might get on your nerves. There was a sense that maybe some things were purposely made to look more confusing then they were - I’m pretty sure the film would have been just as compelling had they made things a bit clearer. Whatever your level of comprehension throughout the film, the ending should be satisfying. I’ll admit that I still don’t completely understand it, and there is of course more than one interpretation, as there is with any piece of abstract art. But what I can say for sure is that the central theme is that of identity – losing it, and finding it again. Are we in control of our lives? Are we a tiny little part of a much larger something? It’s not like anything I’ve ever experienced before and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for something new.

4) Dans la maison (In the House) dir. François Ozon

This film completely seduces you, much like the way the teenage protagonist has his literature professor completely hooked with his writing. The professor gets a little too nosy and involved, and what results is a mysteriously riveting interfusion of fiction and reality. The initial motivation for the protagonist is his friend’s mother – he wants to be near her, he wants to write about her, so he spends a lot of time at this house. From there it dives into the unpredictable and shows us the anatomy of not just the house but the human imagination. It’s paced brilliantly, looks gorgeous, it’s psychological but doesn’t get too dark – it’s actually quite humorous – it’s sly, it’s clever, it’s audacious, it’s an absolutely delightful experience. Sorry, it feels like forever ago when I saw this one so my memory is quite hazy; as you can tell I’m waffling.

3) Stuck in Love dir. Josh Boone

This one’s also about writing – I’m a sucker for films about writing! As an experience I wouldn’t say it’s superior to Dans la maison, but I’m ranking this 3^rd because it surprised me and I like being surprised. In terms of realism, yes, it glamorises writing (they basically chill out and be all artsy and somehow off-screen all the writing gets done) and it’s a little too tidy, but given its genre I can let that slide. It’s surprisingly authentic, it’s engaging, there’s heart and soul – it surpasses the average romcom by a mile. As I mentioned, sure it’s not realistic, but there’s someone you’ll most definitely be able to relate to. I found myself genuinely caring for the characters, and as predictable it may have been, it was so heart-warming and sweet that I didn’t care. It’s a film that makes you want to write!

2) The Great Gatsby dir. Baz Luhrmann

Not being biased because it's DiCaprio, but he was fantastic! From the moment he appears (about 30mins or so into the film) he steadily guides you along for the rest of the ride – his presence is monumental, he is Jay Gatsby. His delivery of dialogue, the purposeful way he says ‘old sport’, the way he looks – I can’t imagine anyone else (haven’t seen the Redford version – sorry!) That first half hour or so before he appears is just chaotic though. It was all over the place, yes, illustrating the menace of the roaring 20s, but it was too much for me. You have to give Luhrmann credit for trying – and what a bold attempt! For me it all works so well: the colours, the music, the pace, the significance of the green light, it all on some deep level fuses into one giant explosion. In the novel Fitzgerald’s virtuoso writing had created this world too colourful and chaotic that it felt hollow, and I thought Luhrmann managed to do a job as good with his auteurship. Amidst the disillusion that he successfully creates, he manifests a powerful existential yearning which you can’t help but be sucked into and moved by. Some people have accused Luhrmann of turning it into a love story, and while I agree that some of those who haven’t read the novel may think that way, I hope that a more unwavering viewer would be able to see beyond the characters for what they represent. Every single performance was fantastic in this film – even Tobey Maguire, who is supposed to be an awkward and a bit of an unreliable Nick Carraway.

1) Mud dir. Jeff Nichols

This is, without doubt, pure brilliance. While the other films in this post you may or may not like depending on your taste, this one I recommend to all; if you are human you will enjoy it. It might still be showing in some cinemas so if you see it playing, consider yourself lucky and go see it! It’s storytelling at its best. You can tell Jeff Nichols took his time to really map things out and develop character arcs - masterfully done. There’s a boat stuck in a tree: we’re intrigued. So are the two young boys played brilliantly by Tye Sheridan (the youngest kid in Tree of Life) and Jacob Lofland, whose curiosity leads them to meddle with McConaughey's character’s affairs. By the way, when did Matthew McConaughey suddenly become awesome? His last few films have been brilliant, and his performance in this film is the best by him I’ve seen. The story is as compelling as the boat in the tree or McConaughey's mysterious character; it’s enchanting but at the same time raw and muddy (no pun intended). It’s a coming-of-age tale about love, family and friendship, character-driven with an incredibly strong sense of place. Its storytelling methods are pretty traditional, a fresh, original story written and executed so well – it’s an absolute gem which I cannot recommend highly enough.

