My Top Twenty One Films of 2021

OK so that was another peculiar year, I mean it was not as shit as 2020, but then again it was not as great as 1999 either. I managed to watch 143 films (over many different platforms) from the year 2021. Some might say that that is a bit excessive, and to those people I would say, you are probably right. I really need to get a life. I will most definitely try and work on that in 2022, along with writing more. Yes, yes I know I promise that a lot, however, I will really try this year. Pinky Promise! A full list of all the films I saw is published at the bottom, with a basic rating, in case you are interested. Again some of the films listed as watched here might have been released in 2020 elsewhere, however, here in the lovely Czech Republic, I was only able to watch them this year.

So how was 2021 for films? I would say it was quite a good year, there were a lot more films that I rated Good or Excellent than there were ones I rated Bad or Awful, however, there were also quite a lot that I would just rate as Meh. So the same as usual.

Also please be aware that this post might contain unintentional spoilers

The Top Twenty One

21) Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
This film is one of the strangest and most surreal comedies you are ever going to see. Best friends Barb (Annie Mumolo) and Star (Kristen Wiig) after losing their jobs at a furniture store in Nebraska, decide to take their severance pay and go on holiday to Vista Del Mar, a super sickly bright resort in Florida, recommended to them by a friend. The film is full of absurd situations, including unlikely romances, a plan by a supervillain to kill everyone at Vista Del Mar using trained mosquitoes, and a whole lot of songs that would not be out of place at Eurovision. However somehow it all seems to come together and work. I had a lot of fun with this film.

20) Copshop
There is an art to making a good “Dumb Action Film,” and the team behind this film has gotten it right. Starring Gerard Butler, Alexis Louder, and Frank Grillo (after last year's underrated Boss Level one of my new favourite actors). This film is an Assault on Precinct 13 style siege film, however a lot more fun. Fixer Teddy Murretto (Grillo) gets himself locked up in a Nevada jail, to get away from hitmen sent after him, including Bob Viddick (Butler) who then gets himself locked up in the opposite cell, and the completely cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs Anthony Lamb (Toby Huss). A fun game of cat and mouse then ensues, with rookie police officer Valerie Young (Louder) stuck in the middle, not knowing who can and cannot be trusted.
 
19) Oxygen
This is a great Bottle film with all the action taking part in a damaged cryogenic unit. Elizabeth (Mélanie Laurent) wakes up in said cryogenic unit with no memory of who she is or what she is doing there. With only the onboard A.I. (voiced by Mathieu Amalric) as her primary point of contact, Elizabeth must piece together what is happening, before her cryogenic unit runs out of oxygen and she dies. A tense sci-fi thriller, with some great ideas, the film is however carried on the stellar performance of Laurent.
 
18) The Suicide Squad
Somehow James Gunn has breathed life into this franchise which was seemingly killed off in its first instalment in 2016. By working with the absurd nature of the characters, as well as making them feel like an actual squad, Gunn has bought something fresh and new to the franchise. Also, the R-rating didn’t hurt as it gave Gunn some freedom to bring in some really fun scenes of violence to a film that definitely needed them. Of the old squad, we get Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), and Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnaman) who is a much more likeable and fleshed-out character in this film. The new squad consisting of Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), King Shark (voiced by Sylvester Stallone), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), and Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), all bring something unique to the film, with each getting moments to stand out, as they take on their ridiculous mission. I would love to see another of these films, however, it might not happen, due to the poor box office, so fingers crossed.
 
17) Petite Maman
This is a lovely little film (literally little, coming in at 72 minutes). The film follows Nelly (Joséphine Sanz) who along with her parents goes to clear out her grandmother’s house after her passing. After things, get too much for her mother Marion, she leaves to be on her own, leaving Nelly and her father to continue the clear out. Whilst exploring in the woods where her mother used to build forts at Nelly’s age, Nelly comes across a young girl (Gabrielle Sanz) building a fort also named Marion, and the two of them become friends. As we go on, we learn that some form of timey whimey shenanigans have taken place, and the Marion that Nelly is hanging out with is actually her mother aged 8. A great film about mothers and daughters and how people change.
 
16) Nobody
This film came from nowhere to be a film that no one knew we needed, but so did. Bob Odenkirk plays Hutch Mansell, the titular nobody. A mild-mannered family man, who it turns out, is a retired CIA assassin. After disturbing a break-in at his home, a series of events causes him to call upon his old skills and brings him into conflict with the Russian Mob. Though this film lacks the fluid action and style of the John Wick films (this film has a lot of similarities with the first film in that series), it makes up for it in brutality, which is a lot more realistic for this character, in this world. Some really good supporting cast including Christopher Lloyd as Hutch's father David, and Aleksei Serebryakov as the main antagonist Yulian. I hope to see more of this series.
 
