This has been a weird year at the movies to say the least. Major titles likeF9,Black Widow, and more have been pushed back to later in the year or into 2021. Meanwhile, streaming has taken advantage of everyone being stuck at home to make a splash with titles that may have flown under the radar in normal times. There may have been slightly fewer movies to watch this past year, but it’s not like movies evaporated completely, and more importantly, there have been some great ones that are well worth your time.
With that in mind, our staff has put together a list of the 20 best films (in no particular order) of 2020 so far. All of these titles are available on some kind of VOD service, whether it’s rental or subscription, and you should give them a spin.
Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Eliza Hittman’s abortion dramaNever Rarely Sometimes Alwaysis not an easy movie, but it is an essential one. The story follows teenagers Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) and Skylar (Talia Ryder) as they travel from rural Pennsylvania to New York City so Autumn can procure an abortion. The film’s power comes from Hittman just allowing you to sit with all the banal cruelties the world inflicts on her two leads, not as an ode to suffering, but to show we’ve created this bizarre system that doesn’t protect life as much as it abuses women in a multitude of unseen ways. The story never feels exploitative thanks to Hittman’s assured direction and the powerful performances from Flanigan and Ryder, and while it probably won’t change any minds in the abortion debate, it’s a powerful reminder for understanding where you stand. –Matt Goldberg
Jane Austen’s comedic novel has been adapted numerous times, butAutumn de Wilde’s latest feature adaptation feels vibrant and new with a pastel palette that enraptures you in every frame.Anya Taylor-Joyplays the self-centered Emma Woodhouse in this new version, and the script stays true to the beats of the book as we’ve come to know them—Emma plays matchmaker, enjoys her role as Queen Bee of her social circle, and through her relationships with Mr. Knightley (Johnny Flynn) and Harriet Smith (Mia Goth) learns to be a better person. De Wilde’s take is as lovely and charming as the story gets, and while Austen purists made take issue with some minor deviations,Emma.knows how to make the story feel modern and immediate without losing any of its perfectly crafted period style. –Matt Goldberg
The Vast of Night
For a movie so small, there are a lot of ways to describeThe Vast of Night. The UFO-sighting sci-fi thriller has all the immediate intimacy of a podcast. All the small-town trappings of a classic Twilight Zone episode. All the grandeur ofClose Encounters of the Third Kindon a 1/3 kind budget. But really, the best way to describe The Vast of Night is a remarkable feature-directing debut fromAndrew Patterson, who navigates his extraterrestrial throwback with the precision and confidence of a master. In front of the camera are two extraordinary performances fromSierra McCormickandJake Horowitz, playing a switchboard operator and radio DJ who discover a strange signal above Cayuga, New Mexico in the 1950s. Patterson dividesThe Vast of Nightmostly into two extremes: absolute stillness and sweeping movements. He either parks the camera right on his two leads and lets them do their thing—often interacting with the unheard other side of a radio or phone—or swoops behind, around, and, on one occasion, through an entire basketball game as they bounce from place to place trying to solve this mystery. The effect is a low-budget miracle that somehow feels, well, just about as vast as the ol’ night sky.– Vinnie Mancuso
The Invisible Man
Even though it was his second directorial effort, 2018’sUpgradelet the industry know thatLeigh Whannellhad arrived. And now this year,The Invisible Manconfirmed that he’s got a one-of-kind eye for visual thrills and a knack for expertly weaving genre through a character study, bolstering both in the process. After the colossal disappointment ofThe Mummyand the utter failure of the Dark Universe, Whannell managed to justify reboots of the classic Universal monster movies by making an Invisible Man film that puts its main character first and does so with great purpose.
Elisabeth Mossleads as Cecilia Kass, a woman stuck in an abusive relationship with Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), a wealthy and very brilliant engineer. Cecilia builds the courage to make a run for it and moves in with her good friend James (Aldis Hodge) and his daughter Sydney (Storm Reid). When Cecilia gets word that Adrian opted to take his own life, it seems as though the weight of past trauma might finally lift and allow Cecilia to move forward. But soon thereafter, she becomes convinced that Adrian isn’t really gone at all. He continues to torment her but now he’s found a way to do so while making him invisible.
The Invisible Manis loaded with more stellar and stunning examples of what’s becoming known as Whannell’s signature shot, using the motion control camera. He’s also figured out a pretty clever way to keep his Invisible Man’s ability just grounded enough to make the whole scenario tactile and even more terrifying. But the driving force of the movie is undoubtedly Cecilia’s journey, and that’s why the film isn’t just a fleeting thrill that coasts on brand awareness. Moss has been delivering one show stopping performance after the next for quite a while now and her work inInvisible Manis no different. Pair that quality of work with an especially rich script that prioritizes character above all else and then toss in Whannell’s signature style and you wind up with the complete package; a worthy reboot that has something to say and earns its chills.- Perri Nemiroff
The Platform
I must have seenThe Platformat least ten times now and I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that this isGalder Gaztelu-Urrutia’s feature directorial debut. He directs from an ingenious script penned byDavid DesolaandPedro Riverothat puts the spotlight onIvan Massaguéas Goreng, a man who chooses to spend six months in a prison-like facility called The Hole in exchange for an accredited diploma.