Honourable mentions:

Like Someone In Love dir. Abbas Kiarostami

I read somewhere that the director was in Tokyo looking out from a car window when he got the idea for this film (or something along those lines). Not only was the act of being in a vehicle a reoccurring motif in this multicultural film, but that’s also how this experience felt like for me: loneliness viewed from a non-Japanese person’s POV from a couple of feet away. It takes a look at identity and mistaken identity; communication and miscommunication, perception, judgement... In fact it’s about a whole load of things which may not even cross your mind while you’re watching it. There are some heartbreaking moments, most notably during a sequence inside a taxi which takes place in the first act. Like the taxi driver who probably gets an idea of what’s going on but can’t (or shouldn’t) intervene, we can’t do anything about it either. People have to keep their distance – the film is a look on intimacy and the lack of it as well. The boundary between the viewer and camera is very clear (a lot of the things happen off screen); I still haven’t quite figured out the reasoning behind Kiarostami’s camera angles and POV choices, but hopefully with more thought it’ll become clearer. While the mismatch of what you see and what you hear may or may not bother you, it's an otherwise very easy-on-the-eyes elegantly shot film with an ending which has stirred up a lot of debate.

The Place Beyond the Pines dir. Derek Cianfrance

I appreciate what this film tries to do, and the first two acts are brilliant - but the third disappoints. For such an intimate and naturalistic build up, the pay off is far too unrealistic and forced - sudden too (a certain title card), to the point that it made the overall experience more disappointing than positive. It won't be a spoiler to tell you that basically its comprised of the stories of these two men and then their sons. I’m sure the director’s intention wasn’t for us to find the events of the film believable; I’d say his take was a mythological one, which would naturally involve fateful chance happenings. It just didn’t click that way for me and it seemed like it was trying to be what it simply wasn’t. That being said, I admire what he strove to do and I’m only disappointed because the first two acts were that good (near-perfect) and showed so much promise. The lead performances were brilliant – Ryan Gosling fits into the role nicely and Bradley Cooper seems to be getting better and better. 

The Paperboy (2012) dir. Lee Daniels

The Paperboy centres around the character of Hillary Van Wetter (John Cusack) who is in prison, accused of committing murder. Charlotte Bless (Nicole Kidman) who has a ‘thing’ for prison men, exchanges letters with him, and believing he is innocent seeks help from the paperboys (newspaper journalists): Ward Jansen (Matthew McConaughey) and Yardley (David Oyelowo), with Ward’s little brother Jack Jansen (Zac Efron) watching through naïve goggles and often taking part in the search for the truth. It’s narrated by Anita (Macy Gray) the Jansen family maid, in the form of her recalling the events to another reporter, so it’s kind of meta-journalistic. It’s not really a free-the-guilty-man story though; it’s much more than that, with each character having their own effed up issues. The portrayals of these issues (sex, violence, bizarreness) have been criticised (with people saying it’s too much, too graphic, unnecessary etc), as has the fact that the film is such a big mess with things going all over the place.

I agree it’s a mess, both content-wise and structure-wise, but I disagree with all the criticism. I don’t think anything has been portrayed just for the hell of it or to purposely gross us out. The common thread to their issues is the subject of ‘repression’. Sex-obsessed (misunderstanding it for love?) Charlotte gets a kick out of the repressed sexual desires of prison men who express their yearnings in letters. I don’t want to give anything about Ward’s character away but he also faces a repression, by the time and setting (1969 Florida), and this affects the way he views himself. Jack has an Oedipal passion for Charlotte, and his unfulfillment despite being at a sexually ripening young age is unbearable. All of this has been brilliantly transmitted in the form of the unbearable heat and oozing sweat, constantly on the surface. Once things start to get unleashed, both literally and metaphorically, drama results and truths are discovered. If finding the true killer was the primary goal, indeed they find him, in his truest form.

The film is extremely engaging and memorable. It’s one hell of a feast, so if you’re a light eater don’t see it. I like feasts as long as there’s both quantity and quality, and this film has both. It’s not superficial, it’s a montage of human desires, repressed and liberated. It's meta-journalistic (recollection of a recollection) so structure-wise it would be a bit 'messy'. The cinematography is good, and the performances are absolutely fantastic with all the actors very far out of their comfort zones. Had I seen this last year (it only recently opened in UK cinemas) it would certainly have been in my top 10 of 2012.