15) The White Tiger
I read the book that this film was based on a few years ago. Set in India, the film tells the story of Balram Halwai. From his beginnings as a bright child, denied an education after pressure from his family forces him to work, through his rise to becoming a driver for a wealthy family, one of the only paths of advancements available to him, to the act that finally helps him break out of his confines as one of the poor people of India (the rooster cage as Balram calls it), and set himself up as a successful businessman. This film is a good look at the divide between the rich and the poor in modern-day India, as well as the constraints society places on the poor using religion, traditions, and corruption to keep them down.
 
14) CODA
Ruby (Emilia Jones) is the titular child of deaf adults (CODA). The only hearing member of her family, consisting of her, her parents, and her elder brother. After discovering a talent for singing at school Ruby becomes conflicted between staying with her family who needs her help with their fishing business and following her own path and going to Berklee College of Music to follow her dreams of becoming a singer. Filled with great performances throughout, this film received praise for its depiction of its deaf characters, which is understandable, as the deaf characters in the film are fully fleshed-out humans.
 
13) The United States vs Billie Holiday
Taking place in the last decade or so of Billie Holiday’s life. This film depicts the various ways the F.B.I harassed and obstructed Billie Holiday, in an attempt to get her to stop singing Strange Fruit, as it is upsetting some people high up in the government. As they could not officially go after her for singing the song, they went after her for drugs and by using the men in her life against her. This is a story of the state attempting to censor a piece of art, and the artist pushing through. An exceptional performance by Andra Day, someone I was not really aware of before this film, but someone I will definitely be looking out for in the future.
 
12) Shiva Baby
This darkly funny comedy takes part mainly in a Shiva, a Jewish mourning ritual. Danielle (Rachel Sennot) does not want to be at the shiva, to begin with, with her overbearing mother Debbie (Polly Draper) and her oblivious father Joel (Fred Melamed) and prying neighbours all making her uncomfortable. The situation does not get any better when her ex-girlfriend Maya (an over-achiever loved by all) turns up, and then gets even worse, when her sugar daddy Max arrives, as does his wife and baby, whom Danielle knew nothing about. This modern comedy of manners is well written with some sharp dialogue and pitch-perfect performances.
 
11) Summer of Soul Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised
This documentary is about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival that took place over several Sundays in the summer of 69 (No Bryan Adams did no feature). The Festival was a celebration of black music and culture and did feature some of the most prominent black and Hispanic artists of the time, including B.B. King, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone amongst many others. Although there were about 40 hours of footage shot. it was mainly ignored for 50 years, and sat in a basement. Luckily it was found and revived. This documentary intersperses some of the fantastic performances, with news stories of the time relevant to the black experience, and talking heads of the artists and those who attended in the current day.
 
10) The Harder They Fall
A little know fact about me is that I enjoy a good Western, and this is an especially good one. A fictional story featuring many real life black cowboys, law-men, and outlaws from the old west era, it is fundamentally a revenge thriller. The film sees Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) going after Rufus Buck (Idris Elba) the man that killed his parents. He is joined in his pursuit, by Bass Reeves (The always superb Delroy Lindo) and Stagecoach Mary (Zazie Beetz) amongst others. Beautifully shot with some imaginative visual flourishes, however, what stood out for me above that and the magnificent performances (of course) is the soundtrack, a great mixture of reggae, hip-hop, afrobeat and other contemporary black artists, the entire thing comes together to produce a unique western.
 
9) Pig
Nicolas Cage every now and again will appear in a film in which his performance reminds us of just how compelling an actor he truly can be. This is one of those films. Cage gives an understated performance as Robin Feld, a former chef turned recluse, who lives in a cabin in the woods, with only his truffle foraging pig for company. When his pig is taken from him, he teams up with Amir (Alex Wolff), the man to who, he supplies the truffles, and they go in search of his pig. Played out almost like a film noir, the pair’s investigation leading them and us, to some unexpected places. However this is more than just a man searching for his pig, it’s a quiet look at grief and how people deal with it in different ways.

8) Supernova
A road trip film with Colin Firth (Sam) and Stanley Tucci (Tusker) a couple taking a camper van to the Lake District, to meet up with friends and family. Tusker has been diagnosed with dementia and is contemplating taking his own life before dementia becomes overwhelming for himself and the man he loves. This film is all about the powerful performances of the two leads, as two people who love each other deeply, are going through something devastating, and the toll it is taking on them both and their relationship.
 
