2021 Films I Saw and Liked 

— Here are my favorites from the films made in 2021 that I was able to see:

• 
  Annette
• The Beatles: Get Back
• Being the Ricardos
• Cruella
• Cry Macho
• Dune
• The Harder They Fall
• Judas and the Black Messiah
• King Richard
• The Last Duel
• The Lost Daughter
• News of the World
• Passing
• The Power of the Dog
• tick, tick…Boom!

Since March of 2020, the pandemic has kept me from theaters.  My streaming budget isn't unlimited and some of the best films take a long time before they're easily accessible at home. These are obvious contenders for inclusion in any list of best films released in 2021, but they haven't been available for me to see so they aren't on my list (yet):  “Belfast,” CODA,” “Drive My Car,” “The French Dispatch,” “The Green Knight,” “Licorice Pizza,” “Memoria,” “Nightmare Alley,” “Summer of Soul,” “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” “West Side Story,” and “The Worst Person in the World.”

I watched a lot "television" this year, in some cases just for escape.  Here are the shows I enjoyed most:

• And Just Like That... (HBO Max)
• Big Shot (Disney+)
• Blue Bloods (CBS)
  
• Bull (CBS)
• The Chair (Netflix)
• Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, & Chicago PD (NBC)
• CSI: Vegas (NBC)
• Emily in Paris (Netflix)
• The Equalizer (CBS)
• The Good Fight (Paramount+)
• Good Girls (NBC)
• Hacks (HBO Max)
• Halston (Netflix)
• Hawkeye (Disney+)
• Loki (Disney+)
• Lupin (Netflix)
• Made for Love (HBO Max)
• Magnum PI (CBS)
• Maid (Netflix)
• Mare of Easttown (HBO Max)
• NCIS & NCIS Hawaii (CBS)
• New Amsterdam (NBC)
• Pretend It’s a City (Netflix)
• Scenes from a Marriage (HBO Max)
• Squid Game (Netflix)
• Succession (HBO Max)
• Wahl Street (HBO Max)
• The White Lotus (HBO Max)

 Other things watched in December:

12/27/21 The Matrix Resurrections (HBO Max)

12/25/21 Father Christmas Is Back (Netflix)

12/22/21 Hawkeye (Disney+ series)

12/13/21 Succession, Season 3 (HBO Max)

The Lost Daughter

— Wow. This is a pretty amazing “first film.” It’s light on dialogue and heavy on glance, emotion, and atmosphere. Somehow a psychological thriller of sorts emerges, with emphasis on the psychological. Leda, a Harvard professor, has rented a place near the water on a small Greek island, planning to work and relax for the summer. The beach is quiet with the exception of a large and unsettling family that rents an oversized, pink villa every summer. A friendship of sorts forms between Leda, and a young mother from the villa who sometimes seems overwhelmed by the demands of her daughter. Olivia Coleman’s performance again demonstrates her skill which, combined with Maggie Gyllenhaal’s talent, manages to expose the pain and ambivalence felt by an unnatural mother doing the best she can but never meeting societal expectations. It’s a murky film, told internally with dark edges. It’s a very good film and well worth watching. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 121 minutes. Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. Starring Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson, Ed Harris, and Peter Sarsgaard.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-lost-daughter-movie-review-2021

Christmas Inheritance

— Another formula film, where wealthy people learn the value of family, friendship, and the simple things in life, and a gentle soul who's never recovered from being jilted, finds himself falling in love the rich heiress. No doubt everyone lives happily ever after. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2017. 104 minutes. Directed by Ernie Barbarash. Starring Eliza Taylor, Jake Lacy, and Andie MacDowell.]
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/music/a14458560/christmas-inheritance-netflix-movie-review/

The Matrix Resurrections

— [HBO Max streaming.]

