Top 10 films of 2020

 I'm Thinking of Ending Things

This film nerd was giddy with excitement when he saw that Charlie Kaufman was going to grace Netflix with his bizarre presence, and it didn't take me long to realize I was watching the weirdest, deepest, smartest and easily the best film of the year. Strange to consider that it feels like Kaufman's most personal film in a long time when it's actually based on someone else's novel. Nevertheless, it's Kaufman's most artistically ambitious and perfect film yet, a masterful achievement in dark surrealism that can either be a little unsettling or highly entertaining depending on your taste.

The Father

First time director Florian Zeller's "The Father" is not a horror film, of course, but it is really scary, because it puts the viewer inside the mind of an old man with dementia and you really get to experience how terrifying it must be to lose your memory in that way. This great film also feels like a last hoorah for Sir Anthony Hopkins, one of the all-time greats, in a role that deservedly got him his second ever Academy Award and that will forever be remembered as one of his absolute best.

 

 

Small Axe

Yes, technically speaking, the new opus by extraordinary filmmaker Steve McQueen is not a feature film in the traditional sense of the word, but a cycle of short films, all about the experiences of the Windrush generation, West Indian immigrants in London, from the 1960's to the 1980's. The "Small Axe" films range from outrageous politics to tragic prison drama, from a quite funny coming-of-age story to sweet romance and a tribute to music and culture (Lovers Rock, pictured here), mostly based on real people and places. But they all have one thing in common: they're powerful, moving, kinda groundbreaking and unforgettable.

The Invisible Man

I really dug Leigh Whannell's "Upgrade" from 2018, an outrageous sci-fi action about a paraplegic man who gets a chip installed which makes him able to walk again, until the AI in the chip goes nuts and takes his body on a murder spree instead. It was a fun and stylish B movie that showed Whannell had real talent as a weird filmmaker. With "The Invisible Man," Whannell showed he is also very capable at creating classic suspense, without kinetic camera work and gore, and that he's a good screenwriter, taking a familiar concept and making it fresh with a #MeToo angle that is both provocative and thought-provoking.

 

Another Round

Only a Danish filmmaker could make a film about a group of middle-aged men who basically decide to experiment with mild alcoholism and not make it depressing or judgmental. But then, it is a film by Thomas Vinterberg, who is no beginner when it comes to tackling difficult or frustrating topics with style and grace. After all, his film career did begin with "The Celebration." No matter how great Mads Mikkelsen is at playing Hannibal Lecter, Bond villain Le Chiffre and Marvel villain Kaecilius, he's really at his best in his native language, and "Another Round" is perhaps his best work yet as a leading man.

Mank

Do you need to be a fan of Hollywood history to truly appreciate David Fincher's film about Herman Mankiewicz and his work on Citizen Kane? Probably. But hopefully it's enough to enjoy Fincher's trademark attention to period detail, use of exquisite cinematography and tasteful tone. Add Gary Oldman in his second renaissance as an actor and it's no surprise "Mank" landed all of ten Academy Award nominations. Fincher first tried getting this witty, stylish, whipsmart film made in the 1990s, but I think somehow it wouldn't have been as special, or consummate of a work of art back then as it now.

 

Wolfwalkers

Adorable is the best word to describe Irish studio Cartoon Saloon's bittersweet "Wolfwalkers," beautifully animated with a truly engaging story lifted from folklore. So much more than just the best animated film of 2020, with its style and energy, its soulful story and heartwarming message, it could even be one of the greatest animated films ever made.

Da 5 Bloods

Spike Lee's "Da 5 Bloods" is a rich and layered cinematic experience, about many things, mainly black history, the Vietnam war and, in particular, PTSD. But it's also about greed and how to retain your humanity in the face of it. It's also peppered with references, mostly to Apocalypse Now and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and it's got a beautiful score that's reminiscent of old school Hollywood.

 

Nomadland

"Nomadland," Chloe Zhao's third feature, is not as remarkable as her previous film "The Rider" from 2017. But it is nonetheless quite something, the work of a true visionary director who definitely deserved the Academy Award for directing, only the second woman in history to do so. It's also the perfect film for 2020, for the story about a nomad who lives in her caravan and drives around the United States for work, told in Zhao's unsentimental, freewheelin' way, is just the story that the world needed.

