The Oscar Project
Whew, on the last day of the year, I've finished my top ten countdown of my best films of the year. I'm sure I left out some of your favorites, so feel free to leave me a comment on what I missed this year.
#1-Nomadland
This marks my second film from Chloé Zhao on the list (following Eternals at #8) and so marks a strong year for her. Now, I don't pick this as my top film of the year just because it won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress (Frances McDormand) at the Academy Awards in the spring. I truly think this was the best film that I saw all year.
It is an incredibly introspective film. As beautiful as some of the other films on this list are, this one takes the cake for stunning beauty. The landscapes of the American West are captured in incredible visuals. One of my favorite shots is a slow tracking shot of Fern (McDormand) strolling through the nomad camp where she has been staying for a few days quietly saying goodnight to her friends. The scene takes place at twilight, just as the sun is setting and I spent just as much time watching the sun in the sky as paying attention to the character action on screen. Many people probably shy away from this film because of the subject matter, but I highly encourage everyone to check it out. There is a peacefulness to the film that you rarely find in cinema today and in that respect it is incredibly refreshing. I would dare anyone to watch this film and not desire at least a bit more peace and quiet in their life. If you missed any of the rest of my top ten, you can check out the rest of the list here: #2. Malcolm & Marie #3. The Rescue #4. Judas and the Black Messiah #5. Spider-Man: No Way Home #6. Raya and the Last Dragon #7. Black Widow #8. Eternals #9. Dune #10. Luca
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We are only two days away from the new year and down to the last two films in my top 10 of the year.
#2-Malcolm & Marie
I am fascinated by the two actors in this film and have loved them in pretty much everything I've seen them in. It's no surprise that I included them as one of my favorite performances of the year, and that Washington's film Tenet appeared on my top ten first time watches in 2021, and Zendaya appears in two films on my top ten from this year (Spider-Man: No Way Home and Dune).
If you're looking for a film with some interesting character studies, this is just the one for you. If you are looking for a film that is beautifully shot in black and white 35mm, this is one for you. If you are looking for a film for movie lovers, about movie creators, this is a film for you. However, if you are looking for a film with lots of action, a twisting plot, or intense mystery, I'm sad to say you'll have to look elsewhere. I was first intrigued by this film when I read about it being shot during the summer of 2020 at the height of Covid-19. I have always loved films that keep to a single location and this falls distinctly in that category. I think I like the fact that the creators have to work within the limitations of the physical space and find ways to keep things interesting within that same setting. Don't forget to check out the rest of my top ten list: #3. The Rescue #4. Judas and the Black Messiah #5. Spider-Man: No Way Home #6. Raya and the Last Dragon #7. Black Widow #8. Eternals #9. Dune #10. Luca
Along with my #5 pick of Spider-Man: No Way Home, this is the most recent watch on my list for this year and the only documentary that made the cut. I usually don't think of docs as films that will keep my on the edge of my seat, but this one did just that.
#3-The Rescue
Readily accessible on Disney+ as part of the National Geographic programming there, The Rescue recounts the story of a harrowing attempt to save 12 young boys and their soccer coach from a cave in northern Thailand.
From the beginning, the film makes it very clear that there was little hope of even finding these boys alive when it was discovered they were missing. The film does an incredible job of laying out the depth and breadth of the cave system they were exploring when they became trapped through animations and computer graphics. On top of that, the idea that there were just a handful of people in the world equipped to carry out the type of diving necessary for the search and rescue in this location underlines the mind-boggling feat it was. I will warn viewers that anyone with children, especially kids around the age of the boys in the film may find it a hard watch. If you do check it out, try not to look up any information about the actual events until after watching the film. Don't forget to check out the rest of my top ten list: #4. Judas and the Black Messiah #5. Spider-Man: No Way Home #6. Raya and the Last Dragon #7. Black Widow #8. Eternals #9. Dune #10. Luca
Most of the other films on my list have been action oriented, but the list gets a bit serious today. This film was nominated for a number of Oscars earlier this year, but it was officially released in 2021 so falls on my list for this year.
#4-Judas and the Black Messiah
This film was not entirely what I expected. I knew the basic subject matter coming in, but didn't have a deep knowledge of the characters portrayed in the film or really know the history of the events other than loose association of the activities of the Black Panther Party. To say that it opened my eyes is a huge understatement.
