2021 ReviewMontageMania: DUNE!! / Don't Look Up / Matrix 4 / Nightmare Alley / Finch / The Harder They Fall / Eternals / The Last Duel / Lamb / Last Night In Soho / Halloween Kills / No Time To Die / Venom 2 / Candyman Remake / etc

 2021 ReviewMontageMania: DUNE!! / Don't Look Up / Matrix 4: Resurrections / Nightmare Alley / Finch / The Harder They Fall / Eternals / The Last Duel / Lamb /  Last Night In Soho / Halloween Kills / No Time To Die / Venom 2 / Candyman Remake / etc


2021 last year (let's pretend it's this year ) has been.... a bit wonky for me for many reasons .... It's my resolution in this year to be better about this website. However there's some cinematic wonders I want to mention!  Rapid fire: 


- Dune (Originally Release October 2021): Absolutely worth the hype and yet another Denis Villeneuve masterpiece!!!! Incredible attention to detail and accuracy to novel...  the music the score the action scenes yet also the slowness..... what a cast praise to Timothee Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Stellan Skarsgard, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Jason Mamoa  and less so to Zendaya and Batista but maybe in the next ones.... a long beautiful burn.  9.1 out of 10 

- Don't Look Up (Originally Released December 2021 On Netflix) : So great to have Adam McKay return to a bit more of a comedy but very unique feeling and pretty darn political. Here too the music and effects and sense of dread are on point for direction. Enormous praise to its stellar leading duo of Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence bringing their best with Meryl Streep , Jonah Hill, and Mark Rylance providing some comedic / villainous foils aside from some other lesser used actors. .  It's all global warming., spoilers... or insert anything  important but ignored whether its an asteroid or not. 8.01 out of 10 

- The Matrix 4: Resurrections (Originally Released December 2021 on HBO Max): Oh no why does this exist?!?!  Somehow both the most back to roots yet craziest yet;  Keanu Reeves in a bit of a Nicolas Cage level of self aware shlock (or at least I hope so because then it's just bad otherwise).. not enough Carrie Anne Moss and the new cast doesn't impress aside Neil Patrick Harris (sorry the usually good Yahya A-M). Visuals that should have stayed in the 90s besides some interesting lore expositions. 6.95 out of 10 


- Nightmare Alley (Originally Released December 2021): Guillermo Del Toro back in the director's chair is always of interest and here he brings his usual directorial expertise for some beautiful carnival scenery. Solid Bradley Cooper although it drags in the back half with Cate Blanchett's role (despite her skills) and not enough Willem Dafoe but everyone in bit parts brings their a-game (Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, David S, etc).   A long slow mysterious burn that is thought provoking and exciting by the end. 8.05 out of 10 

- Finch (Originally Released November 2021 on Apple TV+): A perfect blend of I Am Legend's dog portions with Wall-E ambiance and robots. A warm Tom Hanks in some desire situations; shiny and emotion packed. 8 out of 10 

- The Harder They Fall (Originally Released November 2021 on Netflix): If one likes Django Unchained this will fit right at home in a world where western and racial tension meet; this time however it's more of a slightly upbeat swashbuckling fantasy alternate history despite plenty gore. A slow middle but some awesome action and so much style; great performances from Idris Elba, Regina King, Jonathan Majors, and more. 8 out of 10

- Eternals (Originally Released November 2021):  Not sure what my fellow critics felt irked by in this as its far from terrible. In fact its a strongly unique part of the MCU with its own majestic eons spanning saga of romance and betrayal. There's some absolutely incredible visuals and action with some of the usual nice jokes (this time scenery even better). It's just drawn back by the fact there is some pacing issues.  Cast highlights in this family in Richard Madden's Ikaris, Barry Keoghan's Druig, Kumail Nanjiani's Kingo, and more. Go see this in a few weeks when it's free. 7.95 out of 10 


- The Last Duel (Originally Released October 2021): A hidden gem with trademark gorgeously gory / intense dark Ridley war / action scenes (especially the climax!) . Great performances from saddened Matt Damon, vile Adam Driver, struggled Jodie Comer, and too (despite his silly haircut) Ben Affleck. A long slow pretty medieval burn 8 out of 10 

- Lamb (Originally Released October 2021): Another A24 joint but with some deceiving trailers. Noomi Rapace leads a minimalist dialogued cast mainly of lambs. Beautiful Icelanding scenery and an odd ambiance but less so much a horror like the trailers lead one to believe than it is an introspection .  7.3 out of 10 

- Last Night In Soho (Originally Released October 2021): Edgar Wright dives into a new genre though his quality directorial touch is felt; the music choices and neon create such a retro ambiance. Solid turns from leading girls Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy, less so key but creepy effective Matt Smith and Terrance Stamp that need to be seen and this is especially true for the late Diana Rigg. 8.2 out of 10 

- Halloween Kills (Originally Released October 2021): David Gordon Green / Danny McBride followup the great 2018 film with something that tries some new things to mixed but mostly effective results. This is less so much of a Strode family movie (especially for the injured Jamie Lee Curtis' Laurie) than it is a tale of Anthony Michael Hall leading the townspeople as a grown up Tommy Doyle. The spooky hallo gore is felt although its attempts to have darker social themes are a mixed landing but fans will be happy for this more-of-the-same. 7.6 out of 10 

- No Time To Die (Originally Released October 2021): The final ever Daniel Craig James Bond movie an end of an era ... pack one's feels.  Really brings the whole series together with multiple old faces. Rami Malek is an effective  new villain though and there's some awesome action. 8.4 out of 10 

- Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage (Originally Released October 2021): Much better than the first one with everything improving whether it's Tom Hardy's grasp of the internal bromance or the visuals / action / plot / overall experience. Woody Harrelson's Cletus Kasady / titular Carnage cheeses it up but is on point with it going very hard PG-13. A fun refined ride with some silly moments and attempted otherwise universal connections. Cheese is the secret ingredient to the taste of the recipe. 7.25 out of 10


- Candyman (Remake/ Sequel) (Originally Released August 2021):   Nia Dacosta (perhaps with just a bit of Jordan Peele's production touch) captures masterfully as director the spooky reflective ambiance of the 90s original as well as some surprising other elements. The vibe and scores are immaculate as are the trippy kills. Colman Domingo astound as ever with  Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Teyonah Parris doing the best with what they are given with there of course being some horror movie  slight shlock but its hidden deep. The important themes are masterfully told through flashbacks and other experimentations. 7.9 out of 10