Let's get onto the good stuff finally. I am not going to do any honorable mentions, this is it, my top 10 of 2020, and while the title of this list states that these are the "best" films of 2020, that is not really the case, these are my "favourite" films of 2020. Alright, enough talk, lets begin with my:
TOP TEN BEST FILMS OF 2020
10. BIRDS OF PREY
I have already gushed about the madness that is “Birds Of Prey” in my “Biggest Surprise of 2020” section of my yearly review, and now it shows up at number ten on my top ten list to validate just how much I loved the film. Brilliant in its design, wonderfully acted by all with Margot Robbie really going for it (and succeeding) as Harley Quinn, and something I forgot to mention earlier, a cool pulse pounding score by Daniel Pemberton that just adds to the fun of this very fine film. One more thing that I forgot but wanted to mention was the difference in the handling of the Harley Quinn character from “Suicide Squad” (ugh!) to “Birds Of Prey”. One key difference is that the earlier film was shot via the male gaze under the directorial eyes of David Ayer, whilst this new film has been told through the filter of women's eyes, by writer Christina Hodson and director Cathy Yan. As a result, whilst Harley is still sexy, she is never sexualised. This hasn't been done via some big political point either, but it is still noticeable. Lets put it this way, there is no scene in “Birds Of Prey” where all the male characters stand around watching Harley changing into a barely-there costume, and it is all the better for that. Anyway..............super fun movie, just go see it.
9. GUEST OF HONOUR
The general consensus would seem to be that Canadian director Atom Egoyan has been at best, very erratic in the quality of his work since the start of the new century, or at worst, downright terrible in that time. Personally I believe that it is closer to the former; I seem to have found more good in his recent work than most, although I do admit that he has had a couple of duds in there too, like “Devil's Knot” and “Chloe”. I thought his previous film “Remember” was a great step forward, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Well it appears this renaissance is continuing as “Guest of Honour” was the first film of his that felt like “classic” Egoyan; it is his best film since “The Sweet Hereafter”, made back in 1997. This is such a powerful and emotionally affecting thriller, that does a great job of creating characters you actually care about. The film is anchored by a wonderfully nuanced performance from David Thewlis (man, this guy can act!), that at times just breaks your heart. The story is told via a fractured time-line, as we visit scenes from the past and present at regular intervals and where things that seemed so concrete in the past, turn out to have a totally different meaning when seen from the eyes of someone older, rather than those of a child. That is one of the key themes of the film, that a child, with their limited life experiences, may fail to see the truth of a situation due to the complexities involved within that situation, especially when that child is shielded from the truth for their own protection. Egoyan often likes to deal with technology and the way that it effects us as a society, and he does so here via the use of mobile phones, and examining the dangers of this technology. “Guest of Honour” really works best when you know next to nothing about it going in, because as the story is told, it opens itself up more and more to the viewer, which is why I am reluctant to go into any plot details. It is a quiet film, but a wonderful film, that is also heartbreakingly beautiful too. Sadly, it has gone very under the radar, but I hope that more people find this film because it is worth seeking out.
8. POSSESSOR
Whilst I described “Guest of Honour” as a quiet thriller, “Possessor” is the complete opposite; it is a loud, bombastic, bloody and violent sci-fi thriller, that is as smart as it is shocking. I do not think I was prepared for “Possessor” when I sat down to watch it, as this is a film that pulls no punches and is graphic in both its depiction of violence and sexuality, to the point that it felt more like a film made back in the 70's, as opposed to the watered down films of today. “Possessor” is directed by Brandon Cronenberg (son of David) and it actually felt like a passing of the torch between father and son. I was not a fan of Brandon Cronenberg's directorial debut, “Antiviral”, at all and felt that compared to his father, Brandon seemed to lack in the ideas department. However, with “Possessor”, Brandon appears to be continuing to explore themes and ideas that his father did earlier in his own career, whilst also making a film that is not at all derivative of his dad's. The film is about a corporate company that specialises in assassinations via the use of brain implant technology. This technology enables the assassin to inhabit the body of an unsuspecting person so they commit the assassination, which in essence creates the perfect crime, as the true assassin cannot be traced to the crime. Tasya Vos, played brilliantly by Andrea Riseborough, is their number one agent, but lately has been struggling with the after-effects of the job, which causes a dramatic change within her that sees her becoming erratic and dangerous whilst working, often going too far with her violent urges. However with her latest job, her mind essentially cracks and she finds herself trapped inside her host body, unable to find her way out. As you can see, it has a very cool premise, and Cronenberg imbues the film with lots of bizarre and memorable images. Personally, I thought it also felt quite similar to one of his father's films too, “eXistenZ”, in both the technology explored and the images created. Both films also have actor Jennifer Jason Leigh in their cast. As I mentioned at the beginning, “Possessor” is an incredibly bloody and violent film, and thankfully Cronenberg decided to use practical effects whenever possible, and the results are just fantastic. There are a couple of face-melding moments that are just insane. This is a very dark, and adult thriller, that gets more and more messed up as it goes along. I loved it! (As a side note, actor Rossif Sutherland plays key roles in both “Guest of Honour” and “Possessor”.
