The Predator has been haunting screens since 1987 with the Arnold Schwarzenegger-starring original, becoming one of the most recognisable sci-fi monsters in cinema, spawning an ever-expanding series of films.

With Predator: Badlands now released, this article ranks all of the films in the series so far.

Besides my last choice, there is not much between the seven films quality-wise – they’re all very solid and all pose some interesting ideas. However, the top three entries are a significant step-up from the films in fourth and fifth position and my ranking of them could interchange on any given day.

7) Predator: Killer of Killers

An adult animated anthology film filmed in secret ahead of Predator: Badlands, this is unfortunately the weakest in the series. This animated film is split into four sections – three which tell the stories of human warriors throughout various points of history who face off against a Predator and a final section which ties the preceding stories together. Predator: Killer of Killers is an odd film – the three standalone stories are rather undercooked but the final section that then ties them together is rather excellent, with some fascinating concepts. The film is balls-to-the-wall action and holds nothing back when it comes to gore, which I’m sure many will appreciate. But I like some meat to the bone, and the standalone stories feel as if they’re feature film concepts that have been distilled into their final climax Predator face-off sequence. Not helping proceedings is the poor script and lack of character development, and I didn’t care much for the disorienting animation style either. Although the lack of substance of the three stories failed to properly engage me, it’s the final section which really elevates proceedings. How Trachtenberg ties these stories together is like a child playing in a sci-fi sandpit, with a thrilling set piece and some tantalising teases that hint towards the future.

• Read the full Predator: Killer of Killers review

6) Predator

This is probably where you completely shut off and disregard this list, but hear me out. The original Predator is still a great film, but it’s more a film of scenarios than a cohesive narrative and it’s a bit of a trudge to get through until we get to the now-classic Arnie vs The Predator fight which in itself is awesome. Director John McTiernan (who would later go on to make the perfect Die Hard) succeeds in creating suspense with numerous shots of the Predator watching on its prey but there isn’t all that much character development and because of the lack of a narrative thread, there are a few stretches where not much happens. The film also features a very memorable score that has carried through to the rest of the series from Alan Silvestri. Predator is still an enjoyable film but controversially, I don’t think it has aged all that well and the other films have taken the material in more interesting directions.

5) The Predator

The Predator is shambolically put together and its pacing is rather breakneck, but it is a really entertaining film and director Shane Black’s signature humour is put to good use here, through the characterisations of the PTSD-ridden soldiers who take on the mythical creature. The first half in particular has some really interesting ideas and some well-constructed action sequences, particularly one in a science facility. I also really liked the decision to have this film set more in the suburbs and the contrast of the Predator to the urban area is interesting.

• Read the full The Predator review

4) Predator: Badlands

Considering we’re now seven films in, this is the first time a film has a Predator as the protagonist, with Predator: Badlands completely devoid of humans. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, the film follows Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a runt Predator who takes a vow to hunt a mythical creature called the Kalisk on the lethal planet Genna to earn his father’s approval. The first half is particularly strong, with Dek oddly likeable as the uncommonly sensitive Predator and the relationship between him and Weyland-Yutani synthetic Thia (Elle Fanning) is well-developed. It says a lot about the quality of Trachtenberg’s direction and Patrick Aison’s tight script that we root for Dek when he speaks in his native Yautja language throughout the film, translated via subtitles. There’s lots of good world-building too, both of Dek’s home planet and the hostile environment of Gonna. The film’s well-paced and rolls along at a brisk pace and it’s vividly shot by Jeff Cutter, even if there’s an over-reliance on visual effects at times. It may lack the simplicity of Prey and veer into a bit of a CGI-fest in its final act before an excellent closing set piece, but Predator: Badlands is a very solid entry in the enduring series.

• Read the full Predator: Badlands review

Prey is an excellent prequel and was just the gut-punch the series needed. Dan Trachtenberg directs with flair and the film features some terrific performance among its almost exclusively Native American cast. The very fact Trachtenberg has opted to centre the film around an underrepresented community is to be commended, too, with the only exception to the rule being a group of French fur trappers Naru encounters. Amber Midthunder makes for a formidable screen presence and it’s great the film focusses on her humanity. She is portrayed as both a skilled hunter but also an individual who makes mistakes. Trachtenberg’s mirroring of smaller animals hunting each other and the Predator and anything that steps in its way is also an excellent creative stroke.

★★★★

• • • • Read the full Prey review

2) Predator 2

Generally regarded as the worst in the series, Predator 2 is a very brave film in my opinion and is certainly not a film that would be made in this day and age. It’s a film that successfully expands upon the mythologies established in the first film and the Afro aesthetic puts an interesting spin on the character. Danny Glover is great in the lead role, a hot-headed policeman who wants justice but is afraid of heights, which he faces multiple times in the film. The film also features performances from Gary Busey as a shady DEA agent and Bill Paxton as a wisecracking new recruit. There isn’t a boring moment in the film and the final fight sequence is particularly satisfying, over multiple set pieces and sets up future films and cross-overs.

★★★★

1) Predators

Robert Rodriguez was a very interesting choice to reboot the series after Predator 2 failed to impress. Taking a producer role and having Hungarian director Nimrod Antal in the directors chair, Predators is the best in the series in terms of its ideas and narrative. The idea of setting this film on another planet also helps to further expand the mythology and the whole mystery of why specific people are chosen to participate in this game is compelling. The cast are uniformly great, with Adrien Brody solid in the lead and standout performances from Topher Grace, Louis Ozawa Changchien and Laurence Fishburne. Although its second half morphs more into a blockbuster, its first half is where the film really excels and poses its ideas. Although The Predator was a fine entry in the series following this film, what I’d really like to see are sequels / spin-off’s to Predators as there are a lot of interesting places you can take this concept. It’s a shame Predators didn’t do all that well at the box office and remains a very underrated entry in the series.

