Since 2011, I have been pulling together a list of the best movies of the year according to the Brisbane-based critics who I run into regularly at preview screenings. Those films to have topped prior year lists have been Drive in 2011, Argo in 2012, Gravity in 2013, Boyhood in 2014, Mad Max: Fury Road in 2015, La La Land in 2016, Get Out in 2017, The Favourite in 2018, and Parasite in 2019.
To come up with an overall top 10, I’ve used a simple points system and applied it to the list of each critic. It is as follows:
- 3 points for the top film on each list.
- 2 points for the films ranked between 2nd and 5th on each list.
- 1 point for the films ranked between 6th and 10th on each list.
If two films finished on the same score, the film that appeared on the greater number of top 10 lists is ranked higher (as an indication of wider approval).
There’s no denying 2020 was a peculiar year in the world of cinema. With theatres closed and the U.S. box-office down 80% due to the impact of COVID-19, streaming services became a necessary refuge for movie lovers. For that reason, this year’s top 10 list includes movies released in Australian cinemas and also those made available on streaming platforms. The expanded options created more divergence amongst critics with no film featuring on more than 50% of the lists submitted.
Chloé Zhao’s Nomadland was released in the final week of 2020 and earned enough votes to be Brisbane critics’ top film of the year. It was closely followed by the direct-to-streaming Sound of Metal and the Oscar-winning World War I drama 1917.
The overall top 10 includes two horror-thrillers (The Invisible Man and Possessor), a Pixar animated feature (Soul), a Polish drama (Corpus Christi), a quirky crime-comedy (Kajillionaire), an American indie with non-professional actors (Never Rarely Sometimes Always), and an Aaron Sorkin legal drama with a huge cast (The Trial of the Chicago 7).
It’s a superb list of films and hopefully you get the chance to see as many as possible.
On that note, here are the top 10 movies of 2020 according to Brisbane critics…
Brisbane Film Critics - Top 10 of 2020
1. Nomadland
2. Sound of Metal
3. 1917
4. Soul
5. The Trial of the Chicago 7
6. Never Rarely Sometimes Always
7. Kajillionaire
8. The Invisible Man
9. Corpus Christi
10. Possessor
You can view a table of all the votes and final scores by clicking here.
A big thanks to all the critics who were able to contribute. Hopefully we'll do it again next year!
You can check out information on all the Brisbane critics (along with their choices for the best and worst of 2020) below.
|
 Matthew Toomey
Born in Brisbane, Matt Toomey was introduced to the world of cinema when he landed a job at a video store fresh out of high school in 1995. A few years later, he started his own website and reviewed movies regularly on a community radio station. In 2005, he joined the team at 612ABC and can be heard reviewing the latest releases every Thursday morning. He can also be heard weekly on regional ABC throughout Queensland.
Website: thefilmpie.com
Twitter: @ToomeyMatt
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Never Rarely Sometimes Always |
| 2. |
Corpus Christi |
| 3. |
The Invisible Man |
| 4. |
Little Women |
| 5. |
Les Misérables |
| 6. |
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom |
| 7. |
The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? |
| 8. |
Soul |
| 9. |
The Trial of the Chicago 7 |
| 10. |
A Hidden Life |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Babyteeth |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Soul |
| Best Documentary: |
| The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? |
| Best Performance: |
| Elizabeth Moss (The Invisible Man) |
| Worst Film: |
| After We Collided |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Happiest Season |
 |
|
 Sarah Ward
Sarah Ward is a freelance film critic, arts and culture writer, and film festival organiser. She is the Australia-based critic for Screen International, the film and weekend editor for Concrete Playground, a writer for the Goethe-Institut Australien’s Kino in Oz, and a contributor to Flicks Australia, SBS, SBS Movies, ScreenHub and the Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Her work has been published by the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, AACTA, Birth.Movies.Death, Junkee, FilmInk, Lumina, Senses of Cinema, Broadsheet, Televised Revolution, ArtsHub, Metro Magazine, Screen Education and the World Film Locations book series. She is also the editor of Trespass Magazine; a film and TV critic for ABC radio Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast; and has worked with the Brisbane International Film Festival, Queensland Film Festival, Sydney Underground Film Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival.
