By Mark Pukalo
So, what was the best movie of 2021?
It honestly depends on what day it is, what your mood is and what you are open to seeing. There was a little bit of everything in the surprisingly-good 10-month Oscar year, with about a dozen really great films and more than 60 I can recommend fully out of 262 viewed so far.
Five films stuck out to me as worthy of the top spot on my list. I saw only two of them in the theater, while four were No. 1 at different times during the year on my rough draft list.
"Shiva Baby" was the first I saw and it made me laugh, think and cringe a little for poor Danielle. I walked out of the theater after seeing "Belfast" and thought I had watched a near masterpiece in an efficient hour and a half. I had high expectations for "Licorice Pizza" and it lived up to them (especially on second viewing). I have watched the cheeky "Don't Look Up" probably 20 times on netflix and I'll do it many more. "CODA" is a wonderful movie that made me cry happy tears at it's tremendous conclusion.
What to do? Five-way tie? Nah. I eliminated Licorice Pizza and Shiva Baby from the equation first. Had to narrow it down. I hoped Belfast would win the Oscar ahead of the over-rated "The Power of the Dog" or "West Side Story," but it had to settle for No. 3 on this razor-thin close list. So, that leaves two.
I thought I was going to go with "Don't Look Up," to spite many of the critics who did not love it. It's not funny? It's smart and hilarious at times! I mean, Meryl Streep, Leonardo, JenLaw, Jonah Hill, Tim Chalamet , Tyler Perry, Cate Blanchett, Mark Rylance and others?
But, in the end, I had to go with CODA. For the first time since 2015 (Spotlight), the Academy surprised me and agreed. It is such a beautiful, heartfelt film with wonderful performances, set in the fishing town of Gloucester, Mass. CODA stands for Child of Deaf Adults. Ruby (Emilia Jones) is a high school senior who loves to sing, but her parents (Marlee Matlin and Oscar-winner Troy Kotsur), along with her brother (Daniel Durant), are deaf. Ruby has a key role in the family fishing business, but her choir teacher Mr. V - or Berrrrrrnardo - (Eugenio Derbez) wants her to reach for the stars with her vocal talent. It all concludes with the absolute best scene of the year at Berklee College of Music. I tear up just thinking about it.
The final straw that made me make this film No. 1? I watched it three times without subtitles for the sign language before recently seeing it with them and liking it even more. Ferdia Walsh-Peelo also shows up as Ruby's love interest. How about Ferdia's luck? In the first three feature films of his career, the young man has worked beside Lucy Boynton in the wonderful "Sing Street," Anya Taylor-Joy in "Here Are the Young Men," and the stunning Emilia Jones in "CODA."
It was a really good year in film with some amazing moments that rival the climactic scene in CODA, such as the "last supper"and JenLaw being taken "off the grid" in Don't Look Up, Alana Haim driving a truck backward down the hill in Licorice Pizza, the sand worms in Dune, Tobey and Andrew joining Tom in Spiderman: No Way Home, The Fifth Dimension's performance in Summer of Soul, Bill and Dan's appearance in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Greville Wynne getting arrested at the airport in The Courier, Mahershala Ali seeing his family for the last time in Swan Song, Rose Reid fiddling in Finding You, Sandra Bullock hugging her long-lost sister in Unforgivable, any time Lilou Siauvaud was on the screen in Stillwater, when they turn onto Adamo Drive in Tampa in Zola, Suzanna Son selling donuts in Red Rocket, Lady Gaga delivering a line in House of Gucci "Father, Son and House of Gucci," when Richard Williams tells Serena she is going to be the best there ever was in King Richard after Venus paves the way for her, Bob Odenkirk beating up everyone on the bus in Nobody and many others.
My hopes for the Oscars were? Andrew Garfield (Tick, Tick ... Boom!) for Best Actor, Kristen Stewart (Spencer) for Best Actress, Troy Kotsur for Best Actor in a supporting role (bingo!), Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard) for Best Actress in a supporting role, Flee for Best Animated feature, Summer of Soul for Best Documentary (bingo!), Drive My Car for Best Foreign film (bingo!), The Worst Person in the World for Best original screen play and CODA for Best adapted screen play (bingo!)..
There are also several hard to find movies I still want to see like "Test Pattern," "Psycho Goreman," "Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry," "Happily,""Parallel Mothers," "Jockey"and Memoria."