7) Judas and the Black Messiah
A fantastic companion piece to last year's The Trial of the Chicago 7, this film follows Bill O'Neal (Lakeith Stanfield) a petty crook turned F.B.I informant, who is tasked with infiltrating the Black Panther Party in Chicago, and getting close to its chairman Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya). What follows is an interesting look at the inner working of the Black Panther Party, its work in the community and the charismatic Fred Hampton, all leading unfortunately to the inevitable betrayal the title of the film alludes to. Excellent performances throughout, with Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya, the obvious standouts.
 
6) Last Night In Soho
I am a huge fan of Edgar Wright’s work and so was looking forward to this film since it was first announced. This horror mystery spanning two time periods (the modern-day and the swinging sixties), sees wannabe fashion designer Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) move to London from Cornwall to attend the London College of Fashion. After moving into a bedsit, she starts having really vivid dreams about a young woman in the sixties called Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy) and becomes obsessed with her fate and her possible murder. Wright brings all his visual flair and filming techniques to bear on this film and produces a gorgeous film, full of energy and style, however along with that there is also an evolution in storytelling shown by Wright.
 
5) Spider-Man: No Way Home
This in my opinion is the best Spider-Man live-action film, we have had so far, (Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse is still obviously the best overall.) Continuing on straight after the previous film ends, we see Peter (Tom Holland) and his loved ones having to deal with Mysterio having revealed that Peter is Spider-Man to the world. When it gets too much Peter attempts to get Doctor Strange to cast a spell to make everyone forget that he is Spider-Man. However, his meddling with the spell causes villains from the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films and the Amazing Spider-Man films to come into the MCU. Though there are some good action set-pieces in this film, what make this great is the performances from the returning villains (especially Alfred Molina as Doc Ock and Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn/Green Goblin), most of whom are given moments to shine, and Tom Holland’s performance, as he finally has to grow up from being a Spider-Boy into a Spider-Man.

4) The Mitchells vs. the Machines

This was the biggest surprise film of the year for me. I had not heard anything about it, and then one day there it was on Netflix. This animated film is a wonderful story about a parent not understanding their child’s passions and leading to a rift amongst them, and then the robot apocalypse happens. A fantastic film with lots of heart, and even more laughs. It is visually a feast for the eyes, as this unlikely family attempt to save the world. The voice performances are all on point, with a special mention to Olivia Colman as PAL the villain of the film. An utter joy to watch.

3) Nomadland
This is a fascinating film by Chloé Zhao. Based on the non-fiction book, it follows Fern (an always-excellent Frances McDormand) who after losing her job and husband, becomes part of a community of older Americans who live a nomadic lifestyle and travel around the states, following seasonal work. By keeping the professional actors to a minimum, and filling the film with actual members of the nomad community, Zhao provides an authentic look at a culture a lot of us were unaware of. Well worthy of all the awards it won.

2) The Green Knight

This dark fantasy based on the Arthurian legend is beautifully shot with a stunning bleakness throughout it. Though the story does differ from the legend, this is still a compelling watch. Dev Patel brings a vulnerable gravitas to the role of Sir Gawain, the knight of Camelot, who answers a challenge from the titular Green Knight and then must seek him out a year later, to complete his side of the bargain, even though it could mean his own certain doom. An unusual coming-of-age story, where Sir Gawain must finally leave behind his idle ways and take responsibility for his actions. Very close to being number one on this year’s list.

1) The French Dispatch
With The French Dispatch, we may have reached peak Wes Andersoness. Which being a fan, is not a bad thing for me. Starring his ever-growing troupe of actors, the film is an anthology film of 4 stories set in the fictional French town of Ennui-Sur-Blasé. Each story is a depiction of an article from the final edition of The French Dispatch, a supplementary magazine for a Newspaper in Kansas. Each story is different to the previous, yet still maintains Anderson’s style and vision. I would definitely recommend this if you are a fan of Anderson or a fan of the French New wave as this is a loving tribute to it.

And my worst film of the year for 2021 is.........

Thunder Force

This film was a disappointment. I will not go into any detail on the plot, just in case I inadvertently make it sound better than it is. I will just say it is a poor attempt at a Superhero Comedy, where I may be laughed at one thing, but even that got old quickly. The stellar cast gives some of the worse performances I have seen from them, including the usually reliable Melissa McCarthy, Octavia Spencer, Bobby Cannavale and Jason Bateman. This film goes for very low hanging fruit in both the comedy and superhero film genres. Just skip!

