2020 Recapped

Hello! I apologise for my absence - things were a bit hectic over the Christmas period! I had essays to write and personal issues to deal with but we're back with a bang. I thought I should really do a wrap-up of 2020 and go through all of the films that I saw in the cinema. It was, all things considered, a fairly good year in terms of new releases, especially at the beginning of the year. I'll be putting the ratings I gave just after seeing the films, along with a short review. So, without further ado, let's get into it!

JOJO RABBIT

8/10

This was the first film I saw in 2020, and it definitely got the year off to a good start. Taika definitely deserved the Oscar; the story is extremely well written with dialogue that perfectly balances comedy and serious didacticisms. The performances are stellar, particularly from Roman Griffin Davis and Sam Rockwell (I always rave about him, but he deserves the hype). The film's culmination is extremely poignant and is perfectly soundtracked, making for a beautiful and memorable scene. I haven't seen this one since it came out, but I definitely wouldn't be opposed to a rewatch!

BOMBSHELL

7.5/10

I wish I remembered this film better! I do remember how awesome the performances were, from both the main and the supporting cast (Kate McKinnon, I'm looking at you). Bombshell is definitely an important watch with regards to shedding light on the corruption and vile harassment that occurred at Fox News. Personally, I didn't particularly like the way the film was shot and edited, and some moments were a little dry, but it is redeemed by aforementioned performances. Once again, I haven't seen it since it came out and I wouldn't rush to watch it again, but I'd recommend it nonetheless.

THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD

10/10

I absolutely LOVED this film. It was definitely one of my favourite films from last year. It is a bright, eclectic take on a classic tale that is as well written and directed as it is shot, edited, and acted. Once again, it sensitively balances laugh out loud moments with more sobering, sombre ones that bring a tear to the eye. It is one of the most perfectly cast films I have ever seen; Dev Patel is truly remarkable. He is such a brilliant actor anyway but he really takes to the role of David Copperfield beautifully. I honestly cannot recommend this film highly enough. I saw it twice and I would not hesitate to watch it again, and again, and again.

1917

10/10

We all know how I feel about this one! Saw it twice in the cinema and I've since watched it at home. Every time I watch it I am taken aback by how wonderfully written and shot it is. I really love George Mackay and Dean Charles Chapman as Schofield and Blake respectively; I think they play off one another beautifully. I won't say too much about this one, but if you haven't read it yet why not go and read my separate 1917 review?

WEATHERING WITH YOU

6/10

The animation in this film was truly spectacular. On a visual level, Shinkai films are hard to beat. I think I went into this film expecting it to be as good as Your Name, which was phenomenal, and it just missed the mark for me. I'm not sure why, to be honest. I think, from what I remember, that I found the story to be a little lacking. It just didn't grab me, which was a shame considering how visually stunning it was.

JUST MERCY

10/10

I have never in my life cried at a film as much as I cried at this one. It is phenomenal. While extremely sad, it is an incredibly important exploration of the corruption of the justice system in America. The performances - particularly from Michael B. Jordan - are extremely strong, and propel the film through scenes that would otherwise be a little lethargic. I didn't see this film get anywhere near the amount of hype that it deserved, to be honest. I highly recommend it - but have your tissues ready.

PARASITE

10/10

I feel like Parasite's released triggered a shift; our lives can be organised into pre and post-Parasite. This is probably my favourite film of 2020; I am still in awe of how incredible it was. I will never forget seeing it for the first time - in a packed cinema on release day, watching it alongside a wealth of others with no idea what to expect. It exceeded every single one of my expectations - and then some. I am immeasurably happy that it won all of the Oscars that it did; its successes are beyond deserved. The writing, editing, cinematography, direction, score, acting are all utterly perfect. It is just a magnificent piece of cinema.

MILITARY WIVES

7.5/10

This was a lovely piece of light-hearted entertainment, although it still made me cry. Oftentimes, it is all too easy to forget about the people that are left behind when loved ones head off to war. Military Wives sheds light on those people and the struggles that they face. The film is pretty predictable and formulaic, but still enjoyable nonetheless! Kristin Scott-Thomas and Sharon Horgan play off each other nicely as the leads, and the film's culmination is perfectly positive.

