2020: A Year in Review

It's been quite the year...obviously! The cinema has been shut on and off throughout the year and still remains closed now. Despite it's closure, I managed 100 trips this year which, all in all, isn't so bad. The closure of cinemas, although it was a struggle a first, has helped me rediscover my love for watching films on the big screen and despite it's ever growing popularity how much better a trip to the cinema is than streaming. It has also allowed me and Rebecca time to reflect on and bring back the blog which I absolutely love doing! Thank you to everyone that has read a post, liked a status or just interacted with our blog in anyway!💕

As always, I've gone back through my cinema watch list this year and have got my top ten films, the 10 worst films I've sat through and a few honourable mentions that didn't quite make the cut.

These lists don't take into account any releases that I didn't view at the cinema, such as Disney's Mulan, which would probably have made the cut. It also doesn't include anything that I've watched through Netflix like I'm Thinking of Ending Things or The Trial of the Chicago 7 which are both excellent! I've also cut anniversary cinema viewing out of the list too; as Inception, Notting Hill and Mean Girls would have all easily filled the top ten!

By Leanne 

The Top 10:
Usually, these films come in no particular order but this year I have two standout films that rank above the rest:

- Misbehaviour
Having written my whole dissertation on second wave feminism and spending countless hours exploring events like the 1970s Miss World Pageant, I instantly knew I would be a fan. Then the cast only added to that with Kiera Knightley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and (my personal fave!) Jessie Buckley leading the film. It covers so much more than just the Women's Liberation Movement and shines a light on societal roles of women, racism and it touches on the apartheid in South Africa too. It crams so much into an under two hour film but does it well by creating different layers of drama to the film - I could easily watch so many more hours of their stories!

- Kajillionaire
It took me seeing this film three times to fall in love with it. On my first viewing, I liked it but went away with my thoughts abuzz on what I had just watched. I went to see it twice more and each time it felt like a different experience - I always noticed or felt a different way about it. It's a strange blend of comedy but has a very melancholic undertone behind it. There's a lot to be said about the characters and the costume design to the representation of queer characters. This is not only one of my favourite films of the year but also my favourite review that I've ever written.

I saw both of these films on more than one occasion and was blown away each time. They are definitely both going to go on to hold a special place in my heart. For full reviews check out our previous posts! The rest of these films are unranked as the top 8 of the year!

The Craft: Legacy
While on the cover it looks like a fairly standard witchy movie (and it kind of is), I really enjoyed the female empowerment included. I also love anything to do with the whole witchcraft and magic route so never doubted that I would enjoy it.

The Broken Hearts Gallery
Rom-coms is a genre that has taken a big hit in the last few years; there's been nothing really of note coming onto the scene. That all changed with this release. It feels very familiar to classic rom-coms but has been updated for a modern audience. Bonus: Geraldine Viswanathan is amazing!

Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey
This film is everything that the DC Universe needed. It's fun, colourful and is helmed by a cast of incredible women. Margot Robbie is incredible as Harley Quinn. It is a joy to watch with it's bright colours and voiceover narrator from Harley herself. It got slaughtered for not being as thought provoking as 2019s Joker; but is that the only thing that can make a good film?

Just Mercy
I genuinely can't believe this film was this year but then again January feels like a lifetime ago! While it's follows a traditional storytelling pattern, it's an important film that highlights racial injustices within the prison system. Michael B Jordan and Jamie Foxx are absolute powerhouses too. Don't forget your tissues!

Parasite
To be honest, where to start with this film? a 99% rating from Rotten Tomatoes speaks for itself or the fact that people flocked to the cinema to watch to watch a foreign language film - unheard of! It broke records becoming the first foreign language film ever to win a Best Picture Oscar -  if these facts don't convince you I don't know what else will! A scolding social commentary on the divide between rich and poor and an interesting look at social behaviour. All beautifully wrapped up by Bong Joon Ho.

