Favourite Films of 2020 (and others)

Two things have struck me about my 2020 film watching. Firstly, I had just three trips to the cinema, the last of which was in mid-February! I've not gone so few times in at least thirty years, nor had such a long a gap between trips. As much as I've wanted to return when the cinemas have actually been open, it's not felt like the right decison. Here's hoping cinemas survive this insane year.

Secondly, I've never spent so much time watching films I'd not seen before. Aside from the first three films I watched in the year, the entire first half of 2020 was spent watching films I'd never seen – a run of 100 films in a row. It was happening by accident at first, but when I realised I decided to keep going as it was really quite satisfying. As good as it is rewatching things and revisiting favourites or classics, in recent years I've definitely favoured focusing on films I've never seen, what with so much constantly coming out and with multiple platforms to watch on, it's becoming easier and easier. The interesting question here is, how many of the films on this list will I want to rewatch, be it in a year, five years or even further in the future?

Taking a different approach to this years list as we saw far fewer new releases come out (there were still plenty of course): firstly my five favourite films of 2020 are listed, followed by my five favourite films from recent years that I watched for the first time in 2020. This feels like a top ten that both reflects a very strange year and what I actually watched and enjoyed in 2020.

As ever, the full list of what I watched in 2020 can be seen on Letterboxd in the order of viewing: letterboxd.com/davidhunt14/list/2020-films-watched/

 

Now for the usual stats for 2020:

 

158 - total films watched (-15% YOY)

3 - films watched at the cinema (-94% YOY)

26 - films released in 2020 watched

0 - films watched more than once in 2020

These are my five favourite films of 2020, based on UK release dates, presented in alphabetical order:

 

1917

 

 

My cinematic highlight of the year (not that I had much to choose from on that front), 1917 is a visual feast that begs to be seen on the big screen. The stitched together single take illusion is at times breathtaking and at times distracts from the story, but Roger Deakins cinematography is always stunning, especially the night-time sequence set against bombed out buildings lit by firelight and smoke. The high concept story works due its kinetic nature which mostly keeps you gripped. It's the kind of film that feels like an experience and there's definitely not been enough of that this year.

 

Parasite

 

Truth be told, when I eventually got round to watching Parasite late this year, I hoped I would think it was overrated so it wouldn't seem like a cliché featuring this year's Oscar Best Picture winner on my end of year list. But if you've watched any of Bong Joon Ho's previous films you'll know he's a director capable of doing something interesting. And with Parasite he's pulling in multiple directions and succeeding with them all. From the drama rich in social commentary to the masterfully taut set piece halfway through the film, this is a cleverly layered film that takes its time to unfurl, anchored by some really good performances, especially Song Kang-Ho who's seems to be great in everything I've seen him in. So it was a worthy best picture winner and of inclusion on this list after all.

Possessor

 

Finally! Eight years after the really intriguing Antiviral we get Brandon Cronenberg's second feature, Possessor, a pitch black sci-fi thriller that dives deep into some very dark places, with more than a few shades of what his father was creating in his early-mid period. Imagine losing your mind and fighting for control of the body you're possessing whilst on a mission of murder. Andrea Riseborough does a great job as the person taking control of Christopher Abbott (he's reliably decent too). As with the best films of this ilk Possessor plays with some interesting ideas about identity and existence, whilst leading you down a murky path of ultraviolence. The psychedelic mind merge visuals are a particular highlight and make me wish I'd been able to see this in a cinema (my first time streaming a film as part of a film festival!). Hopefully it doesn't take another eight years for Cronenberg to try and fuck us up again.

