My 10 Favorite Films of 2021

2021 was another strange and challenging year for the big screen. We saw a slow rollout of film's delayed from 2020 with mixed results.  

Comic book film still rule the box office roost for the most part and helped soften the hit from some big name projects that just couldn't gain any traction.  

Ultimately, I reviewed 76 films this year with some surprises and letdowns along the way.  This top ten reflects my favorite films which may or may not be reflective of my original grade.  

Some of these films stuck in my mind long after I'd seen them while others left an immediate impression.  

So without further adieu, here are my ten favorite films of 2021 in no particular order.  

Saint Maud 

Rose Glass' debut film is an efficient and affecting slow burn of a psychological horror film.  It all hinges on a haunting performance from Morfydd Clark which culminates with a final act that will leave you shaken.

The Night House 

Rebecca Hall is the type of performer that's capable of delivering stellar turns when she's given the right material (See 2016's Christine).  The Night House is a meditation on grief and loss in the guise of a horror film.  Hall elevates the film with her singular turn as the widowed wife.

Nightmare Alley 

Guillermo del Toro's remake of Nightmare Alley is lavish but dense film which is no rush to get anywhere quickly.  Anyone with a short attention span is likely to hate it but those that stick with it will find a beautifully macabre morality tale.  Del Toro's style radiates through each meticulously constructed scene.  Bradley Cooper plays against type with great effect but Cate Blanchett own the back half of the film.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye

This film is a prime example of performances being better than the actual film.  Jessica Chastain has gotten a lot of buzz for her turn and it's justified but Andrew Garfield is just as good. They make this paint by the numbers biopic far more watchable than it deserves to be.

Belfast

Kenneth Branagh puts down Poirot's mustache to deliver a personal, moving and heartwarming film.  Regardless of where you grew up there are universal themes that come through the film's narrative making it an uplifting experience.

Last Night in Soho

Edgar Wright's latest film is a dazzling technical marvel especially in its stellar first half.   Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin Mckenzie both deliver engaging performances in this kaleidoscope of a film which takes you on a journey and features the late Diana Rigg's cinematic swan song.

The Tragedy of Macbeth 

Joel Coen's The Tragedy of Macbeth is a striking minimalist adaptation of Shakespeare's legendary play.  The visuals leave a lasting impression with their stark staging which linger in your memory long afterward.  Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand provide one of the best Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in recent memory.  

The Last Duel

Ridley Scott's The Last Duel is a period piece with some heavy subject matter.  Scott delivers a well constructed adult drama utilizing a Rashômon approach to the events in question.  Its a difficult watch in parts but the film is populated with excellent actors (excuse Affleck's boyband hair) delivering engaging performances about a timely subject matter.  

The Suicide Squad

Apologizes to Spider-Man: Far from Home but James Gunn's gonzo The Suicide Squad was far and away the most fun I had with a comic book movie this year.  It's vulgar, over the top but also has enough heart  (and daddy issues) to make you care about the characters.  The set pieces are great fun but nothing tops Harley's compound escape with poetic mayhem.

Cruella

I'd be lying if I said I went into Disney's latest live action redo with any sort of expectation.  Most have been so-so money grabs but at least Cruella had Emma Stone who typically make most things better.  The biggest surprise here wasn't that she was great but that the film itself was worlds better than it deserved to be.  Its an edgy mash up of Tim Burton's sensibility with Lady Gaga's fashion sense, kudos to Disney for letting them make this film.  

Honorable Mentions

Dune 

My main take away from David Lynch's 1984 Dune was a floating fat man.  Needless to say I didn't have any deep affinity or affection for Dune onscreen or as a book.  Denis Villeneuve's new take was visually arresting and engaging even though it hit on plenty of origin story beats.  There's a geeky joy watching a sci-fi story treated with such reverence and care.

Titane

Some films work to subtly unleash hints of insanity before unleashing it full bore onto the audience.  Julia Ducournau's Titane doesn't bother with any pretense and lets its freak flag fly in the first ten minutes of its runtime.  You're either all in or out of business with it midway through the first act.  The story goes is unexpected, bizarre directions occasionally recalling some of Cronenberg's early work.  Regardless of what you think of the film as a whole, you aren't going to forget it for a longtime.  

Lamb 

A24 continue it's string of delivering some of most interesting "horror" films in recent memory.  Lamb doesn't play like a straight up horror film instead it feels more like a long forgotten folktale anchored by a fantastic turn from a fully committed Noomi Rapace.

West Side Story

This remake from Steven Spielberg has no reason being as good as it is.  Spielberg pulls off an impressive bit of cinematic alchemy by making a classic musical fresh with minor tweaks, amazing dance numbers and memorable performances.  Hopefully more audiences will take the time to see this film and truly appreciate what Spielberg pulled off.

Werewolves Within

Who would have thought a good videogame adaptation would have popped up without any fuzz or fanfare.  Loosely based on the game of the same name, Werewolves Within takes 1985's Clue premise and adds in a tad bit more gore and fangs.  Excellent performances from the ensemble is sure to make this a cult classic in the years to come.   

Special Mention 

Zack's Snyder's Justice League 

It's the film that should have come out in 2017 and it only saw the light of day because of dedicated fans.  Snyder's DC opus does everything right that the theatrical cut got wrong.  Snyder's cut is beefy and surprisingly character centric which gives the film heart that was sorely from the theatrical cut which was cobbled together like a cinematic Frankenstein.

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Last Night in Soho & tick...tick...BOOM!

