It’s a snowy February in the Hudson Valley right about now, and it’s got me in the mood for hot cocoa, cozy sweaters, and hanging out with my best gal pals. That’s right, it’s time to celebrate Galentine’s Day, 2021 style, which means snuggling up on the couch with your cat (and/or pooch, iguana, rat, etc.) and cheering on ya girls Thelma and Louise; Leslie and Ann; and Oprah and Gayle (real women, real friendship). And although I am a married woman (not to mention a total sucker for any reason to get dolled up and enjoy my spouse’s company), and Valentine’s Day caters to me, I still think it’s important to challenge the Hallmark holiday by celebrating all types of love, whether that be under-represented romantic love or the love inspired by a deep friendship. So, this year, to honor the Parks and Recreation holiday, Galentine’s Day, I’ve been meditating on what I think may be the best film to watch on February 13th: Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion . There have been an amazing collection of films added to the Galentine’s pantheon in the past few decades, for example: Bridesmaids , Mean Girls , and Booksmart to name some more classic fare, and: Whip It , Ghost World , and Thoroughbreds , if you’re jonesing for something more off the beaten path. If the Galentine’s spirit were to move me, I could write an article about each of these wonderful films, and then some, but for the sake of this article, they’re the Rhoda, and Romy and Michele is the Mary. Debuting in 1997, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion stars Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow as Romy and Michele, two extremely hip, 28-year-old women who seemingly answer to nobody. But when faced with the daunting task of impressing their former classmates upon returning home for their 10 Year High School Reunion, they begin to question their life achievements post-high school. It becomes the first, concrete test of their friendship, and along the way, they learn the lessons of what’s truly important in life and how to continue to lift each other up in the face of haters. It’s practically a perfect film in every sense of the word (and it’s oh-so-very laugh-out-loud funny), so without further ado, here are my top 10 reasons, in no particular order, to watch Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion this February 13th. ‘10) It’s a clever deconstruction of the classic rom-com structure. At the very beginning of the film, Romy and Michele are hanging out in their apartment watching Pretty Woman , a film that they cop to having watched, “like, 36 times.” The first spoken lines of dialogue you hear (after No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” plays during the opening credits - need I say more?) come from the scene within Pretty Woman where Julia Roberts’ Vivian is denied access to shopping. The first line you are able to match to a visual is Vivian saying, “Look, I got money to spend in here.” To which the retailer replies, “I don’t think we have anything for you, you’re obviously in the wrong place.” Now, I have no confirmation for this, but I like to think that’s the film’s cheeky way of setting you up to watch something completely different from what’s come before; just a fun little nod indicating that if you’re expecting your typical rom-com fare, then you’re in the wrong place, no matter what currency you have to spend. ‘09) Romy fakes an orgasm, consensually! One of Romy and Michele’s checklist items to impress their former classmates is to roll on up in a sweet ride, and since Romy works at an auto retailer, she knows she can gain access to one...so long as she can sweet-talk Ramone, the attendant who’s in charge of the keys, who also just so happens to be crushing on Romy. So Romy and Ramone devise a plan where they just make it sound like they’re having sex in order to impress Ramone’s buddies, and Romy gets her keys. (And later still, Romy jokingly lies to Michele and claims she had to give a bunch of blowjobs to get the keys, and Michele doesn’t even bat an eye.) Consent and sex-positivity are pretty important in this film, which is, ya know, pretty darn cool. ‘08) The clothing is bomb. Whether Romy and Michele are in their high school flashbacks, their business suits, or Michele’s homemade fashions at the club, these ladies always look great. The clothing is a functioning narrative in the film to dictate status and self-worth (black clothing here represents a block of self-expression - which is a cool, juxtaposition to the typical read of black clothing equating to faculty). The clothing also becomes the source of empowerment for the gals at the end of the film, and when their high school foes make fun of them, a former classmate (Lisa Luder, who became an associate fashion editor at Vogue ) congratulates them on their fashions, claiming, “all in all I’d have to say they’re really, not bad.” I disagree with Lisa; I think they’re fantastic. ‘07) For that matter, the lack of clothing is bomb. There’s a very funny scene where Michele is mid-makeout and is summoned to the reunion to receive an award, but something’s not right. “I couldn’t find my top,” she explains to her entire graduating class while making her acceptance speech. It’s a fun nod to a reveal to come, but ultimately, it’s just some grade-A comedy chops from Lisa Kudrow. ‘06) Janeane Garofalo. That’s really the entire entry, but I can go on. Garofalo plays fellow former classmate Heather Mooney, a misunderstood nerd who always had a thing for Alan Cumming’s Sandy Frink (sorry, Heather, you didn’t “have a thing,” you were very much in love - “there’s a difference”), who in turn always had a thing for Michele. So, clearly, the three gals were always going to be at odds. Post-graduation, Heather invented the quick-burning paper for Lady Fair cigarettes, for the gal on the go. She’s the perfect foil for Romy and Michele, and while a man is the inciting cause of their initial misunderstanding, the ladies come together when they realize they’ve been perpetuating their feud because of the societally-perpetuated-but-fictional social hierarchy of high school (which all the ladies break down by the end of the film). Garofalo is really firing on all cylinders here. ‘05) Justin Theroux plays a cowboy. That really is the entire entry. ‘04) Romy and Michele take the philosophy “fake it ‘till you make it” to its most logical conclusion, by intimating that in Michele’s dream-state she knows the formula for glue, strengthening the lie that, yes, these ladies did indeed invent Post-Its. Yes, the lie the gals choose to impress their former classmates is that they invented Post-Its, and the lie is discarded almost as quickly as a Post-It actually loses its stick. I just love that Michele manifests knowledge; it’s not only a fun bit, but it’s also a good reminder that if you put your mind to something, you probably can make it happen. ‘03) When Romy ends up putting down the “mean girls” at the reunion during the climax of the film, she doesn’t stoop to name-calling or digs at appearances. Her ultimate rebuke for her long-term nemesis, Christie Masters, is, “You’re a bad person, with an ugly heart, and we don’t give a flying fuck what you think.” In the heat of the moment, it’s so easy to go for low hanging insults, which usually results in cheap pot-shots on appearance or capability, but Romy cuts more to the quick with calling out Christie’s ugly heart. Romy and Michele spend the first third of the film trying to get in shape for the reunion, but by the end of the film, they realize that, more than anything, the most important thing to exercise is your compassion. ‘02) “...and the soundtrack kicks fucking ass.” The movie both looks, and sounds, great, with the classic 80’s and 90’s soundtrack you’d expect from a film featuring a couple of gals returning to see the Sagebrush High Class of ‘87. There are a lot of great musical moments since Romy and Michele are frequent clubbers and don’t shy away from a spin class, but the best musical moments come from their senior prom (where they both come dressed as Madonna), and of course, the reunion. The choreographed dance to Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” is ICONIC, and you’ve really got to see it to appreciate it. But the main takeaway is that “Time After Time” is most often used to signify the dedication shared between two people in a romantic partnership, but in Romy and Michele the song is about the two best gals because… ‘01) Galentine’s Day, duh! Every central conflict between Romy and Michele has nothing to do with a man (except for in an existential, who’s cuter, kind of way), and really their entire disagreement is born from a weak moment of distrust within the framework of societal pressure. Without the looming reunion, or the sudden need to prove themselves, Romy and Michele were living the high life, enjoying each other’s company, making killer clothing, and living right off the beach. Michele mentions that before they started scrutinizing their lives and each other, she thought they were having “a blast.” It wasn’t until they put their relationship under the scrutiny of others’ opinions that their union started to fall apart. And the same could be said for every other gal’s shortcomings within the film; if each lady was to not care about their social status in the “hierarchy,” they’d all be having a blast. Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion is the perfect Galentine’s Day flick to remind your gal pals that if you’re having fun, the hell with everyone else. This February 13th, make sure to tell the special ladies in your life you love ‘em, and... “Have a Romy and Michele Day!” Bernadette Gorman-White Managing Editor Bernadette graduated from DePauw University in 2011 with a Film Studies degree she’s not currently using. She constantly consumes television, film, and all things pop culture and will never be full. She doesn’t tweet much, but give her a follow @BeaGorman and see if that changes.

