I watched a lot of movies in 2020 (a whopping 172 to be exact), the vast, vast majority of them on my TV or laptop screen. (Wonder why that was?) Though some were old favorites, like "The Apartment," "Cat People" and "Remember the Night," plenty were either brand-new (thanks, streaming revolution) or brand-new to me. Here's a list (part one, actually), of the movies I saw last year. Let's hope, when I make this list in 2022, that a few more theatrical experiences are included...

What Did Jack Do?

I half-jokingly posted early last year that I didn't expect to see a better movie in 2020 than this black-and-white David Lynch short, and though I wound up seeing some fine films in the past 12 months, this remains one of the very best. Only 15 minutes long, it's a gorgeously shot, atmospheric interrogation scene between a detective (Lynch) and the titular murder suspect, Jack Cruz (a monkey, playing "himself.") The dialogue manages to be hard-boiled and poetic at the same time, and just when you think it can't possibly get any better, Jack breaks out into glorious, glorious song. Simply amazing.

Little Women

Saw this one on New Year's Day 2020, so it just missed making the previous year's list, but it deserves a spot on this one. I really enjoyed how writer/director Greta Gerwig rejiggered the timeline to make certain sections of Louisa May Alcott's venerable story bounce off each other in interesting ways, and the cast -- Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern and others -- is top-notch, finding new ways to play some pretty old characters. Bonus points for a couple of non-Women cast members: Chris Cooper, revealing a sad humanity he rarely gets a chance to play, and Bob Odenkirk, well, just for being Bob Odenkirk.

Weathering With You

The last movie I saw in an actual theater was this epic anime. I took Allie to a few weeks before the world shut down. In the not-too-distant future, Tokyo is a flooded city, drenched by non-stop rains. But thanks to an almost mythical "sunshine girl," the rain occasionally stops and people can have parties, play outside and go back to semi-normal life (at least in select areas and for limited times). All of this comes to head in a love story where two crazy kids have to decide whether their romance is worth the damp hell of a flooded world. And, the answer wasn't quite what I expected. It's all beautifully animated, with a solid soundtrack and a vibe unlike any other movie I saw last year. If this had to be the last film I saw in an actual theater, at least it was worth remembering.

Top of the Heap

After Christopher St. John co-starred in the blaxploitation blockbuster "Shaft," he spent his paycheck (and cache) it in the best possible way: writing, directing, producing and starring in this dark, surreal, consistently surprising story of an African-American police officer who struggles with his job, his family, his fellow cops and his place in society. Full of fantasies, dream sequences and offbeat touches, it’s like no other blaxploitation movie -- or any movie, period. (I heard about this one, by the way, on the always entertaining, always essential Pure Cinema Podcast.)

The Sting

Is it possible that I somehow had never seen "The Sting"? A blockbuster movie, a multiple Oscar winner and a piece of pop culture that was omnipresent during my childhood? But I can't think of a time I actually sat down and watched the movie itself. And that's too bad, because while it lacks the weight and grit of the other classic '70s movies, the damn thing is a perfectly tuned entertainment machine. It looks great, it's flawlessly cast, it has just enough tension (but not too much) and it delivers the fun, scene after scene after scene. Can't believe I waited this long to finally watch it.

Eighth Grade

I was reluctant (though not as reluctant as my then-8th grader) because I thought it might be just as grim and miserable as the grade itself can be at times. But two years after its release (and when middle school was safely in the rear-view mirror), I gave it a shot. And surprise, it was awkward and sad and embarrassing and cringe-worthy and all the other things that 8th grade is, but it was also funny and touching and hopeful. Elsie Fisher gives a brilliant performance as Kayla, your average kid going through average things. One of the strengths of Bo Burnham's film is that it never goes too far -- the kids are never too mean, the drama is never too dramatic and the plot is never too twisty. It's just a refreshingly real look at a tough time -- and how times can indeed get better.

The Lighthouse

I named Robert Eggers' "The Witch" my favorite movie of 2016, so it's no surprise that his follow-up would find a place on this list. Even wilder and more insane that the movie with a goat named Black Phillip, "The Lighthouse" is one of the most outrageous viewing experiences I had in 2020, and that's a compliment of the highest order. Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson are pitch perfect in roles that slip further into insanity with every frame, and the breathtaking black-and-white cinematography is the best I've seen since, well, since "What Did Jack Do?" Reminds me of Guy Maddin (specifically "Brand Upon the Brain," his lighthouse epic), which is a very good thing.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things

I read Charlie Kaufman's brick-thick debut novel," Antkind" last spring, and though I wasn't wild about it*, I thought this Netflix mind-bender was an excellent return to form. Jessie Buckley and Jesse Plemons star in what starts as a fairly typical tale of a couple visiting his parents and then, surprise surprise, goes way off kilter and becomes something else entirely. There are the usual Kaufman tricks with structure, time and alternate realities, but there's also something else, namely the way the movie reframes its entire story and gains a whole new power near the end. If there's one movie on this list that merits a second viewing, it's this one (though, if you ask me, they all do).  

*Check out my 2020 book recap coming up in this blog, well, one of these days.

UP NEXT: A movie about a guy in a sheet, a movie about guys in sheets, a Japanese movie about the power of punk rock and more!