2021: The Good, The Bad, The Surprising, & The Disappointing
It’s time to look back on when the year twenty hundred became old enough to drink. The following are my picks for the best and worst movies, tv shows and books that I watched and read in 2021. NOTE: The category of Video Games has been left out, because when writing this and looking back on all the games I played in 2021, I realized I barely played any, and I certainly didn’t play any new ones that came out recently.
To clarify, this is NOT the best and worst of what was released in 2021, but of what I experienced in 2021. Many of these may have come out years prior, but I just now got around to them.
Movies
BEST: Zack Snyder's Justice League - Quite possibly the best superhero movie to date (See also my post on Endgame vs. The Snyder Cut Part 1 & Part 2). Also, I’m very much aware that Spider-Man: No Way Home is awesome, however I have not seen it yet, and my only problem with Dune is that it is incomplete.
Honorable Mention:
Space Sweepers - Where Hollywood fails to even try, foreign films are thriving.
WORST: Monster Hunter - This movie was almost offensive, a prime example of filmmakers underestimating the intelligence of their audience.
Dishonorable Mentions:
Infinite - Poorly written with dull and derivative action, and Mark Wahlberg somehow plays a less interesting version of his familiar self.
Gunpowder Milkshake - A movie so focused on trying to be progressive, it forgot to be good.
SURPRISINGLY GOOD: Skater Girl - Surprisingly NOT about feminism. I thought this was going to be about a girl trying to break into a male-dominated sport, but it was so much more meaningful than that.
Honorable Mentions:
Free Guy - Not surprised it was good, but surprised it was as good as it was.
Nobody - It may be a John Wick ripoff, but it’s a good John Wick ripoff.
MOST DISAPPOINTING: F9: The Fast Saga - Given the reputation of the franchise, I wasn’t just hoping this would be good, I expected it. But the editing and choreography was a dramatic decline from previous entries.
Dishonorable Mentions:
Mortal Kombat - A necessary evil in order to get the movie we really want, the sequel.
Godzilla vs. Kong - Literally oversaturated, and annoyingly cliché.
TV Shows
BEST: Ted Lasso - This show does not need justifying. This was a very hard pick to make, I do think Arcane was better than the second season of Ted Lasso. But Ted Lasso wins because I saw both seasons 1 & 2 in 2021. With both seasons combined, no other show stood a chance.
Honorable Mentions:
Arcane - An amazing stylistic blend of action and drama. And of course, that ending, and that soundtrack.
Chernobyl - I love how it focused entirely on the disaster, instead of spending 90% of the time leading up to it, then barely covering it.
WORST: Jupiter’s Legacy - Netflix’s failed attempt to replicate The Boys’ realistic depiction of what the world would be like with superheroes.
Dishonorable Mention:
Alter Ego - The very idea of this show is stupid. It’s just another singing competition, what’s the point of the virtual avatars?
SURPRISINGLY GOOD: Squid Game - Yes, “Surprising.” It’s insane popularity does not change the fact that it came out of nowhere. And it’s proof that any story can be good if told properly.
Honorable Mention:
My Name - A super compelling Korean blend of The Departed and Gangs of London.
Resident Alien - Charming in the most awkward way, Alan Tudyk is great.
MOST DISAPPOINTING: The Wheel of Time - Both the writing and production value need to skyrocket if the show is going to last long enough to tell the whole story.
Books
BEST: Project Hail Mary - No book is perfect, but this one is damn close. See Review.
Honorable Mention:
The Division: Hearts on Fire - This is a biased pick because I love game and the lore. See Review.
WORST: Until Friday Night - A completely unrealistic portrayal of teen angst and teen hormones. See Review.
SURPRISINGLY GOOD: Noumenon - Did not think I was going to enjoy this one given its unique structure and concept. See Review.
Honorable Mention:
13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened In Benghazi - I thought this was going to be a political book, but instead, it ignores the politics, and is simply a telling of what happened from the ones who were there.
MOST DISAPPOINTING: Moby-Dick - More of a text book rather than a work of fiction. See Review.
Dishonorable Mention:
What to Expect When You're Expecting - Having a child is suppose to be a gift and a blessing, and while this book is meant to help and encourage you, it does nothing but put the fear of inadequacy into you. See Review.
