The Films I Saw in 2020

2020 was a rough year. Everyone closed down, things kept going this way and that, nothing made sense…man, fuck 2020.

Even more so for the major amount of pushbacks, contrivances and silliness that the film industry had to go through in 2020. Compared to the year 2018, where I managed to see 39 different movies, I only managed to see 18 in 2020, and 9 of them in December alone, which is unusual. And many of them were Netflix originals, so there are very few theatrical releases this time.

Anyway, I’m going to be ranking those 18 films I saw from worst to best, from incompetent to soul-wrenching and so forth. Before that, I’m going to list all the movies I really wanted to see in 2020, but couldn’t due to COVID or other reasons, like not having Amazon Prime.

- No Time to Die

- Minari

- Never Rarely Sometimes Always

- Palm Springs

- The Vast of Night

- Relic

- One Night in Miami

- Artemis Fowl (Dodged a Bullet, this one)

- Another Round

- Sound of Metal

- Promising Young Woman

Let’s get to it, starting with what was hands down my least favourite movie of 2020…

17. The Devil All the Time (D-)

Director: Antonio Campos

Cast: Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Jason Clarke, Riley Keough, Sebastian Stan, Alexander Skarsgard

Oh boy, was this a bad one.

What got me the most about this movie? Was it the lack of compelling themes, interesting characters or cool plot twists to hook the viewer? Was it the lack of differentiation between performances and overabundance of plotlines that made the film hard to follow? Was it the barely competent technical aspects which at points were almost laughably bad? Or was it the almost condescending view of the audience with narration that seemed to explain everything happening on screen in real time.

I figure it out eventually.

16. Birds of Prey (or the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (D)

Director: Cathy Yan

Cast: Margot Robbie, Rosie Perez, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Ewan McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

This is my low point for the DCEU. Yes, that means below Batman v Superman.

With the exception of some colourful action sequences, this movie is everything I hate about Hollywood summed up in one rank package. Whether it be substituting subtlety for simply being loud, colour for the sake of sense, simply being meta instead of being clever, having no audience faith in interpreting jokes to the point of explaining the punchlines onscreen, and believing that feminist filmmaking simply amounts to women being better than men in a movie, Birds of Prey makes me shudder to think about the state of filmmaking.

This was my most anticipated (and most disappointing) film of 2020.

15. Wonder Woman 1984 (D+)

Director: Patty Jenkins

Cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Pedro Pascal, Kristen Wiig

Why, DC, WHY?

A movie with almost Gods of Egypt levels of lack of self-awareness, Wonder Woman 1984 was just bad in almost every way. I’ll give Gal Gadot some praise, there’s some OK stunts and it’s nowhere near as contemptuous of its audience as Birds of Prey, but WOW, this movie…NO.

Where do I start? The plot which made no sense. The CGI straight out of a PS3 game, complete with animation made in the GoldSrc engine. A 2-and-a-half-hour runtime where nothing really happened. A shattering of canon in the entire DCEU. Villains who were utter bores to watch, despite the actor’s best efforts. And probably worst of all, troubling subtle plot elements which seemed to straight up paper over sexual assault by the character of Wonder Woman.

Goddamn.

14. Hillbilly Elegy (D+)

Director: Ron Howard

Cast: Amy Adams, Glenn Close, Gabriel Basso, Haley Bennett, Freida Pinto

Oscar-bait gone wrong isn’t new (Lookin’ at you, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), but in no way Ron Howard’s adaptation of the best-selling book an exception.

Powering on only with an easy message and a ton of star-power, Hillbilly Elegy’s trailer possesses as much substance as the finished film, which features easily the worst editing and cinematography I’ve seen in a movie all year. This movie feels like an hour of content is missing and the editor spilt Coke on his laptop, while the performances previously considered Oscar-magnets are either boring, overacted or Glenn Close, the saving grace of this movie.

Well, now we’ve got the really bad out of the way, let’s move on.

13. The Midnight Sky (C)

Director: George Clooney

Cast: George Clooney, Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo, Tiffany Boone, Demián Bichir, Kyle Chandler

A movie with so much potential for emotional depth that ends up feeling like two different movies pasted together, The Midnight Sky has its moments, but is mostly boring.

George Clooney is earnestly trying here as star and director, but his filmmaking is slow, unfocused and ponderous compared to his magnetic work in the lead role. A lack of genuine conflict, world-building or character development permeates this movie’s script and makes it unengaging, dragging down the brilliance of Clooney’s performance as well as the great music and visuals.

I can see why this movie could be enjoyed by a lot of people, but I found it to be quite underwhelming overall.

