Hey there, welcome back to my monthly column: What I watched this month, January 2021 edition. How are you? How was your first month of 2021? Any progress? Feel free to share them with me, I'm all ears.
Let's dive into my January watched list, shall we? I only watched feature films this month and the first four episodes of WandaVision which I will review later when the series is done.
Lost Girls (2020) (4/5)
This movie was based on the true story of missing girls in Oak Beach, New York, and the journey of finding the protagonist's daughter who happened to be one of the missing girls. The first 15 minutes of the film was quick and thrilling as the missing occurred which prevented me from taking my eyes off the screen. The rest of the runtime went a bit slower to reveal the characters' emotional rollercoaster. The color of the film reminds me of David Fincher's signature. The atmosphere was tense and intimidating which blended perfectly with the theme. Great movie!
The descendants (2011) (4.5/5)
The movie is about a land baron who tries to reconnect with his two daughters after his wife is seriously injured in a boating accident. There are no action scenes, no thriller seeker like in the first movie. The Descendants was a study of loss and coping with a tragic situation which can turn out to be more humorous than it is moving. George Clooney gave a performance of his career, he connects any audience that looks for a genuinely human story. Enjoy every second of it. A great choice for a cozy evening!
The firm (1993) (3.5/5)
This movie has a beginning quite similar to "The Devil's advocate" but the ending was far better since they decided to stick to a natural storyline without making the audience feel uncomfortable and cringe. The movie follows Mitch McDeere, a young lawyer who joins a prestigious law firm only to discover that it has a sinister dark side. The cast's performances were equally great, the pace was persuasive and the vibe gradually makes the audience uneasy.
Haywire (2011) (3.5/5)
I have mixed feelings for this one. The movie follows a black ops super soldier who seeks payback after she was betrayed and set up during a mission. The action scenes were all very well organized and performed. Gina Carano did an acceptable acting job while her martial arts performance is always on point. The storyline is simple and easy to follow. Highly recommend a movie night (with many people).
The Take/Bastille Day (2016) (3/5)
It's weird watching a British and a Scottish guy pretended to be American, their accents were great though. The movie is about a young pickpocket and an unruly CIA agent team up on an anti-terrorist mission in Paris, France. Richard Madden was amazing in it, there is no fearlessness in the eyes of the ones who were once The King in the North. Many great action scenes, also a great opportunity to learn French for people like me.
Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020) (5/5)
A slow-burn masterpiece. The movie follows a pair of teenage girls in rural Pennsylvania who travel to New York City to seek out medical help after an unintended pregnancy. The protagonist, Autumn exhibited the flaws and similarities that many teen girls may share. People in this film seems real with real-life struggle from sexual harassment at the workplace or the fact they have to travel to another state to have an abortion since they are minors. The movie's slow pace makes us uneasy, makes us feel the way the two girls feel. The actress Sydney Flanigan who portraited Autumn gave a persuasive and powerful performance, especially during her conversation with the social worker at the abortion center. That was when the four words in the title were used and mentioned for the first time in the movie. The scene didn't have many actions or profound conversation, it was only Autumn's emotions and expression that spoke louder than any answer she could ever give. A must-see movie!
Road to Perdition (2002) (4/5)
A mob enforcer's son witnesses a murder, forcing him and his father to take to the road, and his father down a path of redemption and revenge. It's weird to see Tom Hank played a hitman, being aggressive and killing people. It's also a beautiful story about the resolved misunderstood and strengthened bond between father and son. How an 11-year-old child was forced to hold a gun or learn to drive or witness his loved ones killed in front of him? It was all excellently told.
As good as it gets (1997) (3/5)
A single mother and waitress, a misanthropic author, and a gay artist form an unlikely friendship after the artist is assaulted in a robbery. It's quite slow and quite long with more than two hours of runtime. But the three primary characters were built quite persuasively and they all gave me a sense of real-life and truthfulness with their struggle and all. However, watching the entire film was like dragging one injured foot while trying to run instead since it's slow and didn't have any climax. The movie also follows a simple motif of an unbearable white guy who hated everyone and everything, turned better because he met the girl of his life. Not recommend at all!
Soul (2020) (5/5)
Pete Docter again brought us another animated masterpiece after Up and Inside Out. The movie follows a New York jazz pianist who suddenly finds himself trapped in a strange land between Earth and the afterlife, after landing a gig of his lifetime. The movie's animation is out of the world, with many profound lines and details that make us think about life. I must say I love every minute of this film but the music was weak and unremarkable even though Jazz was the theme of the film. Must see guys!
That's all for this month. What did you watch in January 2021? Feel free to comment down below. Thank you for reading! See you next month!
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