Presented by A24 and Story Screen PG-13 ‧ 2021 ‧ Drama ‧ 1h 55m In conjunction with A24, Story Screen is proud to host a virtual platform to supplement Minari's limited theatrical release on February 12. Our A24 Screening Room will host two weeks of virtual screenings as we work together to bring Lee Isaac Chung's beloved film to the audiences who want to see it most. You'll not only get an insanely cool movie experience, but all ticket sales directly support Story Screen Beacon Theater and the lovely folks at A24 that have worked tirelessly on Minari's production and release. ​ SYNOPSIS: A Korean American family moves to an Arkansas farm in search of its own American dream. Amidst the challenges of this new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they discover the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home. TRAILER: (For additional information on the virtual screenings, head over to the ticket link below to get every question you could possibly have answered!) GET TICKETS HERE

Host Mike Burdge is once again joined by living legend, Tim Irwin, to sip the drinkies and spit those thinkies on a couple of movies that they probably would never have watched if it weren't for that glorious of all motivators: THE CONTENT. This time up, they're covering the knife-tastic Has Fallen Trilogy , starring Morgan Freeman with Gerard Butler, as well as the curious case of White House Down , the Olympus Has Fallen 2013 mirror universe twin where Jamie Foxx uses a chrome plated rocket launcher that lives in a limo. It's fun! Listen on....

Another year of movies, come and gone! Below, we've collected all our Best of 2020 lists in one cool spot. Lists, a video and *gasp* A PODCAST! Check it all out, you cool person you. VIDEO: Story Screen's Best of 2020 First up: A collection of the Story Screen Family's favorite films of 2020, featuring music also released that year. Our annual big video drop, edited by Mike Burdge. Enjoy! LISTS (click image to read the full lists!) Jeremy’s 10 Favorite Films and Shows of 2020 Jack's 2020 Top Ten BaeBae’s Top 10 of 2020 Sophia's Top 10 Movies of 2020 Damian's Favorite Films of 2020 20 for 20: Diana's Top Films of 2020 Mike’s Top 20 Films of 2020 I Welcome You to My House: Bern’s Top 10 of 2020 PODCAST: Story Screen's Favorites of 2020 (click through to listen)

In this jam packed episode of awesome, the Story Screen Family discusses their favorite films of 2020, including Wolfwalkers, Sound of Metal, Beanpole, David Byrne's American Utopia, Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Bill & Ted Face the Music . Oh, and hey, 250 episodes of Story Screen Presents ! Cool! Listen on....

I've always believed in empathy and the equations and logic that lead to reason. But after a lifetime of such pursuits, I ask: “What truly is logic? Who decides reason?” My quest in 2020 has taken me through the physical, the metaphysical, the delusional… and back again. And I have made the most important discovery of my career, the most important discovery of my life: it is only in the mysterious equations of movies that any logic or reasons can be found. I'm only here tonight because of movies. They’re the only reason I am. They are all my reasons. 20. The Invisible Man You may not have noticed, but horror has been racking up quite a legacy for a good couple of years. The genre has always been ripe for the picking for smaller scale, lower-budget fare, and there are even a few of those from 2020 on this list. Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man is a knockout of a standard horror flick. Using a classic “monster” - metaphorically repurposed here as a stand-in for a seriously scary, real-life monstrosity - combined with the cannot-be-stopped talent of Elizabeth Moss and the undeniably thrilling flair of some of Whannell’s latest action works, The Invisible Man is a special kind of horror movie that operates to near perfection on just about every level. 19. The Wolf of Snow Hollow Director Jim Cumming’s 2018 feature, Thunder Road , topped my list of favorites that year. While his follow-up feature purposefully builds on and plays with some of the things that made that film so special, it didn’t have the same energetic spark that seemed to radiate from every frame of Thunder Road . But luckily, Jim Cumming’s is a beast of a director and one of the greatest at balancing tone working today. The Wolf of Snow Hollow is clean, sharp, funny, and touching, an impressive tribute to decades of horror stylization and a Cohens-esque battle cry to the world on how we can treat the people in our lives as disposable. 18. Cuties (Mignonnes) The bullshit film controversy of the year (#SnyderCut considered) was rustled up by people who have never heard the saying about the differences between depiction and endorsement. While a challenging watch, yes, ten minutes into Cuties should have even the densest of minds able to see what all this is supposed to be about, although I really may be giving a little too much credit there. Maïmouna Doucouré’s fanciful but intense coming-of-age film is just as mesmerizing as it is painfully uncomfortable, giving us a tale of morality and the pressure pot that is the need to fit in, leaving behind what should be considered this generation’s thematic equivalent to Lord of the Flies . 17. Possessor Every year I have some truly unhealthy anticipation for a few movies. Anticipation that ultimately proves unfair, yet still disastrous, to some awesome movies. Possessor was one such movie of 2020, and one of the few that blew my expectations out of the water. This is truly a cinema lover’s fantasy, filled to the brim with phenomenal portrayals, slick and dirty design, lighting that would make any DP quiver with envy, the list goes on. Every bit as violent and stylistic as it is potent and immersive, Brandon Cronenberg’s dystopian sci-fi revenge flick of the self is an absolute ride from beginning to end. 16. First Cow As sweet as milk cake, First Cow is a delightfully moving and strangely unsettling tale of friendship and kindness. Kelly Reichardt (where my Old Joy peeps at?!) softens each scene with a sensory overload of just how delicate anything can be, weaving a tale of creativity and dreams that leaves you just hopeful enough to bear the film’s closing moments. 15. Mank This one’s for the nerds, I suppose? My current (ahem, tentative?) standing as a movie theater operator gave myself and some close friends early access to Netflix’s big awards play - a full week before it hit the streaming service, and I was blown away by its tenacity to truly stick to what it wanted to be: both an ode to the stylizations of the movies that made us all, and a condemnation of what Hollywood is and always has been, warts and all. Imagine my surprise when the movie was met with the ever so respectable “TLDR” from the passive critics of the World Wide Web. Mank is a perfect example of a true blue tired expression: a labor of love. With some of the most memorable dialogue of the year, Mank is one of the films I’ve returned to again and again since its release only a few months back, and it has proven to be a member of another tired film criticism cliche: it gets better every time you watch it. 14. Bacurau Ironically, this next flick takes us back to my movie theater operator/vigilante occupation. When the world shut down, Story Screen quickly partnered with several movie studios to start releasing films virtually through our website in an effort to keep the doors open to awesome movie watching and conversation. The very first film I, as the esteemed and ever-weary programmer, chose to host was Kino Lorber’s run of Bacurau . This movie holds a special place in my heart. It was the first bright light at the beginning of a dark and lonely time, and even led to the year-long journey my good friend (and lover of animation) Robby Anderson and I spent on our Stalking Carpenter podcast series, combing through the entire filmography of the great John Carpenter, whose decades of work are all over the entirety of this movie. The things to admire about Bacurau are fairly simple, yet Bacurau itself is anything but simple. It is an ambitious, cheesy fever dream of a movie with enough exploitation trappings to make that genre-infused commentary on injustice and colonialism go down real smooth. Plus, Sônia Braga! 13. Swallow An immaculately executed display of tone and tension, Swallow effortlessly places us in the cruel, capable hands of Carlo Mirabella-Davis, a director who will most assuredly be spinning heads for decades to come. Cravenly sadistic to a point where you just CANNOT dare to look away, the film offers up scene after scene of amazing work, all held together by Haley Bennett’s exquisite portrayal of a woman going to disturbing lengths in an effort to gain the mere semblance of control of her own life. 12. Bad Education (Taps fingers on the table in what can only be described as deep, deep consideration). Look, when I say a movie houses the best Hugh Jackman performance ever, I don’t say it lightly. The man has turned in an array of genre works for decades and he’s the boss. Y’know? He’s the boss! But Jackman’s portrayal of Frank Tassone is one of my favorite things of 2020, movie-related or otherwise. When the dude hung up his claws, I got excited for what he was going to really start to open himself up to, and after we got The Greatest Showman (which is surprisingly enjoyable when you’re intoxicated, I might add) I was nervous that my man might be slipping into a comfortable state, just super chill to do whatever he fancies and works for his image. But Bad Education is a rock-n-roll movie, with great performances from the entire cast and a fine follow-up to director Cory Finley’s Thoroughbreds , which I still regret to this day not including in my Best of 2018 list. Stark, ugly, charismatic, and hip, Bad Education is above all else an insanely funny and captivating flick. You just can’t take your eyes off the thing. 11. The Vast of Night One of the biggest criticisms I had with 2011’s Super 8 was the unrelenting lack of innovation on a production level when it came to creating a loving homage to the very genre the film was attempting to flatter through imitation. This is very much not the case with The Vast of Night , a film that has just as much value in its execution as it has to its purpose. This is a goddamn miracle of a movie, something so raw and creative that it frankly makes me jealous and somewhat mournful that I gave up trying to make films years ago. There is perseverance on display here that wrapped me up, and expressive intuition in control of everything that is outright stimulating to behold. Director Andrew Patterson has exploded onto the scene in the most earnest of ways and is going to be making movies that make many lists like this for a long time. 10. Lover’s Rock Steve McQueen’s Small Axe anthology of films will forever be regarded as one of the brightest lights of 2020, arriving at a time the creators never could have anticipated, but also at a time their stories couldn’t have possibly been more needed. And the brightest light of all of them is Lover’s Rock . An almost incomprehensible experience, Lover’s Rock takes its time but doesn’t mince words. It illuminates the screen with the joy and pain of everything that it has on its mind. There are instances of get down bliss countered with almost too real moments of struggle, lacking any levity that could possibly allow the viewer to feel anything but sadness, followed up so naturally by more cinematic euphoria in the shape of true people bottled up in true elation. 