Top 5 Most Disappointing Films I watched for the first time during COVID

If you're familiar with the stuff I waffle on about on this blog, you'd know that, during this silly old pandemic, I've managed to discover and finally get around to watching many films that were around beforehand. I've seen over 110 now, and many of them have been fabulous. But, you can't watch that many movies without at least a few bad apples, can you?

When looking at the weaker pre-existing films I watched for the first time during COVID, not many of them have been bad per se. A lot of them are, at worst, just a bit bland / boring. So, I couldn't really make a 'Top 10 Worst Films I watched for the first time during COVID list' without it feeling somewhat misleading a label. However, I have seen a fair amount of movies that I can safely say were disappointments - films I'd wanted to be one thing that ended up not being such. 

So, this list will honour those, the most disappointing films I watched for the first time during COVID. These will be in no particular order, as I can't really pinpoint which was the most disappointing, second most disappointing, and so on. Also, don't let this deter you from checking any of these out, as you may see something in them that I wasn't able to. Of all my lists, this one is probably the most subjective. So, let's get on with it!

5. Sausage Party (2016)

This is by far the worst film I watched for the first time during COVID, worse than all the other entries on this list. But, remember, this isn't about the worst, but the most disappointing. I didn't have amazingly high hopes for Sausage Party, but I was still intrigued to see it. I love animation and a more adult animated film is always something I appreciate, as I don't like the stereotype that it's a medium for children. Unfortunately, this film is only adult in the most childish ways. It's the sort of thing I'd associate with adult movies as a 12 or 13 year-old; swearing, sex, drugs, etc. It's not adult in any clever ways but just in the most crass ways. Additionally, the themes of the movie to do with unity in spite of cultural differences aren't as clever as the film thinks they are, nor are they particularly mature. I mean, Trolls World Tour from last year basically had the same message and that is a film that directly appeals to youngsters. On top of that, the animation is really ugly, so this wasn't even pleasant for the eyes like many weak animated films end up being. Some of the voice acting is good, I did chuckle every once in a while (I mean, swearing will always make me laugh) and I am glad that a mainstream adult animated film exists, but I was so disappointed by just how uninspired this was. Bleh.

4. Tales from Earthsea (2006) 

I've really come to love Studio Ghibli during this pandemic, and one of the best things about them is that they really don't have any bad movies; the worst they generally get is just okay. That being said, they've had a couple of disappointing outings, and this sure is one of them. I'm not familiar with the source material that Tales from Earthsea is based on, but I was drawn in by the genre. I love fantasy stuff; as in knights, kingdoms, dragons, magic, and such - that stuff is my jam. So, to see Studio Ghibli doing a film containing those elements with some of their own special touches was an exciting prospect. It's such a shame that the end result is a film so tragically boring and unengaging. I wasn't swept into this world in the same way that I was with Spirited Away or Princess Mononoke. I can't even vaguely remember the characters or the plot, and I only watched it a few months ago, that just shows how utterly detached I was from this. Worst of all, despite having a dragon on the poster, there's only like two minutes of dragons in the movie. Dragons are literally the most awesome thing ever, and they were so underused here. If that's how the source material is and Ghibli were adapting it faithfully, then I guess that's not their problem, but I don't know so I'm just going to pin it on them. Of course, it's beautiful to watch, but even the most gorgeous visuals can't salvage a movie when it's so narratively dull. This isn't the worst Ghibli movie for me, I personally think Porco Rosso is a little worse as this has a slightly more interesting set-up, but it was still so weak. I may give it another chance one day, but I don't think that day is in the forseeable future. Fortunately, Gorō Miyazaki showed he can make a decent movie with From Up on Poppy Hill, a formulaic but still amiable watch. Although, I haven't seen Earwig and the Witch yet...

3. Alpha (2018) 

This is another film that drew me in with the premise. Another thing I love is prehistoric stuff, so Alpha didn't have to do much to convince me to watch it when it arrived on Netflix. I hoping for this to be a simple and dramatic yet enjoyable adventure through the prehistoric wilderness, like a more serious take on the environment of the Ice Age films, if that makes sense. While this definitely was simple and dramatic, it was anything but enjoyable. This is such a ridiculously slow mover, it takes ages to get going and doesn't do anything remotely interesting or exciting when it does. I honestly could not tell you a single plot beat if you asked me to. The visuals and cinematography are occasionally striking and impressive, but the baffling slow pace made this really uninteresting and, once again, boring, a feeling I hate to feel. In the end, it just felt like a waste - a waste of some competent filmmaking, a waste of an intriguing premise, and definitely a waste of my time. There's nothing particularly offensive here, it was generally a fine watch, but I don't think I'll ever come back to this, which is a real shame because I imagined this would be one of those films I'd end up really liking and even adding to my list of underrated / overlooked movies. If you're one of the two people that's thinking about watching this, may I recommend you instead watch the recent adaptation of The Call of the Wild with Harrison Ford? It got a similar critical reception and also has similar thematic elements, but I personally enjoyed it so much more. It's not one of the best films I watched in this time, but it's one that I do think was wrongfully overlooked by many as there's some really solid stuff on display, definitely more so than with Alpha.

