Top 10 new TV series of 2018

KILLING EVE

It's so exciting when something like "Killing Eve" comes along. A TV show as cool, smart and funny as this doesn't come around very often. Its brilliance is in no small part thanks to Phoebe Waller-Bridge, creator of the acclaimed comedy series "Fleabag," who has helped turn all the familiar old tropes and clichés in spy thrillers on their head. But it's also due to the wonderfully committed and crackling performances from the two leads, Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer (or three leads if you include Fiona Walsh), but especially Comer, who has created one of the best and most entertaining portrayals of a psychopath since Hannibal Lecter. "Killing Eve" arrived on our screens almost entirely under the radar, and didn't sound like anything special on paper, but its originality lies in its darkly comedic mix of dangerous thriller and overtones of lesbian psycho-drama that always stays too sly and stylish (and weird) to lose its bearings. These days we often have to sit through TV shows with too many episodes that are too long and too short on ideas, but in the case of "Killing Eve," it's the opposite: once the eight forty minute episodes are up, we're starving for more. Fortunately, it appears that this cup of joy isn't going to run out any time soon. Easily the best TV show of the year, and a strong contender for one of the best shows of the entire decade.  

SEX EDUCATION

Another British comedy that is bound to become a modern classic is Netflix's "Sex Education," which has all the ingredients needed for a super good viewing time - a great premise and a superbly well-rounded cast, all the way from the top down to even the smallest parts. "Sex Education" boasts some truly inspired writing, which is as touching and sincere as it is awkward and whimsical. It is also anchored by the presence of Gillian Anderson, in all honesty one of the greatest actresses ever, as Dr. Jean Milburn, sex therapist and mother to teenager Otis, who finds he has inherited some of her therapy skills and puts them to good use on his sexually confused school mates. "Sex Education" is a show that never fails to surprise you in the way it constantly reinvents itself and always finds new ways to charm you even further. It won't take long before Otis, Maeve and Eric are your new favorite characters on TV.  

SUCCESSION

The perfect drama series for 2018, "Succession" is Shakespeare's "King Lear" for the Trump era, partly made in the style of Aaron Sorkin and in the style of "The Big Short" and "Vice," which is no surprise as it is co-produced by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell. It's quite amazing how a show with such despicably avaricious and/or moronic characters speaking such absurdly smutty and rude dialogue can be so engaging and engrossing, but underneath the veneer of something like "Veep" on Wall Street, it is sneakily intelligent and quite sharp in its satiric skewering of the 1%. Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook and Matthew Mcfadyen are always good actors, but they have truly surpassed themselves here, especially Mcfadyen, giving perhaps the best performance of his long television career. Which of course isn't to say that the rest of the cast isn't tops as well, and I must not omit to praise Nicholas Brittell's beautiful score along with the most memorable opening credits of 2018. In short, I can barely contain myself in anticipation of season two.   

THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA

I'm sure everyone remembers "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," like I do, by which I mean the sitcom with Melissa Joan Heart that pestered the TV landscape back in the late 1990s. But Netflix's new hit show is not a remake of that, but an adaptation of Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's darker, more adult reimagining of the old Archie comics character Sabrina Spellman in a story where witchcraft, demons and the supernatural in general has more heft and consequence to them. It doesn't hurt that the series features such experienced and talented actresses as Miranda Otto (from "The Lord of the Rings") in the role of Sabrina's aunt Zelda, Lucy Davis (from the original "The Office") as Sabrina's other aunt Hilda and Michelle Gomez (from "Doctor Who") as the demon Lilith in the form of Sabrina's high school principal. With strong feminist themes and a lot of references to classic and contemporary horror film and literature, "The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" is outrageously appealing. All in all, a very well-made show, with some highly relatable teenage problems and with some episodes that are properly creepy and others that are quite touching. However, though I know it's silly of me, it takes me a while to get used to seeing Kiernan Shipka in the leading role because every time she's on, I can't help seeing little Sally Draper from "Mad Men." But I guess that's often the case with child actors.

MY BRILLIANT FRIEND

One of the most talked about book series of the last couple of years became one of the most aniticapted TV series of the year. And thank goodness it is made in Italy, in Italian, because it sure wouldn't have worked any other way. Naturally, novels as masterfully written as Elena Ferrante's will in some way disappoint when they're adapted for TV, partly because of the limited format, but also because so much of the pleasure is in the reading and so much of the beauty is in the prose. But I can't for the life of me see how it could be any better than Saverio Costanzo's adaptation for HBO, not only when it comes to the cast and the production values, but in its look and how it feels, how it captures a time when Naples wasn't yet completely taken over by the Camorra. At times it almost feels like watching an old neo-realist film from the 1940s or 50s, but in color and with higher resolution, and that is high praise indeed. I think one of the things that makes Ferrante's novels so great is that you can basically put any two girls in the shoes of Lila and Lenù and it'll work, because there is something so universal and something so relevant for everyone about these two best of amicas. 

