Best Movies of 2020

Director: Eliza Hittman
Her 3rd movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

It's a slow burn, trying to figure out if there is going to be anything more than a girl trying to get an abortion. There isn't. There are some strong emotional moments that make it worth the watch, but it starts as a downer and never really gets better. The mumblecore style lends for good performances by the two leads and even creates some solid supporting characters.

Director: Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah
Their 4th Movie
My 1st movie watched from the directors

If I had watched this pre 'slap' maybe I could have tolerated it more, but Smith's image continues to taint anything he is. I used to love his movies. Anyway, Lawrence is still likable and the supporting cast is all right. The action is fine and the setting continues to be a highlight. The writing is the worst part, much like the second one, and I will actually say I think Bay would have definitely done a better job with this movie.
They tried to make it emotional but I just never got to that place with this one.

Added to Lists:
The Third Movie of the Trilogy: Ranked


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Locations: Miami, FL, USA

Director: Niki Caro

I think there are some very nice moments in this live-action take on Disney's version of the story of Mulan, but it's mostly forgettable. It's blatantly Disneyfied and seems so generic and watered-down that I can't help but find it to be an expensive wasted opportunity. I went into this thinking this was actually going to a be remake of an animated Disney movie that was going to be enough of a departure, and that could be so good, it would be worthy of standing all on its own. The trailer fooled me and we are left with the same movie just without the cringy songs.

In addition to the nice production design the main actress does a fine job and I really think young girls can watch this and be inspired to kick-ass, too. I have hopes they will enjoy this more than fucking "Frozen".

Director: James Erskine
His 13th Movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

I expected more from this doc about Billie Holiday. The focus and intention is unclear and confusing. The video clips and insights from other performers and people who knew her was great. Still, I didn't come away from it feeling like I now know her and what her life meant to the world.

Added to Lists:
First Name Only Titles

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Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood

A movie that so badly wants a sequel... will it get one? Maybe Netflix's greenlighting frenzy will continue and this very average action movie will get one. If it didn't star Charlize Theron I probably would have turned it off midway; but she continues to be so captivating and demands our attention no matter what movie she signs up for.

A lot of cliches, elementary dialogue, a stupid villain, and a lack of humor prevent this from what actually HAD potential to be a good action movie.

Director: Ron Howard

This is a documentary better suited for a thirty minute format. It has rebuilding in the name but there was only a portion dedicated to the rebuilding.

The movie starts off strong with the town of Paradise's citizens filming their town from their perspective. It's scary, emotional, uncomfortable, and affective. Then the documentary turns into a disappointing snooze fest that kept us begging for something more interesting, something bigger than just Paradise. Howard seems to think of doing this but does for maybe less than a minute at the very end.

I grieve for the town of Paradise but this full-length documentary could have been about them but should have been so much more.

Director: Kirsten Johnson
Her 3rd movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

The premise is great and some of the segments are entertaining. The relationship between the director and her father (Dick) was stronge yet sweet. It was an interesting way to understand the effects of losing someone and what it does to family and community... and having that person also experience it. Still, in the end, I'm not sure what the point of the documentary was, or if her goal was achieved.

Added to Lists:



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Director: Julia Hart
Her 4th Movie.
My 1st movie watched from the director.

With an intriguing start I thought this was going to be a solid retro-painted mama-and-baby-on-the-run movie. Instead it's a slow-paced non-thriller. The climax is certainly worth it and the mostly-unknown cast turns in memorable performances.

I think with 15 minutes taken out of the second act this movie would have been tighter and a tad more exciting. I'm not saying I need a movie for the tiny-attention span culture we live in but some movies just don't need to be slow-paced. Julia Hart doesn't need to be Béla Tarr.

Director: Ron Howard
His 31st movie
My 25th movie watched from the director

Several very strong performances in Ron Howard's adaptation that partly takes place in the 90s and definitely feels like a movie made in the 90s. Critics don't like that, but I love the touch and it reminds me of a better movie decade.
I thought this was fictional and didn't realize this was actually a biopic until the end, which was a unique surprise.

