2020-21 On Your Left Film Year-in-Review
It feels like more than two years since I last wrote a year-in-review post, but then, more has happened in those two years than usually does in five, ten, or even twenty "normal" years. I count myself as blessed to have made it through those two years with my life, health, and livelihood; movies seem like a small thing in comparison. But I remain passionate about movies, and I was excited to return - cautiously - to theaters in 2021. I'm therefore also happy to bring back this annual blog post, this year with a small modification: I am including the few films I got to see in 2020 before the pandemic (or those I saw at home in lockdown, by streaming). I saw a somewhat different mix of movies than usual, though if anything, I'm surprised at how close it came to "normal", all things considered.
If it ain't broke (and I don't think it is), then I'm not fixing it, so the structure of this post will look the same as in years past:
- Top 10 films of the year!
- Most underrated/overrated films
- Most surprising/disappointing films
- Worst film of the year
- List of other films I saw in theaters (with links to my reviews)
- Films I saw on streaming
Please check out my companion post
here, which is more like my Oscar-style awards. There were definitely some great films released in the last two years, so I hope you'll check some of these out!
Top 10 Films of 2020-21
10.
Eternals (Directed by Chloe Zhao; starring Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Salma Hayek, Angelina Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani, et. al.)
Marvel had a lot of movies pent up during the pandemic, releasing four new ones in theaters in 2021. Eternals made a modest (by Marvel standards) $165 million in North America, and a shockingly low 47% critical approval rating. I mostly attribute this to it being quite a bit different than other MCU movies; ironic, since critics whine constantly that they are so tired of Marvel movies. It isn't perfect, but Oscar-winning director Zhao makes the central, crucial decision to focus on the individual struggles and relations in this tale of epic mythology. The performances are all solid and the action is good; but the primary draws are its fresh perspective and detour from recent Marvel plotting.
9. Palm Springs (Directed by Max Barbakow; starring Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons)
I did not see many new comedies during the last two years, continuing a trend, but this one - released only on streaming, appropriately - was one of the best. Another spin on the Groundhog Day premise, Palm Springs finds its strengths in a surface tone of droll desolation that eventually gives way to true emotional connection with the two stars, played by Samberg and Milioti. Samberg, who I enjoyed on the great Brooklyn Nine-Nine, is a perfect match for his part and Milioti is every bit as good or better. The pacing and total running time (90 minutes) are well crafted for the premise, starting with plenty of silly and quirky hijinks before transitioning to more poignant material. A nice little gem.
Despite superficial similarities - these are both musicals set in New York City featuring Hispanic communities - there are many more differences, from the plots to the tones, not least because they premiered on stages fifty years apart. But I can't help but think of them together and the impression that they are both very good, but not great, musical adaptations. Each has its strengths; In the Heights's plot naturally has more resonance for a modern audience and its characters are unique, far from any stereotypes though the acting can be uneven. West Side Story has a powerful, timeless story and some terrific performances (especially DeBose and Faist) despite some characters now feeling a little too familiar. What they both have are tremendous music and dance choreography, guaranteed to entertain any audience. Try them both - and see how the genre has evolved.
7.
The Lost Daughter (Directed by Maggie Gylenhaal; starring Olivia Coleman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson, Ed Harris)
While The Lost Daughter does not have much of a plot to it and it's quite heavy, it's also much better than another movie that shares those characteristics, The Power of the Dog. Olivia Colman does phenomenal work as the lonely vacationer Leda; she is prickly and rough around the edges, but combined with flashbacks, we get such a clear, searing picture of this character that both the positive and the negative are understandable. Its rumination on the joys and challenges, to understate it, of modern mother- and womanhood are powerful; and its accompanying point about the failures of men is fresher and more subtle than the one made in the previously mentioned Oscar nominee. Not a cheerful film, but an important, compelling, and very well-made one.
6.
