2020. I don't want to talk about it. Here's the list (in alphabetical order):
10.
Ariana Grande: Excuse Me, I Love You; Receiving news of this release slightly before Christmas was a beautiful gift wrapped in a pretty pink bow. Having been to the concert tour it is filmed from, this exceptionally well shot concert film has a little more appeal to us. Being able to relive the concert from the comfort of our living room is a pleasure I wish I had for ALL the concerts I've ever attended. It's a shame that more artists don't use the opportunity to capture their global tours and offer up a souvenir of the experience to fans who attended, while giving those unable to attend, a chance to see the show for themselves. Though the behind the scenes moments are slim, they are fun to see. I especially wanted to learn more about her dance crew, as they were so fun to watch on stage when we witnessed it live. For sheer spectacle and concert production, this documentary lands itself into the top 10 of 2020, but the trend of artists sharing their off stage lives for streaming platforms was a real treat in 2020, seeing as we couldn't go enjoy their talent live.
9.
Birds of Prey; We've probably watched this film a dozen times in the past year. It's a blast. It's complete fun and a joy to watch. Everyone in it is having a good time, hamming it up, but not cheesing it up. The direction has a style that suits the character and the interaction between the characters are fantabulous. It's funny, but not goofy, and takes a serious tone when it comes to the stakes and consequences of the characters' actions. The fight scenes are extremely clever and well choreographed, as each "Bird of Prey"'s fight style is determined by the roots of that person's backstory. They fight as they would be expected to, which makes the action sequences a total mash up of havoc and giddy delight. The fun house set piece alone is worth the price of admission. Despite all the added characters from the comics, Harley remains center stage, and Robbie embodies her essence like no other. The characters motivations make sense (save for maybe McGregor's Black Mask--but his lunacy is better left unexplained and simply enjoyed) and that soundtrack is equally as fun to revisit.
8.
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm; Love him or hate him, it's hard to deny the staggering amount of dedication, skill and genius it takes to pull off what Sacha Baron Cohen does in this sequel to the first Borat film made well over a decade ago. More recognizable, he has to find new ways to infiltrate the ugly parts of America to expose the bigotry, misogyny, and racism, while navigating more sensitive cultural norms in 2020. His discovery of Maria Bakalova is a total revelation, as her presence adds a wild dynamic that wasn't present in the first film. It shockingly provides more heart and sentiment to the film, while simultaneously offering a more grotesque and insane avenue for pushing comedic boundaries and satirical moments. With the impending election at the time of its release, the movie felt like a necessary reminder of the importance of revealing the worst, and the most dangerous implications of not pushing back and rather continuing to accept the seedy underbelly of America seen in the common folk and powerful elite alike. Comedy that is necessary, thought provoking and pure genius.
7.
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw; I honestly can't believe this is in my top 10. The Fast & the Furious franchise is something I've never had an interest in and never expected to take a liking to. Enter Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The guy is incredible and undeniably likeable. Paired up against Statham (always a solid action star in his own right) and peppered with more phenomenal supporting cast mates, I was intrigued enough to give it a try. I was not disappointed. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised at the humour, the action, and the story pacing that I was completely enthralled. I saw this on a little screen at home and it seemed to burst out of the frame, it could not be contained. I can't imagine how much fun it would have been in a packed movie theatre. It has a Bond quality to it, in that the scenery is spectacular, the action sequences over the top, and the heroes looking stylish. Speaking of Bond, having Elba in the villain role adds that necessary piece for an action film to really hit home; a solid, interesting villain who is as fun to watch as anyone else on screen. Sheer furious fun.
6.
Hamilton; I can't imagine having gone through 2020 without having experienced this filmed performance of the historic, record breaking stage play. This was what we needed to help us navigate and sing through the pandemic precautionary lockdown, followed by the Black Lives Matter movement and demonstrations in the streets, followed by the death of my mother. Hamilton and its soundtrack helped make sense of it all, with its themes and lyrics and messages and reminders of who tells your story. It was like Disney+ and Lin-Manuel Miranda knew what we needed in this time of crisis and delivered it an entire year in advance, when we needed it most. We watched it excitedly with a viewing party, having missed our opportunity to see it live on stage when Covid-19 cancellations cut it down mid-run. Making up for that missed performance, the filmed version at least gave us the astounding cast and crew staging to view and seek some sort of satisfied acceptance. It's an amazing production and one that is joyously captured to preserve its moment in history, teaching us its lessons for all time.
5.
Jojo Rabbit; Delightfully naughty in its exploration of the Nazi regime and its impact on an impressionable young boy, Jojo Rabbit is an instant classic. It holds up to multiple viewings, as I have seen it several times over the past year, equally entertained by the tonal wit and humour couched within the horrors of actual events. The exchanges between Jojo and the Jew are brilliantly comic and cathartic, critiquing the racist ideologies while also exploring how captivating these concepts could be to a young child fed misinformation and blind idolization. Elements aren't any less harrowing or shocking when they happen upon multiple viewings, while the supporting players' performances become more greatly enjoyed for the subtle aspects they bring. Johansson, Wilson and Rockwell's contributions seem better and more nuanced upon repeat viewing, while Waititi's take on the Fuhrer is fantastically more bizarre and poignant at the same time. Child performances are truly remarkable. This film was deserving of best picture and should be fondly remembered for generations to come.
