Mortal Kombat Rated R for some crude references, language throughout, and strong bloody violence Rotten Tomatoes Score: 55% In theaters and streaming on HBO Max This uber-violent martial arts thriller, based on the classic video game, follows a group of chosen human fighters who must fight a group of fighters from the “Outworld” in order to prevent them from successfully invading and destroying Earth. In one after the other brutal fight, the seemingly underwhelming human fighters are made to find in themselves the power to take on the evil forces. Just as in HBO Max’s recent release Kong vs. Godzilla, the plot is practically unnecessary. Every word spoken is there just to get to the next action sequence. What little dialog there is tries to make sense of the world our heroes and villains are in to give them a reason to fight, and since the audience is only there for the macabre melee, it all works out. In a way it’s like fight porn. But if you work hard to ignore the lousy script and even worse acting, what you are left with is some pretty spectacular, although extremely gruesome, battle sequences. From start to finish, there is a level of excitement and energy that allows the movie to work in its own way. So for what it is, Mortal Kombat delivers exactly what it promises, and nothing more. C+
Four Good Days Rated R for brief sexuality, language throughout and drug content Rotten Tomatoes Score: 46% In theaters now and paid streaming on May 21 Mila Kunis has done rather well in comedy and sci-fi over recent years, but here she goes the dramatic route as a young heroine addict who needs the help of her mother (Glenn Close) to stay sober for the 4 days required to get a shot (literally and figuratively) at remaining drug free. While the movie is timely and relevant, it is still a hard one to watch, just like it’s eerily similar cousin Hillbilly Elegy, which also starred Glenn Close in almost the exact same role, sans the make up. As one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, Kunis gives gravity to the role showing that beauty and innocence can be decimated by drugs. She makes a convincing enough addict and Close is on point as the mom. I’m not sure if the story is realistic enough as it tries to display a life on drugs in just a matter of days, but as a morality tale, it sorta works. There are some nice scenes, like the one where she speaks to a classroom full of children which sums up the film nicely, even if set up under inorganic circumstances. But honestly, there is too much here to be overly critical about, so while they get through the script, it ultimately proves to be movie-of-the-week material with a few dirty words thrown in so they don’t categorized that way. C
Godzilla Vs. Kong Rated PG-13 for destruction, brief language, intense creature violence Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80% In theaters and streaming on HBO Max With the previous Godzilla and King Kong movies leading up to this big event, Godzilla goes after Kong since, well you know, there can only be one alpha titan. With humans turning to Kong as their savior, they do what they can to protect him and turn the tide in his favor. But when humans go a step too far (I’m sure you’ll see it coming a mile away), the final battle, which is basically the back half of the movie, takes a turn to change the course of the titans. If you are looking for an awesome plot and invigorating dialog to set up the nonstop action, you’ve come to the wrong place. The plot is silly at all turns, just as it was in the previous films, leaving you constantly repeating the phrase “well that makes no sense!” But fortunately the set pieces are where the budget went and the fights are as big and intense as you would expect from such a franchise. And since most people will be able to watch with their already-in-place HBO Max subscription, you will get your money’s worth and then some. Honestly, even though I thought the film was mediocre, I might just pay to see it in a theater as I am fully vaccinated and dying to get my butt in a cushy seat to see a giant tentpole flick again. It’s not great, but honestly, at this point it doesn’t need to be. C+
Earwig and the Witch Rated PG Rotten Tomatoes Score: 34% Available on Disc and Streaming From Goro Miyazaki, son of legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki, comes Studio Ghibli’s first computer-animated feature film which features an orphaned witch living in an orphanage, only to be scooped up by another witch and a strange magical man named The Mandrake to tend their home. But being a stubborn and industrious little girl, Earwig does everything she can to figure out their secrets and mysteries. I’m sure Goro has been well-trained and possesses some of his father’s creativity, but there isn’t a lot of talent on display here. The animation is flimsy and disappointing, reminiscent of some of the lousy animation we see in many cheaply-made straight to Netflix toons. And the storytelling just isn’t up to snuff either. There are some nice moments here and there and the film is at least unpredictable. But it certainly isn’t worthy of the house it comes from as it feels incomplete and rushed, like the story-crafting and art took a backseat to the need to produce a computer-animated project. C-
