Hello this is bbc news. The headlines. British Prime MinisterBoris Johnson is promising big changes following his brexit trade deal. But his finance minister rishi sunak has sought to reassure the city of london that the post brexit trade deal will not damage the Financial Services industry. A mass Coronavirus Vaccination Campaign is underway in the european union. The new covid variant caused several countries to begin inoculations a day ahead of the planned rollout. Millions of americans have temporarily lost their Unemployment Benefits after President Trump refused to sign the covid Economic Relief bill into law. President Electjoe Biden has warned of the devastating consequences, if the bill remains unsigned. Next, from theatre screenings to sofa screenings, mark kermode takes a look
back at the big releases on both the big and little screens, and how the Film Industry has had to adapt this year in the year in film. Hello and welcome to this review of the year in film. Im mark kermode and over the next 30 minutes ill be rounding up the highs and lows of whats proved a challenging but also surprisingly creative year for cinema. 2020 seemed to start so well with the uk release injanuary of the personal history of david copperfield. Armando iannuccis superb reimagining of dickens classic which brought 21st century colour blind casting to this 19th century tale with genuinely timeless results. Your mama is ill. How ill is she . Very ill. Dangerously ill. Shes dead. Dev patel seemed to be channeling the pathos of chaplin as he led a thrillingly diverse cast through this wonderfully comedic, absurdist and hugely entertaining adaptation. 0h, donkeys this is a donkey free zone remarkable woman. Very kind. In early february came the oscars, where south korean maverick bong joon ho made history when his genre crossing gem parasite not only picked up the award for best international feature, but also beat sam mendess bafta and golden globe winner 1917 to become the first Foreign Language film to win best picture, to the horror of soon to be ex president donald trump, who complained to his supporters about south koreas triumph and how bad the Academy Awards were this year. He even pleaded, can we get gone with the wind back, please . They hound people in this world, anybody whos different. Other significant wins this year included Renee Zellweger winning best actress for playing the divine miss garland in judy. And Joaquin Phoenix taking best actor for his mesmerising performance in the divisivejoker. Although for my money, the best performance in that movie was given by icelandic composer hildur gudnadottir, who rightly claimed the statuette for best score. Then as february slid into march, we were treated to the uk cinema release of portrait of a lady on fire, french film maker celine sciammas enra pturing manifesto about the female gaze, for which she had won the cannes screenplay prize in 2019. With stunning performances and painterly visuals, this was another bona fide masterpiece from the creator of girlhood, one of my favourite
films of the 21st century. It all seemed to be going so well, and then in the middle of march, lockdown came and cinemas around the uk closed their doors with no clear idea of when they would open again. There had, of course, been warning signs. At the beginning of march, the producers of the bond movie no time to die, which had already been delayed due to the departure of original director danny boyle, announced that the films release would be pushed back to november. At the time, this seemed like a drastic move, but it soon became clear that bond was just the first of a string of blockbusters that wouldnt be hitting the big screen anytime soon. And so began the great home viewing boom of 2020. Woke up in the morning light. Today is the day that i do everything right. In april, trolls world tour, the phosphorescent sequel
to the 2016 animated hit, became the first major studio movie originally intended for widespread Theatrical Release to go straight to streaming services in the uk as a direct result of coronavirus. It was a pattern that would continue even as cinemas reopened, with other high profile movies like disneys live action mulan, which had made headlines as the most expensive movie ever directed by a woman, whale riders niki caro, going straight to disney in september, where it was available to rent forjust shy of 20 quid in addition to the cost of channel subscription. Some other blockbusters, however, were determined to keep that big screen buzz. Can you see him . Hes catching up during the first lockdown, trailers for unhinged proudly boasted that this Russell Crowe road rage film would be released
in theatres, with the studio head mark gill calling it the canary in the coal mine for cinema reopening. Across from your friend. Hes not a friend, ok . Indeed, at the end ofjuly, unhinged became one of the big movies to test the waters in recently reopened uk cinemas, offering a dumb, but nonetheless entertaining meld of duel and falling down, with Russell Crowe doing angry in the way that only Russell Crowe can. We were expecting you an hour ago. Sorry. Frank, this is your new guardian. I dont want him. Weve all got to do our bit. That same week also saw the uk cinema released of summerland, a lovely, heartfelt film about matters of life and death from Olivier Award Winning playwrightjessica swale with great performances by Gemma Arterton and Gugu Mbatha Raw and some beautiful cinematography
