Sunday, January 03, 2021

Movies Round Up 2020

A second year in a row of this annual post coming a few days after the new year is underway. Of course that's where the similarities end between the year that just passed and anything, ever. In fact I was in two minds about putting up this post at all, lots of normal things don't feel quite right at this point. Unlike the last five years I also stopped the quick Twitter reviews of the movies I watched, starting in April, as the pandemic fully emerged.

Anyway, we have completed a year, and we have watched a few movies. For many of us movies are a refuge from the humdrum of daily life, and in 2020 it was perhaps more so than ever before. Unfortunately the magical experience of watching these wonderful things on the big screen was not possible for most of us, but thanks to the OTT platforms really going over-the-top and into release overdrive, we managed OK. 

This is the 12th year of this tradition, and as always here's a recap of the prior years-

200920102011201220132014201520162017, 2018, and 2019.

Quality wise 2020 movies wasn't much to write about compared to the few exceptional years it had leading up to. But once again the pandemic definitely played a part in this as many movie makers decided to not release lots of movies that were planned, and pushed to 2021. This was true globally, however, an unexpected side effect, and not really sure if there's any causation/correlation involved here, the quality of TV shows continued to scale new heights. 

Back to the movies, and some anecdotes as always.

1. The number of movies I watched in a theater (in 2 months and a week) was 10. Was on a good track to compete against the record breaking 2019 where I watched 58 movies in a theater. Thank you AMC A-List for the memories.

2. I went on a streaming service subscription frenzy as the movies seem to be distributed across so many now, and ended the year with the following: Amazon Video, Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Hotstar (Indian), HBO Max, Starz, Showtime, Hoichoi (Bangla), and likely a few I am forgetting.

3. The highlight of the year was surely the re-binge watching of the 7 (8?) Harry Potter series with my wife and daughter. As expected the 5 year old enjoyed till the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Goblet of Fire was watched through scrunched up eyes, and the Order of the Phoenix is where the wizarding world lost a fan, for now.

Now time to take a look at the numbers.

Here is the Summary Table (in its 14th year) of movies released in the same year (2020 for this post) that I watched.

Year     # Seen    Hindi:English:Others   Top Rating  Avg. Rating
2007     32               22:10:0                           9.0             5.78
2008     30               23:7:0                             8.5             6.35
2009     24               18:6:0                             9.0             6.85
2010     25               16:9:0                             8.5             6.62
2011     22               15:6:1                             8.5             6.77
2012     28               12:11:5                           9.0             7.33
2013     28               14:14:0                           9.0             7.12
2014     16               10:6:0                             9.0             6.16 
2015     26               20:6:0                             9.0             6.55
2016     30               17:13:0                           9.5             6.98
2017     31               17:13:1                           9.0             7.03
2018     87               23:59:5                           9.0             7.29
2019     86               12:65: 9                          10.0           7.45
2020     38               16:20:2                           9.0             7.40

The split of the movies by source (not just 2020 movies) was as follows.

Source    
Number
Netflix19
HBO Max12
Amazon Video11
Theatre10
Hulu5
Hotstar3
Showtime2
Disney+2
Starz1
Hoichoi1
DVD1
Grand Total67

And now for rankings. As always, Top 5 Hindi and Non-Hindi movies of the year (released in 2020). Goes without saying, but still saying (redundant!) these are just from the 38 odd movies I watched, so FWIW. All images are courtesy of IMDb. The streaming updates below are valid as of Jan 2021.


Non-Hindi Movies (not including documentaries)


5. Bad Education

Hugh Jackman delivers one of his strongest performances as an educator/administrator, ably supported by a cast led by Allison Janey. Shcool District rankings, PTA meetings, and a little embezzlement of funds here and there makes for a compelling watch. Streaming on HBO Max in the US.

4. C U Soon

Reminiscent of Searching, the 2018 thriller seen through different device screens, this Malayalam suspense/mystery manages to grab our attention by the collar and sustain it till the end. A bit predictable towards the very end, but edge of seat stuff nevertheless. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video in the US.


3. Soul

Perhaps the most grown up of all Pixar movies till date, not only does this explore the deep questions of life, death, soul, life after death but also things like meaning of life, joy from work etc. Watching it with my 5 year old provided the fresh eyed curiosity I needed to see it from the other side. Life and death have become regular night time subjects now. Streaming on Disney+ in the US.

