We all know the song at this point: the year was weird, the year was traumatic, it is hard to care about cinema, even harder when NOTHING is coming out. I went to the cinema a grand total of four times in 2020 (I did get to take part in some online festivals, but this is another story). Here are all the films I got to see: The Grudge remake, Bad Boys for Life, Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) — say whatever you want, I love this title, and Sonic the Hedgehog. And yes, it does weigh on me that Sonic the Hedgehog might end up being the last film I ever watch in a cinema. It pains me but also feels very on brand somehow.
It was not all horrible, though, when it comes to film in 2020. What seemed to thrive in this odd movie environment we ended up in is the documentary genre. To be perfectly fair to the quality of filmmaking I got to experience this year, probably almost all the films on the list should be documentaries. There is nothing wrong with that, I am not one of those people who believes we should separate docs and narratives. But it would also be pretty boring and there are things I truly liked that would get left out because a documentary was technically better. And I actually dislike the discourse I hear here and there around the internet that there was NOTHING that came out (I wrote that at the beginning of this post, I know, but that was for comedy. Ugh) because that is not true. In fact, I thought maybe one good thing could come out of 2020 and we could have ourselves an actually exciting Awards season — it seems like a lot of the films that ended up being critically acclaimed were made by female filmmakers, starred exciting newcomers, told stories we would not normally see. But then the Oscars were moved to spring and (bad) Mank came out (with a terrible Gary Oldman performance that will still at least get him a bunch of nominations because Hollywood biopic) and I could already feel my eyes beginning to twitch, ready to roll. I might make my own (deserving) nominations post sometime at the beginning of 2021 if I remember and it will be great.
But for now, let’s take one last look back at 2020. I decided to begin my countdown with some honorable mentions.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
(ordered alphabetically to avoid any accusation of just using them to make the list longer than the agreed-upon twenty movies)
Babyteeth, dir. Shannon Murphy
Babyteeth is a film that I like more and more as time goes by, the feeling, look, and emotions of the film stayed with me. It is a heartbreaking but sweet drama and definitely the most interesting entry into the “Teenagers with Terminal Diseases Falling in Love” canon.
Beastie Boys Story, dir. Spike Jonze
Now, this is a filmed live performance of the Beastie Boys themselves sharing the story of their band, it feels weird putting it in-between a drama and an action flick. But few things this year gave me as much joy as watching these guys recall times that just seemed so fucking cool. The one thing that ruins it is the mention of the (alleged) sexual predator producer but I guess he was a part of the story.
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), dir. Cathy Yan
Yes. I did like Birds of Prey. In fact, I think it’s great. To me this is one of the best superhero movies.
Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets, dir. Turner Ross & Bill Ross IV
As I said — tons of great docs came out this year and this is one of them. Such a bittersweet tale of the extraordinary ordinary.
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end…
The Devil All the Time, dir. Antonio Campos
I had zero expectations for The Devil All the Time after I read the novel before it was released and did not like it one bit. But when I finally sat down to watch it, I was pleasantly surprised (as much as the word “pleasant” really does not seem like it should be used anywhere near this movie). It is messed up and gritty and depressing but it works.
Dick Johnson Is Dead, dir. Kirsten Johnson
One of the most heartbreaking movies of the year and a truly unusual sort of a documentary. I feel like we all got to experience grief in one way or another this year, it hit some harder than others, of course. Maybe we need different ways of looking at the whole concept to move on and try to heal.
Ema, dir. Pablo Larraín
Beautiful and strange and fascinating. Not my favourite Larraín but very likely the most interesting.
Emma., dir. Autumn de Wilde
Now that I think about it, maybe Emma. should be higher on the list, like, in the actual top 20. It is gorgeous and feels fresh somehow. I am really not much of a Jane Austen fan and this joins the 2005 Pride and Prejudice in the “Austen stuff I genuinely love” canon.
Feels Good Man, dir. Arthur Jones
Feels Good Man is the kind of documentary that would be completely incomprehensible at the beginning of the century. But today it feels essential.
Horse Girl, dir. Jeff Baena
This is my unpopular opinion of the year of a movie. I have seen exactly zero positive reviews of Horse Girl after it was released at the beginning of the year. And I did not even see any specific criticisms about particular things in the film, it was as if everyone just agreed it was fundamentally bad and there was no need to explain why. But I… loved it and I could not get it out of my head for WEEKS afterwards. And sadly it was probably for the most part because of how much I can relate to the main character. Ouch.
