2020 was a hard year for everyone, but that didn't stop Hollywood from releasing some pretty amazing movies. From animated hits and female-led action-packed movies to scary movies and romantic comedies, 2020 had a little something for everyone.
Even though some of these movies premiered on streaming services, the one thing they have in common is that they were all slated for theatrical release.
Trolls World Tour - 6.1
It may seem odd to say it but Trolls World Tour might be the reason the movie theater industry is forever changed when the pandemic ends. The animated movie is the second in the Trolls franchise and released in theaters in April 2020 and on video on demand on the same day.
The movie follows Poppy and Branch, two Trolls who discover that there are more of their kind out there in the world. In order to save the world from evil Troll rockers, Poppy and Branch must figure out a way to unite the six different Troll tribes to save the day.
Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn) - 6.1
Harley Quinn has always been a popular character in the DC Universe but after Margot Robbie's killer performance of her in Suicide Squad, fans were begging for a standalone movie. In February 2020, their wishes were granted when Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) was released in theaters.
The movie follows Harley Quinn after she has broken up with her toxic boyfriend the Joker. Not happy with the breakup, the Joker puts a target on Harley's back leaving her vulnerable until she unites with three deadly women who are definitely ready to ride or die.
Sonic The Hedgehog - 6.5
Originally suppose to release in 2019, Sonic the Hedgehog was delayed due to negative reviews stemming from Sonic's appearance when the first trailer released. The delay was worth it though since fans found Sonic's new design much more authentic leading it to earn $310.7 million at the global box office.
The movie centers on Sonic, a hedgehog who becomes a hero on Earth until his powers accidentally knock out the power grid. Not only does Sonic have to fix his mistake but he has to do so before Dr. Robotnik can capture him to use his powers for world domination.
Emma - 6.7
Adapted from an 1815 Jane Austen novel of the same name, Emma hit theaters just before the pandemic hit and managed to gross $26 million worldwide against a $10 million budget.
The movie stars Anya Taylor-Joy (of The Queen's Gambit) as Emma Woodhouse, a young woman who plays a matchmaking role in the love lives of all her friends. Along her matchmaking journey, Emma meets Mr. Knightley, a man she herself becomes infatuated with. Fans of Jane Austen's work and film adapataion certainly fell in love with this adaptation of Emma given its 6.7 score.
The Call Of The Wild - 6.8
Despite being a big box-office bomb, The Call of the Wild has managed to earn an above-average score. The movie stars Harrison Ford as John Thornton alongside a CGI St. Bernard/Scotch Collie dog named Buck.
The Call of the Wild centers on Buck who gets abducted from his 19th century home and shipped to Yukon, Alaska where he is almost sold to a mailman to be used to deliver mail. Thankfully, John Thornton rescues Buck during one of his exhausting tracks, and together they bond over their love of the wild.
The Invisible Man - 7.1
Elisabeth Moss is no stranger to eerie worlds but The Invisible Man is truly something completely different for this veteran television actress. Released at the end of February 2020, The Invisible Man spent a few weeks in theaters before moving to digital for obvious reasons.
The movie follows Cecilia Kass, a young woman whose abusive boyfriend is believed to be dead due to suicide. However, Adrian Griffin staged his suicide and is now terrorizing Cecilia. When no one believes Cecilia, she takes matters into her own hands to get back at Adrian once and for all.
Palm Springs - 7.4
Palm Springs is a romantic comedy film that made its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2020. Though it was released in select theaters, it made its wide release digitally on Hulu in July.
The movie stars Andy Samberg and Cristin Millioti, as two wedding guests who find themselves stuck in a time loop reliving the wedding day over and over again. Over the course of their endless time loop, the two begin to fall in love but their varying opinions about living in the time loop cause tension in their relationship.
Onward - 7.4
Pixar was gearing up for a major year with two original animated feature films slated to premiere. Unfortunately, their major year was halted by the pandemic a few weeks into Onward's premiere month. The closure of the theaters devastated the film's box office numbers but didn't stop fans from shelling out their support for the movie.
Onward centers on two teenage elf brothers Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley (Chris Pratt) who have the chance to spend one more day with their late father after discovering he left a spell behind for them to follow. However, they hit a snag in the plan when Ian is only able to summon the bottom half of their father. Now, the three must go on a quest to find a magical gemstone to finish the spell before the sun sets the following day.
Tenet - 7.6
Christopher Nolan is known for his massive box office, action-packed movies and Tenet is no different. Like most movies, Tenet was postponed but eventually released in select theaters in September becoming the first big-budget film to release after the extensive movie theater closures earlier in the year.
The movie centers on the Protagonist (John David Washington), a CIA agent who is tasked with stopping World War 3 before it begins. To do this he must travel back in time alongside his handler Neil (Robert Pattinson).
Soul - 8.2
Pixar's second original animated movie of 2020 was originally supposed to premiere in the summer of 2020 but ended up premiering straight to Disney+ on Christmas day.
Soul follows Joe Gardner (Jamie Fox) a middle school band teacher who dreams of becoming an iconic jazz musician. After landing a killer gig, things are finally looking up for Joe until he falls down a manhole and finds his soul in the "Great Before." It's there that he hatches a plan with Soul 22 (Tina Fey) to get his soul reunited with his body back on Earth.