LOST IN SPACE

The cult classic original from the 1960s was quite before my time, but even so, the legendary line "Danger, Will Robinson!" is as familiar to me as "Beam me up, Scotty!" or "You will be exterminated!" As a sci-fi lover, all I had to do with for many years was the below average film version from 1998, but now we've got a high quality and more up-to-date long format version to fill our long winter evenings. This time around, it takes a little while for the line to come, but by the time it does, Netflix's "Lost in Space" has already won me over with its sweet charm, its cool design and its affable cast. And the little gender reverse casting of the always reliable Parker Posey in the previously male role of Dr. Smith is a stroke of genius. In this age of remakes and reboots and shows based on existing content, this is a remake that doesn't feel forced or gratuitous. Maybe the time is just right for a new "Lost in Space," a show where kids get to be as smart as adults, and grown-ups of all types and appearances get to work together (or plotting against each other) in a visually stunning, interstellar sci-fi world that is as intriguing as it is tastefully grounded. Here's hoping the showrunners will keep this level of quality going for hopefully at least a couple more seasons.   

CASTLE ROCK

How familiar are you with the works and the artificial worlds of horror author extraordinaire Stephen King? I mean, when a character goes by the name of Jackie Torrance, does that make you tingle a little? When you see an old cop named Pangborn, does that make you go, where do I know that name from? Or simply the setting and title Castle Rock? Surely, Shawshank Penitentiary will ring some bells, but everyone knows that one. And do you see the connections between Stephen King and "Castle Rock" co-stars Sissy Spacek, Bill Skarsgård and Frances Conroy? If the answer to all above is yes, then check it out. "Castle Rock" is in part produced by King himself, and J.J. Abrams, and that collaboration behind the whole production should tell you all about what you can expect from Hulu's very atmospheric drama. The series adheres more to mystery than outright horror, although there are a couple of jump scares and creepy moments, even a little dip into sci-fi. But it's the moments of genuine tragedy and just real life issues that are most memorable, such as Spacek's Ruth Deaver struggling with dementia, portrayed in one of the most gripping and imaginative ways I've seen on TV. Impressive how it manages to feel entirely like its own thing, despite being so heavily influenced by the King's style. Decidedly, a very strong premiere. 

DISENCHANTMENT

2018 saw a strong return to form for Matt Groening, legendary creator of "The Simpsons" and "Futurama," and it's truly a welcome return. "Disenchantment" is basically to fantasy what "Futurama" was to sci-fi, and if you love those genres both, then that's not a bad thing. The similarities to "Futurama" is pretty much due to the fact that it features much of the same voice cast, but with some great new voices adding some freshness, including Abbi Jacobson of "Broad City" in the lead as the princess who'd rather party than live a courtly life, Eric Andre as a cute little demon and Nat Faxon as the often abused elf aptly called Elfo (top Groening humor there). That is a trio at the centre of this hilarious world that you simply cannot get enough of, and by the looks of it, a lot of people would agree. "Disenchantment" has already been approved for two more years, and there is a lot of fun to fill all those episodes with. It's a little bit ruder than "Futurama," and the animation is a little bit sharper, but we'll just have to see if it will stand the test of time the way "Futurama," which is one of if not the best animated comedy series ever made, has. Based on the first ten episodes, it has a bright future.  

THE ALIENIST

When Netflix first released "The Alienist," a period drama crime mystery based on a novel by Caleb Carr, it was released as a limited series. It has since then gone on to receive a follow-up season, and I'm thrilled about that, because "The Alienist" (a late nineteenth century term for a psychiatrist) hits all the right spots for a viewer like me. It's set in an endlessly fascinating time of history, and New York is always the best setting for anything, but even more so at that particular period - a combination of time and setting that has not exactly been overused in film and TV. On top of that you have macabre murders, well-written characters portrayed by Daniel Brühl, Dakota Fanning and Luke Evans and some excellent cinematography. It's one of those TV series that definitely feels like a film, through and through, and the fact that there is already a series of books with these characters and in this place available for adaptation is a sign that it will bear further mystery adventures. A crime show where the police is not the primary investigator or protagonist (à la Sherlock Holmes) is always an interesting conceit. "The Alienist" is also quite historically rich, with a lot of details based on historical facts, that will leave you feeling like you learned a couple of things here and there, which is always an added bonus. 

