Twenty Years of Cinema

Since childhood, I have always been fascinated by cinema.

Aren't I cute!? The first film I watched in the cinema was Finding Nemo (2003) and I was absolutely terrified, Darla haunted me for years to come! But still, I was absolutely entranced and I subsequently grew a love for film over any other medium. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading, music, gaming, podcasts, but there is something about the versatility and complexity of films that drew me in.

Once I got to sixth form and began studying the art behind film in Media Studies, my mind was opened to an entire universe of people on the edges of each frame, and the reality of the effort that goes into each shot.

So without further ado, allow me to present you with a fairly lengthy post that I hope you will enjoy: my favourite film from each year since I was born.

I am writing this in honour of my upcoming birthday in July, and also because I really miss going to the cinema. So here goes...

*DISCLAIMER*

• These are all ranked on; production value and artistic consideration (incl. cinematography, score, acting), positive cultural impact and longevity, audience reception, my own personal connection with the media, marketing and release.

• I have taken all those factors into consideration but probably won't directly refer to them as I review

• I can't rank films I haven't seen so these are limited, though I do consider myself to have a broad catalogue

• I tried my best not to include any huge blockbusters so I could cover movies you may not have seen.

• After writing this, I realised how many of these directors are men. Even the rom-coms.

• My reviews are entirely based on memory, I haven't seen some of these movies in years!

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1999: Red or Blue?

The Matrix (Wachowski Sisters)

I'm gonna be honest with you; I have probably only seen this like 3 times at most. The idea of re-watching this puts me to sleep. So I bet you're wondering why I've chosen it. Well, dear reader, I have one word for you. Wachowski. These women are absolutely phenomenal, the cultural impact this film, directed by two trans sisters is incomparable, it was completely groundbreaking and truly expanded what audiences expect from a blockbuster. They also used a really interesting multimedia narrative where you essentially would have to read all of the side novels and play all the games to get an understanding of the full story, every piece of Matrix media released actually directly carries on the plot from the last piece. If that makes sense.

(Also, and I know this is kind of irrelevant but it's my blog and I get to say what I want, they directed Sense8! If you know me, you know that I could talk about that show for the rest of my life and never get bored!)

Honourable Mentions:

The Sixth Sense

2000: Obnoxious Young Traveller, But With Edge

The Beach (Danny Boyle)

I just...? Love this film. I remember clips of it from when I watched it with my mum when I was young (like, too young Earun!) and even then there was something about it that stuck with me. Not only is the film absolutely stunning, but so is mid-20's Leo, fresh off his career-defining role in Titanic, he returns more attractive and edgier than ever. (He is also very problematic now I am aware). Tilda Swinton as a kind-of-villain is wonderful too. The tropical island offers an alluring and dreamy backdrop for the film, and is honestly a character in its own right, shaping the arcs of our human characters.

At its core, the movie is about a wanderer who wants to run away from where he is from, he finds paradise, a perfect place with everything he wants. But perfection is an illusion, it always has been. The film asks you whether you are willing to ignore suffering to maintain your illusion, and shows us that the characters choose to return to the real world, changed by a private experience that they have no proof ever existed.

This slightly-below-the-surface-catastrophic-individualism is something that really appeals to me in media as I move through life trying desperately to maintain my independence. It's the idea that you have an experience that no one else in the world has and that makes you strong, or special.

There's also that brilliant scene where Leo is the character in a video-game, chopping through the jungle and killing people. Or was that a nightmare I had?

Honourable Mentions:

X-Men

The Emperor's New Groove

2001: Get the Ben 'N' Jerry's Out, It's Sad Boy Hours

Bridget Jones' Diary (Sharon Maguire)

Honestly, I think that this film speaks for itself. Nevertheless, after I went through a little rom-com binge late last summer, this became one of my staple self-care films. Like all slightly overweight single girls (That's a joke) I found comfort in Bridget's boy problems and her insistence that she is both fat and ugly despite being neither. All of the cast members create a pretty nice world to jump into for 97-minutes and almost 20-years on, it still feels like we are all Bridget Jones.

A standout moment is when she absolutely wrecks Hugh Grant in the office, go, girl! BTW, I just don't understand the attraction to Hugh Grant? Am I missing something?

Honourable Mentions:

Legally Blonde

Spy Kids

Shrek

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

2002: THAT SPIDER IS A MENACE!!!