Wes Anderson Films Ranked

Ranked from worst to best. Diving straight in:

7) The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

After finding his feet with ‘Bottle Rocket’ and achieving his unique and would-go-on-to-become-iconic style with ‘Rushmore’, Anderson went overboard. I’m generally a fan of Anderson’s films and will usually back them when people say they’re pretentious, but not on this occasion. It actually is a pretentious and over-stylised mess of a film, as he seems to have spent far too much time making the caricature characters as quirky as possible and hiring a line up of stars to portray them. I was able to feel a slight, *slight* bit of sympathy for the character of Richie, but elsewhere there was no emotional connection and believability whatsoever. Ultimately at the end of the film I felt hollow. It’s baffling because a lot of people seem to like this film, some calling it his best work.

6) Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

I’m not the most well watched person when it comes to animation so I can’t really comment on how original I felt it to be in that respect, but it was certainly fun to see Wes Anderson auteurism in the form of an animation, and spot the voicing actors as they were introduced (the voices were perfect by the way). However, there wasn’t very much of the original Roald Dahl story left, both in terms of content and style. There was not really any genuine warmth which the original story offered, there was just dark humour, sarcastic wit… things which I like, but wish he hadn’t stuffed into this adaptation. I'm assuming the film's also marketed for kids - not sure they'd react well to some of the stuff. Pulling myself away from that issue, there were moments of excellent dialogue, I enjoyed the characters and their developments (except for ‘Rat’ who I wanted to see more of), the production design was gorgeous and mise-en-scene incredibly detailed, and the overall experience was somewhat enjoyable.

5) Bottle Rocket (1996)

A great starting point for Wes Anderson. Either because he was still finding his feet or because of the low budget, we see the plot and characters stripped-down in its bareness. Without the fancy stuff (though we do get a glimpse of his trademark shots). The dialogue is awesome (really awesome) and the intentions of these characters are very much out there for their ages but there is warmth, there is connection, there is a sweetness. As a wannabe screenwriter this film is a delight to watch - it’s like a step by step guide to making a perfectly structured film with perfect character arcs. Incredibly good writing. Overall a very enjoyable experience with great performances by the Wilson brothers.

4) The Darjeeling Limited (+ Hotel Chevalier) (2007)

A lot of people seem to think this is his most pretentious film, and while it's true that at the end we don’t really feel any completion and may think well what was the point in that?, this film actually is a guilty pleasure of mine. I admire Anderson’s attempt to cram the world into this train, as opposed to take the train out into the world which is what one would normally assume. The outside isn’t really important, that’s why there wasn’t much effort to really show you enough of India, let alone an accurate India. Pretentious or not, I really enjoyed this film, personally I loved the dialogue (as always), especially that long scene in the train restaurant (?) towards the beginning, the three of them and the two German women. By the end of that scene I had so much hope for the film, was engaged, and I wasn’t let down.

3) Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

I felt detached from the non-protagonist characters (all of them except for the 2 kids) so it lessens the ensemble feel which Anderson’s films tend to have, but as I took it as sort of nostalgic, melancholic, child’s POV film, there was no harm done. You accept that they are in control, and the adults are portrayed as powerless and stupid. And it’s charming to have so many stars play the adult characters as that itself gives the characters a sense of presence and meaning. I felt transported to another world, both geographically and POV wise. There’s no tediousness, no pretentiousness at all (I think), and if I watched all of Anderson’s films back to back this would feel the most like a breath of fresh air. Act 3 is a bit weak, but that was the only disappointment. He uses the camera very well, and the actors very well. Thoroughly enjoyable and engaging.

2) The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)

Contrary to the many people saying the film started off well but declined, for me the film got better and better. During the first half I thought it was incredibly pretentious, and the protagonist isn’t likeable at all so difficult to connect to, but slowly I began to like how unlikeable he was, as weird as that sounds. A bit like Jane, the reporter played by Cate Blanchett (very interesting to see her in a Wes Anderson film), who was always going to write an absolutely terrible report but by the end, in that excellent scene, squashed together with the rest of the crew, kind of accepting it all, I did that too. I was genuinely moved by the father-son dynamic, and by the end I felt incredibly satisfied. Hats off to Bill Murray who did a fantastic job with that character. He not only spoke his lines but spoke with his expressions and mannerisms, perfectly done. And I loved Klaus! Everything scene with Klaus was hilarious.

1) Rushmore (1998)

THE best Wes Anderson film. Just as the wonderfully written, fabulously acted, unlikeable but loveable at the same time, incredibly charismatic Max Fischer struggles with the real world, Wes Anderson flings himself at the real world. You’re taken for an entertaining and hilarious ride, but he never crosses the line into being pretentious or overly stylish like his later films may or may not do. You’re pulled into it because the characters aren’t just absurd, they’re believable. And it’s consistent throughout. One of my to-go films when I just can't be asked.