9. Sputnik Ladies, gentlemen, and all other fine folks, please stand: this is one of the best sci-fi horrors to be released into our reality in a long time. With shades of Carpenter, hues of Villeneuve, and the added bonus of some Denis visualization and blocking, Sputnik is a straight-up cinematic hammer to the face for any sci-fi/horror lover. There is nothing wrong with this movie, it basks in its political metaphors, dances in the fire of its bombastic, ever-shifting plot, and ultimately delivers on shock after shock in its final act. 8. Love and Monsters Surprises come in all shapes and sizes, but when a movie "movies" as hard as Love and Monsters does, you need to stand up and respect. I knew nothing about this movie, other than a color palette I sorta dug from one of those fifteen-second Amazon ads I was spoon-fed while trying to watch the latest indie Bulgarian romantic-comedy on my list. But oh my lawd, what an awesome movie! This baby’s got everything (insert “slaps hood of car joke,” yes, even though it’s 2020), and upon multiple rewatches, it has only grown in my favor as one of the very best genre movies of recent memory. Think Zombieland and The Last of Us by way of Turbo Kid with a budget. I could exhaustively tell you about its top-notch script, bore you to death about its impeccable tone work and world-building, even try to roar up excitement about its progressive character arcs, subversive foreshadowing, and insanely thrilling action set pieces, but how about this: watch the movie, and if you don’t desire another one of these right away, seek help. 7. Time A wildly effective and emotionally draining masterpiece. Time’s greatest strength, other than its obviously heart-wrenching subject matter, is that it, well, takes its time. Life is beautifully stitched together over decades throughout the course of the film’s runtime, revealing the immense sorrow and anger that can be born from injustices and apparent apathy when it comes to the lives of those deemed seemingly unimportant. But what Time proposes is that we are all, each and every one of us, important and worthy of the good fight those closest to us may have to engage in day after day, year after year, and in this case, decade after decade. All of these pieces of a woman: her husband, her children, and those in her life swirl together into a mixture of veracious clarity, leaving you with the film’s final moment that is guaranteed to make a Matthew McConaughey from Interstellar out of us all. 6. And Then We Danced And Then We Danced is about as enthralling as a film can get. One cannot help but be swept into its moves and gestures, playfully pulled along the road from the first frame to its ending shot, joyously smiling in the film’s bright, sun-soaked moments and practically begging for release during its harsher, visceral scenes. Director Levan Akin, along with his secret weapon, newcomer Levan Gelbakhiani, choreographs not only some of the most delicious dance scenes I’ve seen but also instances of such strong sensuality and immediacy that the viewer is left falling in love with the characters and story just as they do each other. 5. Never Rarely Sometimes Always While including my beloved “Wishing,” by Flock of Seagulls would typically be more than enough to get any movie on to a top list of mine, luckily Never Rarely Sometimes Always also happens to be a dream of a movie. Director Eliza Hittman is an absolute pleasure to watch do her thing, seamlessly documenting the short passages of time that take place throughout the film in a way that is really breathtaking. This is another example of certain types of filmmaking that connect with me on both a personal and technical level when I start to become envious of such skill. Talia Ryder, here playing our protagonist’s sidekick-cousin-confidant, is also a remarkable arrival and an actor of interest that I anticipate will be on our minds for a long time to come. But the true star of the film is, naturally, its hero: Sidney Flanigan. Even as I consider my words of high praise for the performer, recalling moments from my experience watching the film late one night, I get chills and my heart starts to beat at the same odd pace it did during all of those mesmerizing close-ups of Autumn’s practically war-torn, emotionful face. It is everything you want a movie to be, and its beauty truly comes from all of its moving parts working completely in sync with one another. 4. Beanpole (Dylda) Crashing into my 2020 film world like a maniac, hell-bent on burning my world to the ground, Beanpole may not top this list for various reasons, but it is decidedly the best-directed piece of film of the year, in my own not completely humble opinion. Kantemir Balagov is a prodigy of blocking and design, creating a world so full of color you almost forget how devastatingly miserable it all is in every instance. Our main characters, portrayed by Viktoria Miroshnichenko and Vasilisa Perelygina, practically superglue your eyeballs directly to their every move and gesture the moment they first arrive onscreen, a necessary feat to ensure everything that follows is not only witnessed but felt. Beanpole is a film critic’s dream movie: a raw, uncompromising story told by a devilishly talented mind and performed to absolute perfection by an absurdly overwhelming cast of professionals. 3. Sound of Metal The delicate nature of our lives and the things we take for granted are propelled into stimulating clarity in Darius Marder’s remarkable debut as the writer-director of Sound of Metal . Anchored by another chef’s kiss of a performance by the great Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal’s greatest attraction, at least for me, was its remarkably simple yet groundbreaking approach to visual and auditory storytelling, utilizing old tricks in new ways to produce something all at once recognizable, but ultimately contemporary and thrillingly confrontational. One of the few movies I was able to see in the comfort of my own big ass theater, this was a movie that packed several punches throughout and left me feeling appreciative of the world around me and my place in it, even during a time when those things have never been more confusing and uncertain. 2. Portrait of a Lady on Fire As is the case with many people, this was one of the last films I saw in a theater during "The Normal Times." While that feeling of connection to a lost time won’t be swept away from my memory of this film anytime soon, it is probably one of the least personal motivations for me loving the absolute hell out of it. While movie critics in their grand circles were fortunate enough to catch this masterpiece in 2019 during its festival runs, I was forced to wait and wait until its official release in the US in February 2020. And when I finally looked upon it, I saw that it was, indeed, that fire. Director Céline Sciamma, working with the consistently amazing cinematographer, Clair Mathon (of Atlantics and Stranger by the Lake fame), crafts a visual palette for the film, that so directly resembles an oil painting that I found myself confused at times at just how they made so many different colors pop so variously within single frames. This technique proves quite necessary for the film’s ultimate themes, anchoring the idea of experiences in our lives, eventually, all being transformed into single, solitary pieces of memory that we recall more in the ways they made us feel, rather than how they may have actually occurred. The movie is a stunner on a technical level, and has an emotional rollercoaster of a story, featuring two break-out performances by Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel. A passionate look into the very souls of its characters, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is one of the most special movies one could ask for and features an all-timer of an ending that is sure to haunt movie watchers for decades to come, just like its beautiful, beautiful characters. 1. i’m thinking of ending things I love ideas. I like a story that’s got some concrete structure but also holds abstractions. Life is filled with abstractions. And the way we make heads or tails of it is through intuition… Some people love these abstractions and it gives them room to dream. An abstraction to me is a thing that cinema can say and it’s so beautiful, for me anyway, to think about these pictures and sounds flowing along together in time, in a sequence, making a thing that can only really be said in cinema. It’s not words, it’s not just music, it’s a whole bunch of things coming together and making a thing that didn’t exist before… It’s the viewer and the picture and sound. And it makes a circle and it just goes like that. So, you just feel it and think it. That’s kind of intuition: emotion and thinking together. -David Lynch, on the intuitive nature of abstraction in film. ( FULL VIDEO ) Charlie Kaufman’s latest directorial effort displays, in my opinion, the director finally finding his voice as a visionary storyteller in a way that fits perfectly with his style of writing and story structure. His early works (which were directed by the genius buffoons by the names of Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry) were praised upon release, and have stood the test of time as thoroughly engaging and fascinating studies on the self and the many ways loneliness can consume us. But they’re also all extremely funny. This lighthearted touch was something I always felt Kaufman’s directed projects lacked. Sure, Synecdoche, New York , and Anomalisa have their fair share of funny and odd moments, but I never found myself enjoying those features the same way I did his other works, even if they are both astoundingly well-made films. But, with i’m thinking of end things , Kaufman disguises possibly his loneliest look into the soul yet, by entrapping all the pain and thoughts of meandering existence within a tone that vibrates discomfort in a laughable way at all times. This balancing act