by laurie rose that really benefited from being seen on the big screen. We all believe wed run into the burning building. But until we feel that heat, we can never know. But when it came to blockbusters, the real standout of 2020 was of course tenet, Christopher Nolans head scrambling palindromic thriller that became the closest thing we had to a summer tentpole release when it opened in uk cinemas in august. John david washington, whod done such sterling work in spike lees blackkklansman, led an International Ensemble cast that included kenneth branagh, Robert Pattinson and Elizabeth Debicki through a movie so ambitious, so overwhelming, and lets be honest about this, so baffling that many viewers had to go and see it twice or even three
times to figure out what on earth was going on. Well, ive seen too much. If youre still confused, fear not, its just come out on blu ray, so you can spend the entire holiday studying it frame by frame trying to figure out exactly what that red string meant. Tenet aside, blockbusters remained thin on the ground in what turned out to be an unprecedentedly difficult year for cinema. In october the same month that the first big screen bond, sean connery, died the latest bond movie announced yet another delay. This late in the day cancellation coincided with cineworld and Picturehouse Cinemas closing their doors while other chains abandoned weekday screenings, setting alarm bells ringing about the future of cinema itself. As for bond 25, it earned itself the mocking nickname no time to open. Its currently set for release in april 2021, yet for some, this final daniel craig 007 outing
already feels like yesterdays news. History isnt kind to men who play god. While cinemas have clearly suffered from the dearth of big releases this year, one unpredicted effect of the absence of big blockbusters has been that audiences and critics alike have turned their attention towards smaller movies that might otherwise have been overlooked, movies like the whalebone box from british maverick andrew kotting, which premiered on the streaming service mubi in april and followed two journeys, one a pilgrimage to return the titular box to the outer hebrides, the other into the dreams of eden kotting, artist and daughter cum muse of andrew. No one makes movies like kotting. Although you can find a Kindred Spirit in cornish film maker markjenkin, who won a bafta for bait in february. Are you ok . Yeah, im fine. Whats wrong . Girl problems. May saw the uk online release of eliza hittmans never rarely sometimes always, a drama that blends the gritty authenticity of a documentary with the poetic sensibility of pure cinema. I know this is hard. The narrative explores an oft hidden story of reproductive rights, yet the film is best described as an astute portrayal of female friendship, a coming of age tale with road movie inflections. Listen. Oh, my god, is this. Oh, we love this song, this is our song sorry, tim in june, writer director Fyzal Boulifas lynn lucy introduced us to screen newcomer roxanne scrimshaw, who starred alongside seasoned professional Nichola Burley as two friends torn apart in the wake of
a personal tragedy. Having won numerous plaudits for his short films, boulifa established himself as a major new voice in british cinema, while scrimshaw, who was scouted through facebook, is clearly a star in the making. I want to be like p diddy and 50 cent. Other impressive screen newcomers this year included bukky bakray, the teenage star of rocks, about a 15 year old east londoner who returns home from school to discover that her mother has abandoned her and her young brother. You just cant keep going on by yourself. Rocks was a uniquely collaborative production born out of workshops with young people and introducing a wealth of talented players to uk audiences. Bravo. From drama to documentary white riot, an award winner at last years london Film Festival, which opened in via a string of virtual screenings and 0 as. Providing a timely look back at the birth of rock against racism in the 705. We werent superheroes. We were just ordinary people. We were ordinary antiracist citizens. Formed in response to an infamous enoch was right tirade in birmingham by eric clapton in 1976, rock against racism set out the challenge of tide of bigotry epitomised by the rise of the National Front using music that could unite Black And White youth in a fight for equality. Mixing contemporary interviews with a wealth of archived footage, this film captures the sheer energy and passion with which rock against racism attempted to change the world, or at least the uk. Meanwhile, over in the us, Garrett Bradleys documentary time focused on an African American family torn apart by imprisonment. This is sibil, again. No, we dont have anything. Alrighty, thank you so much. My twinsll be 18 next month. They have absolutely no idea what it means to have a father in the house. What fathers even do. Drawing on a wealth of home video footage shot by sibil fox richardson, aka fox rich, this profoundly affecting film that shows the toll that incarceration takes not only upon those inside, but also outside the prison walls. The subject matter may be tough, but time is as uplifting as it is eye opening. Success is the best revenge. When you get them home, they gon pay, they gon pay, they gon pay. It is ordered, judged and decreed that Walter Mcmillan is to face death by electrocution. The same could be said ofjust mercy, the real life drama adapted from a 2014 memoir by activist bryan stevenson. You quit yet . No, sir. A moving tale of struggle to lend voice to the silence of dispossessed inmates of death row, just mercy open injanuary, publicised with posters emblazoned with quotes justifying and extolling the films oscar winning performances. And its absence from the academys nominations injanuary demonstrated that the oscarssowhite hashtag, which dates back to 2015, still had legs in 2020. Get on the ground keep your hands where we can see them. What is your badge number . Just chill, just chill im reaching for my cell phone there was no oscar recognition eitherfor queen slim, with eye catching leads from Daniel Kaluuya and rising star Jodie Turner Smith as outlaws
