Alongside our countdown of the best films of 2020, our chief film critic selects his favourite movies, directors and performances of the year Last modified on Thu 17 Dec 2020 … Miss Juneteenth Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dali’s combined effort Un Chien Andalou (1927) was a keystone in surrealist filmmaking. Sturla Brandth Grøvlen’s darkly dreamy cinematography hits all the right notes. David Lynch burst onto the scene with surreal, dreamlike critiques of Hollywood and modernity. Let's Talk About Penelope Featherington's Arc in 'Bridgerton', 5 Shows After Dark: 'Moonshiners: Master Distiller' Season Two on Discovery, ABC's 'The Year: 2020'. With each frame edited to make roughly four and half minutes of action, Kiarostami truly challenges our patience. Mostly though, he never stopped working. Chimienti and Jensen have created a celebration of A Nightmare of Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge that’s a must-see for slasher fans and queer horror lovers alike. 6. If Winter were only trying to make a movie to appease Zappa’s fanbase, that would be a satisfying but limiting endeavor — and I say that as someone who was raised on Zappa’s music. Kristy Puchko is the managing editor of Pajiba. This week, we’re celebrating the cinema of 2020, for better and for worst! The film’s most effective device, though, is its use of documentary-style interviews. Let's Talk About Penelope Featherington's Arc in 'Bridgerton' | The result is film that polarized critics, including our own crew. From thoughtful dramas to unconventional romances, these independent treasures from a variety of countries offer something deeper than the usual Hollywood movie. Feb 4, 2020 - Strange and wonderful cinema. “The Vast of Night recaptures the brilliance of the original run of The Twilight Zone better than either reboot of the series has. Find news, trailers and tickets for upcoming independent movies, foreign cinema and art house films. In the case of Frank Zappa, it took innate talent, a ferocious independent streak, and a singular obsession: To manifest the music he heard in his head into being, exactly as he heard it, for no audience other than himself. From the vibrant colouring of the houses—reminiscent of the work of Pedro Almodovar—to the hundreds of birds flocking over a beach full of dead sardines, or a half naked Theosophist (Axel Jodorowsky), Jodorowsky meanders the fantasy of the past: things are exaggerated, made up, or altered. George Melies experimented with new editing and set design techniques to make cinematic magic tricks; Sergei Eisenstein adapted editing to form symbolic montage, witnessed most famously in Battleship Potemkin (1925). Here's which new films of the year are a must-watch and made our 2020 list, many of … Lists It Appears On: IMDB. There are positives as well as negatives. What director Alex Winter, of Bill & Ted fame, has created with the blessing of Zappa’s estate and full access to his archive, is a portrait not only of a man, or an artist, but of the work that goes into a “work of art.” Always more of a musician’s musician than a mainstream figure, Frank Zappa was an avant-garde composer who dabbled in any genre he felt like, prolifically, to the sort of acclaim that made him a household name almost solely in Eastern Europe. Inspired by the work of the French New Wave, Funeral Parade of Roses is a combination of various devices: chopped up music, vividly brutal flashback sequences, harsh jump cuts, brightly lit sex scenes, montage, and random cue cards that flash on screen with unjustified exclamations. ← A product of the Japanese New Wave, Funeral Parade is a loose adaptation of Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex and tackles the taboo subject of Tokyo’s underground gay culture. Older millennials and Gen Xers will more likely identify with Kay. Chung’s semiautobiographical film hits on so many different emotional levels thanks to a fantastic cast that understands how the family at the center of this film is torn between a dream that might never be realized and a reality that might never be enough. And it is absolutely. As rules have been (literally, in some cases) […] My Nightmare on Elm Street Charlie Kaufman’s adaptation of Iain Reid’s novel is a real mindf*ck, to put it mildly. Ingmar Bergman gave us philosophical meditations on the human condition. Combine all those questions with that opening line of The Godfather (“I believe in America”), a Malickian veneration of the American land (similar to Mudbound), and a consideration of old-world vs. new-world tension (reminiscent of The Farewell), and you’ll begin to see the layers of Minari. Each and every one of these films is a pleasure (and possibly a masterpiece). Then, things take turns that involve surreal explosions of emotion, jarring time jumps, a curious B plot, and a talking pig voiced by Oliver Platt. His House There’s a radiant humanity to this horror-doc that takes it from fascinating fun to truly stupendous. 