Nobody Rated R for language throughout, brief drug use, bloody images and strong violence Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87% In theaters Nobody stars Bob Odenkirk (Better Caul Saul) as a literal nobody who is seemingly afraid to even protect his family when home invaders break in during the opening moments of the film. He’s just a nice guy who is trying to shield his family from violence, until a switch goes off and then suddenly he can’t wait to stand up for himself and even hopes that someone will make the wrong move and cross him. Of course when this happens, he makes enemies with a Russian mobster that eventually puts himself and his family in eminent risk. For his entire career, Odenkirk has given us so many amazing performances as the average, sometimes goofy, dude next door. You might want to go have a beer with him, but you definitely wouldn’t ask him to come back you up in a fight. Until now. This 90 minute entertaining departure is super violent and yet amazingly fun, and funny. It is not designed to win awards or leave you intellectually stimulated. But rather it is custom built to give its audience a short burst of mindless excitement for, what will be for many, their first time back in theaters in a year. B
News of the World Rated PG-13 for some language, disturbing images, thematic material and violence Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88% Available on disc and streaming After a relatively successful theatrical run, this innovative and relevant western directed by Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy) and starring Tom Hanks as traveling news reader in the old west, is finally making its way to disc. Taking place five years after the Civil War, retired Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Hanks) discovers a young orphan girl who doesn’t speak English on the trail near Wichita Falls, TX who desperately needs help to find her aunt and uncle in hill country. So traveling through both the somewhat civilized cities and the treacherous regions of Texas, he must find a way to keep himself and the girl alive while evading the scoundrels that mean to harm them. While the film appears to be on the level and works as a straight-out story to those who don’t want to put too much thought into it, ultimately the movie comes off as way more figurative and poetic than literal. This deeper meaning to the film gives it a less that subtle complexity that is well-driven by Greengrass and Hanks. While filmed in New Mexico, the story was that much more interesting for taking place in cities and towns (in name only) which most of us, as Texans, are very familiar with. While it had some story elements that seem a bit far-fetched, the many different facets make for an excellent movie-watching experience. A-
Zach Snyder’s Justice League Rated R for some language and violence Rotten Tomatoes Score: 78% at time of writing Streaming on HBO Max As Zach Snyder was deep into filming 2017’s Justice League, the death of his daughter forced him to quit the production and the studio hired The Avengers director Joss Whedon to finish the job. But as history shows, fans hated the film and what Whedon did with it. But when Zach Snyder expressed interest in completing his vision – the fans went nuts and HBO Max gave him a platform. With tons of reshoots and a story that is very different from the original, we now have more than just a new cut – but rather a brand new film with snippets from the forgettable first. At four hours in length, the story is much more complex and the villain Steppenwolf, while largely the same, has a new look and answers to an even worse baddie named Darkseid, who will most like make a future appearance in the universe. At this massive length, the film is certainly excessive and majorly indulgent. But then again so were the Avengers films, especially Endgame. So its flaws are largely forgivable. The improvements come in the way the film handled its villain, but also in how it created a completely different story arc for the one hero who got the shaft the first time out: Cyborg. This time out, Cyborg is the most important of the otherwise famous DC heroes, and his presence is most certainly welcome. While I’m not the biggest fan of the DC universe characters, I do enjoy the movies for the most part, and in this case I am very glad they made this move to try to correct a past sin. With everyone so fixated on “cancel culture,” some things need to be improved and this really did work out in their favor. One final note that I will mention only because it threw me off. I spent the first half hour trying to fix my TV since the screener was in 4:3 rather than widescreen. But Snyder apparently prefers 4:3, so no need to worry about why your aspect ratio isn’t correct. B
