Walter's Top Ten of 2024

 No preliminaries this year; I'll just dive right in: 

10. His Three Daughters – A man is dying of cancer and his three daughters (one a step-daughter) are brought together for his last days. Lots of relationship strains and unfinished business are on display, handled with some insight and sensitivity. The ending was creative and worked for me. 

9. A Great Friend (Les choses simples) – A quiet and obscure film that probably doesn’t even deserve to be on a 2024 list. But I wanted to give this some attention as I doubt many have seen it, and it deserves a few viewers. Its value is more in its unique story and lovely setting than its perfect execution. But if you find it, give it a try. (And if you like French films, Sage Hommes is also a film worth watching.)

8. The Monk and The Gun – How many Bhutanese films have you seen? This is the story of a country
experimenting with “mock elections” to prepare for their first real one after the popular king decides the kingdom should become a democracy. And, yes, that part of the fictional story is true. The story begins as a wise monk helps the country prepare for the changes ahead. It’s quirky, funny and meaningful. 

7. Dune: Part Two – Always good to have one spectacle on the list, and who better than Denis Villeneuve? This is an awesome film experience even if I did have to be satisfied with seeing it in my living room. I’m not sure about the extent to which the film communicates a message needed in today’s world. But it’s an otherworldly ride. 

6. A Real Pain – As I plan a trip to Poland involving some family history, I certainly could not miss this film about two cousins on a holocaust tour marking the recent loss of their grandmother. The poignant character/relational study of the two cousins is done very well, and many of us can relate to one side or the other of the tension (and love) between the two. I can’t help but think that – apart from the concentration camp visit – the setting itself could have played a larger role. And the climax arrived early with a denouement that (intentionally?) felt a bit disappointing. Otherwise this might have found its way higher up my list. 

5. Origin – Saw this too long ago to remember more than that I really appreciated this glimpse into the life of Isabel Wilkerson, author of the recent book, Caste – a groundbreaking shift in the conversation about racism in America. Good as the book was, it was not necessarily convincing that a film about the author and how she came to write the book would be a great watch. But it was! (And if you can’t be bothered to read the book, at least check this out on Prime and get the gist.) 

4. Small Things Like These – I stumbled on this short novel when it was first published a few years ago and loved it - my first taste of Claire Keegan. With help from the great acting of Cillian Murphy, Tim Mielants does a masterful job of turning a deeply internal story into something that works on film. The homey family scenes, the flashbacks, and the daily wash-up after his grimy work (reminiscent of Perfect Days) all set the context for an internal battle: does he risk the hard-earned stability of his family for the sake of compassion? 

3. Perfect Days – Watching this is an act of contemplation. The main character (and the filmmaker, Wim Wenders) transforms mundane life into something that holds our attention and deepens our appreciation for the beauty of a well-lived simple life.

2. Conclave – Manipulations and machinations as leaders fight for control of institutions are timeless and true of so many contexts. The reasons for the struggle may be noble or ignoble, but methods can still look the same. Dare we hope that there is a grace at work in the midst of it all, supported by frail humans trying to do the right thing? The role of women in the Roman Catholic Church is subtly highlighted (is that an oxymoron?) in an intriguing way.

1. Soundtrack for a Coup D’Etat – I recognize that this is not for everyone, and I confess that it's probably a little artificial to top my list with this. But here is a creative documentary that gives you a sideways point of entrance (through the role and words of jazz musicians) that makes you feel like you’re there in 1960 as crucial historical events unfold. For me this sideways, musical entrance created an experiential effect very different than a left-brained documentary experience. The main setting is The Congo where Patrice Lumumba becomes a popular, democratically elected, leader on fire for true independence. But as we all know, the idea of independence and democracy are all well and good as long as they don’t interfere with the “economic security” (note the current relevance of how this term is being used) of the Western (pretending-not-to-be-colonial) powers. I’ve long been familiar with this story (told through novels like The Catastrophists [great novel by the way!!] and The Poisonwood Bible), but this film is full of new perspectives and slants. For one thing the Belgian filmmaker clearly pulls appropriate blame on his own nation and its royalty, allowing the CIA (and the UN!) to play supporting roles. The current relevance of this kind of film feels striking to me because if we don’t keep trying to set the record straight, we give permission for actions like the insanely horrifying colonial genocide in Gaza to happen without repercussions. Like in Gaza, open Western complicity in atrocities is astonishing. 

For honourable mentions, I'll name three 2023 films that I saw this year: American Fiction, Radical (about a teacher in a Mexican border town), and the Canadian film, Testament. And one 2024 film, We Live in Time, a type of film that I might sometimes avoid, but this was quite well done and superbly acted.

I also usually end with a "Spilled Coffee List" naming particular disappointments. While this year saw several that I rated 5 out of 10, none made it below that, and so I won't name them. Maybe I'm getting a little better at avoiding the worst.

Hope this list helps you find a couple films that you might not otherwise have seen!