As I wrote earlier this month in my favorite performance post, the standout performance in this film for me waas LaKeith Stanfield as Bill O'Neal, the main protagonist. I hesitate to label his as a protagonist in that he is the Judas of the title, but the way the film was crafted, I felt myself siding with him and against him throughout. There are times when O'Neal is in such a position of power one moment, gaining knowledge about the Black Panther Party that he can pass along in his role as an informant. Immediately following, O'Neal falls victim to stereotypes of the period and the power dynamic has shifted 180 degrees. The film is not for the faint of heart and there is plenty to anger people from all sides of the political spectrum, but the hope would be that anyone can gain a new understanding of the people involved in this movement, whether they agree with them or not. Don't forget to check out the rest of my top ten list: #5. Spider-Man: No Way Home #6. Raya and the Last Dragon #7. Black Widow #8. Eternals #9. Dune #10. Luca
We've made it to the final week of the year and there are just a few days left before we turn the page to 2022. I've also made it to my top five films of the year, starting with today's #5 pick, the final of three Marvel films hitting my list after Black Widow at #7 and Eternals at #8.
#5-Spider-Man: No Way Home
This is also the most recent watch to land on my list. I saw this just yesterday and was totally blown away. There were so many rumors attached to this film, some of which had all but been confirmed (Toby and Andrew anyone?) but actually seeing some of these characters show up on screen was a sight to behold. I honestly didn't think the film could live up to the hype, but it did.
Even with all the "leaks" and rumors circulating for the last year, there were still moments in the film that surprised me. I don't want to say too much since it's still only a week and a half old in theaters at this point, but if you've seen the film, you'll know what I'm talking about. This film also does the best job of setting up future Marvel Cinematic Universe film projects, most notably Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, which is scheduled to hit theaters in May 2022. I really can't say enough good things about this film and urge any Marvel fan to check it out as soon as possible. Don't forget to check out the rest of my top ten list: #6. Raya and the Last Dragon #7. Black Widow #8. Eternals #9. Dune #10. Luca
I hope you survived the holiday this week and are looking forward to starting the new year off with a bang in just a few short days. Next up in my top ten films of the year is my second animated film after Luca came in at #10.
#6-Raya and the Last Dragon
I was looking forward to this film quite a bit when it released back in March and happily plunked down the extra money to stream this right away on Disney+. It was money well spent as this story captured my attention right away.
Raya and the last Dragon follows the quest of young outlaw princess Raya (Kelly Marie Tran) as she searches for pieces of a broken gem that legend says will bring a race of dragons back to life to save her civilization. The film centers on how distrustful people can be of each other, but how interconnected we all are and how we must rely on each other to survive. The film is beautifully rendered and pulls inspiration from a number of Southeast Asian cultures. There is an equal blend of humor and heart as we follow Raya as she makes new friends from rival lands, ultimately ending in a coming together a la Guardians of the Galaxy, just without the dance battle at the end. Don't forget to check out the rest of my top ten list: #7. Black Widow #8. Eternals #9. Dune #10. Luca
Merry Christmas!! It's time to reveal my #7 film of the year and my second Marvel film on the list after Eternals at #8 yesterday. I hope you have a happy and safe holiday with your family and friends.
#7-Black Widow
We had to wait well over a year for this film because of Covid, but it was worth the wait. Yes, the Russian accents might be a little rough in places, but it's a comic book after all, it doesn't have to be realistic. I mean, the climax of the film takes place on a floating laboratory in the clouds.
Suspending reality aside, I loved this film and the way it wrapped up Natasha Romanov's (Scarlett Johansson) story in the MCU while at the same time fleshing out her backstory and setting up her sister Yelena (Florence Pugh) to somewhat take over the role of the Black Widow character as the MCU goes into he future. We even got to see her return to the screen earlier this month in he last few episodes of Hawkeye on Disney+. I really hope we get to see some of the other characters we were introduced to in this film including Natasha and Yelena's parents (David Harbour and Rachel Weisz) along with Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) and Natasha's fixer/supplier Rick Mason (O-T Fagbenle). The film provided a good introduction to all these characters, but as they were extensions of Natasha's story, I"m not sure if we'll see them in the MCU beyond this film. Black Widow is available on Disney+ and if you haven't checked it out yet, go watch it today. Don't forget to check out the rest of my top ten list: #8. Eternals #9. Dune #10. Luca
Merry Christmas Eve to everyone. I hope you are enjoying my top ten of the year. Today I'm keeping more with the space theme from yesterday's pick at #9 even though most of the action takes place back on Earth.
#8-Eternals
There is so much to touch on in Marvel's latest ensemble film but most of that has already been discussed ad nauseum across the internet. Yes, the film features the most diverse cast of any Marvel film to date, not just in terms of race and ethnicity, but across sexuality, and even different sensory abilities. The story spans millennia as we get to know the ten core members of The Eternals and their role in the greater story of Earth in the MCU. The film marks director Chloé Zhao's follow-up to her Oscar-winning Nomadland released earlier this year.
