Movies have always been a big part of my life, but I don’t know what I would have done without my Collider.com family and storytelling in 2020. Yes, the industry is reeling and there’s a scary amount of uncertainty surrounding the future of film, but even in the face of all that and a raging pandemic, artists persevered and delivered work that wound up being the support I needed right now in a multitude of ways.
As I say every year, this ismytop ten movies of 2020 and you don’t need to agree with my choices. It’s always a personal list that reflects whatever I was reaching for in a given year, but this right here might be the most deeply personal top ten list I’ve ever assembled. Whether it’s a movie that lifted my spirits, one I shared with loved ones or films that helped me better understand a scary truth, this is a list of ten movies that contributed to keeping me whole, putting a smile on my face and helping me grow, even when the world came to a screeching halt.
10. Hamilton
In hindsight, I’m willing to admit that maybe I was a little bit stubborn about not being able to seeHamiltonon Broadway. Tried as I might, I couldn’t get tickets and decided I couldn’t listen to the music until I saw the show in full. That essentially meant depriving myself of enjoying a pop culture phenomenon with the rest of the world for five long years. Disney+ finally changed that. I knowHamiltonisn’t a traditional feature film release, but it is a very well captured version of the stage production that made a huge impression on me this year so I absolutely had to include it on the list. Not only did I wind up loving the show and falling hard for the music, but it also marked the first time that every single member of my household sat in the same room and watched a feature together from start to finish. Sure, I miss seeing movies on the big screen, but being able to recreate that event viewing experience and shareHamiltonwith my loved ones safe and sound at home came with a welcomed warmth and communal celebration of cinema and storytelling that I certainly needed.
9. The Invisible Man
Nowthisis how you bring an iconic character back to the big screen! While that might sound like it’s a direct jab at the failed Dark Universe, I mean it more as a criticism of the industry in general. There’s no denying that Hollywood just can’t help but to milk popular properties for all they’re worth, butLeigh Whannell’sInvisible Manis proof that you can get all of those desired dollars and actually earn them by evolving the concept with artistry and purpose. Whannell did deliver a monster movie, but not a monster of the sci-fi sort. Instead, he takes a very real man and essentially gives him the tools to amplify the terrors of domestic abuse. Further intensifying how thisInvisible Mantaps into devastating real world horrors is the fact thatElisabeth Mossensures that you feel every ounce of Cecilia’s experience. (Between her work in this and inShirley, Moss better get some sort of recognition for what she’s achieved in 2020.) And then there’s Whannell who’s brought his craftsmanship to a whole new level. He delivered some truly wow-worth work in 2018’sUpgrade, but what stands out most about what’s becoming a signature style of sorts for Whannell is how he’s honing it, honing it to up the exhilaration of his action sequences while also adapting it to best suit the story at hand. That right there suggests that Whannell has the ability to apply what he does best to just about anything.
8. Birds of Prey
It’s hard to discussBirds of Preywhile avoiding the sensitivity of longing to be back in a movie theater, but the memory of walking out of that screening in February absolutely buzzing with excitement and energy has proven to be a much needed source of comfort through 2020. Plus, big or small screen, there’s no denying thatBirds of Preyis hands down one of the most vibrant thrills of 2020. Directed byCathy Yanand produced by and starringMargot Robbie, this is one of those big studio films where you can just feel the creative passion and synergy leaping off the screen. Robbie is utter perfection as Harley Quinn, effortlessly weaving from the character’s more outrageous moments to breaking the fourth wall, the visceral combat sequences, and even some incredibly effective emotional beats. And even with a sub-two-hour run time, writerChristina Hodsonstill manages to give every member of that ensemble history, heart and clear motivation, contributing to the wildly exhilarating satisfaction of seeing the team come together for the third act funhouse fight. While that big team-up battle is the personal favorite fight of the movie,Birds of Preyoverall rocks some of the best of the best in fight choreography. Everything is done with purpose, feels true to the characters, rocks impeccable attention to detail and has you feeling the brute force of every single blow. Pair that withMatthew Libatiquevisuals that are just dripping with style and you wind up with a slew of highly effective action sequences that feel so unique to this film. I know that excessively long release title got some eye rolls and I am glad they opted to cut it down, but the way the movie tackles a variety of pursuits of emancipation turned out to be the ultimate kick ass girl power battle cry and I still can’t get enough of it.
