20:20 (Pt 3) Mind games, mood pieces, and Spanish winners
Wednesday, November 11, 2020 at 11:00PM Since the year will soon wind to a close we're surveying the films of 2020 here and there -- terrific, terrible, and anywhere in between -- based on what's available to stream by freezing them at the 20th minute and 20th second. (Though please note that some services' time stamps make this difficult to get exactly right). What comes up? That's the fun of it. (Here are Part One and Part Two if you missed 'em).
Does this captured moment make you wanna investigate any of these 20 films?
Oh, and there's a murderer in the woods, so stay close.
FIRST COW (Kelly Reichardt, US)
A24. Original release date: March 6th, 2020. Streaming on Showtime
I must confess that I have never jumped on the Kelly Reichardt bandwagon. Other than Wendy & Lucy I haven't yet been blown away but this is on my list to catch up with. Especially after reading the pieces right here about it from Jason, Claudio, and Daniel.
This is a total great piece. Absolutely.
THE PAINTER AND THE THIEF
Neon. Original release date: May 22nd. Streaming on Hulu
Have you heard that this Oscar-buzzing documentary about an artist befriending the man who stole her paintings is getting a feature remake? It is. NEON is developing with StudioCanal and BluePrint pictures.
Like we're on a train and it takes us where it takes us. There's no veering off and no side trips and like Mussolini's train, it runs on time.
I'M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS (Charlie Kaufman, US)
Netflix. Original Release date: September 4th. Streaming on Netflix
I feel strange about the fact that we didn't review this. Had several intense feelings upon watching it but they quickly faded. Takeaway: I don't think Charlie Kaufman should direct his own brilliant screenplays. The tonal variation and light touch brilliance that Spike Jonze or Michel Gondry can conjure from his heavy cerebral games goes a long way in making them feel like superb entertainments and not just labyrinthine thinkpieces.
[muffled voices] The blonde guy and the stockade guy got away.
THE ENDLESS TRENCH (Arregi, Garaño, and Goenaga, Spain)
Netflix. Original release date: Feb 28th. Streaming on Netflix.
This is Spain's submission to the Oscars this year. It was selected from three finalists. It's about a wife keeping her husband in hiding for decades for fear for his life since he dared to criticize Franco's reign. It received buckets of nominations at the Goyas last year but Pain & Glory blocked it from winning very many. Now it will get another shot at awards glory via the Oscars.
Obviously you forgot the fifth commandment. Obviously you dined on your cellmate.
THE PLATFORM (Galder Gaztelu Urrutia, Spain)
Netflix. Release date: March 20th. Streaming on Netflix.
...This was one of the finalists that The Endless Trench beat. It's definitely worth a watch but it's not for the squeamish or those that object to blunt metaphors.
The real target was the Bertinelli's super-secret offshore bank accounts, the details of which were said to be encoded in the atomic structure of a 30-carat diamond. The rock was lost. And with it, the only key to the Bertinelli fortune.
BIRDS OF PREY: AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN (Cathy Yan, US)
Warner Bros. Original release date: Feb 7th. Streaming on HBO Max
Really did not enjoy this one. Looked and felt cheap to these eyes though I'm always happy to see Jussee Smollet, Rosie Perez, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (who all have supporting roles). I understand the reviews were good though, including the one right here.
I know that face. The 'I'm about to drop some disappointing news on you' face.
MY SPY (Peter Segal, US)
Amazon. Original release date: June 26th. Streaming on Prime
It's astonishing how many movies come out every year that you never hear anything about -- even masintream studio pictures with stars (in this case Dave Bautista, not pictured)
[music playing]
BABYTEETH (Shannon Murphy, Australia)
IFC Films. Original release date: June 19th. Streaming on Hulu
Eliza Scanlen headlines (and dances, above) as an ill teenager. She's had quite an interesting career thus far with Little Women and Sharp Objects already behind her and she's still only 21 years old (she turns 22 in January). This film is up for 12 nominations at the AACTAs and is expected to win a lot of its categories, including Actress (Scanlen) and both Supporting categories (Ben Mendelsohn and Essie Davis).
He's gonna miss his best friend
but he promised that he's getting revenge.
And fuck Switcher. Fuck Skitzer.
Fuck the whole of them ends ♪ ♫
BLUE STORY (Rapman, UK)
Paramount. Original Release date: May 5th. Streaming on Hulu
I hadn't heard of this one but the reviews appear to be strong and when I scrolled to 20:20 I landed right in a musical (rap) number. It's based on a YouTube series about a street war.
Nudge away!