 

Complete list of Films I watched in 2021

Ratings

Excellent = Must watch

Good = Should watch

Meh = Fine

Bad = Can be avoided

Awful = Avoid

 

12 Mighty Orphans - Meh

A Quiet Place Part II - Excellent 

America: The Motion Picture - Meh

Annette - Good

Antlers - Meh

Archenemy - Bad

Army of the Dead - Meh

Army of Thieves - Good

Baby Done - Good

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar - Excellent 

Batman Soul of the Dragon - Good

Batman The Long Halloween Part One - Good

Batman The Long Halloween Part Two - Good

Beings the Ricardos - Meh

Best Sellers - Meh

Black Widow - Good

Blithe Spirit - Meh

Blood Red Sky - Bad

Breaking News in Yuba County - Bad

Candyman - Good

Censor - Good

Chaos Walking - Bad

Cherry - Bad

C'mon C'mon - Good

Coda - Excellent 

Coming 2 America - Bad

Concrete Cowboy - Good

Copshop - Excellent 

Cosmic Sin - Awful

Cry Macho - Good

Dune - Excellent 

Edge of the World - Meh

Encanto - Meh

Eternals - Good

Everybody's Talking About Jamie - Meh

Fatherhood - Good

Fear Street Part 1 1994 - Good

Fear Street Part 2 1978 - Good

Fear Street Part 3 1666 - Good

Finch - Good

Flora and Ulysses - Bad

Free Guy - Excellent 

Godzilla vs Kong - Good

Gunpowder Milkshake - Good

Halloween Kills - Meh

Happily - Good

Herself - Excellent 

How It Ends - Good

In the Heights - Excellent 

Infinite - Awful

Injustice - Meh

Jolt - Meh

Judas and the Black Messiah - Excellent 

Jungle Cruise - Meh

Kate - Good

King Richard - Meh

Lamb - Good

Last Night In Soho - Excellent 

Locked Down - Bad

Luca - Good

Midnight in the Switchgrass - Bad

Minari - Excellent 

Monster Hunter - Awful

Mortal Kombat - Awful

News of the World - Excellent 

Night in Paradise - Good

Night Teeth - Meh

Nightbooks - Good

Nine Days - Bad

No Man of God - Meh

No Sudden Move - Excellent 

No Time to Die - Good

Nobody - Excellent 

Nomadland - Excellent 

Old - Bad

Old Henry - Good

One Night in Miami - Good

Outside the Wire - Bad

Oxygen - Excellent 

Petite Maman - Excellent 

PG Psycho Goreman - Meh

Pig - Excellent 

Prisoners of the Ghostland - Bad

Promising Young Woman - Good

Raya and the Last Dragon - Good

Red Notice - Bad

Reminiscence - Good

Resident Evil Welcome to Raccoon City - Bad

Respect - Meh

Riders of Justice - Good

Settlers - Meh

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - Good

Shiva Baby - Excellent 

Snake Eyes - Meh

Space Jam A New Legacy - Bad

Space Sweepers - Good

Spider-Man: No Way Home - Excellent 

Spiral From the Book of Saw - Meh

Stillwater - Good

Stowaway - Meh

Summer of Soul Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised - Excellent 

Supernova - Excellent 

Swan Song - Good

Sweet Girl - Meh

The Card Counter - Good

The Comeback Trail - Meh

The Courier - Meh

The Education of Fredrick Fitzell - Bad

The Father - Excellent 

The French Dispatch - Excellent 

The Green Knight - Excellent 

The Harder They Fall - Excellent 

The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard - Bad

The Last Duel - Good

The Many Saint of Newark - Good

The Map of Tiny Perfect Things - Good

The Marksman - Meh

The Matrix: Resurrections - Meh

The Mauritanian - Good

The Misfits - Bad

The Mitchells vs. the Machines - Excellent 

The Night House - Good

The Power of the Dog - Excellent 

The Protégé - Meh

The Starling - Meh

The Suicide Squad - Excellent 

The Tomorrow War - Meh

The United States vs Billie Holiday - Excellent 

The Voyeurs - Meh

The White Tiger - Excellent 

Those Who Wish Me Dead - Meh

Thunder Force - Awful

Tick Tick Boom - Excellent 

Titane - Good

Vacation Friends - Good

Venom: Let there be Carnage - Bad

Voyagers - Meh

Werewolves Within - Good

Willy's Wonderland - Bad

Without Remorse - Meh

Wrath of Man - Good

Zack Snyder's Justice League - Meh

Zeros and Ones - Bad

 