Added to Lists:

Top Ten Performances - Amy Adams (HM)
Top Ten Performances - Glenn Close
Top Ten Performances - Hayley Bennett
An Evolution of American Stories: Ron Howard

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Location: Middletown, OH, USA; New Haven, CT, USA

Director: Carlo Mirabella-Davis
His 2nd Movie
My 2nd movie watched from the director

A movie that is so lovely to watch - cinematography, set design, costumes, it's all just so nice and seems perfect, which is of course the point, as we watch someone with the 'perfect life' find solace with a strange hobby. I really like the first act but kept watching hoping it would get crazy or she would descend into madness. Something more exciting that what actually happens.

Added to Lists:
Top Ten Performances - Haley Bennett
Best Movie Posters of 2019

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Locations: Upstate New York, USA

Director: Helena Coan
Her 2nd movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

An intriguing figure in the history of cinema and one of the most likable actresses in its history. It was appropriately revealing but never tabloid. The presentation and direction is fine, nothing new or too impressive.

Added to Lists:

The History of the Movies Through Documentaries

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Director: D.W. Young
His 4th movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

A documentary about... booksellers. The rare books. It has all kinds of characters in it, which helps it move along nicely. I love learning about niche worlds I know nothing about and this documentary nailed it. Is it wildly interesting? No, but for what it's about it deserves some attention.

It's also nicely narrated by Parker Posey; bonus.

Director: Scott Barber
His 1st Movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

Nostalgia overload. This was clearly made to elicit all those innocent, fun times watching Nickelodeon as a kid, and it was directed right at people of my age. That's not a large target audience, which makes it less marketable... yet it still got made, thankfully.
There isn't anything special about it, it follows the documentary formula and takes zero risks with no surprising moments. But I think all it wanted to be was a nostalgic recap and reminder of how special that time in television was for kids. Short-lived in the grand scheme of things. A flash in the pan for television and an entertaining reminder.

Added to Lists:
Documentaries about Television


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Director: Danny Wolf
His 1st movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

I love watching the evolution of movies, no matter the subject. This one might be uncomfortable to watch for the prudish; but it really doesn't present it in a trashy way, it's very straight-forward and is about more than just showing skin.

Added to Lists:

History of Movies Documentaries

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Director: Maite Alberdi
Her 6th movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

This pseudo documentary is king of brilliant, even if filled with mostly uninteresting dialogue. The set-up is great and the ending is powerful, it just requires a lot of patience in between. I don't want to say much more or else I would honestly ruin the experience for you.

Added to Lists:

Top Ten Pseudo Documentaries

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Location: San Francisco, Chile

Director: Cory Finley
His 2nd movie
My 2nd movie watched from the director

Added to Lists:

HBO's True American Stories

Director: Alexander Nanau
His 4th Movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

A documentary that is NOT about government/medical corruption in the USA... rather corruption in Romania. After a horrible incident things just get worse for people in Romania and it's jaw dropping and addictive investigative documentary gold.

Added to Lists:
Investigative Documentaries
Best Documentaries of the 2020s


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Director: Gabe Polsky
His 4th Movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

A story that starts of abnormal and gets stranger and more absurd. It's a great subject for a documentary and very well edited.

Added to Lists:
All Star Sports Documentaries

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Locations:

A beautiful documentary that never gets past just a guy curious about an octopus. With teacher in the title I was expecting him and the viewer to learn a whole lot about the creature, aquatic life, and all life itself. Maybe too high of expectations had it not also won the Academy Award for Best Documentary.

Director: James Reed
His 3rd movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

Added to Lists:

Documentaries about Relationship with Animals

Director: Miranda July
Her 3rd movie
My 3rd movie watched from the director

It's been nine years since a Miranda July movie and it was a delight to see her unique brand of strange back on the screen (she is an artist in other media as well).
The acting and pacing is something that seemed better in this one, yet the small oddities are aren't quite as prevalent and strong as her other two movies.
The familial crumbling and the slow build up of the female relationship both come to a beautiful end in the very last moment.

