2020: Not that bad, from a new movie standpoint! 

Da 5 Bloods (Spike Lee, 2020): 3.5/5

Tonally, all over the map and full of unmotivated direct address and googly-eyed politicizing but that’s his style if not invention. Like, when he plays Ride of the Valkyries when they are first starting on their mission, is the reference parodic or straight? I’m pretty sure Lee doesn’t know. Still it’s my favorite movie of his since 2002’s 25^th Hour.

 

Bacurau (Keiber Mendonça Filho, 2020): 2/5

Not even the best retelling of The Most Dangerous Game released in 2020. That would be Craig Zobel’s The Hunt. Didn’t work for me as a slice of Brazilian life or as a thriller or as (extremely blunt) politicking.

 

Palm Springs (Max Barbako, 2020): 4/5

Inconsequential but entertaining. I love Adam Sandberg, and Cristin Milioti was (as they say) a revelation.

 

Arkansas (Clark Duke, 2020): 2.5/5

Overwritten, broad and familiar (if you’ve seen Ozark or any Tarantino movie), but as in Dragged Across Concrete, Vince Vaughn was strong (red trucker hat and all). Liam Hemsworth (Chris’ brother) is a complete stiff.

 

Saint Francis (Alex Thompson, 2020): 3/5

Full of emotion.

 

Young Ahmed (Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, 2020): 4/5

Like in many Dardenne movies, we are locked in with unpleasant characters facing ultimate moral questions. The final minute is thrilling.

 

She Dies Tomorrow (Amy Seimetz, 2020): 4/5

All the existential terror of death, none of the actual on-screen monsters, killers or other threats. Nice, simple use of colored lights to communicate psychological states.

 

Possessor (Brandon Cronenberg, 2020): 4/5

Not surprisingly, this reminded me of early Cronenberg (Brandon is David’s son) and William Gibson. Brace yourself, it’s a bit of a tough, nasty watch.

 

Boys State (Amanda McBaine, Jesse Moss, 2020): 4/5

Much of what’s bad and good about the current state of politics shows up in miniaturized form here. The intensity and monomania of gun rights and anti-abortion beliefs in these very young people is scary, but, you know … Texas. The movie demonstrates all too well that making fun of people and arguing personality instead of policy always wins. And that movies that are built around a competition almost always work. “Is the word penis acceptable for our discourse?”

 

Two docs that are the perfect length. Both real antidotes to the idea that you have to bloat your documentary up to 85 minutes. Don’t do it!

Speed Cubers (Sue Kim, 2020): 4/5

40 minutes of stifled sobs from me. Two great guys, and you really want them to succeed, to fit in, to feel normal and be loved.

John was Trying to Contact Aliens (Matthew Killip, 2020): 5/5

16 minutes, and it has three acts. Only watch it if you like music and weirdos. If it's too short, watch it twice—that's what I did.