Promising Young Woman Rated R for language throughout, drug use, sexual assault, some sexual material and strong violence Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90% Available on Disc and Streaming Carey Mulligan has now risen to be an Oscar favorite with this dark girl-power flick about a medical school dropout who pretends to get drunk at bars only to teach the men that try to take advantage of her a big lesson. But what starts out in an almost a too-bleak-to-continue first act gets crazily complex as she learns to fall in love again with an old medical school classmate of hers played by Bo Burnham. By the end you get a surprising and disturbing psychological thriller that will leave you floored. Having just won the Critics Choice Award for best original screenplay, writer/director Emerald Fennell is on a roll, pulling an Oscar nod for picture and screenplay and even beating out Aaron Sorkin for scoring a directing nomination as well. While the film most certainly makes you feel very icky inside, it is also wildly entertaining as you try to figure out what is in our heroine’s head and what she plans on doing next. It is disturbing but you can’t look away. Mulligan’s performance is the epitome of electrifying and she deserves all of the credit she has been garnering. A-
Chaos Walking Rated PG-13 for violence and language Rotten Tomatoes Score: 22% In Theaters In 2017, Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow) started filming this sci-fi flick with hot newcomers (at least they were then) Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming) about a boy on a strange planet who tries to protect a girl whose spacecraft has just crashed there. Making things awkward for the young man is the planet forces all males to have what is a called “the noise” where their thoughts are displayed as they are thinking them – and he’s never seen a girl. For years this project has been tinkered on due to poor test screenings, and at a price tag of $100 million it is finally hitting theaters this week. You can tell that a lot of work went into the project and it certainly has great ambition. Unfortunately, the content just doesn’t translate well on to the big screen as it comes across as more unintentionally silly and weird than serious. Holland and Ridley do a good enough job in their roles and the impressive supporting cast, including Mads Mikkelsen, Demian Bichir, Cynthia Erivo and Nick Jonas, all seem to be doing their best to hold it together, but the narrative and the noise both serve to annoy and distract more than thrill. In the end, you get a mostly forgettable sci-fi pic with Ridley’s awful clown-like hairstyle etched in your brain as its sole reminder. C
Coming 2 America Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, language and drug content Rotten Tomatoes Score: 52% Streaming on Amazon Prime 30 years after the events of the original Coming to America, Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall and gang are all back to further explore their lives and adventures. As Prince Akeem (Murphy) becomes King of the fictional African Kingdom of Zamunda, he is under great pressure to produce a male heir, and what he has is three daughters. But fortunately he discovers that during his trip to Queens 30 years ago, he inadvertently knocked up an American (Leslie Jones) who went on to give birth to his bastard son (Jermaine Fowler). Very quickly into the film, he brings back son and mother to Zamunda to begin grooming him to become a prince. Even though most of the movie takes place in Zamunda, many of the characters played originally by Murphy and Hall in the original come back to visit in various sequences. Honestly, much of that isn’t funny, but enough of the new stuff is. There are some cringe-worthy laugh attempts throughout, but pleasantly enough there are some big jokes and bits that also work well. A prominent critic friend of mine wisely gave me the advice to grab a drink or two (or three) while watching and it will be that much more enjoyable. That might be true for any film. But here it works especially well and by the end I was having a particularly good time. So take my advice and take advantage of your ability to watch at home… B
Raya and the Last Dragon PG for some violence, action and thematic elements Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96% In theaters and streaming on Disney+ Premier Access Originally slated for last fall, Disney Animation’s latest creation features a young princess who tries to bring together her kingdom after it is torn apart from years of war, greed and jealousy. Together with a strange dragon and a constantly assembling group of helpers, she desperately attempts to destroy the evil gripping her kingdom before it decimates all life. While technically a princess movie, it is very unique in its storytelling and presents itself as more of an action flick where the girl isn’t trying to find true love or prove herself to her friends and family, but rather attempts to save the world in which she leaves. It’s a little strange in its set up but rather watchable once you get in and is thoroughly enjoyable by the end. The animation is just plain exceptional with so many fine details that many will overlook. I especially loved the score by composer James Newton Howard which only adds to the film’s lovely aesthetic. It does feel a little political at times, although that might be because everything seems political nowadays. Overall the story of a hero trying to bring a country together (one which is afflicted by greed and misinformation) is both appealing and relevant. A-
