Coda: Best of 2021

Showing posts with label Best of 2021. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 5

Favorite Horror of 2021 (Monte's List)

Favorite Horror of 2021

In a year of uncertainty, with the literal horror film about a seemingly unstoppable deadly virus happening outside our front doors, reconnecting with movies on streaming networks, going to virtual film festivals, and returning to the sacred sanctum of the movie theater was pure joy. Horror took new forms in 2021, with both fearfully fantastic and dreadfully reality-driven stories. 2021 found new ways to approach recurring themes of isolation, desperation, and the fear of the unknown. Films about religion, urban legends, culture, society, ecology, demons, slashers, and even automotive sensuality brought intriguing visions to beautifully horrific life. This year was undeniably a unique experience for genre fans. These are my favorite horror films from 2021.

13. Werewolves Within

Beaverfield is a snowy, isolated community with a pipeline controversy and a mysterious creature problem. The townsfolk, a mix of every comedic cliché you've seen in horror movies, are being brutally murdered by an unseen monster. It's up to a charming duo, forest ranger Finn (Sam Richardson) and postal worker Cecily (Milana Vayntrub), to keep the community from tearing themselves apart. Director Josh Ruben and writer Mishna Wolff compose a rare balanced horror/comedy that maintains mystery and mayhem with genuine laughs and thrills.

12. Jakob's Wife

Barbara Crampton!!! That should be the only recommendation needed to watch "Jakob's Wife." Ms. Crampton is superb, also assisted by the always reliable Larry Fessenden, in a vampire film that evokes discussion about the virtues of religion and falsehoods surrounding a woman's place within a marriage. It's serious and satirical in amusing ways. "Jakob's Wife" uses the vampire subgenre to craft a character-driven film with substance.

11. Saint Maud

"Saint Maud" is a beautiful debut from an engaging creative voice. It's many different shapes of horror. It completely understands what it wants to portray, no scary monsters or spooky ghosts, but rather the questions of what exists beyond our recognition and the choice we must make in the pursuit of what we believe and put our faith within. "Saint Maud" is here for your cinematic soul.

10. Gaia

An injured forest ranger is saved by survivalists, a father and a son, who have a cult-like devotion to the unknown elements of the forest. This ecological horror tale combines impressive myth/world building and striking visual/practical designs to create a timely story about humanity's abuse of nature. Director Jaco Bouwer delivers a supernatural film that is intriguing and thought-provoking.

9. Come True

Suffering from horrific recurring nightmares, 18-year-old Sarah (Julia Sarah Stone) submits to a university sleep study only to realize that the monsters from her dreams are invading her waking life. Writer/director Anthony Scott Burns deftly combines science fiction and horror in strange and creepy ways. The balancing act of storytelling, building the world and blurring the lines between reality and dream, is impressively pieced together. The design of this film, from the lighting, the sound design, and the special effects, makes it stand out from others like it.

8. Sator

The atmosphere in writer/director Jordan Graham's "Sator" is so dark and dreadful it's impossible not to get consumed by it. Every step taken into the secluded and desolate forest plunges the viewer into the nightmare. "Sator" is meticulously paced, slowly unraveling the complicated layers of its characters' lives while increasing the spooky factor around every turn in the narrative. Jordan Graham displays immense talent beyond writing and directing the actors; he also served as editor, director of photography, and sound designer. "Sator" is absorbing and unnerving filmmaking.

7. Fear Street Trilogy

The "Fear Street" trilogy was the most pleasant horror surprise for me in 2021. Spanning over three time periods, with recurring characters and a supernatural premise that has durability across different timelines, director Leigh Janiak utilizes tropes and characteristics with near pitch-perfect quality. "Fear Street: 1994" has slasher vibes akin to "Scream," "I Know What You Did Last Summer," and even a little year 2000 "Cherry Falls." "Fear Street: 1978" feels like "Friday the 13th" and 1984s "Madman." And "Fear Street: 1666" influences from "The Witch" and "The Crucible." Each film pays homage to its period in some way, whether through character design, gruesome kills, or a plot device. The three films combined serve as one of the best horror trilogies of all time.

6. The Night House

Anchored by a fantastic performance from Rebecca Hall, "The Night House" constructs a maze of atmosphere and design on its path towards chilling and frightening events. In the film, Beth (Rebecca Hall) is grieving the unexpected death of her husband, living in isolation in a lakeside home. Beth begins having vivid and horrifying dreams, and a supernatural force begins engaging with her inside the home. "The Night House" utilizes the vessel of a horror film to explore topics like loneliness, grief, trauma, and healing. While the surface narrative elements and performance by Rebecca Hall make for a good enough horror film, the underlying themes and filmmaking designs make for a tremendous multilayered genre experience.

