An annual tradition, Solzy at the Movies presents the Solzy Awards for 2020 as a way of honoring the best achievements this year in film.
When it comes to the Solzy Awards, my criteria are usually the same as the Oscars with the traditional 7-day minimum release in Los Angeles and New York. What differs this year is that I am not adding on January and February. Personally, I would prefer that my awards-voting groups wouldn’t be tacking on the extra two months. When the Academy made their decision, they probably were not expecting that cases would be at an all-time high at the end of December. Basically, a film isn’t eligible if I don’t have a way of seeing it before December 31. My first-watch viewings this year were well over 350 films. To be fair, some of those films are classics that I just saw for the first time in 2020. However, these awards are strictly for new releases.
Once again, I am picking my top 25 films and top comedies. None of these include the documentaries because I’ve already awarded those. The awards I issue today are strictly for narrative features only. What follows are my acting awards–split into drama and comedy.
Below the main Solzy Awards, I’ll be honoring the best films and performances that screened at film festivals. These awards honor the films that haven’t been distributed yet. Unlike prior years, I did not get approved for Toronto this year because they went from 1600 to only 500 approved press. If I wanted to see a film screening during Toronto, I had to inquire individually with the film publicist.
The Solzy Awards for 2020
Top 25 Narrative Features
- The Trial of the Chicago 7
- I’m Your Woman
- The Vast of Night
- Soul
- Save Yourselves!
- Palm Springs
- Hamilton
- To The Stars
- Bit
- The Garden Left Behind
- Da 5 Bloods
- The Father
- The Midnight Sky
- Wonder Woman 1984
- Tenet
- Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
- News of the World
- One Night in Miami…
- Irresistible
- Onward
- The 24th
- Never Rarely Sometimes Always
- Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss
- Saint Frances
- Sound of Metal
Honorable Mentions
- How to Build a Girl
- On the Rocks
- The Way Back
- Greyhound
- Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
- An American Pickle
- Emperor
- Enola Holmes
- Spontaneous
- Sea Fever
- Unpregnant
- Buffaloed
- Olympic Dreams
- The Assistant
- Promising Young Woman
Top Comedy Features
- Soul
- Save Yourselves!
- Palm Springs
- Irresistible
- Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss
- How to Build a Girl
- On the Rocks
- Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
- Spontaneous
- Unpregnant
- Buffaloed
- Olympic Dreams
- Promising Young Woman
- Godmothered
- Go Back to China
Best Documentary Features
Please see my Documentary Awards
DRAMA
Best Actor: Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Runner-ups: Delroy Lindo, Da 5 Bloods; George Clooney, The Midnight Sky; Ben Affleck, The Way Back; Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal)
Best Actress: Rachel Brosnahan, I’m Your Woman (Runner-ups: Sierra McCormick, The Vast of Night; Nicole Maines, Bit; Liana Liberato, To The Stars; Sidney Flanigan, Never Rarely Sometimes Always; Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom)
Best Supporting Actor: Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7, (Runner-ups: Paul Raci, Sound of Metal; Chadwick Boseman, Da 5 Bloods)
Best Supporting Actress: Talia Ryder, Never Rarely Sometimes Always
COMEDY
Best Actor (TIE): John Reynolds, Save Yourselves!; Andy Samberg, Palm Springs; Steve Carell, Irresistible
Best Actress: Cristin Milioti, Palm Springs (Runner-ups: Rose Byrne, Irresistible, Beanie Feldstein, How to Build a Girl; Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman; Haley Lu Richardson, Unpregnant; Zoey Deutch, Buffaloed)
Best Supporting Actor (TIE): J.K. Simmons, Palm Springs; Bill Murray, On the Rocks
Best Supporting Actress: Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Best Director (TIE): Aaron Sorkin, The Trial of the Chicago 7; Julia Hart, I’m Your Woman
BEST FIRST FEATURES
- The Vast of Night
- The Garden Left Behind
- The Father
- Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss
- Saint Frances
- Emperor
- Enola Holmes
- Spontaneous
- Promising Young Woman*
Best Original Song
“Hear My Voice,” The Trial of the Chicago 7
Best Action Film
Da 5 Bloods
Best Comic Book Film
Wonder Woman 1984
Best Drama (Tie)
The Trial of the Chicago 7, I’m Your Woman
Best Comedy (Tie)
Save Yourselves!, Palm Springs
Best Apocalyptic Comedy On Brand For 2020
Save Yourselves!
Best Romantic Comedy
Palm Springs
Best Comedy That We’ll Be Talking About In 10 Years
Palm Springs
Best Horror Drama
Bit
Best Horror Comedy
Spontaneous
Best Foreign Language Film
Collective (And honestly, this should have been with the Documentary Awards)
Best Musical or Music-Driven Film
Hamilton
Best Animated Feature
Soul (Runner Up: Onward)
Best Live Action Short
Please see my Short Film Awards
Best Unreleased Films That I Saw At A Film Festival in 2020
Shiva Baby
Holler
Worth
Nine Days
Pink Skies Ahead
Dinner in America
I Care a Lot
Best Acting Performances in Festival Films Not Released In 2020
- Jessica Barden, Holler/Pink Skies Ahead
- Rachel Sennott, Shiva Baby
- Michael Keaton, Worth
- Winston Duke, Nine Days
- Kyle Gallner, Dinner in America
- Emily Skeggs, Dinner in America
- Rosamund Pike, I Care a Lot
Best Supporting Acting Performances in Festival Films Not Released In 2020
- Molly Gordon, Shiva Baby
- Peter Dinklage, I Care a Lot
- Amy Ryan, Worth
- Stanley Tucci, Worth
Most Likely To Be In Everything: With so many films delayed, I’m not even going to bother!
Worst Films of the Year
It’s been a dumpster fire of a year so I’m not going to piss on anyone’s parade this year.
* Promising Young Woman is in my Top 40 and automatically qualifies for Best First Feature in that regard but the film had me up until the third act. Even with a rewatch this week, my feelings are still the same because I’m still not a fan of the ending.
