2020

Favourites of 2020 (because, yes, some good things did happen this year)

Well. Here we are – at the precipice of a new year. I’d rather not reflect too much on 2020. Pretty sure we all had about the same amount of fun. So let’s just celebrate the good things that did happen. Most of the good things in my year were either on my television screen or on the pages of a book. Enough reading and watching that I could actually compile a list!

Hopefully, 2021 will be filled with more good movies with friends? Maybe family? Maybe even on a plane?! 

I hope your year was safe and healthy. You know, if nothing else – I hope it at least had good movies.

Favourite 2020 horror movies:

I didn’t manage to watch too many 2020 releases this year. They were either too pricey to rent (Possessor), not-yet-available in the UK due to COVID restrictions (Freaky) or I just haven’t gotten to it yet (His House). But what I did manage to get to, I loved. All so unique and diverse. What a year for the genre.

Host (dir. by Rob Savage, written by Savage, Gemma Hurley and Jed Shepherd)
The Invisible Man (dir. and written by Leigh Whannell)
La Llorona (dir. by Jayro Bustamante, written by Bustamante and Lisandro Sanchez)
The Stylist (dir. by Jill Gevargizian, written by Gevargizian, Eric Havens and Eric Stolze)
Blood Quantum (dir. and written by Jeff Barnaby)

Favourite horror fiction and nonfiction read in 2020:

Novels, nonfiction, short stories – I really read some great horror stories in a variety of styles. Narrowing the list down to five was really tough. Most of these I listened to on audiobook, and I’d also highly recommend that format.

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Anoka: A Collection of Indigenous Horror by Shane Hawk
Darkly: Blackness and America’s Gothic Soul by Leila Taylor
When Darkness Loves Us by Elizabeth Engstrom
Walk Down the Darkness by John Boden

Favourite new-to-me movies of 2020:

Another list that I found really difficult to narrow down. Where the hell would we be without movies this year? The most shocking thing I realised looking back on this year was that I barely watched any international films, including Italian horror, which is very unusual. I fully plan on using my Letterboxd better this year to make sure I watch more diversely. That being said. Just look at the beauties on this list.

Season of the Witch (1973) (dir. and written by George A. Romero)
Grey Gardens (1975) (dir. by Albert and David Maysles, Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer)
April Fool’s Day (1986) (dir. by Fred Walton, written by Danilo Bach)
The Muppet Movie (1979) (dir. by James Frawley, written by Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns)
The Exorcist III (1990) (dir. and written by William Peter Blatty)

Favourite documentaries and TV series of 2020:

I didn’t really watch any new television shows that I loved this year (though I am binging Broad City, and I’m in love). But boy did I watch a great number of quality documentaries and docuseries. All of these happen to be on Netflix.

Unsolved Mysteries episode 1 “Mystery on the Rooftop” (dir. by Marcus A. Clarke)
American Murder: The Family Next Door (dir. by Jenny Popplewell)
The Ripper (dir. by Jesse Vile and Ellena Wood)
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (dir. by Nicole Newnham and James LeBrecht)
ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band from Texas (dir. by Sam Dunn)

Things I missed out on in 2019 (and really shouldn’t’ve)

I am queen of putting things off. Especially when it comes to watching or reading things I know I will like. No particular reason why, other than I’m already overwhelmed with nice things.

It always seems to be that whenever we reach December, I can’t seem to remember anything about the previous year. Did I read anything? Maybe. Did I watch tv? Probably.

But it’s much easy to figure out what I’ve missed versus remembering what I actually did. Character flaw? Probably.

 There was a lot that I missed out on in 2019. Something that I really want to rectify in 2020. One of my resolutions for next year is keeping up with everything that is happening.

One of the themes I noticed when writing up this list was that most of these shows/films are acclaimed reboots. Nancy Drew, Shudder’s Creepshow (I watched the first episode!), Are You Afraid of the Dark? all were pretty well-received.

Both Nancy Drew and Are You Afraid of the Dark are yet to be released internationally. As I’ve grown older, I’ve become a lot more resistant to streaming illegally. But because of it – I feel very cut off from my fellow American fans. We can also throw Into the Dark on that pile.

If I’m wrong on that – please let me know where I can find these in the UK!

As far as films go, I’ve seemingly missed all the heavy hitters. One that I’m most desperate to get to is Tigers Are Not Afraid. This Mexican film has been on so many best of lists this year. It looks fantastic and it’s on Shudder!

Other 2019 films I’d like to are Satanic Panic, One Cut of the Dead, Doctor Sleep, and A Good Woman is Hard to Find.

And for a dash more nostalgia, I’d really like to see Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. It’s significantly less well-received than anything else I’ve listed, but going into it with a low expectation will help me, right?

There are a lot more films on that to-watch list. But we all know that I’m garbage at watching newer films.

But I’m also garbage at watching old films, too. My pile of unwatched Blu-Rays is slowly getting bigger and bigger. When I stacked them up, I was a touch embarrassed…

Basically, I don’t seem to have much time in my life! That or I’ve been spending it on the wrong stuff.

Am proud to say that I watched Perfume of the Lady in Black last night and it was fantastic. See? Always putting off things I know I’ll like.

And just like that, we enter a new era. I feel really positive about the future for horror. It was one hell of a decade for us! May writers, actors, musicians, and directors continue to make incredible art.