January 15, 2021
OK, we’re back for part two of my series on the year in film. This week, we’re going to cover some awards for movies that I (mostly) liked, but really just wanted an excuse to write about. Instead of using generic awards like all of the other media outlets and critics, I’ve decided to make up my own, because it’s more fun that way. Let’s dive in.
Biggest Surprises – Happiest Season and Run
While it’s fun to watch a popular movie that you’ve anticipated in advance of its release, it’s also nice when you come upon something that is a pleasant surprise. That’s the case with these two films that were acquired by Hulu and made available for streaming. Hulu has been on a very good run of acquisitions lately, focusing on value instead of volume, unlike Netflix. You may not find a large number of movies on Hulu, but it’s a good bet that the ones there will be high quality. And that includes two that made my top 10 list, which we’ll get to next week.
Happiest Season is a holiday romantic comedy featuring a deep cast, including Mackenzie Davis and Kristen Stewart as a couple who travel back to Davis’s hometown for Christmas. Her ultra-conservative family is not aware of their relationship, which causes some strain and some humorous moments throughout the film. While we’ve seen this type of story before, the script and direction from Clea DuVall (who you may remember as Marjorie in Veep) makes this unique in its own way. Happiest Season also features great performances from Aubrey Plaza, Alison Brie, Mary Holland, and Dan Levy, who is basically playing the same character he does on Schitt’s Creek, but I’ll watch him in anything – he is hysterical.
If you’re looking for something with a little more tension, you can’t go wrong with Run, a thriller featuring Sarah Paulson as the domineering mother of a teenager confined to a wheelchair. When her daughter, newcomer Kiera Allen, who uses a wheelchair in real life and delivers a fantastic performance, suspects her mother is hiding secrets, things start to spiral out of control. It’s best to not reveal too much about the plot except to say that it is a strong suspense movie, but it’s not scary or violent, and it’s overall a fun ride.
Biggest Disappointments – Hillbilly Elegy and Ammonite
Sometimes you can pull together a talented director and cast for a movie that looks good on paper, but just doesn’t work when it comes to the screen. It’s hard to say why sometimes, but in the case of Hillbilly Elegy and Ammonite, two of the more anticipated films of 2020, it came down to a bad fit all around. I was particularly disappointed with director Ron Howard’s Hillbilly Elegy because I am a fan of his movies, and have always been impressed with Amy Adams, the star of the film. I thought she did a very good job of portraying a drug addicted mother, struggling to get by in life. I just felt that the story itself had way too much melodrama, to the point of feeling like a Lifetime movie a few times. And Glenn Close, playing Adams’s mother, came across as very cartoonish to me, barely stopping short of begging for an Oscar.
Ammonite was described as a period piece love story starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan set in the 1840s. You know what helps with a love story? Chemistry between the two main characters, which Ammonite lacked. This one just fell flat for me, as it took too long for the love story to develop, with Ronan barely speaking for the first half of the film. It’s beautifully shot, and I still like both of these actresses, but this one didn’t live up to the hype. Both of these movies were part of my Fall preview series, so if you lost a few hours of your life watching either of these suggestions, I offer my sincere apologies, and a full refund of your subscription to my blog. OK, moving right along.
Don’t Try This At Home – Another Round
I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that you’ve never seen a film with this kind of plot before. Coming from Denmark, this comedy-drama is the story of four middle-aged friends, who have become bored of their lives as teachers. After reading about a theory that having a constant buzz from alcohol could enhance your overall mood, and thus improve your life, they decide to try an experiment. They consume enough alcohol to keep their blood alcohol content at a precise level all day, without going overboard. As things unfold, and they see how much happier they are in all aspects of their life, they decide more must be better. And then things get a little challenging, to say the least. There are many comedic moments in Another Round, but there are plenty of dramatic ones too, because, um, well, this is a pretty stupid idea for someone to try and you can’t expect it go off without a hitch. The leader of the group is played by Mads Mikkelsen, who you may recognize from the television series Hannibal. His performance is outstanding and the final scene is one of the best endings to a movie I’ve seen all year. Look for Another Round to get some Oscar buzz for Best International Film in the coming months.
