Great movies the pandemic made me forget about

Earlier this month, we listed some of the most overlooked movies of the year. I agreed with many selections on the list. But it also jogged my memory. Wasn’t there movies I saw in theaters this year? And didn’t I like them? The answer is yes and yes. When the world stopped in March, I just sort of forgot about them. Here are the movies I saw this year and enjoyed but forgot all about due to the pandemic.

The Invisible Man

The last movie I watched in a theater was a good one. Elisabeth Moss is spectacular in this updated take on the H.G. Wells classic. In this modern adaptation, Moss plays Cecilia Kass, a women who thinks she is being stalked by her boyfriend who committed suicide. Manages to stay true to the original while also touching on themes of empowerment and gaslighting.

Beware of Dog

Premiering at this year’s Slamdance Film Festival, the movie is a beautiful and touching look at mental illness. The story structure is a unique take on an old premise. The three stories told are all tied together by technology and the camerawork is outstanding.

Into the Deep

A still from Into the Deep by Emma Sullivan, an official selection of the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

In all fairness, this movie being pulled from the Netflix calendar also played a part in my forgetting about it. What was supposed to start as a documentary about a team building a rocketship became one about murder. This is more than just a true crime story, however. It is a sickening and difficult watch due to the access the filmmakers were allowed. The ending is one of the most chilling things ever captured on camera.

Tapeworm

Another Slamdance entry, Tapeworm is a Canadian comedy that uses deadpan humor better than all but the darkest comedies. The quiet movie is a series of character studies. Patient and arguably too intimate, the stories being told are captivating. Filled with sadness and apathy, yet still undeniably funny.

The Wave

Visually daring, The Wave is one of the most overlooked movies of the year. Its use of time and the theme of living your fullest life are ideas that would be visited in another of the year’s best films, Palm Springs. The difference here is the high energy pacing and the deeper exploration of the main character. 

An over examined moment in 2015