 

Emma

If you need proof that period drama doesn't have to be stuffy, look no further than this dynamic, inspired and unconventional adaptation of Jane Ausen's "Emma," as vibrant in its cast as it is in the costume department. But that newcomer Autumn de Wilde's somewhat modern yet faithful interpretation should be so enjoyable is no more than perfectly apt, seeing as how "Emma" is Austen's most accessible and entertaining story, the original romcom in fact.

Top 10 miniseries of 2020

The Queen's Gambit

There were quite a lot of excellent limited series on offer in 2020, and this list should not be read in any particular order, for each show on it is just as great, in their own way. Most of the world seemed to discover Anya Taylor-Joy when "The Queen's Gambit" premiered on Netflix, but I'd been a fan of hers since Robert Eggers' "The Witch," not only because of her unmistakable star quality, characteristic appearance and powerful screen presence, but also 'cause she's the kind of young actress that seems to unfailingly choose interesting material. And this miniseries, about a drug-addled chess prodigy in the 1960's, is no exception. Like another entry on this list, it's one of those stories that fools you into thinking it's about a real person, 'cause it just feels so real. But then, it's based on a book by a great writer, Walter Trevis, and adapted by a great screenwriter and director, Scott Frank, who previously made the masterful Western series "Godless," also on Netflix. I mean, that'll do it!

 

The Outsider

Movies and TV series based on Stephen King stories are usually hit or miss, but "The Outsider" is a real masterpiece, if you ask me. What makes it great is that throughout, it never diverts from its realistic style and serious tone, even though it's a supernatural murder mystery, nor does it change its slow and deliberate pace, intense yet devoid of melodrama, violence or jump scares, which creates a psychological horror that manages to really get under your skin. More horror shows should follow the example of "The Outsider" and its tasteful use of creepy mood rather than gore, and Ben Mendelsohn should play depressed cops more often, 'cause it's some of the best acting I've ever seen him do.

 

I Know This Much Is True

Speaking of an actor giving a career-high performance, I don't think I've ever been as moved and impressed by Mark Ruffalo as I was watching him in the dual role of twins Dominick and Thomas Birdsey in "I Know This Much Is True" on HBO. Of course, Ruffalo's Hulk is the best version of Hulk because he always brings charisma, intelligence and pathos with a tinge of sadness to any part he plays, something that adds an interesting dimension to anything, really. I found myself surprised when I looked up the novel by Wally Lamb and discovered that it isn't a true story, because the misery that befall these two men seem too ridiculous to be made up, in that certain way that fact can be more unbelievable than fiction. That such was not the case, and that I fooled myself into thinking so, is a testament to the brilliance of the story and a credit to the show's director, the great Derek Cianfrance ("The Place Beyond the Pines").

 

Penny Dreadful: City of Angels

John Logan's spin-off series in name only to the great "Penny Dreadful" is an homage to one of my favorite genres, L.A. noir, mixed with fascinating Mexican folklore, about a murder investigation in the Golden Age of Hollywood that reveals a lot of rottenness at the city's core. The horror isn't all that scary really, but it is fantastically macabre (which is even better), and the whole show is terribly well written, with some unforgettable performaces throughout, particularly from Rory Kinnear (who played the Monster in the original "Penny Dreadful") as a member of the German American bund and Natalie Dormer, the show's star really, who truly gets to shine as a demon in several different disguises, exerting her evil influence in all echelons of society, from gang members to councilmen. 

 

Lovecraft Country

Another great horror drama this year was "Lovecraft Country," which was received with a lot of anticipation from fans of the original book by Matt Ruff. I was woefully ignorant of that bestseller, but that worked in my favor since I came into the show with fresh eyes, my emotions unhindered by expectations or preconceived notions, and thus I was completely enthralled, amused, suitably creeped out, repeatedly enlightened and educated by the rich content of this dark fantasy tale of witchcraft and racism in the deep south during the heyday of segregation. I came as an old fan of H.P. Lovecraft and found so much more, an eclectic bag of goodies, not only monsters and magic but also old school science fiction and a powerful meditation on American 20th century history, warts and all.

