OUR TOP 25 FILMS OF 2020
This year has definitely been a weird year for films due to the global pandemic. While some were acquired by streaming services, others had releases that were pushed back. Despite it all, so many incredible films were released this year, and in some cases, were made more accessible to the public. In a year like this one, films were needed more than ever, not only to lose us in powerful stories, but also to allow us to appreciate the unrelenting dedication of filmmakers, who are committed to bringing our screens to life. People of Color, LGBTQ+, and women in the film industry deserve an extra shoutout for pushing underrepresented narratives into the entertainment space.
We started with a list of our top fifty films of this year and narrowed them down to twenty-five. For our purposes, we defined a film as released in 2020 if it was released to the general public/streaming services in 2020. Every film on this list is incredible, and we’ve been blessed to speak to some of their talented directors on Two Virgins. Thank you all for reading and please check out all of these films. Each one on this list made our lives infinitely better, and some even changed our lives this year.
This list was compiled by and written by The Q staff.
1
THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION
RADHA BLANK
Radha Blank’s debut film, The Forty-Year-Old Version, is astounding in its semi autobiographical story of Radha Blank, a New York playwright nearing 40 who finds herself in somewhat of a midlife crisis. Once named one of the most promising young playwrights under 30, Radha now teaches theater to high school students and is faced with having to choose between selling out and preserving her art. After a long night spent mingling with rich, white art investors, Radha tries her hand at rap under the name of RadhaMUS Prime. She begins to use hip-hop as a way to express herself, writing songs ranging from “White Man with a Black Woman’s Butt” to “Poverty Porn.” Shot almost entirely in black and white, The Forty-Year-Old Version is unafraid to express Blank’s high highs and low lows, from hysterically crying alone in the corner of her apartment, to passionately spitting raps over a newly produced beat. The Forty-Year-Old Version is a film with endless heart, and by the end, you'll feel like you’ve found a new friend.
2
HOUSE OF HUMMINGBIRD
BORA KIM
Directed by Bora Kim, House of Hummingbird follows a 14-year old Korean girl named Eunhee as she attempts to navigate her adolescence, which is characterized by piercing feelings of loneliness, confusing boys, and a somewhat polarizing family. The film’s inclusion of historical moments in South Korea’s history, such as the collapse of the Seongsu Bridge, serve not only as timestamps for the film, but also as turning points in Eunhee’s life. Amidst her inner and external turmoil, Eunhee finds guidance from a Chinese character tutor, who seems to be the only adult figure in her life that makes her feel visible. House of Hummingbird is tender and careful with its time, as Kim beautifully paces the growth of Eunhee with the utmost precision.
3
NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS
ELIZA HITTMAN
In moments of both comfort and pain, some things are better left unsaid. Eliza Hittman’s Never Rarely Sometimes Always is largely defined by quiet moments of solidarity, as it revolves around a pregnant teenager named Autumn, who travels from rural Pennsylvania to New York with her cousin Skylar to get an abortion. Autumn and Skylar have no one but each other, not only in Pennsylvania, but especially as they enter the big city, which they find to be equally as unforgiving as their small town. In Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Hittman excels at capturing the intimacy of abortion and the decision that comes with it -- one that doesn’t need to be explained or second guessed. Autumn and Skylar who, although travel to New York with nothing but a bare-boned plan, are as clever and resourceful as anybody, as the two girls are determined to accomplish what they left Pennsylvania to do, and more.
4
MANGROVE
STEVE MCQUEEN
As the first installation of Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” anthology, Mangrove recounts the powerful story of the 1970 Mangrove Nine case, where a group of Black British activists were charged for incitement to riot during a peaceful protest against the police harassment of a Trinidadian restaurant in Notting Hill called the Mangrove. The Mangrove, owned by Frank Crichlow, the film’s protagonist, is much more than a restaurant -- it’s a safe haven for the West Indian community in London and the centerpiece of their gatherings. The performances in Mangrove are some of the most powerful of this year, as they cut through layers of deep-rooted pain and determination for justice.
