Top 10 Films of 2020

2020 was a strange year for everyone, but particularly for cinema. Firstly they were open, and then they closed, then open, then closed again. But whilst the future of our cinemas are in the balance, streaming services have boomed and we’ve still had some incredible movies seep through the cracks. We’re starting our look back on the last year with the Top Ten Movies of 2020.

Do bear in mind that I haven’t seen every movie released this year, so if you don’t see your favourites here, it’s probably because I haven’t seen it! Also, I won’t be including films that were released in the UK in 2020 but that were included in the 2020 award ceremonies such as ‘Parasite’ and ‘1917’ as I think of them as 2019 films.

<There will be spoilers!!!>

Honourable Mentions: Over the Moon, Rebecca, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Tenet

10. Enola Holmes

This was the final movie of 2020 for me, and what a delightful way to end the year. ‘Enola Holmes’ takes a very different look at the famous Baker Street detective and his family, and provides the perfect opportunity for Millie Bobby Brown to show why she’s such a huge up-and-coming star. This movie has fun written all over it, with smart animations and witty 4th wall-breaking monologues by Brown intermitting throughout. Henry Cavill may not have the deep intensity of Benedict Cumberbatch or the sharp eccentricity of Robert Downey Jr, but puts in a faithful performance to the original Conan Doyle character. It may not be as groundbreaking as recent depictions of the Sherlock Holmes franchise, but there’s plenty of heart, laughs and excitement to make this a perfect night of family viewing.

9. The Personal History of David Copperfield

Armando Iannucci can do little wrong in my opinion; he helped create Alan Partridge, he’s the mastermind behind the hilarious ‘The Thick of It’, ‘Death of Stalin’ was one of the best movies of 2017 and now he’s made one of the strongest Dickens’ adaptations since ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol.’ This new take on the classic novel manages to reinvent the tale of David Copperfield, whilst respecting the source material and keeping the whimsy and charm of what made the story so timeless in the first place. Dev Patel is inspired casting as the titular character, and whilst he’s backed-up by a strong ensemble including the likes of Peter Capaldi, Tilda Swinton and Hugh Laurie, it’s Patel that keeps the movie ticking and entertaining by injecting that energy and passion we’ve come to expect from this incredible actor.

8. Greed

It’s not a secret to say that I love Steve Coogan. I don’t think it’s too much of an overstatement to call him a comedy genius and he can do very little wrong in my eyes. It should come as no surprise then that he’s one of the main reasons as to why I enjoyed ‘Greed’. He’s delightfully evil in the lead role, originally written for Sacha Baron Cohen, and provides the main source of laughs in this dark comedy. Although it polarized critics, I felt that director Michael Winterbottom succeeds in juxtaposing the satire of Coogan’s Philip Green-like business tycoon with the misery and heartbreak that his fast-fashion empire creates in the workers of the sweatshops that he so happily exploits. The latest in a long-line of Coogan/Winterbottom collaborations, ‘Greed’ is unapologetic in its comments towards the impacts of capitalism and hits the right marks to leave a poignant message in the minds of viewers.

7. Dick Johnson is Dead

2020 has been a very strong year for documentaries and the critic’s favourite would probably go to ‘Dick Johnson is Dead’. This is a moving tribute by director Kirsten Johnson to her father Dick who suffers from dementia and sees him through his retirement from being a clinical psychiatrist to him moving out of his house and even having a fake funeral so he can witness the impact he’s had on his friends and families lives. It’s an incredibly honest portrayal of dementia that doesn’t shy away from the pain that it can have on the individuals suffering and the people around them. A particularly gut-wrenching scene shows one of Dick’s doctor’s appointments where he can barely answer simple memory questions. The film also includes several staged versions of what Dick’s death may look like, such as being hit on the head by an air conditioner or falling down a flight of stairs. These well-crafted scenes not only create some beautifully dark laughs, but also give us an even deeper insight into the sweet and playful man that this film focuses on.

6. Mank

I’m a sucker for visually stunning films, and I can’t get over the technical achievement of David Fincher’s ‘Mank’. Whilst the plot focuses on the life of Herman Mankiewicz and his process of working on the screenplay of ‘Citizen Kane’, the retro look and sound pays wonderful homage to the Orson Welles masterpiece and creates the spectacular effect of bringing to life the golden era of Hollywood. The sharp and intelligent script is also worthy of the genius cinematography and production design, and journeys down multiple paths of corruption, conflict and personal strife in the sad life of this key player of some of the most noteworthy pieces of cinema history. Gary Oldman gives his best performance since ‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’ in this biographical drama that demands your attention and keeps it tightly within its grip until the final credits.