★★★★

---

What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments or tweet @TheFilmMeister

When director James Wan‘s deeply effective The Conjuring released in 2013, little did anyone think a standalone horror film depicting one of Ed and Lorraine Warren’s cases would spawn into a fully-fledged cinematic universe. Despite a handful of misfires, the series has proven mostly solid spinning an entertaining yarn on the paranormal investigators and the rogue’s gallery of supernatural demons and entities they’ve faced. 

With The Conjuring: Last Rites now in cinemas, and supposedly the final outing for Ed and Lorraine Warren, here is my ranking of all the films in The Conjuring Universe to date. Note I’m including The Curse of La Llorona, which was considered part of the series when it released but then wasn’t in 2021 when director Michael Chaves said it was only intended as “a wink and a nod” to the franchise.

10) Annabelle

Annabelle is unquestionably the worst of the series and has virtually no redeeming qualities to it. Riding off the success of The Conjuring a year before, John R. Leonetti’s spin-off is a blatantly unoriginal, preposterous cash grab that save for one very well orchestrated scare and beautiful cinematography, is a dud. Annabelle lacks any of the sense of dread The Conjuring has and the jump scares are obvious and uninspiring. The cast are uniformly terrible, in particular Ward Horton and the script is cringeworthy. Its ending is particularly offensive where characters make irrational and stupid decisions and I laughed multiple times. It’s a film that looks like it should have gone straight-to-DVD and represented a complete U-turn in quality for the series.

9) The Nun

The Nun is an absolute trainwreck – the film is edited extremely badly, its overreliance on jump scares mean it isn’t scary and the story is borderline incoherent. However, unlike Annabelle, there are some redeeming qualities to The Nun. 

Director Corin Hardy is clearly a horror aficionado which shows in the film’s cineliteracy (there are allusions to some of the Hammer horror films for instance) and the film is quite atmospheric and establishes a chilling setting. For instance, there are some breathtaking shots of the exteriors of the monastery which really portray the grandeur and influence it has on its characters. This is by far, the most frightening aspect of the film and leaves a lot to audience interpretation. It’s strange then that Hardy resorts to jump scares, which are all poor and there is not a single memorable one in the film. It’s also strange that Hardy chooses to punish the characters in the worst possible way towards the beginning of the film. There is an extended sequence where a character is stuck in a grave, which is a horrifying scenario but anything that happens to this character afterwards is never as bad. Surely, this sequence would have worked better towards the end of the film? Despite these fatal mis-steps, all of Hardy’s good work in the film’s atmosphere is undone and squandered by how the film has been edited. Every scene films too brief and this really hinders in creating a creepy atmosphere. Somewhere here is a good enough film, but the way it has been edited completely undermines this and this results in The Nun ultimately being very disappointing.

• Read the full The Nun review

8) The Nun 2 

The Nun 2 represents an improvement over the original with better storytelling and coherent editing but still suffers from its fair share of problems. Director Michael Chaves makes a stronger effort to give the characters an arc, it’s slickly shot and edited and the second half is entertaining in places. However, the jump scares aren’t particularly effective and the first hour is quite tedious, as Sisters Irene and Debra (Taissa Farmiga and Storm Reid) try to catch up with the fact Valak (Bonnie Aaron) has possessed Maurice (Jonas Bloquet) which we learnt at the end of the previous film. The script is quite clunky and there’s some inexcusable exposition, a seemingly all-knowing librarian the nuns meet in their investigation who conveniently happens to know all the particulars of a Macguffin device they need and exactly how to defeat the demon is incredibly lazy. A revelatory line in the film’s climax relating to a mother’s eyes is also unintentionally laughable. It’s also a shame Storm Reid’s character is underdeveloped following a potentially interesting introduction and Anna Popplewell’s unconvincing Irish accent is distracting. 

• Read the full The Nun 2 review

7) The Conjuring: Last Rites

While The Conjuring: Last Rites isn’t a bad film, it’s a disappointing ending to the mainline series. Director Michael Chaves veers between an overly schmaltzy tone in how the relationship between a now grown-up Judy (Mia Tomlinson) and Tony (Ben Hardy) develops, and also the relationship between Ed and Lorraine Warren, with sub-par horror. The decision to revert back to the haunted house formula is a bad one, with Chaves lacking James Wan’s mastery in the scares department. While there’s semblances of tension here and there, he doesn’t create a palpable atmosphere of dread like Wan does. There’s a couple of good scares – one involving pausing a videotape and another in a room of mirrors, but the rest are rather underwhelming. Nothing here is on the scale of the tremendous scene from the first film of two children frozen in fear of something that may or may not be behind a door. Chaves unfortuantely also succumbs to many bouts of fan service and in an age of legacy sequels, he leaves the door open by setting Judy and Tony as successors to their parents – Ben Hardy’s Tony essentially performs the same function as Shia La Boeuf’s Mutt in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. While The Conjuring: Last Rites is supposedly the end for Ed and Lorraine Warren for now, nothing’s really the end but I hope whatever’s next in store for the series has some more thought and care put into it.