7. UNDINE
German director Christian Petzold bounced backed from his mis-step that was “Transit” (I know, I know, I'm the only one that thinks “Transit” doesn't work) with his stunningly beautiful urban fairytale, “Undine”, reuniting his stars from that previous film. The chemistry between Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski is off the charts (something that I thought was lacking between the pair in “Transit”), and is what gives “Undine” its heart and makes it so successful. Both actors give their characters such life, that you love being in their company whilst they fall in love. “Undine” is based on a German fairytale that is about a water nymph who marries a knight so she can gain a human soul. However legend states that if this man is ever to betray her, she must then kill the man and return to her watery home, never to return on land again. Petzold sets his version of this story in modern day Berlin and only hints at the fairytale elements, although he does not eliminate them entirely. The elements are still present in the film, but not front and centre, which was something I was hoping for when the film was originally announced. However, I ended up falling in love with Petzold's more grounded version of the tale, and liked that the film could be read in two ways; that Undine was a supernatural character, or that this girl's life and story just closely resembled the fairytale. Like all of Christian Petzold's films, “Undine” has been handsomely put together. As usual Hans Fromm is tasked with the film's cinematography duties and he has given “Undine” a glossy look that feels very warm and inviting. With water playing a large part within the story, the use of water imagery is very nicely done without ever feeling overdone, and I loved that large portions of the film were obviously shot underwater, and those scenes looked beautiful and otherworldly. I also thought the music was just lovely and added to the mystery and atmosphere of this beautiful film. “Undine” is meant to be the first of a trilogy of films by Petzold based on German fairytales, so after the success of this first one, I cannot wait for the next two. Click here to read my original review.
Wow! This was one of the last films I saw in 2020 and it blew my mind. This was such an amazing film, that was also very angry and much, much darker than I was expecting it to be. It is a revenge film with a difference. It is very unique, and I just loved every second of it. One thing that I loved about “Promising Young Woman” was that it surprised me, which is something that happens less and less these days. The film also has a phenomenal lead performance from Carey Mulligan, which for mine, was the best performance from a female in 2020. She is outstanding in this, having to display a huge range throughout the duration of the film. For those who do not know about the film, it is about “a young woman, traumatized by a tragic event in her past, who seeks out vengeance against those who crossed her path”. It looks at rape culture, particularly during college years, and the way society is willing to look the other way if the perpetrator of such a crime is from money, or deemed to have a good future, and thus by punishing the guy, would be to ruin that boy's future......without thinking about what it means for the future of the victim of that crime. Like I said, it is an angry film, but the film is told in such a way that it is actually fun and even funny at times. It is genius that the approach works so well. I also thought it was another bold decision from director Emerald Fennell to use the bright candy colours to tell this very dark tale. Again, this is another film that works best the less you know about it, but I will say that it is so brilliantly done in the way it hides its twists and turns. There are moments in the film that left me stunned, and I never, ever saw the ending coming. I sat there speechless when the credits started rolling, stunned and amazed by this brilliant film.
