All the Movies I Watched in 2020
Here we are once more! For some reason I didn’t do much outside the home this year, so I watched an extremely chill amount of new films — 404 to be exact. Don’t text.
Not to be all “when the pandemic started”, but when the pandemic started, I simply doubled down on the film goals I was already working on. I got into a nice rhythm, work during the day, sign off, make dinner (minimal effort), and watch something on my list. I let my sort-of intrusive thoughts guide the way, films I couldn’t excise from my mind until I watched them, which is how I ended up doing a double feature of Batman Forever and The Godfather Part III.
Like everyone, I hope to spend less time in my home in 2021… but not too much less? As someone who goes too hard by nature and risked totally burning out in late February, it was kind of nice to be forced to slow down. Except for the suffering and mass death and isolation and emotional distress. Much like Tenet, that’s for Future Kyle to deal with.
For now, let’s take a journey through my year in film. The highs, the lows, the Crocodile Dundees. Also, I watched ten seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. I’m ready to tell the world. Sorry.
My 2019 list is here if you want to read about Alita: Battle Angel again. Yes, that was only last year. Now that’s the last 2020 joke I’m making, thanks.
Top Ten
My full rundown is over at Boston Hassle. Some hits this year! Using some visual aids to brighten up this Medium post.
10. Bacurau dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho & Juliano Dornelles
9. Shirley dir. Josephine Decker
8. Nomadland dir. Chloe Zhao
7. Martin Eden dir. Pietro Marcello
6. She Dies Tomorrow dir. Amy Seimetz
5. Sound of Metal dir. Darius Marder
4. The Nest dir. Sean Durkin
3. Dry Wind dir. Daniel Nolasco
2. Wolfwalkers dir. Tomm Moore & Ross Stewart
1. First Cow dir. Kelly Reichardt
Runners Up
Let Them All Talk (The more I sit with it, the more I love it! Experiments rocks!), Promising Young Woman (Not Chill), Lingua Franca (Can’t wait to see what Isabel does next), City Hall (I live here), Bad Education (The best Hugh has ever been, or ever will be), Mank (Mank!), Dick Johnson is Dead (I will never die), Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets (So absorbing, could be five hours long and still work), Never Rarely Sometimes Always (Men lie), My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To (This isn’t out yet really but it’s amazing, Fugit hive rise)
There Was a Sonic the Hedgehog Movie and It Was Okay?
It was no Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, but February’s long-awaited Sonic the Hedgehog managed to be decent enough. I couldn’t stop thinking about how bad Sonic was going to look, and how much better he looked in the final product. The product placement is wild and overshadows a lot of the movie, but hey. Jim Carrey’s best performance since Eternal Sunshine by default. The sequel might be good if Eggman is just crazy now? Maybe that’s wishful thinking. Also it maybe only got a sequel because it was one of eight movies to make money theatrically this year. But oh well, I have to wonder who will voice Knuckles.
Other 2020
Honestly, a lot of movies this year, despite the lack of theaters. How many of these will I remember having watched a couple years down the line? Does that ever matter?
Underwater
The Gentlemen
The Rhythm Section
The Assistant
The Invisible Man
Wendy
Emma.
The High Note
Deerskin
Artemis Fowl (An abomination)
Wasp Network
Miss Juneteenth
Palm Springs
Radioactive
Yes, God, Yes
An American Pickle
I’m Thinking of Ending Things
Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin
Unpregnant
Mulan (Yikes!!!)
The Devil All The Time
On the Rocks
Kajillionaire
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Vote!)
Save Yourselves!
Jumbo
Time
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Undine
Let Him Go
Freaky
Ammonite
Happiest Season
Uncle Frank
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Run
I’m Your Woman
Minari
Tenet
I saw Tenet. Twice. It’s pretty fun. We don’t have to dwell. Just “feel it”.
2019 Leftovers
Films I missed in 2019 that did not fit in the other categories. It wasn’t too many; I saw a LOT of movies. Almost like I knew what was coming…
In Fabric
Just Mercy
Jezebel
1917
Honey Boy
Ma
Zombieland: Double Tap
Charlie’s Angels
Best Picture Winners
I didn’t have to do it this year. This is just to remind everyone that I did accomplish this, and it was a lot of movies. If you need me to recount my journey on another podcast, I am available.
