The absolute best year-end movie review by an American expatriate political scientist cinephile in Paris who still hasn't converted his blog to Substack
There is a whole world of culture that never makes it onto middle class radar scopes (and not just American scopes, since I have a pretty good read on Germany and Venezuela as well).
Paris is a unique city for cinema, in the sheer number of movies — French, Hollywood, and international — that open theatrically every week. No other city can hold a candle to Paris when it comes to world cinema – and that includes New York and London – and for a variety of reasons I can get into; but the fact is, I could never put together my annual list if I lived anywhere other than Paris.
I don't think there's anything particularly leftwing about my movie tastes. I see films that are well-reviewed and look halfway interesting (avoiding certain genres: fantasy, sci-fi, action), plus those in my areas of interest, e.g. I'll see anything on the subject of international migration and immigration, WWII and the Holocaust, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and any film from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. And Iran. I will never boycott a film or refuse to see one for political reasons. In fact, if a movie is roundly attacked from the left, I make it a point to see it, to see for myself. So in 2023 there was a big budget but non-Hollywood MAGA-friendly movie, Sound of Freedom, about child sex-trafficking (apparently based on a true story). It was a big hit on the right, was naturally trashed by film critics, and was seen by no one politically left-of-center. Except for me. (Verdict: it was indeed trash and, having seen it, I can say why.)
Bravo this excellently-categorized list, as well past ones! Provokes my interest in recommended intrigue/espionage cinema the world over.
Thank you! I appreciate that.
You mayalso
You may also be interested in my annual posts on the Oscars
ttps://arunwithaview.wordpress.com/2024/03/10/2024-oscars/
And the César awards
https://arunwithaview.wordpress.com/2024/02/23/2024-cesar-awards/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4XJKOLdLW4 (Those who can be reformed will be. The others will be eliminated.)
Just reading the list made me realize two things:
There is a whole world of culture that never makes it onto middle class radar scopes (and not just American scopes, since I have a pretty good read on Germany and Venezuela as well).
Mr. Kapil has interests far to the left of me.
Paris is a unique city for cinema, in the sheer number of movies — French, Hollywood, and international — that open theatrically every week. No other city can hold a candle to Paris when it comes to world cinema – and that includes New York and London – and for a variety of reasons I can get into; but the fact is, I could never put together my annual list if I lived anywhere other than Paris.
I don't think there's anything particularly leftwing about my movie tastes. I see films that are well-reviewed and look halfway interesting (avoiding certain genres: fantasy, sci-fi, action), plus those in my areas of interest, e.g. I'll see anything on the subject of international migration and immigration, WWII and the Holocaust, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and any film from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. And Iran. I will never boycott a film or refuse to see one for political reasons. In fact, if a movie is roundly attacked from the left, I make it a point to see it, to see for myself. So in 2023 there was a big budget but non-Hollywood MAGA-friendly movie, Sound of Freedom, about child sex-trafficking (apparently based on a true story). It was a big hit on the right, was naturally trashed by film critics, and was seen by no one politically left-of-center. Except for me. (Verdict: it was indeed trash and, having seen it, I can say why.)