Perhaps there will be some revisions down the line. But here goes with my top 25 ... and the rest.
In the words Director Kenneth Branagh brought to the screen at the end of Belfast - which could be used in many ways these days - "For the ones that stayed. For the ones who left. And for all the ones who were lost."
TOP 25
25. Black Widow - Marvel produces another thrilling story of Natasha (Scarlett Johansson, Black Widow) as she saves the world along with her sort of step sister Yelena (Florence Pugh)
24. Here Today - Touching story about a comedy writer (Billy Crystal), who is struggling with a form of Dementia and finds a random friendship with Emma (Tiffany Haddish)
23. The Last Duel - A 14th century story about an accusation of rape with solid performances led by Jodie Comer and including Matt Damon, Adam Driver and Ben Affleck
22. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - New Marvel franchise had a lot of heart and some personality with the entertaining Awkwafina as the hero's sidekick.
21. The Many Saints of Newark - The Sopranos' prequel is powerful and extremely well acted, led by Alessandro Nivola (Dickie Moltisanti). There has got to be one more to show how Tony takes over the business, doesn't there?
20. No Time to Die - Daniel Craig's final Bond movie is action packed and different with an ending that may have to be explained some day when there is another 007 film
19. Finding You - Enjoyed this film much more on second viewing for some reason. A very likable, heartfelt story about a young woman (Rose Reid) who takes a semester abroad in beautiful Ireland where her dead brother once visited, and reluctantly falls for a movie star
18. Moxie - While it is a bit awkward near the end, I liked this high school drama that examines race and gender politics. Amy Poehler plays the mom of likable and suddenly rebellious Vivian (Hadley Richardson)
17. Summer of Soul - Tremendous documentary from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which was the same year as Woodstock. Stevie Wonder, the Fifth Dimension and Sly and the Family Stone highlight the amazing few days of shows
16. Profile - A film that is both horrifying and fascinating about a British journalist who connects with an ISIS recruiter. Valene Kane is outstanding as the young woman putting herself in danger and the story is almost all told by tapping on a computer
15. Cruella - Emma Stone is fantastic as the avenging angel and it was entertaining from start to finish, enhanced by a great soundtrack
14. The Tender Bar - A coming-of-age story for a young boy, who must move into his grandfather's house with his mother after the famous father abandoned them. Ben Affleck is great as the young boy's wise uncle and Tye Sheridan plays the older "JR."
13. The Worst Person in the World - Thought-provoking, and well-written Norwegian film that centers around gorgeous young Julie (Renate Reinsve), who tries to find herself while navigating two relationships
12. Dune - Remake of the futuristic story done on a very grand scale with tremendous performances from Timothee Chalamet and Oscar Isaac among others, which will lead to a follow up film
11. Swan Song - A beautiful futuristic story about a dying man having to make the decision whether his clone should take his place for his family. Mahershala Ali deserved a nomination for this amazing performance.
10. C'mon, C'mon - A radio journalist (Joaquin Phoenix) reconnects after a year of estrangement from his sister (Gaby Hoffman) to take care of his nephew, while she tries to save her marriage. The pair forge a relationship that takes them on a journey of self reflection
9. Drive My Car - A slow-moving, but very compelling Japanese film about dealing with grief, guilt and sorrow after the death of a loved one through the eyes of an actor/director and his driver, who form a special bond.
8. King Richard - The story of the Williams' sisters - Venus and Serena - through the eyes of their enigmatic father Richard, played expertly by Will Smith (my second choice for Best Actor)
7. The Card Counter - A soldier (Oscar Isaac) from Abu Ghraib learns to card count in military prison and sets out for some type of redemption, eventually trying to help a young man (Tye Sheridan) dealing with his father's death
6. Tick, Tick ... Boom!! - Andrew Garfield should win Best Actor for his work in this musical based on the life of Jonathan Larson. The songs are catchy and not annoying, and the story is fun and light
5. Licorice Pizza - Director Paul Thomas Anderson gives us a slice of life in 1970s Hotel California, centering around the relationship of a mature 15-year-old child actor (Cooper Hoffman) and a smart but underachieving 25-year-old girl (Alana Haim). Haim steals the movie with an amazing debut acting performance
4. Shiva Baby - Smart, cringy comedy about a recent college graduate Danielle (Rachel Sennot), who must endure several embarrassing issues at a reception following a Jewish funeral, including her sugar daddy showing up with a beautiful wife and baby
3. Belfast - Very compelling film about a family living in the middle of the religious war in Northern Ireland, deciding what to do with their future. The story is told through the eyes of likable young Buddy (Jude Hill)
2. Don't Look Up - It pains me that Bernie Bro leader David Sirota co-wrote this with Adam McKay, but I fully enjoyed the political and cultural satire. The scary thing is that this could happen if we have to endure another four years with Trump or someone like him (DeSantis) in the White House.