The King of Staten Island, dir. Judd Apatow
And this is my biggest surprise of the year. I am not an expert on the career and craft of Pete Davidson, but from my limited exposure to him, I was not a fan. And I never “got” Judd Apatow films, not even those people tend to love. And then I saw The King of Staten Island was two hours long… Needless to say, I was not excited to watch it. And maybe that was what did the trick — lowering my expectations extremely. And I kind of loved the film. It does feel very honest and very real to my, and Pete’s, generation — all the way to Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness”.
Mangrove, dir. Steve McQueen
The TV event of the year for film lovers was Steve McQueen’s Small Axe anthology. I only saw two installments but they were both very good. And very different! Mangrove is the courtroom drama of the two, with some fantastic performances.
Summerland, dir. Jessica Swale
A sweet and gentle story set in a beautiful landscape — sometimes that is all you want.
Time, dir. Garrett Bradley
As I said, this was the year of the documentary and for many people, Time was the greatest of them all. Such a tender portrayal of the work that goes into longing.
Vitalina Varela, dir. Pedro Costa
A difficult, haunting cinema, the darkness of it feeling interesting and terrifying. One to revisit for sure.
THE ACTUAL LIST
20. Soul, dir. Pete Docter
At the end of this year, perhaps all I wanted was a Pixar movie. And I got one. Interestingly enough, I was ready to dislike the movie but at the end, I was bawling my eyes out. Ah, Pixar, I just can’t quit you.
19. Lovers Rock, dir. Steve McQueen
I mentioned Little Axe before, but it is Lovers Rock that truly stole my heart. At only about sixty minutes, this romance managed to charm me completely. We are so lucky to experience Steve McQueen’s films.
18. Host, dir. Rob Savage
Originally I wasn’t planning on including this film on the list but then I thought whatever: the honest truth is that Host was one of the most thrilling cinematic experiences I had this year and one of the very few that might have actually been made better by the fact that I watched this film on my laptop. Scary, creative (although my only complaints are about a scene in which they got TOO creative) — this is a perfect example of filmmakers doing what they can with a difficult situation and succeeding.
17. Gunda, dir. Viktor Kossakovsky
Gunda is the cutest, most intense and most heartbreaking film of the year. It is also an unbelievable achievement as far as recording nature goes. All the criticisms about it being “preachy” are pointless. This is the truth. This is the world we created.
16. David Byrne’s American Utopia, dir. Spike Lee
I always feel kind of unsure about including recorded performances on lists of best films, so Beastie Boys ended up outside of the list. But I think it’s allowed with American Utopia? If you watched it, you probably had this wonderful cathartic experience that would make it impossible to leave out as well.
15. Bacurau, dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho & Juliano Dornelles
Wild psychedelic western, one of the early entries on my best of list (as in, it’s been a while since I watched it) and the craziness would probably fit better with later parts of the year. Still, what a great experience.
14. Druk, dir. Thomas Vinterberg
I am going to be completely honest here: the main reason why Vinterberg’s Another Round is on the list — and it is on the list THAT high is because of the man, the myth, the legend himself — Mads Mikkelsen. Mads Mikkelsen gives one of my favourite performances of the year and if there’s any justice in the world (*doubt*), the Awards Season will reflect it.
13. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, dir. George C. Wolfe
One of the final additions to the list, I only watched Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom over Christmas. When you look at the film as a finished product, I think your enjoyment would rely in a large part on how okay you are with films that are very obviously filmed plays. But one thing is undeniably for everyone — Chadwick Boseman’s performance is absolutely extraordinary. For the longest time I thought Mads Mikkelsen would be my pick for Best Actor but after seeing Boseman’s work here… He is just unbelievable. It was absolutely heartbreaking to watch this film knowing he is gone. I already dread the reaction of People Who Have Know Idea What They’re Talking About after the Oscar nominations are announced, trying to undermine his achievement. But it should be impossible for anyone who actually watched the film.
12. Boys State, dir. Jesse Moss & Amanda McBaine
As I mentioned, this has been in many ways a year of the documentary and my pick for THEE documentary of the year is Boys State (and the competition has been tough!). Is Boys State not the most clever presentation of how various shades of political opinions function in today’s society? René for president for real.
