2021 Midyear Recap

Well, we’re halfway through 2021 and right off the bat, I’m happy to report that there are quite a lot of things to feel good about when it comes to film. The most obvious thing to take note of is the fact that, thanks to the efforts that have been made to combat the COVID-19 pandemic (I, myself, am now fully vaccinated (Hooray!)), we’re slowly but surely starting to see things return to normal. And for the world of film, this can best be summed up by the utter satisfaction of resuming the timeless practice of going to see new releases in a theatrical setting instead of having to see films forced to abandon their theatrical releases and be moved to streaming services like Netflix and Disney+. To be clear, that doesn’t mean that I think that streaming services are a ‘bad’ thing given the high-quality content that can be found on them, but at the same time, I guess you can say that I’m just an ‘old-school’ kind of film fan who loves to see the biggest blockbusters with a crowd rather than just watching them by myself at home. Case in point, in 2020, I only managed to see four films at the theater before everything shut down, and after that, the only time that I watched something in a ‘theatrical’ setting was when I went to go see Tenet at my local drive-in since that was far and away the safest moviegoing experience at the time. By comparison, I’ve been to the theater almost every week these past few months and I very much look forward to seeing more of 2021’s most anticipated releases over the next six months.

But until then, the time has come once again for one of Rhode Island Movie Corner’s longest-standing traditions, the Midyear Recap. For those who are new to this site, the title of this post speaks for itself. Simply put, today I’m going through all the new releases that I saw during the first half of 2021, whether they were via a streaming service (which, admittedly, was something that I usually didn’t cover back then but has since become a necessity for, well, obvious reasons…) or anything that I’ve seen in a theater since the end of this past May. We start off with any of the films that I didn’t like and conclude with my Current Top 5 of the year. Now, as I alluded to earlier, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in last year’s Midyear Recap being severely truncated compared to previous installments of this type of post since I only managed to see six new releases by that point: the four previously mentioned theatergoing experiences, one Disney+ release, and an On-Demand title. I’m happy to report that this isn’t the case with the 2021 installment of the Midyear Recap as I’ve seen more than double the number of new releases that I saw in the first half of 2020. That said, though, before we begin, I recognize that I’ve been considerably behind in my work here on this site since, of the 13 films that will be appearing in today’s post, I’ve only done proper reviews for 5 of them. To be clear, I will eventually have full reviews for the other 8 films done for you guys, but since I always like to have these Midyear Recaps come out around this time of the year, that is the reason why today’s post ultimately came out first. And so, with all that out of the way, I invite you all to sit back, relax, and join me in my journey through the best and worst of the first half of 2021’s cinematic releases as Rhode Island Movie Corner proudly presents the 2021 installment of its annual Midyear Recap.

WORST OF THE YEAR (SO FAR)

ZACK SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE

Oh boy… well, we’re starting off on a fun note today by undeniably putting me directly in the crosshairs of this film’s diehard fans. But I’m sorry, guys, it is what it is… I didn’t like Zack Snyder’s Justice League. To be fair, I wasn’t big on this film’s infamous theatrical cut either when it came out in 2017 but when it comes to the mythical ‘Snyder Cut’, my problems with it are a lot different than those from the theatrical cut. Thus, while I’ll fully concede that Snyder’s cut is the better-made film in every possible manner, much of that is also the reason why it’s the less appealing of the two from my personal perspective. Sure, the theatrical cut was a rushed mess of a production defined entirely by the clashing of two vastly different directorial styles… but at least that version wasn’t four frigging hours long, horrendously paced, and clearly hindered by all the backstory and characters that it needed to set up. And as much as this version of the film is far more character-based, most of its heroes are still woefully underdeveloped under Snyder’s direction. In short, this is all another clear-cut sign of how the DC Extended Universe was rushed to try and match the scope of the Marvel Cinematic Universe without the filmmakers involved realizing that the MCU got to where it is today because it took its time in setting up its world and characters. Thus, regardless of what version of Justice League you watch, it’s a vastly outdated attempt at trying to be the next Avengers; sure, it has the same epic scale of an Avengers film, but it doesn’t even come close to having the same amount of heart.