1. CODA - Ruby (Emilia Jones) is an under-appreciated high school girl in a blue collar town with a wonderful singing voice who must find a balance between her burgeoning talent and a big role in the family fishing business that includes two deaf parents and a deaf brother. It is a special movie that more people should be able to see - not just Apple TV subscribers. I understand their rights, but let's hope you can buy it on video down the line.
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2016 - Lion
2015 - Spotlight
Most over-rated of 2021 - The Power of the Dog, Passing, The Green Knight and West Side Story
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Joe Lunardi's first six out
The Courier - Benedict Cumberbatch plays Greville Wynne, a British businessman who helped deliver messages from a Russian secret agent during the turbulent 1960s in this compelling drama.
Oxygen - Melanie Laurent is brilliant in this virtual one-woman show as she tries to figure out what is going on while waking up trapped in a cryogenic pod
Stillwater - Based on the Amanda Knox story and moved from Italy to France with Matt Damon playing a widowed and damaged Oklahoma man who tries to free his daughter from jail. Youngster Lilou Siauvaud is a standout in her first film, which gets slightly confusing in the final half hour
The Unforgivable - Sandra Bullock plays a woman released from prison after 20 years who goes in search of the little sister she left behind. Thought it was way better than snobby critics thought. The ending is very emotional
High Honorable Mention (Recommended for one way or another):
American Underdog - Did not expect to like the Kurt Warner story, but Zachary Levi and Anna Paquin made it work on and off the football field while the religion did not get too heavy
Being the Riccardos - Director Aaron Sorkin's semi-biography of Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnez has plenty of good moments, but does not soar as much as expected. Nicole Kidman does shine bright as Lucy, though
Blue Bayou - A sad immigration story about an adopted Korean who must fight to stay in the country with his new family. Gorgeous Alicia Vikander is outstanding as the man's wife
Citizen Ashe - Strong documentary on the life of the great Arthur Ashe. I learned a lot from the thorough, linear story
Cyrano - Peter Dinklage plays Cyrano de Bergerac, who brings two good young actors - Haley Bennett and Kevin Harris Jr. - together in this new adaption of the classic. Bennett's Roxanne might have the prettiest face on screen in 2021
Death to 2021 - Cheeky satirical review of the year that just passed. The mother-insurrectionist might be the most humorous person in a film this year
Dream Horse - Based on a true story about Dream Alliance, a horse bred by a woman with no previous experience that went on to win some big races for a large syndicate of folks in a small Irish town
Eternals - New Marvel unveils a sort of master race of super heroes who must come together to save the planet, but endure conflicts among them. Entertaining, but at times leaves you wanting more
Flee - The true story of an Afghanistan refugee's journey told through a cartoon documentary. It is sad, powerful and fascinating.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife - It was kind of a mess overall, but the film had enough fun moments and interesting characters to make it entertaining even before Bill and Dan showed up. Way better than critics say
The Hand of God - An Italian coming of age story with humor, some sadness and many different angles - including a sidebar of Diego Maradona's time in Napoli and his infamous World Cup goal
The Harder they Fall - Well-acted Western with an All-Star cast that includes Regina King, Idris Elba, Delroy Lindo and Jonathan Majors
House of Gucci - Lady Gaga shines as Patrizia Reggiani, who marries into the famous fashion family and starts the domino effect that leads to murder
Inside: Bo Burnham - Some smart and melodic humor from a one-man show by the comedian, cooped up during the pandemic
The Last Blockbuster - Fun documentary about the last Blockbuster store in Bend, Oregon, and how the once great company dissolved
Mass - Parents of a mass murdering teenager and the parents of one of his victims meet in a church basement to talk through their issues. It is powerful and extremely well acted
Mixtape - Loved this imperfect but very cute little movie about a young girl trying to find out more about her mother, who died when she was 2, through a mixtape she found.