4.
Knives Out; Another Oscar contender hold over from the year previous, I caught up with this clever mystery that critics raved about and audiences loved. The talented cast plays their roles perfectly, many seemingly stripped directly from a pulp novel. However, the stereotypes don't bog down the Christie kind of whodunit, as the snappy pace and witty dialogue keep it entertaining from the first to the final frame. Rian Johnson's talents shine through the entire production, with the script, set design, wardrobe, score, cinematography, and editing all doing their part to construct a cohesive film experience that derives maximum viewing pleasure. I haven't had the opportunity to revisit it since my first watch, so I'm curious if it holds up to subsequent viewings. I imagine it does, with more clever plot points and clues nestled in throughout the film. Perhaps the most fun is seeing several actors allowed to play against type and break free from the franchises that have held them in check for the past decade or so. When murder is this much fun, it makes us hungry for me. Love the originality.
3.
Parasite; The final Oscar hold over that I was able to view for the first time in 2020 (reminder that these Best and Worst lists are comprised of the films I saw in theatres, BluRay/DVD, or first run movie channel premieres in the 2020 calendar year, regardless of their actual release date), and though I didn't rank this one as high as other contenders in the Oscar race, it is truly deserving of the accolades and top prize that it won. Creepy, politically thought provoking allegory, beautifully and atmospherically shot, it seeps into you like the parasitic monsters at the heart of its story. A slow build pays off in big ways, and the measured pace and deliberate enfolding adds an atmospheric ambiance that aids the gut punching climactic payoff. I wish I understood the first language of the film so that I could enjoy any clever wordplay or foreshadowing that can get lost in translation. However, the visual beauty of the film's cinematography ensures that it is equally enjoyed internationally, no matter what language one speaks. It is the language of cinema that Parasite crafts to perfection.
2.
Soul; We've come to be so spoiled by Pixar's ability to appeal to our shared adult experiences through the use of inspired animation, that it's almost under appreciated what an accomplishment this film is. Reflecting on one's purpose in life and what defines us, while envisioning what our souls look like in various voids and stages of consciousness, should be achievement enough. Yet, these abstract concepts are somehow delivered through a simple story of a jazz musician's opportunity to live out a life long dream. The music is extraordinary and lends itself well to the theme of inspiration and appreciation of every day wonders of life. The voice acting is funny and fresh and fantastically diverse. Though the movie could have explored other directions and themes, given the grand scale and scope of the material, it doesn't waste its time straying far from the main character's narrative. It will be interesting to see how this film holds up to multiple viewings and stands the test of time, as many of Pixar's best still do.
1.
Wolfwalkers; Though I didn't enjoy this as much as Cartoon Saloon's and Tomm Moore's previous works, the inspired artwork and fantastic design to each frame is undeniable. More of a traditional fairy tale approach to story telling makes this film more accessible to younger audiences than previous films, yet it still does a deep dive into folklore, fantasy and themes and consequences of life and death. Voice acting is fabulous and embodies the characters extremely well, especially the mischief making of the young females and the sinister Lord Protector. These Cartoon Saloon films are truly a sight to be seen, as such remarkable skill seems to infuse every image with painstakingly beautiful detail and whimsy. The core relationships are nicely drawn out, as much is said in the unspoken moments as the animation does the story telling. The scenes of dread and suspense are really pronounced by the atmospheric artwork, and lend the story some serious gravitas without coming across too frightful for young viewers. Always looking forward to what this studio has to offer us in the future.
Quite a number of excellent films there for what turned out to be a disastrous year for cinemas. Here's the honourable mentions: Blood Quantum, Charlie's Angels, Doctor Sleep, Enola Holmes, Good Boys, Joker, Onward, and The Prom.
Unfortunately, I must pile on the worst year by adding to it, a worst list. A couple of these were home viewing disappointments, so here's hoping that films don't suffer the same fate this coming year. I hope we at least get to go see Jungle Cruise in cinemas by July, but I don't have my hopes up high.
Here are the Top 5 Worst Films I saw in 2020, again in alphabetical order:
5.
Artemis Fowl; Fowl, indeed. This adaptation makes the cardinal sin of any book to film, and that's losing what makes the book appealing in the first place. Granted, every literary adaptation warrants alterations to make aspects more suited for the form. This one makes the strange decision to make the visual medium, LESS action packed than the novel. Though the cast is rather fantastic, and well suited for the roles they've been given, there just doesn't seem to be the right amount of understanding of the material to make it really work. I was really disappointed to see Josh Gad used so ineffectively, as his nightly Twitter read alouds early on in the pandemic had absolutely endeared me to him and his generous, kind heartedness. I so wanted this to be another fantastic outing for him and his unique style of humour and sweetness. Yet setting him up early in the film, only to disappear and then seem an afterthought, yet primed for his own sequel to this instalment, shows they really didn't have the plan to make a solid film before a franchise.