But as I’ve noted in the past, that’s not the only reason why this film doesn’t resonate with me in the slightest as the circumstances of how it got willed into existence makes it an unfortunate symbol of the deplorable toxicity that has plagued film fandom these past few years. In other words, as good as it may be to see that Zack Snyder got the chance to release his version of the film after everything that he went through during its production (especially after he was forced to leave it due to a family tragedy), that doesn’t even remotely excuse the terrible actions of his most devoted fans. I’m talking about the ones who send death threats to anyone who dares to criticize one of Snyder’s films; the ones who act like these films are indisputable masterpieces… even when they’re not even close to being that. The ones who are so keen on Snyder’s dark and grim portrayal of characters that are mainly geared towards younger audiences that they view anything that isn’t that as an ‘insult’ to the superhero genre, whether it’d be from their direct competitors in the MCU or even other DCEU films that are decidedly different in tone. Snyder himself hasn’t made things any better given his recent trend of overly abrasive (and dare I say, a bit egotistical) comments that do nothing but rehash the same old tired point of his frequent struggles with studio interference. Thus, while both Snyder and his fans have spent the past several months complaining about what could have been, I’m just one of those folks who wishes that we’d all just simply move on from all this. The DC Extended Universe has certainly moved on from its ‘SnyderVerse’ era, and to be perfectly blunt, it’s been much better as a result.  

OTHER UNDERWHELMING RELEASES

CHERRY

This was a film that I legitimately wanted to love, especially given that it was the latest from the Russo brothers after the past several years that they’ve spent giving us some of the greatest installments of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (especially Avengers: Endgame despite what MCU stans will say otherwise). And yet, while Cherry does showcase a lot of their talents as directors, it’s ultimately a bit too ambitious for its own good. Adapted from the 2018 novel of the same name by Nico Walker, both the book and film present a fictionalized spin on Walker’s time in the US Army and how the PTSD that immediately affected him afterwards resulted in a life of crime and rampant drug use. But despite the film’s commendable efforts of portraying the horrors of PTSD, with Tom Holland and Ciara Bravo doing phenomenal jobs in the lead roles, it mostly feels very unfocused as it tackles everything from the main character’s flawed relationship with his wife, who also becomes a drug user herself, to his spree of bank robberies that gradually get messier in their execution. As a result, the film suffers from some mediocre pacing that makes its hefty runtime feel even longer, and while I do understand that this is not even remotely intended to be a ‘light-hearted’ story, certain aspects of the film like its predominately crude sense of humor end up doing too good a job in making this a rather unpleasant watch at times. To be clear, though, this doesn’t mean that I think that Cherry is as bad as some critics have viewed it as; overall, it’s an admirable attempt at making a stylistic crime thriller steeped in devastating emotional poignancy but, at the same time, clearly could’ve benefitted from some additional tinkering in post-production to work out some of its flaws.

NOTEWORTHY WATCHES

ARMY OF THE DEAD

So… I wonder if all those Snyder diehards who are undoubtedly furious at me for being critical of the Snyder Cut might just lighten their tone when they learn that I was more positive towards Zack Snyder’s other 2021 release, the Vegas-set zombie heist film Army of the Dead. No? Well, I’m not surprised, that’s just their M.O. at this point. Regardless, it’s nice that Snyder got the chance to do something different for a change given that this was his first film in a decade to not have anything to do with characters from the DC Universe. It even let him return to the genre that kick-started his career after making his directorial debut with the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead. With that in mind, Army of the Dead does feel more like the kind of film that Snyder’s best accustomed to, and sure enough, all his directorial traits are on full display here. That said, though… it also serves as a frustrating reminder of how Snyder hasn’t really evolved much as a director. Sure, Army of the Dead doesn’t hold back with its visual flair and meticulously crafted action sequences, but just like many of Snyder’s other films, it suffers from an incredibly underdeveloped script that doesn’t fully capitalize on the unique aspects of its premise. It also doesn’t help that character development is still one of Snyder’s biggest weaknesses as a director, thus stranding a genuinely solid cast that includes the likes of Dave Bautista and Tig Notaro with barely any quality material to work with. As such, I’d describe Army of the Dead as an archetypal Zack Snyder film as it highlights his best… and worst directorial attributes. And while I obviously liked it more than Justice League, it didn’t exactly wow me either.   

