Well, I rolled off of my catch-up for 2019 seemingly right into the pandemic. The only movie I remember seeing in a theater this last year was 2019’s Knives Out. Can that be true? Well, someday we’ll be back to feeling comfortable in theaters, until then lots of stuff available on streaming. While I was being relatively budget-conscious this year I did throw down to pay for a couple of last-minute picks because I knew I’d be doing this list but there are certainly more to be seen. For Critic’s picks, you can check out Metacritic or Rotten Tomatoes for a consensus.
- The Old Guard – This is the first movie I remember watching when I decided I was going to start doing a Saturday Night Movie to give some meaning to my weekends during the pandemic, and I just remember it was fun, I’m totally on board for Charlize Theron taking this immortals(?) mercenaries action series into franchise territory.
- Promising Young Woman – Revenge done very wrong, in this thriller masking as a comedy Carey Mulligan does a beautiful job embodying the double life of this cunning young woman so obviously broken by experiences she couldn’t avert, will she or can she get revenge?
- Palm Springs – You can’t shake a stick without hitting a time loop movie or tv show but this Adam Sandler and Christin Milioti showcase hit fresh notes through their chemistry and hijinks as well as the more esoteric questions.
- The Vast of Night – This ’50s set sci-fi/mystery has such a throwback tone but is oddly compelling as two high school kids chase the source of a mysterious audio frequency, does it get them more than they bargained for?
- The Half of It – This Cyrano style romance gives us a new flavor of the take as we’re as captivated by shy high schooler Ellie as her target is by her letters, as she befriends the jock she’s writing for, complications and sweetness ensue.
- On the Rocks – Sofia Coppola brings a fun look at a daughter, Rashida Jones, and estranged father, Bill Murray, reconnecting through her suspicions about her husband.
- One Night in Miami – Most of these plays turned movies feel stilted but this incredible night of icons Cassius Clay, Jim Brown, Sam Cooke, and Malcom X connecting is thoughtfully and beautifully brought to life by Regina King.
- Nomadland, Minari, Never Rarely Sometimes Always – These three films bring an interesting look at simpler yet not more straightforward stories of people just trying to make it.
Reply or comment to let me know what some of your favorites were?
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