Top ten scenes of 2020
By Jake Skubish
10. procedural challenge, Boys State
The documentary Boys State follows a week-long camp for young government aficionados in Texas as they create a mock two-party system and hold a series of mock elections. There are many articulate, thoughtful young men in the film that inspire hope for the future of democracy. But there are also many scenes, like one in which two campaign managers get into a squabble about procedures and conflicts of interest at a campaign event, that make you think we’re all doomed. That the documentary can inspire both reactions is what makes it a success. Boys State is available on Apple TV+.
9. Giuliani Interview, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Possibly the defining movie scene of the year. Maria Bakalova’s interview with renowned weasel Rudy Giuliani is more than a prank; it’s an evisceration of the complete lack of empathy and responsibility from the highest levels of American government. It’s ridiculous, hilarious, and deeply depressing. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is available on Amazon Prime.
8. Courtroom speech, Mangrove
When Mangrove turns into a courtroom drama in its latter half, what we are rooting for as an audience is justice in the form of these defendants’ freedom. But just as the Mangrove restaurant itself is a home for communal interaction among London’s West Indian population, the “Mangrove Nine” are aware that their trial is important beyond what happens to themselves individually. It’s all laid out in this speech by Malachi Kirby, both conventionally rousing and narratively original. Mangrove is available on Amazon Prime.
7. The vault, tenet
There’s very little I can say about what’s happening in this scene, or when it takes place in Tenet, or who it involves. But if you watch the movie, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Nothing else in 2020 came close to the ambition and inventiveness Tenet embodies, and this is the scene where the story starts to come into focus. It’s an astounding work of trickery. Tenet is available online for purchase.
6. Ending, Onward
Again, no spoilers here, but I will say that the ending to Pixar’s Onward made me cry like a baby. It’s classic Pixar material: you know exactly where it’s going and what emotional buttons it is going to push, but it still wrecks you. Onward is available on Disney+.
5. Land Mine, Da 5 Bloods
When the self-declared Bloods venture into the Vietnamese forest in search of gold, we get the sense this is a cathartic experience for a group of old geezers. There are disagreements and the men have evident trauma, but there’s little sense among the group of genuine danger. That all changes when they come across some live land mines left over from the war. The intensity ratchets up in an instant, and the stage is set for further tragedy to ensue. Da 5 Bloods is available on Netflix.
4. Health Screening, Never Rarely Sometimes Always
Throughout Never Rarely Sometimes Always you get the sense that Autumn (Sidney Flanigan) is holding something back. It’s as if fully expressing herself will open up the possibility of something terrible happening. When she receives a crucial health screening and finds herself in a place she can consider herself safe, all the withheld pain comes crashing out. Never Rarely Sometimes Always is available on HBO Max.
3. End credits, David Byrne’s American Utopia
Rarely would I even think about including an end credit sequence on a best scenes list, but this was one of the first scenes I thought of for this year. It’s a callback to an earlier musical sequence in the stage show and a reinforcement of the show’s key message: take a reality you see, put it in a different light, and watch the beauty that can result. David Byrne’s American Utopia is available on HBO Max.
2. basketball game, The Vast of Night
The opening scene of The Vast of Night follows a radio host in a small New Mexico town trying to fix malfunctioning devices during a basketball game, while a girl from the town tags along to learn more about the radio technology. But what’s happening matters less than what we are seeing: an extended tracking shot, swiveling through the gymnasium and the town’s desolate road, that announces the unique vision of first-time director Andrew Patterson. The Vast of Night is available on Amazon Prime.
1. “Silly Games,” Lovers Rock
Lovers Rock is a work of constant movement, taking place largely on the dance floor of a London house party in the 1980s. Director Steve McQueen’s camera wedges its way into the crowd, twisting between sweaty DJs and swinging hips. It peaks with an extended dance sequence to Janet Kay’s “Silly Games,” a beautiful moment of love, sexual energy, and divine joy. When the track recedes and the song continues a cappella, Lovers Rock reaches a new level of glory. Lovers Rock is available on Amazon Prime.