ALTERED CARBON

In Netflix's 2018 output of new sci-fi material, we were also gifted with this cyberpunk series starring Joel Kinnaman as a former soldier put into the body of a cop in a future world where such things, and many other fantastical things, are possible. Cyberpunk is a subgenre of sci-fi that, when done right, is unbeatable. "Altered Carbon," based on a novel by Richard K. Morgan, is not a masterpiece on the same level as William Gibson's "Neuromancer" or Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner," but that would be a tall order by any means. No, what "Altered Carbon" lacks in plot or originality it more than makes up for in its great premise, in looks and in the world it creates. Plus, though it may be flawed, it does contain some truly unforgettable moments, such as a hotel run by a hologram Edgar Allan Poe and a fight scene with an army of naked clones. 

Top 10 limited series of 2018

THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE

I hit the roof when I first learned that the great horror film maker Mike Flanagan, whose Netflix horror films "Hush" and "Gerald's Game," as well as his indie gems "Oculus" and "Ouija: Origin of Evil," are all some of the best in the genre these past five years, had been hired to adapt Shirley Jackson's classic gothic horror novel "The Haunting of Hill House." That film maker working with that source material would surely be something phenomenal. And it was. Actually the best thing on TV the whole year. Horror is a genre that doesn't usually work over a season of, for instance, ten episodes. But "The Haunting" works. The pace of the horror is perfect, but what it has going for it most of all is simply just a great story (which differs almost completely from the story in the novel). A good adaptation should always be a personal interpretation, I think. It is always better to take a great story, give it a unique spin or a different approach while staying true to the spirit of the original story, rather than just putting what's on the page up there on the screen, word for word. "The Haunting of Hill House," which works best when binged, made me cry several times, which I think is proof that really good horror is very close to tragedy.

MANIAC

2018 was the year I officially changed my mind about Jonah Hill, and that is largely thanks to Netflix's limited series "Maniac," in which he stars as a man in a somewhat alternate universe who may or may not suffer from some form of schizophrenia and volunteers to participate in a pharmaceutical trial where a tailored cure for people with mental health issues by way of a very moody computer program results in some rather surreal experiences. "Maniac" is bonkers in the best possible sense of the word, and wears its influences openly - one can recognize a lot of Terry Gilliam in it, and even more Michel Gondry (particularly his "Eternal Sunshine for the Spotless Mind"), but I also think there are subtle parallels to some of the ideas of Philip K. Dick and a lot of similarities to the dark humor of Charlie Brooker's "Black Mirror." Like a ten-hour movie, "Maniac" should be watched from start to finish to be fully appreciated and can definitely hold up for more than one viewing. 

THE TERROR

The great writer Dan Simmons' re-imagining of what actually happened to the British polar expedition that vanished in the mid-1800s was turned into an amazing horror drama by AMC, otherwise mostly known for "The Walking Dead" and "Preacher." Although "The Terror" is technically a monster movie for TV, with some terrific scares and excellent visual effects, this is a much more serious and somewhat minimalist story than what AMC is mostly known for, yet it's that slow burn that makes it stand out, or rather slow chill, for it's a story that is more interested in the mental toll of being trapped in a place where the sun doesn't shine and surrounded by ice than fighting the vengeful beast that lurks out there in the darkness. To convey such a challenging story, the right actors are required, and "The Terror" includes some top performers working with great scripts to make for something as rare as a top-notch period horror show.  

VANITY FAIR

You can always count on British television adaptations of classic literature to be fulfilling pieces of entertainment if you're a friend of period drama. But Gwyneth Hughes' "Vanity Fair" for ITV and Amazon is a remarkable work and perhaps even the best adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's great novel ever made. A lot of that is down to its somewhat moden touch, with music and cinematography that you normally don't get in these types of shows, but it is even more so thanks to the casting choice of the marvelous Olivia Cooke, who has already had quite an interesting career for her young age, as the non-heroic protagonist, the unscrupulous Becky Sharp. She perfectly combines the charm and intelligence with the cold-heartedness and self-serving bitchiness of Becky Sharp and still manages to come off as a fun character whose company you would thoroughly enjoy and who you surprisingly enough even root for. Another small bonus is Michael Palin as Thackeray himself, presenting each episode like a omniscient circus manager. All period drama should be this rewarding to watch.

PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK

Yet another brilliant TV adaptation in 2018 was the Australian re-imagining of "Picnic at Hanging Rock," originally a novel by Joan Lindsay in the late 1960s, but more famously a 1975 mystery film by Peter Weir. Thanks to the explosion of material on TV and in film made by women, "Picnic at Hanging Rock" features an all-female cast led by Natalie Dormer as the headmistress of Appleyard College, where a group of students go missing after the titular picnic in the year 1900. The all-female crew have taken the hypnotic and creepy quality of Weir's 1975 adaptation, but which is also inherent in the story, and turned it up maximum. As a fan, it's exciting that the weird story of "Picnic at Hanging Rock" has now been both expanded upon and improved upon.  

WILD WILD COUNTRY

Netflix's "Wild Wild Country" surpassed all the most popular true crime documentary shows on TV combined, and a lot of that is not just due to the fact that it is incredibly well made but that the real events that took place in Oregon in the early 1980s are rather unknown, which gives you as a viewer a wonderful sense of discovery and originality. There is also something inherently fascinating about cults and particularly its members. The focus tends to be on the cult leaders, but not here. There have been a lot of good documentaries produced lately about cults, including great programs about Jonestown and the kidnapping of Patty Hearst, plus a very watchable dramatization of the infamous events in Waco, and "Wild Wild Country" is the cream of the crop. The failed attempt by the guru Osho's followers to establish a commune in the U.S. is so full of drama and shocking plot twists that it's amazing that it's all real, and although it's not about a cult per se, it has some interesting things to say about fanaticism.

PATRICK MELROSE

Showtime's adaptation of Edward St. Aubyn's celebrated novels is, compared to "The Haunting" on the top of this list, a very traditional and literal adaptation, where a lot of great material from the books are lost in translation. But the Patrick Melrose quintet is such a rich piece of work that even if the five episodes exclude a lot they still manage to cover the important parts and capture the cynical wit that is so vital to the story. Benedict Cumberbatch gives another magnificent performance in a role that is an example of perfect casting, as the recovering addict with a mind as sharp as his tongue and a past that is dark beyond your worst nightmares. Often today, in this golden age of television, we have to sit through TV series where a story more suitable in shorter form has been fleshed out (or in some cases, watered down) to make up more episodes. But with "Patrick Melrose," it's the opposite. In this case, five episodes are barely enough - although each episode is as strong as a movie, we would have been happy with at least twice that amount. 

ESCAPE AT DANNEMORA

That Ben Stiller is a competent director is nothing new, being in fact his primary vocation - he was a director as far back as 1994, in other words longer than he has been an actor. But he is primarily known for comedies, and "Escape at Dannemora," a kinda funny, kinda silly but mostly sad depiction of an actual prison break that occurred in upstate New York in 2015, feels sophisticated, genuine and cinematic to the point that I wouldn't blame you for thinking it was made by a big shot director of more prestigious reputation than the man behind, say, "Zoolander." With Paul Dano and Patricia Arquette in two leading roles, one would expect nothing but the best, but it is also noticeably the best acting Benicio del Toro has done in years. 

BODYGUARD

It's a concept we've seen before, a hard-nosed bodyguard and the high-profile woman he's hired to protect falling in love with each other as she ends up in the line of fire, but never on the level of Jed Mercurio's six-part series featuring a career-defining performance from Scottish eyebrows Richard Madden (long ago best known as Robb Stark in "Game of Thrones"). "Bodyguard" has the same gritty, realistic and intense suspense that one would expect if one has seen its creator's previous hit show "Line of Duty," with a highly detailed and fascinating insight into the world of personal security. It is also a terrifically and tightly scripted mystery show with plot twists that do not feel as contrived as they normally do in detective shows and a gripping character study.

CAMPING

I'm probably the only person in the world who's never seen "Girls," the now legendary dramedy created by all-around maverick producer Lena Dunham. Not because I've intentionally avoided it, it's just strangely enough passed me by. Still, I was quite excited to see her American update of the British series "Camping," and not just because it features a groovy cast (including one of my favorites, David Tennant) but because seeing a bunch of neurotic, middle-aged control freaks and super-awkward immature middle-class city slickers go glamping together sounds like a minefield for hilarity. Then there's Juliette Lewis as the most infuriating hippie ever, adding extra spice to this tasty broth of cringeworthy comedy and, to some extent, social commentary.  