Spider-Man (Sam Raimi)

I'm just gonna say it: Tobey Maguire/Sam Raimi's version of Spider-Man is my favourite yet. Yes, I know that he isn't believable as an awkward teen but he also climbs walls with his fingertips so deal with it.

This film, and the whole trilogy, paints a beautiful picture of the core of Spider-Man's character and what I think really drew me to it as a kid. He constantly has to choose between being Peter Parker and being Spider-Man, and constantly battles with the knowledge that he deserves the life that he wants but that he can't have it because he needs to save everyone in New York City after not being able to save his uncle. Its tragic, and beautiful and Raimi allows these concepts to breathe. The more recent films begin to hit you on the head with these concepts so often they lose their nuance.

I also really appreciate how much of this film is practical - like, seriously, the things they achieved are brilliant. Not to mention the revolutionary

sequences where Peter swings around the city, carrying us with him. The characters are really strong and each one so naturally fits into the plot of the trilogy overall, it's so easy to buy into MJ and Harry's relationship and Aunt May is a wonderful addition, the small role she has carries a lot of gravitas and you feel her presence in all of Peter's decisions.

Honourable Mentions:

Lilo & Stitch

2003: Wiggle Your Big Toe

Kill Bill Vol 1 (Quentin Tarantino)

I didn't watch this till I was around 15, but there's something about this film specifically that I find so captivating. I'm not really a fan of any other Tarantino film, just this one. Whether it's the long, drawn-out sequences that become increasingly harder to watch or the dominance of Uma Thurman's acting, I find myself glued to the screen whenever I watch it.

It's been well documented that Tarantino is all-round one of the most skilful directors of all time, but the cinematography in Kill Bill is particularly impressive.

My favourite scene is probably the fight scene between Thurman and Copperhead, the tension is palpable and Nikki coming home adds such a fun dynamic to the sequence. They better make a sequel where Nikki hunts Uma Thurman down!

Honourable Mentions:

X-Men 2

2004: You Can't Just Ask Someone Why They're White!

Mean Girls (Mark Waters)

Again, I don't have much to say about this film other than it's art! It has aged like fine wine and every line is iconic, funny, and fresh. It's the 00's answer to Clueless. It makes me sad that we didn't have any movies like this in the 10's more than anything.

The message behind the film is really powerful, every clique will happily look at another clique and criticise them for their differences to their own, and though it is presented that the plastics are the mean girls, we quickly learn that at some point we were all mean girls.

I also want to say that it's one of the few films where every side character introduced is well crafted and perfectly balanced so they are neither forgettable nor annoying. And the burn book scene towards the end? LIFE-CHANGING.

Honourable Mentions (This year was a tough one):

Incredibles

Spider-Man 2

Shaun of the Dead

i, Robot

Harry Potter 3

2005: DIDJUPUTYURRNAMEINTHAGBOLETOVFYRE

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Mike Newell)

I wasn't sure whether I should include any films from this franchise in the list after JK Rowling recently posted several anti-trans statements and generally disappointed us all. However, not including any of the work from this revolutionary franchise would be a discredit to all of the thousands of people who made it as successful as it was. For this reason, I will try to focus more on the film-making standards than the storyline.

SO, I have always loved this film, my personal favourite is probably number 6 because of its genuinely bizarre humour - seriously, watch it, I mean really watch it, and tell me a sober person wrote the script - but I know that it is one of the more forgettable entries in the series. This film has so many incredible moments and it is gorgeous to look at, all of the characters are constructed with nuance and cast remarkably well. Emma Watson/Hermione is probably my favourite character here as she is caught up in an incredibly immature pissing contest between Harry and Ron and ends up navigating her friendship in a very realistic way, getting frustrated at the fact she has become the messenger between them both.

Also, Robert Pattinson.

Honourable Mentions:

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

2006: Is There Some Reason That My Coffee Isn't Here? Has She Died or Something?

The Devil Wears Prada (David Frankel)

God, I love this film. Meryl Streep is phenomenal, her delivery of each line is outstanding and nothing short of iconic. It's also such a beautiful look into a palatable version of the fashion industry from the mid-2000's that feels completely foreign to everything we know today. Most of the outfits are just... WHY!?

Anyways, Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt are great too and I guess most people can understand that Miranda isn't really the villain, she's a terrible person who is at the top of a company that only she can run. The real villain is her trash boyfriend and her grass best friend. Also, it's hilarious to me that Anna Wintour had to just... deal with this film being made. Imagine someone starts making a whole film about how much of a terrible boss you are.

