What’s going on fellow readers!!! My sincerest apologies for being almost four months late publishing my year end review. Normally this would have been out the first week of January but I didn’t watch all the 2020 releases I wanted to view by the end of the year and I fell behind. We’re here now so kick back and enjoy the read!

2020 was a weird and interesting year for movies due to the corona virus outbreak. After seeing Onward in March I wasn’t able to visit theaters until September. Since theaters were closed a lot of movies got pushed to future dates. Streaming services have been releasing original films and other content. There are movies being released on HBOMAX and in theater on the same day. When my local AMCs reopened I was in there! I waited until the end of 2020 to turn my AMC A List subscription back on but I’ve been enjoying the benefits since then. It’s been an experience (to say the least) as the world adapts.

My top ten is a mixture of theatrical releases and home releases from 2020. Time to dive in!!

Number 1: Sonic The Hedgehog
I grew up playing Sonic. Sonic 2 is still one of the best games from Seeeeegggggaaaaaahhhhh!!!! Fans all over the world have been waiting for this film. I’m glad that Paramount Studios cleaned up the design of Sonic because what they originally showed fans was trash and it was rightfully trashed. Everything worked out in the end. Sonic was dope and Jim Carrey starring as Dr. Robotnik was a fun casting choice. The special effects and CGI were nice so it was cool seeing Sonic in action. My man Cyclops (James Marsden) got some on-screen respect finally! The closing credit sequence is fantastic. The whole movie should have been 32 bit style animation! IJS. I preordered the steelbook pictured above. Shoutout to Best Buy for having the hot collector’s items and taking lots of my money. I had to have that for the collection. I’m looking forward to the sequel. My dude Miles Prower is on deck!!

Number 2: Justice League Dark: Apokolips War
This is one of thee toughest features DC has released! It’s rated R and it earns it. Bloody, harrowing, and quite thrilling. The Justice League plan a massive preemptive strike against Darkseid and you get to see the worldwide ramifications of their failure. Alliances are broken and new alliances are formed. It’s insane!! Do yourself a favor and watch this feature.

Number 3: Just Mercy
A heartfelt story of a gross injustice being undone brought tears to my eyes. This real life account tells the story of Walter McMillian’s false and disgusting murder conviction and the fight led by defense attorney Bryan Stevenson in order to get Walter released from death row. Michael B Jordan and Jamie Foxx’ portrayals of Stevenson and McMillian were touching. I felt their pain and anguish. It’s a shame that McMillian was another black man in a long list of black men that faced this treatment in the South. Even to this day. Stevenson had to go all the way to the Supreme Court before McMillian’s conviction was overturned and he was released. He spent 6 years on death row based on a lie. Seeing his suffering depicted on screen hit me but I can only imagine what McMillian went through for real. I never heard of his story until I started seeing trailers for the movie. It just makes you wonder…….

Number 4: Bad Boys For Life
New directors and a fresh screenplay ended up making history! Bad Boys For Life holds the title of the biggest January release….EVER. Good to see Marty Mar and Smith back together and having that magic from the first film. Even though I own the movie I’m not a fan of part 2 so this installment was like Miami weather. It felt good. Most of the jokes landed, the action was decent, and the callbacks were too funny. I thought the mid credit scene was ehh but we shall see what comes of it!

Number 5: Mulan
I really wanted to see this in the theater. I had tickets for IMAX that I had to cancel. Darn you corona!! ******SHAKES FIST********
Disney+ streamed the movie later in the year but I wasn’t paying an extra thirty dollars to rent so I waited and bought the 4K steelbook. This is NOT a live action remake of the cartoon. The premise and some of the story is the same but there isn’t comic relief in the form of a tiny dragon. It has a serious tone and not geared for smaller children. Solid performances and the action sequences were beautiful. This was my first time seeing Liu Yifei and I thought her portrayal of Mulan was ovation worthy. Great job by the production team as well. The costumes were a treat for the eyes.