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[2021. 148 minutes. Directed by Lana Wachowski. Starring Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff, Jessica Henwick, Neil Patrick Harris, Jada Pinkett Smith, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Christina Ricci.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-matrix-resurrections-movie-review-2021

Silent Night

— "Silent Night" fits perfectly into the Black Comedy Christmas Apocalypse genre, except I’m having trouble coming up with other films to give it genre-defining status. Suffice it to say you’re in for something different if you decide to watch this film. Actually, it’s almost like watching two films since the first third moves to one beat, with old friends arriving at a country estate for the holiday. A smiling Keira Knightley greets the arrivals at the door and handsome hubby Matthew Goode is by her side, making it look like we're in for a pleasant enough time. At some point things shift. You notice Ms. Knightley’s mouth may be smiling, but if looks could kill, some of her guests would be dead. Goode’s calm voice is starting to be a little less convincing, as though he's holding back the urge to run screaming into the night. Heck, if I had to be around the children in this film, I'd run screaming into the night too! Both Knightley and Goode ably depict sadness and anger under a façade of holiday cheer. But really, this isn’t a Christmas film, just a film set in December. I won’t spoil the film, but I will say I didn’t exactly enjoy the viewing experience—it’s so very, very dark—but I liked it after I’d seen it and kept thinking about it, and could appreciate the sliver of hope that may still have existed at the end. Dare I suggest that hint of hope might be enough to make it suitable New Year’s Eve viewing fare as well—if you dare! Included in the cast are the boy from “Jo Jo Rabbit” who is fantastic, his brother, and Johnny Depp's daughter. [AMC+ streaming.]

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[2021. 92 minutes. Written and directed by Camille Griffin. Starring Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, and Roman Griffin Davis.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/silent-night-movie-review-2021

Father Christmas Is Back

— [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 105 minutes. Directed by Mick Davis and Philippe Martinez. Starring Elizabeth Hurley, John Cleese, and Kelsey Grammer.]
https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/father-christmas-is-back-review/

Don't Look Up

— I generally like black humor and satire, and I'm usually up for an apocalypse film, but I tend to appreciate subtlety too. No one would call this film subtle or, for that matter, more than occasionally humorous. During the first part of the film, I thought it was just “too soon” for this kind of treatment, then I moved to thinking it was just going on too long for this particular topic. Throughout most of it, I felt sorry for the cast who tried but just couldn’t elevate the film from its lumbering pace. DiCaprio and Lawrence’s characters at least have some human emotions, but poor Streep and Blanchett’s characters are little more than flat stereotypes. What a waste of talent. Toward the end I was feeling a little better about it, maybe because it was almost over, but I’m glad I stayed through the credits, interrupted midway by a final scene that I honestly did enjoy. I imagine some people will love the film for its subject matter, but I’m not one of them. It’s a shame, too, since I’m interested in how we move forward now that truth and lies have become contranyms. In fact, the immediacy of the content may make it worth watching. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 138 minutes. Directed by Adam McKay. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Jonah Hill, Cate Blanchett, and Meryl Streep.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/dont-look-up-movie-review-2021

Joy for Christmas

— Nothing new here, just standard Christmas fare. A big-city publicist returns to her home town to find her family’s charity in trouble so she manages to save the day and, along the way, meet up with a famous athlete who needs someone to remind him about the true meaning of Christmas. Love blossoms, the family charity is saved, and local kids get plenty of presents. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 86 minutes. Directed by Pat Williams. Starring Erin Boyes, Cindy Busby, and Sam Page.]
https://decider.com/2021/12/22/joy-for-christmas-gac-family-amazon-prime-review/

Being the Ricardos

— Don’t worry about whether or not Nicole Kidman can play Lucille Ball or why a Spanish actor was cast as Desi Arnez. This film shines based on decent acting and a well-written, complex script. In a reasonable amount of time, Aaron Sorkin manages to shift timelines so events—reports of Ball’s link with the Communist Party, her pregnancy, and Desi’s reported infidelity—are shifted into a single week of rehearsals for an “I Love Lucy” episode. When combined with the rapid success of the show and other tensions on and off set, it’s a marriage in crisis. These various stories, rippling through both public and private lives, make for a good, fictional look at Lucy and Desi playing Lucy and Ricky. I liked the film a lot, but it isn’t for people who want a documentary or have trouble separating fact from fiction in film. [Amazon Prime streaming.]

