Pop Culture Favorites of 2020

Well, that sucked, huh? Half-assed effort for a half-assed year. Let's go.

The Pretty Damn Goods of 2020

Tom Pelphrey in Season Three of Ozark

Even though Ozark has become one of the most resoundingly popular shows in television, it seemed like every mention of the third season online came down to one thing: that the guy playing Wendy’s brother is running circles around every other actor in the show. The most gripping part of the season, and maybe the whole show, is that five-minute monologue he gives in the back of the taxi. I can think of few other examples of a piece of writing that illustrate someone who has truly fallen apart.

Haim - "Gasoline"

Haim make good time tunes, but I’m still not sure I made it all the way to the end of Women in Music Pt. III because I could not stop replaying this song. I’ve talked before about my new music chops being rusty, and that’s largely due to getting hung up on something I like and going no further. “Gasoline” is one such example. Tremendous song.

Future Islands - "For Sure"

There’s little I enjoy more in music than synths and some bass. Future Islands’ “For Sure” has that in spades. It’s almost cinematic and bordering on orchestral at times. I don’t know, I’m garbage at describing songs. It’s great, listen to it.

Post Malone's Nirvana Tribute

April sucked for everyone. A brief light in that darkness was the unexpected livestream of Post Malone, Travis Barker and co. covering Nirvana songs to benefit the WHO. Post Malone’s music itself is hit or miss for me, but he seems like an earnest dude. This set proves not only is he a talented singer and musician, but he’s clearly not fronting about being a Nirvana fan. It was a fairly rip-roarin’ performance that served as an entertaining distraction from the dread of the moment, as well as a benefit to those who were serving us at the time. “School” was the personal favorite of the night.

Another Round

Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen and director Thomas Vinterberg collaborated on a film from 2012 called The Hunt, a drama about the fallout in a community when a respected elementary school teacher is wrongly accused of being a pedophile. It sounds like a heavy-handed premise that's a recipe for a good old-fashioned scourge, but in fact, it's one of the most masterfully written and acted movies I've seen in the last ten years. Its deft way of depicting the consequences of a series of mistakes left an impact that hasn't softened in the years since I saw it. Last year, the pair collaborated again on a film about a group of mid-life friends who set out on an experiment to maintain a perpetual blood alcohol level of .02. They also all work at a high school. What results is simultaneously expected yet surprising, condemning yet praising. The Danish culture surrounding alcohol is one that seems almost entirely unrelatable to the rest of the outside world, and Another Round does not seek to make a statement on the place of alcohol in humanity. Like The Hunt, Another Round's characters and the consequences of their actions make for fascinating depictions of what alcohol does not only to us, but occasionally for us. Another Round's stance is arguably ambiguous, but it leaves a thought-provoking aftermath for the viewer in its wake.

Favorites of 2020

10. Season Two of The Umbrella Academy

This is a show that I would never have been interested in watching if not for the recommendation from some guys on a podcast I listen to call Shoot the Dancing Bear. They’re an academic lot, and I first became aware of them after searching for some commentary on the movie The Lighthouse. I finished that movie in a daze and was looking for someone to talk me through what I’d just seen. I took to their style of analysis and continued to follow them. They don’t often talk pop culture, but one day they had an episode on The Umbrella Academy. I like listening to what they have to say, so I said what the hell and gave the two existing seasons a shot. Season one is not my favorite thing in the world. It’s a bit dour but most of the characters are well-written and -acted, but the season ends in a place that keeps you hooked to follow into the next. Season two, on the other hand, is a blast (from the past). Where season one tended toward the morose, two is loads of fun. The stakes are still plenty high and thrills abound. This was a perfect example of why I don’t fully give up on these lists, because if those guys hadn’t done an episode on The Umbrella Academy, I would never have given it a shot. I did and am thoroughly grateful.

