Just over two years ago, I decided to close the digital shutters on the experiment known as Trainwreck’d Society, for what could notably be recognized for the second time. It was year 10 of the experiment, and it really felt like it was time to simply bow out of the game with what little grace and whatever version of “success” I may have had with the site over the last decade. It seemed as though I had built up just about enough memories and mementos of an on-line life that was (mostly) well lived, and that it was a reasonable time to call it quits and move into some sort of different direction.
And that is what I did….briefly. I was awarded the great opportunity to continue my journey in independent film criticism under the guise of a truly unique and impressive Australian-based conglomerate, of sorts, known as MovieHole and Scare Magazine. Two uber-cool powerhouses of talent working together to produce two of the finest indie-centric sites I have come to know.
So that is what I did…for a while. And I loved it. I got to preview some amazing indie projects I may have never been made aware of, as well as continued to work with some of my favorite PR firms, allowing the opportunity to showcase their clients to a much wider audience. It was a joyous experience. But then time elapsed and life got in the way. I will summarize the experience by saying that the search for anything joyous started to feel fruitless and downright insufferable. So, I simply gave it up. There were no theatrics involved, but a simple unwillingness and lack of yearning to be either creative or insightful.
Of course, some dreams and ambitions never fully dissipate, and the yearning to turn said dreams into some form of reality snuck back in. And I guess that is where I am at now. After 25 months of silence and just a smattering of “what if” thoughts and half-heartedly begun projects idea hidden under the false label of “pre-production, I decided to simply just come back to the digital world I know and love. That’s it. Once again, no theatrics. I’m just here. And I am excited!
If I’m being perfectly honest, it is only as of this writing that I am realizing that this latest iteration is actually somewhat derived from the concept of the aforementioned MovieHole/Scare Mag concept. MovieHole is a generalized means of showcasing a multitude of genres of film, while Scare Mag has it’s focus more on the dark arts of cinema in showcasing the world of horror. And in some purely coincidental ways, I am actually looking to do the same with this latest iteration of my conceptualized life on the internet.
Depending on where you are actually reading these words, you are either looking at the continuation of Trainwreck’d Society or the introduction to The Tragic Times: A Comedy Journal. Much like the above mentioned concept that I am looking to steal from, I mean “be influenced by”, MovieHole and Scare Mag, I wanted to continue to overseeing journey that TWS would allow, while also showcasing a somewhat dark art as well. That dark art would be the world of comedy.
I managed to blend the world of comedy, stand up or otherwise, into the TWS realm with relative ease over the last iteration of the site. But, after a couple of years of reflection, it occurred to me that my “research” and downright love for the comedic arts could be showcased on its own, and probably should be done so.
So, this brings us to now. I am stoked to announce the launch of The Tragic Times. Essentially the site will be a forum for me to showcase what I believe to be the best of the best in the world of all things hilarious. Whether it’s PR porn for recently released or upcoming specials, albums, shows, etc., or just a random reflection of anything that I have found to be downright hilarious over the years. Think of that last sentence as a disclaimer that I fully intend to write about whatever the hell I want to, and do it only with a sense of shame that lies within, but will hopefully be projected with
Trainwreck’d Society will eventually resume as a means to cover just about anything else outside of the world of comedy. Hell, maybe even sometimes within. Who knows. The main point here is….We’re Back!
I have to start this off with an apology. I had every intention of having this up the morning prior to the Oscars that premiered last night. But, as it always seems to be these days…COVID fucked that up. My wife got her second dose, and it completely wrecked her shit, to say the least. Therefore, I got busy taking care of her and then replacing her for volunteer swim duties the day of the my daughters’ swim meet. So, I guess we are going to make this a day after event, should it continue to go on. With that in mind, let’s begin….
So, I got a wild proverbial hair up my ass and decided that I would like to know what a different sort of Oscar outcome would look like. The Oscars are often criticized. I believe the hashtag this year was #OscarsSoLame. In previous years, it was #OscarsSoWhite. The latter was very appropriate. And it still kind of is, but strides are being taken. Look, I’m not here to defend or debunk the Academy. They vote how they want, and that is just fine. But, I would be lying to myself and all of you fine people if I said that if Oscar nominated films were a genre in themselves, it wouldn’t be my favorite. I’ve always loved the majority of the films that win the big, and small, awards. In will always remember the 1998 Oscars fondly. I fucking hated Titanic. It took 11 Oscars that year. But, like 8 of them they deserved, because it was for technical stuff. But, the performance and writing awards went to films I absolutely loved. As Good As It Gets and Good Will Hunting got exactly what they deserved at a minimum. Although, hindsight showed me that Elliot Smith should have overpowered Celine Dion, but that I wouldn’t have been my thought that at 13, as I was far too chipper of a boy to listen to Elliot Smith, and the internet was new, and I only knew what was on MTV. Elliot was not. Basically what I mean is that with some exceptions, Oscar winning films tend to be some of my favorite films. From Annie Hall to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, to Hustle and Flow and South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut. Many of the films I love and treasure have been at least nominated. Many have not. Sure, the outcomes sometimes suck (Looking at you Green Book), but overall, Oscar movies tend to bring me joy. I enjoy a good old fashion blockbuster as much as the next bruv, but this is where my wheelhouse rests.
So, with that in mind, I decided it would be fun to put together my own Academy. I reached out to many people who have been either featured on TWS, or are associated in some way. Many people didn’t care to opt in, and I get it. It’s not for everyone. But, I did manage to pull together a very respectable and amazing crew of folks who wanted to pitch in. I made a poll, and let the new Trainwreck’d Society Academy of Motion Pictures and Science decide who they thought was the best. And, I have to say, with the actual Oscars event over with, it wasn’t that far off. And I also have to say, we actually did better.
So, before we get into the list, I wanted to let you all know, and pay my thanks, to the TWS Academy. These brave folks took the time out of their busy schedules to become a part of a historic effort on my part, that sort of bombed, but hey, we had fun. So, here is your Academy:
Bill Briles (filmmaker/actor, A Private Dancer in Mom’s Kitchen) Aimee Lynn Chadwick (actress, Return of the Living Dead 2: Rave to the Grave) Zed Cutsinger (podcaster, Views From the Vista) Chris Eaves (filmmaker/writer/bearded hero, Trainwreck’d Society) Elsa Faith (musician, Soul Distraction) David Joyner (actor, Barney & Friends) Myq Kaplan (comedian) Laura Madsen (publicist/actress, Shooting Clerks) Kelly Masterson (writer, Snowpiercer) Honor Nezzo (musician/podcaster, Views From The Vista) Chad Opitz (comedian) Bob Saenz (writer, Extracurricular Activities) Anna Shields (actress/writer, Monstrous) Jacob Stafford (USAF vet, midwest fashion icon) Timothy Tanner (actor, At the House of Madness) Gabriel Theis (filmmaker, The Curse of Professor Zardonicus) Ron Trembath (duh?) Craig B. Warmsley (actor, Unchained) Frank Whaley (actor, Pulp Fiction) Austin Whiting (USAF vet, Barenaked Ladies enthusiast)
So here they are Folks! A damn good group, if I do say so myself. Hopefully they will return next year, and we will add some folks, should this continue. And again, I apologize for my tardiness. Maybe next year I will include some photos. But, for now, I hope you enjoy what we have for you all. Take care!
