Best of 2020 - Films

I'm not going to sugar coat it; it's been a pretty bad year for films. Not that all the films this year are bad or anything, but more along the lines of completed films being delayed, films in production or due to go into production being delayed and some being outright cancelled all due to Covid-19. But some films were released this year after all with some still reaching cinemas albeit later than planned (or on time if before March) and some finding other ways to reach out to audiences such as streaming. But while the live action ones have been affected by the pandemic, animation has still managed to thrive thanks to people working from home on their computers to get the animation done and actors doing the voice acting with their own equipment too. I guess the big question in a year where very few films have been released, were any of them good and fortunately, I've been able to watch some of the good ones. So as with all the lists I do, this is a list of films I have seen, that were released everywhere this year (any that were released last year, but made it to UK shores this year don't count) and all of them count regardless of where and how they were released. So let's see if there has been something good to come out of the pandemic from the world of films and this may be the shortest list I have ever done for this kind of blog post:

Birds of Prey

Although I kind of feel that this film could've had a better title considering its centred on Harley Quinn, its another film that proves that DC are heading in the right direction with their cinematic universe. The films aren't as connected as before nor do they lead into a future event (at least for now), but its a fun film with great characters, humour, action and girl power. A far better film with Harley Quinn than Suicide Squad I think (though she was good in that too).

 

Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm

It may be controversial and causing a lot of issues in the USA, but if anyone can poke fun at current events and get away with it, its Borat. Of all the films Sacha Baron Cohen has made featuring his TV characters, most will agree that the first Borat was the best one. It changed filmmaking by proving that you can make something with real people instead of actors and that mockumentaries can be done well. The sequel was no too shabby too. Still controversial, but funny, over the top and just shows how bad the USA are doing with Covid-19 and their childish president. Great country of course, but not doing great right now.

 

Onward

Some people forget that some films as fictional as many of them are, they could be based on actual events. For example with Onward, despite it being a fantasy set in the modern world, it's actually a version of the story of its director Dan Scanlon which adds some depth to the film in a way. That sometimes having an older sibling or friend that looks out for you may be better if you lose your parents or don't know what happened to them. But overall it's a fun film that does the opposite of most fantasy films where magic once conquered all, but then came technology and the magic simply became a thing of the past. Another great film by the good people at Pixar.

 

Hamilton

In light of the pandemic, Disney decided to change course and release most of the new releases on Disney+ which this year managed to become available in many more countries such as the UK. Most of them were from Disney themselves and believe me when I say this, most of them were not very good. Even their "Premier Access" film wasn't great either. But then I watched Hamilton which while simply a recording of the stage production, it was the first film to be based on it and also my first watch of it ever, and I liked it. Great music, great acting and loved how they changed the characters (or rather the sort of actors) to make it feel more diverse. It was a great musical and I hope we do get an actual film adaptation one day.

 

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War

The animated DC films have come a long way since Superman: Doomsday and there is a good mix of them. There are many that are based on well known and beloved stories from the comics. Many more that are just continuations of already existing universes. A few stand-alone original films too and then there is the DC Animated Movie Universe. This is something that the line of animated films have been doing for the past couple of years and in comparison to the live action shared universe on the big screen, this has done a lot better. It is largely a version of the New 52, but incorporating well known stories and giving us this epic ending. Marvel has Thanos as the main villain that their films have been building up to whereas for DC, its Darkseid and this film delivers. It is gory, heartbreaking and in some parts funny. But it's the ending that this shared universe deserves, and I hope we see more of it as the ending leaves the universe on a hopeful yet sad note.

 

Superman: Red Son

I have always loved superhero stories that change the origins to make things a bit interesting and this one is certainly that. A Superman bought up in the Soviet Union. Lots of things could go wrong here and even though it's a Superman story, some other heroes pop by as well as we see how they are shown in the universe. Its another great Superman story and a different one too in a good way. Not great to see Superman considered a threat, but still a good story.

 

SpongeBob SquarePants: Sponge on the Run

Even in a pandemic, laughter can be the best medicine. But for those of us after something more innocent that the Borat film, there is SpongeBob. The third film was also affected by the pandemic which forced Paramount to release it through digital means in most territories except for Canada where it got a cinema release. Meanwhile, in the UK, Netflix got it and even though it's now all CGI, the characters still look like themselves, and it answers lingering questions such as how all the main characters met the titular character and what truly is the thing that makes a Krabby Patty so good. Its funny, innocent and good fun. Plus those of you still waiting for Cyberpunk 2077 because of Keanu Reeves, he's in this film so don't fret.

 

Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge

One of the best things to ever happen to the Mortal Kombat franchise is Warner Bros. buying them. You see years ago, it was being made by Midway who have since become bankrupt. So Warner Bros. bought most of their properties including Mortal Kombat. They then established a new developer called NetherRealm who since Mortal Kombat (2011), have been the sole developers for the series going forward as well as the DC fighting game series Injustice with both featuring character appearances from their respective franchises as well as third party characters like Predator, RoboCop, Terminator, Jason Voorhees and even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. So with Warner Bros. getting good with animation, a Mortal Kombat film was made and its in every way like the game with style, blood, gore and all the things you'd bound to expect from the series. It could have done with a name change because other characters take the stage besides Scorpion. But overall it's a great film and far better than the live action ones back in the 90s.

 

There are probably more films that I have missed that are really good, but those are my top picks. Hoping for a longer list of films next year and now let's pay our respects for some people from the film industry who passed away this year:

 

Terry Jones - One of the great Monty Python comedy troupe

 

Ian Holm - The original Bilbo Baggins himself

Joel Schumacher - He nearly ruined Batman, but gave us some great films like The Lost Boys

Chadwick Boseman - The Black Panther himself. Gone too soon and soon after his big break.

Diana Rigg - We loved you in Game of Thrones and for your many other roles in a number of TV and film productions

David Prowse - One half of the original Darth Vader. May the force be with you always

Jeremy Bulloch - Like David Prowse, he was one half of another Star Wars character; Boba Fett (in the original trilogy). May the force also be with you always.

Barbera Windsor - The original Queen of the Vic herself. People will miss that and your hilarious mishaps in the Carry On films.

Sean Connery - The original 007 himself as well as Indiana Jones's dad once upon a time