My Top Twenty One Films of 2020

OK, so that was a… let’s just say a strange year, to say the least, and though not important at all in the grand scheme of things (I hope you are all doing well and weren’t fucked by the year too much), films were also affected. A lot of the films I was hoping to watch didn’t come out, so I was watching a lot more “smaller” and interesting films this year. I managed to watch 111 films (over many different platforms) from the year 2020. This surprised some of my friends (yes I have friends and they consider themselves truly blessed be thought of as so), who didn’t think that many films were released in 2020 and yet still somehow considering how much more time I was spending at home, I watched fewer films than I did last year. A full list of all the films I saw is published at the bottom, with a basic rating, in case you are interested. Again some of the films listed as watched here might have been released in 2019 elsewhere. Also unsurprisingly this year’s list is not comic book/superhero heavy for once.
 
So how was 2020 for films? I would say it was quite a good year, there were a lot more films that I rated Good or Excellent, than there were ones I rated Bad or Awful, however, there were also quite a lot that I would just rate as Meh.
 

Also, please be aware that this post might contain unintentional spoilers

The Top Twenty One

21) The Vast of Night
This debut film from director Andrew Patterson, a simple science fiction story set in a small town during the 1950’s, the film sees a teenage disc jockey Everett (Jake Horowitz) and his friend a switchboard operator named Fay (Sierra McCormick) attempting to piece together mysterious happenings one night, such as a mysterious audio signal and a mysterious phenomenon in the sky, it’s all very mysterious. Great performances from the young leads, this film also has one of the greatest walk and talk sequences since the West Wing. Terrific storytelling, that conveys a real sense of claustrophobia & paranoia.
 
20) Palm Spring
A quirky time loop comedy (not the only one I watched this year), starring Andy Samberg as Nyles a man stuck reliving the same day over and over again, at the wedding of his girlfriend’s friend. Having lost all hope of escape he has made his peace with being stuck forever, however during one of the loops he attempts to seduce the sister of the bride Sarah (played by Cristin Milioti), and pulls her into the loop with him. This film somewhat follows the rom-com tropes, though the inherent nihilism of the leads does give this a non-traditional leaning. The fact that you are routing for the two of them at the end of the film, is a testament to their performances.
 
19) Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
This is the only comic book film in this list this year, although I did watch quite a few of them, this is a really fun film with great performances from all the cast. The standouts being Margot Robbie, who seems to have nailed the Harley Quinn character, and Ewan McGregor with his fantastically over the top performance as Roman Sionis (aka the Black Mask). The film see’s Quinn breaking up with the Joker and then having to make a deal with Sionis for protection, as now everyone whom she has wronged in the past, want’s to kill her. She is tasked with retrieving a diamond that has been stolen by a young pickpocket, Cassandra Cain. Things take a turn though when Harley bonds with Cassandra, and ends up teaming up with a vigilante called Huntress (an excellent Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Sionis’ new driver Dinah Lance, and cantankerous police detective Renee Montoya (trust me if you are a comic fan, these names will mean something to you), to protect Cassandra and takedown Sionis.
 
18) On the Rocks
This film may get compared to Lost in Translation, as it is directed by Sofia Coppola and stars Bill Murray, however, this comedy-drama is a slightly different beast, with Murray’s Felix helping investigate whether the husband of his daughter Laura (played by Rashida Jones), is having an affair with his colleague. At the same time Felix’s own infidelities haunt the background of his relationship with Laura. Murray and Jones are great together, with a lot of the film being Felix meditations on his philosophies about life and love, thinking he is providing deep insights into women, and Laura sitting there looking bewildered about how anyone can talk such rubbish.
 
17) Why Don’t You Just Die
This bat-shit crazy Russian film may not sound very appealing but trust me everyone I have recommended it to has loved it so far. The film’s premise is very simple, Andrey (Vitaliy Khaev) a policeman in Moscow, receives a visit from Matvey (Aleksandr Kuznetsov) claiming to be the boyfriend of Andrey’s daughter Olya. Unknown to Andrey, Matvey has been sent to kill him by Olya. What follows is a violent game of cat and mouse, mostly between the two men, but with others joining in at different points. Definitely worth a watch if you are in the mood for something a bit different.
 
