My Most Anticipated Films of 2020, Part 2

This is the second part of my list of the 2019 films I'm anticipating most this year. This post is for the smaller films, many of which don't have distribution or release dates yet. There's a good chance that a few won't be released in 2020 at all. However, I'm spotlighting them regardless. Films are listed in no particular order below.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye - Jessica Chastain stars as the notorious televangelist, Tammy Faye Bakker, in a film based on the beloved 2000 documentary of the same name. I expect that it probably won't be as good as the documentary, but I'm still keen on watching Chastain sink her teeth into this role. This will also be a significant departure for director Michael Showalter, best known for "The Big Sick." It's also one of several Fox Searchlight releases that I'll be nervously keeping an eye on.

The Glorias - Okay, so a Gloria Steinam biopic initially seems like a hard sell. However, Julie Taymor is directing, Alicia Vikander is starring, and Rodrigo Prieto has signed on as cinematographer. The last time Prieto and Taymor collaborated, we got "Frida," a biopic I adore. Also, as with far too many of the entries on this list, the director has gone far too long between pictures. Taymor's last picture was one that didn't even really get a proper theatrical release. It's high time she was back in the conversation.

Annette - Leos Carax's musical has been delayed a few times, resulting in casting changes and other troubles, and I'm glad to see production is finally rolling along a last. It'll be his English language debut, starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard as a stand-up comic and an opera singer who fall in love. The music will be written by the Mael brothers, best known for the cult band, The Sparks. It'll be a big year for them, as Edgar Wright is apparently making a documentary about them too.

Mank - Described as a chronicle of screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz's "tumultuous development of 'Citizen Kane,'" what I'm primarily interested in is that this is David Fincher's first feature in far too long. Moreover, it's a period drama that doesn't appear to involve any serial killers. However, the William Randolph Hearst angle is sure to provide plenty of fodder for conspiracy and intrigue. Gary Oldman will star as Mankiewicz, with Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins, and Tom Burke in supporting roles.

Wendy - Benh Zeitlin's follow-up to "Beasts of the Southern Wild" is currently in theaters. It's an adaptation of "Peter Pan," done in a style that is singularly Behn Zeitlin's. From the trailers, I know exactly what to expect, and yet also no idea whatsoever. I love that the diverse passel of kids are all unknowns, and there's no sign of any professional actors to speak of. I love that the whole thing was shot on the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean. I love that it's a modern update, but utterly timeless.

Nightmare Alley - We may or may not see this one this year, but anything from Guillermo Del Toro is automatically of interest to me, and his remake of the 1947 noir of the same name sounds right up my, ahem, alley. It's a con-man story with a supernatural element, a carnival as a major setting, and an ending that is downright horrific. My guess is that an updated vision will really be able to address some of the themes more directly. And this being Del Toro, it'll all look absolutely gorgeous.

Last Night in SoHo - This one's already on the schedule for a September release Stateside, as Edgar Wright's films are more commercial than most, and Edgar Wright horror films in particular. Most of the plot details are being kept under wraps, but we do know that it involves time travel and the 1960s. Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy will be heading up a promising cast, and I find it heartening that Wright is invoking "Don't Look Now" and "Repulsion" as major influences.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things - Speaking of filmmakers who have gone far too long between projects, Charlie Kaufman is finally directing another movie. This one is a psychological thriller for Netflix starring Jesse Plemmons and Jessie Buckley, and treads far closer to genre material than we've ever seen from Kaufman before. Depending on the state of the reshoots, we may also soon see the Liongate adaptation of "Chaos Walking" that Kaufman wrote for Doug Liman and Tom Holland. Fingers crossed.

Kajillionaire - Can beloved indie director and occasional actress Miranda July make a heist movie? Since this is Miranda July we're talking about, it can't be a traditional heist movie, right? Then again, the announced cast includes a surprising number of well-known actors, including Evan Rachel Wood, Richard Jenkins, and Debra Winger. Could it be she's trying her hand at making something with broader appeal? But would I be disappointed if she did? So many question marks! Aaah!

How Do You Live? - Will this be Hayao Miyazaki's final final film? It's been described in interviews as a personal piece, made for his grandson. It's expected to have some connection to Yoshino Genzaburo's 1937 children's novel "How Do You Live?" but knowing Miyazaki there will also be a few autobiographical elements in the mix. And flying machines. And environmentalist messages. I can't wait.

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