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Movie Review: ‘Scream’ Is Entertaining, But Frustrating As A Sequel

Brian Rowe
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Movie Review: ‘Scream’ Is Entertaining, But Frustrating As A Sequel

Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

Writers: James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick

Stars: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Melissa Barrera, Marley Shelton, and Jenna Ortega

Synopsis: Twenty-five years after the original series of murders in Woodsboro, a new Ghostface emerges, and Sidney Prescott must return to uncover the truth.

 

After the huge success of David Gordon Green’s Halloween (2018), it seemed inevitable that Scream would finally return in one form or another, even though after three sequels there didn’t seem to be anywhere fresh the story could possibly go, and even though the quadrilogy’s maestro director Wes Craven passed away in 2015. But then Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the talented directors behind the superb Ready or Not, came up with a concept strong enough to not only greenlight a new installment in the twenty-five-year-old franchise but also lure back the core trio of Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette for another go-around with Ghostface.

The original Scream from 1996 is one of my all-time favorite films, and I am a big fan of all the sequels, too—yes, even Scream 3. Sidney Prescott in my mind is the most iconic slasher movie final girl of all time, and the mix of terror, comedy, and horror movie commentary in each of the four films is a tricky balancing act Craven always excelled at. His directing swan song, 2011’s Scream 4, could have ended the series with a whimper after more than a decade since the third film, but he proved he could still deliver the goods, the film was creative and scary from beginning to end, all the way to the rousing finale in a hospital where Campbell delivers the classic line that begins with, “You forgot the first rule of remakes, Jill…”

What else was there to do and say after Scream 4? What more could be added to the stories of Sidney, Gale, and Dewey? As it turns out in the new fifth installment, awkwardly titled just Scream, not much. The three legacy characters mostly take a back seat to a new group of younger characters trying to outwit the killer. Such was sort of the case in Scream 4, with Williamson’s screenplay trying to establish a new cast of young faces that could bring the series into a new decade, but Sidney, Gale, and Dewey still had plenty of screen-time in that film, with moments of quiet reflection and tension-filled action. The newest Scream, with all its positive traits, unfortunately never gives enough for the core trio to do, with most of the new characters coming off as flat and forgettable. 

As can be seen in all the trailers, Jenna Ortega has the honor of being the first victim stalked by Ghostface, the attack on her character Tara bringing her sister Sam (Melissa Barrera) back to Woodsboro with her boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid). We discover a secret about Sam that ties her back to the characters from the original movie, and soon she’s seeking out Dewey (Arquette) to help her solve the mystery about who’s behind the Ghostface mask. When more bodies begin stacking up, Gale (Cox) and Sidney (Campbell) return to put the latest killer, or killers, in the ground for good. 

The new Scream will likely entertain and even delight most moviegoers who aren’t asking for anything more than a fun ride, especially casual fans of the franchise. It delivers exactly what you expect—a suspenseful whodunnit, lots of jump scares, a major kill every ten to twenty minutes. The murder scenes are the most brutal this franchise has ever seen, with at least three that will please any die-hard horror fan. It’s a joy to see the return of so many characters we love (including a couple many won’t be expecting!), and the film moves along at a fast pace, with big surprises along the way. The most shocking moment of all is one I guessed early on, but that didn’t lessen the impact of the scene itself (the movie’s best scene, by far) and everything that comes after.  

But for the first time ever as a Scream fan, I walked out of the latest installment slightly disappointed, not satisfied by the reveal of Ghostface, not happy with the lack of tension in the film’s third act. I’m surprised by all the hyperbolic enthusiasm I’ve seen online about this movie because I feel if you’re a colossal fan of this franchise like I am, it will be hard to ignore its flaws and not recognize it’s a step down from the other four installments. The directors’ previous movie Ready or Not was a wildly original thrill ride every step of the way, but the enormity of their reverence for Scream and Wes Craven trickled into a screenplay that is always paying homage and offering constant Easter eggs for fans, to the point where the new installment never gets to be its own thing. 

The biggest problem with the new Scream by far is that none of the new characters, and I mean none, is of any interest. Actors like Sonia Ammar, Mikey Madison, and Mason Gooding do what they can, but the characters are too underwritten to ever care about. And with long stretches of time with only the new cast on-screen, the great enthusiasm I had for the movie at the beginning certainly faded quickly. All the specific ties to characters from previous films feel more forced than clever, and the flashes to a certain someone when it comes to the most prominent new character Sam comes off as silly and awkward. And a Randy Meeks-like monologue from Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) at the end of the first act is so on-the-nose meta that it’s hard to believe a word she’s saying. 

Whereas Williamson made the new characters pop in both Scream 2 and Scream 4 and blend in well with the legacy characters, James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick only find dramatic tension in their screenplay when Dewey calls Sidney in a panic or when Dewey and Gale reunite at a murder scene. These are the characters we’ve come to see, that we care about deeply, and I was disappointed to discover how little they’re utilized here, especially Sidney, whose appearance in this film amounts to slightly more than a cameo. Jamie Lee Curtis isn’t in a ton of the 2018 Halloween, but Laurie Strode’s cat-and-mouse game with Michael lasts a long while and has tons at stake; I sadly never felt the stakes at the end of the new Scream, never worried for Sidney’s safety the way I always was in the previous films. Why spend minutes on end following Dylan Minnette walk around his house, with about three too many false jump scares, when you have Neve Campbell back as Sidney Prescott and give her almost nothing to do!

Yes, many of the nods to previous movies will put a smile on your face, and one daring choice made by the filmmakers at the halfway point felt earned, elevating this newest installment enough to make it worth seeing, to be sure. And just spending time with Sidney, Gale, and Dewey again was pure Heaven, like a visit with old friends. Arquette’s performance is the film’s best, the sweet humor and delicate touch he gives an aged and beaten-down but forever courageous Dewey Riley I won’t soon forget. 

But like with almost every other reboot I’ve seen in the last few years, I wanted it to be so much more. It’s a passably entertaining but also constantly frustrating revisit to a franchise I adore, a movie that proves Kevin Williamson’s wit and originality in the world of Woodsboro can’t be matched, and that the dear departed Wes Craven was a one-of-a-kind talent, the likes of which we will never see again. There is, alas, only one true Scream. And that’s the 1996 original. 

 

GRADE: C+

Movie Review: ‘Holler’ Is a Stark Reminder that Maybe America Was a Mistake

Brandon Stanwyck
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Movie Review: ‘Holler’ Is a Stark Reminder that Maybe America Was a Mistake

Director: Nicole Riegel

Writer: Nicole Riegel

Stars: Pamela Adlon, Jessica Barden

Synopsis: To pay for her education, and the chance of a better life, a young woman joins a dangerous scrap metal crew.

 

“Jobs. Jobs. Jobs.” Those words ooze from the radio in Blaze’s pick-up as he and Ruth approach the scrapyard that pays them chump change for discarded and stolen metals. Talk radio is a common racket in rural Ohio, where Holler is set. Millions of impoverished working class folks tune in religiously to hear silver-tongued politicos confirm their grievances and pander to the convictions they’re cyclically conditioned to hold. And places like director Nicole Riegel’s native Jackson, Ohio, are no exception. The fight to survive there is becoming harder every day as the rates of unemployment and addiction seem to be perpetually on the rise. For Ruth and Blaze (Jessica Barden and Gus Halper), young siblings living on their own in the wake of their mother’s penal detention, the meager earnings they make trading in aluminum cans aren’t enough to erase the eviction notice on their porch. So when an enticing, albeit criminal, opportunity to make extra cash emerges, they find themselves unwilling to turn it down. What unfolds proves to be a subdued yet sharp portrait of resilience in America’s fractured heartland. 

Holler is a mosaic of minute details and specific choices. Shot on Super 16mm, Riegel’s debut feature consciously adopts the perceptible texture of the story’s setting; tiny silver particles dance in the dimmer areas of the frame, evoking the industrial terrain of this community and the precious metals that determine its value. Likewise, the wintery time of year lends a natural bluish-grey to the Rust Belt environment. The snowy color palette is somewhat ghostly and dull, which allows certain reds to pop: Ruth’s hat, Blaze’s truck, the smokestacks, and, of course, the abundant rust. All of this, along with Riegel’s handheld camera, coalesces to form an impeccable cinéma vérité vibe that is so seamlessly pulled off that a layperson could easily mistake the less scripted sections for a documentary about poor Ohioans doing what they have to just to get by. As a storyteller, Riegel refrains from sensationalizing the hardships of her characters. Her lens has the empathetic eye of someone who grew up there and knows that these people are more than melodramatic suffering. The film’s commitment to its neorealistic style keeps it from becoming poverty porn.

Cinematographer Dustin Lane utilizes available natural light to reinforce the picture’s overall honesty and to prop up the lived-in performances. He keenly illuminates the supporting players with practicals to provide subtle cues that indicate the energy they bring to the story. When we first meet Linda (Becky Ann Baker), it’s in the break area of the frozen meals factory where Blaze works and his mother used to. Linda is a positive, reliable presence, so Riegel and Lane stage her within this space so there’s a light source directly above her, giving her hair a halo-like glow, visually telling us who she is straight away. The same courtesy is not quite extended to Ruth and Blaze’s mother, Rhonda (Pamela Adlon). Rhonda has an altogether different aura. She’s damaged, a hardworking woman who got injured on the job and was then over-prescribed pain pills and is now withdrawing in county lock-up. The drab, hopeless jailhouse fluorescents deny her dark hair a proper topper, further emphasizing Rhonda’s crushed spirit. Adlon and Baker are superb character actresses fully capable of delivering great performances on their own, but Lane’s acute cinematography adds flourishes to their craft.

Anchoring the film’s salt of the earth approach is Jessica Barden’s portrayal of Ruth. Barden’s observational, discretely proactive performance burns like an ember. Ruth ignites when she must, but just as much can be gleaned about her by how she reacts to her surroundings. Ruth is a smart, waifish teenager determined to leave Jackson before it fades into a ghost town, dragging her along with it, so she’s not opposed to benefitting from quasi-illicit activity. This is clear immediately, since the audience meets her in the midst of such a scenario: Ruth sprints down an alleyway with two big trash bags full of empty pop cans, pilfered from a local business, as an angry proprietor follows her in pursuit. She tosses them into the bed of Blaze’s truck and they blast off. With this sequence, Riegel establishes Ruth’s familiarity with petty theft. (No longer allowed to borrow books from the library, we see Ruth swipe a copy of Madame Bovary, another story about a young woman trying to escape her rural milieu). So when the idea of breaking into buildings to steal loose scrap metal and copper wiring arises, it’s not at all unrealistic that Ruth would go for it.

Ruth and Blaze join the mysterious Hark (Austin Amelio), whose shadowy under-lighting is appropriately menacing, and his crew of looters on their burglaries. Gene Back’s score for these sequences is so understated that it’s hardly detectable, initially. The music grows increasingly ominous as the stakes mount, yet the tension seldom reads as manufactured. While the B&E’s definitely weave in layers of suspense, Holler doesn’t morph into a heist picture. The narrative focus instead remains on the struggles of this community and how one could be so tempted to risk any and all consequences to profit off the failures of a rigged economy, without romanticizing destitution and despair. Nicole Riegel’s rendering of this region comes from a visceral heartfelt connection to this place, her home, made up of downtrodden people who routinely pledge allegiance to mouthpieces who promise jobs, jobs, jobs and then don’t deliver because this country isn’t really designed to work for the disadvantaged. Perhaps the scabby reds, dingy whites, and gloomy blues of the area reflect our flag’s true hues. Well-crafted and well-acted, Holler is a stark reminder that maybe America was a mistake.

 

Grade: A

My Five Must-Read Autobiographies For Cinephiles

InSession Film Staff
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My Five Must-Read Autobiographies For Cinephiles

I decided in the last year to start reading books about individuals in film history, especially those who wrote it themselves and express, in their own words, the backstage drama that went on in their lives. Personally, I like my reading in print rather than on the screen because my eyes are susceptible to digital eye strain. Yes, it’s old school, but buying used books for a few dollars cheaper gets my attention more and fills a newly built bookshelf in my house. I’m thirty-one, yet feel like an old person for saying this, especially since these books are by major figures who have now since passed away. But, just like Brian Cox’s (Succession) autobiography in which he openly rips and praises certain actors – look at what he said about Johnny Depp in contrast to his view on Keanu Reeves – here are some books which let it all out about their lives and shenanigans in their careers.

Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966)

So this technically is not an autobiography, but a transcripted interview between two of the greatest directors ever in which Alfred Hitchcock shared his secrets of every film he had made up to that point to Francois Truffaut. Directors usually don’t give a lot away in how they make their movies, but Hitchcock was comfortable telling the Frenchman every aspect of his work, the themes, and the thought process to all of his stories which led to his nickname, “Master of Suspense.” Truffaut, for his part, gushes on scenes and actors that impressed the former journalist before he became a movie director in this wonderful banter of auteur versus auteur. The book was later made into a documentary in 2015 of the same name.

You’ll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again (1991)

Julia Phillips became the first female producer to win Best Picture for The Sting in 1974. She was only thirty years old and married to Michael Phillips. Afterwards, she produced Taxi Driver and Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. However, her career quickly spiraled as fast as it grew due to her cocaine addiction and she was ostracized due to her divorce. When she published her autobiography, it became a best-seller and a scandalous affair,  as she revealed her view that Hollywood was misogynistic in general and told the stories of sex, drugs, and egomania with every major person she worked with. Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, David Geffen – there’s a list of stuff that opened the curtain to their actual behavior in the 1970s. Things that should’ve been kept private were out in the open, enraging the Hollywood establishment.

While it certainly ended any hope of a comeback in Hollywood, her book was acclaimed and a bestseller, staying No. 1 at the New York Times for 13 weeks. One Hollywood producer called the book “the longest suicide note in history,” and after Phillips’ death in 2002, the book was re-issued. I love it because of its impulsive, free-flowing style that doesn’t divide anything into chapters. Plus she gets very frank on everything going back to her childhood in New York, profanely talking about her free-thinking ideals, introduction to drugs (she was under the influence the night she won her Oscar), and the total collapse of her life leading up to her sensational book. In retrospect, it is no surprise how much of a boy’s club it was, but it’s just as important because someone finally wrote a first-hand account of how disgusting things got for a woman making her own way.

The Kid Stays In The Picture (1994)

Not to be outdone by Phillips’ story, former head of Paramount, Robert Evans, wrote a retrospect of his life and sudden rise from actor to the King of Hollywood to fallen idol courtesy of cocaine and The Cotton Club, something previously written about on this site. But there was a lot more to Evans, who married Ali McGraw and lost her to Steve McQueen, greenlit major hits including Rosemary’s Baby and The Godfather, and played a major role in the New Hollywood revolution of the 1970s. Evans provides a lot of material from his life to the front; open, hilarious, and quite addictive that it’s really hard to put the book down. Not bad for someone who was about to be fired from The Sun Also Rises because Ava Gardner and Tyrone Power hated him, only to be saved by producer Darryl F. Zanuck who told everyone what became the title of Evans’ book. It would also be adapted into a documentary.

Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star (2005)

The third autobiography on the list that was also adapted into a documentary (because we like to synthesize everything), Tab Hunter was the boy next door who wooed girls in the 1950s. Jack Warner established Warner Bros Records because of Hunter’s singing talent. Soon, Hunter fell to the B-film pools of obscurity before John Waters brought him back to prominence in Polyester. In the book, Hunter tells his story of how he managed to navigate homophobic waters and avoid being outed as a gay man when it was considered a career-ender. Like in the documentary, he talks about how he handled everything, including a relationship with Anthony Perkins while pretending to be romancing Natalie Wood in an era full of contradictions.

Images: My Life In Film (2011)

Ingmar Bergman penned his autobiography prior to his death in 2007 and it was completed by his editors using the Swede auteur’s own notes of what he made in a career spanning sixty years. Bergman admitted he has not rewatched his own films after making them, but relies on memory to talk about where his stories come from. Bergman is less about the technicals of filmmaking and more about his regrets, failures, and certain moments that influenced him all the way to his massive finale, Fanny and Alexander. (He did make one more film after this, Saraband, twenty years later.) It’s an insight into how, “a voice of genius,” as Woody Allen calls Bergman, continued almost every year to produce story after story that labeled Bergman one of the permanent fixtures of world cinema in the twentieth century.

Follow me on Twitter: @brian_cine (Cine-A-Man)

 

Podcast: Out of Sight / Top 5 Scenes of 2021 – Extra Film

Ryan McQuade
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Podcast: Out of Sight / Top 5 Scenes of 2021 – Extra Film

This week on Extra Film, Ryan and Jay are joined by Sophia Ciminello of the Oscar Wild podcast to continue their Steven Soderbergh Movie Series with Out of Sight and then they discuss their top 5 scenes of the year.

In what might be the sexiest film ever made, Steven Soderbergh broke in a new formula of style to his movies after a couple of his indie films did not do so well during this time of his career. In taking on an Elmore Leonard novel, Soderbergh creates a highly entertaining film that creates his long-term partnership with George Clooney, as well as get the best performance by Jennifer Lopez and all the other actors involved. Ryan, Jay, and Sophia really love this movie and it shows in their stellar review.

In the back half of the episode, the boys give out their top 5 scenes of 2021 and celebrate some of the best films of the year before the InSession Film Award Show.

Thanks for listening!

– Movie Review: Out of Sight (3:46)
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Screenplay: Scott Frank
Stars: George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, Steve Zahn, Dennis Farina

– Top 5 Scenes of 2021 (01:07:33)

– Music

It’s Your Thing – The Isley Brothers
Edgar’s Prayer – Jamie Dornan
The Return of the Eagle – Atli Örvarsson

We try to make this the best movie podcast we possibly can and we hope you enjoy them. Subscribe today on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher, and please leave us a review on iTunes. You can also find us on Soundcloud, PlayerFM, and TuneIn Radio as well. We really appreciate all your support of the InSession Film Podcast.

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Out of Sight / Top 5 Scenes of 2021 – Extra Film

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Podcast: Lynch / Lee / Leone / Almodóvar Awards – Patreon Bonus Content

JD Duran
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Podcast: Lynch / Lee / Leone / Almodóvar Awards – Patreon Bonus Content

Listen!

For this week’s Patreon Bonus Content, Ryan and Jay get caught up on their Movie Series Awards once again. They combine the movies of David Lynch, Spike Lee, Sergio Leone and Pedro Almodóvar as they talk their favorite films, performances, scores and more!

If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can listen to this episode NOW on Patreon by clicking here.

Sign up today to get early access and hear the entire episode!

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To hear our bonus content episodes early, subscribe now on Patreon. In many cases, though, we offer our bonus content for free after a certain period of time and we do encourage (and very much appreciate) a small donation of $0.99 as a way to help support the show if signing up on Patreon isn’t for you. Click on the PayPal button below to donate and thanks so much for your support. You can also hear much of our Bonus Content via our mobile apps. See the information at the bottom of the post for more details.


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2021 InSession Film Awards – Staff Picks

Dave Giannini
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2021 InSession Film Awards – Staff Picks

This week on the InSession Film Podcast, we feature our 9th annual InSession Film Awards! This year, we did something a little bit different. We asked all of staff writers to be involved in the nomination and award process. The writers initially nominated over 70 movies just for Best Picture! We love to have the variety of opinions that we do here at Insession Film. But, sadly, we had to narrow it down further. We came up with 5 nominations (6 in Best Director due to a tie!) in all categories besides Best Picture. In order to provide a lot of options, we gave them 20 choices for Best Picture (take that, Academy!),  Stay tuned to the show and the site for the announcement of the winners!

 

Without further ado, here are the nominations for the Insession Film Awards as picked by our writers and staff!

Best Picture
  • The Power of the Dog
  • Dune
  • The Green Knight
  • Drive My Car
  • The Worst Person in the World
  • Cmon Cmon
  • Pig
  • Flee
  • In The Heights
  • Belfast
  • Mass
  • CODA
  • tick, tick…BOOM!
  • Petite Maman
  • Titane
  • Licorice Pizza
  • West Side Story
  • The Lost Daughter
  • Parallel Mothers
  • Luca
Best Actor
  • Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog
  • Andrew Garfield, tick, tick…BOOM!
  • Nicolas Cage, Pig
  • Hidetoshi Nishijima, Drive My Car
  • Peter Dinklage, Cyrano
Best Actress
  • Kristen Stewart, Spencer
  • Jodie Comer, The Last Duel
  • Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter
  • Renata Reinsve, The Worst Person in the World
  • Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Best Actor Supporting Role
  • Jason Isaacs, Mass
  • Anders Danielson Lie, The Worst Person in the World
  • Troy Kotsur, CODA
  • Kodi Smith-McPhee, The Power of the Dog
  • Colman Domingo, Zola
Best Actress Supporting Role
  • Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
  • Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog
  • Martha Plimpton, Mass
  • Ann Dowd, Mass
  • Ruth Negga, Passing
Best Director
  • Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
  • Denis Villenueve, Dune
  • Julia Ducournau, Titane
  • Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car
  • David Lowery, The Green Knight
  • Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
Best Original Screenplay
  • Fran Kranz, Mass
  • Edson Oda, Nine Days
  • Mike Mills, C’mon C’mon
  • Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt, The Worst Person in the World
  • Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
Best Adapted Screenplay
  • Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
  • Ryûsuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe, Drive My Car
  • David Lowery, The Green Knight
  • Jon Spaihts, Denis Villenueve, and Eric Roth, Dune
  • Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter
Best Cinematography
  • Ari Wegner, The Power of the Dog
  • Andrew Droz Palermo, The Green Knight
  • Greig Fraser, Dune
  • Claire Mathon, Spencer
  • Bruno Delbonnel, The Tragedy of Macbeth
Best Documentary
  • Flee
  • Summer of Soul
  • The Sparks Brothers
  • The Rescue
  • Procession
Best Foreign Language Film
  • Drive My Car
  • The Worst Person in the World
  • Flee
  • Petite Maman
  • Titane
Best Animated Movie
  • Flee
  • The Mitchells vs. The Machines
  • Luca
  • Encanto
  • The Summit of the Gods
Best Original Score
  • Hans Zimmer, Dune
  • Jonny Greenwood, The Power of the Dog
  • Jonny Greenwood, Spencer
  • Daniel Hart, The Green Knight
  • Alexandre Desplat, The French Dispatch
Best Use of Song (Original or Pre-Existing)
  • “Bye, Bye, Bye” by N’Sync, Red Rocket
  • “All I Need Is A Miracle” by Mike and the Mechanics, Spencer
  • “No Time To Die” by Billie Eilish, No Time To Die
  • “So May We Start” by Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard, Annette
  • “Life on Mars?” by David Bowie, Licorice Pizza
Best Opening/Closing Credits Sequence or Scene
  • No Time To Die
  • Drive My Car
  • Annette
  • The Green Knight
  • Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar
Best Overlooked Movie
  • Nine Days
  • Mass
  • The Last Duel
  • Jockey
  • The Killing of Two Lovers
Best Surprise Movie
  • Pig
  • The Mitchells vs. The Machines
  • The Green Knight
  • Malignant
  • The Matrix Resurrections
Best Surprise Actor/Actress
  • Simon Rex, Red Rocket
  • Troy Kotsur, CODA
  • Emilia Jones, CODA
  • Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
  • Renata Reinsve, The Worst Person in the World
Best Movie Discovery
  • Lauren Hadaway –  Director The Novice
  • Edson Oda – Director and Writer, Nine Days
  • Woody Norman – Actor, Cmon Cmon
  • Renata Reinsve – Actress, The Worst Person in the World
  • Agatha Rouselle – Actress, Titane

Be sure to listen to the InSession Film Awards on Episode 465!

Movie Review: ‘Belle’ is The First Must-See Movie of the Year

Maxance Vincent
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Movie Review: ‘Belle’ is The First Must-See Movie of the Year

“Oh, great, another readaptation of Beauty and the Beast,” I sighed in exasperation when I saw the trailer for Mamoru Hosoda’s Belle for the first time. Well, after seeing the film, I’d like to slap this old version of me in the face. The trailers truly do not do this movie justice, and while Belle does explore some familiar territory with its quasi-retelling of a story that’s been done time and again in film, Hosoda’s interpretation of the tale elevates itself with stunning animation, a unique mesh of genres, and a surprisingly impactful third act ripe with human emotion. It immediately became the first must-see movie of the new year. 

