It’s been a week of relentless positivity, so I figured I might as well go out by throwing stones at some of the movies that disappointed me this year.
I try to see only movies I think I will like, or at least movies a lot of other people seem to like. I certainly don’t envy film critics obligated to watch every piece of crap opening at a multiplex near them.
Following are some of the titles I expected (or at least hoped) to like, only to end up disappointed.
In alphabetical order…
Continuing my look at the films currently making up slots 11 through 50 on my 2021 list, today I’m focusing on a grab bag of titles from the comedy, family, documentary, sci-fi and horror genres.
My opinions of these movies, and all the movies I’ve mentioned this week, vary widely, but I can say that at the very least I recommend seeing all of them. Tomorrow, I will cover some movies that fall on the other side of the ledger.
In alphabetical order…
If the streaming revolution, and the corresponding decline of movie theaters, has a bright side, it’s easier access to foreign language films. In years past, it was almost impossible to see the best movies from overseas.
If you didn’t live in New York or L.A., your local theater would rarely play them, or play them for so short a time that you missed the window before you even realized it was open. And rental availability was never a guarantee.
Now, major streamers such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime routinely pick up foreign titles and make them available to anyone with a subscription.
Yesterday I focused on critically-lauded 2021 films, and today I’m swinging in the opposite direction, highlighting the year’s best action movies.
That’s not to say the movies below were poorly reviewed. Some did quite well with critics. But these are movies that don’t require much deep thought, ones best enjoyed with a bucket full of popcorn.
Here are the ones I liked most, in alphabetical order:
I’ve been itching to write about the 2021 movie year, including posts on favorite performances, best musical moments, and my top ten list. But several must-see titles have stubbornly remained elusive, and I’m hoping to fit most of them in before locking things down.
As of this writing, I have seen 82 movies from last year, 10 more than I saw in 2020. Certainly a respectable showing. But here are some of the unseen films I believe might have a shot at one of those lists: C’mon C’mon, Cyrano, Drive My Car, Flee, Petite Maman, Red Rocket, and The Worst Person in the World.
I’ll give myself a few weeks to catch up with those before finalizing anything. If the Oscars aren’t until March 27, I figure I can give myself at least through the end of February.
Meet Me In Montauk 