Rankings and Lists - Page 10 of 16 - Reel Opinion by Eric Zimmerman

Top 10 BEST Movies of 2021

With the end of 2021, it’s time to rank my Top 10 Favorite Films of the year from worst to best/best to bestest!

Note: I have not seen every film of 2021, so there may be some terrific movies which aren’t on this list simply because I haven’t seen them. Also, some great films such as “The Father” & “Judas and the Black Messiah” which were widely released in 2021 aren’t on this list because they were released in film festivals or given limited releases in 2020, and therefore can’t be considered 2021 movies.

First, some Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

Spider-Man: No Way Home
King Richard
Free Guy
House of Gucci

10. The French Dispatch

Wes Anderson releases trailer for 'The French Dispatch' due out this summer - CLTure

“The French Dispatch” is Wes Anderson’s most Wes Anderson movie, and that’s either a good thing or a bad thing depending on whether you like his style. As someone who does like his style, I found this to be a very enjoyable film. All the actors clearly had a ton of fun in their roles, giving passionate & charming performances. The central concept of the film is intriguing and unique as well: a magazine made into a live-action movie through a bunch of short films starring a massive cast of characters. Overall, “The French Dispatch” is a fun, creative, and original film movie that makes great use of Wes Anderson’s style.

9. Licorice Pizza

Licorice Pizza' review: Paul Thomas Anderson's singular slice of '70s Hollywood : NPR

Like “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” is a love letter to a time period that’s very personal to the filmmaker. This is a truly immersive film, focusing on one specific year through the eyes of its two leads. The performances, cinematography, soundtrack, direction, and production design are all some of 2021’s best, but what makes this film so great is Anderson’s dialogue. The Aaron Sorkin-esque snappy banter between characters is just as exciting as some of this year’s best action scenes. Despite its abrupt & jarring ending, “Licorice Pizza” is a highly enjoyable film.

8. Zack Snyder’s Justice League

Zack Snyder's Justice League' Confirmed As One Film, No Longer A Series? from Guy At The Movies

Despite being a whopping 4 hours long, “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is one of the most entertaining films of the year. Its runtime allows each character to have depth and growth, providing the film with a forward-moving momentum. The finale is truly epic, the action sequences are fun, and the story is executed far better than it was the 2017 theatrical cut. Knowing the history behind this film and having suffered through the abysmal theatrical cut, I’m very happy with what Snyder finally got to release. I just wish he didn’t bring back Jared Leto’s Joker — that abomination remained nightmarish.

7. CODA

CODA Trailer: Sian Heder's Sundance Sensation on Apple TV Plus | IndieWire

“CODA” is an emotional story about Ruby Rossi, the only hearing child of deaf adults (hence C.O.D.A.). It follows Ruby’s struggle to balance her love of singing and her responsibilities to a family which can never hear her. The film’s masterful script allows it to quickly transition between being heartwarming, endearing, funny, and tragic. The direction, script, performances, cinematography, and themes all aid in making “CODA” a coming-of-age story packed full of compassion and heart.

6. The Suicide Squad

This is the most fun, exciting, and rewatchable film of the year for me. The action is enthralling, the characters are charismatic & fleshed out, the jokes are hilarious, and the film has a relentless, forward-moving momentum. Writer/director James Gunn poured his heart and soul into this film, and I love his unapologetically R-rated product.

5. The Green Knight

The Green Knight Review: Dev Patel Stars in an Arthurian Masterpiece | IndieWire

“The Green Knight” is definitely not for everyone. It’s artsy, metaphorical, ambiguous, and slightly pretentious — but I adore it. This is one of the most stunning films of 2021, helmed by a great director in David Lowery. Lowery expertly told a story about a man realizing his flaws and learning how to better himself using poetic, almost psychedelic, imagery and Arthurian mythology. It’s riveting to watch this film and try to piece together what’s actually taking place and what’s in our protagonist’s mind, making the movie more & more enjoyable in each rewatch.

4. No Time to Die

As a fan of Daniel Craig’s tenure as James Bond, I found this to be an extremely satisfying sendoff. The action is exciting, the direction is passionate, the performances are great across the board, and the cinematography is gorgeous. What makes this film stand out among all the Bond movies is its emotional impact; it closes out Bond’s arc, as well as his relationships with other characters that was built up over the 4 previous movies, almost perfectly. Best of all, it had a gutsy but necessary ending which respected the character’s legacy. I’m willing to overlook the weak villains and out-of-place one-liners to enjoy those powerful emotions — I’m not afraid to say it: I teared up at the ending. “No Time to Die” was everything I wanted in the ending to my favorite James Bond, and it proved that Hollywood can still make emotionally powerful, character-based blockbusters.

3. Pig

I never would have thought a movie called “Pig” would be my third favorite film of 2021, but here we are. “Pig” is phenomenal. It breezes past its quick 90-minute runtime thanks to brilliant performances from co-stars Nicolas Cage and Alex Wolff, as well as its tone and themes. This film seems dour and melancholy on the surface, but as you watch it, you realize that it’s really about the importance of self-confidence, compassion, and being true to yourself. This is an incredibly rewatchable, meaningful, and relevant film that deserves more recognition. Plus, the restaurant scene is arguably the best scene of the year.

2. A Quiet Place Part II

John Krasinski didn’t disappoint with his sequel to the groundbreaking 2018 thriller. While not as good as the original, “A Quiet Place Part II” came incredibly close. This movie was everything I wanted in a sequel. It maintained the small-scale of the first film while still expanding on the worldbuilding, and it focused on the characters rather than spectacle. There’s not much more to say. This was an entertaining, intelligent, and adrenaline-filled movie with plenty of heart that actually lived up to the hype.

