It’s a loose interpretation of 10, but mathematics has never been my strong suit. Here goes nothing. In no particular order, except alphabetical-ish:

THE APPRENTICE (dir. Ali Abbasi) / A DIFFERENT MAN (dir. Aaron Schimberg)
Two remarkable ‘Stan’ films (i.e. Sebastian Stan) in what has been a breakout year for the actor – THE APPRENTICE for a believable transformation into the unbelievable; A DIFFERENT MAN for his precision of character and performance when, literally, wearing different skin. But also, for choosing roles so wisely and identifying smart, rich and interesting material that stands out from the Box Office throng.

THE BEAST (dir. Bertrand Bonello)
Let’s not mince words: It’s uncompromisingly pretentious. This could have gone either way across its 2.5-hour length (and it will for different viewers) but it held me in a vice-like grip. Science-fiction for those who don’t like science-fiction; romance for those who don’t like romance; horror for those who don’t like horror. You’ll find it all here, brought to life by Léa Seydoux and George Mackay’s A-grade performances.

CIVIL WAR (dir. Alex Garland)
Watching this on the IMAX screen was a pure adrenalin-rush from go to whoa, rendered in acute meta detailing from the perspective of photojournalists; neutral (‘Switzerland’), ‘shooting’ the action. I was actually surprised to hear the haters, but then I realised – view it through a sociological lens and it’s a revelatory truth; view it through a political lens and it’s going to frustrate the hell out of you. You choose which spectacles you wear.

THE COFFEE TABLE (dir. Caye Casas)
It’s hard to recommend this film to anyone but hardcore horror genre enthusiasts, because of its fearless melding of brutality with dark comedy – it can be really hard to reconcile one’s own principled self in appreciation of this nasty piece of work. But see through the artifice and this is tight, punchy, uncompromising filmmaking that may push at the boundaries of belief but, nevertheless, delivers on its promise. And more. The title ‘The Coffee Table’ is genius in itself.

THE FIRST OMEN (dir. Arkasha Stevenson)
I really don’t like prequels and sequels and remakes, so when they overcome my prejudice, it’s a moment to celebrate (hence, my books on 1986’s THE FLY and 1935’s THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN). So, in recognising good filmmaking, I applaud THE FIRST OMEN for doing justice to the original and creating a wholly original horror film despite its roots in another classic (which is almost 50 years old, just saying). That’s not an easy thing to do. Respect.

HANDLING THE UNDEAD (dir. Thea Hvistendahl)
I’m wondering how many people got to see this film and, by including it here in my list, I’m hoping its audience will broaden, even slightly. It’s a horror film – sure – but labelling it as a genre picture is misleading. This is slow, ambling (zombies in the Haitian sense) and it plays out with a European stillness of camera and action that many will find excruciating. But, by goodness, it ripped my heart out.

IN THE ROOM WHERE HE WAITS (dir. Timothy Despina Marshall)
Australian. Low budget. Queer. Horror. You’ve just stumbled on a film that has very few contemporaries. But, within the claustrophobic four walls and a bathroom of the protagonist’s COVID isolation hotel room, this is a film that draws a tight bow and perfectly communicates the interiority of a lone protagonist who’s going through his own version of hell. It’s time for this one to gain traction.

KNEECAP (dir. Rich Peppiatt)
What a ballbuster of a surprise! A really didn’t think this would land with me, but the cheekiness of the filmmaking and the utter intelligence of… everything… made me fall in love with this film. A timely valentine to the recognition of Indigenous languages nearing extinction – in this case, Irish – and one that does so through the very modern means of youth and hip-hop. And yeah, the central trio are the real Kneecappers of the story, not actors.

THE SUBSTANCE (dir. Coralie Fargeat) / SMILE 2 (dir. Parker Finn) / LOVE LIES BLEEDING (dir. Rose Glass)
Okay, this might seem strange, but I’ve gone for a triple-barrel acknowledgment of these films because of their female-led body horror aspect and other interweaving elements. I’m a fan of Cronenberg’s work (who isn’t?) and I love how these three seemingly disparate films in the one year can appear but have a connective thread that is undeniable. Watch them and then we can talk more.

SPEAK NO EVIL (dir. Christian Tadruf, 2022) / SPEAK NO EVIL (dir. James Watkins, 2024)
I only watched the 2022 original this year, so it made sense to me to run it alongside it’s 2024 English-language remake. For me, there is a superiority in the original film that doesn’t belittle the reimagining but, instead, acts as a masterclass of filmmaking. Why is it so much better? I urge you to view them side-by-side and you’ll see what I mean. Especially that finale.