Our Top Ten Films of 2024, seen at The Light Cinema, Wisbech

10- Deadpool and Wolverine (15) - seen in August

‘Hugh Jackman’s angry, serious Wolverine is the perfect foil for Ryan Reynolds’ pansexual, playful Deadpool and the whole movie is a riotous journey of laughs and excitement, all set to a wonderful soundtrack.’

Deadpool and Wolverine is a riotous journey of laughs and excitement

9- Civil War (15) - seen in April

‘Filled with extremely tense moments throughout, this film uses clever editing, splicing in photos the journalists are taking in the heat of the moment, as well as meaty and intentional sound design showing the shock of gunshots and explosions.’

Civil War is a gripping thriller

8- Speak No Evil (15) - seen in September

‘The slow, tense build-up to the inevitably horrifying climax in this psychological thriller is superb, with James McAvoy excellent as the larger-than-life Paddy and Aisling Franciosi impressive as his demure but equally sinister wife Ciara.’

James McAvoy is terrifyingly brilliant in Speak No Evil

7- Heretic (15) - seen in November

‘The first hour sees Hugh Grant’s Mr Reed toying with the snow-pure Sister Paxton (Chloe Easton) and the more worldly-wise Sister Barnes (Sophie Thaxter) as they try to figure out whether things are becoming as sinister as they seem. The second hour is full-on horror action, with some brilliant twists and turns along the way.

Hugh Grant is superbly sinister in psychological horror thriller Heretic

6- Zone of Interest (12A) - seen in February

‘Friedel and Hüller are coldly commanding in the main parts as the loving mum and dad of three children, their domestic bliss soundtracked by the background noise of the screams, moans and gunshots of hell on earth, with smoke flumes from the crematorium a brutal visual sign of what is happening only yards away.’

Zone of Interest is masterful, intense... and unforgettable

5- Poor Things (18) - seen in January

‘Part comedy, part drama and with lots of sex and nudity, this movie is like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Fantastical enough for you to not take it too seriously, yet so close to reality at times that you have to, it is quite simply superb.’

Emma Stone is superb in the wonderfully funny comedy-drama

4- Furiosa (15) - seen in June

‘Miller’s world-building is masterful as the post-apocalyptic wasteland the film takes place in feels like it is a truly living, breathing place that one could step into at a moment’s notice. The direction and visual style expands on this with wide shots displaying the enormity and imposingness of certain locations as well as the size of armies controlled by the film’s warlord.’

Furiosa is a must-watch for action film fans

3- One Life (12A) - seen in January

‘Anthony Hopkins is best known for his wonderful portrayals of Hannibal Lecter, but the Welsh actor is one of the most versatile ever and is wonderfully convincing as the shy, modest Nicky. Johnny Flynn plays the younger man wonderfully well too and your mind never questions that they are the same man at different life stages.’

Heartwarming true story One Life made it hard to hold back the tears at The Light Cinema in Wisbech

2- American Fiction (15) - seen in February

‘The tone is set at the start when a white student objects to his using the ‘N’ word and continues through to an awards judging panel he is on when the predominantly white members declare they ‘must listen to black voices’ while ignoring his.’

American Fiction deserves its five Oscar nominations

1- The Holdovers - seen in January

‘It deserves to be there for Best Picture, Paul Giamatti is certainly worthy of his Best Actor nomination for his portrayal of cranky history teacher Paul Hunham and Da'Vine Joy Randolph definitely earned her nomination for her performance as no-nonsense head cook Mary Lamb.’

The Holdovers thoroughly deserves its five Oscar nominations

One to avoid

The Watched (15) - seen in June

‘There’s some Irish folklore, a tenuous attack on reality television and an entirely unsatisfactory and convoluted ending as the whole thing spirals into nonsense. This film just disappoints. After starting well, it wasn’t scary, exciting or particularly interesting.’

This brings my run of enjoyable horror to a shuddering end