Superheroes???
The genre was mostly dormant this year, which I truly appreciate. They are not cinema and those mourning their absences are brainwashed. It feels like we’re on the verge of these getting Daredevil-level bad again. The eventual screenings of Black Widow are going to be so rowdy, can you imagine sitting through that? Check please!
Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
The New Mutants
Wonder Woman 1984 (An absolute disaster… how do you mess this up)
Crocodile Dundee
Crikey! These movies are terrible. Don’t be like me.
Crocodile Dundee
Crocodile Dundee II
Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles
The Mummies
I never saw these for some reason? They’re perfectly fun.
The Mummy
The Mummy Returns
Bill & Ted
Mollie and I went and saw this in New Hampshire when it came out. It was a pilgrimage.
Bill & Ted Face the Music
Residents Evil
These things are weird. Didn’t hate them though.
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Resident Evil: Extinction
Resident Evil: Afterlife
Resident Evil: Retribution
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
Documentaries
Lowkey fell off documentaries this year but did listen to several podcasts about historical subjects, including You’re Wrong About and Bad Gays. Surely that counts for something?
WBCN and the American Revolution
The Queen (1968)
My Winnipeg (Kind of…….)
Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers
Shakedown
The Times of Harvey Milk
Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One (KIND OF……….)
Original Cast Record: Company
Jazz on a Summer’s Day
Daguerréotypes
NewFest 2020
I took advantage of this year’s digital focus to cover the NYC LGBTQ film festival NewFest for the first time! It was really fun to watch a ton of films by queer artists, even if I didn’t love them all. Keep an eye on Tahara though!
Minyan
Cowboys
Killing Patient Zero
Bloodsisters
Sublet
Alice Junior
Tahara
Shiva Baby
Keith Haring: Art Street Boy
Gossamer Folds
Herzog Film Club
Corey, Kathleen, and I watched more than a few Herzog films over Whatsapp before things got hectic again. I’m sure we’ll reunite down the line for more of Werner’s genius.
Aguirre, the Wrath of God
Nosferatu the Vampyre
My Best Fiend
Burden of Dreams
Family Romance, LLC
Isabelle Huppert
We continue to stan.
Things to Come
Time of the Wolf
The Trout
Special Treatment
Amateur
Loulou
Joan Crawford
My first time leaving the state during the pandemic was to buy a framed cigarette ad featuring Joan Crawford (see above). It’s really good.
Trog
Strait-Jacket
Mommie Dearest (Sort of?)
Possessed (1931)
Possessed (1947)
Hawke Cast
Slim picking for Mr. Hawke this year, pandemic or no pandemic. His biggest project was The Good Lord Bird, which was a TV miniseries, the first he’s ever done! He’s got several films in the pipeline for next year, so he’ll be back soon enough. The man loves work almost as much as he loves his friends!
Tesla
LGBTQ+
This list could be longer but I have made too many subdivisions and I can’t stop now!
Milk
Go Fish
The Last of Sheila
The Incredibly True Adventure of 2 Girls in Love
High Art
Foxfire
Born in Flames
Polyester
Daisies
Olivia
The Owls
Victor and Victoria
Michael (1924)
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Maedchen in Uniform
Dallas Doll
It’s In The Water
Serial Mom
Heavenly Creatures
Set It Off
Bessie
What Keeps You Alive
Anime
I still haven’t watched the most recent One Piece movie, whoops! Only a few things this year, but the series adaptation of Jujutsu Kaisen is worth watching.
Weathering with You (Berserk. Can’t wait to see how this guy tries to one-up himself next time.)
Pom Poko
My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising
Pokemon: Mewtwo Strikes Back — Evolution (Hated this)
Dragon Quest: Your Story
Lupin III: The First
Finishing Filmographies
Going director by director continues to be the most effective and rewarding way to catch up on films. Even when they’re Welcome to Marwen. The Blank Check podcast is like a book club for me. These are in no particular order, I don’t feel like making it alphabetical
John Cassavetes
It’s hard to imagine a time before I had seen Cassavetes’ work! I am very excited to revisit them after I’ve had more time to recover.