• Read the full The Conjuring: Last Rites review

6) Annabelle Comes Home 

The third film in the Annabelle trilogy isn’t as effective as the second but writer Gary Dauberman’s directorial debut has a lot going for it. Dauberman’s film is the first spin-off to feature the Warren’s and is effectively a horror-spin on Night At The Museum as Judy Warren (Mckenna Grace) and her babysitter Mary Ellen (Madison Iseman) inadvertently release Annabelle’s spirit in the artifacts room. The storyline is solid, but the film’s not particularly scary and rather empty in feeling. 

5) The Curse of La Llorona

Only loosely tied to The Conjuring Universe, Michael Chaves’ directorial debut is based on the Latin American folklore of La Llorona, a vengeful ghost who roams near bodies of water mourning her children who she drowned in a jealous rage after discovering her husband was cheating on her. Although Chaves doesn’t make the most of the absorbing background story, the film is still an entertaining watch with a handful of effective scares. He does a good job of establishing Anna (Linda Cardellini) and her children and the film is crisply shot by Michael Burgess. 

4) The Conjuring 2

The Conjuring 2 isn’t as strong as the first film – it is overlong which severely impacts the pacing and just isn’t quite as interesting a story as the first one was. However, horror-maestro James Wan delivers in spades on the scare-front and the film has some truly frightening sequences and there are also some great performances from the cast. Only Wan could have made or been given permission to make this film as 134 minutes for a horror film is uncommonly long and whilst there is a lot of character development (and self-indulgence), 20 minutes could fairly easily have been chopped off and the film would almost be as strong as the original. This is definitely its main problem which is to its detriment. The film bears many similarities to William Friedkin’s The Exorcist and there are a couple of moments where the film leaves a bit of a sour taste as it reiterates many of the clichéd elements of superior horror films. Coming off a near-perfect original, it’s a shame The Conjuring 2 isn’t a knock-out, but that was always going to be impossible and there is still a lot to like in this film.

• Read the full The Conjuring 2 review

3) The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It 

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It represents a welcome change of direction compared to the first two films in that it delves from the haunted house formula and is more of a police procedural crime thriller. The story the film is based on is riveting, even if some creative liberties have been taken with it for it to fit the horror genre. The performances are all excellent, Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as the Warren’s again are the centrepiece of the franchise and the film expands and revolves around their strong relationship. James Wan is not behind the camera this time around, with The Curse of La Llorona’s Michael Chaves inheriting the mantle. Chaves’ direction attempts to ape Wan’s from the use of title cards and a prologue sequence at the beginning to the general tone of the film. However, when it comes to the horror aspect of the film, Chaves just does not craft the scares in as sophisticated a fashion as Wan. I was riveted from start to finish but there is always the question of what if this film had been directed by James Wan and I think if had, the result here would have been extraordinary. If the film doubled down on its scares or chose to eliminate them completely and spent longer developing its characters and establishing the stakes, this could have been a masterpiece.

• Read the full The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It review 

2) Annabelle: Creation

Annabelle: Creation is a marked improvement over its predecessor and is suitably scary, features good character development and is shot beautifully by cinematographer Maxime Alexandre. It also ties itself nicely into the wider universe but not enough to detract from the film – director David F. Sandberg still manages to satisfy on a standalone level. One must applaud Sandberg for having a go at crafting many different types of scares and seeing what sticks and there are several sequences which are superbly crafted. Unfortunately, the film does stick to convention at times and there are a few sections bordering on comedy but it is so, so much better than its predecessor in every level. When the film works, it’s superb and it’s nice and tightly paced. It’s astounding how much of a shift in quality this is from the first film which had no hope.

• Read the full Annabelle: Creation review 

1) The Conjuring 

The Conjuring is by far and away the best film in the series and also represents a career best for director James Wan, which this film really helped to propel his career. The film is suitably scary, very atmospheric and has a fascinating narrative. Wan develops the characters superbly, in particular Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, who are great as The Warren’s. Although the scares aren’t the most original, it’s in the execution which allows this film to really deliver and some of the set pieces in this film are mesmerising. The Conjuring is a film that is even better on rewatches and when we come back to look on the horror genre in the 2010’s, this film will definitely be remembered.

---

What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments or tweet @TheFilmMeister

Darren Aronofsky is one of my favourite film directors and always makes extremely thoughtful and original films that are brimming with his signature style.

With his latest film, Caught Stealing, currently playing in cinemas, here I rank his filmography from worst to best. It’s telling that I even have plenty of respect for his weakest film.

9) Pi

A challenging watch, Pi takes a few watches to get your head around and its ambition is certainly to be admired. This low-budget surrealist debut from Aronofsky centers around an unemployed mathematician Max Cohen (Sean Gullette), who lives in squalor in a Chinatown apartment in New York and believes everything in life can be understood by numbers. But this Lynchian film isn’t just about maths – there’s plenty of commentary on religion too, and you have to admire the film for its frenetic tone, committed performances and manic Clint Mansell score.

8) The Whale

The Whale is an adaptation of Samuel D. Hunter’s 2012 play and follows a morbidly obese English teacher, Charlie (Brendan Fraser), who has eaten himself to this state following the suicide of his partner. Although the film received mixed reviews, I found it to be an emotionally powerful experience with a terrific performance from Brendan Fraser. Aronofsky beautifully explores the relationship between a father and his daughter and there are many touching moments focussing on Charlie’s outlook of life. I walked out of the film grateful and determined to further my relations with others and to always be positive. Yet, the film deftly conveys Charlie’s pain and hopelessness and it becomes inevitable early on that he is on a path of self-destruction. The way in which Aronofsky portrays binge-eating is particularly harrowing – like Requiem For A Dream will make you never want to touch drugs, The Whale is the equivalent for food. It wouldn’t be an Aronofsky film without the exploration of religion and the events on-screen are interwoven with religious parallels and texts, which lend a pathos to Charlie’s situation. 