2. Brüno (2009) 

I hoped for this to be another funny outing with one of Sacha Baron Cohen's characters, whom I have very much become more familiar with during COVID. But, forgive me for sounding like a broken record, it was ever so boring. The main problem with this film is that it does hardly anything interesting with its main character. Borat is funny because he's a guy exploring a country that is culturally very different from where he is from in extreme ways, Ali G is funny because he's an informal guy put into government, and even the guy from The Dictator is funny for similar reasons to Borat but also because he's stripped of his status and struggles to adjust. Brüno is a very flamboyantly homosexual guy, which in itself definitely has the potential for some funny moments, and while there are fragments of such here and there, I honestly cannot remember a single thing that happened nor can I recall a single thing that made me laugh, except that gag near the start where he gets stuck to that curtain or whatever it was (I can only just about remember). As a result, the barely eighty-minute runtime felt so long, and I switched it off faster than I've ever switched off anything as soon as the credits began rolling. It wasn't terrible, Sacha Baron Cohen is still a great actor giving his all, but I just didn't find this clever or funny at all, which is the worst reaction you could possibly want from a comedy.

1. Cats (2019)

You might be a little confused when seeing that this is one of the most disappointing films I watched during COVID. Right away, let me clarify that I was not hoping Cats would be good. I rarely want a film to be bad, but sometimes watching a film so outrageously terrible and misguided can be an interesting experience, more so that something that's just a boring movie. The reaction to Cats led me to believe it would be one of these films, so I went in expecting something absolutely horrendous and preparing to be amazed by some sheer incompetence. Imagine how let down I was when I finished this movie and thought it was just kind of dull. There are some bad things in it, the 'story' doesn't translate well from stage to screen and despite being a musical I never smiled, tapped my feet, or wanted to sing along, which I always do! However, although I tried, I just could not bring myself to hate this. I think it might be down to the fact that I've seen Cats on stage and am thus used to the strangeness of it, unlike many uneducated others. The cats looked odd at first but after some time I got used to them, and the songs themselves aren't bad at all. All it amounted to in the end wasn't a horrendously shocking mess but really just a bland musical, and as weird as it is to say, I think I'd rather have sat through the former, because at least it would've been something. 

As much as I love to spread word of the positives during these tough times, I feel I should also touch on the negatives too, because it is the negatives that help us appreciate the positives in the ways that we do. While none of these were crushing disappointments, it is still a shame that a few movies I thought I'd get something out of weren't able to deliver. But, don't fear, I have another list of 10 great films I watched for the first time during COVID, and that'll be out very shortly.

Godzilla vs. Kong - Movie Review - Truly magnificent monster mayhem

Wow, it's been a while. I haven't been reviewing anything lately simply because cinemas haven't been open in the UK and thus I haven't had much to review. I have seen a few new things on Netflix, Apple TV, Disney+ and so on but will probably make another ranking of all of them later on. But, a notable new release starring two big fellas has dropped this weekend, and I have seen it, so discuss it I shall. 

Godzilla vs. Kong is the latest installment in Legendary's MonsterVerse, and it was meant to come out a while ago, but was pushed back because of the bother that is that ongoing pandemic. Anyway, it's here now even though cinemas aren't back just yet, which I am glad about. As much as I love going to the pictures and seeing films on a huge screen, I will admit that I haven't exactly felt a considerable cinema-shaped hole in my life in the last year when they've been mostly closed. I'm now at the point where I'd much rather see all the films we've been forced to wait ages for (such as No Time to Die, A Quiet Place 2, Black Widow, etc.) than wait for the cinemas to be open to show them. So, I'm happy that some films are coming straight to our homes for us to enjoy, even if we have to pay around £15 to rent them, and what better film to do so than this.

In the film, Kong is being used to transport a group of people to what's known as 'hollow earth' where they can find a power source capable of destroying Godzilla, now seen as an enemy to humanity. On the way, the two big guys cross paths and a series of crazy, destructive antics ensue. 

In all honesty, even though I love analysing films and picking apart all the little things that amount to such a great work of art, so much so that I'm actually going to take a degree in film studies at university next year, I have no problem with what people tend to regard as 'popcorn movies' - stuff that's all about the excitement and entertainment. The moviegoing experience is all about entertainment at its core, so I have no issue with things existing to entertain and just to entertain. 

