This year I watched around one movie a week, plus a number of television series. Obviously few of these movies were theatre releases. Here is my review of the media I watched, much of which was truly excellent.
Movies
A Hidden Life: A Hidden Life, the new three hour movie from Terrance Malick that details the martyrdom of Franz Jagerstatter, is a spectacular piece of film-making.
Jagerstatter was an Austrian farmer, married and with three children, when he was called up to the German Army in 1943. All Austrian soldiers at that time had to pledge an oath of loyalty to Hitler, and most did. But Jagerstatter could not.
This film looks at the way Jagerstatter and his wife come to that decision, and how they deal with the painful ramifications. It focuses on the implications of hidden acts of nobility, referencing the idea multiple times that no one will ever hear of Jagerstatter's sacrifice, so what is the point?
The movie is shot in Malick's signature style of lingering focus on grand vistas and intimate details. Nobody fills the background and edges of a story visually than Malick, though his slow pace and deliberate pauses may frustrate some. It is set mainly in the Austrian Alps, and the movie is utterly gorgeous.
The story is not moved at the speed of action or even narrative, but of thought, contemplation, and prayer. Psalms and sacred paintings sound and hang in the background of many scenes.
The most profound scene for me was a church painter who confesses that his depictions of Jesus only cause admiration, not imitation. One day, he says, he will have the courage to paint a true Jesus. But not yet.
There is perhaps a danger of the main character in this movie being admired and not imitated. But I believe it is one of the finest explorations of faith and sacrifice I have seen on film, and felt entirely convicted by the true stance of this family.
Of Gods and Men: Maybe my favourite of the year. Based on the true story of French monks in Algeria, this slow, prayerful movie looks closely at the struggle of faith and death. The monks know they are likely to be killed by a terrorist group, and have to decide whether to stay and pray and serve the village, or flee. Each monk has his own wrestling to make. Some have already given themselves over to death long ago so the choice is relatively easy. For others it is the first real test. A profound and beautiful movie.
Andrei Rublev: Justly recognised as one of the greatest movies ever, this Russian epic from the 60’s tells a life story loosely based on the life of the great iconographer, Andrei Rublev. He was an Orthodox monk vowed to the Schema, and a genius artist, during a turbulent time in Russian history (are there any non-turbulent times?). Just before the Tsars come to power, dukes and Grand-dukes and Arch-bishops vie for privilege and painters, while the monks seek to keep the faith. Tarkovsky wrote the movie as a bold attempt in the Soviet Union to centre the Christian faith as foundational to Russia, but also to show the brutality and chaos in the country. It is a movie about faith, artistic freedom, horses, and above all Russia.
The Island: A gorgeous and powerful semi-autobiographical portrait of a Russian Orthodox monk who lives on a island monastery. Father Alonso is a holy fool, living in penitence over a horrific sin in his youth, tolerated by the brothers because God performs miracles through him. This is the type of movie you very rarely see.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: QT’s love letter to Hollywood from the 1960’s. It is a unexpectedly sweet story about the relationship between an aging action star and his long-time stuntman, set amidst the backdrop of the Charles Manson family and the Sharon Tate murders. It is another one of Tarantino’s alternative histories and revenge fantasies, but the hint for that is right in the title (Once Upon a Time…). The apex of the movie has a five minute scene of typical QT ultra-violence, but is otherwise quite touching and lovely. The Bruce Lee “cameos” and the old western re-makes are particularly funny and effective, and Pitt, DiCaprio, and Robbie are perfect. Tarantino’s obsession with feet is a little distracting though.
Just Mercy: The story of Brian Stevenson’s legal involvement with prisoners on death row in Alabama. The acting of Jordan, and especially Foxx, is amazing. And the story, which is true, is enough to cause white-hot fury at the injustice of the legal system. Nevertheless it is a story of hope and perseverance, and would be an excellent companion piece to a film like Dead Man Walking.
Jojo Rabbit: Hilarious, sad, absurd, poignant. This is a great movie about a ten year old boy near the end of the Third Reich who is so obsessed with Hitler that the Fuhrer shows up as his imaginary friend to give him “some great advice.” Problems arise when the boy uncovers the Jewish girl his mother is hiding in their attic. I would guess that this movie will not work for everyone, but it really is a bold attempt that I think really pays off.
Parasite: The Best Picture of the Year at the Oscars, Parasite is a tightly wound, perfectly layered suspense movie, filtered through with dark comedy and biting social satire, and with a staggering ending. I felt it was a lot like 2019’s Shoplifters, in that it showed what an underdog family will do to survive.
Honeyland: A beautifully filmed documentary meditation on one woman’s life as a solitary beekeeper and caregiver to her elderly mother in an abandoned Macedonian village. Abandoned, that is, until a family moves in next door. At first the family brings life and colour to her existence, but soon things go wrong as the husband of the family tries his hand at beekeeping too. It reveals the fragility of this liminal lifestyle, and the dangers of shortcuts when dealing with family and nature.
Two Popes: A beautiful piece of filmmaking and acting. Funny, important, life-giving. There was confession, forgiveness, truth, love and friendship, set amidst an extraordinary world event that still has repercussions today.