15. ‘Arthouse’ or ‘avant-garde’ are terms difficult to whittle down and define; the ramble above suggests that the art film takes many forms and styles by varying techniques. →. “Athlete A” (Review) In 1995, sports journalist Joan Ryan published “Little Girls in Pretty Boxes,” a … A magical mix of landscape pictures, snowy scenes filled with cows and crows, and monochrome images of windows, he displays and builds story through cleverly layered editing. “Singing a song of outcasts, drunks, and failures, this film—however you choose to categorize it—invites audiences into the fold, tenderly tugging us into earnest debates, urging us to drink in the stories, guzzle down the atmosphere, and swallow the hard-won lessons found at the bottom of a bottle.” —Kristy Puchko, 14. Apple TV+, HBO Max, Showtime, and Disney+. Another Round As we notice the harshness of its snow, then the sound of its wind, then the many more intricacies of its beautiful landscape, the rewards of taking time out to observe our world are highlighted to us. And it may only make you a household name in Eastern Europe. ... what streaming services offer the best selection? This motion can turn quickly wide-shots of vast landscapes into extreme close-ups, making it an effectively delirious watch which is in turn capable of displacing its viewer in a way. Alcohol works differently from person to person, and for our quartet of pseudo-scientists, the results vary. Amy joins a group of dancers at school called “The Cuties,” to escape her dysfunctional household and rapidly grows aware of her proliferating femininity – upsetting her mother and her values in the process. One of these many side characters, many of whom are characterised by harsh disabilities symbolising a widespread misery, comments that ‘nobody can escape their destiny.’ By the end of the film, Jodorowsky drifts off alongside a skeleton; perhaps he has found a way through his art to reconcile his past with his destiny. But, the good news is 2020 has still produced some fine movies—even sexy ones! 2020's Best Movies; ... Top 100 Art House & International Movies. “I always wonder to what extent the artist aims to depict the reality of a scene. Enter the Void (2009) directed by Gaspar Noé. A single evening at … !” —Roxana Hadadi, 10. This dreaminess was generally considered aimless and dizzying in his most recent films, but in this case it is grounded beautifully in the mud and dirt of Franz’s rural homeland and the struggle he encounters when captured by the Nazis. What I hadn’t expected was just how heart-wrenching yet ultimately uplifting its arc on Patton would be. 11 December 2020. like June 4, 2020 11:21 am. 5 Shows After Dark: 'Moonshiners: Master Distiller' Season Two on Discovery, ABC's 'The Year: 2020' —Kristy Puchko, 6. You can follow her on Twitter. Now, finally! (Part of the Small Axe anthology.) 10. This … His hair spiking out between her white knuckles and she growls a message of menace and loyalty. Art films aren’t made for money, and they’re not seen by a large number of people: they’re deep and intriguing, complex and daring. Based on the true story of conscientious Austrian objector, Franz Jägerstätter, A Hidden Life mirrors his internal conflict through Malick’s free-flowing camerawork to reinforce ideas of struggle and displacement. It’s not trying to cement a musical genius in the annals of history, but explore what it takes to be a genius. Though what is evident of the art film is its indisputable importance in film history, contributing towards beautiful, daring, and stimulating cinema. A Hidden Life is not Malick’s best film, but it does see him firing right back on form. Director: Max Barbakow Writer: Andy Siara Cast: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, and J.K. Simmons Palm Springs is one of the best movies of 2020, and the less you know about it … Scream, Queen! Lovers Rock. “Lee Isaac Chung’s Minari is the kind of film that makes you probe at your preconceived conceptions about American identity, and about the projections we place upon it. Beware this is not for those who fall asleep during films. Is there an art house offering that you loved, but didn’t make our list? “Another Round has no interest in proselytizing the evils of booze or teaching its audience a black-and-white lesson about alcohol/ Real life doesn’t work that way, and Vinterberg is deeply invested in telling a realistic story, even with a plot this potentially absurd. 9. Truly, this is one of the most riveting docs of the decade.” —Kristy Puchko, 4. My Nightmare on Elm Street to be an informative and entertaining journey through one of horror cinema’s most controversial titles. His House manages that tricky combination of things that tangibly go bump in the night and things that creep into your memory, and it’s an attack from all angles.” —Roxana Hadadi, 11. Many art-house directors and producers create films for artistic value, they have something to say and have more value beyond mere entertainment. Essential viewing for those wanting to explore the arthouse genre. Let us have a great year for film.