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE ON THE RUN

The discourse surrounding SpongeBob SquarePants nowadays is… weird, to say the least, and what I mean by that is that you’d never expect a show as innocent (and often quite surreal) as SpongeBob to amass one of the most toxic factions of fandom that, no joke, can often be on par with the Snyder diehards or the Fandom Menace. Basically, to make a long story short, this mainly stems from those who are overly protective of the legacy of the show’s creator, the late Stephen Hillenburg, to the point where they cruelly attack any of its developing spin-offs such as Kamp Koral and The Patrick Star Show. In their eyes, Hillenburg would’ve never approved of any of these… even though long-time series writer Vincent Waller confirmed that Hillenburg was, at the very least, aware of Kamp Koral’s production and would’ve most likely been totally cool with it. I mean, if I were to be perfectly blunt, we live in an age now where SpongeBob is known more for the endless number of internet memes that it’s spawned rather than anything from the show itself. And while I’ll fully admit that I haven’t regularly watched the show for many years and was once amongst those who spent way too much time lamenting its decline in quality after the release of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, it seems like, from what I’ve heard, the show has legitimately managed to improve itself in recent years. Sadly, though, that fact has been undermined by a fandom that’s been blindly loyal to an utterly false narrative and, as a result, has resorted to attacking material that clearly isn’t marketed towards them.

In some ways, all this gatekeeping clearly must’ve had an impact on the third SpongeBob film, Sponge on the Run, especially seeing how it has several flashback sequences which show SpongeBob and his friends at the Kamp Koral summer camp which, of course, is the setting for the show’s first official spin-off. Overall, though, Sponge on the Run is another solid cinematic outing for everyone’s favorite sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea. While it does adopt a different style of animation compared to both the show and the previous two films, the transition from 2-D animation to CGI doesn’t result in the loss of the show’s unique style and its penchant for utterly surreal imagery (Where else are you going to see sights like Keanu Reeves as an all-knowing tumbleweed?). And while the plot is incredibly straight-forward in its execution (e.g. this isn’t the first time that we’ve seen a ‘SpongeBob’s pet snail Gary goes missing’ plot), the film makes up for this by being a lot more heartfelt than the previous SpongeBob film, 2015’s Sponge Out of Water. Nothing against that film, for the record, but the scenes in this film where SpongeBob’s friends explain just how much he means to them are beautifully done and do a great job of symbolizing the best parts of a franchise that’s left a considerable impact on the pop cultural zeitgeist. Thus, while I’ll admit that there’ll probably never be another SpongeBob film that resonates with me as much as the original since it’s the one that I grew up with, Sponge on the Run isn’t even close to being the ‘dumpster fire’ that some parts of the franchise’s fandom undoubtedly view it as. Case in point, I’d argue that this film is a much better representation of the legacy of Stephen Hillenburg and his greatest creation rather than the recent actions of those who act as if they’re speaking on Hillenburg’s behalf.      

GODZILLA VS. KONG

One of the best things that I can say about Godzilla vs. Kong, the culmination of the recent MonsterVerse series of films that reimagined the titular monsters for a new generation, is that it does something that its immediate predecessor, 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters, wasn’t able to do; it doesn’t take itself too seriously. In other words, it knows damn well that the main thing we’re all here to see is two of the most iconic creatures in cinematic history duking it out with each other, and with that in mind, it more than delivers on that front. Plus, unlike the Godzilla films, which mostly had its big monster set-pieces take place at night with mediocre lighting, Godzilla vs. Kong opts to be more in line with 2017’s Kong: Skull Island by featuring more daytime-set action sequences and far more visually appealing nighttime action sequences. If there’s one downside to this, however, it’s that, just like the other MonsterVerse films, all these great action sequences can’t entirely make up for a mediocre script, and while Godzilla vs. Kong goes as far as to present the franchise’s most sci-fi heavy plot to date, it’s practically an afterthought this time around. Still, as someone who wasn’t too big on King of the Monsters, where I felt that the human plot of the film was even worse than usual, I personally found some aspects of this film’s human plot (i.e. the friendship between Kong and a young native deaf girl named Jia) to be better handled by comparison even if it’s still nothing special. In a lot of ways, this mirrors my overall thoughts on the MonsterVerse franchise in general; while there’s a lot of fun to be had with these films, they also could’ve been written a lot better. For what it’s worth, though, while Godzilla vs. Kong is easily the franchise’s most narratively undemanding installment to date, I’d argue that this is what ultimately makes it work better than others.