5. The Empty Man

Writer/director David Prior has been very honest about the difficulties of getting this ambitious genre film to the masses. Along the path of a disastrous production, long delays, and studio mergers, "The Empty Man" was lost like many films during the pandemic wave. That's a shame because there is something exceptional about this complicated film. Whether the myth-building, which echoes urban legends and ancient spirits, the religious fascinations, which show the consuming and cult-like power that belief can have, or the craft of filmmaking, which displays impressive style and construction by the filmmaker. At a whopping 2 hours and 20 minutes, a time limit that pushes and pulls the narrative in intriguing ways, Prior's skillful designs are provided ample time to develop and explore the many angles that fear exists in this movie. Good films, like "The Empty Man," are never forgotten.

4. Titane

Upon leaving the screening of Julia Ducournau's incendiary second film "Titane," the hallways of the cinema were abuzz with questions, observations, and insights concerning the 108-minute odyssey of violence, sex, love, grief, suffering, and joy. People discussed the metaphors found in the film. They expressed their outrage, and confusion was visible on their faces. Smiles were shown as moviegoers walked up and said, "so, what did you think?" Whatever convictions about Ducournau's art one may have, it's undeniable that "Titane" made people feel something. That's beautiful, and so is this confident artist's daring and evocative work of genre-busting cinema.

3. Candyman

In one of the film's best elements of 2021, director Nia DaCosta utilizes shadow puppets to reimagine the past and how stories are changed, exaggerated, and hidden the longer they are kept. It's a beautiful and elegant touch. Within this technique, "Candyman" tells the most intriguing tale. Storytelling, folklore, and spoken traditions exist to keep a piece of history alive and relevant, no matter how horrifying those pieces may be. To allow the world to know that a people, place, or event existed. It also allows for a reframing of traumatic events, a way to make sense of the fears and monsters that have brought sorrow and pain to the world, in a manner allowing for stories to capture those traumas and take away their power. You can feel this version of "Candyman" engaging in all those aspects of storytelling.

2. The Vigil

Culture and religious tradition clash in this minimalistic yet unexpectedly emotional and frightening film. The film focuses on a Jewish tradition of watching over the dead until burial. The responsibility here belongs to Yakov (Dave Davis), a young man who is desperate for the money being provided by the family. Director Keith Thomas accomplishes so much with so little in this film, using camera techniques and an arrangement of tension and anticipation to heighten the frights found within the small spaces. Add historical trauma, cultural beliefs, and traditional practices, and "The Vigil" is a clever and creepy experience.

1. Midnight Mass

Yes, it's not a traditional film. But what director Mike Flanagan does with this ambitious 7-episode series was my favorite horror experience of the year. Combining an analysis of grief and isolation, along with ideologies of religion and fanaticism, and the overwhelming influence of evil that descends on a small island town makes for an experience that is both thought-provoking, emotional, and frightening. You can't help but become entangled and engrossed in the characters' lives, who each have different ideas of faith and engage with religion in many different ways. Each episode pushes the limits of fear and faith further into realms of doubt and madness for the characters, leading towards a finale that refuses to play towards expectation. Mike Flanagan is the best horror filmmaker working right now. Period.

Honorable Mentions

· A Quiet Place Part II

· Brand New Cherry Flavor (Series)

· Chucky (Series)

· The Feast

· In the Earth

· Kandisha

· The Last Matinee

· The Medium

· Malignant

· Oxygen

· Psycho Goreman

· The Queen of Black Magic

· Séance

· Strings

· V/H/S 94

· Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror

· Yellowjackets (Series)

Sunday, January 2

Favorite Films of 2021 (Monte's List)

Monte's Favorite Films of 2021

In another year of uncertainty, it was nice to return to the safe sanctum of the movie theater. While the movies that found the silver screen were mostly superheroes, franchises, or big budgets, there were still many rewarding films to search out and watch. With streaming services growing more dominant, the availability of the typically hard-to-find arthouse movies seemed far more accessible than ever before. While I still crave the popcorn-saturated smell of a beautiful cinema, 2021 displayed that people are finding new ways to connect with artistic visual media. And there was much to consume in 2021. These 12 films, plus a few more that almost made the list, are the ones that displayed the joy of discovery and gift of engagement that movies have always provided for me. Here are my favorites of 2021.

12. The Tragedy of Macbeth

The Shakespearean tragedy that examines the fear, folly, and fall of Macbeth is adapted with meticulous detail in a visually stunning and faithfully authentic adaptation. Composed within the desolating contrast of black and white photography, the gloom of darkness grows more threatening as the film moves from treacherous betrayal to brutal uprising. The use of supernatural elements, with witches and ghostly shadows, is haunting. The madness of Macbeth, embodied by a bold performance from Denzel Washington, is mesmerizing from start to finish. Joel Coen's artful adaptation is a marvel of design and structure.

11. CODA

"CODA" tells the tale of a seventeen-year-old young woman named Ruby (Emilia Jones), the sole hearing member of a deaf family. This coming-of-age film doesn't rely on twists and turns to move its story forward but instead utilizes an accomplished cast to bring charm and heart to its plot. Emilia Jones is delightful, and the use of American sign language is lovely to see on film. "CODA" will have you smiling long after it leaves you.