Top 10 movies of 2018

Annihilation

President Barack Obama and I are so far the only ones I've seen to include Alex Garland's sophomore picture on our best-of-the-year lists. I'm going one step further and putting it on the top of mine. "Annihilation" is nothing short of a masterpiece, one that it feels like Garland has been working toward for a while. I've been a fan of his since he first made a name for himself as a screenwriter in collaboration with Danny Boyle in "28 Days Later" and "Sunshine," even loving the underrated comic book adaption "Dredd." With "Ex-Machina," Garland proved himself as capable a film maker as writer, and after "Annihilation" I'm tempted to brandish that often overused and sometimes misused epithet genius. Netflix has gotten into the habit of releasing some interesting works of sci-fi and horror over the past couple of years, but this outshines them all. Amongst many other things, "Annihilation" feels like a modern take on Tarkovsky's psychological and trippy sci-fi classic "Stalker," only creepier and amazingly enough, even trippier. The fact that it also contains such profound conceptual layers doesn't hurt either.    

Aquaman

Marvel's "Black Panther" rightly got the most attention in 2018, and it was our favorite of the year also, until "Aquaman" was released and knocked it off the list. Like the previous year's "Wonder Woman," James Wan's "Aquaman" benefits from a healthy dose of humor and an appetite for globetrotting adventure and otherworldly thrills. It is also helped along by having Jason Momoa as its hero, the most charismatic action movie star in the world right now, perfectly suited for the role, inhabiting Arthur Curry with a twinkle in the eye and graceful strength. Along with a great supporting cast, some truly eye-popping visuals and a richness to the worlds the story presents to us (just consider that a spin-off is already in the works) also help to make this the superhero movie of the year. If DC keeps this up, their cinematic universe is in danger of surpassing the Marvel cinematic universe and become our new preference.   

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

A new Coen brothers picture is always a highlight for film nerds, and when that also happens to be a Western, that's even more of a treat. The second Netflix movie on this list, "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs" is an anthology movie that covers all aspects of that most classic of American film genres. There is music, comedy, the darker side of humanity, thought-provoking tragedy and even room for poetry. I usually don't like anthology movies, but this is how they would all be in a perfect world, where even though some episodes do not make as much of an impression as others do, they all feel like they belong and contribute someting worthwhile in the end. To speak truthfully, this is sort of a return to form for the Coen brothers, the kind of smart and funny film they used to make back in the day. It may even be their best film since "O Brother, Where Are Thou?".

Widows

After the incredibly dull and overrated "12 Years a Slave" five years ago it was quite a joyous surprise to see Steve McQueen once again show what a master film maker he really is with the wonderful heist drama "Widows". Of course, he has something quite remarkable to work from with Gillian Flynn's plot and dialogue that is as strong as iron, as tough as nails and as endlessly charismatic as its leading ladies Viola Davies, Michelle Rodrigues and Elizabeth Debicki. The film has been lauded enough without needing my praise for its blend of smart plot points, thrilling heist elements, depiction of crime and corruption in all its intricacies and its many funny aspects, and it should be viewed again for it has so much to offer besides all that in McQueen's assured direction and the juicy acting contributions (for example, what Daniel Kaluuya ("Get Out") does with his bad guy role is amazing to watch).  

Solo: A Star Wars Story

I've often heard that the ambition George Lucas had with "Star Wars" back in the day was to create a space Western for the ages. Han Solo has to me always been the prime example of that notion (with his futuristic six shooter and his frontiersman sensibility) and in the experienced hands of Ron Howard, "Solo: A Star Wars Story" is the first time a Star Wars movie really lives up to that potential. There is even a thrilling train robbery to meet your Western standards. Alden Ehrenreich as a young Han is quite a masterstroke of casting, there are moments when I temporarily forget that I'm not looking at a younger, shorter Harrison Ford. It's been fun to see Disney expand the Star Wars experience into other stories and since Han was always the best character, this feels like a given. Unfortunately, the outcome was less than expected, financially speaking, which I guess means we will have to make do with this one standalone feature.

The Favourite

The bizarre and somewhat true story of two noble women's catty battle for the affection of 18th century regent Queen Anne may be Yorgos Lanthimos' most accessible feature to date, but not to worry, "The Favourite" is still all a fan of the macabre greek auteur could want. The creepiness and cringe factor has been toned down, the acting is a little looser and more natural, but "The Favourite" nevertheless delivers absurdity in abundance, in everything from characters to music to costume design to camera work. It may be a period drama peopled with actual historical characters, but it should not be viewed as a serious attempt at a history lesson or a biopic. It may not be an idea that originated with Lanthimos, which is a first, but it can definitely be viewed as a legitimate Lanthimos picture. It's also that rare thing, both a crowd-pleaser, scooping up multiple awards, and a critical success that is as artistically satisfying as it is entertaining.