Tom & Jerry Rated PG for rude humor, cartoon violence and brief language Rotten Tomatoes Score: 26% In theaters and streaming on HBOMax Warner Brothers will be able to claim a small victory for this terrible new partially animated film based on the classic cat and mouse series in that its theatrical debut was the second biggest since the pandemic closed theaters a year ago, although that will be short-lived once Raya opens this weekend. In this new adventure, the humans and landscape are all real, while Tom, Jerry and all of the other animals are presented in their old-fashioned hand-drawn style. When Jerry the mouse hides in a fancy hotel, Tom the cat makes friends with a new hotel employee (Chloë Grace Moretz) in order to try to take out the mouse and stop scaring the guests. I’m sure some kids might get into it, but with a ludicrous plot and lack of any source of humor, the film is just one silly chase scene after another with plenty of horrific dialog by the humans in order to fill in the action-less gaps. It was a film I just couldn’t wait to stop watching. D
The United States Vs. Billie Holiday Rated R for drug use, domestic violence, language, nudity and mature themes Rotten Tomatoes Score: 55% This highly uneven biopic by director Lee Daniels stars R&B performer Andra Day (in a role that just won her a Golden Globe) as the legendary jazz-singer Billie Holiday as she attempts to press political buttons with her music while at the same time succumbing to her addiction to heroine. Very similar to last years Judy Garland film starring Rene Zellweger, the film contains a riveting performance contained in a narrative not worthy of the talent on display. Day is just fantastic to watch but the film is kind of miserable and depressing. I loved the story of her song “Strange Fruit” and its power over audiences, haters and the U.S. government. But the film basically spends too much time overemphasizing the idea that she would have a had a more lasting impact if she had just stayed away from drugs. Maybe true, but the legacy this film presents is way more about her flaws than her music or myth. In addition, so many scenes seemed completely unnecessary and redundant, where a tighter script and emphasis on pacing might have proved to be more powerful. C
Nomadland Rated R for some full nudity Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94% In theaters and streaming on Hulu This quirky and quiet little film stars Frances McDormand as a lost soul who has largely given up on the American dream, opting to trade it in for a van which she can travel around the country in, taking odd jobs when available and attempting to make friends when possible. Largely poetic in narrative, the film attempts, on a broader scale, to show the aftermath of the Great Recession and its deep effects on a largely growing part of the American population. Currently the odds-on favorite to win the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Director (Chloe Zhao), the film has really struck a chord with audiences thus far and for good reason. Its very subject is getting more and more relevant as so many in America keep getting forgotten as they wander aimlessly in a life that some may consider free, but might really be a life that is locked out. It’s a challenging film starring one of our greatest actresses in a role perfectly built for her unique persona and talent. But as strong as the content is, I still can’t count it as one of the best of the year. It’s a film that I’m glad I saw and one that will stick with me though, and for that I can fully recommend it. I am also open to the idea that it might grow on me. It reminds me of 2007’s Into the Wild, which I couldn’t really get into at the time, but now stands as one of my favorites. A-
The Mauritanian Rated R for violence including a sexual assault, and language Rotten Tomatoes Score: 68% In theaters From director Kevin McDonald (The Last King of Scotland) comes this true story of a Mauritanian man (Tahar Rahim) who was held without charge for over a decade in Guantanamo when he was thought to have helped carry out the 9-11 attacks. When an American lawyer and her assistant (Jodie Foster and Shailene Woodley) attempt to defend his rights as a prisoner, they unveil truths that would go on to send shockwaves through the Guantanamo prisoner program, showing the world that America isn’t always the good guy. While the film is a tad dry and at times unfocused, the performance from Rahim is terrific and makes the film worth the watch. It definitely has a bit of Hollywood slant, but it makes a good case that is hard to argue with as it tries to tear down what the U.S. military was doing there for so long. B-
Minari Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements and a rude gesture Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98% In theaters and streaming on VOD February 26 This beautiful family immigrant story took Sundance by storm in 2020 and could be the film to beat come Oscar season. Starring Walking Dead icon Steven Yeun, the film follows a Korean family who moves to Arkansas in order to start a farm and hopefully a prosperous new life. Of course drama and struggle follow at all turns, but to save the day is the wonderful Yuh-Jung Youn as the spry granny whose surprising words and constant unexpected actions bring on an often hilarious touch to the most serious of moments. It’s a wonderful little film that shows the greatness that comes from our immigrants rather than the narratives that have been pushed on America over the last five years by people that resent them. But it does so in a way that is neither preachy nor political. It shows an America that so many of us want to believe is the true heart of our country. It is so easy to fall in love with this story and will be nearly impossible to shake it once you’ve experienced it. A+
