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Maria Duarte's best (and worst) films of the year
Lady Macbeth: Jane Austen meets Machiavelli

The top 10 films of the year

Dunkirk
An extraordinary and stunning immersive drama which puts you at the centre of the evacuation of the hundreds of thousands of allied troops from the beaches at Dunkirk. It needs to be seen in IMAX to appreciate fully director Christopher Nolan's cinematic vision.

A Monster Calls
A remarkably moving and visually spectacular coming-of-age tale with a monster twist about a young boy whose mother is terminally ill.
The Florida Project
This magical yet bitter-sweet drama about childhood innocence highlights the plight of an unrepresented part of the US population who are housed just a stone's throw from Disneyland. Its very young cast steal the film and your hearts.
The Party
With a stellar cast, this is a lean, sharp-witted and biting modern satire with a shining performance by Patricia Clarkson which doesn't outstay its 71-minute long welcome.
Lady Macbeth
Think Jane Austin with a macabre and Machiavellian twist, driven by a mesmerising and powerhouse performance by Florence Pugh.
A Man Called Ove
A wonderfully witty bitter-sweet comedy drama about a grumpy old man,  desperate to join the love of his life, whose annoyingly upbeat and nosey neighbours keep interrupting his attempts to commit suicide.
My Life as a Courgette
With its exquisite stop-motion animation and haunting, soulful characters, this Oscar-nominated animated feature about a young boy who's sent to an orphanage where he is forced to deal with his feelings of loss and abandonment packs a heartfelt punch.
La La Land
Damien Chazelle injects new life into the bygone musical genre with this Oscar-winning all-dancing and singing visual extravaganza which pays homage to the musicals of the 1940s and ‘50s while critiquing Hollywood.
Paddington 2
The lovable and innocent bear with a penchant for marmalade sandwiches, who looks for the good in everyone, returns in a sequel as enchanting and magical as the original film. Hugh Grant makes an outstanding and formidable villain.
Thor: Ragnarok
Thrilling, hilariously funny and just wonderfully entertaining as it pokes fun at the Marvel cinematic universe while setting a new high for the complex franchise.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
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