Stan & Ollie

I've always had a soft spot for Laurel & Hardy, and judging by the love and admiration that Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly imbue their dramatization of the comedy duo's final years of performing during their legendary stage tour of Britain, I'd say everyone involved in the making of "Stan & Ollie" do too. Usually, biopics are uninteresting or sometimes downright infuriating, but even if one is as familiar with the real thing as I am, one quickly overcomes the differences and just submits to the sheer pleasure that it obviously took in bringing this story to life. On a side note, keeping his role in the little masterpiece Western "The Sisters Brothers" in mind, Reilly has had a great film year, but then again being one half of a talented acting team has always been his forte. 2018 was a year full of biopics, but whereas the underwhelming "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Vice" got most of the attention, "Stan & Ollie" (along with Damien Chazelle's wonderful film about Neil Armstrong, "First Man" and Julian Schnabel's beautiful "At Eternity's Gate" about van Gogh) should have been the winners.   

Mid90s

After his small part in "Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot" and the excellent Netflix show "Maniac," Jonah Hill has really made me do a one-eighty in regards to my opinion about him. Then he goes and fulfills a lifelong ambition to direct an indie movie and the end result was one of the biggest surprises of the year. I may have nothing in common with the young teen Stevie at the center of the story and his day-to-day life in L.A., but I am the same age as Jonah Hill and his sweetly sensitive coming-of-age story looks exactly like the kind of indie drama that I would have seen at some point in the mid-1990s. It may not be a towering intellectual colossus, but I don't think that's the point of "Mid90s," which I think is more about creating a little time capsule that is also timeless because there will always been boys growing up kind of lonely and scared like Stevie, and there will always been a gang of older boys like Ray, Fuckshit and Fourth Grade that will make a huge impact on a young malleable man's life. I'm on tenterhooks to see where Jonah Hill ventures next.

Roma

Alfonso Cuarón's eighth feature film is an amazing combination of a very personal, domestic and intimate story done with the epic quality of a big budget arty drama by a world-renowned film master. Based in part on his own childhood in Mexico City during the 1970s, "Roma" is made as a tribute to the unsung heroes of the middle classes, the housemaids, who at their best are integral members of the family they work for. Cuarón at times also intriguingly hints at larger political turmoil and world events at the periphery of the story, details that bolster the viewing experience and gives it the feel of a documentary, or like looking through a living, moving family photo album. Every great director has that movie which will eventually be regarded as their crowning achievement, and "Roma" is Alfonso Cuarón's.

The Death of Stalin

The panic and paranoia that surely (or at least, presumably) must have erupted at the death of Josef Stalin in 1953 amongst his own ranks is a perfect set-up for Scottish political satirist Armando Iannucci, mastermind behind BBC's "The Thick of It" and HBO's "Veep." The highly fictionalized "The Death of Stalin" is full of funny actors (I never thought I'd get to see Michael Palin and Steve Buscemi share the same screen, for instance) and a lot of outrageously entertaining "walking-and-plotting" (that's a reference to Aaron Sorkin and "The West Wing," fyi). A must for fans of shows just like "Veep," but also for viewers who simply appreciate properly intelligent, cultured and provocative comedy.

Top 10 horror movies of 2017

IT

2017, and 2018 to some extent, have been good years for Stephen King and his fans. On this list alone I've selected two very well-made adaptations of his works. There are several reasons why Andy Muschietti's It is so great, including moving the plot forward to 1989 instead of 1958, the excellent collection of child actors in the leading roles, the decision to adapt it into two films where the upcoming sequel will adapt the second part of the novel, and the creepy and fun scares, topped by a satisfyingly grotesque portrayal of Pennywise the Dancing Clown.  

GET OUT

By definition, a horror film is a film that is meant to elicit fear in the viewer. The horror on display in Jordan Peele's now legendary Get Out is, in my humble opinion, too specific to induce fear in anyone who cannot directly relate to racism and the concept of slavery, particular in relation to American history. However, Peele plays with the style of horror so well that at the least, one would have to define Get Out as a new type of horror, one which takes satire to extreme levels. Of course it is also too political and important not to be included on any list covering the horror genre, despite how untraditional of a horror movie it is.