- I have to point out this was written back in January. Some handle their drink better than others, and some succumb to addiction very quickly. A beautiful father daughter love story about loneliness and identity. Its frames often begin in stillness, like photographs, before being interrupted by an abrupt act of violence. Release Date:January 23 Cuties follows the story of an 11-year-old girl called Amy who lives with her mother Mariam and her younger brother, who are all waiting for her father’s return from Senegal. Privacy Policy (http://www.tasteofcinema.com/privacy-notice-and-cookies/) Theme by, Taste of Cinema - Movie Reviews and Classic Movie Lists, 10 Great Arthouse Movies You’ve Probably Never Seen, Taste of Cinema – Movie Reviews and Classic Movie Lists, 10 Great Recent Movies With Brilliant Sound Design. Perhaps often overshadowed by the politically-charged films of Ken Loach, or the emphatic naturalism of Mike Leigh, the tender and poetic work of Terence Davies transfigures the kitchen sink realism most associated with British cinema into new, beautiful experiences. Arthouse Films. Its story begins with an unnamed young woman (Wild Rose’s Jessie Buckley), on her way to meet her bland boyfriend’s (Jesse Plemons) parents (David Thewlis and Toni Collette). Leading the pack is our toast to 15 of the stupendous art house offerings that this year delivered. Documentary directors such as D.A. Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Bi Gan’s sophomore feature, was received primarily as a staggering technical feat. Here, however, Malick places his swooping cinematography and grandiose aesthetic into the context of World War Two, to great and successful effect. Tue 7 Apr 2020 11.50 EDT. The main ‘movement’ is initiated by the music that seamlessly bridges different moments and times; Davies uses a song or hymn as a reason to pan around a room or slowly drift from one location to another. That said, Odessa Young is the real standout among the cast, bringing a remarkable depth and nuance to Rose and her tale of an ingénue’s fall into disillusionment that in other hands could have easily been something irredeemably trite.” —Ciara Wardlow, 1. “A phenomenally gentle, gorgeously poignant film about the two ends of life—growing up, and growing old—Driveways is the sort of healing experience we might all need right now. For Boomers and above there’s Edna, because Relic has the basic compassion and thoughtfulness the M. Night Shyamalan ‘beware! Some of these movies are now streaming! Pennebaker or the Maysles brothers brought new non-fiction styles through a handheld, independent observational etiquette. Art-house films are usually smaller films aimed at niche markets. After… Driveways So, Pajiba’s reviewers have singled out some of the best art house films that 2019 had to offer. Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988, Terence Davies). The 64 best movies on Netflix right now (June 2020) Share this article 725 shares share tweet text email link Nate Scott. Below, there are daring directorial debuts and savage sophomore efforts, cutting comedies and harrowing horror, ravishing romances and dramas we just can’t forget. Minari He would become her unlikely muse and unexpected friend. The great thing about Zappa is that you don’t have to like Frank Zappa, or his music, or even know who he is, to get something out of this film. Shirley And Wong Kar-wai continues to bring striking images to film-goers by experimenting with bold colouring. Moss is great, as usual, as is Michael Stuhlbarg as the gregariously charming but quietly repulsive Hyman, and their utterly toxic and yet strangely reciprocal partnership is easily the most intriguing relationship dynamic on display. 10 Great Arthouse Movies You’ve Probably Never Seen Posted on January 23, 2020 January 23, 2020 by Edwin Miles It’s always nice to remind oneself of those films that try and innovate – the independent, the experimental – those that take an unusual or distinctive glimpse at the world, or the films that just try something a little different. 10. It’s a music documentary, sure, filled with rare concert footage and talking heads testifying to Frank Zappa’s unique genius. However, this story is not as heartwarming as that setup might suggest. An autobiographical work, the film depicts a young Jodorowsky (Jeremias Herskovits) as he navigates childhood monitored by an abusive, prideful atheistic father (played by Jodorowsky’s son, Brontis)—once a circus strongman, now a Stalin-idolising Communist. Top thriller movies to watch on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney+ & other Streaming services, out on DVD/Blu-ray or in cinema's right now. In one exhilarating scene, she and Hoult face off in a vicious and powerful showdown so kinetic it pulled me to the edge of my seat.” —Kristy Puchko, 9. While the film has its fair share of visually spectacular moments, it exhibits a fundamental understanding that visual spectacle is neither a match nor a replacement for well-acted, character-focused storytelling and innovative craftsmanship, resulting in a film that feels pleasantly nostalgic and excitingly fresh all at once.” —Ciara Wardlow, 5. Yet the sum of all those parts is something else entirely. Auteurs like Andrei Tarkovsky and Bela Tarr offered us slow, meandering meditations on existence, time, and place. Two massive paintings stolen in broad daylight. She is a mother so ferocious in her love that she’s damn near feral. Each one