 

The Good Lord Bird

Ethan Hawke has really grown into one of the finest actors in the world in his middle age, and in the role of John Brown, the eccentric abolitionist who led a small civil war in Kansas in the mid-19th century, he really gets to chew some scenery. But watching Hawke make the best of such a juicy leading role is only part of the fun of this HBO series, based on James McBride's novel. This is on many levels first class entertainment, a highly successful combination of serious subject matter, a lovingly made period piece, a really witty, clever script with almost farce-like instances of broad humor, full of colorful characters (like Daveed Diggs' Frederick Douglass, amongst many others) and a terrific soundtrack. All in all, exactly the kind of show we need to watch, learn from and discuss in these times.

Tiger King

Twice I've mentioned that fact often trumps fiction, and Netflix's biggest hit of the first part of the year is a good example of that. "Tiger King" is kind of true crime but mostly a documentary series that is so outrageous, so unpredictable, so hilarious and yet deeply tragic, that it is no surprise it took the world by storm. Unless you were stranded off any kind of grid during Covid, you couldn't have failed to notice that this show about zookeeper and convicted felon Joe Exotic and primarily, his feud with wildlife rescuer and conservationist Carole Baskin became a sensational phenomenon. And the reason for its  success is, I believe, for the umpteenth time, that the story's so bizarre, no one could have come up with it on their own.

 

I May Destroy You

Once again, a Brit proves that they are the best when it comes to writing television drama with an edge, populated fully-rounded characters, featuring believable dialogue and relatable situations, and shows that tackle hot topics in unpredictable and interesting ways. This time, the Brit in question is Michaela Cole, who won several awards both as creator, writer and actor in this effortlessly cool, witty and intelligent show about a rape survivor, featuring a predominantly black cast, which was quite a new thing in a BBC production in 2020. I'm not the only one to feature "I May Destroy You" on their best of the year list, in fact very few critics and websites did not feature it on some list or other, but sometimes the popular choice is the absolutely correct one.

 

The Third Day

Staying with UK drama for now, this Sky Atlantic and HBO co-production was a surprisingly solid folk horror and psychological thriller mystery which, for those of us horror nerds familiar with the British classic "The Wicker Man," and other similar fare about weird cults on remote islands, did at first feel a bit too familiar. But then the show started mixing it up about halfway through by taking an unexpected turn and switching the narrative point of view a bit, from the initial protagonist portrayed by Jude Law to his wife and child. This somewhat original conceit, along with the beautiful cinematography, terrific acting from all involved, some credible writing and neatly constructed creepy atmosphere, came together nicely to make for an excellent and engaging miniseries dealing with guilt, trauma and madness.

 

I'll Be Gone in the Dark

I tend not to include true crime on these lists, because they are more often than not rather pedestrian works that are dime a dozen basically, but Liz Garbus' "I'll Be Gone in the Dark" is quite exceptional. It is not only hands down the best true crime documentary series I have ever seen, but it's also so much more than that. For it's really a story about Michelle McNamara, the true crime aficionado who essentially solved the case of the EARONS serial killer/rapist before she herself passed away suddenly in her sleep, only 46 years of age. Her obsessive research for the book that is the basis of this series is what eventually led to the arrest and trial of the septuagenarian killer, which is a first when it comes to amateur investigations, as far as I know. That alone is reason enough to consider this excellently produced doc of an incredible woman and her outstanding work a true gem in an overcrowded landscape of true crime podcasts, books and TV shows.

   

Top 10 horror movies of 2020

His House

A young refugee couple, fleeing the war in Sudan, move into a new home in suburban London, where they find themselves facing both hostility from their new countrymen, the inextinguishable trauma that they have tried to leave behind and some dark spiritual presence in their dilapidated house. What makes Remi Weekes' "His House" one of the greatest horror movies of the year is not only the memorable scares, the memorable scenes and the memorable central performances, but that it's got a clear point of view and something to say.