on the run against a backdrop of racially divided modern america. Thank you for bringing us this far. Thank you for this journey. Police no matter how it ends. And in a year when the oscar best director nominations were all male, there was nothing for chinonye chukwu, who in 2019 became the first black woman to win the us dramatic grand jury prize at sundance for her film clemency. Do you have any family that would like to claim your body . A low key death row drama, clemency boasted note perfect performances from Alfre Woodard and aldis hodge and an erie ambient by kathryn bostic. How do you keep doing it . I do myjob. Released here injuly, it addressed the terrible impact of the Death Penalty upon all those it touches, from prisoners
to wardens to society at large, an issue that seems particularly relevant at the moment. I dont see how its going to work. Living with an empty shell of a wife. I will never get over seeing missjuneteenth cleaning toilets. On a more upbeat note, missjuneteenth could be in the running for next years oscars. The date was june 19th. Opening to rave reviews in uk cinemas and on vod in september, this quietly political charmer features Nicole Beharie as turquoisejones, a one time beauty queen who desperately wants her headstrong daughter to win the titular pageant celebrating the belated freeing of slaves in texas on june 19, 1865, a full 2. 5 years after the emancipation proclamation. Whats her problem . I beat her. 2020 also saw the release of two netflix backed films featuring chadwick boseman, who we sadly lost in august. You can currently see him in his final screen role, a barnstorming performance as an upcoming trumpet player in ma raineys black bottom, adapted from the play by august wilson. Is it fair to serve more than the white americans who sent you here . Nothing is more confused. Early in the year, boseman co starred in spike lees da 5 bloods, which followed a group of vietnam vets returning to the country in which they fought the american war. Nominally, theyve come to recover the remains of a fallen comrade lost in battle, but theyre also on the trail
of gold, a stash which they buried all those years ago and now hope to retrieve. I see ghosts, yall. Having won his first competitive oscar as co writer of blackkklansman last year, lee has been particularly productive across a range of genres. His latest film, david byrnes american utopia, is a concert movie that recently opened in the uk on vod. Meanwhile, you can see echoes of lees 1989 classic do the right thing in another of this years best releases. Les miserables no, not that one, but a contemporary urban drama which was oscar nominated for best international feature. Written and directed by ladj ly,
the film largely plays out immortalising hugos novel, where a new member of the anti crime unit learns about crime factions by colleagues whose methods blur the line between policing and harassment. Les miserables also owed a debt to the 1995 french masterpiece la haine, which got a 25th anniversary re release this year and looks more relevant than ever. For more recent International Fare in 2020 saw the uk release of the county. Having breathed bittersweet life into a tale of feuding sheep
farming brothers in rams, it peels back another layer of nordic culture as inga finds her voice amid the often chilly silence of agrarian life. Heartfelt pain blending with absurdist humour. From finland came dogs dont wear pants, about a middle aged heart surgeon whose life falls apart in the wake of tragedy. But who finds unexpected relief from grief in the rituals of pain. Despite the title, which in english at least has unintended overtones of naff carry on style buffoonery, the result is sometimes shocking often funny but ultimately redemptive and uplifting with the director taking us tumbling down a rabbit hole with unexpected results. Stranger still was patrick, which i think i can safely say was the best belgian nudist tragicomedy of the year. Set on a remote naturist campsite, it tells the story of a young man worrying about the loss of first his hammer, and then his father. The fact that all this plays out in the nude is actually the least remarkable thing about this beautifully deadpan movie. The director a veteran of tv shows like Peaky Blinders and legion, whose cast ranges from a dutch stage and screen legend to new zealand comedian musician jemaine clement. Sometimes to get what you want you have to not want what you want. Think about it. The biggest chinese film to be released this year was the 800, a historical war drama is set in shanghais besieged warehouse in 1937. Dubbed the chinese dunkirk, this had spectacle to spare. Shot on vast sets and captured on imax cameras. It may have made little impact here, but in china, the 800 was a resounding box office hit. Outperforming tenet and providing a huge boost for chinas cinema industry. On the animation front, Cartoon Saloon teamed up with luxembourg productions for wolfwalkers. Some things happen to me. Yeah, i can see that. Set in 17th ireland, tom moores film runs in the tradition of princess mononoke. A treat for all ages. Tea . Meanwhile from australia came relic, a heartbreaking psychological thriller that examined the reality of alzheimers through the language of fantasy. Everything all right, gran . I thought this was where it got in. Who . Like the babadook, this is a horror movie with a heart, a profoundly emotional experience. My own favourite films of the year included a pair of saints. Do you have a boyfriend . No. Do you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend . No. Then we have something in common. From america, st francis, a versus self determined manifesto