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ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
NOMINEES
RIZ AHMED
Sound of Metal
CHADWICK BOSEMAN – WINNER –
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
ANTHONY HOPKINS
The Father
GARY OLDMAN
Mank
STEVEN YEUN
Minari
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
NOMINEES
SACHA BARON COHEN
The Trial of the Chicago 7
DANIEL KALUUYA – WINNER –
Judas and the Black Messiah
LESLIE ODOM, JR.
One Night in Miami…
PAUL RACI
Sound of Metal
LAKEITH STANFIELD
Judas and the Black Messiah
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
NOMINEES
VIOLA DAVIS
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
ANDRA DAY
The United States vs. Billie Holiday
VANESSA KIRBY
Pieces of a Woman
FRANCES MCDORMAND
Nomadland
CAREY MULLIGAN – WINNER –
Promising Young Woman
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
NOMINEES
MARIA BAKALOVA – WINNER –
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
GLENN CLOSE
Hillbilly Elegy
OLIVIA COLMAN
The Father
AMANDA SEYFRIED
Mank
YUH-JUNG YOUN
Minari
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
NOMINEES
ONWARD
Dan Scanlon and Kori Rae
OVER THE MOON
Glen Keane, Gennie Rim and Peilin Chou
A SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE: FARMAGEDDON
Richard Phelan, Will Becher and Paul Kewley
SOUL – WINNER –
Pete Docter and Dana Murray
WOLFWALKERS
Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young and Stéphan Roelants
CINEMATOGRAPHY
NOMINEES
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH – WINNER –
Sean Bobbitt
MANK
Erik Messerschmidt
NEWS OF THE WORLD
Dariusz Wolski
NOMADLAND
Joshua James Richards
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Phedon Papamichael
COSTUME DESIGN
NOMINEES
EMMA
Alexandra Byrne
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
WINNER
Ann Roth
MANK
Trish Summerville
MULAN
Bina Daigeler
PINOCCHIO
Massimo Cantini Parrini
DIRECTING
NOMINEES
ANOTHER ROUND
Thomas Vinterberg
MANK
David Fincher
MINARI
Lee Isaac Chung
NOMADLAND
Chloé Zhao
WINNER
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Emerald Fennell
DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
NOMINEES
COLLECTIVE
Alexander Nanau and Bianca Oana
CRIP CAMP
Nicole Newnham, Jim LeBrecht and Sara Bolder
THE MOLE AGENT
Maite Alberdi and Marcela Santibáñez
MY OCTOPUS TEACHER
Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster
WINNER
TIME
Garrett Bradley, Lauren Domino and Kellen Quinn
DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
NOMINEES
COLETTE
Anthony Giacchino and Alice Doyard
A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION
Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
WINNER
DO NOT SPLIT
Anders Hammer and Charlotte Cook
HUNGER WARD
Skye Fitzgerald and Michael Scheuerman
A LOVE SONG FOR LATASHA
Sophia Nahli Allison and Janice Duncan
FILM EDITING
NOMINEES
THE FATHER
Yorgos Lamprinos
NOMADLAND
Chloé Zhao
WINNER
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Frédéric Thoraval
SOUND OF METAL
Mikkel E. G. Nielsen
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Alan Baumgarten
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
NOMINEES
ANOTHER ROUND
Denmark
WINNER
BETTER DAYS
Hong Kong
COLLECTIVE
Romania
THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN
Tunisia
QUO VADIS, AIDA?
Bosnia and Herzegovina
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
NOMINEES
EMMA
Marese Langan, Laura Allen and Claudia Stolze
HILLBILLY ELEGY
Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle and Patricia Dehaney
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson
WINNER
MANK
Gigi Williams, Kimberley Spiteri and Colleen LaBaff
PINOCCHIO
Mark Coulier, Dalia Colli and Francesco Pegoretti
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
NOMINEES
DA 5 BLOODS
Terence Blanchard
MANK
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
MINARI
Emile Mosseri
NEWS OF THE WORLD
James Newton Howard
SOUL
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste
WINNER
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
NOMINEES
FIGHT FOR YOU
from Judas and the Black Messiah; Music by H.E.R. and Dernst Emile II; Lyric by H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas
HEAR MY VOICE
from The Trial of the Chicago 7; Music by Daniel Pemberton; Lyric by Daniel Pemberton and Celeste Waite
HUSAVIK
from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga; Music and Lyric by Savan Kotecha, Fat Max Gsus and Rickard Göransson
IO SÌ (SEEN)
from The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se); Music by Diane Warren; Lyric by Diane Warren and Laura Pausini
SPEAK NOW
from One Night in Miami…; Music and Lyric by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth
WINNER
BEST PICTURE
NOMINEES
THE FATHER
David Parfitt, Jean-Louis Livi and Philippe Carcassonne, Producers
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Shaka King, Charles D. King and Ryan Coogler, Producers
WINNER
MANK
Ceán Chaffin, Eric Roth and Douglas Urbanski, Producers
MINARI
Christina Oh, Producer
NOMADLAND
Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey and Chloé Zhao, Producers
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell and Josey McNamara, Producers
SOUND OF METAL
Bert Hamelinck and Sacha Ben Harroche, Producers
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Marc Platt and Stuart Besser, Producers
PRODUCTION DESIGN
NOMINEES
THE FATHER
Production Design: Peter Francis; Set Decoration: Cathy Featherstone
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
Production Design: Mark Ricker; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara and Diana Stoughton
MANK
Production Design: Donald Graham Burt; Set Decoration: Jan Pascale
NEWS OF THE WORLD
Production Design: David Crank; Set Decoration: Elizabeth Keenan
TENET
Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Kathy Lucas
WINNER
SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
NOMINEES
BURROW
Madeline Sharafian and Michael Capbarat
GENIUS LOCI
Adrien Mérigeau and Amaury Ovise
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS I LOVE YOU
Will McCormack and Michael Govier
WINNER* (actually forgot to include this one, so the Academy can have the final say)
OPERA
Erick Oh
YES-PEOPLE
Gísli Darri Halldórsson and Arnar Gunnarsson
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
NOMINEES
FEELING THROUGH
Doug Roland and Susan Ruzenski
THE LETTER ROOM
Elvira Lind and Sofia Sondervan
THE PRESENT
Farah Nabulsi and Ossama Bawardi
TWO DISTANT STRANGERS
Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe
WINNER
WHITE EYE
Tomer Shushan and Shira Hochman
SOUND
NOMINEES
GREYHOUND
Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman
MANK
Ren Klyce, Jeremy Molod, David Parker, Nathan Nance and Drew Kunin
NEWS OF THE WORLD
Oliver Tarney, Mike Prestwood Smith, William Miller and John Pritchett
SOUL
Ren Klyce, Coya Elliott and David Parker
SOUND OF METAL
Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michellee Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh
WINNER
VISUAL EFFECTS
NOMINEES
LOVE AND MONSTERS
Matt Sloan, Genevieve Camilleri, Matt Everitt and Brian Cox
THE MIDNIGHT SKY
Matthew Kasmir, Christopher Lawrence, Max Solomon and David Watkins
MULAN
Sean Faden, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury and Steve Ingram
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN
Nick Davis, Greg Fisher, Ben Jones and Santiago Colomo Martinez
TENET
Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher
WINNER
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
NOMINEES
BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM: DELIVERY OF PRODIGIOUS BRIBE TO AMERICAN REGIME FOR MAKE BENEFIT ONCE GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Peter Baynham & Erica Rivinoja & Dan Mazer & Jena Friedman & Lee Kern; Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Nina Pedrad
WINNER
THE FATHER
Screenplay by Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller
NOMADLAND
Written for the screen by Chloé Zhao
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…
Screenplay by Kemp Powers
THE WHITE TIGER
Written for the screen by Ramin Bahrani
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
NOMINEES
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Screenplay by Will Berson & Shaka King; Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas
WINNER
MINARI
Written by Lee Isaac Chung
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Written by Emerald Fennell
SOUND OF METAL
Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder; Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance
IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN, FOLKS! HEAD ON OVER TO OUR FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE AND CAST YOUR VOTE FOR WHO YOU BELIEVE HAD THE BEST PREDICTIONS FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN SOME EXTREMELY AVERAGE PRIZES! ENJOY!
