2020
Reviews on movies from 2020. The ratings are as objective as possible. The list order is strictly subjective.
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- DirectorAndrew PattersonStarsSierra McCormickJake HorowitzGail CronauerOne night in New Mexico, in the late 1950s, a switchboard operator and radio DJ discover a strange audio frequency which could change the future forever.This was pretty great, actually. I'm amazed at how much this movie drew me in by just having people listening to things. There's an extremely long take of the female main character just listening to a strange noise and trying to figure it out while also operating a switch board. It sounds really dry, but it's really great. There's a couple of scenes like that and they're the best parts of the movie. There's one shot somewhere in the middle that's a bit more show-offy than the rest. It's impressively made, but I actually prefer the other ones, because they don't draw that much attention to themselves. The first 10 minutes or so is just a series of long takes one after the other where the character work just gets to breathe life into itself.
The score was a bit weird at parts, especially during that show-offy long take. It's probably supposed to be, but it kind of threw me off. I did really like it for the rest of the film, though. The acting is really solid as well.
However, I didn't like the framing device. They frame the film as like a Twilight Zone episode being shown on a TV and every now and then the image morphs into being shown on the TV and then back into the original image, if that makes sense - I'm tired right now, sorry. But, I just don't see the point of it. I would've preferred if it was just presented as a regular movie. The framing device is nothing but distracting and took me out of the movie every time. This would be my only real complaint, as I kind of loved this movie.
8/10 - DirectorDavid FincherStarsGary OldmanAmanda SeyfriedLily Collins1930s Hollywood is re-evaluated through the eyes of scathing social critic and alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he races to finish the screenplay of Citizen Kane (1941).This is such a strange year for movies for me so far. I liked watching this movie. I liked the dialogue, the performances, all of the technical aspects. I liked whenever Joseph Von Sternberg or someone like that appeared.
But (the famous "but"), I don't know, now that I'm thinking about it, I'm not that anxious about rewatching it or even writing about it. During the third act, an outside element required my attention, but not enough for me to justify pausing. I was going to go back and rewatch the parts where I got distracted, but afterwards I didn't really feel like doing that. Mank and Tenet are both films that I have very mixed feelings on that for some reason are still very high up on the list. Mank is higher on the list because I think that if I did go back to rewatch it, I would like it alot more - whereas when I rewatch Tenet I feel like I'm going to like it less. There's so much technical brilliance going on in Mank that I just can't turn away from. Gary Oldman's performance is great and the guy from The Souvenir's Orson Welles impersonation is stellar. The set design, cinematography, period-accuracy, all that shit is great. I wouldn't expect nothing less from David Fincher and it's the reason why I'm still giving it a high rating.
8/10 - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsJohn David WashingtonRobert PattinsonElizabeth DebickiArmed with only the word "Tenet," and fighting for the survival of the entire world, CIA operative, The Protagonist, journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a global mission that unfolds beyond real time.What?
- DirectorThomas VinterbergStarsMads MikkelsenThomas Bo LarsenMagnus MillangFour high-school teachers consume alcohol on a daily basis to see how it affects their social and professional lives.I've always had this idea that I've pitched to my work mates a bunch of times, jokingly though, that we should all take a shot or two during one of the evenings at work. For reference, I work customer service at a major store. The thesis is that everyone will have so much fun, not only us but the customers as well. I think it would create a wonderful mood. We would never do this for obvious reasons, but it's a fun idea in my opinion. Which is why I liked watching this movie, because that's exactly what it's about, at first. Although, it becomes quite apparent very early into it that it's not entirely about that. We're all in our 20's so doing it once or twice would be all fun and games, but these guys are going through their midlife crisis, so as expected things take a turn for the worst.
It's not a masterpiece or anything. It's very conventional in its storytelling. It doesn't have amazing cinematography or anything, but then again, none of Vinterberg's films have - that's kind of his style. The acting is all splendid, though. Even from the minor characters. I really liked the tall and nervous kid, he gave a very convincing performance. However, he is part of one of the more questionable character arcs. I get what they were going for, but it did feel like a very weird thing to hold up as a triumph. That was many things and conventional was not one of them. It does stand for something greater in a non-literal sense and it's all part of the core of the film. So, at least there's that.
If you'd like to see Mads Mikkelsen, Liam Neeson, Lyle Lovett and Tom "GeoWizard" Davies getting shit-faced for 2 hours then I'd highly recommend this movie.
