We seem to be stuck in a position of perpetual fatalism regarding the state of cinema, which has been further fueled by the global pandemic. However, that opinion is very subjective, as we have seen some great movies in 2020 and the forecast for 2021 doesn’t look half bad either.
2020 has brought us classics like “The Platform”, “Uncut Gems”, and “First Cow” to revisit again and again. We have been gifted with a variety of genres telling stories in innovative new ways. As we march into the next decade we are reminded of the importance of quality film, rather than churning out a conveyor belt of average movies to keep the seats in the cinema filled.
In the words of the great Martin Scorsese regarding Marvel’s dominance of cinema these days: “It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.” These days, one must ask themselves what they want from the cinema.
Now more than ever, we are gifted with a diverse pool of talented actors and directors; the likes of Wes Anderson, Denis Villeneuve, Sofia Coppola, Chloé Zhao and Bong Joon-ho to name a few. Movie plotlines feel more original than ever. We have seen great movie blockbusters, as well as low-budget indies, find success in the last couple of years, which is refreshing to see.
With just a couple of months left in 2020, we wanted to guide our readers towards the quality films yet to hit the big screen. One of which we believe will be the movie of the year. Let’s find out what’s still to come.
Dune
An adaptation of an American sci-fi novel written by the legendary Frank Herbert. Dune is a gritty deep-space action-thriller about family loyalty and the rise of a savior. The job was taken by French director Denis Villeneuve, who has seen great success in recent years with Sicario, Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival. Given how unpredictable 2020 has been, there hasn’t been too much hype around this movie. Like most blockbuster films of 2020, Dune has also been delayed until next year. According to latest reports, it will arrive in theaters on October 1st 2021., instead of its original release date, December 18th this year. But we definitely see this one as the big blockbuster and one which is likely to attract the attention of many Maryland sports betting bookmakers like onlinesportsbetting.net offering Oscar betting opportunities. This movie has a huge budget and what we have seen in the trailer looks like it is going to be the epic of the year. The movie stars the new Hollywood heartthrob Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Jason Momoa and many more. We are very excited about this one.
Nomadland
If Dune is the blockbuster for 2020 (or as it seems, a next year), then Nomadland is the Indie of the year. Chloé Zhao has had a busy year, directing the latest in the never-ending series of Marvel movies “The Eternals.” Nomadland is a far simpler story, following the lives of people living in the American West, traveling around in camper vans looking for work in the aftermath of the Great Recession of 2008. Chloé Zhao’s focus is on the human element of filmmaking and her unique use of cinematography always captures the attention of the viewer. Zhao pays great attention to detail and takes advantage of the natural beauty in the world to bring her movies to life.
The reason we focus on this movie is, in part, because it will star the formidable Frances McDormand, who won her second Oscar for “Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri” in 2017. Her presence on screen reminds us of the unbridled acting of Daniel Day-Lewis – so magnificent and raw – while as individuals in the real world, they are both rather reserved. She will also star in the latest Wes Anderson movie “The French Dispatch” in early 2021. Zhao will also draw upon her trademark of using non-actors in roles loosely based on their own lives, as we saw in the 2017 Western “The Rider.” Look out for this one in your local cinema. It is scheduled to be released in the United States on December 4, 2020, by Searchlight Pictures. Definitely, something to look forward to.
“Jessica Bruder in conversation with Matthew Desmond about her book Nomadland.” by Princeton Public Library, NJ is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
Happiest Season
Finally, we delve into another indie movie, written by Clea DuVall, tackling the difficulties of a young woman coming out to a conservative family. Clea DuVall has seen great success in her career as an actor and director, with movies such as “Girl, Interrupted” and “Argo”. The movie will no doubt have all kinds of twists and turns as the girls try to navigate a frustrating and rather awkward situation. The movie stars Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis, who play the couple that are caught in the middle of it all. This will potentially be the first mainstream lesbian comedy film with any success and it is certainly something to get excited about. The Happiest Season is scheduled to be released on November 25, 2020, by Sony Pictures Releasing. We hope that will not change.
Which movie are you most excited about for this or next year? Share with us in the comments!