The film does not explicitly re-tell Beauty and the Beast, but rather takes the popular story as a backdrop for a sort-of virtual MetaVerse named “U”, where users can create online personas of themselves based on their looks and qualities and shatter their real-life loneliness. The most popular user of the virtual world is named “Bell”, who looks and sings like an angel. Everyone loves her, but her real-life persona is shrouded in mystery, which prompts media outlets to try and investigate who they could be. In reality, Bell is just an ordinary girl named Suzu Naito (Kaho Nakamura), a lonely highschool student who uses her persona to become the person she wants to be, and breakthrough her real life limiting beliefs that prevent her from being with virtually anyone. 

Suzu suffered from major trauma in her childhood, which caused alienation from her classmates, afraid that if she becomes close friends with anyone, tragedy could befall them at any time and cause her more pain. Inside U, she can become the person she’s always wanted to be, and “Bell” becomes an instant sensation once she starts to sing freely. However, in the virtual world, a creature known as The Dragon (Takeru Satoh) is being chased by a group of “superheroes” called the Justices, whose goal is to preserve U’s peace by using a tool to ‘unveil’ anyone who dares to threaten the sanctity of U’s virtual space. Their leader, Justin (Toshiyuki Morikawa) vows to unveil The Dragon and remove him from U once his true identity is revealed. But a darker secret looms connected to The Dragon, and Bell/Suzu is determined to find out who the person really is before Justin ever has the chance to unveil anyone. 

A superhero movie, a Beauty and the Beast re-tread, AND a heartfelt coming-of-age drama at the same time? Sounds quite complicated, and it likely wouldn’t have worked if there wasn’t a talented director on board. Hosoda knows when to dazzle audiences with staggering visuals of the virtual “U” space, where the vastness of it all makes the viewer want to plunge themselves in its massive size and scope alongside Bell, and when to pull their heartstrings through a slew of emotional crescendos that will surely make them bawl their eyes out. 

Hosoda never shies away from presenting difficult subjects to the viewers, which American studios severely lack the guts to do. It’s part of the reason why I believe anime is a better form of animation than the classic studio-driven animated films, as it isn’t afraid to make anyone (of all ages) think about a plethora of subjects. Here, Hosoda touches upon loneliness, social anxiety, depression, trauma, and child abuse. It’s not an easy watch, with the filmmaker using most of the themes through the Beauty and the Beast storyline, with Justin and the Justices acting as the “Gaston” and “LeFou” of the story, while Suzu lives in a “little town”, afraid to take her place amongst her class and tell her elementary school crush, Shinobu (Ryo Narita) she loves him. Without spoiling, The Dragon holds most of his internal pain to protect those around him, which makes him a misunderstood “creature” that the Justices want to ostracize from U, even if this internal pain is what causes him to become Bell’s hero. 

The fights between The Dragon and the Justices are a miraculous feat of animation, with the camera constantly moving around eye-widening flashes of light and the high-speed “heroes” trying to unveil the one person inside U they do not understand. These scenes are also a stark contrast between the minimalist and “realistic” animation of Suzu’s world versus the large-scale and staggering beauty of U, where virtually anything becomes possible. An ordinary person can become a superhero with the sole goal to maintain U’s peace, but maybe their own insecurities as an individual (they’re likely a lonely bully in real life, but Hosoda doesn’t pay too much attention to that) has caused them to fantasize about being a hero of a space they can have free reign over and forget their current states in the real world. 

As Belle treads in predictable territory for the first hour or so, the movie doesn’t truly come to fruition until the film’s almost forty-minute long climax, which swells up to many emotional notes at once and becomes a much more impactful film than a simple Beauty and the Beast retelling. Sure, Hosoda doesn’t shy away from the fact that he’s borrowing from many visual cues from Disney’s own adaptation (including an almost shot-for-shot ballroom dance sequence), but these scenes are important to build the character relationship between Bell/Suzu and The Dragon, all the while deepening Suzu’s own understanding of who The Dragon can be and how this encounter affects her real life interactions. 

Once this dynamic happens, Hosoda can now play around with the characters’ emotions and build up the climax, which contains many emotional cruxes at once. The incredible animation, alongside a soulful score from Taisei Iwasaki, Ludvig Forssell, Yuta Bandoh, and Miho Sakai amplify the emotion and transform a rather ordinary story that’s been done one too many times inside an overwhelming finale filled with many powerful moments that should not be revealed, for the viewer to be swept up in the film’s emotional power and potentially relate to Suzu’s quest to help The Dragon, while breaking through her own psychological dragon preventing her from living to the fullest. 

I had an IMAX ticket bought for this movie in November. However, due to the Omicron variant forcing theatres to shut down in my area, I couldn’t witness the film on the biggest screen imaginable. If you can see this movie this way, and you feel safe going to the theater, go for it. Watching it on a TV screen (like I did) will not do Belle’s massive scope and stunning animation justice, and will bring the film’s numerous emotional arcs in a more overwhelming way than at home. Belle is a marvel to look at and appreciate, and going to the movies and seeing this on the largest IMAX screen you can find will amplify the experience. Lord knows what the 2022 movie season will look like, still poised with massive uncertainty amongst Omicron fears and the never-ending disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, but if Belle is an indicator of what’s to come during the year, especially when it’s being released in January, infamously known as the dumping ground of movies, then we’re off to an incredible start of a potentially incredible year of films and TV series. 

 

Grade: A-

 

50 Years of Nicholas & Alexandra: A look back with Academy Award Nominee Janet Suzman

Joey Gentile
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50 Years of Nicholas & Alexandra: A look back with Academy Award Nominee Janet Suzman

It’s the winter of 2010, I’m a fresh 18 year old working at a Blockbuster when I find a film on the shelf I think I’ve heard of called Nicholas & Alexandra, in fact I’m sure I’ve heard of it. I take it home but before I pop it into my dvd player I double check my OSCARS HISTORY book and there it is. 1971- Nicholas & Alexandra, nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actress (Suzman) and winning two for Art Direction and Costumes. I knew I had heard of the film before,”so”I took a look at the competition from the Best Picture lineup of 1971 where the film went up against the likes of Fiddler on the Roof, A Clockwork Orange,  Last Picture Show, and the winner The French Connection. An all timer top five and yet somehow, four of them are well known today, why is that? I pop in the dvd and I’m taken on a three hour long ride that still fascinates me and thrills me to this day, this is the story of love of Nicholas & Alexandra.

 

 

As the years went on and we meet present day me, I am still enthralled with the film and despite my absolute love of all things Fiddler on the Roof I would give Nicholas & Alexandra the win for not only Best Picture, but also Best Actress for Janet Suzman . I revisit Fiddler on the Roof more often than I do N&A but the one thing I try to remind myself is to think of the time when the film came out and what it meant for that moment in history. The collapse of the studio system, and an essential end of the great epic royalty history films (think of Becket, The Lion in Winter, Anne of the Thousand Days, etc.) these are not only great movies but a dead genre of film that gave it’s true last hurrah with the likes of N&A, so therefore I have to respect and honor what this breathtaking film does as there hasn’t been a film like it since. In regards to Janet Suzman, I became an instant fan as I watched N&A for the first time and then took a deep dive not only into her filmography, but her stageography as well.

Born in South Africa, eventually moving to England in 1959. She became a working actress on stage, taking roles that she fell in love with due to its language and the story rather than what the role specifically was. In the late 60’s Janet found herself being courted by Sam Spiegel to play the titular role of Alexandra in an up and coming film of the final Czar’s of Russia, which would lead her to international acclaim with an Oscar, Golden Globe, and a BAFTA nomination for the film and eventually to other screen roles in the films The Black Windmill, Voyage of the Damned, A Dry White Season, and, most recently, a very fitting role in the recent season of “The Crown” on Netflix.

Earlier in the month of December I was able to sit across from (via screens) Janet from her home in England and for the first time in my professional writing/interview life I stumbled for words and was star struck. A woman who I admired, not only in her work but her activism. was across from me, telling stories in a way I could only explain as so uniquely special (I told her in an email after the interview that the way she tells stories makes me want to have a drink with her one day and listen for hours, because she is THAT marvelous at setting a scene with her words) that if this is my only interaction with her ever I am also at peace because I was able to experience Janet and that is more than I could ever ask for. As I blushed and struggled with words while talking with her, I couldn’t help but realize that I was also sitting in front of history, a rich international history of art, a person who has given her life to the brilliant words of others and made them come alive with such ease. As she spoke very humbly of herself and what the film on it’s 50th anniversary meant to her, and how it changed her life and career it was truly an honor to experience that in first person and now you get to experience her, too.

When one is asked “who is the one of the greatest actors of all time?” You may say- Ellen Burstyn, Angela Bassett, Isabelle Huppert, Michelle Yeoh, Jessica Lange, or Meryl Streep. I say, Janet Suzman!

Thank you Janet, from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to have time with you, truly.

List: Daryl MacDonald’s Top 10 Films of 2021

Daryl MacDonald
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List: Daryl MacDonald’s Top 10 Films of 2021

With the curtain finally closed on 2021 it’s a good time to look back at our favorite movies of the year. As with previous years, this is by no means an exhaustive list. There are many barriers to accessing movies within a certain year or timeframe, so if your favorite isn’t on here, it may very well be an oversight.

Having said that, here is my list of top ten movies of the year. 

  1. Licorice Pizza

An achingly personal coming-of-age story feels somewhat improbable coming from director Paul Thomas Anderson, whose output of late veers towards the high-brow with impenetrable tales focusing on cult leaders and deeply repressed fashion icons; yet here we have the simplest of stories. Gary Valentine (played by Cooper Hoffman, yes that Cooper Hoffman) attends his high school picture day and finds himself attracted to the photographer’s assistant Alana Kane (played by Alana Haim, of pop rock band Haim). He successfully asks her out and…well, that’s kind of it. They grow closer throughout the next few years (the timeframe is never stated) as they both try to find their place in life. It’s a sweet, funny, and poignant tale which captures that beautiful magic of early life when everything is unfolding in front of you and anything could happen, coupled with the often tragic reality that life is rarely ever what you expect it to be.

It’s a PTA movie, so it looks gorgeous, with a muted color palette and redolent with pitch perfect period details. But all the window dressing means little – the main attraction here is the chemistry between the two leads. Much is made of the 10 year age gap between them (Gary is 15, Alana 25) and while it’s true that if the roles were reversed this story could have taken on a much more sinister edge, in the hands of Hoffman and Haim the relationship is always sweetly cautious. It’s heart-warming and somehow life affirming, two words not always used to describe PTA’s work.

  1. Tick, Tick…BOOM!

The untimely death of Jonathan Larson at the horribly young age of 35 can sometimes cast a pall over Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut. That’s by no means a bad thing, as Tick, Tick…BOOM! is the cinematic version of Larson’s own play detailing his frantic attempts to make something of his life before his 30th birthday. Fully ensconced in a futuristic rock opera retelling of George Orwell’s 1984 called Superbia, Larson juggles his passion and desire to mean something with his need to pay rent and survive. Tick, Tick…BOOM! is the play Larson wrote after Superbia detailing his struggles and Miranda employs an interesting framework where Larson himself performs his play which tells the audience of those struggles.

The music is, of course, joyous and raucous and brimming with energy, and Andrew Garfield is perfectly cast as the obsessive dreamer dancing between an innate love for the world and a crushing disappointment in his own failings. Garfield can play the everyman in his sleep and here he imbues Larson with such a raw relatability that you fall deeply into his world and his battles, feeling everything as he does.

  1. The Green Knight 

David Lowery has a tendency to pivot. Perhaps it’s intentional that he zigs when you expect him to zag, because it’s worked out well for his career. He inexplicably followed up his crime drama Ain’t Them Bodies Saints with a remake of Disney classic Pete’s Dragon. He then followed that up with a cripplingly existential piece called A Ghost Story, which is perhaps one of the most difficult films one could find themselves sitting through. When you think you’ve got him pegged, he returns with The Old Man & the Gun, a far more conventional narrative about the life and crimes of Forrest Tucker.