The Peanut Butter Falcon: A great movie. Very Huck Finn-esque, as it tells the story of two unlikely friends, one a mourning brother, the other a young man with Down Syndrome, on the run and trying to get to a wrestling training school. Hard to describe, really, but it is incredibly sweet, funny, moving, and the wrestling at the end (featuring Jake the Snake Roberts!) is wonderful.
1917: This movie could be dismissed as a bit of a one-trick pony, as the main interest seems to be in the continuous shot filming. You can catch yourself watching for the hidden breaks, but you would miss a pretty good war movie which refuses to glamorise things. Lots of great acting and impressive cameos, remarkable effects that must have been so difficult to manage within the continuous shot technique, and a feeling of genuine stakes to this movie.
IT 2: OK. Just ok. Not as good as the first movie, and far below the book in terms of quality. This movie deals almost exclusively in supernatural terror, while the book pairs that element with very real human situations that we all can relate to. Yes, a killer clown is terrifying (though it seems as if Pennywise could kill them at any time he wanted, and just doesn’t, and there is no explanation in the movie as to why), but domestic abuse, bullying, and hate crimes are real evils that we can understand. And in the book, Pennywise uses these very human evils to further his agenda, which is part of the whole point.
Baby Driver: Second time I have seen this one, this time with the kids. Great soundtrack, some wonderful stunt driving, and just not quite as good as Drive, which is like the adult version of this movie. I do think Edgar Wright is the master at making connecting scenes interesting, where other directors just use them to get from one place to the next.
Zombieland Double Tap: Again, just an ok movie, a decent addition to the Rom/Com/Zom genre, but nothing to write home about. The first Zombieland was funny and inventive. This one pretty much covers the same ground with diminishing returns. Feels like a bit of a cash grab to be honest.
The Martian: A really great movie about resilience, problem solving, and the relative importance of botanists. The second time around for this movie as well, and one that seemed appropriate in a time of social distancing, with Matt Damon stuck alone on Mars.
Children of Men: Also watched this during the pandemic, which added a serious foreboding to the film. I rate this movie as one the best of the 21st century, and easily the greatest depiction of the Nativity on screen.
A Quiet Place: Another pandemic gem, this one about a different kind of social distancing (from creatures that can hear the slightest noise and will track and eat you). Excellent suspense and pacing, a few cliched thriller tropes, and one of the greatest silent acting performances you will see from Emily Blunt.
Star Wars, The Rise of Skywalker: A decent end to the third trilogy, its faults come mostly from trying to fix the mistakes of The Last Jedi. Watched it again with the kids at home.
Biloxi Blues: A sharply written play-turned-movie, a quasi-autobiographical screenplay from Neil Simon. I watched this with Noah, primarily because of the idea of being an observer vs taking a side, choosing a position and fighting for it. One of the characters wants to be a writer and so watches everything, but doesn’t commit. Another chooses to fight for what he believes in, even when he knows he cannot or likely will not win. All set against the backdrop of basic training in Biloxi, Mississippi, 1945. Funny, well-acted, poignant.
Bad Boys For Life: Just. So. Stupid.
El Camino, A Breaking Bad Story: A worthy coda to one of the greatest tv shows ever. Follows Jesse Pinkman after his release from captivity, and through some flashbacks as well to the events of the final season. Nothing especially new here, but everything that was great about the series is in evidence. Great acting, dialogue, set pieces, sound, and filming. And, strangely, hope.
The Irishman: Very long mafia drama by Scorcese featuring De Niro, Pacino and Pesci. I feel like he has maybe done this before? It is the story of Frank Sheeran, an Irish American who became a hitman for the Philadelphia mob - and later for Jimmy Hoffa and the Teamsters - after WW2. It is the story of his loyalty and sacrifice for his bosses, which required a near complete amorality, the sacrifice of his family, and eventually a rank betrayal of friendship. The story progresses towards a deep hopelessness and loneliness by the end of his life. Beautifully acted and scripted and shot, though you wonder how many times this director and these actors can keep coming back to this well.
The Death of Stalin: A very dark comedy about the death of Stalin and the subsequent intrigues among the Central Committee before, during and immediately after his funeral. Wonderfully acted by Steve Buscemi, Jeffrey Tambor, Michael Palin, Simon Russell Beale and Jason Isaacs, this film displays the insane paranoia and cult of personality running the Soviet Union at that time. It is also gut-bustingly funny.
13th: What a beautiful, heart-rending, timely and painful documentary. It presents an extremely tight argument about the 13th amendment - which purported to outlaw slavery - but actually left a loophole that allows slavery to continue for those who are incarcerated. It then traces the legal and philosophical machinations used to imprison (and effectively enslave) especially young black men, one in three of whom are expected to be jailed at some point in their lives. A staggeringly important movie.
8:46, Dave Chappelle:
Sticks and Stones, Dave Chappelle:
A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood: Mr. Rogers is my hero. I’d like to be like him, as he is like Christ. A good job of showing his patience, but also his weaknesses and anger.