about subjects such as menstruation and reproductive rights in the disguise of a ditzy bittersweet comedy about midlife disappointment. Maud is looking out for me, you see. To save my soul. If i understand correctly. And from the uk came saint maud, an electrifying debut feature which announced the writer director as a thrilling new force in british cinema. Bless her mind, which is shrouded in darkness. So great in david copperfield, shes mesmerising as the newly religious nurse determined to save the soul of her patient. Played with equal force byjennifer ely. The eerie score and sound design help make this a real modern classic. So, where does this all leave us . Clearly the way in which people view movies has changed irrevocably. And the events of 2020 have accelerated the rise of streaming releases. Worth noting, too, that this years london Film Festival opened with Steve Mcqueens mangrove. The first instalment in a five part anthology made for bbc television, which further blurs the line between cinema and tv. Just because uk audiences watched red, white and blue at home and it premiered on bbc one, does that mean it is not a film . Or that it could not also be enjoyed in a cinema . As ive been saying for years, simultaneous steaming releasing is the future whether you like it or not. And we are increasingly moving toward a situation where audiences will be able to decide where and how they watch movies. Whether its on the phone, computer screen, tv or up there on the big screen. Personally i think the cinema
experience is profound and important enough to survive this change. Like many people, i know that i get something from seeing a movie in a movie theatre that i cannot get it home. And nothing can ever replace that thrill of sitting in a darkened auditorium watching a movie in the best possible environment. Yes, the world is changing, but cinema is forever. Lets leave things on a high note and bill ted face the music. The belated threequel that put a smile on my face amid the darkness of 2020. In the us, the film was released simultaneously in theatres and on demand. Whereas in the uk it was cinemas only, with digital coming later. Having watched them on both big and small screens, i can tell you that i grinned like an idiot from start to finish in both formats. And in testing times like these,
thats a real treat. No way hows it going, bill and ted . A chilly and wintry flavour to the weather in the final days of 2020, but we are going to lose the very heavy and persistent rain some of us have had recently. Still some flood warnings in force across parts of england and wales. We have had very brisk winds thanks to storm bella. This band of cloud, that is where we had the very wet and windy weather. Behind it, you can see speckled cloud working down from the north, and we are going to stick with a northerly airflow through this week. That means its going to feel pretty cold out there. Temperatures will be below average by day, some frosty nights
with the risk of ice. Some rain and also some sleet and snow. Amongst all of that, some spells of sunshine. Heading through tonight, some showers around and across western areas, through western scotland, Northern Ireland, north west england, wales, perhaps the midlands and the west country, some rain and some snow over high round and perhaps even at quite low levels at times. Its going to be a very chilly night indeed. Temperatures down to 8 in parts of scotland and some icy stretches tomorrow morning. This slow moving area of rain, sleet and snow could give some accumulating snow, even at quite low levels, most likely across parts of wales, the midlands, central southern england and the west country. That will slowly pivot away and we will see another area of rain with some snow across Northern Ireland and western scotland. Some showers in eastern areas. Brisk winds in the west, lighter winds further east. There will be some spells
of sunshine on what will be a decidedly chilly day. Temperatures between two and maybe seven. Low pressure still in charge of the scene for tuesday. Still a northerly wind. You can see these frontal systems across western areas, where showers are likely to join into longer spells of rain and some snow over high ground, much of what falls from the sky at low levels will be rain. A few showers still in eastern counties. Pretty chilly, two to seven. We stick with a chilly theme as we head towards the end of the week. There will be a lot of dry weather around but some showers, too, and they will be wintry in places. This is bbc news. Im ben bland and these are the latest headlines in the uk and around the world. Britains borisjohnson promises big changes following his brexit trade deal, as his finance minister rishi sunak says the deal will reassure those worried about the impact on businesses. For those who were anxious about the economic implications of leaving, they should be enormously reassured by the comprehensive nature of this free trade agreement. The rollout of the Pfizer BiontechCovid Vaccine begins for millions of people across the eu starting with italy and the czech republic. Millions of americans lose their Unemployment Benefits after President Trump refuses to sign the covid Economic Relief bill into law. Storm bella brings gusts of more than 100 mph with roads in parts of wales,
and devon and cornwall