MobyDoc - Strong, and sometimes weird, documentary about the techno musician who lived on my floor at UConn for at least a semester. He did not mention me
Nine Days - A supernatural story that centers around Will (Winston Duke), who is tasked with picking the one soul to save among a group. Zazie Beetz steals the movie as one of his candidates
Pig - A truffle hunter (Nicolas Cage) and former chef living alone in the woods returns to his roots in Portland, Oregon in search of his stolen pig and the perfectly made meal. Finally, Cage performs in a good movie
Plan B - Two teenagers go in search of the Plan B pill in the Dakotas and endure a strange, sometimes humorous night
Pleasure - Teenage girl from Sweden (Sofia Kappel) travels to California to be a porn star and experiences some of the worst of the industry
Respect - Jennifer Hudson shines as the Queen of Soul in this 2 hour, 25-minute biopic that shows her bumpy journey to stardom
Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for it: Strong, detailed, interesting documentary about a pioneer for Latina women in the movie industry. Morgan Freeman with Rita in the Electric Company? Who knew?
Skater Girl - A sweet coming-of-age story about a visitor from London who helps inspire children in a small India village with the help of a skate park
The Sparks Brothers - Cool documentary about a novelty/new wave band that burst on the scene in the 70s. Never heard of them. How did I miss them?
Together, Together - A unique rom-com about a older single man (Ed Helms) who wants to have a baby through a 26-year-old surrogate (Patti Harrison). It's likable, but I was unsatisfied by the ending
Tom Petty: Somewhere You Feel Free - Documentary about the brilliant artist putting together his solo album "Wildflowers," which is a terrific piece of work.
The Tragedy of MacBeth - Stylish new version of the Shakespeare classic with Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand killing it as usual
Val - Interesting self-documentary of actor Val Kilmer, who is now battling throat cancer
West Side Story - The Spielberg remake had its moments and beautiful Rachel Zegler is terrific, but thought it was a bit over-rated. Grand enough to recommend a watch, though, which is why it lands here
Worth - Michael Keaton plays Kenneth Feinberg, who was hired by the Bush Administration to compensate the families of victims after September 11. Terrific performances bring a dry subject to life
Zola - A Twitter thread turns into a movie script while Taylour Paige and Riley Keough provide great performances as strippers in a messy, but entertaining, movie based in Tampa
Honorable Mention (Worth a watch for big movie fans, but not fully recommended):
Afterlife of the Party - A beautiful young woman (Victoria Justice) finds her best self, with the help of her best friend, after dying a tragic death. A tearjerker
Antlers - A well-done horror movie based in small town Oregon with Keri Russell in the lead role
Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn - A teacher and her husband make a sex tape and it gets out on the internet by accident, causing a hearing with the school that ends the film. Might move up a spot if I ever get to see it with subtitles
Beckett - John David Washington gets thrown into a political and mafia war after crashing his car with Alicia Vikander in Greece. Not great, but better than most critics think
Bergman Island - A film-making couple vacation at an island where Ingmar Bergman lived to create new works when reality and fiction collide. I kind of liked the lost-love fiction story within, especially the effort of pretty Australian actress Mia Wasikkowska
Bull - Former hit man wants revenge against his old crew and father in law to get his son back
A Castle for Christmas - Brooke Shields in a Hallmark-type story that is predictable, but likable enough.
Chaos Walking - Entertaining sci-fi drama that has some interesting concepts, despite being a bit disjointed in the middle. Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley star
City of Lies - A detective (Johnny Depp) and a journalist (Forest Whitaker) try to solve the murder of Notorious Big
Crazy About You - A smitten man checks himself into a mental institution to find the girl he had a one-night stand with in this Spanish film. It's a unique and entertaining love story
Crisis - Gary Oldman plays a professor whose study undercovers an issue with a drug that is supposed to replace Oxy, but is still addictive. The drama around that is a bit confusing, but it is compelling enough.
Cry Macho - The first 60-75 minutes did not measure up, but the rest of the story works as Clint Eastwood tracks down the son of a friend in Mexico
Dancing Queens - Molly Nutley is adorable as a young Swedish woman who fakes her way into a drag queen show with her dancing ability and personality
Encanto - Musical fantasy cartoon about a magical family was well done, but did not really thrill me overall
The Eyes of Tammy Faye - Jessica Chastain is brilliant as the former PTL Club star, alongside her husband Jim Bakker, in a somewhat enlightening film
Fear Street Part One 1994: A small town murder curse continues and compelling high school kids try to stay alive
Fear Street Part Two 1978: A summer camp is haunted by a witch, who turns a boy into a killer. Cute redhead Sadie Sink has some potential
Fear Street Part Three 1666: The saga goes back to the origin, revealing the secrets of the past and the present before a happy ending
Finch - Tom Hanks, dying in the post-apocalyptic world, travels across the country with a robot he just built and his dog.