Terminator Dark Fate: Really enjoyed this. Not as great as T1 or T2 obviously, but definitely a return to form, with wonderful performances from Linda Hamilton and Arnold. Some fantastic action sequences, a relatively simple plot, and some of the old humour creeping in as well.
At Eternity’s Gate: A slow and musical portrait of Vincent Van Gogh, one of my favourite painters. This movie is a meditation on seeing and hearing, and often distorts the camera lens when we are seeing things from Van Gogh’s point of view, and repeats or layers conversations when we are hearing things through his ears. Van Gogh saw the world differently and had the gift to paint what he saw, but his life was also marked by pain and illness.
Knives Out: A good old fashioned whodunnit, wonderfully acted and paced, which is only a little too polished for its own good. Had me guessing fairly well until the end, but also made a nice little statement about the importance of truth and goodness.
Your Name: Noah suggested this anime which plays very cleverly with time and space. I was surprised not at how good and beautiful it was, but how surprising it played on certain twists and turns in the story.
The Personal History of David Copperfield: This is a wonderful movie. David Copperfield is my favourite Dickens’ novel, and this movie, while it cannot possibly tell the whole story, does a brilliant job of catching the spirit of the book. The highlights are all hit, and the main thrust of the narrative is utterly captured and portrayed. The casting is wonderful as well.
Babette’s Feast: Just a glorious and simply tale of a pious fishing community that is visited by genius, a genius they barely recognise, but which highlights the love and grace that abounds among them. One of the best faith-based movies I have ever seen, and certain to make any viewer extremely hungry.
Harry Potter Marathon: Watched over one and a half days with the household. The movies do get better and better as the actors age.
Hamilton: Hadn’t seen it so we watched the live action streamed movie. Some of the songs are incredibly catchy, and it is really well done. I appreciate the final number where Hamilton’s wife is centered.
The Only Lovers Left Alive: one of my favourite movies, a Jim Jarmusch movie featuring world-weary vampires and their various obsessions. Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston are magnificent.
Palm Springs: Basically Groundhog Day but a little filthier.
Nolan Movies
The Prestige: Probably my least favourite Nolan movie, but still wonderful.
Interstellar: Invests the problem of gravity with deep emotional resonance. Very reminiscent of 2001.
Memento: The first real Nolan mind-bender I ever watched, and it really holds up.
Tenet: Watched in theater with my two youngest. Dominic leaned over at one point and said, “This is awesome, but I have no idea what is going on.” I think that is intentional. I think Nolan wants the audience to know no more than the Protagonist, to be on the line between befuddled and almost understanding what is going on. I am not sure all the time hijinks would hold up to careful examination, but it is remarkably inventive and technically beautiful. Wonderful acting from everyone as well.
Christmas Movies
Elf
Muppet’s Christmas Carol
Die Hard
Scrooged
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Television
The Mandalorian – This. Is. Star Wars. I think they are getting it, at least with the tv series. Real characters, real story lines, real investment. Reminds me so much of how I felt when I watched the first trilogy.
Dark, Season 2-3 – a wonderful series – think Lost but darker, rainier and more German. The last season starts getting a little too self-referential and needlessly complicated and repetitive, but it ends in an extremely satisfying way.
Watchmen, Season 1 – wow, how timely is this series? Everyone is wearing masks, secret racist societies infiltrating the police, a focus on Tulsa, Oklahoma and the historic racial massacre, and giant squids. Superior to the movie for sure.
Messiah, Season 1 - really liked this. Sets a “Messiah” figure in modern day war-torn Syria, then into Jerusalem, and onto the USA. No one knows exactly who he is - Muslim? Jewish? Jesus? A terrorist? A Prophet? He is confusing, enigmatic, but his message is loving. Does a great job of refusing to answer these questions with certainty and requiring faith or rejection.
The Expanse Seasons 1-4 – really excited to get into season 5. An excellent world-building sci-fi show based on a book series. A small crew gets the main focus, but they are set against the politics of Earth vs Mars vs the Belt, with a mysterious proto-molecule thrown in that will change everything. Highly recommended.
Rick and Morty Season 4 – Just so crazy and fun, but also pretty rude.
The Office, Season 2 - maybe the funniest sitcom ever.
Lost, Seasons 3-6 - second time around, with the house, and still provokes solid speculation
The Good Place, Season 3 - not quite as good as season 1, about as good as season 2, still a very interesting premise that is at its best when exploring philosophical conundrums.
Picard, Season 1 – Eh. I really wanted to like it, and Picard is as mesmerizing as ever. But, I don’t think it really worked.
The Boys Season 1-2 – Sort of taking Watchmen to the next extreme. Based on the graphic novels of the same name, The Boys explores a world in which “Supes” exist, but they are created and run by a sinister corporation with seriously messed up goals (profit, yes, but even more). It up-ends a lot of comic book tropes and is quite funny, but is also so rude and graphic I really can’t recommend it.
Truthseekers – a fun series featuring the stars of the Cornetto Trilogy, about a 5G repairman who is also a “Truthseeker” – one who explores the paranormal. He is eventually surrounded by a pretty unique crew and they start to discover some deeply hidden truths.
I like your list and thoughts. That's a good year!
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