The Brighton Film Club's Films of the Year 2020

As I present The Brighton Film Club’s Best Films of the Year list it’s all too tempting to slip into an inexorable rant about the state of the film industry and the true heartache we’ve experienced this year in not being able to do our favourite thing and settle snugly into a cinema seat. Worrying times these are, it’s true, and it awaits to be seen what follows in 2021, but all we’ll say is please, whoever you are, even if you’re not a film lover, go and support your local cinema, whether independent or chain, and go and see something as soon as it’s safe to do so. Despite the shortened shortlist of contenders though it’s still been a brilliant year for our screens with so much talent out there at the moment. The usual early year releases saw some incredible big hitters and the streaming services are continuing to wade in with future classics. Here then, after the customary squabbles and shuffles, is The Brighton Film Club’s Films of the Year 2020:

20. 7500 19. The Personal History Of David Copperfield 18. Tenet 17. The Devil All The Time 16. How To Build A Girl 15. Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm 14. Yes, God, Yes 13. An American Pickle 12. Soul 11. The Gentlemen 10. The King Of Staten Island 9. Da 5 Bloods 8. The Trial Of The Chicago 7 7. 1917 6. Onward 5. Uncut Gems 4. Queen & Slim 3. The Lighthouse 2. Jojo Rabbit 1. Parasite

A mention as well to the excellent Happiest Season which should certainly be a future Christmas classic but feels a little seasonal for the year-end list. A true thank you as well for the incredible films and performances given to us by Chadwick Boseman, Sean Connery and David Prowse (sadly amongst many others) who will never be forgotten.