Dune (Directed by Denis Villeneuve; starring Timothy Chalamee, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgard)
Villeneuve is one of my favorite contemporary directors (Prisoners, Sicario, Arrival, etc.), so when I saw that he was filming an adaptation of this sci-fi classic, I made sure to read the book first to prepare. The story definitely benefits from the filmmaker's strengths of creating unique, eerie atmospheres directly from the sounds and images before you even get to the characters or plot. Zimmer doesn't quite get to the sonic heights of Villeneuve's late collaborator Johannsson but it's still strong, as are the effects; and the desert world is appropriately spellbinding. If anything, I wish that it was even more subtle though I can see how that could have confused those who haven't read the novel; and there's a bit too much action (Momoa, really? Sigh). But I'm nitpicking; if you're not a superhero fan, this is the 2021 blockbuster to see.
5.
Downhill (Directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash; starring Will Ferrell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus)
The terrible critical score (37% on RT) almost dissuaded me from seeing this, but Ferrell and Louis-Dreyfus was a combo too good to pass up - and I'm glad I didn't. The dry humor is something Louis-Dreyfus has shown a knack for in Veep, but Downhill takes it to another level entirely. It's really a dramedy split equally between the drama and comedy, and arguably even more effective at the former. One Ferrell-Louis-Dreyfus confrontation, with their friends as tortured observers, is both one of the most painfully awkward and simply amazing scenes I've seen in years. It takes a little while for the film to warm up - or, more accurately, chill down - or maybe the audience just needs time to acclimate to the style. Either way, prepare yourself for a new experience - and a treat.
4.
Black Widow (Directed by Cate Shortland; starring Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, David Harbour)
Although the wait for her own movie was too long and it doesn't advance the overall MCU narrative, Black Widow is essential for any superhero fan and a fun blockbuster for anyone else. Despite already knowing the fates of certain characters and related plots, the movie provides a great balance of a rich exploration of Johansson's character, Natasha, as well as introducing fun new characters for this background and development. Johansson - who's always done rock-solid work - is joined by the impressive trio of Pugh, Weisz, and Harbour. The action is largely grounded, a nice change from other recent MCU films, but as intense and hard-hitting as Winter Soldier or Civil War. As a bonus, it's surprisingly funny, too. Not as flashy as its kin, but very, very few are better made than Black Widow.
3. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Directed by Aaron Sorkin; starring Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mark Rylance, et. al.)
I wish I could have seen this in theaters; but, I'm also happy that anyone can see it now on Netflix. I am a huge Aaron Sorkin fan, particularly his writing (The West Wing, The Social Network, etc.) but he's now even a great director, too, first with Molly's Game and now this. Similar to his previous film, Trial illustrates a historic moment by placing the main action in the aftermath. There are only a handful of flashbacks to the Democratic Convention riots of 1968, but they are very powerfully done, a mixture of sparse but potent writing, crescendoing tension, and a perfectly complementary soundtrack. The ensemble cast is just phenomenal, getting the absolute best out of such a wide range of actors who are both fun and funny as hell, especially in the trial scenes. And Sorkin also brings out emotion from history like past titans Lincoln and Selma; there's a cathartic good-guys-vs.-bad-guys element, but it ends with a poignant reminder that the true stakes of the story involved those who never got a say in their own fate.
2.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (Directed by Jon Watts; starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alfred Molina, et. al.)
Endgame marked the conclusion of not just a 20-film, 11-year overarching plot in the MCU, but also the Avengers superhero team as we knew it. Of course, the MCU continues, but there has been a significant vacuum where the "Originals" - Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor - once led. No Way Home doesn't try to replace them, exactly, but it takes up the MCU's emotional helm and, seemingly, has given it a definite new narrative direction, too. Parker and his friends and family are given their most potent drama in this, their third outing, including a unique, breathtaking final sacrifice. We also get teased the, well, infinite future possibilities of the multiverse. Oh, and speaking of multiverse, No Way Home shatters the fourth (fifth?) wall by incorporating characters (played by the original actors) from other Spidey movies - those starring Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. Balancing all of this required an Avengers-level high wire act and everyone from the director, to writers, to cast, to crew pulled it off beautifully. A triumph that confidently announces the MCU will not be fading away any time soon.
