10s of 2020 (pt. 2)

10. Host 

Easily the most over hyped, underwhelming, generic horror movie I've seen in quite a while, Host is an hour-long exercise in doing nothing especially well. With awful pacing, editing, acting, and an incredibly bland script, this is possibly going to end up as one of my least favorite movies for the entire year. Maybe not once the dust settles, but as of now, it's right there.

9. Butt Boy

Absurdity can be used to tell serious stories and disarm cynical audiences with a silly premise. Swiss Army Man instantly comes to mind. But where this movie fails is in its ability to find the appropriate blend, and the result just feels like a messy attempt at getting cheap laughs with its dumb idea.

8. Shirley

A sort of humorless attempt at recreating the character dynamics of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, but with only a pair of strong performances, and far too much emphasis placed on the other two. Moss and Stuhlbarg are great, but never feel like they've been given quite enough to work with. It's not a failure, but doesn't live up to it's potential.

7. Bill & Ted Face The Music

Across the board an inferior film to the previous two, this third installment doesn't really add much to the series apart from the usual nostalgia-bait you always see from this type of reunion. It's nothing special, but there's an optimism and charm to it that I still found appealing and hard to dislike.

6. The Beach House

To even reveal the particular subgenre this movie belongs to would in effect be a bit of a spoiler, so I'll instead just say that knowing less going in would have definitely improved this one for me. Still, it's a solid film with some good creepy atmosphere and effective execution.

5. Relic 

While not as terrifying or emotionally devastating as it's been made out to be by some critics, Relic's slow pace, great acting, and unsettling atmosphere are more than enough to elevate it above your standard horror movie. Laced in metaphor, this movie doesn't rely on its deeper meaning to make it function -- it just adds to the impact.

4. VFW 

Probably the most violent movie I'll see all year, VFW is a wonderful throwback exploitation movie with surprisingly strong performances (because of the genre, not the actors) and a great visual style. If you like grindhouse sleaze, this could definitely wind up one of your favorites of the year.

3. Lake Michigan Monster

A sort of surreal comedy genre hybrid that takes elements from everything from Guy Maddin to Spongebob Squarepants and throws it all into a zero-budget blender with the attention span of a toddler. Stylish, quirky, fast-paced, and imaginative. While its reach that may sometimes exceed its grasp, its shortcomings only add to the charm. 

2. I'm Thinking Of Ending Things

It's a Charlie Kaufman movie, and I've only seen it once. Therefore, I know I haven't come close to the full experience this film has to offer. That being said, this is a deeply layered movie with fantastic performances, loads of atmosphere, and far more going on than what appears on the surface. It's been close to a month since I've seen it, and I still can't shake it. 

1. Bacurau

Some movies just don't want to fit into a box. Equal parts 5 different genres, Bacurau bounces around and does so without ever feeling confused or muddled. It's a complete experience that takes a little bit from everything and the results are unlike just about anything I've ever seen. Also, it's got Udo Kier in his best role in a decade.