Added to Lists:

Top Ten Performances - Debra Winger
Top Ten Performances - Gina Rodriguez
Families of Thieves and Grifters
Movies with No Denouement

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Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA

Director: Michael Almereyda
His 14th Movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

Tesla is one of the most interesting and impactful people in our history, so it's crazy it took me this long to watch. I suppose the low ratings didn't help, but after watching I can't understand the low ratings. It took the tired biopic approach and tried many things differently with enough being a success. I couldn't quite buy Ethan Hawke in the role and some of the style choices didn't work for me and in the end I didn't get a clear understanding of what message the writer and director was trying to tell. So, it's not perfect but I'm really glad they finally made a movie about Tesla that at least gives a sense of the immense impact he has had on our modern world.

Added to Lists:
Top Ten Performances - Eve Hewson
Top Ten Performances - Kyle MacLachlan - Honorable Mention
Biopics that tell the story of the USA

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Location: Manhattan in NYC, NY, USA; Colorado Springs, CO, USA

Director: Mona Fastvold
Her 2nd Movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

Beautifully shot, paced, and acted. The four leads all give memorable performances, including Katherine Waterston whom I've never been impressed with. The movie is all about tone and atmosphere. I left the movie sad for the characters and the reality they were in and questioned the true meaning of the title.

Added to Lists:
Top Ten Performances - Vanessa Kirby
Top Ten Performances - Christopher Abbott
Favorite Sapphic Relationships
Favorite Sapphic Love Scenes

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Locations: Rural, New England, USA

Director: Thomas Vinterberg
His 12th Movie
My 3rd movie watched from the director

Mads and Thom team up again for a consistently enjoyable, believable, structured life-affirming movie. Mads is such a great actor and is supported by a solid cast. The final scene was a lovely, and surprising, finishing touch.

Added to Lists:
Top Ten Performances - Mads Mikkelson
Dancing the Scene Away - Favorite Dance Scenes in Movies
In Front of the Classroom - Favorite School Teachers in Movies

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Locations: Copenhagen, Denmark

Director: Francis Lee
His 2nd Movie
My 1st movie watched from the director

Kate Winslet being one of my favorite actors, this movie is an essential watch even with the preview looking pretty dull. Turns out it wasn't dull. It's a beautiful love story with a slow start but one that gets better as it goes along with a very strong finish/final scene. Both actresses are great and the real attraction here. The ammonite/fossil story is a unique one that adds enough to the story preventing people from calling it 'a lesbian movie'.
For it being directed by a man it's surprising delicate with the subject and successfully displays the strengths of femininity. At least, from what I can tell being a man myself.

Added to Lists:
Favorite Sapphic Movies
Favorite Sapphic Love Scenes
Top Ten Performances - Kate Winslet (Honorable Mention)
Top Ten Performances - Soairse Ronan

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Locations: Lyme Regis, England, UK

Director: Judd Apatow
His 8th movie
My 6th movie watched from the director

I love Apatow's comedic style, a mix of scripted and improvised scenes, heart mixed with immature humor, a directionless story, large cast, and a longer-than-it-should-be comedy. Those don't all sound like good things, but it actually works every time and worked again here, even if I don't understand the appeal of Pete Davidson, which is why it took me a couple of years to give it a try.

Added to Lists:

The Great Mustaches of Cinema
The Best Father and Son Movies

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Location: Staten Island, NY, USA

Sorkin is still an incredible writer. I'm so glad this film that was in development for so long is actually really good. The ensemble is noteworthy and the filmmaking is quality enough. Sorkin's second directing job makes it clear he is much more than a writer.

Director: Thom Zimny
His 6th Movie
My 1st movie watched from the director.

An incredibly personal and beautiful take on the making-of-an-album documentary. Bruce and the band are shown in beautiful black and white throughout, while they play and Bruce gives a little insight into each song on his latest masterpiece.

Added to Lists:

Favorite Performances Documentaries
Best Music Documentaries