 

Sputnik

During the Cold War, a young psychiatrist (Oksana Akinshina from "Lilya 4-ever") is brought into a secret facility to perform an evaluation of a cosmonaut who was exposed to something while in space. So begins "Sputnik," by debut filmmaker Egor Abramenko, and it's completely gripping from start to finish. "Alien" of course comes to mind as a comparison. Also the perfect scary movie for 2020 in that it is proof that quarantine can be a thrilling and entertaining subject matter in the right hands.

 

The Grudge

Most of the time, ghosts in ghost stories want your help, but in "The Grudge" they really just want to kill you. The "Ju-On" franchise is by now so big that it rivals "The Ring" franchise. This is by far the best American version of it yet, as to my memory the 2004 remake was a more or less inferior copy of the original Japanese masterpiece. Although this takes place concurrently with that film, it feels more like a sequel than a reboot. The grudge curse is here brought to the US by an American working in Japan, like some horrible version of the corona virus. I like that the story focuses on a cop investigating the grudge case, instead of a care worker as in the older version. And the main reason it works as well as it does is in my opinion because the character of Detective Muldoon (Andrea Riseborough) works - sometimes she is in fact strongly reminiscent of the original Clarice Starling. I like the non-linear narrative, I like the cast, I like the music, I even like the jump scares, which I usually don't.

 

The Rental

Dave Franco shows some serious potential in his directorial debut with this great indie horror, which for most of its running time is a slowly building thriller that turns into a pretty solid slasher in the final twenty minutes. The brilliant thing about "The Rental" is its unassuming, low key style, which manages to hold your interest with the great chemistry between the four lead actors, featuring the always captivating Dan Stevens and Alison Brie, and you know something fucked up is going to happen but it's not in a rush to get there.

 

Relic

One of the most acclaimed horror movies of the year, Australian Natalie Erika James' "Relic" is an insanely creepy depiction of dementia that is both unusual and moving, where the rot of the mind takes on physical form and spatial proportions that are monstruous and bizarre, as mother and daughter Emily Mortimer and Bella Heathcote visit the senile grandmother Robyn Nevin and find themselves struggling with not only the old matriarch's illness but also a claustrophobic mould-like presence that seems to be haunting her house.

   

Anything for Jackson

Like a lot of indie films, the Canadian horror drama "Anything for Jackson" by  Justin G. Dyck, about an older couple that kidnap a pregnant woman and attempt to use her unborn child as a host for the soul of their dead son, will require a little patience going into it. But those with enough of it will find a very rewarding, at times genuinely creepy and quite original experience. A mix of satanic horror and haunted house, that at its best moments feel like something Clive Barker could've done.

 

Gretel & Hansel

As with his previous films, Oz Perkins' arty horror style may not be for all tastes, but I delight in the luxury of something so out of the ordinary, particularly in a niche that tends to be rather formulaic. I find the trippy visual style and exquisite cinematography lovely to look at, I like the slightly off-beat, poetic dialogue, I get a nostalgic kick out of the music and format ratio that are meant to remind you of films of old, and I'm completely entertained by the weird and quite modern take on a classic fairytale, if I'm not totally mistaken a decidedly post-#MeToo movement version that centers almost entirely on Gretel (Sophia Lillis from "It") and her growth as a character.

 

Caveat

It occurs to me looking over this list of the year's top horror movies that the covid-enforced lockdown of 2020 must have been a source of great inspiration for many filmmakers. "Caveat," a really creepy, low budget scary movie from Ireland, directed by Damian McCarthy, presents a truly macabre and visually very interesting twist on social distancing, in that the main character, an amnesiac nam named Isaac, is offered payment to babysit a mentally unstable woman in an old cottage, with the bizarre caveat that he must wear a collar that limits his movements about the place. But does he have to wear the chain for his own safety or for hers?

 

Come Play

Horror movies are kind of odd in that they thrive on familiarity, and the concept of a mother trying to protect her vulnerable child from a supernatural entity invading their home is nothing if not familiar by now. It's been done particularly well already in the modern classic "The Babadook." But what Jacob Chase's "Come Play" lacks in originality it makes up for where it matters, namely in the chemistry between the excellent Gillian Jacobs as the mother and Azhy Robertson as her autistic son, the creepy atmosphere, the earnest and imaginative use of horror to dramatize issues of mental health, which is a rather gratifying subject to adress in a supernatural setting, and an unforgettable ending.