Anna Wintour, if you're reading this I'm open to new career opportunities.

Honourable Mentions:

Cars

The Da Vinci Code

2007: The Greater Good

Hot Fuzz (Edgar Wright)

Okay, so I have a lot of childhood trauma linked to this year and I think it was the first time I experienced depression. Seriously, any film that came out this year (See the honourable mentions) I kind of can't watch, or when I do I think about when I watched them at the time.

Anyway, I didn't watch Hot Fuzz til I was a little older of course. I don't have much to say but I will say that it is hilarious, it's rare that I find a film genuinely funny so congrats Mr Wright, you have my seal of approval. I will say that it hasn't aged particularly well and already feels dated, but in a nice comforting way? The editing is wonderful throughout and is a rare example of where editing adds another layer to the film. Traditionally we are taught that video editing should be so good that no-one notices it. Wright proves that idea wrong!

Cornetto anyone?

Honourable Mentions:

Spider-Man 3

Ratatouille

Enchanted

2008: Teens, But with Angst!

Twilight (Catherine Hardwick)

I don't think that there is anyone on the planet who could have predicted what this film brought on.

I remember having a guilty obsession with it from as soon as it came out and watching the films over and over again. Whilst the film is objectively pretty bad, I think it has transcended via its cultural impact to exist in this weird place where I view it as performance art rather than an actual piece of cinema. I also want to point out the misogynistic undertones (or overtones) of men constantly shaming anyone who liked this franchise due to it primarily appealing to women. It's okay for women to like things, guys.

The soundtrack has aged like fine wine and deserves far more credit than it got, I think Twilight is a really important landmark of where teen culture was at before The Hunger Games was released.

I love the way that Bella comes across on screen and I think Kristen Stewart plays the role phenomenally well. The opening few minutes are actually kind of perfect - the awkwardness between her and her dad, the way the audience feels uncomfortable just watching is great. I also think each film that is released is better than the last and the finale is brilliant. Just enjoy it.

But genuinely the best part of the series is the culture born from it, us 20-something-year-olds have taken to this film in an unprecedented way to the point where there are hundreds of TikToks being made about it despite TikTok not even existing during the release period of the franchise. If you still hate this series in 2020, you need to take a long hard look at yourself.

Honourable Mentions: The Dark Knight

Mamma Mia!

Iron Man

2009: The Billion Dollar Question

Avatar (James Cameron)

Is Avatar good?

It's unclear. Sorry.

It's difficult to decipher what this film is truly about or what it stands for, most people can't remember any major points about it or the plot, or name more than one character, and yet it was the highest-grossing film ever for almost a decade.

There's a lot of issues surrounding it's plotline and similarities to what happened in history with the invasion and massacres of Native American citizens. If that was the story you wanted to tell, James Cameron, why did you have to make the indigenous people blue sexualised aliens, and the invaders white humans?

Obviously, the visual effects are outstanding and are what put it at the top of the list, but beyond looking great and having some really well-executed action I have nothing else to say about this film other than that I want one of those dragon thingies.

Honourable Mentions:

Harry Potter 6

Coraline

Twilight 2

2010: I WAS ATTACKED!

Iron Man 2 (Jon Favreau)

This is essentially the single film that defined the decade of the super-hero renaissance. We saw the landscape of the film industry changed completely, this film was a sequel to one of the most beloved movies released and despite having an entire year less in production it managed to (in my opinion) top the previous entry and staple itself among the best. Granted, it doesn't have the emotional complexity of something like Endgame, but why would it!?

The relationship between Pepper and Tony is truly at its best here. I appreciate the direction that Iron Man 3 took turning them into an actual romantic relationship but the storyline in this film of Pepper taking over Stark Industries and becoming CEO is terrific, it really demonstrates their bond well and shows how much they lean on one another for support in a way that just doesn't come across when they are actually together in the finale of the trilogy.

To my knowledge, this is one of the last Marvel films to be shot on film, and I appreciate that it uses a strong hybrid of practical effects which make it feel so much more impactful. That specific brand of Marvel humour is also on top form in this movie. I think the least funny film is probably Guardians of the Galaxy 2 which beats you over the head with how funny and quirky the ensemble cast is, and only takes breaks from beating you over the head with penis jokes to assault you with some slapstick humour. That sounds harsh, but it's hard not to hate new Marvel once you watch this film and take a moment to appreciate the subtle ways that humour is used throughout, particularly by RDJ himself. Ivan and his bird usually makes me laugh out loud, Tony/Natasha/Pepper in the strawberries scene gets me every time, even the scene towards the beginning with the race cars is a gem.