1. Dune

Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi/fantasy epic is possibly the most gorgeous film ever made. Every frame of “Dune” looks like a painting, and there are scenes in this film that are so beautiful that they actually took my breath away. It takes a brilliant filmmaker to pull this off, and “Dune” further proves that Villeneuve is one of the most gifted directors working today. The story and grand scale of the film also make it one of the most memorable cinematic experiences of the past couple decades. The worldbuilding is masterfully executed, with all the exposition done either through natural dialogue between the characters or through the stunning visuals. “Dune” is one of those movies that stays with you days, weeks, months after you watch it, and it will certainly go down in history as one of the greatest cinematic achievements of all time. I’m not saying it’s a perfect film, but it is a terrific showcase of what movies can accomplish when in the hands of brilliant filmmakers.

Check out my reviews for Dune, A Quiet Place Part II, Pig, No Time to Die, The Green Knight, The Suicide Squad, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and Licorice Pizza!

All Spider-Man Movies Ranked

With the release of the highly anticipated “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” it’s time to rank all 9 Spider-Man movies from worst to best! Warning: this post contains spoilers for “Spider-Man No Way Home.”

9. The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Calling this “film” a mess is beyond an understatement. The film was doomed from the beginning once Alex Kurtzman — the worst writer in the history of fiction — was hired to write the screenplay. “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” feels more like a collection of boring and melodramatic short films than a real movie. The film is convoluted, incoherent, and filled with boring subplots, as the studio cared more about setting up a Sinister Six movie than making an actually enjoyable film. Plus, the villains of this film are the worst in all of the Spider-Man movies. Electro was an atrocious character who looked as laughably bad as Mr. Freeze from “Batman & Robin” — possibly even worse. Dane DeHaan’s version of Harry Osborn/Green Goblin was cringe-inducing and looked like a teenager somehow proud of his bad acne. Add to that Andrew Garfield’s terrible Brooklyn accent, the obnoxious CGI, aggressively long runtime, & corporate feel, and you get one of the worst blockbuster films in recent memory.

8. The Amazing Spider-Man

The best word to describe this movie is miserable. At its core, “The Amazing Spider-Man” is a dark, melancholy revenge film starring a man dressed as a red & blue basketball. The film’s main problem is its tone; this Spider-Man movie is one of the most depressing comic book films ever made. The film is incredibly boring as well. The plot is generic, the action scenes — which there are very few of — are forgettable, and the subplot about Peter’s parents makes this film uninteresting from the start. Also, this is the worst version of Peter Parker out of all the Spider-Man movies. His skateboarding and brooding make him seem more like a goth, edgy teenager than the lovable nerd he was created as. Peter is supposed to be an underdog who we can relate to; this film’s version is literally the opposite of everything Peter should be. People always praise the chemistry between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, and while it’s definitely present in the film, it’s far too cutesy and annoying to make me care about their relationship. Overall, this is a terrible movie which is only slightly better than its sequel.

7. Spider-Man 3

While “Spider-Man 3” isn’t nearly as bad as people say, it still has a lot of problems. Starting with the positives, the action sequences are great and Sam Raimi’s direction is just as strong here as it was in the first two films. Sandman was a really compelling character who, despite the overwhelming amount of plot points, was given plenty of dramatic moments. I also love how Harry Osborn’s arc was handled; his death was satisfying and deeply emotional. Tobey Maguire was still great in the role and the chemistry between the 3 main cast members remained strong. Unfortunately, the film’s flaws overpowered its merits. Venom is one of the worst comic book movie villains of all time; Topher Grace was horribly miscast in the role and the design of Venom was unbelievably bad. It’s blatantly obvious that the symbiote plotline was forced on Raimi by the studio. Like “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” this film is convoluted and incoherent. The film has far too many subplots going on, causing the ones that are actually good to be forgotten. Upon rewatch, though, I found that this film’s most significant issue was the relationship troubles between Peter and Mary Jane. It was so forced, as both of them had to act out of character in order to push that plotline forward. The film’s main focus is really about them, and all of their scenes were insufferable and completely unsatisfying, as they undid the actually satisfying ending of “Spider-Man 2.” Again, this is not a terrible film by any means, but it’s a deeply flawed & disappointing end to Raimi’s trilogy.

6. Spider-Man: Far From Home

This is an extremely overrated movie; I’ve never understood why so many people adore it. Firstly, the film’s plot is moronic. It’s basically about some super sunglasses which Tony Stark gave to Peter, a reckless teenager who has been dead for 5 years. First of all, it’s completely out of character for Tony to have made the glasses after the events of “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” Plus, it made for an incredibly boring & disappointing plot. Another issue was Mysterio, who was a completely wasted villain. He’s such an interesting and unique character in the comics, and when it was announced that world-class actor Jake Gyllenhaal was playing him, I was hyped. But in the film, he was so goofy and out-of-place, and the fact that the main villain of a movie about the most iconic Marvel character was essentially a VFX artist was ridiculous. With all that said, this film does do a lot of good. Tom Holland was once again great as Spider-Man/Peter Parker, the action sequences were riveting, most of the jokes landed, and after seeing how the MCU shows & movies after this film have handled the Blip so poorly, I appreciate that this film actually put effort into explaining things. To be honest, I find this movie to be on the same level as “Spider-Man 3,” but the critic in me knows this is technically the better film.