7/10 - DirectorFlorian ZellerStarsAnthony HopkinsOlivia ColmanMark GatissA man refuses all assistance from his daughter as he ages. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality.Very similar to Amour. Not only because they're both movies about dementia, it has a very similar tone, look and small details. It's pretty apparent that it took inspiration from Amour and that's completely fine. It's not just a rip-off, it takes the subject matter and does a twist on the narrative. So instead of showing us the perspective of the surrounding people we see it from the perspective of the person with dementia. And the way that Florian Zeller presents the movie makes it quite the trip actually. You almost feel like you're suffering from dementia yourself at times. It's a really clever way of sequencing the movie. Things keep happening over and over and you're wondering how long of a timespan we're seeing, where we are, who's who, who did what etc. He also did great things with the production design, having the same furniture and structures appear in different forms, just to throw you off even more.
Anthony Hopkins gives his best performance in decades. I wouldn't mind if he gets an Oscar for it. Olivia Colman is also great, will probably also be nominated. Director, script, picture, I'm sure it'll receive noms for all of this and I wouldn't really object. Although, mainly because I haven't seen alot of 2020 movies at this point. The Father is probably right now the best 2020 movie I've seen along with Mank - excluding The Vast of Night because I fucking doubt that the Academy knows about that movie's existance.
Anyways, The Father, check it out.
8/10 - DirectorOz PerkinsStarsSophia LillisSamuel LeakeyAlice KrigeA long time ago in a distant fairy tale countryside, a young girl leads her little brother into a dark wood in desperate search of food and work, only to stumble upon a nexus of terrifying evil.Oz Perkins is most definitely one of the vital directors working in horror right now. The Blackcoat's Daughter is quite possibly my favorite horror movie of the 2010's. He has a voice like no one else and is certainly a contemporary to Robert Eggers, Ari Aster and Mike Flanagan in my opinion.
This is his most gorgeous movie yet. I loved the framing, I loved the color pallet. There were strong contrasts between the blues and the oranges which created a very crisp and pleasantly looking cinematography. There were some post-stabilization here and there which did bother me. However, they were very sparsely utilized to the point were it's just drops in the ocean. The score also helped alot with the setting.
The acting was good for the most part. Sophia Lillis and Alice Krige held their own, but Samuel Leakey stood out like a sore thumb. He's not bad, but he's not great either. He reminded me alot of Danny from The Shining mini-series. He's pretty effective when he's not talking and just reacting. It's the dialogue that he doesn't convince me with. Luckily he's not as prominent of a character as Gretel is the star of the show.
I do have some more complaints, unfortunately. I'm not a fan of the narration, it felt superfluous. Alot of the time, the same thing is conveyed with the visual storytelling. It just comes off as a studio mandate. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending either. While the ending of The Blackcoat's Daugter made me go "Oh!", the ending of this movie made me go "Oh?". It could be that I missed a set-up in a conversation somewhere in the film, because I did struggle to hear what they were saying alot. English is not my first language and I had no subtitles to aid me.
So, it didn't rise to the level of The Blackcoat's Daughter for me, but I still did very much like it. I'm just kind of glad that Oz Perkins is around and making more movies, because his voice is much needed in the genre. And to his credit, most of the flaws I have can be attributed to other elements.
7/10 - DirectorJohn PogueStarsTania RaymondeNathaniel BuzolicEmerson BrooksStudying the effects of climate change off the coast of Mozambique, a marine biologist and her team confront three genetically enhanced bull sharks. Now, a new bloodbath is waiting to happen in the name of science. Will humans never learn?There's a Deep Blue Sea 3? Why is there is a Deep Blue Sea 3? Why is there is a Deep Blue Sea 3 in 2020? Is there a Deep Blue Sea 2? Is Deep Blue Sea enough of a cult movie to warrant two sequels?
Whatever the case, I'm glad that this movie exists because it was fucking hilarious. My initial reaction to this movie's existence was exactly what I wrote in the first paragraph and I got so curious that I started watching it just for the hell of it. I figured I would turn it off after a while, especially after seeing the runtime of 100 minutes. However, the acting was so laughably atrocious that it kept me interested. And then in the 2nd half it goes batshit insane!
Watch it, it's totally worth it!