9. Palm Springs

I think Palm Springs gave me the hardest belly laughs of any movie last year. Even though it owes a multitude to its time-looping forebear Groundhog Day, it manages to reach its own new level of originality and comedy within that structure. Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti are a fantastic pair, and J.K. Simmons does his thing, as anyone would expect. It’s just a fun time. Fun times were few and far between last year, but Palm Springs was the perfect temporary respite, and a fantastic comedy in any year.

8. Judas and the Black Messiah

Daniel Kaluuya has become a can’t-miss performer. That guy is locked into everything he does. The tragic story of Fred Hampton is not entirely new to anyone familiar with Malcolm X and the tribulations of the fight for civil rights in the 1960s, but his story has never taken center stage on the big screen. Kaluuya's performance is the main takeaway from the movie, but the craftsmanship of the film itself is impressive. Right at the outset it feels like a 70s Scorsese movie. The camerawork isn’t conventional, and everything feels authentic to the period. It’s far from perfect, but when it works, it works incredibly well. There are few occasions when I’m watching something and am present enough to realize that I’m watching something that will become an instant classic. Kaluuya’s “I am a revolutionary” scene was one such moment. When they play clips at award shows in the future that exemplify the power of movies, they’ll include that clip forever. Lakeith Stanfield is certainly no slouch, and he wears his character’s torment and on his face like few actors today. Jesse Plemons continues to deliver in another nuanced performance as well. Judas and the Black Messiah is an impressive outing all around, and it’s going to be well-deserved when Daniel Kaluuya accepts his Oscar on Sunday night.

 

7. The Last Dance

I think most of us that were here to experience it will always associate The Last Dance with the early days of the Covid lockdowns. We were all connected around two things: Tiger King and The Last Dance. While the former was one of the most thoroughly unenjoyable experiences of my life, the latter was must-see tv. I reluctantly gave into the global pressure to watch The Last Dance. I don’t enjoy basketball. I used to, but the Mississippi State Bulldogs broke my heart for the last time in 2010 and I haven’t looked back. The truth is, though, whether or not you were around to experience the magic of Jordan and the Bulls firsthand, The Last Dance is a riveting account of that period for any generation. Despite my reservations, The Last Dance is a top-tier documentary.

6. Season Two of What We Do in the Shadows

The funniest show on television is a three-way race in my opinion. Succession leaves me belly-laughing in ways I never expected. The Righteous Gemstones made me cry-laugh in ways that I fully expected. But What We Do in the Shadows is impressive in ways that I can scarcely begin to describe. The half-hour episodic comedy structure can and has become tiresome. Its future relies on writing and performances and camerawork that transcend the structure. What We Do in the Shadows has it all. The characters on paper are a stroke of genius, and when they’re brought to life, it results in the unassailably best cast in comedic television today. If there’s a show that has more hilarious guest stars, I haven’t seen it. It’s a rare and beautiful occasion when I watch something where, for its entire duration, I never stop smiling. What We Do in the Shadows provides such an occasion every single episode.

5. Tom Segura Learns Bert Kreischer Drinks A Gallon of Kool-Aid Every Day - 

2 Bears, 1 Cave Episode #36

(Link to the clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGwLJWPPgrc)

Tom Segura is one of my favorite comedians working today. His best friend Brent Crystal is pretty cool, too. Fans of Tom will know that his laughter is a pretty effective cure-all for whatever ails you. Last June, on an episode of their podcast 2 Bears, 1 Cave, Bert said in passing that he was going to take a sip of Kool-Aid from a 64-ounce jug. Clearly confused, Tom insisted that surely he was kidding. Upon confirmation that Bert, a 47-year-old man, had indeed made himself a 64-ounce jug of Kool-Aid, Tom loses his mind with uncontrollable laughter. He repeatedly looks from the jug to Bert like he can't actually believe it, yet somehow it's exactly what he'd expect. In the middle of everything, Bert says he tries to drink two of them every day. This clip is the perfect slice of their relationship, and it's the perfect rainy-day perk-up whenever you need a lift.

4. Tame Impala - The Slow Rush

“Do you remember we were standing here a year ago?” 