5. Spider-Man: No Way Home

As 'Spider Man: No Way Home' swings past $1 billion, here are seven biggest films of 2021

To be clear, there’s an enormous gap in quality between this film and “Spider-Man: Far From Home.” The dilemma with “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is the contrast of how I feel about it as a critic versus how I feel about it as a fan. The critic in me recognizes the lapses in logic that infest the setup of the film which make the rest of the movie less believable. However, the fan in me doesn’t care about the flaws in its setup because the payoff is so satisfying. Peter’s arc in which he finally transitions out of Iron Boy into becoming Spider-Man is phenomenal. The performances, villains, and return of Tobey Maguire & Andrew Garfield all make this film so satisfying & fun. Unfortunately, because of all the issues with the setup, I enjoyed the film less the second time I watched it, and I fear that I’ll start to like it less and less upon each rewatch in the future. That said, this is still a solid film that delivered quality fan service.

4. Spider-Man: Homecoming

Spider-Man: Homecoming: 5 reasons why this is the best Spider-Man movie yet - Vox

The simplicity of this film is what makes it so rewatchable and enjoyable for me. I love seeing a beginner Spider-Man figuring out how to balance his two identities and struggling to battle even weak, low-threat villains. Tom Holland instantly knew what he was doing from the get-go with this film, and he gave a great performance as both Peter Parker and Spider-Man. In my opinion, Michael Keaton’s Vulture is the second-best Spider-Man movie villain (after Norman Osborn/Green Goblin). He’s easily one of the MCU’s most compelling antagonists, as he’s relatable in his motivation to simply provide for his family, yet intimidating & unpredictable at the same time. Keaton gave a fantastic performance, especially in the masterfully executed car scene in which he figures out Peter Parker’s Spider-Man. This film’s main issue is that it has the MCU’s overbearing presence weighing it down. The film’s focus on Tony Stark as a father figure to Peter is simply less interesting than Uncle Ben, and the fact that the Spider-Man costume is essentially an Iron Man suit is distracting.

3. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

This is the most unique and visually stunning Spider-Man film. The animation is gorgeous and unlike any other film, as it was designed to look just like the comic books. The low frame rate, text boxes, and use of onomatopoeia make this film feel like a comic book come to life. It was also clear that the filmmakers went into this project with a ton of passion for the Spider-Man mythology, as the film is really an exploration of what it means to be Spider-Man, not just an origin story for Miles Morales. Miles and Peter B. Parker’s relationship and character arcs are what drive the story forward and make the film so enjoyable & rewatchable. Plus, the film has Nic Cage and a cartoon pig. My only problem with the film is that it slows down in the middle and the runtime could have been trimmed down a bit.

2. Spider-Man

Sam Raimi went for a classic interpretation of the character that was straight out of the iconic 1960’s comics, and it worked brilliantly. From the very beginning of the film you relate to and feel bad for Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker, who I still feel is the best Spider-Man actor. His origin isn’t brushed over like the origins in other comic book movies; his arc is given time to breathe and develop. Despite the Power Rangers costume, Green Goblin is an amazing villain; Willem Dafoe is brilliant at quickly transitioning from the feeble scientist to the proudly evil Goblin just by using his eyes, smile, and voice. This film is possibly the most iconic of all the Spider-Man movies for good reason. It’s incredibly entertaining, rewatchable, and faithful to the character. The film’s main issue is that the effects don’t hold up as well as those of the other Spider-Man films, and the Green Goblin costume is laughable at times.

1. Spider-Man 2

This comes as no surprise to anyone, but “Spider-Man 2” easily earns the number one spot. Doctor Octopus is a terrific, complex villain who you feel bad for as you watch his descent into madness. The action sequences are the best out of all the Spider-Man films, especially the train fight, which is one of the best fight scenes in comic book movie history. What makes “Spider-Man 2” stand out amongst all the other Spider-Man films, however, is what it does with the Peter Parker character. The filmmakers understood that Peter’s struggles are the foundation of what makes Spider-Man relatable and compelling, so this film continuously pounds him into the ground. He loses his job, his best friend Harry hates his alter-ego, he & his aunt are having financial troubles, his powers start to wear off, and he sees MJ get whisked away by the son of his tyrannical boss. Therefore, when he finally gets together with MJ at the end and reveals his identity to her, the film hits you with this immense feeling of satisfaction. The stakes are high, the special effects hold up, and everything about the first film is improved upon here. This is one of the greatest comic book films of all time.

Check Out My Ranking of the MCU Infinity Saga

My Full Review of “Spider-Man: No Way Home”

“Licorice Pizza” – A Romantic Time Capsule

licorice pizza – marketing recap – Cinematic Slant

“Licorice Pizza” is a coming-of-age romance written & directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The film follows 25-year-old Alana Kane (Alana Haim) and 15-year-old Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) as they fall in love while traversing the chaos of 1973 San Fernando Valley.

Licorice Pizza' Reactions Call Film 'God-Tier' Paul Thomas Anderson - Variety

The film’s main goal is to be a love letter to this time period, similar to Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” and it accomplishes that in spades. “Licorice Pizza” was clearly made with a ton of passion and reverence for this time period. It engulfs the viewer into its world through the music, grainy film, production design, and general look of the actors. The actors don’t look like actors here — they look like real people. The teenagers have acne, the adults aren’t built like bodybuilders or swimsuit models, and the whole setting feels so lived-in and dirty.

Another similarity to “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is that both are, as Tarantino would call them, “hangout movies.” The film is essentially a bunch of stories about these 2 characters over this year, and it works beautifully. It’s very easy for hangout movies to become aimless & sloppy (e.g. the aggressively boring “The Power of the Dog”), but “Licorice Pizza” is far from that, and its go-with-the-flow style of storytelling is actually quite charming.