Godzilla vs. Kong succeeds as a really enjoyable and well made popcorn movie. It has all the action and spectacle that one could ever ask for based on what the title promises. It's hard not to be even slightly excited by the sight of these two giants smashing each other, it's just so much fun. Additionally, some of it is executed really well. One battle takes place in Hong Kong, and watching the two clash with all the neon lights in the background was somewhat mesmerising. The 'hollow earth' is also a really well realised environment, with the journey to it being particularly enthralling and the landscape itself being really beautfiul, oddly reminiscent of Ice Age 3 if that means anything to you.

One of the complaints a lot have had about these movies is how the human characters involved are really boring and weigh down the movie. Obviously, you can't just have ninety minutes of non-stop monster fighting as that would just be a headache, so you need some humans to try and ground everything for the audience. The issue with this a lot of the time is that the humans are just forgettable and have no sense of character about them, so they can be quite dull, and made worse when they take the focus away from what the audience has come to see, monsters battling each other. Here, I think there was just the right amount of human characters; the filmmakers definitely know that the audience doesn't care for them, so they made few attempts to make actual characters, which is fine. Even though it would be nice to have compelling human drama alongside the monsters, it isn't a necessity. They fill their role sufficiently - navigating all the chaos in order to ground it for the audience. The focus is more on the monsters, so it was all good. 

Naturally, this isn't a perfect movie. One problem I have is that the movie doesn't have much of a wow factor. I haven't seen the Godzilla movie from 2014, but of the clips I have seen, such as the scene at the airport, the sheer scale of this creature is really well conveyed. You get the sense that he is just enormous, and it's kind of amazing. Here, although you're regularly reminded that these beasts are very big, you don't have that same sense of wonder at just how big they are. There aren't many civilian shots to help convey this so that aspect is lost, which is a shame because it does make the film more of a spectacle to behold. Another issue is that it does get a big tiring after some time; once you've been seeing these creatures punching each other and roaring for an hour or so it does feel quite fatiguing. There comes a point where they literally roar loudly at each other for a solid minute and it is a little head-banging. 

While Godzilla vs. Kong obviously isn't anything great, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a ton of fun with it. It does exactly what it says on the tin and is a perfectly enjoyable, albeit quite tiring, way to pass two hours. If you are lucky enough to be in a place where cinemas are open and are showing this, I think you ought to try and catch it there as it is certainly made for the big screen, but if you're like me and are limited to your TV at home, I'd still recommend to give it a watch anyway to take your mind off all the nonsense going on in the world at the moment. 

I'm going to give Godzilla vs. Kong a 7.5/10

I have seen some other films from 2021, but will get round to discussing them when cinemas come back in the UK, at which point I'll also list off some more great, pre-existing things that I watched for the first time during this whole COVID ordeal - I've seen over 100 now! If you want to keep up to speed with what I'm watching / ranking, follow me on Letterboxd (Jack W) where I log everything I see and update all my lists.

My Weird Experience with Frozen 2

I don't usually make posts about random experiences or viewings of movies that I've had, as it's usually only if it's about something new / noteworthy. However, I really want to share this experience and I couldn't think of a better place than here.

Everyone knows Frozen, it's kind of hard to believe there's anyone who doesn't. I remember going to see it as a 10 year-old and thinking it was just alright, a 6/10. But, I kind of grew a strong hatred towards it as, almost overnight, it became a cultural phenomenon. The songs were everywhere, the characters became iconic, it was unbelievable. So, for the following 2 or 3 years, I was really not a fan.

Unsurprisingly, a sequel was on the way. By the time Frozen 2 properly came to my awareness (around Spring 2019 when the initial trailers were released) I really didn't know what to think. I hadn't seen the original in a while and thus I'd kind of forgotten about it altogether. So, as the release drew closer, I slowly became more keen to give it a go, and reassess the original in the process. I ended up missing it during its theatrical run but finally got around to watching it in July of 2020, being one of the many films I watched for the first time during the whole COVID ordeal. 

Before I go into my thoughts on Frozen 2, I should mention that I did revisit the original Frozen in March last year. I was hoping for it to be better than I remembered but it was still just alright, though definitely not worthy of the hate I gave it. I like the characters, especially Anna, some of the twists on typical conventions are well done, the songs are a mostly weak bunch but Let it Go is a banger despite being extremely overly-played, and the animation is solid. It's a fine watch but there's nothing about it that particularly catches my attention.

