El padre

After his previous carer leaves the daughter of an octogenarian, Anthony, organises a new carer for him. However, to Anthony everything is confusion: faces change, one day his daughter Anne is moving to Paris, the next day she's not, is this his flat or not? And why doesn't his other daughter visit him anymore?

Brilliant. An absorbing, sensitive-yet-jarring look into what a person living with dementia or similar must go through plus what those that love them and care for them must experience. Told in a very intriguing and compelling manner: nothing is signposted, everything unfolds in a layered altered-reality fashion, making you figure things out for yourself.

Quite haunting and thought-provoking, as that could be you one day, or someone you love. Incredibly emotional too as you think about this affects his loved ones, the life he's lived and that this is what it now amounts to.

Incredible performance by Anthony Hopkins in the lead role. While the plot and direction are fantastic the film needed an excellent performance as Anthony and that's what Hopkins does, absolutely nailing it. He well deserved his Best Actor Oscar.

Great supporting cast: Olivia Colman (who got a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her efforts), Rufus Sewell, Olivia Williams, Imogen Poots and Mark Gatiss.

This is one of the hardest movie reviews I've ever had to write in my life.

Mainly because of the films subject matter, Dementia.

I've seen my own father succumb to this dreaded disease and it scares the hell out of my, worse than any horror movie I've watched.

I sadly remember some of the last words my own father spoke to me were, "Be a good boy at School today." I was 46 at the time.

The beauty of "The Father" is how Director, Florian Zeller, takes you into this descent of losing your grip on reality through the eyes of the marvellous veteran and Academy Award wining actor, Sir Anthony Hopkins.

At times his character Anthony is part Hannibal Lecter and at others a peaceful, but confused ageing Father to Olivia Colmans, Anne.

Another Academy Award winner who puts in a highly believable performance as his daughter who's trying to deal with helping a man who refuses to accept assistance from her or carers.

Fun Fact: Colman was named Anne is both roles she's been Oscar nominated for.

Also great supporting roles form Mark Gatiss, Olivia Williams, Imogen Poots and Rufus Sewell.

Overall "The Father" has been nominated for 6 Oscars, after already having over 20 wins in other awards and once you've seen this film you'll know why it deserves to win in Hollywood.

At 83, Hopkins, is the oldest winner of a Best Male Actor BAFTA and a dark horse to scoop up the big one.

This film feels like everything he has learnt in his craft is on display effortlessly for 97 minutes.

It's hard to believe this is Zellers' feature film directorial debut, because it's a masterclass in cinema adapted from his own acclaimed play "Le Pere" from 2012.

The role of Anthony was specifically written for Hopkins.

One of the things that got the living legend to agree to this film apart from the top shelf script (adapted by Christopher Hampton) was the inclusion of one of Hopkins favourite pieces of music from Georges Bizet Opera "The Pearl Fishers".

He's always dreamt of making a movie with this music in it.

With lines from Anthony like: "I feel as if I'm losing all my leaves" "The Father" is so close to perfect I'm giving it 10 stars.

It's just so sad and also a bit terrifying. My wife works as a nurse in an alzheimer's ward, and she said this is the most realistic depiction of the disease she has ever seen. She also said in her opinion it should be required viewing for anyone that works with alzheimer's or dementia patients. What a movie!

Wow. This story is expertly crafted that I just don't know what is real and what isn't. Amazing acting too.

Anthony Hopkins portrays in a fantastic way how life erodes, piece by piece, when dementia takes over an old man's life. Olivia Coleman, who plays his daughter, shows with greatness how painful and sad it is to see her loved father slowly disappear into the fog. The film really grabbed me and tore my heart apart.