Why Bradley Cooper Should Be a Frontrunner for 'Licorice Pizza' - Variety

This film is also full of memorable and exciting sequences that make use of the time period, particularly the Oil Crisis. For example, there’s a 20-minute section of the film dedicated to Alana, Gary, and their friends installing a water bed for Bradley Cooper’s character. Hijinks ensue, causing them to flee in their truck, which then runs out of gas and can’t be refilled, so they must drive backwards down a steep hill with almost no control of the vehicle. The editing, direction, acting, and lack of music make the sequence enthralling & nail-biting, and I genuinely believe that it will be remembered as one of Anderson’s most iconic scenes in the future.

The cast is also a highlight. The film has a tight focus on Alana and Gary, as at least one of the characters are in nearly every scene of the movie. Haim and Hoffman excel in their roles. They feel so organic; all of their discussions feel like documentary footage rather than movie scenes, which is also thanks to Anderson’s phenomenal script. While the other cast members don’t have much time on screen, they all give great performances, especially Benny Safdie as Joel Wachs, a fake politician running for mayor who is in denial of his many faults. Wachs in particular was a compelling character; it was tragic watching him push those who care about him away in order to win a race he’s doomed to lose.

Licorice Pizza' Review: The Sweltering Days Before 'Boogie Nights' - Variety

Unfortunately, some of Anderson’s pretentious tendencies are present in “Licorice Pizza.” Firstly, the title is ridiculous. Any title that you have to look up in order to understand is a horrible title (e.g. “Quantum of Solace”), and this is no exception. Not only do the characters never say “licorice” or “pizza,” but the actual reasoning behind the title is absurd: apparently “Licorice Pizza” was the name of a record store Anderson grew up loving — how are we supposed to know that?

The ending was also pretentious, as it’s essentially just an “oh, the movie’s over now” ending. It’s like the filmmakers were too tired to shoot the actual ending, and instead decided to abruptly end principal photography and move on to the editing room. Some critics might call the ending “profound” and say that it symbolized something, but all it was was a scene that happened to be the last one in the film.

Overall, “Licorice Pizza” is a highly enjoyable, charming, and warm film made with a ton of passion from its writer/director. It does suffer from some of Anderson’s pretentious tendencies and it needed to be trimmed down a bit, but it’s a strong movie that deserves the majority of its praise.

A-

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” – Poor Setup, Amazing Payoff

SPOILER WARNING

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” is the newest installment in the MCU Spider-Man Franchise, and follows Peter Parker after his secret identity was revealed at the end of “Spider-Man: Far From Home.” This not only ruins his future, but his friends & family’s future as well, so he enlists Doctor Strange to cast a spell to make the world forget he’s Spider-Man. Unfortunately for Peter, the spell goes horribly wrong, causing some familiar villains to reappear as the Multiverse is disrupted.

Benedict Cumberbatch: 'Doc Strange 2' Is "Most Ambitious" Superhero Film

The issue with this film is that, in order for the writers to get to the film’s compelling sequences, character arcs, and fan service, they cheated in setting up the plot. And by cheated, I mean they made the characters incompetent just to move the plot forward. The idea that Doctor Strange — the most powerful sorcerer on the planet who was able to wield & use an Infinity Stone with ease — was foolish enough to not only help a naive high schooler, but also fumble the spell simply because Peter was too chatty, is utterly farcical.

Also, Peter had no reason to make such a big deal out of Aunt May, MJ, and Ned forgetting that he’s Spider-Man — why couldn’t he just tell them after the spell? He never had to interrupt Strange, and even if he had more legitimate concerns about the spell, why didn’t he ask them before Strange started to cast it? It’s unanswered questions like these that hold the film’s credibility back.

With all that said, this movie was still a blast from beginning to end.

Firstly, the villains were awesome (except for the Lizard, who looked like a 1990’s cartoon). It was a lot of fun to see Alfred Molina back as Doctor Octopus again, who was just as cunning and intimidating as he was in “Spider-Man 2.” The version of Electro in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was a massive improvement over the version from the abysmal “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.” Not only did he not look like Mr. Freeze from “Batman & Robin” anymore, but he was also charismatic and exciting to watch.

New Spider-Man: No Way Home poster shows off different Green Goblin look | GamesRadar+

But the villain who stole the show was Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin. Dafoe was brilliant in this film; his performance as the Goblin was just as great as the performance he gave back in 2002. Dafore is able to swiftly transition from a tortured, sympathetic man into a charismatic yet vile presence that was so thrilling to watch on screen. Even though this film had many villains, it’s clear that Goblin was the main one, especially considering he murdered Aunt May.

Speaking of which, Aunt May’s death was executed almost flawlessly. It was tragic, brutal, emotional, and most importantly, the scene was given time to breathe. The film didn’t cut away from Peter saying goodbye to her; it stayed with the scene, letting the audience soak in what just happened along with Peter. It’s surprising that a Phase 4 Marvel movie actually took its time and chose to prioritize character development over mindless action.

It’s time to discuss the reappearance of our 2 Spider-Men: Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. Like many people who went into this film, I was 90% sure they were going to show up, and I was obviously excited… for Tobey Maguire. The dilemma of Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man is that Garfield is without a doubt the best actor to portray Spider-Man, but his portrayal of Peter Parker was easily the worst and simply a waste of his talent. In all fairness, some of this is due to the writing of the two miserable films Garfield starred in, especially considering that Alex Kurtzman wrote the second film, who is quite possibly the worst writer in the history of fiction.

