2021 in Entertainment, the Best and the Worst Movies and TV

This year there is a new category from last year’s three: TV’s Best and Worst. What follows is not necessarily Top and Bottom 10 lists, but rather lists of movies and TV I truly enjoyed or truly didn’t enjoy. Here we go:

My 5 Best New Movies

# 1 and # 2 are interchangeable, no clear winner, both 4/4*

A Quiet Place, Part II: What may have been seen as an unnecessary sequel to one of my definitive favourites of the last 15 years, A Quiet Place II delivers more of the same honest and exhilarating sci-fi thriller feel that made me adore the first movie so much, fully justifying its existence and even making me anxious for some more. An excellent movie in every way.

 

Dune: Part One: Incredible movie. Made even better by the realisation that Part Two has been greenlit, seeing that this one does not complete the story. Visually, it is absolutely gorgeous, with none of the tacky acting or strange visual effects of any of the earlier versions, Dune: Part One is what Dune was always supposed to be, what Herbert's novel deserves.

 

Three Movies rated at 3.5/4*

Zack Snyder’s Justice League: The original, while not a complete failure, was rushed and incomplete. With reshoots and going full-on uncut, this feels like a mini-series, it works near-perfectly, and is superior in every way: clearer story and character motivations, improved VFX, it holds up better. The 4-hr running time is not a slog but streamlining some slow-motion elements may make it even better.

 

Godzilla vs. Kong: Godzilla vs Kong is a lot of fun from a franchise growing in confidence and not shying away from the ridiculous. And why wouldn't it be ridiculous after Godzilla: King of the Monsters? This time there is tension between Godzilla and Kong (obviously), which will take a wholly different threat to resolve. Visually spectacular while feeling like a homage to old-school big-monster movies, Godzilla vs Kong successfully continues the ridiculousness.

 

No Time to Die: The final Daniel Craig Bond movie is not the best Bond of this modern era, but also not the worst. Daniel Craig's Bond movies stand, in my opinion, head and shoulders above especially those of Pierce Brosnan, but also above any of the others - in that they're rooted in a sense of realism while delivering excellent action alongside a deeper story. Here's hoping the next Bond can deliver to a similar or higher standard.

My 2 Worst New Movies

These weren’t really bad movies, they both just left me indifferent, and therefore as I could choose and was lucky to not choose any real clunkers, these two rated lowest at 2.5/4*.

 

Finch: No Tom Hanks movie is ever really bad, as he is infinitely entertaining and always easy to get behind, and while Finch is not bad at all, it just isn't really all that good either. The emotions are there and make this movie ultimately worth the watch, but it won't win any awards for breaking new ground.

 

The Vault: The Vault is a serviceable heist movie with a few recognisable faces making for a reliably entertaining 2 hours. The tension builds quite acceptably towards an eventually somewhat non-climactic end, with one or two clever plot twists that lifts it just above being a waste of time.

My 5 Best Late Catch-up Movies

I only got to see these movies from earlier years in 2021, and they all rate 3.5/4*.

 

Love and Monsters (2020): Love and Monsters is such a cool throwback movie - it feels like a modern-day reimagining of the creature movies we watched and enjoyed as kids, with actual special effects and a semi-sweet love story. Really fun - one to re-watch periodically.

 

Palm Springs (2020): A somewhat foul-mouthed time-loop romantic comedy with Andy Sandberg, this is a surprisingly feel-good and affecting story about a slacker stuck in a time-loop at a dessert wedding, with a few people stuck with him. Hilarious and heartfelt, it's more than just a diversion, it will always be a good memory.

 

Patriot’s Day (2016): Very good, made even better by linking it all to real people. Following the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings and investigations that lead to the capture of the guilty and focussing on some of the injured. The close-to-true telling almost makes it seem like a comedy of errors at times, considering how small-town cops handled it, but the survivors' message lifts this to another level.

 

Another Round (2020): Four high school teachers start a social experiment aimed at finding a level of constant inebriation optimal to a "better" life. As the movie progresses, the group increases their day-drinking to darkly comic yet also sadly disastrous levels. A fantastic and highly entertaining movie that is also an honest cautionary tale.

