The Best Films of 2020.

Among other terrible things, 2020 was a year that made watching movies harder than ever. But while it was a rough year to see movies, it was not a rough year for the movies themselves. 

While most of the below were viewed at home, out of necessity, this year was not nearly as lacking in contenders as it might have been. And whether or not the viewing experience was as fulfilling as sitting in a dark theater might have been, the movies were no less impactful.

Below are the 25 movies (and various runners-up) that defined this complicated year for me. They kept me distracted, entertained and provoked in a time when it was needed most. Here's to a satisfying year of cinema and hopefully for a chance to return to the theaters to see them again some day soon.

2020 Dream Oscar Ballot.

In companion to my year end list, here is my dream Oscar ballot with my picks for most of the major categories (and some other frivolous ones I always create). Even with the decreased number of available films to choose this year, it was still not a stretch to fill out most of these categories. The categories this year also naturally leant themselves to a wide variety of types, with documentaries, animated films and a diverse selections of genres represented more than previous years I've done this.

Below are my nominees and winners (with runners-up) in each category. Enjoy, but don't disagree until you do the homework!