5
BACARAU
KLEBER MENDONÇA FILHO
Bacarau is a film pulled from the depths of someone’s dream, as it is a mix of mystical science-fiction futurism and a reflection of today’s political corruption. Set in a fictional small town in Brazil called Bacurau, the film begins with two strange events: the death of the local matriarch and the disappearance of the town from online maps. Turns out, the strange things that begin happening are caused by wealthy American visitors who hunt the villagers for their own entertainment and greed. The film explores themes of power and colonialism, and the strength of a community bonded by a long tradition of trust and sometimes the introduction of psychotropic drugs. Watching Bacarau is like being immersed in an acid-induced dream, but more fantastical and less scary.
6
TIME
GARRET BRADLEY
Directed by Garrett Bradley, Time follows the Rich family’s fight to release Robert Rich, Fox Rich’s husband and the father of their three kids, from prison. Twenty years prior, Robert was sentenced to 60 years without parole for attempting to rob a credit union. Time captures Fox’s painfully long journey to undo an unjust sentence, although trying to reverse twenty years of lost time is another emotional unraveling in and of itself. Time is a story that cements the impact that an unjust criminal justice system has on millions of families and individuals, through telling an unforgettable story of the Rich family and their fight for time, not only for themselves, but for countless others who have been robbed of it.
7
MIDNIGHT FAMILY
LUKE LORENTZEN
Midnight Family follows the Ochas, a family in Mexico City who runs a private ambulance business to compensate for the desperate need for ambulances in the city. There are only 45 for a city of 9 million. Director Luke Lorentzen compiles incredibly intimate footage of the Ochas family, not only on their fast-paced and stressful rescue calls throughout the city, but also the in-betweens, from taking naps in the ambulance to stopping by gas stations for a midnight snack. The toll that poor infrastructure takes on a community is painfully highlighted in the film, through footage capturing the trauma victims and their family. You can hear the panic and desperation in their wavering voices. At the end of the day, no one in this broken system wins, and the people that get hurt the most are its people.
8
I'M NO LONGER HERE
FERNANDO FRÍAS DE LA PARRA
Directed by Fernando Frías de la Parra, I’m No Longer Here is a simultaneously vibrant and incredibly lonely tale. I’m No Longer Here follows a 17-year-old cumbia dancer named Ulises, who must escape to the United States after landing him and his family in danger with a local criminal group in Monterrey, Mexico. In the States, Ulises experiences harrowing feelings of displacement and blatant racism, and the only thing that continuously grounds him is cumbia music and dance. I’m No Longer Here is as fascinating as it is beautiful, as the film’s backdrop is colored with hues of yellows, greens, and blues, and the shadow of a horizon’s setting sun.
9
I'M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS
CHARLIE KAUFMAN
Kaufman’s expertise for curating feelings of despair and emptiness from the depths of your subconscious never falters. I’m Thinking of Ending Things is no exception. The film revolves around a middle-aged white man named Jake and his girlfriend, whose name changes throughout the film. They visit Jake’s family, and the trip is just the beginning of a snowball of haunting events that collide with traditional narratives of linear space and time. While the film is constantly moving, it also doesn’t really go anywhere for any character. This film has a spot on the year-end list primarily because after I finished the film, I only felt uncomfortably infinite dread and that hole in your stomach you usually get when you wake up from a bad dream you can’t remember.
10
THE PAINTER AND THE THIEF
BENJAMIN REE
The Painter and the Thief is one of those true stories that you can’t believe has been captured narratively on film. Directed by Benjamin Ree, The Painter and the Thief follows the unlikely friendship between Czech painter Barbora Kysilkova and Karl Bertil-Norland, a man who stole two of her most famous paintings. As Barbora and Bertil slowly begin to unravel each other’s joys and wounds, the film reveals how the most secure and special relationships must be nurtured and supportive in order to thrive. The two observe each other with a wonder that the other has rarely felt, and the two grow alongside and because of each other. It’s a story that has continued to amaze and stick with me, even a long time after watching the film.
11
SOUND OF METAL
DARIUS MARDER
This is the Riz Ahmed we’ve all been waiting for. Directed by Darius Marder, Sound of Metal follows a metal drummer named Ruben, who must deal with the news that he’s lost most of his hearing, and that is just the beginning.