Judas and the Black Messiah Rated R for violence and pervasive language Roten Tomatoes Score: 98% In theaters and streaming on HBO Max In this perfect companion piece to The Trial of the Chicago 7, the FBI lures in an informant (LaKeith Stanfield) to infiltrate the Chicago chapter of the Black Panthers in the late 60’s in order to take down their leader, Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), who J. Edgar Hoover considered one of the biggest threats to the United States. Told as a modern-day Judas and Jesus parable, the film is a stunning example of government overreach and shows how bad things can be when corrupted power unchecked is allowed to run rampant within law enforcement. With a tight script and a phenomenal cast, the film helps us better understand how the past deeply effects the present and how we are still struggling to outrun the gravity of our history. More than that, it is a terrific drama where fact seems too outrageous to not be fiction. A
Let Him Go Rated R for violence Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83% Available on disc and VOD One of the biggest theatrical hits from 2020 (obviously hit is a relative term) is this family drama/thriller starring Kevin Costner and Diane Lane about a retired couple who go looking for their grandson after their son dies and his wife remarries. When they see that abuse might be occurring in their family, the two of them attempt to intervene, only to find themselves in a war with a family that doesn’t want them poking around. Funny enough, the film you get is exactly what you see in the trailer, with few surprises. But its intent is well enough and the fact that you get Costner and Lane, basically playing the same characters they did in Man of Steel, minus the little alien boy, proves to be a convincing enough revenge thriller from two actors that we love to see on screen. There is an extreme lack of character and story development, and perhaps this would have been better as a miniseries rather than a two-hour narrative, but fortunately it is satisfying enough to prove effective in its own way. In the end you get the film that is advertised and the film that many want to see. B-
Land Rated PG-13 for thematic content, brief strong language, and partial nudity Rotten Tomatoes Score: 64% In theaters Robin Wright’s directorial debut stars herself as a woman trying to escape from the world after a horrible tragedy occurs in her life. So she moves to the Rockies into an isolated cabin with no phone and no car under the full assumption that she will figure it out. But when she fails to figure it out, a kind stranger (Damian Bichir) comes into her life to help her not only survive the harshness of nature but possibly learn to get over her extreme depression. We’ve seen this sort of story play out but this one is different enough and in spite of its immense sadness, manages to be both beautiful and engaging. I think many of us have dreamed of moving off to the mountains to live life as a hermit and this film will both feed that desire and scare you away from it. I wish the film had more character development for both Wright and Bichir, as the super short runtime makes the film feel like the CliffsNotes for a larger, more interesting story. But the immense weight of the material does seem that much lighter at 89 minutes than it would have at two hours or more. B-
The Little Things Rated R for violent/disturbing images, language and full nudity Rotten Tomatoes Score: 52% at time of writing Available in theaters and on HBO Max From writer/director John Lee Hancock (Blindside) comes this period crime drama about a small town cop (Denzel Washington) who comes to Los Angeles for a routine visit, only to be asked to help with a serial killer investigation by the city’s hottest homicide detective (Rami Malek). Once they have jumped into the investigation, they find a suspect (Jared Leto) who they are certain is guilty but who has covered his tracks perfectly and seems to enjoy being hunted. For the first hour, this film pulls you in nicely and really engages. It starts out dark and gritty and seemingly full of surprises. But as soon as it hooks you, it lets you go with a manhunt that feels insincere at best and manipulative at worst. By the end, it is more than apparent that the promise of a great crime drama was just a ruse and that in spite of the stellar cast strutting their stuff, the film is just pretending to be smarter than it actually is. And rather than a scary, insomnia-inducing thriller, we get a forgettable drama with very little substance. C-
