Filmtran's Top Film and Television of 2020

By Keegan Tran

In a year devoid of traditional theatrical releases due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film and television landscape was changed immeasurably. Wonder Woman 1984, Trolls World Tour, and Christopher Nolan's Tenet have fundamentally changed the way studios and theater chains approach releases. Studios scrambled to adjust their release calendars and salvage their investments by transitioning to streaming. However, 2020 stands as a phenomenal year for film and television, from big budget superhero titles to quaint indie productions. Join editor in chief Keegan Tran, senior writer Greetan Kan, and managing editor Neeran Gran for Filmtran's top film and television of 2020. As we are a small operation, it's important to note that this is an incomplete sampling of the year's releases, and as film's such as Minari and Nomadland become more easily viewable, we may amend this list.

Honorable Mentions

#Alive

By all counts a traditional zombie movie; a fun premise and lively editing make #Alive essential viewing for genre fans. #Alive is available on Netflix.

Host

As critic Dave Chen notes, the last thing viewers need in 2020 is to watch "quarantine content"; why would I ever approach an escapist medium to feel the dread of post-pandemic life? Host, a Shudder original does what only 2018's Searching had previously accomplished: amplifying the claustrophobic setting by locking us in a Zoom call with a group of friends partaking in a virtual seance. Host is available on Shudder.

Boys State

Depending on your state of mind entering Boys State, the documentary can be seen as either a biting condemnation or optimistic endorsement of America's youth. For the record, I left this film thinking the latter (but I'm still terrified of teenagers). Boys State is available on Apple TV+.

His House

The directorial debut of writer/director Remi Weekes, His House explores the horror of South Sudanese refugees trying to adapt to their heavily monitored new life in London. A beautiful allegory for the baggage we carry with us, His House could have easily been included in my top 10. His House is available on Netflix.

Top 10

#10 -  Possessor

The auteur-driven, indie horror sub-genre is alive and well. Brandon Cronenberg's sophomoric film gave me a stomach ache, followed shortly after by borderline night terrors; delving into such lofty themes as identity, purpose, and unspoken desire. While this sounds like the opposite of a resounding endorsement, I struggle to think of any movie made in the past decade that have made me as delightfully upset and uncomfortable. The film is best experienced blind, and as such I'm keeping this entry intentionally short. Possessor is available on premium VOD.

#9 - Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn

I'm well aware the title changed post-release alright? so just shut up. The first title was far more fun and did a much better job capturing the incredibly bubbly and lighthearted nature of what has now become my second favorite film in the DCEU. Propped up once again by spot-on casting of Margot Robbie as the titular Harley Quinn; the spiritual sequel to Suicide Squad fully leans in to the insane antics of its leads, giving the franchise a much needed dose of self-aware silliness and neon sledgehammers. I'm willing to die on the "Harley Quinn's breaking into the police station with a sand-bag gun is the best action scene in the entire DCEU" hill. Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn is available on HBO Max.

#8 - Ju-On Origins

This one caught me completely off guard, as I can honestly say that despite being a fairly big J-horror fan, I don't have much personal attachment to the Ju-On franchise. Imagine my surprise when I passively checked out this limited run, six episode series. While there are certainly supernatural elements sprinkled throughout, the show devotes its early runtime to a sterile exploration of child abuse, gender roles, and domestic abuse in 1980's Japan. Later episodes devolve into a nearly Lynchian level of surrealism, integrating these elements in a way that honors its original source material while simultaneously putting a spotlight on the aforementioned societal issues. Ju-On Origins is available on Netflix.

#7 - Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

When the original Borat was released in 2006, the United States was a vastly different country. That film was focused on the playful and asinine, with a plot that aimed to united Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat with Pamela Anderson. In 2006-terms the Baywatch Alumni was the pinnacle of American culture. The world that Borat Subsequent Moviefilm was produced and released into could not be further removed, and Cohen masterfully replaces Anderson with modern American iconography including but not limited to: a fake abortion clinic who refuses to abort a child of rape and incest, MAGA rallies, and the President of the United State's personal attorney putting his hands in his pants in the presence of an assumed underage girl. It's all fucked. 

The real surprise here comes from the central relationship between Borat and his daughter, played by Maria Bakalova. What could have easily become a merciless takedown of America, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm posits that older generations are capable of change for the betterment of younger generations. I expected the political insanity, as Cohen has proven his adeptness at getting people in power to say ludicrous things on camera. What I didn't expect was the delightful father-daughter road trip adventure connecting the insanity. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is available on Amazon Prime Video.