Upon my first viewing, I thought Frozen 2 was mostly the same in terms of quality, it was ok. I found it to be very plot-heavy and convoluted, the songs were an even weaker selection than the first with nothing reaching the highs of Let it Go, and Olaf was far more annoying as a comic relief. But I thought Anna and Elsa were really well realised and had a nice bond, which gave the film a really solid emotional core. In the original they mostly spend the time trying to adapt to be with one another, but I prefer how they were here as they get more time to connect in a really genuine way. On top of that, the animation was far better, not just because Disney have perfected their craft with CGI since the original, but because it plays around with more than just ice, throwing elements such as fire and water into the mix and putting creative spins on all of them. So, because of that, I thought it was a marginal improvement.

Since then, I basically forgot the about the movie. However, it came back into my memory when I discovered a documentary series that went behind the scenes and showcased the production process. I thought I'd give it a try but was expecting to just watch the first episode and call it a day. How wrong I was. I thought this was a fascinating documentary, and for many reasons.

Even though I already knew how long and how much effort it takes to make an animated movie, I don't really think it can be emphasised enough. Anyone who has ever worked on one has worked harder than I'll likely ever work in my life. They are truly a product of anyone involved, beyond the directors. Every animator makes great contributions and implements their own ideas. Watching this series was really insightful into this process because, even though I have watched countless animated films, I really didn't realise just how much goes into making one. Honestly, I could not stop watching this. I planned to watch it over the course of a few days but got through it all in one go, I was so transfixed in everything that happened and was even kind of sad when it ended. I hope we can see more series like this for other animated movies. 

So, after seeing all this, all the hard work and passion from everyone involved, I felt kind of sad that it was all for something I didn't really care about. I know anyone can feel any way about anything but I genuinely felt bad for not really giving this film much attention. Honestly, I don't take any pride in disliking the things I dislike, or regarding things as just ok, I always try to look for the best in films. So, I saw it best to give Frozen 2 another chance.

Fortunately, I like it considerably more. I can't help but appreciate what I see after knowing what went into crafting it. That's not to say I think the film is perfect, I still think the story is a bit of a mess and Olaf is still annoying, but there are things I think I was simply wrong about before. Most notably, the songs were far better than I remember. Show Yourself and Into the Unknown (the showstoppers that seem to be this movie's Let it Go equivalents) are both terrific, but my favourite is All is Found, the tender and gentle lullaby from the very start, which has been stuck in my head for a week now. Additionally, the things I liked the first time around were still apparent here, Anna and Elsa being two great characters and the animation being so stunning and a massive step-up from before. 

So, I'm glad I like it more now because I really wanted to after seeing what a labour of love it was for the filmmakers. If every animated film had a behind the scenes documentary series like this did, maybe my appreciation for many others, even those that I like a lot less, would be increased too. As it stands, I have infinite respect for everyone who has contributed in some way to the medium. It may take a lot more time and patience that just sticking a camera in front of some actors, but it's so versatile and so wondrous that I believe it is completely worth it in the end. 

So, that's my quite weird experience with Frozen 2. Also, while I'm here, can I just take a moment to spread my excitement for Raya and the Last Dragon? I hope this movie is good, dragons in general are awesome and I love the oriental style this seems to have with its visuals and music. It looks so different and refreshing for Disney so I'll be sure to see that when it drops on Disney+, unless cinemas are back in which case I'll try and catch it there.

Soul - Movie Review - It's safe to say that Pixar is back now

I know that this is a digital release (which I usually don't do in-depth reviews of) but it was originally meant for a theatrical release, and it's a new film from Pixar, so we'll go ahead and do one anyway. 

Soul is one of two Pixar films from 2020, and also one of two original Pixar films from 2020, which is more than welcome considering how weak a year for film it ended up being and also based on the overload of follow-ups this studio has produced over the last ten years or so, a couple of which haven't been all that good. Despite this, I still had some concerns. I liked the look of the down-to-Earth story that the film portrayed in the first half of the teaser trailer, but wasn't so sure if I wanted it to turn into another story set in another world with a ton of childish gimmicks that distract from some genuinely dramatic stuff. But, some good reviews and reactions came in, and after finally getting Disney+, I was able to check it out.

Joe Gardner is a down on his luck school band teacher, who dreams of performing Jazz with one of his favourite musicians. He gets a chance to do this gig of his dreams, but unfortunately falls into a hole and dies beforehand. After escaping the great beyond, he finds himself in a place known as the great before, and has to work with an unborn soul named 22 in order to get back to his life and fulfill what he believes to be his purpose.

Let's get the obvious Pixar pros out of the way. The animation is expectedly stunning, with the real world having extreme fidelity while also being nicely stylised, and the land of the souls being wonderfully colourful and ethereal. The score is also one of the best in any Pixar film; coming from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, it's appropriately abstract and generally beautiful. This studio somehow manages to outdo themselves on these aspects that I previously thought they couldn't do much better on, which is largely commendable.