5. WOLFWALKERS
It is not often that you find an animated film on my top twenty list, but that is not because I think animated films have no worth, it is just that my own personal tastes do not lead me towards them very often. Of course, there are always exceptions, and I must admit that during Pixar's early hey days, their films were regularly on my end of year list. This year though, I saw an animated film that just delighted me from the opening frame, and as soon as it began, I knew that it would be making this list. I am obviously talking about Cartoon Saloon's “Wolfwalkers”, a film about “a young apprentice hunter and her father who journey to Ireland to help wipe out the last wolf pack. But everything changes when she befriends a free-spirited girl from a mysterious tribe rumored to transform into wolves by night”. This is a stunningly beautiful film from Ireland made by the same people who made the excellent “Song of the Sea” back in 2014. I really liked that film a lot, but this new film from directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart is even better. The animation in this film is just gorgeous, and it is all hand drawn. After being pummelled by computer animated films so regularly, it is nice to watch another one done via the old school way. I do not know why, but it just draws you in to the story so much easier than the animated style that is popular today. I loved the fact that the character designs were all based on shapes and variations on shapes but what makes the film so special is the film's imagination and heart. It makes you believe in the magic of the story, and breaks your heart with the story of family love, between the father / daughter relationship of the humans, and the mother / daughter relationship of the wolves. One thing that I find rarely works in live-action films is when we get vision from the point of view of a creature or animal. The images are usually distorted in ways so as to define that this is not a human point of view. I often think it comes across looking very cheap and hokey, but the opposite is true when it is done with animation, and the “wolf vision” of this film is amazingly well done, and again, so imaginative. Another thing that I love about “Wolfwalkers” is that the voice talent are unknowns, so the voices inhabit their characters, and we only see them as the characters, rather than as a celebrity doing a voice for a cartoon. That said, I did appreciate Sean Bean's voice as the father. Yes, his voice is recognisable but he underplays the role beautifully so that he never overshadows the film. I also have to mention the film's wonderful music that perfectly fits with the animation and story being told, and the songs are out of this world good! I absolutely adored “Wolfwalkers” and think it is perfect entertainment for the whole family that is packed full of so much emotion, that by the end, you will be covered in goosebumps.
4. DREAMLAND
Sometimes a film just talks to you and you love every second of it, and when you go to share your opinion of that film to others, you find out that you are in the minority in regards to its critical reception. This is true to me in regards to the film “Dreamland”, a film that I was with totally from the opening second, but which apparently underwhelmed everyone else who has seen it. To be honest, I was stunned when I realised that my opinion of this film was not the general consensus because I thought the whole thing was genius. The film is “set amidst America's struggle during the Great Depression, where teenage boy, Eugene, regularly dreams of escaping his small Texas town. He gets that chance when he discovers a wounded, fugitive bank robber named Allison. Torn between claiming the bounty for her capture and his growing attraction to the beautiful criminal, Eugene makes a decision that will forever affect the lives of everyone he's ever loved”. The most regular criticism I see of “Dreamland” is that it is slow and that nothing happens. Yes, it is very slow, but to say that nothing happens is totally wrong. The film is a romance mixed in with a coming of age tale, as a boy must become a man during a time of extreme hardship. Personally, I thought the slow pace of the film was perfect for the times the story was set in. Instead of making the film dull, it actually draws you in to the drama. Performances from the two leads are top notch with Finn Cole stealing the film as Eugene, and Margot Robbie, once again proving why she is one of the best actresses working today, playing Annie (she is a far cry from Harley Quinn here). I've mentioned many times before that I am a big fan of narration in films when done well, and I loved the narration in “Dreamland”. Again, it just fit perfectly with the tone and pace of the film, and I thought the inclusion of the younger sister was a fantastic added element. There is a chilling suspense scene set in a barn that involves the sister that is one of many highlights in this great film. Another highlight was the massive dust storm which was handled wonderfully via what I assume is CGI. It looks and feels so real and sets an ominous tone of what is to come. It would be remiss of me to not mention the film's cinematography, which is just gorgeous. The film is shot in golden browns and yellows, giving it an old time feel. The camerawork is never flashy but always beautiful when it comes to composition. Finally, I really appreciated the way the film builds and continues to build in suspense and seriousness. I have no idea why “Dreamland” has not connected with an audience, but I absolutely adored the film, and hope that if you get the chance to watch it, that you do so and with an open mind.
