2021 Films Scored
List activity
296 views
• 1 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
53 titles
- DirectorKevin LewisStarsNicolas CageEmily TostaBeth GrantA quiet drifter is tricked into a janitorial job at the now condemned Willy's Wonderland. The mundane tasks suddenly become an all-out fight for survival against wave after wave of demonic animatronics. Fists fly, kicks land, titans clash -- and only one side will make it out alive.5/10
Is it a good movie? No. But is it an entertaining movie? Yes, definitely. This film is about as good as you'd expect with a set-up like this. Nicholas Cage is a lot of fun to watch in this for reasons entirely different than you'd expect. He doesn't utter a single word throughout the entire film and yet he manages to steal every single scene that he's in. The stuff with the teens definitely holds it back as most of their performances weren't great and they had a tendency to forget their knowledge of Willy's Wonderland whenever it was convenient for the story. But whenever the movie was just pure Nicholas Cage goodness, it was pretty fun. - DirectorShaka KingStarsLaKeith StanfieldDaniel KaluuyaJesse PlemonsOffered a plea deal by the FBI, William O'Neal infiltrates the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party to gather intelligence on Chairman Fred Hampton.8/10
Absolutely superb performances from Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kalluya. If it weren't for works like Get Out, Black Mirror, Sorry to Bother You, and Atlanta, I'd say this film would be career defining for both of them.
I initially didn't have much interest in this film because most historical biopics that I've seen are either more concerned with hitting specific formulaic beats or are more concerned with being as historically accurate as possible at the expense of an engaging narrative. This film feels different than all of those. On top of the incredible acting and cinematography, the story it tells is brutal, electrifying, has great characterization and moves at a pretty good pace which is a feeling that I rarely get from most Hollywood historical biopics. It's a film that could still hold its own even if it was pure fiction.
It's also another entry on the list of films who's social commentary is sadly still topical today despite taking place decades ago. (The scene of a black person getting unlawfully shot in his sleep in particular made me feel like not much has really changed since this time period.)
Wasn't expecting to like this film as much as I did and I look forward to Shaka King's next film. - DirectorZack SnyderStarsHenry CavillBen AffleckGal GadotDetermined to ensure that Superman's ultimate sacrifice wasn't in vain, Bruce Wayne recruits a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions.6/10
There was no reason for this thing to be four hours long. This could've been a two and a half hour movie very easily. The first half of this movie is an absolute slog to sit through. It spends close to two hours setting up a story that isn't really that complicated when you get down to it even though it could've easily been cut down to thirty or forty-five minutes. The last half on the other hand is supremely entertaining and one of the best things that I've seen from Snyder.
Unlike the theatrical cut, the story is overlong and poorly paced, but coherent. Many of the characters actually have a reason to exist in the plot. Steppenwolf isn't as much of a joke of a villain as he was in the 2017 version and Cyborg went from being the most boring character in the theatrical cut to being the most interesting character in this version.
It's not great and there's a lot holding back. It's overlong and still a bit of a mess at points. The overuse of slow motion definitely got on my nerves. I was convinced that this was as bad as Snyder's other work in the first half, but thankfully that opinion shifted. Had an hour and a half or so been shaved off, I'd be willing to call this a pretty good superhero film that's worthy of its hype. I'm also happy that Snyder was finally able to make the movie that he wanted before Warner Brothers totally butchered it. - DirectorKitao SakuraiStarsEric AndréMichaela ConlinLil Rel HoweryThis mix of a scripted buddy comedy road movie and a real hidden camera prank show follows the outrageous misadventures of two buds stuck in a rut who embark on a cross-country road trip to NYC. The storyline sets up shocking real pranks.7/10
It's no Borat, but a pretty enjoyable effort from Eric Andre. The plot isn't anything special, but to be fair, it's meant to be more of an excuse for pulling hidden camera pranks on unsuspecting people to which there are many. Not all of jokes worked (the prank where Eric Andre gets raped by a gorilla in front of a crowd of people was a bit too far for me), but the ones that did work made the entire experience worthwhile. - DirectorSpencer SusserStarsZac EfronRicky GervaisTricia HelferRalph, a bunny being interviewed for a documentary, goes through his daily routine as a "tester" in a lab.8/10
Excellent stop motion animation and manages to be humorous without making light of its very dark subject matter. I forgot that it was even supposed to be a PSA as it's actually a pretty great short just on its own merits. Definitely check it out. It's only four minutes, so not a huge time investment. - DirectorSimon McQuoidStarsLewis TanJessica McNameeJosh LawsonMMA fighter Cole Young seeks out Earth's greatest champions in order to stand against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe.3/10
