{"id":164537,"date":"2020-12-31T10:38:35","date_gmt":"2020-12-31T15:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=164537"},"modified":"2022-08-16T11:10:20","modified_gmt":"2022-08-16T15:10:20","slug":"2020-movie-recommendations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=164537","title":{"rendered":"2020 Movie Recommendations"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;m probably missing some. And there are still a couple of foreign films I haven&#8217;t seen. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/EVw0T5IXYAE4i0x.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"659\" height=\"371\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-165377\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/EVw0T5IXYAE4i0x.jpg 659w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/EVw0T5IXYAE4i0x-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/EVw0T5IXYAE4i0x-400x225.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/EVw0T5IXYAE4i0x-100x56.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 659px) 100vw, 659px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>The Assistant<\/em><\/strong> (2020; d. Kitty Green)- It&#8217;s so so good, and so &#8220;of our moment&#8221; it&#8217;s almost eerie. But it&#8217;s the WAY that Kitty Green chose to tell the story that really stands out. And Julia Garner is amazing. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/the-assistant-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">my Ebert review here<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/cd3f1cfcc5496db054e3cad5bbc8617f-e1609422633162.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"566\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164541\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>I Was at Home, But&#8230; <\/em><\/strong>\u2026 (2020; d. Angela Schanelec) &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/i-was-at-home-but-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">my review here<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/91MrZmh9D4L._RI_-e1609422735556.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"533\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164542\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Never Sometimes Always Rarely<\/em><\/strong> (2020; d. Eliza Hittman). I love Hittman&#8217;s work. I interviewed her for a live QA at Lincoln Center following a screening of her film <i>Beach Rats<\/i> &#8211; which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/beach-rats-2017\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I reviewed for Ebert<\/a>. She&#8217;s a distinct filmmaker, who has &#8211; thus far &#8211; gone her own way, working independently, on the streets of New York and its boroughs &#8230; with a mix of street photography and intimate almost romantic attention to detail. Her milieu is adolescence and sex, and all the swirling complications that can come from acting on your desire (or not) before you&#8217;re old enough to really deal with what it all means. <i>Never Sometimes Always Rarely<\/i> is the story of a teenager from Pennsylvania, played by the extraordinary Sidney Flanigan &#8211; even more extraordinary when you consider this is her first credit. So far she has won Best Actress in a number of critics&#8217; votings (including our NYFCC voting) and I couldn&#8217;t be happier. This teenager finds herself pregnant &#8211; by whom it doesn&#8217;t matter &#8211; she is sexually active and she finds herself pregnant. Abortion is not really offered in her small town so she and her best friend take the train to New York to seek out a doctor who will do the procedure. Filmed with stark and intimate sense of reality, the film is at times harrowing, at times almost funny, and at every second unexpected, fresh, and emotional. Painful. Unforgettable. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/emmacleverposter-e1609423110302.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"592\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164543\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Emma. <\/em><\/strong>(2020; d. Autumn de Wilde) One of my faves of the year. Charming, funny, great cast, with real feeling surging underneath those crazy costumes. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/emma-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Reviewed for Ebert. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BMWFkODE5NjctZjc1Ni00OTIwLWFjYjAtZTU2MDFkZDI1NmMxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjQ0NzcxNjM@._V1_-scaled-e1609423287419.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"593\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164545\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Saint Frances<\/em><\/strong> (2020; d. Alex Thompson). Wonderful film. Hasn&#8217;t gotten nearly enough buzz. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/saint-frances-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I reviewed for Ebert.<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/61Ma7U2w7sL._AC_SL1000_-e1609423392208.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"582\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164546\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>The Way Back<\/em> <\/strong>(2020; d. Gavin O\u2019Connor). I really liked this. Check it out. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/the-way-back-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I reviewed for Ebert. