I’m going to keep the intro brief this year.

Twenty-five years into the new millennium, a quarter way into the 21st Century, and cinema has never been in such a state of trepidation and fragility.

I’m on a long overdue holiday in the Land of the Long White Cloud, but when I’m back in Oz I will share a couple of additional selections: My Favourite Movies of the Past 25 Years, and My Top 25 Favourite Nightmare Movies of All-Time.

Here then, are my twenty favourite movies that I saw this year, either in the cinema, on the film festival circuit, or on a streaming platform.

In no particular order, except the first five or so.

FLOW

THE SCHOOL DUEL

WEAPONS

THE WAILING

INSIDE

THE SURFER

THE TURKISH COFFEE TABLE

COME CLOSER

ISLANDS

COMPANION

TOGETHER

NOSFERATU

Welcome Home Baby

ADORABLE HUMANS

BARK

Micro Budget

Do Not Enter

Bring Her Back

Sun

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Special Mention: BLACK RABBIT (mini-series), ADOLESCENCE (mini-series), THE BEAST IN ME (mini-series), THE WHITE LOTUS (Season Three), BLACK MIRROR: BÊTE NOIRE, BLACK MIRROR: EULOGY