#6 - Dick Johnson is Dead

Documentary filmmaker Kirsten Johnson (Citizenfour, The Oath) documents the final years of her father's life as he succumbs to dementia. An incredibly personal film that resonated with me deeply, Dick Johnson is Dead is a testament to the relationship we have with our parents, and it's every bit as gorgeously bittersweet as you'd expect. Dick Johnson is Dead is available on Netflix.

#5 - Promising Young Woman

The trailer for Promising Young Woman paints the image of a vengeful, borderline psychotic woman with a penchant for murdering creepy "nice-guys" who would readily take advantage of a drunk girl. That's... sort of true? Without spoiling anything, what looks at first glance to be a fun slasher becomes a deeply painful exploration of the Brock Turner's of the world. Seething, masterful, and disgusting in its visceral honesty, Promising Young Woman is required viewing for 2020. Promising Young Woman will be available on Premium VOD beginning January 15th.

#4 - The Mandalorian Season 2

Disney+'s the Mandalorian spent its first season establishing its setting and a wealth of interesting characters. In it's second season, show-runners Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau are given free reign to take Mando and Grogu deep into Clone Wars and Star Wars lore, introducing franchise heavyweights like Ahsoka Tano and Bo Katan to live-action. This season benefits from a larger budget and a group of directors that are more comfortable and adept at controlling this monumental series. 

Breaking away from the all-at-once batch style episodes Netflix and Hulu typically follow, the Mandalorian benefits from a traditional weekly release schedule. It feels odd in 2020, but this show revitalizes serialized watercooler television in a way we haven't seen since last year's Watchmen. The Mandalorian commands it's corner of the pop culture zeitgeist every week, with twitter, reddit, and endless podcasts devoted to dissecting every planet and cantina background actor; a culture I feel is lost with the aforementioned Netflix-style television scheduling. The Mandalorian seasons 1 and 2 are available on Disney+.

#3 - Palm Springs

Forty years ago in early 2020, the film festival press circuits were ablaze with early reviews of Palm Springs. Andy Samberg's irreverent Ground-Hog day comedy had broken the Sundance record for most expensive purchasing rights deal (beating the next deal by $0.69, a coincidence I'm sure). I generally dislike comedies, and any other year a comedy starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti would elicit little more than an eye-roll and a fat SKIP. 

While the film was made long before the global pandemic took effect, it perfectly encapsulates the range of emotions many of us have felt throughout the past year. Samberg's apathetic outlook towards being trapped in an infinite time-loop mirrors the monotony of the months we've spent in quarantine, and his drunken acceptance of it feels all too prescient. An ultimately optimistic film, Palm Springs reminds us that while we may eventually return to a state of normalcy, the love we share with our loop-mates is the source of true contentment. Palm Springs is available on Hulu.

#2 - The Invisible Man

It's no secret that I love horror films, and while studio Blumhouse undoubtedly produces dozens of horrendous projects every year; the combination of skilled directors and a constrained budget turned out to be the perfect recipe in this case. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of Tom Cruise's failed Mummy remake that sought to revitalize the Universal monster pantheon, The Invisible Man aimed to take a different approach. Scale down the budget, bring in a genre-regular director, and bring in a lead that won't dominate the production. The result is not only the best horror film of the year, but likely the past decade. 

Where previous renditions of this story bring the invisible man into the foreground via bandages and cheap costuming, Leigh Whannell has the confidence to terrify with negative space. Is the invisible man in the background of the shot behind Elizabeth Moss? Does he even exist or his he truly a manifestation of an emotionally unstable and unreliable narrator? While the film eventually picks a side in favor of the narrative, we spend nearly 90 minutes inside the mind of a woman who has been subjected to years of brutal gaslighting and abuse. In this way, The Invisible Man joins the best horror films in deftly marrying these societal horrors with the very real horror that mankind is capable of inflicting on one another. The Invisible Man is available on HBO Max.

#1 - My Octopus Teacher

In their top 10 lists of 2020, the hosts of the Slashfilmcast question how their lists would have changed if 2020 was a "normal" year. I have to admit that I couldn't help but fully surrender to the premise of this documentary/comedy/romance film in a way I may not have in a non-pandemic year. My Octopus Teacher is an absolutely gorgeous testament to the restorative properties that nature provides. The film centers on nature photographer Craig Foster, who had become increasingly burnt out by years of working in the field. Returning home to South Africa, he revisits his love of snorkeling in the kelp forests he once swam through as a child. It's during one of these dives that he comes across a female octopus, who he works to befriend and learn from.

As Foster's octopus teacher works to recontextualize his life and place in the world, I couldn't help but feel comforted and at ease. In a year that has taken so much from so many, My Octopus Teacher offers a cultural reset; an opportunity to look introspectively by means of the natural world around us. Call me sappy, but this 85 minute documentary has been stuck in my head from the minute it ended. My Octopus Teacher is available on Netflix.