 

The Mustang (2019): A fantastic yet quiet story of a hardened criminal getting involved in an inmate rehabilitation program that has inmates working at taming wild horses to be auctioned off to law enforcement agencies - a beautiful story of forgiveness and acceptance.

 

My 6 Worst Late Catch-Up Movies

Except for one movie on this list (indicated), all of these are rated 2.5/4*, which is more of an indifferent rating than a bad one, but they rate worst from what I’ve seen.

 

Zombieland: Double Tap (2019): I held off on this sequel for a long time, being afraid of the usual quality drop - turns out I was right. Where the original played off its freshness and oddly different approach (for which I loved it), this doesn't do much other than riding on the first movie. While entertaining, it's just not as memorable.

 

Baywatch (2017): Yes, Baywatch. It's bad, but also low-key enjoyable. As an action-comedy, it doesn't work great, as both the action and the comedy are merely OK. What I enjoyed was that somehow, even though it's so obviously bogus, the characters feel real (apart from the awful villain), and what tipped it over 2 stars was one character, Ronnie (John Bass) - absolutely hilarious.

 

JEXI (2019): A sweet-ish romantic comedy disguised as a vile-ish Hollywood production. I'll never understand Hollywood's need to take something good and gross it up like this. I enjoyed moments, but the overall feeling is a pure disappointment.

 

Central Intelligence (2016): Paint-by-numbers action comedy that has some funny moments but is not as funny as it seems to think it is. Hart and Johnson are both huge in their own spheres of the entertainment industry, and it's disappointing to see what they've come up with here, less than the sum of its parts.

 

Gemini Man (2019): Any Will Smith movie is supposed to be better than this - some cool action sequences are overshadowed by lacking CGI firmly entrenched in the uncanny valley - a bit of a waste of time to be honest.

 

Wonder Woman ’84 (2020) (1.5/4*): After 2017's Wonder Woman being such a pleasant surprise, one could have hoped for more of the same, but it's only there in small parts in some entertaining action sequences. This is garbage - the final showdown once again a VFX mess, the story wishful thinking, and the aftertaste nothing but regret.

 

My 11 Best Movie Re-Watches

Three 4* Movies on the Re-Watch List

Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation (2015): Tom Cruise is completely in stride, this is an even more kick-ass instalment in the Mission: Impossible series - Part Two of the "second" trilogy.

 

Mission: Impossible Fallout (2018): Tom Cruise is completely in stride, this is the most kick-ass instalment in the Mission: Impossible series - Part Three of the "second" trilogy.

 

Kill Bill Volume 1 (2003): A purely visceral experience, Kill Bill Volume 1 was as entertaining now as it was 18 years ago - partially shockingly violent, partially vicarious revenge tale, completely fun and irreverent joy to watch.

Eight 3.5* Movies on the Re-Watch List

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Ultimate Edition (2016): The added 30 minutes is a phenomenal improvement. It seamlessly expands and clarifies the motivations of almost all major role players to such an extent that the movie feels like less of a slog than the shorter original theatrical version. See this version, it's a step in the right direction - I can't wait to see Snyder's Justice League later in 2021

 

Captain Phillips (2013): This is the somewhat disputed retelling of the pirate hijacking of the Maersk Alabama (it was later found Captain Phillips was not as heroic). But the movie is excellent. Tom Hanks is marvellous as an everyman who goes further than expected to save lives during a harrowing experience, with the other stand-out actor here being Barkhad Abdi, the Somali Pirate gang's leader.

 

United 93 (2006): 15 years later, and while I did remember it quite well, one thing that struck me even harder this time was the emotional impact of realising this was actual events pieced together from phone calls and other communications, portraying everyday heroes sacrificing their lives to save others. A brilliant movie and a harrowing telling of heavy events.

 

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): Not much can be said about Raiders of the Lost Ark that hasn't been said before. An absolute classic that's as good today as it was 40 years ago (before I was able to appreciate it at age 1). Harrison Ford is simply perfect as the scoundrel archaeologist Indiana Jones.

 

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (2011): Tom Cruise is completely in stride, this is a kick-ass instalment in the Mission: Impossible series - Part One of the "second" trilogy.