This came out so early in 2020, that I actually thought I had watched it the year before and included it on my 2019 Top Twenty List. However, when I checked, Greta Gerwig's “Little Women” was actually released in Australia on New Year's Day. I do remember now though, when I watched it at the beginning of the year, I thought maybe I had possibly seen my number one movie of the year in the first week of 2020. As it turns out, “Little Women” ended up ranking third, which is still a hell of an achievement. I do not have too much to say about the film since it ended up on so many critics top ten lists of 2019, so the film surely has been spoken enough about now at length. What I will mention though was that this was my first encounter with the story, as I had not seen any of the other filmed versions nor read the book itself. As such I was not aware of the structural changes that Gerwig had made to the timeline, but I thought criss-crossing of past and present worked wonderfully well, and added a poignancy to the tragedy when we witness scenes of the painful present next to scenes of the happy past, no doubt tinged through the glow of nostalgia. Something that bemused me when I read reviews of the film or heard people talking about it, was the fact that a lot of people found it confusing and couldn't work out what happened when. I was shocked by this because Gerwig designed the film perfectly to help define past and present easily and she did so via the use of colour temperature. During scenes set in the past, the colour temperature is much warmer moving towards yellows, browns and earthy colours, whilst the scenes set in the present were much cooler in temperature often leaning towards blue. It was very easy to keep track of where you were in the story at any given time because of that. Greta Gerwig also cast her film perfectly, with everyone embodying their characters so well. No doubt the standout of the film was Saoirse Ronan who plays the lead character Jo March, but everyone from Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern and Timothee Chalamet are all excellent. The only negative I have in regards to casting is that I didn't think Florence Pugh playing the (very) young version of her character, Amy, worked well at all (however she excels in the adult variant of her). As I have already said, I thought “Little Women” was beautifully designed and loved that each girl was essentially assigned a certain colour throughout and that each was attracted to one of the main arts. I also thought that Gerwig came up with a clever way to honour the ending novelist Louisa May Alcott wanted to have, while staying true to the ending that is. To be honest, I was not expecting to enjoy “Little Women” much so to come out loving it was a fantastic surprise.
Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof's latest film, “There Is No Evil” is (as per the imdb synopsis) told in “...four stories that are variations on the crucial themes of moral strength and the death penalty that ask to what extent individual freedom can be expressed under a despotic regime and its seemingly inescapable threats.” Whilst it doesn't sound like the most fun you could have at the movies, I am happy to say that it is such a beautiful and beautifully sad film to watch, and at even the extended length of two and a half hours, it just flies by in what feels like half of that time. It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Iranian films, and they often rank high on my top twenty lists, but Rasoulof is a director that has taken me awhile to connect with. His films have always been political, as he regularly highlights the social injustices presented to the people living in modern day Iran, but I have found in the past that he is too heavy on his message to the point that it turns me off the film. However his style seems to have changed since “A Man of Integrity” as he now focuses more on character, while layering his political points in a much finer and subtle manner. Since this change, I have totally connected with his work, with “There Is No Evil” being a total masterpiece. Whilst all four stories in “There Is No Evil” deal with the compulsory military experience for young Iranian men, and the effects of being involved with executions resulting from the death penalty, each individual section is told in a completely different way with the actual trauma or effect revealing itself as the story continues. For example, the first vignette is about a normal man who goes about doing ordinary daily tasks like everyone else; grocery shopping, banking with his wife, visiting his mother, having dinner with his wife and daughter, etc. However it isn't until the finale of this segment that we see and understand what the whole point of this story is. I will not ruin the moment, but it is a shocking moment that left my mouth agape. It was also the moment that I knew that “There Is No Evil” would be a masterpiece. The following two segments deal with the ramifications of the choices two men make in regards to either being part of performing an execution or fighting against it. Both segments are completely different from one another with one being super suspenseful, with an immediacy attached to it that makes it totally compelling to watch, almost like an action film, whilst the other is a beautiful and lyrical story that moves quietly before slowly unravelling. Both men make their choices due to their own personal beliefs and what they believe will improve their lives for the long run, but it is no spoiler to say, both end in tragic circumstances. The fourth story is potentially the most heartbreaking as it is about an older man, trying to connect with his grown daughter before he dies, however, the girl is unaware that this man is her actual father and that the man she has called father her entire life (whilst living abroad) is actually her uncle. There is a lot of pain and hurt in this segment, which is all the more tragic when the truth of everything is finally revealed. The cinematography by Ashkan Ashkani is a sight to behold. It is stunningly beautiful, particularly in the final two segments which take place outside of the hustle and bustle of Tehran and in the forests and desert of Iran. From the rain soaked greenery of the forests to the sun drenched vistas of the desert; these are not the usual locations seen in Iranian films and give a new outlook to outsiders of the landscapes of this country. Another element I loved was the music by Amir Molookpour. With each vignette having a different tone, Molookpour's music helps establish this tone and enhances the emotional resonance of certain scenes. It is not wall to wall music, used only when necessary but it really stood out in how well the music complimented the images onscreen. “There Is No Evil” is such a fantastic movie from Mohammad Rasoulof and was the deserved winner of the Golden Lion at this year's Berlin Film Festival. It is a film that tackles the tough subject of the death penalty and the tragic consequences an individual faces when forced to participate in (or react against) an execution as part of their mandated military time, but is told in such a beautiful and humanistic manner that what appears to be a heavy topic, becomes easy to ingest, despite how tragic the circumstances turn out to be. I loved this film so much, despite how beautifully sad it all is, and I look forward to watching it again soon. Click here to read my original review.