2/10 - DirectorMax BarbakowStarsAndy SambergCristin MiliotiJ.K. SimmonsStuck in a time loop, two wedding guests develop a budding romance while living the same day over and over again.It's a high premise rom-com and it's pretty good. I don't think I laughed all that much, I think I enjoyed the drama more. Most of my enjoyment is due to Cristin Milioti and JK Simmons. I'm not a big fan of Andy Samberg, I tolerated him in this as much as I do in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. In both things he's the least enjoyable character, but he's surrounded by other characters that elevates him. Back to the other, though. You know, JK Simmons is always going to be great at what he does. Cristin Milioti was really susprising to me. I mean, I knew she was a capable actress and I've liked her in other things, but I really liked her in this movie and can't wait to see her do more dramatic stuff.
It was really fun going through the motions of the plot. I never watch trailers and I only glanced at this plot synopsis a couple of weeks ago, so I had no idea what the movie was going to be about. My advice is to do that. If you for some reason read this review before finding out what the movie is about, just watch it blind. Is it derivative? Of course it is, but it's still worth it. It's always going to be a fun concept.
6/10 - DirectorRenaud GauthierStarsNicolas FontaineBrittany DrisdelleNick WalkerThrills, chills and screwball comedy meet tiny bikinis and gory dismemberment in this chlorine and blood drenched murder mystery.This is the dumbest thing ever and I still enjoyed it alot more than Spenser Confidential. It includes the worst rendition of Sunglasses at Night by Cory Hart that I'll ever hear, though.
2/10 - DirectorCory FinleyStarsHugh JackmanRay RomanoWelker WhiteThe beloved superintendent of New York's Roslyn school district and his staff, friends and relatives become the prime suspects in the unfolding of the single largest public school embezzlement scandal in American history.Meh, I don't know, it's not bad, but it's not close to the same level as Thoroughbreds which was pretty great. This movie is fine. It's a somewhat better version of The Laundromat. Although personally, I might prefer that one over Bad Education, because I love Steven Soderbergh. I really have nothing to say. It's fine, it's competent.
6/10 - DirectorGlenn DanzigStarsAshley WisdomRachel AligAlice HaigA surreal and bloody trilogy of erotic horror stories culled from Glenn Danzig's comics.I don't think this is worth watching. I was lead to believe that it would be alot funnier than it actually was. However, the first segment is painful to watch because of the baffling and pointless decision to have everyone speak with a fake shitty french accent. The second segment is mostly boring. The stripping scenes go on for way too long for no other reason than Glenn Danzig jerking off behind the camera. It provides us with the only minutes of entertainment when the detective is on screen. By the third segment I was so bored that I kind of stopped watching it. I was doing other things and every so often turned my head towards the screen to note "Yep, this scene is still going on".
Leave this one be. It's not worth it for the approximate 3 minutes of funny cop dialogue. You can probably find those scenes isolated on Youtube anyway.
1/10 - DirectorZaida BergrothStarsAlma PöystiKrista KosonenShanti RoneyDepiction on the life of Tove Jansson, showing both her personal relationships, and the creation of the popular Moomin books.Watching this for Gothenburg International Film Festival.
Have you seen any biopic ever? If so, then you've seen this movie. This is the most paint by numbers as it gets. It does nothing to separate itself from all the mediocre biopics that are produced every year. And like most biopics, it's about 30 minutes too long. There are subplots that add nothing to the chore of the film.
The husband character who looked alot like Michael Wincott is just there to function as a plot device and he gets thrown to the wayside towards the end because he does not matter. The movie doesn't know how to wrap up his character so he just vanishes.
The thing with her dad doesn't matter at all. They don't spend too much time on it, to the point where you're wondering why it's even there in the first place. But, then they have the guts to force a sentimental climax to the non-plot point. We've spent seconds on this supposed conflict, the movie hasn't given a fuck about the dad character at all (he dies off screen) and then the movie suddenly pretends as if it's this grand story arc that he actually cared about her work all along. No, you didn't earn this moment in the slightest.
It's as sentimental and earned as like Jack & Jill. It's manipulating the audience into thinking that what we're seeing is supposed to make us cry without giving any effort. No, let's not build a well defined conflict between the two characters and create some genuine drama. Why would we do that when we could just add musical stings to tell the audience what they're supposed to be feeling at this moment? God forbid, we wouldn't want the scenes speak for themselves, would we? This happens throughout the entire movie. There is not a single "dramatic" scene that's not accompanied by generic musical stings insisting upon an emotion. Shit, I probably would've given it a higher rating if it removed all of that completely, because at least it would've felt like it was trying to accomplish something on its own.
