‘Promising Young Woman’ Film Review: The ‘Parasite’ of Revenge Flicks

Promising Young Woman (2020) is a dark comedy-thriller film from actor turned writer-director Emerald Fennell. It stars Carey Mulligan as a young woman who lives a secret double life by night, luring men into her twisted revenge fantasies after a mysterious event in her past derailed her future. The film debuted at Sundance way back in January and had to shelve its original April release date before finally releasing in select theaters on Christmas. What is it about this film that has the Internet buzzing with praise?

**Heavy spoilers ahead!**

‘Nomadland’ Film Review: The Power of Documentary Fiction

Nomadland (2020) is the latest drama feature film from writer-director Chloé Zhao. Based on the non-fiction book of the same name, it stars Frances McDormand as a woman who leaves the corporate world to travel the U.S. in her van and work odd jobs on the road. It is easily one of the most acclaimed films of the year, drawing wild critical reception and winning numerous awards on the festival circuit. Will this be a big player at the Oscars?

‘Soul’ Film Review: Passion, Purpose and the Meaning of Life

Soul (2020) is the latest film from animation studio Pixar. It features the voices of Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Questlove, Daveed Diggs and more in the story of a music teacher whose soul becomes separated from his body and must fight to return to his body on Earth. Originally slated for a Cannes Film Festival release, the movie’s theatrical release was eventually canned as it was digitally released on Disney+ on Christmas Day to widespread acclaim. Could this be the rare animated film to snag a Best Picture nomination?

‘The Midnight Sky’ Film Review: No Planet for Old Men

The Midnight Sky (2020) is a sci-fi drama from director George Clooney based on a novel by Lily Brooks-Dalton. Clooney also stars as a scientist at a remote Arctic outpost who survives a global catastrophe and must warn an incoming spaceship (helmed by Felicity Jones) not to return to Earth. The film premiered in theaters to a lukewarm critical reaction before dropping on Netflix just before Christmas. Is this worth the stream, or has Clooney misfired yet again?

‘A Sun’ Film Review: Intimacy on an Epic Scale

Happy holidays, everyone! Hope you’re all staying safe and warm this season, in one of the most wild and unsettling years we’ve had in generations…for film and otherwise! As the streaming wars kicked into high gear this year, one little film slipped through the cracks, a January Netflix release from Taiwanese filmmaker Chung Mong-hong: A Sun. The film dominated the 2019 Golden Horse Awards (the Taiwanese Oscars) and is Taiwan’s entry for Best International Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, but few American critics were even aware of the film’s existence until recently. Can the film’s recent exposure help propel it to Academy recognition? Could it even win the category? Let’s dive in and examine one of 2020’s hidden gems!

‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ Film Review: Black Artistry in a White Man’s World

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) is the film adaptation of August Wilson’s play of the same name, written by Ruben Santiago-Hudson and directed by George C. Wolfe. It stars Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman as a singer and trumpeter who both clash with their white management in an attempt to reclaim control of their artistry. The film’s visibility rose dramatically after the tragic passing of Boseman, with many now saying he (and Davis) could compete for an Oscar win. Will this be yet another heavy-hitting contender for Netflix?

‘Collective’ Documentary Review: The Power of the People

Collective (2020) is a Romanian documentary from German-Romanian filmmaker Alexander Nanau. It tells the true story of the Colectiv club fire that killed dozens of concert-goers in Bucharest, and the subsequent journalistic and institutional efforts to reform corruption in the Romanian health care system. It is the official Romanian submission for Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, and hopes to be the second film (after Honeyland) to be nominated for both Best Documentary and Foreign Film. Can this secure the coveted double-nomination?

‘Small Axe’ Anthology Review

Small Axe (2020) is an anthology series from legendary film director Steve McQueen. It comprises five films of various lengths, each dealing with the black experience throughout British history: Mangrove, Lovers Rock, Red, White and Blue, Alex Wheatle, and Education. After a successful run on the festival circuit, the miniseries debuted on BBC and dropped on Amazon Prime over the past several weeks. Where does it rank among McQueen’s filmography – and the year’s best films?

Best Picture Power Rankings: December 2020 Edition

The end of the year is in sight, but with the Oscars’ extended eligibility window, we still have plenty of awards season left to go! As 2020 draws to a close and we get our first look at critics’ awards for the year, let’s take another snapshot of the current Best Picture race! How are all these different films jockeying for position at the 93rd Academy Awards?

‘Another Round’ Film Review: A Celebration (and Caution) of Excess

Another Round (2020), aka Druk, is the latest comedy-drama film from Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg. It reunites Vinterberg with actor Mads Mikkelsen, who plays a high school teacher who joins three of his colleagues in an experiment to elevate their lives with a constant intake of alcohol. The film was slated to debut at Cannes before the festival’s cancellation, eventually premiering at TIFF before releasing digitally online. Is this the frontrunner for Best International Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, and can it compete in even more categories?