TO VOTE, SIMPLY LEAVE A COMMENT ON THE EVENT PAGE STATING WHO YOU BELIEVE PICKED THE BEST.
******
Introduction from Mr. Eaves:
I will always remember the night the State Lock Down announcements began. It was March 11th, 2020 and I was at the Rose Garden (Moda Center) in Portland, Oregon. My friend Brice had gifted me a ticket to see Tool with him – a band I have loved since Jr. High but had never found an opportunity to see perform live. An exceedingly kind gesture and one I will always treasure. The show was a mesmerizing spectacle of sound and sight collectively experienced by 20,000 people. A soul shocking juxtaposition slamming right into the coming uncertainty and isolation of the developing pandemic. What would ultimately become a Marathon without mile markers.
The first people to feel the pains of the Lock Down were those who operated our favorite neighborhood establishments. The places we seek out, to hang out, with our friends and family, build comradery and share experiences with each other. Our favorite restaurant, the Friday night movie theater and the local music venue all shuttered their doors. Somethings’ importance is not easily recognized until it is no longer around. How important these neighborhood institutions are to our culture and fueling our humanity.
The first few weeks of the pandemic carried a sense of optimism as we worked to flatten the infection curve. Although, weeks turned into months and waves 2 and 3 began hammering our cities. What we had thought and naively hoped for early on was a quick return to the old world, instead, missed the stealthily acceleration of convenience into our homes. And as the world stayed at home the streaming of content presented an opportunity for most to find moments of escapist entertainment.
We all learned about Tiger King and how Nicolas Cage would star in the film adaptation. Disney+ returned us to a past, and frankly quaint, approach to television, with their crazy notion of releasing a single episode each week. Disney+ dominated the pop culture conversation for weeks on end with The Mandalorian, WandaVision and The Falcon & the Winter Soldier. Warner Brothers decided to release all their Feature Films onto HBO Max at only 14.99 a month without informing their movie creators. And “The Snyder Cut” was finally released digitally after only a small additional 70-million-dollar investment and three years of Twitter outrage. Streaming became the race to acquire new Subscribers at all costs via fracturing content into hundreds of new Fill-In-The-Blank + apps.
Everything is so convenient now. Restaurant food delivered right to your front door. Groceries delivered right to your front door. Pencils and pressure washers delivered right to your front door. A new car delivered and parked right in your driveway. I just refinanced my home via signing all my documents with an E-Signature. And this is such a sorrowful notation for me. In person interactions create empathy. Human contact builds empathy just like a bench press builds muscular strength. Empathy requires practice and work, or it will wither away. Convenience has its cost. And this is coming from an introvert who conceals his anxiety.
If you have made it this far you are probably wondering why I am rambling on like this for an Academy Award Ballet Prediction write up. The Movies are cultural markers. They shine a light on our accomplishments as well as our tragedies. The Movies make us laugh and they make us weep. Movies are wonderful empathy machines. And the medium of theaters is an institution for building empathy through collective experience. A comedy is never as funny as when you watch it with a group of people fueling each other’s enjoyment.
The Theater Experience is like a restaurant or a music hall or a museum or an air show or a dozen other similar places. A place for us to share experience with one another and to experience the humanity within each other’s unique perspectives. These places are our cultural watering holes. While 2020 delivered an overabundance of collective pain and hardships, it also isolated us from one another and allowed for are more devilish instincts to bubble to the surface.
Late showing summer movies are my favorite experience. When the theater house lights come up and everyone starts looking around the auditorium, reading each other’s experiences across their faces. Some people clapping and others laughing. People slowly start to rustle their way towards the lobby. Small groups form up to talk about what they just witnessed. And my absolute favorite feeling – the rush of warm summer air upon my face as we step out of the air-conditioned lobby, the last bits of orange twilight shining above the horizon line. The conversations of the lobby have continued out under the Marquee and then meander their way out into the parking lot. All our social institutions have these similar kinds of experiences.
The theater experience will not be snuffed out by 2020 but it will forever be changed. The prerequisite for an OSCAR qualification is a theatrical release. The 2021 Academy Awards have made the exception for streaming nominations if the film had a planned theatrical release prior to the Lock Down. And as Subscription continues to dominate and watching from home continues to grow, the weight of Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO Max’s consolidation of power over the Theatrical Exhibitionists of AMC, Regal, Cinemark and NATO (National Association of Theater Owners) will undoubtedly lead to more changes in how the Academy will operate. The theater will not die but the power of the theater has greatly diminished like an old bulb of a projector.
My goal was not to be a downer on the subject. Chloé Zhao and Nomadland deserve to win big this year! Zhao captures the complexities of humanity without judgment. Chadwick Boseman will win posthumously. Judas and the Black Messiah is a positive kick to the soul and should also win big. Delroy Lindo’s snub for Best Actor is nothing less than outrageous and a front to his craft. A few of the nominated films received limited releases but most found their way onto Premium Streaming VOD Platforms to which like most years most people still did not watch.
