2020 was one hellish year. During the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I, like so many people, turned to movies and streaming services for a brief respite from the seeming apocalyptic nature of the world. Which may explain the number of dystopic, and actual apocalyptic films in my Pappie Awards collection this year: 1917, Cloud Atlas, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Matrix, The Pianist, Ready Player One, Snowpiercer, The VVitch… Let’s just say existentialism was a pressing issue on my mind. But in a strange way, the COVID pandemic finally gave people time to focus on societal injustices, at least in America, leading to a renewed intensity in the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the George Floyd shooting; wealth distribution and economic parity, especially in regards to minimum wage and the treatment of essential workers; and systemic oppression and political corruption. Some films like Just Mercy tackle an issue (systemic racism in America’s judicial system) with direct force; other films like Greta Gerwig’s Little Women (2019) and Enola Holmes redefine old classics for feminism in the modern age. Some films like Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things just wonders why people so often fail at simply forming human connection. In answer, maybe A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood would have something to say. In fact, a lot of films in this year’s Pappie Awards have something to contribute when it comes to forming new families, partnerships, and communities for the sheer sake that the human race could use more compassion — The Goonies, Paddington, The Peanuts Movie, Soul…
For the 2020 Pappies, I decided that simply being on this list is award enough. I watched over 100 films in 2020 (quarantine really helped with that), and trying to whittle down the “best” in each genre felt like a greater disservice this year than most — instead, this is more a recommended watchlist for when you’re in the spirit of adventure, need a bit of animated nostalgia, a good laugh, a mindbender, and an emotional ride.
