*Last Updated 6/23/2022
In favor of waiting until I've seen absolutely everything (a bottomless task), I've decided to take a "running list" mentality to the awards. I've got many projects and only so much time so I've just decided to post the awards once I hit a critical mass, mention what I haven't seen and then update them as I (re)watch more 2020 films over time. You can see the last time I've updated it at the top. To help get the projects done, commentary might be light as well - mostly graphics and winners. Enjoy!
2020 Films Seen: 71
Number of Films with A or A+ Grade: 2
Number of Films with A or A+ Grade: 2
Key Films Still to See: La Llorona, Shaun the Sheep Movie, Wolfwalkers, City Hall, Blood On Her Name, Pieces of a Woman, Another Round, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Jiu Jitsu, Time to Hunt, Athlete A
Brief Summary: n/a
Honorable Mentions: Alone, The Christmas Chronicles Part Two, Enola Holmes, On the Rocks, The Rhythm Section
Not a "best of" list or a "favorite" list - but a list of the films and sequences (action, drama, comedy, & musical) that I think represent the best the year had to offer. So think of it as a strange mixture of favorite, best, and defining. Once you get to the top ten films, it definitely becomes more defined as a Top Ten list of the year. The number one film is my favorite of the year.
Honorable Mentions: Alone, The Christmas Chronicles Part Two, Enola Holmes, On the Rocks, The Rhythm Section
25. Palm Springs (B-)
24. News of the World (B-)
23. Desert One (B)
22. Bill & Ted Face the Music (B)
21. The Last Full Measure (B)
20. The Croods 2; A New Age (B)
19. One Night in Miami... (B)
18. Miss Juneteenth (B)
17. Tenet (B)
16. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (B)
15. Emma (B+)
14. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (B+)
13. The Way Back (B+)
12. Bad Education (B+)
11. Mank (B+)
THE TOP TEN
10. Judas and the Black Messiah (B+)
9. Nomadland (B+)
8. Extraction (B+)
7. The Father (A-)
6. Greyhound (A-)
5. Minari (A-)
4. The Invisible Man (A-)
3. The Outpost (A-)
2. Hamilton (A)
1. Sound of Metal (A)
Commentary: n/a
FAVORITE ACTION SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
The Very Good:
- "Finale: Bridge Battle for the Boy" -Extraction
- "Finale: Brother and Sister vs. Yayan Ruhia" -Wira
- "Finale: Returning the Car Through Roadblocks & Fire" -Lost Bullet
- "Inverted Estonian Plutonium Heist" -Tenet
- "Lino Fights His Way Out of Jail" -Lost Bullet
- "Tangier Escape: Car Chase to Escape First Assassination" -The Rhythm Section
- "Locker Room Fight: Three vs. One" -Welcome to Sudden Death
The Great:
- "Greyhound and Dicky Take On a U-Boat Together" -Greyhound
- "Battle for Outpost Keating" -The Outpost
FAVORITE DRAMATIC SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
- “Trying to Share a Warning and Being Betrayed” -The Assistant
- “Tassone Explains the Problem to a Student’s Mom” -Bad Education
- “Paul’s PTSD is Triggered by a Pushy Chicken Salesman” -Da 5 Bloods
- “A Witty Insult Ruins the Group Outing on Box Hill & Induces Humility” -Emma.
