January 2021 Movie Roundup
I’ve formed the habit at the end of every year to review what movies — both new and old — I’ve watched, and reflect on what did and didn’t resonate with me. As you might know from my previous annual roundups, I attempt to categorize and rank the movies, or simply touch on them, based on a feeling that they are worth mentioning.
As much as I enjoy this yearly exercise, I can find myself desperate for rewatches, even for my most memorable movies. Almost 12 months out for some, it can be difficult to eloquently rave about a movie that I loved, without having such recall for the note for note tendencies of the film that spoke to me.
I will still be doing my annual reviews, for myself more than anybody else . But in 2021 I am going to try and write in one form or another on a monthly basis about recent movies that spoke to me in various ways, with whatever superlatives feel appropriate.
I typically spend the month of January catching up on all the best movies I’ve missed out on in the previous year. This year was no exception, however I intend to publish a 2020 specific article with its own slew of superlatives in the near future once I watch a few more key movies. Below are movies that I managed to see while playing catch up.
Biggest Surprise — The Spectacular Now (2013) (dir. James Ponsoldt)
The high school movie genre’s depiction in the past decade of the more realistic homogenization of social strata has been an encouraging evolution. The Spectacular Now feels to be near the forefront of that, with Miles Teller playing Sutter, the sort of deadbeat, middle of the road, friends with everybody and nobody type guy that walks every high school hallway. Teller does a fantastic job of playing this sort of jock, without leaning into his alpha persona. Sutter and Shaylene Woodley’s Aimee may be critiqued for their chemistry. Intentional or not, I think that the ‘ill-at-ease’ you feel between them creates a verisimilitude of the uneasiness of teenagers discovering a more adult romance. It’s an excellent balancing act of precocious yet juvenile, that I think gives the movie it’s heart.
The Spectacular Now is a movie about two high schoolers, but it doesn’t try leaning into the genre. On its surface it’s a coming of age movie of sorts as they navigate the anxious period of graduation, but it attempts to dig deeper into the issues of Teller’s character. This is where it fails to make the leap from warm, heartfelt movie to a great one, leaving a lot of meat on the bone with Sutter’s issues of alcoholism and with his ex-girlfriend Cassidy (played by Brie Larson). Choices feel even less than half baked, with the true details surrounding Sutter’s drinking problem not being clear for the majority of the movie. The surprisingly notable tertiary cast members are also underwritten, with motives and archetypes being too ambiguous to glean anything out of them. Instead of emphasizing previous scenes, in hindsight, these problems undercut them.
The explorations of these vices, of course, play into Sutter’s troubles with his father (played by Kyle Chandler). I do think director James Ponsoldt finds his ground within this story, able to land the plane for a mostly realized character. The Spectacular Now is not without its flaws, but there was more than enough here for me to be more than pleasantly surprised by the enjoyment I got out of it.
Biggest Disappointment — True Lies (1994) (dir. James Cameron)
It would be an understatement to say I was pleasantly surprised with my viewing of Schwarzenegger’s Total Recall last year. I guess my expectations flipped too far the other way, as I primed myself for early 90s Arnold working with James Cameron to blow my socks off with a combination of high quality campy 90s action. True Lies was the most expensive movie ever made upon its release, and although it boasts Cameron’s typically impressive setpieces, there are too many problems to ignore.
I’ll defend Arnold’s acting skills, but none of those are on display here. He is simply nothing close to the believable every-man his wife (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) seems to think he is. There is a movies worth of B plot (or C plot) in the middle of the movie. Even still, it manages to wrap in about 2 hours, but decides to extend another twenty minutes into maybe its biggest set piece. I still think True Lies is entertaining, but movies that have the chance to be good and fail to reach that bar are often the most frustrating to watch. See more of my thoughts on my Letterboxd review.
