I watched hundreds of films - 1 masterpiece stood out above the rest

Despite the cold weather, film season is well and truly hotting up. In the lead-up to Oscar season, we see the release of many films bidding for more than a couple of nods from the Academy and beyond. But with this comes a wonderful excuse to spend more time indoors or at your local cinema. October was a busy month for me on the film front, and for streaming services; however, dare I say, surprisingly, it was a wrestling film that took the lead this time around. Here are the highlights of my film watching in October.

A Ballad of a Small Player

Ballad of a Small Player is a British psychological thriller film directed by Edward Berger, written by Rowan Joffé, and based on the 2014 novel The Ballad of a Small Player by Lawrence Osborne. It stars Colin Farrell, Fala Chen, Deanie Ip, Alex Jennings, and Tilda Swinton. The film's plot is as follows: "When his past and his debts start to catch up with him, a high-stakes gambler laying low in Macau encounters a kindred spirit who might just hold the key to his salvation." Another letdown, I have to say, Farrell was spot on throughout the picture, bringing grit and reality to a typically unrelatable character, but it lacked a real storyline. It was incredibly colourful, and the setting of Macau was beautiful, but again, I felt I was expecting more. Two-and-a-half stars.

Steve

The film's synopsis reads: "Steve follows Cillian Murphy as a devoted headteacher, Steve, at a troubled reform school over 24 intense hours. The film, an adaptation of Max Porter's novel Shy, chronicles Steve's desperate efforts to save the school from closure and his own battle with mental health, paralleled by the struggles of a violent, self-destructive student named Shy. The film explores themes of mental health, addiction, suicide, and the breakdown of essential services, culminating in a powerful portrayal of compassion amidst despair." This film started very strongly, each of the characters was so well-thought out and despite some not having many lines, each of them stood out with intrigue. However, the film sort of dipped in the middle and the ending was ever so slightly drawn out. I'd rate it as a three-star, as I felt it had the potential to be great. At a perfect 90 minutes, it is definitely worth watching.

The Smashing Machine

The Smashing Machine is a biopic about Mark Kerr, one of the original MMA fighters. It is set in late 1990s America and Japan, among other countries, where different UFC fights would take place. The film focuses on the career of Kerr, who had a tumultuous relationship with his sport, drug addiction and his partner Dawn Staples. Directed by Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems) in his first solo feature, the film delves into Kerr's high highs and devastating lows, portraying his transformation from an undefeated champion into a man spiralling with his personal demons. This film was really excellent. It was very interesting to see Johnson in a role with real depth, telling an unknown yet poignant story. Four and a half stars from me.

Paterson

Paterson is a 2016 drama film written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, and starring Adam Driver and Golshifteh Farahani. The film's synopsis reads: "Paterson, an observant bus driver, loves penning poems in his notebook. His wife wants him to make copies of the poems, and he is about to do so when he finds that his notebook has been torn." I really wanted to love this film, but admittedly, I just didn't get it. It didn't strike the right chords for me, and while the performances were individually great, I couldn't buy into the relationship at the heart of the movie; it really lacked chemistry. Two stars this time.