20 Best Movies Of 2020

In a year full of mind-blowing directorial debuts, not one quite matched the filmmaking mastery of Darius Marder's Sound of Metal.

A deeply affecting drama following drummer Ruben (Riz Ahmed) as he struggles to cope with sudden hearing loss, this is a film as sharply observed as it it is utterly devastating.

Riz Ahmed gives one of the year's very best performances here, which while lacking the typically awards-baiting screaming matches and showy feats of acting, is a brilliantly subtle portrayal of a man coming apart at the seams.

Almost equally excellent is Paul Raci, who plays Ruben's substance abuse counselor Joe, not to forget the contributions of Olivia Cooke as Ruben's girlfriend and bandmate Lou.

Fingers crossed the Academy doesn't sleep on this one.