12. Extraction (B-)

Director: Sam Hargrave

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Randeep Hooda, Golshifteh Farahani, David Harbour

Extraction is a back-to-basics action film with nothing but cool stunts on its mind, and I certainly appreciate that. This movie features some truly awesome fights and two excellent lead performances from Chris Hemsworth and Randeep Hooda, which manage to propel the movie to a level above VOD.

While certainly passable, Extraction still suffers from many problems, such as an inconsistent pace, poor character development, wasting of cast (particularly Golshifteh Farahani) and some occasionally laughable CGI. But if you don’t care about all that and just want to see Chris Hemsworth go DoomGuy on Bangladeshi criminals, Extraction’s for you.

11. Da 5 Bloods (B)

Director: Spike Lee

Cast: Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Chadwick Boseman

I was not as positive towards Da 5 Bloods as I expected to be. This was mainly due to the movie’s odd editing and directing choices, including a hefty 2-and-a-half-hour runtime with plenty of unnecessary content, as well as numerous elements and themes which felt bizarrely tacked on and unfulfilled.

Regardless, there’s still plenty to admire about Spike Lee’s efforts here, from his glorious cinematography to his uncompromising vision (including photos of dead children), and his brilliant direction of the cast, including an unbelievable Delroy Lindo. There’s a good story about brotherhood and the impact of war with plenty of potential, and Da 5 Bloods (mostly) lives up to it.

10. Hamilton (B)

Director: Thomas Kail

Cast: Daveed Diggs, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Jonathan Groff, Christopher Jackson, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., Okieriete Onaodowan, Anthony Ramos, Phillipa Soo

I can’t put Hamilton too high on the list here, mainly because it’s not really a film and it would ruin the experience for the other films on this list. Additionally, it does lose a significant amount of impact transitioning from stage to screen.

But it’s still worth getting a Disney+ subscription to watch this version if you haven’t seen the play on stage, as Hamilton is still a balls-to-the-walls brilliant musical with plenty of fun for the whole family. Just know that the experience in person is much more fruitful than the experience at home.

9. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (B)

Director: George C. Wolfe

Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Viola Davis, Colman Domingo, Glynn Turman, Michael Potts

Chadwick Boseman’s final film performance was an absolute crackerjack that really belonged in a more ambitious and stronger movie. Based off a play by the great August Wilson, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom feels more like a filmed performance than Hamilton, with characters going on long monologues and restricted, boxy sets.

The dry nature of the film’s setting and script can only be elevated by the energetic performances of the cast. Chadwick Boseman is phenomenal in this movie, and Viola Davis and Colman Domingo provide pretty ample support. It’s also well-shot and features a lot of interesting examinations of the treatment of African-Americans in that time period, ultimately coming off as a strong if inconsistent film that might be better off as a play.

8. I’m Thinking of Ending Things (B+)

Director: Charlie Kaufman

Cast: Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemons, Toni Collette, David Thewlis

As you can probably immediately tell from the above image, this is a confusing and often bizarre film, as is wont of Charlie Kaufman these days. But for the most part, that confusing nature doesn’t turn me off, more so that it makes me more intrigued to figure out what the hell is going on.

Despite some significant portions of the film being constrained by a mediocre shot-reverse-shot style in a car, this is one of the most captivating films of the year, thanks to stellar performances and a visual lyricism that many films lack. A movie which I still haven’t entirely figured out yet, which may be a plus or a minus in other books, this is a recommendation regardless of opinion just to see the weird thinking on display.

7. Mank (B+)

Director: David Fincher

Cast: Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Charles Dance, Arliss Howard, Lilly Collins

Old Hollywood may have its significant drawbacks in terms of racism and misogyny (which Mank doesn’t disprove), but the time period is absolutely fascinating to look at considering the ties with both the political and social upheavals of the time. Mank thrusts viewers into a black-and-white world filled with greed and table-turning from which one of the best films ever made was spawned, and while nowhere near that level, it still manages to bring a lot of interesting elements to the table.

Gary Oldman is giving a career-best performance as Herman J. Mankiewicz, the charismatic drunkard who wrote Citizen Kane based on his interactions with uber-rich William Randolph Hearst. The movie is also technically stunning and filled with great dialogue, but falls short of true greatness due to a slow pace and large assumptions of the audience being experts at 1940’s cinema. Worth checking out regardless.

6. Enola Holmes (A-)

Director: Harry Bradbeer

Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Louis Partridge, Sam Claflin, Henry Cavill, Helena Bonham Carter

I had a huge grim on my face throughout the entirety of Enola Holmes, a new detective mystery set from the perspective of Sherlock’s precocious sister. Millie Bobby Brown gives an exceptionally charming performance as the eponymous adventurer, while the film provides a reasonably strong, if not fully fleshed out, villain plot for her to follow.