Best “Holy Shit, Did That Just Happen?” Moment – The Invisible Man
When you are watching a movie at home and you miss something, it’s easy to rewind it to hear a bit of dialogue you may have missed or a key aspect of a scene. But when you are in a theater, as I was when I saw the thriller The Invisible Man about a year ago, you don’t have that luxury. All that you take with you is that first viewing and all the feelings that it leaves with you. I really enjoyed this film, starring the excellent Elisabeth Moss as a woman who leaves her abusive husband, but is convinced he is terrorizing her from beyond the grave. The special effects in The Invisible Man are very impressive, but Moss’s performance steals the show. I won’t spoil the scene that won my made-up award, but let’s just say that it was the scene in the restaurant with Moss and her sister. It was one of those “audience gasp” moments that we love when we’re seeing movies with other people. Someday soon…
Badass Of The Year Award – Charlize Theron, The Old Guard
No, this award will not be going to Gal Gadot for her performance in Wonder Woman 1984. That movie was ok, but not great. Gadot was very good in the role, but the film (like a lot of movies these days) was bloated with too much plot and fell short of my expectations. On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised when I found The Old Guard, the Netflix action movie about a group of immortal warriors who travel the world preventing disasters and saving people in trouble. Charlize Theron plays the leader of the group, who brings aboard a new member as they try to stop an evil corporation looking to capture them to discover what makes them tick. If you like action films (warning, this one has a fair amount of violence), this one was fun, and Theron is excellent.
In Search Of The American Dream – Minari and First Cow
If a violent action thriller isn’t your thing, and you’d like something a little quieter, you can’t go wrong with these two films. Minari has taken a long and winding road to release following a strong premiere at Sundance a year ago. I was fortunate to see it as part of a virtual film festival last Fall, and it will be released in theaters in late February, just in time for Oscar eligibility. Steven Yeun stars as the father of a Korean family, who relocates to Arkansas in the mid-1980s to start a farm and pursue their version of the American dream. Minari features wonderful performances from the actors, especially Youn Yuh-jung, who plays the grandmother. First Cow is a charming film about two men who become friends in the early 1800s Pacific Northwest. Played by John Magaro and Orion Lee, they discover a wealthy British man has obtained a cow and decide to steal its milk for making tasty cakes to sell at a local market. Who says you need explosives for a heist film? Directed by Kelly Reichardt, First Cow is another beautifully shot story about friendship and the search for the American dream. Expect to hear more about Minari and First Cow when award season starts to roll around.
A Sad, But Inspiring Goodbye – Chadwick Boseman, Da 5 Bloods and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
When news broke last summer that Chadwick Boseman had passed away unexpectedly from colon cancer, the entertainment community was shocked and remembrances of his great performances were written about extensively. I had only seen him as Jackie Robinson in 42, not being a fan of the Marvel franchise, in which Boseman starred as Black Panther. So, while I didn’t have a direct appreciation for his work, I knew that he had two films premiering in 2020 that were highly anticipated. Both of these movies lived up to expectations and feature strong performances from Boseman in two very different roles.
In Da 5 Bloods, Spike Lee’s tale of Vietnam veterans who reunite to search for lost treasure in the jungles where they served, Boseman plays their squad leader in flashback scenes. He is very effective as they deal with the stress of war and feeling unappreciated, especially as racial tensions boil over back home. While he is a supporting character in Da 5 Bloods, he is front and center in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, in which he plays a trumpet player in a blues band working through a tense recording session. The movie is based on the stage play by August Wilson, and definitely feels like a play given its intimate setting and small cast of characters. Boseman is incredible as he plays a troubled musician who can’t seem to get out of his own way as he tries to find a path to success, frequently battling with the other musicians in the band, and lead singer Ma Rainey, played by Viola Davis. With these movies, we’re left with two very strong performances from Boseman, but a sad reminder that we won’t be seeing him again on screen.
