My Top 10 Films of 2020

Eh, I’m not sure it’s totally fluff from what I saw of it (maybe 30-40 mins). Very much a coming of age story of a clever girl who relies on her own resources rather then relying on the men, and society for that matter at the time, who expect her to live up to certain standard. Only Sherlock seemed to show any interest in her.
It’s definitely a fun watch, and that was just a short sample size.

I don't mean fluff in a bad or dismissive way at all. "Escapism" might have been a better word to use.

I did like the character arc of Enola finding her own path and slowly gaining the esteem of her siblings and unraveling her complex relationship with her mother. It's a good film and I really hope there are sequels in the future.

The Invisible Man--I know some people took issue with the last act of this one, but I liked it from beginning to end. It's also the last film I saw in the theater before lockdown.

Ah gotcha. Im sorry.*
Usually fluff is used pejoratively. My mistake!

I'm with you, I thought the movie was rock-solid from start to finish and I've been surprised to hear people say otherwise. I thought of it as kind of unassailable for what it was trying to do and be.

I'm often baffled by the criticism that "once things start being explained" it gets less interesting. Like, were you not watching the movie? Did you not know what was happening?

I agree that the first half and its eerie thriller/horror setpieces are more compelling than the more action-driven second half. But that second half, and the final act, still packs a punch.

I hadn't heard that criticism because I actually hadn't heard that much criticism, but I did hear it was 3rd-act "issues". I certainly don't understand anything referring to "things being explained" because there was nothing really to explain.

I'm always so perpetually behind on current releases that I can never compose anything that feels like a top film list for the current year. 8 of your top 10 are movies on my to-see list. I will honestly mostly use responses in this thread to add to my watchlist.

That said (and that there are many other films I need to get to), things I loved from 2020 are:

Sound of Metal--I wrote up a long review of it. But suffice to say it's one of the most excellent evocations of subjective point of view and a compelling story. Solid performances, powerful message. I'm rarely excited to rewatch movies soon after seeing them, but I'm really looking forward to watching it again.

Palm Springs--Even for me, I will concede that my love of this one is very, very subjective. It came out right when I'd been sent home from work and uncertainty and anxiety were the watchwords of the day. I find it genuinely funny, I was charmed by the lead performances, and as someone who can dwell on the past, I appreciated its message.

Emma--I was thoroughly delighted by this adaptation of Austen's novel. And a huge chunk of that was how much I enjoyed the costuming and overall color scheme of the film.

The Invisible Man--I know some people took issue with the last act of this one, but I liked it from beginning to end. It's also the last film I saw in the theater before lockdown.

Honorable Mentions:

Wolf of Snow Hollow--Not as strong as Thunder Road, but I still enjoyed the odd mash-up of Cummings' cringe-comedy and a horror film.

Enola Holmes--A lovely dose of easy escapism with winning performances. Automatically added to the list of films to put on if I'm feeling down.

The Old Guard--Falls short of being great, but I really loved the cast and there were some solid action sequences.

Amulet--More something that put Romola Garai on my radar as a director, but there were some interesting ideas here and some unforgettable imagery.

I'm dying to see Sound of Metal...I've loved Riz Ahmed ever since I saw Nightcrawler. Really enjoyed Palm Springs too... big Andy Samberg fan.

stop listing 2019 movies as 2020

kthxbye

Don't take Minio too seriously.