is so impressive on its own, that the rest of the film could’ve been watered down in feeling and technical accomplishments, but these things are all one and the same in this movie; each one reacts to the other and so on in a circle of absolute movie magic. While the film is definitely, and very understandably, not for everyone, I personally find myself intoxicated by its fancifulness every time I watch it. (I’ve checked it out three times now, with a fourth viewing probably happening immediately after I finish typing this!) There’s so much to notice, so much to take apart and examine in every moment, that the film miraculously feels fresh each time, new layers revealing themselves, making it greater than before with each passing scene. But of course, easter eggs and hidden meanings a good film does not make. No, what makes i’m thinking of ending things a GREAT film is its artistic and stylized deconstruction of memory and the idea of the self - how the things that we do, the art we ingest, the pieces we choose to hold onto, the things we choose to forget or rewrite in our own minds - all of this equals a person that at once is us but also really isn’t. And these thoughts, when shed upon with too much light in the mind, can lead to a feeling of immense loneliness and regret. At the same time, they fill us with joyful memories and moments that exude the very nature and reason for living in the first place: how we affect other people, and how they affect us. Kaufman has crafted the very thing David Lynch was referring to in the earlier quote: “Making a thing that can only really be said in cinema.” The concept of loneliness and memory have long been portrayed in writing, music, and, yes, even many films, but Kaufman has distilled these concepts down to a mood and tone that you can feel and relate to, embellishing his film with a sad mundanity that can very easily be mistaken for disinteresting, or even (gasp!) boring. i’m thinking of ending things is a challenging film, but a rewarding one because of this. It is a work of true poetry, a magical experiment happening right before your eyes for an entire 134 minutes. It is not only my favorite film of this year, but has become one of my favorite films of all time, and that’s something so special, so rare, that even the world falling apart around me can’t take away the significant and memorable feeling that gives me. Plus, that Beautiful Mind makeup burn is the coldest shit I’ve ever seen. 5 stars. Honorable Mentions: I saw too many movies this year, coming in just over 150, because I am a monster that must be caged by the conventions of the normal world, otherwise I will destroy myself and take the world with me. While this was an amazing experience, filled with fantastic stories and lots of crying, it ultimately proved sinister in my attempt to pick only 20. The following are a few other movies that very easily could’ve cracked this list in a number of spots, and I will regret not including many of them for years to come. This is the way. The 40-Year-Old Version, The Assistant, Another Round, Anything for Jackson, Babyteeth, Black Bear, Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets, Butt Boy, Da 5 Bloods, Deerskin, Dick Johnson is Dead, Emma., Eurovision Song Contest, Feels Good Man, His House, Host, I’m No Longer Here, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Miss Americana, The Old Guard, One Night in Miami…, Palm Springs, Promising Young Woman, Relic, She Dies Tomorrow, Shirley, Shithouse, A White, White Day, The Wild Goose Lake, Wolfwalkers, World of Tomorrow Episode Three, You Cannot Kill David Arquette Mike Burdge Editor-in-chief Founder of and programmer for Story Screen. Lover of stories and pizza in the dark. When he isn't watching movies, you can find him reading things about people watching movies. He currently resides in Poughkeepsie, NY, and most assuredly is going through a French Connection phase.

Despite movie theaters closing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 released so many fantastic films. And while I would have loved to see many more of them on a bigger screen, I am grateful to have seen them period. I do not claim that these are all “the best” films of 2020, but after much deliberation (and binge-watching) these are my top picks released during a very unusual year. But before I get going on the films of 2020, however; here are a few words on some of the TV series that helped me get through the especially trying times. 2020 TV Series: Dark but Satisfying: (HBO for the win): I May Destroy You The Third Day Perry Mason I’ll Be Gone in the Dark Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You is captivating. It deals with questions of consent and trauma, while also looking at friendship and how you portray yourself to others once given a public platform. The Third Day is just one of several mesmerizing performances by Jude Law in 2020 - with a story that turns on its head halfway through, as Naomie Harris takes the lead. Matthew Rhys plays the titular Perry Mason, which is an origin story of sorts, but so beautifully shot and anchored by Rhys’ performance, that I am happy with it just as a standalone piece. And finally, there’s I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, the HBO documentary series based on the book of the same name, covering Michelle McNamara's investigation into the Golden State Killer and what that investigation cost. It is gripping and devastating, even if you already know its ending. Ennui & Personal Demons: We Are Who We Are (HBOMax) The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix) High Fidelity (Hulu) Anya Taylor-Joy kills it as a chess prodigy in The Queen’s Gambit ( a series that looks like a film). Luca Guadagnino creates his first series for the small screen with We Are Who We Are. The show is as dreamy and stunning as his film work; it follows teenagers living on an army base in Italy as they deal with death, sexuality, religion, patriotism, and family. Zoë Kravitz stars in Hulu’s reboot of Nick Hornby’s work, High Fidelity, which winks to the original film while offering pleasant and satisfying changes. For more about this series check out my article here . Fantasy but not total Escapism: Devs (Hulu) Tales from the Loop (Prime) While Devs and Tales from the Loop both deal with stylized futures, they are still grounded in dealing with grief, loss, and what motivates us as human beings (and all of the emotions ranging in between). Hilarious yet still Poignant: Pen15 (Hulu) I was definitely late to the game in watching Pen15 . I used to rewatch episodes of Broad City when I was feeling down and needed a pick-me-up, and Pen15 has definitely filled that void during 2020. As adult actors portraying adolescent versions of themselves, Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle are so believable at times that they blend in with their tween peers. The first half of season two deals with crushes, divorce, puberty, and that epic beast: the middle school drama club. This show made me laugh out loud but dealt with friendship and coming-of-age in such a way that still struck a strong chord of sincerity. It is worth your watch and I cannot wait for future episodes. On to the films of 2020… ...of which, I watched many. I wanted to stick with my usual criteria of only picking a “Top Ten List” despite there being so many heavy contenders in 2020. But there were so many to choose from, so here are ten noteworthy films that definitely would have made it into my “11-20” if I had made a “Top 20 List” (in no particular order): i’m thinking of ending things, Dick Johnson is Dead, Corpus Christi, One Night in Miami..., Saint Frances, Sputnik, Wolfwalkers, Da 5 Bloods, Babyteeth , and Lovers Rock (but actually, ALL of director Steve McQueen’s Small Axe films: Mangrove, Lovers Rock, Red, White and Blue, Alex Wheetle, and Education are worth your time). *** Now, down to the nitty-gritty: 10. Love & Monsters - I’ve already watched this movie twice, and I definitely see it as one I will return to again in the future. While some may compare it a bit to Zombieland, it is Dylan O’Brien ( Teen Wolf, The Maze Runner) who really carries the film into greatness territory. A scared, clumsy boy and a very brave dog are on a journey in a world where the creatures that were once swatted away, now top the food chain. The special effects and creatures are a lot of fun, as are the side characters (shout out to Michael Rooker), and the movie has a really tight script with plenty of payoff throughout. Plus, Dylan O’Brien is just so dang likable. With so many great films in 2020 being of “heavier” content or sentiment, Love & Monsters was refreshing, entertaining, and funny. I hope that we will get another one of these films (or two?) in the future. 9. First Cow - We see so many films that focus on romantic love, but in First Cow we really examine a story about friendship. The movie’s two main characters are initially united by their otherness, but also by a wish to better their situation in a new world. John Magaro is the sweet to Orion Lee’s spicy. They compliment each other so well, one fueling the other in their goal to succeed in the Pacific Northwest during the nineteenth century. The film is beautifully shot and heartbreaking to watch. 8. Time - Produced and directed by Garrett Bradley, Time is a documentary following the fight by Sibil Fox Richardson to free her husband from jail for almost twenty years, while simultaneously raising their family. During this time, Fox filmed several home videos of herself and her family. She is a mother of six, a writer, public speaker, and entrepreneur. When she met Bradley initially, they decided to work on a short documentary film, but towards the end of shooting, Richardson gave Bradley home video footage from the past 18 years, which Bradley used to weave together the feature-length documentary. The film is profoundly sad but also hopeful, as Fox raises their children as a single mother, but continues to fight for the early release of her husband from a 60-year sentence. It is an indictment of the incarceration system and a detailed look at love and family. 7. Another Round (Druk) - What happens when you start losing your joie de vivre? Four friends who are all high school teachers, feel like they are just going through the motions. After reading a study, one of them suggests that they conduct an “experiment” where they each maintain a constant blood alcohol level of 0.05 during the day to help them relax and be more creative, to see what effect it has on their jobs and lives. The results vary and continue to escalate with disastrous consequences. Mads Mikkelsen leads the film as Martin, a father, husband, and teacher who has lost his sense of joy and is just looking for a way back. The final moments of the film (and Mikkelsen’s performance) are enough to make the whole movie worth it. Check it out. 6. Bad Education - This movie really took me by surprise. I didn’t expect it to be so damn good. Based on a real-life scandal, Hugh Jackman shines as Frank Tassone - the Long Island school superintendent who is ultimately caught for embezzlement. Allison Janney is always fantastic, this time as Pam, the financial conspirator to his crimes. The reason this film is so good is just how sympathetic Jackman makes Tassone. He’s living a lie at all times, but we still want him to escape before it’s too late. This is some damn fine acting. 