Now he has zagged again with a silver screen adaptation of a 14th century poem concerning Arthurian legend, which has no attributed author, and features a fable of a green skinned knight who survived decapitation. Not one to be easily defined, is David Lowery.

The Green Knight is an astonishing work, though. At once deeply atmospheric and emotionally charged, it features excellent performances from celebrated British actors such as Dev Patel, Kate Dickie, Sean Harris, and Barry Keoghan, as well as those of Alicia Vikander and Joel Edgerton. The acting feels almost secondary to the cinematography though, as Andrew Droz Palermo’s camera snakes its way through dense forest foliage, fantastical maws through which stride featureless giants, and intensely cavernous castles. It is chock full of imagery and rewards several watches to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

  1. Pig

It’s a bizarre turn of events which sees a movie in which Nicolas Cage plays a truffle farmer hunting for his prized pig ending up on a year-end top 10 list, but such is the beauty of Michael Sarnoski’s Pig. Boosted by a career best performance from Cage, Pig never overeggs the pudding of its premise. Instead it is a slow, thoughtful story which takes its time to explore its characters and concept. Cage plays Rob, a hermetic farmer who has shunned society and lives alone in the mountains with his pig. When the pig is stolen, Rob enlists the help of Amir (Alex Wolff) to find it. What ensues is a ponderous series of encounters in which it is slowly revealed why Rob has cast himself out of society and what the pig really means to him.

The props for this movie lies in its ability to wholly subvert expectation and deliver that most shocking of all things: a restrained Nicolas Cage performance.

  1. The Mitchells Vs The Machines

It’s been something of a slow year for animated movies. While Pixar’s best output this year was the wonderfully tender Luca, which plays out as something of a Call Me By Your Name for kids, it was Sony’s The Mitchell’s vs the Machines which was the standout. This is completely unsurprising given that it was created by the same team behind both The Lego Movie and the phenomenal Into The Spider-verse.

The animation for The Mitchells vs the Machines feels almost revolutionary. It features a beautiful hand-drawn watercolor style interspersed with traditional computer generated graphics to create what the producers came to call Katie-Vision after one of the main characters.

The astounding animation shouldn’t detract from what is also a perfectly pitched story about spending time with those we love instead of losing ourselves in our myriad of technological devices. All of these things coupled together make for a genuinely inventive, funny, captivating story which will entertain people of all ages.

 

  1. Language Lessons

The first of two Natalie Morales-directed movies in 2021, Language Lessons is all the more powerful for its ad-hoc nature, coming as it did on the heels of a pandemic which saw productions shut down across the world. Taking place entirely on a Zoom-style video calling platform, Language Lessons explores the nature of friendship as a powerful tool for healing. It stars Mark Duplass as Adam, a wealthy musician whose husband buys him online Spanish lessons with Cariño, who is based in Costa Rica, for his birthday.

Adam is initially reluctant to take the lessons, and then even more so once a tragedy occurs, but his relationship with Cariño – which plays out entirely online – proves to be a balm for him as the two get to know each other, their chemistry together comes alive and imbues Language Lessons with a warm, poignant tone.

  1. The Last Duel

This one feels like it was side-lined for Ridley Scott’s other big movie of 2021, which is a shame. For while this movie lacks a truly bombastic Jared Leto performance that overshadows virtually everything else in the movie, The Last Duel is easily the stronger of the two. This is largely because of the clever structure – a Rashomon style telling of a rape from 3 different perspectives. It is the true story of Jean de Carrouges who accuses his friend Jaques Le Gris of raping his wife Marguerite. Le Gris denies the claim which leads to a duel between he and Carrouges with the winner being proved right in the eyes of God.

Where The Last Duel is most clever, though, is in its very modern depiction of toxic masculinity and how this masculinity silences the voice of women. Matt Damon plays Carrouges while Adam Driver plays his rival Le Gris, but it is Jodie Comer as Marguerite who has the most interesting role. Marguerite is patently caught between two stubborn, bull-headed men, and finds her own life on the line in the process. It’s fascinating to witness society’s attitude to women in the 14th Century, and consider how women must have felt being a part of this – but just as interesting to note the similarities between the attitudes of those days and the prevailing ones of now.

  1. Mass

What an incredible, incendiary topic to tackle. What a task which is asked of each performer. It calls to mind God of Carnage in its simple yet emotionally volatile narrative, as well as its basic premise of two families from different backgrounds coming together to discuss their children. From the slow-burn opening as we witness a social worker organize a meeting in a church. It is clear from the outset that this is no ordinary meeting, as the tension is palpable from the offing and remains throughout.

We soon learn the meeting is between two sets of parents, Jay and Gail Perry, and Richard and Linda (whose last name is never specified). Jay and Gail are still together, although their relationship is clearly fractured, while Richard and Linda are separated, and there exists a coolness to their interactions which suggest a troubled history.

When the truth is revealed – that Jay and Gail are the parents of a boy who was murdered in a mass shooting by the son of Richard and Linda – the narrative breaks open and unveils an emotionally messy, sometimes calamitous state of affairs, as both sets of parents try to find common ground as well as peace in this unspeakable tragedy.

Jason Isaacs and Martha Plimpton play Jay and Gail respectively, and carry the ballast of repressed rage so well that it can be almost overwhelming at times, while Reed Birney plays Richard, the stoic, business-like father of the killer. But it’s Ann Dowd as Linda who steals the show. Linda is clearly wracked with guilt over her son’s actions and desperately wants to make amends to the families he has hurt, but equally she refuses to be a pushover and accept blame which is not hers. She oscillates from deep sadness and remorse to fiery defiance with such aplomb that it’s borderline impossible to take your eyes off her. In a movie full of incredible performances, hers shines and ensures Mass is one of the most incredible, human stories of the year.

  1. Flee

Flee could very well be about to make Oscar history, having been nominated in 3 categories: Best Foreign Movie, Best Documentary, and Best Animation. It’s an incredible achievement and no less than such an impressive and moving work deserves. Jonas Poher Rasmussen’s tale of Amin Nawabi is astonishing, yet all too believable. Being told through the medium of animation allows it to come to life in a way it couldn’t possibly otherwise.

Amin Nawabi is a resident of Copenhagen, who is telling his story for the first time. He is a native of Afghanistan who had to flee the country with his family when war broke out and his father went missing. What follows is a heart-wrenching journey across the Middle East, to Russia, and then on to Europe as Nawabi and his family search for peace among the ruins of their lives. It is hopeful and painful and sad and joyful and a million other emotions swirling around besides. The animation is so vivid, it helps to push the boundaries of what documentary can be and creates a window into the life of refugees in a way very few mediums have before. A brutal, beautiful story which should be seen by everyone.

  1. Boiling Point

Don’t be surprised if you find you’ve stopped breathing during Boiling Point. Phillip Barantini’s excellently tense thriller plays out like an Uncut Gems of the culinary world;  the Copacabana scene from Goodfellas if Henry Hill had abandoned his date, donned chef whites, and set about cooking a steak. Stephen Graham is relentlessly compelling as head chef Andy, who seems to be made of pure adrenaline and is dealing with a chorus of issues from his alcoholism, to a prickly health and safety officer, to a sous chef ready to jump ship, to a celebrity chef who turns up with a food critic and is ready to set the whole thing alight.

Most thrillingly about Boiling Point is that it is entirely filmed in one continuous take (hence the Copacabana reference). This technique has been used elsewhere but a busy restaurant feels like the perfect setting. Barantini’s camera winds throughout Jones & Sons capturing the minutiae of the clientele as well as the inner lives of the staff, but always returns to Graham to up the tension. It is a masterful, compelling, and expertly staged effort.

Podcast: The Matrix Resurrections, Drive My Car, The Worst Person in the World & More – Patreon Bonus Content

JD Duran
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Podcast: The Matrix Resurrections, Drive My Car, The Worst Person in the World & More – Patreon Bonus Content

Listen!

As you know, we’ve been very busy reviewing all of the great films that have trickled out into theaters over the last few months, however there are a few that JD and Brendan haven’t had a chance to discuss yet. So here we are, with our last Patreon Bonus Content “catch up” episode before we get to our annual InSession Film Awards. On this episode, we finally give our thoughts on The Matrix Resurrections, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s beautiful film Drive My Car, Joachim Trier’s latest in The Worst Person in the World, and the documentary Flee. We also talk about Paul Verhoeven’s Benedetta, one of the better overlooked movies of the year Bergman Island, the hidden gem The Novice and Pedro Almodóvar’s new film Parallel Mothers.

We hope you enjoyed this little mini-series we did and we’ll have more Bonus Content coming soon!

If you’re already a Patreon supporter, you can listen to this episode NOW on Patreon by clicking here.

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Chasing the Gold: The Snubs and the Surprises of the 2022 SAG Award Nominations

Amy Smith
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Chasing the Gold: The Snubs and the Surprises of the 2022 SAG Award Nominations

Yesterday, the 2022 SAG Award nominations were revealed and managed to take everyone by surprise. With the importance of the SAG Awards in highlighting the performances that have the strongest chances of cracking the acting categories at the Oscars and further going on to win, making this list or missing it could be all it takes in this race. This post is going to break down the four individual acting categories and see where the race is at, highlighting the important snubs and surprises from the SAG nominations.

BEST ACTOR

It seems like the four lead actors are as safe as they can be as Andrew Garfield (tick, tick… BOOM!), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog), Will Smith (King Richard) and Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth) are yet to put a foot wrong and miss a nomination. However, the debate now focuses on which actor will get the fifth spot as there does not seem to be a consensus.

The fifth nomination for the SAG Awards went to Javier Bardem for Being the Ricardos, a film that has started to gain a lot of momentum suddenly after Nicole Kidman won Lead Actress at the Golden Globes. In comparison to other contenders such as Nicolas Cage for Pig and Peter Dinklage for Cyrano, Bardem may just have more eyeballs on him if Ricardos does go on to score some major nominations and contend for a Best Picture slot. With the BAFTA longlist also backing up the support for Ricardos, it may be time to switch over your Best Actor fifth slot to follow this trending pattern.

BEST ACTRESS

If there was one performance we all felt pretty safe cracking the line-up, it may have been Kristen Stewart in Spencer. However, the film has overall had a bad showing as not only did she miss out on the SAG nomination, but the film also performed poorly in the BAFTA longlist. While we all knew that the film was divisive and would be a hard sell, Stewart now seems to be struggling. Additionally, not one single actress has won the Oscar without a SAG nomination since its creation 28 years ago, so it is clear that Stewart is not going to be the Best Actress winner.

So, where does that leave the category now? Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye), Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter), Lady Gaga (House of Gucci) and Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos) have made it onto every shortlist that they have needed at the time, and if we want to say that Stewart may not even score a nomination at the Oscars then that leaves one position to potentially fight for. It could go to Jennifer Hudson for Respect, who managed to get back into the race with a SAG nomination and potentially have a Best Song nomination at the Oscars to boost her chances. Some people are still hoping for Penélope Cruz for Parallel Mothers, but with not even being on the longlist for BAFTAs, it does seem highly improbable now. The top five with the inclusion of Stewart may seem like the smart bet right now, but I am expecting something major to happen on Oscar nomination morning.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Easily the messiest category of the season right now, only two performances have cracked every list so far: Troy Kotsur (CODA) and Kodi-Smit McPhee (The Power of the Dog). Not only are these two performances the favorites amongst critic groups and the major voting bodies, but they are the strongest representatives from their film to go on and win the award, and I feel very safe predicting them in the final five.

The Critics’ Choice and the SAG Awards have both nominated Jared Leto for House of Gucci, and it seems like BAFTA also really liked the film from the number of longlists the film placed in. While a jury system may not be kind to Leto at the BAFTAs, he is already beloved by the Academy and if House of Gucci goes on to crack the Best Picture lineup, Leto could easily come along with that. Ben Affleck has also gained two major nominations so far for The Tender Bar, scoring at the Golden Globes and now the SAG Awards. However, it may be a struggle to see Affleck nominated for a film that has no chance of appearing anywhere else on Oscar morning and his performance failed to make the longlist at BAFTA.