The Lighthouse
A genuinely, creepy film. Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson play two lighthouse keepers in this twisted tale. Filmed in a smaller aspect ratio - not far off a square - helps the film feel old-timey; it also adds to the claustrophobic nature of the film. One of those scary films that isn't full of jump scares and loud noises but instead is actually eerie and uncomfortable, full of dark shadows and unreliable narration. It left me feeling genuinely creeped out well beyond the cinema screen. A perfectly blend of horror and humour that is a must see for those who appreciate good filmmaking.

1917
This one kind of speaks for itself. The buzz around 1917 is well deserved. The filmmaking itself is unreal and worthy of recognition alone but to actually create a gritty war film that shows the true horrors of World War I is another achievement in itself. There is no Hollywood stylisation involved in this war; it is brutal from the moment it begins to the final moment it releases you from it's grip.

Schemers
Now this was a strange one to have made my list because it had hardly any buzz surrounding it, received a relatively small release and has no 'famous' faces in it. It was one of the films I saw between cinema closures and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. A British film - so there was that instant appeal - that feels somewhat reminiscent of a film like Trainspotting (it's not on the same level at all but the storytelling feels familiar!) An enjoyable watch that tells the story of teen Davie and his mates trying to make money using any scheme they can think of.

The Honourables:
As someone who isn't especially picky about films choosing a top ten is always hard. That means there are always a few films that don't quite make the cut but are still very enjoyable.

Babyteeth

One of the first films I saw post-first-lockdown and it really made me remember why I loved the cinema so much. A film that in a normal year that may have been forgotten and fallen by the wayside. Shannon Murphy's directorial debut is meant to hurt and it really does. Eliza Scanlen (Little Women) gives a fantastic performance as Milla and it's refreshing to see Ben Mendelsohn in a role that isn't villainous! This film is very visually pleasing and I would definitely recommend it to people that can appreciate good cinematography.

Words On Bathroom Walls

Another film that I had heard nothing about and literally went into blind. It's follows a relatively predictable path but is unique in what it brings to the screen. It carefully balances a look into mental illness and the rom-com path it takes to create a touching coming-of-age story. A real tearjerker and hidden gem this year. 

Onward

Pixar never fails to pull it out of the bag really and Onward is not different. It's reminiscent to the non-human characters living in a human-suburbia like in Zootopia. It's an entertaining watch for both adults and children alike who will all find something to enjoy on this adventurous tale. 

Military Wives

Directed by Peter Cattaneo of The Full Monty fame and you can feel the similarities that come through. It's an interesting look into the effects of deployment on those that are left behind. It's a feel good community film that balances the harder-hitting scenes. 

Queen & Slim

Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith steal the screen for every second of this outlaw romance film. It's hard not to root for these outlaws from the get go when they are this likable. A film for the moment given it's intensely important content and wide reaching social relevance. But it still feels like a film that is personal and individual to each viewer. It reminded me personally of a modern day Thelma & Louise and really you can't go wrong with an tale of two likeable outlaws.

The Worst 10:

Now this is the part where I look back and think about the amount of hours I visited the cinema and will never get that time back. There are always a few mediocre films but these are my worst films of the year!

After We Collided

Honestly, this film is just laughable. It started as a Wattpad fanfiction and is literally just smut. The dialogue is ridiculous and the plot is literally Tessa and Hardin playing hard-to-get, sleeping together, arguing, playing hard-to-get and so on in a seemingly never ending circle. 

The Burnt Orange Heresy 

Despite receiving generally favourable reviews and having a strong cast led by Claus Bang and Elizabeth Debicki, I just wasn't hooked by this film. It had lots of potential to be an entertaining thriller but falls far short; I think in part because of it's sluggish pace. 

Dolittle 

A film with a fantastic cast but very little else of note. There's a reason Eddie Murphy's Dr. Dolittle has multiple sequels and this will surely be a standalone. I'm sure children will enjoy this and will be able to forgive it's flaws but for the accompanying adults so things are just too much to bypass.

Downhill

Another strange film that a few years ago would probably have been a big hit. Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss are both great comedy actors. A remake of, what I've heard to be an excellent, Swedish movie. It's comedy falls short as it's not quite savage enough to become black comedy. 