Since I went into the theater with this attitude, I was blown away by what the film showed us of Garfield’s Spider-Man — in the best way possible. First of all, the writing provided Garfield with a lot of great material to work with, as he was able to flex his acting muscles with this character now damaged by the death of Gwen Stacy. He was also hilarious at the same time, especially during the best scene of the film when the three Spider-Men were chatting about their superhero experiences before the final battle, in which Garfield’s Spider-Man admits he was the “lamest.”

Spider-Man No Way Home Trailer and Spider-Man 4 Announcement Marvel Easter Eggs - YouTube

Tobey Maguire was also fantastic as the paternal, matured, and experienced version of Peter, who found a way to balance the Spider-Man persona and his personal life with Mary Jane. His hopefulness and optimism was reminiscent of Luke Skywalker from the Original Star Wars Trilogy, and while this aspect of the character wasn’t dramatic, it did feel like the logical continuation from the end of the character’s arc in the Raimi Trilogy, and was satisfying overall.

I want to end this review on this point: Tom Holland has consistently delivered fantastic performances as Peter Parker/Spider-Man over his tenure with the MCU, but was unfortunately surrounded by a universe bogged down in connecting everything together, to the detriment of classic Spider-Man imagery and plotlines. The past 2 MCU Spider-Man movies have both been Tony Stark centric: “Spider-Man: Homecoming” presented Stark as the replacement for Uncle Ben, and “Spider-Man: Far From Home” was more about Tony Stark’s technology that anything related to Spider-Man. In “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” however, this issue was fixed.

9 Questions We Have After SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME's 2nd Trailer - Nerdist

Peter learns what it takes to be Spider-Man. This film has the “With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility” line, uses classic Spider-Man villains who finally have nothing to do with Tony Stark, and ends with Peter essentially leaving the MCU. After Doctor Strange casts a new spell making the world forget who Peter Parker is, Peter finally ditches the glorified Iron Man suit for a traditional Spider-Man costume and swings around New York City, implying that this film is Holland’s goodbye to the MCU. The writers came up with a genius way to transition the Tom Holland version of Spider-Man into a position where he could be used to make future movies under Sony once the studio pulls the character out of the MCU. And honestly, this makes me more excited for the future of Spider-Man, which is something I didn’t expect this film to accomplish.

Objective Grade: B+ | Subjective Grade: A-

Click here for my ranking of the MCU Infinity Saga.

“Predator” – Classic Film Reviews #17

“Predator” was released in 1987 and was directed by action-movie legend John McTiernan. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Dutch, the leader of a team of U.S. army commandos sent on a rescue mission in Central America who find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial hunter.

The 182nd Best Director of All-Time: John McTiernan - The Cinema Archives

What makes “Predator” great is John McTiernan’s direction. No one can make thrilling action sequences like McTiernan can. He knows when to use shaky cam, when to use wide shots or close ups, and how to move the camera swiftly while still making things visible. He knows to keep the action in-camera, which is another important rule of filming action scenes; watching a wide shot of an explosion alone isn’t as effective as seeing the hero run away from it while it happens in the background. McTiernan also made great use of the jungle environment. The audience can feel the heat, sweat, rough terrain, and abundance of bugs in every scene, which is an effect that can only be executed by the most talented filmmakers.

I love how this movie uses tone. It starts out as a fun, cheesy 80’s action movie with one-liners and over-the-top violence. The epic handshake competition between Arnold and Carl Weathers’ baby-oiled biceps to see whose bicep is more godly is some of the most testosterone-filled, ridiculous imagery ever put into a movie. It’s fantastic. But then, after the initial action sequence, the movie gradually strips down the awesome 80’s over-the-top qualities of our heroes. We see the tone become darker and more horror-focused as these brave, nearly super-powered soldiers become more and more frightened and lose their cool. The best way to describe the tone shift is that the movie starts as “Commando” and becomes “Alien” by the end, with only Dutch and his survival instincts remaining to fight the predator. It’s a simple but highly effective deconstruction of 80’s action heroes.

The performances are another key element of this film. If the audience doesn’t buy that each actor can be a calm, collected, and gifted commando, then the arcs of the characters wouldn’t work. Luckily, every single cast member excelled at this, especially Bill Duke as Mac, who is probably the character most traumatized over the course of the film. He gives a legitimately tragic, emotional performance and does the best job at showing subtle changes to his character over the course of the film.

Movie Review - Predator (1987) vs. Arnold Schwarzenegger

It’s also important to mention the Predator himself. It’s well-known that the original design for the Predator was an abomination and that Stan Winston came in to create the frightening alien warrior that has become so iconic. The alien and its armor have a ton of minute details which make it stand out from all other aliens in cinematic history (at least before the hundreds of rip-offs of this film which came after its release). There isn’t much more than can be said about it which hasn’t already been said, as it’s without a doubt one of the best costumes ever put to film.

My only gripe with this movie is the lack of consistency concerning the Predator’s rules. At times it will choose not to kill someone weak because that would ruin the “sport” (e.g. Dutch at the end of the film), but other times it will kill someone weak, like Poncho when he’s limping in the forest.

“Predator” is a highly enjoyable action film with terrific direction, a unique concept & tone, fun characters, and one of the most iconic movie villains of all time. This is a fantastic movie that I strongly recommend.

House of Gucci & King Richard – Quick Catch-up Reviews

“House of Gucci” was directed by Ridley Scott and stars Lady Gaga & Adam Driver as Patrizia Reggiani and Maurizio Gucci. Based on a true story, the film follows Patrizia’s manipulation of her husband Maurizio to take over the Gucci empire.

