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Top Ten Films of 2020

2020 was the pandemic year, so obviously there were a lot of movies that got bumped to 2021. Still, although the blockbusters were unfortunately non-existent, there were just enough great indies and terrific international movies to populate the top ten list once again. For my selection I included some foreign films, one documentary and even two animated movies as animation had a pretty strong year this time around. So without further ado, here are ten best films of 2020 with six honorable mentions.

10. Onward

Pixar had a truly spectacular year in 2020 with both of their movies landing on my top ten list. The first one is Onward, a flick that is frustratingly underappreciated by most audiences and critics when in reality it is one of the studio’s better efforts. The main brother duo is terrific, the film is incredibly emotional in its third act, but actually earned in that emotion, and the mixture of comedic and fantastical elements was brilliantly executed having in mind that the humor is hilarious and the world building is incredible.

9. My Octopus Teacher

The latest addition to this list proved to be this underrated documentary that is the best of the year and one of the most touching movies I’ve seen in quite some time. Though somewhat morally objectionable, My Octopus Teacher teaches us about octopuses and their incredible intelligence through many truly astonishing moments of their prowess that were shot so well. The movie looks beautiful and its depiction of animal life in its harsh, fleeting reality was truly commendable. It’s a particular treat for the fans of the underwater world.

8. Impetigore

Never in my mind had I once thought that I would be putting an Indonesian slasher movie on my year end list of best movies, but Impetigore is so damn amazing that it entirely earned its spot. This is the type of horror movie that I adore – it favors originality over familiarity and it favors geographic specificity over tired genre conventions. The movie is technically impressively crafted, its energy is palpable throughout and the third act is unforgettable in its utter, brutal chaos. It is in my opinion one of the greatest horror films of the century.

7. Sound of Metal

The scariest film of 2020 isn’t a horror movie like the above entry, but a drama called Sound of Metal. In what is truly a disturbing first act, it portrays a drummer who abruptly starts losing his hearing, and it was filmed in such an intense, heartbreaking manner that I really felt his pain. The rest of the movie is all about his coping with his new state while the ending itself is incredibly moving. The sound here is impeccable as it brilliantly lets us in on how Ruben hears the world while the incredible turn from Riz Ahmed is the best male performance of the year.

6. The Climb

There have been many films about male friendship before, but none quite like The Climb – a phenomenal dramedy that is both complicated and moving as well as hilarious in its absurdist humor. It depicts such a complex, toxic, but ultimately inseparable friendship between these two very different men. The psychology behind this friendship is very well explored while the movie is also gorgeously shot, intriguingly structured and filled with immensely memorable scenes interspersed throughout with the biking opening being masterfully realized.

5. Promising Young Woman

Much has been said about this movie and its alleged plot holes, but Promising Young Woman deserves much more praise for being a damn stellar thriller in its own right. It explores rape, the PTSD stemming from it and how society deals with these crimes in a sophisticated manner, but above all else this is one the most purely entertaining movies of the year that is fueled by a palpable energy and one hell of an acting performance from the great Carrey Mulligan. That ending is simply brilliant in its ability to evoke happiness and sadness simultaneously.

4. Jallikattu

Jallikattu is a Malayalam film about village men who would stop at nothing to kill a “rampant” bull. This is one of those movies that painfully showcases the worst of humanity and how humans are sometimes much more beastly then animals themselves. The film’s depiction of the toxic bravado of human males was especially potent as was the handling of the mob mentality. It’s a film unlike no other in terms of subject matter and also its technicalities – it is kinetic, bold and visually truly astonishing as it presents this almost heightened reality strikingly.

3. I’m Thinking of Ending Things

Charlie Kaufman’s magnum opus that he directed with such style and confidence, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is a polarizing film that never got the attention that it clearly deserved. The dialogue alone is fantastic with those car sequences being especially immersive, but it is the film’s increasingly strange second half that is the true highlight. The visuals are mesmerizing, the narrative is fascinating and the twist is truly incredible. It’s the most artistic film of the year as this genuinely thought-provoking, deep work of art.

2. The Endless Trench

By far the greatest foreign movie of 2020 is this future Spanish classic that depicts Spanish Civil War with a very different, unique perspective. Following a man who hid in the hole of the walls for decades, the movie explores what it means to be a man in the context of war while also developing one of the best cinematic romances in quite a while. It’s an incredible period piece, a moving romance and a genuinely intense thriller all put into this hugely involving package, which in itself was an immense feat given its long runtime. It’s a remarkable achievement.

1. Soul

In what will undoubtedly prove to be Pixar’s greatest year ever, 2020 saw not only Onward come out, but the best movie of the year – Soul. Following two lost souls on their journey of discovering and rediscovering the many corporeal delights of life on Earth, the film gives us this incredibly inspirational message about living your life to the fullest and getting to enjoy the smallest, most seemingly insignificant, but still beautiful things around us. The central relationship is just amazing, the characters’ journeys are inspiring and the movie is filled with many profound and cerebral moments that will make you think and inspire you long after seeing it. The animation is artistic, the score is the year’s best and most memorable one while the characters are incredibly well developed. It’s a proof of how great Pixar can be when focusing on original movies. This is surely one of the rare times when an animated film undoubtedly deserves to be crowned as the best movie of the year.

Honorable Mentions:

Two of Us – A French lesbian romance (they truly have become a genre by now) that explores a universally emotional, but ultimately very specific LGBT experience, Two of Us is so well acted, very moving and featuring an approach that is refreshingly mostly free of melodrama and forced big moments that plague many other similar films.

Swallow – Haley Bennett gave one of the best actress performances in this terrific, strange movie about this odd disease that actually exists. The movie’s thrilling of course and it’s highly entertaining to watch, but its treatment of this illness and the empathetic portrayal of its protagonist were especially worthy of praise.

Saint Frances – Saint Frances is one of the best indies of the year. Exploring motherhood in a nuanced, unexpectedly honest fashion, the film benefits from strong acting performances from all three of its actresses, a very modern storyline involving lesbian parenthood and one very strong character arc at its core.

The 40-Year-Old Version – This dramedy fires on all fronts – it is very funny and witty, but it’s also a genuinely realistic depiction of the difficult realities of show business and just how hard it is to break into it. Radha Blank is the year’s biggest breakout talent as she both acted and directed this film superbly.

The King of Staten Island – One of the best and most underrated Judd Apatow movies is The King of Staten Island, a film that features Pete Davidson mostly playing himself, but excelling at such. The relatability of its main character and the sweetness of this family drama shouldn’t be underestimated.

Dear Comrades! – Julia Vysotskaya is terrific as this very conflicted woman at the center of this Russian film that depicts one of the worst events during the communist period of this country. The stark black-and-white photography is stunning and the film is intense and technically highly accomplished.