2020 DECEMBER MOVIE RANKINGS:

2020 is over. Can you believe it? And what a year for films it has been… yeah… I’m quite surprised at the amount of movies I have analyzed during quarantine; I thought I would’ve seen more, but I guess I busied myself with other (sometimes unnecessary) things, per usual. December is a shocker. The winner is… something. We’ve reached the final movie rankings for 2020, with an awards show on the horizon. Let’s get to it.

#5- “Wonder Woman 1984”
71%= Burnt Popcorn
Pros: Fun, entertaining, fast-paced, cashes in on the 80s look, enjoyable performances, and strong romantic element with Gadot and Pine’s chemistry.
Cons: While an improvement over the predecessor’s villains (in my opinion) the bad guys in this picture are still not that stellar; the father-son relationship with Pascal didn’t land for me, Cheetah became laughable, and the CGI… well, it teetered between “yikes” and decent.

#4- “Being John Malkovich”
79%= Juicy Popcorn
Pros: Original, funny, engaging, terrific first act, fun performances, amazing use of puppetry, has a style I enjoy, and paints a strong theme of humanity’s desire to be someone else.
Cons: The execution of this theme became extremely uncomfortable once romance got involved, showcasing some characters and decisions that I don’t support.

#3- “Mank”
80%= Juicy Popcorn
Pros: Wonderful cinematography, great harkening back to old cinema, awesome performances, and chock full of engaging cinema history (for the cinephiles).
Cons: The true story of the writing of “Citizen Kane” didn’t find Orson Welles being a thief of credit, whereas David Fincher decided to air on the side of Welles having nothing to do with crafting the screenplay. Also, if you aren’t aware of the history behind this film, it will more than likely be a boring endeavor.

#2- “Soul” (2020)
93%= Juicy Popcorn
Pros: Jaw-dropping animation, relatable theme (for me), fantastic voice acting, cool concept, and one of Pixar’s best films in a while.
Cons: The story structure is a bit chaotic (not as balanced) and there are some plot holes littered throughout the narrative.

#1- “White Christmas” (1954)
94%= Juicy Popcorn
Pros: Great performances, iconic songs, beautiful production design/costuming, heartwarming ending, and an all-around Christmas classic.
Cons: The “Choreography” number was a bit weak to me.

Juicy Hall of Fame Inductee: “Cool Hand Luke”
97%= Juicy Popcorn
Pros: Stellar ensemble cast (with an iconic performance by Paul Newman), full of memorable moments and characters that craft a wonderful story (the “Plastic Jesus” scene still sticks with me); also, great score and outstanding cinematography.
Cons: The story of a rebel in a jail compound may seem familiar and some spots can give to meandering… however, the pros outweigh the cons.

A Christmas movie won December… how about that? What a month — what a year, it’s been. And now, we have our line-up of nominees for the Movie of the Year. “White Christmas” (1954) will go up against “1917,” “Jojo Rabbit,” “Parasite,” “Uncut Gems,” “Silence,” “The Man Who Wasn’t There,” “A Ghost Story,” “Prisoners,” “Ford v. Ferrari,” “Thunder Road,” “The Cabin in the Woods,” and “Perks of Being a Wallflower” to decide who will take the gold.