Somehow, it is the last day of 2021. Some parts of the world have already entered the brand new year of 2022. Here in the east coast of the USA, it’s still morning. I’ve barely had coffee, my dog begrudgingly befriended a pug, and I’m ~ technically ~ working at my corporate job. In actuality, I am on my couch listening to Orville Peck and looking back at my year in review on Letterboxd.

Without further ado, the movies and tv shows that saved my life in 2021. Well, that might be a bit dramatic. These are superlatives, recommendations, things to revisit, and whatever else I decide. Here’s hoping 2022 will be brighter, but, if not, here’s some stuff to watch to keep you going.

Best Worst Name of a Character

What’s in a name? Shakespeare said something about a rose by another name would smell just as sweet, right? That’s probably not right. It’s been a while since my AP English classes and I’m not just reading Shakespeare in my spare time. Plus, Romeo and Juliet is not the best Shakespeare. That honor goes to Twelfth Night or Macbeth. (Speaking of, I haven’t gotten around to seeing The Tragedy of Macbeth. I KNOW. I really want to see it on the big screen, but no theatres around me are playing it.) What were we talking about? Oh, yes. Best worst name. That distinct honor goes to this man in Old. A truly batshit movie that I watched on a plane on mute because I didn’t have any wired headphones to plug into the TV screen. The way every director intends for their movie to be seen, I’m sure. Anyway. This character’s name is Mid-Sized Sedan. I am not joking. I would never joke about my man, Mid-Sized Sedan.

Wildest Ride

It feels wrong to even attempt to describe the plot of Titane because it is so singular in its oddity. Hence it being crowned Wildest Ride. I saw it with four other people in the theatre and two of those four people walked out. They made it through the scene where the woman has sex with a car, but I guess that was where they drew the line because they left shortly after that. (Yes, I did say she has sex with a car. No, I will not elaborate.) The less you know going in, the better. But a warning to my fellow squeamish people: there is a A Lot of body horror. But it’s a love story so I persevered.

Worst Recommendation to Give at a Family Reunion

If this sounds weirdly specific, it is. There I was at my family reunion (safe, vaccinated, etc.) minding my sweet business. Mingling with some family members I hadn’t seen in a long time. Somehow, I became the center of attention because the family was talking about movies. Granted, they were talking about superhero movies which is a conversation I cannot contribute anything to. But they were asking me about what movies I watched and what my favorite movie of the year was so far (back in July). My mouth, because it is not properly connected to my brain, blurted out Shiva Baby. Not shockingly, the family had not heard of Shiva Baby and what a delight it is to have to talk about sugar babies, sugar daddies, and shivas with family members you barely know. Needless to say, the conversation quickly moved away from me, but I stand by Shiva Baby being one of the best movies of the year. Just maybe not the best pick for Family Movie Night.

Best Doll

Nothing but respect for Baby Annette aka the titular role in Annette. Look. I think I was in the exact right mood to really love this movie because it is weird. It’s an opera? And Adam Driver does a stand-up comedy act while singing? And they treat this bizarre wooden doll as a real human? And I loved it.

Best Movie You Missed

I am a simple person. Sometimes I am in the mood for a deranged opera featuring a wooden doll and sometimes I want something that is tooth-numbingly sweet. I will continue to scream at the top of my lungs that The Broken Hearts Gallery deserves all the attention in the world. We, as a society, need a rom com renaissance. It’s been happening in fits and starts. (I mean J.Lo has a rom com coming out in February, if that’s not a sign of an impending renaissance, then I don’t know what is.) However, we need more. More rom coms that are good and funny and sweet. Like The Broken Hearts Gallery. Too charming for its own good with some of the most chaotic best friends of any rom com, this movie is a damn delight.

What I’m Still Holding onto from 2020

I don’t know if you’ve been outside recently, but shit is B L E A K. Like everyone else, I have developed various coping methods. For example, I cannot stop buying bougie $8 ice cream from the grocery store. I also have rewatched Teenage Bounty Hunters so many times since it premiered in 2020. I thank god every day that there is not a Netflix Wrapped that tells me how many hours I spent watching this show, but it’s just so charming!!! It is earnest and sweet and fucking funny. Twin sisters Sterling and Blair accidentally damage their dad’s truck and to pay him back, they start interning with local bounty hunter, Bowser. The twins have one braincell and I love them. It’s also really great representation for religious teenage girls exploring their sexuality. It was canceled after one season and I will genuinely never be over it. Teenage Bounty Hunters was EP’d by Jenji Kohan who also did Orange is the New Black aka the reason Netflix is the behemoth it is today. And yet!! They cannot stop canceling shows she’s involved in like Teenage Bounty Hunters and GLOW. I need to stop because I’m getting so heated, but thank you Kathleen Jordan, Maddie Phillips, Anjelica Bette Fellini, Kadeem Hardison, Devon Hales, and everyone involved. This show is special and truly lovely.

So You Want to Know What it Feels like to Sob While Wearing a Mask

I don’t even know what to say about this movie. I have my much more coherent thoughts in my review, but i don’t know know if I’ll ever get out all the words that express what C’mon C’mon means to me. What I will say is that I saw this in a movie theatre wearing my mask and it is distinctly not fun to sob while wearing a mask. When I saw this movie, I kept thinking of this quote from Mary Shelley: “life, although it may only be an accumulation of anguish, is dear to me, and I will defend it.” That might be my favorite genre of movie, the one that encompasses the feeling of that quote. (Yes, I did make a Letterboxd list about it. You’re welcome.)

Best Pandemic Movie

lol as if anyone wants to watch a pandemic movie. But if you are in the mood to be emotionally devastated, look no further than Little Fish. It got delayed because of the pandemic, but it was actually adapted from a short story from 2011 that has nothing to do with the present plague we are living through. Jack O’Connell and Olivia Cooke are pure magic. What a year for ex-Skins cast.

Can’t You Just Write a List of Movies You Watched this Year That You Liked, Tina? Y’know, Like a Normal Person?

Alright, fine. Here are my top twenty movies that I liked this year that were first time watches in no particular order:

Spencer
The Conjuring 2
Black Christmas
Petite Maman
Saint Frances
One Night in Miami…
How It Ends
Minari
Desert Hearts
CODA
Dating Amber
Together Together
The Wailing
Personal Shopper
Zola
Midnight Mass (it’s a miniseries, but fight me)
Candyman (1992)
West Side Story (2021)
The Power of the Dog
Pig

That’s it for me for 2021!! Wishing you and yours a safe, happy, healthy new year filled with movies!! I will be ringing in the new year with the most life-affirming movie of all time: Joe Versus the Volcano.

Follow me on BlueSky, Instagram, Letterboxd, & YouTube. Check out Movies with My Dad, a new podcast recorded on the car ride home from the movies.

It's the End of 2021 as We Know It