A Woman Under the Influence
Minnie and Moskowitz
Shadows
Gloria (1980)
Faces
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
Too Late Blues
A Child is Waiting
Opening Night
Love Streams
Nicole Holofcener
Weird note, I accidentally watched her entire filmography in backwards order?
Enough Said
Please Give
Friends with Money
Lovely & Amazing
Walking and Talking
Jane Campion
What a freak! I’m so happy she’s working with Netflix cash for her next film!
Holy Smoke
The Portrait of a Lady
In the Cut
An Angel at My Table
Steven Spielberg
Gritted my teeth and got through the lesser films of Steve’s filmography, but it was worth it for Color Purple and Munich. Is he gonna make his pope movie with Oscar Isaac or what?
The Terminal
The Color Purple
The Sugarland Express
Always
Munich
Empire of the Sun
1941
Amistad
War Horse
Celine Sciamma
So glad this big forehead hottie is filming her next film in Paris. Hope it isn’t as oppressively sad as these films!
Water Lilies
Tomboy
Girlhood
Barbra Streisand
Fourth feature from Barbra when?
The Prince of Tides
The Mirror Has Two Faces
Jonathan Demme
I miss you king…
A Master Builder
Beloved
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
Robert Zemeckis
As the Blank Check March Madness winner, I knew I had a long road ahead of me. But it was an interesting and worthwhile one! Sort of? I wish Bob used his endless power to help support a new generation of filmmakers rather than force bad CGI down our throats, but he *did* give us Back to the Future and Death Becomes Her so…
What Lies Beneath
Contact
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Used Cars
Beowulf
Disney’s A Christmas Carol
Welcome to Marwen
Flight
The Witches
The Walk
Allied
Joanna Hogg
Turns out I really only liked The Souvenir. Good thing there’s a sequel on the horizon!
Exhibition
Archipelago
Nora Ephron
What a lovely, strange career she had!
This is My Life
Mixed Nuts
Lucky Numbers
Michael (1996)
Gina Prince-Bythewood
I tried to see Love & Basketball at a screening right before the pandemic but it sold out. Worth the wait!
The Old Guard
Love & Basketball
Beyond the Lights
Disappearing Acts
The Secret Life of Bees
Martin Scorsese
My king! I know I have multiple documentaries to watch still but I’ve finally completed his narrative films. Now to rewatch them constantly until I am dead.
Boxcar Bertha
The Last Temptation of Christ
Kundun
Casino
Silence
Guillermo del Toro
A fun guy who I like more as a person than an artist, I think?
Blade II
Cronos
Mimic
The Devil’s Backbone
Alex Ross Perry
I was wrong last year about finishing ARP’s filmography because I forgot about his first effort, Impolex. However, it was impossible to find, so I tweeted out asking someone if they had access, and it worked! I didn’t really like the movie but that’s not the point.
Impolex
Making Dents in Filmographies
I’m focusing on Almodovar and Lee early next year, two men with filmographies that are not at all enormous or terrifying.
Spike Lee
Da 5 Bloods
Malcolm X
School Daze
She’s Gotta Have It
He Got Game
Crooklyn
Bamboozled
Jungle Fever
Pedro Almodóvar
High Heels
Talk to Her
I’m So Excited!
Christopher Nolan
Following
Tenet (See above)
George Miller
Mad Max
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
The Witches of Eastwick
Horror
I went into overdrive this September/October, filling in the blanks of the Elm Street franchise. Pandemic got in the way of continued Friday the 13th watch but I’ll get there eventually!