My dearest reader(s), Last weekend I had the opportunity to catch up with two hot titles: Last Night in Soho and tick...tick...BOOM!

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

First up: Edgar Wright's psychedelic fever dream Last Night in Soho.

An aspiring fashion designer is transported nightly to the London of the 1960s, but it isn't always the wonderful time she'd imagined.

Full and fair disclosure: Edgar Wright is my favorite director, in my eyes, a person whose artistic vision is 20/20 at all times. I honestly hoped to see Last Night in Soho at the cinema, but circumstances didn't allow, so I rented it when it became available for streaming last week. I don't think this is a movie that suffered for my having seen it on my pretty-big TV instead of a really-big movie screen, but be armed with the knowledge when considering my opinion.

While the idea of someone accidentally landing in another era is hardly unique, Last Night in Soho skips the Life on Mars routine; our heroine is as much observer as participant on her nightly trips. When the misdeeds of decades previous start to haunt her present-day, the movie begins to feel more like a standard thriller. It's not particularly difficult to figure out it's heading, but Last Night in Soho is a good story, well told, and it doesn't waste time. Wright's typical expertise in use and placement of music is in full effect, and the makeup and costumes are gorgeous. The movie is violent at times, but most effects are creepy and sinister, rather than gory; overall, a victory for anyone who thinks horror should be more than a gross-out.

Last Night in Soho clocks in at 116 minutes and is rated R for "bloody violence, sexual content, language, brief drug material, and brief graphic nudity."

Last Night in Soho is a stylish, well-paced thriller that's well worth the price of admission (or rental). Regular reader(s) will know that my rating scale is based on nine Weasleys, but I'm forced to give Last Night in Soho nine and a half: seven and a half for the movie, plus two bonus Weasleys for having two *actual* Weasleys (James and Oliver Phelps) in the cast. Fangirl Points for the twins, as well. Bonus points all 'round!

Last Night in Soho is still playing in cinemas worldwide, and is now available for rental via Amazon and other outlets.

Next on my weekend agenda was tick...tick...BOOM!, based on Jonathan Larson's semi-autobiographical musical of the same name.

A composer tackles life's ups and downs as he faces off with his impending 30th birthday.

Okay, more full and fair disclosure: No disrespect to Jonathan Larsen, but I barely tolerate Rent. I love theatre, and I respect Rent for all it is to so many people, but I like exactly one character (Collins) and two songs (Santa Fe and What You Own). It's basically a hipster's Wicked. Pretty much everything that irritates me about Rent is, predictably, prevalent in tick...tick...BOOM!, so it's fair to say I found it something of a slog.

Having said that, if you're looking for positives, there's Andrew Garfield, a magnificent performer who never fails to elevate any project lucky enough to have him. AGarf's tour de force performance is probably the only thing that kept me from turning off the movie before the halfway point. (He's the best Spider-Man as well. I shall hear no argument.) Also fun is a cool number that features so many Broadway legends (oh hai, Brian Stokes-Mitchell!) that you couldn't throw a rock without hitting one. (But please don't throw rocks at Broadway stars. Or at anyone.) Otherwise, tick...tick...BOOM! is a collection of mediocre songs sung by people being wayyyyyyy too dramatic about pretty much everything. If you love Rent, you'll probably love it. I do not and I did not.

tick...tick...BOOM! runs an almost insufferable 115 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some strong language, some suggestive material, and drug references."

tick...tick...BOOM! is worth watching, if only for another incredible performance by Andrew Garfield and a lively game of "Spot the Broadway Star." Of a possible nine Weasleys, tick...tick...BOOM! gets three.

tick...tick...BOOM! is now streaming on Netflix.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: LAST NIGHT IN SOHO

 

An aspiring fashion designer is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s, where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer. However, the glamour is not all it appears to be, and the dreams of the past start to crack and splinter into something far darker.

Director: Edgar Wright

Cast:  Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Terence Stamp, Diana Rigg, Margaret Nolan

Release Date: October 29, 2021

Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Rated R for bloody violence, sexual content, language, brief drug material and brief graphic nudity

Runtime: 1h 56min

Review:

Edgar Wright's Last Night in Soho is a retro horror thriller that uses his technical prowess to deliver a visual cinematic treat.  Wright, who co-wrote the film with Krysty Wilson-Cairns, draws inspiration from 60's horror thrillers and it's obvious from the onset it's a genre he loves as he recreates the era with incredible energy.  Those 60's set sequences are the life blood of the film as he uses era songs and a seemingly endless bag of technical tricks to make them stand out.  It's an impressive trick to watch him slyly move the atmosphere of these sequences from light and fun to something far more ominous and foreboding.  Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy hold the entire thing together with excellent engaging performances.  McKenzie who looks and sounds like a life sized pixie is immediately believable as a country mouse in the big city.  It's not the showiest of the two roles but she does get her moments to shine as the film takes on a more horror centric look and feel.  Anya Taylor-Joy looks like she was born to channel the era with great effect much like she did in The Queen's Gambit.  She's a blonde Barbie in pink with doll eyes filled with sadness.  Sadly, both character's are woefully underwritten with each relying on well worn tropes far too much.  The supporting cast makes it easier to ignore some of the scripts deficiencies with strong turns Matt Smith, Terence Stamp and the late Diana Rigg.  Smith does well playing swarmy while Stamp is just as strong playing ominous and mysterious.  Diana Rigg gets a fun cinematic send off as she blesses the screen with her signature style. Last Night in Soho falls just short of greatness mainly due to a script that only scratches the surface of its themes and characters even though its an incredibly fun ride. 

B