Websites: concreteplayground.com
screendaily.com/sarah-ward/1100859.contributor
goethe.de/ins/au/en/kul/sup/kio.html
flicks.com.au/author/sarah-ward/
sbs.com.au/guide/person/sarah-ward
sbs.com.au/movies/person/sarah-ward
awfj.org/blog/author/wardsarah/
trespassmag.com
Twitter: @swardplay
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Nomadland |
| 2. |
Never Rarely Sometimes Always |
| 3. |
Small Axe |
| 4. |
American Utopia |
| 5. |
Kajillionaire |
| 6. |
Possessor |
| 7. |
Babyteeth |
| 8. |
Sound of Metal |
| 9. |
The Lighthouse |
| 10. |
Corpus Christi |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Babyteeth |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Wolfwalkers |
| Best Documentary: |
| American Utopia |
| Best Performance: |
| Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) |
| Worst Film: |
| After We Collided |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Go! |
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
The Current War |
| 2. |
Mank |
| 3. |
The Trial of the Chicago 7 |
| 4. |
The Translators |
| 5. |
Where'd You Go, Bernadette |
| 6. |
Bombshell |
| 7. |
Just Mercy |
| 8. |
1917 |
| 9. |
City of Lies |
| 10. |
Tenet |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| The Furnace |
| Best Animated Film: |
| The Croods 2: A New Age |
| Best Documentary: |
| Brazen Hussies |
| Best Performance: |
| Sacha Baron Cohen (The Trial of the Chicago 7) |
| Worst Film: |
| Unhinged |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Becky |
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Nomadland |
| 2. |
Possessor |
| 3. |
The Peanut Butter Falcon |
| 4. |
Sound of Metal |
| 5. |
Waves |
| 6. |
Soul |
| 7. |
Monsoon |
| 8. |
Never Rarely Sometimes Always |
| 9. |
The Trial of the Chicago 7 |
| 10. |
1917 |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| The Invisible Man |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Soul |
| Best Documentary: |
| The Bee Gees; How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? |
| Best Performance: |
| Sidney Flanagan (Never Rarely Sometimes Always) |
| Worst Film: |
| The War with Grandpa |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Irresistible |
|
 Ella Donald
Ella is a journalist, casual academic, and writer. She teaches at the University of Queensland, and writes for publications like GQ magazine (Australia, Middle East), Vanity Fair, The Guardian, The Saturday Paper, ABC, and The Sydney Morning Herald.
Website: elladonaldwriter.wordpress.com
Twitter: @ellafdonald
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Kajillionaire |
| 2. |
American Utopia |
| 3. |
Never Rarely Sometimes Always |
| 4. |
Nomadland |
| 5. |
Mangrove |
| 6. |
Proxima |
| 7. |
Moonlit Winter |
| 8. |
And Then We Danced |
| 9. |
The Assistant |
| 10. |
Dark Waters |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| In My Blood It Runs |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Wolfwalkers |
| Best Documentary: |
| Time |
| Best Performance: |
| Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman) |
| Worst Film: |
| Where'd You Go, Bernadette |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Shirley |
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Corpus Christi |
| 2. |
Shirley |
| 3. |
The Lighthouse |
| 4. |
Kajillionaire |
| 5. |
Seberg |
| 6. |
La Belle Epoque |
| 7. |
Soul |
| 8. |
The Translators |
| 9. |
1917 |
| 10. |
Da 5 Bloods |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Rams |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Soul |
| Best Documentary: |
| The Mystery of D.B. Cooper |
| Best Performance: |
| Elizabeth Moss (Shirley) |
| Worst Film: |
| Trolls World Tour |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Bill & Ted Face the Music |
|
 Rob Hudson
Rob Hudson is the editor of popular culture website modmove.com and reviews film, theatre and music.