I genuinely feel like the people praising this film watched a completely different movie than I did. That isn't to say that I was going in expecting the next Citizen Kane. I went in expecting some dumb fun which I only got in very short spades. The opening action scene and the ending action scene were both pretty fun and exactly the kind of thing I'd expect from a Mortal Kombat film. But for the most part, 90% of this film is just a rushed undercooked story that's very reliant on clunky and uninteresting exposition that I was only able to follow because I'm vaguely familiar with the lore of the games. Any novices would likely be lost. Many argue that the film isn't meant to be taken seriously, but it sure as shit acts like it should be. - DirectorMichael RiandaJeff RoweStarsAbbi JacobsonDanny McBrideMaya RudolphA quirky, dysfunctional family's road trip is upended when they find themselves in the middle of the robot apocalypse and suddenly become humanity's unlikeliest last hope.6/10
Very meh story that hits pretty much every beat you expect it to without much room for surprise. But it's paired with some dazzling animation that reminded me of Into the Spider-Verse at many points and some pretty zany and fun humor that hit more often than it missed. (Although there are some groaners in there for sure.) Not great and I'm glad I saw it overall, but I doubt I'll ever see it again. - DirectorDerek SavageStarsDerek SavageAngel HopeAndre MatthewsDirty Dog, Cool Cat's archenemies and rival, is spreading the corona virus to everyone and all the kids, while also trying to convince them that the whole pandemic is a scam. He believes no one should wear a mask. However, Cool Cat must step up to the plate, and put a stop to Dirty Dog's intentions of clearing half the population of COVID-19.1/10
Lazy, boring, and cringe inducing. The most disappointing film of the year. Despite more than a year of build-up and an almost $8,000 budget, the entire thing feels like it was thrown together in one day. Derek Savage has gone beyond hiring any actors or singers, probably due to people being sick of his shitty behavior, and now resorts to doing all of the work on his own. The result is nowhere near as funny as it sounds. The hamfisted and misguided messages towards children are to be expected, but this film isn't even fun to watch in a "so-bad-it's-good" kind of way. It's just pure shit. Plain and simple. Do not recommend. - DirectorZack SnyderStarsDave BautistaElla PurnellAna de la RegueraFollowing a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted.5.5/10
Not terrible, but not great either. Fun as hell at some points and excruciatingly boring at others. Snyder still doesn't know when to reel himself in and leave some stuff on the cutting room floor because there was no reason for this to be as long as it was.
It looks great visually and has a pretty lackluster script like most Snyder films, but this one is paired with some thrilling action and satisfying violence which added to the entertainment value. A lot of people say this film is more self-aware and doesn't take itself very seriously which I think is bullshit, but it also doesn't try to convince you that it's smarter than it actually is which is a plus. - DirectorJoe WrightStarsAmy AdamsGary OldmanAnthony MackieAn agoraphobic woman living alone in New York begins spying on her new neighbors; only to witness a disturbing act of violence.2/10
What an absolute dumpster fire of a movie. Many have already declared this to be a worse version of Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window and while that comparison is not unwarranted by any means, it also goes well beyond that.
Every single character is so goddamn stupid that I actually found myself yelling at my TV multiple times. The vast majority of the acting ranges from not great to laughably terrible which isn't helped by some really piss poor direction on Joe Wright's part.
The story makes so many strange and nonsensical decisions that I felt like I was going completely mad the more it progressed. Like, it genuinely felt like this film had no clue what it wanted to be and the way it tackled its varying ideas and themes were incredibly jarring and didn't seem very well thought out. Maybe the book this is based on is better. Who knows?
Amy Adams is the one saving grace in this entire mess. If you want a good psychological thriller with her in the leading role, just watch Sharp Objects on HBO Max. At least with that show, I never felt like my intelligence was being insulted. - DirectorRussell NormanBen WinstonStarsJennifer AnistonCourteney CoxLisa Kudrow"Friends (1994)" reunion special hosted by James Corden in which the main cast revisit the sets of the original show, meet with celebrity guests, do table reads and re-enactments of episodes, and share behind-the-scenes footage.7/10
The celebrity cameos and the James Corden segments you could easily skip. The best parts of this are when it's just the cast of Friends shooting the shit and that's what ended up carrying this. A huge reason why the show was so enjoyable is because you can tell that the actors have such a genuine bond and work so well together. You could've just had the six of them sitting around talking about stuff for an over and a half and I think you'd still have everyone's attention.