4.
Downhill; This truly is the worst film I saw this year. Others were disappointments or under achievers or couldn't live up to originals or remakes. Considering this was a remake, I'd hate to see the original based on what prosaic is present in this mess. Give the two comic legend leads no script at all and I bet they come up with comedic gold way beyond what this snoozefest offers. Maybe that's the key problem. Maybe this film needed less funny people in it, so the expectations of humour (and pathos) wasn't as grand. This is not to say that completely played straight, Ferrel and Louis-Dreyfus couldn't have knocked it out of the park either. They are both talented dramatic actors in their own right (as many a comedian at the pinnacle of talent is and can be). Maybe the kids could have been better cast and a more important factor. The fact that there are a plethora of problems to point to that could be potential improvements, goes to show how poorly this film missed the mark. Having two extremely unlikable characters may have been it to begin with.
3.
Mulan; The second film on this list intended for theatrical release that Disney moved to its streaming platform. Maybe they knew the problems when determining the release change, but I pity for all those that paid the premium price for this turkey when it was free for subscribers two or three months later. Even free, I feel it wasn't time well spent. It looks fantastic. It deserves a cinematic presentation in its set design, scope and grandeur. But it doesn't engage on a story telling level, as much as it perplexes. The story reeks of inauthenticity, as the army of writers don't seem to have a handle on the Chinese history and mythology, as many
an online critique has pointed out rather handily. Losing the musical numbers and the animated creatures wasn't a decision I disagreed with, had the film taken advantage of what else the story offers. Instead, we are missing the elements that made the animated film so beloved, yet offered nothing of note in its place, save for a beautifully shot and staged legend. Maybe it works better as a silent film? A sad misfire.
2.
Wonder Woman 1984; Not so much awful, as it is lacking in the wonderment established in the first film. The promise of setting the sequel in the 1980s for its comedic appeal and change in tone from the WWI setting of the original just doesn't come to fruition. Gadot continues to embody the character like no other, and makes her scenes so captivating by her presence. She carries this franchise on her shoulders and is let down by an overblown, overstuffed script that could use more tenderness and feminine power and less spectacle and splash. The conceit of Steve Trevor's return isn't fulfilling, and the action sequences are few and far between. Wiig is a wonderful addition, and could have used a few more scenes interacting with Gadot, but she's given a character arc straight out of the Michelle Pfeiffer Catwoman crazy that should have been left a relic of the past. Similar to that era's superhero franchise, the film suffers the superhero sequel desire to add extra villains, when a deeper exploration in relation to the hero would suffice.
1.
X-men: Dark Phoenix; It's astounding to have the first film I watched in 2020 be this disaster. I should have known what this year would bring. It's a head scratcher how all these talented thespians can be gathered up, and given a bland, run of the mill comic book movie. I would definitely watch this same cast, working with the same material, in a slow burn HBO series, that allows the themes to breathe and the actors the chance to dig into their characters. I remember watching this and thinking the same thing over and over; this actor is great...what is happening right now? I enjoy this actor's take on this character...but what are they doing at the moment? This franchise has certainly lost its way and is going through the motions. Sadly, the sum of the parts is bizarrely unsatisfying, considering the resumés of all parties involved, including the writer-director. Potential squandered is a sad thing, and maybe we are too spoiled and take what fantastic stories and films we've been given in the past decade for granted. If there's a lesson we've learned from 2020, it's to appreciate the little things we take for granted and love about life.
For posterity's sake, here's the stats of my movie watching in 2020: I saw 41 "new" films (meaning they were released in 2020 or had their BluRay/DVD release or Movie Channel premiere in 2020). I went to the theatre 5 times (an unheard of minuscule amount). It's actually more new films than I have seen in any of the past years that I kept track, while being about one fifth the amount of theatre visits I normally take. I'm thankful that content continued to be released, but I can't wait to sit in a movie theatre seat once again.
5. Artemis Fowl; Fowl, indeed. This adaptation makes the cardinal sin of any book to film, and that's losing what makes the book appealing in the first place. Granted, every literary adaptation warrants alterations to make aspects more suited for the form. This one makes the strange decision to make the visual medium, LESS action packed than the novel. Though the cast is rather fantastic, and well suited for the roles they've been given, there just doesn't seem to be the right amount of understanding of the material to make it really work. I was really disappointed to see Josh Gad used so ineffectively, as his nightly Twitter read alouds early on in the pandemic had absolutely endeared me to him and his generous, kind heartedness. I so wanted this to be another fantastic outing for him and his unique style of humour and sweetness. Yet setting him up early in the film, only to disappear and then seem an afterthought, yet primed for his own sequel to this instalment, shows they really didn't have the plan to make a solid film before a franchise.
