Originally published December 16, 2020 at Cinema76.com
With so much wrong going on in the hellscape that is 2020 it is hard to wish for something so silly. But I really miss going to the movies. I miss my trailers and preview screenings, and the smell of buttered popcorn around me. But I still managed to watch 267 films this year. It gave me the opportunity to catch up with many films that I have had on my watchlist for years. It also made this a year of discovery for me. 2020 was the year I realized I loved; David Lynch, Revenge, Lesbian Vampires, and Cheesy action movies. So please enjoy my list of some of my favorite film discoveries this year.
1. The Haunting (dir. Robert Wise, 1963)
This film was recommended by one of the amazing professors at the Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies. This is based on Shirley Jackson’s story The Haunting of Hill House which I also read for the first time this year. I was struck by the queer undertones of the book which I was thrilled the film goes into as well. This film looks incredible and is just as creepy and atmospheric as I had hoped. After binge watching all of Twin Peaks this year it was also delightful to see a young Russ Tamblyn starring in the film. This is currently a part of the Criterion Channel’s Queer Sighted collection along with a lot of other amazing films. If you love haunted house stories this is a perfect film to add to your watchlist.
2. Seconds (dir. John Frankenheimer, 1966)
This has been on my watchlist for years and it really lived up to the hype. The whole film essentially feels like an extended episode of The Twilight Zone. I have been fascinated with the concept of identity in film, after seeing movies like Face of Another and Eyes without a Face. After hearing that this film was an inspiration for Brandon Cronenberg’s Possessor I knew I had to prioritize this watch. The story follows a man who did all the “right” things, lived up to the American Dream, and yet he is still unhappy. This character feels so flushed out and real. It is a tragic story with some amazing sci-fi concepts.
3. Daughters of Darkness (dir. Henry Kumel, 1971)
This was another Criterion Channel find thanks to their 70s horror collection this past October. I LOVED everything about this film and after watching, it unlocked a love of lesbian vampire films that I did not know existed within me. I was obsessed with the infamous Hungarian Countess, Elizabeth Bathory, so I was thrilled the movie decided to make her its lead. Delphine Seyrig is amazing as Countess Bathory, she is elegant and seductive, and rocks a sequent gown. The film takes down manipulative, abusive men and it looks good doing it. It also has one of the best film scores I’ve heard this year.
4. Enter the Dragon (dir. Robert Clouse, 1973)
2020 claimed the life of one of my favorite genre actors, John Saxon. I watched this in an attempt to film in some gaps in his filmography. This was also the first Bruce Lee film I had ever seen. Although I knew him to be a talented martial artist I had no idea what a screen presence he would be. Bruce Lee is such a charismatic actor and the combination of him, Saxon, and Jim Kelly is almost too much. The fight scenes are well choreographed and a blast to watch. Bruce Lee should have been a Bond.
5. Lady Snowblood (dir. Toshiya Fujita, 1973)
My partner and I had an accidental “Lady Revenge” film marathon and this was the first one we started with. After watching films like Kill Bill it was nice to go to the original and see where the inspiration came from. This unique blend of folklore and revenge story is such a fun ride. Meiko Kaji is amazing in this film and one of the baddest film ladies around. There should be 20 Lady Snowblood films because I would watch every single one of them.
6. Ms. 45 (dir. Abel Ferrara, 1981)
Not only did I find my love of Lesbian Vampire films this year, I also found my love of Female Revenge stories. Rape Revenge is a realm that can be very hard for me to watch so I did not expect to love this as much as I did. Zoe Lund is amazing. She stars as the young deaf seamstress on a quest to rid New York of predatory men. This film made it feel like any man could have been her rapist, something I have thought many times as a single woman alone in the city. I was impressed with how well Abel Ferrara handles the subject material. It has a round start but becomes a fun revenge odyssey.
7. The Hunger (dir. Tony Scott, 1983)
I was lucky that the amazing folks at Viva Video in Ardmore had this in their collection. After falling in love with Daughters of Darkness I had to consume this next amazing lesbian vampire film. The movie opens with an insane Bauhaus performance that made me sad I never got to experience New York Goth clubs. Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, and Susan Sarandon are all so insanely hot in this creepy film of vampires grappling with mortality.
