Top Five Movies of 2020, So Far

Logan Lerman (left) and John Hawkes in "End of Sentence"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

5) End of Sentence - If there’s a type of movie that can take you to places that impress you and offer intimate, relatable stories at the same time, it’s the road movie.  This is evident in Elfar Adalsteins’ feature directorial debut, which tells the story of a father (John Hawkes) who makes a trip to scatter his wife’s ashes at a lake in her native Ireland, while his son (Logan Lerman), who has just been released from prison, joins him.  The relationship that Hawkes and Lerman share lends a terrific power to the events of the film, showing how far apart they seem to be, only to then have them begin to understand each other and make up for lost time.  The screenplay by Michael Armbruster offers insight into their relationship through authentic dialogue that pulls us into the tension between them, while Adalsteins’ direction allows for both big and small moments to linger so that we feel their full emotional impact.  In this film, we see how time on the road not only gives us a chance to analyze our past, but to figure out where we’re headed.

Anya Taylor-Joy and Johnny Flynn in "Emma"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

4) Emma - In terms of entertainment that’s both breezy and clever, you can’t beat Autumn de Wilde’s feature directorial debut, which is based on Jane Austin’s classic 1815 novel, which tells the story of the titular matchmaker (Anya Taylor-Joy) who eventually falls into her own relationship and must traverse the rewards and pratfalls of being in love.  Taylor-Joy is, well, a joy to watch as Emma, bringing Austen’s iconic character to vibrant life who tries to make sense of her romantic complications, and she’s backed up by a terrific cast that populates Emma’s world with memorable personas.  De Wilde and her crew exhibit an abundance of technical proficiency throughout the film between the costumes, set design, and camerawork, having the time period of the film absorb you in the many hijinks in which the characters find themselves.  In a movie about falling in and out of love, you’ll fall in love with this adaptation.

Julia Garner in "The Assistant"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

3) The Assistant - Over the last couple of years, there have been countless stories of workplace harassment that dominated the headlines.  Now, writer-director Kitty Green tackles this subject in her quietly tense drama that follows a young woman (Julia Garner) over the course of a day at her job at a film production company in New York City, where she begins to suspect her boss of illicit acts in the office.  Garner delivers an understatedly hard-hitting performance as an individual who shows an apprehension in trying to uncover what’s happening within the office, but slowly works up the courage to do what’s right.  Despite the brief runtime, Green’s screenplay provides an eye-opening view into what goes on at the main character’s job, providing a snapshot that helps a significant societal issue come into focus and make us understand what occurs in these unconscionable situations.  The specific story within the film may be fiction, but deep down, it couldn’t be any closer to what’s going on in real life.

Orion Lee and John Magaro in "First Cow"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

2) First Cow - Director Kelly Reichardt continues her talent for crafting small-scale stories with big impacts for her latest film, which brings us to the 19th century where, in the Oregon Territory, we join two young men (John Magaro and Orion Lee) as they start a baking business by sneaking milk from a cow that belongs to a wealthy landowner (Toby Jones).  The friendship that grows out of Magaro and Lee’s characters adds a great deal of intimacy to the small canvas of the story, with the film utilizing a boxy image for its duration to emphasize the closeness of the two main characters.  This is a movie that’s rich in detail in regard to the historical context of the film’s setting, transporting us to a world from 200 years ago and unfolding a story about two friends who just wish to follow their dream and make a living in America.  Emotional, humorous, and even occasionally thrilling, you’ll find yourself fascinated as you venture into the West for this simple, yet compelling story about friendship and finding success when the odds are against you.

From left: Isiah Whitlock Jr., Norm Lewis, Delroy Lindo,
Clarke Peters, and Jonathan Majors in "Da 5 Bloods"
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1) Da 5 Bloods - Spike Lee brings us one of the best war movies in a while with his merging of the past and present around the Vietnam War.  His movie follows four veterans, along with the main character’s son, who return to Vietnam to find the remains of a comrade and the buried treasure that they left behind.  The whole cast provides terrific performances, but it’s Delroy Lindo’s shattering portrayal of a veteran suffering from PTSD that helps make this the best movie of the year, so far.  Through a layered screenplay and an excellent use of different aspect ratios for the cinematography to depict different parts of the story, Lee brings us a heartbreaking and heart-pounding dive into the Vietnamese jungles as he explores the impact that the war has had on the characters.  On top of this, Lee delivers one of the tensest scenes that you’re likely to see in film this year that is sure to make you break out in a sweat.  Not only is this a great war movie, but it allows you to see the Vietnam War from a new perspective, showing why Lee’s cinematic voice is always one that calls for your unbroken attention.