Side Effects (2013) dir. Steven Soderbergh

“It's like this poisonous fog bank rolling in on my mind."

In a nutshell, ‘Side Effects’ is about 28 year old Emily (Rooney Mara) dealing with her depression. Her husband Martin (Channing Tatum) is released from prison having been in there for 4 years, but this added responsibility on her shoulders does no good for her mental health and she drives her car into a wall. She starts to see a psychiatrist, Dr. Banks (Jude Law), who prescribes her a number of anti-depressants which all seem ineffective. Seeking advice from Emily’s previous psychiatrist Dr. Siebert (Catherine Zeta-Jones) he prescribes a new experimental anti-depressant called Ablixa. Instantly it begins to work; however there are some odd side effects, and the rest I should probably not say.

Having read and listened to a bunch of reviews and interviews before seeing it, I knew that there were going to be a lot of twists and turns. Despite my determination to spot things beforehand, of course I was still taken back by surprise. It not so much ‘tricks’ you but demonstrates the power and control of the mighty camera. It picks out the important things for you but also presents falsities and red herrings right into our faces, ‘locking’ us in. So trying to spot things really does you no good. The music by Thomas Newman illustrates just how sinister the situation is and what’s lying underneath, still to come. The idea of the story may not be entirely new and original, but it’s certainly a very well made film with excellent cinematography and great performances. Rooney Mara very convincingly plays a woman burdened by depression; Jude Law equally as an overworked man who starts to crumble to pieces. None of the characters are played particularly likeably – this moral ambiguity and lack of someone to ‘root for’ is another aspect of the film which adds to the overall eeriness and brilliance of the film. Steven Soderbergh’s final film – it’s good to see him end his directorial career on a high note with such technical excellence and confidence. 

Top 10 Leonardo DiCaprio films

10) Shutter Island (2010) dir. Martin Scorsese

A patient has disappeared from Shutter Island Hospital for the insane and is thought to be hiding nearby. US marshal Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) is called in to investigate… and it becomes a hell of an investigation, a trip into his own sanity and memories. I don’t want to give away too much, and don’t think I could anyway even if I wanted to as it’s extremely complicated, but the confusion you’re made to sit through as a viewer is exactly what the film wants you to feel. I love watching DiCaprio play crazy, and this is the craziest he has ever played. He is absolutely superb in this film.

9) The Aviator (2004) dir. Martin Scorsese

A biopic of Howard Hughes, like his many endeavours from film directing/producing to aviation, his OCD and his womanising ways, the film feels like a jumbled up montage. This is both what makes the film enjoyable (personally) and what fails to make it a masterpiece as it doesn’t feel like there is any clear route or direction it’s headed in. I don’t necessarily think that a film must have a well structured story, but in this case I understand that some people may have felt they were up in the air, wanting to put their feet onto the ground. But regardless of whether it’s perfectly structured or not, the direction is brilliant and the acting is amazing (even Kate Beckinsale). It’s perfectly enjoyable and is great cinema!

8) This Boy’s Life (1993) dir. Michael Caton-Jones

Based on the memoirs of writer Tobias Wolff, this is about a mother, Caroline Wolff (Ellen Barkin) and son Tobias ‘Jack’ Wolff (DiCaprio) who escape from Caroline’s abusive boyfriend and search for a place of comfort, in the 1950s. Caroline meets Dwight (Robert De Niro), who seems a nice guy, and they marry and move to his hometown. Dwight then turns out to be a selfish and abusive douche. They live under his ‘control’ in this small and caged town, until one day Tobias learns that that may not have to be the case. It’s a sad story because many people do live this way and may not be able to find an escape route. The acting is great, the dialogue is great, very witty at times, and the story is told incredibly well. The film is, like I said, quite sad, but also gives you hope at the same time.

7) Marvin’s Room (1996) dir. Jerry Zaks

Lee (Meryl Streep) and Bessie (Diane Keaton) are sisters but they haven’t spoken in 17 years. Through Bessie’s Leukemia and her need for a marrow transplant, Lee and her sons Hank (DiCaprio) and Charlie (Hal Scardino) travel to see Bessie and reignite the sisterly relationship. Hank is a troubled youngster, put into a mental institute after trying to set their house on fire, and we watch him soften and learn to care for others. It’s a sweet little film with a pretty amazing cast (Robert De Niro is also in the film, playing Bessie’s doctor), and DiCaprio doesn’t falter at all. He adds depth to his character, and is very entertaining to watch.