immerses us into its environment and mood, forced to dwell in its confinement. The Italian Neorealists provided a crude cinema as a comment on the harsh post-War Italian landscape, whereas the French New Wave pioneered a self-aware, iconoclastic filmmaking style as a rejection of traditional filmmaking conventions, adding a fresh, original edge to their work. Unlike Loach who explores social injustice and the effects of external forces on the working class, Davies in Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988) intimately explores how internal forces— family, home, community, the pub—keep them afloat. Things go well for some of the men because of the drinking, but that does not outweigh the inevitably disastrous consequences of being a perpetual day-drinker while trying to maintain a job teaching children. Who is able to proclaim what is American and what isn’t? The Best Movies of 2020. It is an experiment Kiarostami takes his time with, trusting in the significance and beauty of the photographed moment. The first half of 2020 has been one of the most tumultuous periods in the century-plus history of the motion picture industry, as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the entire activity of theatrical movie-going for the first time since… well, since the last pandemic, back in 1918. Young Jodorowsky is helped by the prudence of Jodorowsky himself, who acts as an occasional ghost of Jodorowsky’s future, guiding the young man away from suicide. Buy a Pajiba T-Shirt at the Pajiba Store. Painters capture only one frame of reality and nothing before or after it.” – Abbas Kiarostami. There’s tales of excess, and shots of him rubbing elbows with John Lennon or Alice Cooper. A Hidden Life (2019) continues Terence Malick’s style of filmmaking widely panned in his recent few efforts; critics have declared it washy, plodding, and unspecific. A lot of Gen-Zers and younger millennials can likely see some bit of themselves in Sam, still struggling to figure out what to do with her life. Heartwarming but realistically bittersweet, it’s a subtly layered and nuanced portrait of Black womanhood, about having the audacity to dream and pursue something for one’s self, and a shining debut from an up-and-coming filmmaker who ought to be on your radar.” —Ciara Wardlow, 3. The Vast of Night November 27, 2020 | Not Rated. He pushed himself, and his collaborators, to their limit for decades, constantly chasing a form of perfection only he could ever identify. Remember how you felt when Sean Maguire tells Will Hunting that it’s ‘not your fault?’ That’s the vibe of Driveways, the whole way through.” —Roxana Hadadi. All rights reserved. ‘Cape Fear’ (1991) Martin Scorsese took on his first remake in 1991 with this iteration of the 1962 … “One of the most engrossing horror films I’ve seen in a long time, Remi Weekes’s film has heavy, unrelenting weight, but it’s also elegantly constructed, visually adventurous, and grounded by a pair of excellent performances from co-leads Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù (very good right now in Gangs of London, which you should be watching!) True History of the Kelly Gang “By blending dark humor and unnerving visuals to explore the story of female experience through self-destructive rebellion, Swallow feels like a sister film to two of my personal favorites, David Wnendt’s sickening coming-of-age comedy Wetlands and Agnieszka Smoczynska’s psychological satire Fugue. In ‘Still Lives’, song gives respite to hard times, and is a binding force between the characters, giving the community a unique voice beyond their usual working class lives. List of the latest thriller movies in 2021 and the best thriller movies of 2020 & the 2010's. Much like its subject, Zappa is a hard film to categorize. With everyone locked inside, now is an ideal time to catch up on the best movies of 2020. And who are you to assert superiority over someone else based on that answer? Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets Vitalina VarelaNo stranger to the exploration of grief and mortality, Pedro Costa’s Vitalina Varela is … As such, Davies’s films are more hopeful; their characters are collectively expressive and emotional. See more ideas about arthouse movies, movies, cinema. Orson Welles’s ground-breaking Citizen Kane (1941) reminded Hollywood that one man could make storytelling clever and inventive. She is monstrous, motherly and majestic. