Just saw Murnau’s Nosferstu as nature intended: with live musical accompaniment!

The pitch perfect score by @seagreenmusic.bsky.social really made this 100+ years old film feel modern and dynamic again. Got distinct John Carpenter vibes (and I mean that as a high compliment)

I realise my ranking isn't in line with the consensus but agree with your placement of the remake

1) The Shadow Strays: I am a very simple man, easily pleased by gratuitous violence and elaborate fight choreography. With that said, this had my grinning throughout and, despite feeling exhausted by the end of its 2 and a half hour runtime, I didn’t want the bloodshed to end.

2) Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga: I really admire how Miller didn’t just rehash the Fury Road formula here, instead creating an epic revenge tale that spans multiple years (and chapters) from the heroine’s life. Most impressively, it managed to add new layers to one of my favourite ever films

3) The Substance: The most unlikely awards contender in recent memory, Coralie Fargeat’s body-horror satire is smart, funny, icky and endlessly rewatchable. The last 20 minutes is probably my favourite chunk of anything from the whole year

4) Dune: Part 2: A reminder of what blockbuster spectacle is supposed to look, feel & sound like in a year where so many other tentpole franchises squandered their budgets on ugly effects and artless productions.

5) The Zone of Interest: Sledgehammer=blunt in what it's trying to say but with good reason. I’m very unlikely to ever rewatch this one but, even so, I know it’s gonna stick with me/ haunt me for a long time coming.

6) The First Omen: My biggest surprise of the year, I never would have predicated that a prequel (to a horror franchise that ran out of steam eons ago) could be this creative and exciting. Whatever Arkasha Stevenson is working on next I’m there day one!

7) Oddity: Felt like a feature-length Creepshow installment and that is by no means a bad thing! It also just goes to show that jump scares can still be effective & satisfying when done with a little care.

8) The Holdovers: Took me a while to see this one as I wanted to wait until the festive season, but I think the highest compliment I could pay it is that I would happily watch this again at any time of year just to hang out with those characters.

9) Longlegs: This would rank a fair bit higher for me were it not for some rushed reveals in the final act that weren’t quite to my taste. Still, I couldn’t fault the impeccable craft or the foreboding atmosphere. It's also probably the film I have quoted most this year

10) Rebel Ridge: A welcome return to form for Jeremy Saulnier, with a phenomenal script that keeps on escalating the tension (even as the characters themselves try their damnedest to deescalate it).

First some honourable mentions, all of which were vying for the #10 spot at some point. But roughly in descending order they would be: Alien Romulus, Abigail, Gladiator 2, Strange Darling, Terrifier 3, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Challengers, In A Violent Nature and Monkey Man.