Cinema is a medium of storytelling. At one point Movie Palaces sold out 5,000 seat auditoriums each night before television found its way into every home. But what makes the act of Cinema so powerful was the experience of witnessing the spectacle of sight and sound collectively. Without the human interaction, a movie struggles to be more than just flickering light. Of course, a film will still affect you at home, but the reinforcement of the experience will solidify it as part of you. Just like that kind gesture of my friend Brice to see Tool with him. Just like the time Ron, I, Adam, Mike and Tyler all saw the Midnight showing of Inglourious Basterds (2009) at Cinetopia and Mike yelled out “Oh Fuck” after Hitler got blow away (because that is always the correct response after that scene). Or the first date I had with my wife to see The Hangover (2009). Or the time I saw the unforgivable trash heap that was Independence Day 2 (2016) with Adam, Cody, Brett, and Zac. Sharing the misery of that bullshit with those Sirs brought me so much joy. If I had watched Resurgence at home, it would have just been another forgotten memory.
The world is changing. We have been on this path for a while and 2020 simply accelerated its pace. Please keep watching movies. It is okay to watch movies at home. But remember why we watch movies. We watch to experience these emotions with other people. We still want to connect with people. And if the opportunity arises, please support your local theater. I hope to see you in the lobby and want to hear all about what you experienced. Until then – safe journey.
Introduction from Mr. Trembath:
Fuck COVID. Let’s all go the movies (soon?). Also Trial of the Chicago 7 was absolute trash. I recommend the 3 part podcast episode that our friends at The Dollop about Abbie Hoffman. And get vaccinated. NOW.
******
BEST PICTURE
THE FATHER – David Parfitt, Jean-Louis Livi and Philippe Carcassonne, Producers
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH – Shaka King, Charles D. King and Ryan Coogler, Producers
MANK – Ceán Chaffin, Eric Roth and Douglas Urbanski, Producers
MINARI – Christina Oh, Producer
NOMADLAND – Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey and Chloé Zhao, Producers
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN – Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell and Josey McNamara, Producers
SOUND OF METAL – Bert Hamelinck and Sacha Ben Harroche, Producers
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 – Marc Platt and Stuart Besser, Producers
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
NOMADLAND
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
NOMADLAND
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
NOMADLAND
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
RIZ AHMED – Sound of Metal
CHADWICK BOSEMAN – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
ANTHONY HOPKINS – The Father
GARY OLDMAN – Mank
STEVEN YEUN – Minari
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
DELROY LINDO – Da 5 Bloods (Write In)
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
CHADWICK BOSEMAN – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
CHADWICK BOSEMAN – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
CHADWICK BOSEMAN – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
SACHA BARON COHEN – The Trial of the Chicago 7
DANIEL KALUUYA – Judas and the Black Messiah
LESLIE ODOM, JR. – One Night in Miami…
PAUL RACI – Sound of Metal
LAKEITH STANFIELD – Judas and the Black Messiah
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
DANIEL KALUUYA – Judas and the Black Messiah
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
DANIEL KALUUYA – Judas and the Black Messiah
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
DANIEL KALUUYA – Judas and the Black Messiah
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
DANIEL KALUUYA – Judas and the Black Messiah
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
VIOLA DAVIS – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
ANDRA DAY – The United States vs. Billie Holiday
VANESSA KIRBY – Pieces of a Woman
FRANCES MCDORMAND – Nomadland
CAREY MULLIGAN – Promising Young Woman
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
ANDRA DAY – The United States vs. Billie Holiday
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
VIOLA DAVIS – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
FRANCES MCDORMAND – Nomadland
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
FRANCES MCDORMAND – Nomadland
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
MARIA BAKALOVA – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
GLENN CLOSE – Hillbilly Elegy
OLIVIA COLMAN – The Father
AMANDA SEYFRIED – Mank
YUH-JUNG YOUN – Minari
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
MARIA BAKALOVA – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
MARIA BAKALOVA – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
AMANDA SEYFRIED – Mank
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
MARIA BAKALOVA – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
ONWARD – Dan Scanlon and Kori Rae
OVER THE MOON – Glen Keane, Gennie Rim and Peilin Chou
A SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE: FARMAGEDDON – Richard Phelan, Will Becher and Paul Kewley
SOUL – Pete Docter and Dana Murray
WOLFWALKERS – Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart, Paul Young and Stéphan Roelants
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
SOUL – Pete Docter and Dana Murray
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
SOUL – Pete Docter and Dana Murray
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
SOUL – Pete Docter and Dana Murray
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
SOUL – Pete Docter and Dana Murray
CINEMATOGRAPHY
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH – Sean Bobbitt
MANK – Erik Messerschmidt
NEWS OF THE WORLD – Dariusz Wolski
NOMADLAND – Joshua James Richards
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 – Phedon Papamichael
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
MANK – Erik Messerschmidt
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH – Sean Bobbitt
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
MANK – Erik Messerschmidt
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
NOMADLAND – Joshua James Richards
COSTUME DESIGN
EMMA – Alexandra Byrne
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM – Ann Roth
MANK – Trish Summerville
MULAN – Bina Daigeler
PINOCCHIO – Massimo Cantini Parrini
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
MANK – Trish Summerville
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM – Ann Roth
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
MANK – Trish Summerville
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM – Ann Roth
DIRECTING
ANOTHER ROUND – Thomas Vinterberg
MANK – David Fincher
MINARI – Lee Isaac Chung
NOMADLAND – Chloé Zhao
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN – Emerald Fennell
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
NOMADLAND – Chloé Zhao
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN – Emerald Fennell
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
NOMADLAND – Chloé Zhao
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
NOMADLAND – Chloé Zhao
DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)
COLLECTIVE – Alexander Nanau and Bianca Oana
CRIP CAMP – Nicole Newnham, Jim LeBrecht and Sara Bolder
THE MOLE AGENT – Maite Alberdi and Marcela Santibáñez
MY OCTOPUS TEACHER – Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster
TIME – Garrett Bradley, Lauren Domino and Kellen Quinn
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
MY OCTOPUS TEACHER – Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
CRIP CAMP – Nicole Newnham, Jim LeBrecht and Sara Bolder
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
MY OCTOPUS TEACHER – Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
MY OCTOPUS TEACHER – Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed and Craig Foster
DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)
COLETTE – Anthony Giacchino and Alice Doyard
A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION – Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
DO NOT SPLIT – Anders Hammer and Charlotte Cook
HUNGER WARD – Skye Fitzgerald and Michael Scheuerman
A LOVE SONG FOR LATASHA – Sophia Nahli Allison and Janice Duncan
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
A LOVE SONG FOR LATASHA – Sophia Nahli Allison and Janice Duncan
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
A LOVE SONG FOR LATASHA – Sophia Nahli Allison and Janice Duncan
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
A LOVE SONG FOR LATASHA – Sophia Nahli Allison and Janice Duncan
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION – Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
FILM EDITING
THE FATHER – Yorgos Lamprinos
NOMADLAND – Chloé Zhao
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN – Frédéric Thoraval
SOUND OF METAL – Mikkel E. G. Nielsen
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 – Alan Baumgarten
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
SOUND OF METAL – Mikkel E. G. Nielsen
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
SOUND OF METAL – Mikkel E. G. Nielsen
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
SOUND OF METAL – Mikkel E. G. Nielsen
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
NOMADLAND – Chloé Zhao
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