5. Sound of Metal - Riz Ahmed delivers a career-defining performance as Ruben, a musician, and addict who struggles with change when he loses his hearing. This film uses sound (and lack thereof) and closed captioning as a way for a hearing audience to experience what Ruben is going through, all the while never portraying deafness as a disability. Rather than making the film about a challenge that Ruben must overcome, it is more about facing change and learning to grow along with it. 4. Beanpole (Dylda) - Beanpole takes place in Leningrad (Russia) shortly after WWII, where the city and its residents are still reeling from the effects of the war. The titular “Beanpole,” is Iya: a tall, skinny, pale young woman, who is working as a nurse at a hospital caring for veterans after serving in the war herself. She suffers from PTSD and periodic bouts of seizures where she freezes, unable to move, her breath rasping and gurgling until the episodes are over. She lives in a communal apartment with other families, struggling to make ends meet, while caring for a small child. When her friend from the war, Masha, returns to live with her, looking for a new start is when things really start to shake up. I won’t say anything more about the story, or about Iya and Masha’s relationship, but it is their performances that make this such a special and memorable film. 3. And Then We Danced - Levan Gelbakhiani stars in this film by Swedish-Georgian director Levan Akin, about a young man, Merab, working to gain a spot in the National Georgian Dance Ensemble. His parents are both failed dancers who are now separated. His family struggles financially. He and his brother both participate in a smaller ensemble, practicing since they were small children. Traditional Georgian dance is seen as a representation of “traditional masculinity” in the conservative country. While Merab is dedicated and hardworking, he is constantly criticized by his instructor. His attempts to join the ensemble are further challenged by Irakli (Bachi Valishvili) a newcomer to his dance class, which shows more natural talent to the artform. While the two dancers are initially competitors, they soon become friends and then more. And Then We Danced deals with Merab’s struggle to reconcile his passions for dance and Irakli, with the traditions and beliefs of his society. 2. Never Rarely Sometimes Always - Eliza Hittman’s film is one of a few released during 2020 that dealt with a plot centered around a journey to have an abortion. It stars Sidney Flanigan as Autumn, a minor from Pennsylvania, and her cousin, Skylar (Talia Ryder) who travel to New York City, to visit a clinic that will allow her to have an abortion unaccompanied by a parent. The entire film is an odyssey: showing every detail of their journey and all of the obstacles they must overcome to reach their goal. The performances in the film are often so understated that any explicit show of emotion is jarring but cathartic. For more about the film check out my full review . 1. Portrait of a Lady on Fire - Céline Sciamma’s film was one of the last ones I was able to see in a theater before they shut down last year, and it stayed with me throughout 2020. It may be another film where some feel “not a lot happens,” but in reality, everything happens. Noémie Merlant plays a female painter, Marianne, commissioned to do a portrait of the aristocratic Héloïse (Adèle Haenel) to send to a potential suitor for marriage. Héloïse has left the convent after her sister (presumably) committed suicide, and she does not want to participate in any attempt to solidify her future nuptials. Marianne has been hired by Héloïse’s mother to accompany her on walks by day, and paint her portrait in secret. There’s a lot more to the film than that. But if you haven’t yet seen the film, I strongly recommend it. It is heartbreaking and gorgeous. A lot of the lighting and color palettes create the feeling of an oil painting as we get to know these characters and watch how their interactions will shape them for years to come. Diana DiMuro Associate Editor Besides watching TV and movies, Diana likes plants, the great outdoors, drawing and reading comics, and just generally rocking out. She has a BA in English Literature and is an art school drop out. You can follow her on Instagram @dldimuro and Twitter @DianaDiMuro

Hello, readers! Congratulations! Many Netflix shows, Zoom meetings, and loaves of bread later, you have made it through 2020, and I am so proud of you. Turning on the news at any point last year was harrowing, but it’s important to remember the positives as well: the essential workers and everyday heroes, the reformation of our education systems, vaccines, volunteers, the increase of empathy, Australia’s fires were put out, the election ended, and the “Fireside Chat”-like press conferences from Governor Cuomo on the strength of New York. Also, 2020 was the year Parasite won the Academy Award for Best Picture, the first international feature to do so. Hunkering down at home due to the pandemic, I made the most out of my streaming services and caught up on some great movies released over the course of the year. Here are my top ten favorites. (Also, I didn’t realize it until making this list, but there is a recurring theme of social justice and political change in most of these films; unintentional, but a fitting theme for 2020.) 10. If Anything Happens, I Love You As a student and soon-to-be teacher, it’s hard for me to separate my personal feelings from this film. But the way this movie emotionally resonated with me is also why it landed at my number 10. Co-executive produced by Laura Dern, and earning 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, this animated short film portrays a couple living in the aftermath of a school shooting at their daughter’s school. In a mere twelve minutes, the simple black and white animation powerfully depicts their grief and leaves you with a lump in your throat. As an educator, I hope this film’s message starts more conversations on the importance of eradicating school violence in the U.S. 9. His House Fans of mythology and thrillers will love this one. This is a fantastically creepy story, with haunting special effects of the house’s creatures. His House centers around a South Sudanese couple seeking refuge in the U.K., after escaping their civil war-torn country and surviving a tragic boat accident. Their English caseworker, played by Matt Smith, provides the pair with a run-down house (that he repeatedly notes is larger than other homes provided) and expects them to assimilate to their new surroundings, or be sent back. Something in the walls begins to torment the husband, Bol. The spirit is also visible to his wife, Rial, but is more friendly towards her. She explains the “sea witch” intends to hold Bol accountable for his past misdeeds during their escape. Rial is also grieving the loss of a loved one and doesn’t feel as ready as Bol to leave her Sudanese culture behind. This is a story on refugeeism, cultural assimilation, and repentance. If I had rewatched this movie, it would probably rank higher on my list. I recommend seeing this film in a dark, silent room. Trapped in my house during the height of COVID-19, I watched it on a small tv, with my dad loudly making dinner in the other room, and then chomping on salad next to me during the quiet scenes. If you were able to see John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place in a theater, remember being able to hear a pin drop? That is the ideal movie-watching environment for His House . Or at least save your crunchy salads for another film. (On the flip side of watching this in such a casual setting, at one point I walked past the tv during a gory jumpscare, and it knocked me backward.) 8. Never Rarely Sometimes Always Never Rarely Sometimes Always is an honest, thought-provoking film. This independent drama tells the story of Autumn, a pregnant teenager traveling with her supportive cousin from Pennsylvania to New York City to get an abortion. The workplace sexual harassment shown as casual, everyday experiences for the young girls’ will make your toes curl, and fill you with disgust. This film accurately depicts how unglamorous and difficult this process is for Autumn. Before seeking a safe healthcare provider, there’s a raw scene that sticks out in my mind where she attempts to end the pregnancy herself in different unsafe ways out of desperation. Remarkably, the actress playing Autumn, Sidney Flanigan, had never even considered acting before this movie. She hopes Never Rarely Sometimes Always will shed light on the obstacles young women in the U.S. face accessing safe, legal abortions. 7. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm This movie isn’t actually called Borat Subsequent Moviefilm , but that’s more succinct than Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan . Like the title, this movie is ridiculous. With makeup disguises, costumes, and a fake ignorant personality, Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat is a master of deceiving politicians, celebrities, and the everyday person into revealing their beliefs. Whatever fake sexist, racist, or chauvinist personality Borat puts out into the world, he attracts real Americans who support those views. Maria Bakalova plays Tutar, Borat’s caged teenage daughter in need of a husband. She keeps up with Cohen’s antics, offers a sweet father-daughter dynamic to the story, and even takes the spotlight away from Borat in some hilarious scenes (it’s hard not to feel some second-hand embarrassment watching that blood moon dance). Combining the comedy of Cohen and Bakalova, with random people reacting to odd situations, and the kindnesses brought out of strangers, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is one unique mockumentary to watch. I won’t “spoil” the Rudy Giuliani interview for those who haven’t seen the film, and have managed to avoid the news discussions over his actions. But for those who are aware of the controversy surrounding him, in my opinion, whether or not he did that one particular action shouldn’t be the main concern. The entire interview between Tutar and Guliani (Bakalova is a 24-year-old actress playing a 15-year-old aspiring journalist) is uncomfortable as a whole. The interview is gross whether or not the one action was true. But, watch it for yourself, and form your own opinion. 