This film shares quite a few similarities to HBO’s “Succession” and “The Godfather.” Like “Succession,” the movie follows a dysfunctional wealthy family who scheme for power. Like Michael Corleone in “The Godfather,” Maurizio Gucci becomes corrupted by greed over time, transitioning from the protagonist to the antagonist. While “House of Gucci” obviously isn’t as good as the movies and shows it’s inspired by, it does take some of the interesting qualities from them to craft a compelling narrative. Despite its nearly 160 minute runtime, the film generally maintains a brisk pace due to the twists, turns, and great character arcs.

The cast of “House of Gucci” was largely spectacular. Lady Gaga and Adam Driver are magnificent in their roles. They had chemistry onscreen and transformed into the people they were portraying. Al Pacino was another scene-stealer; he brought a ton of charisma to his character and made all of his scenes more entertaining. Jared Leto was another scene-stealer, but not in a good way. Leto was utterly abysmal as his character. In his aggressive effort to stand out among the cast, he wrecked every single scene he was in. Between his exaggerated Italian accent that sounded more like Super Mario than an actual Italian person and his exaggerated hand movements that made him look more like Fat Tony from “The Simpsons” than an actual Italian person, Leto made it difficult for me to not cringe when he was on screen.

“House of Gucci” is an interesting study of how lust for power can destroy a family that’s enhanced by stellar performances from Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, and Al Pacino. Although Jared Leto’s cartoonish presence was insufferable and the film could have been a little shorter, I found “House of Gucci” to be a really fun ride worth recommending.

B+

Where to watch 'King Richard' online for free at home – Film Daily

“King Richard” was directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and stars Will Smith as Richard Williams, the father of the famous tennis players Venus & Serena Williams. The film follows Richard and his plan to write Venus & Serena Williams into history as the best tennis players of all time.

Will Smith's New King Richard Trailer Has The Internet Teary-Eyed | Wseet Gossip

Will Smith carries this entire movie. He was a completely different person. From his mannerisms to his voice to his body movements, Smith captured every single trait of the real-life Richard Williams. Will Smith is one of those actors, like Tom Cruise and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has such an immense star power that they can’t help but overshadow the character they’re portraying. The best thing I can say about Smith’s performance in “King Richard” was that it overpowered his star power. Smith’s performance didn’t take too much attention away from the other performances of the film, however. Aunjanue Ellis was terrific as Richard’s wife Brandy and Jon Bernthal was also great as coach Rick Macci, a character who’s the polar opposite of Frank Castle from
“The Punisher.”

I appreciated how the filmmakers didn’t shy away from showing the flaws of Richard. With Venus & Serena Williams as executive producers, this film could easily have become a puff piece for him, but it instead showed all sides of Richard. He’s a loving, caring father who wants his kids to live better lives than he did, but he’s also a little egotistical, and he thinks he knows better than everyone else. We see how his plan and hard work pay off, as well as how his stubbornness and ego hold his family back.

King Richard review: Will Smith's real-life sports drama is a winner - Polygon

In contrast, however, Venus & Serena were treated as if they were perfect people. Neither of them have a single flaw or make a single mistake, making them harder to relate to. For cynics like myself, it also doesn’t help knowing that Serena, in particular, isn’t such a great person in real life, as she’s acted like a selfish, angry bully toward her peers on several occasions. That’s where the executive producer control was, or at least in my opinion. Also, the film should have been 5 minutes shorter; at nearly 2-and-a-half hours, its pacing suffers.

“King Richard” is a beautiful story with a strong lead character made even stronger by Will Smith’s masterful performance. While it arguably was a mistake to have Venus and Serena Williams be executive producers on the film, this is a heartwarming movie which I strongly recommend.

A-

“Home Sweet Home Alone” is Agonizing – A Rant

Home Alone Disney+ Sequel Trailer & Poster Debuts, Out November 12th

“Home Sweet Home Alone” is a despicable nightmare of a movie that makes absolutely no sense and is disgustingly corporate. This remake of the 1990 classic was directed by Dan Mazer and written by Mikey Day & Streeter Seidell, two hack writers for SNL, one of modern television’s worst big-budget shows. It stars Rob Delaney and Ellie Kemper as victims being tortured by the obnoxious child Max Mercer, played by Archie Yates (the comedic relief from “Jojo Rabbit”).

People reviewing this online keep saying that the film’s most significant problem is the writers’ decision to make the robbers sympathetic, and while I definitely agree that that decision destroyed much of the film, this movie’s most significant problem is that Max Mercer is one of the most unlikable movie characters of 2021.

Home Sweet Home Alone' revisits 'Home Alone' franchise on Disney+

In the very first scene, Max uses the bathroom of a couple selling their house because they’re struggling financially. He then calls the husband Frankenstein and insults a doll that’s the husband’s precious family heirloom for no reason other than being an entitled brat. Not only does this make Max immediately irredeemable to the audience, but it also makes him incredibly stupid. Then when the couple noticed that their doll was gone a few scenes later, they immediately (and reasonably) assumed that their doll was stolen by Max since he made fun of it earlier, and then went on to try to rob his house. Even though Max didn’t actually steal the doll, that entire plotline could’ve been avoided if he simply didn’t make fun of it.

The “Home Alone” franchise has a 2-part formula: (1) robbers plan to rob the protagonist’s house and (2) the protagonist is a child who is left at home by his family on Christmas. I just explained why the former could have been prevented, and the latter could also have also been prevented. The night before his family leaves, Max runs away from them by going into the car to watch cartoons, where he then falls asleep. If he didn’t do this and just went to his room, he wouldn’t have missed a thing. Also, in all reality, he would’ve suffocated and died in that car overnight. The car was turned off and had all its windows shut, and we’re expected to believe that he was perfectly fine? Within the first 15 minutes of “Home Sweet Home Alone”, the formula is completely destroyed and the main character somehow avoided certain death.