Come Away 

A blend of the childhoods' of Peter and Alice before they became the famed Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland. Yet again, another film with a very famous cast, including the likes of Angelina Jolie, Michael Cane and David Oyelowo to name a few, that doesn't live up to what it could be. The whole film feels like it should be a straight-to-TV Christmas special - not a cinematic feature length film.

The Turning 

A sad attempt at adapting Henry James' iconic Gothic ghost story 'The Turn of the Screw.' Mackenzie Davis, Finn Wolfhard and Brooklynn Prince all give their best performances but even they can't save the film from it's slow pace and sudden ending. A bog-standard, dark corridors and sudden jump scare effort; rather than an actual attempt at making something scary. 

Emma 

Anya Taylor-Joy is, excuse the pun, a joy to watch as titular Emma. The detailed set design, costume design and the rest of the supporting cast are also fantastic. It even looks into society and societal expectations that perhaps haven't changed as much as we think. Really this is a fantastic film and a good adaptation of Jane Austen. The problem I have with it comes down to the simple fact that I find Jane Austen's work so tedious and unfortunately even when her work is adapted into a wonderful piece of cinema like this - I still can't get hooked.

The Grudge

Basically see the above review for The Turning. Another dark corridors and jump scare effort that is literally the same as the 2004 version but nowhere near as good. Anyone who has seen the 2004 mediocre original already knows that's not a good sign! 

Cats & Dogs 3: Paws Unite

19 years on from the original,  I still can't understand why there are still sequels being made. The CGI is honestly cursed. Why they've used real animals and tried to CGI their mouths moving to show them talking is beyond me. I saw this the day after it opened and there were only three people in the screen total. I feel like that tells you everything you need to know about the reception of this film.

Superintelligence

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Melissa McCarthy is a great actress (see most of her films directed by Paul Feig: Bridesmaids, The Heat, Spy) but she needs to stop taking roles her husband writes for her, They are usually so terrible like Tammy, Life of the Party and The Boss. I also can't take James Corden as a credible actor so having him be one of the leading voices was a struggle for me. What I think I liked least about this film was how it would actually make good or clever references and then hit the audience over the head with it to ensure they understood the joke or reference. All cleverness suddenly disappears. 

It's been a weird year for the cinema this year but I'm hoping that next year will bring another great year of cinema whenever they eventually reopen! 😐 In the meantime, happy New Year readers!

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What a mad year it's been!! We had some amazing films to start off the year, which is normal in the calendar due to awards season. It's a shame that we don't have that buzz this year as cinemas are still shut for now. Then we had a stop - start introduction to cinemas throughout the year. Despite many of the big releases either being pushed back or made available for streaming there have still been some excellent films. I can speak for both and say that we would much prefer going to the cinema rather than streaming a film. I am honestly quite worried for the future of cinema companies, as it is coming more apparent that this is becoming a dying form of consuming media. 2020 also happened to be the year that I renewed my Odeon membership and I am very grateful that they opened up shop when restrictions allowed so. I have counted my tickets from the year and I managed 50 trips to Cineworld and 10 trips to Odeon. Only the 60 visits this year which is way off Leanne's total, however still thankful that I was able to go this many times in this strange time. Right then, I'll just leave you with my top 10 of the year. You can definitely see a pattern in that I'm drawn more to the emotion of a story and if the film gets me to cry then that is a thumbs up for me! Note that this list is in no particular order - 

- By Rebecca 

Parasite

Best picture at the Oscars just really speaks for itself doesn't it. The story was gripping and your morals were swung in different directions constantly. The social commentary was harrowing and you can't help but use this as a comparison to whole worlds socio-economic state and not just in South Korea. The director Bong Joon-ho was super precise with every shot, and every angle or lighting choice told a story within itself. It helps when characters are well defined very quickly and this helps in establishing connections with characters to audience. I am also a big fan of foreign film with subtitles and not dubbed. If you haven't seen this yet then what the hell are you doing.