16) Gretel & Hansel
This atmospheric reimaging of the classic fairy tale is visually stark, yet still utterly stunning, with understated performances from its cast. Sophia Lillis is mesmerising as Gretel and Alice Krige is terrifying in the role of the witch. You should all know the story; young brother and sister are thrown out by their stepmother and lured into a witches hut. This film however also gives a look back at the witches story, which might not always be a good thing, but here is done with a deft touch.
 
15) Onward
I started playing Dungeons & Dragons a couple of years ago (and you thought I couldn’t get any cooler), but that is not the reason, this film made my list (well not the only reason). It is a fun adventure film taking place in a fantasy world where technology has overtaken magic and adventure, making this world full of fantastical creatures, more mundane. We follow two elf brothers Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley (Chris Pratt) attempting to bring back their dead father for a visit, using a magic spell so Ian can finally meet him. Pixar has produced another classic family adventure, with a wonderful emotional core.
 
14) You Cannot Kill David Arquette
Be warned this documentary will not be for everyone. In the year 2000 during publicity for his comedy film Ready to Rumble, the actor, and huge wrestling fan David Arquette, was against his better judgement talked into becoming the WCW Champion. Arquette’s brief reign was seen at best as a joke, at worse as an abomination by other wrestling fans. It is also considered to be a factor in film makers not taking this once rising star, seriously as an actor anymore and harmed his career. This documentary follows Arquette returning to Wrestling after 18 years, to try and gain some measure of respect in the wrestling community. It is an amazing journey of redemption, which sees Arquette literally putting his life on the line, for something he truly loves still.
 
13) Bill & Ted Face the Music
For a long time throughout the year, this had a very good chance of being my favourite film. I think it came along just at the right time when the world needed some cheering up, and cheer me up it definitely did. Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves return to these iconic characters after 29 years, and they are still as goofy and lovable as ever. That is not to say that there has been no character growth, this film follows a slightly more world-weary duo, who still have not produced the song that is to usher in that most excellent future that they have been told is their destiny, and time seems to be running out. Bill and Ted travel to various points in their own future, hoping just to take the song from future versions of themselves. While there music obsessed daughters (played very well by Samara Weaving & Brigette Lundy-Paine) travel throughout history picking up musical geniuses, to be the backing group for their father when needed. Lots of fun for fans of this series, and of course we get William Sadler returning as Death, which is totally Non-Bogus
 
12) Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
This film has the last live action performance of Chadwick Boseman, who sadly passed away in August, and what a performance it is. Based on a play by August Wilson, the film see Boseman’s ambitious young trumpeter, waiting for the titular Ma Rainey, a real-life singer of the time, known as the "Mother of the Blues," (played by remarkable Viola Davis), with the rest of her band. They spend the time talking about a wide range of subjects, race, religion, artistic exploitation, and of course music. A film full of outstanding performances, definitely worth a watch just for those.
 
11) Little Woman
This is a brilliant adaption of the classic Louisa May Alcott novel, though it has been adapted many times before for film, this latest version directed by Greta Gerwig plays around with non-linear storytelling, and the film is so much the better for it. Saoirse Ronan is the stand out as Jo March, however, the film is filled with tremendous actors putting in superb performances. Telling the story of four sisters, growing up in Massachusetts during the Civil war, while their father is off at war. The film does an excellent job of portraying the sisters, struggles with life, love and loss.
 
10) Da 5 Bloods
This is the second Chadwick Boseman film on this list, which just goes to show what a great talent he was (as if there was any doubt). This Spike Lee joint tells the story of four black Vietnam vets, returning to the country to retrieve some gold they stole from a CIA drop-off during the war and to retrieve the body of one of their fallen comrades. Another film full of amazing performances, special mentions should go to Delroy Lindo as Paul, and Clarke Peters as Otis, two of the four ‘Bloods’. They portray the characters in both time periods (without any de-aging), with Boseman playing Norman the 5^th blood, who died whilst taking the gold originally. Like a lot of Spike Lee’s films this film has a lot to say on a variety of subjects, with it dealing with themes of war, brotherhood, race, politics and PTSD.
 
9) 1917
This is an old fashioned war film; however it is elevated by phenomenal filmmakers (the director Sam Mendes & cinematographer Roger Deakins) and by the top-notch performance by the cast. Telling the story of two British soldiers (played by Dean-Charles Chapman & George MacKay) during the Great War, tasked with delivering a message to call off an attack on the Germans, as new information shows that it is a trap and that the Germans will overwhelm the attacking force. One of the soldiers delivering the message has the extra incentive that his brother is one of the soldiers who will go over the top in the attack. Beautifully shot in long takes, this tense film is able to portray the bleakness of the First World War, as well as having some incredible action set pieces.
 