Home Sweet Home Alone Reboot Will Ruin Your Christmas - Den of Geek

As I previously mentioned, by making the robbers sympathetic and by (unintentionally) making the child a straight-up villain, the violence at the end is distasteful and unenjoyable. No viewer wants to see a struggling, desperate couple who just want to take back an heirloom get:

set on fire
stabbed in the fingers and face
shot at by pool balls
hit by weights
their teeth knocked out

What’s the point of having the trap climax when it just makes the viewer feel miserable rather than excited? The writing for this film is utterly atrocious.

Frankly, this film is soulless. It has no style, humor, or wit, and of the very few good ideas it did have, it completely squandered them. For example, the casting for this film (except for the terrible lead) was full of hilarious comedians like Pete Holmes, Chris Parnell, Andrew Daly, and Tim Simons, who were all wasted and given almost no screen time.

Disney Plus' new Home Alone movie trailer doesn't look like a fun time | TechRadar

“Home Sweet Home Alone” contains no more than two minutes worth of scenes showing Max actually having fun being home alone. The character literally says that it was only “cool for an hour.” By immediately wanting his family back, there’s no buildup to what should be a satisfying and heartwarming decision. This is a critical error in the film’s structure and takes away the valuable lesson for children that was arguably the backbone of the original film.

“Home Sweet Home Alone” is easily one of 2021’s worst movies. It has absolutely nothing going for it: no heart, no humor, no passion, no talent, and no reason to even exist. This is a bland, lazy, and corporate product that’s a perfect example of conveyor belt filmmaking. It disgusts me and it’s one of the worst remakes in recent memory.

“The Silence of the Lambs” – Classic Film Reviews #16

“The Silence of the Lambs” was released in 1991 and was directed by Jonathan Demme. It stars Jodie Foster as FBI cadet Clarice Starling, who must gain the help of incarcerated serial killer Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to track down the still at-large serial killer, Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). The film went on to win 5 Academy Awards at the 1992 Oscars and is widely revered today as a classic horror-thriller.

The acting is what really makes or breaks this film. Obviously, Anthony Hopkins gave one of cinema’s best performances as Lecter. He was so eerie and sickening while also being elegant and strangely thoughtful, making Lecter more unpredictable & terrifying. Since his performance was so great, however, the film’s other stellar performances are often overlooked; “The Silence of the Lambs” has some of the best casting in movie history. Jodie Foster was perfect at portraying Starling’s dedication, intelligence, and perseverance in her struggle to prove herself in a male-dominated field where women weren’t as respected. Then there’s Ted Levine’s absolutely haunting performance as Buffalo Bill. Just his persistently strained voice and expressive eyes alone will make any viewer’s skin crawl.

Jonathan Demme, Director of Silence of the Lambs, Dies At 73 — **DIRECTOR JONATHAN DEMME AND ANTHONY HOPKINS ON THE SET OF “THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS”**

Jonathan Demme’s direction was essential to this film’s tone, themes, and performances. Upon rewatch, I noticed how he essentially made the camera the narrator. For example, to represent Clarice’s struggle to be as respected as her physically dominating peers, Demme used POV shots and close-ups on Jodie Foster during scenes between her and the characters she conversed with. Demme almost never used an over-the-shoulder shot with Clarice, making the audience feel closer to her and making her stand out on a visual level. He also maintained the sense of dread throughout the entire film and clearly knew the script inside and out. Demme was well-deserving of his Oscar, as were Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins.

Bloodless Spectacle and Everyday Sexism in Silence of the Lambs - One Room With A View

Another great aspect of “The Silence of the Lambs” is its pacing. At a runtime of 1h 58m, the film is able to move at a brisk, tense pace without sacrificing character development or story beats. There isn’t a slow moment throughout the entire movie. Every single scene matters and builds upon the story. This film is a great example of how to balance a fast-paced narrative with proper character development and plot progression, which is something most modern movies struggle to do.

The film is also just so well-written. Ted Tally wrote a brilliant script adapted from the Thomas Harris novel. The dialogue hits hard, the characters are fully realized, and the tone is immaculate. Harris and Tally crafted a story that keeps you on the edge of your seat from the beginning of the film to its extremely satisfying end.

Before 'Mindhunter,' 'The Silence of the Lambs' Helped Create a Genre - The Atlantic

“The Silence of the Lambs” has terrific direction, memorable characters, phenomenal performances, flawless pacing, compelling dialogue, and plenty of intense moments. It’s an incredibly rewatchable, entertaining, iconic, and thematically-rich film. If you somehow haven’t seen it yet, do yourself a favor and watch it.

A+

“Dune” is an Immersive Experience – Spoiler Review

Dune Universe on Twitter: "New official #DuneMovie poster! Looks awesome! #dune #TimotheeChalamet #zendaya #oscarisaac #rebeccaferguson #jasonmomoa #movieposters… https://t.co/fsnupwku81"

“Dune” is a science-fiction epic directed by Denis Villeneuve and is based on Frank Herbert’s famous novel. It stars Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, a son of the noble House Atreides who must go on a journey in the midst of a war for the dangerous desert planet of Arrakis (also known as Dune) in the distant future.