I also found the voice acting to be particularly good in this, not least from the big names like Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey, but also from people like Graham Norton and Richard Ayoade, both of whom were really funny and should definitely do more voice work.

But, by far the best thing about Soul is the theming. It has a more intellectual stance compared to most other Pixar movies, which is much appreciated from me. As someone who studies philosophy and often thinks about existential ideas, I found the story of this film really profound. I love the way it explores the supposed meaning of life and what we believe to be our purposes, and suggesting that life isn't really about those things but really just about living every moment as it happens. That's some really deep stuff and it's handled almost effortlessly. The way music is also interwoven into this story is really well done too. I love these mature, bold ideas and the fact that Pixar implemented them into a story so expertly just made me smile. There's a particular montage that consists of no words but just peaceful piano playing that essentially summarises the idea at its core, and I couldn't help but smile at how perfect it was. 

Despite all this, there are some problems with this movie. I think my biggest issue is that this story, at least in my eyes, could've worked just as well if not better had it been completely in the real world and without the augmentations of the soul world. While I do think it was creative, visually interesting, and beneficial for conveying the film's message, I did find it weighing the film down because I was far more interested in what was going on in the real world and occasionally found it distracting. The whole second act of the film also didn't land right with me. I understood what it was doing in retrospect, but as it was on, it was quite annoying and a bit childish, undermining the really mature aspects of the film for me by kind of dumbing them down. 

Pete Docter is definitely the best of Pixar's directors when it comes to crafting messages and I think he has some of the best ideas, but I also think he is often restricted by a need to appeal to children. I'd really like to see this studio take a stab at making a film for an adult audience. Yes, I am aware that the universality of their films is a wonderful thing, but that's not to say that something a bit more grown up can't work on at least one occasion. Look at films like Princess Mononoke or The Breadwinner, two animated films that are not made for children, from studios that have made child-friendly content in the past, that both work really well. Animation is just a medium at the end of the day and one that has more to it than just telling stories to children. Pixar definitely have the talent and ideas to make something in the same league, so I think Disney really ought to take the family-friendly shackles off and let them give it a go. I'm not saying I want all their films to be this way from now on, I'd just like to see them give it a try, because Soul, along with films like Ratatouille and The Incredibles, is proof that they can. But, then again, artistic license comes after ensuring the greatest profits for big companies like this so I guess not then.

As a whole, I was really satisfied with Soul. While I do think it's a story that could've functioned better with a completely mature tone, I still really liked the way it was told. The intellectual ideas, the creative world-building, and more phenomenal animation and music really made this a pleasant watch. It has its problems but the good things are just too good to be weighed down by them. Hopefully this paves the way for more great original content and maybe, just maybe, something more adult-centred too.

I'm going to give Soul a 9.0/10

Also, as I'm sure you can imagine, I love Disney+ and have been using it quite a lot. I'll definitely be checking out Hamilton and Mulan (2020) shortly as well as the countless Disney films I've wanted to watch for ages. I've also been watching The Mandalorian and it's pretty great.

Top 5 Films of 2020

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

More Digital 2020 Releases I've Seen Ranked

Since ranking all digital releases I'd seen in 2020 before theatrical releases returned, I've continued to see more and more as they've been released. As we come to the end of this hectic year, I thought it'd be a good time to go through them. This list will cover all digital 2020 releases I've seen since the start of September, a considerably stronger batch compared to the last one, but still not great on the whole. Nevertheless, let's go!

11. Hubie Halloween

Even though I regard 2020 as a weak year for movies, this is really the only bad film I've seen. But, even at that, it's not that bad. Hubie Halloween is perfectly passable and extremely harmless, but it's soooooooooo boring. I literally got out some school work and started doing that while the film was on, I was that uninterested in it. It's kind of a shame as well because, even though I'm not the biggest fan of Adam Sandler, I tend to enjoy his simple, silly comedies like this, even if they aren't that good. I think a big part of why this didn't click with me is because I'm not really that invested in Halloween. It happens every year, but it's not as big a deal here in the UK compared to the USA. The only legitimately funny thing in this film was the running gag involving the thermos, that made me laugh on a couple of occassions. But, aside from that, I was bored out of my mind - 4.0/10

10. The Devil All the Time

Netflix throw a lot at the wall when putting out original content, so more often than not, they put out a couple of films that are genuinely interesting, a few of which are on this list. Unfortunately, while this is one of them, it didn't hit the mark for me. The Devil All the Time has a very impressive cast who all deliver strong and commited performances, an appropriate aesthetic and direction, and some intriguing themes, but that couldn't really salvage the movie when I found it to be so long and convoluted as well as so excessively dark to the point where I don't really want to revisit or think about it again. I appreciate this movie for what it was going for, but I don't think such is to my liking - 6.0/10