The Broken Hearts Gallery

Broken Hearts should be for teenagers now what Angus Thongs & Mean Girls was to us growing up. It was a real surprise for me. There are often rom-coms made which just mis the mark and are not memorable but there was something about this that set it apart from the rest. Maybe it was storyline that just had more substance than the rest or was it because the main characters Lucy & Nick were so likeable and relatable. It also made New York in the summer look amazing, definitely somewhere I would love to go to. 

Misbehaviour 

Kiera Knightley is slowly becoming one of my favourite actresses and in Misbehaviour she portrays Sally Alexander. A strong female who isn't afraid to break some gender expectation norms to go against the grain and fight for what is right/ what she believes in. The cast are particularly brilliant is this film and a special shoutout to Jessie Buckley who is one of our favourites here at 2girls1blog. Even though the events here took place in the 1970s the fight for equality still goes on today. It may not strike you as very emotional at first but to think about these women and their sacrifice to provide a pathway and voice for women everywhere cannot be undermined. 

Dark Waters

A true story which is almost identical to Erin Brockovich in that a lawyer is investigating the contamination of water and how this is effecting the population who uses this water. Mark Ruffalo goes through a transformation to play Robert Bilott, a lawyer who takes on this case to investigate the contaminated water. We discover that the chemical company was dumping PFOA a chemical with no reference in any textbook. Then we go on to find out that PFOA is in Teflon that is used on non-stick pans. Makes you think about what we consume in modern day society which is doing harm to us yet it isnt widely known about/ covered up. Very thought provoking and makes my top 10 this year.

Just Mercy

Another true story which was released before the BLM movement rightfully got worldwide coverage. Michael B Jordan plays lawyer Bryan Stevenson, a Harvard graduate who has travelled to Alabama to represent inmates on death-row. One of the inmates he represented was Walter McMillan played by Jamie Foxx. While this movie only focuses on this case but it highlights the injustices of the justice system especially for black people in the US. 

1917

I feel like 1917 came out an age ago but still saw it in cinemas in 2020. Sam Mendes directed this smooth and slick picture who focuses on British soldiers in WWI. When you think about it more, this is an outstanding film. The way the story is displayed in this one shot motion is breath-taking. The storyline is direct and it is gripping from the get-go. The main characters are played by George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman who are real stars of the show. 

Words on Bathroom Walls

This is my wildcard choice of this year. I'm pretty sure you probably haven't heard of this film but you should definitely go and check it out. Adam Petrazelli is a teenager who has schizophrenia, a mental illness which makes you hallucinate and become delusional. Adam goes into a clinical trial to help suppress this but it is so hard to mute the characters in his head. He also is juggling a complicated family life, going to a new school and the possibility of a new love. Charlie Plummer plays Adam so beautifully and believably. This movie is so so so emotion, I was honestly sobbing. 

Harley Quinn : Birds of Prey

There was a lack of superhero films this year, however Birds of Prey made up for this absence. Margot Robbie is an amazing Harley Quinn, shes whacky and quirky with a quick switch to turn. The strong female cast were a joy to watch. We also got a brilliant soundtrack out of it which included some bangers like 'Experiment on Me' by Halsey and 'Boss Bitch' by Dojo Cat. 

Babyteeth

Eliza Scanlen and Toby Wallace shine together as they play Milla and Moses. Two young adults who strangely find themselves connected after meeting at a train station. Milla is sixteen and has cancer, she falls head over heals for Moses who is outcasted from his family for being an addict. Babyteeth is gripping and emotional. Another film that made me cry and was very thought provoking. 

Soul

Soul wasn't going to be on my list because I technically didn't see it in the cinema. However I don't think I couldn't have included it because it is honestly such a brilliant film. Pixar are really firing on all cylinders here. The animation is second to none. Pay close attention to the lighting - it is truly amazing. There is an obvious message running throughout. It is more a film for adults I'd say as it may go over the heads of some young children. Some fabulous voice acting from Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey and we even have Graham Norton as well. 

Just wanted to say thank you so much for your support this year and hope you are still enjoying the content we are putting out! Any feedback is appreciated greatly! Happy New Year and we hope that 2021 is a brilliant year for you all and especially for film.