Our Favourite Films of 2020

Ali Carpenter-Hughes - Box Office

The only film that really blew my socks off this year was Parasite.

The storytelling and characters are exquisite. Funny, harrowing and clever; it’s an insightful exposé into socioeconomic disparity and if you haven’t watched it yet, I urge you to change that!

Mateus Domingos - Assistant Producer

It’s hard to pick, but I would have to say Fireball. 

The latest collaboration between Herzog and Oppenheimer explores meteorites. It’s fascinating, and moves between the historical, scientific and spiritual impact of these alien rocks on our planet and culture.

Overall, it is perhaps, an encouraging and optimistic look at how we can deal with difficult, existential issues as a species. It reminds you to feel wonder about the world and what we can achieve with imagination.

Also, shout-out to Akira: 4K restoration which I also loved!

Kirsty James - Membership Administration Assistant

My favourite has to be A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood. 

I expected this film to be smug, patronising and so sugary it would make my teeth hurt, but instead I got something genuinely endearing, reassuringly lovely and way more emotional than I anticipated.

It’s Tom Hanks at his absolute best. Please watch it. And be kind to people.

John Rance - CEO

My best film of 2020 has to be Les Misérables. 

The first film I saw at Phoenix after a long 6 months of closure, the tense and pacey drama about policing and a marginalised Paris community was so compelling; I completely forgot that I was wearing a face covering. It left me feeling challenged and very, very awake.

Neil Merryweather - Café Bar

The best film I saw this year was The Lighthouse. 

Stuck and isolated on a desolate island of rock, slowly going mad and battered by the weather (but enough about me), this weird monochrome sort of horror film hit the spot.

Darkly funny too, and with fantastic, psychologically deep performances from Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson. I immediately wanted to watch it again afterwards.

A future classic.

Tia Bradley - Digital Marketing Assistant

One word. Rocks.

A heart-wrenchingly authentic story, this empowering film hit me like a ton of bricks.

At its core, a story of family, friendship and growing up too soon, Rocks means a lot because it tells a story not too dissimilar to my own – a story that is not talked about enough.

It’s a difficult, powerful watch at times, but I’m grateful for Sarah Gavron and the team behind Rocks for telling it, and will be urging all my friends and family to watch it!

Simon Hopkins - Community Cinema Projectionist

Shout-out to Jojo Rabbit.

Released on the first day of the year, the film used humour to tackle a sensitive subject. It was expertly done and has cemented my love for Taika Waititi.

Ali Sinclair - Chair of Phoenix's Board of Trustees

I know that Outside the City was released in 2019, and Nomes Burnley picked it last year as part of our 2019 staff favourites, but it deserves more mention.

It wasn’t my first viewing of this wonderful film, but it was without a doubt my favourite film experience of the year.

The day to day life of the monastery is sensitively captured with beautiful imagery and charm. From the poignancy of the end of life to the delights of brewing Trappist ale, local filmmaker Nick Hamer does an incredible job.

Jake Harvey - Cinema Programme Manager

Even though 2020 has been a difficult year for cinema, we’ve seen some fantastic films, but nothing shook me to my bones as deeply as Terrence Malick’s elegiac A Hidden Life.

A quiet epic about an Austrian farmer who refuses to fight for the Nazi’s during WWII, Malick’s film felt perfectly timed for our era of toxic politics; considering what it means to hold to your principles, the terror of mob mentality, the personal nature of faith, and courage – even in the face of annihilation.

Great art can hit hard enough to leave a mark, and I’ll carry A Hidden Life with me for a long time.