Number 6: The Invisible Man
I’ve been a fan of the Universal Monsters (Wolf Man, Invisible Man, Dracula, The Mummy, etc) since I was in grade school so I was all in for this remake. I found the perspective change to be intriguing. Instead of making the movie about the mad scientist it’s told from the perspective of his victim/former love interest. Elisabeth Moss’ performance was on point. She does a good job making you feel the dread of knowing someone is there but you can’t see them or prove it. There was some well-placed tension throughout the film. I wish the last 20 minutes was stronger but overall a worthy update that did good at the box office right before the theater shutdowns started . Crazy thing is that this movie was supposed to serve as another chapter in the “Dark Universe” but 2017’s The Mummy failed big time so that probably won’t happen. Tom Cruise couldn’t even do the impossible there. **PEW PEW**

Number 7: Freaky
I enjoyed this bloody spin on the Freaky Friday body swap curse but STOP SHOWING EVERYTHING IN THE TRAILER!!! The trailer shows three (maybe even four) of the death scenes. WHY WHY WHY!!! In this film a high schooler named Millie gets attacked by a serial killer but the weapon he used is cursed so they switch bodies after the attack fails. Kathryn Newton and Vince Vaughn lead and seeing them portray each other’s on screen persona was a trip. This isn’t a scary horror film but it’s fun and there was some good splatter gore. One scene made me cringe. Major OOHHHHHHH! Kudos to Blumhouse Productions for my 6th and 7th picks!

Number 8: VFW
Veterans vs street gang in a bloody battle of attrition at a local VFW! Stephen Lang, Fred Williamson, Martin Kove, and Bill Sadler go to war after they decide to help a young woman who comes under wrath of a violent gang. This film reminded me of the original Assault On Precinct 13th but with death scenes out of horror movies from the 80s. The old guys can still bang heads into pulp! This was a blind buy last year. I knew nothing about the film but the cover grabbed me. Check this out if you haven’t seen it. The action and the banter is tough!

Number 9: Promising Young Woman
Carey Mulligan portrays Cassie, a woman who moonlights as a “vigilante” against predators that prey on women. After a chance encounter Cassie receives information that may allow her to expose a criminal from her past so she sets herself on a path of revenge. There are up and downs in the story. There’s levity and then BAM……super dark! I found Cassie’s motivation to be compelling even though I thought she should have ripped some faces off! This movie deals with rape and rape victims so it can get touchy and emotional. Not recommended for the faint of heart. I enjoyed Mulligan’s performance and she is getting a lot of praise critically. The film has several Academy Award nominations so *clap clap clap* to director and writer Emerald Fennell.

Number 10: To Your Last Death
Last but not least is an animated tale of murder and time travel! An activist named Miriam is given a chance to undo her father’s killing spree but there is a catch. The entity that granted Miriam this power can make changes as she sees fit. Horror fans…this film is for you. If you like splatter then check this flick because it features some crazy, highly graphic kills. I purchased this blind as well. The cover grabbed me like VFW did.

Not top ten but recommended: The Gentlemen, Birds of Prey, Onward, Come Play, Possessor, The Hunt, WW84, Superman: Man of Tomorrow, Bill & Ted: Face The Music, The High Note, Dolittle, Monster Hunter, Vanguard

Acceptable: Like A Boss, Underwater, The Lodge, Peninsula, Honest Thief, The Photograph, Bloodshot, Unhinged, The Way Back, Soul, Tenet, The New Mutants

BASURA: Color Out Of Space, John Henry, The Rhythm Section, Fantasy Island, The Call, Da 5 Bloods (more of a letdown than garbage), Coffee and Kareem, Deep Blue Sea 3

That’s it folks! I do appreciate you taking some time to read my 2020 cinematic wrap up. Leave comments please. I’d love to hear back from you. Tell me what your 2020 top ten is. Visit me on Facebook and IG as well. Search “Movies With Migs” and I should pop right up. I have plenty of content for you to check out including corresponding video reviews for most of the top ten films I listed. I’ll also have some new reviews posted later this week! Take care and continue to stay safe!

CHEERS!
Migs Rodriguez