Comedies don't get much respect in the world of film criticism. But this year three excellent comedies made my top-ten list and my number one film, while not really a comedy, has comedic moments. There are movies that are funny that I enjoy and re-watch from time to time (Better Off Dead, Raising Arizona, and Bridesmaids come to mind), and there are funny movies that do something more, something a bit more meaningful, or they have an artistic vision that transcends the genre (Modern Times, The General, The Lady Eve, and The Big Lebowski come to mind)--actually practically all of Chaplin and Keaton and Preston Sturges and the Coen brothers probably qualify. In this plague year, it's perhaps no surprise that a number of films are lighter in tone. In a similar vein, the basic message of another great Preston Sturges comedy, Sullivan's Travels, is that during the Great Depression people didn't want drama and tragedy and seriousness; they wanted comic relief. They wanted to laugh, not to cry or think too deeply. They wanted to be entertained. In our almost year-long lockdown and with nearly 360,000 deaths just in the U.S. at this writing, we need to temporarily escape some of the pain. We, too, want to be entertained. But because this is me, I still want to think a little. And I think this list represents both of those sometimes polarized qualities of thinking and laughing.
Also, I should quickly note that there are a handful of films that are getting critical attention that I haven't yet seen. I hope to see Nomadland, Martin Eden, Minari, Undine, St. Maud and The Human Voice soon.
1. First Cow
Over the past 25-plus years, Kelly Reichardt has been quietly re-inventing cinema. Known for her minimalist and simple stories (Meeks Cutoff, Certain Women, Night Moves), Reichardt teaches at Bard College and has made only seven feature-length films since 1994. First Cow tells the story of a friendship between two outsiders (a gifted cook and a Chinese-American) struggling to survive in a 19th-century settlement in Oregon. An engaging, thoughtful and funny movie that explores questions of morality in a world in which there are clear discrepancies between the powerful and the rest. It's a powerful but subtle commentary on what the down-and-out can offer the world and their often risky attempts to achieve not even the American dream but just a basic living wage. Streaming on Showtime.
2. Kajillionaire
A hilarious and quirky comedy written and directed by Miranda July, one of my favorite living directors. But this isn't just a comedy; it's family drama, and like First Cow, another film that lays bare the desperation for some to earn a livable wage. But it's even more than this. It's a kind of Platonic cave allegory about a young woman's eventual eye-opening in her world full of conspiracy theories and irrational fears. It stars a barely recognizable Evan Rachel Wood (from HBO's Westworld) who freakishly contorts her body in a few scenes where she tries to avoid being seen. I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. Available for rental on various streaming services.
3. Small Axe
I'm cheating a bit here by including a television series rather than a single film, but I justify this because the series is really five feature-length films all directed by the great British director Steve McQueen (director of Hunger and Twelve Years a Slave). Each film in the series tells a real-life story of different individuals or families living in London's West Indian community in the 1970s and early '80s. These are powerful stories of love, racism, institutional discrimination, and hope. The first episode and the episode called Lover's Rock seem to be getting the most critical attention, but I loved all of them. Streaming on Amazon Prime.
4. Dick Johnson Is Dead
One of the most original documentaries I have ever seen, Dick Johnson is a comedy about death, dying, and dementia. Kirsten Johnson, the director and daughter of the title character, interviews her aging father and playfully creates a series of his death scenes--all of them hilarious--as he transitions from working full time in Seattle to living in a small apartment (sans car) in New York. It's a life-affirming movie about family, love, memory, and laughing in the face of loss. Streaming on Netflix.
5. Beanpole
A beautiful and sad Russian film, Beanpole tells the story of two women's lives in the aftermath of the second world war. Streaming on Kanopy and Amazon Prime.
6. Another Round
Directed by the often provocative Danish director Thomas Vinterberg (who along with Lars von Trier cofounded the Dogme 95 film movement), Another Round tells the story of a group of male friends in the midst of midlife crises who decide to experiment on the positive impact of drinking alcohol during the work day. At first I thought the film would be examining alcohol as a metaphor for life--the idea that Tennyson discusses in "Ulysses" where Ulysses drinks "life to the lees"--that is, drinking all of life, even the sediment that settles at the bottom of a wine bottle. There wouldn't have been anything wrong with this alcohol metaphor; it's just kind of tired. But about midway through, the film becomes something more complicated and complex. It's an honest depiction of the pleasure and pain that comes with alcohol consumption. I didn't love the way the final scene was shot but Mads Mikkelsen and a stellar cast take the film into a direction more profound than the slightly corny ending suggests.
7. Tommaso.
8. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Starring Chadwick Boseman in his last role and an unrecognizable Viola Davis, Ma Rainey is based on August Wilson's historical play about the "Mother of the Blues." It's a smart, entertaining and dramatic film about black art and creative control. Streaming on Netflix.
9. Sound of Metal
I wear headphones a lot and I probably listen to things too loudly, especially when I'm mowing the lawn or using the blower--probably not a good idea to crank it to eleven to drown out the sound of the leaf blower. Occasionally I hear buzzing sounds for days, and I'll probably lose my hearing if I keep up my typical routine. Sound of Metal is about this, one of my deepest fears. It tells the story of drummer who suddenly loses his hearing. This loss takes him on both a literal and emotional journey to adjust to a new perspective and a new life. It's a beautiful and touching film about learning to live with and maybe even love one's fate. Streaming on Amazon Prime.
10. Palm Springs
Basically a remake of Groundhog Day but this time multiple people are involved in the repeated day. It's funny and strange and violent and kind of surreal. Streaming on Hulu.
Other movies I liked:
The Assistant--a powerful story about toxic masculinity and rape culture. Streaming on Hulu.
Babyteeth--a teenage girl dying of cancer forms a relationship with an older young man, a criminal and a drug user. Streaming on Hulu.
Mank--the story of the screenwriter behind Citizen Kane and directed by David Fincher. Streaming on Netflix.
Never Rarely Sometimes Always--a minimalist and neo-realist film about a teenager who wants to get an abortion and the challenges that presents. Streaming on HBO.
Nocturne--a haunting horror film with that girl from Euphoria. Streaming on Amazon.
Borat Subsequent Movie Film--I watched this twice and thoroughly enjoyed it both times. At times it seems exploitative and manipulative and there are some totally cringeworthy scenes (the mensuration dance scene tops it), but it's also very funny and, unlike the first one, surprisingly touching. It also wins the award for the best movie title ever. Period. Streaming on Amazon.