Soul

 

In the dying throes of 2020 Pixar gifted us Soul, and my biggest disappointment about it is that I didn't get to experience it in the cinema as it went straight to streaming. This is one of Pixar's most visually interesting films, from the overly bright Great Before manned by weird abstractions (inspired voice casting of Richard Ayoade as Jerry) to the overwhelming monchrome Great Beyond and the 2001esque transitions between, which contrasts so strongly with the visually rich New York City that jazz musician / music teacher Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) calls home. The animators clearly relished the opportunity to push the visual language of Soul in unexpected and inspired directions. Watching Joe's hands dance across the piano is also a visual treat as some excellent jazz arrangements soundtrack the "real world" scenes, whilst Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' out-there ambient and electronic score perfectly punctuates the Great Before and Beyond. Hearing these rich timbres in an immersive cinema setting would've been sublime. Story-wise Soul offers the usual Pixar depths of humanity, heart and yes, soul. It's a somewhat obvious yet worthwhile story to tell, perhaps veering a little close to Inside Out, but remains pitched nicely at adults whilst having more than enough to be kid friendly (here's looking at you Mr. Mittens!). For 25 years we've become accustomed to Pixar delivering something special and that trend continues with Soul.

 

The Trial of the Chicago 7

 

 

The fact that this is a true story is shocking. If you've been following the news from America throughout this year it shouldn't actually surprise you, but it still seems unbelievable that such flagrant abuse of power and jaw-dropping failure of the judicial system could even take place at all. And 50 years on many people would surely say little has changed. Aaron Sorkin is clearly still finding his feet as a director (this being his second feature), but his skills with the written word and crafting a fascinating story remain unparalleled. Helped by an excellent ensemble cast, The Trial of the Chicago 7 instantly grips and never lets go despite being essentially a two-hour trial film. 

Films from recent years:

 

If I'd watched any of these in their actual year of release (or at a film festival), they probably would've made it onto that years end of year list. Instead they were highlights of my 2020 viewing. Again, in alphabetical order:

Destroyer

 

Police films about damaged cops are a dime a dozen, but Destroyer tackles things a little differently. Focusing on a strong female character – Nicole Kidman in excellent, near unrecognisable form – as her past undercover suddenly comes back to the fore of her life, it's a dark, meditative story that plays out more as an arthouse film than a traditional police procedural. That being said it still carries an effective amount of tension as the story progresses, thanks to Karun Kasuma's strong direction and vision. Destroyer definitely stayed with me for a good while after watching.

A Fantastic Woman

A thoroughly worthy winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2018, A Fantastic Woman is a deeply moving film about love, loss and intolerance. Marina (Daniela Vega) just wants to live her life, but when her older boyfriend suddenly dies, she's left to deal with her loss as his ex-wife and adult children's disgust at why he was dating and living with a transgender woman expose themselves. Vega's performance is layered and restrained, as director Sebastián Lelio shows the horrible discrimination those who are viewed as "different" go through, even when dealing with something as basically human as coping with the loss of a loved one. A heartbreaking and important film.

First Reformed

A crisis of faith film like you've never seen, but this is a Paul Schrader film after all. Ethan Hawke gives a career best performance as a priest struggling to still believe in God, whose interactions with a parishioner (Amanda Seyfried) leads him down a path of ecological crisis and darker places beyond. It's a cold film, not just in tone and mood, but also the drab, muted colours and wintry setting, which starts to blaze as a fire becomes ignited inside Hawke's character. First Reformed is a really intriguing film that slowly takes hold and leaves you with a lot to ponder. It's definitely best watched knowing as little as possible.

Marriage Story

Marriage Story works so well because of it's leads – both Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver really sell the love, the anger, the bitter recriminations of a marriage dissolving. There's something believable in their performances, aided greatly by Noah Baumbach's writing. You feel for Driver's failed attempts at being a good father to his son, and for Johansson's desire to finally be able to fulfill her career ambitions without being held back. It's messy, it's not happy, but that's life and it keeps you gripped for the duration as you await whatever kind of resolution may be at the end.

The Two Popes

 

I was genuinely surprised by how much I liked and enjoyed The Two Popes. It's a series of imagined conversations between Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) and Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins), initiated by Bergoglio asking for permission to retire as Pope Benedict tries to convince him to be his replacement. The acting from Hopkins and Pryce is of course sublime, as the two men who come from completely different ideological perspectives slowly start to meet in the middle as they spend more time together and face up to their pasts. Fernando Meirelles gives time for these conversations to evolve as they dig into Anthony McCarten's script, making it feel like you're really accompanying them around The Vatican. There's nothing showy about The Two Popes, and not everyone will find it interesting, but it offers some intriguing ideas about what may or may not have happened when the current Pope was chosen.