QUEEN & SLIM

9/10

This is a phenomenal film that explores the heavy concepts of police brutality and racial profiling. Melina Matsuokas absolutely deserved more recognition than she received for her incredible direction; the film is flawless, and the pacing is perfect as it moves towards a painfully inevitable climax. Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith have exceptional chemistry and give stunning performances as the eponymous titular characters. Highly recommend - this film is extremely thought-provoking with beautiful cinematography and score.

BOOKSMART

8.5/10

I know this wasn't a new release, but I saw it in the cinema for the first time for Galentine's Day. It was extremely enjoyable and, honestly, hilarious. It has made me really excited to see more of Olivia Wilde as a director (Don't Worry, Darling - I have high hopes for you!). Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlin Dever are so great together, and you do find yourself rooting for their friendship. Booksmart is a great exploration of what it means to be a teenager; struggling to express yourself properly, unsure of your self-identity, wrongfully judging everyone around you and yourself. It's just a fun time - give it a watch!

EMMA

7/10

I really wanted to like this more than I did. Some parts of it were excellent; the production design, costumes, cast, and direction were wonderful. Anya Taylor-Joy is always a delight to watch, and Bill Nighy was perfectly funny. However, I just felt like I expected more from it, and I'm not sure why. I left the cinema feeling disappointed. I'd definitely like to try watching it again to see if I prefer it a second time. I'm not sure if the original story is perhaps what I don't like - Emma Woodhouse isn't exactly the most likeable of characters, even when played by Taylor-Joy.

GREED

4/10

There's not much to say about this film except that it was pretty awful. It tried to do far too much; it had so many concurrent storylines and not one of them was interesting or particularly well-executed. It is redeemed only by how beautiful Isla Fisher's hair is in it. That's all I have to say.

DARK WATERS

9/10

This film exceeded my expectations - and then some. Mark Ruffalo puts in a stellar performance in what is an extremely engaging and thrilling film. The story is unbelievable; I couldn't even fathom that it was based on a true story. Anne Hathaway and Tim Robbins are similarly excellent; this is a film that thrives on its cast and their chemistry with one another. Highly recommend - this story is so important and needs to be heard (whether by watching the film, researching, or reading the original article - 'The Lawyer Who Became DuPont's Worst Nightmare').

RADIOACTIVE

7/10

I saw this film on International Womens' Day, which I think influenced my enjoyment of it. It was certainly interesting to learn more about a woman that we all know of, albeit superficially. I personally didn't know much about her, so I relished this opportunity to discover more. Rosamund Pike is a great actress, and she brings requisite depth and humanity to the role. I don't think I'd rush to watch it again, but I did enjoy it for what it was. The score was one of the best parts of it: it was excellent.

EVERYBODY FLIES

10/10

This was the last thing I saw in the cinema before the first lockdown, and what a film to end on. You might not have heard of it; it is an incredible docufilm about the air you breathe on an airplane and where it comes from. The experience of watching this film was amazing; the screen was packed with industry professionals and people that were in the film, and there was a live Q&A afterwards with Tristan Loraine (director, writer, producer, editor). I cannot recommend this highly enough; the story is extremely important and needs to be spread as far as possible.

INCEPTION

10/10

Cinemas reopened after the first lockdown just in time for the tenth anniversary of Inception, so I had to go and see it when it was being shown. It is one of my favourite films of all time, but I missed it when it came out for the first time. Seeing it on the big screen was the most incredible experience, and I'm immeasurably glad that I got the chance to. I could talk about Inception forever so I'll just say that I love it and move on.

STAR WARS EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

7.5/10

This was another film I went to see when cinemas reopened and had nothing new to screen. It's unfair to judge this film now in terms of visual effects - which are extremely dated - but the story still holds up well and is enjoyable. There are some slower moments that do border on lethargic, but the pace does pick back up especially as the film moves towards its crescendo. It's not quite as epic as I remembered but, all things considered, it is still pretty awesome.

