2019 has been a bumper year for film. Adelaide has been lucky enough to be on the circuit for all major film festivals, and has seen some great premieres and special visitors from the film industry. Glam’s reviewers have covered as much of this amazing cinematic action as possible. Asking the team to choose their favourites caused much anxious decision-making, but we somehow managed to narrow it down!
In a round-up of the year, here are our top ten picks, in no particular order.
High life (France)
High Life is a provocative, mean-spirited and pessimistic meditation on the human condition with sickening moments of violence and violation that will make you want to look away, but also beautiful imagery that will render you unable to avert your gaze.
Booksmart (U.S.A.)
The coming-of-age tale comes-of-age in Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut. Endlessly funny, and as smart as its title implies.
Ride like a Girl (Australia)
Rachel Griffiths’s directing debut tells the story of Michelle Payne, the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup. An amazing tale of persistence and passion. Glam was also lucky enough to interview Griffiths.
Knives Out (U.S.A)
A darkly humoured murder mystery with a stellar cast including Christopher Plummer, Jamie Lee Curtis and Australia’s own Toni Collette.
Never Look Away (Germany)
Inspired by the life of German artist Gerhard Richter this is a major work of film art, not just in its subject matter but also in the exquisite cinematography.
A White, White Day (Iceland)
This powerhouse Icelandic offering was part of the Scandinavian Film Festival. Ingvar E. Sigurdsson (also known for his role as Asgeir in the series Trapped) gives the performance of a lifetime as a man battling with grief.
Happy New Year, Colin Burstead (U.K.)
One of the best films in this year’s British Film festival, this dark comedy breaks open the myth of happy families, and is rib-achingly funny.
Champions (Spain)
This glorious comedy was a highlight of the Spanish Film Festival. Featuring a cast of wonderful actors with disabilities, it is heart-warming, hilarious and thought-provoking.
The Joker (U.S.A.)
A favourite choice for several reviewers, The Joker takes the villain and deconstructs him into the anti-hero we need now.
The Reports on Sarah and Saleem (Palestine)
Based on the true story of an extra-marital affair between a Jewish woman and a Palestinian man, this powerful work paints a portrait of a modern, divided Jerusalem.
If you missed some of these during the year, we hope you get the chance to catch up with them over the summer holidays.
The film and TV team and I wish to take this opportunity to wish our readers a wonderful and safe festive season, and we look forward to bringing you more about the best cinema and small-screen work in 2020.
Contributors: Rod Lewis, Jordan Ellis, Anthony Vawser, Rebecca Wu, Tony Knight, Tracey Korsten
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