Best 20 of 2020
I think it is safe to say that with Corona in full effect, 2020 didn't bring a lot of new classics to the pantheon of great movies, nor did we get all the movies that we were looking forward to. And even the ones that we got didn't always meet my expectations (sorry Soul, Da 5 Bloods, Ma Rainy Black Bottom, Mank, The Lighthouse and The Painted Bird). Instead of that, the small screen flourished with series like The Queen's Gambit and The Mandalorian (plus doznes of new series I still need to watch), and there were still enough movies on the big and small screen to get excited about. Let's hope that 2021 will bring us the long awaited No Time To Die and Dune (I am especially craving that last one, given that Blade Runner 2049 was my favorite movie 3 years ago).
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- DirectorSam MendesStarsDean-Charles ChapmanGeorge MacKayDaniel MaysApril 6th, 1917. As an infantry battalion assembles to wage war deep in enemy territory, two soldiers are assigned to race against time and deliver a message that will stop 1,600 men from walking straight into a deadly trap.Perhaps best described as Saving Private Ryan in WW1, this war epic makes us part of the horrors of the trench wars as we follow two random soldiers while on a desperate mission to save one of their batallions from annihilation. Expect no deep philosophies about the essence of war (that Best Screenplay Oscar nomination was too much honor), but instead one of THE most visceral representations of battle in image, sound and emotion. The biggest prices were snatched away by Parasite, but fortunately another well-earned Oscar for Roger Deakins and his masterfully filmed one-shot trip into man's greatest folly.
- DirectorGreta GerwigStarsSaoirse RonanEmma WatsonFlorence PughJo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters - four young women, each determined to live life on her own terms.A timeless story can be retold every time and still feel modern and relevant, and this fifth incarnation of the famous book doesn't disappoint. Great performances by the entire cast (Saoirse Ronan in particular), a star-making performance by Florence Pugh (if we needed a reminder after Midsommar) as well as energetic direction by a (regrettably Oscar-snubbed) Greta Gerwig make this story come alive and blow the dust of the old texts, showing that feminism doesn't have to get preachy or old-fashioned. Only the lush costumes serving as a reminder that this isn't taking place now but almost 150 years ago.
- DirectorLadj LyStarsDamien BonnardAlexis ManentiDjebril ZongaA cop from the provinces moves to Paris to join the Anti-Crime Brigade of Montfermeil, discovering an underworld where the tensions between the different groups mark the rhythm.Put La Haine, Do The Right Thing and Training Day in a blender, and you get this masterful Oscar-nominated ghetto-movie. The suburbs of Paris are an urban jungle where the police, ethnic groups and local gangleaders fight out a battle for power. An ambitious new police recruit has to learn the hard way that his daily routine will be a endless cycle of corruption, violence, power abuse, ethnic intolerance and police brutality, where the slightest spark can set off a major conflict. A premise that leaves little room for optimism, but a solid thriller plot that guides the audience through this complex situation keeps us on the edge of our seats, and the misery bearable.
- DirectorJay RoachStarsCharlize TheronNicole KidmanMargot RobbieA group of women take on Fox News head Roger Ailes and the toxic atmosphere he presided over at the network.A motion picture tackling the #metoo controversy was a matter of time, and Bombshell jumps right in with both humor and shocks. The makers didn't take the easy route with a simple tale of evil men who victimize women, but depict a bustling deconstruction of a hectic male stronghold filled with fourth wall breaks, opportunists and a toxic culture of silence that is suddenly broken. No woman in the movie is a saint, and no man is a complete monster, which gives the ongoing debate about power relations between the sexes the nuance that it now often lacks.
- DirectorCéline SciammaStarsNoémie MerlantAdèle HaenelLuàna BajramiOn an isolated island in Brittany at the end of the eighteenth century, a female painter is obliged to paint a wedding portrait of a young woman.Forbidden romances are always a good source of tragedy. When the artist and the muse fall in love, that creates the most beautiful art, but it also means that they can't be together, because they are both women and it is the 18th century. This is Brokeback Mountain with women, dealing the same emotional punch, and one of the most subtle but moving finales I have ever seen.
- DirectorAaron SorkinStarsEddie RedmayneAlex SharpSacha Baron CohenThe story of 7 people on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.2020 seems to be the year where history repeated, and no better reflection of our current political climate than Aaron Sorkin's account of the brutal police actions that disrupted a peaceful demonstration aimed at the government. A great ensemble piece full of Sorkin's usual rapid-fire dialogues and wit, with memorable court scenes that would be satirical if reality hadn't been so sad. A good reminder that the good old days weren't always that good.
