It’s the time of Top 10s. Every December, critics, publications, celebrities, and basically anyone with social media reveal their favorite films and TV series of the year. Some people tend to go more mainstream with their picks, while others love to showcase how deep their love of cinema goes. But every year, it seems that one of the most reasonable people who share their Best of 2020 list is none other than Former POTUS, Barack Obama.
READ MORE: The 25 Best Films Of 2020
And in 2020, in a year that is full of weirdness and delays in the world of film and TV, he still remains a good source of quality recommendations. In his annual reveal of his top films and TV series, Obama said, “Like everyone else, we were stuck inside a lot this year, and with streaming further blurring the lines between theatrical movies and television features, I’ve expanded the list to include visual storytelling that I’ve enjoyed this year, regardless of format.”
On the film side, there are picks that are gracing almost every Best Of list, including “Nomadland,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Mank,” and even “Bacurau.” But there are some surprises, as Obama also included the likes of the acclaimed documentary, “Time,” and the Amazon Prime film, “Selah and the Spades.” And let’s hand it to Obama for even including a pick that most people slept on during the last couple of months, “Let Him Go,” which is a solid thriller featuring Kevin Costner and Diane Lane.
READ MORE: The 25 Best TV Shows & Mini-Series Of 2020
The TV side of things seems to be a bit safer, though “safe” just means that there’s a lot of great series released in 2020, so we’re not shocked to see Obama choose some that most people would agree are awesome. “Better Call Saul,” “The Queen’s Gambit,” “I May Destroy You,” and even “The Boys” are all series that have enjoyed great reviews this year. But the former POTUS went further to highlight some series that received acclaim but maybe not the insane popularity of the other series, such as “The Good Lord Bird,” “Devs,” and “Mrs. America.”
Basically, if you’re looking at one source for the best recommendations of quality stuff from 2020, you should check out our “Best Of” coverage. If you want a second source, sure, then I guess Barack Obama is your go-to.