As is tradition here at Scriptophile, I like to mark the occasion of July 1st by highlighting the best of what the first half of the year had to offer. 2020 is an especially odd year, however, with theaters shut down due to COVID-19 and the future of new releases in jeopardy. As such, I saw far fewer movies than I usually do by this point in the year and we may not even have an awards season to look forward to in the fall and winter months! That said, we could all use a little positivity right now and I still love talking about film, so let’s look back and see what the year has had to offer us so far!
2018 edition | 2019 edition
(Honorable mentions: The High Note, Emma., Big Time Adolescence)
10. Shirley
I’d never seen a Josephine Decker film before this one, but it’s the kind of film that has me eager to check out the rest of her filmography. I always appreciate when biopics do not hew closely to the particulars of history, instead using it as a springboard from which to derive drama and meaning. Here, Decker uses one of horror’s most prolific writers and creates a mood worthy of one of her own novels – dark and unsettling. Through her story we explore themes of female marginalization and sisterhood in the face of patriarchal oppression. Even one of the most successful female writers ever often found herself at the mercy of a demanding man – even one who purports to be supportive of her career. They say every great man has a strong woman standing behind him, but in this case it’s reversed in a somewhat twisted way: this strong woman is being manipulated by the man behind her in ways the public doesn’t often get to see. The story didn’t grip me as much as I would’ve liked, but there’s no denying the strong filmmaking on display.
9. Never Rarely Sometimes Always
I don’t normally care for hyperrealism in film, finding that my favorite films often make full use of the magic of cinema to heighten the experience. But I can still respect when a film strips down the glitz and glamor to depict the harsh realities of life for its protagonist. Here the film tackles teen abortion, and the minimalist nature of the film highlights just how mundane and yet terrifying the process can be. I like the way the title works its way into the narrative, as our heroine is answering a questionnaire prior to the procedure, and how her emotions betray her normally stoic exterior in that moment. A fantastic job from young Sidney Flanigan, and I hope she gets noticed for the role and chosen for more roles in the future.
8. The King of Staten Island
I haven’t yet made my mind up about Pete Davidson as an actor (or comedian), but this story makes perfect use of his talents. It’s a return to form for writer-director Judd Apatow, who exploded onto the scene in the mid-00’s but has been relatively quiet since; this isn’t his best work by a long shot, but it’s perfectly solid. The relationship between Davidson and Bill Burr’s character in particular was fun to watch, and it strikes a strong balance between comedy and drama to explore heavy themes in a lighthearted manner. It’s reminiscent of Honey Boy in that it allows Davidson an outlet to process a traumatic time in his life (losing his dad during 9/11) and create something meaningful out of it. Who knows if he’ll ever be able to transcend the goofy-stoner aesthetic in his career, but I’m pulling for him all the same.
7. Babyteeth
In stark contrast to Never Rarely Sometimes Always is this little number, a vibrant and colorful love story that makes full use of the medium of cinema. And that isn’t to say it’s by-the-numbers in the slightest; it’s one of the more offbeat and quirky scripts I’ve seen in quite some time. Adapted from a stage play, it explores the messiness of young love by skipping the typical meet-cute stage and going straight for the meet-the-parents moment five minutes in. And that’s just the first of numerous bold choices, some of which work and some don’t, but you can’t fault debut filmmaker Shannon Murphy for swinging for the fences. The performances are all great, particularly newcomer Toby Wallace…he proves that he isn’t just the charismatic bad boy and gets to show off his range with an emotional climax that just drained me.
6. Onward
I’m not a huge animation fan, but once every 2-3 years one often comes along that tickles me in just the right way. While this film has many of the same cliches and trappings that most Pixar adventure flicks aimed at children have, this also has something specific to say about brotherhood, single-parenthood, and growing up without a father figure in your life. The third act contains one of the most emotional moments I’ve seen in an animated film in quite some time – and I haven’t even lost a parent! The fact that it’s such an original concept is also worth commending, and they do a perfectly good job of exploring this imagined world where fantasy has been normalized as part of everyday life. As with any good family film, there’s something for kids and adults alike to take away from it, and I suspect I’ll remember this one fondly among Pixar’s already-impressive body of work.