Who may have an easier time being swept up by the Academy due to the easy Best Picture placement is Bradley Cooper, who scored his first major nomination at the SAG Awards for Licorice Pizza. While the role is smaller than many of us expected, he is a big talking point among many critics and he is certainly beloved by the Academy, giving him eight nominations throughout his career. Additionally, this will be a way to reward the film in the performance categories as Alana Haim seems to be on the outside looking in for Best Actress.

The final slot may seem destined for one of the actors in Belfast, and it would not be surprising at all if Ciarán Hinds is the one to take it for that film. However, the chances of that film scoring two Best Supporting Actor nominations for both Hinds and Jamie Dornan have now slipped considering neither made it at the SAG Awards, and it will be harder for either to go and win the award on Oscar night. The best bet is to still stick with one of them, as losing both will confirm the potential lack of support for frontrunner Belfast to go on and win Best Picture at the Oscars.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Three performances so far have made every shortlist they have needed for the Best Supporting Actress race: Caítriona Balfe (Belfast), Ariana DeBose (West Side Story), and Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog). Alongside starring in the three films most likely to win the Best Picture race, these ladies all feel safe to go on and get the Oscar nomination. 

Ruth Negga for Passing may have missed out on the Critics Choice nomination, but this was over Rita Moreno (West Side Story) and Ann Dowd (Mass), both of which have lost momentum and not been nominated elsewhere. The same can be said for King Richard’s Aunjanue Ellis, who missed out at the SAG nomination but to Cate Blanchett for Nightmare Alley, which is not even longlisted at the BAFTAs and in a film that is slowly losing all of the momentum it had. Additionally, King Richard still scored a Best Ensemble nomination, giving some recognition to Ellis’s performance. While they are not as strong as they may like to be, it is still pretty safe to stick with Negga and Ellis making it into the five on nomination morning.

List: John McDonald’s Top 10 Films of 2021

John McDonald
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List: John McDonald’s Top 10 Films of 2021

2021 has been a seesaw year, that’s for sure. A year that started off so dire due to the worldwide lockdowns; with countless delays to some of the most anticipated films, cinemas still being closed, and the excruciating need to nourish our film fix was driving people mad. Thankfully, the year gradually began to blossom and the film industry was back up and running, and to our delight, our craving for film was beginning to be nurtured once more. Surely the quality of films would have been crippled due to the pandemic though, right? Well, you’d be dead wrong because 2021 has seen a multitude of great films of all genres (which is a testament in itself). And yes, we’ve had to compromise slightly by using streaming services for the most part – and some hotly anticipated films are still yet to surface – but if this is the trade-off, then we can’t be too picky now. Picking a list is difficult nonetheless, but here are my top films of the year anyway.

10. Mass

Where do I even start with Mass – is there a more emotional and powerful film this year? Anchored by four incredibly strong performances, particularly those of Jason Isaacs and Ann Dowd, it is also directed brilliantly by Fran Kanz. This dialogue heavy film would be perfect for the stage (there’s an idea for anyone reading) due to there being an emphasis on the close-quarters setting; with the movements of the characters around the room depicting their side of the argument throughout, as well as the hard hitting subject matter. In what may seem like a simple premise involving two couples discussing a horrific event, one that changed their lives forever, but it is deeply layered with great poignancy and sensitivity, Mass has an extreme need to explore both sides of the argument, something that is key to the development of all four characters. Mass really is a gem of a film, and its limited cinema release was a travesty.

9. Spider-Man: No Way Home

Now, I’m no die hard Marvel fan by any means, which makes it even more impressive that I chose the new Spider-Man film to be in this list. The thing is though, it’s just so damn good. There is a warm feeling of nostalgia that washes over you during this film, and the sheer audacity and delivery of the story is something to be revered. It is undoubtedly the king of the blockbusters this year (by quite some distance), and the mystery that surrounded the build-up was all part of the excitement; is there more than one Spider-Man? Which villains will appear? Will it live up to the expectations? This film is top-tier Marvel, but for me, the inclusion of Alfred Molina and Willem Dafoe were the deciding factors, especially Dafoe who steals every scene with his electrifying performance, even beating his previous one from 20 years ago.

8. C’mon C’mon

span style=”font-weight: 400″>There was so much hype about C’mon C’mon as it traveled the festival circuit; it was hailed as a beautiful story about two lost souls who bond just when they need to the most. The performances from Phoenix and his young co-star Woody Norman, garnered particular acclaim, and you cannot argue with any of that praise. I became enamored with this film, lost in thought long after viewing it – there is something so poetic about the story and the delivery, both are exquisite. Not only that, but it is also one of the best shot films of the year, and the soundtrack is sublime. It’s a slow burner for sure, but that is exactly what it needs for the relationship to blossom like it does, and those interviews with the children are so delightfully authentic, it just adds that finishing touch to an already lovely film.

7. Nobody

I’m not exaggerating when I say this film was the most fun I’ve had watching a film all year, as well as being one of the biggest surprises of 2021. Bob Odenkirk as a ruthless sleeper assassin who goes on a murderous rampage after thugs burgle his home, what’s not to love about that? The fact Odenkirk appears to be such a natural in this film is impressive and so unexpected – if only Saul Goodman had this guy’s killer edge. Everything about this film is epic; the realistic fight scenes, the fact RZA portrays his brother (yeah, you heard that right) and Christopher Lloyd plays their father. The soundtrack is edgy yet playful, and the cinematography works as a treat with every scene, and not to mention the humor, which is perfectly quirky. I feel as if this film was slept on a little bit, which is a shame because it’s so much fun.

6. The French Dispatch

Wes Anderson’s latest film, a film he describes as a “love letter to journalists” is typical Anderson; it is offbeat and hilarious, it includes the largest ensemble cast of his career, and yet it still felt very unique compared to its counterparts. It is an anthology of different stories, featuring a variety of journalists who all work for the “The French Dispatch” – all of the stories are based on true events as well, may I add. This film is a stylistic anomaly; a breathtaking piece of storytelling that is almost hypnotic in the way it expresses itself – I genuinely couldn’t take my eyes off it for fear of missing something extravagant. The acting is superb (especially from Jeffrey Wright), and the cinematography is alluring as always. I rate it as one of Anderson’s best, which won’t go down well with some of his die hard fans.

5. CODA

I’ll hold my hands up when I go into a film with little expectations, for it then to turn into something as beautiful as CODA – I’m welling up thinking about it now. Everything about this film is flawless; the story is a passionate and emotional one about family, featuring a young girl named Ruby who chases her dream of being a singer, while her family faces harsh discrimination from the outside world. Apart from the fact this film will make you cry buckets, it is also surprisingly funny which I never expected it to be. The performance from Emilia Jones is fabulous (this girl can really sing, as well), but I need to single out Troy Kotsur for praise because he is magnificent as Frank Rossi, Ruby’s deaf father. CODA is probably my biggest surprise of the year, and I’m not embarrassed to admit that I shed a tear or two.

4. Nine Days

When a film tries to be unique and wants to break the boundaries of normal cinema, you have to at least admire its audacity. When a film like Nine Days succeeds at being so innovative and experimental, you are forced to admire and absorb the experience as much as you can. This film is hypnotizing; it possesses gorgeous visuals, and the performances, especially from Winston Duke, are herculean. Nine Days lures you in with its stoic beginning – led by Duke’s character – but as it progresses, it blossoms into a complicated flower, filled with passion, intensity, as well as exploring the delicate meaning of life. There are so many beautiful scenes in this film, with each of them leaving a lasting impression on you, along with the characters themselves. And yet, I still feel as though I’m doing this film an injustice, which shows just how endearing it really is.

3. Riders of Justice

So here we have it, the best action film of the year stars Mads Mikkelsen as a violent sociopath with a thirst for blood, aided along the way by his group of nerdy new friends. It just sounds so exciting doesn’t it? And on top of being superbly violent, it is also hilarious and consists of detailed character development. This film is stylish, very peculiar (it’s that dark Danish humor that does it), calamitous, and offbeat, with all the characters being extremely likable in different ways, and yet they all compliment each other perfectly. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, the cinematography elevates it to another level with its use of symmetry and extreme close-ups – those close-ups are incredibly angsty. Riders of Justice has it all and is deserving of a high spot on this list.

2. The Power of the Dog

This film took the year by storm, a western like no other, and yet it’s as exciting and tense as any before it – and not one gun was fired. It is a treasure chest of stylistic techniques and led by a three-pronged attack of cultured performances, it also has a suggestively eerie score by Johnny Greenwood that will surely cement his award at the Oscars. I was mesmerized by the story; winding roads of mystery and unsettling undertones of dark secrets really do empower this film. The cinematography is also stunning, and the direction from Campion is radiant. It shows just how imperious she can be – although that wasn’t up for debate. The fact this wasn’t released in the cinema is a travesty, because if it’s that dazzling from the comfort of your own home, then the experience in front of a cinema screen would be overwhelming.

1. Limbo

And here it is, my number one film of the year, a film which may come as a surprise to many of you because it had such a small release. It is, of course, the majestic Limbo. This film went so under the radar this year that it actually annoys me. Limbo is about refugees and asylum seekers who must wait on a remote Scottish island in the hope that their asylum is accepted. It is elegantly deadpan, almost like a quirky sitcom about a group of loveable misfits being forced to live together. Away from the humor though, it doesn’t take long before you become invested in the characters. They are lonely souls, very troubled, and you truly begin to care about them. It is a profoundly uplifting portrayal of the refugee experience like no other, distinguished by its authentically quirky humor and a powerful need to explore the subject matter with great positivity. A truly brilliant film that deserves the number one spot.

List: Dave Giannini’s Top 10 Films of 2021

Dave Giannini
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List: Dave Giannini’s Top 10 Films of 2021

2021 is a year unlike any other, but also a year like every other year.  Yes, theaters reopened (kind of). Yes, cinema was saved by three young men in spider suits (kind of), And yet, living in an area not catered to by independent film, many of my best films of the year happened right at the end, which always makes context difficult. On top of that, there are films that, as of this posting, are not available to be seen (I’m looking at you, The Tragedy of Macbeth and The Worst Person in the World).  But I digress, as there were still great films to be seen in 2021.  Here are my Top 10 this year, minus some movies that I wish made my list. I solemnly swear that films like Copshop, No Time To Die, In The Heights and tick, tick…Boom! were on my Top 10 for most of the year.  Alas.

Matt Damon and Adam Driver draw swords in The Last Duel | Financial Times

10. The Last Duel

Ridley Scott provided maybe the biggest surprise of the year. Not sure that there was a movie with worse press leading up to its release. A Rashomon-like story about a sexual assault? Directed by a man? Yikes.  And yet, it all works. Ben Affleck gave us one of my favorite characters of the year, and Jodie Comer is a Top 5 female performance for sure. Her subtle (and unsubtle) acting choices differentiating the three versions of the story take us on a serious journey, not only into the events, but her character’s psyche throughout. Plus, the titular duel absolutely lives up to the hype.  The brutality of the time is encapsulated perfectly in Ridley’s vision.

Mass (2021) - IMDb

9. Mass

This is one of the many late comers to my list, but Mass was worth the wait. Yes, it is stagey. It is basically in one location.  But the screenplay and simple camerawork draw you in and brings you into horrific pain. Looking away never feels like an option and that is due to four, near pitch-perfect performances. Picking a favorite seems trite as they all build on each other. But it was wonderful to see Jason Isaacs being given a chance to bite into a serious role again. He, along with all three “leads”, deserves both serious awards consideration and a chance to play these types of characters again.

West Side Story' Review: Steven Spielberg's Gritty, Rousing Upgrade - Variety

8. West Side Story

Welcome to the year of the musical! As a fan, I am here for it. I actually have three musicals in my Top 20, but this is the best of them. Yes, there is one gaping hole of charisma in a lead, but the other lead and supports make up for it. Ariana DeBose lives up to Rita Moreno, Rachel Zegler passed Sondheim’s test, and Mike Faist absolutely owns Riff. But still, the most important pieces are behind the camera. From the audacious opening shot to the decision to stage “America” off of a rooftop; Spielberg, cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, and a fabulous adaptation from Tony Kushner enable West Side Story to make all the right choices for a 2021 update.

