Here’s the links for the first and second catch up posts, in case you missed them. This is the final one I’m doing. This doesn’t mean I’m done watching. There’s still a small handful of films and several documentaries I need to check out, but with the exception of the upcoming best of list, this will be the final word on any 2020 movies. Anyway, here we go!
The Kid Detective
There’s nothing that gets on my good side more easily than a film taking a silly premise and playing out in total earnestness. Here we have a story that is about a guy who is a private detective, who made his name solving cases as a child, like something out of a Disney channel show, but now he’s a cynical, drunk who is disappointed at how things didn’t quite pan out the way he had hoped, that is…until he gets his first real adult case, a murder. It sounds ridiculous, and the film knows that it’s ridiculous, it acknowledges it, but what made it so great is how they inject real dramatic tension into the story. Adam Brody goes all-in, bringing genuine pathos to the character. It’s easily one of the funniest films of the year, but it’s also a gut punch in several respects. It’s a genuinely pleasant, off-beat surprise.
News Of The World
I may have said this before, but I’ll just say it again, Paul Greengrass has been a filmmaker whose work I’ve admired more than I enjoyed, not to say that I haven’t enjoyed them before, but I don’t seem to fawn over them like a lot of people seem to. And it’s not just because of the often excessive shaky-cam. So, to my surprise, I really loved News Of The World, well, maybe not that surprised. I love westerns, and the film is in many ways a throwback to a lot of the classics of the 50s and early 60s, but it plays with more timely ideas in its mind. Tom Hanks is as great as you’d expect, but Helena Zengel holds her own very well. It’s a wonderful drama, with a handful of thrilling sequences, and it packs an emotional punch.
Another Round
How great is Mads Mikkelsen? His performance here is unreal, which I guess isn’t that surprising if you’ve been following his work in any capacity. With Another Round, it’s not like we haven’t seen films that explore alcoholism before, but never have I seen one that is simultaneously this grounded and also this willing to be playful. I wouldn’t have expected any less from Thomas Vinterberg, who has had a really strong run of films throughout his career. The film is just so well drawn, and effective at giving you a full picture of these characters. It’s so good, I’m half expecting there to be an announcement for an English language remake that will end up being not as good.
Sounds Of Metal
Sound Of Metal is an often bold, yet deeply felt film. It manages to tackle an already sensitive subject with a lot of empathy, and consideration for the community being represented here. The performances from the entire cast is terrific, Riz Ahmed is as good as everyone said, but Paul Raci really left a huge impression on me. I also love the film’s sound design, which really does a great job at putting us in our leads head. It’s astonishing that this is the first film from Darius Marder, who has only done one documentary over a decade ago prior to this. It’s impressive stuff all around.
Soul
Gotta be honest, the existential musings of this one didn’t land on me quite as hard as it did with Pete Docter’s previous film, Inside Out. That’s not to say it’s bad or anything, no, by most movie’s standards, it’s downright great, but by the standards Pixar has set, this one didn’t leave as strong of an emotional impact. I’m not sure if it’s just that the Pixar formula was used as a crutch, or if the whole middle chunk, which – spoilers, I guess – revolves around a Black man’s body being used as a literal vessel for another character’s (voiced by a white woman) growth. It’s not so much that it doesn’t work as much as the optics of it aren’t great. That said, the animation is amazing, the voice cast is solid, there were moments that really moved me, and I loved the score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. It’s totally worth checking out, and while it may not have had the same impact as other Pixar classics, there’s still a lot to appreciate in how they tackle such big, heavy subject matter in a fun and engaging way.
Leap
This is China’s submission for the Oscars, and I liked it. It has a really unique structure. Like you get both the vintage sports movie and its decades later sequel all in one movie. It does make things a bit uneven at times, especially in how they try to cover long stretches of time. However, for the most part, it delivers on the rousing qualities you want from a story like this. Gong Li is fantastic in this film, which isn’t that surprising since she’s offered much better material for her talent than Mulan, that’s for sure. I wished it fleshed out the players more, but aside from that, it’s a really solid watch. I would recommend it if you’re in the mood for a sports movie.
One Night In Miami
I was very impressed with this. Regina King really knocked it out of the park, and it certainly helps that Ken Power’s script is so electric and thoughtfully assembled. I loved seeing all these guys hang out, and talking through these issues, and often butting heads with their respective opinions. The performances here are top notch from everybody, each really inhabiting their characters. This could have been four hours long, and I would still be totally engrossed in its storytelling. It’s not often we get hangout movies that touch on big, important themes, and this does it very well, and with a sense of humor and a sense of empathy. I really dug this.
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