friday flicks – the frankie team’s favourite films from this year (so far)

Ever wondered what a fly on the wall of frankie headquarters would witness? Well, in truth it’s a whole lot of movie chat. The frankie team is filled to the brim with film buffs and screen aficionados, and so we’ve asked some of the gang to recommend us their favourite flick they’ve watched this year… so far. Some old, some new, some we'll be re-watching forever – keep this list handy next time you’re scrolling for something to watch.

SHANNON JENKINS, EDITOR While I was in Vienna earlier this year, I went on a bit of a cinema rampage (I'd seen a million paintings and artefacts by that point and realised I was craving a good binge-watch). So, I walked 40 minutes over to an English language cinema and watched 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Holy moly, I was instantly obsessed. I loved it so much that I went back and watched it again the next day. It's a disturbing look at what might happen should humans become accustomed to living alongside zombies for three decades. Ralph Fiennes and Jack O'Connell were the cherries on top.

KATE PULLEN, ART DIRECTOR My favourite movie of the year so far is I Swear, because of how it has stayed with me. Beautiful, heartbreaking, incredibly acted and ultimately hopeful. In short, it's a ​biographical drama based on the life of John Davidson, a Scottish man with severe Tourettes, growing up during the ‘80s and ‘90s. Months on from watching, I'm still thinking about this film.

EMILY NAISMITH, BRANDED CONTENT MANAGER I watched The Last Days of Disco three times in one weekend. It felt like a missing piece of my life – even though I never experienced disco, or have ever really shown any interest in disco music at all?! The movie was made in 1998 and is set in the early '80s. It follows a group of friends as they navigate the period of time around finishing school and moving into the next part of their lives, set between a book publisher's office, an exclusive nightclub based on Studio 54 and their apartments. Nothing much "happens" but it's all about the dialogue, which is really fast, funny and endearing. It stars Chloë Sevigny, who was my idol when I was a little club kid, so it felt extra perfect.

CLAIRE MULLINS, PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR If you’re looking for a bit of light escapism and fun, please do not read any further. I tend to seek out movies that pack an emotional punch and leave me feeling like I’ve been through the wringer. Enter The Broken Circle Breakdown. This film tells the emotionally intense love story of an atheist bluegrass musician and a tattoo artist, and the devastating aftermath when their young daughter is diagnosed with cancer. It’s a wild emotional rollercoaster, equal parts sad and beautiful, set to a cracking soundtrack of bluegrass music.

Likewise, A Good Person is another emotionally heavy, character-driven drama that tracks the arduous journey of grief, addiction and redemption. Starring Florence Pugh (who, IMAO can do no wrong) and Morgan Freeman, this movie will ultimately leave you feeling hopeful, but takes you on quite the journey to get there.

Watch these two and then you’ve earnt a bit of fun, so dive into Sunshine on Leith and be prepared to sing along to the tunes of The Proclaimers while following the journey of two Scottish soldiers returning from Afghanistan to Edinburgh. You’ve got romance, conflict, some pretty rad choreography and a whole lot of charm.

JULIETTE SALOM, DIGITAL COPYWRITER A month or so ago, one of my gorgeous housemates and I were having equally shitty days. We craved something to cheer us up and decided upon the kind of mind-altering medicine that no recreational drug can compete with: Julia Roberts. (That smile has saved lives, I swear.) Donald Petrie’s 1988 Mystic Pizza had been on both of our metaphorical lists for a while, so we flicked it on. And golly gosh – we had no idea we were strapped in for the Best Movie Ever. A story about friendship, heartbreak, family and – best of all – pizza, this is a must-watch for anyone with a beating heart.

Hungry for more movie stuff? Spy this list of witchy flicks or peep your eyes on these loved-up films. Plus, sign up to our newsletter to stay in the movie loop.