ANOTHER ROUND – Denmark
BETTER DAYS – Hong Kong
COLLECTIVE – Romania
THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN – Tunisia
QUO VADIS, AIDA? – Bosnia and Herzegovina
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
ANOTHER ROUND – Denmark
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
ANOTHER ROUND – Denmark
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
ANOTHER ROUND – Denmark
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
ANOTHER ROUND – Denmark
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
EMMA – Marese Langan, Laura Allen and Claudia Stolze
HILLBILLY ELEGY – Eryn Krueger Mekash, Matthew Mungle and Patricia Dehaney
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM – Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson
MANK – Gigi Williams, Kimberley Spiteri and Colleen LaBaff
PINOCCHIO – Mark Coulier, Dalia Colli and Francesco Pegoretti
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
MANK – Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM – Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
MANK – Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM – Sergio Lopez-Rivera, Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
DA 5 BLOODS – Terence Blanchard
MANK – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
MINARI – Emile Mosseri
NEWS OF THE WORLD – James Newton Howard
SOUL – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
SOUL – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
DA 5 BLOODS – Terence Blanchard
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
SOUL – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
SOUL – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
FIGHT FOR YOU – from Judas and the Black Messiah; Music by H.E.R. and Dernst Emile II; Lyric by H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas
HEAR MY VOICE – from The Trial of the Chicago 7; Music by Daniel Pemberton; Lyric by Daniel Pemberton and Celeste Waite
HUSAVIK – from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga; Music and Lyric by Savan Kotecha, Fat Max Gsus and Rickard Göransson
IO SÌ (SEEN) – from The Life Ahead (La Vita Davanti a Se); Music by Diane Warren; Lyric by Diane Warren and Laura Pausini
SPEAK NOW – from One Night in Miami…; Music and Lyric by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
SPEAK NOW – from One Night in Miami…; Music and Lyric by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
FIGHT FOR YOU – from Judas and the Black Messiah; Music by H.E.R. and Dernst Emile II; Lyric by H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
SPEAK NOW – from One Night in Miami…; Music and Lyric by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
SPEAK NOW – from One Night in Miami…; Music and Lyric by Leslie Odom, Jr. and Sam Ashworth
PRODUCTION DESIGN
THE FATHER – Production Design: Peter Francis; Set Decoration: Cathy Featherstone
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM – Production Design: Mark Ricker; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara and Diana Stoughton
MANK – Production Design: Donald Graham Burt; Set Decoration: Jan Pascale
NEWS OF THE WORLD – Production Design: David Crank; Set Decoration: Elizabeth Keenan
TENET – Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Kathy Lucas
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
TENET – Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Kathy Lucas
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM – Production Design: Mark Ricker; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara and Diana Stoughton
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
TENET – Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Kathy Lucas
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
MANK – Production Design: Donald Graham Burt; Set Decoration: Jan Pascale
SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
BURROW – Madeline Sharafian and Michael Capbarat
GENIUS LOCI – Adrien Mérigeau and Amaury Ovise
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS I LOVE YOU – Will McCormack and Michael Govier
OPERA – Erick Oh
YES-PEOPLE – Gísli Darri Halldórsson and Arnar Gunnarsson
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
GENIUS LOCI – Adrien Mérigeau and Amaury Ovise
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS I LOVE YOU – Will McCormack and Michael Govier
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
GENIUS LOCI – Adrien Mérigeau and Amaury Ovise
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
GENIUS LOCI – Adrien Mérigeau and Amaury Ovise
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
FEELING THROUGH – Doug Roland and Susan Ruzenski
THE LETTER ROOM – Elvira Lind and Sofia Sondervan
THE PRESENT – Farah Nabulsi and Ossama Bawardi
TWO DISTANT STRANGERS – Travon Free and Martin Desmond Roe
WHITE EYE – Tomer Shushan and Shira Hochman
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
WHITE EYE – Tomer Shushan and Shira Hochman
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
FEELING THROUGH – Doug Roland and Susan Ruzenski
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
WHITE EYE – Tomer Shushan and Shira Hochman
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
FEELING THROUGH – Doug Roland and Susan Ruzenski
SOUND
GREYHOUND – Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman
MANK – Ren Klyce, Jeremy Molod, David Parker, Nathan Nance and Drew Kunin
NEWS OF THE WORLD – Oliver Tarney, Mike Prestwood Smith, William Miller and John Pritchett
SOUL – Ren Klyce, Coya Elliott and David Parker
SOUND OF METAL – Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michellee Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
SOUND OF METAL – Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michellee Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
SOUND OF METAL – Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michellee Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
GREYHOUND – Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
SOUND OF METAL – Nicolas Becker, Jaime Baksht, Michellee Couttolenc, Carlos Cortés and Phillip Bladh
VISUAL EFFECTS
LOVE AND MONSTERS – Matt Sloan, Genevieve Camilleri, Matt Everitt and Brian Cox
THE MIDNIGHT SKY – Matthew Kasmir, Christopher Lawrence, Max Solomon and David Watkins
MULAN – Sean Faden, Anders Langlands, Seth Maury and Steve Ingram
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN – Nick Davis, Greg Fisher, Ben Jones and Santiago Colomo Martinez
TENET – Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
TENET – Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
THE MIDNIGHT SKY – Matthew Kasmir, Christopher Lawrence, Max Solomon and David Watkins
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
TENET – Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
TENET – Andrew Jackson, David Lee, Andrew Lockley and Scott Fisher
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM: DELIVERY OF PRODIGIOUS BRIBE TO AMERICAN REGIME FOR MAKE BENEFIT ONCE GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN – Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Peter Baynham & Erica Rivinoja & Dan Mazer & Jena Friedman & Lee Kern; Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Nina Pedrad
THE FATHER – Screenplay by Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller
NOMADLAND – Written for the screen by Chloé Zhao
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI… – Screenplay by Kemp Powers
THE WHITE TIGER – Written for the screen by Ramin Bahrani
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI… – Screenplay by Kemp Powers
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI… – Screenplay by Kemp Powers
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI… – Screenplay by Kemp Powers
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
NOMADLAND – Written for the screen by Chloé Zhao
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH – Screenplay by Will Berson & Shaka King; Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas
MINARI – Written by Lee Isaac Chung
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN – Written by Emerald Fennell
SOUND OF METAL – Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder; Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 – Written by Aaron Sorkin
WHO CHRIS WANTS TO WIN:
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH – Screenplay by Will Berson & Shaka King; Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas
WHO RON WANTS TO WIN:
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH – Screenplay by Will Berson & Shaka King; Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas
WHO CHRIS THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN – Written by Emerald Fennell
WHO RON THINKS WILL ACTUALLY WIN:
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 – Written by Aaron Sorkin
Hello Folks! And welcome to this year’s Top 50 Films list for 2020. Needless to say, as it probably applies to most of you as well….I consumed ALOT of film content this year. In fact, by the time I realized that I was watching so many damn movies (about the time I wrapped up the majority of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as much as Disney+ would let me anyway) around May, I set 3 goals, 2 of which I came just shy of meeting: The goals were to watch 100 newly released films, 365 films I have never seen, and add 500 entries into my Letterboxd diary for 2020 (to include re-watches, comedy specials, short films, & mini-series such as Tiger King, which I still love).