- DirectorEmerald FennellStarsCarey MulliganBo BurnhamAlison BrieNothing in Cassie's life is what it appears to be - she's wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she's living a secret double life. Now, an unexpected encounter is about to give Cassie a chance to right the wrongs from the past.Carey Mulligan excells as the titular character, a young lady who apparently gave up a bright future in the wake of a traumatic event that most people around her were happy to forget. How she faces her demons by confronting every person responsible in very subtle and calculated ways, brutal but commensurate to their sins, makes this revenge drama the intelligent (and much cleaner) equivalent of Saw, where the audience is the happy accomplice, and Mulligan hopefully a two-time Oscar nominee.
- DirectorTaika WaititiStarsRoman Griffin DavisThomasin McKenzieScarlett JohanssonA young German boy in the Hitler Youth whose hero and imaginary friend is the country's dictator is shocked to discover that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their home.What is a better flip-off to Adolf Hitler than have him played by a Jewish Maori comedian/writer/director? Taika Watiti has clearly understood the old adage that tragedy plus time equals comedy, so kudos for him to make an attempt at possibly the biggest taboo in comedy. Not everyone can get away with jokes about kids and hand grenades, or Jewish people in hiding, which makes it all the more impressive how Watiti sometimes manages to flip the mood from outrageously funny to traumatically dramatic in one scene. La Vita E Bella may finally have found its worthy successor.
- DirectorMelina MatsoukasStarsDaniel KaluuyaJodie Turner-SmithBokeem WoodbineA couple's first date takes an unexpected turn when a police officer pulls them over.After a failed date, the titular characters find out that they got more than they bargained for when they become the unwilling symbols of a movement against racism and police brutality. In a year that was marked by the Black Lives Matter movement, this movie couldn't have come at a better time. And respect for the makers that they didn't make this a movie that is dominated by its anger; it is a film that celebrates life as much as it embraces tragedy.
- DirectorAdil El ArbiBilall FallahStarsWill SmithMartin LawrenceVanessa HudgensMiami detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett must face off against a mother-and-son pair of drug lords who wreak vengeful havoc on their city.Late sequels don't always work, but put Will Smith and Martin Lawrence together under the watchful eyes of a dynamic Flemish director duo (also responsible for the raw Romeo and Juliet-inspired gang movie 'Black'), and the action, chemistry and especially the humor from the first movie is immediately back. The two supercops have enough to bicker about, from grandkids to bad eyesight, and this wonderfully energetic cocktail made me easily forget that lackluster predecessor. In a year that produced preciously few laughter, this one had me and the audience roaring with it. Can Adil and Bilall please come back for part 4 when they're finished with Beverly Hills Cop 4?
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsJohn David WashingtonRobert PattinsonElizabeth DebickiArmed with only the word "Tenet," and fighting for the survival of the entire world, CIA operative, The Protagonist, journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a global mission that unfolds beyond real time.One of the few blockbusters to escape the Corona culling process, and again, Christopher Nolan doesn't disappoint in reinventing the science-fiction genre. Original, dazzling, intelligent and jaw-dropping, but also ingraspable, uncompromising, and complex to a fault. Nolan makes no concessions to its hardcore scientific contents and gives only minimal explanation, both in the plot and the physics-defying action scenes. Fascinating on the first watch, and (hopefully) making more sense on subsequent ones.
- DirectorDan ScanlonStarsTom HollandChris PrattJulia Louis-DreyfusIn a magical world full of technological advances, elven brothers Ian and Barley Lightfoot set out on an adventure to resurrect their late father for a day.'Soul' will probably be the Disney/Pixar animated movie to sweep the awards, but Onward managed to explore the dramatic depths and comedic peaks of its zany premise just a bit better for me. Two brothers go on a journey in a colorful fantasy world to get a final opportunity to see their deceased father, and what Shrek did for the fairy tale, this movie does for fantasy: no trope is sacred. Fantasy lovers will have a great time with this movie where the genre clichés are both lovingly embraced and cheerfully made fun of. And that they still manage to move us with the touching finale is more evidence that they still understand their craft.
- DirectorLeigh WhannellStarsElisabeth MossOliver Jackson-CohenHarriet DyerWhen Cecilia's abusive ex takes his own life and leaves her his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia works to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.We have seen invisible men as naughty pranksters or special effects showcases over the years, but this modern reincarnation (so to speak) redefines him as a calculated psychopath who has invented the ultimate power to get away with everything. Elizabeth Moss becomes his convincing victim when her reportedly deceased ex-boyfriend starts destroying her life piece by piece. Leigh Wannell delivers a thriller with a great balance between tension and sci-fi, making effective use of the invisible threat with minimal means. This low-budget Blumhouse production proves that the best suspense is still created from mere suggestion, and saves the money to ensure that the few special effects look convincing.