• Read the full The Whale review

7) mother!

I still haven’t really made up my mind on ‘mother!’ and I doubt I will until I have watched it a few more times. The first two acts are particularly grim and brooding and develop really neatly into what is a bonkers third act. I think I enjoy the film more for its conceptual nature rather than the actual film itself which I found a little hard to get into at times. That said, the film has made a very long lasting impression on me and I keep thinking about it. Aronofsky crafts some really strong and memorable images and I really enjoyed the characterisation. ‘mother!’ reinforces my love of film and is why I continue to be enamoured with the medium of film. It’s films like ‘mother!’ that challenge their audiences and aren’t just acceptable and dumb that really keep me driven.  I’m not really sure (and it is surely deliberate by Aronofsky) what the film means but on first viewing, I found the film to be delirious, deeply allegorical, manic, paranoid and genuinely unnerving. ‘mother!’ is definitely a film that deserves and I appreciate exists. This film has the potential to crawl up the list as time passes but for now, I have to put it 6th.

• Read the full mother! review

6) The Fountain

The Fountain is a rather misunderstood film and received mixed reviews on its release. It is frequently enthralling and is a pure spectacle to behold on screen – it’s very impressive to see what one can do with a limited budget. This is in my opinion, Aronofsky’s first explicit exploration of religion and is perhaps one of the director’s most personal films. It features great performances across the board and features a magnificent score by Aronofsky-regular Clint Mansell and stunning cinematography by Matthew Libatique. So why it doesn’t it rank any higher? Its pacing feels rather disjointed and the film is a bit of a slog in parts and is paced too quickly in others. A more ruthless editor who knew how to assemble the film in a better way, I’m sure would have put this up there with his best films.

5) Caught Stealing

While it might seem strange that Aronofsky is directing what appears to be a straight-up crime thriller – don’t worry because there’s plenty of Aronofsky to be found in this darkly original adaptation of Charlie Huston’s 2004 novel. Caught Stealing is a wildly unpredictable ride from start to finish that holds no punches in its brutal approach. Aronofsky is on top form here, and the film is directed with real flair, with plenty of his trademark grimness. This is a film that’s often wince-inducing and blackly comic, sometimes at the same time. It has a real kineticism, and there’s some excellent setpieces, especially a third act car chase. But there’s also heart and I really brought the electic mix of characters, and Aronofsky deftly showcases the dirty, grimy nature of New York.

• Read the full Caught Stealing review

4) Black Swan

Black Swan was an important film for Aronofsky and it certainly elevated his oeuvre with a Best Director Oscar nomination. This is a dark, panic-inducing film that tackles a strangely hypnotic and hegemonically calm sport. Natalie Portman is electric as the titular character which she won an Oscar for and the cast is rounded out by Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder who all put in very convincing performances.

 3) The Wrestler

The Wrestler is a subdued and melancholic investigation into its main character, played magnificently by Mickey Rourke in a comeback role. Rourke is outstanding as Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson who is a calm yet determined character and Marisa Tomei co-stars here too in what is perhaps a career best performance for her. The Wrestler builds up to an outstanding conclusion and features outstanding cinematgraphy by Maryse Alberti, a departure from Matthew Libatique and a subtle yet memorable Clint Mansell score.

2) Noah

A passion project for Aronofsky, Noah is perhaps one of the most unconventional and controversial mainstream film of recent times. It delivers visually with some visceral action sequences and fantastical creatures yet is a strangely adult film for its 12 rating. It tackles some really controversial and hard to stomach themes and is in many ways, a morality tale. Russell Crowe is outstanding here as the titular character and across the board, the cast are brilliant with Emma Watson perhaps making the best impression as the barren Ila. Noah really narked audiences off and religious devotees but this is a really special film that goes against the grain and really delivers. And again, Clint Mansell’s score and Matthew Libatique’s cinematgraphy once again elevate the film.

1) Requiem For A Dream

Requiem For A Dream is my pick for my favourite Darren Aronofsky film and is perhaps one of my favourite films since 2000 so far. It is a hallucinogenic, nerve-wracking, depressing experience that will put anyone off narcotics far more effectively than a school drugs talk. Aronofsky experiments with form and imagery and Matthew Libatique’s cinematography is especially kinetic and unnerving. Clint Mansell’s score is one of the most haunting of our times and has gone on to inspire many other films. It is a note perfect film and doesn’t degrade on each rewatch. It is a masterpiece.

---

What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments or tweet @TheFilmMeister

 

 

Planet of the Apes is one of the most enduring sci-fi franchises and for good reason – almost all of them explore morality-questioning themes that mirror our world. Coming off Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel, La Planète des singes, the series imagines a world where apes are the dominant species and humans are reduced to a savage, animal-like and mute state. 

There’s been 10 films so far, with an original pentalogy running from 1968 to 1973, in addition to a television series. A Tim Burton remake of the original followed in 2001 to a largely negative reception. Rise of the Planet of the Apes rebooted the series in 2011, with three further films following. 

Let’s take a look at the series and rank all of the entries. 

10) Planet of the Apes (2001) 

Tim Burton’s remake is unfortunately in last position, chiefly because it’s the only film in the series to not provide a commentary on society.  Instead, Burton’s film is simply an imagining of a planet of apes and that’s it. It’s not terrible but it could have been so much more. 