7. Promising Young Woman
Say hello to your first of four feature directorial debuts on my top ten!Emerald Fennelldoesn’t hold back in the slightest in this searing assessment of the tendency to put offenders over victims. Fennell dives head first into the subject matter with sky high fervor for making her point. While I can’t speak to her own experience making the film, it most certainly seems like she had a very firm understanding of exactly how to achieve those goals, getting the absolute most out of her soundtrack, framing, costume design and then some.Promising Young Womanalso featuresCarey Mulliganat her best. The film challenges Mulligan from top to bottom between adhering to the specific tone and style, and also the necessity of capturing the intense nature of Cassie’s agenda and also the internal complexity of dealing with past trauma. Every single thing Cassie does in the movie taps into that inner turmoil and impacts the outward expression of it. Showing such clarity in Cassie’s drive, ensures that movie makes its larger point and makes it hard, but without ever letting you forget the fact that Cassie is a human being.Promising Young Womanis effectively screaming “enough is enough,” but it’s the nuance and sensitivity that Mulligan brings to the role of Cassie that guarantees the film won’t be a fleeting rally cry, but rather a deeply personal and tragic experience that’ll burrow its way into your brain and heart so that you never let the issue go.
6. Spontaneous
Spontaneousmight be one of the best surprises of 2020. I was already a fan ofBrian Duffieldcourtesy of Netflix’sThe Babysitter, butSpontaneousmarked his directing debut. Could he bring the same sense of authorial expressivity to the screen that he does to the page? On top of that,Spontaneousdidn’t necessarily get the biggest promotional push. Of course it’s a unique year in the distribution department, but if you brushed offSpontaneousas a low priority digital release, I’d understand why. However, if you are guilty of that, now’s the time to fix it becauseSpontaneousis a stellar highly charming and entertaining film that never shies away from exploring some of the darkest aspects of our reality, or more specifically, the reality that students have to face regarding the prevalence of school shootings. And that’s not all! Based on theAaron Starmerbook,Spontaneousalso addresses the government’s frequent failure to manage crises and the immense challenge an individual may face moving forward after experiencing trauma. How’s that for a teen romantic comedy with a dose of horror?Spontaneousmarks some ofKatherine Langford’s best work yet. The role of Mara challenges her from every angle, requiring Langford to capture the emotional overload of being a teenager in a traditional sense, including teen angst and the intensity of a first love, and then taking it to extremes with the rage and sheer terror that comes from the fact that her classmates are exploding at random. Langford delivers big in every respect and Duffield captures it all with assuredness and a style that well supports every layer of this ambitious genre mash-up.
I love looking at my top ten lists as time capsules representing what movies spoke to me most in a given year. With that in mind, how can I not haveRob Savage’sHoston this year’s line-up? First of all, this is an expertly crafted found footage-type film. In just 60 minutes, Savage manages to establish a super charming main ensemble with what feels like years and years worth of friendship and experiences between them. That quickly established connection alone ups the value of the scares to come tenfold. In discussing those scares though, we must address the second reason whyHostwas an absolute must for this list; not only did Savage manage to adapt to the challenges of filming a movie during a pandemic, but the story and the scares embrace some of the most familiar aspects of the pandemic lifestyle staggeringly well. Savage uses the Zoom framework brilliantly from top to bottom. Not in a way that feels like a shtick or device, but totally organic. While I might hesitate to arrange a seance via Zoom, I’ve most certainly seen my fair share of face filters, recorded virtual backgrounds and Internet glitches. Key to the success of incorporating those elements into scares is Savage’s shot design and timing. I won’t tell you how many times I’ve watchedHostsince its summer release, but I’m shocked by how effective its final scare is despite knowing it’s coming for a multitude of reasons. Another vital component toHost’s effectiveness? That cast. Obviously performances are mighty important to any film, but a shaky cam/found footage movie just plain old won’t work without the utmost natural performances andHaley Bishop,Jemma Moore,Emma Louise Webb,Radina DrandovaandCaroline Warddeliver big in that respect. In such a devastating year that’s put the industry in quite the downward spiral, it’s inspiring to see a group of artists come together to make the most of what we have right now - and it turned out, making the most of our situation also equaled making one of the best features of the year.
