I can't fail this class. Oh, don't sell yourself short, Mr. Kountze, I truly believe that you can.

Continuing my trip up Empire's top 20 films of 2024

#3 :  The Holdovers

That Alexander Payne’s story of Christmas-based alienation and eventual connection hit UK cinemas several weeks after the festive season ended is bonkers — but, in its own way, proved that his winter comedy-drama is a film for all seasons. Paul Giamatti is perhaps the best he’s ever been as curmudgeonly classics teacher Paul Dunham, forced to oversee the ‘Holdovers’ during the Christmas holidays — the kids who, for whatever reason, can’t go home. He’s matched perfectly by Dominic Sessa who, in his very first screen role, gives as good as he gets, snarling up a storm as disaffected teen Angus. But it’s Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s grieving cook Mary who steals the show — the trio’s individual frostiness melting away as the days pass, and they gain a better understanding of each other, and themselves too. Both appropriately chilly and wonderfully warm — and gut-bustingly funny to boot — it’s a sweet tale with little sentimentality. An instant Christmas classic.

This is the highest film on the list I'd previously seen - I'd heard it was good and was looking for a film to watch with the lovely Mrs Reed. This made it to the final shortlist along with Anatomy Of A Fall - and this won because I wasn't in the mood to concentrate on subtitles.

The film is set at a US private school over the Christmas holidays where a teacher, Paul Hunham (Paul Giametti) and a cook, Mary (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) are left in charge of "the holdovers" - those pupils not heading home for the holidays. It sets itself up as one teacher being in charge of a group of very different boys and you think its heading in the "everyone's going to learn something from their differences" direction - and then all but one of the boys quite obviously fly away on a helicopter and you're left with something different as the focus shifts to Angus Tully (Dominic Sessa) and his various issues. Of course, there's still some learning going on but it's handled beautifully, rarely does what you're expecting it to do and it sticks the landing well.

It features excellent performances from Paul, Dominic and Da'Vine (who won an Academy Award) - with Dominic being particularly impressive in his first major role. He was a pupil at Deerfield Academy where a significant portion of the film is shot - the students were given the opportunity to audition and it's fair to say he took his opportunity well. Carrie Preston is also great in a more minor role - I knew I recognised her from somewhere but I had to check Wikipedia to remind me she was the kooky lawyer in The Good Wife/Fight.

The film is well shot - there are a lot of two-handed scenes and close-ups and it's all very effective. It also some gorgeous settings and some great vintage shots - there's one in a big park in Boston which must have taken a load of planning. The whole film has also been given an extra layer of retro by being presented as though it's actually a '70s film rather than just being set at that time and it all works really well.

I really enjoyed this - it's a proper grown up film which doesn't try too hard to show off. It has a reasonably straightforward tale to tell and it does it well, being gorgeous to look at and featuring some excellent performances. So it's a strong recommendation from me - if you fancy it then it's available to stream on Sky or to rent in all the usual places.

#4 - Doesn't quite hit the spot for me
#2 - Maybe not as great as it thinks it is?