What a year. It’s been hard to keep track of release dates. There have been times when I’ve asked myself what even is a 2020 movie. Is is a streaming movie? A drive-in movie? A movie that premieres in “select theaters” for a certain number of weeks and then is available VOD? After all these months, I’m still not totally sure what a virtual premiere is, and how it differs from a streaming premiere.
With the the Academy Awards delayed to April 25, 2021, the deadline for awards-eligible movies has extended to Feb 28, 2021, which should make for a more interesting January than usual. I’ve included releases for January and February of 2021 in this list even though I’m not sure how people will ultimately be thinking about this year of movies. Will the top ten lists be brought out in December, as usual? Or will people wait? (Do top ten lists even matter is another questions for another day . . . )
When possible, I noted where movies are streaming online–especially if they are exclusive to a particular streaming platform. Some of these titles, especially those coming out in December and January, will probably not be available on VOD until a couple of weeks after their official release date. I’m not sure if anyone refers to this list except for me, but, just in case, I will update it as 2020 winds down and things change…
(Updated 12/30/20)
JANUARY
Troop Zero Directors: Bert & Bertie (Jan 17 – streaming Amazon Prime) (My review)
The Turning Director: Floria Sigismondi (Jan 24 )
The Assistant Writer & Director: Kitty Green (Jan 31) (My review)
The Rhythm Section Director: Reed Morano (Jan 31)
Taylor Swift: Miss Americana Director: Lana Wilson (Netflix: Jan 31) (My review)
(See Sundance premieres in this post)
FEBRUARY
Birds of Prey Director: Cathy Han, Writer: Christina Hodson (Feb 7)
Horse Girl Writers: Jeff Baena and Alison Brie (Netflix: Feb 7)
The Lodge Co-directors: Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz (Feb 7)
To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You Writer: Sofia Alvarez, based on the novel by Jenny Han (Netflix: Feb 12) (My review)
Buffaloed Director: Tanya Wexler (Feb 14; VOD May 19)
I Was At Home But . . . Writer & Director: Angela Schanelec (Feb 14)
Ordinary Love Co-Directors: Lisa Barros D’Sa & Glenn Leyburn (Feb 14)
The Photograph Writer & Director: Stella Meghie (Feb 14; VOD May 12)
Portrait of a Lady on Fire Writer & Director: Céline Sciamma (Feb 14) (My review)
The Rest of Us Director: Aisling Chin-Yee, Writer: Alanna Francis (Feb 14)
Emma. Director: Autumn de Wilde, Writer: Eleanor Catton (Feb 21) (My review)
The Last Thing He Wanted Writer & Director: Dee Rees based the novel by Joan Didion (Netflix: Feb 21)
10 Things We Should Do Before We Break Up Writer & Director: Galt Niederhoffer (Feb 21)
All the Bright Places Writer: Liz Hannah, based on the novel by Jennifer Niven (Netflix: Feb 28)
Saint Frances Writer: Kelly O’Sullivan (Feb 28)
Wendy Director: Benh Zeitlin Writer: Benh and Eliza Zeitlin (Feb 28)
MARCH
First Cow Director: Kelly Reichardt (Mar 6) (My review)
Go Back to China Writer & Director: Emily Ting (Mar 6)
Hillary Director: Nanette Burstein (Hulu documentary series: Mar 6) (My review)
Lost Girls Director: Liz Garbus (Netflix: Mar 13)
Lost Transmissions Writer & Director: Katharine O’Brien (Mar 13)
Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always Writer & Director: Eliza Hittman (Mar 13) (My review)
The Roads Not TakenWriter & Director: Sally Potter (Mar 13)
Stargirl Director: Julia Hart Writers: Kristin Hahn & Jordan Horowitz (Mar 13, Disney+) (My review)
Blow the Man Down Co-directors: Bridget Savage Cole & Danielle Krudy (Amazon: Mar 20) (My review)
Crip Camp Co-directors: James Lebrecht & Nicole Newnham (Netflix: March 25) (My review)
Tape Writer & Director: Deborah Kampmeier (Mar 27)
See this post for a list of SXSW movies were cancelled due to the Coronavirus.