Drive My Car (2021) - IMDb

7. Drive My Car

The first of three foreign language films may be the most difficult film on my list. Not too expected, given that it is adapted from a short story from Haruki Murukami short story. The film dares to truly take its time. Not every journey is worth three hours, but the performances of Hidetoshi Nishijima and Tôko Miura carry the film, even in moments of silence. Drive My Car will not be for everyone, but for those willing, your patience will be rewarded in the purest form of empathy available for cinephiles this year.

The Green Knight,” Reviewed: David Lowery's Boldly Modern Revision of a Medieval Legend | The New Yorker

6. The Green Knight

Possibly the most beautiful, and near inscrutable film this year, is David Lowery’s epic, Arthurian tale. In a film world full of obvious explanations, The Green Knight provides precious few. Dev Patel proves once again, that you can use a diverse cast of phenomenal actors and it doesn’t make one bit of difference. He defies your sense of supposed believability and completely inhabits the character of Gawain. Patel exhibits sensuality, insecurity, and honor all in one beautiful two hour stretch. Lowery proves, once again, that he is a do everything filmmaker that, love him or hate him, has a singular vision worth watching.

Dune (2021) - IMDb

5. Dune

Look, let me get this out of the way.  I’m a fan of the book, and I was completely sure that no one could do this. But by god, Mr. Villenueve found a way. Part art film, part big budget science fiction, Dune really hit all the marks. There are even moments that surpass the novel, especially the relationship between Leto and Paul, mainly due to a heartfelt speech from Oscar Isaac. Stunning cinematography paired with a perfectly cast film (especially Jason Momoa, of all people) ends up with a truly rewarding big screen saga for the ages. Just give me Part 2 already!

Review: 'Licorice Pizza' Is Funny And Charming But Ultimately Undone By An Undercooked Narrative

4. Licorice Pizza

This was definitely the movie I looked forward to most this year. I mean it’s Paul Thomas Anderson, the man hasn’t made a bad movie yet. It’s weird to find a movie underwhelming at number four, but I firmly expected this to be my favorite of the year. But it is still, obviously, fantastic. Most of the complaints about the film are wildly overblown, but it is a challenge. Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman shine, and it is especially lovely to see normal looking people in major film roles. Licorice Pizza also provides maybe the most fun low speed vehicle chase in film history. It is a grand, fun, romantic ride, that I guess will provide even more greatness on rewatch.

Netflix's 'The Power of the Dog' Ending Explained - Thrillist

3. The Power of the Dog

Much has already been said about Jane Campion’s western masterpiece, and for good reason. It is indeed truly great. Benedict Cumberbatch gives a career best performance, American accent and all. His switch from terrifying monster to tough love mentor (and back again?) is truly one for the ages. Campion, in a change from previous work, zeroes in on toxic masculinity with a laser focus that is wildly uncomfortable to watch. The Power of the Dog proves, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that you do not need pure good character to root for to make your movie not just watchable, but engrossing. 

Titane': Cannes Review | Reviews | Screen

2. Titane

Yes, yes, the movie where she has sex with a car.  It’s real and it is phenomenal. I did not think that I could be more impressed with Julia Ducournau after Raw, but this is somehow even better. Her lack of concern with being accepted or understood by mainstream audiences is infectious. Titane plays with gender, parental relationships, and sexuality in equal measure. It is a near impossible film to describe or recommend, but here I am doing both. If you actually want to be pushed as a film viewer, Ducournau is the director you should be watching. She managed to make a movie weirder after making a film about cannibalism. Some of the most stunning imagery of the year wrapped in a film that sticks with you for months. Ugly and beautiful.

Parallel Mothers (2021) | MUBI

1. Parallel Mothers

Pedro Almodóvar and Penélope Cruz are obviously a match made in cinephile heaven. It seems like no one gets her skill set quite like Pedro. Parallel Mothers is a rare movie, one that completely subverts expectations just with the final scene. It feels like melodrama, surrounded by political moments that will be forgotten. But have faith, it all comes together with a perfection that is unnerving. The final shot colors the journey we have been on in a way that will haunt you, as long as you are paying attention. Not only am I sure that it will become even better on rewatch, but it has actually gained in my esteem, the more I think about it. This is Almodóvar at his most political and romantic, an absolute treat for all of the senses. 

List: Top 5 Scenes of 2021

JD Duran
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List: Top 5 Scenes of 2021

This week on Episode 464 of the InSession Film Podcast, we discussed the best movie scenes of 2021. Of all the year end lists we do, aside from our Top 10 of the year, this one is always the most difficult to do. But it’s also the most rewarding as well as these are the moments that moved us the most emotionally, they left us jaw dropped, provoked us intellectually and ultimately they will define 2021 for us. And as usual, there are countless individual scenes that could qualify for this list, but that’s what makes this list exciting in the end. Given that there are so many to choose from, the scenes that do make our list carry a lot of weight with us. That said, here are our lists:

(Note: Please keep in mind that we each had different criteria for our selections)

JD

1) Prison Scene – Annette
2) All Eyes on Me – Inside
3) Dinner Scene – Pig
4) Piano / Banjo Scene – The Power of the Dog
5) Rooftop Scene – Spider-Man: No Way Home

Brendan

1) Boath Scene – Petite Maman
2) Prison Scene – Annette
3) Time Freezes – The Worst Person in the World
4) Restaurant Scene – Pig
5) Bye Bye Bye Piano Scene – Red Rocket

Honorable Mentions (Combined)

Ma’s Epiphany – Belfast
Dancing Sequence – Belfast
Perspective Shift – CODA
Audition Scene – CODA
Lamb in Pasture – Lamb
Ending Sequence – The Green Knight
Cyrano Sings Behind the Wall – Cyrano
Wherever I Fall – Cyrano
The Duel – The Last Duel
Ending Scene – Titane
Chair Throw – Malignant
Pool Table – Spencer
Soldier Game – Spencer
Conversations in Car – Drive My Car
Bond’s Finale – No Time to Die
Audible Letters – C’mon C’mon
Jesse’s Catharsis – C’mon C’mon
Magic Letters – In and Of Itself
Van Chase – Licorice Pizza
Flying Fantasy – Luca
Ending Scene – Luca
Any Musical Number – West Side Story
Trish Sequence – Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
Parent-Teacher Meeting – The Night House
Animated Chase – The French Dispatch
Sly and the Family House – Summer of Soul
White Woman’s Instagram – Inside
Bezos – Inside
Problematic – Inside
Ending Sequence – Ema
Flying Into the Storm – Dune
Saving People From the Worm – Dune
Sharing A Cigarette – The Power of the Dog

Hopefully you guys enjoyed our lists and if you agree or disagree with us, let us know in the comment section below. There are so many other scenes that we wanted to mentioned, but let alone others that were more on your radar. That is to say, your list could look very different than ours given the amount of great scenes we saw in 2021. That being said, what would be your Top 5? Leave a comment in the comment section or email us at [email protected].

For the entire podcast, click here or listen below.

For more lists done by the InSession Film crew and other guests, be sure see our Top 3 Movie Lists page.

Preview: InSession Film Awards / Top 10 Movies of 2021

JD Duran
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Preview: InSession Film Awards / Top 10 Movies of 2021

We are less than a week away from our 9th annual InSession Film Awards show as we discuss the very best that film had to offer in 2021. This is an exciting time of year and our awards show is one our favorite things we get to do. As we’ve done in previous years, for Part 1, we will have a list of categories where we each nominate five candidates and then present our winner for that category. For Part 2 of the awards ceremonies, we will reveal our Top 10 movies of 2021.

So, to help you prepare for the show, we’ve laid out below all of the categories we’ll be discussing this weekend. To play along, select five nominees and a winner for each category. Then stay tuned for Episode 465 as we discuss each category and we’ll see how your selections compare with ours. Click on the link below if you would like a print out version.

InSession Film Awards 2021 – Fill in Sheet

Remember, treat each category as your own. Select your own nominees and winner based on your own experience with film this last year. If you’d like, email, Facebook or tweet us your ballot. We would love to see how your awards sheet turns out!

InSession Film Awards Categories:

Individual Special Awards

– For this category, make up your own special awards that you want to give away. This can be anything from film in 2021 that isn’t related to any category below. (I.E. Best Production Design, Best Use of Inanimate Object, Best Animal Performance, etc)

Best Movie Discovery

Best Surprise Actor/Actress

Best Surprise Movie

Best Overlooked Movie

Best Opening/Closing Credits Sequence or Scene

Best Use of Song

– Any song (non-score) used in the film, either original or per-existing. Opening and Closing credits count.

Best Original Score

Best Animated Movie

Best Foreign Language Movie

Best Documentary

Best Cinematography

Best Adapted Screenplay

Best Original Screenplay

Best Director

Best Supporting Actress

Best Supporting Actor

Best Actress

Best Actor

Best Picture

– Hear our Top 10 films of 2021 on Part 2 of Episode 465.

List: Tyler Strandberg’s Top 10 Films of 2021

Tyler Strandberg
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List: Tyler Strandberg’s Top 10 Films of 2021

I’ve watched more movies in 2021 than I have any other year, and I couldn’t be more excited to explore all the different varieties that I was able to discover. Because of the large amount that I saw relative to years previous, I felt like this year I was really able to define my taste in what I enjoyed and why I liked certain pieces of media. It became more clear to me what makes a movie objectively “good”, and what makes it enjoyable for me to watch, and I’m so excited that I’m able to share my list this year of my top 10 favorite movies from 2021.

10. The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Only making a small splash at the box office, The Eyes of Tammy Faye moved me incredibly because of Jessica Chastain’s transformative performance, and the powerful commentary about religion, capitalism, and greed. Chastain as Tammy Faye portrays a morally grey character as someone filled with so much brightness and joy and genuinely believes what she’s doing is good, contrasted with what we, the audience, know are disgustingly selfish and offensive acts. Chastain delivers such a powerhouse performance that’s grounded and emotional while staying campy and entertaining to watch.

9. Shiva Baby

In most senses, I actually hate this movie. Watching Danielle (Rachel Sonnett) interact with her family is almost unbearable to see. They push her around (literally), pull her arms, talk about her weight, criticize her eating, question her career choices, and pressure her into a myriad of uncomfortable situations. Set at a shiva in a tiny house, the amount of people surrounding her and desperate for any escape is suffocating. It reminds me so much about how I often feel when I go to my own family functions (and reminds me why I avoid my family), which is why it’s so amazing. It’s incredibly relatable, and it’s comforting to see that maybe I’m not the only person who dreads going to family functions.

7. tick, tick… BOOM!

As a former theatre person, this film hits all the right points exactly as it needs to. I ended up quitting theatre (ironically after I had already received my degree in it) because of how difficult it was to sustain a real career in it. Andrew Garfield is able to teeter the line of the struggles of being a creative without ever stepping into the cliche of the tortured artist. As Lin-Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut, he wisely frames the story as semi-biographical. The framing device is able to enhance and benefit the story by putting songs side by side to the events they’re depicting in both comedic and dramatic senses, and it centers on the heart of the musical, Jonathan Larson.

7. Flee

I’m a huge fan of animation. I often find it frustrating when the medium is only regulated to children’s content, so it’s always refreshing when there’s a piece that uses it in a creative and artistic sense to tell mature stories. I couldn’t be more excited when I heard about Flee, which combined the medium with the documentary genre, making an incredibly rare and beautiful film. I was drawn to the material of the documentary as well, about a gay refugee recounting his experience fleeing his home country. I have the privilege of living in a country where I’m not persecuted for my sexuality, and I believe it’s important to learn more about those who do not and try to better understand their experience. It was incredibly moving and heartbreaking, and the animation made the documentary aspect of the film come to life, compared to feeling as if it was merely an interview.

6. Don’t Look Up

Adam McKay is an incredibly divisive filmmaker, but I usually fall on the side of loving his work. I was a fan of the political commentary that Vice was making, and I thought the satire and comedy created an absurd and fun watch. I was looking forward to Don’t Look Up because of the cast, and the general vague plot description. A lot of criticism has been thrown towards this film for being too obvious, but I thought the point McKay was trying to make was incredibly effective, and it was nice to see the craziness of the world we’re living in portrayed as how it actually feels to live in it; often frustrating but usually ridiculous at how oblivious and indifferent most people are. I could continue watching this film over and over again, and I find it hilarious every single time.