And don't even get me started on the best casting in the MCU: Justin Hammer.

Honourable Mentions: Sex and the City 2

2011: End of an Era

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (David Yates)

I know, I know, I'm sorry! I didn't want to choose another Harry Potter film between all the transphobia and the fact I have already done one but I couldn't help it. This just wasn't a good year for cinema.

However, I do still love this film. It's a wonderful ending to the series and I love how it is adapted overall. From the offset, the cast are on top form and they never fail to impress - even well-known actors such as Helena Bonham Carter completely fall into their roles and bring life to the screen I think we see more rarely than we realise.

Each of the emotional notes of the film hit really well and even people who aren't massive Potter fans love this movie. There are countless believable fan-service moments and I really have no complaints.

My favourite scene is probably where Harry returns to Hogwarts through that tunnel thingy and we see them all in the common room (?) together after all this time. It makes me feel super nostalgic for when I used to watch Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone when I was off sick from primary school.

I am not a huge fan of Ron and Hermione getting together (Shock) but I've learned to live with it. I just genuinely cannot see why they ended up together other than the idea that two heterosexuals cannot exist and be single in a movie.

Honourable Mentions:

None. Seriously. Like, sure there were a few good films but none of them were contenders for my FAVOURITE. I considered missing this year out.

2012: You're a Wallflower, Percy Jackson

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky)

This film is absolutely gorgeous. Just stunning.

Everything about it turns the ugliness of life into something beautiful. I haven't watched this film in a couple of years and it still means everything to me. I don't really know how to talk about this film because it genuinely is so personal to me; I wonder if my close friends even know how much I love it?

I love that all of the core characters are exceptionally imperfect. They all demonstrate wonderful flaws and equally wonderful strengths and that is hard to do when writing a major film. They all love each other but they're kind of shitty to one another and that's exactly what it's like to be friends with other teenagers.

The nostalgia of the aesthetics and soundtracks are all great, the tunnel sequences are what love is made of and the acting is brilliant. The soundtrack in particular sticks out because honestly before I started watching this film on repeat in 2014, I had never really heard of The Smiths or David Bowie. Not that they mean anything to me now, but you know.

I obviously favour the plotline with Ezra Miller and his cute closeted boyfriend (Also, did he assault someone? Is that real?) and think this is done in such a raw way, though I do wish it wasn't framed so strictly through the perspective of the hetero protagonist. But as cheesy as this sounds, I think that when I discovered this as a teenager it validated all of my feelings and made me feel normal for struggling to cope with my sexuality and mental health problems, and that validation is really important for both young people and adults.

Honourable Mentions:

Avengers Assemble

The Dark Knight Rises

Les Miserables (This would be #1 if I didn't have so much boy trauma linked to it)

Skyfall

Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2

2013: The revolution will not be televised

The Hunger Games (Francis Lawrence)

Okay so this is another one of those years where I don't really like any of the films released, but Catching Fire is pretty good.

First off, the concept of the series as a whole is great despite the fact that looking back, it should have included a less... white... cast. White people are not the face of the revolution especially not right now so it just feels out of touch, especially since there is a pattern of people of colour dying (Rue, Cinna) to motivate the cis white protagonist.

Furthermore, it is bloody gorgeous. I would argue that this movie is a rare instance where the film adaptation actually looks better than what I had imagined from reading the books. The arena's lush jungles come to life and you feel as stifled by the heat at the characters do, bravo!

Beyond that, I would also say that this is where the series peaked, after this, it pretty much dropped off and lost its momentum because the next films, which should not have been split into two parts, were boring.

I don't know if 14-year-old me fancied Finnick or Johanna more.

Also some Naz trivia, I ran a relatively popular fandom account focused around the Hunger Games and Percy Jackson so this was a significant part of my teen years!

Honourable Mentions:

None.

2014: Are you satisfied with your care?

Big Hero 6 (Don Hall, Chris Williams)

This. Film. Is. Perfect.

I love all of the ideas behind it, and what it teaches kids about depression, grief and reaching out to people when you need them. I genuinely think it is one of the prettiest animations released that year and it still stands up today, the glimpse that we see of San Frans-okyo is a stunning hybrid of what I would say are two contrasting cultures and it creates this romantic, comforting setting.

