*NOTE: This list is compiled strictly of titles I saw over the course of January through December 2020. Whether due to availability or awareness, this list is subject to change though will not be reflected here. These are the titles that spoke to me directly at the time of publication and are definitely worth checking out.
5. Emma. (Dir. Autumn de Wilde)
While far from the first Jane Austen adaptation, this latest version serves as one of the lushest production designs of the year. With everyone donned in bright, eccentric outfits, the Austen-inspired dialogue comes to life to present a story of a woman who is handsome, clever, and rich. She has never been in love, but she insists that she has all of the answers for her friends, playing the antagonistic matchmaker to everyone in close proximity to her. The audience hates to love her, which only makes the exploits all the more delightful as de Wilde mixes eccentricity with one of the most enjoyable period pieces of the year.
A lot of credit of course belongs to Anya Taylor Joy, whose lead performance has the right level of precociousness and vindictive undertones, making her story of understanding and personal growth that much more relatable. With one of her rare comedic turns, she manages to convey why her future seems bright (see also: The Queen’s Gambit) by walking a fine line, navigating a great supporting cast that brings depth to the familiar romantic comedy tropes. Another major standout is Mia Goth, whose rare break from horror makes for a few delightful surprises.
It’s among the warmest movies of 2020, and a perfect piece of escapism that rewards those who love getting lost in lavish details. Every set design is marvelous and Emma’s dresses are some of the most striking. Overall this story of being a strong independent woman is one that visually and thematically will never go out of style. There may be plenty of petty grievances throughout, but they’re done with such elegance and wit, sure to put a smile on anyone’s face. De Wilde’s modernizing of the themes doesn’t necessarily seek to ruin the legacy, but insists why Austen remains one of literature’s most prominent authors centuries later. Given how good this is, it’s likely to stay that way for a little bit longer.
4. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (Dir. Cathy Yan)
The story starts in a bit of a muddled state. Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) has just broken up with The Joker and is recounting those early days. They’re the ones where she buys hyenas, sets industrial plants on fire, and upsets mob leaders in the quest for an egg sandwich. She’s a hot mess, unable to keep her own story straight as she rewinds and speeds forward, trying to make sense of this ridiculous heist story. What would be considered a cheap style in anyone else’s hands winds up becoming this revolutionary take on the comic book movie. At its center, beyond the acrobatic fight scenes and cartoon violence is a break-up story, of finding her own self-worth and proving that she’s more than a side chick.
It helps that Yan’s direction reflects the battle of women against the patriarchy, reversing the male gaze and turning it into a hilarious joke thanks to the flamboyant Black Mask (Ewan McGregor), whose lack of humanity outshines the fact that he’s one of the least interesting supervillains of recent years. The central Birds of Prey have all been undermined by the system, and here is their chance to stand up for themselves. With plenty of style (and hair ties) in tow, the story reflects the struggle to find self-worth when it’s constantly undermined, making the eventual victory far more triumphant than just about any girl power story of the past decade.
At the center is also one of the most compelling female antagonists in modern cinema history. This isn’t the story of a hero, but someone whose impulsive decisions turns the world against her, where her most confident moments are rooted in petty theft and gunning down a police station with sparkler guns. The ability to make her seem more compassionate and real only proves why Yan was a perfect fit for the material. She is no closer to being a redeeming member of society by the end, and yet the audience is excited to see her overcome her problems and become a stronger, more independent woman. This is the type of flawed, fun characters that the future should have more of, and they’d be lucky to have a film this confidently realized, where even the narrative device is used to reflect the grieving process paving the way for a clearer head. Everything works out by the end down to the perverse take on riding into the sunset. She’s the antagonist that’s needed right now if just to remind everyone that even at your worst, you’re worthy of so much more.
3. The Assistant (Dir. Kitty Green)
This is by no means a big movie. None of the performances necessarily call out for Oscar attention, with breathtaking monologues. What is here is Green’s decision to observe. At times serving as borderline anti-narrative, the story follows Jane (Julia Garner) as she goes about a day working for a movie studio. It’s often been considered a metaphor for Harvey Weinstein and many more Me Too stories, and it’s easy to see why. The harassment isn’t always a hand inappropriately groping. The amount of crucial conversation can fit on a few pages.
What is there is a quieter form of abuse and one that explains why Jane (like so many women) feel pressure to stay in the film industry. As her male coworkers gallivant telling stories of their lavish exploits, the sacrifices of Jane go ignored. She plays more like a pawn to them even if her resourcefulness is some of the best in the film. Without having to say anything, Green’s depiction of her frustration over the course of a single day racks up gradually and effectively. The audience feels the frustration, the desire to walk out of the front door as the undermining takes a toll on Jane’s self-esteem.