Functioning as a brilliant capitalism allegory, The Hole is structure vertically with two occupants per floor. Once a day, a giant platform with a beautiful buffet of food descends, making brief stops on floor 1, floor 2, floor 3 and so on. The thing is though, that food is never replenished. The folks on floor 1 can indulge in an untouched spread, but those on floor 2 are stuck with their leftovers. Some are convinced there’d be enough for the people on, let’s say, floor 134 and lower if everyone would just take what they need and no more, but occupants rarely - if ever - exhibit such restraint and concern for others. Making the situation even more nerve wracking? Once a month, everyone is moved to a new floor. So one month, you could be living large on floor 5, but the next, you could wake up on 100 to an empty buffet table.
Not only isThe Platforma downright exhilarating watch as Goreng bounces around from floor to floor, but it’s also an experience you won’t be able to shake.The Platformis mighty bleak, but if the harsh reality of The Hole sends you back out into the world, inspired to do better and to give someone else’s needs more thought, the world might be a little better off for it.- Perri Nemiroff
Extraction
In any other year, it’s entirely possible thatExtractionwouldn’t have made this list. But because the coronavirus has placed a firm hold on every major Hollywood release, pushing some highly anticipated films all the way to next year, we must considerExtractionin a new light. Specifically, the light of “hey, at least I can watchChris Hemsworthkick the living shit out of a bunch of children from the comfort of my own living room.”Extractionis a straightforward action film boosted by the inherent charm of its lead actor and the highly impressive stuntwork, most of which was done practically. It’s essentially a very competentJohn Wickimitator, which doesn’t seem like high praise until you consider the fact that the majority of action movies replace practical stuntwork with dull digital effects sequences. (Skyscraper, anyone?) I’ll take a well-doneJohn Wickclone over aFast & Furiouswannabe any day (although I cherish theFast & Furiousfilms for being the jubilant shithouse crazy movies that they are). Plus, you get to seeDavid Harboursuplex Chris Hemsworth through a table while wearing flip-flops and a Tommy Bahama shirt. In a year as sparse as this one, you could do a whole lot worse. –Tom Reimann
The most surprising thing aboutBad Boys for Life, beyond the fact that they managed to convince starsWill SmithandMartin Lawrenceto return to the franchise after a 17-year hiatus, is that the movie is actuallygood. Like,reallygood. Smith and Lawrence are as charismatic as ever, and the action is exciting and well-executed, but the movie also manages to be emotionally compelling as well. I enjoyed the pure character moments between Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett as much as I enjoyed the over-the-top action sequences and comedic beats. Against all odds,Bad Boys for Lifetakes a nuanced and mature look at its two main characters and decides to really explore how they would feel as middle-aged guys with their best years behind them. It’s also just a freaking blast of an action movie with several laugh-out-loud moments, including a truly memorable cameo fromDJ Khaled. The only bummer is that it’s a cop movie, with one scene in particular that has aged horribly since its release back in January. So if you watch it, maybe pretend that they’re superheroes? –Tom Reimann
Jerry Spinelli’s beloved YA novelStargirlarrived on Disney+ in March and is very much a must-see. MusicianGrace VanderWaalmakes her feature film debut as Stargirl, a kind and creative teen whose arrival in the small New Mexico town of Mica causes quite a stir. We watch this story unfold through the eyes of narrator and protagonist Leo Borlock (GrahamVerchere), an average young man whose entire world is changed by Stargirl. As Leo and Stargirl grow close, Leo is inspired by Stargirl’s fearlessness in being true to herself and remaining unphased by those who judge her for not conforming. Under the direction ofJulia Hartand anchored by strong performances from VanderWaal and Verchere,Stargirlis a beautiful film to take in and contemplate long after the credits roll. Placing an emphasis on staying true to who you are, this is one feature which is perfect for all ages to watch. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will ultimately feel uplifted by everythingStargirlhas to offer. –Allie Gemmill
Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made
It’s hard to find a movie as endearing or funny as the Disney+ original movieTimmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made.Based on theStephan Pastisnovel of the same name and directed byTom McCarthy(you know, the fella who directed bothThe CobblerandSpotlight),Timmy Failurefollows the exploits of Portland resident Timmy Failure (Winslow Fegley), an extremely precocious grade schooler who is working hard on building his cred as the world’s best detective. Timmy’s world is turned upside down when his mom’s (Ophelia Lovibond) prized scooter is stolen and he (plus his imaginary polar bear sidekick) must go on the hunt to find it.
Timmy Failureis, at its core, a very warm and playful movie. The world in which this story lives in the product of a very bold creative vision, with a colorful cast of characters populating and breathing life into it. Fegley’s performance as Timmy is breakout-worthy, with the child actor bringing charm and depth to his role as a young detective full of conviction and spurred on by his unique way of seeing the world. He gamely goes toe-to-toe with the adult cast and proves a formidable and skilled match for co-starsWallace Shawn,Craig Robinson, andKyle Bornheimer. The chances ofTimmy Failureearning awards season attention are slim, but that is no reason to skip this charming feature. Tune in for the great performances and a story with lots of heart and plenty of laughs. –Allie Gemmill
The Netflix documentaryCrip Campis a vital and rousing tale of the slow march towards progress through activism, and in that way it resonates deeply to the moment we’re living through right now. The film shines a light on the individuals who have spent most of their adult lives fighting for disabled rights—i.e. basic human rights—with many having attended a camp for disabled teens in the 1970s called Camp Jened. Incredible footage from that time opens the film, and we then follow those teens through adulthood as their persistence and protests pave the way to pass legislation to make the world more accessible for those with disabilities. They face resistance at every turn, and seeing how long it takes for the U.S. government to take any kind of meaningful action here is heartbreaking. Ultimately this is a chronicle of activism in action, and it’s as infuriating as it is inspiring. -Adam Chitwood