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[2021. 106 min. Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin. Starring Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, J.K. Simmons, and Nina Arianda.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/being-the-ricardos-movie-review-2021

A California Christmas: City Lights

— A slight variation on the usual Christmas storyline, this is a country girl and a city boy in love but needing to deal with different lifestyles and friends. As you might expect, love and Christmas win out. It's actually vaguely charming and evidently a good follow up to the first film. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 131 min. Directed by Shaun Paul Piccinino. Starring Lauren Swickard, Josh Swickard, Ali Afshar, and David Del Rio.]
https://decider.com/2021/12/16/a-california-christmas-city-lights-netflix-review/

Passing

— If there were awards for perfect and consistent style, this film would win, but it has a lot more than an ambience going for it. It's a look at racial identity in the 1920s, focusing on one woman who passes as white. Tension is everywhere and beneath every scene and every encounter is an air of racism. The uneasiness of bigotry is the norm. The film is extremelty well done and worth watching. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 98 min. Directed by Rebecca Hall. Starring Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, and Adre Holland.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/passing-movie-review-2021

The Unforgiveable

— Sandra Bullock still commands our attention, even in this film where she's dulled from years in prison and now dealing with an unsympathetic world, and sporting make-up designed to make her look as plain as possible. The story is sometimes unfocused and not as good as the cast, but I still watched from start to finish and considered it worth my while. I'm not sure Viola Davis would agree since her part doesn't seem in any way up to her acting abilities. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2010. 112 min. Directed by Nora Fingscheidt. Starring Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, and Vincent D’Onofrio.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-unforgivable-movie-review-2021

The Song of Lunch

— I think I'd like anything with Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman, and this is no exception. The story is a little sad and the self-loathing and drinking is difficult, but that's because the acting is so good and the story so familiar, if not in reality at least as a possiblity never played out. It's based on the narrative poem by Christopher Reid and well worth viewing. [Amazon Prime streaming.]

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[2010. 48 min. Directed by Niall MacCormick. Starring Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson.]
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2010/oct/08/the-song-of-lunch-review

A Boy Called Christmas

— I see a lot of Christmas films and this one is a cut above the pack. It's fresh, engaging, heart-warming, and worth seeing. [Disney+ streaming.]

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[2021. 106 min. Directed by Gil Kenan. Starring Maggie Smith, Isabella O’Sullivan, and Joel Fry.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-boy-called-christmas-movie-review-2021

Single All the Way

— This is "Netflix’s first gay holiday film." It doesn't venture far from the plot of many holiday rom-coms, just reworking a few characters so the primary relationship is gay instead of straight. Still, it's fun and, if you don't look too hard at how one person or another might be portrayed, better than no gay representation in such films. Netflix also deserves praise for casting three openly gay guys in the main roles. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 99 min. Directed by Michael Mayer. Starring Michael Uri, Philemon Chambers, and Luke Macfarlane.]
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/dec/02/single-all-the-way-review-netflix-first-gay-christmas-romcom

Jungle Cruise

— No surprises from this bit of escapism based on a Disney theme park ride! Emily Blunt may be under-utilized, but she does the role of a hard-headed British feminist/explorer justice and Dwayne Johnson is appropriately endearing as the captain of the boat making its way down the Amazon. Between the two of them, this thing works well enough so it’s fun to watch. [Disney+ streaming.]

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[2021. 127 min. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. Starring Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, and Jack Whitehall.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/jungle-cruise-movie-review-2021

The Power of the Dog

— Jane Campion’s latest film is methodical, beautiful, smoldering, and unsettling. Benedict Cumberbatch, as an American cowboy, is at first a little too stereotypic until you realize the part he’s playing is someone whose facade is carefully maintained. Kirsten Dunst is perfect as the woman who marries a rancher and finds herself unable to adjust to ranch life and one omnipresent ranch man in particular. Throw in a bookish, gangly, somewhat effeminate son, and you end up with more stuff smoldering under the surface than anyone needs. It’s a struggle to be the alpha male, to come to terms with sexuality, to live with addiction, to overcome loneliness... It’s a wonderful film, but the kind of thing about as many people will dislike as like. I really liked it. Kudos to both Cumberbatch and Dunst and, of course, to Campion. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 126 min. Directed by Jane Campion. Starring Benedit Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-power-of-the-dog-movie-review-2021

A Castle for Christmas

— I suppose there’s a reason so many Christmas movies are formulaic—holiday films strive to touch your heart more than your mind. The script for this one could be better, but it is a step up from many similar films. As winter sets in and we careen toward a new year, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a bit of romance and s a bit of escapism. It's nice to see Brook Shields too. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 98 min. Directed by Mary Lambert. Starring Brooke Shields, Cary Elwes, and Lee Ross.]
https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/a-castle-for-christmas-review-1235119436/