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20200702-the-best-films-of-2020-so-far “At once a portrait of a woman, a relationship, and a community, Miss Juneteenth feels at once intimate and expansive. Crucially, his mother—who speaks through operatic song—teaches the young Jodorowsky about God, about facing the dark, and about not fearing the anti-Semitism he and his family are—sometimes violently— confronted with. All things indie movies. Funeral Parade of Roses (1969, Toshio Matsumoto). Check our guides to the best movies now on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Apple TV+, HBO Max, Showtime, and Disney+. Even the title flashes 20 minutes in, a brief but insouciant reminder that we are watching a film. Any viewer old enough to be renting VOD titles without getting thwarted by parental controls can see themselves in one of the three central figures. “Decker’s directorial chops are undeniable. It is a bright and beautiful film packed with song, comedy, and a host of wild, surreal characters. In a film of distinct halves, the first, ‘Distant Voices’, is a memory of a father (portrayed with a firmness and severity by Pete Pothlethwaite). We got an Edgar Wright movie coming, a new James Bond film, and a new Christopher Nolan film. Who is and who isn’t? He was endlessly inventing and creating and challenging, and he was rarely if ever satisfied. Sight & Sound’s 50 best films of 2020. Filmed and set mostly in Jodorowsky’s actual hometown of Tocopilla, the film is littered with magical and memorable images. It’s a remarkably non-judgemental film about hedonism and addiction, one that invites you, the viewer, to decide how much sympathy or understanding to give these men.” —Kayleigh Donaldson, 8.Relic Posted at 1:12 PM, Dec 31, 2020 and last updated 2020-12-31 16:15:29-05 LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Las Vegas film critic Josh Bell shares his favorite films from 2020. Swallow Our critics will be rolling out our annual cheeky tribute to the movies we loathed, our Top Ten of 2020, along with reviews of some of the hottest titles now streaming. “I’d anticipated Scream, Queen! The Painter and the Thief Stark Insider. The painter, stunned by the loss, became fascinated by one of the thieves. Taste of Cinema 2019. An important watch. 24 Frames is a film that takes cinema back to its roots and celebrates the single, moving image. Quora. The Dance of Reality (2013) was Alejandro Jodorowsky’s first film in 23 years. This is often expressed lyrically as the characters are regularly found singing, either in a moment of communal joy or one of pain, in a pub or in an air raid shelter. Posted on January 14, 2020 January 14, 2020 by Giacomo Zanon Arthouse movies are difficult to describe and analyze. We run down 10 indie movies you should keep on your radar in 2020, including Promising Young Woman with Carey Mulligan and Viggo Mortensen's Falling. Being a genius isn’t something you are, it’s something you do, to the exception of nearly everything else. Here is Pajiba’s Top Ten Films of 2020, decided by our crew of critics. Though some art-house films can also be incredibly entertaining. Our annual poll of the year’s top movies – at cinemas, festivals or online – as chosen by over 100 of our contributors from around the world. All on Fandango's Indie Movie Guide. Kiarostami has melded his dual loves for filmmaking and photography by structuring this work around a set of 24 different paintings or photographs, referred to as ‘frames’, digitally editing them to allow insight into what happened before and what follows. “The heavyweight here is [Essie] Davis, who is savage in scenes tragic and tender. ‘Do you like men?’ is answered with ‘yes… no… I like gays.’ ‘Do you not see women as sexual objects?’ ‘It really depends; there are many types of gays.’ The effect is a blurring of fact and fiction to place poignant, progressive points of discussion at the heart of the narrative—it’s easy to forget that this film was made in the late 60s. The Dance of Reality (2013, Alejandro Jodorowsky). Whether you’re looking for outrageous documentaries, tender dramas, stellar sci-fi, or heart-wrenching horror, we’ve got you covered. This has a truly brilliant finale. Hailed as the best representation of Hollywood actors. Because Patton bravely allows us into his darkest lows, we get to more fully experience the highs that follow. “It began with a gallery heist caught on tape. Top 50 Best Films of 2020 by diego_cuevs21 | created - 11 months ago | updated - 10 hours ago | Public A new decade, a new year for watching incredible films. In following transsexual Eddie (played by Pîtâ, recognisable for his role in Akira Kurosawa’s Ran [1985]) we are led through a world in which he struggles with his identity while he and his lover Jimi (Yoshimo Jô) continuously try and avoid the jealous Leda (Osamu Ogasawara), the head transsexual at a gay nightclub. However, whether or not this movie is for you, it’s hard to deny there’s something savagely bold in its execution. In doing so, he’s created a film that is alive with humor, horror, and humanity, and positively punctured with surprises.” —Kristy Puchko, 2. and Wunmi Mosaku (whom you should recognize as Ruby from Lovecraft Country). With much of … creepy old people!’ school of horror utterly lacks.” —Ciara Wardlow, 7. By Pajiba Staff | Film | December 29, 2020 |. We’ve proclaimed our favorite comfort movies of the year, and we wallowed in the absolute worst flicks of this trash-fire of time. —Tori Preston, 13. “A compact and intimate piece of filmmaking, Relic is packed full of smart choices that unsurprisingly pay off very well. Loosely inspired by Davies’ own life, the film meditates on the importance of family and memory whereby the three central siblings remember their father through different perspectives. Abbas Kiarostami’s final film 24 Frames (2017) is an undeniably experimental work that abridges the still and moving image.