In addition to keeping a track of what I read, I also keep track of what I watch. I find it a helpful exercise to see what sort of stuff I’m filling my head with or the heads of my kids. What are the stories that are capturing my imagination (or not). It is if you like my media diet (which I copied from Jason Kottke) and having some idea of what your diet is really like is not a bad thing. It might turn out to be more unhealthy than you realise (or vice versa I guess). Here are my lists from previous years: 2021; 2020; 2019.

I don’t think I’ve been particularly adventurous in my film watching this year, too many repeats, and too few trips to the cinema (just made a resolution) and so looking at this list I don’t feel too inspired by it and I’d be surprised if anyone else did either. There were some enjoyable family movie nights and those times, if not exactly memorable, are still part of the stack of family activities that we do just being together.

The three films I enjoyed the most this year were…drum roll please.

Parasite. A Korean masterpiece that takes a violent twist at the end. Dark, funny, inventive.

I Care A Lot. This film is dark, vicious, darkly funny, with two of the best screen villains I have seen in a long time. You don’t want either to win, they’re both bad, bad, bad people but you can’t keep your eyes off the action. NB: The Trailer has one swear word near the end.

Top Gun: Maverick. It’s a remake as much as it is a sequel. The original is (on rewatching) OK but it’s more a nostalgic ‘good’ rather than genuinely good. But TG: Maverick ups the ante, improves the action, takes things into overdrive while basically following the exact same plot. It is simply just an enjoyable action romp that it pays to not think too much about but to just sit back and enjoy the ride.

For family films the choice is probably between Red Notice & Uncharted. We’re kind of into those action adventure type movies.

Here is the full list

January

1. Avengers: Civil War
2. Spiderman: Homecoming
3. Parasite
4. Spiderman: Far from Home
5. Black Panther
6. Tomb Raider
7. Catch me if you can

February

1. Doctor Strange
2. A Knights Tale

March

1. Don’t look up

April

1. Thor: Ragnarok
2. No time to die

May

1. The Croods

June

1. Top Gun: Maverick

July

1. Creed
2. Spinning Man
3. A Quiet Place
4. Men in Black
5. Get Shorty

August

1. Old
2. Top Gun
3. Focus
4. Mission Impossible

September

1. Red Notice
2. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

October

1. Now you see me
2. Spiderman: No way home
3. I care a lot
4. The Three Musketeers (2011)

November

1. Uncharted
2. The Adam Project

December

1. Hold your breath: the ice dive
2. Pinocchio (del toro)
3. Dredd