TENET

6/10

I think Tenet fell victim to the hype and the pressure of being the film that was going to 'save cinema'. It was never going to be able to achieve such a feat, but I think it suffered under the weight of such a title. The story is interesting enough, but so immeasurably confusing that it is difficult to fully appreciate. The sound design and mixing are truly awful; I saw it twice and actually understood less the second time around. Some scenes are just impossible to hear, which impedes your ability to comprehend what is going on. I think John David Washington, Robert Pattinson and Elizabeth Debicki give great performances, and the film is stunning on a visual level, but none of these elements are enough to completely redeem it.

BEETLEJUICE

8/10

This was one of two films that I saw at the cinema for Halloween, and I loved it. I can't believe I had never seen it before! It was charming and comedic, while a little dated, and extremely enjoyable. I delight in the fact that I can now understand the memes and posts surrounding the film!

HALLOWEEN

8/10

I really do love this film. It is the perfect amount of scary for me; I didn't have to hide behind my hands too many times. Jamie Lee Curtis is so great in it; her performance definitely carries the film. The score is so haunting but so perfect, too; I feel like everyone knows it, whether they've seen the film or not. Halloween is always an enjoyable watch, and I look forward to seeing the new ones as they come out. How many times is Michael seriously going to come back, though?!

TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7

10/10

I really did love this film far more than I expected to; it was full of incredible performances that were bolstered by similarly incredible writing and direction. I made a separate post about this film so there's not much else for me to say beyond go and open up Netflix and watch it. It is such an important story that I knew nothing about, and sheds light on some unbelievable yet crucial issues that, unfortunately, still resonate.

WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT?

9/10

I hadn't seen this film for a while and I had forgotten how amazing it actually is. It is such a great watch; the story is infectiously enjoyable, and there is something so satisfying about the appearance of cartoons in the real world. The objectification of Jessica Rabbit hasn't aged well, but I don't have much negative to say about the film beyond that. I will never forget how terrifying the scenes with the dip are; I'm sure anyone that has seen the film will agree!

ON THE ROCKS

7/10

I didn't mind this film; it was a decent watch with immersive, natural dialogue and strong performances from Rashida Jones and Bill Murray. However, it just felt like nothing really happened; to me, film was quite lethargic and definitely dragged at times. However, it was still enjoyable enough to watch; light-hearted and comedic, if a little basic.

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION

10/10

Another one of my absolute favourites! It was an absolute joy to be able to see this in the cinema, and an experience I will never forget. I adore this film; Tim Robbins is perfect as Andy Dufresne and he carries the film beautifully. Every scene with Crooks tugs on your heartstrings, especially that scene (if you know, you know). It is truly a masterpiece and never fails to leave me speechless. I could watch it over and over again and definitely never tire of it.

BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC

5/10

To be honest, I don't think I was really the target audience for this one. I probably would've enjoyed it more if I had seen the previous two films and actually knew what I was going to see. It was an enjoyable enough watch, though, and a decent way to spend a few hours.

AMMONITE

7/10

Francis Lee is a master of quiet yet fervent intimacy, and Ammonite has plenty of that. Kate Winslet gives the best performance I have ever seen from her, and Saoirse Ronan plays alongside her beautifully. I just felt like nothing really happened in this film; fair enough it is a character study more than anything, but I found myself getting a little bored. It was beautifully shot and put together, though, and further cements Lee as an incredible filmmaker.

So that's it! Those are all of the films that I saw in the cinema in 2020. There's actually a fair few, all things considered! I think I'll be doing a separate post with some of the films that I watched at home during lockdown; seems a little late for that, potentially, but I'm trying to wrap up 2020 so I can move onto 2021. I will also be putting together a list of my most-anticipated releases of this year, of which there are quite a few! In the meantime, be sure to let me know what you think of my ratings, and if there was anything good that I missed last year. @rac_on_film on Twitter and Instagram, and Rac on Film on Facebook! :)