8) The Trial of the Chicago 7
Based on the true story of the trial of a group of anti-war protestors charged with conspiracy and inciting a riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, again sorry to harp on about this but this is a film full of wonderful performance, in fact too many for me to point any specific ones out. Throughout the trial the  defendants must contend with a government out to make an example of them, an extremely prejudice judge and attacks on their civil liberties. This is a fantastic courtroom drama that was written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, which unfortunately with the cases of police brutality we see and the reaction to the protests that follow, have as much relevance to the present.
 
7) Rocks
This is a remarkably simple yet still wonderful film, which on the surface would sound depressing. A black British teenage girl called Olushola "Rocks" Omotoso (played by Bukky Bakray in her debut performance), comes home to find that her mother has abandoned her and her younger brother. Rocks tries to take care of her little brother, and stay away from the authorities who would split them up. She does so with some help from her school friends and their families, and that is what elevates this film from a sad drama, the true heart of the film comes from the relationships between the girls and community that tries to look out for each other in times of need.
 
6) A Hidden Life
As we have come to expect from Terrence Malick, this film is visually stunning. Based on the true story of Franz Jägerstätter an Austrian farmer living an almost idyllic life in his a small village, with his wife and three daughters, the family’s life is turned upside down when during the Second World War, Franz becomes a conscientious objector and refuses to swear an oath of allegiance to Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. Ostracised by his neighbour, Jägerstätter is arrested and put on trial, however does not break and turn his back on his principles, even at the cost of his own life. Beautifully shot, August Diehl’s portrayal of Jägerstätter is a masterful depiction of quiet courage.
 
5) The Invisible Man
After the debacle that was the Dark Universe (which they attempted twice), Universal seems to have finally got something right in regards to their monsters franchise, they are letting people who actually know horror, work on them. Though roughly based on the H. G. Wells novel and the previous Universal monster film from 1933, this one also adds the extra dimension of domestic abuse to the story, with the titular Invisible man (Adrian Griffin) being shown to be a monster long before he goes invisible. Elizabeth Moss who is excellent as always portrays Griffin’s abused partner Cecilia, who at the start of the film escapes from his clutches. Griffin then using technology turns himself invisible and proceeds to stalk and gaslight Cecilia. Director Leigh Whannell has made a truly scary and suspense-filled film, which fills empty spaces with almost unbearable tension.
 
4) Kajillionaire
Evan Rachel Wood plays Old Dolio Dyne, the emotionally stunted daughter of two small-time con artists, played by Richard Jenkins and Debra Winger, who treat her more as an accomplice, rather than a daughter. During one of their cons, they meet a young woman named Melanie (Gina Rodriguez), and the parents take her under their wing, leading to feelings of jealousy in Old Dolio. To be honest, I’m not sure how to categorise this film, it’s listed as a comedy drama, however I don’t feel it fits, I mean it’s quirky but not overly so. In fact I don’t even really know why I like this film so much; I just know that I really do.
 
3) Mank
In lesser hands this film, a biographical depiction of Herman Mankiewicz, the man who wrote Citizen Kane, shot in the style of Citizen Kane itself,  could have come off as cheesy and gimmicky, however, David Fincher has produced a fantastic film. Going through key point’s in Mankiewicz’s life leading up to the writing of the script, including Mankiewicz’s work in the studio system, his friendship with Marion Davies, and through her, his relationship with William Randolph Hearst (the main inspiration for the character of Charles Foster Kane), as well as dealing with the actual process of writing the script and the reaction of the people around him to it. Gary Oldman is a tour de force as Mankiewicz, however the supporting cast is also superb, with a special mention deserved by Amanda Seyfried playing Marion Davies.
 
2) The Personal History of David Copperfield
There have been many film adaptations of the novels written by Charles Dickens (approximately 56 if you are interested), but I cannot think of any others that have been this energetic or fun. Considered somewhat autobiographical, this is the story of the fall, rise, fall, and rise again of the titular David Copperfield (played by the superb Dev Patel), from his childhood when he is sent to the workhouse by his stepfather, to escaping to live with his eccentric great-aunt, to his friendships and loves, this is a wonderful film, peppered full of great performances from the cast made up of some of director Armando Iannucci’s regular collaborators. Special mention should go to Tilda Swindon playing the aforementioned great-aunt Trotwood, and Hugh Laurie as her equally quirky lodger, Mr. Dick.
 
1) Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Be warned this is not a cheerful film. At points it is devastating; however, it is a wonderful film even if it will leave you looking for the nearest box of tissues at some points. The story of 17-year-old Autumn (an excellent Sidney Flanigan in their film debut) who finds out that she is pregnant, finding it hard to get an abortion in her Pennsylvanian town, as when she visits a crisis pregnancy centre they are more interested in burdening her with guilt by showing her an anti-abortion video and giving her literature on adoption. After trying to resolve the issue herself in one of the many heartbreaking scenes in this film, she tells her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder), and they decide to travel to New York to get the help she needs, without having to get parental consent. A poignant look at the issue of women’s reproductive rights and of abuse that a lot of women suffer in silence, this is a must watch especially in light of what has happened in Poland this year.

And my worst film of the year for 2020 is.........

Cats
Come on, was there ever any doubt? There were a few really awful films this year, but nothing came close to this monstrosity. I have no idea who thought this was a good idea, or what they were on when they thought it, but there is no reason for this film to exist other than to fuel the nightmares of anyone that has watched it. So just don’t even bother.
 

Complete list of Films I watched in 2020

Ratings
Excellent = Must watch
Good = Should watch
Meh = Fine
Bad = Can be avoided
Awful = Avoid
 
1917 - Excellent
A Hidden Life - Excellent
Alive - Meh
An American Pickle - Meh
Another Round - Good
Artemis Fowl - Awful
Bacurau - Good
Bad Boys for Life - Meh
Bill & Ted Face the Music - Excellent
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) - Excellent
Black Bear - Meh
Bloodshot - Meh
Bombshell - Good
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm - Good
Boss Level - Good
Brittany Runs a Marathon - Good
Cats - Awful
Chick Fight - Good
Color Out of Space - Bad
Come Away - Good
Come To Daddy - Meh
Countdown - Good
Da 5 Bloods - Excellent
Dolittle - Awful
Downhill - Meh
Ema - Good
Emma - Excellent
Eurovision Song Contest the Story of Fire Saga - Meh
Extraction - Good
Fantasy Island - Meh
Fatman - Good
Freaky - Good
GodMothered - Meh
Greed - Meh
Greenland - Meh
Gretel & Hansel - Excellent
Greyhound - Good
Guns Akimbo - Good
Hamilton - Excellent
Harriet - Meh
Honest Thief - Meh
How to Build a Girl - Meh
Irresistible - Meh
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot - Good
Jiu-Jitsu - Awful
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War - Good
Kajillionaire - Excellent
Last Christmas - Meh
Legacy of Lies - Bad
Let Him Go - Meh
Little Woman - Excellent
Love and Monsters - Good
Ma Raineys Black Bottom - Excellent
Mank - Excellent
Military Wives - Meh
Misbehaviour - Good
Mortal - Excellent
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge - Meh
Motherless Brooklyn - Meh
Mulan - Meh
Never Rarely Sometimes Always - Excellent
On the Rocks - Excellent
Onward - Excellent
Palm Spring - Excellent
Playing with Fire - Meh
Possessor - Good
Project Power - Meh
Rebecca – Good
Rocks - Excellent
Sonic the Hedgehog - Bad
Soul - Good
Spenser Confidential - Bad
Stardust - Bad
Superintelligence - Bad
Superman Man of Tomorrow - Meh
Superman Red Son - Good
Sylvie’s Love - Meh
Tenet - Good
Tesla - Meh
The Banker - Good
The Broken Hearts Gallery - Meh
The Call of the Wild - Meh
The Devil Has a Name - Good
The Gentlemen - Good
The Grudge - Meh
The High Note - Good
The Hunt - Meh
The Intergalactic Adventures of Max Cloud - Bad
The Invisible Man - Excellent
The King of Staten Island - Good
The Midnight Sky - Good
The New Mutants - Meh
The Old Guard - Good
The Outpost - Bad
The Personal History of David Copperfield - Excellent
The Secret Garden - Meh
The Trial of the Chicago 7 - Excellent
The Vast of Night - Excellent
The Way Back - Good
The Witches - Meh
The Wolf of Snow Hollow - Meh
Train to Busan 2 Peninsula - Meh
Uncut Gems - Good
Underwater - Meh
Vampires vs. the Bronx - Good
Vivarium - Bad
Why Don’t You Just Die - Excellent
Wolfwalkers - Excellent
Wonder Woman 1984 - Good
You Cannot Kill David Arquette - Excellent
You Should Have Left - Meh