This isn’t seeking to have some altruistic answer, but to show a side of the industry that rings true for so many. What makes it captivating is how Green forces the audience to sympathize with Julia, never giving them more than her perspective as she watches men cut in line for meetings. It’s asking for an understanding that wears on Julia, and the quietness and isolation are effective tools in capturing the moment. Anyone who watches the film will feel alone by the end, feeling like the sacrifice of mundane phone calls is not enough. It lacks glamor, but it has so much to say without saying it directly. It’s the call for change that workplaces need, and Green does so effortlessly with the best-directed movie of the year.
2. Never Rarely Sometimes Always (Dir. Eliza Hittman)
There is something revolutionary in the quietness of the titular scene. For most audiences, the idea of discussing abortion remains taboo. With violent attacks taken against Planned Parenthood and the cliché of the broken woman, it’s amazing to see Hittman aim for something more compassionate. Following the journey of Autumn (Sidney Flanigan in one of the year’s best performances), there is a vulnerability in every decision she makes. It takes a psychological toll, branding her as an outcast in her high school community. The pain is real and this would be the point where lesser directors would settle for melodrama.
Instead, there is the sacrifice, the long train rides into the city to visit abortion clinics and constantly negotiate the cash-strapped nature of the situation. What makes the revelation of Autumn’s journey is that when she finally reaches the door of the clinic, she is met with compassion. Even as she answers personal questions about her sex life, there is this strange catharsis that hasn’t been seen on film before. Few have likely thought to see either person in the scene as humans, flawed, looking for some way to get through this scary situation. Hittman lets the camera roll, capturing every moment. Rarely is the film more powerful than when Autumn breaks down in tears, realizing that this is the only person in her life who cared about Autumn as a person, that not having this baby is a reason to hate her.
While this is a story that is likely to hit every viewer differently based on their own views, those who are willing to listen will find one of the most humane stories of the year. It’s a story that seeks to alter the course of discussion around a taboo subject, hoping to give meaning to a very controversial subject. It’s a story about more than one decision. It’s about a woman trying to overcome her own mistakes and realizing that this isn’t the end of the world. Even as she continues to struggle, there is that sense that someone out there will be willing to stop and listen, helping to make everything a lot easier. This is an essential drama that breaks ground and does so with unexpected warmth and kindness that will hopefully help to bring some more rationality and honesty to this discussion.
1. Sound of Metal (Dir. Darius Marder)
For Reuben, there is nothing scarier than the prospect of losing his hearing. His life depends on being able to hear his drumming skills, playing in crowded venues for adoring fans. The gradual shift into hearing loss is one fraught with an excellent sound design, finding small components disappear before everything drops out. Of course, there’s the insecurity. He’ll settle for surgery, so long as it gets him back out there. Maybe he’ll play as a click track. Whatever happens, he doesn’t want to give up the only thing that has ever made him happy. To make matters worse, any solution would only be temporary, as his hearing is likely to disappear permanently either way.
It’s prolonging the inevitable, but what Marder suggests is that this isn’t the end. Considering how the deaf have long been a taboo in media, it’s refreshing to see a story where the disability is treated as something greater. There are still ways to communicate, to feel like life will continue on. Riz Ahmed in the lead gives one of the year’s best performances as he learns to navigate this cruel world, reflecting the gradual acceptance. The pain and anger he feels captures an isolation rarely depicted this effectively, putting the more abled viewers into his perspective, understanding the limitations of the world.
Even then, the film is rarely happier than when the sound drops out, finding Reuben surrounded by the deaf community. The world suddenly seems perfect as he speaks in sign language to someone he playfully tackled. It’s also the first time that the film incorporates subtitles, finding a balance between the self and the world. In this moment, Reuben feels less alone. Even if he’ll struggle to relate to the outside world, this moment reminds audiences that those struggling with hearing loss will feel alone, but there are ways to cope. There’s a chance that in some small way, life will move on and things will be okay. It just comes with time and practice.
Top 25
1. Sound of Metal
2. Never Rarely Sometimes Always
3. The Assistant
4. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
5. Emma.
6. Dick Johnson is Dead
7. Proxima
8. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
9. The Nest
10. The King of Staten Island
11. Palm Springs
12. Happiest Season
13. First Cow
14. The Forty-Year-Old Version
15. Transhood
16. Shirley
17. Wolfwalkers
18. Miss Juneteenth
19. Babyteeth
20. Lover's Rock
21. Boy's State
22. Da 5 Bloods
23. Kajillionaire
24. Banana Split
25. Miss Americana
Honorary Mentions
26. Totally Under Control
27. Enola Holmes
28. Deerskin
29. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
30. Buffaloed
HAPPY NEW YEAR AND SEE YOU IN 2021!
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