best of 2020: movies
UPDATE 12/26: 1917 was replaced with Soul.
And now it's time for my favorite movies of 2020, with a "stinger" after the main event! A few notes before I begin:
- Not all of these were first released in 2020, but that's when I saw them.
- These are in random order, though I did make note of my favorite.
- And, as always, your mileage may vary.
3. Joker: Arthur Fleck is a failed stand-up
comedian who's sick of being shit on by society. When he impulsively
performs a vigilante act on the subway, it puts him on the road to
becoming the man who would eventually become Batman's biggest nemesis.
Grimy and disturbing, with an incredible Oscar-winning performance by Joaquin Phoenix in the title role.
4. Three Kings: After the end of the Gulf War, three soldiers find
a map they think will lead them to gold stolen from Kuwait, and they
set out to find it. Excellent performances and acerbic humor. I wasn't
thrilled they featured my least favorite song in the world---I have
been known to actually leave restaurants when it came on the sound
system---but I'll forgive it.
5. Soul: Joe (voiced by Jamie Foxx) is a band teacher whose true
dream is to be a jazz musician. There's more to it than that, of
course, but I'd hate to spoil this lovely movie for anyone. Pixar is certainly not infallible,
but they can add this gem to their list of winners.
6. Weathering with You: After running away from home, Hodaka meets
Hina, a teenage girl who can manipulate the weather. Gorgeously
animated, and it gave my tear ducts quite a workout.
7. Parasite: A poor Korean family schemes its way into the lives
of a rich family with unexpected results. Savagely funny---and
occasionally just savage.
8. Birds of Prey: When a young pickpocket steals a priceless
diamond, villain Black Mask (Ewan MacGregor) tells Harley Quinn (Margot
Robbie) to find it, or she's toast. She teams up with a
crossbow-wielding vigilante, a disgraced cop, and Black Mask's driver to
rescue the kid. It's got all the manic energy of a kid at a slumber
party hopped up on Pixie Stix, and I enjoyed the hell out of it. It was
the last movie I saw in the theater before the pandemic hit, and if it
turns out to be the last movie I EVER get to see in a theater, I'm glad
it was such a good one.
9. Jojo Rabbit: During WWII, Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis,
who's incredible) is a young German boy who has Adolf Hitler as an
imaginary friend, so he's not super jazzed to discover his mother is
hiding a Jewish girl in their home. It took about ten minutes before it
found its footing, but once it did, I was captivated. Wildly creative,
funny without being disrespectful (in my opinion; I know there's some
dissension), and heartbreaking. It's just a damn good movie, and my favorite of the year.
10. I'm Thinking of Ending Things: Lucy (Jessie Buckley) is on a
road trip to meet her boyfriend Jake's (Jesse Plemons) parents for the
first time, but during the drive she keeps thinking the title phrase,
and things don't improve much when they reach their destination. I read
the book several years ago and absolutely loved it, but I was pretty
sure it would be damn near impossible to adapt to film. Somehow,
Charlie Kaufman managed.
MADE ME CRY (OR AT LEAST TEAR UP): Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker; 1917; Parasite; Creed II; The Lion King; Jojo Rabbit; A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood; Onward; Hamilton; Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll; The King of Staten Island; Borat Subsequent Moviefilm; Mulan
MADE ME NOT JUST CRY, BUT SOB: Soul
SEEN IN THE THEATER: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker; Underwater; 1917; Birds of Prey
WORST MOVIES I SAW THIS YEAR: Bill and Ted Face the Music; The New Mutants
posted by ~C @ 8:18 AM
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