DALLAS — No major movie releases this weekend, so with Oscar nominations coming up in three weeks, I thought I'd fire up my list of best movies of 2021.
1. THE POWER OF THE DOG
We've waited a dozen years for Jane Campion's new movie, and she made it worth our wait. The portrait of toxic masculinity portrayed by the versatile Benedict Cumberbatch is something to behold as is the quiet but powerful supporting work of Kodi Smit-McPhee.
It's all shot in New Zealand posing for the expansive cattle ranchland of 1920s Montana. You don't know how this is going to turn out until the last frame, and you're drawn in by the drama every step of the way. This is a master work.
(Netflix. Rated R. Now Streaming)
2. BELFAST
If my head is with "Power of the Dog," my heart is with "Belfast." This film is a master work in a more intimate way. Sir Kenneth Branaugh recalls his childhood in the titular Irish city during 'The Troubles,' the clash between Protestants and Catholics.
The casting is impeccable from Dame Judi Dench as the grandma, to newcomer Jude Hill as the little boy. Switching from color to black & white strikes the perfect contrast. No film more poignantly speaks to the importance of family. I'm crying again just writing about it.
(Focus Features. Rated PG-13. On Demand)
3. WEST SIDE STORY
Why people didn't turn out in droves to support "West Side Story" on the big screen, I'll never know. It is sheer cinematic splendor! Steven Spielberg revives the musical he grew up with as a kid in New York.
From casting sparkling newcomer Rachel Zegler right out of high school to creating a new role for the original movie's 'Anita,' Rita Moreno.. to showcasing Broadway star Ariana DeBose as the new 'Anita,' the women rule this film. Please see it "somehow... somewhere!"
(20th Century Studios. Rated PG-13. In Theaters Only)
4. TICK, TICK... BOOM!
And while we're into musicals (as I always am) "tick, tick...BOOM!" tells the story of "Rent" creator Jonathan Larson as he struggles to become a Broadway writer/composer. Andrew Garfield is a true revelation in the starring role.
To see the story threads that will find their way into Larson's breakthrough, "Rent," is enlightening. Lin-Manuel Miranda chose the ideal first-time directing project. The stunning fantasy scene featuring Broadway legends is a microcosm of his multi-talents. Bravo!
(Netflix. Rated PG-13. Now Streaming)
5. BEING THE RICARDOS
In the classic sitcom, "I Love Lucy," we saw the madcap marriage between the adoring Lucy and Ricky Ricardo. In "Being the Ricardos," we learn what truly good actors Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were because their marriage was falling apart.
Though I don't care for the flashback format used by writer/director Aaron Sorkin, I do love the idea of pulling back the curtain on the golden age of television, starring two impeccable actors, Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem.
(Amazon Studios. Rated R. Now Streaming)
6. NIGHTMARE ALLEY
Director Guillermo del Toro loves creating monsters, and "Nightmare Alley" is a variation on that theme. Bradley Cooper stars as a vagabond who joins a traveling carnival.
He apprentices under a medium and soon strikes out on his own, hoodwinking the society's upper crust until it all falls apart around him. This neo-noir gem is based on 1947 film starring Tyrone Power. I watched it. This version is much better. Cate Blanchett is the standout in an all-star cast as a superb femme fatale.
(Searchlight Pictures. Rated R. In Theaters Only)
7. LICORICE PIZZA
Speaking of Bradley Cooper, his cameo in "Licorice Pizza" is worth the price of admission. Paul Thomas Anderson departs from his heavyweight work with now-retired Daniel Day Lewis, to pay homage to the San Fernando Valley of his youth in the 1970s.
It's told through the eyes of two newcomer leads, lovestruck Cooper Hoffman and his crush Alana Haim (the musician) as they romp through his get-rich-quick schemes with marginal success. Highly entertaining!
(MGM. Rated R. In Theaters Only)
8. THE LOST DAUGHTER
Maggie Gyllenhaal wanted to adapt "The Lost Daughter" to the big screen as a writer, and the author insisted she also direct. So we experience her first-time work, and she definitely has the talent for it. Olivia Colman, who never strikes a false note, plays a college professor on a beach vacation.
Observing a young mother played by Dakota Johnson, she's reminded of her own failures as a mother, yet she's unapologetic. A great character study.
(Netflix. Rated R. Now Streaming)
9. CODA
CODA could not be more heartfelt and authentic. CODA stands for 'Child of Deaf Adults.' High school senior, Ruby, is the only hearing member of a deaf family, and she longs to study at Berklee College of Music, instead of casting a net in her father's fishing business.
Her stubborn dad is played by non-hearing actor Tony Kotsur, her mom by Oscar-winner Marlee Matlin, also deaf. CODA swept Sundance, winning both the jury and audience prize. It will win you over, too.
(Apple TV+. PG-13. Now Streaming)
10. DRIVE MY CAR
This three-hour foreign language film is way too long, and compressing it would have only made it better. That said, there is so much here that's original and intuitive, it's worth investing the time.
A widowed Japanese theater actor is hired to direct a play out of town and casts an actor who had an affair with his wife. The theater company assigns him a young female driver, and he slowly peels back the layers of her life story, learning she's trying to heal from her own pain, as well.
(Janus Films. NR. In Theaters Only)
Honorable Mentions:
- PARALLEL MOTHERS
- SUMMER OF SOUL
- SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME
- A HERO
