2021 TV & Movies Retrospective

I do a post each year on books, but this year I also started reviewing movies and TV shows! I have absolutely no idea how much value people get out of this (and I’d love to hear from you), but I enjoy doing it, so I’m not going to stop any time soon. :D In any case, it’s been a good year for movies and TV! Overall, I watched: 55 movies

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The Matrix Resurrections The Matrix #3

Whoa.

Well that’s a blast of nostalgia, a bunch of mind-bending meta universe building, some awesome new characters, a few solid action scenes, and overall quite an action movie. I loved it.

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Spider-Man: Far From Home Marvel Cinematic Universe #23 MCU Phase 3 #11 Spider-Man #7 Tom Holland's Spider-Man #2

As much as I loved Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home takes what made it great and turns it up a few levels even further. One one level, you have Spider-Man being Spider-Man. He’s a good kid, trying to make his way in life, trying to deal with the dual life of being a highschooler and being a superhero–of saving the world and perhaps getting the girl. And then you layer all the weight of the greater MCU on top of it.

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Spider-Man: Homecoming Marvel Cinematic Universe #16 MCU Phase 3 #4 Spider-Man #6 Tom Holland's Spider-Man #1

That is a truly delightful Spider-Man movie. It’s a bit weird seeing him introduced after the events of Captain America: Civil War) and completely skipping how he became Spider-Man in the first place… but it works. I really like the entire plot, dealing with the fallout of the Avengers / super-hero activity and how normal people try to live their lives around it–and what happens when the powers that be step in and take that away from them.

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The Greatest Showman

Now that’s music. I can only imagine hearing that on a theater scale sound system. Although my home sound bar certainly tried it’s best…

Anyways, I know I’m behind the times. Better late than never?

Overall, it’s a solid movie that tries to make some big points about everyone having value / sticking it to the people that hate you because you’re different and… mostly hitting the mark? It gets even more complicated when you read up on Barnum’s actual history. Very much a serial ‘get rich quick’er with some questionable ethics, but there’s good parts there as well.

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Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back Star Wars #5 Star Wars (All - Release Order) #1980-05-21 Star Wars (All - Chronological Order) #5

Woo! Big icy battles on land in and the sky/space around Hoth, training with a real (short) Jedi Master (and they’re all supposed to be dead), meetings between old friends–who may not be too thrilled about losing in cards all those years ago–another confrontation between Luke and Vadar, and the big bad reveal. Which… seriously. His name is literally Dark Father .

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Nutcracker

Well that’s a truly bizarre adaptation of the Nutcracker. Or I suppose all of the other versions are bizarre, given that this is supposed to be as ‘close as possible’ to the original Maurice Sendak version.

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Bambi 2: The Great Prince of the Forest Disney Animated Home Releases #44

You know, I was actually pleasantly surprised by Bambi II (later retitled). And not only because they got Patrick Stewart of all people to voice Bambi’s dad (who now has to step up and be a single father). It’s as cute a story as Bambi was–which the kids’ appreciated–but with just a bit more depth–which I did. It’s still certainly not high cinema, but it’s not terrible either. Onward! Ranked: Disney Animated Show: [current] [all] MoanaEncantoPocahontasHerculesOne Hundred and One DalmatiansSnow White and the Seven DwarfsThe Rescuers Down UnderThe Many Adventures of Winnie the PoohLady and the TrampBambi Ranked: 2021 Movie Reviews Show: [current] [all] The Nightmare Before ChristmasAvengers: EndgameAvengers: Infinity WarThe Matrix ResurrectionsCaptain America: Civil WarCaptain America: The Winter SoldierSpider-Man: Far From HomeThor: RagnarokCaptain America: The First AvengerSpider-Man: HomecomingShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten RingsThe Suicide SquadMoanaBlack PantherIron ManGuardians of the GalaxyFinding NemoAnt-ManStar Wars: Episode VI - Return of the JediStar Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes BackThe Greatest ShowmanCaptain MarvelAnt-Man and the WaspDoctor StrangeBlack WidowStar Wars: Episode IV - A New HopeOne Hundred and One DalmatiansLucaPalm SpringsKnives OutShazam!

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Bambi Disney Animated #5

Bambi is a surprisingly tricky movie to review, mostly since it relies on who’s doing the reviewing. From my perspective, it’s cute enough, but there’s next to nothing there. It’s just a bunch of cute animated animals running around for an hour. From my kids’ perspectives though… they loved it. They were laughing out loud at the cartoon antics and cuddled right in during the storm and hunt scenes. Overall, it’s a fun enough movie for kids to watch, but I think next time they request it, I’ll find something else to do with my time.

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