Worst Film — Bewitched (2005) (dir. Nora Ephron)
I hesitate to pile on a movie for being ‘bad’ with any insinuation that there is zero merit to be extracted out of it. Bewitched is not the worst movie I’ve ever seen, but has many of the most bizarre story telling choices I’ve ever seen. In the way a kindergartner has the ability to be the most insightful judge of an adult’s character, even the most casual movie go-er can smell the garbage juice spilling out from Bewitched’s cauldron of confusing decisions.
My affections for Will Ferrell prevail in managing to still find him laugh out loud funny, a couple times during the movie. But he admittedly makes no sense for the role, and his entire movie star persona leaves the viewer completely confused as to what his character, Jack Wyatt’s actual personality is.
The worst world-building I’ve ever seen, a female protagonist written with the intelligence of a 5 year old, and a still dragging 102 minute run time, leave Bewitched as one of the most bizarre concoctions ever put to screen.
Most Enjoyable Rewatch — Due Date (2010) (dir. Todd Phillips)
The dichotomy of “innocent moron” and “angry/troubled guy who thinks he’s the alpha in the relationship” is clearly a spin on the buddy comedy I love. Due Date did it in 2010, and Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg were able to one-up them a year later with The Other Guys. Downey and Galfiiankis have great chemistry, and are able to play the more cynical version of that dynamic than their predecessor Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Similar to The Spectacular Now, Due Date operates in the frustrating atmosphere of “really good underrated movie with fixable flaws that really hold it back.” Much like the way RDJ’s character would probably act in a therapist’s office himself, everytime he attempts to unspool his issues with his father, he reels back in. Even worse, the plot line concerning his wife’s infidelity is simply missing a real scene to wrap it up. It leaves a movie with plenty of big laughs, but that’s ultimately handicapped by its lack of vulnerability.
Film I Want to Revisit the Most — Used Cars (1980) (dir. Robert Zemeckis)
If you’re not familiar with the name Robert Zemickis, I would guarantee you’re familiar with his filmography; containing classics like Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, and Cast Away. Zemeckis’ second feature length film Used Cars is perhaps his weirdest, and horniest entry. Existing in the insular world of small town Arizona, where two used car lots across the street from each other, and owned by twin brothers, compete for business. Once one of the brothers dies, a young Kurt Russell working at the lesser of the two dealerships, takes over. As you might expect, hijinx built haphazard plans ensue.
The direction of Used Cars doesn’t always feel clear, but the humility of the characters, and Kurt Russell’s innate likeability, give it enough charm and grit to make the world feel lived in.
The movie leaves me wanting to circle back and see what I missed now that I have the fuller picture, as I was so blown away by every twist and turn upon my first viewing. It also leaves me wanting to brush up on more movies from 1980, all of which I’ve seen occupy a weird middle space with influences from the two decades it straddles.
Most In Need of a Shoutout — Ghost (1990) (dir. Jerry Zucker)
This category could probably often double as biggest surprise, but I wanted to leave it last as a departing highlight. I figured Ghost would occupy a similar — albeit weirder — corner of the erotic thriller genre of the era. Instead, it’s a fun, fairly commercial thriller, with great chemistry among its three leads of Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg (who won Best Supporting Actress for her performance).
Swayze’s background as a dancer added a physicality to his role few other more talented actors could pull off. The way in which he interacts with the gloomy New York cityscape he’s trapped in is highly believable. His earnest attempt to converse with Demi Moore doesn’t feel more corny than it needs to be. The banter between Swayze and Goldberg is what makes the movie hum, but its propelled by a genuinely captivating crime/mystery. Some of the other erotic thrillers I’ve seen don’t have that ingredient. I find the sexual appeal and charisma of the characters tend to play coverup for a story that feels secondary to the eroticism. Ghost feels purposeful, and for those understandably hesitant to jump into the genre, I consider this is a highly watchable movie for a large swatch of people — the same way it was when it became the highest grossing movie of 1990, yielding over 500 million worldwide. And if you’re a fan of the Righteous Brothers, that’s all the more reason to see Ghost’s most famous scene.