MORTAL KOMBAT

The genre of films based on hit video games has been around for several decades now, and unfortunately, most of these adaptations have either been disappointingly underwhelming or downright terrible. In recent years, however, it seems like the genre’s consistently bad luck has managed to somewhat improve as we’ve had some genuinely solid video game film adaptations such as Pokémon: Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog. And sure enough, that trend continued this year with the big-budget cinematic reboot of Mortal Kombat 26 years after the 1995 Mortal Kombat film managed to be one of the genre’s rare successes. But as entertaining as the 1995 film is, the new Mortal Kombat surpasses it in practically every way imaginable, especially when it comes to its action sequences. Whereas the 1995 film (and, for that matter, its infamously worse 1997 sequel Annihilation) was forced to limit the intensity of its fight sequences to maintain a PG-13 rating, this new Mortal Kombat doesn’t hold back from replicating the franchise’s notoriously graphic violence as it very much earns its R rating. Granted, it does take a bit for the film to get to those moments since it’s the very definition of a ‘franchise starter’ film that mainly serves to build up the world and its characters, especially since it centers around a film-exclusive character, Cole Young, as its main protagonist. Still, when it does get to the things that fans of the franchise want to see, I’d argue that it does them well enough to make up for any shortcomings that stemmed from the journey there. Thus, just like the original live-action Mortal Kombat film, this new cinematic spin on one of the most iconic video game franchises of all-time is another one of the better instances of a hit video game being adapted into a film. I’m genuinely interested in seeing a sequel to this, especially since it ends with a tease of the debut of franchise mainstay Johnny Cage; that said, though, if they do end up making a sequel… let’s just hope that it doesn’t turn out to be another Annihilation.

A QUIET PLACE – PART II

2018’s A Quiet Place was one of the most highly-acclaimed horror films of recent years thanks to John Krasinski’s fantastic direction and a powerful sense of emotional poignancy that helped give its story of a family struggling to survive whilst being hunted by aliens with a heightened sense of hearing its humanity. For some, including Krasinski himself, it didn’t seem like a sequel was needed despite the potential ‘sequel hook’ that the first film arguably ended on; eventually, though, Krasinski found a way to continue the story of the Abbott family and does so excellently. Now, despite what I just said, I wouldn’t quite say that A Quiet Place Part II is as tightly scripted as its predecessor as there are a few plotlines and character beats here and there that weren’t quite as developed as they probably should’ve been. Still, when it comes to the things that made the first film work as well as it did, those aspects continue to be on full display in a sequel that doesn’t go overboard with its attempts at expanding its universe. Instead, it mainly serves as another showcase of Krasinski’s strong direction with plenty of brilliantly staged and appropriately intense set-pieces such as the opening flashback that covers the exact moment when the aliens arrive on Earth. But, of course, one of the biggest selling points of these films has been the sympathetic group of protagonists who headline it, the Abbott family, and just like the first film, the indisputable star of the show is Millicent Simmonds as Regan, especially since this film promotes her into being the main protagonist. Thus, with all this in mind, while I can’t say that A Quiet Place Part II is a ‘superior sequel’, it is a sequel that manages to be just as good as its predecessor because it doesn’t lose sight of what made that first film such a success.  

F9: THE FAST SAGA

At this point, there are two distinct camps when it comes to the Fast and the Furious franchise. On one side, you have those who unabashedly love it despite all its ludicrous moments and melodramatic plots. And on the other side, you have those who can’t even remotely stand these films because of those exact reasons and spend a lot of time lamenting how they ‘symbolize the death of cinema’. As for me, I’m sure that I’ve made it clear by now that I’m in the former camp, and with that in mind, one of the first things that I can say about the series’ ninth mainline installment, F9, is that when compared to the previous film, 2017’s The Fate of the Furious, it seems like this was a much smoother production. Whereas Fate of the Furious ended up getting defined by all the intense drama that occurred behind the scenes, I’d argue that the return of series mainstay Justin Lin as F9’s director was crucial to making this film’s proceedings feel a lot livelier than some of the franchise’s most recent installments. Now, as usual, everything that I just said should still be taken with a grain of salt since this is Fast and the Furious we’re talking about, and sure enough, F9 continues the series’ recent trajectory of getting more insane with each new installment. But to go off the enthusiastic reaction that this got from the crowd that I saw it with (e.g. there was quite a lot of applause when a certain fan-favorite protagonist returned from his alleged demise), F9 manages to be, in its own unique way, a return to form for this series… even if some will argue that this isn’t really saying much given its usual reputation.