9. The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two

I didn't think too much of the original Christmas Chronicles film, it was a fairly surface-level Christmas romp but made quite fun because of Kurt Russell as Father Christmas. Going into this one, I naturally wasn't expecting much, but I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would, more so than its predecessor. The interpretation of Christmas here is so inventive, making it quite a fun watch. Additionally, Kurt Russell continues to charm and the story is also a lot more exciting. So, even though there still wasn't much to latch onto, as a slice of festive cheer in the year 2020, this did the job just fine for me - 7.0/10

8. Enola Holmes

There's not much to be said about this one, I just really enjoyed it. A lot of what makes Enola Holmes work is the charm, charisma, and general likability of Milly Bobby Brown in the central role - I thought she did an excellent job, and the way she kept breaking the 4th wall was consistently entertaining. This was originally much higher, but the more I think about it, the less I want to go back, which isn't too good a sign. But, still had fun while it was on - 7.5/10

7. Mank

During COVID, I've become a fan of David Fincher's work. He's made quite a few great films, so I was pleased to see that a new outing from him was soon to come. However, I felt a little disappointed with what I got. Mank has much to like, particularly in its performances from Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried, the well-crafted 1930s aesthetic, and the solid direction as usual. But, it's quite a dull watch. With most films based on true stories, there's always something about their narrative that communicates to the audience why this story needed to be dramatised, but this just didn't have that. Nothing about this story seemed especially interesting or engaging, and I felt I could probably get the same experience from just reading the behind the scenes of Citizen Kane. Speaking of which, it didn't help that the film was designed to appeal to those in love with the afore mentioned film as well as those familiar with this era and the politics surrounding it, so I was unable to get as much out of this as a different audience member could have. I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as the last two films, but I've placed it higher because I am keen to come back once I've seen Citizen Kane and also because, there's much more worth admiring even if the issues are more prominent - 6.0/10

6. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

The last digital release I watched, and not the highest of notes to go out on. It's undeniably great to see one last amazing performance from Chadwick Boseman, a terrific talent whose passing will leave a considerable hole in the film industry in the coming years, and Viola Davis is also as fabulous as she usually is. But this was just kind of an uneventful movie. It's occassionally interesting and compelling, but most of the time it was just obvious that this was desgined for the stage, a format I believe is better suited for this story because of how little variation there is in location and how little of the lives of these people is covered outside of monologues and such. As a result of this, the filmmaking was kind of unremarkable too. However, I can't complain too much because I thought this was a perfectly fine watch, and I see more worth admiring in this too compared to other films lower on this list that I enjoyed more - 6.5/10

5. I'm Thinking of Ending Things

This is another interesting movie but one that actually frustrates me. I enjoyed I'm Thinking of Ending Things; the performances, particularly from Jessie Buckley, were terrific, the cinematography and aspect ratio were very effective, and the overall atmosphere was really engaging, meaning the film always had my attention and I was always interested. But, I just can't bring myself to say I loved it. It felt a lot as if it was just constantly throwing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle at me but not giving any time to piece them together. I like it when a piece of art leaves you thinking about what you just watched and what it means, but here it hindered my enjoyment, as I struggled to embrace what I was watching due to being so bogged down in all the different aspects of it. Similar to Mank, I'm not familiar with the work of Charlie Kaufman, so maybe after a bit of experience with his films I'll be more prepared to get the most out of this. To reiterate, I did really enjoy and admire a lot of what this movie offered, and I am keen to revisit it, but I just took some issue with everything else - 7.5/10

4. On the Rocks

While this did have a brief theatrical run, I watched it for the first time at home thanks to my year free trial of Apple TV+ (very generous considering that there are some streaming services that don't offer a free trial at all *cough* Disney+ *cough*). I'm not too familiar with Sofia Coppola's films aside from the great Lost in Translation, but I was keen to see this. Having watched it, it was mostly a vehicle for Bill Murray to just be himself from 90 minutes, and I'm perfectly fine with that. The plot was fine, the filmmaking fairly standard, but I really enjoyed it overall, not too much else to say here, it was just entertaining and I'd happily check it out again - 7.5/10

3. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

For some inexplicable reason, I had not seen Borat until roughly two months ago, which is shocking considering that I love Sacha Baron Cohen. After watching it, I was delighted that there was a sequel on its way, and even more delighted upon having had plenty of fun watching it. Cohen's antics as the goofy Kazakhstani reporter are just so damn funny, and it's hard to resist. But it doesn't stop there, as putting him in the climate of the year 2020 was especially genius, and it is impressive that this film was written and produced in the midst of the pandemic. As far as issues go, I feel the edge of the original with its mockumentary style was slightly abandoned in favour of a more emotional story, and there are times where some of the jokes get a bit old, but I still had a great time with this everything considered - 7.5/10

