12 FAVOURITE FILMS OF 2020!

It was indeed an extremely strange year for cinema, for sad and obvious reasons. The global pandemic wreaked havoc with people’s lives and the culture was hit massively due to arts and crafts being locked down. Cinema’s loss meant streaming giants such as Netflix, Amazon and Disney +, rose even more so in power, with many films being premiered in the homes rather than on the big screen. Many big releases have been put on hold too, so my list of favourite films is a mix of those I saw at the cinema and at home.

For comparison: here are my FAVOURITE FILMS OF 2019!

AD ASTRA (2019)
AVENGERS: ENDGAME (2019)
CAPERNAUM (2018)
DOLEMITE IS MY NAME (2019)
THE FAREWELL (2019)
THE IRISHMAN (2019)
JOJO RABBIT (2019)
JOKER (2019)
KNIVES OUT (2019)
MARRIAGE STORY (2019)
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (2019)
US (2019)

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In respect of 2020’s choice, some releases may have overlapped with 2019, but this is a list of all the films I watched and loved last year. They may not be the best necessarily, but they are the ones that really grabbed my imagination and intellect and humour. There may be some I haven’t seen as I currently do not have Disney + or Apple TV. Oh well, so it goes.

Almost making the list are the following highly entertaining films: The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019), A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood (2019), The Personal History of David Copperfield (2019), Tell Me Who I Am (2019), His House (2020), The Nightingale (2019), The Platform (2020), The Gentlemen (2019) and Diego Maradona (2019).

Anyway, here are my favourite twelve films of 2020 in alphabetical order. If I have missed any movies I MUST see – please comment below.

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1917 (2019)

“… the cinematic marvel that is, 1917 (2019), overcomes its narrative and thematic familiarity with an amazing technical achievement in both form and style.”

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DARK WATERS (2019)

“…surprising to see the film was directed by arthouse auteur, Todd Haynes. Nonetheless, it is not about making poetic cinema, but rather presenting a powerful environmental message that highlights the murderous avarice of DuPont.”

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DA 5 BLOODS (2020)

“… with Da 5 Bloods (2020), Spike Lee has delivered another bravura mix of genre and socio-political filmmaking which stares into the dark heart of humanity and finds greed, war, death, and brotherhood.”

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I’M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS (2020)

“…given Kaufman’s predilection for characters on the edge of nervous, depressive and existential breakdowns, some may find this film’s journey tough to complete. But I loved the invention and constant ideas on show throughout.”

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THE INVISIBLE MAN (2020)

“…The Invisible Man (2020) starts strongly and proceeds to deliver a series of gripping and, at times, heart-in-the-mouth cinematic moments. “

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MANGROVE (2020)

“…Steve McQueen and his exceptional cast deserve all the plaudits in bringing such a vital legal case to the screen. The Mangrove 9’s case is emblematic of the horror of ignorance that has occurred in British history and we must continue to stamp out vitriolic actions based purely on cultural difference and the colour of an individual’s skin.”

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PARASITE (2019)

“… more than a voyeuristic air to it with characters hiding around doorways and stairwells, as well as following, spying and watching each other secretly. It’s a film which Hitchcock would have been proud to have directed too, with many suspenseful and gripping set-pieces throughout.”

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PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (2019)

“… the performances by all the actresses are superb too as Sciamma directs with such confidence. I also liked that the critique of patriarchal society was implicit rather than didactic.”

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SAINT MAUD (2019)

“…Saint Maud (2019), overall, is an exceptionally well-crafted low budget work of British cinema. It is more than just a calling card for the extremely talented director, Rose Glass. Her grasp of the material is superb and the cinematography and shot composition support her dark vision brilliantly.“

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TENET (2020)

“… TENET (2020) is a big, brash and confident Bond-type film with bells on. Sure, the rules of the world could have been excavated and presented somewhat clearer. But, Nolan favours a breakneck pace and be damned if you cannot keep up.”

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THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO SEVEN (2020)

“… Aaron Sorkin and his incredibly adept ensemble cast deserve much praise for taking such a complex case and distilling it into such an enlightening work of cinema. Sacha Baron Cohen and Jeremy Strong stand out as a fine double act, while Mark Rylance attends his usual intelligence and class to the role of defence lawyer.”

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UNCUT GEMS (2019)

“… Howard himself is an unrelenting addict, his own worst enemy and a whirlwind of broken promises. But, I must admit I was gripped throughout due to overwhelmingly brilliant style, cinematography, editing, direction, darkly funny script and acting performances.”

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