Mark Wahlberg is miscast and no match for Charlton Heston but Tim Roth makes for a menacing villain and Paul Giamatti’s clearly having fun too. Rick Baker’s makeup is a highlight and the apes are strikingly realised. Many have complained about the film’s final twist but I actually think it’s one of the most interesting elements in what’s a pretty rote film and admire it for being bonkers.  

9) Beneath the Planet of the Apes 

A disappointing sequel to the original but an like Burton’s remake, an utterly bonkers one. The first half of the film is essentially an amalgamation of the first, with astronaut Brent (James Franciscus) a less charismatic and less talented Charlton Heston. 

The second half is where the film erratically veers as we head into The Forbidden Zone, where a group of telepathic human survivors live who worship a nuclear bomb. This all culminates in a truly bleak ending, a direction that surely no Hollywood studio would ever let a filmmaker take now. 

8) Dawn of the Planet of the Apes 

The controversial placing of this list, I don’t understand all the love for the second film in the reboot trilogy. Matt Reeves’ first outing in the director’s chair is visually stunning and Andy Serkis continues to mature as Caesar. There’s also a palpable tension in the first half as the humans and apes figure out how to live alongside one another in relative peace. 

But the story is surprisingly simplistic and extremely predictable. There’s not much to latch onto emotionally with the human characters and the film would also have benefitted from a tighter edit.  

7) Battle for the Planet of the Apes 

Often regarded as the worst of the original pentalogy, yes Battle for the Planet of the Apes isn’t the most lavish production with its titular battle mainly set in a field. But there’s a lot of substance here. 

Roddy McDowall is brilliant as Caesar and the development of the apes where we see them at the start of the film compared to Conquest of the Planet of the Apes feels very natural. The conflict of ‘ape shall never kill ape’ is explored more convincingly here than in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Aldo (Claude Akins) makes for a multi-faceted villain.  

6) Conquest of the Planet of the Apes 

The first of the original pentalogy to have Roddy McDowall leading as Caesar, this is a particularly dark outing of pure rage and revolution. A filmmaker wouldn’t be allowed to treat a series that has to also appeal to the younger generation like director J. Lee Thompson managed to get away with here. 

As Caesar struggles to come to terms with how terribly apes are treated by humans, he sets about teaching the other apes to resist their masters and it all culminates in a violent and impassioned final act. Don Murray makes for a particularly sinister villain and Hari Rhodes shines  as Breck’s chief aide, an African American who is able to sympathise with the apes. 

5) Escape from the Planet of the Apes 

The ending of Beneath the Planet of the Apes didn’t leave many options on how to narratively continue the series, so why not fly back through time to the past? Escape starts out as a much lighter film than the previous entries as the Cornelius and Zira (Roddy McDowall and Kim Hunter) are treated as celebrities but soon shows it darker hand as the cruelty of humanity enters the fray. 

This is a brilliant and tightly edited series entry with a sharp script by Paul Dehn and the performances across the board are excellent. It all culminates in a particularly distressing ending that closes an old chapter and teases an exciting new one. 

4) Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Set nearly 300 years after War for the Planet of the Apes, director Wes Ball impresses with this intelligent and mature fourth installment. The decision to explore how a key figure’s teaching have been twisted after a period of time is a genius move and I love how Ball advances the aesthetic and tone of the series – gone are the predominantly forested surroundings of Dawn and War and its road movie influence feels closer to the original pentalogy.   

Owen Teague proves an excellent lead as Noa and Kevin Durand’s Proximus Caesar is one of the most memorable villains of the series. There’s some fantastic setpieces too, bolstered by a memorable score by John Paesano. 

• Read the full Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes review

3) War for the Planet of the Apes

Although I found Dawn to be overrated, director Matt Reeves got it right on the second go. This is a grim, heartfelt, revenge-filled and morality-questioning closing chapter to Caesar’s trilogy. There are many prolonged sequences where War almost feels like a silent film and it’s just stunning to behold. 

Andy Serkis gives his best performance as Caesar, now capable of speaking pretty much fluent English and Woody Harrelson makes for a particularly nasty piece of work as the Colonel. The score by Michael Giacchino is perhaps a career-best and it’s lusciously shot by Michael Seresin.  

• Read the full War for the Planet of the Apes review

2) Planet of the Apes (1968)

Franklin J. Schaffner’s original is still the best of the original series and one of the best sci-fi pieces of all time. Michael Wilson and Rod Serling’s script is particularly tightly written, exploring many fascinating themes and ideologies. They show particular restraint in not introducing the apes until a good third of the way in, complimented by Leon Shamroy’s paranoid cinematography and Jerry Goldsmith’s eclectic score. 

Charlton Heston makes for a terrific lead and despite many of the ape’s cruelty, all of them are similarly well-developed and we can sympathise from different perspectives. The iconic ending is still devastating and it fully deserves its rich legacy. 

1) Rise of the Planet of the Apes 

Although many would still rate the 1968 original as the pinnacle of the series, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is an astonishing achievement and a better-paced, more emotional film. The series was dead in the water after Tim Burton fumbled his remake and what better way to reboot it than to start right back at the beginning? 

Andy Serkis is sensational as Caesar, in a role he would go onto further develop across two more films. What sets this entry apart are the human characters – James Franco and Freida Pinto are excellent leads and John Lithgow lends a lot of heart to proceedings as Franco’s dementia-ridden father. Tom Felton and David Oyelowo are brilliant as the villains that incite the ape onslaught and the film’s beautifully shot by Andrew Lesnie. Patrick Doyle’s score is very memorable and the final act that culminates on a battle on the Golden Gate Bridge is a sheer assault on the senses.   

