It’s time for my last 2020 favorites list! (Don’t worry, I have something fun planned for the best and worst books of 2020!) I haven’t watched too many movies this year, and most of the movies I did see were just okay.
Fortunately, there were also a few really good movies. I could see myself watching these movies again, if I haven’t already. Not all of these movies came out in 2020, but some of them did. I won’t be ranking these movies, but instead will be listing them in alphabetical order.
And now, here are my favorite movies of 2020!
Birds of Prey & the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn
I’ve seen this movie three times this year. I saw it by myself in theaters, I saw it on DVD with my mom and sister, and I saw it once with a couple co-workers. And I’ve loved it every time. I love the time jumps and the overall style. I love seeing Harley Quinn thrive as a character separate from the Joker. I love how aggressively diverse and feminist this movie is. I love the portrayal of the villains. I love everything about this movie. It’s so, so good.
Captain Marvel
What can I say? I love superhero movies for and about lesbians. Okay, so Captain Marvel isn’t technically about lesbians. At least, Marvel can’t claim it is. But I sure can! And I do. Movies directed by women are simply better.
Hell House LLC
So, this movie is rated fairly low on Letterboxd and I guess I get why. It’s a fairly standard found footage horror movie. But I watched this with my mom and we had so much fun. Yes, it relies a lot on jumpscares, but I love jumpscares.
Knives Out
I’m not usually into mysteries, but I am into dysfunctional families. I really liked the stylized vibe of this movie. It’s vibrant and the characters are filled with so much personality. I hope the rumors are true that it’s getting a sequel, though I want a new cast of characters.
Little Women
Greta Gerwig did a fantastic job directing. I was blown away by Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pugh’s performances as Jo and Amy March, respectively. Little Women (2019) feels like a warm hug, while also reaffirming sisterhood and womanhood. This movie made me so happy, even when it made me sad. Also, Jo is a lesbian.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
The day I found out this movie is about two women in love, I went home and watched it. It’s two hours of two French ladies falling in love and having sex. Yes, you have to read subtitles to follow it (unless you speak French), but it’s so worth it.
Also, Héloïse eventually hires Marianne as her family painter and they carry on a secret affair. Then Héloïse’s husband dies, and she and Marianne can be together for real. And Sophie is also there because she is their friend. The entire country of France told me themselves.
The Prom
This movie is not perfect. I don’t love how all the issues are handled and the homophobia can sometimes be hard to watch as a lesbian. But this movie made me so happy. Plus, I just love musicals.
Us
I have so many questions, but this was still incredible. Lupita Nyong’o was phenomenal. I also really appreciated the humor. I can’t wait for Jordan Peele’s next feature.
13th
This documentary was so powerful. Even knowing as I did how disproportionately Black people are incarcerated in America and knowing racism is systemic, I didn’t know exactly how the government made this possible. Seeing images and videos of Black people dead and dying was difficult, but my disturbed feelings are nothing compared to the trauma of living the experience as Black Americans have. This was a rough documentary to watch, but an important one.
What are some of your favorite movies you saw in 2020? Tell me about them in the comments!
Strange Storyteller 