5. Mass

The emotional premise combined with the incredibly poignant and relevant political commentary of the film is great enough, but it’s the performances that really elevate this film. Originally written to be a one act play, the film forces the characters into one room for a brutal conversation for its hour and a half runtime. All four members of the ensemble cast are stellar in their roles and the performances they deliver, with each one having at least one moment that will prove to you how incredible they all are. Ann Dowd and Martha Plimpton are definitely the stars of this film, and I can’t remember the last time I cried so many times in such a short time span.

4. Nine Days

Underrated and, in my opinion, an underseen movie, Nine Days is a sort of philosophical sci-fi that asks the questions of what happens to us BEFORE we are born. So many pieces of media speculate what happens to us after we die, so it was unique to see something from the opposite perspective. Ironically, without even showing any of the characters living their life, it really shows us what the meaning of life is, and how to find purpose and joy where there might not always be any. The outlook on life from the different character’s perspectives sets up great dynamics and conversations to sort through and try to find yourself in when you’re agreeing or disagreeing. It’s a moving piece that shows us how we can either live as if life is meaningless, or we can find joy wherever it may be, and I think that’s incredibly powerful.

3. Spider-Man: No Way Home

I’ll be honest, this year was the first time I ever ventured into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I have steered clear of the MCU mostly because I felt there wasn’t much to them; they were just big budget films made to appeal to the widest audience and make the most money without any sort of artistic purpose. I watched WandaVision when  it premiered this winter because of the great reception it was getting, and I fell in love with both of the main characters, but especially with the nuanced portrayal of Wanda’s grief and PTSD. By July, I watched Iron Man for the first time and slowly made my way through the MCU, trying to hit certain benchmarks before each film came out. In some ways, I still feel the same way I do about the MCU. Most of the films from the franchise are good enough, but nothing amazing. They’re all entertaining, but I don’t always feel like they have much depth to them. Spider-Man: No Way Home completely moved me by the amount of heart that was put into the final installment of the trilogy by its entire cast, and the desire to please fans who cared not only about the MCU, but the character Spider-Man, in particular. It also expands on the character and the universe it’s in, without getting too complicated and sticking true to the formula that works best for these films. Was it anything amazing? Not by any means. Did it open my eyes as to why so many people love these movies? In a sense. It was my first “huge” marvel theatrical experience (as Shang-Chi didn’t quite sell out, and Eternals was a critical flop). What this movie did was remind me why I love movies, even in their simplicity, and I can’t trade that experience for anything else.

2. Luca

Is this the best thing Pixar has ever made? I don’t think so, not nearly by a long shot. However, this movie means more to me than many other animated pictures ever could. While it’s not explicitly gay, the narrative behind Luca and its two main characters, Luca and Alberto, are incredibly gay coded. Disney/Pixar is still hesitant to label and create a gay story, especially one with kids involved. I want to say as a gay kid this would have been so important to me, but honestly, I never really knew I was gay until I was a teenager. As kids, we’re raised that straight is the norm, until proven otherwise. That’s why as a gay adult this means so much more to me. It’s beautiful seeing two kids just be authentically themselves and have fun with each other, in the cute way that kids would have crushes on each other. I can see all the criticisms that others might have with this film, but to me it holds such a special place in my heart.

1. Dune

As my most anticipated film of 2021, Dune would have had to be very bad to make me not like it. I was much too young when The Lord of the Rings came out, and this feels like the first large scale and giant spectacle work since then. Laced with complex politics, interesting themes on religion, gender, imperialism, and environmentalism; this has just about everything a fantasy/sci-fi fan could want. Its world building is so intricate and detailed, between the plot and the action sequences, it’s easy to stay entertained through it’s two and a half hour runtime. While some criticized it because  it doesn’t feel complete as it only covers half of the book, I personally felt satisfied, and the ending only made me more excited for the upcoming part two.

List: Benjamin Wiebe’s Top 10 Films of 2021

Benjamin Wiebe
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List: Benjamin Wiebe’s Top 10 Films of 2021

Welcome to the end of the beginning. 2021 was a lot of things for a lot of people, but a common trend I see is soul-sucking. It started with an insurrection and ended with another pandemic relapse. And while there was a lot of good to come from the year, it certainly didn’t always feel like it. So congratulations on making it to the end of a horrible year.

 

But for movies, 2021 was the exact opposite. Where 2020 seemed to lose many of its hyped releases, 2021 has seen the resurgence of the theater-going experience and film festival hype. I didn’t get to go to TIFF or NYFF or any of those festivals, but the films I saw reinforced 2021 as one of the best years for movies. Of the 33 new releases I saw this year, only 10 have scores below a C rating. Everything else was really, really good. That being said, this list of my top ten is still very much incomplete. I missed some projects from directors I love (West Side Story, The French Dispatch, Last Night in Soho, and Petite Maman) that I am sure would have cracked the top 15. However, the top ten I offer up is reflective of my life here and now. It’s a list that centers on mental health and burnout; themes that resonated with me through this year. And it also is a list that showcases films I would describe as passion projects. There is no film on this list that has lackluster parts. Every single entry has a tangible quality to it, whether it’s the costuming and set design of The Green Knight or the fight choreography of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings or the script and performances of No Time To Die. These ten films were made of blood, sweat, and tears; and I adore them. So without further adieu, let’s reflect on what made 2021 a little bit better.  

10. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

2021 didn’t have a lot of interesting Marvel projects for me. I liked a lot of Wandavision, Loki was fun, but the rest kinda just passed by for me. My review of Eternals is on the site (here), and I wasn’t super hot on the film as a whole. As for No Way Home, well, I didn’t like it. It’s got some soaring highs, but most of the film falls flat on its face for me. Enter Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Unlike other films on this list trying way too hard to be something they aren’t, Shang-Chi knows what it is and embraces it completely. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is about arrested development. It’s about the weight of legacies, the weight of living up to the greatness that has come before you. On a meta-level, it’s a Marvel project about having to co-exist with other Marvel projects. And through its vulnerable performances from Tony Leung and Simu Liu, the film ascends beyond typical marvel fanfare. That focus on running away from greatness really resonated with me in a year of creative burnout. And while these themes are serious and heavy, the film never becomes too dark and cynical. It’s extremely funny, with some of the best comedic editing in all of the MCU. And with legendary cinematographer Bill Pope behind the lens, it’s got the best action in the MCU. All in all, it’s one of the best marvel flicks of the past decade, and easily one of the best films of the year. It’s on Disney Plus and well worth a watch. 

9. Malignant

Malignant is easily the most fun I had at a movie theater this past year. Not the best movie I watched in a theater (those are coming up) but the most fun. James Wan made a horror classic with Malignant, a film that is best experienced blind. If you haven’t watched this yet, please do. It’s campy. It’s funny.  It’s properly scary. And most importantly, it’s got some heart behind it. Like many entries on this list, Malignant feels like a passion project, a love letter to monster flicks of the past. And for that, it’s one of my favorites of the year. And oh yeah, that chair throw is peak 2021 cinema. 

8. tick, tick… BOOM!

Lin-Manuel Miranda has had one hell of a year. From the adaptation of his musical In The Heights, to his songwriting for Disney’s Encanto, there is no arguing that Miranda has been at the top of his game. And all this is a prelude for tick, tick… BOOM, a musical created by John Larson nearly 30 years ago, and brought to life by a bombshell performance from Andrew Garfield. For a film with BOOM! in its title, tick, tick… BOOM is defined by its smaller moments. While other musicals from the year have been defined by the larger-than-life choreography, Manuel’s subdued direction is kept close and intimate. Some of the greatest songs are sung by a small ensemble on a stage. But this tiny nature is the magic of tick, tick… BOOM. It’s a film that puts you in Larson’s shoes, his small apartment on the east side, and lets you live with the anxiety and pressure that comes with being a writer. It’s a film about pushing past your own seven levels of hell to create something great, time and time again. And thanks to Garfield’s eccentric performance, tick, tick… BOOM is a film worth remembering. It may feel like doomsday, but that’s when you need to soldier on. It’s on Netflix and is worth a watch. 

7. No Time To Die

This year I got to watch a lot of the blockbusters that came out, and this swan song for Daniel Craig’s Bond was my favorite of the traditional bunch. It does what no other Bond film ever has, or could: it forces Bond to grow up and mature. I’ve loved each of the Craig era films; Casino Royale and Skyfall, especially. But both films, in retrospect, leave Bond with a lot of emotional baggage that’s never been dealt with… until now. No Time To Die may have a near 3-hour runtime, but it’s paced expertly, and lets the emotional stakes take charge, so I didn’t feel that runtime at all. Add in a stellar performance from Daniel Craig, gorgeous cinematography from Director of Photography Linus Sandgren, and great direction from Cory Joji Fukunaga, and it’s one of the year’s best and an all-time Bond film.

6. Encanto

I briefly mentioned Lin-Manuel Miranda’s songwriting for Encanto when discussing tick, tick… BOOM, and for good reason: it slaps. From catchy tunes like “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” to the power ballad that is “What Else Can I Do?”, Miranda’s songwriting is on fire with Encanto. This is further elevated by the flawless work of the animators. Each character is personified through wonderful design and great vocal performances. To cap it all off, the story by Jared Bush, Bryon Howard, and Charise Castro Smith focuses on empathy perfectly. It’s on Disney+ and is a wonderful watch for the whole family.

5. The Matrix Resurrections

Since the “White Rabbit” trailer dropped for The Matrix Resurrections, I knew we were in for a treat. Lana Wachowski made a film that grapples with loss, abandonment, artistic intent, and more for a legacy sequel that never needed to exist. The Matrix had its trilogy, its story was told, and yet, Resurrections doesn’t feel like a tacked-on cash grab. As I put in my letterboxd review, it’s a legacy-quel with something to say. It’s impossible to separate Resurrections from the world it is born into; a world where the red pill has become synonymous with the alt-right, where studios are willing to leave storytellers behind to build a franchise, and where friends and family have been taken away in the most painful of ways. The magic of Resurrections is that it uses its place in franchise filmmaking to critique, grapple, and re-establish why stories matter. It’s not primarily an action film; it’s a love story about having your stories appropriated by others. And it may be a bit exposition-heavy, but I love how much passion went into this film. The return of Keanu Reeves and Carrie Ann Moss is fantastic, and the new additions to the cast are on fire. I especially love the costuming in the film. This isn’t a standard legacy-quel, and it’s all the better because of that. 

4. Dune 

Yeah, big shocker here. The guy who loves space science fiction has Dune in his top ten of the year. But let me take a stab at this from another angle: Dune; like every work on this list, feels like a work of art born of love and passion. Listening to Denis Villeneuve talk about Dune is mesmerizing. And watching this three-hour, incomplete space movie about a bunch of different houses fighting over space drugs shouldn’t work. And yet, it’s a world that I become entranced by. Maybe that’s just the power of Hans Zimmer, whose work here is a career-high. Or perhaps it’s the work of every cast member bringing House Atreides to life. But I believe it to be the work of a visionary director, coordinating it all together to make this massive, political space movie come to life. The ships are more than huge, the battles are explosive and quick, and attempts of survival seem futile. But it’s through those fighting efforts of Paul (Timothee Chalamet) that we are brought into this conflict. Every piece of this film feels meticulously crafted for the theater experience. From the booming score that bombards our hearing to the massive cinematography that fills our eyes, Dune is a true masterpiece. I can’t wait to see how this duology ends, and if Denis Villeneuve sticks the landing, this may be the best science fiction movie of all time. 

  3. CODA

If Dune is all about being HUGE, then CODA is the exact opposite: small. CODA, directed by Sian Heder, tells the story of Rubi Rossi, the only hearing member of her family, a girl in her senior year of school torn between being with her family and following her dreams of becoming a singer. Much like Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird, CODA is a story that resonates with me as I find myself in a similar stage of life to Rubi and Christine. But it’s not just the story that is really good in CODA. It’s got some of the best performances of the year, with Troy Kotsurand Emilia Jones standing out. Its sound design and editing are superb, creating empathy for the deaf community through simple and effective sound design. With one of the most clever scripts of the year, CODA made me feel a lot of feelings, so it’s my third favorite film of the year. It’s exclusively on Apple TV+, so catch it there. 