 

Skyfall (2012): Perhaps the most stylish, yet small-scale Bond movie, Skyfall turns things inward for both Bond and M, with tragic consequences. Grand visuals in an early cityscape sequence almost invoke Blade Runner, while stark contrasts during the last half of the movie turn this Bond series on a darker and more personal path.

 

Kill Bill Volume 2 (2004): Continuing the Kill Bill saga, Volume 2 slows things down a bit from the martial arts extravaganza of Volume 1 to a more talkative Spaghetti Western. Slightly less entertaining than the blast that was Volume 1, yet still a lot of fun to watch again.

 

Spectre (2015): Spectre is the advancement of Bond's story following on the more personal elements of Skyfall into the bigger world of the evil corporation trying to ruin not only Bond's life but also to take over the world (though Bond gets their special attention). A truly good-looking Bond movie dragging you tensely along.

My 4 Worst Movie Re-Watches

Sometimes watching a movie again years later just doesn’t gel with the original experience, or the movie does not age well, these are those movies for 2021.

Two movies at the indifferent 2.5* rating

The Mechanic (2011): The Mechanic is less fun than remembered, as it feels a little too gritty/dirty for easy entertainment. Statham is still his usual action movie self, the only difference being that he's more of an anti-hero dark assassin this time 'round.

 

Quantum of Solace (2008): The least impressive Bond movie of the Daniel Craig era, Quantum of Solace has some good ideas squandered on an anticlimactic end sequence without much of an apparent point - some advancements are made towards unveiling Spectre, but not much.

Two movies at the below-average 2* rating

The Other Guys (2010): The Other Guys is from a time when Will Ferrell’s antics was still relatively entertaining and occasionally hilarious and being teamed up with Mark Wahlberg is a stroke of almost genius. Entertaining movie, a bit crasser than I remembered, but still pretty fun.

 

Mission: Impossible (1996): I had good memories and should have kept it that way. This was painful to watch again 25 years later, as apart from two really cool action sequences, this felt like a home movie made by absolute amateurs. I will always be thankful for this movie though, as it led to the "second" trilogy of Mission: Impossible movies, which are absolutely incredible.

 

My 12 Best TV Series Watched During 2021

The Best One, rated at 4*

The Mandalorian, Season 2: While I think I enjoyed the first season of The Mandalorian slightly better than Season 2, this is, in my opinion, still one the greatest things to ever happen to TV. Massively entertaining, fantastically well-produced, and perfectly atmospheric, The Mandalorian is peak Star Wars.

 

12 more, rated at 3.5*

Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Season 8: Hands down one of the best sitcoms ever produced, Brooklyn Nine-Nine was even better for allowing audiences to choose what to laugh at (no laugh tracks). Season 8 was not up there with the rest, having a particularly weak start, but it picked up nicely before a beautifully bittersweet finale.

 

Foundation, Season 1: Apple TV+'s effort at bringing Isaac Asimov’s Foundation to life on the silver screen may have started out relatively slow, but it explodes into something fantastic during the last three episodes. The first seven episodes are not wasted, however, as they feature strong acting from some familiar faces and many unfamiliar faces alike, and stunningly gorgeous world-building.

 

Line of Duty, Season 1: Fantastic slow-burn British crime drama - only 5 episodes allow for a story to be told without annoying delays and detours in getting to the point. Excited to get to the next 5 (or more?) seasons.

 

Resident Alien, Season 1: Alan Tudyk is perfectly cast as a human "inhabited" by an Alien in this hilarious comedy about an alien hell-bent on finishing his mission (destroying humanity) while hiding in plain sight. Excellent stuff and can't wait for season 2.

 

Seal Team, Season 4: Seal Team remains one of the better TV Series out there. In the vein of The Unit, Seal Team focuses on (you guessed it) an American Navy Seal Team, their missions abroad, and their personal lives and interactions. Super solid series, always a pleasure to watch.

 

Star Trek: Picard, Season 1: Unlike Discovery, Picard is awesome science fiction that also comments on contemporary issues without becoming an oppressive social justice pulpit. Patrick Stewart is his usual great self, anchoring this fantastic series in realism amid all the (perhaps continuously less far-fetched) science fiction.