6) Titanic (1997) dir. James Cameron

I’ve watched Titanic many many times, but the more I watch it, the less the terrible sadness becomes about Jack and Rose, but I am reminded and I see that every single passenger on that boat had a family, or a lover, that they were torn away from each other. Humanity is shown in its truest form, both in good ways and bad ways. DiCaprio plays Jack, the poor guy, and Kate Winslet, Rose, the rich girl. DiCaprio and Winslet have great chemistry; though their story is the narrative that you follow, ultimately this is a film about humanity, and the film succeeds in carrying that weight and depth forward to the audience.

5) The Basketball Diaries (1995) dir. Scott Kalvert

Based on the real life published journals of Jim Carroll, the film essentially is about the effects of heroin on Carroll, played by DiCaprio, and his dreams of becoming a professional basketball player. We also watch Carroll confront the realisation of mortality and explore his sexual angst. The reoccurring voiceover narration reminds us that this isn’t just a druggie film, it’s a true story. I enjoy this so much because of DiCaprio’s performance. He is completely convincing as a mischievous youth who’s life spirals out of control. We’d seen him play all sorts of characters before but it was the first time seeing such a dark and desperate side of him. He makes the film an engaging experience, and I think this is one of his best performances ever. 

4) Blood Diamond (2006) Edward Zwick

DiCaprio (Danny Archer) and Djimon Hounsou (Solomon Vandy) give incredible performances in this film set in Sierra Leone (though not filmed there) about the diamond trade. Now I hardly know anything about the history or the politics or the diamond trade in Africa, but I don’t feel that there was any unnecessary violence, and I sensed the characters inside the film to be as horrified by the violence as we the audience are. I’ve also read praising reviews by people who are knowledgeable about the issue, so there you go. As a film it’s perfect. A solid script, brought to life by great directing, characters which draw us in, incredible acting, and I also love the beautiful music by James Newton Howard.

3) The Departed (2006) dir. Martin Scorsese

A remake of the Hong Kong film ‘Internal Affairs’, Billy (DiCaprio) works for Boston mafia chief Costello (Jack Nicholson) but is secretly on the side of the Massachusetts Police. Likewise, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) who works for the police, is secretly on the side of Costello. I’m sure that could’ve been worded better but anyway. They discover that there is a ‘rat’ among them, and it becomes a thrilling cat & mouse chase x2 to find out who the ‘rat’ is. The storytelling is superb and performances are excellent. Mark Wahlberg’s Sergeant Dignam almost steals the show with his awesomely witty dialogue and final scene of the film. Great entertainment!

2) What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) dir. Lasse Hallström

This is a beautiful, tender and warm film, at times heartbreaking, about the Grape family. DiCaprio plays Arnie, the retarded younger brother of Gilbert (Johnny Depp). With so many things on his plate, including their extremely obese mother who can’t/won’t leave the house, Gilbert becomes a bit of an empty vessel, putting other people before him, not really finding any pleasures in life besides the occasional sexual encounters with the married Betty Carver who shops at his grocery store. He meets Becky (Juliette Lewis), who makes his life more interesting and opens him up a bit. Gilbert could easily have become a one dimensional character, but Johnny Depp does a great job by bringing him to life and making him lovable. DiCaprio does a phenomenal job playing Arnie, to the extent that some people who didn’t know DiCaprio thought he was a retarded actor playing the role. 

1) Catch Me If You Can (2002) dir. Steven Spielberg

This is based on the true story of Frank Abagnale Jr., the famous conman who passed himself off as a pilot, a doctor and a lawyer mainly by forging cheques and being charming. Played by DiCaprio with such cheek and charm, you’re pulled into the story and root for him. Tom Hanks plays Carl Hanratty, the FBI agent who humorously chases and tries to catch him. It’s a fun, engaging and funny ride, but there is depth too. We see how his relationship with his parents, especially his father, played by the wonderful Christopher Walken, affected his character and actions, and we also take a peek into his lonely soul through the conversation we see between Frank and Carl Hanratty over the phone on Christmas Eve. It’s a film that I watch once every now and then and never get bored by, and I can just back, relax and enjoy!

Leo plays Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby, directed by Baz Luhrmann, set to come out in theaters this May. He will also be in The Wolf of Wall Street, based on the memoir by Jordan Belfort, directed by Martin Scorsese. No release date set but probably late this year. Though he's currently taking a break from acting to focus on environmental work, at least we'll be seeing him on screen this year. Then I hope it won't be toooo long till he returns!