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!
