10s of 2020 (pt. 3)

10. The Trial Of The Chicago 7

Aaron Sorkin is one of the most beloved and acclaimed tele/screenwriters of all-time, but I'm afraid that may be where his talents begin and end. Unlike Charlie Kaufman, whose directorial efforts radiate originality and skillful craftsmanship, Sorkin has assembled a very standard, obvious type of courtroom drama that just doesn't have any real lasting power. It's on-the-nose, simplistic, and ultimately pretty disappointing, considering the people behind it. 

9. Tread

A documentary surrounding a '90s case of a man pushed to the brink by (possibly perceived) injustices suffered on him by local politicians and businessmen. While the story is incredibly fascinating and the presentation is very balanced in how it refuses to take anyone's side, there is something definitely lacking here. Not great, but worth the watch.

8. His House

From here until the top 2-3, this list is totally arbitrary. A brand new Netflix release following a refugee couple trying to make their way in an unforgiving country, literally haunted by their past and the new house they've been forced to live in. It's a bit too reliant on jump-scares and horror cliches, but this movie stands apart and manages to work as both horror and social commentary. 

7. Attack Of The Demons

I was a huge fan of Eric Powers' previous film Path Of Blood (I placed it somewhere in my top 50 favorite movies of the decade list), and I love '80s horror. So I definitely place some of the blame on this one being slightly disappointing on myself, but the fact of the matter is this movie just didn't wow me like I hoped. The animation is great and I can't help but to be impressed by Powers and his dedication to the craft, but the voice acting alone would be enough to keep me from loving this movie. Take the same film and replace the voice cast and you've got potential for a cult success. As it stands, it's admirable and enjoyable, but doesn't quite get over the hump into something truly special.

6. Palm Springs

Yeah, it's not anything mind-blowing, and the concept has been done about 100 times already in better movies, but there's something to be said for a movie that just makes you feel good while watching it. I came into this movie later than everyone else did, so the hype surrounding it had died down, causing me to probably enjoy it more than I normally would have, but that doesn't change the fact that I just liked watching it. Breezy entertainment.

5. The Trip To Greece

It's the fourth and supposedly final Trip movie. Just like the last ones, it was fun to watch if you enjoy these two and their banter. Nothing new here, it fits right alongside all the others in the series. 

4. The Wolf Of Snow Hollow

I started but didn't finish Jim Cummings' previous film Thunder Road (I just kept forgetting to put it back on, even though I was enjoying it), but even from the tiny bit that I'd seen I could tell his style as both an actor and director. So basically, this was pretty much exactly what I expected. A solid mystery/thriller with good doses of comedy, horror, and drama.

3. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

The first Borat is a classic and one of my favorite comedies ever, so there was no way this could ever live up to that. That being said, I did find myself enjoying this a lot more than I expected to, largely thanks to Cohen's self-awareness and genius use of a secondary lead to perform some of the bigger "stunts" in the film. It kept it all from feeling too samey, but don't worry, Cohen puts himself out there several times to great effect.

2. Da 5 Bloods

Just as he did with Blackkklansman, Spike Lee has taken an otherwise strong movie and shoved in an overlong ending that's so awkwardly inserted it just comes across as a desperate attempt to make the film seem more relevant. But that doesn't take away from the movie as a whole, which features strong performances (Delroy Lindo in particular knocks it out of the park), some truly inspired visuals, and a story that blends aspects of Apocalypse Now and Treasure of the Sierra Madre and makes it into something distinct and memorable. 

1. First Cow

Kelly Reichardt is not a favorite director of mine, but I appreciate her skill at creating atmosphere, and the range she possesses as a filmmaker. With that out of the way, First Cow is far and away my favorite film she's made yet, and the wonderful sense of time and place set this far apart from every other "western" I've seen. Beautiful cinematography, a very tense and tender script, and some pretty solid acting as well. The pace is maybe too slow for a lot of people, but I was immersed and emotionally invested in this story.