It goes without saying (which has never stopped anyone from continuing with their point), but wide movie releases in 2020 were a rare thing. Gun-shy studios who feared missing their box office bucks and pandemic fears have led to most movies being pushed till mid-late 2021. Yet, somehow the last month has introduced several great new films. While this might be the most pretentious cinematic year in recent memory with foreign films and indies being the center of conversation, it also shines a welcome light to movies that normally wouldn’t get much attention. For now, here is my ever-changing, eclectic list of my ten favorite films of 2020.
10 – Nomadland
This is the year of the critically-adored minimalist films. Both Nomadland and First Cow are deliberately simple films that focus on character and themes, and are short on story. Though this movie about a woman (Frances McDormand) who has lost her career and becomes devoted to a nomadic life is strangely haunting and stays with you. This is actors’ film. Without the genuine performance by McDormand, there wouldn’t be much to go on. She is able to bring the rest of the ensemble (mostly made up of real nomads) up to her standard. This is a human interest story of a part of America and a generation that many turn a blind eye to.
Best Scene – The daughter of Fern’s friend approaches her in a grocery store and asks, “My mom says your’e homeless. Is that true.” Fern replies, “Not homeless. I’m just houseless… Don’t worry about me.” Even when offered help, the stoic Fern refuses it.
9 – Wolfwalkers
The talented team behind award-winning animated movies, The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea, are back with another hand-drawn Irish folktale. This story centers on a young aspiring hunter who wants to help her father rid the forests near their village of wolves. Though, she quickly finds herself in the middle of the hunt, where the wolves may not be the blood-thirsty ones after all. This is a movie that is so easy to be glued to. The 2D animation seems simple, but there’s such elaborate detail in every shot. I appreciated every pencil line behind the coloring still showing in the cels. The voice cast speaks as if the movie is beautiful poetry. Often, animated movies lean on forcing jokes meant for either parents or children, but Wolfwalkers is a joy to watch due to the whimsy of it all. You can find this one now on Apple+.
Best Scene – Young Robyn gets a chance to run with the wolves. This scene scales back the animated medium to focus on simple sketches with bursts of colors spliced in. It’s a moment of finding out what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes, or paws, if it were.
8 – His House
Director Remi Weekes presents a modern day horror that perfectly captures the feelings of feeling stuck; something we’ve all felt over the past year. Sudanese refugees seek a new life in England, but are placed in a last resort flat. They have the opportunity to start a new life of peace, but their apartment has other plans for them. His House doesn’t waste time in establishing the madness of the mind and what’s hiding in the walls. There’s something so magical about low-budget horror. This film makes excellent use of practical effects, which elevates the fear and becomes more than just jump scares. Not only does this tell a good haunted house story, but there’s a much deeper level to this couple’s story and the ghosts that are tied to them. You can stream this movie on Netflix now.
Best Scene – While fleeing war-torn Sudan, Bol and Rial rush a bus that may be their only way to safety. Before experiencing a supernatural terror, they must first survive the terror of their reality.
7 – Another Round
This Danish off-beat comedy-drama focuses on four friends who are now teachers at the same high school. They are middle-aged and full of apathy for their jobs and relationships. Their lives dramatically change when one of them introduces them to a theory of life being improved by keeping a balanced blood alcohol level. I’m not sure when it happened, but this film persuaded me into loving it. These men are incredibly frustrating to watch as they lead their lives in a state of apathy, and equally annoying when they experiment with copious drinking in an attempt to be more in-tune with their desired lives. Mads Mikkelsen has the rare ability to bring immediate gravitas to any scene, but then somehow add levity when necessary. This character-focused story leaves you with an equal sense of heartbreak and delight.
Best Scene – Mads Mikkelsen shows his talents for dancing, that shouldn’t fit in the film’s narrative, but is completely welcome.
6 – A Sun
I’m going to start this by scaring you off first. This Taiwanese film is 2 hours and 36 minutes. Okay, for those of you still with me, you are in for a profound experience about a small family that suffers through criminal behavior, depression, unmet expectations and potential redemption. There are so many significant plots in A Sun that it could easily be a miniseries, and is maybe even best in two sittings. The story pivots between each character of the family as they struggle to achieve what is expected of them. I remember watching this and feeling entirely satisfied with the narrative and it still had 45 minutes to go. The complete and deliberate endings for these characters bring even more emotions than thought possible. Patience is a virtue and it will pay off when you find this film on Netflix now.
Best Scene – It’s honestly hard to pick one. Though, it’s tough to go against the father sharing the truth of how he’s done his best to protect his family and hoping she will forgive him.
5 – Mank
This David Fincher (Seven, Social Network) directed effort takes a deep look at the writing of Citizen Kane and the real Hollywood personas that it is purported to be based on. Gary Oldman plays screenwriter Herman J Mankiewicz, who is little more than a discredited drunk, but still has his best work ahead of him.