Like “Promising Young Woman”, another film that brilliantly hid its twists (particularly in its excellent trailer) was director Trey Edward Shults's “Waves”, my favourite film of 2020. This was a film that totally destroyed me from an emotional point of view, whilst exhilarated me from a technical standpoint. I have been a fan of Shult's since his directorial debut “Krisha” from 2015. He followed that film with the under-appreciated horror film “It Comes At Night”, which brings us to “Waves”, which is his finest achievement to date. Like many of the films on this list, “Waves” works best when you know as little as possible before you watch it, and with a film this good, I do not want to ruin the experience for anyone so I will not talk much about the plot at all. I like the logline on imdb though as it gives you a feel for what the film is about without giving away many details: “Traces the journey of a suburban family - led by a well-intentioned but domineering father - as they navigate love, forgiveness, and coming together in the aftermath of a loss”. This is a film that has been deliberately divided into halves with the first half leading up to an incident, whilst the second half deals with the aftermath of it, and those struggling to move on and heal via love. The first half of the film deals largely with the son of the family, whilst the daughter is the star of the second half. However both halves are glued together by the character of the domineering father. The fact that he is domineering is not because he is a mean person, but because he genuinely believes this type of parenting is what will give his children the best chance in life to succeed. When he realises in the second half that he may have been wrong, and he softens towards his daughter, we get the most beautiful and emotional scene from the entire film. Oh my god, just thinking about this scene now brings up so many feelings in me!!! The performances by everyone in this film are just superb. Shults has re-united with one of his stars from “It Comes At Night”, Kelvin Harrison Jr, who plays Tyler, the son. His character has the most extreme character arc and Harrison Jr just nails every second of it. Sterling Brown plays Ronald, the father, and at first you really cannot help but dislike the man, as he is very harsh towards his kids, particularly Tyler. However as the film develops, you start to understand him more, and that every decision he makes is made from a point of love for his kids; it is just that he goes the wrong way about it. But the brilliance is that he learns from his mistakes and so Brown essentially gives us two variations of the man, as he changes and every moment feels so real. For mine though, the absolute heart of the film belongs to Taylor Russell who plays Emily, and is the character who gives “Waves” its moments of hope. As I mentioned above, “Waves” is a film told in two distinct halves and what Shults has done is have certain scenes mirror themselves in each half, but with the meaning of each scene shifting between them. This also includes certain camera moves which may be repeated again, but where the move symbolised happiness in the first half, it then becomes about pain in the second. Also certain scenes are echoed in the two halves, like the scene on the bench in the ocean between Tyler and his girlfriend, and the scene on the bench in the park between Ronald and Emily. It is such a beautifully designed film, with Shults layering in things like this regularly. Another thing that Shults does in “Waves” is play with aspect ratios, with the image squeezing in on characters as they find themselves trapped in a situation, or expanding when they finally get a chance to breathe. Shults played around with the aspect ratio in “It Comes At Night” too, but it adds so much to “Waves” when he uses it here. Trey Edward Shults really is at the top of his game here. There is so much more I would love to say about “Waves” but I just implore everyone to go out and see this film. It goes to some very dark places, but amazingly it ends on a note of hope. It is filled with the most wonderful characters, that feel so real, that you love being in their company for the duration of the entire film. If you do not feel something by the end of “Waves” then I do not think you can be moved by a film at all. An amazing, emotional experience, and a totally brilliant film.
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