- “Presidential Alert: Picked for Shelter Among Neighbors” -Greenland
- “Opening: Hunting, Killing, and Confirming a Single U-Boat” -Greyhound
- “Decisions: Survivors in the Water or a Boat in Distress?” -Greyhound
- “Framed for a Murder in a Public Restaurant” -The Invisible Man
- “Chairman Fred’s Welcome Back Speech” -Judas and the Black Messiah
- “A Silent Phone Call of Thank You” -The Last Full Measure
- “Vietnam War Memorial Breakdown” -The Last Full Measure
- “Dinner: Blackledges and Weboys Meet” -Let Him Go
- “Levee Tells the Story of His Father” -Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
- “Grandma Arrives in Arkansas” -Minari
- “Story of the Men of Keel Run Told in Erath County” -News of the World
- “Letting his Brother Say Goodbye to His Father” -Onward
- “Finale: I Didn’t Save Him” -The Outpost
- “Next Step of Training: One Take Impromptu Fight” -The Rhythm Section
- “Opening: Day Two Without Sound” -Sound of Metal
- “Finale: It’s okay – Sitting and Accepting” -Sound of Metal
- “Returning to the Airport Freeport” -Tenet
- “Beating Memorial: Telling Brandon to Take the Last Shot” -The Way Back
- “Finale: Making Amends and Shooting Hoops on the Shore” -The Way Back
The Great:
Commentary:
FAVORITE COMEDIC SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
- "Play JaJa Ding Dong" -Eurovision Song Content: The Fire Saga
- “Smooth Moves Across the Dance Floor" -Palm Springs
- "Montage: Having Fun with Multiple Lives - 80's Bar Dance" Palm Springs
The Great:
- n/a
The Best: n/a
BEST DIRECTOR
- Lee Isaac Chung Minari
- David Fincher Mank
- Shaka King Judas and the Black Messiah
- Rod Lurie The Outpost
- Darius Marder Sound of Metal
FAVORITE FILM ENSEMBLE
- Bad Education
- Judas and the Black Messiah
- Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
- Minari
- One Night in Miami...
- Sound of Metal
FAVORITE MALE PERFORMANCES
Nominees:
- Riz Ahmed Sound of Metal
- Chadwick Boseman Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
- Anthony Hopkins The Father
- William Hurt The Last Full Measure
- Hugh Jackman Bad Education
- Daniel Kaluuya Judas and the Black Messiah
- Caleb Landry Jones The Outpost
- Bill Murray On the Rocks
- Gary Oldman Mank
- Jesse Plemens Judas and the Black Messiah
- Paul Rici Sound of Metal
- LaKeith Stanfield Judas and the Black Messiah
FAVORITE FEMALE PERFORMANCES
- Nicole Beharie Miss Juneteenth
- Olivia Colman The Father
- Olivia Cooke Sound of Metal
- Viola Davis Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
- Yeri Han Minari
- Allison Janney Bad Education
- Lesley Manville Let Him Go
- Frances McDormand Nomadland
- Cristin Milioti Palm Springs
- Elizabeth Moss The Invisible Man
- Amanda Seyfried Mank
- Yuh-jung Youn Minari
FAVORITE SCREENPLAY
(original or adapted)
- Bad Education
- The Father
- The Invisible Man
- Greyhound
- Judas and the Black Messiah
- Mank
- Minari
- Nomadland
- The Outpost
- Palm Springs
- Sound of Metal
- The Trial of Chicago 7
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Nominees:
- Desert One
- Dick Johnson is Dead
Commentary: A nicely made documentary on the 1979-1980 Iran hostage crisis, with the primary emphasis being on the failed military rescue from April 1980. The documentary lays out the context well, gives perspectives from most all the major players (a must in these kinds of documentaries), and provides insight into their thinking. I wish it was a bit more reflective about special operations in general and how reliable they are - but it's just not that kind of documentary. That said, for anyone looking for a good and engaging education about the event, this would be a good place to turn.
Nominees:
- The Croods 2: A New Age
- Onward
- Soul
BEST FILM EDITING
BEST ART DIRECTION
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
- Emma.
- The Invisible Man
- Greyhound
- Let Him Go
- Mank
- Minari
- News of the World
- Soul
- Tenet
BIGGEST GUILTY PLEASURE
MOST SURPRISING FILM
Nominees:
- Bill & Ted Face the Music
- The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two
- Extraction
- The Invisible Man
- The Outpost
MOST DISAPPOINTING FILM
Nominees:
- The Gentlemen
- The Impractical Jokers: The Movie
- Let Him Go
- Tenet
- Wonder Woman 1984
ERIC BANA AWARD
*Given for the best performance in a bad film (See 2004's Troy)
- Colin Farrell The Gentlemen
- Martin Lawrence Bad Boys for Life
- Pedro Pascal Wonder Woman 1984
- Guy Pearce Bloodshot
THE END!