Pretty entertaining special overall even if it was a bit over extravagant. - DirectorIlya NaishullerStarsBob OdenkirkAleksey SerebryakovConnie NielsenA docile family man slowly reveals his true character after his house gets burgled by two petty thieves, which, coincidentally, leads him into a bloody war with a Russian crime boss.6/10
Exactly what I expected which is a good thing. Pretty meh story, but it feels aware of that and it's elevated by Odenkirk's performance and some fun action set pieces. Don't have a whole lot to say about it other than this movie knew exactly what it was and I enjoyed myself while watching it. - DirectorBo BurnhamStarsBo BurnhamA musical comedy special shot and performed by Bo Burnham, alone, over the course of a very unusual year.8/10
I didn't expect what's basically a glorified quarantine film to be this good. But then again, it's made by the same guy whose directorial debut was one of the best films of 2018, so I guess I shouldn't be that surprised.
Out of all the content I've seen from Bo Burnham, this may not necessarily be the funniest, but it's the most human, innovative, and well-polished project of his that I've seen so far. On top of featuring plenty of fantastic musical numbers and social commentary, this is also one for the most relatable and hard hitting portraits of mental illness to come out in a while. The fact that Burnham had no crew and did all of the work himself is unreal and actually kind of inspiring. - DirectorMichael ChavesStarsPatrick WilsonVera FarmigaRuairi O'ConnorArne Cheyenne Johnson stabs and murders his landlord, claiming to be under demonic possession while Ed and Lorraine Warren investigate the case and try to prove his innocence.4/10
James Wan's absence really shows. The energy and the old school creep factor from the first two films are mostly gone and have been replaced with a bland and clumsily told murder mystery that doesn't do much to justify its exploitation of a real life tragedy. The chemistry between Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga is dynamite as always, but it doesn't elevate the film by much.
It's not as bad (or at least not as painfully boring) as Annabelle or The Nun, but it's easily the weakest out of the main series. - DirectorKevin NoltingStarsTina FeyRichard AyoadeAlice BragaSet before the events of Pixar's Soul (2020), 22 refuses to go to Earth, enlisting a gang of five other new souls in her attempt at rebellion.5/10
Kinda cute, I guess, but pretty purposeless and ineffective. It doesn't tell us anything new about the Soul universe or 22's character, so I'm left wondering what the point even was. - DirectorJustin LinStarsVin DieselMichelle RodriguezJordana BrewsterDom and the crew must take on an international terrorist who turns out to be Dom and Mia's estranged brother.5/10
Exactly what you think i's gonna be. The escalating absurdity of the action will never not be fun to watch. While the overly complicated plot and unironic melodrama did test my patience a bit this time around, I can't say I didn't walk away feeling satisfied. I got what I wanted in the end and that's all that matters. - DirectorChris PalmerStarsJensen AcklesJosh DuhamelNaya RiveraHeld hostage by the powerful Falcone crime family, Gotham City is rife with crime and corruption. Adding to the chaos is the mysterious Holiday killer, who has been targeting the underworld and leaving a trail of terror - and body bags.7/10
This is the first animated DC film that I've actually enjoyed in quite a while. The fact that they had solid source material to work with and weren't hampered by their half-baked excuse for a cinematic universe probably helped quite a bit. There are, of course, still flaws like the bland art style, some pacing issues, and some occasional awkward dialogue, but I was actually invested in the story that it was telling unlike some of the more recent DC films like Hush or Man of Tomorrow which didn't even try to stand out and just bored the hell out of me.
It's still not up to snuff with their best work, but the fact that it's any good at all is a refreshing change of pace from all the mediocrity we've been getting for the past few years. Here's to hoping that Part Two is just as good if not better. - DirectorLeigh JaniakStarsKiana MadeiraOlivia Scott WelchBenjamin Flores Jr.A circle of teenage friends accidentally encounter the ancient evil responsible for a series of brutal murders that have plagued their town for over 300 years. Welcome to Shadyside.4/10
Colorful visuals that encapsulate the genre it's paying homage to. One good kill. That's about it. This film overall was just kinda obnoxious. If I was an edgy teenager, then I might've enjoyed this. But I'm not.
None of the performances were great. The script felt like it was written by a fourteen year old. The licensed music felt very intrusive and often took me out of the scene. Really cringe inducing comedy, especially with the trademark fuckboy character, which reminded me a bit of Freaky which I also didn't care for, for similar reasons.