As of this writing (December 29th) I managed to watch 110 newly released films, 307 films I have never seen, and have added 405 entries into my Letterboxd diary. And while these numbers may change by the end of the year, I have a feeling that I may not be about watch 58 movies in the mere 60 or so hours left in the year. Time doesn’t work in my favor on this one. But alas, I feel like I came pretty close at set of goals that took no real effort on my part and isn’t really worth mentioned. Except that this my site, and I will do as I please. So there you have it. 2020 sucked, but there was some pretty damn good viewing.
And for the task at hand, and the reason some (any?) of you are here, is that 2020 had some pretty amazing new releases. Now, I feel it is only right to clarify that while Trainwreck’d Society is prestigious for many (none?) reasons, we do not follow the traditions of the Oscars. Even pre-pandemic, I was shamefully not seeing many movies in theaters. The majority of my movie viewing is done via streaming services as well as digital screeners. Thus, alot of these films may have actually been made, and in some cases released in outside of the U.S. markets, the year prior or even earlier. In the case of 2020, one film literally goes all the way back to 2012 (what a year!).
The reason for this disclaimer is basically because of just that. 2020 was a year that we all (should have) stayed home and watched movies in the discomfort of our own house. Thus, there were several films released digitally that very well could have not even seen the light of day if the demand for streaming content and shit to watch in our own domiciles wasn’t in such demand. Thus, many of the films listed below were actually credited on sites such as IMDb as being released in 2019, or even later. I believe there is even a 2015 in there.
Alas, it doesn’t matter. Each of these wonderful hand-selected films received a release of some sort in 2020, and more importantly, they are all wonderful. I hope you dig the list as in the time it took to craft it all together, I could have probably watched another film, and would have had to do this whole thing over again.
So Folks, please enjoy Part 2 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Top 50 Films of 2020!
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25. The Last Blockbuster
Directed by Taylor Morden
Written by Zeke Kamm
Starring Doug Benson, Lauren Lapkus, Samm Levine
24. Da 5 Bloods
Directed by Spike Lee
Written by Spike Lee, Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo, & Kevin Willmott
Hello Folks! And welcome to this year’s Top 50 Films list for 2020. Needless to say, as it probably applies to most of you as well….I consumed ALOT of film content this year. In fact, by the time I realized that I was watching so many damn movies (about the time I wrapped up the majority of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as much as Disney+ would let me anyway) around May, I set 3 goals, 2 of which I came just shy of meeting: The goals were to watch 100 newly released films, 365 films I have never seen, and add 500 entries into my Letterboxd diary for 2020 (to include re-watches, comedy specials, short films, & mini-series such as Tiger King, which I still love).
As of this writing (December 29th) I managed to watch 110 newly released films, 307 films I have never seen, and have added 405 entries into my Letterboxd diary. And while these numbers may change by the end of the year, I have a feeling that I may not be about watch 58 movies in the mere 60 or so hours left in the year. Time doesn’t work in my favor on this one. But alas, I feel like I came pretty close at set of goals that took no real effort on my part and isn’t really worth mentioned. Except that this my site, and I will do as I please. So there you have it. 2020 sucked, but there was some pretty damn good viewing.
And for the task at hand, and the reason some (any?) of you are here, is that 2020 had some pretty amazing new releases. Now, I feel it is only right to clarify that while Trainwreck’d Society is prestigious for many (none?) reasons, we do not follow the traditions of the Oscars. Even pre-pandemic, I was shamefully not seeing many movies in theaters. The majority of my movie viewing is done via streaming services as well as digital screeners. Thus, alot of these films may have actually been made, and in some cases released in outside of the U.S. markets, the year prior or even earlier. In the case of 2020, one film literally goes all the way back to 2012 (what a year!).
The reason for this disclaimer is basically because of just that. 2020 was a year that we all (should have) stayed home and watched movies in the discomfort of our own house. Thus, there were several films released digitally that very well could have not even seen the light of day if the demand for streaming content and shit to watch in our own domiciles wasn’t in such demand. Thus, many of the films listed below were actually credited on sites such as IMDb as being released in 2019, or even later. I believe there is even a 2015 in there.
Alas, it doesn’t matter. Each of these wonderful hand-selected films received a release of some sort in 2020, and more importantly, they are all wonderful. I hope you dig the list as in the time it took to craft it all together, I could have probably watched another film, and would have had to do this whole thing over again.
So Folks, please enjoy Part 1 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Top 50 Films of 2020!
******
50. Driven
Directed by Glenn Payne
Written by Casey Dillard
Starring: Richard Speight Jr., Casey Dillard, Maddie Ludt
49. Gold Dust
Directed by David Wall
Written by David Wall
Starring David Wall, David Wysocki, Kerry Wall
48. Girl with No Mouth
Directed by Can Evrenol
Written by Can Evrenol
Starring Elif Sevinc, Denizhan Akbaba, Mehmet Yilmaz Ak
47. Human Zoo
Directed by John E. Seymore
Written by John E. Seymore, John Crawford, & Selfin Morose
Starring Robert Carradine, Raw Leiba, Edward Hong
46. The Departure
Directed by Merland Hoxha
Written by Merland Hoxha
Starring Kendall Chappell, Grant Wright Gunderson, Jon Briddell
45. The Tent
Directed by Kyle Couch
Written by Kyle Couch
Starring Tim Kaiser, Shelby Bradley, Kyle Couch
44. Monstrous
Directed by Bruce Wemple
Written by Anna Shields
Starring Anna Shields, Rachel Finninger, Catharine Daddario
43. Expulsion
Directed by Aaron Jackson & Sean C. Stephens
Written by Aaron jackson & Sean C. Stephens
Starring Colton Tapp, Rosalie Fisher, Lar Park-Lincoln
42. Carol of the Bells
Directed by Joey Travolta
Written by J.C. Peterson
Starring RJ Mitte, Andrea F. Friedman, Donna Pescow
Well Folks, the year is wrapping up, and I’m certain that I am not alone in my excitement for this sinkhole of a year to be behind us. Of course, the root cause of what has us going so insane is still around, but I dare say we have a bit of hope coming our way in 2021. Hopefully. Maybe not. Who knows.
