My Movies of 2020

I’m wrapping my end-of-year lists of cultural artifacts that were important to me this year. The pandemic of course had a devastating effect on the film world this year. I had a chance to see a couple of movies in theaters early in the year and then…nothing. Somehow, though, filmmakers continued to create and release incredible work. Of course, many of these movies were filmed before the COVID outbreak and it’s unclear what movies will look like in a year, to say nothing of whether the theater industry will be able to survive. These are the movies that I watched at home and that sustained me through this weird year: 1. Never Rarely Sometimes Always - For some thirty years, Hollywood wouldn’t touch the issue of women’s reproductive rights with a barge-pole. Even in indie films such as “Juno,” abortion was barely mentioned, let alone considered. So, it’s really gratifying to see the issue return to the big screen. Eliza Hittman’s film portrays a 17 year-old girl named Autumn living in a post-industrial hellscape in Pennsylvania with parents that don’t give a shit. When she gets pregnant she turns to her cousin to help come with her to NYC to get an abortion. It’s an odyssey that’s equal parts Thelma and Louise and a bleak Romanian art film. It shows just how far we’ve descended in this era of right-wing politics. 2. Da Five Bloods - For decades, Hollywood has deconstructed the Vietnam experience. But it took Spike Lee to frame it through the African-American soldier’s lens. In his characteristically messy style, Spike portrayed four vets returning to Vietnam after forty years to recover some lost treasure. Delroy Lindo is a searing presence throughout. 3. The Trial of the Chicago 7 - For some, Aaron Sorkin’s talky/walky style is exasperating, but I’ve always enjoyed his work. Despite by his own admission knowing nothing about the Chicago 7 case when he embarked on the project, Sorkin’s dense screenwriting is a perfect match for a complex story. And Sorkin’s industry muscle produced an intriguing and star-studded cast including Sacha Baron-Cohen as Abbie Hoffman, Eddie Redmayne as Tom Hayden and an electric performance by Yahya Abdul-Mateen as Bobby Seale. 4. Lovers Rock - Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” anthology was the most exciting filmmaking of the year, originally shown on the BBC and then exported via Amazon Prime. I had the good fortune to see “Lovers Rock,” one of five short films in the series, at the virtual New York Film Festival in October. It’s essentially an hour-long party scene set in a house party in the Notting Hill neighborhood of London in 1980. There was something about watching a heaving group of people dancing, sweating and hugging each other that was particularly visceral this year. 5. Mank - David Fincher’s biopic of Herman Manciewicz, who, with Orson Welles, made Citizen Kane in 1941, is a love letter to old Hollywood. In a towering performance that should land him his second Oscar, Gary Oldman plays the many crazy moods of Mank. Fincher has crafted a biopic that has more of the bygone glamour - and, yes, sleaze - than anything else out of Hollywood this year. 6. American Utopia - Spike Lee’s concert film of David Byrne’s Broadway show “American Utopia” was almost as iconic as Jonathan Demme’s “Stop Making Sense” some 35 years ago. It’s exactly the kind of optimistic, musical romp that I needed in 2020. 7. Sound of Metal - Riz Ahmed was blistering in Darius Marder’s ambitious debut “Sound of Metal.” When his character Ruben, a drummer in a metal duo, begins to lose his hearing, he fears the worst. But somehow, with the help of his network of friends, he’s able to triumph through the adversity. 8. Zappa - I’ve never been a huge Frank Zappa fan, but I respect his contribution to rock music. Alex Winter’s (yes, “Bill S. Preston” from the Bill and Ted movies) in-depth look at Zappa’s life and turbulent career opened my eyes to his true legacy. 9. The Assistant - The last two years have been full of MeToo narratives, in music, television, on stage and in the cinema. And this is likely to continue; for example, I’m very much looking forward to seeing Emerald Fennell’s “A Promising Young Woman” in the New Year. Yet, few of these narratives have treated the subject of men’s sexual violence with the deftness and humor of Kitty Green’s “The Assistant,” with Julia Garner as a junior assistant in a media company. 10. The Donut King - I’m a huge fan of food documentaries. The most satisfying one for me this year was this story of Ted Ngoy, a legendary Cambodian immigrant who built an empire around donuts. I dare you to watch this and not want to make a midnight run to the local Dunkin’ Donuts. Notable Others: * Banksy and Rise of Outsider Art * Belushi * Crock of Gold * David Crosby - Remember My Name * The Half of It * Mangrove * Totally Under Control * The Wrong Missy Disappointment: The Lovebirds - This romantic comedy with Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae is the biggest disappointment I had with a movie all year. It reminded me a little of the “Out of Towners” (the remake not the original) or the dreadful Steve Carell/Tiny Fey “Date Night.” What should have been an entertaining rom-com spins wildly out of control when they witness a bike messenger get murdered by a hit man who commandeers their car. Instead of a fun night out at the movies with a couple of funny people, it's a dark and dour trudge. So, what have all of you been watching this year - I'd love to hear.