Kung Fu Panda is one of DreamWorks Animation’s most enduring series and it’s no surprise considering how much heart and humour the films have. It’s difficult to resist Jack Black’s giant panda Po, who is improbably chosen as the Dragon Warrior in the original film and slowly becomes a master of kung fu, leading the Furious Five, a quintet of legendary warriors. As the series progress, we see Po develop and DreamWorks’ franchise has spawned four mainline films, three television series and six short films.

With Kung Fu Panda 4 arriving into cinemas after almost a decade’s hiatus, let’s see how the films rank.

4) Kung Fu Panda 4

The latest in the series is unfortunately the weakest but Kung Fu Panda 4 is still good fun. Directed by Mike Mitchell (who coincidently also made the fourth Shrek film, Shrek Forever After), this still has most of the heart of the earlier entries but it’s not as consistently funny. In the film, Po must select and train his Dragon Warrior successor, but the cuddly panda doesn’t want to hold up the mantle just yet, especially since an evil sorceress called The Chameleon (Viola Davis) tries to steal the kung fu abilities of deceased figures. Kung Fu Panda 4‘s key mistake is sidelining the Furious Five, who only appear in a brief cameo towards the end of the film and that robs the film of a lot of chemistry. Still, there’s some good messages here, specifically about what it means to be an outcast and Awkwafina’s streetwise thieving fox makes for a good double-act with Po’s panda. There’s an excellent sequence in a bandit bar which is full of slapstick and Davis’ villain is quite strong.

3) Kung Fu Panda 3

Although it’s more slight than previous entries, there’s a lot of heart in Kung Fu Panda 3 and it’s undeniably the best-looking film of the quadrilogy with its stunning vistas. This third installment picks up immediately after the second and Po is reunited with his birth father, Li Shan (Bryan Cranston) who takes him to a secret Panda village to prepare to fight against General Kai (J. K. Simmons). I particularly enjoyed the interplay between Li Shan and Po’s loveable adoptive goose father Mr Ping (James Hong) and it’s great that Dustin Hoffman’s Master Shifu is given more to do this time round, after being largely absent from Kung Fu Panda 2. This threequel also boasts the best score of the series, with Hans Zimmer melding the themes he previously established with John Powell previously with some exciting new pieces, especially the villainous Kai’s theme.

2) Kung Fu Panda 2

While many consider Kung Fu Panda 2 to be the highlight of the series, it lands in second place for me. It’s undoubtedly the most emotional of the four, with a breathtakingly emotional sequence on Po’s origins and the influences of executive producer Guillermo del Toro’s works are clear. Gary Oldman makes for a terrific villain, Lord Shen, a slender peacock with more brains than brawn over Tai Lung in the original film. But it doesn’t quite top the list for me because it’s missing the interplay between Po and Master Shifu (who is absent through large stretches of the film) and the film’s a little baggy in its pacing. Still, one has to admire director Jennifer Yuh’s ambition in not just repeating the beats that worked from the original.

1) Kung Fu Panda

The original is still the best and there’s a ton of laughs mixed with plenty of emotion in Kung Fu Panda. Jack Black’s Po is brilliant, an unlikely candidate for the Dragon Warrior who undergoes quite the character arc while having plenty of clever parallels with film staples in the kung fu and wuxia genres. Dustin Hoffman’s Master Shifu is a real highlight and the interplay between Po and Shifu is what really makes the film work, as well as the introduction of the Furious Five. The final action sequence is particularly brilliant, full of energy and laughs as Po dukes it out with the villainous Tai Lung (Ian McShane). It’s no surprise that Kung Fu Panda spawned a successful series.

The Academy Award nominations celebrating the films of 2023 have been announced and in this article, I’ll rank the Best Picture nominees in order of my own personal preference. The winners will be announced in the Oscar’s ceremony on 10th March 2024.

In my opinion, this is the strongest set of nominations in quite some time with seven brilliant films out of ten. I have to cast my mind back all the way to 2016 for a collection of films of similar quality (although I think 2023’s are still more consistent). 2019 was also a decent year, with three brilliant Best Picture nominees otherwise buried in a sea of mediocrity.

Let’s get started… 

10) Maestro

Every year, there is at least one (if not multiple) undeserving Awards films and for 2024, that honour goes to Maestro. Maestro is the sophomore writer-director effort by actor Bradley Cooper, after A Star Is Born (2018) which earned lots of awards love. Conversely, I didn’t think his remake was up to much, despite Lady Gaga’s committed performance. Cooper moves to Netflix for Maestro, a biopic about composer Leonard Bernstein covering his conducting debut at the New York Philharmonic in 1943 to 1987, nine years after the death of his wife, Felicia Montealegre. 

Bradley Cooper is so infatuated with himself, so hungry for Awards success that he doesn’t tell anything meaningful about Bernstein at all. The film is completely inert of energy and a real chore to sit through for its extended 129 minute run time. While Cooper may look like Bernstein with a fake schnozz and wrinkles, he’s just playing himself. Even Carey Mulligan, who generally shines in everything she’s in, fails to make much of an impression as Felicia Montealegre, because the film doesn’t dig into the psyche of her character at all. Rather miserably, the only scene I felt anything for her character is when she is diagnosed with cancer. The chemistry between Cooper and Mulligan is non-existent. The decision to race through the composer’s first 15 years in 45 minutes and then stay fixated on a shorter period throughout the rest of the film is an odd decision. Even Matthew Libatique, Darren Aronofsky’s preferred cinematographer, fails to inject his signature personality into the film. 