Denis Villeneuve has quickly become one of the best directors working today, and is currently the most consistent director working today. He continues to craft compelling, character-driven, and rich stories that challenge the audience while providing it with great entertainment value. Therefore, when “Dune” was first announced, I was ecstatic to see it, despite knowing absolutely nothing about the source material. Now that it has finally been released, I’m delighted to report that “Dune” did not disappoint. Not only is it one of Villeneuve’s best films among his terrific filmography, it’s also one of, if not the most visually stunning sci-fi movies of all time.

Final DUNE Trailer Brings On the Action - Nerdist

“Dune” immerses the audience into its breathtaking world. It’s incredibly rare for a film to make the audience feel like they’re actually in the story with the characters, and this film accomplished that with flying colors. “Dune” is impeccable on a technical level. Every single frame of this 2 ½ hour movie was clearly planned out in excruciating detail.

The sound of this film was phenomenal. Hans Zimmer’s score is inspired and adds a ton of tension and atmosphere to the film, and the sound editing is masterful as well. Each time the sand of Arrakis moves or the Ornithopters fly by, the audio blasts out of the screen.

This film excelled on a story level as well. Once the first act ended and its exposition was finished, twists and turns made for riveting second and third acts. The Lord of the Rings-esque battle in the middle of the film when the Harkonnens attack House Atreides was particularly thrilling. The deaths of almost all the characters except for Paul and his mother, Lady Jessica, were shocking and extremely satisfying. These two characters had the most compelling journeys of all the film’s many characters. While Paul’s arc was essentially the same as Luke Skywalker’s arc in 1977’s “Star Wars” (George Lucas was clearly inspired by the Dune book), it was still entertaining since it followed the hero’s journey we know and love.

Wonka: WB Continues To Make Great Decisions, Casts Timothee Chalament In New Willy Wonka Origin Story - LRM

“Dune” is refreshing. I appreciate the fact that a film with a massive budget, an all-star cast, and a complex, smart story was actually released in today’s state of Marvel movies and turn-your-brain-off entertainment. Everyone should go see this film — I guarantee you’ll enjoy it, no matter how familiar you are with the source material.

A+

“No Time To Die” – A Proper Goodbye to James Bond

No Time to Die movie review & film summary (2021) | Roger Ebert

This review contains both a non-spoiler and spoiler section.

Non-Spoiler Review:

“No Time To Die” was directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga and is Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond. It follows Bond as he comes out of a five-year-long retirement to stop Lyutsifer Safin from releasing a dangerous new biological weapon.

No Time to Die' U.S. Release Date Pushed to 2021 | IndieWire

Daniel Craig has proven himself to be the best James Bond since the release of “Casino Royale,” which is not only the best Bond film, but is also one of the best spy-thrillers ever made. Of all the final movies of a Bond actor, this one was the most important to get right, and, thankfully, the team behind “No Time To Die” succeeded in making a satisfying finale. Although it’s nowhere near as good as “Casino Royale,” it’s still one of the best 007 adventures yet.

Daniel Craig is clearly enjoying the role a lot more than in “Spectre,” and gave his most emotional performance as Bond yet. His passion radiates from the screen. Almost all the other actors were great in the film as well, even those who were given little screen time. Ana de Armas was a true standout as the bubbly and charming CIA agent Paloma despite being in the film for about 5 minutes, and she would be a welcome return to the franchise if she comes back.

Fukunaga’s direction was phenomenal. Like Sam Mendes did with his two Bond films, Fukunaga crafted beautiful setpieces with thrilling action sequences. Fukunaga used long takes, wide shots, and in-camera techniques to make incredibly engaging action scenes.

This film was likely the most emotional Bond film yet, even more so than “Casino Royale” and “Skyfall.” It concludes all the continued plot points from Craig’s previous films and is a true sendoff to this three-dimensional interpretation of the character (more about that in the spoiler section).

No Time to Die' Ending Explained: Daniel Craig's Grand Finale

This film wasn’t perfect, however. Firstly, it has a runtime of 2h 43min. That’s far too long, even for a film with this much story and action setpieces. The runtime wears the audience down by the time the third act starts. To be honest, I nodded off a couple times toward the end despite the plethora of action sequences it contained. Another weakness of the film was its villains. Rami Malek did his best with what he was given, which was very, very little. Safin was extremely forgettable and brought no distinct physical, psychological, or frightening characteristics to the table. Blofeld was even worse, somehow being duller than he was in “Spectre.” I legitimately don’t understand how the filmmakers casted Christoph Waltz, a world-class actor who previously portrayed one of cinema’s most compelling antagonists, as one of cinema’s most iconic villains and wasted him twice in a row.

No Time (for Movie Theaters) to Die - Awardsdaily - The Oscars, the Films and everything in between.

“No Time To Die” is a satisfying goodbye to Daniel Craig’s era as Bond, filled with an emotional story, good performances, and riveting action sequences. Although it could have been 15 minutes shorter and needed stronger villains, it’s an extremely enjoyable 007 film.

A-

Spoiler Thoughts:

Bond’s Final Mission: I was shocked to see that Bond dies in this film. It subverted my expectations and provided the ending I always wanted to see in a 007 film. After nearly 60 years and 24 films of Bond somehow surviving all these outlandish events, the 25th entry finally had the guts to kill him off. I’m completely fine with more Bond movies being made after this since this was very much a death that could only take place in the pocket Daniel Craig universe.

“His name was Bond. James Bond.”: The revelation that Bond had a daughter with Madeline was off-putting to me at first, but the idea was executed well enough for me to enjoy the concept, especially since it added stakes to the plot and gave Bond something to truly connect with during all this chaos. It also made his death a lot more tragic than it would have been otherwise; knowing Bond wouldn’t live to see his daughter grow up was actually impactful.