2. David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet

This one also had a brief time in the cinema, but I was able to watch it on Netflix. I thought this was just a brilliant film. David Attenborough is a true inspiration, and his witness statement about the state of our planet was so eye-opening and honest. But, as much as the tragedies of today's natural environment were highlighted, there was a ton of optimism about what can be done to redeem it as a counter-balance. After watching, I felt like I'd learned much, making this essential viewing for anyone who cares about the world we live in, or really just anyone who lives on this planet. While not a film in the traditional sense, leaving it out of this list would be doing a disservice - 8.0/10

1. The Trial of the Chicago 7

The only great Netflix movie from 2020, and I couldn't be happier to say that there was at least one! I was sold on this film before having seen it - Aaron Sorkin has proven himself to be the best in the business when it comes to screenwriting, dialogue in particular. If you look at a film like The Social Network, you can pick up just how talented he is from how satisfying and even musical the dialogue is. So, upon combining such a skillset with a courtroom drama, a sub-genre I have started to take a liking to, you essentially have a match made in heaven. The writing here is pitch-perfect and thoroughly engrossing, I loved almost every bit of it. It executed this really fascinating story in such a terrific way. In addition to this, Sorkin presents himself as a solid directing talent too. Aside from that, the acting was very strong from Eddie Redmayne, Mark Rylance and Joseph Gordon-Levitt to name a few. Despite an occasionally messy structure, this film just hits the right notes in almost every aspect, so it's the best digital release I've seen in 2020 - 8.0/10

So, that just about rounds up my thoughts on every digital 2020 release I've seen, as well as every 2020 release I've managed to see in general. I'm grateful I've been able to find some new content in this time, some of which has been well worth the watch, but it all boils down to just a shell of the 2020 movie season I was hoping for. Let's hope that 2021 will have more to offer, and hopefully more on the big screen.

If you want to see my full 2020 movie ranking including both digital and theatrical releases as well as brief reviews I post after watching films both old and new, be sure to follow me on Letterboxd: Jack W. If you don't have it, I'd highly recommend if you're a big movie person like myself.

Another Top 10 Films I watched for the first time during COVID

Since publishing my list of the top 10 films I watched for the first time during COVID, I have seen much more excellent pre-existing content, and I thought I might as well talk about it as the end of the year draws closer. So, here's another top 10 films I watched for the first time during COVID.

To reiterate, no new releases that came out in this time are included here, as this is all about pre-existing films I wanted to watch as well as ones that I had no intention to watch. Also, this will not include anything I had watched at the time of my last list being published, as this will focus on the films I watched between then and now. To see the full list of everything I watched for the first time during COVID (which contains over 80 films!), be sure to follow me on Letterboxd: Jack W. You'll also find mini reviews of mostly everything I don't mention here.

I'd also like to give a quick warning, but some of the films on this list are in a very unpopular order, so if you are very passionate about your opinion and / or unable to accept differences in opinions, you may not like what you see. With all that being said, let's get going!

10. Apollo 13 (1995)

I love space movies, particularly ones based on real life, and I love Tom Hanks, so there was every way this would be a fine watch at the very least. While Apollo 13 is very long and occassionally plods, it's a thoroughly engaging and tense watch. Like The Martian, which is one of my favourite films, it's essentially built around a problem and all the solutions that are gradually worked out to overcome it, which is a really engrossing way to tell a story. So, I found much to enjoy here.

9. Fight Club (1999)

One of the notable trends throughout all the films I watched for the first time during COVID is that I've started to enter the world of David Fincher films. Pre-COVID, I'd only seen The Social Network, and while I love that film, I was very keen to watch the other works of this fan-favourite filmmaker. So far, I've watched three, and Fight Club is the only one to make this list, with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button just barely missing out and Zodiac not coming close (unpopular opinions I know). This was quite a full-on and generally mental watch, but I really enjoyed it. The fast pace, strong performances, snappy dialogue, and interesting story made it a great experience. I am very keen to go back and take a closer look into it for sure, as there's so much worth coming back for, and hopefully it'll just get better. I should probably shut up about this now because I've broken the first rule enough.

8. The Green Mile (1999)

I didn't really know what to expect from this movie, but it had Tom Hanks in it so it had to be at least passable. What I got was something far better than I could've expected. Usually I struggle with movies over three hours (with exceptions such as Lord of the Rings and Endgame) but I didn't have a problem with that here as it was extremely enthralling. Hanks is effortlessly fabulous, the late Michael Clarke-Duncan gives a phenomenally powerful performance, and the story as a whole is really thoughtful and emotional. While hard to watch at times and slow at others, I have to praise this movie for managing to keep my attention when it so easily could've sent me to sleep.

7. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)

I'm all for films being wonderful works of art with great meaning, but I'm also never one to reject something frothy and just plain fun. Four Weddings and a Funeral was a delight, and for the simple reason that it was just really funny and really charming. Hugh Grant, despite looking about twelve, was as likeable as ever, Rowan Atkinson continues to show he can make the very best of a seemingly minor role, and the plot as a whole was just very entertaining.

6. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)

If you saw my ranking of more digital 2020 releases I've seen, you'll know that I had never seen Borat before 2020. I love Sacha Baron Cohen and think he is one of the funniest actors around, so I'm surprised it took me so long to catch one of his most acclaimed films, and just in time for its sequel. Borat takes an idea that appears quite one-note on the surface but manages to make the very best of it in almost every aspect. This film is absolutely hysterical and consistently kept me entertained even when it somewhat ran out of momentum. I'll certainly be coming back to this because if something makes me laugh, it gets many points from me.

5. Brother Bear (2003)

I think it's really sad that Disney, despite being the pioneers of animated films and producing tons of great content with the 2D medium, have abandoned such for 3D just because of its greater profitability and convenience. So, I'm always happy to watch any 2D films of theirs that I haven't seen, and Brother Bear is one of them. This is no Lion King or Beauty and the Beast, but it is still a really beautiful and very endearing movie. The humour kind of stumbles in places, which is somewhat of a given for many animated movies, but it pleased my eyes and occasionally my ears for ninety minutes as well as gently tugging at the heartstrings, so I really like it. It's also really funny to hear Joaquin Phoenix's voice in this movie, for someone who is extremely picky about what roles they choose nowadays, it is interesting that he was convinced to star in something of this calibre.

4. Memento (2000)

Continuing my way through the Nolan library, Memento is yet another great movie. Of all his works, this one thrives the most off of its non-linear storytelling, as the story would quite literally have not made sense or have been as effective if it were told chronologically, which is an indicator that it wasn't done for the sake of it, unlike some other films. Additionally, it was a far more captivating experience because of its structure, and it continued (or, I suppose started) the Nolan tradition of demanding you to actively watch and pay attention. Beyond that, there isn't an awful lot to latch onto, but the truly unique nature is what boosts this in my mind.

3. 12 Angry Men (1957)

Yep, we're going way back with some of these. If you were to tell me that a film consisting of twelve men sat bickering in one room for ninety minutes would be good, I wouldn't know what to say. This was terrific. It's a film that almost entirely hinges on one line, a line that makes you rethink almost everything it had established up to that point. Because of that, at the end of the film, you start to think about how the smallest of things can be extremely important, and that they are worth discussing. Additionally, the way this film witholds information is equally genius, keeping you engaged for its whole runtime. Beyond that, the acting and dialogue is expectedly brilliant, I mean, I find a weird funniness in fast-spoken dialogue from older films like this, so it was just a great time. I was anything but angry while watching.

2. Song of the Sea (2014)

If you saw my review of Wolfwalkers, you'll know that I've recently fallen in love with the Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon. After liking that film and one of their others, The Breadwinner, I just had to get round to seeing the rest as soon as possible. Song of the Sea, in my mind, is tied with Wolfwalkers for being their best film. Films like this just don't come around much anymore; films with actual stories to tell and ideas to share, as well as being conveyed in such a beautiful and utterly distinct way in terms of both the gorgeous animation and the sweeping music. I adored this film so much and it reminds me why I love animation, 2D animation, films, and just storytelling in general. It's magnificent.

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

This is simply one of the most amazing films I have ever seen. I have no idea what 2001: A Space Odyssey means, but that doesn't matter. Everything in this film just screams cinema. This is an unbelievable work of art that feels so ahead of its time. Whether we're talking about the visuals, the set design, the colours, the atmosphere, the music, the cinematography, it's all just on another level. Even the smallest of things like a floating pen that is seamlessly picked up by an actor left me astonished and in awe, I mean, how did they do that in 1968? Some literal movie magicians must have worked on this. Honestly, I cannot stress enough how blown away I was by this, I would have happily sat down and watched it again right after it finished, and would have no problem sitting around analysing it for hours. AMAZING STUFF.

Well, that's that all wrapped up. 2020 hasn't been as rough for me as it has been for others, but it has still been pretty rubbish. However, if there is one good thing that has come out of it, it's all the brilliant films like these that I was able to watch. As things look like they'll mostly be the same for the coming months, I only hope I can discover more and more.