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BY2Q4MjZjNzItMjJkMS00Y2M5LTg3NjUtMTk2OWNhMjJlNmE0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTkxNjUyNQ@@._V1_-e1609423553912.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"593\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164547\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Tigertail<\/em> <\/strong>(2020; d. Alan Yang). Loved it. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/tigertail-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Reviewed for Ebert.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Vast-of-Night-e1609423777925.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164549\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>The Vast of Night<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Andrew Patterson). If I were in charge of the world, this would win Best Cinematography. Although I would want to give it more awards, just in general. In my Top 5 of 2020. I am not big on rankings but it may be my #1 of the year. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/the-vast-of-night-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">My review at Ebert<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BOGU5YzRmMDctODIxZi00OGEzLWE4ZDYtOTRlMTNiZjlhMDA5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODk4OTc3MTY@._V1_-scaled-e1609423922321.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"591\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164550\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Shirley<\/em><\/strong> (2020; d. Josephine Decker) I&#8217;m a huge fan of Decker&#8217;s. Was looking forward to her film about Shirley Jackson, starring Elizabeth Moss. I had one major issue with the film, but other than that, the performances, mood, and plot-structure are fascinating and it&#8217;s well worth a watch. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/shirley-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I reviewed for Ebert<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BMGRhMzRkYzEtMDBjNy00YjkxLWJjNzctNzEwNGNhZDUyZWI0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTE1MzI2NzIz._V1_-scaled-e1609424112472.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"593\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164551\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Babyteeth<\/em><\/strong> (2020; d. Shannon Murphy). I really REALLY liked this. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/babyteeth-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">My review for Ebert<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BZGQ2Y2NhMGMtNzFlNS00OTU3LTg4NmYtMzEyODhkZDAxMTk1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODc0OTEyNDU@._V1_-e1593624577182.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"421\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164552\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BZGQ2Y2NhMGMtNzFlNS00OTU3LTg4NmYtMzEyODhkZDAxMTk1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODc0OTEyNDU@._V1_-e1593624577182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BZGQ2Y2NhMGMtNzFlNS00OTU3LTg4NmYtMzEyODhkZDAxMTk1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODc0OTEyNDU@._V1_-e1593624577182-143x200.jpg 143w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BZGQ2Y2NhMGMtNzFlNS00OTU3LTg4NmYtMzEyODhkZDAxMTk1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODc0OTEyNDU@._V1_-e1593624577182-285x400.jpg 285w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BZGQ2Y2NhMGMtNzFlNS00OTU3LTg4NmYtMzEyODhkZDAxMTk1XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODc0OTEyNDU@._V1_-e1593624577182-71x100.jpg 71w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Athlete A<\/em><\/strong> (2020; d. Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk). Almost unwatchable it&#8217;s so upsetting. But important. About the decades-long abuse of girl gymnasts. Monsters. All of them. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BY2MwZDQ2ODQtOGFmOS00OGFlLTgwYTMtZGI4ZDljY2MyMmI0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjM4Nzc0NjM@._V1_-e1609424293286.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"565\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164553\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>Suzi Q<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Liam Firmager). I really enjoyed this informative documentary about rock pioneer Suzi Quatro. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/suzi-q-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I reviewed for Ebert. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/unnamed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"345\" height=\"512\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164554\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/unnamed-1.jpg 345w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/unnamed-1-135x200.jpg 135w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/unnamed-1-270x400.jpg 270w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/unnamed-1-67x100.jpg 67w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 345px) 100vw, 345px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Relic<\/em><\/strong> (2020; d. Natalie Erika James). Very creepy and moving haunted house movie. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/relic-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I reviewed for Ebert.