From 2021: My Film Watchlist

It's only in 2022 do I realise just how many films I've missed out on. The monotonous drone that is 2022 has been getting me down. The burnout I've felt from the events of late 2021 to early 2022 makes me want to fall down a dark hole and never resurface. Dramatic, I know. I feel a sense of loneliness that is all too familiar and yet so foreign. It's hard to put into words. I am just lazy or is this burnout slapping me in the face? Is it any wonder that I'm so attracted to films about loneliness or heartbreak? They seem to be everlasting themes in my life. Thus, they have influenced my film choices. Speaking of, here they are.

First on the list is Nikole Beckwith"s film, Together Together

The film is about a young loner who becomes a surrogate mother for a single, middle-aged man who wants a child. Their unexpected relationship soon challenges their perceptions of connection, boundaries and the particulars of love.

What drew me to this film, in particular, was the fact that I didn't know anyone who was attached to this film. I wasn't familiar with any of their prior work, and they were tackling a topic matter that was mostly a non-starter. The interesting relationship dynamic between a surrogate and their client as it were, is something I've never seen before so I'm really excited for this one.

Next up is Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Memoria.

Starring the amazing Tilda Swinton, I'd watch this film solely to experience her encapsulating performance. Co-winners of the Grand Jury Prize in 2021's Cannes Film Festival, I really don't need much more convincing to get on board with this one.

The film follows a Scottish woman who, after hearing a loud 'bang' at daybreak, begins experiencing a mysterious sensory syndrome while traversing the jungles of Colombia.

This really feels like one of those mind-fuck films so sign me up.

Third, on the list is Joachim Trier's The Worst Person In The World.

This Norwegian film has piqued my interest ever since I saw the trailer. It feels like an amalgamation of all of European cinema. It feels sad, yet hopeful. Light on the surface with a pitch-black soul. A tale of love that brings reality to the dream. This'll definitely fuck with me.

The film follows a young woman who battles indecisiveness as she traverses the troubled waters of her love life and struggles to find her career path.

Number four is George Clooney's film The Tender Bar.

Ben Affleck leads a cast of exciting young actors in this coming-of-age story that is hopefully a heartwarming pick-me-up or a sad end to a beautiful tale.

The film follows a 9-year-old J.R. Maguire who moves into his grandfather's dilapidated house in Long Island, N.Y. Searching for a father figure, he falls under the unconventional tutelage of his uncle Charlie, a charismatic, self-educated bartender who introduces him to a handful of the bar's colourful regulars. As the year's pass and J.R. grow into a young man, he tries to fulfil his dream of becoming a writer. The film is set in 1972.

The fifth and final one is Aimee Long's A Shot Through The Wall.

I've heard great things about this little known film and I am excited to hopefully discover yet another gem. It's about time I see an Asian leading man and after seeing the trailer is do feel that Kenny Lau plays his character well enough, I can't help but see another man leading this cast. Feel free to take a guess.

After shooting an innocent African-American man in Brooklyn, a Chinese-American cop wades through his guilt as he attempts to navigate the intricate and complicated worlds of media, justice, and racial politics in modern-day New York.

I hope everyone found this short but bittersweet blog entry somewhat insightful and hopefully some of the films here will make it on your lists. Till the next one!