The Slumber Party Massacre
Slumber Party Massacre II
Slumber Party Massacre III
Phase IV
Luz
Ringu
Relic
Arachnophobia
Train to Busan
Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula
An American Werewolf in London
Cat People (1942)
The Monster Squad
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child
Sleepaway Camp
Possessor
Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare
The Frighteners
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
May
Psycho II
Hellbound: Hellraiser II
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
Psycho (1998)
Psycho III
Child’s Play (1988)
Animated
I don’t know where the medium of animation is headed but I don’t feel amazing about it lol
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Onward
Trolls: World Tour
The Willoughbys
Scoob!
The Adventures of Prince Achmed
Penguins of Madagascar
Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe
Son of the White Mare
Over the Moon
The Croods
The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run
Soul
Mars Needs Moms
Flushed Away
Weird I Hadn’t Seen Them Yet
This category continues to give!
Mrs. Doubtfire (Everyone was sooooo mad at me)
Austin Powers in Goldmember
Return to Oz
RoboCop
Face/Off
Batman Forever
The Godfather Part III
There’s Something About Mary
Breathless
The 400 Blows
Highlander
Pretty Woman
Die Hard
The Rest
You don’t actually have to read this part. Just scroll past to my stats.
She-Devil
Westworld
My Brilliant Career
Aeon Flux
The Beaver
Darkman
In Time
First Love
Eve’s Bayou
Wuthering Heights (2011)
Cookie
Patty Hearst
John Carter
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Children of a Lesser God
Steve Jobs
While We’re Young
Awakenings
Willow
Legend
The Strange One
With Honors
Boyz n the Hood
I Shot Andy Warhol
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
Blow Out
The Big Chill
Sully
Enemy
Keeping Mum
Bubba Ho-Tep
That Thing You Do!
Josie and the Pussycats
Desperately Seeking Susan
Where’d You Go, Bernadette
Catfight
Foxy Brown
Party Girl
The Friends of Eddie Coyle
Joe Versus the Volcano
Take This Waltz
Ace in the Hole
The Savages
Solo con tu pareja
Roar
Wall Street
Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands
Big Night
Welcome to the Dollhouse
Batman Forever
Striptease
Baby Boom
The Queen (2006)
Con Air
Ted 2
Wilson
Eyes of Laura Mars
Losing Ground
Before I Fall
Talk Radio
Hanging Up
La Pointe Courte
The Killing Floor
Variety
What’s Up, Doc?
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Frida
They Live By Night
Happy-Go-Lucky
Palindromes
Experimenter
Fighting with My Family
Lift
Queen of the Damned
Good Boys
Sunset Boulevard
Purple Rain
One from the Heart
The Running Man
King Ralph
Lucia
Fried Green Tomatos
Ganja & Hess
Sorcerer
Trees Lounge
In the Loop
Breathless
The 400 Blows
Now, Voyager
The Future
It Felt Like Love
The Loveless
Rashomon
The Spook Who Sat By the Door
Highlander
Jezebel (1938)
Family
The Comfort of Strangers
Chocolat (1988)
All That Heaven Allows
The Bridges of Madison County
Freaked
Dogfight
Rumble Fish
Mannequin
Martin Eden
Claudine
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters
Predator 2
Fatal Attraction
Mommie Dearest
The Maltese Falcon
Magnificent Obsession
An Unmarried Woman
Old Boyfriends
Local Hero
Wild Things (1998)
Die Hard 2
Die Hard: With a Vengeance
While You Were Sleeping
Vision Quest
The House of Yes
Meet Me in St. Louis
Joy
Stats from Quarter-by-Quarter Wrap Ups
404 films (Don’t text)
1920s — 2
1930s — 4
1940s — 6
1950s — 11
1960s — 9
1970s — 31
1980s — 67
1990s — 76
2000s — 42
2010s — 67
2020s — 89
Directed by women — 112
LGBT — 65
In theaters — 22 (Come back……..)
Documentaries — 18
Ethan Hawke — 1
In Summary…
Uhhh… I got a lot done this year? What else was I supposed to do? At least I rode my bike around.
I think Nomadland can take Best Picture, but as we’re still FOUR MONTHS from the ceremony… who knows.
My Letterbox ranked list of 2020 films is here. Feel free to follow if you want!
Happy 2021! I will finally watch Funny People! Real curveball for the people who read the whole post. See ya xo