6. The Social Dilemma Some movies this year changed my everyday perspective. Granted, information on the dangers of social media usage lowering your mental health, invading your privacy, being programmed to be addicting, and being irresponsibly used for cyberbullying isn’t totally news. But even going into the documentary previously knowing the basics of its effects, after I watched this film (and also seeing “Snowden” for the first time, the 2013 dramatization of Edward Snowden’s whistleblowing), it was enough to motivate me to limit my social media usage even further, turn off my phone more often, and stick a cover over my webcam. In this film, former CEOs and early designers of the largest tech companies explain social media algorithms, and how they track all of your scrolls and taps. The apps are designed to maximize the amount of time you spend using them, which also maximizes the number of advertisements they show you. To educate yourself on the intended and unintended consequences of infinitely scrolling through social media, or the monumental effect of Facebook on politics and government, check out this documentary on Netflix. 5. The Trial of the Chicago 7 Aaron Sorkin is the director and screenwriter behind this courtroom drama, based on the real-life trial of seven men involved in an uprising at Chicago's 1968 Democratic National Convention after a clash with police officers leads to violence at an originally peaceful countercultural protest. The casting in this movie is perfect. Eddie Redmayne plays Tom, one of the protest’s leaders, and a defendant. Tom acts very civilly, and more restrained than the other defendants, particularly compared to Sacha Baron Cohen’s Abbie Hoffman (if you’re not familiar with Hoffman, he was the Vietnam War protestor in Forrest Gump wearing an American flag shirt at the Washington Monument). Cohen is known for his political activist roles, such as his Borat character in movie #7 of this list. Alongside Jerry Rubin, Hoffman’s witty comebacks to the ignorant comments and actions of their judge (who issued 175 contempt of court citations throughout the 5-month trial) are some of the movie’s best moments. The star-studded cast also includes Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, John Carroll Lynch, and Alex Sharp. 4. The Invisible Man Elizabeth Moss is just phenomenal. Alongside her film and tv roles in The Handmaid’s Tale (my favorite), Shirley , Mad Men , Her Smell , and Us , her acting in The Invisible Man as Cecilia Kass, the ex-girlfriend of a psychotic scientist, deserves recognition as one of her best performances. The movie is vaguely inspired by the original 1933 science fiction movie The Invisible Man with Claude Rains (which still rocks by the way, and stars a 23-year-old Gloria Stuart, the old Rose in Titanic ). But aside from a crazed scientist discovering a way to turn himself invisible, that is where the movies’ similarity ends. Despite the multitude of invisible man films made since 1933, The Invisible Man takes a new, modernized approach to the story, intertwining the #MeToo movement. Cecilia is a gaslighted ex-girlfriend, fighting off her abusive, controlling ex. This is a story on domestic violence and describes how real women in abusive relationships fear sounding “crazy” for speaking up for themselves. Known as “social thrillers,” some films not only have suspenseful thriller movie elements, but also serve as an important, critical commentary on society (as seen in In the Heat of the Night , Rosemary’s Baby , Get Out (check out the alternate ending’s plot twist), The Purge: Election Year , and Parasite) . In my opinion, this movie’s take on the #MeToo movement categorizes it as an intriguing social thriller. Additionally, the special effects providing the illusion of invisibility are really creative and well-done. Moss’s acting skills combined with the special effects are reminiscent of how little the audience sees the actual shark in Jaws ; you don't need to see something in order to know it’s there. 3. Sound of Metal I did my first podcast with Story Screen’s Hot Takes on this movie! Sound of Metal tells the story of Ruben, an unstable drummer who loses his hearing from performing in concerts. As a former addict, angered and volatile from the loss, he admits himself into a rehabilitation facility run by the Deaf community in order to stabilize himself and learn how to communicate with other Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals. Ruben controls his addiction, learns sign language, and is taught the importance of not viewing Deafness as a disability. Ruben is played by the talented Riz Ahmed. Paul Raci plays Joe, the Deaf man running the rehab facility. Raci is a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA), meaning he is a hearing person raised by Deaf parents, so his sign language is fluent. Sound of Metal deserves an Oscar for Best Sound; the editing and special effects are incredible. The movie mimics for hearing audiences what different environments sound like for individuals with tinnitus, some residual hearing, and a cochlear implant. As someone who studies Deaf culture and is intermediately proficient in ASL, I wholeheartedly recommend this movie. The film is enjoyable for both Deaf and hearing audiences and is in tune with the Deaf community’s value of preserving their minority culture. 2. Disclosure This film changed the way I look at movies and tv shows. Everyone needs to see this documentary. Produced and narrated by filmmakers, actors, and other leaders of the entertainment industry who are transgender, this documentary teaches the importance of transgender representation in cinema. Since 80% of Americans do not personally know someone who is transgender, the media is a central source of information on what transgender people are like, and how others should treat them. When a movie character finds out their romantic partner is transgender, does it reinforce the way people should react to trans people in real life? With repulsion? Humor? When a man is “tricked” into falling for a trans woman and realizes she is trans, he dramatically vomits everywhere ( The Crying Game , Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Naked Gun , Family Guy , and The Hangover Part II). Sometimes just a trans person’s entrance into a room is met with laughter as if their existence is a joke. Even if the character is not transgender, it still affects how trans people view themselves, and how others are trained by society to react to their appearance (as seen on The Flip Wilson Show, The Jeffersons, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, Risky Business , and How I Met Your Mother ). Activist and actress Laverne Cox (the first openly transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award) recalls how for the longest time, whenever she walked onto a subway, people around her would suddenly burst into laughter. She believes that is a trained reaction due to how transgender characters are reacted to in movies and television shows by their peers. Transgender characters are also commonly depicted as being murdered, or slowly dying in a hospital due to their hormones ( NYPD Blue , Cold Case , Grey’s Anatomy , Code Black, and CSI: NY ). Or they’re a psychotic killer ( Psycho , Silence of the Lambs , Dressed to Kill, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour , Murder!) . Looking for something new to watch that includes positive representations of transgender characters? Check out Pose , A Fantastic Woman , Orange is the New Black , Paris is Burning , and The OA . For something child-friendly, filmmaker Lily Wachowski loves the 1957 Bugs Bunny Looney Tunes cartoon, “What’s Opera, Doc?”. Historian Susan Stryker mentions it was the only positive transfeminine representation she saw on television as a child in the 60s. *** Before revealing my number one pick, here are my other top picks for 2020, and some films I wasn’t as keen on for people to try to convince me otherwise. Other Top Picks: A Secret Love , Crip Camp , Uncle Frank , The Wolf of Snow Hollow , Wolfwalkers, Yes God Yes Movies I Was Surprised to Dislike: Soul , I’m Thinking of Ending Things , Tenet, Hamilton 1. Palm Springs Groundhog’s Day , but better. I went into this romantic comedy thinking it would be so cheesy, full of wedding clichés, that I would probably turn it off after ten minutes. Why watch a Groundhog’s Day type plot during a pandemic, when every day at home already feels the same (hence the coining of the term “Blursday”)? But holy cow. This movie beat all the odds set against it. Cristin Millioti and Andy Samberg are hilarious, the writing is phenomenal, and the soundtrack rocks (particularly Kate Bush’s “Cloudbusting” during the finale). Palm Springs is the perfect comedic relief I needed to make it through 2020. In this fresher, feel-good variation of a Groundhog’s Day or Russian Doll time-loop, Sarah and Nyles are infinitely reliving Sarah’s sister’s wedding day. The cast is awesome, including J.K. Simmons as a mysterious former acquaintance (it’s difficult to describe his lead role without spoilers), Camilla Mendes as Tala (the bride), and Peter Gallagher as Sarah and Tala’s father. Nyles and Sarah have different outlooks on the time-loop. Nyles feels that if every day is the same, then time is meaningless, and nearly everything else is meaningless. Over time, he sleeps with everyone at the wedding party, tries to kill himself repeatedly (there’s a running joke that if you want to “die” to restart the day, do it right, or you spend the rest of the day in ICU), and he enjoys shocking people to amuse himself. Meanwhile, Sarah wants “tomorrow to be tomorrow,” embracing the circumstances and makes the most of the extra time to the best of her ability. In general, my favorite movies tend to be movies with a little bit of everything. In 2019, my top pick was Parasite. Parasite has suspense, horror, comedy, drama, and satire. Palm Springs is the perfect mixture of comedic relief, science fiction, romance, action, and the hopeful messages I needed to survive 2020. Will Palm Springs win Best Picture at the 2021 Academy Awards? I doubt it will even be nominated. But did it fill me with joy every time I watched it during one of the darkest years? Absolutely. For making me smile in 2020, and continuing my hope for a better tomorrow when every dreary day felt the same in quarantine, thank you, Palm Springs . Sophia Acquisto A Beacon resident since 2001, Sophia is pursuing a Master’s degree in Education at SUNY New Paltz.