4. His House
This won’t be the last time you read this in my top ten - this right here is a phenomenal feature directorial debut. As much as I love a quick thrill, I’m in awe of the abundance of recent genre films that use horror to explore real world challenges. In some cases, it’s the closest I can come to empathizing with someone else’s plight, an intense emotional experience that not only sparks more awareness, but hopefully the urge to act as well. This is exactly whatRemi Weekesachieves withHis House. Have you ever watch a haunted house movie and wondered why the occupants don’t just leave?His Housecompletely obliterates that option while exploring the experience of two refugees trying to build a new life in the UK, a place that should offer opportunity and support but instead, threatens to swallow up asylum seekers in a flawed system. It’s gut-wrenching enough to learn about the lengths one must go to in order to flee a war-torn country, but even after all of that, Bol (Sope Dirisu) and Rial (Wunmi Mosaku) are forced to adhere to impossible restrictions, one of which being that they cannot move from the home they’re given, a home they soon discover is haunted. It’s an extremely well-constructed tale that confronts this highly problematic system while beautifully weaving in the pressure to confirm and also the need to confront past traumas. In one of my favorite lines of the film, Bol proclaims, “Your ghosts follow you. They never leave. They live with you. It’s when I let them in, I could start to face myself.” It’s an incredibly moving conclusion to come to. If only Bol and Rial were given the support they needed while getting there.
3. The Platform
When I first sawThe Platformback in 2019 for it’s Toronto International Film Festival debut, I said, if this movie gets a 2019 release, it’s undoubtedly snagging a spot in my top ten. I wound up having to wait a bit, but here we are withThe Platformscoring my #3 spot in my top ten of 2020! The movie is an astonishingly adept, poignant feature debut fromGalder Gaztelu-Urrutiathat takes big picture problems that might be a challenge to wrap one’s head around and makes them disturbingly real and immediate by confining those real world issues to a single location. In Gaztelu-Urrutia’s film, you get a crystal clear view of the effects of greed on others. But on top of that, you also get a taste of how easy it could be to ensure everyone gets what they need, and the fact that only a select few of the people suffering in this facility even attempt to make that happen is downright devastating. While the film is highly disturbing and tough to shake, a pretty powerful ray of light does shine through via Goreng’s (Ivan Massagué) experience. We don’t have to be consumed by greed and misery but, as Gaztelu-Urrutia told me inan email interviewearlier this year, “it’s up to all of us” to change that. It’s scary to think how many people are in that facility and choose to completely ignore the fact that fair distribution of food will keep everyone from going hungry, but Goreng’s evolution is a sure sign that change is possible. Again, as Gaztelu-Urrutia put it, “What matters is what each of us do with the cards that [we’re dealt].”
2. Palm Springs
Palm Springswas a favorite of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. As a very routine-oriented person with a mighty specific set of priorities, the time loop story was a welcomed reminder of the importance of breaking the mold and sharing your life with others. However, the world was a very different place back in January. WhilePalm Springs’ first impression still has great personal value - and is something I very much plan to act on when we reach that light at the end of the pandemic tunnel - when the movie dropped on Hulu in July, the time loop felt far more literal. I went from a very active lifestyle with a good deal of traveling to waking up in my childhood home every morning, spending every waking hour with the same few people, and essentially never leaving the house. Similar to Nyles (Andy Samberg), the earlier days included attempts to spice up the monotony of the new routine (or break out of the loop in his case), but after so many months, it’s become a bigger challenge to avoid complacency. I know it’s not time to break out of lockdown, seize the day and meet new people yet, but when the time comes, I know a rewatch ofPalm Springswill up my gusto while doing so. Whether it’s feeling stuck in the challenges of 2020 or any sort of rut,Palm Springsseems to evolve with every viewing, continuing to ring true.Palm Springsproved invaluable in 2020, but there’s no doubt the movie will inspire me to push myself further and in new ways every single watch. (Although I’ll draw the line at becoming a quantum physicist.)
1. Nomadland
One of my absolute favorite things about movies - and storytelling in general - is getting the opportunity to experience someone else’s truth. Had you asked me if I was cut out for the modern-day nomad lifestyle before seeingChloé Zhao’sNomadland, my response would have been a resounding no. Had you asked me that same question after seeing the film? I’d probably still teeter towards a no, but with a far deeper understanding of and appreciation for the resilience of those who choose to leave the often impossible pursuit of the American Dream behind for the freedom of life on the road. That lifestyle certainly isn’t without its challenges, but Fern’s (Frances McDormand) story highlights the value of vital things that far too often get lost in the mix as we chase after more and more material possessions, namely the importance of self-sufficiency and honest human connection in a country that often fails its people. While it does have a bittersweet quality to it, ultimatelyNomadlandserves as a much needed reminder that there are alternative paths, and some of those paths are populated with passionate and generous individuals, eager to use their freedom to create meaningful connections and celebrate the beauty and good that’s still out there in the world.
Be sure to catch up on all of Collider’sBest of 2020 contentand keep an eye out for more individual Top 10 lists coming soon!