TOP 5 OF 2021 (SO FAR)

5. LUCA

To the surprise of no one, Pixar has delivered another excellent animated feature with their sole 2021 outing, Luca. Directed by Enrico Casarosa (director of La Luna, the lead-in short for Brave), Luca follows a pair of young boys who travel to an Italian town and compete in a triathlon… all while trying to keep their real identities as sea monsters secret, especially since the town that they visit is full of dedicated fishermen. What follows is a story that many have noted to have some of the lightest narrative stakes to come from a Pixar film, and yet, in an age where Pixar films tend to get scrutinized more than they should, it really should be noted that this isn’t a bad thing in this instance. Instead, Luca’s greatest strength is its effortless charm as it does a phenomenal job in immersing us within its world as seen through the eyes of its lovable main protagonists. Yes, the story is as straight-forward as you can get with clear-cut heroes and villains but that doesn’t mean that Luca can’t hit the same kind of powerful emotional beats that have become a staple of Pixar’s filmography. Simply put, Luca isn’t meant to be a thought-provoking parable a la something like Inside Out or Wall-E. Instead, it’s a pleasantly light-hearted ‘slice of life’ adventure story directly inspired by Enrico Casarosa’s own experiences living on the Italian Riviera that also pays a ton of tributes to Italian cinema and the works of the legendary Hayao Miyazaki. Because of all this (as well as Pixar’s consistently beautiful animation), Luca is an utterly delightful film that, above all else, proves a point that me and some of my peers have been making for years now in that not every Pixar film needs to be a ‘15/10 masterpiece’ to be a worthwhile addition to the studio’s legendary filmography.

4. CRUELLA

Following in the footsteps of 2014’s Maleficent, Cruella, the newest installment of Disney’s recent line of live-action re-imaginings of their animated classics, presents a story where its iconic antagonist (in this case, 101 Dalmatians’ Cruella de Vil) is portrayed as a more sympathetic protagonist. Granted, I’d argue that this film gives Cruella more of a wild side than Maleficent had in her titular films, but at the end of the day, it’s unclear if this version of the infamous dognapping fashion designer will end up going to the extreme lengths that she’s gone to in other films. Thus, just like Maleficent, I think it’s safe to say that this film’s portrayal of Cruella hasn’t gone over well with everybody; and yet, I also think that it all comes together nicely in Craig Gillespie’s stylish, edgy, and sharply directed comedic crime thriller. Obviously, much of what makes this film work as well as it does has to do with Emma Stone’s Grade-A performance in the title role. Even with the pressure of following in the footsteps of Glenn Close’s iconic turn as the character in the 1996 live-action remake of 101 Dalmatians, Stone’s natural charisma is on point throughout as she truly makes the role her own. Plus, it’s simply a delight to see her version of Cruella go toe to toe with this film’s main antagonist, the Baroness, delightfully played by Emma Thompson. Really, apart from some minor issues that stem from the runtime and some admittedly predictable plot twists, Cruella is the very definition of a crowd-pleaser. Plus, regardless of how much I enjoyed it, this film will always be in my good graces for being the first new release that I saw in a movie theater in more than a year.

3. THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES

Many have said that The Mitchells vs. the Machines, the latest release from Sony Pictures Animation (even though COVID forced them to sell the distribution rights to Netflix), is one of the best examples in recent memory of an animated film that thoroughly appeals to both kids and adults, and to put it simply, it’s easy to see why. While they’re only involved with it as producers, this film clearly benefits from the influence of the dynamic duo of Phil Lord and Chris Miller as writers/directors Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe craft an unabashedly wacky yet wholly poignant story with strong themes. And while the film does take a lot of inspiration from modern internet culture, it doesn’t go overboard with this stuff to the point where it’s only accessible to those who are the most well-versed with it. Whereas early trailers may’ve suggested that it would largely be based around the traditional ‘technology vs. nature’ debate, the film instead focuses more on themes such as the unbreakable bond of family and the beauty of one’s individuality, especially as seen through of the eyes of its incredibly sympathetic protagonist Katie Mitchell. As a result, The Mitchells vs. the Machines is a film that successfully manages to present some of the funniest AND most emotional cinematic moments in recent years, thus making it yet another rousing success for the big-name talents who worked on it.

2. RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON

I wouldn’t be surprised if this film’s higher placement over The Mitchells vs. the Machines may garner some backlash from animation fans, mainly by way of me potentially being accused of playing it safe and preferring the more mainstream works of Walt Disney Animation over something that’s more of a creatively unique venture. To be clear, though, these films are practically interchangeable at this point when it comes to their spots amongst my favorite films of the year and none of this is meant to be any kind of statement on their quality because they’re both fantastic. Case in point, Raya and the Last Dragon is, big surprise, another smash hit for Walt Disney Animation as directors Don Hall and Carlos Lopez Estrada create a highly entertaining action-adventure that pays full tribute to the Southeast Asian culture that inspired it. Simply put, there’s a lot to love about this film; gorgeous animation, a lovable cast of main protagonists, the fact that it made the effortlessly adorable Kelly Marie Tran the latest and greatest Disney princess heroine, etc. Ultimately, though, one of the greatest things about this film is its utterly timely themes of unity. Given that the bulk of the plot revolves around its titular heroine’s quest to reunite the five factions of her homeland of Kumandra, which has been torn apart by greed and mistrust, it goes without saying that several key moments in this film feel like they’ve been ripped straight from the real world. As a result of all this, Raya and the Last Dragon very much succeeds in being a prime example of Walt Disney Animation’s newly minted Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee’s goal of creating more diverse Disney stories.   

1. IN THE HEIGHTS

You ever find yourself in a situation where you’re going to see a new film and, based on what you’ve seen from the marketing, think to yourself that it’s practically guaranteed to be something that you’re going to love? Well, for me, this scenario very much applied to In the Heights, the film adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical of the same name that was the first big success for the one and only Lin-Manuel Miranda several years before Hamilton made him a household name. And just like its source material, the film adaptation of In the Heights is an utterly delightful musical that celebrates universal themes such as family and the strength of one’s community. Under Jon M. Chu’s fantastic direction, the film boasts visually stunning musical numbers and features an all-star cast that’s headlined by one of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s most notable disciples, Anthony Ramos, in the starring role that Miranda originated on Broadway. Now, yes, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact that this film ended up attracting some negative publicity after its release for not being entirely accurate with its ethnically diverse casting (which, ironically, wouldn’t be the first time that this happened to a Jon M. Chu film as Crazy Rich Asians faced a similar controversy). However, I personally feel that this shouldn’t completely overshadow what is, at its core, a powerful feel-good drama that follows a group of lovable protagonists as they go about their daily lives in their hometown of Washington Heights. Thus, if you haven’t seen it yet (which may account for many of you given its surprisingly mediocre box-office performance), I highly recommend that you do so because, without taking that whole diversity scandal into account, I honestly can’t think of anything bad to say about it.

And that concludes the 2021 installment of Rhode Island Movie Corner’s Annual Midyear Recap. As always, I want to thank you all for joining me on this little adventure regardless of how it ultimately took me a much longer time to finish this post than it probably should’ve. As I alluded to in the intro, I know that I’ve been vastly behind schedule when it comes to the content that I’ve been publishing on this site. There are a few reasons for this that I won’t exactly get into right now (nothing bad, for the record, it’s just that there have been other things that’ve taken up a lot of my time recently), but like I said before, this doesn’t mean that I’ve stopped doing what I’ve been doing for the past decade. Case in point, proper reviews for the films in today’s post that I haven’t already covered are in the works, starting with the one that I’ve been working on for The Mitchells vs. The Machines which I’ll try to finish in the next week or so. And sure enough, there are plenty more reviews to look forward to now that new theatrical releases are starting to get back on track, from all the new MCU films coming out (and yes, that includes all the recent Disney+ shows, which I plan to cover in some kind of ‘event week’) to highly anticipated releases such as Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and, after all its delays, Daniel Craig’s final James Bond film, No Time to Die. Not only that, but if all goes well, you can look forward to the return of another RIMC tradition at the end of the summer. Simply put, words cannot describe how great it feels knowing that the cinematic experience has returned!