12
LINGUA FRANCA
ISABEL SANDOVAL
Isabel Sandoval is truly the jack of all trades, as she wrote, directed, produced, and starred in Lingua Franca, a touching and entrancing film that revolves around an undocumented Filipana trans woman named Olivia, who finds herself trying to secure a green card in Trump’s America.
Check out our conversation with Isabel Sandoval about Lingua Franca
13
BEANPOLE
KANTEMIR BALAGOV
Kantemir Balagov’s stunning sophomore feature, Beanpole, tells the story of two women who attempt to search for hope and a better future after enduring the shared horrors of World War II.
14
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
AARON SORKIN
Aaron Sorkin has truly outdone himself with the screenplay of Trial of the Chicago 7. The film, which recounts the 1969 trial of seven defendants charged with conspiracy for protests in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic National Convention, strikes a perfect balance between being both narratively sound and hilariously funny.
15
LUCKY GRANDMA
SASIE SEALY
Sasie Sealy’s Lucky Grandma is an enthralling and comical tale about a Chinese grandma who gambles on her luck a little too hard at the casino, and lands herself at the throes of a gang war in the midst of New York City’s Chinatown.
Check out our interview with Sasie Sealy about Lucky Grandma
16
RESIDUE
MERAWI GERIMA
Merawi Gerima’s Residue is a story about Washington D.C.’s Q-Street, as much as it is about returning home to a place that you barely recognize. Residue deconstructs filmmaker Jay’s journey to write a script about his childhood, which proves to be much harder of a task than he imagined.
17
SHIRLEY
JOSEPHINE DECKER
In Shirley, Elizabeth Moss hauntingly embodies horror novelist Shirley Jackson in a chilling performance that encapsulates the turbulent life and mind of Jackson.
18
DICK JOHNSON IS DEAD
KIRSTEN JOHNSON
In this revealing and bold documentary, filmmaker Kirsten Johnson plays a tribute to her aging father through staging outrageous scenarios of his potential death. I know it sounds gruesome, but the film is actually quite comically lighthearted and attempts to demystify some of the fears that surround death, especially of the ones you love.
19
ATLANTICS
MATI DIOP
Flirting between the supernatural and the futuristic, Mati Diop’s Atlantics tells the story of a seventeen year old named Ada, whose heart is broken when her young love, Souleimane, suddenly disappears at sea with a group of coworkers. However, he’s not as gone as she once thought, as his spirits and those of others begin to hunt Ada and her girlfriends.
20
CLEMENCY
CHINOYE CHUKWU
Clemency powerfully questions the existence of the death penalty through the eyes of Bernadine Williams, a long-time prison warden who has to face the repercussions of the system she serves, after forming a connection with a death-row inmate named Anthony Woods.
21
DRIVEWAYS
ANDREW AHN
Directed by Andrew Ahn (director of Spa Nights), Driveways is a beautiful tale of an unlikely friendship that forms between a young boy named Cody and a war veteran named Del. Ahn intricately uses space and quiet conversation to create this warm gem of a film.
22
TIGERTAIL
ALAN YANG
Written and directed by Alan Yang, Tigertail revolves around a Taiwanese man who reflects on his life after the recent passing of his mother. Through his memories, he recounts stories of an old flame from his youth and his journey immigrating to America in hopes of creating a better life for himself and his mother.
23
DA 5 BLOODS
SPIKE LEE
Spike Lee strikes again with Da 5 Bloods, a film about Black veterans who return to Vietnam on a mission to find the remains of their slain leader and a cache of gold.
24
BLOODY NOSE, EMPTY POCKETS
BILL AND TURNER ROSS
Directed by Bill and Turner Ross, Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets take an intimate look at the closing night of a Las Vegas dive bar called Roaring 20’s. Although a enough concept, the film solidifies the notion that sometimes real-life is made for the big screen.
25
WEATHERING WITH YOU
MAKOTO SHINKAI
Brought to you by Makoto Shinkai, acclaimed director of the hit anime Your Name, Weathering With You tells the beautiful story of a lost boy and a girl who can manipulate the weather with the flick of her hand.