THE SOCIAL DILEMMA (Jeff Orlowski, US)
Netflix. Original release date: September 9th. Streaming on Netflix.
A documentary drama hybrid. Social media is definitely dilemma-filled, yes.
Them boys might be bigger than you but the next time one of them starts his shit, I want you to finish it.
THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME (Antonio Campos, US)
Netflix. Original release date: Sept 16th. Streaming on Netflix.
I was all excited to see Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson until the reviews hit -- including here -- and they mostly warned me away especially since everyone thinks its unpleasant and it's unpleasant for well over two hours. Why do filmmakers do this?
These locations, these green fingered botanical boys, as well as my superior technology, will be at a premium and you would own them all.
THE GENTLEMEN (Guy Ritchie, UK)
STX Films. Original Release Date: January 24th. Streaming on Showtime
Guy Ritchie sure is prolific. To me he'll always be Madonna's ex husband. Isn't it so weird that his best film (The Man From UNCLE) is one of his least popular?
She would never call me her boyfriend. Like, I would go to her reunions and meet her extended family and stuff and she'd like 'this is Darren, my friend.'
HORSE GIRL (Jeff Baena, US)
Netflix. Original release date: Feb 7th. Now streaming on Netflix
I've only just now learned that this film starring GLOW's Alison Brie is written and directed by Jeff Baena and he co-wrote I ❤️ Huckabees so maybe I owe him allegiance? He's made four of his own films now so perhaps I should catch up? Have you seen any? (Life After Beth, Joshy, Little Hours)
-Why not just come in through the front door?
-Because the side entrance is closer to the vending machines.
NIGHT CLERK (Michael Cristofer, US)
Saban Films. Original release date: February 21st. Streaming on Netflix
This is playwright Cristofer's first movie since that Angelina Jolie / Antonio Banderas Original Sin movie back in 2001.
-We find a way
-Yes we do. When we can.
DA 5 BLOODS (Spike Lee, US)
Netflix. Original release date: June 12th. Streaming on Netflix
Spike Lee got a lot of praise for this in June. But people were desperate for new movies in June after months without. Will the praise hold through Oscar season? We don't hear many people talking about this movie anymore.
[on the record player] I wonder who's boogie'n my woogie now ♪ ♫ ♬
SHIRLEY (Josephine Decker, US)
Neon. Original release date: June 5th Streaming on Hulu
I was surprised to learn that one of my dearest friends did not like this at all and didn't like Elisabeth Moss in it. Hmmm. I was very taken with it but perhaps it's one of those movies that you have to be in the mood for... since it is very much about its atmosphere. If you liked it make sure to read Daniel Walber's piece on its grim house.
-Selling things in a shop?
-Yeah (giggles)
-Selling what?
-Toiletries.
-Oh!
SWALLOW (Carlo Mirabella-Davis, US)
IFC Films. Original release date: March 6th. Streaming on Showtime
Jason loved this one. The filmmaking vibes in the shot captured above are very 1995 [Safe] like with the static camera and the finely appointed home that swallows our "heroine" up.
This is Jude. [DOG GROWLS]
BRAHMS: THE BOY II (William Brent Bell, US)
STX Entertainment. Original relaese date: February 21st. Streaming on Showtime
Horror movies always be getting sequels. How many killer doll movies exist now?
[no dialogue]
THE VAST OF NIGHT (Andrew Patterson, US)
Amazon Studios. Original release date: May 29th. Streaming on Amazon Prime
That's Sierra McCormick and this is a movie we've never heard of! But upon further investigation we see it made a few 'best of 2020 thus far' lists in the summer.
I had no right to expect much and indeed I did not expect much. But I had imagined him, I confess, a degree or two nearer gentility.
EMMA. (Autumn de Wilde, US)
Focus Features. Original relase date: March 6th. Streaming on HBOMax
Emma is such a bitch (the rare sort who thinks she's being kind). But this movie is fun. And the costumes are just grand, don't you think? Look at that yellow.
Reader Comments (19)
You haven't heard of it? THE VAST OF NIGHT is excellent. There's a long digitally-enhanced tracking shot about midway through that is absolutely breathtaking, especially for a film of this budget.
Like these a lot. Agree on Man from UNCLE.
EMMA.! The very last film I saw in theaters until the world shut down. That really was a fun one to end on though.
I'm a bit wishy-washy on Kelly Reichardt as well, but I usually fall on the side of "positive" when I finish one of her films. I absolutely loved MEEK'S CUTOFF for some reason. FIRST COW is actually one of the more plot-heavy films from her. I mean it's still languidly paced and when I say "plot-heavy" I mean FOR HER. But the characters/relationships are aces and I actually wanted MORE when it ended.
