Now that we’ve dealt with the worst, let’s sort out the best. For a refresher, here are my previous Top Ten Best flicks.
2018- CrypticRock Anniversary Part 2: Top Ten Best Films
2019- CrypticRock 2nd Anniversary: Top Ten Best Films
So, which films act as the silver lining to this otherwise awful year? That’s a hard one as a lot of the films I saw this year were worth high ratings, particularly the documentaries I saw. Quite a lot of documentaries too. Enough that they threatened to turn the list into a Top Ten Documentaries and a Few Films list.
So I migrated some of them to the honourable mentions, part out of variety and part out of comparing them to the other films and wondering if they really needed that extra half-star. It sounds a little unfair, but we’ll get into it alongside the other flicks that missed the top spots.
Carol of the Bells.
https://crypticrock.com/carol-of-the-bells-movie-review/
Part of me feels it might be backhanded to give the film an honourable mention. I’m not handicapped myself, but I am a high-functioning autistic (what used to be called Asperger’s Syndrome). So I’ve had experiences of not being too high on what few achievements I got because it felt like they always had an asterisk on them. Like I did good* work than good work.
*for someone with ‘learning difficulties’, or a ‘spastic, retarded mong’ as the other kids at school and certain family members phrased it as.
But while this film isn’t fantastic, and is as glurgy as it gets, it has its heart in the right place. The studio is all about getting people with disabilities and the neuro-divergent into film, be it in front of or behind the camera. So, it’s a goal I don’t find fault with. Plus, cheesy and shaky as it is in places, it’s a league ahead of many films made by non-disabled people. So if anyone who worked on this film got the same insults as I did (or most likely worse) for their conditions, they have that as a badge of pride.
Weird Fiction.
https://crypticrock.com/weird-fiction-movie-review/
This anthology film has duff acting and a budget that makes shoestrings look top market. So, why is it here and not joining WrestleMassacre and #ShakespearesShitstorm in the Dishonourable Mentions? Purely on how it moves around its drawbacks. The effects aren’t great, but the direction uses them well enough to produce some very nice visuals from a micro-budget. The stories have some nice twists and turns in them too, be it a role-reversal vampire vs vampire hunter tale, or its own take on the ET trope. It’s not fantastic, nor is it for everyone, though it does deserve due credit for what it does well.
Nothing Stays the Same: The Story of the Saxon Pub & ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band From Texas.
https://crypticrock.com/nothing-stays-the-same-the-story-of-the-saxon-pub-documentary-review/
https://crypticrock.com/zz-top-that-little-ol-band-from-texas-documentary-review/
If this was operating on a strict meritocracy- technical skills and everything- these two films would have come in 4th and 5th on the list. They’re both really good musical documentaries, with the former saying a lot about politics and live music, and the other going in-depth on ZZ Top from their beginning to the early 1980’s. But compared to some of the other documentaries on the list, its subjects were a little less fascinating by comparison. Like they were not as in-depth, inventive, or as far-reaching as topics like media distortion or political corruption. Your mileage may vary, but it didn’t sit right for me to put them up in the main list despite their ratings after considering that.
These difficult decisions aside, which films made it onto the main list itself? Let’s find out!
10) Manifest Destiny Down: Spacetime- 4/5 Stars.
https://crypticrock.com/manifest-destiny-down-spacetime-movie-review/
This is a pretty heavy Top Ten, and it’s only gonna get heavier. So it helps that the 10th entry is a light-hearted, drug-fuelled romp through science, sex, and Russian hip-hop. The story is hard to follow as it gets deeper into quantum entanglement, dissociative drugs and the various twists and turns. However, it makes up for that through its charm and humour. Jeff Kenny and Lexie Lowell bounce off each other really well, with Kenny in particular slipping into the stoner genius role like a glove. They get into a series of wild situations and entertaining skits that make it fun from beginning to end, whether you leave your brain switched on to learn physics, or switch it off to laugh at the sex jokes.
9) The Deeper You Dig- 4/5 Stars.
https://crypticrock.com/the-deeper-you-dig-movie-review/
It’s a horror film about a family played by an actual family! The Adams family (har!) appear on screen, while also being responsible for much of the behind-scenes work. While it isn’t the neatest film around, with some odd scenes and acting that’s more reasonable than great. However, it does maintain a spooky, eerie atmosphere through effective direction. Plus, while the plot and scares are not particularly unique, they are done well and leave a strong impression on screen. As far as indie horrors go, this one works out quite well.
8) Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies- 4/5 Stars.
https://crypticrock.com/skin-a-history-of-nudity-in-the-movies-documentary-review/
It’s time for a triple bill of documentaries, and on the lower end of the spectrum is this lengthy chronology of bare flesh in Hollywood films. It could’ve gone more in-depth on some of its topics, as some of them are more suggested than talked about- notably the bias towards naked women over naked men. The reason is obvious. It just could’ve had more discussion than remarks from Malcolm McDowell and Sean Young. Still, the film reveals some interesting facts about Hollywood censorship, some daring pre-code nude scenes, how things are handled today post-#MeToo, and the effect going naked can have on an actor’s career. As saucy as classic Hedy Lamarr, Jayne Mansfield or Phoebe Cates can be, the film stays mature rather than mature-rated.
7) A Thousand Cuts- 4/5 Stars.
https://crypticrock.com/a-thousand-cuts-documentary-review/
The topic of the powers-that-be deliberately using misinformation to peddle their own ‘truth’ first came to me (and quite a few others) through Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Granted, it was mixed with a ton of bizarre elements that haven’t gotten more sensible with age. Yet this disinformation plot got people thinking series director Hideo Kojima wasn’t a weirdo, but a prophetic weirdo (though it’s likely been an issue way before MGS2). Especially after prior attempts by one government or another to ‘control’ the internet.
A Thousand Cuts reveals a similar yet different real world example in the Philippines, where President Duterte and his regime deliberately twist reports from the country’s biggest media resource Rappler to obfuscate the truth. MGS2‘s villains simply offered the path of least resistance amongst a plot that threw new twists and red herrings at the player, despite also not holding up to scrutiny. Whereas the Duterte regime counters reports of, say, unlawful killings, by twisting it into attacks on Philippine national identity, that they’re siding with foreigners, that Rappler CEO Maria Ressa supports lawlessness and should be arrested.
Like Donald Trump and his ‘fake news’, basically. Instead of seeing the Internet’s capability of swamping the truth under piles of baseless trivia is as a bad thing like MGS2‘s villains, the Duterte government uses it to its advantage. No matter the hard evidence, eyewitness reports, etc, they reduce Rappler to an enemy, and make Ressa into a hate figure, like some baddie from a cartoon (or videogame) that can be ousted to save the day.
A Thousand Cuts goes more into the effect of social media discourse, how it fans hatred and bigotry, and how authorities can channel that back against its opponents. It provides a lot of food for thought, though the social media and political subjects are more interesting than when it goes into Ressa’s background, hence why it’s in the back half of the Top Ten. Still, if you were like me and got curious about information control through one way or another, this film will scratch that itch for sure.
6) Film School Africa- 4/5 Stars.
https://crypticrock.com/film-school-africa-documentary-review/
I was initially wary of this film and its premise. Like it could’ve been one of those deals that sounds altruistic on the face of it- former Hollywood casting director teaches poor South Africans how to do film- before turning out to be a puff-piece or being about how great the American is over the Africans. Luckily, that’s not the case here. The students get to speak for themselves, and even express themselves through snippets of their work. They show their upbringing in the townships, how they get along, and how things still remain tense 30 or so years after the end of apartheid. Still, there’s hope in acknowledging the past and the promise of future opportunities.
The film has its heart in the right place, with just a slow, induction-esque intro acting as a test. Feel-good documentaries seem like a rare occurrence, yet this one fits that bill quite nicely without being glurgy or avoiding issues. It’s worth a watch if you need a pick-me-up.
5) Color Out of Space- 4/5 Stars.
https://crypticrock.com/color-out-of-space-movie-review/
At the time, I thought this film would be at my #1 spot…until I reviewed the actual #1 film a few days later. Regardless, it’s a welcome return for director Richard Stanley, whose prior fall from feature-length, fiction-based film-making was so great it made for a popular documentary (Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr Moreau). This adaptation of the H.P Lovecraft short story is almost perfect, in that it follows enough of the story to be faithful while its original elements add more intrigue, flesh out the characters, and make it a bizarrely horrifying watch. Like it follows the spirit of Lovecraft while updating things for modern day (like non-whites being equal!).
Still, it’s perhaps a little too bizarre to take too seriously. Nicolas Cage and Tommy Chong try to out-weird the titular Color, and almost succeed until the llamas and body horror come in. It’s a wild, skin-crawling ride that will hopefully continue if Stanley’s plans for a Dunwich Horror adaptation work out.
4) Sword of God (aka The Mute, or Krew Boga)- 4/5 Stars.
https://crypticrock.com/sword-of-god-movie-review/
All the films get quite dour from here on. Doesn’t stop them being great. Just be aware these films aren’t going to lift you up like Film School Africa or be as kooky as Skin or Color Out of Space.
Like this Polish, Dark Ages horror thriller that plays out like Avatar done right. Like that film, it is about invaders caught amongst native tribespeople. Also, like that film, one of them goes native and- through nebulous prophecies- becomes the tribe’s chosen one. Unlike that film, it’s White Christians meeting White Pagans, which avoids the awkward racial implications of Avatar’s Na’vi catpeople. It’s also more nuanced, where the forceful Christian Wilibrord still gets allies despite the conversion of his mute partner. Said mute also isn’t the only Christian-turned-tribesman, as the reasons for switching sides get broader than ‘noble savage, savage noble’.