But what surprised me the most about this movie was the technical prowess that director Harry Bradbeer brought to the table. This is a great looking and well-choreographed action film, with an excellent musical score and a willingness to get quite brutal with the action scenes which I don’t see a lot in these kinds of movies. Much better than the Guy Ritchie ones for sure.

Now, for the top 5, starting with…

5. Tenet (A-)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Cast: John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Kenneth Branagh, Dimple Kapadia

Tenet is not my favourite Christopher Nolan movie, but neither is it my least favourite (The Dark Knight Rises). It signals early that it’s going to be complicated and crazy with a thrilling opera-house scene full of new information and noise that’s begging the audience to pay attention to every word. That may turn off some viewers, and it can get quite annoying, but the payoff for deep attention is enough.

Nolan’s trademark action prowess is on full display here, with some truly incredible visuals and stunts occurring throughout the movie. The score, the cinematography, the design – all of it combines into a glorious package, bolstered by some great performances (especially Robert Pattinson and Elizabeth Debicki) and strong originality in premise and presentation.

4. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (A)

Director: Aaron Sorkin

Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mark Rylance, Eddie Redmayne, Jeremy Strong, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Frank Langella

Easily the year’s most infuriating and resonating film, Aaron Sorkin’s second directorial turn is a tour-de-force of sheer filmmaking. This movie could easily win many Oscars, but I should especially give praise to editor Alan Baumgarten, who knows exactly how to turn an audience to shout at the screen at the sickening injustice occurring.

The cast is also packed with so many great performances that it’s honestly hard to keep track, whether it be Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Frank Langella, Mark Rylance, Jeremy Strong or Eddie Redmayne – all are operating at peak level. But it’s greatest strength is its exploration of American history in such a way that it resonates with viewers in entirely new contexts, and inspires the viewer to do better.

3. The Forty-Year-Old Version (A)

Director: Radha Blank

Cast: Radha Blank, Peter Kim, Oswin Benjamin, Reed Birney

A movie that no-one’s really going to talk about in their best-of-year lists, this overlooked Netflix drama features acting and directing debuter Radha Blank playing a fictionalize version of herself, seeking a sense of accomplishment in her artistic life before she hits 40. This one kind of blew me away for how confident and great it was, especially for a first-time-director.

I found the perspective and style of this movie to be really quite refreshing and realistic compared to other movies that explore the artistic process, grounding the movie in a sense of humour and a simplistic visual style to really help connect with the characters. Blank’s sense of direction of actors is precisely-on-point, with herself giving the best performance in a movie I’ve seen all year.

2.Nomadland (A)

Director: Chloé Zhao

Cast: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Charlene Swankie, Linda May

The movie that’s currently clearing up critic’s awards across America, Nomadland was an incredible experience, as it was the first movie I got to see by myself in a theatre (I had a gift card). I would totally stand by every award it’s given, because it is a beautiful and moving film with a lot to say about community, a sense of home and life itself.

Lead Frances McDormand, director/writer/editor Chloé Zhao, cinematographer Joshua Richards, composer Ludovico Einaudi – all are working to their best possible level. As a work of sheer filmmaking and sheer storytelling, this is easily among the most impressive movies I’ve seen in a while. I cannot wait for what Chloé Zhao does with The Eternals.

I was going to put this at number one, but then a movie I saw later that day, when I found the password to my uncle’s Disney+ account, shifted it a bit. And that movie was…

1.Soul (A+)

Director: Pete Docter, Kemp Powers

Cast: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Alica Braga, Rachel House, Richard Ayoade

Pixar’s streak of sheer brilliance doesn’t look to be letting up any time soon. Soul is their most grounded and ambitious work to date, a reflection on the treatment of life itself which could speak to all people out there, whether they feel sad or happy. The ideas of this movie alone, regardless of the brilliant way they are executed, would be amazing to see in any format.

But this movie is firing on more cylinders that just philosophical. It is one of the best-looking animated movies I’ve ever seen, along with an incredible musical score and two incredibly well-matched leads in Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey. It also brought out the most consistent laughs and the most consistent tears in me since Inside Out, and every scene of this movie utterly wowed me.

Pixar, keep making movies like this. Don’t give in to Disney, as I will miss those creative sparks that brought us this masterpiece and many others.

Well, that was my 2020 in film. How about yours? Do you agree with what I put, or was I wrong in your view? Leave your answers in the comments.