The world also said goodbye to U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a lion of the civil rights movement who died in July. Other former political figures who died this year include Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, New York Mayor David Dinkins, Arizona Gov. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2020 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___David Stern, 77. The guitarist who supplied the scratching, seething sound that fueled the highly influential British punk band Gang of Four. He fused African rhythms with funk to become one of the most influential musicians in world dance music.

But less obvious movies can also take on surprising relevancy. Powell, star of “The Thin Man” movies, is, as ever, a tonic — or, if you prefer, a cocktail (Streaming on Amazon Prime). A marathon of Posey movies ("Kicking and Screaming," “Best in Show") may be in order (Streaming on Criterion Channel). — “Ikiru”: The time is never wrong for the supreme humanism of Akira Kurosawa's “Ikiru” but it's especially right right now. It will make yearn for a swing set (Streaming for free on Kanopy).