I am watching one film every day in December - here are the top 3 so far

I have been spending this month working my way through an ever-growing movie watchlist, somewhat of a film advent, if you will. I've been looking to friends for inspiration, ticking some off the watch list, trolling the streaming apps and of course visiting the cinema on more than one occasion. The only rule is that I have never seen the movie. Fifteen days in and there has been quite the mixed bag, but some films have stood out from the rest.

A 1995 love story told over the span of one night in Vienna, Before Sunrise is directed by Richard Linklater and co-written by Linklater and Kim Krizan. The film follows Jesse, played by Ethan Hawke, and Céline (Julie Delpy), who meet on a train and decide to disembark in Vienna to spend one night together before heading their separate ways back to Paris and the US. The plot is deemed to be minimalistic, consisting of monologues and extended dialogue between the characters discussing men and women, relationships and hypothetical scenarios. The film's themes explore differing perspectives on life, love, time, death, self-discovery, and postmodern romance. It's such a beautiful story, full of hope and nuance, I can't believe I hadn't seen it until now.

There has been a great deal of hype around Timothée Chalamet's latest outing, and I'm here to say that it is more than justified. Marty Supreme is a film told through the lens of table tennis, but it is actually about ambition, dreaming big and believing in your purpose in life, no matter what your situation. The A24 independent original movie tells the story of Marty Mauser, a young man living in 1950s New York, chasing his dreams to no end. It is the most exciting release of the year and I'd urge everyone to watch it.

It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 classic. The Christmas fantasy drama film was directed and produced by Frank Capra and was based on the short story and booklet "The Greatest Gift", self-published by Philip Van Doren Stern in 1943. The picture's plot reads: "When a frustrated businessman, George Bailey, becomes suicidal, an angel from heaven, Clarence, is sent to him. To his change of heart, she shows him what life would have been without his existence." I knew I had to watch this one this month. So many people adore this film, but for some reason, I hadn't seen it. It is wholesome, heartwarming and will make you bawl your eyes out towards the end. Now is the perfect time to rewatch before Christmas comes.