The Beatles: Get Back (Part 1)

— I spent 2½ hours yesterday watching the first part of “The Beatles: Get Back” on Disney+. I knew what it was, but I wasn’t really prepared. The 3-part series, directed by Peter Jackson, was edited from 60 hours of restored, unseen footage shot in January 1969 by Michael Lindsay-Hogg and 150 hours of unheard audio recorded over 21 days. The Beatles hadn’t performed live in over two years, Brian Epstein had died 14 months earlier, all four had spouses and near-spouses, and tensions were high. Everyone came together to create their twelfth and final album, “Let It Be,” on which the song "Get Back" is included, and to prepare for what turned out to be their last ever concert on January 30, 1969. The film got off to a slower start than I would have liked, but I think that’s because the four Beatles were fairly dysfunctional at that point, making the viewer as skittish as they were around each other. That hesitancy as they dealt with each other may have been uncomfortable, but day by day you could see a shift, ever so slowly, as sparks of the cohesion, creativity, and core friendship returned. The change may not have been permanent, but the past and the music were a strong glue in the present. It’s fascinating to see an album evolve, particularly when it includes songs like “Let It Be” and one that almost seems more current today like “Get Back”. I’m really enjoying it and looking forward to 173 minutes more today and, tomorrow, to seeing the entire 42-minute, lunchtime show performed on Apple Corps’ freezing rooftop, their final public performance. I’m sure not every viewer will want to see the minute-by-minute process, but for those who do, it’s wonderful. [Disney+ streaming.]

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[2021. 3 Parts. 468 min. 3 parts (157, 173, & 138 min respectively). Directed by Peter Jackson. Archive footage: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Yoko Ono, Linda McCartney, Maureen Starley, Bill Preston, George Martin, and Michael Lindsay-Hogg.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-beatles-get-back-movie-review-2021

tick, tick…Boom!

— If you enjoy musical theater at all, you may like this Jonathan Larson biopic. Larson’s the creative force behind “Rent” who died at age 35, and before his genius was fully recognized. It’s quite the homage to him, looking at his life and friends in New York, peppered with events from his early life, and filled with song. It’s rousing and stirring, and obviously something of a thank-you from director Lin-Manuel Miranda. Andrew Garfield is always good, but he’s exceptional as Larson. I really enjoyed it but I’ll admit there’s a lot of music and Miranda’s touch, so it may not be for everyone. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 115 min. Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Starring Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, and Robin de Jesus.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/tick-tick-boom-movie-review-2021

King Richard

— An inspiration story and a charasmatic actor make for an engaging sports biopic. Will Smith fully takes over the role of Richard Williams, father and coach of Venus and Serena, managing to remain a hero even when some of his tactics could be questioned. I wouldn't mind a sequel, focusing on the rise and rivalry, except that kind of film might result in less screen time for Smith's wonderful acting. [HBO Max streaming.]

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[2021. 144 min. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green. Starring Will Smith, Aun Juanue Ellis, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton, and Jon Bernthal.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/king-richard-movie-review-2021

Love Hard

— . [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 104 min. Directed by Hernan Jimenez. Starring Nina Dobrev, Jimmy O. Yang, and Darren Barnet.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/love-hard-movie-review-2021

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain

— . [Amazon Prime streaming.]

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[2021. 111 min. Directed by Will Sharpe. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy, and Andrea Riseborough.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-electrical-life-of-louis-wain-2021

The Harder They Fall

— . [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 130 min. Directed by Jeymes Samuel. Starring Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Jonathan Majors, Regina King, LaKeith Stanfield, and RJ Cyler.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-harder-they-fall-movie-review-2021

Voyagers

— . [HBO Max streaming.]

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[2021. 108 min. Written and directed by Neil Burger. Starring Colin Farrell, Tye Sheridan, Lily-Rose Depp, abd Fionn Whitehead.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/voyagers-movie-review-2021

Maid

— . [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 10 Episodes. About 52 min./episode. 94 min. Created by Molly Smith Metzler. Starring Margaret Qualley, Nick Robinson, Rylea Nevaeh Whittet, and Andie MacDowell.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/streaming/maid-netflix-tv-review-2021

Dune

— . [HBO Max streaming.]

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[2021. 155 min. Directed by Denis Villeneuve. Starring Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgard, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/dune-movie-review-2021

Son of the South

— . [Amazon Prime streaming.]