Palmer Rated R for brief violence, some sexual content/nudity and language Rotten Tomatoes Score: 58% at time of writing Available on Apple TV+ In his new family drama not meant for families, Justin Timberlake is a former LSU quarterback turned criminal who comes home to live with grandma after a long haul in prison. Upon his return he befriends a lonely and neglected boy whose drug addicted mother tends to disappear for lengthy periods, leaving him and his grandmother as temporary guardians. As he spends more time with the boy, he begins to connect in a way that changes his life. But as the situation becomes more tense, his past reappears to haunt his present. I’ve always rather liked JT as an actor and while he doesn’t make many appearances on screen, he usually has great presence. This might be a small film, but it packs a punch, even if it is pretty manipulative. I’ll admit that the graphic sex scenes are way out of place and the film might have been better as a PG-13, but its doubtful they were looking for a younger audience anyway. As a foster parent who has seen this scenario first hand, I found it rather easy to be empathetic to his character and his motives, and equally frustrated at the helplessness one feels when faced with such a dilemma. B+
The White Tiger Rated R for language, violence and sexual material Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91% Available on Netflix This new Netflix indie follows the life a poor young Indian man from a low caste who somehow finds his way into high Indian society. You see his life toward the middle of his journey before they take you to his lowly beginning, constantly wondering how he is able to elevate. It’s a well-written and well-acted picture with a relatively unknown cast that really pulls it off. It’s definitely westernized so as not to be mistaken for a Bollywood flick, for those who might be turned off by that. It’s more along the lines of Slumdog Millionaire, although not nearly as strong. But still, it makes for a great epic with terrific energy and verve, and many nice (and not so nice) surprises along the way. A-
This will, in almost all retrospective examinations, go down as the year of the asterisk. Sure we had sports, movies and many of our other pastimes, but they were all enjoyed in different ways and none in the way we wanted to see them. We did get to see a few films in theaters before March, but March is when all the good films start for the year and that was unfortunately when much of theater-going was finished. Back in January, I was most looking forward to films like Lin Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights, Steven Spielberg’s Westside Story and Dennis Villeneuve’s Dune, all of which have been pushed to deep in 2021. Did this hurt the quality of the year’s releases? Sure did. But I’m trying to see the silver lining here. Most of this year’s releases came to us via our streaming friends at Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Disney+, Apple, HBO Max and others, and only time will tell if that trend will continue or if people will start to once again flood theaters once they are vaccinated and the virus has gotten under control. Regardless, here are the films that I think are the gems in this turd of a year.
1) Soul (Streaming on Disney+). Pixar gave us two animated adventures this year. Onward was okay, but Soul, just release this past week, has proved to be one of Pixar’s best, once again showing that writer/director Pete Docter is a true master of taking an unconventional idea and making it sing. Here an aspiring jazz musician finally gets his big break, only to step into a manhole, sending him on his way to purgatory. But when given the chance to inspire a future soul, he gets the chance to discover his own. It’s a beautiful and surprising film that can be enjoyed and appreciated on many levels.
2) Palm Springs (Streaming on Hulu). This crazy sci-fi turn on Groundhog Day follows Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti as two people from a wedding party who get stuck in the same day, over and over and over again as they try to not only figure a way out, but also discover who they really are. Sure it riffs off of a very famous romantic comedy, but it does so in a way that is fresh, funny and poignant.
3) The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Streaming on Netflix). Originally written by Aaron Sorkin for Steven Spielberg to direct over a decade ago, Sorkin took on the directing role with an all-star ensemble cast to tell the story of the men who were put on trial for conspiracy to bring havoc and destruction to Chicago during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. With Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jeremy Strong, Mark Rylance, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Frank Langella, as well as some great fresh talents, the film brilliantly helps you understand the protests themselves as well as their importance and relevance.
4) Minari (Coming soon to theaters). This quiet and gentle drama follows Steven Yeun (The Walking Dead) as a Korean immigrant who moves his family to rural Arkansas in order to begin a new life and hopefully live the American Dream. The face of the immigrant family in America has been so greatly damaged over the last four years, but this film brings a different and loving image to a complicated and dramatic existence. It’s a joy to watch and its authenticity is its strongest power. If you didn’t recognize several members of the cast, you could easily mistake it as a documentary.