GERALD'S GAME

Netflix has become a reliable purveyor of genre material, as evidenced by the fact that there are three movies on this list that are distributed by the streaming service. The first is this Stephen King adaptation, much darker and more serious in tone than It at the top of this list, which is largely down to director Mike Flanagan, who has quickly become one of the most celebrated and respected horror film makers in the world over the past couple of years, thanks to excellent movies like Oculus, Hush and Ouija: Origin of Evil. Gerald's Game, the psychologically terrifying story about a bondage game gone wrong that leaves a woman chained to a bed all alone, is so good that it has already put Flanagan on pole position in his game.

GHOST STORIES 

Sometimes, the old ones are best, even in horror. Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson's Ghost Stories, based on their play, is a callback to classic British horror of old, done with both style, intelligence, wit and very creepy ideas. That we would ever see a horror movie based on a stage play is in itself quite unexpected, let alone one this good. Anthology films are quite common in horror (Creepshow, V/H/S, Three...Extremes, amongst others), but they usually contain one or two good stories and a lot of waste of time. Ghost Stories tells three creepy little tales in the context of a great frame story, one that in the end sheds a different light on everything. Great to see more and more horror movies that aren't afraid to be clever.

ANNABELLE: CREATION

After his breakthrough in horror with Lights Out in 2016, I was very excited to see what fellow Swede David F. Sandberg would be doing next. That he would turn out a sequel to a rather mediocre spinoff from the otherwise excellent The Conjuring films, i.e. 2014's Annabelle, did not sound very promising to begin with. But the result was much better than expected, one of the best scary movies of the year, which goes to show that all a good horror movie needs is a capable film maker who understands the concept of horror and knows how to create it; not with jump scares and violence, but with atmosphere, realism and building tension. 

THE RITUAL

Another Netflix release on this list, this story of a group of backpackers getting lost in the Scandinavian wild and stumbling upon an ancient cult and a godlike monster may sound like somewhat of a Blair Witch Project ripoff, and the Balkan forest that stands in for Sweden is too dissimilar of a setting to be believable. But, The Ritual works, it's creepy and well-made, and the monster at the end of the film is perhaps one of the best of its kind I've seen in a while. In a horror film like this, where the whole experience hinges on the reveal of the demon or the monster or whatever, it is essential that the thing is at least interesting and memorable, and the mythological beast in The Ritual certainly is.  

MARROWBONE

I've always said that the best horror films are tragedies at heart. For example, see Sergio G. Sánchez's directorial debut Marrowbone. Sánchez was the writer behind J.A. Bayona's successful films The Orphanage and The Impossible, so we already know he can write a good film. His film direction leaves a little to be desired, for the film suffers from an uneven pace. But Marrowbone has so many good things in its favour to warrant a view and praise, one of which is an excellent cast of young British horror actors, consisting of George MacKay (11.22.63), Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch), Mia Goth (A Cure for Wellness) and Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things). Most importantly, after the scares are over and the creepy mysteries are explained, Marrowbone tells a heartbreakingly sad story about family, love and loss. 

VERÓNICA

The third Netflix release on this list, the Spanish Verónica, has been touted as "the scariest horror film ever." This it is not, not by a long shot, but it is definitely one of the best scary films of 2017, which is not a surprise considering it's the new work of Paco Plaza, the creator of REC (which actually is one of the scariest films of all time, and most innovative and best to boot). Verónica also purports to tell a true story, loosely based on a case of a teenage girl in Madrid in the early 1990s who died mysteriously after playing around with a ouija board. This too should taken with a grain of salt. Just expect a well-made demonic possession story from an unusual corner of the world with subtle frights and creepy atmosphere and I imagine you'll be properly satisfied with your viewing.

JIGSAW

There were a couple of disappointments in 2017 for horror fans. I'm thinking of both Rings and Leatherface, promising horror movies that didn't deliver. An unexpected surprise though came in the form of Jigsaw, the eighth installment in the franchise, but actually the only watchable one since perhaps the second or third Saw. This was largely thanks to the reappearance of Tobin Bell as Jigsaw, who has helped make the Jigsaw killer a substantial part of horror cinema lore, despite whatever you make think of the quality of the films per se. The Spierig Brothers, who previously made a name for themselves with a small masterpiece called Predestination in 2014 have against all odds turned out a rather clever and entertaining Saw film, which I for one did not expect to see again.