It also doesn't help that the filmmaking is as bland as you can get. There is nothing visually interesting about this movie. Alma Pöysti does well with the material that she's given, but it's in service of nothing. This movie is the perfect example of "In through one ear, out through the other". I don't think anyone will remember this a couple of years down the line. Verotika is a much worse movie than this, but it's higher up on the list because at least I still remember some of the scenes. I don't think I'll remember a single thing about Tove in a few months.
3/10 - DirectorPeter BergStarsMark WahlbergWinston DukeAlan ArkinWhen two Boston police officers are murdered, ex-cop Spenser teams up with his no-nonsense roommate Hawk to take down criminals.This is the worst piece of sh*t that I've seen in a very long time. It's not even funny-bad, only when Post Malone is on screen because he can't act.
Everything is stupid, nothing makes sense, it's one of the most obnoxious movies that I've ever seen. Peter Berg must have severe ADHD because he felt the need to underscore every f'king scene with intense music. He tries to make Mark Wahlberg's character coolest guy on earth and I cringed and yelled at the screen every time. I hate this movie so much. I'm never watching another Peter Berg movie again in my life.
If you genuinely like this movie, I'm sorry to break it to you, but you probably also have ADHD or something. I can't see anyone else actually liking this movie.
1/10 - DirectorMichael Angelo CovinoStarsKyle MarvinMichael Angelo CovinoGayle RankinA look at the friendship between two guys that spans over many years.
- DirectorSeverin FialaVeronika FranzStarsRiley KeoughJaeden MartellLia McHughA soon-to-be stepmom is snowed in with her fiancé's two children at a remote holiday village. Just as relations begin to thaw between the trio, some strange and frightening events take place.
- DirectorGuy RitchieStarsMatthew McConaugheyCharlie HunnamMichelle DockeryAn American expat tries to sell off his highly profitable marijuana empire in London, triggering plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him.
- DirectorSpike LeeStarsDelroy LindoJonathan MajorsClarke PetersFour black veterans battle the forces of man and nature when they return to Viet Nam seeking the remains of their fallen squad leader and the gold fortune he helped them hide.
- DirectorLeigh WhannellStarsElisabeth MossOliver Jackson-CohenHarriet DyerWhen Cecilia's abusive ex takes his own life and leaves her his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of coincidences turn lethal, Cecilia works to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.
- DirectorKitty GreenStarsJulia GarnerOwen HollandJon OrsiniA searing look at a day in the life of an assistant to a powerful executive. As Jane follows her daily routine, she grows increasingly aware of the insidious abuse that threatens every aspect of her position.
- DirectorCharlie KaufmanStarsJesse PlemonsJessie BuckleyToni ColletteFull of misgivings, a young woman travels with her new boyfriend to his parents' secluded farm. Upon arriving, she comes to question everything she thought she knew about him, and herself.
- DirectorCarlos López EstradaStarsAustin AntoineMarquesha BabersBryce BanksOver the course of a hot summer day in Los Angeles, the lives of 25 young Angelinos intersect.
- DirectorDave FrancoStarsDan StevensAlison BrieSheila VandTwo couples rent a vacation home for what should be a celebratory weekend get-away.
- DirectorAntonio CamposStarsBill SkarsgårdTom HollandBanks RepetaSinister characters converge around a young man devoted to protecting those he loves in a postwar backwoods town teeming with corruption and brutality.
- DirectorChloé ZhaoStarsFrances McDormandDavid StrathairnLinda MayA woman in her sixties, after losing everything in the Great Recession, embarks on a journey through the American West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad.
- DirectorLee Isaac ChungStarsSteven YeunHan YeriAlan KimA Korean American family moves to an Arkansas farm in search of its own American dream. Amidst the challenges of new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they discover the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.
- DirectorEmerald FennellStarsCarey MulliganBo BurnhamAlison BrieNothing in Cassie's life is what it appears to be - she's wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she's living a secret double life. Now, an unexpected encounter is about to give Cassie a chance to right the wrongs from the past.
- DirectorDarius MarderStarsRiz AhmedOlivia CookePaul RaciA heavy metal drummer's life is turned upside down when he begins to lose his hearing and he must confront a future filled with silence.
- DirectorAaron SorkinStarsEddie RedmayneAlex SharpSacha Baron CohenThe story of 7 people on trial stemming from various charges surrounding the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.