• Read the full Maestro review

9) Barbie

Barbie has a well-paced and energetic first half. Unfortunately, the latter half struggles in incorporating too many ideas are thrown and I found its message overly preachy. Starting with the positives, director Greta Gerwig explores some interesting themes, including existentialism and the impact both Barbie and Ken have had on modern culture. There are obvious references to Groundhog Day, Toy Story, The Wizard of Oz and The Lego Movie in its storyline and I also appreciated Gerwig’s personal and loving nods to her Sacramento roots, which also worked wonders for Lady Bird. Despite its 12A rating, Barbie isn’t particularly suitable for children and I suspect most of the themes and jokes will go over their heads. There’s some great performances here too. Margot Robbie is perfectly cast as the titular character, deftly balancing the likeability, humour and pathos needed for the crisis she undergoes.  Even Helen Mirren’s satirical narration points to her suitability. 

The film’s second half just didn’t work for me. It introduces too many ideas and ties itself in knots and it struck me as preachy in tone. In fact, there is one character who delivers an extended speech late into the film about what it means to be a woman in current society which although inspirational, is incredibly heavy-handed. It doesn’t leave any room for nuance whatsoever. While its exploration of gender is interesting on the surface, the resolution the film ultimately reaches borders on unsettling and sexist. Barbie is the first film to be directed by Gerwig where she has collaborated with another individual on the script, in this case her partner and fellow filmmaker Noah Baumbach. While I can tolerate Marriage Story, I’ve not been a fan of the vast majority of Baumbach’s filmography. The film feels as if Gerwig was in charge of the film’s first half, with Baumbach piloting the second, although this isn’t necessarily the case. 

• Read the full Barbie review

8) Past Lives

Past Lives is the directorial debut of Celine Song and follows the relationship of two childhood friends over the course of 24 years, as they lead different lives. It’s certainly an original piece and the relationship between both Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) is nicely developed, with both actors turning in excellent performances. The film’s also handsomely shot on 35mm film by cinematographer Shabier Kirchner. But I never found Past Lives to be as affecting as others have raved it to be and it’s a little sluggishly paced in places. The score by Christopher Bear and Daniel Rossen also aggressively didn’t work for me.

7) American Fiction

American Fiction is the directorial debut of Cord Jefferson, a satirical comedy-drama adapted from Percival Everett’s 2001 novel Erasure. It’s a highly entertaining literary comedy with a blisteringly sharp script that in some ways, feels like a film a more muted Spike Lee would make. This is a tough genre to crack and there have been far more failures than hits but I genuinely laughed quite a few times at this. There’s also more than a few kernels of truth about the publishing industry and what it means to be a writer, exploring the highs and lows of both the creative process and critical reception. But Jefferson deftly balances his commentary on the media with a heartfelt treatment of the themes of loneliness and family. The family drama element of the film is equally riveting, with the treatment of Alzheimers touching and the mundane but necessary tasks of trying to get someone into a home. There’s some terrific performances here too, especially Jeffrey Wright who’s always been a reliable screen presence but doesn’t often take the lead role. Wright nails the prickly, depressing nature of his character as he struggles to fit in and open up to people but with an almost lovable quality. 

• Read the full American Fiction review

6) The Zone of Interest

The Zone of Interest is director Jonathan Glazer’s new film, an uncomfortably long eleven year wait after Under The Skin. 11 years in the making, the film tells the story of Rudolf Höss, the longest-serving commandant of the Auschwitz concentration camp, where he lived with his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) in what they perceived as their idyllic home. Small catch – the garden wall with barbed wire atop it is shared with Auschwitz. 

The Zone of Interest is a fiercely original work from Glazer that’s uncomfortable viewing and really gets under your skin. The film possibly represents the most important use of sound I can think of in quite some time – the sound of the droning concentration camp with its whirring machinery is ever-present during mundane conversation and day-to-day life. Glazer never shows us the atrocities inside the camp and what we hear beyond the frame is another film in itself. I loved the surreal elements too, particularly a storyline shot with thermal cameras. Christian Friedel is sensational as the despicable SS officer – a cold, calculated yet frank and career-driven individual. His whole life becomes an obsession into how fast he can kill and there’s an everyday quality to the terrible schemes he is complicit in, which makes the film all the more chilling. The film is masterfully shot by Loving Vincent and Cold War cinematographer Łukasz Żal, an incredible shot of a chimney through a window that’s reflected on the glass will forever be ingrained in my memory. Mica Levi’s score, although sparse, is also deeply effective. Save for two doom-laden tracks at the beginning and end, the rest of the film uses more of a soundscape except for a recurring motif during the surreal sequences.  

• Read the full The Zone of Interest review

5) Anatomy of a Fall

Anatomy of a Fall is a fascinating character study of a family, the couple at its centre and the legal system that tries to break Sandra and her son apart. It’s a smart film that’s simmering with tension and excellent performances, although I’m confident it would pack an even greater wallop if it was tighter. Sandra Hüller is terrific in the lead role and is fully deserving of the praise she has been lauded. Her character is a matter-of-fact, frank individual and director Justine Triet delves into the idea that writers use those around them to bolster their image. Swann Arlaud is also brilliant as Sandra’s silver fox lawyer, Vincent Renzi, as is Antoine Reinartz as a particularly nasty prosecutor. He unpicks anything and everything Sandra or other persons called up to the bar say, constantly repurposing words as evidence of Sandra’s guilt. Although there isn’t an original score, the use of music is terrific and the recurring use of 50 Cent’ P.I.M.P. and Daniel’s piano recitals are chillingly effective. The film’s also beautifully shot by Simon Beaufils, who evocatively captures the high altitude setting of the chalet and likes to zoom in on certain minutiae, as if you’re a fly-on-the-wall. 