Plus the ending isn’t a happy one, though a more believable one given what’s happened in history between Christians and pagans. Bad choices are made, revelations come too late, and everyone has to live with the consequences of what happened instead of what could’ve been. It’s a nuanced tragedy that’s shot well and has some beautiful visuals to offer. It’s also the only film here that’s completely in a foreign language (Polish, as mentioned), so be warned that there are subtitles here instead of a dub. That might not be your thing, though it’ll be worth your while if you give it a go.
3) Mickey and the Bear- 4.5/5 Stars.
https://crypticrock.com/mickey-and-the-bear-movie-review/
Speaking of nuance. This is a tricky one. It’s a drama about a high school girl supporting her deadbeat dad in a podunk town in Montana. She receives opportunities to leave him and the town behind, be it through college or a handsome exchange student. They sound like easy choices to make, yet her dad has enough tender moments that show him as human enough to plant those seeds of doubt. He’s been put through enough of an emotional wringer himself, which makes him sympathetic enough until he loses control of himself entirely.
The film is a strong example of how much familial and emotional ties can be tested until they break entirely, and when duty has to give way to self-care. The winding journey the story takes is compelling from its beginning (with an admittedly terrible song) to its sad, skin-crawling end.
2) Madagasikara- 4.5/5 Stars.
https://crypticrock.com/madagasikara-documentary-review/
We’re heading back to documentary territory, and it’s a grim one. It’s about the human cost of politics, as Madagascar’s economy fell via sanctions over the ousting of the country’s previous president to its current one. The former allowed neoliberal practices, selling off the nation’s land to corporate interests, so there were a lot of upset powers when that got stopped. Including America who, on knowing how catastrophic economic sanctions would be, put them forth anyway.
That was under the early days of the Obama presidency, and acts as one of the dark marks on his tenure. The documentary follows three women and their families as they struggle in a post-sanctioned Madagascar, complete with insight from them and former UNICEF members and more on the poverty and human rights abuses within the country. The only bright side was that, at the time of filming, things had gotten slightly better by the late 2010’s. Except the issues still haven’t been rectified, life remains hard for the three women involved, and doesn’t look like they will get better any time soon. It’s a hard documentary telling hard, political information, like how economic sanctions hurt a country’s people- especially its poorest- more than the people they’re apparently supposed to punish.
Speaking of hard, political information, here’s the best film of my 3rd year at CrypticRock- possibly even the best one I’ve ever done too.
1) My Name is Myeisha- 5/5 Stars.
https://crypticrock.com/my-name-is-myeisha-movie-review/
Oh yes, I saw this just after Color Out of Space. Talk about contrasting experiences. The former is a weird, mind-bending take on Lovecraft, while this film is a long form poem-cum-rap musical about getting into the head of a black woman killed by a cop. Surely there’s nothing relatable about this film in 2020!
Seriously, 9 months is not that long in the grand scheme of things, except in 2020 where it might as well have been 9 years. It was poignant enough at the time of release, given the unlawful killing of black people by the police in America has been a big problem since…ever, really. The shooting depicted here is based on a case from 1997.
But the topic really heated up post-release, following the deaths of Breonna Taylor & George Floyd at the hands of the police, the maiming of Jacob Blake at the hands of police, and the Rittenhouse shootings, which occurred while said cops stood around and did nothing. Guess shooting people you disagree with isn’t as bad as having a counterfeit bill, going back to your car or sleeping in your own bed.
It’s an upsetting experience that only gets more upsetting when the victims are smeared to save the police’s reputation. Breonna was involved in crack deals! (She wasn’t). George Floyd was a rapist! (He wasn’t) Jacob Blake was going back to his car to get a knife! (Also nope). My Name is Myeisha counters that by depicting the kind of people who do fall victim to these situations- namely average people with their own likes and dislikes, thoughts and feelings, highs and lows. People who want to live their own lives, but can’t, and often have those lives taken from them by a system with an irrational fear/hatred/both of POC, and especially the black community.
It does a strong job of depicting such a case through catchy beats and a tour-de-force performance from Rhaechyl Walker. Despite its topic, it isn’t a purely mournful watch like Requiem for a Dream or other infamous depressathons. It has its fun moments that illustrate how playful Myeisha is in life, and they serve to make the film more engaging…while disarming the audience for the inevitable horror. They can’t save Myeisha, just as they can’t save Breonna, George, Eric Garner, Amadou Diallo, Sandra Bland, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, and many more. All they can do is take action today to stop anyone else from becoming another name on a memorial.
Watch My Name is Myeisha. It’s the only musical you’ll ever need.
Here’s to another year at CrypticRock, and hopefully for better things to come for everyone in 2021 onwards.
Thinkin' Thinkin' 