Website: modmove.com
Twitter: @modmove
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Dick Johnson is Dead |
| 2. |
First Cow |
| 3. |
Nomadland |
| 4. |
Da 5 Bloods |
| 5. |
The Trial of the Chicago 7 |
| 6. |
American Utopia |
| 7. |
Sound of Metal |
| 8. |
Possessor |
| 9. |
Queen & Slim |
| 10. |
Babyteeth |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| In My Blood It Runs |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Soul |
| Best Documentary: |
| Dick Johnson is Dead |
| Best Performance: |
| Frances McDormand (Nomadland) |
| Worst Film: |
| Antebellum |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Sonic the Hedgehog |
|
 Baz McAlister
Walkley Award winning journalist Baz McAlister is a writer and deputy night editor at The Courier-Mail and The Sunday Mail, and co-hosts 'Force Material', a podcast about the secrets, history and influences of Star Wars.
Website: bazmcalister.wordpress.com
www.forcematerial.com
Twitter: @bazmcalister
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Hamilton |
| 2. |
1917 |
| 3. |
Da 5 Bloods |
| 4. |
Love and Monsters |
| 5. |
The Outpost |
| 6. |
The Rental |
| 7. |
Palm Springs |
| 8. |
The Invisible Man |
| 9. |
Greenland |
| 10. |
Get Duked! |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Relic |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Wolfwalkers |
| Best Documentary: |
| Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan |
| Best Performance: |
| Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods) |
| Worst Film: |
| Ava |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Freaky |
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Dogs Don't Wear Pants |
| 2. |
Swallow |
| 3. |
Waves |
| 4. |
Portrait of a Lady on Fire |
| 5. |
1917 |
| 6. |
In Fabric |
| 7. |
Sound of Metal |
| 8. |
Possessor |
| 9. |
Nomadland |
| 10. |
Miss Juneteenth |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| True History of the Kelly Gang |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Soul |
| Best Documentary: |
| Class Action Park |
| Best Performance: |
| Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) |
| Worst Film: |
| Tenet (most disappointing) |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Butt Boy |
|
 Nick L'Barrow
Nick specialises in 60 second movie reviews on his Instagram profile - covering all the major releases and indie films that hit Australia. Nick is also a featured reviewer for Novastream Network and Film Notions.
Website: instagram.com/nicksflicksfix
novastreamnetwork.com
Twitter: n/a
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Sound of Metal |
| 2. |
Nomadland |
| 3. |
The Trial of the Chicago 7 |
| 4. |
Soul |
| 5. |
The King of Staten Island |
| 6. |
The Invisible Man |
| 7. |
Bad Boys for Life |
| 8. |
Onward |
| 9. |
Palm Springs |
| 10. |
The Lodge |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| A Sunburnt Christmas |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Soul |
| Best Documentary: |
| The Speed Cubers |
| Best Performance: |
| Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) |
| Worst Film: |
| My Spy |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| A Sunburnt Christmas |
|
 Shayne Grieve
Shayne currently teaches Film and TV at Grace Lutheran College and tries to justify all his cinema visits as professional development.
Website: thisisfilm.com
Twitter: @ShayneTIF
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Uncut Gems |
| 2. |
Little Women |
| 3. |
1917 |
| 4. |
The Invisible Man |
| 5. |
The Lighthouse |
| 6. |
Tenet |
| 7. |
I'm Thinking of Ending Things |
| 8. |
Soul |
| 9. |
A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood |
| 10. |
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm |
|
 Jacob Richardson
Jacob is a film reviewer and filmmaker, who runs Film Focus – a Brisbane-based film-centric publication. His reviews can be found online on the Film Focus website, and in various NSW newspapers.
Website: filmfocusau.com
Twitter: n/a
|
| |
| Top 10 Released Films: |
| 1. |
Queen & Slim |
| 2. |
Tenet |
| 3. |
The Last Black Man in San Francisco |
| 4. |
Soul |
| 5. |
Sound of Metal |
| 6. |
Palm Springs |
| 7. |
Babyteeth |
| 8. |
Let Him Go |
| 9. |
Mank |
| 10. |
The Devil All the Time |
| |
| Best Australian Film: |
| Babyteeth |
| Best Animated Film: |
| Soul |
| Best Documentary: |
| American Street Kid |
| Best Performance: |
| Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) |
| Worst Film: |
| Artemis Fowl |
| Most Surprised To Enjoy: |
| Bad Boys for Life |
Garry Williams
Peter Gray
David Edwards
Adam Roboczi
