My 2020 Movie To-Do List

Like last year, I fully intended to have this up at midnight on January 1, but that was a little too optimistic given everything I had to do over Christmas and New Year’s, followed almost immediately by a month-long internship in New York which, like London, caused a week’s worth of anxiety attacks and kept me busier and more tired than usual throughout the month of January. I questioned whether I should even bother posting the full list at all, but since the earliest films on the list come out in February, I figure there’s still time. Last year I initially wanted to write a review for every film on the list, but between traveling and thesis work, that quickly proved difficult. So my goal for this year is to fully review at least ten out of the twenty-two films on this list, with at least three being non-franchise films.

Shoo-Ins

Onward (March 6)

Something I quickly got tired of in 2019 was sequels and remakes, especially from Disney. They can easily be good, but all the same I’m relieved that Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar are only releasing original films this year. Though I’m not sure from the trailers if Onward is going to use its modern fantasy setting to its full potential, the story seems deeply personal, and even if I thought it all looked awful, I’d probably just be grateful to have another original Pixar film for the first time since Coco.

Black Widow (May 1)

This movie probably should have come out five years ago or so, but it looks promising nevertheless, and the main cast is solid. At this point I wish I knew more about the actual plot and conflict, but it’ll be exciting to see another Marvel movie with a female lead, especially one that got shafted in her last major appearance. And let’s be honest, at this point there’s no skipping an MCU movie.

Scoob! (May 15)

It seems major studios are starting to catch on to the benefits of animation versus live-action when dealing with a nostalgic animated property. Hanna-Barbera hasn’t had the best track record in film over the last thirty years or so, but Warner Bros. seems to be following in the lead of DreamWorks’ Mr. Peabody and Sherman and playing to the original animated show’s strengths rather than relying on a live-action hybrid gimmick. Director Spike Brandt has built up a hefty portfolio in animated comedy, including having helmed some major entries into the Scooby-Doo franchise. The animation style here is fittingly cartoony and colorful, and although I don’t like the idea of using celebrity voices for Mystery Inc., the film as a whole looks like a fun and sincere tribute to its source.

Wonder Woman 1984 (June 5)

Now that the live-action DC movies have been given more room to breathe, it’s easier to get excited for them. The first Wonder Woman wasn’t restrained too much by having to fit into the larger story arc of the DCEU, and neither was the studio’s most recent effort Shazam!, so I’m confident that Patty Jenkins’ return to the franchise in its new setting and era will be worthwhile. My one caveat at this point is the return of Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, since his resurrection seems bound to be contrived, and I’m not even sure he’s necessary to continuing Diana’s story.

Soul (June 19)

I’d like to think that by now major animation studios would be steering away from the trope of introducing a black lead character only to have them transformed into an animal or other non-human entity by the second act, but at the same time, we only just got Spies in Disguise. Still, the broader concept of Soul is charming and has me curious as to how the movie’s world is going to work, given that it’s coming from the director of Inside Out.

In the Heights (June 26)

Shamefully, I still haven’t listened to the cast recording for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first Broadway musical, but it’s not like I need to be further convinced of his talent before I see this. Not only do I have full confidence that the music will be a highlight of the film, I’m downright thrilled that Jon M. Chu is directing. The scope and energy of Crazy Rich Asians was practically begging to be applied to a modern musical, and he has a promising story and setting to work with.

Bob’s Burgers: The Movie (July 17)

We know very little about this movie right now, and I’ll admit I have no clue how they’re going to translate the relatively relaxed series into a theatrical film, but let’s be honest: we were all either totally on board or not remotely interested from the moment it was announced in 2017. I’m excited to see the Belchers on a bigger screen with a bigger budget this summer, as long as a certain parent company remembers to release the film at all.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (October 23)

I saw the musical on the West End last February, and despite some clichéd and rushed story points, it was unbelievably fun and had some of the most memorable songs in musical theatre from the last few years. It might not be quite as good as In the Heights, The Prom, or Spielberg’s West Side Story, but it’s enough for me that we’re getting a new movie musical that’s not a Disney remake.

Eternals (November 6)

Not much to say about this one; it’s pretty far off right now, but the ensemble cast is exciting, and I’m looking forward to getting some new major characters in the MCU.

Raya and the Last Dragon (November 25)

Again, we don’t know much about it right now, but Disney has a new original animated film starring a heroine in a setting that’s not a vaguely European kingdom around the 1800s. What’s not to like?

West Side Story (December 18)

I haven’t seen Robert Wise’s adaptation of the musical in nearly a decade, but I did see a production of it in 2018 that left my entire group in tears, so I have faith that Steven Spielberg’s take on it will be plenty effective. The promotional photos we’ve gotten don’t look especially vibrant, especially in comparison to the 1961 film, and I question the necessity of having another film adaptation when the original is considered such a classic, but I respect the effort to cast racially accurate actors for this one, and if it’s anything like Spielberg’s best, it will at the very least have an impressive visual style.