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[2020. 105 min. Directed by Barry Alexander Brown. Starring Lucas Till, Jim Klock, and Michael Sirow.]
https://www.austinchronicle.com/events/film/2021-02-05/son-of-the-south/

Free Byrd

— . [Amazon Prime streaming.]

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[2021. 89 min. Written and directed by Tony Vidal. Starring Raymond J. Barry, Shondrella Avery, and Jeanne Young.]
http://www.familychoiceawards.com/entertainment/free-byrd-is-an-interesting-look-at-aging-and-family-relationships/

Squid Game

— . [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 7 Episodes. About 60 min./episode. 94 min. Starring Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Greg Chun, Stephen Fu, Tom Choi, and Rama Vallury.]
https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-features/squid-game-review-1240522/

Midnight Mass

— . [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 9 Episodes. About 60 min./episode. 94 min. Created by Mike Flanagan. Starring Kate Siegel, Zach Gilford, Kristin Lehman, Samantha Sloyan, and Igby Rigney.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/midnight-mass-tv-review-2021

Turner & Hooch

— . [Disney+ streaming.]

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[2021. 11 Episodes. About 60 min./episode. 94 min. Created by Matt Nix. Starring Josh Peck, Carra Patterson, Lyndsy Fonseca, Vanessa Lengies, and Brandon Jay McLaren.]
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/jul/21/turner-hooch-review-the-droolsome-twosome-are-back-21st-century-dogmance-no-tom-hanks

Shattered Glass

— . [Amazon Prime streaming.]

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[2003. 94 min. Directed by Billy Ray. Starring Hayden Christensen, Cloe Sevigny, Steve Zahn, and Rosario Dawson.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/shattered-glass-2003

Promising Young Woman

— What an odd film and my reaction to it flipped nearly 180 degrees from start to finish. At first I pegged it as another psychotic woman film or at least one of those films that wonders if vengeance is justifiable. Had Carey Mulligan not been the star, it might have lost me early on but it moved into something that was still sinister, but more on the “Gone Girl” side of the spectrum than the “Avenging Angel” side! It became more complicated and, as the backstory is revealed, it grows into something more than a revenge film, although it is about revenge, but a more clever revenge than one that only sends people to their deaths. Ultimately, although it’s about coping and reflection, about remorse and regret, and about penance and atonement, it is within the context of coming to terms with a friend’s assault and subsequent suicide, society’s attitude toward violence toward women, and one woman’s path toward healing. The audience is kept a little off-balance much of the time, and it's a dark and tense ride with some surprises along the way. It's a troubling film, but a very good one too and one that is well worth seeing. [HBO Max streaming.]

Let me also say I looked forward to seeing this film for nine months since I’m trying not to encourage the streaming model that releases titles to the streaming market for $19.95, a great price for families but a very steep price for singles. I would have considered it at $5.99 but, by the time it dropped in price it was also likely going to be available through a streaming service to which I’m already subscribed, so I waited more months—until now.

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[2020. 113 min. Written and directed by Emerald Fennell. Starring Carey Mulligan, Adam Brody, Bob Burham, Alison Brie.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/promising-young-woman-2020

Intrusion

— Another “scary” film with a stalker or a murderer or some such threat breaking into a lovely but isolated house owned by a couple who don’t seem to understand the value of flipping a light switch or running away instead of standing around to cry and tremble in the face of danger. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 92 min. Directed by Adam Salky. Starring Freida Pinto, Logan Marshall-Green, and Robert John Burke.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/intrusion-movie-review-2021

The Starling

— A story of loss and healing that occasionally shows a bit of a spark but ends up as a plodding, low-key disappointment. It does at least let Melissa McCarthy do more than pratfalls and juvenile comedy, but there’s not enough for her to come close to the power she has and showed in “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” The film really needed a better director who understood the difference between buried and non-existent emotions, between depression and boredom. In the end, it just isn’t a very satisfying viewing experience. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 102 min. Directed by Theodore Melfi. Starring Melissa McCarthy, Chris O’Dowd, and Kevin Kline.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-starling-film-review-2021

Scenes from a Marriage

— This is just a wonderful series! [HBO Plus streaming.]