Anyway, we can all agree that the fucking music in 2020 was plentiful and pretty damn great! Hell, what else did people really have to do? Sure creative spirits could have been diminished for some, but as you can tell with the incredible list we have compiled below, not to all! We have a wonderful batch of albums to share with you all. And this is only part one! Due to the unique circumstances of the dates of Holidays this year, I thought it would be fun to tease you all a bit by releasing one edition on Friday, and the next one on Monday. Oh how we kid around here. I guess this is what stir crazy looks like in a digital blog format.
But in all seriousness Folks, there has been some wonderful music released in 2020. If you followed along our journey in our Top 100 Songs of 2020, you will likely recognize literally every artist on this list. 50 ofolks from our Top 100 Songs are reflected in the full albums below, and they are all incredible. You’re going to love this. So please enjoy part 1 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Top 50 Albums of 2020!
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Well, here we are, Folks. Below is what could possibly be my very last end of year list ever. I mean, in digital print format anyway. It has been a wild dozen years, and it has been so much fun bringing these lists to my wonderful reader(s). This top 25 is pretty special because it includes so many of the artists that we have continued to showcase over the years, but there are also so pretty amazing new faces that will surely remain in the zeitgeist of whatever it is I do in the future after Trainwreck’d Society is nothing more than an encyclopedia of cool shit that existed from 2011-2021. Atmosphere, Lotte Kestner, The Sea The Sea, and of course, Blitzen Trapper, are just a few of the artists who have appeared on my lists over the years each and every time they put out a record. And I am not ashamed of this, as they all fucking rule, and I honestly don’t give a single fuck how biased that seems.
Speaking of biased, I actually had to re-edit the original introduction to this thing because I decided to break my own rules, and include Miel’s Tourist Season in the Top Albums list, even though it is technically an EP. I mean, do the rules really even matter anymore? Only megastars are putting out long form albums because they may actually make money from streaming, so fuck it. And this “EP” is hands down one of the best things I have listen to this year, with the exception of the top two albums, including one from our pal Honey Gentry who finally put our her first full length album!
So Folks, it’s been a real damn delight over the years. And if you find yourself looking into the third portion of the Trembath trilogy (whatever that may be), I may be able to provide you with these similar lists. But, until then, please enjoy the final installment of Trainwreck’d Society’s Top 37 1/2 or 50 Albums of the year. Enjoy!
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25. Lee Gallagher & The Hallelujah – L.A. Yesterday
24. Atmosphere – The Day Before Halloween
23. The Furious Seasons – La Fonda
22. Lisa Loeb – A Simple Trick to Happiness
21. Thurston Moore – By the Fire
20. Sunset Canyoneers – Sunset Canyoneers
19. Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters
18. Berlin – Strings Attached
17. Car Sea Headrest – Making a Door Less Open
16. Leonard Cohen – Thanks For the Dance
15. Belle and Sebastian – What to Look For In Summer
Well Folks, the year is wrapping up, and I’m certain that I am not alone in my excitement for this sinkhole of a year to be behind us. Of course, the root cause of what has us going so insane is still around, but I dare say we have a bit of hope coming our way in 2021. Hopefully. Maybe not. Who knows.
Anyway, we can all agree that the fucking music in 2020 was plentiful and pretty damn great! Hell, what else did people really have to do? Sure creative spirits could have been diminished for some, but as you can tell with the incredible list we have compiled below, not to all! We have a wonderful batch of albums to share with you all. And this is only part one! Due to the unique circumstances of the dates of Holidays this year, I thought it would be fun to tease you all a bit by releasing one edition on Friday, and the next one on Monday. Oh how we kid around here. I guess this is what stir crazy looks like in a digital blog format.
But in all seriousness Folks, there has been some wonderful music released in 2020. If you followed along our journey in our Top 100 Songs of 2020, you will likely recognize literally every artist on this list. My favorite batch of music this year was technically an EP, so it they won’t be showing up here, but I still implore you all to check out Miel’s Tourist Season, which is incredible. But 50 other folks from our Top 100 Songs are reflected in the full albums below, and they are all incredible. You’re going to love this. So please enjoy part 1 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Top 50 Albums of 2020!
******
50. Joan Osborne – Trouble and Strife
49. The Jason Daniels Band – Downloads From the Universe
48. Brandy – B7
47. Pearl Jam – Gigaton
46. Kate MacLeod
45. Eels – Earth Dora
44. Felt – Felt 4 U
43. The Kid Laroi – Fuck Love
42. Iron Maiden – Nights of the Dead
41. Eminem – Music To Be Murdered By
40. Ted Russell – Down in the Den
39. Ezra Bell – This Way To Oblivion
38. Lucid Child – My Universe
37. Fleet Foxes – Shore
36. Nick Cave – Idiot Praryer (Nick Cave Alone At Alexandra Palace)
35. Public Enemy – What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down?
34. Alestorm – Curse of the Crystal Coconut
33. Bob Dylan – Rough and Rowdy Ways
32. Open Mike Eagle – Anime, Trauma, and Divorce
31. Ultimate Fakebook – The Preserving Machine
30. Alanis Morissette – Such Pretty Forks in the Road
29. Run The Jewels – RJ4
28. King Ropes – Go Back Where They Came From
27. Bright Eyes – Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was
Folks, there really isn’t much I can say that hasn’t already been beaten like a Covid related-dead horse. This year has sucked in so many ways. Even when looking back on the good thing(s) that occurred in November, it still doesn’t quite take away of the sting of what 2020 has left behind. In fact, to acknowledge that there was still so much wonderful content out there in the world of film, television, and music is a pretty sad take in its own right. It just seems that so many of us had a whole lot more time to consume the arts. Which we should always be doing, but when it’s pushed upon you, it’s not nearly as fun.
Well, now that I got that downer ass first part of the introduction out of the way, I do have to admit that, possibly because of having more time, I did manage to listen to some wonderful tunes this year. Although we once again did not showcase nearly as many artists this year as we have in the decade past, it doesn’t mean that I didn’t get the e-mails (looking at all you fine PR folks, thank you). It doesn’t mean that throughout the underground and mainstream media world, there wasn’t an abundance of great songs to check out and enjoy.
This year’s list sees quite a collection of brand new faces, some that only came to the site as near as 2019, and some classic folks who have been regularly showing up on our lists for the last decade, as they never cease to impress. Hell, this year will even include our very first (and probably last) holiday song we have ever had. So Folks, I hope you enjoy the list, and if you find yourself looking for something that you may have missed throughout this insane year, give these folks a listen! You’ll love it. I guard-damned-tee it. Enjoy!
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Here it is Folks! Trainwreck’d Society’s Top 25 Songs of 2020. Some folks that you have seen over the last few days, and even the last few years, as well as some new faces that we are so proud to have entering the TWS zeitgeist. So please enjoy! And be sure to give these folks a listen!