APRIL
The Other Lamb Director: Malgorzata Szumowska, Writer: C.S. McMullen (Apr 3)
Sea Fever Writer & Director: Neasa Hardiman (Apr 10)
Selah and the Spades Writer & Director: Tayarisha Poe (Amazon Prime: Apr 17)
Wendy Director: Benh Zeitlin, Writer: Benh and Eliza Zeitlin (Apr 17)
MAY
The Half of It Writer & Director: Alice Wu (Netflix: May 1) (My review)
Becoming Director: Nadia Hallgren (Netflix: May 6) (My review)
Clementine Writer & Director: Lara Gallagher (May 8)
How To Build A Girl Director: Coky Giedroyc, Writer: Caitlin Moran (May 8) (My review)
Valley Girl Director: Rachel Lee Goldenberg, Writer: Amy Talkington (May 8)
Lost Transmissions Writer & Director: Katharine O’Brien (May 12)
Finding Ohana Director: Jude Weng, Writer: Christina Strain (May 21)
Military Wives Writers: Rosanne Flynn and Rachel Tunnard (May 22) (My review)
Lance Director: Marina Zenovich (ESPN: May 25) (My review)
On The Record Directors: Kirby Dick and Amy Zieling (HBO Max: May 27)
The High Note Director: Nisha Ganatra, Writer: Flora Greeson (May 29)
JUNE
Judy & Punch Writer & Director: Mirrah Foulkes (Jun 5)
Shirley Director: Josephine Decker Writer: Sara Gubbins (Hulu: Jun 5)
The Short History of the Long Road Writer & Director: Ani-Simon Kennedy (Jun 16) (My review)
Mr. Jones Director: Agnieszka Holland, Writer: Andrea Chalupa (Jun 19) (My review)
Miss Juneteenth Writer & Director: Channing Godfrey Peoples (Jun 19) (My review)
Babyteeth Director: Shannon Murphy Writer: Rita Kalnejais (Jun 19) (My review)
Feel The Beat Director: Elissa Down (Netflix: Jun 19)
Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn Director: Ivy Meeropol (HBO: Jun 19) (My review)
House of Hummingbird Writer & Director Bora Kim (Jun 26)
JULY
John Lewis: Good Trouble Director: Dawn Porter (July 3)
The Old Guard Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood (Netflix: July 10)
Relic Writer & Director: Natalie Erika James and Christian White (July 10)
Secret Society of Second Born Royals Director: Anna Mastro (Disney+ July 17)
Amulet Writer & Director: Romola Garai (July 14)
Radioactive Director: Marjane Satrapi (Amazon Prime: July 24)
Summerland Writer & Director: Jessica Swale (July 31) (My review)
AUGUST
I Used To Go Here Writer & Director: Kris Rey (Aug 7) (My review)
She Dies Tomorrow Writer & Director: Amy Seimetz (Aug 7)
Spinster Director: Andrea Dorfman, Writer: Jennifer Deyell (Aug 7)
An Easy Girl Director: Rebecca Zlotowski (Netflix: Aug 13)
Boys State Co-Directors: Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss (Apple+ Aug 14) (My review)
The One and Only Ivan Director: Thea Sharrock, based on the book by K.A. Applegate (Disney+ Aug 21) (My review)
The Sleepover Director: Trish Sie, Writer: Sarah Rothschild (Netflix: Aug 21)
African Violet Director: Mona Zandi Haghighi (Aug 21)
SEPTEMBER
The Mole Agent Director: Maite Alberdi (Sept 1)
Love, Guaranteed Writers: Hilary Galanoy and Elizabeth Hackett (Sept 3)
Cuties Writer & Director: Maïmouna Doucouré (Netflix: Sept 9) (My review)
Unpregnant Director: Rachel Lee Goldenberg, based on novel by Jenni Hendriks (HBO Max: Sept 10)
I Am Woman Director: Unjoo Moon, Writer: Emma Jensen (Sept 11)
All in: The Fight For Democracy Director: Lisa Cortes, Liz Garbus (Amazon Prime: Sept 18)
Kiss The Ground Directors: Josh Tickell and Rebecca Tickell (Netflix: Sept 22) (My review)
Resisterhood Director: Cheryl Jacobs Crim (Amazon Prime: Sept 22)
Kajillionaire Writer & Director Miranda July (In theaters Sept 25; VOD Oct 16)
Misbehavior Director: Philippa Lowthorpe, Writer: Rebecca Frayne (Sept 25)
Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles Director: Laura Gabbert (Sept 25)
The Glorias Director: Julie Taymor, Writer: Sarah Ruhl and Gloria Steinem (Amazon Prime: Sept 30) (My review)
OCTOBER
A Call To Spy Director: Lydia Jean Pilcher, Writer: Sarah Megan Thomas (Oct 2)
Jimmy Carter Rock & Roll President Director: Mary Wharton (Oct 2)