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[2021. 5 Episodes, 50-55 minutes per episodes. Directed by Hagai Levi. Starring Jessica Chastain, Oscar Isaacs, and Sophia Kopera.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/scenes-from-a-marriage-tv-review-2021

The Father Who Moves Mountains

— This Romanian film has some strengths, but overall it’s not very original and it doesn’t leave you with anything worth much consideration. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 108 min. Directed by David Sandu. Starring Adrian Titieni, Elena Purea, and Judith State.]
https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/408697/

Cry Macho

— This is a decent story—sort of a road trip involving a washed-up cowboy, a 13-year-old kid, and a rooster. The cowboy (Eastwood) was sent to Mexico by the kid’s father to bring the son back to Texas and the son comes with a fighting rooster named “Macho”. Eastwood at 91 is still captivating but the script is so poorly written that’s it hard to know if Dwight Yoakum is just a terrible actor or it takes a talent like Eastwood’s to deliver such poorly drafted lines. It isn't one of Eastwood’s best films, but it’s interesting since it deals with having been something but becoming nothing as you grow older, about the meaning and value of "macho," about what’s important, and about the journey toward redemption and forgiveness. It’s leisurely paced, but I liked it. [HBO Max streaming.]

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[2021. 104 min. Directed by Clint Eastwood. Starring Clint Eastwood, Eduardo Minett, Natalia Traven, and Dwight Yoakam]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/cry-macho-movie-review-2021

The Vault (a.k.a. Way Down)

— The set-up is all very familiar, probably because it’s a successful formula. In this thriller, a fresh but good cast manages their tasks well. The acting, combined with decent direction, pacing, and editing, make it a solid film. It may not change your life, but it's decent way to spend an afternoon. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2021. 118 min. Directed by Jaume Balagueró. Starring Freddie Highmore, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, and Sam Riley.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-vault-movie-review-2021

The Voyeurs

— I’m pretty sure we didn’t need another film where someone becomes obsessed with watching what goes on in an apartment they can see from their window, but here it is anyway. There’s just enough titillation to assume it must be not just a “thriller” but an “erotic thriller.” I assume that helps bring in a larger audience who will find it appealing that the first half is mostly held together by glimpses of flesh and a growing obsession. Luckily, it did end with a few surprises and a twist or two that redeemed it, or at least made the first half seem a little less gratuitous. [Netflix streaming.]

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[2017. 120 min. Written and directed by Michael Mohan. Starring Sydney Sweeney, Justic Smith, Ben Hardy, and Natsha Liu Bordizzo.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-voyeurs-movie-review-2021

Cruella

— Much better than I had thought it would be, but then again with two Emmas—Stone and Thompson—of course it's fun. This is nothing like my memory of "101 Dalmatians" and is, instead, a nicely done backstory of one of Disney's beloved villains! [Disney+ streaming.]

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[2021. 134 min. Directed by Craig Gillespie. Starring Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, and Paul Walter Hauser.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/cruella-movie-review-2021

Malignant

— This is just not very good, resorting to every overused contrivance to try to shock us, but the rain can only pound so hard against the window, the lights can only flicker so often, the blood can only splatter so far, the creepy music can only play so long, and the main character can only be stupid enough to keep heading alone into dark rooms so many times before you have to say enough is enough. Did I mention we can only be shocked by an evil twin or cringe at a shot of an asylum perched high on a hill so many times? [HBO Max streaming.]

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[2021. 111 min. Directed by James Wan. Starring Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, and George Young.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/malignant-movie-review-2021

News of the World

— Sometimes a slow progression is exactly the way a story should unfold, and this is a great example. Tom Hanks, a civil war veteran who travels from town to town reading the world news to anyone who’s interested, finds a young girl on her own who has been orphaned, then taken in and orphaned again, this time by a Kiowa family who was raising her as their own. He decides to return her to the only remaining blood relatives she has. It’s a rough journey across the Texas landscape, made more difficult by barriers of language and trust but, slowly, a bond of sorts is formed as they stop in one town or another to read the news, or experience one hardship or another on the road. It’s beautifully filmed, well-acted, nicely detailed, and thoughtfully edited. There’s not much narration but Hanks fills the void. I liked the film, mostly for it’s look and feel and the caliber of acting, and would recommend it. [HBO Max streaming.]

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[2021. 118 min. Directed by Paul Greengrass. Starring Tom Hanks and Helena Zengel.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/news-of-the-world-movie-review-2020