If the year itself has been a letdown, the quality of content being made has been quite the opposite. I’d go as far as to say there’s been too many quality films, TV shows and music that I’ve not been able to keep up. As it stands, I haven’t been able to see ‘Saint Maud’, ‘About Endlessness’ or ‘Rocks’, released this year. And while I’ve felt a deep sense of loss this year in seeing the end of the cinematic experience (I managed to see two films between the first and second round of lockdowns. Half of the cinemas have since closed indefinitely), I do have a renewed sense of optimism at the end of the year. The way we experience films may have changed forever, but the quality of the work is very, very high.
A few years back it would have been unimaginable for films like ‘I’m Thinking of Ending Things’ or ‘Dick Johnson is Dead’ to be made, much less reach a large audience, but streaming services have stepped up and taken in many mid-budget filmmakers, so we are getting some daring content with less regard for box office.
As with every year, what you see below is what I’ve seen or heard this year so there may be a couple of pieces from 2019 in there. Anyway, here’s the list:
FILM
1. Parasite
2. I’m Thinking of Ending Things
3. The Lighthouse
4. The Painted Bird
5. Dick Johnson is Dead
6. Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets
7. True History of the Kelly Gang
8. Uncut Gems
9. Boys State
10. Possessor
Honourable Mentions
Swallow, Long Days Journey into Night, Women Make Film, Take Me Somewhere Nice, Transit, Fireball, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Babyteeth, American Utopia
Overrated
Host, Bacurau, Ford vs Ferrari, The Assistant, Eternal Beauty, Why Don’t You Just Die!, Make Up, Mank, The New Mutants, On the Rocks
TV
1. The Midnight Gospel
2. Small Axe
3. The Last Dance
4. Fargo
5. Normal People
6. Search Party
7. The Plot Against America
8. High Maintenance
9. Dark
10. The Trip to Greece
Honourable Mentions
Strasbourg 1518, I Know This Much is True, This Country, Ozark, Feel Good, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Overrated
Devs, Ratched, Gangs of London, Dracula, The Third Day, I May Destroy You, Killing Eve, The Boys, The Undoing, Schitt’s Creek
MUSIC (Albums)
1. Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters
2. Yves Tumor – Heaven to a Tortured Mind
3. Protomartyr – Processed by the Boys
4. Perfume Genius – Set My Heart on Fire Immediately
5. The Avalanches – We Will Always Love You
6. Bob Dylan – Rough and Rowdy Ways
7. Bullion – We Had a Good Time
8. Destroyer – Have We Met
9. Run the Jewels – RTJ4
10. Hamilton Leithuaser – The Loves of Your Life
Honourable Mentions
Sault, Mourning [A] BLKstar, Sufjan Stevens, Open Mike Eagle, Owen Pallett, Oh Sees, Dehd, Agnes Obel, Oneohtrix Point Never, Lyra Pramuk
Overrated
Idles, The 1975, Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift, Tame Impala, Waxahatchee, Jesse Ware, Haim
MUSIC (Singles)
1. Fiona Apple – Cosmonauts
2. Bob Dylan – Murder Most Foul
3. Yves Tumor – Gospel for a New Century
4. Protomartyr – Processed by the Boys
5. The Avalanches w/Cola Boyy, Mick Jones – We Go On
6. Baxter Dury – I’m Not Your Dog
7. Perfume Genius – Describe
8. Sufjan Stevens – The Ascension
9. Bullion – Hula
10. Hamilton Leithauser – Here They Come