 

The Turning

Well, don't expect "The Turning" to reinvent the horror genre, but it's a competent and satisfying take on a creepy evergreen, a more jarring horror movie in the modern sense, than Henry James' very different gothic story. Director Floria Sigismondi has put together a good cast led by Mackenzie Davis and gotten two great performances out of the young Brooklyn Prince and Finn Wolfhard as the innocently creepy children. She also shows she's got some pretty interesting visual ideas, which is no surprise considering her experience working on TV series like "The Handmaid's Tale" and "American Gods." I look forward to seeing what more she's got up her sleeve.

Top 10 new TV series of 2020

Raised By Wolves

The updated and improved streaming service HBO Max's first year of production hit a real home run when it opted to acquire the Ridley Scott-produced sci-fi epic "Raised By Wolves," a sumptuous show with thought-provoking themes and challenging stories. The kind of ambitious, highbrow science fiction that is somewhat of a rarity in our times. Furthermore, "Raised By Wolves" is an original concept, written by Aaron Guzikowski, who also wrote the Denis Villeneuve-helmed thriller "Prisoners" in 2013. A show not based on existing IP is also a rare treat on the TV landscape today, and luckily it is a real humdinger - a smart story about androids setting up a colony in a distant future, programmed to bring up children for a budding new world, but as is often the case, it doesn't matter how far mankind comes from Earth, it keeps bringing age-old problems with it. Not bad for someone with only a couple of writing credits to his name. Now that "Westworld" has started losing steam, maybe "Raised By Wolves" will be the company's big budget flagship sci-fi. It's certainly off to a great start.   

 

Ted Lasso

The critically acclaimed, award-winning comedy "Ted Lasso" is probably the best thing on Apple TV+, especially if you like British-American culture clashes, which I do. The combination of cynical British wit and American goofiness has never been done better, although "Episodes" starring Matt LeBlanc came pretty close. You don't really need to like Premier League football to be entertained, but it certainly adds an extra layer of enjoyment to this silly but wonderfully written sitcom full of colorful characters and touching moments discreetly meted out in between all the childish joking. On several occasions you suddenly find yourself hearing some actual words of wisdom, often from the mouth of the titular football coach, and it's to the show's credit that when that happens, it always comes as somewhat of a surprise. Just like the yank does on the incredulous AFC Richmond supporters and players, "Ted Lasso" grows on you pretty darn quick. It's proper feel good comedy, that actually makes you feel good. 

Perry Mason

I'm rarely of the opinion that eight episodes is too short for a season, in fact most TV series would do well to limit themselves to eight, and sometimes even less. But when it comes to this reimagining, or prequel to the classic lawyer portrayed so legendarily by Raymond Burr from 1957 to 1966, I find myself wishing the story was longer and with more episodes. The plot is truly brilliant, not only because it takes place in Los Angeles during the 1930's, a great time and place for detective fiction, but because it weaves into the narrative many elements that are both topical and timelessly fascinating, such as cultish religiosity, political corruption and war trauma. When it's at its best, it brings to mind "Chinatown," that noir masterpiece, and Matthew Rhys has never been as intriguing as he is in the lead role, even if one has seen his diversity on full display in all six season of "The Americans," another great series about similar themes but in a different time. In conclusion, I can barely wait for a follow-up season, hoping HBO gets around to it.

 

Snowpiercer

Bong Joon-ho's post-apocalyptic climate change-themed sci-fi action movie from 2013 is a masterpiece. This spin-off series created for TNT is simply put not that. But as a testimony to the sheer brilliance of the concept, this version of "Snowpiercer" is still really, really entertaining, interesting and at least to me, highly addictive. What they've managed to do is put a spin on the story to make it work for several seasons of ten or so episodes apiece, instead of the more straightforward action-oriented rebellion at the centre of the movie version. And whatever they've done, it really works, for despite a certain unevenness in the writing that occasionally crosses over into the shallow side, I keep looking forward for more. That might be entirely due to the unique concept of witnessing the remnants of mankind hurtling along in a giant train all around the world after the planet's been reduced to a frozen, lifeless landscape, where class struggles have become life or death and the underprivileged "tailies" have had enough and plot to take over the train. Or it might be thanks to a great cast of old and new favorites, from Jennifer Connelly to Daveed Diggs to Steven Ogg to Alison Wright, or it could simply be that the showrunners are really talented and know what they're doing. Either way, I'm hooked for good.