Favourite 10 Films of 2019

First (and last) post of 2019! Despite having time on my hands this year I haven't felt the inspiration to write reviews, although two films did make me start drafting some words – the new Hellboy, probably the worst film I watched all year, and It: Chapter Two, which left me as underwhelmed and frustrated as the first part – but I ultimately couldn't face fleshing out my disdain. This year however I watched a good number more films than I've managed in each of the previous five, so that's a positive.

When it comes to pulling together this list I've concluded the criteria that a film has to be released in the UK / somewhere in the world during the year has to be relaxed permanently for films seen at festivals. Since 2015 the London Film Festival has become a major feature of my year and usually at least half the films I see want to be on my end of year list – it's impossible to ignore their inclusion even if they aren't actually released in that year. This year four of the films on this list have a 2020 UK release date and two of those aren't released anywhere in the world until 2020.

As usual, all the films I watched this year are listed in order here – letterboxd.com/davidhunt14/list/2019-films-watched/ – which numerically looks like:

185 - total films watched (+34% YOY)
48 - films watched at the cinema (+20% YOY)
58 - films released in 2019 watched
4 - films to be released in the UK in 2020 watched
0 - films watched more than once in 2019

Here is the list of 10, presented alphabetically. As ever, this is a subjective list of my favourites, not a list proclaiming what is "best" (however you might quantify that!). Enjoy!


Ad Astra

 
A big budget existential space story about an astronaut looking for his father, with shades of 2001: A Space Odyssey about it. It won't be for everyone but it had me from the get go. Brad Pitt is that astronaut and he feels perfectly cast doing his more silent than talking thing, as he navigates himself to Mars and then beyond. The near future setting and the way it's shot and directed feels both stark and enticing, especially throughout the first half of his mission. The story does weigh heavily on "daddy issues" which is somewhat affecting whilst frequently seeming overwrought. But that said it looks and sounds incredible and was a journey thoroughly worth taking.


Captain Marvel

I've said it so many times before but Marvel is at its best when telling origin stories, and so here we are with Captain Marvel which does a thoroughly satisfying job of bringing a new character into play. Being partially set off-Earth adds to the interest level – think how well that worked in Guardians of the Galaxy and the Thor films – and the nineties setting is a huge plus allowing for some fun nostalgia based comedy alongside a great soundtrack. Having a younger Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in tow as a sidekick is intriguing if a little jarring at first due to the de-ageing effects, but of course the main reason it works so well is Brie Larson, who makes the Captain Marvel / Carol Danvers character so easy to root for and engaging to watch. She has a casual charm that makes you believe she's the best at everything she does. Why it took Marvel 20 films before it made one with a female lead is a mystery, but Captain Marvel was my favourite superhero film of the year because it was fun and great escapist entertainment. Oh, and lets not forget that cat!


Color Out of Space

A lot of people are going to want to see Color Out of Space because of perceived similarities to Mandy, but forget about that great film when going into this. It's mostly far more conventional in that it tells of the strange goings-on after a meteorite lands on a family's land, but it builds and builds into its own weirdness, which is to be expected as it's based on an HP Lovecraft story. Nicolas Cage brings the entertainment value as his usual self, although it's the two younger cast members who are more interesting. Director Richard Stanley has returned from a near thirty-year self-imposed hiatus determined to set the screen alight, as we get gradually more and more bathed in overwhelming pink and purple light, whilst Colin Stetson's great soundtrack makes the atmosphere even more disconcerting. It's a thrilling trip.