8. Over the Top (dir. Menahem Golan, 1987)
I recognize that I have seen a lot of amazing films this year, some of which did not make the list. So yes, the choice to put the Silvester Stallone arm wrestling film might seem like an odd one, but hear me out. I love cheesy action movies and I especially love Cannon Films releases. They all have such an insane feel to them. This was such a fun ride. Stalone is so good and the family drama at the heart of it really got to me. Plus the arm wrestling competition at the end was so insane that I believe I squealed through most of it. I have never seen anything quite like this.
9. Point Break (dir. Kathryn Bigelow, 1991)
Speaking of cheesy action films, I got to watch this historic secret gay film for the first time. I ship Bodhi and Utah so hard. I am ready to read all of the fanfiction the internet has to offer on the subject. The melodrama of this movie is just so damn good. I cannot believe it took me this long to see it. Swayze forever.
10. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (dir. David Lynch, 1992)
This was my favorite discovery of the year. Although I have seen the first 2 seasons of Twin Peaks I never watched the other Peaks material out there. I did not know how much I needed to know Laura’s story. There are so many stories about the dead girl and so few where we let the dead girl speak. Her story is important and it is more than the details in the police report and the testimonies from the locals. Laura Palmer’s story is essential to what makes Twin Peaks the important cultural monolith it is.
11. Thirst (dir. Park Chan-wook, 2009)
Yes, another vampire film. I loved Song Kang-Ho so much in Parasite that I needed to see more of his performances and this one is so weird and wonderful. A priest turns into a vampire and grapples with his loss of faith. The plot is so interesting and yet this film becomes even weirder than that. Its center on a toxic relationship between two damaged people is so unique. I think this is one of the most interesting takes on the vampire story I have seen in quite some time.
12. The Lure (dir. Agnieszka Smoczynska, 2015)
Who doesn’t love a Polish mermaid film with a killer 80s soundtrack? This film really does blend some of my favorite things together; folklore, club music, and man eating sirens. On the surface a horror musical like this should not work yet it is one of the best horror films I have seen in recent years.
13. Moonlight (dir. Barry Jenkins, 2016)
Because of my love of genre flicks, I often put off seeing dramas and oscar films for as long as possible. I am legitimately mad at myself for not seeing this sooner. Thinking about this movie brings me to tears even now. This is one of the most beautiful stories I have seen. The different examples of love and acceptance that you get in each act are so moving. The diner scene in the end is one of the best pieces of cinema out there. Go watch this right now.
14. Hunt for the Wilderpeople (dir. Taika Waititi, 2016)
Taika is certainly one of the best directors of our age. This father son story is so cute, weird, funny and heartwarming. I adore Sam Neill and he is the perfect grumpy old man survivalist character.
15. Thunder Road (dir. Jim Cummings, 2018)
Given my feelings about cops I had little to no interest in this movie. Then I watched The Wolf of Snow Hollow and immediately fell in love with Jim Cummings. So we watched this the very next day. I have not sobbed at the end of a film in quite some time but this one really did it for me. Cummings has a way of being completely devastating and hilarious all in one scene. I don’t think I have seen an actor or director quite like him and I am glad I finally sat down to give this movie its due.
16. Doctor Sleep (dir. Mike Flanagan, 2019)
I am pissed I did not watch this last year because it would have made my top 10 easily. We watched the director’s cut which is 3 hours. I don’t think any film should be that long unless it is Lord of the Rings, but I have to say Flannigan earns this run time. I also think its the best way to watch the film. Watching Dannie Torrence become an adult and cope with the trauma he experienced as a child is so moving. There is a scene early on at an AA meeting where he talks about his dad that brings me to tears when I think about it. Great horror, great characters, and Rebecca Ferguson is another hot vampire I fell in love with this year.
Honorable Mentions
I decided to include only one film per director but I fell in love with David Lynch this year and Mulholland Drive and Wild at Heart are both amazing. Another film from the Criterion 70s horror collection is also worth a watch: Hungry Wives (aka Season of the Witch) is a great witchy female empowerment film that is directed by the late great George Romero. Watermelon Woman from Cheryl Dune was another great watch this year. The film has so many layers and does an amazing job tackling the nameless black women who never got their due in films.
After binge watching all of Evangelion I also had to check out Shin Godzilla which is clearly a top tier Godzilla movie. I also watched Commando for the first time and…. just wow.
The Neon Banshee 