Oliver Battershall

The Virgin Suicides (1999) 5/5
One of the most powerful, unshakable, irresistible atmospheres I’ve ever felt from a movie. A drowsy elegy that made me feel like I was in that euphoric limbo between dreaming and waking up for 90 minutes. Accentuated by Air’s brilliant original score, gorgeous colour grading, engaging narration and classic 70s fashion/music. It’s the movie equivalent of a chocolate advert. Silky smooth, sexy, dreamy. Alternatively, La Casa de Bernarda Alba on a melatonin overdose.

Ace in the Hole (1951) 4.5/5
My fifth Billy Wilder movie and it sure lived up to expectations. It’s no surprise he’s hailed as the defining Hollywood director of his era. A gripping tale of morality and mortality spearheaded by a flawless Kirk Douglas performance. It’s rare that a Hays Code era film can speak so outwardly on human greed and corruption in the way that this does, with such a captivatingly sleazy main character. Bonus points for a great title drop and a final shot that makes you wish they had 3D glasses in 1951.

Affliction (1997) 4/5
Far from the by-the-books gritty wintry detective mystery I was expecting from the first act. James Coburn gives one of the best supporting performances I’ve ever seen. Nolte is phenomenal too, it’s a shame only one of them got the Oscar. Schrader is unparalleled when it comes to leaving you on the edge of your seat with a pit in your stomach. This movie twists and contorts as it goes, and when it was all over I knew I’d been on a great journey.

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) 4.5/5
Cynics would maybe denigrate this as a mere shouting contest of a movie, but dynamite dialogue and a killer cast bursting with character makes this feel so much more genuinely enthralling than that. A tight 100 minutes of sly, claustrophobic, darkly funny antics. Alec Baldwin gives maybe the most captivating sub-10 minute performance I’ve ever seen.

The Parallax View (1974) 4/5
Paranoid thrillers can leave such a unique impact on you once the credits roll. The best ones reel you in and know exactly when to yank away the bait, so you feel like you’re in your own Truman Show for a few days after. I think audiences at the time would’ve felt this even more strongly, with its release coinciding with the climax of the Watergate scandal and with many still scarred from the JFK assassination. This nails that eery sensation with a great soundtrack and gorgeous lighting (or lack of it). I really wish I’d caught this a few weeks ago when it was back in cinemas for the 4k remaster. My only complaint would be that the editing is quite janky in the first half, especially noticeable with headphones.