Best Movie For Netflix – I’m Thinking of Ending Things
Back in September I wrote about the genius of Charlie Kaufman, the writer and director of I’m Thinking of Ending Things. He’s known for being very creative in structuring a story and dialogue, leaving little Easter eggs for his audience throughout his films. I have found that his movies are best appreciated on rewatch, where you can discover those little details. It’s one reason that I think his newest film is a perfect movie FOR Netflix, because you can easily rewind to rewatch a scene to see if you heard something right, or if you missed anything. But, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is not the best movie ON Netflix and that’s primarily because of the ending. This film could also have been given the award for the Best 90% of a Movie, because I absolutely loved the majority of the film, but the ending didn’t work for me.
Sometimes Kaufman tries too hard in sending a message to his viewers and it’s impossible to understand what he’s going for. I read this article after watching the movie, and understand it a little better, but I wished the ending wasn’t so convoluted. That being said, the film features an amazing performance by Jessie Buckley, in the lead role of a woman meeting her boyfriend’s parents, while contemplating the future of their relationship. Buckley is on a roll lately, having starred in the wonderful Wild Rose in 2018 and the award-winning television series Chernobyl in 2019, and she delivered a delicious turn as a demented nurse in the most recent season of Fargo. If I could buy stock in Jessie Buckley, I’d be making a significant investment. Speaking of which….
Buying Stock – Carrie Coon, The Nest
As much as I love watching big name actresses like Emma Stone, Margot Robbie, and Jennifer Lawrence, there’s no doubting the talent of Carrie Coon. I first discovered her when I watched the HBO series The Leftovers about five years ago. You’ll be hearing more about that series when I write about television in the near future, but she was the best part of that wild and wonderful story. She has had bit parts in some bigger movies, like Gone Girl, The Post, and Steve McQueen’s crime drama Widows, but she has yet to have that breakout role that would make her a household name. I doubt that her latest film, The Nest, will bring her that exposure, but once again, she delivers an impressive performance. She stars as a wife and mother, married to an investment banker, played by Jude Law. When he decides that they need to move to England, so he can take advantage of a career opportunity, she reluctantly goes along, but quickly starts to see through his bullshit. Her character goes through some soul-searching and realizes that she is not going to let his bad decisions ruin her life. I liked the film a lot, despite its unconventional narrative storyline, and ambiguous ending. What really impressed me was Coon’s performance, along with a strong showing from Law. Coon is probably one of the more underrated actresses working today and I hope she gets the widespread recognition and opportunities that she has earned.
Most Impressive Filmmaking Debuts – Shithouse, The Vast of Night and Promising Young Woman
This past year was a very strong one for filmmakers making their directorial debut. Some of my favorites included Swallow, Miss Juneteenth, Palm Springs, The Climb, and One Night in Miami, Regina King’s wonderful movie now available on Amazon Prime. I could have written about all of these, but decided to focus on these three, which I liked for very different reasons.
Shithouse is the story of a college student struggling in his first semester away from home. He is doing ok with his academics, but he can’t seem to make any friends. He feels awkward trying to connect with anyone, whether it’s his roommate, other students in his dorm, or fellow partygoers. This may sound like a melodrama, but that’s not the case. I think of it as a comedy with heart and features one of the more genuine performances from a newcomer that I have seen in a long time. The star of Shithouse is Cooper Raiff, who also wrote the script and directed the film. Given the high hurdle of playing all of these roles, and delivering a strong product, this was one of the more impressive turns from a filmmaker this year.
With The Vast of Night, we get a 1950’s science fiction vibe that feels like part The Twilight Zone and part early Steven Spielberg. Director Andrew Patterson, who also co-wrote the script, gets very ambitious as he tells the story of two friends who stumble upon a mystery, which might be a UFO. The stars of the movie, Sierra McCormick and Jake Horowitz, trade rapid-fire dialogue throughout much of the movie, as they search for answers about mysterious sounds coming over the phone lines and radio transmission. Make no mistake about it, this is not a big-budget film with special effects. It’s an independent movie with a small budget, but Patterson makes the most of it. I was particularly impressed with how he filmed a few scenes as long tracking shots and how he was able to create the mystery of something particularly sinister without having the benefit of a large CGI budget.