THE EVIL WITHIN 

As amateur horror movies go, The Evil Within isn't all that bad. However, it is still an amateur movie, not on the level of The Room or some such absurdly bad flick, but still far from the best film on this list. Maybe it is in fact the fascinating story behind the making of this macabre nightmarish portrayal of a mentally challenged man's descent into serial killer madness, because it is the life work of a drug addicted millionaire named Andrew Getty (yes, that Getty) who made the film without any experience, with his own money, and died before he could complete it. Considering its bizarre back story, it's a small miracle that The Evil Within is even watchable, but it is, and I think it deserves a special mention because it is at times a truly unique horror movie, with some quite psychedelic and unforgettable imagery. Just don't expect a masterpiece is all. 

Top 10 albums of 2017

ARCADE FIRE Everything Now

The best album of 2017 is loud, joyous, melodious, funky, cool, quirky, innovative and topical, with strong undertones of melancholy and great lyrics. In other words, yet another proof (the fifth consecutively) that Arcade Fire is the greatest indie rock band in the world.

FEVER RAY Plunge

Karin Dreijer's second album under her moniker Fever Ray could easily be misconstrued as a new album by The Knife, her now defunct musical collaboration with her DJ brother Olof, because it explores the same beautiful, disturbing sound and similar subjects of love and anxiety. But with Plunge, Fever Ray has taken her artistic sensibilities to new, ultra-weird levels, as exemplified by the accompanying artwork, some of which look like the self-portraits of a mad woman. In all, a rather demanding but very rewarding electronic album.

JOHN CARPENTER 

Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998

After two albums of original material, film director John Carpenter has now assembled the ultimate collection of his film scores, with absolute classics like Halloween and Escape from New York at the core, but also featuring lesser well-known gems like Assault on Precinct 13 and Ennio Morricone's The Thing. All presented in an innovative and glossy format that is both state-of-the-art but also suitably retro in the best possible sense, resulting in 42 minutes of pure ecstasy.

CREEPER Eternity, in Your Arms

I remember a time when it was generally accepted that punk was dead. These days however, I would say that punk is very much alive and well, especially in England, where you can find acts like Slaves, Idles, Sleaford Mods and new-comers Creeper. Their remarkable debut is a real pick-me-up, full of ceaseless punky, poppy hard rock energy and drive that's catchy as hell. Although they sometimes sound a little bit too much like My Chemical Romance, there are moments, particularly during the more quiet and calmer songs, when you can hear that they have a lot more talent and ambition than that. 

TEMPLES Volcano

On their new album, Temples' first since 2014, the English band has perfected their Beatles-like psychedelic pop to bring a multifaceted and extremely charming album, which could just as easily have fitted in during the British Invasion in the mid-60s and it feels at home in 2017

OMD The Punishment of Luxury

Orchestral Manouevres in the Dark's third album since their reformation in 2006 is another top-notch synthpop album and although they've now been around for 40 years, they don't sound like they've aged a day, with the same beautiful Kraftwerk-inspired sound that have put them, in my opinion, at the top of their field. The Punishment of Luxury is the most uplifting denouncement of the modern age you're likely to hear.

MYRKUR Mareridt

The second album from goth rocker Myrkur ("Darkness" in Danish) is a real masterpiece, one that seamlessly blends different styles and sounds, including black metal and viking-like folk music. With Myrkur's voice as versatile and wide-ranging as the music, what the award-winning Mareridt amounts to is proper escapist music that will fill your head with images of fjords, dark forests, dragons and witchcraft

CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG Rest

Charlotte Gainsbourg is not just a great actress, she's also an accomplished singer-songwriter. Rest is in fact her fith album, so this is not a case of an actress dabbling in music on the side; music is in fact Gainsbourg's first vocation. Rest is a wonderful collection of ultracool and supersad songs, alternating between the French chanson tradition that she got from her father and the British indie pop sensibility of her generation, featuring funky collaborations with none other than Paul McCartney and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk. 

BLANCK MASS World Eater

A difficult album to define. It's not exactly dance music, though there is a lot of rhythm to it. It has a lot of chillout moments on it, but they are too offset by splendid noise to be chillwave. It has the hypnotic quality of a good trance album, without being trance music. I guess the closest term is ambient techno. But what it is is a strong, imaginative, original experiment in electronic music that (calling the wolf chops on the cover to mind) alternately bites you and then licks your wounds. 

KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD 

Murder of the Universe

In 2017, Australian psychedelic rock band King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard released five albums, which in itself is an impressive feat, made even more so by the fact that one of them is an epic concept album of outrageous proportions. Murder of the Universe tells three weird tales, mixing song and narration ingeniously, but must be listened to from start to finish to be properly appreciated. Definitely not for all tastes, but for those who are interested this is a 46-minute voyage with music that is dark, heavy, complex, freaky, macabre and utterly brilliant.