The performances (from Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Charles Dance, and Lily Collins) are fantastic. Their motivations are perfect for the time period and they highlight just what those in old Hollywood royalty cared about at that time in history. Each character has their flaws, though they see what they do as noble. Everything from the direction, the cinematography, the score (by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross), and the acting comes together to make this a movie reminiscent of the era without feeling contrived.
Best Scene – The monologue Mank delivers at William Randolph Hearst’s dinner party near the end of the movie. Mank is a man who could fake a smile and be esteemed in the community, but he cannot help himself from showing how he truly feels about everyone, while delivering his commentary in clever jabs, of course.
4 – The Gentlemen
Guy Ritchie returned to the criminal underbelly with his latest feature and it’s a welcome return. The Gentlemen centers around a well-respected/feared American drug lord (Matthew McConaughey) who has power over the marijuana crop in England. He’s looking to get out of the business, which leaves every hungry hyena looking to lay claim on the market and take what he has.
Ritchie is one of the best ensemble-jugglers there is, giving proper time to each member of the cast. Everyone from McConaughey, Michelle Dockery, Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant, Henry Golding, and Charlie Hunnam are having a blast. Ritchie is at his best when he’s away from the studio system, and the strength of the editing here is a clear sign why. Having been released last January, The Gentlemen assured me that 2020 was going to be a great year for movies… Little did I know.
Best Scene – After a plan goes awry and “gravity kills a guy” several teens grab their phones and take pics of the dead body. However, Ray (Hunnam) knows he has to destroy all evidence of the accident. He chases one of the punks into an alley and finds himself right in the lion’s den.
3 – Palm Springs
When carefree Nyles and reluctant maid of honor Sarah have a chance encounter at a Palm Springs wedding, things get complicated as they are unable to escape the venue, themselves, or each other. I’m not sure how, but a comedy starring Andy Samberg has somehow cracked my top three movies. 2020 was a strange year. However, this spot was perfectly deserved as Palm Springs is straight up hilarious.
To balance out the typical antics of Samberg, we have the gift of Christin Milioti, who steals the movie. Yes, this does use the all-too-familiar Groundhog Day format, but somehow makes it feel multi-layered and fresh. There’s a deceptive romance behind the insanity of the story and comedy and is easily the most rewatchable movie this year.
Best Scene – In an act of seeming teenage rebellion, Nyles and Sarah show up to a classic western bar in matching Levi jackets and red kerchiefs around their neck. They perform a choreographed dance to the apathetic faces of the patrons. They leave by flipping everyone off and smashing a beer bottle before running away and cheering themselves on.
2 – Nine Days
A reclusive man conducts a series of interviews with human souls for a chance to be born. Nine days is a movie that lives or dies based on its high concept. Every line of dialogue and every shot in the first half hour requires your attention. This may be the most original film I’ve seen in a long time and requires a truckload of exposition, but the performances and script deliver that with ease.
The cast of Nine Days is amazing, notably Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz, Benedict Wong, Bill Skarsgard, Tony Hale, and Arianna Ortiz. The interviews that take place over the course of the titular nine days instructs the interviewees and the audience just how beautiful, painful, and joyful life can be. This movie is heavy and has very little levity, but the underlying message of acknowledging beauty in everyday life hits home in a sincere way.
Best Scene – Every interview scenes is tightly written and tells us who each character is, but the best scene is Winston Duke performing Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself” across the desolate plains of this world.
Honorable Mentions – Sound of Metal, Underwater, One Night in Miami, The Way Back, News of the World, The Father, Boys State, Wolf of Snow Hollow, The Outpost
1 – Tenet
This year has been historic for all the wrong reasons. Theaters all but shut down when studios delayed their releases into the next year. WB made the risky move to release the film of one of their biggest house directors, Christopher Nolan, at a time when very, very few people are going to the movies. And when it was released to the public, one of the most complicated films landed on an audience who had been letting their brains leak while watching The Office on Netflix for the third time.
Tenet stars John David Washington as the protagonist. He is the equivalent of a super spy and finds himself right in the middle of a struggle that will cause a global catastrophe. He must race time itself, whether forward or inverse to accomplish his task. This is not a one-and-done movie experience. When the credits roll, you’ll understand enough of what you witnessed, but will still not know why a lot of it happened or just how they pulled it off. Having now seen it three times (thankfully now with subtitles), my appreciation for it has only grown since my original theater experience. Honestly, the IMAX experience was my least favorite one.
This film leaves so much room to think for ourselves and is not spoon-fed to us only to be forgotten soon after. I crave escapism, and in a time when the world is at its worst, I’m grateful I’ve seen a new movie that gives me so much to think about.
Best Scene – The forward and inverted hallway fight scene. Quickly following the actual airplane crash, The Protagonist and Neil run into a masked soldier and the ensuing fight seems to defy physics. Seeing this play out on the other side was icing on the cake.
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