Cinema is in an odd place at the moment. Due to the pandemic, for the majority of the last 18 or so months, theatres and cinemas have been forced to close, meaning that some of the biggest blockbusters have been pushed to online streaming platforms or delayed entirely, such as the new James Bond films.
As a result of this, the finances generated from big movies have dwindled, with should-have-been moneymakers from 2020 such as Disney’s Mulan and Christopher Nolan’s Tenant bombing due to this unfamiliar way of consuming films for the consumer. This has lead studios to be reluctant to release their new flicks, creating a pretty baron film landscape.
However, that doesn’t mean there have been no good films released this year. In fact, despite the slim pickings, there are many great films that have been released this year that any film buff needs to seek out. Here’s a look at some of them.
MLK/FBI
Directed by Samuel D.Pollard, this unapologetically political film is one of the year’s best, boasting an almost perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, and is by far the best historical, autobiographical film from the last year.
The film focuses on Martin Luther King, the infamous black power leader who was instrumental in creating better equality for black individuals and other minorities in the United States. This film details the FBI’s and government’s displeasure of the idol and how they conspired to smear his campaign and ultimately destroy him and the movement. It’s a vital watch for anyone interested in the country’s recent history and has an outside chance to pick up a few awards, according to these Academy Awards Odds.
NomadLand
With the award season considering films released in the year prior, it means that breakout indie film Nomadland is due to a mention as one of the best films of recent memory. It focuses on an older woman in her sixties, which in itself is a rare occurrence in film. After losing everything due to the great recession, she decides to journey through the American West to live a nomadic lifestyle from her van. It is based on the 2017 non-fiction novel of the same name and is incredibly honest with its portrayal of modern-day America. Being an exploration of the forgotten and downtrodden, it is beautiful and full of emotion, which is why so many people are refusing to forget about this film in a hurry.
Black Widow
With Marvel being such a huge player in cinema, it was weird not to see them release anything designed for the big screen of note in 2020, and even more disappointing for fans to see their slated batch of films pushed back. However, with a slew of great TV series under their belt in the form of WandaVison, Falcon & The Winter Soldier, and recently the critically acclaimed Loki, Marvel is now ready to reinstate their film offerings. Black Widow feels like the start of a new chapter for Marvel, and reviews are raving about this daring and action-packed film that focuses on the first female Avenger. Due to the events of Endgame, some people might feel that this film isn’t essential viewing; however, it’s a great flick and is a good indication of things to come if what follows matches the quality of this spy and espionage classic.
