The year that was 2021 is behind us on the calendar, and now comes the annual long wrap-up. The Oscars and its brethren award ceremonies are months away, which makes this the time for Reel Speak’s Best & Worst summation.
As with every year, the worst part of any wrap-up is looking back on the talented souls that have left us. In the past year we bid a final farewell and adieu to silver screen stars Betty White, Wilford Brimley, Sidney Poitier, Ed Asner, Ned Beatty, Richard Donner, Robert Downey, Sr., Charles Grodin, Hal Halbrook, Yaphet Kotto, Helen McCrory, Tanya Roberts, Michael K. Williams, Peter Bogdanovich, Olympia Dukakis, Michael Constantine, Jean-Marc Vallee, and Christopher Plummer.
On the screen, our beloved theatres finally lit up again, but only to an extent, and many studios still opted to release to their streaming services. This made it difficult to keep up with new films, as one-stop-shopping turned into scatter-shot releases as movies went to who-the-hell-knows-what-streamer (a good case for the theatre experience being superior to streaming, but that’s another story). So, this Blogger only saw three films that deserve to be called the Worst of 2021: the LeBron James-led SPACE JAM sequel, the Sony Pictures dumber-than-shit VENOM sequel, and the insanely stupid HALLOWEEN KILLS.
On the superhero front, Marvel had three solid efforts, while rival DC was busy re-making their flops to mixed degrees of success. In other news, musicals had a minor resurgence with four major releases, Daniel Craig wrapped up his run as 007 with a bang, Sir Ridley Scott finally got out of a decades-long rut with two excellent films, and Disney dusted off a few of their oldest dog-tales and river boats with great results. Here now, are the Top 10 Best Films seen by this Blogger in 2021:
10. WEST SIDE STORY
Steven Spielberg returned to top-form with this re-adaptation of the 1957 stage musical and 1961 Best Picture winner. Thanks to Spielberg’s next-level eye for framing shots and intimate character-time, this WEST SIDE STORY is more honed and refined than the 1961 film, giving clarity to what all the fighting is about. The dance numbers are spectacular, and breakout star Rachel Zegler is a delight.
9. BELFAST
Kenneth Branagh directs this semi-autobiographical film which takes us back to the turbulent times of Ireland in the 1960’s. An intimate look at family amidst a larger, historical backdrop…BELFAST works as a nearly forgotten era of history and a coming-of-age tale. One of two major releases this year shot in glorious black-and-white, BELFAST is stripped-down, back-to-basics filmmaking that is refreshing and feels new.
8. SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME
Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios sorted out their differences to bring us this box office champion and emotional epic…which combines our current version of Spider-Man with Spideys of the past 20 years…along with their villains. Emotional, epic, massive in scale, and game-changing for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), NO WAY HOME was the one film this year that turned theatre audiences into cheering fans not unlike the Super Bowl. And that ending was something that Hitchcock would be proud of.
7. THE FRENCH DISPATCH
Stylistic director Wes Anderson throws the basic rules of the three-act structure out the window in his anthology film about the final days of a French newspaper. Broken into three different storylines presented to us through the eyes of intrepid reporters, THE FRENCH DISPATCH is a love-letter to a bygone era of reporters hitting the streets and taking their time to research and get acquainted with their stories. Funny, gorgeous, and a delight with that sad melancholy concerning all things that must pass from this world, not to mention the best ensemble cast of the year.
6. LICORICE PIZZA
Paul Thomas Anderson brings us this coming-of-age tale set in sunny California in 1973, following a young couple’s discovery of love, stardom, and themselves. Cooper Hoffman (son of Phillip Seymour), makes a huge impact in his debut, and pop-singer Alana Haim is a revelation. Shot with tender-loving care and presented with a love for all things 1970’s, LICORICE PIZZA is as great as the title is weird.
5. GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE
We all expect to laugh during a GHOSTBUSTERS movie, but we certainly do not expect to cry. Directed by Jason Reitman (son of Ivan, director of the first two films), AFTERLIFE focuses on the legacy of the original characters; spending most of its time with the late great Egon’s family as they discover who their grandfather was…just as an old spirit returns. The film smartly ties back to the original in a natural way that doesn’t feel forced, and although it takes a long while to get a glimpse of the one and the only Ghostbusters, the emotional payoff is worth the wait. And it is a payoff that offers a great sense of closure in one of the most satisfying sequels.
4. THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH
Joel Coen delivers a dagger of a film in his first solo outing away from his brother Ethan. Denzel Washington takes on the role of Macbeth and Frances McDormand slips into the gown of Lady Macbeth, in this stunning presentation of the famed Shakespeare play. Shot in glorious black-and-white and put together in the 100-year-old German expressionist style, this MACBETH is breathtaking from the first frame to the last.
3. DUNE
Denis Villeneuve delivers the first part of the epic, classic sci-fi novel to big screens after a year of delays. Shot on a massive canvas that truly conveys the hugeness of the galaxy, the planet Arakkis, and the humanity of the characters, DUNE simplifies a complex narrative of family, fate, war, and politics… but doesn’t dumb it down, and sets the stage for what is promised to be an even bigger part 2.
2. THE GREEN KNIGHT
David Lowery directs this stunning adaptation of the 14th century medieval fantasy poem. Dev Patel steps into the chainmail of Sir Gawain, who is challenged by a mysterious being over the course of a year. A visual feast and shot and edited with a precise touch, THE GREEN KNIGHT dives into what it really means to be a noble knight and the path to get there; do we wait for external forces to make us great, or does that come from within? Lowery presents the challenge with minimal dialogue and breathtaking cinematography that makes THE GREEN KNIGHT the most unique film of the year.
1. CODA
Breakout actress Emilia Jones plays the only hearing member of her family, and has her dreams of college and a bigger world constantly challenged by her responsibilities to her deaf mom, dad, and brother. Sian Heder helms this family-based drama that uses sign-language exclusively, which is a step forward for inclusion…but also unexpectedly offers the opportunity for an overlooked style of acting; showing that acting is more than just reciting dialogue. CODA places us into the perspective of those who can’t hear us, and the result is jaw-dropping. The cast is tremendous with Jones in the lead, and the new presentation of a dreaming teen held back by a family she loves gives CODA a huge heart. The story has many ups and downs, is inspiring and hopeful, and the closing shot a tearjerker. Brilliant film in every way.
- CODA
- THE GREEN KNIGHT
- DUNE
- THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH
- GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE
- LICORICE PIZZA
- THE FRENCH DISPATCH
- SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME
- BELFAST
- WEST SIDE STORY
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