 

The Great

Each episode of Tony McNamara's new series for HBO is introduced as, "An occasionally true story." A mere cursory glance at history, or even Wikipedia, will reveal that there is in fact nothing true at all about it, except that there once was a woman named Catherine, who was married to a czar called Peter, and that she orchestrated a coup against him. Everything else is the result of McNamara's warped imagination, as was pretty much the case with his big breakthrough "The Favourite." But that hardly matters when it's as funny, irreverent, crazy and original as this. Elle Fanning is excellent in the lead role and shows proof of genuine comic timing, and she is bolstered by a truly magnificent supporting cast, in particular Douglas Hodge as the constantly drunk general Velementov, Sacha Dhawan as the nerdy bureaucrat count Orlo and Belinda Bromilow as the czar's aunt Elizabeth, a pleasant new discovery for me who definitely deserves more great roles like this. McNamara is really a playwright, and despite the overabundance of puerile humor and smutty jokes, this is proper theatre in its wit, style and setup, and really good theatre at that. 

30 Coins

If you've never seen an Álex de la Iglesia movie, do yourself a favor and check one out immediately. Before we had Guillermo del Toro, de la Iglesia made some terrific Spanish-language horror comedies, chief amongst them his breakthrough "The Day of the Beast" from 1995. In his new show for HBO Europe, the grotesque, gory, scary, cool, funny as hell and outrageous "30 Coins," there is an international hunt for Judas' thirty silver coins under way, while an exorcist priest with the build of a heavyweight boxer that has been exiled from the Catholic church arrives in a remote Spanish countryside village, with a locker full of machine guns, right as a cow gives birth to a human baby and all sorts of devilry start happening. Also getting caught up in the crazy supernatural phenomena is the local mayor Paco and the village veterinarian Elena, and crazy is not nearly strong enough of a word to describe what transpires. Even the Biblical opening title sequence is breathtaking and unforgettable, beautifully shot, violent and thrilling, which really sets you up for this highly blasphemous mix of Catholicism, mystery, kinetic action movie, horror and high-octane comedy that is unlike anything you could've seen this year.

 

Gangs of London

Speaking of dynamic action sequences and crazy violence, one of the top surprises for me in 2020 as far as new TV series goes was "Gangs of London," created by Gareth Evans for Sky Atlantic, a hardboiled crime drama in nine episodes wherein the death of a London gangster boss leads to a complex internal war between all the rival gangs. I've been a huge fan of Evans' work ever since his big breakthrough, the Indonesian martial arts movie "The Raid" in 2011, and since his return to England, it's gotten even more interesting. First the excellent horror movie "Apostle" in 2018, and now this, a solid drama with good character development, top-notch cinematography and great atmosphere built around Evans' typically elaborate and impressively realistic martial arts sequences. Sensitive viewers be warned, there are several quite gruesome moments, but if you're as used to that sort of thing as I am, there's a lot to be excited about in "Gangs of London," in particular a great cast led by Joe Cole from "Peaky Blinders" and Michelle Fairley from "Game of Thrones," and a new favourite in Sope Dirisu as an undercover cop infiltrating the main London gang, who is sort of the show's main character. Actually, it's the show's large roster of characters that makes it so endlessly fascinating, there's the Irish mob, the Albanians, the Kurds, the Pakistanis, the Nigerians and even Welsh travellers (or "pikeys" if you've seen "Snatch"). It's the best portrayal of the complex nature of the criminal underworld I've seen since "The Wire," and really makes you realize how richly multi-cultural an international big city like London is.

 

The Flight Attendant

There have been attempts before to make interesting television out of the lives of airplane personnel, but none ever stuck the landing the way "The Flight Attendant" on HBO Max did. That might have something to do with the fact that it was based on a bestselling novel, but whatever the case, it was the kind of show that had just the right amount of trash to make it addictive, yet was also grounded and real enough not to turn you off. Thanks to some clever pacing and a great cast, led by Kaley Cuoco in a role that really made the best use of her charisma and relatability in a way that the ridiculously overrated "The Big Bang Theory" never quite did in my opinion, "The Flight Attendant" became one of the year's biggest surprise hits, and rightfully so. We also got to reacquaint ourselves with Rosie Perez, who I for one had not seen in ages, and I would never have guessed how much fun that would be. 