1.
Belfast (Directed by Kenneth Branagh; starring Jude Hill, Caitriona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Judi Dench, Ciaran Hinds)
Belfast was the first Oscar hopeful (now a confirmed multi-nominee) I'd seen in a movie theater in almost two years, and it was so good that it seemed to me a sign of hope for the future. I knew, in addition to the awards buzz, that it was based on acclaimed director Branagh's upbringing during the Troubles - beyond that, I was simply hungry for a really good drama. Fortunately, it succeeded spectacularly. Despite a slim (but ideal) running time of just over ninety minutes, Belfast packs in so much, and with remarkable depth.
The acting is great across the board, from the charming young Hill to desperate yet strong parents Balfe and Dornan, to wise, steady, loving grandparents in Dench and Hinds. The black-and-white images are beautiful and set the tone in a variety of ways, not just as a signifier of history/memory; and the jazzy soundtrack is unexpected yet wonderful. But it is the film's amazing ability to hold two seemingly opposing sides of life in equal and complementary, not contradictory, ways that sets Belfast apart as the greatest film of 2020-21. The despair and danger of social upheaval and violence, plus personal family turmoil on the one hand; yet the joy and innocence of childhood and the strength of family bonds on the other. This is illustrated by the film's two best scenes: its first, as the Troubles strike suddenly like lightning on a little neighborhood; and one of the last, when the family enjoys a sparkling dance. This is a must-see movie.
Despite the pandemic, there were still a lot of new superhero movies to watch in the last two years. One of my least favorite, yet one that got among the best critical receptions, was The Suicide Squad. It's not bad, and has plenty of fun parts. But Deadpool, by being such an exemplar of the crude, ultra-violent yet funny superhero movie, kind of spoiled the game for everyone else. The Suicide Squad doesn't really add anything new to this subgenre, and both tries too hard while going generic on the finale.
To me, by far the most overrated film of the year is The Power of the Dog, one of the favorites for Best Picture at the Oscars. I'll begin by stating that a good part of this may be simple personal taste; I recognize that in terms of filmmaking mechanics, there are well-done elements, particularly Benedict Cumberbatch's acting. But my overwhelming reaction to the movie was: WTF? Just unrelentingly dark and dismal, or at least bleak (life on a Montana ranch? No thanks). The plot, such as it is, is uninteresting and left unexplained in many important ways (to be Mysterious or Artsy?). The themes, on homosexuality and toxic masculinity, are tiresomely done (and much, much better done in so many other movies), IMO. It's two hours, but feels more like three. No, thanks.
Most Underrated Film of the Year: Downhill (runner-up: Eternals)
I've already described these two in my top 10 films of the year, but I want to emphasize that these two - very different - movies were very underrated. Something that draws them together is that they are also quite different than what I expected - in Eternals' case, different from other MCU movies, and for Downhill, a different style of humor and level of drama than I expected. I admit that often when a movie turns out much differently than I expected, it negatively affects how I react to it, so this may be a big reason for the critical (and box office) results. But I apparently kept an open mind while watching these, and was rewarded for it. They're both definitely much more worth a try than you might expect.
Most Disappointing Film of the Year: Wonder Woman 2 (runner-up: N/A)
My disappointment in the Wonder Woman sequel is two-fold: its release and its quality. Originally to be released in theaters in June 2020, that became impossible, of course, due to the pandemic. The studio lost patience after moving back its release date several times and decided to just dump it on HBO Max for Christmas 2020. In contrast, Marvel patiently held Black Widow, originally scheduled for May 2020, and released it in theaters in July 2021. I wish DC had done the same.
On the other hand, Wonder Woman 2 turned out to be mostly a dud. Particularly disappointing since the first, in 2017, was so good, the sequel was just bizarre. The villain and his plot were ridiculous; it might have been funny in a blatant parody movie, but this was not (I think?). My opinion might be at least a little better if I'd seen it in a theater - where it was meant to be seen - but I'm having trouble remembering much that was great about this movie, except for some Kristen Wiig fun here and there.