2. The Green Knight

For the longest time, this film held my number one spot for the year. It’s got a near-limitless depth, with each viewing providing something new. Considering it’s an adaptation of a poem from the fourteenth century, I think that’s an impressive feat. The film is a road movie, split into chapters, focusing on the adventure of Sir Gawain, a knight only inname. Through his journey to the Green Chapel, Lowery grapples with ideas of honor, purpose, and achievement. I made an entire post on why this film deserves ALL THE OSCARS so check that out for an in-depth look at this modern masterpiece from David Lowery (here). If you haven’t watched The Green Knight, go do it. It’s got one of the best 4K releases of the year, which enhances the gorgeous cinematography, the rich sound design, and the ethereal score that permeates the film. 

1. The Mitchells vs. The Machines

 

The Michell’s vs. The Machines is the passion project from the artists at Sony Animation that stole the top spot from The Green Knight one week ago. The Mitchell’s vs. The Machines is an emotional rollercoaster for the whole family, telling the story of Katie Mitchell, an aspiring filmmaker whose relationship with her dad is stuck in production hell. When the family road trip to drop Katie off at film school is interrupted by the apocalypse, the Mitchells will have to come together to save the world. There is a lot to love about this film, thanks to the efforts of director Michael Rianda and producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Every element of this film feels made to create emotion. From the animation style to the hilarious fourth-wall-breaking gags, it’s a movie that feels made for me. Each character is relatable in their own ways. And like Lady Bird and CODA, it’s another film focusing on parent-child relationships when the child grows up. So yeah, it’s my Kryptonite. It’s on Netflix now, and I heavily recommend this pop-art-infused adventure to everyone in the family.

Poll: What is your favorite film of 2021?

Brendan Cassidy
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Poll: What is your favorite film of 2021?

The year has ended, 2022 is now upon us. But it doesn’t really feel like it. While we can all agree that the 2021 cinematic year was way better than 2020, that would’ve been the case regardless, and we have to wonder if this is simply due to there being way more releases than normal. This begs another question – how different would both 2020 and 2021 look if not for the pandemic? It’s safe to assume 2020 would’ve been greater, but 2021 would have most likely still been great in its own way, though much less bountiful and exhausting. This year proved that there can be too much of a good thing, yet when the quality it yields is this good, maybe it doesn’t even matter.

So let’s go out with a bang. What is your favorite film of 2021?


Podcast: Cyrano / Petite Maman / Top 5 Scenes of 2021 – Episode 464

JD Duran
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Podcast: Cyrano / Petite Maman / Top 5 Scenes of 2021 – Episode 464

This week’s episode is brought to you by the film The Commando. Follow us on social media for your chance to win a digital code!

This week on the InSession Film Podcast, we discuss Joe Wright’s latest in Cyrano, Céline Sciamma’s new film Petite Maman and our Top 5 Scenes of 2021!

Well, here it is, the end of our 2021 campaign. It’s been one heck of a year for film. It started off slow as Hollywood was still trying to find its feet after last year, but things ramped up mightily in the second half as awards contenders became more prominent. Perhaps Cyrano and Petite Maman will have some sort of impact when it comes to awards (they definitely will when it comes to the InSession Film variety). We’ll talk more about that next week, but for this week’s episode, we have two great films and one of the most fun lists we do each year.

On that note, check out this week’s show and let us know what you think in the comment section. Thanks for listening and for supporting the InSession Film Podcast!

– Movie Review: Cyrano (6:55)
Director: Joe Wright
Writers: Erica Schmidt
Stars: Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Ben Mendelsohn

– Notes / Discussion (44:10)

Make sure you tune in next week for our annual InSession Film Awards. It will come in two parts with the first being the awards section, and the latter being our Top 10 movies of 2021. It’s always a good time!

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RELATED: Listen to Episode 456 of the InSession Film Podcast where we discussed Belfast!

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– Top 5 Scenes 2021 (55:56)
Of all the year end lists we do, aside from our Top 10 of the year, this one is always the most difficult to do. But it’s also the most rewarding as well as these are the moments that moved us the most emotionally, they left us jaw dropped, provoked us intellectually and ultimately they will define 2021 for us. And as usual, there are countless individual scenes that could qualify for this list, but that’s what makes this list exciting in the end. Given that there are so many to choose from, the scenes that do make our list carry a lot of weight with us. That said, what would be your top 5?

– Movie Review: Petite Maman (1:44:45)
Director: Céline Sciamma
Writers: Céline Sciamma
Stars: Joséphine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz, Stéphane Varupenne, Nina Meurisse

Show Sponsor: First Time Watchers Podcast

– Music

Every Letter – Haley Bennett, Peter Dinklage
Sympathy for the Abyss – Adam Driver, Devyn McDowell
Mon Coeur – Para One
The Return of the Eagle – Atli Örvarsson

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InSession Film Podcast – Episode 464

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Next week on the show:

2021 InSession Film Awards

Top 10 Movies of 2021

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Help Support The InSession Film Podcast

If you want to help support us, there are several ways you can help us and we’d absolutely appreciate it. Every penny goes directly back into supporting the show and we are truly honored and grateful. Thanks for your support and for listening to the InSession Film Podcast!

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List: Alan French’s Top 10 Films of 2021

Alan French
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List: Alan French’s Top 10 Films of 2021

10. Cyrano

Love stories might be old hat, but Joe Wright and Peter Dinklage make for a winning combination. My adoration of Cyrano begins with its lead performance. Dinklage’s brilliant performance works on many levels, even as it alters Cyrano’s source text. Dropping the giant nose for his achondroplasia creates subtextual critiques of those who fail to embrace the emotion he brings to the stage and screen. Simultaneously, Dinklage’s skill to deliver complex dialogue with rapier-sharp wit never ceases to amaze. One would be hard-pressed to find a better fit of role and actor in 2021. Wright builds the world around Dinklage’s brilliance, bringing to life unique visuals in the costumes and makeup. With a terrific cast that’s perfectly in tune with the music from Aaron & Bryce Dessner, Cyrano charmed its way into my heart.

9. Luca

Much has been said about the low-key nature of Luca, yet that is why it resonates with the studio’s more impressive feats of late. The rich text provides many avenues for interpretation, including LGBTQ+ subtext or living life as an undocumented individual. The film never points to a single reading, which opens its messages to anyone who sees themselves within the story. The animation will not turn heads, but its simple cartoonish depictions of the Italian Riviera also lends a timeless nature to the visuals. Featuring the best ending of the year, Luca will make your heart soar while reminding us to keep searching for your place in the world. 

8. The Worst Person in the World

No film in 2021 embodied the idea of arrested development like The Worst Person in the World, and even fewer feel emotionally fulfilling. Joachim Trier rarely creates work that aligns with my view on the world, yet The Worst Person in the World had me in its clutches from its opening narration. Most of the film falls on the shoulders of Renate Reinsve. She delivers my favorite performance of the year in her stunning breakthrough. Yet it’s the emotionally charged sequences with Anders Danielsen Lie that make it impossible for me to shake The Worst Person in the World. Trier’s handle on the mistakes we make, and our willingness to take life one decision at a time, makes for a breathtaking experience.

7. The Tragedy of Macbeth

The Tragedy of Macbeth announces its dark and brooding visuals from its opening sequence. The crackling voice of Kathryn Hunter creates a feeling of uneasiness that hangs over the film. Director Joel Coen puts his cards on the table from the opening draw. This telling is about monsters, and Coen captures a modern-day aesthetic of Universal’s Bride of Frankenstein and Dracula with outstanding visual compositions. Denzel’s continued brilliance remains historical. Few humans have ever dominated a field so thoroughly that we begin to underestimate their achievements, even as they occur. Hunter and Alex Hassell shake up your traditional readings of the Shakespearean classic, breathing new life into roles often pushed to the side. Joel, sans Ethan, delivers one of the most haunting texts of the year.

6. Licorice Pizza

The New Hollywood era of Los Angeles sank its hooks into many of our greatest filmmakers. Yet few would approach the hypnotic world with eyes clear enough to depict its grimy underbelly. Licorice Pizza may play like a crowd pleaser and a romance, but that’s only because of Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman’s magnetic chemistry. Anderson depicts his characters without varnish or cover-up, and as a result, they are a messy pair. How we read into that messiness, or what we believe the film means, is an entirely different matter. Licorice Pizza follows two people trying to find stability in their lives. Thanks to Anderson’s impeccable filmmaking that feels like the most important story in the world. 

5. Flee

The fight for survival creates powerful stories. For a young man living in Denmark, his survival is now dependent on those who know his true identity. While Flee follows an Afghan refugee named Amin Nawabi, his status as an illegal immigrant leaves him exposed to deportation. Given his cultural upbringing and sexuality, returning to Afghanistan could be a death sentence. Using animation to subvert his identity, Amin can tell the harrowing story of his fight for survival. Using hand-drawn animation and archival footage, Flee delivers heartwarming moments of love and sacrifice. However, its existence in this medium reminds the world that we still have a long way to go to guarantee everyone’s right to find safety in their lives.

4. The Green Knight

The weight of expectation can be crushing. For David Lowery, his foray into the fantastical places is that statement at its heart. Placing Dev Patel at the center of The Green Knight helps the film explore that concept. As a teen star and Indian Hindu, Patel stands apart from the white men who populate the industry, and the film, around him. Yet expectations of greatness are a heavy crown to bear, and in worlds governed by strict rules and customs, the path to greatness becomes a tightrope. Lowery navigates these questions with his vibrant film and allows his lead to make mistakes on the way. As a fantasy narrative and an otherworldly experience, Lowery and Patel’s partnership stands out in its oddity. The obscurity and ambiguity within this world make The Green Knight all the more fulfilling along the way.

3. Titane

Julia Ducournau’s bold and brash depiction of found family lands like a lightning bolt. Titane earns its roses as 2021’s most unique vision. Imagining anyone other than the director’s take on such a concept is unfathomable. Ducournau’s evolution from Raw to Titane signals the rise of one of our most controversial filmmakers. Tied into Titane’s messages are questions of sexuality, gender, violence, and exploitation. It also features two of the most eclectic performances of 2021 in Agathe Rousselle and Vincent Lindon. As American film drifts toward sludgy gray CGI, Ducournau’s explosion of color, sound, and style was a life raft. There will be decades to detangle Titane, and the world is a better place because we’ll never reach a consensus. 

2. Drive My Car

Ryusuke Hamaguchi became one of cinema’s breakout stars in 2021. Any artist responsible for Wheel of Fortune & Fantasy, Drive My Car, and Wife of a Spy should be lifted onto the high altar of our greatest filmmakers. My favorite of the three, Drive My Car, creates an emotional tapestry of the things we leave unsaid. The reserved emotion underlying Hidetoshi Nishijima’s performance is a masterclass in subtlety. Tōko Miura & Masaki Okada should not be underestimated either, each playing pivotal roles in developing Nishijima’s growth. Perhaps the most brilliant aspect of Drive My Car is the way it lingers with you; the sights, the brilliance of its script, and its powerful performances. All of Hamaguchi’s skill as a filmmaker is on display, making the three-hour runtime a feast for any cinephile. 

1. Pig

There are few words to describe what Pig meant to me in 2021. I first saw the film on the 6th anniversary of my father’s passing. He had been a chef his entire life. In October, I lost my dog Bella in a sudden and traumatic series of events. I cannot say that my love for this film is not swayed by my personal connections. However, I can tell you with certainty that no movie ever helped me process grief in such a positive light. While embracing grief, Michael Sarnoski’s tale of living with pain reminded me there is no shame in feeling despair. Nicolas Cage’s graceful performance keyed into the importance of the connections we make in life and never taking any of these interactions for granted. Watching Cage and his pig traverse the fog-filled forests of the Pacific Northwest remains one of my favorite images of the year. Wearing your heart on your sleeve can be difficult, and Pig’s empathy was what I needed in 2021.  

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