Click here to check out the first part, in case you haven’t read it yet! I’m getting closer to getting the list together, I think I should have it ready by early February at the latest. Anyway, no need for a big intro here. Let’s go over some movies.

The Summit Of The Gods

This was a surprisingly exhilarating animated drama that caught me way off guard. I’m surprised there isn’t much awards hype around this because it absolutely deserves it. The voice work is also phenomenal, and it captures the majesty and the terror of what I imagine it would be like climbing these mountains. It’s a very thoughtfully crafted narrative, with striking imagery and moments that are both haunting and beautiful, and it’s one that you shouldn’t overlook if you’re trying to catch up on some of 2021’s releases.

tick, tick…BOOM!

Talk about another film that caught me way off guard. I generally find Lin Manuel Miranda’s whole vibe to be kind of irritating, so color me surprised when I found myself really connecting to this (I think it helps that he didn’t have much to do with the writing). Garfield is terrific, the numbers are really solid, and the filmmaking is a lot more striking and energetic and imaginative than I thought they would be. It’s nice being pleasantly surprised.

Nightmare Alley

Guillermo del Toro returns with a pitch black noir that is on one hand unlike anything he’s done before yet so in line with his sensibilities. Upon first watch, I considered this mid-tier in terms of Guillermo’s English language work (which is still a cut above most movies, if we’re being honest). But it’s been growing on me more and more as time goes on. It’s a shame it’s been buried as hard as it was in its box office. I think time is going to be really kind to this one.

The King’s Man

The second Kingsman didn’t quite do it for me, but I wouldn’t say I totally disliked it. I enjoyed the first one quite a bit, and Matthew Vaughn has a knack for smoothing out some of the more uglier elements of Mark Millar’s comics, but without losing the edge. If the crass humor was a reason you didn’t like those previous films, you might dig this new one because the humor and all of that Millar stank is gone. It’s still pretty over-the-top, but it plays things more straight, and the satirical approach to the spy genre is no longer a thing. I forgot that this was even a Kingsman film until the end. However, it worked way better than I expected. I dug the characters, the action is solid, it moves from one thing to another pretty quickly. It’s all over the place, but I found it fun.

C’mon C’mon

Mike Mills has a way of creating these emotionally rich films with really well rounded  characters that you find yourself connecting to, even if you don’t necessarily relate to their situation. At least, that’s how I’ve experienced his films. This one is no different. It’s a lovely film about being a parent, about what you do for the ones you love, about setting an example, and cherishing the way kids see and experience the world. The performances are great, not just from Joaquin Phoenix, but from Gaby Hoffman, and child actor Woody Norman.

Licorice Pizza

I had a weirdly similar experience to this that I had with Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, funny that they both also happen to be a nostalgic look back at an early period in Los Angeles. I love the film, but I do have issues with it, and I can totally see why certain choices would put people off. I’m alright with the age gap between the two leads, up until the end when the relationship went from being like a harmless crush to something overtly romantic. And I also think that Asian joke (if you know, you know) doesn’t really work. That said, there was a lot I liked about this, and there’s moments that have lingered with me since I saw it. I’ll probably have more to say when I talk about this on my final list.

Click here to go to the next page!