To borrow from the vernacular of the professional wrestling world, when it comes to Tame Impala, I am what they sometimes refer to as a mark. I lap up whatever is served into my bowl and thank them while begging for more, even if it’s pickle juice-laced coffee. Tame Impala is my favorite musical entity. Kevin Parker, that is. He and Bruce Springsteen are 1A-1B depending on the day and mood. The Slow Rush is not perfect, in fact there are a couple of songs that are instant skips. But any Tame Impala is better than most things that aren’t Tame Impala. The most significant result of The Slow Rush is that , having come out on Valentine's Day, its unintended proximity to the pandemic turned it into a sort of hopeful message for the terrifying present. “One More Year” became a message sent back from a future where everything is already OK. “Breathe Deeper” became a mantra that this, too, shall pass. “Tomorrow’s Dust” served as a reminder that everything, bad or good, is temporary. “On Track” showed that everyone faces setbacks and subsequent adjustments are always part of life. The Slow Rush is clearly about time in all its forms, but its own place in time will always be associated with the state of the world. However coincidental, there is a certain beauty in that.

3. Season Five of Better Call Saul

Better Call Saul asks a lot of you. It mostly asks patience. Through the bulk of season two and into season three, that request was tested. Fast-forward to season five, and you have a not insignificant collection of people proclaiming that Better Call Saul is better than Breaking Bad. That argument seems insane on its face, but if you’ve kept up with the show, you know that doesn’t ring too far off from true. The greatness of one over another is obviously arguable, but one thing in particular about Better Call Saul is inarguably better than its forebear, and that is the filmmaking. Perhaps it helps that those involved with the show largely have the experience of an entire series and four seasons of another under their belts, but my god, some of these shots look like they belong in a David Lean movie. Other times there are shots that look like they would fit in a John Woo movie. The talent involved in making this show cannot be overpraised. And I haven’t even mentioned the people onscreen. Much like Shrek’s onion, the layers of Jimmy McGill and Kim Wexler continue to reveal themselves in shocking and surprising ways. This show is rewarding to the long-haul viewer. Seeds that were sown initially have taken root and are bringing forth sustenance in the show’s homestretch. The initial tediousness is paying dividends. There are moments of brilliance, hilarity, grief, sadness, pity, fear, exhilaration, and sheer terror. We have one more season to go. Even though it precedes an entire series, I have no idea where it’s going. And I can’t wait.

2. Promising Young Woman

The experience of watching this movie is why I watch movies. Sometimes you sit down to watch a movie knowing what the premise is, and you get a little cocky. You think you know what you’re getting into and where it’s headed. You’re already ahead of it before it gets started. Ok, maybe “you” is only “me” in this case, and that doesn’t happen to anyone else, but occasionally I judge something. In the case of Promising Young Woman, my crow was served to me through a firehose. This was the best movie I saw all year. Clearly, we didn’t get the full slate of the films that were intended last year, but the fact remains that Promising Young Woman is a powerhouse. When it was over, my jaw was on the floor and my hands were in the air. It’s certainly not for everyone, and it makes you reckon with some unsettling ideas, but I’ve never seen anything like it, and I will damn sure never forget it.

1. ZeroZeroZero

Shouts to Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald of The Watch podcast for directing me last spring to the show of the year. Have you ever watched something and in the middle of it you ask yourself, “How the hell did they make this?” ZeroZeroZero is a (limited?) series that focuses on characters in three different parts of the world as a massive shipment of cocaine makes its way from Mexico onto a ship that then makes its way across the ocean to Africa, with its ultimate desired destination being in the hands of a crime syndicate in Italy. The scale and scope of this show is astounding beyond words. It’s part Lawrence of Arabia and part Scarface. It's part Traffic and part Indiana Jones. It's part Black Hawk Down and part The Godfather. It's just one of the greatest achievements I've ever seen in my life, if I may wax hyperbolic yet again. There are compositions in this show that are seared into my brain. There are performances that will haunt me forever. Hauntings are often associated with trauma and pain, but these are hauntings of awe, and ones of which I will be forever grateful. Strap in if you dare.