The Best Movies of 2020. Well, I daresay even though I visited the cinemas less than 5 times (for obvious reasons) in 2020, I certainly watched many films this year. With each passing year, I find myself less attached to the idea of assessing life on a yearly basis, so I wanted to be circumspect with this Best Movies of 2020 list.
So here we go, in alphabetical order.
Ammonite
A historical romance drama written and directed by Francis Lee. Ammonite stars Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan in the lead romantic roles. An excellent twist on your typical period drama. Read our full review. A better option than the risible Happiest Season, for sure!
Archive
Strangely, not a good year for indie scifi film, with Archive possibly being the exception. Written and directed by Gavin Rothery, Archive possesses the same creative indie vibe as Duncan Jones’ Moon. Read our full review. Russian film Sputnik might have been considered as well.
Druk (aka Another Round)
A 2020 Danish drama film directed by Thomas Vinterberg. Druk aka Another Round examines drinking culture that is prevalent worldwide and its impact on the characters in the film. Read our full review.
Emma.
Autumn De Wilde’s debut is the film of the year! Starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Johnny Flynn, De Wilde’s update of the Jane Austen classic is refreshing and engaging. Read our full review.
Mank
Directed by David Fincher and starring the dependable Gary Oldham, Mank is a rose-tinted tribute to Hollywood’s glory days. Read our full review.
Old Guard
Charlize Theron is impervious in this adaptation of the Image comic book series about immortal warriors. One wonders whether the story would have worked better as a TV series. Fully expect sequels are in the works. .
Rent-a-Pal
Again with indie horror, 2020 provided surprisingly slim pickings. However, this low budget production led the way in this particular genre. Read our full review.
Small Axe : Mangrove
Steve McQueen’s Small Axe movie anthology is quite an achievement. The five movies all deserve attention but will single out Mangrove for its unflinching look at historic racism in British society. Read our full review.
Tenet
Christopher Nolan seems to have lost a bit of his mojo with Dunkirk and Tenet. Still, Tenet is highly watchable for its technical accomplishments but not much else. Sadly, the execution does not match its ambition. Read our full review.
The Swerve
The Swerve is a psychological drama written and directed by Dean Kapsalis. A deep character study of a descent into mental insanity. Read our full review.
The Best Movies of 2020. There you go. In general, I would say that stronger work was presented in streaming TV series than in movies. Which is probably the next list to deliver soon.
… still there’s more …