 

Bridgerton

Not many of the new TV series on 2020 dealt with the hardship most of the world was going through at the time, with lockdowns and daily death tolls and everything, mostly because of the fact that the streaming services' output had been created and shot before Covid. But if there was ever a time when binge-worthy material that transported you away to distant and beautiful places was needed, it was now. So if you think about it in those terms, Netflix's biggest hit show of the year, the Shonda Rhimes production "Bridgerton," based on a series of bestsellers by Julia Quinn, was the perfect show for 2020. There are a lot of adjectives that come to mind when trying to describe this over-the-top romantic depiction of Regency era high society life, but I'll leave it at that. It's over-the-top, it's romantic, it's a bit kitschy to say the least, and it's also a complete fantasy, this interracial version of 19th century England, but that is of course the point of the show and what makes it unique and very modern. In the end, it is most importantly really well-made, quite charming, fetching and very entertaining.

 

Ratched

If you went into Ryan Murphy's new Netflix creation "Ratched" thinking you were gonna see something that is in any way related to "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and the character of Nurse Ratched, so immortalized by Louise Fletcher, then you would be setting yourself up for disappointment. If you instead consider the word "creation" that I used, in the fashion sense of the word, then you get an idea of what this is, and also of what Murphy in some ways always is, a designer, and this is kind of like a fashion show. A macabre and rather outlandish fashion show in the shape of a television drama that comes up with a rather inconsistent but ultimately thrilling and more entertaining background story for said nurse. "Ratched" could easily have been a season of Murphy's other creation, the anthology series "American Horror Story," for it is very similar in style and content, only with less silly humor and a more cinematic approach that brings to mind Hitchcock, 1950's melodramas, exploitation movies, soap operas and film noir rolled into one. In other words, a very eclectic experience, which is typical of Murphy's work really, and if you're up for some absurd television with great actresses like Sarah Paulson, Cynthia Nixon, Judy Davis and Sharon Stone, you can't go wrong. 

Top 10 albums of 2020

Bob Dylan "Rough and Rowdy Ways"

It may be the album of an old man, but it is very evident that despite what his output has been like for the past decade or so, Bob Dylan never lost his cool. That isn't something that most rock stars of his generation can claim. In one song he name drops Anne Frank, Indiana Jones, The Rolling Stones and Edgar Allan Poe. In one sentence he mentions Liberace and Saint John the Apostle. He quotes William Blake, Shakespeare and Walt Whitman, growls "I study Sanskrit and Arabic to improve my mind" then croons that he's "falling in love with Calliope". If there were still any lingering doubt about his receipt of the Nobel prize in literature, this album shoud dispel that. It's all about the mind, the words, the poetry. Although it has a perfectly balanced mix of country, blues and rock, it's not first and foremost a musical experience but a lyrical one. There is also the inherent weight that comes with it for those of us who have been lifelong fans. Of course the crowning jewel here, the centrepiece, is the 17 minute epic "Murder Most Foul", but don't be mistaken, the rest of the album is indeed worth your time.

Einstürzende Neubauten "Alles in Allem"

Neubauten's twelfth album and their first in over five years is just as weird, artistic, cool, clever, poetic, pretentious and beautiful as you'd expect considering we're dealing with a band that creates music using bags, electrical drills, metal springs and plastic pipes alongside more traditional instrumentation. It's not as experimental and clamorous as what one is used to as an old fan, but more restrained and refined than their earlier output, and Blixa Bargeld's voice has come to sound a little like Leonard Cohen (particularly on "Seven Screws"). All in all their best work in years.