Dick Johnson Is Dead Director: Kirsten Johnson (Netflix: Oct 2)
Once Upon A River Writer & Director: Haroula Rose based on the novel by Bonnie Jo Campbell (Oct 2)
Save Yourselves! Written & Directed: Alex Huston Fischer & Eleanor Wilson (Oct 2)
Aggie Director: Catherine Gund (Oct 7)
The 40-Year-Old Version Writer & Director: Radha Blank (Netflix: Oct 9) (My review)
Mainstream Writer & Director: Gia Coppola (Oct 10)
A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting Director: Rachel Talalay (Netflix: Oct 15)
The Way I See It Director: Dawn Porter (MSNBC: Oct 16) (My review)
What The Constitution Means to Me Director: Marielle Heller, Writer: Heidi Schreck (Amazon Prime: Oct 16)
The State of Texas V. Melissa Director: Sabrina Van Tassel (Oct 20)
Totally Under Control Directors: Alex Gibney, Ophelia Harutyunyan, & Suzanne Hillinger (Hulu: Oct 20) (My review)
Rebecca Writer: Jane Goldman, Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse, based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier (Netflix: Oct 21)
Friendsgiving Writer & Director: Nicol Paone (Oct 23)
On The Rocks Writer & Director: Sofia Coppola (Apple + Oct 23) (My review)
Over The Moon Writers: Jennifer Yee McDevitt, Audrey Wells (Oct 23) (My review)
Holidate Writer: Tiffany Paulsen (Oct 28)
The Donut King Director: Alice Gu (Oct 30)
Us Kids Director: Kim A. Snyder (Oct 30)
NOVEMBER
Proxima Writer & Director: Alice Winocour (Nov 6)
Come Away Director: Brenda Chapman (Nov 13)
Born to Be Director: Tania Cypriano (Nov 18)
The Princess Switch: Switched Again Writers: Robin Bernheim, Megan Metzger (Nov 19)
Hillbilly Elegy Writer: Vanessa Taylor (Netflix: Nov 24)
Happiest Season Director: Clea DuVall, Writers: Clea DuVall and Mary Holland (Nov 25)
Black Beauty Writer & Director: Ashley Avis (Disney + Nov 27)
DECEMBER
Dear Santa Director: Dana Nachman (Dec 4)
Elyse Writer & Director: Stella Hopkins (Dec 4)
Godmothered Director: Sharon Maguire (Disney+ Dec 4)
La layenda negra Writer & Director: Patricia Vidal Delgado (Dec 4)
Luxor Writer & Director Zeina Durra (Dec 4)
Mulan Director: Niki Caro, Writers: Amanda Silver and Lauren Hynek (Disney+ Dec 4)
The Black Book of Father Dinis Director: Valeria Sarmiento (Apple+ Dec 8)
The Planters Directors: Alexandra Kotcheff and Hannah Leder (Dec 8)
Let Them All Talk Writer: Deborah Eisenberg (HBO Max: Dec 10)
Farewell Amor Director: Ekwa Msangi (Dec 11)
I’m Your Woman Director: Julia Hart, Writers: Julia Hart & Jordan Horowitz (Amazon Prime: Dec 11)
The Stand In Director: Jamie Babbit (Dec 11)
Wander Darkly Writer & Director Tara Miele (Dec 11)
Sister of the Groom Writer & Director Amy Miller Gross (Dec 18)
Promising Young Woman Writer & Director: Emerald Fennel (Dec 25) (My review)
Wonder Woman 1984 Director: Patty Jenkins (Dec 25) (My review)
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JANUARY
Shadow in the Cloud Director: Roseanne Liang (Jan 1)
Pieces of a Woman Writer: Kata Weber (Jan 7)
Herself Director: Phyllida Lloyd, Writers: Malcolm Campbell and Clare Dunne (Amazon Prime: Jan 8)
I Blame Society Writer & Director Gillian Wallace Horvat (Jan 8; VOD Feb 12)
The 355 Writers: Simon Kinberg and Theresa Rebeck (Jan 15)
One Night in Miami Director: Regina King (Amazon Prime: Jan 15 )
Respect Director: Liesl Tommy, Writer: Tracey Scott Wilson (Jan 15)
I Carry You With Me Director: Heidi Ewing (January 21)
Chaos Walking Co-screenwriter Lindsay Beer (Jan 21)
The Go-Go’s Director: Alison Ellwood (Jan 24)
Breaking News in Yuba County Writer: Amanda Idoko (Jan 29)
The Dig Writer: Moira Buffini (Netflix: Jan 29)
Palmer Writer: Cheryl Guerriero (Jan 29)
FEBRUARY
Cinderella Writer & Director: Kay Cannon (Feb 5)
Land Director: Robin Wright (Feb 12)
The World to Come Director: Mona Fastvold (Feb 12)
Nomadland Director: Chloé Zhao, based on the book by Jessica Bruder (Feb 21)
The United States vs. Billie Holiday Writer: Suzan Lori-Parks (Feb 26)
Thelma and Alice 