- DirectorJohan NijenhuisStarsHerman FinkersJohanna ter SteegeLeonie ter BraakA middle-aged veterinary surgeon, believing that his wife pampers him too much, fakes the onset of dementia to get away from her.One of the most improbable success stories of 2020: Dutch comedian Herman Finkers making a comedy with romcom specialist Johan Nijenhuis (known more for his quantity than quality). However, their combined efforts make for one of the most charming and witty relationship dramadies in a long time, and a national box office success. Based on a Czech comedy, Finkers re-wrote the story and added the convincing East-Netherlands couleur locale, where an unassuming man takes some desperate measures to escape from the suffocating matriarchy in his life. Taking an inward look into modern relationships hasn't been so painfully funny since American Beauty.
- DirectorAdam RandallStarsHelen HuntJon TenneyOwen TeagueA policeman and his doctor wife have some marriage problems and the son blames the mother. For his job, the policeman investigates a case of a missing boy. The possible kidnapping looks like some cases from a few years ago.I See You is the kind of movie that will divide audiences. Starting off as a supernatural thriller, there is a twist halfway through that puts much of what came before in a completely different light. Some will definitely feel cheated by this, but I thought that the subsequent change of perspective and ensuing twists really create a spectacular puzzle, where the pieces are formed from equal parts who-dunnit mystery, family drama, and a cautionary tale about social media hypes.
- DirectorJérémy ClapinStarsHakim FarisVictoire Du BoisPatrick d'AssumçaoA story of Naoufel, a young man who is in love with Gabrielle. In another part of town, a severed hand escapes from a dissection lab, determined to find its body again.Probably one of the weirdest premises ever for an animated movie, this film sees a disembodied hand trying to get back to its owner, a young orphan trying to find his place in the world, persuing love, and attempting to change his fate. Sounds like a strange narrative, and it is, but also proof that you sometimes have to embrace the folly to see the beauty hidden in it, and that animation is still a perfect medium for such philosophical experiments.
- DirectorPaul W.S. AndersonStarsMilla JovovichTony JaaRon PerlmanWhen Cpt. Artemis and her loyal soldiers are transported to a new world, they engage in a desperate battle for survival against enormous enemies with incredible powers. Feature film based on the video game by Capcom.This is both an appraisal of this film and a call-out to everyone to ignore the bad reviews. Not only is it very little seen (for obvious COVID-related reasons), but apparently, some websites organized down-votes due to a harmless Chinese joke made in the beginning of the film. When the cancel culture reaches such depths of misplaced wokeness, it is time for a counter-movement that praises this high-octane action-fantasy hybrid for its lean story, good humor, gorgeously filmed locations, state-of-the-art special effects and a Milla Jovovich doing a decent job for a change. Big-budget sci-fi pulp of the better kind, and great escapism during such trying times.
- DirectorLauren GreenfieldStarsImelda MarcosEtta RosalesFerdinand MarcosAn extraordinary look into the political career of Imelda Marcos, this documentary tells a cautionary tale of a powerful leader whose questionable sense of reality divided the Philippines.If we thought that politicians with too much ego and a serious lack of self-knowledge were a typically American thing, this elaborate documentary proves otherwise. We follow Imelda Marcos from her early beginnings and becoming First Lady of the Philippines, until the moment where she returns to her home country after years of exile. Her state of denial about how she and her husband ruled the country with an iron fist and squeezed the population dry is only slightly less grotesque than the current state of the nation: the opposition is being smothered by a corrupt but democratically chosen president, and the Marcos family has a good shot at getting a seat at the political table again. A grimm reminder that every nation that forgets its history is bound to repeat it.
- DirectorTerrence MalickStarsAugust DiehlValerie PachnerMaria SimonThe Austrian Franz Jägerstätter, a conscientious objector, refuses to fight for the Nazis in World War II.After years of high productivity on experimental movies, Terrence Malick finally returns to his epic roots. The master uses his well-known visual poetry to tell a wartime story of a man who no longer believes in the cause that his country is using to force its people into doing their patriotic duty. Although perhaps about 20 minutes too long, the beautiful cinematography (deserving of an Oscar) makes this a movie where you want to frame each shot on the wall, and the plight of the main character's silent resistance is equally powerful. This was a story of a life hidden in history that needed to be told, and underlines the importance of standing by one's own convictions when the masses are too easily fooled by deluded reasoning.
- DirectorAlice WinocourStarsEva GreenZélie BoulantMatt DillonAn astronaut prepares for a one-year mission aboard the International Space Station.Working parents oftentimes need to be two separate people, one for at work and one for at home, and this movie is an ode to the brave mothers tackling that challenge. Eva Green is convincing enough as the ambitious astronaut who wants to be taken seriously like her male colleagues, but learns how hard that is when society (and her own instincts) try to steer her in another direction. When she finds a way to combine these two roles, we are already so sympathetic to her cause that we don't even mind when she has to bend a few rules for that.