<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/hamilton-poster-6-810x1200-1-e1609424492999.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"593\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164555\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Hamilton<\/em><\/strong> (2020; d. Thomas Kail) What a thrill that 1. this movie exists 2. that this movie exists in the form that it does (the play was filmed) and 3. that it&#8217;s fantastic. Which of course since I saw the Broadway production and it was one of the most thrilling nights I&#8217;ve ever had in the theatre and that&#8217;s not just because I have loved Alexander Hamilton long before everyone else did. I don&#8217;t have Disney Plus. As a film critic I got a short-lived link to it, so I could see it. I knew my time was numbered so I watched it about 5 times in two days. This was during lockdown you understand. And I didn&#8217;t watch many movies this year, actually. I was mostly binge-watching stuff. Binge-watching helped me make it through. I&#8217;m currently binge-watching <i>The X-Files<\/i>. Comforting. But <i>Hamilton<\/i> was a thrill. It makes me cry. So happy it exists. Look forward to owning the DVD because I will never give up my physical media and let Disney proclaim when and where I get to see this movie. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BYjk0MTgzMmQtZmY2My00NmE5LWExNGUtYjZkNTA3ZDkyMTJiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTkxNjUyNQ@@._V1_-e1609424754519.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"585\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164556\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>Palm Springs <\/strong><\/em>(2020; d. Max Barbakow). I didn&#8217;t exactly go into this with low expectations but I did go into it with not any expectations. I knew nothing about it, really. And <i>Palm Springs<\/i> was one of the treats of the year. I loved it. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/palm-springs-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I reviewed for Ebert<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BMjZjNzRjNmQtOGJlMS00NzVkLWFmYWQtYjIxMzJmYTkwMjhhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODE5NzE3OTE@._V1_-scaled-e1609424820821.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"593\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164557\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>Yes, God, Yes <\/strong><\/em>(2020; d. Karen Maine). Another happy surprise. An honest girl-coming-of-sexual-age film, sparked with religious guilt and humor. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/yes-god-yes-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I reviewed for Ebert.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BMThkYWYwMzQtZTUxMi00YTJmLWFiOTItNTAxMWY5ZjE4MmMxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTkxNjUyNQ@@._V1_-e1609424921858.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164558\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>I Used to Go Here<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Kris Rey). Ignore the boring poster. This is a very funny and true movie, and I love Gillian Jacobs. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/i-used-to-go-here-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">My review for Ebert.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BYjUzNjAyYzYtZTc0ZS00ZjQyLWJiN2QtMmZmODM2ZWRiY2RlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTkxNjUyNQ@@._V1_-scaled-e1609425031987.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"571\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164559\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>Red Penguins<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Gabe Polsky). I loved Polsky&#8217;s film <i>Red Army<\/i>, about the Russian hockey dynasty, eventually defeated in 1980 at the Olympics by the American team. <i>Red Penguins<\/i> is kind of a follow-up, about the state of Russian hockey post-collapse of the Soviet Union. Absolute MADNESS. A great history lesson as well as a fascinating story about the beginnings of criminal-capitalism-oligarchy, exploding in the wake of Communist&#8217;s destruction, and how it impacted hockey. I&#8217;ve been a fan of Polsky&#8217;s work since I saw <i>Motel Life<\/i>, which he co-directed with his brother Alan. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/the-motel-life-2013\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I reviewed for Ebert<\/a>, and also interviewed Alan Polsky onstage at Ebertfest, following a screening of the film (it played like gangbusters). <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BMGUzMGEzM2UtMDg2Ny00Yjk1LTgxMTctMWI1ZGM0ZDBiYjgxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA4NjE0NjEy._V1_-scaled-e1609425715561.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164562\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>First Cow<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Kelly Reichardt). I love Reichardt&#8217;s films (<i>Certain Women<\/i>, so far, is my favorite). In <i>First Cow<\/i>, she shows the relationship between two men in a rough frontier town, and how they collaborate to start a small business selling oatcakes to the village, and how they have to basically steal milk in order to start this business, from the first cow brought to the territory. It&#8217;s a touching portrait of an unlikely relationship, but it&#8217;s also the story of America, and the birth of capitalism, both its positive side (these men perceive a need and go about to fulfill the need) and its negative (it requires stealing and subterfuge). Wonderful film. The NYFCC awarded it Best Picture.