5. The Trial of the Chicago 7

The strongest ensemble piece of the year, any liberties that ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ may make with historical accuracy is quickly forgiven and forgotten in the face of the compelling drama that is created in the retelling of this pivotal moment in 1960s America. Director and writer Aaron Sorkin makes a strong improvement on his debut film ‘Molly’s Game’ by playing to his political screen-writing strengths and creating an intense courtroom drama that portrays some telling truths of political interference in the justice system. The scenes surrounding the judges’ clear bias is frustrating and the scenes showing brutality towards people of different races and genders is harrowing. Whilst Mark Rylance maintains the integrity and dignity that he brings to all his cinematic roles and Sacha Baron Cohen gives a career-best dramatic performance, it’s the emotional powerhouse of Eddie Redmayne that steals the show as he riles up protestors with a commanding speech of righteousness and delivers the films moving finale that had me wanting to stand on my feet and applaud.

4. The Social Dilemma

Documentaries are at their best when they have you gripped on a subject that you couldn’t imagine yourself being gripped by. ‘The Social Dilemma’ does just this by providing insights from industry experts on the grim reality of the influence of social media. More than once I had my hands covering my mouth in shock and awe as the dark secrets of the world’s most powerful new technology are exposed by interviewees who provide first-hand accounts of working for some of the largest companies turning these manipulative cogs. These interviews are broken up by scripted scenes of a teenager with social media addiction in order to present a more clear example of the effects that these algorithms can have on a young, susceptible mind, as well as providing a few laughs and more emotional and dramatic moments. To describe it as eye-opening would be an understatement, and the sobering, terrifying analysis of social media that is provided is enough to make anyone think twice about opening their phones and scrolling their Facebook or Twitter feeds.

3. Never Rarely Sometimes Always

As a man, I can appreciate that there are many things about what it means to live as a woman that I will never understand. However, a film like ‘Never Rarely Sometimes Always’ goes a long way to helping me understand. Director Eliza Hittman explores themes such as sexual violence, consent, male ignorance towards female issues and, most notably, abortion and a woman’s right to choose. The film’s strength is its ability to talk about and explore openly topics which are too often shut down and ignored, and gives an important, and at times traumatic, insight into what it means to be a teenager with an unwanted pregnancy. The script and performances are pinpoint accurate that you forget you’re watching a film and that these are actors; the realism is at times unbearable and whilst it is a hard watch, there are also important moments of friendship and love. Sidney Flanigan gives a staggering performance in the lead role, and I am certain we’ll be seeing a lot more of her in the future.

2. Soul

I still don’t quite know how Pixar do it; they are one of the most reliable production companies in the world and have created some of the world’s best and most unique films since their theatrical debut in 1995. ‘Soul’ is one of those and shows Pixar at their imaginative best. The design of their fantastical worlds is genius and the visual imagery on show here is some of the most beautiful that they have ever produced. Combining the expressiveness and the emotion of music and jazz with the innocence and the fragility of the human soul is a masterstroke and ‘Soul’ almost feels like something that director Pete Doctor has been building up to with films like ‘Wall-E’ and ‘Inside Out’. As well as diving into some deep philosophical questions, ‘Soul’ does what every peak Pixar film should do; create meaningful characters that never fail to bring out the strongest emotions in even the hardest viewer. It’s full of that feel-good, colourful energy that makes Pixar special and solidifies itself as one of the strongest in the company’s filmography.

1. My Octopus Teacher

If you ask someone what their top movie of 2020 was and they don’t say ‘My Octopus Teacher’, it’s because they haven’t seen it. If they have and it still doesn’t make their top spot, you have my permission to never listen to their opinions ever again. ‘My Octopus Teacher’ is not only a film I’m desperate for everyone to watch, it’s a film I think everyone should have to watch. In a world that has been so ravaged and degraded by human impact, this low budget story of a man who befriends and spends a whole year visiting an Octopus in a kelp forest is everything that we need in order to feel more in touch with our natural world. The cinematography is stunning; the images of the underwater heaven that is captured is staggeringly beautiful and the powerful shots of waves hitting rocks feel like something out of an action movie. I struggle to describe this film as a documentary, as Craig Foster whom this film circles around is such a majestic storyteller, it’s impossible not to be enticed by the drama of his tale and see the poignant comparisons between the Octopuses struggles to survive and his own struggles with his views on life and the world and how his relationship with the Octopus help to strengthen his bond with the ocean and share this with his son. I was an emotional wreck after this film and it’s stayed with me for a long time. I implore you to watch it, you really won’t regret it; this is something special.