5. The Way Back
Gavin O’Connor has a knack for making films that feel both familiar and fresh. He’s the master of the sports drama (Miracle, Warrior, and now this) and he succeeds in both giving the audience the usual story beats we expect with enough of a twist to feel we got a new experience in the process. Here he puts a twist on the high school basketball genre by focusing almost entirely on the coach, using his players as conduits to explore his shortcomings and aspirations. And it’s impossible not to mention Ben Affleck, who has undergone a recent downturn in public perception and begins the slow road towards redemption with this powerful role. He’s a man well aware of his own problems and what he needs to do to get back in the good graces of audiences everywhere, and he makes a great first step with with an emotional and resonant performance.
4. Da 5 Bloods
I’m not a big Spike Lee fan, but this film won me over by the end. It starts out rather slow and I worried it wouldn’t do enough to hold my attention, but once the action picks up around the midpoint, it’s a relentlessly-gripping ride all the way through. It explores the various ways black veterans have been mistreated and exploited by their government, and the bitterness that can result from a lifetime of such disrespect. Delroy Lindo gives the best performance of the year as a black Trump supporter – a supposed oxymoron that reflects his character’s disillusionment with a system that no longer serves his needs. It’s a socially-relevant film that still delivers the goods as a war drama, with some gripping sequences that left me thinking long after. And that landmine scene in the forest is an easy contender for best individual scene of the year so far.
3. The Vast of Night
Directorial debut, pure genre fare, ultra-low budget…nothing about this film seemed like it would be up my wheelhouse. But there’s something special about the way this film comes together, anchored by strong performances from unknown actors and a dialogue-heavy but very well-written script. Andrew Patterson makes his mark early and often with some dazzling sequences that make the most out of his constrained resources, and I still don’t know exactly how they managed to film some of the more impressive shots. The story is simplistic in scope, but that’s okay because they commit so fully to the atmosphere and mood that I was hooked from minute one all the way until the end. Issues with the ending notwithstanding, I had a blast with the film and will have my eye on Patterson’s budding career from here on out.
2. Bad Education
A rare example of everything coming together perfectly in one film: a great script paired with a competent director and talented cast. This shouldn’t have worked as well as it did…a dry crime drama about a somewhat uninteresting embezzlement scandal involving upper-class protagonists. But the genius of the film is in how it uses the scandal as a platform to discuss thorny issues of power, reputation, and the desire to provide the best for our children at any cost. It’s especially relevant now in the wake of the college admissions scandal, proving that the more exaggerated elements of the story might not be so outlandish after all. Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney are phenomenal in the film, fully taking advantage of the well-drawn characters from the script and bringing them to life as flawed yet sympathetic human beings. It’s a shame this won’t be eligible for the Oscars due to its streaming-only platform, because I think it would be competitive in several categories (especially in a chaotic year like this!).
1. The Invisible Man
Leigh Whannell is the master of horror for a reason. He is a trailblazer in the genre, not willing to follow temporary trends to make a quick buck or rest on his laurels while the medium is constantly advancing. His latest work takes a story that has been around for over a century and updates it for the modern age, using invisibility as a metaphor for the lingering effects of domestic abuse on its victims. It works on a basic level – being hunted by an invisible person sounds terrifying enough – but also comments on the paranoia of escaping a toxic environment and the difficulty of convincing others to believe that your tormentor hasn’t yet left you alone. Elisabeth Moss gives a spellbinding performance in a film with sufficient thrills to satiate genre fans while also saying something about the times we live in – a rare feat, especially for a low-budget horror flick.
Conclusion
What are your favorite films of the year so far? What are you hoping to see released by the end of the year, assuming everything goes back to normal?
Stay tuned later this week for the 3rd Annual Scriptophile Midpoint Oscars, where I hand out awards for the best performances and films of the year to date! See you soon.
-Austin Daniel
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