I think we can all agree that 2020 was a doozy. It seems crazy, but life completely changed for everyone in the world in a very short amount of time. I sincerely hope that those reading this were as unaffected as humanly possible by the dramatic upheaval we all faced, and are still facing. And I’m not just referring to the pandemic either. This has been a watershed year for progressive causes finally getting the traction they’ve deserved for decades, if not centuries. All of society’s ills are on trial right now, and if we continue to make enough noise, a healthier and more secure future is possible. The negatives of this past year are scary to think about, but the positives are monumental and ongoing.
Now, onto some movies.
Yes, 2020 was crazy for movies too. Oddly enough, I probably saw more new movies this year than any other despite theaters being closed. Awards season was an endless parade of links that I found impossible to keep up with, which is why I’ve cut my usual year-end “Top 20” list in half to a more manageable “Top 10.” In addition, my list may seem thin when it’s compared to Oscar and other award nominations.
Let me explain: because of COVID, nearly all the major awards organizations extended their application process into 2021 – meaning they allowed films that had a pandemic-related delayed release to be eligible for awards consideration (examples include Minari, Nomadland, and Judas and the Black Messiah – all originally slated for 2020 release but were technically released in 2021 because of the pandemic). My first thought was to include these films in my year-end list, but after careful consideration and reasonable familiarity with how my brain works, I decided that these 2021 outliers and latecomers would give me a giant headache this time next year. Plus, if I was on the ball and actually compiled my year-end list at the end of 2020 like most critics, I wouldn’t have seen these films yet anyway.
Mostly what this means is that next year’s list will be stacked!
So, with all that in mind, here is a countdown of my favorite films of 2020.
10. Another Round
Depending on your relationship with alcohol, Another Round could mean all sorts of things to all sorts of different people – and for this I admire it. For me personally, I mostly take it as validation for slowing down and seeing life through clearer eyes. However, as little as ten years ago, I’d have gotten a completely different kind of validation from it. READ THE FULL REVIEW
9. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Films like Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom aren’t meant to be viewed as a history lesson but as a wake-up call for white people who, for generations, have both continuously consumed and appropriated black contributions and willfully ignored merited cries for freedom, equality, and dignity. READ THE FULL REVIEW
8. I’m No Longer Here
What church groups and pearl-clutching parents often fail to understand about youth culture is that, even though these kids may look showy or vulgar and listen to strange music, these “phases” or “bad influences” are often what is saving them, not hurting them. READ THE FULL REVIEW
7. Crock of Gold
By means of MacGowan’s in-depth and often firsthand looks at society from the bottom up, The Pogues redefined what rebellious music could sound like when performed with style and intelligence. Temple’s film is a fitting accompaniment to their many unforgettable songs and a deserving tribute to one of the great artists of our time. READ THE FULL REVIEW
6. Vitalina Varela
Based on the real-life experiences of its lead actress and namesake, Vitalina Varela is a haunting tale of a widow’s search for the truth about her estranged husband and a stunning, if enigmatic, look at regret and poverty. READ THE FULL REVIEW
5. Mank
It’s clear that Fincher and cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt went through great pains to mimic the looks and sounds of old Hollywood, but, with the help of Jack Fincher’s wonderful screenplay, Mank also delivers one hell of a story. READ THE FULL REVIEW
4. One Night in Miami
Of course, it can only be speculated about what they discussed that night, but by examining their characters, the times, and their later achievements, King and Powers are able to craft a beautifully layered and poignant conversation about race, responsibility, and the struggle for freedom. READ THE FULL REVIEW
3. First Cow
These desperate men may not possess the machismo or steely gazes of their famous western predecessors, but – and I do not say this lightly – somehow director Kelly Reichardt makes clandestine cow-milking as tense and exciting as a Leone graveyard shootout. READ THE FULL REVIEW
2. Da 5 Bloods
With not much subtlety, Lee has not only crafted a scathing critique of contemporary and historical black experiences in America, the military-industrial complex, patriotism, and capitalism, but also a near tongue-in-cheek subversion of ‘70s and ‘80s Cold War-era propaganda franchises, all while paying homage to one of cinema’s greatest stories about the corrupting power of greed. READ THE FULL REVIEW
1. I’m Thinking of Ending Things
I’m Thinking of Ending Things can be a frustrating puzzle to piece together, but all its pieces do have somewhere to go and operate in service to the bigger picture, making it one of the most vibrant, morbid, and rewarding films of the year. READ THE FULL REVIEW
James is a writer, skateboarder, record collector, wrestling nerd, and tabletop gamer living with his family in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the North Carolina Film Critics Association, and contributes to The Daily Orca, Razorcake Magazine, Mountain Xpress, and Asheville Movies.