 

Ted Lasso, Seasons 1 & 2: This is no doubt one of my favourites from the last decade - one of the best feel-good series ever. Jason Sudeikis is fantastic as the titular character, an out-of-place coach great at human interaction, less so with the sport he has to coach. The supporting cast is as perfect. Just one thing blocking me from an unequivocal recommendation: occasional moments of (very) crass humour and consistent use of the Lord's Name in vain will not be for everyone.

 

The Expanse, Season 5: This one is one of the better Science Fiction series I've seen. A cold war where the parties are Earth, Mars, and the Solar System's Asteroid Belt is navigated by the crew of the Rocinante, politicians, and many more threatens our solar system - and drastic action is required to avert disaster.

 

The Flight Attendant, Season 1: Accurately described on Wikipedia as a Comedy-Drama-Mystery-Thriller, The Flight Attendant is a very entertaining pulp novel vividly brought to life with Kaley Cuoco delivering a performance making you forget she's most famous for being Penny from The Big Bang Theory. A lot of fun.

 

The Mosquito Coast, Season 1: While The Mosquito Coast is definitely not for everyone - it is very slow-paced and the end does not feel like an ending at all, just a moment of reprieve, it is beautifully produced and marvellously acted. Be sure to stay until after the credits with each episode for a small behind the scenes look that adds to the production.

 

The Rookie, Season 3: The Rookie remains one of my favourite series - Nathan Fillion is fantastic as a 45(ish) year old LAPD Rookie in a great Police Drama series, recommend highly.

 

The Unicorn, Season 2: The Unicorn is a truly beautiful little comedy series, bittersweet, heartfelt, funny, and romantic in short 20-minute doses. Walton Goggins is as good at playing Wade here as he was playing Boyd Crowder in Justified - two series that are about as far from each other as is possible. I'm quite sad to hear the show's been cancelled.

 

My 5 Worst TV Series Watched During 2021

While most of the entries on the Worst lists for the movies didn’t really include anything truly bad, this list does. These struck me as nothing but a waste of time, whether I was lucky enough to realise this early on, or whether the annoyance only struck me later on and subsequently ruined everything that preceded this realisation.

 

Walker, Season 1 to Season 2, Episode 4: Walker started out as a relatively fun distraction, featuring Jared Padalecki from Supernatural fame (which is why I gave Walker a chance to begin with) as the new Walker. This is however not Chuck Norris' Walker, and after a bit of promise early in season 1, Walker has devolved into downright Soap Opera territory - forcing me to abandon it.

 

Star Trek: Discovery, Season 3, Episodes 1 to 7: I enjoyed seasons 1 and 2 of Discovery, the visuals are incredible, and the storytelling was effective. From Season 3 however, there seemed to be less of a focus on the cool science fiction and more on the depressing and over-emotional drama - and an over-emphasis on unnecessary, real-world issues. It's supposed to be escapism, not just a social justice pulpit.

 

Modern Family, Season 8, Episodes 6 and 7: Stopped Modern Family years ago after getting REALLY annoyed with the episode structure for EVERY episode. Tried it again and made it through 2 episodes before abandoning it - this time for good. (The structure: an extended family member does something selfish/wrong, proceeds to share it with everyone but his/her partner, who they try to hide it from, only for that person to eventually accept the snafu in some way, with a "life lesson" and an attempt at a "warm-and-fuzzy" ending. Oh, and Phil being stupid about something.)

 

Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Season 1, Episodes 1 to 3: Having loved Star Wars Rebels and Clone Wars, I was cautiously excited about The Bad Batch (but not completely, as the backdoor pilot for The Bad Batch in Clone Wars also made me cringe a little). I could make it through 2.5 episodes before abandoning it, it's just not worth it. The humour falls flat, the storytelling is formulaic, and the overall feel just bland.

 

The Good Doctor, Season 1 to Season 3, Episode 11: The Good Doctor started out good but turned annoying pretty quickly during season 2. It got so bad in season 3, in conjunction with a loss of focus on interesting medical cases and that focus being replaced by melodramatic soap opera drama, that we abandoned it halfway through Season 3. Eventually, this was a monumental waste of time.