<\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BY2VlYmQ5MjUtNWRjMC00MWExLWExMzYtY2FiYWUxYTlkY2JmXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNTE1MzEyMjY@._V1_-e1609425736193.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"591\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164560\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>The Swerve<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Dean Kapsalis) What a film. And WHAT a performance from Azura Skye. The performance of the year, for me. Don&#8217;t miss it. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/the-swerve-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I reviewed for Ebert.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/call-to-spy-poster-e1609425915520.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"533\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164564\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>A Call to Spy<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Lydia Dean Pilcher) A fascinating slice of history never before shown on film. Kind of lost in the shuffle. I highly recommend it. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/a-call-to-spy-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I reviewed for Ebert.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BNTA4MWQ4NGUtOGQ0MS00M2QyLWE5MDItZWM2YzA0ZDgxZTA2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjY1MTg4Mzc@._V1_-scaled-e1609426034616.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164566\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Wolfwalkers<\/em><\/strong> (2020; d. Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart). Awarded best animated film by NYFCC and rightly so. I loved it, its Irish whimsy and beauty, its haunting imagery, as well as the story itself. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/hksezdkaktk51-e1609426183733.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"592\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164567\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>On the Rocks<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Sofia Coppola) Worth it to watch Bill Murray in action.<\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/im-thinking-of-ending-things-movie-HD-Posters-1-e1609426368380.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"519\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164569\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>I\u2019m Thinking of Ending Things<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Charlie Kaufman) One of my favorite films of the year. It sent echoes ricocheting in my head. It wouldn&#8217;t leave me after it finished. It was so powerful for me I hesitate to watch it again. I wrote something on Instagram the day after I saw it, so you can see the effect it had: <\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Charlie Kaufman\u2019s I\u2019M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS flattened me. I was worn OUT. Tears streamed down my face during one sequence, and I was almost embarrassed even though I was alone. (I miss Hope!) Then 5 minutes later I was cracking up at the audacity of the very same sequence. But I was really unnerved by the film, really shook up. It made me think of Walter Benjamin\u2019s concept of the \u201cangel of history.\u201d The angel moves forward \u2026 but it faces backward \u2013 looking back behind it. And what it sees is a millennia of ruin. As it moves through time, moving forward, looking backward, it sees more and more ruins being created behind it. All as its body moves into the future. That\u2019s what this movie made me think of. You\u2019ll have to see it to understand why I say this. Benjamin\u2019s view is not a hopeful one. In fact, it is one born of horror. Which makes sense considering the time in which he lived. Not to mention how he \u201cended.\u201d But Benjamin\u2019s view is not just pinned down in one era. It\u2019s not a hopeful view of the world or of man\u2019s chances in this world. I\u2019M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS is also not hopeful, even though there are moments of crazy whimsy, and just the STRUCTURE of it is so dazzling it will keep you guessing, keep you interested, and not just interested but invested. The film deals with time, and the ravages of time. It deals with memories, and how memories work, and how memory is unreliable. Things change. You remember things differently. You find new perspectives. You maybe even try to re-write your own history, trying to find a better narrative, a narrative that will provide comfort, as opposed to nag you with regrets. In this respect, the film reminded me of my own life. I just wrote that \u201cTsk Tsk\u201d piece and I wrote it from a great remove from the events it described. Memory is fickle. I\u2019m sure I got a lot of things wrong (or \u201cwrong\u201d) and I\u2019m sure if he told the story it might be totally different. But as I was writing my way back into that \u2026 romance, no other way to put it \u2026 I was aware of the abyss of time between then and now. I tried to