Here is a list of movies of 2020 that may or may not have made it to cinemas but are worth watching....
The year 2020 has been unpredictable. Not that there were big promises from the big screen to topple or even match the previous year’s records, as no movie was lined up to match last year’s Avengers: Endagame’s revenues. However, there were a number of decent releases that were supposed to keep us hooked and the cinema industry thriving.
Here came 2020 and our priorities changed, our perspectives changed and so did the business of movies. There were no cinema going experiences and we were confined to watching big releases (that actually got released during the pandemic) on our home screens.
Since the concept of highest grossing movies changed this year so we altered the list slightly as well. Here is a list of movies of 2020 that may or may not have made it to cinemas but are worth watching.
Bad Boys for Life
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence starrer, Bad Boy for Life, was the highest grosser of the year.Third in the trilogy of Bad Boys, the movie was not much different from its first two installments but was still better in execution.
High on adrenaline, heavy on action packed sequences and two leading men having each other’s back charm, Bad Boys for Life was a good watch but not worthy of being the highest grosser. If we had a normal cinematic year, this movie would have been below five amongst the top 10.
Tenet
A sci-fi action film by Christopher Nolan that involves agent and time bending mission. No, I didn’t say Inception but yes if Inception was your cup of tea and you like these kinds of challenging movies, then Tenet is your type.
Starring John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki and Kenneth Branagh, Tenet was a cerebral exercise with visually grand puzzles for movie watchers to unlock and solve.
Tenet is visually and technically strong. It has the right amount of thrill, strong performances and visuals that are grand and appealing. If you like to solve puzzles then Tenet has everything to make it a good entertainer.
Starring Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Hugh Grant, Colin Farrell, Jeremy Strong, The Gentlemen was your usual Guy Ritchie action comedy that will not gross you out with violence but will create enough thrills to keep you hooked.
The movie is about an American expat selling off his profitable weed business in London, unraveling the schemes and twists attached to this deal.
The Gentlemen is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the year and is a must watch if you are even remotely interested in watching gangster movies with a softer touch. Even if you are not, just trust me on this one and watch it!
Sonic the Hedgehog
If you were a kid in 90s, then this was a nostalgic ride for you. Released by Sega in 1991, Sonic the Hedgehog was a video game series about a super fast blue hedgehog who fights the mad scientist.
In 2020, Sony brought the famous video game character to reel life familiarizing today’s generation with his cool character. Starring Ben Schwartz as the voice of Sonic and Jim Carrey as the mad scientist, Dr. Robotnik, Sonic was a fun, feel good movie. It was nostalgic to see Jim Carrey tapping into his manic energy that was his USP when he started his career. But for younger audiences, who haven’t seen Jim Carrey in his element, Sonic became the hero they portrayed in role play for days.
Onward
Onward is a fantasy adventure animated movie starring Tom Holland and Chris Pratt in voicing lead roles, as Lightfoot brothers. Being an animated movie fan, it was a sad year since we did not get to see a variety in the genre so we had to make use of the limited options available.
Onward started off at a slow pace and looked like a mundane storyline but soon picked up pace as the adventure began for the Lightfoots. It was a light family comedy with some inspiring and feel-good moments. My takeaway from the movie was the realization that sometimes the thing you have been looking for all your life is right in front of your eyes, you just need to understand and acknowledge.
The Invisible Man
One film that stood out in the horror genre in 2020 is The Invisible Man. Loosely based on H.G.Wells novel of the same name, The Invisible Man is about a woman who believes she is being stalked and gaslit by her ex-boyfriend who committed suicide. Despite his apparent suicide, the woman is convinced that the man has gained the ability to become invisible and is now after her life.
With strong performance and gripping horror timing, The Invisible Man works as a terrifying and tense horror thriller of this year.
Harley Quinn won hearts and brought Margot Robbie, who played the character, on the map of mainstream Hollywood, after the release of Suicide Squad in 2016. This year, Harley Quinn with her colourful and anarchaic spirit, splits up with the Joker and went out on her own adventure joining forces with the Black Canary, Huntress and detective Renee Montoya to save a young girl from Gotham city’s crime lord, Roman Sionis.
Where Ocean’s Eight was more about con-women playing smart, Birds of Prey is about women with strong fists. With Harley Quinn as the heart of the movie, it is thrilling, engaging with loads of fast paced action. Birds of Prey is a good time pass with no dull moments.
Starring Ben Affleck, The Way Back is about a high school Basketball star who walked away from the game, forfeiting his future. Years later, he is an alcoholic stuck in a meaningless job, gets a shot at redemption when he accepts the coaching job at his alma mater.
The Way Back is an example of tried and tested formula movies doing good because of outstanding performances. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Ben Affleck saved the movie. If you like the sports-drama genre, then this movie is worth a shot.
Dolittle
Inspired by Hugh Lofting’s character, Dolittle is about a veterinarian, Dr. John Dolittle, who has the ability to communicate with animals. He embarks on a mission to find a legendary island along with a young apprentice and some strange pets.
Robert Downey Jr. plays the title role with Antonio Banderas and Michael Sheen in live-action roles, with Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Tom Holland, Selena Gomez, etc. essaying voices of different animals.
With such a star-studded cast, one expected the movie to be adventurous, funny and exciting but it fell flat due to a clichéd plot, dull humour and terrible script.
The reason this is in the list is because it did reasonable business but the reason it is at the end is because from critics’ point of view, it drowned.