Doctor Sleep

We never really needed a sequel to The Shining and Doctor Sleep does a great job reiterating that point. Yet it's on this list, so how does that work!? That's because the first three quarters of the film are really rather good, telling a fascinating story that takes its time with the characters and slowly builds atmosphere and intrigue. The casting and acting helps a lot, most notably Rebecca Ferguson who is one of the best villains seen all year, and it's so easy to lose yourself in this story which, mostly, feels only tenuously linked to The Shining (if you forget who the main character is!). Where it falls down is the finale which deeply intertwines itself with the original story, pulling you out of this new world in a really jarring manner. Still, great work Mike Flanagan at creating a damn good film that works because it stands on it's own feet.


In Fabric

In Fabric is batshit crazy. When I came out the cinema it probably wasn't on this list, but six months later I've had time to dwell on it and here we are. This is a film about a killer dress. Yes, you read that right, a blood red killer dress. But this is a Peter Strickland film so you've got no right to expect an easy ride. The dress is passed between different people with terrible consequences, but all roads lead back to the department store of its origin. There's clearly something evil at play here with a highlight being the coldly malevolent staff working at the store. Everything about the film feels quintessentially British but in an off-kilter manner that suggests the pits of hell might suddenly open. It's like watching a lost 1970's horror film that's also kind of funny. Kudos to Strickland for continuing to make uneasy, weirdly hallucinogenic films.


Jojo Rabbit

Trying to describe Jojo Rabbit and make it sound appealing is something of a challenge – German boy joins Nazi youth camp and has an imaginary friend in the shape of Hitler. Oh, and it's partially a comedy. However, it's directed by Taika Waititi so that gives some indication of where this is going and as a result totally works. The comedy is off-the-wall but importantly it knows when to reign in the zaniness for moments that are genuinely moving. The message may be glaringly obvious but it's all performed with such zeal by the cast, especially Roman Griffin Davis as the titular lead. The fact that it delivers such a wide range of emotions is a huge credit, and besides, it's only Maori-Jew Waititi who could convincingly pull off playing an equal part comedic and terrifying version of Hitler with a Kiwi accent. 


Knives Out

Knives Out is one of the most enjoyable films watched this year. It doesn't set out to reinvent the wheel or break barriers, instead it hearkens back to the classic whodunnit, a genre we see all too infrequently these days. By assembling a superb cast and creating a fantastic set in the form of a creaking old mansion, Rian Johnson crafts a mystery that keeps you guessing and on the edge of your seat until its final resolution. Ana de Armas is particularly engaging as the real lead amidst the cast of stars, plus it's full of neat little touches, such as the interviews at the start and the introduction of Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc character. There's definitely scope for more films based around Blanc so fingers crossed that happens!


The Lighthouse

Fair warning, The Lighthouse is not an easy watch. Shot in black & white and tightly framed in 1.19:1 ratio, it's an intense and claustrophobic experience, made all the more challenging thanks to the true to the time mariner dialogue and an overwhelming score. If that doesn't sound like too much it's also offers an acting masterclass – Willem Dafoe is award-worthy as the seasoned and salty lighthouse keeper and Robert Pattinson is almost as good as his younger apprentice. It's shot through with an altogether too human horror as the last vestiges of sanity slip thanks to the isolation and savage conditions. Robert Eggers marked himself as a director to watch with The Witch and he proves himself yet again.


Midsommar

Just a year after the release of Hereditary, my favourite film of 2018, writer/director Ari Aster was already providing a new offering. Midsommar doesn't live up to that previous film but it's a different beast – light vs the darkness. Okay, so light might be a bit of a misnomer, but it's almost entirely set in the Swedish countryside at a mid-summer festival and mostly during day time. There's a slow sense of unease that begins to build and sits just underneath the surface, although because of the prevalence of daylight it never feels quite as unnerving as it otherwise might, but then that is one of the reasons why the film is so interesting because it adds to the sense that there is no escape from this place. It also makes the brief bloody moments all the more visceral. Hopefully Aster keeps twisting his stories in interesting directions.