• Read the full Anatomy of a Fall review

4) The Holdovers

The Holdovers is the new Alexander Payne film and his first since 2017’s Downsizing. Payne reunites with his Sideways lead Paul Giamatti who stars as Paul Hunham, a strict classics teacher at Barton Academy, a New England boarding school that he attended back in his youth. The Holdovers is Payne at his best and is a tender delight from start to finish, but it deftly balances its warmth with a bittersweet tone. The performances are terrific all around, especially Giamatti, and the film perfectly evokes classic 1970’s cinema with its intentionally rustic aesthetic – it looks and feels like a work made at the time. It’s beautifully shot by In Bruges cinematographer Eigil Bryld, especially the wintry landscapes during the opening credits and some disorienting frames that feature late into the film. Paul Giamatti turns in what I’d probably consider a career-best performance as Hunham. Hunham is both lovable and loathsome and an easy character to relate to with the hardships he’s faced in life. In fact, there are many similarities between Hunham and Miles Raymond, the character Giamatti plays in Sideways, both characters that have been hard done-by in life.

I absolutely loved The Holdovers and was completely swept up by the film throughout, with its intelligent script and committed performances. It’s Payne’s best film since Sideways and I predict it will become a Christmas classic, with its perfectly judged bittersweet tone. They certainly don’t make films like this anymore.    

• Read the full The Holdovers review

3) Poor Things

Poor Things is Lanthimos back on track (I thought The Favourite was flawed) with a brilliantly twisted, uncomfortable yet multi-layered triumph. There’s so much going on here, both from a thematic and visual standpoint and it’ll take multiple rewatches to fully understand its message but it’s a film that gets better on each viewing. Lanthimos recaptures his bizarre yet oddly moving tone, which is what made his earlier efforts really shine, combined with lavish yet evocative production design. Robbie Ryan’s cinematography is a career-best, with every frame a painting worth pausing to analyse, which is interesting considering some of his work can be quite vanilla. The film boldly experiments with colour and perspectives are often shot through a fish-eye lens and it’s supported by the lavish production design. I also loved the retrofuturistic vision, with the Victorian London setting contrasting with succeeding elements.

Emma Stone turns in a career-best performance as the Frankenstein-like Bella Baxter, who opens the film as an inquisitive and brash child and ends as a self-made woman. I’ve sometimes struggled with her performances in the past and couldn’t believe she won the Best Actress Oscar for La La Land but not so here. Willem Dafoe is also reliably brilliant as the eccentric surgeon, who has to belch bubbles at the dinner table due to a health condition. Mark Ruffalo provides much of the comic relief as Wedderburn, who becomes increasingly child-like as the film progresses, although his British accent is rather wandery. The Killing of a Sacred Deer remains Lanthimos’ best work, in my opinion, but Poor Things is fully deserving of its praise and is a sensational experience to begin the year. 

• Read the full Poor Things review

2) Killers of the Flower Moon

Killers of the Flower Moon is the latest by Martin Scorsese and an adaptation of David Grann’s 2017 non-fiction novel of the same name. The book is a must-read and tells the sickly story of how the Osage community are systematically murdered in the 1920s after oil is discovered on their tribal land. Killers of the Flower Moon is, for the most part, an excellent adaptation. It earns its 206 minute run time with its sprawling, fascinating story and Scorsese takes his time to develop the characters. He immerses you in the terror felt by the Osage, that no-one is safe on their own land with greedy wolves scheming from every corner. I was particularly impressed how like in The Irishman, Scorsese presents the horror in quite an understated way, raw and fact-of-life. Although a revisionist Western first and foremost, there’s still many of Scorsese’s gangster elements to be found, from fatally flawed men to America’s founding myths.  Of course, being a Scorsese picture, the film has real big screen beauty and is handsomely shot by regular cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto. He gorgeously captures the expansive Oklahoma vistas and holds onto a shot for uncomfortably long during heinous murders. The stunning cinematography and assured direction is paired with a haunting, bluesy final soundtrack by Robbie Robertson (who sadly passed away in August). A heartbeat motif that is repeated throughout the film is particularly effective, lending a feverish quality. 

• Read the full Killers of the Flower Moon review

1) Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer is a tension-fuelled, thought-provoking minor-key masterpiece and is straight up there with director Christopher Nolan’s best work. It’s an incredibly rich piece of work and it left me feeling stone-cold with its characters haunting deliberation over the consequences of their work. This is a largely dialogue-heavy film for its lengthy three hour running time and except a breathtaking sequence depicting the Trinity test (even more impressive considering the minimal CGI), is largely bereft of action. Cillian Murphy has often represented one of the mechanisms to a successful Nolan film, and steps up to the lead role for Oppenheimer. His performance is simply sensational and a career-best. Oppenheimer is stacked with A-list actors, with Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr other notable highlights. The film is beautifully shot by now-Nolan regular Hoyte van Hoytema and Ludwig Göransson’s score is the glue that holds the film together. 

• Read the full Oppenheimer review