Maybe this year will be the year we re-subscribe to a cinema pass and watch more films? In the mean time, there’s always DVDs.

01 | La La Land – ah, Hollywood whimsy with singing and dancing Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. Lovely set but I’m not seeing the Oscar buzz surrounding it… [7/10]

02 | Seven Years in Tibet – I’ve read the book donkey years ago and finally got round to watching it; I prefer the book but the movie is not too bad either. [6/10]

03 | Le viager – an oldie that I’ve heard much about for its comedic value; it was rather funny but after a while of repetitive silliness, maybe they could have adopted the motto “less is more” [5/10]

04 | Silence – this is a strange one that needs a lot of time to digest, and as audience, we’re also strangely detached from it despite some of the rather horrifying scenes. [5/10]

05 | Moonlight – one does whatever one can to survive when the system and the societal norm clash with who you are. I can appreciate the lesson in grit. [6/10]

06 | Loving – one of the most beautiful films I’ve seen, and at the same time it’s crazy that it’s really not that long ago where interracial marriage is illegal. [10/10]

07 | Lion – the search for one’s identity can indeed be soul consuming; what an incredible tale to recount to the world. [8/10]

08 | Hidden Figures – love the sassy group of ladies that fight the patriarchy and show the world their amazing achievements. Girl power! [9/10]

09 | The Lost City of Z – what an adventure, to travel the Amazon, and I’m not sure even if today’s the right time to travel its full length. [7/10]

10 | Beauty and the Beast – ah, to be transported back to nostalgia and enjoying a good hum-along; Emma Watson makes a good belle [8/10]

11 | Bridget Jones’s Baby – I was bored on a long flight so why not? Wouldn’t go to the cinema to see it though… [4/10]

12 | Elle – I can only conclude Huppert’s character is completely off-her-mind crazy in this violent movie, I did kinda wish I had not seen it [6/10]

13 | Retour chez ma mère – I guess it makes sense that I’m watching lightweight movie on the flight since I’ll never ever pay for this [3/10]

14 | Moana – ah, this is a much better inflight entertainment with catchy songs (although not quite like Frozen) [8/10]

15 | Cessez le feu – one of the better ones among recent Duris’ movie. I like him as actor but there are questionable movies at times. [6/10]

16 | La Colère d’un homme patient (The Fury of a Patient Man) – man, what an intense movie with an interesting twist for this Spanish thriller [7/10]

17 | HHhH – what a powerful movie on the advances by Heydrich to achieve the vision of Hitler. Made me glad he never made it to Paris. [9/10]

18 | Retour à Montauk (Return to Montauk) – a tale of an attempt to rekindle old love to the expense of current relationship, not a bad one to watch [7/10]

19 | Le Caire confidentiel (The Nile Hilton Incident) – a fabulous thriller set in Cairo that gives a glimpse into a society rife with corruption [9/10]

20 | Viceroy’s House – it is heartbreaking to see how a country was set into chaos, no thanks to political manipulation despite best intention of the last Viceroy [8/10]

21 | Dunkirk – with tension running high throughout despite not seeing blood like any ole typical war movie, this had my full attention [9/10]

22 | Que Dios Nos Perdone (May God Save Us) – the film was not what I was expecting at all from its trailer, with very disturbing plot [5/10]

23 | Petit Paysan – life as a farmer is not a walk in the park, in this moving film that gives a glimpse into their expectations, fear and anger [8/10]

24 | Ôtez-moi d’un doute – a romantic comedy with witty banters as well as silly antics, it’s one to enjoy after a long week [7/10]

25 | Une famille syrienne (In Syria) – it’s harrowing to see the damages of war to humanity and testing those who fight to come out better [8/10]

26 | Intern – intern at 70 comes with life wisdom that young start-up founder has yet to find, filled with clichés for a light-hearted movie [6/10]

27 | Le fils de l’autre (The Other Son) – when children were switched at birth between an Israelian and a Palestinian family, reconciliation is going to be complicated [9/10]

28 | Faute d’amour (Loveless) – when love is gone and vicious quarrels fill a home, tragedy falls in the form of a missing child [6/10]

29 | Téhéran tabou (Tehran Taboo) – an exploration of quests for love and happiness that get messily tangled with sex, drug and corruption [8/10]

30 | Get Out – the world may debate if this is a horror or a comedy, but what a brilliant film it is to dole out little nuggets of clues along the way to build the picture that tells the full story [9/10]

31 | Le Brio – a provocative film that questions society and its biases, the stereotypes conferred to different races and social classes, disentangled little by little through words and, well, words [7/10]

32 | Coco – what a wonderful latest offering from Pixar, taking us to a journey to the other side, showing the tight bond of love and family, and the importance of not forgetting one’s roots [10/10]

33 | Murder on the Orient Express – fresh from a year of reading Christie’s Hercule Poirot, Branagh’s Poirot didn’t fit the image that I have but the film is beautifully set with an impressive all-star cast [7/10]

34 | La promesse de l’aube (Promise at Dawn) – I loved the writing of Romain Gary, and this adaptation showcased magnificent acting by Charlotte Gainsbourg and Pierre Niney, even if the humour from the book didn’t quite translate as well to the big screen [9/10]