The Best of 2020: Movies
2020 was generally a shitty year; Covid-19, race riots, Wonder Woman 1984, an election. There were some high points though. A few movies came out, and while the big ones were mostly delayed until 2021, there were still some really good ones.
Honorable Mentions:
You Cannot Kill David Arquette – This was a last minute find on Hulu. The documentary follows David Arquette as he attempts to re-enter the world of wrestling; but rather then a stunt for a movie, he’s really training to do it. It follows him around various wrestling schools and down to Mexico to train, and we get to see a few matches. The film is well made and pretty interesting.
We Can Be Heroes – Yes, it’s a kids movie made by Netflix, but it was a fun movie. Starring Pedro Pascal, this is an unofficial sequel to The Adventure of Sharkboy and Lava Girl and focuses on the kids of the current heroes, like the already mentioned Sharkboy and Lava Girl. It’s not on par with a Marvel movie, but it’s entertaining for kids. Plus it’s from Robert Rodriguez.
Spenser Confidential – Mark Wahlberg is a former cop that is getting pulled into an investigation he wants nothing to do with. It’s a mindless action movie with good cast. Not good enough to crack the top 10, but just good enough to keep you interested.
10. Birds of Prey – In the moment of watching this movie, I felt like it was trying to hard; there were moments that felt a little forced. But there were also some great moments where you connected with the characters. I chalk this up to the great cast. I can’t see anyone other then Margot Robbie as a live action Harley Quinn, who was the heart and soul of the movie. I do think they could have used a better villain; Ewan McGregor’s Roman Sionis just seemed flat. As far as comic movies goes, it’s middle of the pack; for DC, this was one of the better ones they’ve had.
9. Death to 2020 – This mockumentary recaps the shitty year of 2020, but makes it more fun than the real year was. They poke fun at everything that happened. It was a funny reminder of what we went through. Lisa Kudrow as the Trump staffer was one of the highlights of the movie, along with Sam Jackson as one of the interviewees.
8. Enola Holmes – Based off the novels about Sherlock Holmes little sister, Enola needs to solve the mystery of her mother’s disappearance. Millie Bobby Brown, as Enola, is phenomenal; she captures the essence of the character perfectly. She also breaks the 4th wall like she was Deadpool. Henry Cavill plays Sherlock and he’s more enjoyable in the supporting role than he was as the lead in the Witcher (I chalk the up to the content rather than Cavill’s performance). The story is set up for more installments too.
7. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – The first of 2 Chadwick Boseman performances, and his performance alone is worth watching this film. The film is based off a play about Jazz music in the 1920s, where Ma Rainey’s band is waiting for her to show up. Boseman plays a headstrong member of the band. His monologue on God is amazing, so filled with emotion that you can’t look away. As a fan of the actor, this could be his strongest performance.
6. Onward – Pixar’s first move from 2020 had the potential to be the best movie, but I don’t think it lived up to the hype. It was very good, but I expected to be completely blown away and I wasn’t. 2 brothers have the chance to bring their deceased father back for 24 hours; while casting the spell, only the waste down comes back and they have to find a new gem to complete the spell. The brothers go on a road trip that will allow the brothers to bond and prove who they are. Like most Pixar movies, it tugs the heartstrings.
5. Da 5 Bloods – Boseman’s other movie was a Spike Lee Joint that jumped between current day Vietnam and flashbacks to the war. A group of soldiers go back to find gold they hid, along with their leader who was KIA and left behind. The cast was amazing and Lee’s story and direction were there with the best of his movies. And as good as Boseman was, it was Delroy Lindo who stole the show; his acting against Jonathan Majors (as his son) was incredible. Plus we get an Isaiah Whitlock Jr “sheeeeeeit.”
4. Soul – Before seeing both the Pixar movies, I expected to like Onward more. But Soul really surprised me. This felt like it was more for adults than their other movies, about how it’s OK for a person not to achieve their dreams as long as they take in the little things on their journey. There is also a lot about mentoring those who are younger so they don’t feel the pressure about life and expectations.
3. The Old Guard – I had the Old Guard on my comic list, and the movie was just as good. Charlize Theron, as Andy, was everything that fans of the comic expected. I don’t know if I would have felt the same way though if Greg Rucka wouldn’t have wrote the script; there would have been changes, for better or worse. Rucka did make some changes, but he understood the long game in this trilogy by changing what he did.
2. Palm Springs – Sure, there have been temporal vortex movies in the past where the lead character relives the same day over and over – Groundhogs Day did it best. This was a little different, a little darker. Andy Samburg plays a plus one at a wedding when he seemingly gets attacked by a random stranger. You learn he’s been stuck in the day for quite a while and the maid of honor Cristin Milioti gets sucked in with him when they enter a cave. It’s an interesting twist where the love story doesn’t pull them out of the wedding day. It’s an original take on an existing concept.
1. The King of Staten Island – I had heard that this semi-autobiographical look at Pete Davidson was good, but I didn’t expect it to be the best movie of the year. Davidson is a slacker who is still struggling with the death of his father 17 years after it happened (in real life, Davidson’s father was a firefighter who died in the World Trade Center on 9/11). Throughout the movie, he comes to terms with his father’s death and while finding his path in the world. There is a lot of comedy in it, but there is also some drama and Davidson excels in these moments.
Next week, I’ll have my big beer list for 2020.
