Lucky Grandma
Remember fun? The timid retreat of the blockbusters means Sasie Sealy’s debut feature stands unchallenged as the year’s most brash, unapologetic slice of pure entertainment – although even if they’d all released as planned, they still probably wouldn’t be as much fun as this. A thrillingly unwholesome crime comedy in the tradition of the Coen brothers and Bong Joon-ho, this gives 87-year-old Tsai Chin the role of a lifetime as cantankerous, chain-smoking Grandma Wong, a Chinese ex-pat in New York. After an opening credits fortune-reading reminiscent of Cleo from 5 to 7, Wong becomes convinced she is protected by unusual good fortune, a blithe attitude that leads to her clashing with the local Triads. The cast are note-perfect, but it’s Chin’s film: her face somehow manages to be deadpan and hilariously expressive at the same time. It also has a perspective on multiculturalism that feels witty and true: Grandma Wong flits between her family’s Confucian reverence for their elders and her country’s capitalist disdain for them, and finds these opposite attitudes equally annoying. Graham Williamson
Never Be Done: The Richard Glen Lett Story
Documentary filmmaking has thrived this past year, and for the best example of this look no further than Never Be Done: The Richard Glen Lett Story. A touching display of the real effects of addiction, and how those in need operate from day to day. Sobering thoughts are offered up as we see the rise, fall and resurgence of the eponymous stand-up comedian, Richard Lett, wading through life, desperate for some hope and clarity. A poignant piece, and leagues above most of the releases from this year, especially in the documentary genre. There is no greater hight for documentary filmmaking from 2020 than this piece from Roy Tighe. An emotive bit of promise comes from an up-and-coming director, one that will hopefully have a bright future ahead of him. Ewan Gleadow
Rent-A-Pal
The prospect of still using VCRs is a slightly less terrifying concept than the story Rent-A-Pal presents. A lonely loser relying on a dating agency finds himself inundated with a tape recording that slowly erodes his mind and mentality. He turns from an isolated loser looking after his mother to cold-hearted horror, and the performance from Brian Landis Folkin showcases that with such exceptional brilliance. Competence is found elsewhere with a villainous turn from Wil Wheaton and some exciting direction from Jon Stevenson. A chilling time on the whole, and a solid draw for those in need of a well-rounded horror. Ewan Gleadow
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