Synchronic

Benson & Moorhead are on a roll. Back in 2015 Spring was on my best of the year list. In 2017 The Endless was one of the stronger films I saw. With Synchronic, their latest film, it feels as if they've refined all that good stuff and this time have a bit more budget to play with. In short Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan play paramedics who are having to deal with some weird call-outs thanks to a new designer drug. To say more would ruin the fun of the plot, but the pair are making a name for themselves by pulling in an edge of sci-fi and horror into their films (the former in Synchronic) which not only elevates them, but leaves you guessing as to where the story is actually going. My only real complaint is it's not longer and there's not more of it! [Note: look out for it in 2020/2021]

Favourite 10 films of 2018

Looking at this list after having put it all on page I'm struck at how dark this collection of films is. Four horror films and a fifth that flirts with the genre. I cannot remember the last year I saw four new horror films that I thought were decent, let alone four that were worthy of being on an end of year list. At least, alongside these, the dark crime thrillers and weird period drama, there's a kids film to balance things out. And it's refreshing not to have a single superhero film on the list this year – not a deliberate decision but those that came out this year just weren't good enough, despite each proving very entertaining in their own right. In these strange times the films on the list below just offered something... more.

As usual, all the films I watched this year are listed in order here – letterboxd.com/davidhunt14/list/2018-films-watched/ – which numerically looks like:

138 - total films watched (+14% YOY)
40 - films watched at the cinema (-9% YOY)
57 - films released in 2018 watched
4 - films to be released in the UK in 2019 watched
0 - films watched more than once in 2018

Here is the list of 10, presented alphabetically. They needed to be released somewhere in the world in 2018 (ie not just show at film festivals). As ever, this is a subjective list of favourites, not a list proclaiming what is "best" (however you might quantify that!). Enjoy!


A Quiet Place

This is high concept horror where success relies on two key factors – effective sound design and an audience's willingness to play along. If you were lucky enough to see A Quiet Place in the cinema with the latter point being so, this was quite an experience, as a couple of hundred people were respectful to the concept and collectively held their breathe, repeatedly. It's one hell of an experience and possibly the most tense watch this year. John Krasinski does a great job pulling this all together in his directorial debut (he's had a decent year, what with this and Amazon's Jack Ryan series) but Emily Blunt steals the film with great physical acting. I say it repeatedly but taking away a reliance on dialogue can really force a much better focus on storytelling and creativity. Suspend your disbelief and go with the concept and you're in for a great ride.
[Read full review]


Assassination Nation

Assassination Nation is a wild ride. It's also one of the most vital films of the year. Bringing the Salem witch trials into the modern world kicking and screaming, it's brash, violent and utterly unapologetic. This is an indictment of the negative effects of social media and technology, the need to always find blame somewhere, the vacuousness of modern youth and so much more. But most importantly it's about female empowerment and shouting "fuck you" in the face of oppressive forces. Odessa Young puts in a great lead performance, as do her friends. Whilst Sam Levinson seemingly directs with a more is better maxim, leading to sensory overload both visually and aurally – as if Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers was brought kicking and screaming into the world of 2018. This is absolutely a positive as it works so much better being right up in your face. Assassination Nation is a dark, savage film with so much to say, and definitely one of the unexpected highlights of the year.


Believer

Believer is a superior police thriller. This South Korean film tells a gripping story using that age old trope of cop vs criminal, but has enough personality and creativity that it keeps you on your toes. It's never totally straightforward and there's a slight ambiguity to the ending which makes it linger. Jin-Woong Cho is a sympathetic and believable lead and Hae-yeong Lee directs well, making good use of music and the camera. Nothing here is new, but Believer delivers a thoroughly entertaining viewing experience with enough of it's own personality.


BlacKkKlansman

Spike Lee is firmly back in familiar territory with BlacKkKlansman. This is a genuinely curious real life story (albeit overly embellished) that's really well told, if a little heavy-handed at times. The overall message is really very relevant so any lack of subtlety can be forgiven, and for every person who finds the final couple of minutes a little manipulative there's no doubt a handful who find it deeply affecting. Both John David Washington and Adam Driver are great to watch as they get more and more entangled in this crazy scenario, which despite being overly dramatised works for the film. Like Assassination Nation it's hard not to view BlacKkKlansman as one of the more vital films of the year (despite telling a story from the 1970's) which is a sad indictment of how things remain in 2018.