Ryan : the the FOR HER in capitol letters!
THE VAST OF NIGHT is certainly worth a watch. At a moment when it seems you can all take HILLBILLY ELEGY off our "to watch" lists, this is one might as well be added. It's no masterpiece, but it's pretty darn good.
I haven't seen The Endless Trench yet... it's 2 hours and 30 minutes long and honestly as Spaniard, the subject matter is... difficult to watch, painful. The genocide that went on for 40 years in Spain is mostly overlooked everywhere but it is the stuff nightmares are made of. Over 100,000 people "disappeared" after the war, till 1975 and the genocide went completely unpunished, even till today.
The Platform, in comparison, as being sci-fi and allegory, so it's an easier watch, even if still a hard watch. By the way, still one of THE films of 2020.
Astonished you haven't heard of THE VAST OF NIGHT. It took up all the oxygen online when it was released.
EMMA. was one of my biggest surprises this year. I was not expecting to like it as much as I liked it indeed. Taylor-Joy is poised to be a star and I wouldn't be surprised if she appears here and there during the awards race.
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THE PAINTER AND THE THIEF is one of the best features this year so far. I really cared for both figures. A live action adaptation would be a dream for me if they hired a director like Alma Ha'rel or Debra Granik to direct and ScarJo and Ben Foster (or Shia LaBeouf) to star
THE VAST OF NIGHT has its moments but it felt very much like an exercise; A first-time director playing around with new tricks. Not enough story or character to sustain a feature runtime.
It would have worked much better as a short film, but I look forward to whatever Patterson does next.
Emma's costumes - quite adequate to the tone of the story and the movie - seem to be made of crepe paper. Whenever I see them I have the impression they'll tear at any moment. They found the perfect actress for the complicated role, not a typical Austen heroine. Anya Taylor-Joy, the actress, is always great at everything I've seen her do so far: The Witch and The Queen's Gambit. There is a miniseries with Romola Garai in the main role I saw a few years ago and is very interesting. Emma is the perfect book to get you started in the Jane Austen universe. Fast and light.
Birds of Prey! What a disappointment! It had everything to be one of the great films of the year, one of the best. What went wrong? What went wrong?
Ending Things, The Boys in the Band, The Devil, His House... no reviews or mentions. Are you boicotting Netflix?
First Cow and Babyteeth are my two favourite films so far this year, along with Sorry We Missed You.
The Endless Trench -very good movie- was totally snubbed by the European Film Awards. Not a good sign.
Bezosa -- Add The Queen's Gambit to the mix.
I really liked Cuties. Why it has become a cause celebre for right-wing cancel culture escapes me.
Anya Taylor-Joy definitely is poised to become a star. She's so interesting to look at. I had the opposite reactions to Emma. and I'm Thinking of Ending Things. The former has grown in my estimation while the latter has shrunk; when watching them, I thought the former was just fine while the latter was terrific.
I really like Kelly Reinhardt but have been waiting for First Cow to appear on some streaming service for free, so I will watch it now. Certain Women is brilliant and I treasure every performance in it.
I've seen a lot of the big Oscar contenders, thanks to virtual festivals, and Da 5 Bloods is still my favorite movie of the year. I hope Netflix wages a big campaign for it.
I'm a huge fan of Kelly Reichardt ever since Old Joy. Somehow that story connected with me in ways I can't even articulate. I guess the lost-ness and the travels without maps are fascinating story arcs for me. I've seen all her films since and although Old Joy will forever be my favorite, First Cow is sublime. Each of Reichardt's films disavows sentimentality and easy catharsis so common in narrative cinema. Her films come close to mimicking real life especially the characters in Wendy & Lucy and Old Joy who are victims of capitalism and patriarchy. Their artisan lives are not romanticised but cinematically told as they unfold. Even Night Moves -- her least-discussed film -- is devoid of false notes even if there's a bit of acting from Jesse Eisenberg. But its dissection of guilt and the consequences of well-meaning and progressive action is haunting and ultimately touching. When someone wants a recommendation to her films, I am frankly at a loss: her films do not initially wow but once one becomes in sync with the artlessness of her filmmaking ethos, there's no turning back. I hope First Cow will bring more audience to the Reichardt universe and be entrenched to a constellation of mini-stories of Americana.
Loved THE VAST OF NIGHT. The leads, Sierra McCormick and Jake Horowitz, were terrific.
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