A late entry to the party is Promising Young Woman, which was released in theaters on Christmas and is available for rental this weekend. I have been reading about this movie for about a year since its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. The hype was pretty high for this one, and after watching it, I can say that it lived up to the early strong reviews. Written and directed by Emerald Fennell, who previously worked on Killing Eve, it’s the story of a woman with a mysterious background who looks to avenge her friend’s rape while they were in school together. Carey Mulligan delivers an impressive performance in a role that explores a wide range of her character’s psyche. This may look like a thriller, and while you do wait for the next shoe to drop throughout the film, there are no scares here. What Fennell has made is a compelling story that also delivers a satisfying finish. I can think of a few ways it could have gone wrong, but it didn’t. It’s always exciting when you see a new director have success and I look forward to seeing what all of these filmmakers do next.
The Glorious Antidote To Doomscrolling – David Byrne’s American Utopia
Most times you find a movie because it shows up on your Netflix home screen, it gains a lot of media attention from a strong box office, or it receives a number of Oscar nominations. And sometimes you get lucky. Long before our world turned upside down, I was having lunch with my friend Jean and the topic naturally turned to music, as we are both big music fans with similar tastes. She asked me if I had seen David Byrne’s Broadway show American Utopia, and I had to admit that I didn’t know anything about it. She raved about it and I parked it in the back of my brain, in case I ever had the chance to see it, although it was pretty unlikely as we don’t see a lot of theater shows. Lo and behold, thanks to HBO and Spike Lee, American Utopia is now available to watch in our living room and if it wasn’t for Jean’s recommendation, I don’t know if I would have given this one a try, and I am very glad I did.
I consider myself a casual fan of Byrne’s band Talking Heads, only knowing a handful of their songs, including one that I quoted in my very first post. The film American Utopia is a recording of the Broadway show, featuring Byrne and a dozen other musicians performing songs from Byrne’s 2018 album of the same name, in addition to a number of Talking Heads favorites. The collection of talent on this stage is amazing, featuring musicians playing wireless or portable equipment, allowing them to dance all over the stage while they play. We get to experience a collection of diverse music styles performed by musicians from all over the world, in a performance that resembles an eclectic marching band with the silky smooth vocals of Byrne leading the way. If you are a fan of Talking Heads, you will love this show, which features a number of their best songs, including Once in a Lifetime, Slippery People, This Must Be the Place, and of course, Burning Down the House.
The songs, and Byrne’s dialogue between them, feature themes of hope and joy amongst a world struggling through crisis, with messages that resonate in a particularly meaningful way today. During the week of election chaos (Which one, you ask? Oh, that would be the first few days after Election Day), I remembered that this was available for streaming and decided to put my phone down, take a break from doomscrolling and lose myself in the world of David Byrne. It was the perfect antidote then and it still is today, as I have found myself listening to the soundtrack over and over again. While there are a couple of off-the-wall songs, most of them will make you feel like you are at an outdoor party with the best house band in the world. Two songs in particular bring that feeling alive – Everybody’s Coming to My House and Toe Jam, which features my new favorite lyric (and my new answer to the question, How are you?), “Everyday is fucking perfect. It’s a paradise.” Of course, I don’t think Byrne meant it in the sarcastic way that we often hear people say they are “Living the dream.” Nevertheless….If you are a lover of music and admire the creativity and talent of musicians, this is a show that will bring joy to your heart, and plenty of toe-tapping. Boy, I can’t wait for live music to return. Thanks to Jean for this recommendation.
That’s it for this week. Thanks again for reading. I’ll be back next week to discuss my favorite movies of the year. If you’d like to find where to watch any of the films I covered here, you can go to JustWatch.com or follow the link in my Film Index here. If you’d like to be notified of future posts, you can subscribe here.