Hiro is a great vulnerable, young, naive protagonist and all of the side characters (I fancy Tadashi so much) are really great additions to the film, even though they are a little two-dimensional. It's a kids film with a 100-minute runtime excuse the lack of side character development, okay? I have a particular love for the aunt and absolutely adore what she does for Hiro throughout the film, its a relationship akin to that of Tom Holland's version of Aunt May.

I know the plot twist at the end is a little predictable and it comes out of the left field but honestly, I don't care, the film earns a little lazy writing because it does everything else so well. At least it doesn't have pacing issues.

Honourable Mentions:

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Guardians of the Galaxy

2015: It's literally a film about driving from one place to another but it works so well!

Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller)

Fury Road is relentless.

I used to watch this insane adrenaline shot of a movie every few weeks! God knows why, it completely captivated me and I never even questioned it.

From the moment you press play it never stops, you are taken on the journey with Furiosa as she desperately tries to escape the wrath of Immortan Joe with his Wives who are for some reason played by famous attractive models. Pretty sure one of them sacrifices themselves too. Weird. I do see this as a win for women in film overall though, despite being the titular character Max takes a back seat (pun intended) throughout the story and Furiosa works together with those other biker women to protect the Wives.

The main thing that has always stuck out to me in this film is the atmosphere. It is explosive and measured and powerful in ways cinema rarely achieves. The addition of that guy on the truck that is for some reason playing a flame-thrower-guitar-thing was really smart too, it has become one of the iconic frames of the film and it adds a whole new dynamic that I have seen recreated and parodied many times but you can only respect the ridiculousness.

I also love that practical effects are used so heavily, this film could easily have relied on CGI to save time but I can guarantee you that if they had, it would not be the commercial success it is. And you can trust me because I know what I'm talking about. Not.

Naturally, I am speaking as someone who has not seen the original films and is not entirely sure who Mel Gibson is, besides apparently playing Max, but I think I will stick with Tom hardy's interpretation of the character, thank you very much.

Honourable Mentions:

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Jurassic World

Inside Out

2016: Life lessons you all need to hear

How to be Single (Christian Ditter)

Okay, where to start with this one!?

So, the first time I watched this was with my Mum. WEIRD. But we loved it. I have watched it many times alone since and as I have gone through life navigating uni, friendships, and more importantly dating and relationships, I have gained an unprecedented appreciation for it.

Dakota Johnson is brilliant, I haven't seen much of her work so I have a feeling she would become grating if I watched every film she has been in, but her character here is so organic, natural, and hilarious that I am happy to say I enjoy her acting style. Also, the time she did this to Ellen. I will also say that Rebel Wilson is actually not completely exhausting here, she seems to have taken a short break from making non-stop weight jokes about herself which is refreshing!

Hidden behind this typical girls-night raunchy (?) comedy is actually a really introspective, wise and modern piece of cinema that teaches women (and men) a lot about relationships, timing, and learning to let go when you outgrow your significant other. The writers did a really good job of working through time jumps and making the relationships in the movie feel lived in.

Johnson's relationship with the single father and his daughter is really nice and, though I guess it is predictable, I am really glad that the film ends with Johnson being comfortable with herself before anything else and chasing her dreams, and then the tease that she met someone else immediately after. It is so important, especially now, that people listen to the needs of their minds and bodies and prioritise those over the idea of being in a relationship, this film helped me realise that that is okay, and sometimes even good.

I also just want to mention THE CINEMATOGRAPHY! The scene where Johnson's character moves into her new apartment and the one-shot that follows her around as she unpacks, eventually revealing a finished studio is highly commendable and just another thing that places this film leagues ahead of others in the same genre, creating a truly premium experience where it really did not need to be.

Honourable Mentions:

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Moonlight

2017: I read this really good essay about how white women were the real slave masters, I would recommend it

Get Out (Jordan Peele)

Wow. watching Get Out for the first time was like watching someone take all of the little ways I have been treated differently from my skin colour, grab me by the hand and say "You are not alone!!"

I obviously do not understand the black experience but I have had so many people use microaggressions throughout my life that this story really resonated with me. I don't have a whole lot to say about Get Out other than that it has one of the smartest directors in the industry right now. All of the characters are so strong, especially the workers around the house.

This essay was written shortly after the film was released and basically talks about how White Women in particular hold up white supremacy in a range of ways which is kind of what the point of this film seems to be. Every creative choice that Peele makes not only makes the film more beautiful, there are layers of understanding behind it. I guarantee you will not understand every little reference in this film on your first or even second viewings, I had to read an article to get an idea of everything Peele had put in there.