Four Good Days - Mila Kunis is a recovering heroin addict making one last try at rehabilitation, moving in with mother Glenn Close
F9 - Some ridiculous, impossible stunts in the action film, but the story works and the characters are mostly likable
The Green Knight - While Dev Patel provides a wonderful performance, the scenery is nice and the women are all hot, the medieval tale is way too vague to follow and enjoy for me
The Guilty - Jake Gyllenhaal plays a troubled 911 operator as he tries to save a woman from what appears to be an abduction
The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard - Imperfect but enjoyable action/drama/comedy with Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, Morgan Freeman and a very humorous Ryan Reynolds
The Humans - A family meets for Thanksgiving dinner and pours out all their issues in a small, old apartment. It has some humor, but it is not as compelling as some critics thought.
In the Heights - Well reviewed musical from Lin-Manuel Miranda, but just didn't move to a higher level over a long 142 minutes for me
Jagged - Strong documentary about the album that surprisingly sold the second most copies in the 1990s - Alanis Morissette's legendary "Jagged Little Pill"
Jungle Cruise - Disney adventure had its moments when Emily Blunt and the Rock were chatting, but the messy action took it down a notch
Last Night in Soho - The story is somewhat sketchy, but Thomasin McKenzie is tremendous in this horror/drama set in London. One scene reminded me of the worst film of all time "Mother," though
The Lost Daughter - Olivia Colman is solid as usual as a troubled older mother on vacation interacting with younger people, but the story was not compelling enough to me
Luca - Cute cartoon about young sea monsters who can become human boys when venturing above the surface
The Mitchells vs. The Machines - Cute cartoon about a family coming together in the modern world, but not as special as the critics think in my opinion
National Champions - Two athletes, one of them the Heisman Trophy winner, decide to boycott the national title game to protest college players getting screwed over by the NCAA. J.K. Simmons shows up as the Trophy winner's coach
Nightmare Alley - Bradley Cooper, Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett lead an all-star cast for director Guillermo del Toro's new old-style thriller, but the story is not as good as the acting and shooting in my opinion
Nobody - Entertaining enough, but Bob Odenkirk's former hitman lead character and his family needed more depth. The bad guys weren't at all convincing, either. Could have been better
Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union: Solid documentary about the journey our 44th President took to be elected
Old Henry - A reasonably good Western centering around a father and son, with the surprising big reveal coming near the end
Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admission Scandal - Interesting documentary and re-enactment of the disgusting scandal. Amazing to see former Yale women's soccer coach Rudy Meredith involved
Petite Maman - Sweet French film about a young girl bonding with her mother through supernatural means after her grandmother's death. Hope to see it with subtitles at some point, but I got the gist of it without
The Power of the Dog - The Western is shot beautifully and acted very well, but I did not find anything interesting about the story unlike most critics
The Protege - Maggie Q can do little wrong in my opinion, so she carries this shoot'em up drama well with the help of Michael Keaton and Samuel L. Jackson
Queeepins - Kristen Bell stars in a mildly funny comedy about her new business - coupon fraud
A Quiet Place: Part II - More impressed in the movie making than enthralled with the science fiction/horror film. No doubt there will be a Part III after seeing the ending, too
Raya and the Last Dragon - Beautiful Disney cartoon with very vivid imagery and likable characters
Red Notice - Caper movie with Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds and the Rock has its moments, but is not overly compelling
The Right One - Unique love story between a confused writer and a young man with PTSD
Security - Dramatic Italian thriller set in a resort town where romantic and family relationships intertwine after an assault incident
Sing 2 - Cute cartoon musical with some great songs, but nothing special in my opinion
Spencer - I liked Kristen Stewart's performance more than the film, but it had some good scenes and the ending leaves you with a better feeling
Spirit Untamed - Perhaps more could have been done with a great cast, but I thought it was a cute cartoon about a special horse
The Suicide Squad - Some humor, some action and a passable storyline with cool characters, but not exactly Guardians of the Galaxy. Margot Robbie kills it as Harley Quinn, though
Tina - Powerful documentary on the great Tina Turner with some fantastic concert footage. Could have added a bit more to the story
Voyagers - Interesting storyline and some good moments in the Sci-Fi thriller, but I felt like it was a missed opportunity in the long run. Johnny's daughter Lily-Rose Depp stars, and shows potential
The Voyeurs - Amazon original isn't particularly well written but has some intrigue as a couple gets too involved in the lives of neighbors they can see through their apartment window. Sydney Sweeney stars and looks good. Really good.
