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Let’s Remember This Insane Year By Giving Out Arbitrary Awards

As we near the end of 2020 (whew!), it’s tradition to reflect on the year’s best with a Top 10 […]

By Cinemacy|December 21, 2020

As we near the end of 2020 (whew!), it’s tradition to reflect on the year’s best with a Top 10 post. Even with a slimmed-down slate, it’s challenging to dilute such robust works into a numbered list. From off-kilter psychological head trips to prioritizing the soothing sounds of ASMR triggers, there were many incredible films that we felt offered unique perspectives to this year’s cinematic landscape, and we want to highlight some of those under the radar films with their own special awards.

The Most “ASMR-Worthy”

These are the films that tapped into the soothing sounds of audible nirvana.

The Assistant
Sound of Metal
Swallow
Wolfwalkers
First Cow

The Most “Umm… WTF?” of the Year

These are the films that created psychological brain mazes and left us wondering what we just saw.

Black Bear
I’m Thinking of Ending Things
We Are Little Zombies
Palm Springs
Come To Daddy

The Best Needle Drop Moments

These are the films that had us singing under our breath or (discreetly) Shazam-ing.

Promising Young Woman– Pairs Hilton, “Stars are Blind” playing as Cassandra (Carey Mulligan) and Ryan (Bo Burnham) dance and lip-sync in a drug store aisle.

Wendy–  Dan Romer, “Never Grow Up” playing as Wendy (Devin France), Peter (Yashua Mack), and the lost boys explore Neverland island.
Wolfwalkers– Aurora, “Running with the Wolves” playing as Robyn (Honor Kneafsey) and Mebh (Eva Whittaker) run through the forest as wolves.
One Night in Miami– Leslie Odom Jr., “A Change Is Gonna Come” playing as Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) sings in front of a live studio audience
Freaky– The Chordettes, “Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be)” transition into $UicideBoy$ $ Travis Barker, “Don’t Trust Anyone!” playing as Millie (Kathryn Newton) walks into school for the first time since switching bodies with the murderous butcher (Vince Vaughn).

The Ones That Made Us Weep

We were sad a lot this year. We were also beautifully uplifted (to tears) with these films, whose revelations of the human condition had us drying our eyes.

Dick Johnson is Dead
Wendy

Minari
Endings, Beginnings
Saint Frances

The Ones That Made Us Question, “Is This Real Life?”

These are the films that had us in awe that these adults (and very mature young boys) exist in real life.
Boys State
John Lewis: Good Trouble
Collective

Nomadland
The Painter and the Thief

The “Michael Stuhlbarg” Award for Best Monologue

No explanation necessary if you’ve seen Call Me By Your Name.

Michael Stuhlbarg- Shirley

 

Cinemacy