What A Year For The Movies

2020, for many of us, was the year in which we reengaged our inner movie critic. But let's be frank, it's why our asses got a bit wider, and our guts look like a sow, ready for slaughter, but there were some pretty good releases, and a ton of original series from the big boy's Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Lets be honest, the movie industry in the second quarter, took a serious hit - AMC alone lost a staggering two-billion and some change in their first and second quarters. It was the brick and mortar; some major corporations, some mom and pop movie houses, that held onto their generational legacies though recessions and depressions, and in less than six months, it was washed away from the urban eco-system, and forever changed the way in which we receive our cinematic entertainment, because many of these places are never coming back.

It ain't all bad though, Hollywood pivoted and joined the streaming arena, and now the giants of on-screen story telling, have grown exponentially during this ravaging time of Covid 19 and the plummeting financial markets. Universal, Apple, and Fox, are just a few heavy weights, that now are more than 80% streaming, and seem to have regain it's swagger, at least on that front - Universal Studios theme parks; Momma Mia....

This however, isn't about the death of an industry as we know it, but the birth of what was always an inevitability - movies at your finger tips - every genre and including new releases.

So, If your like me, and didn't watch a lot of TV or streaming services, you wouldn't of known that an Emmy nominated mini series on Netflix called The Ozarks, a quirky sideways crime drama about an accountant, (Jason Bateman) who's been money laundering for a Mexican cartel. His wife, (Laura Linney) is wanking a lawyer, who is thrown out of a seventeen story building - hold on, I'm giving to much away. Anyway, if your looking for something to binge watch, and you haven't yet stumbled onto this gem, do yourself a favor. Get a you know what load of snacks, dig into that overly worn shaggy recliner, and start on season one - enjoy, and don't worry, seasons four starts soon.

Netflix has a number of hit original series, they also have a number of acclaimed movies, which brings me to how Tinsel Town, stumbled out the Pandemic gate - Tenet, which was slatted to be a top box office hit - possibly the top grossing movie of the year. Was the first to flop on this new virtual platform, but since that time has found it's stride and now has stable footing; let me introduce to some of their leading men.

If your a Tom Hanks fan - who wouldn't be? This guy was nominated for a movie where his co-star was a soccer ball from Dick's Sporting Goods - Tom is a brilliant actor, and I hear his newest movies Greyhound and News Of The World are two of his best pieces of work, and will only solidify his extraordinary career. However, if your feeling a bit of nostalgia for some of his early work, Saving Private Ryan, is your best bet; it was simply the best war time drama ever made; in my opinion.

Tom wasn't the only cinematic hunk to have a successful debuts on this new streaming format. (Joaquin Phoenix) and the 2019 rendition of the comic character Joker, did well in 2020. Phoenix, gave Ledger a run for his money in this dark rendition of the character, who suffers from schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder, and goes on a killing spree - a good watch if you like morbid drama, definitely a top ten. (Eddie Murphy) and (Arsenio Hall) return from Zamunda In Coming To America, and Eddie who will star as a number of the movies characters, will show us he still possesses his comedic chops in this one, while (Will Smith) and (Martin Lawrence) show us that they are still a couple bad asses in Bad Boys III.

Leading men weren't the only ones making the Silver Screen large, even though now, that screen is attached to your wall and your concession stand is full of zoo zoo's wham wham's, and they're endless; well at least until you have to go to the grocery store again. Women also had a big year, despite the Big Year in terms of the pandemic and all the ugliness, that provided us endless entertainment.

(Gal Gadot) Wonder Women 1984, was one of the top grossing movies in 2020, and showed us that you don't have to be Captain America or Iron Man, to thrill a room of a bunch of testosterones laden bones heads. There were also many acclaimed movies that were written and directed by women like Regina King, who made her director debut with her new movie, One Night In Miami.

Point is movie goers, that despite this crazy landscape we dwell, with it's deadly viruses and derision, we can still find time to crowd around a sofa, and watch a movie, and forget about the ugliness that surrounds us like the Stephan King book and movie; The Mist - which just happens to be one of all time favorite horror flicks.

So sit back, log into to your favorite streaming channel, and surf until you find the perfect movie. Then get your popcorn, snickers bar, and diet Coke. And spend the next three hours with those you love, and bond while laughing your asses off watching Hangover, or cry watching Sleepless In Seattle. But whatever your movie taste buds are in the mood for, if you now have one of the many streaming platforms. You can be sure, that you'll gain another twenty pounds in the gut. Enjoy the movie!