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25. Blitzen Trapper – Don’t Let Me Run
24. Warren G (feat. Ty Dolla $ign) – And You Know That
23. Fleet Foxes – Shore
22. Lisa Loeb – Doesn’t It Feel Good
21. YG – FTP
20. Miel – Must Be Fine
19. Tyla Yewah (feat. Post Malone & Tommy Lee) – Tommy Lee
18. Kate MacLeod – The Secret Forest Lament
17. Car Seat Headrest – Can’t Cool Me Down
16. Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters
15. Juicy J – Hella Fuckin’ Trauma
14. Bi-Product – Selfish Girl
13. Phoebe Bridgers – Halloween
12. Bike Thiefs – Hockey Dad
11. Juice Wrld – Wishing Well
10. Grayson Capps – Harley Davidson
9. Trae the Truth, T.I., Styles P, Mysonne Ink, Anthony Hamilton, Conway, Krayzie Bone, David Banner & Bun B – Time For Change
8. The Sea The Sea – I’ll Be Loving You
7. Joseph Demaree – Shattered Castles
6. Mac Miller – Circles
5. The Black Tones – The Devil and His Grandmother
Folks, there really isn’t much I can say that hasn’t already been beaten like a Covid related-dead horse. This year has sucked in so many ways. Even when looking back on the good thing(s) that occurred in November, it still doesn’t quite take away of the sting of what 2020 has left behind. In fact, to acknowledge that there was still so much wonderful content out there in the world of film, television, and music is a pretty sad take in its own right. It just seems that so many of us had a whole lot more time to consume the arts. Which we should always be doing, but when it’s pushed upon you, it’s not nearly as fun.
Well, now that I got that downer ass first part of the introduction out of the way, I do have to admit that, possibly because of having more time, I did manage to listen to some wonderful tunes this year. Although we once again did not showcase nearly as many artists this year as we have in the decade past, it doesn’t mean that I didn’t get the e-mails (looking at all you fine PR folks, thank you). It doesn’t mean that throughout the underground and mainstream media world, there wasn’t an abundance of great songs to check out and enjoy.
This year’s list sees quite a collection of brand new faces, some that only came to the site as near as 2019, and some classic folks who have been regularly showing up on our lists for the last decade, as they never cease to impress. Hell, this year will even include our very first (and probably last) holiday song we have ever had. So Folks, I hope you enjoy the list, and if you find yourself looking for something that you may have missed throughout this insane year, give these folks a listen! You’ll love it. I guard-damned-tee it. Enjoy!
******
50. The Kid Laroi (feat. Juice Wrld) – Go
49. Lisa Loeb – This Is My Life
48. Ezra Bell – The Joke Was On Me
47. Fleet Foxes – Can I Believe You
46. Ted Russell Kamp – Home Sweet Hollywood
45. Open Mike Eagle – I’m a Joestar (Black Power Fantasy)
44. The Ultimate Fakebook – Sad Soldier
43. Alanis Morissette – Reasons I Drink
42. Run The Jewels – Holy Calamafuck
41. Blitzen Trapper – Dead Billie Jean
40. Brandy – Baby Mama
39. Mac Miller – Good News
38. Atmosphere – She Loves My Not
37. Bradley Wik – I Started Killing Myself Years Ago
36. Passenger – Year on Year, Day by Day
35. Ciaran Lavery – I Was Drunk When I Made The World For You
34. Bright Eyes – Hot Car in the Sun
33. Phoebe Bridgers – DVD Menu
32. Heart Bones – Hurricanes
31. Megan Thee Stallion – B.I.T.C.H.
30. Emerald Comets – Isolation Daydreams
29. Eminem (feat. Juice Wrld) – Godzilla
28. Tom Speight – Dakota
27. Sadistik – Hell is Where the Heart Is
26. Anti Flag (feat. Tom Morello, De’ Wayne, Jalise Della Gary, Jordan Montgomery, – A Dying Plea Vol. 2
Folks, there really isn’t much I can say that hasn’t already been beaten like a Covid related-dead horse. This year has sucked in so many ways. Even when looking back on the good thing(s) that occurred in November, it still doesn’t quite take away of the sting of what 2020 has left behind. In fact, to acknowledge that there was still so much wonderful content out there in the world of film, television, and music is a pretty sad take in its own right. It just seems that so many of us had a whole lot more time to consume the arts. Which we should always be doing, but when it’s pushed upon you, it’s not nearly as fun.
Well, now that I got that downer ass first part of the introduction out of the way, I do have to admit that, possibly because of having more time, I did manage to listen to some wonderful tunes this year. Although we once again did not showcase nearly as many artists this year as we have in the decade past, it doesn’t mean that I didn’t get the e-mails (looking at all you fine PR folks, thank you). It doesn’t mean that throughout the underground and mainstream media world, there wasn’t an abundance of great songs to check out and enjoy.
This year’s list sees quite a collection of brand new faces, some that only came to the site as near as 2019, and some classic folks who have been regularly showing up on our lists for the last decade, as they never cease to impress. Hell, this year will even include our very first (and probably last) holiday song we have ever had. So Folks, I hope you enjoy the list, and if you find yourself looking for something that you may have missed throughout this insane year, give these folks a listen! You’ll love it. I guard-damned-tee it. Enjoy!
******
In Part 2 of our Top 100 Songs of 2020, we have a ferocious blend of new and old school hip hop, so beautiful singer-songwriter tracks, and we even get a bit more metal than we have in the latter years. There are some repeats from yesterday’s, and even a couple within this list alone. Which if you are paying attention, could mean something for the list to come. And as we promised yesterday, the appearance of our first, and probably last, holiday song makes its appearance, courtesy of our dear friend and hilarious comedian Tommy McNamara, who may have actually turned this Grinch heart around on the idea of Christmas music. Or not. He’s just hilarious, and I really loved his Christmas EP.
There you have it, Folks. The first half of the list is out there. I’ll see you all tomorrow for Part 3!
******
75. Bowling For Soup (feat. 10k.caash) – Erase Me (Kid Cudi cover)
74. Lucid Child – Dreaming in a Walking Land
73. Miel – Mean Something
72. Kurupt – Ain’t the Same
71. Iron Maiden – Sign of the Cross
70. Juan Tigre – Drama Bomb
69. Article (feat. Mark Boals) – You Run Away
68. Tremendous – Bag of Nails
67. Portugal the Man. & Weird Al Yankovic – Who’s Gonna Stop Me
66. The Furious Seasons – As a Matter of Fact
65. King Ropes – The Danger Zone (Ray Charles cover)
64. Michael Baker – Shed My Skin
63. Honey Gentry – If You Sit Very Still You Can Hear the Sun Move
62. Taylor Swift (feat. Bon Iver) – Exile
61. Lee Gallagher & The Halleluiah – Highway 10
60. Public Enemy – State of the Union (STFU)
59. Felt – Don’t Do Me Like That
58. Iron Maiden – The Evil That Men Do
57. Honey Gentry – The Bell Jar
56. Joseph Demaree – Floating on a Breath
55. John Craigie – Used it All Up
54. Tommy McNamara – That’s What I Know About Christmas
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