So were they really the best?!?

So, what did I think of The Guardian's Top 50 films of 2020? 

At the top end of the list, I'd say they got it pretty much right - the top 10 were all fine films which I more or less enjoyed (if not necessarily feeling the need to watch them again).  I'd obviously quibble with the order, but that's the point to these lists, isn't it?  However, further down the list there were a lot of entries more questionable as to their worthiness of a place on the list which I feel few people have watched and fewer still have actively liked.  Plenty of them were merely "fine" - they had little (for me, at least) that made them stand out from the crowd.  And then there were the ones that were, how shall I put this - ah yes "absolutely bloody awful".

The Guardian were also very scrupulous in ensuring that no countries film output was left ignored - in all, 16 countries were represented across the list with the US and the UK unsurprisingly making up the majority of it.

At a high level, lets have a top 10

#47 - Seules Les Bêtes (Only The Animals)
#41 - Saint Frances
#16 - A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood
#10 - Never Rarely Sometimes Always
#7 - Saint Maud
#6 - Rocks
#5 - Portrait De La Jeune Fille En Feu (Portrait Of A Lady On Fire)
#4 - Collectiv (Collective)
#2 - Soul
#1 - 기생충 (Parasite)

With seven of these in the top 10, that bears out my comment that they got the top of the list right.  In terms of hidden gems, Seules Les Bêtes has to come out as my top recommendation - this was a nice thriller that was both clever and pleasingly quirky.  If I had to cut the list down, I think I'd pick Saint Maud, Portrait Of A Lady On Fire and Parasite as my top 3 - they're all beautifully shot films which don't necessarily provide you with what you're expecting (but in a good way!).  And films that can count themselves as unlucky to not make the top 10 are Les Misérables (#24), King Of Staten Island (#27), His House (#37), The Perfect Candidate (#46) and Boys State (#50) - all of which I very much enjoyed.

So how about a bottom 5?

#39 - Nabarvené ptáče (The Painted Bird)
#31 - Hvítur, Hvítur Dagur (A White, White Day)
#30 - Der Boden unter den Füßen (The Ground Beneath My Feet)
#28 - Vitalina Varela
#20 - DAU.Natasha

with #39, #28 and #20 being worthy as being called out as utter stinkers, although it's interesting that all these films are foreign - am I displaying a certain non-English bias here? (although I've got four non-English language films in my top 10).  I'd say there were also another ten or so films that, although not dreadful, had very little reason for me for them be be included in a top 50 list of anything - I really didn't see what they were called out for.

One thing I have taken away from this is that 50 films is a lot to watch, particularly if you only start halfway through the year and have also set yourself the task of listening to a load of music at the same time as well.  Empire's 20 best films of 2020 seems like it might have been a better option to take (and is in with a good shout for 2021) - I would have missed quite a few hidden gems but I also would have missed considerably more hidden whatever-the-opposite-of-gems-is.  I'm pleased I managed to track them all down though - it was hard work for some of the more obscure options.

Another comment is that documentaries on one person are never going to "great" films unless they come up with some sensational unknown details - yes, I'm sure Toni Morrison (#17) and Alice Guy-Blaché (#15) both lived amazing lives (especially after having watched the films!), but there's only so many ways you can go "Wow - look how amazing they were".

So what did The Guardian ignore that other lists or I enjoyed last year?

Any of Steve McQueen's Small Axe Anthology
I plan to watch these, although I haven't got around to them yet - but they all strike me as perfect Guardian material, so I'm surprised not to see them on the list.  I can only assume that because there's 5 of them they split the vote of whoever it was that was voting for this peculiar list!

Palm Springs
This is a very not-Guardian film, but it's also a load of fun and done very well - definitely worth a watch in my opinion.  And I'd have to say "a load of fun" wasn't a phrase I used very often during this list (update - it turns up next year, for some completely unclear reason!)

Queen & Slim
I've not seen this, but it got great write-ups and it's got Daniel Kaluya in it - and there's a man who really doesn't have too many black marks against his CV.

The Vast Of Night
This is a very atmospheric sci-fi somewhat spoiled by a bit of a silly ending, but it's well worth a watch (and it's considerably more watchable than a lot of films on this list)

Hamilton
I can quite understand the argument that this isn't a film, but Empire included it and it's certainly a fine watch.

The Trial Of The Chicago 7
This features some great acting and a great story - i'd say it was let down by being unbelievable in places, but it's a true story so that just makes it all the more incredible to watch.

Mulan
It's not a "great" film, but again it's considerably more watchable than a lot of the films on the list, so I'd give it a spot.

#1 - Not a huge surprise