Here we are, the end of yet another year, and what a bumpy one it's been. I've gone on enough in recent posts about my thoughts on the state of cinema throughout the last twelve months, so in this, I'm just going to cut to the chase.
I didn't really feel like making this list at first, but to spread a little positivity and also to preserve the tradition set by the last two years, I thought I might as well. Even though 2020 hasn't had the strongest batch of movies, there were a handful of great ones released beyond those that were simply the least bad, thus we've reverted to the Top 5 format.
My thoughts on some of these have changed since I last discussed them, so I'll be relatively detailed with those. But, for others which I don't have much new to discuss, I'll just mention them briefly to save time. Here we go!
5. David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
Talked about this recently and don't have much else to say, it's just a really powerful, honest and optimistic look at the state of the planet nowadays.
4. Onward
The only 2020 film I managed to see before everything went pear-shaped, and one that improved upon revisiting. I initially regarded Onward as a decent but somewhat conventional Pixar offering, but I didn't really take issue with what I regarded as "conventional" on my second viewing. I found myself invested in the characters, really enjoying the story, still dazzled by the animation, and just having a great time overall. So, it's comfortably found a place in this selection. I really really really wanted to watch Soul before the end of the year, but I wasn't able to. However, I am going to get a Disney+ subscription soon so I'll be sure to check it out and promptly give my thoughts. I can't miss a Pixar film, even if an exclusive service is the only place it's available.
3. The Trial of the Chicago 7
Once again, I've talked about this recently, so all I'll say here is that this was an extremely well written, engaging and insightful watch. I very much look forward to seeing what Aaron Sorkin does next because he's just amazing.
2. Tenet
If you saw my original review, you'll know that I was slightly disappointed by Tenet. I mean, the prospect of a new Christopher Nolan movie is exciting enough and it didn't help that I became a much bigger fan of his during lockdown and that this was the first major release upon the re-opening of cinemas, so my expectations were stupidly high, and naturally I was a bit disappointed. However, because I couldn't stop thinking about it, about a month later, I returned to the exact same cinema and the exact same screen to give it another go, and it was much better. The pacing was much smoother, the burden of having to follow along was somewhat eased, and I just enjoyed it a whole lot more. Some of my initial reservations remain, namely the storytelling as well as a bit of fatigue near the end. But, despite those, I am glad I was able to get more out of it, and I still have infinite levels of respect for Nolan for both using his blockbuster status to make cerebral, complex works of art and not being afraid to put them out at a time that may not ensure the greatest profits.
1. Wolfwalkers
Honestly, there was no competition for the top spot on this list; Wolfwalkers is just magnificent. It's a beautiful tale that proves 2D animation is still able to work wonders in the 3D age, and it has a really sweet, emotional heart at its core. The more I think about this film the more I like it. This is the only film in 2020 I gave a 9/10 to, which is a shame when considering how many I dealt out in 2019, but at least we were able to get one. Cartoon Saloon haven't put a foot wrong since they entered the world of feature films, and I definitely have more faith in them going forward than I do for other animation studios like Pixar. Also, as I saw this relatively early, it was such a joy to gradually see more and more people discover it and sing its praises, as I did. So, without a doubt, this is the best movie of 2020.
So, that wraps up 2020. Even though the coming year is largely uncertain in terms of whether things will come out and how they'll come out, I thought I'd briefly brush over the current 2021 release schedule and highlight the things I'm looking forward to the most.
In order of supposed release:
- The King's Man - A much needed return to a franchise I love
- Raya and the Last Dragon - Finally something original and different from Disney
- No Time To Die - About time
- A Quiet Place: Part 2 - Technically a 2020 film which definitely won't cause confusion
- Last Night in Soho - Edgar Wright is the best, hopefully something different will still be good
- Black Widow - Somehow even more overdue
- Godzilla vs Kong - Sure, why not?
- Fast and Furious 9 - Also sure, why not?
- Death on the Nile - Another outing with the best moustache in cinema
- Dune - YES YES YES YES YES YES I NEED THIS NOW
- Spider-Man: Homecoming 3 - The cast alone excites me
- Sherlock Holmes 3 - Apparently this is a thing, which is awesome
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