I really, really miss the movies y’all. It’s obvious to say that 2020 was a hard year for everyone, and on a relative scale, I’m infinitely grateful for the continued good health of myself and my loved ones. But of all the little pleasures and freedoms that COVID-19 has taken, the movie theater experience is one of the things I miss the most. There’s something about the collective experience of a dark room, a massive screen, and a professional sound system that makes the experience of watching movies really magical for me. That’s not to say there weren’t plenty of excellent movie releases in 2020, despite theaters being closed for the vast majority of the calendar year. There’s just something that is lost watching movies at home. Maybe it’s the threat of constant distraction, whether it’s my phone, my cat, or any of the million other things in my apartment that can pull me out of the experience. Maybe it’s the loss of sharing that experience with a group of friends or recording "Hot Takes" with the Story Screen family in person. Or maybe it’s just that sweet sweet movie theater popcorn. A major part of my enjoyment of movies is the experience itself, and for those reasons, I found it a lot harder to connect with many of the movies I watched this year. Despite all that though, I did find ten favorites that stood above the rest. Here they are. 10. The Lodge The Lodge is a bitter, cold movie. If you’re a glutton for movie punishment like I am, and if everything else going on hasn’t made you feel miserable enough already, look no further than The Lodge. It’s the kind of psychological horror movie that slowly digs its icy fingers into your skin until you’re chilled to the bone. It’s a fresh take on the cult genre that explores the lingering effects of manipulation and trauma. It also features some devilishly creepy little children that you just love to hate. Between this and Knives Out, Jaeden Martell is going to have to be very careful to not get forever typecast as an extremely punchable little jerk. 9. She Dies Tomorrow I don’t think director Amy Seimetz could have ever predicted how topical She Dies Tomorrow would be. The premise for this one is just as the title suggests: a young woman is convinced that she will die tomorrow, and spreads the affliction to anyone she informs. Sure, some of the themes here about facing one’s own mortality and existential dread are universal. But the relevance of spreading a deadly affliction with anyone you come into contact with makes this trippy little horror movie all the more eerie. Seimetz’s story reaches far beyond just a pandemic parable though and spends a good amount of its runtime exploring the ways each character feels when they come to terms with their own end. I especially enjoyed the use of lighting in this one, with some experimental scenes that really warp the perception of its characters by playing with light. She Dies Tomorrow is equal parts creepy, beautiful, and thought-provoking, and it stuck with me for a long time. 8. First Cow First Cow is such a lovely little movie. Everything about it is so cozy and pleasant. Oh to be an American pioneer stealing cow’s milk to make tasty little oily cakes. Despite the harshness of the frontier setting, something about First Cow just made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The bond that the two main characters, Cookie and King Lu, form in their entrepreneurship is so kind and sweet. This is one I really wished I could have seen on a big screen so that I could have fully sunk into its warm embrace. Despite that, I was still able to immerse myself in the calm and quiet that First Cow provided. First Cow gave me an experience of peaceful reflection that was more than welcome in such a chaotic year. 7. Come to Daddy This is a movie that fully lives up to its eccentric title. Elijah Wood has become such a gem in the movie industry in the last few years, whether he’s in front of the camera or behind the scenes producing with Spectrevision. Come to Daddy is funny, energetic, and downright bizarre. When I recommend a movie, I almost always give the advice to go in knowing as little as possible. This is the kind of movie that I would stress that advice even more than usual. I was immediately charmed by its cast of weirdos and consistently delighted and surprised by its twists and turns. 6. Anything for Jackson This one came as a left-field recommendation from Mike Burdge, one that I am so thankful for. Anything for Jackson caught me completely off guard. Its premise is simple and straightforward, yet there’s a confidence in its execution that makes it unique. It's a perfect example of a horror genre movie that achieves so much with a very limited budget. Anything for Jackson finds a perfect balance of self-seriousness, playfulness, and a dark sense of humor. It also has a fantastic cast of characters and some delightfully twisted scares. My love for this movie only blossomed when Jeremy and Mike shared some delightful trivia about its creation. Its director, Justin G. Dyk, has spent the last five or so years cranking out dozens of corny Christmas movies for television networks like Lifetime and Hallmark. Anything for Jackson is a passion project that he and screenwriter Keith Cooper pulled together with very limited resources, using their own homes for much of the setting. If you’ve got a Shudder account and a free 90 minutes, I can’t recommend it enough. 5. Bill & Ted Face the Music At best, I thought Bill and Ted 3 might be a fun little nostalgia trip that played on Keanu Reeve’s recent resurgence in public popularity. I was so pleasantly surprised when what I actually got was so genuine, sweet, and heartwarming. Reviving a franchise that has been dormant for thirty years is no easy task, especially with the added challenge of COVID-19 interrupting post-production, and I had set my expectations low. But rather than just winding up as a cash grab, Face the Music manages to capture the same heart and spirit that made the originals cult classics. Part of that is due to the film’s exploration of Bill and Ted feeling both their age and the enormous responsibility of saving the future. Part of that is the introduction of Bill and Ted’s daughters, Billie and Thea, who offer fresh perspective and charm. In a year when the world felt so divided and terrible, Bill and Ted were a ray of warmth and hope. 4. What Did Jack Do? Sure, this one is technically a short film with a runtime of only 17 minutes. But did you really expect me to not put a new David Lynch release on my top ten? What Did Jack Do? is David Lynch distilled: it’s completely absurd, surreal, and borderline nonsensical. But in the nearly indecipherable interrogation between a detective (played by Lynch) and the titular Jack Cruz (played by a capuchin monkey), there is a sense of dreamlike logic of which Lynch is the undeniable master. For anyone who may still be wondering what the hell people mean when they describe something as “Lynchian,” I might recommend starting here. 3. The Vast of Night 2020 may have taken the movie theater experience from me, but it also introduced me to a new way of enjoying movies with others. Over the course of this year, I got way into “watch parties,” which are a way for streamers on Twitch to watch movies along with their followers. It’s basically just a time code connected to a chat room, but it offered a sense of community in movie watching that I had otherwise lost in the real world. For me, it was a great way to experience a flick with other people, especially on nights where I couldn’t make up my mind on what to watch. The Vast of Night was a 2020 gem that I experienced in this way. While I would have infinitely preferred seeing this one in a theater, there was something fun and unique about watching it with fifty or so other people. This is a movie that completely nails its Twilight Zone inspired aesthetic. I loved all of the clickety clackety analog technology. I was instantly charmed by its fast-talking leads. There's also some seriously stunning camera work here, as well as some captivating one-shot monologues. It’s incredibly impressive that this is the first feature from director Andrew Patterson, and I can’t wait to see what he does next. 2. Possessor Brandon Cronenberg has the unenviable task of living up to his legendary father’s name. With Possessor , I think he successfully pulls from some of the aspects that made his father such a successful horror director while carving out his own unique style. Possessor is creepy, violent, and gross enough to make papa proud, while offering its own distinctive vision of the near future and pondering complex themes of identity and self. I love how the technology in this movie feels futuristic yet low-fi in a way that achieves a perfectly gritty atmosphere. It also features fantastic performances from Andrea Riseborough and Christopher Abbot, whose characters warp and bleed into each other over the course of the film. 1. Portrait of a Lady on Fire Portrait of a Lady on Fire was the last film I saw in a theater before lockdown. Maybe that bias gave it the extra push to the top of my list. Even without that advantage, though, Portrait is an absolutely breathtaking film. I was completely enraptured by the beauty and grace of this movie. Its two leads, played by Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel, have stunning onscreen chemistry that left me in a complete emotional puddle by the time the movie ended. I still remember leaving the theater, now over a year ago, as a weepy, bleary-eyed mess. Director Céline Sciamma creates such a beautiful, tragic romance with Portrait that I couldn’t help but carry Héloïse and Marianne's heartache with me long after I had left the theater. Jack Kolodziejski Co-Head of Podcasting Jack makes drugs for a living, but not necessarily the fun kind. He enjoys international travel and discussing music, movies, and games in excruciating detail.