put that feeling into my writing. I have thought about the \u201cTsk tsk\u201d moment for literally years, trying to understand it, and also trying to grapple with its import and impact. Was it really that huge? Well, right now, in this moment, yes, it does seem huge. That might change. Time erases things, time turns things into ruins (the \u201cangel of history\u201d). The movie evokes the spooky feeling of the first 2 months of my lockdown: The past happening alongside the present. The past rising up from out of the past, entering into my present. It made me feel like a ghost, like I lost substance. That\u2019s what the movie made me feel. Jessie Buckley (been a fan since Beast \u2013 my review for Ebert here) and Jessie Plemons (SO happy he\u2019s flourishing \u2013 The Irishman, The Post, The Master \u2013 I remember him in the great Observe and Report too!) They both give extraordinary performances. I\u2019ve seen a lot of pieces like \u201chere\u2019s an explanation of this movie\u201d, \u201cheres what it all means.\u201d People who don\u2019t know what the movie means should consider themselves lucky. To me it was almost a documentary. It\u2019s surreal, yes, and you\u2019re not sure which end is up \u2026 but for me, that\u2019s my experience of reality a lot of the time, particularly when strong emotions come into play. Toni Colette and David Thewlis were superb \u2013 those roles must have been so fun. Plus: Jud from Oklahoma and Gena Rowlands\u2019 raspberry gesture in Woman Under the Influence? In the same scene?? A relitigation of Baby It\u2019s Cold Outside? (I\u2019m on poor Jake\u2019s side of that tiresome argument.) William Wordsworth\u2019s \u201cIntimations of Immortality\u201d? Pauline Kael? All in the same movie? I was not prepared for the LEVEL of identification I had with this film. I\u2019m still shook.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BZDU1MDE4NmItMDFlZS00YTFhLWEwMWUtZmM0NDRmMzZkNDFiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTkxNjUyNQ@@._V1_UY1200_CR9006301200_AL_-e1609426462698.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"762\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164571\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>The Opening Act<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Steve Byrne) I really enjoyed this. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/the-opening-act-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Reviewed for Ebert.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/killingeleanor-poster-e1604413550225-1-e1609426663248.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"607\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164572\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/killingeleanor-poster-e1604413550225-1-e1609426663248.png 400w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/killingeleanor-poster-e1604413550225-1-132x200.png 132w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/killingeleanor-poster-e1604413550225-1-264x400.png 264w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/killingeleanor-poster-e1604413550225-1-66x100.png 66w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>Killing Eleanor<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Rich Newey) This is not available to be seen yet, but I wanted to put it on your radar, for whenver it finds distribution. Written by Annika Marks &#8211; who also stars (or co-stars with Jenny O&#8217;Hara &#8211; in a wondrous performance), <i>Killing Eleanor<\/i> is a road movie, but with a deep and painful theme, a subject almost never addressed in film. I wanted to review this because Annika is a friend of mine, who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=116535\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">starred in my short film <i>July and Half of August<\/i><\/a>, and was a wonderful collaborator and I am so excited to see everything she&#8217;s doing right now. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=162615\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I wrote about <i>Killing Eleanor<\/i>.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BNDc5MTA2ZjgtOWU4OC00YjU4LTk3ZGUtYmMwZjRhODJiYTdiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTA2MDU0NjM5._V1_-scaled-e1609426850780.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"568\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164574\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Collective<\/em><\/strong> (2020; d. Alexander Nanau) Good year for documentaries. This one is the best, as far as I&#8217;m concerned. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/collective-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I reviewed for Ebert.<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/405px-The_Life_Ahead_poster.webp_.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"405\" height=\"600\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164578\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/405px-The_Life_Ahead_poster.webp_.png 405w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/405px-The_Life_Ahead_poster.webp_-135x200.png 135w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/405px-The_Life_Ahead_poster.webp_-270x400.png 270w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/405px-The_Life_Ahead_poster.webp_-68x100.png 68w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 405px) 100vw, 405px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>The Life Ahead<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Edoardo Ponti) So awesome to see Sophia Loren in a lead role, calling back to her beginnings, but with so much wisdom and experience added to it. Loved it. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/the-life-ahead-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I reviewed for Ebert. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/71ZW9jOf6xL._AC_SL1427_-e1609427593268.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"595\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164580\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Beanpole<\/em><\/strong> (2020; d. Kantemir Balagov) What a wild film, what a gorgeously shot film &#8211; the color coding! every single scene! &#8211; and what a painful film. With two amazing performances by Viktoria Miroshnichenko and Vasilisa Perelygina, neither of whom have any credits (what?? they&#8217;re both so good!) Extraordinary portrait of PTSD, not just with the two main characters, but with the entire city, the entire culture. One of the best films of the year. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BYjc1N2M1YjMtYzBiNi00NGFiLThkN2QtY2EwZGU5MDRkODAzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTkzODUwNzk@._V1_UY1200_CR9006301200_AL_-e1609427574278.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"762\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164579\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Bacurau<\/em><\/strong> (2020; d. Kleber Mendon\u00e7a Filho, Juliano Dornelles) Like many critics, this is on my Top 10. An amazing film about a cult-like town, not on the map, not really, where the inhabitants are used for target practice by a group of mercenaries (multi-national). A brutal film about the ravages of colonialism. Udo Kier! Always good to see him. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BNmNjMTg5M2QtNTMxZS00ZjQxLWFjNTgtZTIxZTQ5OTI2NGJjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODE0OTU5Nzg@._V1_UY1200_CR9006301200_AL_-e1609427741539.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"762\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164581\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Time<\/em><\/strong> (2020; d. Garrett Bradley) Voted Best Documentary by the NYFCC. It may very well win the Oscar. At any rate, an amazing portrait of one woman&#8217;s decades-long quest to get her husband released from prison, as well as becoming an advocate for prison reform. Very intimate. Not a distanced talking-heads documentary, the filmmaker embedded himself with the family. Using the family video-tapes taken over the years. Amazing and moving. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/da-5-bloods-poster-e1609427862721.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"593\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164582\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>Da 5 Bloods<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Spike Lee) I&#8217;ve heard criticisms that this film meanders, it&#8217;s too long, it&#8217;s too messy. Honestly, what has happened to people&#8217;s attention spans? Why is everyone so frustrated with anything that doesn&#8217;t &#8220;move the plot along&#8221;? Who the fuck ARE these people? Why is this a &#8220;thing&#8221;, wanting everything to have to do with the plot? Is this because of the MCU-domination, franchises that allow no byways or tangents or, hell, character development? Oh, who cares. This is epic film-making, with incredible performances, most notably the great Delroy Lindo, who has been doing amazing work for decades and has finally moved center stage. The NYFCC awarded him Best Actor. In my mind, there is no other choice. Not only is this a role other actors would have to &#8220;push&#8221; to fill, it&#8217;s a role very few actors could even DO. I compared it to a mix of Charlton Heston and Marlon Brando: it&#8217;s got that grandiose SCOPE of Heston, and it&#8217;s got that bone-deep commitment to inner life and character of Brando. Everyone&#8217;s good though. One of the movie-watching experiences of the year. It&#8217;s basically Spike Lee&#8217;s re-make of <i>Treasure of the Sierra Madre<\/i>. Bless. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BMGRjYzI5ZGUtZGJjYy00ZTYyLWJlNzItNWM0MDc0ZDVmM2IwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTkxNjUyNQ@@._V1_-e1609428098547.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"592\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164583\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>The Nest<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Sean Durkin) A very creepy film about a couple who move to England to chase the husband&#8217;s career. Husband (Jude Law) always has plans, big plans, waiting for the big score, believing in his pipe dreams. Wife (Carrie Coon) goes along for the ride. Reluctantly, though. Husband is, in actuality, a sociopathic type, with a gleam that has already started to wear off. People are now &#8220;onto&#8221; him. Taking place in the yuppie-style wealth-hungry 1980s, it&#8217;s a moody dark piece that also has elements of a Haunted House movie, because the house they move into in England is WACKO. Great acting.<\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/64ff3ed2f15afc58abe22dbfffa129a4-e1609428319906.