 

 

The Streets "None of Us Are Getting Out of This Life Alive"

I was under the impression that Mike Skinner had retired The Streets over ten years ago, so I was pleasantly surprised by the sudden appearance of new material, and even more so when it features an interesting mix of styles, great sampling and cool guest artists like Tame Impala and Idles, with of course The Streets' characteristic lyrics. It's great to see that the wit remains unchanged - who else could come up with brilliant shit like "She talks about her ex so much even I miss him," or "Some people drink to be interesting, some people drink to be interested," or  "Resentment, the poison I take hoping you will suffer"?

 

Brian Eno "Film Music 1976-2020"

Unsurprisingly, the chillest album of the year comes courtesy of Brian Eno, creator of ambient music, with an eclectic and truly beautiful collection of film and television music written over a period of forty plus years. One or two tracks will be familiar to Eno collectors, but it's overall a richly rewarding, arty as all that and most of all quite cozy experience. Hearing music made over Eno's whole career in one compilation, expertly mixed together, really shows what a timeless (and ageless) artist we've got in Eno.

 

 

Fiona Apple "Fetch the Bolt Cutters"

"Fetch the Bolt Cutters" is a real showpiece for Fiona Apple's prowess as a songwriter ("I Would beg to disagree but begging disagrees with me" - wow!), for her gravitas as a singer and performer, and for her great personality, which shines through every track in lots of bright, and sometimes dark, colors. This collection of avantgarde rock poetry is often arranged like cabaret numbers and recorded in an off-beat, kinda DIY way. Made as it was in Apple's home, it is the perfect album for the quarantine era of the year 2020.

 

 

Grimes "Miss Anthropocene"

Canadian alt-pop wonder Grimes may have a very child-like voice, but she displays a mature person's interest in experimentation and exploration of new avenues for musical creativity, much like on her previous album "Art Angels" (2015). The conceptual "Miss Anthropocene" includes ambient beats on "So Heavy I Fell Through the Earth," Chinese rap on "Darkseid," catchy and soulful electro on "Violence" and tantric drum & bass on "4AEM". Mostly though, it contains wonderfully weird darkwave/industrial pieces interspersed with some more radio-friendly pop ballads resulting in a perfectly balanced album and quite a fulfilling listening experience.

 

The Strokes "The New Abnormal"

The Strokes' first record in seven years is not the album you'd expect but a slower, more melancholic and more thoughtful collection of songs with a melodic style that more often than not emphasizes synthesizers over guitars. "Broklyn Bridge to Chorus," for instance, sounds like proper synthpop, whereas the super catchy "Bad Decisions" has got to be their version of '80's new wave, and "At the Door" is like a cross between Brian Eno and Wendy Carlos. A signature of producer Rick Rubin is to strip great artists down to the bare necessities, emotionally and musically, and that sure is this album's greatest strength.

 

Lady Gaga "Chromatica"

The somewhat overrated "A Star Is Born" may have gotten her an Oscar, but it was "Joanna" that showed Lady Gaga's strength as a singer-songwriter. Now, on "Chromatica," she returns to the kitchy, catchy, glamorous, sparkling, ambitious, boundary-pushing, genre-defining, melodious, earnest, weird and wonderful dance pop that we know and love, particularly on the Madonna-influenced "Stupid Love", the outstanding disco ballad "Sine from Above" in collaboration with Elton John, and the "Paparazzi"-sounding "911". This hits monster is indeed, as she puts it, "top shelf".

 

 

Squarepusher "Be Up a Hello"

The musical mind of UK-based Squarepusher, second only to the great Aphex Twin, is a twisted and wonderful place. His first album in a while is a perfect mix of bouncy, distorted beats, dark ambient and sneakily melodious touches. Some people may find his particular kind of glitchy, amorphous techno stressful, but for me it's the opposite, I feel quite relaxed. And somewhat invigorated. Like I've been treated to a refreshing brain massage.

 

 

 

Infected Mushroom "More Than Just a Name"

There was a time some years back when the old psychedelic trance duo masters Infected Mushroom seemed to be going in quite a different direction. Luckily for us fans they found their way back to the weird beats, complex builds, hallucinogenic layers and occasional crossovers that we want to hear. Now they've returned after two years with an otherworldly aural trip that harks back to their original sound - most of all the standout track "Infected Megamix," in which they summarize their unique brand of dance music by mixing a lot of classic material together into one truly tasty mushroom.