As a story, Eternals had a daunting task of teaching us about these myriad characters over the course of just a few hours before thrusting them into a difficult situation and landing at some sort of resolution. With previous Marvel films like the first Avengers in 2012, the creators had the benefit of five previous films giving us the backstory of five of the six main Avengers, Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye being the only character to debut in that film. Eternals had no such benefit and yet managed to make viewers care about the characters in the short timeframe of the film, while at the same time wanting more in future installments. Will Eternals garner Zhao as much award press as Nomadland? Probably not. Will it cement these characters in the public consciousness for years to come as we learn more about who they are? That remains to be seen, but Zhao and team have laid down a firm foundation. Eternals is likely still playing a theaters near you in either a first run or second run and will also be available to stream on Disney+ on January 12th. Don't forget to check out the rest of my top ten list: #9. Dune #10. Luca
Yesterday I started with my countdown of my top ten films of the year, looking at #10 on my list, Luca. Today we move away from the animated world of Pixar to explore the far reaches of space in the latest reimagining of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novel Dune.
#9-Dune
I'm no Dune fanatic. I've only read the original Dune novel, and only truly listened to that in an audio version at that. I don't know the history of the franchise like I do things like Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. I've still never seen the original Dune film directed by David Lynch in 1984. So the only preconceived notions I had about this version were based on the audio book and the trailers I'd seen of this film.
While this film is by no means perfect, it blew me away. The film brings an all-star cast featuring Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Rebecca Ferguson as his mother Lady Jessica, Oscar Isaac as his father Duke Leto, Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck and Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho. This doesn't even include the likes of Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Javier Bardem, and Zendaya who are likely to feature more prominently in the sequel currently set to be released in late 2023. Beyond the cast, it is clear that plenty of care has been taken to craft the world of Dune, from unique personal touches applied to each character's protective suit to a special method of walking in the deserts of Arrakis. My only real gripe about the film is how it felt unfinished. The makes sense since it is only the first part of a larger story, and while the ending point was a logical place to cut things off, it still felt a bit like the first of Peter Jackson's Hobbit films, where it would have worked better continuing on a bit longer. I can definitely see Dune racking up several Academy Award nominations this year in technical categories like visual effects, sounds, cinematography, and possibly original score. If you missed the original theatrical run, you might still be able to catch this on the big screen in a second run theater if you have one in your area, or see it on HBO Max when it makes a likely return to the platform in early 2022. Don't forget to check out the rest of my top ten list: #10. Luca
So far in my Year in Review posts, I've covered surprises and disappointments in films in 2021. I looked at my favorite individual performances and highlighted some of my top short films that I saw this year. For the last several days, I explored my top ten first time watches and now it's time to count down my top ten films of 2021.
#10-Luca
Released over the summer as a direct to Disney+ release, Luca came as a refreshing story about Luca and Alberto, two young boys learning to fit in as part of a world where they don't truly belong. As sea monsters, they are extreme outsiders in the small seaside Italian town of Portorosso. The town is "ruled" by an extremely egocentric bully mame Ercole who has cheated his way to winning the annual Portorosso Cup many years in a row.
Alberto and Luca team up with Giulia, the daughter of a local fisherman, in an attempt to win the Cup, a triathlon around and through the town. They plan to use the prize money to purchase their own Vespa scooter and use it to travel the world, living a life of freedom and adventure. Complicating matters is Alberto's need to work with Giulia's father on his fishing boat, the fact that both Alberto and Luca turn back into sea monsters whenever they touch water, and Luca's parents scouring the town for their son in the lead up to the race. In the end, Luca is a beautifully made film. Like all Pixar releases, the color palette is striking, from the blues and greens of the underwater world, to the browns, yellows, and oranges of the town. Director Enrico Casarosa is a veteran artist and writer for over 15 years of Pixar features, so he knows the formula and applies it well to this subject matter. Honorable Mentions
Before I go for today, I wanted to call out a handful of films that didn't quite make the top 10 this year, but were worthy of recognition.
#13. No Time to Die The final Bond film featuring Daniel Craig in the lead role left a little to be desired, especially compared with some of his other entries in the franchise. That said, this Bond definitely felt updated for the time we live in, including a black woman filling Bond's 007 moniker when he was presumed dead and Bond trying to settle down as a bit of a family man. I'm not sure if Bond's womanizing days are completely over, but it definitely had a different tone than any Bond before it. #12. The Mitchells vs. the Machines I mentioned this among my surprises of the year last week, but felt it needed mentioning again here. It is a fun family film, that brings home a good message of standing with your family, even if you don't always get along fully or even understand each other. It is also a cautionary tale about the dangers of technology in our ever more interconnected world. #11. Shang-Chi: Legend of the Ten Rings There was only so much space in my top 10 for Marvel films and unfortunately Shang-Chi fell just out of the list. It was a strong debut for the character, and some parts were visually stunning, but it just didn't feel connected to the greater Marvel universe quite yet. I'm sure that will come as we see the characters pop up in other Marvel properties in the next few years, but I couldn't quite elevate this to top ten status. Don't forget to check back every day through the end of the year for a new film from my top ten each day! |
AuthorI'm just a film buff who wants to watch great movies. Where else to find the best, than the list of those nominated by the Academy each year? Archives
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