The way he designed the sunken place is gorgeous and really sets it apart from anything else I saw this year, just overall a brilliant piece of work.

Honourable Mentions:

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Thor: Ragnarok

Coco

2018: Remember, every treasure comes with a price

Crazy Rich Asians (Jon M. Chu)

I imagine that most of you have not seen this movie because though it was an unexpectedly popular release globally, it didn't break into the British mainstream that well. I wonder why. Anyway, after seeing my mutuals on Twitter talk about and regularly reference this movie, I eventually decided enough was enough and watched it last summer. As soon as I did, I was obsessed. I watched it three days in a row or something ridiculous because it is just that good.

I rarely find comedies of this genre funny but it is so refreshing and has clearly been made by a passionate group of people of colour. In fact, I think we as a society have outgrown the phrases 'people of colour' or 'BAME', let's just say it: this film was made by some incredibly talented Asian people!

The audience and critical response is a huge "screw you" to any director or studio head who has said Asians can't be the leads in Western cinema. It is a progression in representation that is long overdue, and I hope that once the film industry is back on track we get more in the vein of this, as well as To All the Boys I've Loved Before, a teen flick released the same year with a Korean family at the centre of the plot.

The film has such a romantic feel to it throughout, I found myself looking at the Young family like the new Kardashians, it made me want to travel to Singapore even more than I did before, and it made me fall in love with Constance Wu. Awkwafina is great here too, I usually find characters like this kind of annoying (Like in Ocean's 8 the same year) but it's nice that she wasn't the token Asian again!

I think seeing so many Asian characters on screen, even though they are far from my Asian heritage, made me more invested in the film, I tear up (Read: bawl my eyes out) every single time when Nick and Rachel look at each other during the wedding towards the end, it's just that powerful and close to my heart.

I will never be over the Chinese cover of Madonna's Material Girl, BTW.

Honourable Mentions:

Avengers: Infinity War

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Ocean's 8

Black Panther

Love, Simon

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

2019: Baby I'm a wreck, for this film

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Bob Persichetti)

Editor's note:

Okay, okay, okay. I know what you're thinking. This is cheating. Spider-Verse came out in 2018 BUT I couldn't decide between this and Crazy Rich Asians and TBH I didn't have a film I really wanted to talk about for this year. But this is MY blog, and I make the rules!

This is the best stand-alone super-hero film ever made.

From the very first frame it is thoroughly, relentlessly fun and entertaining. The characters all have time to breathe and are more than two-dimensional (pun intended) side characters. the introduction to Miles as the main character, him singing along to Post Malone's Sunflower (A weirdly successful song) and not even knowing the words is absolutely genius. We learn everything we need to know about him within the first minute of meeting him. No exposition, no flashbacks, just bad singing and an over-affectionate Mother. That is how you write a teenager well.

The animation is cutting edge and is a rare instance where the directors knew exactly what style they needed to hit to maximise the effect of each sequence. Not to get technical, but this particular animation style is very important because it allows for so much more freedom than if it were live action or even just a slightly more realistic looking animation. There is space for extremely short but effective gaps in the movement of characters during fight sequences which allow for the perception of hesitation, weight behind punches etc. This is particularly effective in one of my favourite scenes, the fight/chase scene in escaping from the lab. You know which scene I mean.

Having a black Spider-Man on screen was, for the longest time, nothing more than a dream. We were made to feel like all of the white, male characters we grew up with were supposed to be white, like there isn't room in the story for brown skin. But this proves that there is. I have always stood by the idea that a good Spider-Man film treats the character's life both in and out of the suit with the same amount of care and respect, and spider-Verse does it marvellously. I know this is an origin story, but you really feel that Miles is just a kid, feeling like he can't talk to his parents and searching for a mentor. And honestly, it's nice to see a black boy win the day.

Honourable Mentions:

Avengers: Endgame

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Us

See? Two films are huge Disney-owned mega-blockbusters that just don't need the airtime. The other is too scary for me to re watch.

And that's it! I haven't watched any films that came out this year. Did any films come out this year?

If you managed to make it through that whole thing I am extremely grateful, let me know if you have any feedback or anything!

If people actually enjoy this I might do one about albums/songs from each year, but this literally took me forever to write so don't expect it too soon.

Thank you so much

Til' the next one

Naz