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"500\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164585\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<strong><em>Minari<\/em><\/strong> (2020; d. Lee Isaac Chung) In my Top 5. Loosely based on Chung&#8217;s childhood, growing up on his family&#8217;s Arkansas farm, his parents immigrants from Korea, his dad who believes in the American dream of striking out on your own, making your own wealth, believing in your own pursuit of happiness. This is no misty-eyed paean to that Dream, though. It&#8217;s often brutal. But the swelling of emotion in the last half-hour of the film UNDID ME. I burst into tears when the little boy started running. WAHHHHH IT&#8217;S SO GOOD. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BYTE0ZGVkNzctNTE1Ny00NGM2LWIzYzUtMDQ1YzAyYmQyYTE3XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTAyMjQ3NzQ1._V1_UY1200_CR10006301200_AL_-e1609429094949.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"762\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164590\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>Black Bear<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Lawrence Michael Levine) Terrific film. I love Levine&#8217;s sensibility <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/black-bear-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">which I wrote about in my review<\/a>. And Aubrey Plaza is amazing. She always is, but this is next level. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BNjNkNmU2M2EtMzEwZS00M2E5LWFlOTYtZjU3ZGQ5MTU0YTM4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTEyMjM2NDc2._V1_-e1607655723555-1-e1609428600187.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"592\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164586\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BNjNkNmU2M2EtMzEwZS00M2E5LWFlOTYtZjU3ZGQ5MTU0YTM4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTEyMjM2NDc2._V1_-e1607655723555-1-e1609428600187.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BNjNkNmU2M2EtMzEwZS00M2E5LWFlOTYtZjU3ZGQ5MTU0YTM4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTEyMjM2NDc2._V1_-e1607655723555-1-135x200.jpg 135w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BNjNkNmU2M2EtMzEwZS00M2E5LWFlOTYtZjU3ZGQ5MTU0YTM4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTEyMjM2NDc2._V1_-e1607655723555-1-270x400.jpg 270w, https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BNjNkNmU2M2EtMzEwZS00M2E5LWFlOTYtZjU3ZGQ5MTU0YTM4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTEyMjM2NDc2._V1_-e1607655723555-1-68x100.jpg 68w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>Wander Darkly<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Tara Miele) REALLY loved this. It moved me deeply. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/wander-darkly-movie-review-2020\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">I reviewed for Ebert<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Lovers-Rock-HIGHRES-1500x1875-1-e1609428754171.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"500\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164587\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>Lovers Rock<\/strong><\/em> (2020; d. Steve McQueen) Part of McQueen&#8217;s Small Axe anthology series. For me, this one is the best. It&#8217;s different for him. I haven&#8217;t been a huge fan of his films up until now. Maybe <i>Hunger<\/i>, okay. But in general, I&#8217;ve found him to be self-consciously grim. <i>Lovers Rock<\/i> is an EXPLOSION of collective joy. Joy with its complications, for sure, but it evokes a whole world, a whole time, a whole &#8220;scene.&#8221; It also has my favorite sequence of the year. You&#8217;ll probably know it when you see it. It&#8217;s when the music drops out, and the crowd keeps singing, as one. <\/p>\n<p>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/MV5BMWQwNWFmYWEtZjU1NC00Mjk3LTgzZGQtNTJhODU5OTkxYzhhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUxMTY3ODM@._V1_-e1609428882437.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"593\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-164588\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\n<em><strong>40-Year-Old Version<\/strong> <\/em>(2020; d. Radha Blank) We awarded this Best First Film at the NYFCC, and in a year of awesome first films, that&#8217;s an accomplishment. It&#8217;s so so good. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;m probably missing some. And there are still a couple of foreign films I haven&#8217;t seen. The Assistant (2020; d. Kitty Green)- It&#8217;s so so good, and so &#8220;of our moment&#8221; it&#8217;s almost eerie. But it&#8217;s the WAY that Kitty &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/?p=164537\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[33,2552,2666,2209,2633,2544,2493,2546,2208,600,1492,2570,2548,2215,2560,2346,150,214,2448,2509,2273,2637],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164537"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=164537"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164537\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":165378,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164537\/revisions\/165378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=164537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=164537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=164537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}