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.
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.