Wrath of Man - It was a bit confusing at times, but ultimately a passable shoot 'em up drama with Jason Statham
Low Honorable Mention (Some good elements, but many weaknesses):
Aftermath - Suspenseful drama about a bad marriage and a creepy house where a brutal murder happened
A Glitch in the Matrix - A weird, complicated documentary that poses the odd question - are we all just living in a simulation?
A Hero - Iranian film about family and grudges is a bit confusing and hard to follow despite good reviews
A Journal for Jordan - Mediocre story about a soldier's family dealing with his death through a journal.
The Alpinist - The story of famous rock climber Marc-Andre Leclerc, who died in an avalanche. These guys are crazy, but interesting
Army of Thieves - The prequel to "Army of the Dead" has more heart and humor than the original by far
A Week Away- A tolerable high school musical at a religious camp
Baggio: The Divine Ponytail - It's a poorly-made movie about a tremendous soccer player and a great human being. The last scene is a good one, though
Black Island - Interesting German thriller about a mysterious teacher coming back to haunt her old town
Boogie: Good story about a young Asian basketball star, but the script and dialogue left something to be desired
Bruised - Halle Berry plays a ultimate fighter coming out of retirement with a lot of problems
Candyman - Fourth in the series of supernatural slasher movies has a few interesting moments, but isn't quite compelling enough for me.
Cinderella - Expected to hate it. It was not good, but there were enough likable parts to get a new musical version of the old story out of the passable classification
The Colony - Apocalyptic story about a mission returning to a long near-uninhabitable Earth where an astronaut must decide between two warring groups of survivors
Coming 2 America - Just enough humor with Eddie Murphy to get a passing grade, but not a great sequel
Copshop - Low rent mob crime drama played out in a police station, which gets a little bit better when a psycho contract killer shows up
Count Me In - Documentary on great rock drummers is fine and all, but how in the freaking Hell do you not include Neil Peart?
The Disciple - A young man begins to question his long-time, total devotion to becoming an Indian classical music vocalist
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain - Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy are excellent, but it is mostly boring
Encounter - Riz Ahmed stars as a father dealing with PTSD, who kidnaps his kids in an effort to save them from an inhuman force
Escape Room: Tournament of Champions - A group of former winners are fooled into another deadly competition. Moves too fast, but I like Taylor Russell (Zoey) a lot
The Forever Purge - Another chapter in the series of a believable future for the United States after an evil person like Trump becomes President. They are all overly violent, but at least mildly compelling
Four Hours at the Capitol - Documentary about the 1/6 Insurrection that has some decent moments, but gets too caught up giving the wrong side a normal voice
The Gateway - A fired social worker (Frank Grillo) deals with his own demons while looking after his former clients including Dahlia (Olivia Munn), whose husband has returned from prison
Georgetown - A fast-talking con man (Christoph Waltz) marries a rich old women (Vanessa Redgrave) and is the main suspect in her murder.. It's based on a true story
Godzilla vs. Kong - The monsters and some of the characters are cool, but the script is not particularly interesting
Good on Paper - Iliza Schlesinger is very likable and humorous, but the storyline of the rom-com is very ordinary
Gunda - A day in the life of a pig, her piglets, a one-legged chicken and a pair of cows, shot beautifully in Europe
Gunpowder Milkshake - Beautiful Karen Gillan is a contract killer who saves a young girl, but it gets her in trouble with The Firm
How it Ends - Amazon Prime original sees two girls making the rounds on the last day before a meteor hits the Earth. Zoe Lister-Jones and cute Cailee Spaeny make it mildly fun at times, but not enough
I Am All Girls - Mystery/thriller based on a true story about sex trafficking in Apartheid South Africa
The Ice Road - Liam Neeson tries to save the day again in this action drama set in snowy Manitoba after a mine collapses
I'm Your Man - German film centers around a troubled woman testing out a life-like robot man companion
JJ+E - Your basic rich girl and bad boy fall for each other. Elsa Ohrn, a young Swede, has a real presence and makes the story kinda work
Kate - Another female contract killer movie with powerhouse Mary Elizabeth Winstead in the lead role as she tries to save a young Asian girl after her handler (Woody Harrelson) betrays her
The Killing of Two Lovers - The portrait of small-town marriage which has many problems, despite love still being there
Kissing Booth 3 - Yeah, we probably did not need three of these, but Joey King is sweet as usual. The Noah character is a jerk. Dump him Elle!