5) Sound of Metal (Streaming on Amazon Prime). I love it when I have no clue what a film is about only to have it wallop me over the head and heart. Such is the case with Sound of Metal. Here Riz Ahmed (Rogue One) is a drummer in metal band who one day very suddenly loses his hearing. Having to adjust in life-altering ways, he finds himself living in a commune where the ultimate goal isn’t to get your hearing back, but learning to live without it. You walk lockstep with Ahmed as every one of his decisions and actions is not only understandable but quite likely what you would do were you in his shoes. It’s an incredible tour de force from an actor who is quickly rising up the Hollywood ladder.
6) The King of Staten Island (Available to rent or buy on all streaming platforms). Judd Apatow’s comedy starring Pete Davidson as almost himself was one of the first films this year to take a chance by starting at home rather than in theaters. The bet paid off and the film found quite an audience. As funny as any other Apatow film is quite the compliment and this indeed was. But with the story about a young man whose father died a hero in 9-11, starring a talented young comedian whose father died a hero during 9-11, well, you probably understand the gravity. It gets you laughing and crying in equal measure.
7) My Octopus Teacher (Streaming on Netflix). One of the greatest nature documentaries in modern years is this treasure from Netflix about a filmmaker who makes friends with an Octopus off the coast of South Africa, and proceeds to visit with his friend every day for a year to learn the mysteries of her world. It is a beautiful, fascinating and mesmerizing movie that you will find unforgettable.
8) The Way Back (Streaming on HBOmax). One of the last films released in theaters before Covid shutdowns hit was this emotionally riveting drama starring Ben Affleck as a local high school basketball legend who is asked to come back and coach. But with demons born from a horrible tragedy in his life, he battles alcohol as the only thing standing in his way. Directed by Gavin O’Connor, whose 2011 film Warrior proved that he knows how to take a sports film up a notch, the film only looks like a basketball movie from the outside as it really delivers up a sobering examination of the human condition and the things that get in the way of our success.
9) The Trip to Greece (Streaming on Hulu). Writer/director Michael Winterbottom here takes British comedy legends Steven Coogan and Rob Brydon on their fourth culinary and cultural trip, this time to the Greek Isles, where for almost two hours we get to be a fly on the wall listening to their conversations about food, life, love and career. Having followed this concept for the last ten years from Britain to Italy to Spain and now to Greece, I found them all to be great, but this latest is the most impactful, especially given that most of the world’s vacations have been monumentally impacted and living vicariously through them, even though the events and dialog are scripted, served as an excellent two-hour replacement trip. Sure we didn’t actually get to eat at any of the Michelin three star restaurants enjoyed here, but there wasn’t a better replacement to be found this year.
10) The Social Dilemma (Streaming on Netflix). This uber scary documentary spends its time interviewing leaders of Silicon Valley to get a better understanding of how social media is adversely affecting the health of the country and the world. It’s a wake-up call that makes it easier to see how so many people could possibly say and do things that they would have been embarrassed about 5 years ago, but through manipulation and surgical propaganda, the world has seemingly been a victim of a chaotic monster that has been loosed. It might not be the best film you see this year – but it could be the most important. It emphasizes that when it’s not apparent what product the company you use daily is actually selling to raise revenue – rest assured that product is you.
The Worst:
1) Dolittle. Robert Downey Jr. butchers one of my favorite classic characters with this ridiculous waste of a ginormous budget. If they animals really could talk to him, even they would have begged him to avoid.
2) Irresistible. I firmly believed that John Stewart had the best of intentions for this Steve Carrell/Rose Byrne political comedy, but studio heads at Focus should have known better than to finance him on this one.
3) Antebellum. It looked like a smart sci-fi/horror vehicle about slavery and race relations from the trailer, but once deep enough in, the movie collapses under its own lousy, misleading plot.
4) Scoob! Warner Brothers assembled an amazing voice cast for this expensive Scooby movie, only to give audiences a pointless, thoughtless story that could have just been another mediocre tv episode.
5) Bloodshot. I had a hard time watching this Vin Diesel crapfast due to my eyes constantly rolling around my head. The pain in my head after watching wasn’t immortal like Diesel’s character, but it sure took its slow time going away.