2. Driveways

There's always usually that one movie every year that warms the heart without having any big message to deliver, and Driveways is that one for 2020. Just a beautiful portrayal of a young boy and his single mom adjusting to a new neighborhood in a house where his aunt died and a few endearing neighbors. Streaming on Showtime in the US.

1. The Trial Of The Chicago 7

Usually when a movie comes this recommended the expectations work against it. But this is a special one. The raw energy, humor, pathos, and sharp dialogues explain the brouhaha. If like me you didn't know about the Chicago 7, don't let that deter you, going in blank can be perfectly fine for this one too. And of course, couldn't have come during a more apt time. Streaming on Netflix in the US.


Hindi Movies (not including documentaries)


5. Thappad

It's Tapsee's movie and she delivers. A stronger male role missed. A movie meant to question things at a very core level, and lead to tough debates and it succeeds in generating those conversationsStreaming on Amazon Video in the US.

4. Raat Akeli Hai

You think you know what's coming and then you have that "Ah, got me there" moment repeated more than once. Nawaz does his Nawz thing and makes it that much more watchable, but Radhika Apte wins this round with an author backed roleStreaming on Netflix in the US.

3. Axone

Can't blame yourself for not knowing that a movie about a pungent North East Indian dish is what was missing from your life all this while. As low key as it gets with performances so real I had to google the actors to confirm that they were actors in the first place. Also, best to not watch this when hungry. Streaming on Netflix in the US.

2. Ludo

While Anurag Basu's Jagga Jasoos worked for many, it just missed the mark somehow for me. This time around Anurag delivers with a very similar chaotic style, but the tetris pieces seem to fall better in place. The mad cap story doesn't runs from scene one shot one. The performances seemed to be ones where the actors were having a blast, and it showed Of course the different stories crossed path in a Priyadarshan-esque ending, but just because we saw that coming doesn't take away from the fun ride this turned out to be. Streaming on Netflix in the US.

1. Serious Men
I hadn't read Manu Joseph's novel of the same name on which the movie was based prior to watching it. And when the early twist came in the movie I sure wasn't expecting it. Difficult to curb within a specific genre this movie flourishes as it establishes its primary characters, their aspirations, and quirks. The 9 year old Aakshath Das is outstanding, and being a show stealer while sharing screen with Nawaz is no small feat. Streaming on Netflix in the US.
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Final list of ALL movies watched in 2020 (including documentaries, in alphabetical order within groups)

Grade: Must Watch
The Trial Of The Chicago 7
The Test (Documentary)
The Kingmaker (Documentary)
Athlete A (Documentary)

Grade: Recommended
Tiger King (Documentary)
The Queen
McMillions (Documentary)
Uncut Gems
Totally Under Control (Documentary)
Titli
The Gentlemen
Sudani From Nigeria
Soul
Snowpiercer
Serious Men
Revolutionary Road
Raat Akeli Hai
Pain and Glory
Okja
Oceans Apart
Ludo
Little Women
Invisible Man
If Anything Happens I Love You
Home Alone 2
Harry Potter And The Sorceror's Stone
Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix
Harry Potter And The Half Blood Price
Harry Potter And The Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Harry Potter And The Chamber of Secrets
Free Willy
Framing John Delorean (Documentary)
Family Tandoncies (Stand Up)
Driveways
Contagion
C U Soon
Blow The Man Down
Bad Education
Bad Boy Billionaires (Documentary)
Axone
1917
Yes, God, Yes
Thappad
Summer Hit
Shubh Mangal Zyada Savdhaan
Shirley
Palm Springs
Ordinary Love
Emma
Dwitiyo Purush
Bulbbul
Borat 2
Bombshell

Grade: Read Summaries/Use Discretion
Yours Sincerely, Kanan Gil (Stand Up)
Wild Nights With Emily
What We Wanted
Vir Das: For India (Stand Up)
The Vow (Documentary)
The Swerve
The Social Dilemma (Documentary)
The Photograph
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Panga
Make Up
Made In China
Kamyaab
Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey
Gumnaami
Guilty
Dil Bechara
AK v AK
I Lost My Body
Gulabo Sitabo
Good Newwz
Dolly Kitty aur Woh Chamakte Sitare
Diane

Grade: Please Avoid
Angrezi Medium
Shakuntala Devi