The Last Letter from Your Lover - Shailene Woodley and Felicity Jones in a love story, interrupted by a car accident
Love Hard - Poorly-written Christmas movie, but the catfish story has some decent moments and Nina Dobrev is very likable
Mary J. Blige's My Life - Decent documentary on the very popular and talented rap/soul icon
The Matrix: Resurrections - The fourth in the series takes way too long to find out what is going on, but has some decent sci-fi action
Monster - Kelvin Harrison Jr., a good young actor, tries to save this common story about a wrongly-charged black youth
Mortal Kombat - Movie based on the popular action-filled video game had a few unique moments, but hardly held my attention
My Name is Pauli Murray - Documentary on the lawyer and women's rights advocate who helped shape RBG
Naked Singularity - A down on his luck, tired public defender (John Boyega) tries to help a former client (Olivia Cooke) and keep millions-worth of drugs from a cartel
No Sudden Move - Old-style crime drama with a great cast, but it is not as compelling as it wants to be
Old - A secluded beach brings all kinds of real and imagined horror for vacationers in this M. Night Shyamalan thriller
The Paper Tigers - Three washed-up kung-fu prodigies attempt to avenge their masters' death
Passing - Somewhat interesting film about two black women with light skin - one passing as white and the other proud of her blackness. Just not as good as critics think
Procession - Documentary that follows six victims of abuse by Catholic priests. It is sad, but very gripping
Quo Vadis, Aida - Story about the Srebrenica Massacre in Bosnia through the eyes of school teacher, who translates for the UN
Reminiscence - Hugh Jackman in a futuristic science fiction thriller about a memory machine that solves a mystery. Somewhat confusing and over the top
Resort to Love - Harmless, yet quite predictable, love story with the beautiful Christina Milian and Jay Pharoah
Ron's Gone Wrong - Technology, culture and friendship issues collide in this semi-cute cartoon
Saint Maud - Very dark horror film about a nurse who falls apart after a patient of hers dies
She Ball - Imperfect drama with race, basketball, politics and inter-racial relationships all intertwined within
Sisters with Transisters - Documentary about women who were electronic experts in the music industry
Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins - Some interesting fight scenes and Henry Golding is solid as usual, but the story is never quite compelling enough to dive in fully
Space Jam: A New Legacy - It's kind of a mess and the acting is dreadful (looking at you LeBron), but there's enough action and fun to get it in this category at least
Spiral: Saw: Chris Rock's inclusion saves the otherwise tiresome slasher movie
The Starling - A couple (Melissa McCarthy and Chris O'Dowd) deals with the death of their baby, but the story is quite thin
Stowaway - Three scientist/astronauts heading to Mars find out they have a surprise guest, which causes problems. It's sort of boring, even with the adorable Anna Kendrick on board
The Swarm - A woman decides to raise locusts for a business in rural France after her husband dies. What could go wrong?
Sweet Girl - Revenge story with Jason Momoa and the incredibly appealing Isabela Merced. Plot goes slightly off the rails
This Little Love of Mine - Predictable love story, but there's enough harmless fun in it to give it a watch if you are bored
Those Who Wish Me Dead - A decent story with firefighter Angelina Jolie saving a young boy, but the script was very thin in my opinion
Thunder Force - Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer are mildly funny in a super hero spoof. Very mildly
Till Death - Megan Fox is outstanding as a woman terrorized by her estranged, vengeful husband
Tom & Jerry: The half cartoon was fun enough and Chloe Grace Moretz is cute as usual, but it was nothing special
The Tomorrow War - A sci-fi thriller with Chris Pratt that does not break a lot of new ground with time travel, but has enough decent scenes to get it into this category
Vacation Friends - Wild and imperfect comedy with John Cena and Lil Rel Howery
Venom: Let there be Carnage - It has its moments of fun, but the carnage is not particularly entertaining overall
The Water Man - A young boy goes in search of a healing mythical figure in the woods to try and help his terminal mother
Werewolves Within - Comedy/horror film set in a small town where the people turn on each other after a gruesome murder shows signs of a local werewolf. AT&T hottie Milana Vayntrub stars with Sam Richardson
Without Remorse - Michael B. Jordan stars in the film based on a Tom Clancy novel. It's filled with action, but the story is not top notch
The Woman in the Window - A mystery that just doesn't hit the mark despite the usual great performance from Amy Adams as a troubled woman
Yes Day - Jennifer Garner and the very appealing Jenna Ortega star in this milk-toast family comedy
Zach Snyder's Justice League - There's some good stuff, but did the super hero film really need to be four hours long?