Catching My Eye

Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (February 7)

I will most likely never see David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, but Birds of Prey looks funny, energized, and vibrant, and frankly it’s just refreshing to see a comic book movie about a team of women. That and the cast looks great, particularly Margot Robbie and Ewan McGregor, the latter of whom is usually one of the best parts of even his most mediocre movies.

Antebellum (April 24)

The trailer for this one gave very little insight into the plot, and the official synopsis is the same, but I kind of like that. I saw Get Out for the first time in 2019, and it was one of the best horror films I’ve ever seen, but I can’t help thinking it would have been even better had I not already known the plot and third-act reveal. Antebellum is another social issue horror joint that I want to see with as little background as possible.

The Personal History of David Copperfield (May 8)

I’m not especially familiar with the Dickens novel, but Armando Iannucci’s new take boasts some of the best British actors currently working, and the trailer is brimming with charm and personality. As I’m writing this, it’s just been released in the UK, and I’m a little frustrated that we have to wait another three months.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (May 22)

The original SpongeBob Squarepants Movie remains exciting and hilarious to this day. Sponge Out of Water wasn’t quite as good, but it was charming and creative nonetheless. I can only hope that Sponge on the Run follows suit, even without the heavy involvement the first two films had from Stephen Hillenburg and Paul Tibbitt. We’ve all seen at least one beloved property continued or rebooted by a different staff who does their job just as well (perhaps even better) than the original creators, but we’ve also seen them fail. It’s still a bit early to tell if a SpongeBob movie can be pulled off without the old masters, especially in a completely different animation style, but if a Broadway musical adaptation could work, then who knows?

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (July 10)

One particular movie opinion that I usually try not to mention is that I found the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot funnier than the original film. Not better — it has a weaker plot and some pacing issues — but I had more fun watching it. Afterlife seems to be blending the best elements of both films: the scale and action of the 1984 film with a more modern comedic style. Paul Feig might have leaned too hard into his own Bridesmaids format to make a franchise action film work, but Jason Reitman’s direct sequel to the 80s movies feels more grounded and tonally balanced from what we’ve seen so far.

Jungle Cruise (July 24)

For all the recent Disney remakes that have been coming out, it’s been a surprisingly long time since they’ve released an adaptation of a park attraction, barring any Pirates of the Caribbean sequels. The trailer for this one doesn’t feel especially new or intriguing, but all the same it could be a fun adventure movie. Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt seem to have some good onscreen chemistry, and I’m cautiously curious as to how they’re going to handle Jack Whitehall’s character, reportedly the first openly queer character in a Disney film, who remains largely absent from the trailer and marketing materials up to this point.

Respect (October 9)

Another one that I don’t know a whole lot about beyond its basic premise. I’m a bit concerned about the choice for a stage director to take the helm, since it seems to be Liesl Tommy’s first film project, but hopefully it won’t suffer from the Producers effect. There’s also a high possibility that this could be another cookie-cutter musician biopic, but it looks visually interesting from the trailer, and Rocketman has given me some hope that there are still ways to set a film apart within this subgenre. No matter what happens, though, it’s a relief to see Jennifer Hudson back in her element after such a colossal failure like Cats.

Jury’s Out

The Invisible Man (February 28)

I watched the original James Whale Invisible Man this past fall and hated nearly every minute. Every character was unbearably stupid, I didn’t care about the titular tragic villain in any capacity, and the ending was frustratingly anticlimactic. Blumhouse’s loose remake has a lot of potential; the psychological torment an abuse survivor suffers from her apparently dead abuser is prime material for a horror-thriller, and I have to appreciate that they’re using the original film as a jumping-off point without simply setting it in the modern world. I had the same concerns as many when the first trailer came out and seemed to to spoil the entire plot, but for now I’ll take Leigh Whannell’s word that there’s more to it.

Halloween Kills (October 16)

I watched the original a few months ago and enjoyed it, but not enough to be clambering to see this. It really just depends on if I ever get around to watching the 2018 Halloween, which I’ve currently only seen about thirty (admittedly impressive) minutes of.

The Croods 2 (December 23)

The Croods has some less than stellar story points and somewhat flat characters, but it’s also funny and gorgeous to look at. That said, the only DreamWorks sequels that have generally been good are those following movies that were already some of the studio’s best on their own, and The Croods isn’t quite on the same level as Kung Fu Panda or How to Train Your Draon. Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco also don’t seem to be returning for this one, so only time will tell how it fares.

Originally published at http://miseensense.wordpress.com on January 28, 2020.