Christian's Top 15 Movies of 2020
15. Class Action Park
This might just be the Jersey bias in me or the fact that I have been to the water park where this took place many a time, but this documentary really found its way into my heart. One of the most purely entertaining documentaries I’ve ever seen, one that also sneaks up on you with unexpected sadness. I have watched this on three separate occasions and each time the people I watched it with were fully engrossed in the insane live action cartoon that was taking place before them.
14. The Gentlemen
I’m just as surprised as you are that this is on my list. A January released Guy Ritchie movie? Ew. Or so I thought before going in. I haven’t really liked “blockbuster” Ritchie, but I am a fan of his early work, and this was a return to that form. A wild cast putting on their best suits, accents and tough guy, gangster faces.
13. Bad Education
A crime movie where the crime is laid out in plain sight. Bad Education knows what its greatest asset is. Hugh Jackman’s charm. Other than Wolverine, this feels like the role Jackman was born to play. A charming leader of a school who is also stealing right from under everyone’s noses. One of those based on a true story movies that feels too good to be true.
12. The Trial of the Chicago 7
For all the things that this movie gets wrong or overdramatizes, it has even more components that really worked for me. Aaron Sorkin is one of the only writers out there who seems to make a film or show an “event” just solely based on the fact that he wrote it. And for good reason. His dialogue is like someone lighting off a firecracker and we get a front row seat to the verbal sparring match. It’s hard to narrow down the standout performances, but Mark Rylance, Sacha Baron Cohen and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II were the MVPs in my book.
11. Da 5 Bloods
A 2.5-hour-plus film that went by so quick I had to do a double take at the runtime when it was over. A hangout movie, an old-school adventure movie, a friendship drama and a subtle comedy. Spike Lee takes a page out of so many different types of movies and blends them together for one of his best and most accomplished works. Delroy Lindo better win the Oscar for this, and now that the Chadwick Boseman performance has a whole new context, it packs an even more emotional punch.
10. Sound of Metal
This one hits pretty hard. A character going through unimaginable life changes and what that will mean for his future. A love story that takes characters through a journey that is outside of their control and completely upends them. Director Darius Marder painting an intimate look at the deaf community and what their day-to-day lives look like, which is not a subject often examined in film. I was always a fan of Riz Ahmed, but after Sound of Metal, I’m an even bigger one.
9. Tenet
I know this movie got a pretty deserving meme treatment leading up to itss release, and in some ways it was justified. But as ridiculous and convoluted as Tenet might be, it still gave me one of the best feelings I’ve had watching a movie all year. That feeling of wonder that you only hear your parents and grandparents talk about when they first laid eyes on Jurassic Park. The only movie this year that had me whispering to myself “how did they do that?” A visual marvel, even if the characters are admittedly one note and lacking anything of interest. If anything, that made me wish Nolan would team with a better writer, because in terms of pure scope and spectacle, he’s one of the best we have right now.
8. The Invisible Man
One of the last movies I saw before lockdown happened and I’m so glad that I did. A modern twist on the classic tale that could be considered a horror movie even without him being “an invisible man.” The creativity behind the practical effects and where they chose to place the invisible man in the frame makes it so there will always be something to be on the lookout for each time you watch it. Elisabeth Moss gives one of the most memorable performances of the year. But Ms. Moss, you deserve a comedy after all the horror you sold in this.
7. Kajillionaire
An interesting twist on the con-man movie that throws in elements of a coming of age story. Part of the fun of a movie like this is you aren’t exactly sure who you can trust or who you should be rooting for/against. It can get away with this by being light on its feet and being paced to perfection. Evan Rachel Wood gives one of her all-time best performances here.
6. Soul
I’ve liked a lot of the newer Pixar films that some seem to hate, but even I can admit they’ve been in a bit of a slump compared to their early glory days. Soul feels like giant leap back into that Pixar golden age and fits right in beside some of the greats like Wall-E, The Incredibles and Monsters, Inc. Beautiful animation that can sometimes feel real at first glance, and a vibrant, creative “soul world” that is candy to the eyes. The music is also some of the best this year had to offer. I’ve had the soundtrack on repeat.
5. On The Rocks
Put Bill Murray in your movie, and it will automatically be more charming and full of life than most movies out there. Sofia Coppola makes a fun, breezy, New York City hangout film at a time when the city life is very much missed. Driving around town with two people as exciting as Murray and Rashida Jones is definitely one of my 2020 movie highlights.
4. The King of Staten Island
I knew a Judd Apatow/Pete Davidson collaboration would be good. But not THIS good. Equal parts hilarious and heartfelt, Apatow continues to prove he’s still got it when it comes to mainstream comedy creations and Pete showcases the talent and charisma it takes to be a movie star in today’s world where they are few and far between.
3. Promising Young Woman
Not many movies this year had the chilling sensation that Promising Young Woman had. A dark comedy that’s of witty charm, but also full to the brim with important themes and commentary that never feels like it’s preachy or talking down to you. The final 20 minutes absolutely floored me and I have not stopped thinking about it even a month later.
2. The Vast of Night
This movie snuck up on me, and I’m so glad it did! Basically an extended Twilight Zone episode, Vast shows us how effective it can be to do more with less. A small budget, quiet, small town thriller that’s just as suspenseful as something with a lot of money behind it thanks to the skills of first time director Andrew Patterson. I can’t wait to see what he does next.
1. Palm Springs
The comedy of the year is also the movie of the year. There was no way for this movie to predict how the year would turn out, but it seemed like the perfect thing to come out in 2020. I’m a sucker for the “Groundhog Day gimmick,” but Palm Springs found a fresh way of presenting this premise in an existential sort of way.
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