Zone 414 - Jane (Matilda Lutz) is probably the second hottest non-human woman in a film after Ava (Alicia Vikander) in Ex Machina, but the story is average
7 Prisoners - A young man has to find a different route in his life when he is tricked into slavery in Sao Paolo, Brazil
12 Mighty Orphans - A nice story about a group of kids pulling themselves up from nothing, but it isn't quite compelling or unique enough
13 Minutes - A tornado hits a heartland town and four families try to survive while their other issues swirl around
Passable (A very few good moments or not bad enough to be on worst 15 list):
American Night, Army of the Dead (zombies, and more zombies), Awake (science fiction thriller does not cut it), Bad Trip (A very few laughs keeps it out of the worst category), Blood Red Sky (Interesting concept, awful, long delivery), Blue Miracle, The Boss Baby: Family Business, Concrete Cowboy, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Every Breath You Take (confusing drama), Fatherhood, Fever Dream, Flag Day (should have been better), Flashback, The Guide to the Perfect Family, Halloween Kills, Held (stupid horror film), Home Team (Sean Payton story is embarrassingly bad), The House Next Door 2: Meet the Blacks 2 (a few laughs), Ida Red, Intrusion (Freda Pinto is cute, but the thriller is not good), How to Become a Superhero, Hypnotic, In The Earth, Joe Bell (good sentiment, poor movie), The King's Man, Lamb, Lansky, The Last Mercenary, Meander, The Misfits (Pierce Brosnan tries with a bad script), Misha and the Wolves, One Shot, Oslo, Out of Death, Prime Time, SAS: The Rise of the Black Swan, Single All the Way (cliched holiday film), Small Engine Repair (bad movie but Ciara Bravo is a star), The Survivalist, Things Heard & Seen (confusing horror film that does not really cut it, but Amanda Seyfried tries), Titane (weirdorama), Vivo (cartoon), Warning
Do not recommend: Prisoners of Ghostland, The God Committee, American Traitor , The Seventh Day, Deadly Illusions, After We Fell, Separation, Annette, The Father Who Moves Mountains, Night of Sicario, Trigger Point, Cosmic Sin, Malignant, Dear Evan Hansen, False Positive
Independent and Hard to Find Films I'd still like to view: Lapsis, 17 Blocks, Wojnarowicz, Night of the Kings, Acasa My Home, Come True, The Amusement Park, Rider of Justice, State Funeral, Identifying Features, About Endlessness, Atlantis, Rose Plays Julie, Hope, This is not a Burial, it's a Resurrection, Rocks, Violet, Blast Beat, Wild Indian, Rare Beasts, The Framing of Britney Spears, At the Ready, The Souvenir Part II
Did not care to see: The Addams Family 2, Becoming Cousteau, Black Sai, Bloodthirsty, Boogeywoman, Castle Falls, Clifford The Big Red Dog, Death Rider in the House of Vampires, Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train, Don't Breathe 2, Dutch, Every Last One of Them, Ferry, For the Love of Money, The Girl Who Believed in Miracles, The Girl Who Got Away, God's Not Dead: We the People, Habit, Heart of Champions, Jakob's Wife, Julia, Lady of the Manor, Locked In, Long Weekend, Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea, Midnight Switchgrass, A Mouthful of Air, The Night House, Paagal, Paw Patrol: The Movie, The Power, The Rescue, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, The Resort, Show Me the Father, The Spore, SR Kalyana Mandapam, Survive the Game, Take Back, True to the Game 3, The Unholy, United States of Insanity, Vanquish, Walking with Herb, Witch Hunt, Wolf