- CreatorRaphael Bob-WaksbergStarsWill ArnettAmy SedarisAlison BrieBoJack Horseman was the star of the hit television show "Horsin' Around" in the '80s and '90s, but now he's washed up, living in Hollywood, complaining about everything, and wearing colorful sweaters.Season 6 Part 2
- StarsMichael JordanPhil JacksonScottie PippenLed by Michael Jordan, the 1990s Chicago Bulls establish themselves as one of the most notable dynasties in sports history.I love basketball, I've loved it since I was a kid, so of course I was going to enjoy this miniseries. I mean, it's not one of the greatest things I've ever seen. It's very biased - Michael Jordan is a producer on it. Jerry Krause gets alot of sh*t thrown at him and he can't defend himself because he's dead. There's alot of filler. I would've preferred for it to be shown in chronological order and cut out the fat from the final season. The miniseries is just an excuse to document Michael Jordan's career anyway, so why pretend it's anything else, right?
I find the rest of the team and the rest of the league surrounding MJ alot more interesting than the average viewer. So, all the itty-bitty details about specifically Michael Jordan and his off court life doesn't interest me as much as the Bad Boy Pistons drama or how the Bulls were performing between 93-95. I would also like to hear more about the other teams. If I were to direct something like this, I would document the other teams journey to the finals as well. If you put more focus onto how great those teams were, you'd automatically add more weight to their narrative and more successfully batin switch the audience, who might not be aware of how things turned out, into thinking that the Bulls might not win this title after all. I would love to hear Reggie Miller, Gary Payton and Charles Barkley reflecting on their road to the finals.
Hey, that's just me, though. I'm a sucker for gunslingers and role players and all the great teams that never quite made it all the way. I love the underdogs - that's my bias. Although, looking at this strictly objectively, it's not one of the greatest miniseries of all time, it's not one of the greatest documentaries of all time. There is nothing particularly special in the presentation. It's somewhat non-linnear, but not really to its advantage in my opinion. I have no problems with the length of this, just with what the time was spent on. People are loving it and it is worth watching if you like basketball or sports in general.
6/10 - DirectorEliza HittmanStarsSidney FlaniganTalia RyderThéodore PellerinA pair of teenage girls in rural Pennsylvania travel to New York City to seek out medical help after an unintended pregnancy.
- DirectorGeorge C. WolfeStarsViola DavisChadwick BosemanGlynn TurmanTensions rise when trailblazing blues singer Ma Rainey and her band gather at a recording studio in Chicago in 1927.
- DirectorTomm MooreRoss StewartStarsHonor KneafseyEva WhittakerSean BeanA young apprentice hunter and her father journey to Ireland to help wipe out the last wolf pack. But everything changes when she befriends a free-spirited girl from a mysterious tribe rumored to transform into wolves by night.
- DirectorPete DocterKemp PowersStarsJamie FoxxTina FeyGraham NortonJoe is a middle-school band teacher whose life hasn't quite gone the way he expected. His true passion is jazz. But when he travels to another realm to help someone find their passion, he soon discovers what it means to have soul.
- DirectorJasmila ZbanicStarsJasna DjuricicIzudin BajrovicBoris LerAida is a translator for the UN in the small town of Srebrenica. When the Serbian army takes over the town, her family is among the thousands of citizens looking for shelter in the UN camp.
- DirectorMatteo GarroneStarsFederico IelapiRoberto BenigniRocco PapaleoOld woodcarver Geppetto's puppet creation, Pinocchio, magically comes to life with dreams of becoming a real boy. Easily led astray, Pinocchio tumbles from one misadventure to another as he is tricked, kidnapped and chased by bandits.
- DirectorRegina KingStarsKingsley Ben-AdirEli GoreeAldis HodgeA fictional account of one incredible night where icons Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, and Jim Brown gathered discussing their roles in the Civil Rights Movement and cultural upheaval of the 60s.
- DirectorKornél MundruczóStarsVanessa KirbyShia LaBeoufEllen BurstynWhen a young mother's home birth ends in unfathomable tragedy, she begins a year-long odyssey of mourning that fractures relationships with loved ones in this deeply personal story of a woman learning to live alongside her loss.
- DirectorAlexander NanauStarsDan Alexandru CondreaLiviu IoluRazvan LutacDirector Alexander Nanau follows a crack team of investigators at the Romanian newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor as they try to uncover a vast health-care fraud that enriched moguls and politicians and led to the deaths of innocent citizens.
- DirectorRose GlassStarsMorfydd ClarkCaoilfhionn DunneJennifer EhleA pious nurse becomes dangerously obsessed with saving the soul of her dying patient.