Barack Obama's Top 10 Lists
Friday, December 18, 2020 at 12:00PM Okay top 14 and top 10. President Barack Obama, who has gifted us with his favourites lists in previous years and revealed the taste (no surprise), and is now involved in the movies as a producer has released his favourites list for this accursed year, writing:
Obama visiting with a "Crip Camp" activist
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.
His top 10 (sorry, 14) movies and top 10 tv shows after the jump...
MOVIES
- Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
- Beanpole (Russia's Oscar finalist last year)
- Bacurau
- Nomadland
- Soul
- Lovers Rock
- Collective (Romania's Oscar submission)
- Mank
- Martin Eden
- Let Him Go
- Time
- Boys State
- Selah and the Spades
- Crip Camp (which he notates is from his own production company)
TV
- Better Call Saul
- The Queen's Gambit
- I May Destroy You
- The Boys
- The Good Lord Bird
- Devs
- The Last Dance
- Mrs America
- The Good Place
- City So Real
The Obamas company Higher Ground Productions was founded in 2018 and won an Oscar with their very first production, the documentary American Factory. So far they've only made documentaries and podcasts but they will soon be delving into narrative material. They are working on a Frederick Douglass biopic (great choice!) and a scripted anthology series.
Barack Obama, Crip Camp, Top Ten, biopics
Reader Comments (24)
So, do the Obamas get screeners sent to them? They've already seen Ma Rainey, Soul, and Nomadland?
Bacurau is my #1 for the year. I wish somebody, anybody would cite it for something. Obama spotlighting it is a good start.
Being President seems like a terrible job, but if they get screeners, I'd consider it.
Would love to get the Obamas' thoughts on where Kim on Better Call Saul is headed
According to A Promised Land, Obama's memoir, the MPAA sent him screeners of every movie that was released while he was in office, and they made a lot of use of the White House theater. I don't know whether he still gets screeners, though.
I always love his year-end lists. I've usually seen most everything on the tv and movie lists, but I get a lot of good recommendations from his book list. It was nice having a president who cared about culture.
I wonder what Trumps Top 10 is.
If you haven't watched I May Destroy You, you're missing out. It's really great.
markgordonuk - Trump doesn't consume fiction, he exudes it.
I May Destroy You is an unforgettable accomplishment of television. It still hasn’t left me. If you haven’t seen it yet, Nathaniel, I cannot recommend it enough.
I suspect Bacurau will get some “shocking” Oscar noms, à la City of God. Maybe Sonia Braga and Udo Kier crashing the supporting categories, or the screenplay, or the editing...
The USA's interference in brazilian politics increased in Obama's mandate, culminating in a coup d'eta that overthrowed our first woman elected president
But ok, he liked Bacurau, cool I guess
I consider I May Destroy You as the best thing I've seen all year, regardless of format.
Antonio -- I would LOVE Braga to get in, that's my favorite supporting performance of the year. I doubt the actors will pull the trigger (reference intended), though.
The writers, though, I could see them doing it. That's my longshot hope for the movie.
@Alguém...if it was only Brazil where he helped the nazis to take power...
@Alguem, it's funny he watched Bacurau and didn't get it that Udo Kier's character represents him.
Do you think he is in the dog house?
He forgot Becoming!!!!
@markgordonuk-Probably something made by Dinesh d'Souza or Michael Bay. Then again, he doesn't even have taste. The fact that the White House still smells like a fucking fast food joint is very telling.
I echo what other people have been saying about I May Destroy You. One of the very best things I’ve seen all year. A true masterpiece.
Alguem - President Obama was NOT responsible for the removal of your first ever female President. But trump is definitely responsible for the far right homophobe that you currently have.
Finally someone recognizes DEVS
What a far-leftist hell-hole this site has turned into.
Barrack Obama is responsible for the most divisive, evil administration that the US has ever seen and you are engaging in a retrospective restoration of his 'legacy' by presenting him as some benevolent figure. All of his Top Picks, especially TV, are permeated with identity politics, which Obama loved to weaponize.
The fact that many readers on this site have swallowed the 'Orange Hitler' narrative so easily is disturbing.
@ AmandaBuffamonteezi
FO&D
@Working Stiff
Such an enlightening response....
I wonder how close he was to put Borat Subsequent Moviefilm in his list... and that he probably didn't put it, to avoid an internet war.
Please tone it down people.