Elijah Wood was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on January 28, 1981. He’s the middle child of three, with an older brother and younger sister. His parents owned a deli. Believe it or not, that’s actually his real name, not some stage name he came up with later on. In 1989, his family closed the deli and moved to Los Angeles to focus on Elijah’s budding acting career. Early on, Wood modeled and appeared in commercials, but in 1990 he starred as Aidan Quinn’s son in Avalon - a film about the American immigrant experience - that received widespread acclaim and was nominated for four Academy Awards. Elijah went on to star with Joseph Mazzello ( Jurassic Park ) in Radio Flyer - a SUPER sad film about brothers who were abused as children, directed by Richard Donner ( The Goonies ). (That movie scarred me.) The early nineties definitely kicked off Elijah’s primetime as a child actor; he starred in Disney’s The Adventures of Huck Finn, played Jamie Lee Curtis’ son in Forever Young, and tried to survive the murderous shenanigans of Macaulay Culkin in The Good Son (another one that gave me nightmares). In the mid to late nineties, Wood was definitely busy (this was also around the same time that his parents officially divorced). In 1994 he starred in Rob Reiner’s North, as a child travelling the globe in search of “better” parents. In 1995, he starred in Flipper; in 1996, he appeared in a music video by the Cranberries (SO NINETIES!); and in 1997, he played opposite Christina Ricci in Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm. In 1998, Wood was in the star-studded disaster flick, Deep Impact, as well as one of my personal faves, Robert Rodriguez’s creepy horror sci-fi flick, The Faculty. And then everything changed. Elijah was cast as Frodo Baggins in Peter Jackson’s epic adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series. Whisked away to New Zealand to work with another star-studded cast - Ian McKellan, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Bean, Cate Blanchett, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, and more - Wood got top billing. All three Lord of the Rings films - The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King - were shot simultaneously, and entirely in New Zealand from 1999 to 2000, with pick-up shots done from 2001 all the way to 2004. This experience bonded the cast and crew of the films. Peter Jackson’s film series are among the highest grossing, worldwide, of all time. ALL TIME, friends. Jackson’s use of creatures, costumes, make-up, and both practical and special effects were all game changers in the film industry. Weta Limited/Weta Digital and Andy Serkis brought the character of Gollum to life, mixing CG and live action in a way that had never previously been achieved. The film had a production team of over 2,600. The trilogy used 26,000 extras over the course of filming. Ever wonder how they made the Hobbits look so small? Check out CinemaBlend’s interview with Wood on the topic. But what about Elijah? What effects did the epic experience have on Wood’s career? In a 2006 interview at SXSW Wood looked back on his time making LOTR: I think what sticks in my mind is largely what’s loomed in my mind since we finished, which is just the experience of having made it. Being in New Zealand. The two months of prep before we started shooting when we got to know each other, and had this buzz of excitement about the adventure we were going on. We knew it would be special, but we didn’t know what was right around the next bend. For the 15 year anniversary of the film series Empire showcased an article where the stars of the films interviewed each other. John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) interviewed Wood, at one point asking him, “What do you say when young people ask about becoming an actor?” to which Wood replied: I say that integrity is of the utmost importance and that one should love the craft and have no other reasons beyond that love and passion to invest their time. Also, that it takes hard work and perseverance and that, ultimately, living life outside of the work will push one’s growth and experience to be better actors. Work with friends, create with like-minded people. Don’t wait for the opportunities to come to you. Create your own. Pretty solid, grounded advice from a successful child-turned-adult actor. During the COVID-19 pandemic in May of 2020, Josh Gad hosted a special LOTR episode of Reunited Apart with Elijah and many more . The YouTube series reunites the cast of popular movies through video-conferencing, and promotes donations to non-profit charities. The “One Zoom to Rule Them All” episode benefitted No Kid Hungry, a national campaign focused on ending childhood hunger in America. It was truly a pleasure to see Wood and so many members of the cast reunited (even virtually). After LOTR , Elijah Wood could have just packed it up and called it a day, living out the rest of his life on the profits of that series. Instead, this is where I think Wood’s career really gets interesting. One of my favorite roles played by Wood is his first after LOTR: Patrick, a creepy lab technician in Michel Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Patrick works in the business of erasing memories. When he sets his sights on Kate Winslett’s Clementine, he essentially tries to use her memories from her previous relationship with Jim Carey’s Joel to win her over (albeit unsuccessfully). 2005 was another busy year for Wood: he took the creep factor even further as the murderous Kevin in the adaptation of Frank Miller’s comic book series Sin City. He then starred in the film adaptation of Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel, Everything is Illuminated, about a Jewish-American man looking for the woman that saved his grandfather during World War II, and later, he became a violent football (soccer to my American friends) hooligan along with Charlie Hunnam in Green Street Hooligans . In 2006, Wood voiced the character of Mumble in the musical Happy Feet. Since Happy Feet , Wood has continued to perform as a voice actor for film, television and video games, voicing the lead in Tim Burton’s weird and epic animated feature, 9, and Frodo Baggins (among several other characters) for Seth Green’s popular Robot Chicken series. He later voiced the main character, Wirt, in Cartoon Network’s Over the Garden Wall series. (For more on this series and some other seriously solid recommendations, check out Linda Codega’s list: Quaranteamwork makes the Quarantine work ). In 2010, Elijah formed a production company along with directors Daniel Noah and Josh C. Waller, focusing primarily on the horror genre. Cooties , A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night and Mandy are just a few of the films produced by their company, SpectreVision. One of the things I enjoy most about his career is that Wood doesn’t seem to take himself too seriously. In 2011, he appeared in the Beastie Boys video for “Make Some Noise,” along with Seth Rogen and Danny McBride ( he does a pretty stellar Ad Rock ). He also made his foray into TV, starring in Wilfred, a series about a man who is the only one who sees his neighbor’s dog as a man in a dog suit. Wood had a cameo back in the shire for 2012’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, but after that return to the mainstream money, he has stuck to the quirky path - playing a cop alongside Nicholas Cage in 2016’s The Trust, and teaming up again with Melanie Lynskey (after their initial partnership in Over the Garden Wall ) in I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore , as neighbors who try to go after burglars themselves. Elijah even returned to TV as the “reluctant sidekick,” in Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (inspired by the Douglas Adams book series). He returned to film for 2019’s Come to Daddy, a film that plays with stereotypes, masculinity, and also just involves a lot of gore. Elijah has one crazy hairdo in this film. Seriously, check it out for his haircut and costumes alone. Since then, Elijah has continued some steady work as a voice actor and starred in a couple episodes of Drunk History (RIP). With that said, I look forward to any and all things Elijah Wood in the coming years. I hope to see him eventually do some directing himself. Sometimes actors that have grown up on camera become great directors in their own right (think Ron Howard, Sophia Coppola, Sarah Polley). Well, whatever comes next, I look forward to seeing more of that cherubic face and big eyes. Happy 40th Birthday Elijah Wood, you don’t look a day over 20. Diana DiMuro Associate Editor Besides watching TV and movies, Diana likes plants, the great outdoors, drawing and reading comics, and just generally rocking out. She has a BA in English Literature and is an art school drop out. You can follow her on Instagram @dldimuro and Twitter @DianaDiMuro

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