I don't know what else I expected from R.L. Stine's attempt at an R-rated story. It just felt like Scream without the charm or nuance. Might check out the other two films in the trilogy to see if they get any better, but I'm not holding my breath. - DirectorLeigh JaniakStarsSadie SinkEmily RuddRyan SimpkinsShadyside, 1978. School's out for summer and the activities at Camp Nightwing are about to begin. But when another Shadysider is possessed with the urge to kill, the fun in the sun becomes a gruesome fight for survival.5/10
Slightly better than the first one. It's less annoying, has a lead that I don't hate, and has a couple decent performances from Sadie Sink and Emily Rudd. May seem pretty damning with faint praise, but that's a lot more than I can say about Part One. - DirectorCate ShortlandStarsScarlett JohanssonFlorence PughDavid HarbourNatasha Romanoff confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises.5.5/10
I go into more detail on Letterboxd, but here's the TLDR version. Story feels like wasted potential and doesn't entirely know what it wants to be. Natasha doesn't get much of an origin nor does her character go through any significant change. The supporting cast and the action sequences are good and make the film reasonably enjoyable. - DirectorMalcolm D. LeeStarsLeBron JamesDon CheadleCedric JoeA rogue artificial intelligence kidnaps the son of famed basketball player LeBron James, who then has to work with Bugs Bunny to win a basketball game.2/10
I didn't like the first Space Jam all that much, but this piece of shit gave me some newfound appreciation for it. At least the first one was just a ninety minute Air Jordans commercial and wasn't a two hour Warner Bros. ad campaign. At least the first one wasn't so overly flashy that it was headache inducing. At least the first one didn't have unfunny meme humor. At least the first one didn't have Granny drinking a martini and saying "haters gonna hate." At least the first one didn't have Porky Pig doing a rap number. At least the first one didn't have a pointless Rick and Morty cameo. A FUCKING RICK AND MORTY CAMEO. Are you serious? Holy shit, this can't be real.
Fuck this movie. Fuck it. Fuck it. Fuck it. Fuck it. I hate it. Fuck it. If it wasn't for The Woman in the Window, this would be my pick for the worst movie of the year. - DirectorLance OppenheimStarsDennis DeanLynn HenryAnne KincerBehind the gates of a palm tree-lined fantasyland, four residents of America's largest retirement community, The Villages, FL, strive to find solace and meaning.7.5/10
A very enjoyable documentary that tackles a unique subject matter in an interesting way. What initially seems like a glorified puff piece for the largest retirement community in America winds up becoming a story about different people who didn't wind up getting the fantasy that the community promised them. Each character the film focuses on is unique, funny, and even tragic in their own ways and the way certain scenes are shot makes you forget that the film isn't fictional. It's a very short watch clocking in at only 83 minutes, but it does its job pretty well. - DirectorM. Night ShyamalanStarsGael García BernalVicky KriepsRufus SewellA vacationing family discovers that the secluded beach where they're relaxing for a few hours is somehow causing them to age rapidly, reducing their entire lives into a single day.3/10
M. Night is back in top form again in the sense that he's gone back to making films that are so bad that they're entertaining. The same quirks are there: a plot twist that makes no sense, hokey acting and dialogue, characters who don't talk or act like human beings, all of that is here. Pair all of those things with an incredibly bizarre concept like this and you have a highly enjoyable clusterfuck of a film. God bless this disaster. - DirectorDarren Lynn BousmanStarsChris RockSamuel L. JacksonMax MinghellaA criminal mastermind unleashes a twisted form of justice in Spiral, the terrifying new chapter from the book of Saw.3/10
Wanting to take the Saw franchise in a fresh new direction and Chris Rock wanting to break away from his usual schtick are both admirable efforts, but neither of them really pay off here. Like the other Saw films, the story is absolutely absurd which isn't helped by the fact that it takes itself incredibly seriously and mostly comes off as a pale imitation of David Fincher. Chris Rock's performance is also pretty inconsistent. In some scenes, he sells his character well enough and then in others, he's almost impossible to take seriously. It sucks because there is a good movie hidden here. The whole concept of a Se7en-esque story about a serial killer targeting dirty cops has a lot of potential. Had this just been a straightforward detective thriller that had zero connection to the Saw franchise, then this might've been better or at least stood a better chance.
Not the worst film, in my opinion, as some of the unintentional absurdity was kind of fun to watch, but definitely a misfire for the franchise. - DirectorChris PalmerStarsJensen AcklesJosh DuhamelNaya RiveraThe killer known as Holiday continues to stalk the Falcone crime family while a new class of costumed criminal rises in Gotham City. Batman suspects that a former ally might be the serial killer.5/10
Part One gave me some hope for DC animated films again, but Part Two pretty much dashed that hope. It starts out decently enough, but the more the story went on and the more the threads got unraveled, the less satisfying the experience was. By the end, I found myself muttering, "So, what" under my breath because the intrigue of the film's central mystery just fizzled out. The fact that they made changes from the graphic novel doesn't really bother me all that much, but it's the fact that the changes they made are far less interesting and don't feel like they benefit the story in any meaningful way. A shame. A damn shame. At least Part One was pretty good and we always have the original comic.