The time has come to reveal our end of year movie countdowns for 2020. We each have so many different films, that we thought it was a good idea to explain some of the choices to include in our individual top 10 lists.
Disclaimer: We have decided these lists are not FINAL, given that we WILL consider some early 2021 releases of 2020 films for our lists. The reason? Awards submissions. Those competing for accolades for the year 2020 are, for us, films of 2020. So there. Now...ON TO THE LISTS!
Irvin Hernández's Top 10:
10. Trial of the Chicago 7
9. His House
8. Da 5 Bloods
7. Never Rarely Sometimes Always
6. Soul
5. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
4. The Forty-Year-Old Version
3. Promising Young Woman
2. Boys State
1. Sound of Metal
Which is the uncommon film in your countdown?
Boys State. I do believe that this is the film that my fellas here, Joel and Chris, don’t have in their respective top ten or 20. I believe they haven’t seen it yet. *laughs*. It is an Apple + documentary that is scary, exciting, thought-provoking, inspiring, and relevant in these tough times. The less you know or read about it, the better. It is full of twists and it has one of the most exciting scenes of the year. Also, you will remember the name, Steven Garza.
Why is Sound of Metal your number 1?
There’s a long list of reasons, but I will try to focus just on a couple. Few films this year have been as deep and emotionally captivating as this one. This one hit close to home for me and the sensibility and compassion that emanates from the performances to both the deaf community and the mental health population is more than admirable. The little things in this film are what make it a great and memorable one. The silence, the close-ups, and the nuance of Riz Ahmed’s performance make this a must-see film. Sound of Metal has my favorite scene of the year in any movie: a dialogue in which Paul Raci justifies why he will be on the list of every best supporting actor lineup.
Joel Meléndez's Top 10:
10) Run (dir: Aneesh Chaganty)
9) Tenet (dir: Christopher Nolan)
8) Da 5 Bloods (dir: Spike Lee)
7) Cuties (dir: Maïmouna Doucouré)
6) Sound of Metal (dir: Darius Marder)
5) The Invisible Man (dir: Leigh Whannell)
4) First Cow (dir: Kelly Reichardt)
3) Never Rarely Sometimes Always (dir: Eliza Hittman)
2) Soul (dir: Pete Docter & Kemp Powers)
1) I’m Thinking of Ending Things (dir: Charlie Kaufman)
Which is the uncommon film in your countdown?
Cuties. I’ll be honest, I really liked the film. The reason is a mixture of how good the film is and how I always cheer for the underdog. This is the best coming-of-age story of 2020. Doucouré takes a big risk in how she wants to tell the story and it pays off. People that didn’t watch the film or those who watched it with malignant intentions, ignored one of the most important aspects to understand a story: point of view. This film is told from the perspective of an 11-year-old girl that’s trying to understand this new world that surrounds her. Haven’t we all been there? Have we never made the mistakes she made? Haven’t we rebelled at some point? Have you paid attention to what surrounds Gen Z kids nowadays?
Doucouré also criticizes society and its objectification of women and girls. She does it cleverly. She wants us to feel uncomfortable because she wants us to do something. Of course, people decided to react instead of act. If anything, this film revealed society still needs to learn how to successfully communicate with others. If you decide to give this film an opportunity (you should), observe how the story is told. Focus on where Doucouré puts the camera and why, and don’t forget from whose perspective we view. I don’t know if this one will stay in the Final Top 10 come February, but its space right now is well deserved.
Why is I'm Thinking of Ending Things your number 1?
I believe it’s the script that translates best to the language of cinema. We all know Charlie Kaufman's mind is otherworldly. Just look at all the scripts he has done before. With I’m Thinking… he’s telling a simple story in a cinematic way. This film practically occurs in the mind of a person. This person believes he’s the center of the universe without stating it. We see how he views women, which is probably the scariest part because all of us, men, have been there. What worried me is how much I thought like the protagonist (brilliantly portrayed by Jesse Plemons) at some point in my young life. That’s scarier than any horror movie out there.
What’s most impressive is the way Kaufman tells the story. Look at how he uses sound design to get our attention. Watch how the cinematography makes you feel as uneasy as the Young Women, sorry, I meant the Young Woman (perfectly acted by Jessie Buckley). The editing of this film is excellent, at points changing eras within the same cut. What I love is that, despite never explicitly saying that this story is in someone's head, those who have paid attention know it. What’s better is that the structure of this film is exactly how our minds work, or do you think linearly? I know this film has been criticized for being self-indulgent, but that couldn’t be more untrue. This film is a critique of our society, our patriarchal society, and how it has blinded us to believe that everything is okay. Women shouldn’t think of ending things when they suspect they might be in danger; women should be able to end things and not receive immature retaliation just because. I’m Thinking… is probably the most pertinent film of 2020 and, when you have time and no distractions, you should watch it too.
Chris Fuentes's Top 10:
10. Miss Juneteenth
9. The Forty-Year-Old Version
8. The Assistant
7. The Trial of the Chicago 7
6. Never Rarely Sometimes Always
5. Tenet
4. The Invisible Man
3. Run
2. Le Choc du Futur (The Shock of the Future)
1. Promising Young Woman
Which is the uncommon film in your countdown?
Le Choc du Futur (The Shock of the Future). I've been asked why am I so high about this one since I first saw it, and especially now with these year-end countdowns. I'll go extra: I'm probably one of a handful of people in the world who bought the DVD; that's how high I am with this one. Full disclosure: I am a HUGE fan of late '70s/early '80s synth electronic music. So it stands to reason that I would enjoy the contents of this film. I love small films that can work well with what they have and not reach beyond their limitations. This movie does that brilliantly. This movie is as low scale as it gets, so director Marc Collin wrote a piece about the creative process and its steps, devoid of any edge-of-the-seat drama (a silly complaint among naysayers). It's mostly a single setting, but the workings of the mind of Ana (Alma Jodorowsky) and the toe-tapper of a score and soundtrack make for a fun 84 minutes. Women pioneered this type of music, all the way back from the time Wendy Carlos scored A Clockwork Orange. That's why it's in my countdown.
Why is Promising Young Woman your number 1?
After speaking with several female critics and film fans about this, I got the feedback of this being a realistic portrayal of rape culture and the ill effects of victims and survivors. Emerald Fennell's movie unapologetically stands up to the deplorable behavior of men and cleverly does so by casting male actors who have been known for playing likable guys and make them into a-holes. Fennell wrote such a complex and interesting character in Cassie, beautifully brought to life by Carey Mulligan. You can't wash this character away easily. The same goes for this movie, which, for better or worse, is a wake-up call and call to action for all of us (*ahem* MEN) to do BETTER.
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