10. The Mitchells vs. The Machines

There aren't many films this year that I immediately wanted to watch again, "The Mitchells vs. The Machines" was one of those films. It is a feel-good family animation with a loving spirit for film and intelligent storytelling that displays the power of family and the importance of people working together despite their differences. It's witty, charming, and surprisingly emotional. But perhaps the best recommendation comes from my 10-year son, who said, "we need more movies that show how important it is to work together."

9. Pig

The trailer for "Pig" evokes the sensibilities of recent action/revenge films like "John Wick" or "Nobody."A scruffy truffle hunter who lives a life of solitude in the Oregon wilderness ventures into the city to find the person who stole his beloved pig. While the premise may elicit more odd reactions than the actual desire to watch the film, I assure you that "Pig" is so much more than what it advertises. Anchored by a subdued yet passionate performance from Nicolas Cage, "Pig" is a poignant journey of love and redemption.

8. Spencer

"Spencer," a boundary-breaking biopic about Diana, the Princess of Wales, is described by director Pablo Larraín as "a fable from a true tragedy." It is a psychological drama, a tense thriller, a claustrophobic horror film, and a satirical comedy. Kristen Stewart, who continues to grow captivatingly as an actor, displays grit, elegance, and grace in the lead role. Stewart's performance is a highlight of any in 2021. Johnny Greenwood's pulsating score amplifies the themes of captivity and the yearning to break free. "Spencer" delivers a fable of the precarious path traveled in an attempt at freedom.

7. Petite Maman

To reveal the intentions of writer/director Céline Sciamma's elegant and emotional journey into the life of a grieving family, specifically, a young girl named Nelly (Joséphine Sanz), would do a disservice to the magical cinematic vision this film composes. "Petite Maman" is a beautifully crafted film for children of all ages. Whatever you call it, a fable or allegory, it’s undeniably wonderful storytelling.

6. The Green Knight

The brilliance of David Lowery's vision, "The Green Knight", is that the film isn't interested in finding understanding. It never positions itself for easy answers but instead lavishes in the twisting quest from the Round Table into the forest citadel. It has everything that current times have instilled into stories of knights in shining armor, adventure, danger, monsters, witches, spirits, and bloodshed. But "The Green Knight" never feels modernized; instead, there is no effort to update the language or repurpose the legend to fit a comfortable category. "The Green Knight" casts a spell of storytelling, an absorbing and visually beguiling tale.

5. The Killing of Two Lovers

The opening of director Robert Machoian's deftly crafted drama of love, loss, and longing is a meticulously composed act of tension. The story, about a married couple struggling to keep their relationship alive while living separated, displays the complicated emotional struggles of two adults trying to make sense of their committed life and the responsibilities and obligations that consume it. At times a haunting wintry tale of lost love and, in other moments, a heartbreaking story of the hardships endured during marriage. It's a character drama of the highest degree, finely directed and acted.

4. Licorice Pizza

In "Licorice Pizza," a coming-of-age movie set in the San Fernando Valley during the 1970s, director Paul Thomas Anderson paints a passionate and personal film about youth and maturation. The film follows Gary, a hustling teenager played with sincerity by Cooper Hoffman. And Alana, an assertive and strong-willed young woman, played with vibrance by Alana Haim. The two bicker and banter, succeed and fail, flirt and fall in love in the shadow of Hollywood and the glow of daydream California. Anderson stages a careful yet carefree film in its execution of structure and storytelling.

3. Power of the Dog

Director Jane Campion examines the shifting, visible and concealed, characteristics of identity for a group of people living on a ranch through the western genre. Campion, with expert precision, weaves a western that is complicated and compelling, a psychological thriller that operates with enough ambiguity to keep the mystery of manipulations intriguing until the bitter end. Benedict Cumberbatch crafts a menacing and manipulative character. It's an impressively constructed film from the hands of one of cinema's most accomplished directors.

2. Summer of Soul (Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

Director Ahmir Thompson, a.k.a. Questlove, takes us to a six-week summer music festival in 1969 known as the Harlem Cultural Festival. This documentary serves as much a concert movie as it is a journey through a critical time in history for Black America. The music explores both diversity and unification, while the concert event displays a new movement in culture, politics, and pride. The interlacing of civil rights violence footage, speeches from political activists, and interviews with concert attendees are impeccably arranged. "Summer of Soul" is simply one of the best music documentaries ever made.

1. Drive My Car

In a film about dealing with grief, understanding the bounds of love, the traumatic and therapeutic process of work, and the healing capacity of art, director Ryusuke Hamaguchi crafts a stunning piece of cinema with "Drive My Car ."At nearly 3-hours in length, Hamaguchi's film never outstays its tender yet complicated welcome. Centering on the life of a widowed theater director Yusuke (Hidetoshi Nishijima), working on an "Uncle Vanya" production for a festival in Hiroshima, the story maneuvers a delicate and meditative trance of emotion. "Drive My Car" is masterful filmmaking.

Honorable Mentions:

• C'mon C'mon

• The Empty Man

• French Dispatch

• Judas and the Black Messiah

• The Lost Daughter

• Memoria

• Old Henry

• Passing

• Red Rocket

• Riders of Justice

• Saint Maud