11. Blow the Man Down, dir. Danielle Krudy & Bridget Savage Cole
Blow the Man Down is an odd little movie that I heard NOTHING about from anybody this year — no buzz! But it’s SO charming, well, as charming as a crime film can be and it’s quirky and set in a world I just want more of. But maybe it’s just me being obsessed with seaside aesthetics.
10. Da 5 Bloods, dir. Spike Lee
Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods is a heavy, difficult film made even more poignant and devastating by the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, whose character in the film also dies young, way before his peers. But it is also an incredible achievement, especially when it comes to acing. Some of the scenes and monologues in the film are unlike anything I have ever seen.
9. Shiva Baby, dir. Emma Seligman
One of the films I was lucky enough to catch on a festival circuit (Nowe Horyzonty), I think for many this is going to be a 2021 release. I saw Shiva Baby compared to Uncut Gems and I guess I can kind of see that but let’s not act like the Safdies invented tension. Very excited to see Molly Gordon in future projects.
8. Sound of Metal, dir. Darius Marder
Riz Ahmed joins the ranks of the best actors of the year with this unforgettable performance. Sound of Metal is, honestly, very upsetting, also because of my own medical issues but it is also very touching. It is less about reinvention of yourself and more about resignation. And I think that’s okay. Bad things happen to us sometimes and we just have to accept that.
7. First Cow, dir. Kelly Reichardt
First Cow is for many the best film of the year and I hope this momentum lasts and Kelly Reichardt finally gets the recognition she deserves from the mainstream awards committees. What a lovely, lovely film. What a wonderful world. I am just so grateful.
6. The Assistant, dir. Kitty Green
Maybe the scariest experience I had “at the movies” this year, despite there being a literal horror movie earlier on the list. The Assistant presents the kind of workplace abuse that creeps up, sneaks in, is largely ignored by other because certain power dynamics are expected. I have, thankfully, never been through things as serious as some of those in Kitty Green’s (who, by the way, I am very excited about, her previous film, the documentary Casting JonBenet was equally fascinating like this narrative) film, but it still managed to trigger some mild form of PTSD in me. Essential viewing for anyone functioning in society.
5. Swallow, dir. Carlo Mirabella-Davis
It is very strange to me how much I could relate to this film which seemingly has nothing to do with me whatsoever. The premise might sound odd but I believe for many people it will be like looking at a kindred spirit. And it is heartbreaking and difficult but also… you kind of feel understood. This is not a film for everybody but for some it might mean everything.
4. Shirley, dir. Josephine Decker
I worry I might not be capable of expressing how Shirley made me feel. It goes beyond biopic, it goes beyond a psychological portrait, unless the portrait is of women (humans?) as a whole.
Between this and Taylor Swift’s “mad woman”, this has truly been the year that made me feel seen. That’s probably… not good…
3. Never Rarely Sometimes Always, dir. Eliza Hittman
This year Poland, where I live, has gone through a truly tumultuous time. The Constitutional Tribunaldecided to accept the pro-life activists’ motion to consider the abortion deformed and damaged fetuses, which is one of the VERY FEW instances in which abortion in Poland is legal, unconstitutional. That means it might soon be outlawed. Massive protests took place throughout the country. Who knows what 2021 will bring the women of Poland. Seeing the young girl in Never Rarely Sometimes Always (played in a truly heartbreaking way by Sidney Flanigan) travels to a different state to have an abortion, made me think about all the Polish women who have to make this journey to Germany or Slovakia… And those are the “lucky” ones, the one who can afford it. The lead performance and the incredible screenplay make the film a near-masterpiece. And it hits extra hard when it’s so close to home.
2. The Farewell, dir. Lulu Wang
I know what you must be thinking: what is a 2019 release doing on this list? Well, I am using my European privilege. The Farewell only premiered in Poland this year and since I love it with my entire heart, it had to be included. But you know all about it already so I won’t say more.
1. Little Women, dir. Greta Gerwig
Call it Central European privilege again! Little Women ALSO only premiered in Poland in 2020, so it is eligible for this list and it is obviously the best film of the year. Obviously. Nothing has brought me as much joy in who knows how long. Florence Pugh should have gotten a double Oscar for this and Midsommar. Re-watched it during Christmas and cried all the way through but in a mostly happy way. A cathartic experience I needed.
Swingin' at the Seance 