Most Surprisingly Good Film of the Year: The Lovebirds (runner-up:
Birds of Prey)
Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn appears in both the most overrated, and the most surprisingly good, movies of the year. She doesn't really get much to do in The Suicide Squad; an interesting "rebound" with a bad guy boss unfortunately goes off the tracks quickly and into mindless violence. But she gets quite a bit of interesting character exploration in Birds of Prey, featuring her but also a few other heroines in a cool, feminist superhero film. Plus, the action is less bloody, more creative, and much more fun in this one.
I saw several "meh" Netflix original films over the last two years (see below), but The Lovebirds was better than just a way to pass the time. Starring the talented duo of Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani, it's a rom-com action film, up to date in both modern relationship dynamics and also, though more subtly, racial context. It's got a great opening hook, very good writing, and even a nice finale, which this and similar genres usually fail.
Worst Film of the Year: Army of the Dead; The Power of the Dog
I didn't see any truly bad movies in the last two years, fortunately. Well, at least, I didn't bother sitting through to the end. I started to watch Melissa McCarthy's Netflix comedy Thunder Force but stopped; she is often able to lift up otherwise poor films, but not this time. I did finish Army of the Dead, since it was at least fairly entertaining throughout and held some hope for improvement or at least something interesting (neither of which really happened). Dave Bautista is fun (if a bit much at times) in a supporting role in Guardians of the Galaxy; as a movie's lead, not so much.
The most unpleasant film I saw, by a pretty wide margin, was, again, The Power of the Dog. Part of me wants to see it again in case I missed something or was just in the wrong mood. But it was just so off-putting to me, I don't think I can go through it again.
Other Films I Saw in Theaters in 2020-21
Streaming Movies
- Don't Look Up! (B+): I did like this movie, and was particularly happy to see a climate change allegory get so much attention (hopefully giving some sort of boost to real-world efforts to combat the greatest crisis of our time). I think its Best Picture nomination is a stretch, but DiCaprio and Lawrence are fun to watch and writer/director McKay (The Big Short, Vice) is clever.
- The Mitchells vs. The Machines (B+): This is among the stronger non-Pixar animated films I've seen recently... but still, non-Pixar. I like the average-family-in-a-robot-apocalypse hijinks, but there are some missed opportunities. It's well-made and worth it for families and adults alike, but not a must-see.
- Borat 2 (B): Definitely not for everyone, but you already knew that. This was a lot better than I was expecting, as some of Cohen's non-Borat movies have been pretty awful. His co-star Maria Bakalova is excellent, every bit as good as Cohen, and the raunchy humor is smart and funny enough to excuse itself (IMO).
- 6 Underground (B): Yes, it's directed by Michael Bay; yes, it has a lot of explosions. But this is a lot better than a Transformers movie. Ryan Reynolds leads a good cast and there is plenty of good action and humor. One of the best throwaway streaming "blockbusters" I've seen; I'd watch it again.
- The Old Guard (B): This one is more ambitious and serious, which both hurt and helped it. Theron is great in a neat, if not completely original premise of ancient, immortal (rather, constantly reincarnated) warriors. Not one for the squeamish.
- Moxie (B-): I honestly don't remember this one too well; I mostly watched it because of Amy Poehler. It has good intentions and is more creative than the typical coming-of-age movie, but the execution is too often mediocre.
- Space Jam 2 (C+): I actually did see this in the theater - I saw the original in theaters, too, when I was a 10-year-old Michael Jordan super fan. It's fun, though LeBron is, probably unsurprisingly, not the most compelling lead. The technical effects are impressive, and a halftime gag made me laugh out loud.
Well, those were the years 2020 and 2021 for me in theaters and at home with the movies. I hope you've already seen - or will be inspired to go out and see - some of my recommendations. Take care until next time!
* https://deadline.com/2022/01/belfast-script-kenneth-branagh-read-the-screenplay-1234918538/
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