The Favourite 

Period drama usually needs some form of hook to entice me in. How about director Yorgis Lanthimos, of The Killing of a Sacred Deer and The Lobster fame, offering his own off-kilter and darkly comic take on the genre? Throw in excellent acting from a game cast and you have a great little film that builds and builds leaving you wondering what the hell you just watched. Lanthimos tones things down a little from previous films, which coupled with a sharp script and some awesome camera work really delivers something unique. And the more you think about The Favourite the more it worms it's way in – the sign of something very good!
[Read full review]


Hereditary

There are some dark films on this list but none more so than Hereditary. This is a layered horror film that takes a key lesson from the masters of decades passed – take your time. The build is slow with much of the first hour playing out as a meditation on familial grief; a fascinating drama with just enough weirdness to keep you on the hook for what's to come, not forgetting one jarringly brutal sequence that stays with you. And then the more familiar horror takes hold, but it's delivered in such a convincing manner that it continually impresses. Writer/director Ari Aster does a fantastic job delivering something that feels different as he keeps on turning the screw, confidently ending the film in a way that lingers. Whilst the ominous score by Colin Stetson certainly helps too. Hereditary may just be my favourite film of the year.


Isle of Dogs

Trust Wes Anderson to make a kids film that's totally off-the-wall. Of course it's not his first aimed at a younger audience, but Isle of Dogs is an original and he runs with the opportunity to make something that's unlike anything else out there these days. The story is typically esoteric, filled with all manner of weird humour, and the mix of English and Japanese language works well. It is a very engaging story albeit with a predictable twist, but there's plenty of little nuggets aimed at adults too. The stop-motion animation is obviously fantastic, with each character realised superbly and a great cast of famous names / Anderson regulars lending their voices to bring them all to life. Isle of Dogs is not only loads of fun but a film filled with far more creativity than most out there.


Mandy

The expectation here is of Nicolas Cage bringing his trademark weird in a familiar story of revenge. The surprise is that Mandy is an hallucinogenic nightmare; maximalist in its entire approach. Cage does indeed give an over-the-top performance, at least in the second half of the film, which serves as an anchor. But it's director Panos Cosmatos' whole approach that not only blows the mind but the eyeballs too. The film is shot as if we are on a bad trip – a kaleidoscope of colours, superb little visual tricks and creative camera work, whilst the fantastic score by Jóhann Jóhannsson takes the tectonic weight of overly amplified drones and makes it feel as if the world is ending. Sure, a lot of this serves to hide the fact that the story is pretty thin and drawn-out, but what makes Mandy so enticing is how it's presented. Imagine if Terrence Malick dropped a ton of acid, switched allegiances to the dark side and let a gnawing hopelessness slowly and brutally suffuse it's way across the screen. Yeah, it's as fascinating as that sounds.


Suspiria

Suspiria is the film I've most wanted to re-watch this year. Since walking out of the cinema something about it has stuck in my head, making me want to plunge back into it's bloody waters. It is mostly the denouement that's driving this – a feverish descent into hell that's far weirder than Dario Argento's original, but also the fantastic dance sequences and a need to re-evaluate the full over-arching story. Most of the film is very controlled and it is over-long, but there's much to take in. There was never a need to remake the Suspiria of 1977 as it is a true horror classic, but this version more than justifies it's existence as it expands on the original and positively tweaks things in ways that serve this version of the story. Plus it's superbly acted, shot and scored. It takes it's time but the journey is worth it.
[Read full review]


Widows

The return of Steve McQueen is very exciting. After consistently proving himself with his previous three films we've had a five year wait, and Widows does not disappoint. On the face of it this is a heist thriller, but that's just the overarching story that allows him to focus in on a minutiae of societal problems around Chicago. The plot slowly builds as an ensemble of players are drawn in and the cast is uniformly great, anchored by Viola Davis' layered performance. And as expected we're treated to more of McQueen's incredibly creative use of the camera as he shoots and frames certain scenes in unexpected ways; something that elevates all his work. All of this easily marks out Widows as one of the best films of the year.
[Read full review]