Movie-watching in Pandemia, 2021 edition: The "how had I never" list

Another year of staying mostly at home meant another year of catching up on more movies I should have seen ages ago. All – well, almost all – were worth watching, but this year I want to highlight five that especially impressed me. I don’t mean they were objectively the best five or that the others were disappointments – just that these five exceeded my expectations and really stuck with me.

Z (1969)

Hands down the best movie I saw in 2021. The Costa-Gavras classic begins with a tense lead-up to the assassination of a Greek opposition hero of the left (Yves Montand) before shifting focus to the efforts of a lone straight-arrow magistrate (a young Jean-Louis Trintignant) to unravel the right-wing military and police conspiracy behind the murder and its cover-up. Why did I wait so long to see this? Z is every bit as gripping and infuriating today as it was in 1969 and also still far too politically relevant, even half a century later.

Barry Lyndon (1975)

Still working my way through his filmography, but Stanley Kubrick’s range and precision of vision never cease to impress me. Keeping an ironic distance that’s 100% Kubrick but would have done Thackeray proud, the film somehow makes its titular hero (Ryan O’Neal, in an underrated performance) compelling even as he becomes increasingly unsympathetic in his actions. It’s also absolutely gorgeous to look at, calling to mind a series of Watteau paintings. While it may not have had the cultural impact of some of Kubrick’s other films, it’s still a masterpiece.

The Color of Money (1986)

Sharp, well-crafted, and highly engaging, Scorsese’s take on the sequel to The Hustler has the structure and vibe of a caper film, filled out with the substance of a character study. I’d always thought of Paul Newman’s Oscar win for this movie as an “it’s his time” award. Boy, was I wrong! He’s magnificent as an older, not necessarily wiser hustler who still has a few tricks up his sleeve.

Beetlejuice (1988)

Would Hollywood greenlight a movie like this today? Pure OG Tim Burton in all its glorious weirdness, Beetlejuice is a vivid reminder that a bigger budget and more advanced F/X technology do not a better film make. If nothing else, it will live in my mind forever for its inspired use of Harry Belafonte, Jr’s calypso hits – from the astonished expression on Catherine O’Hara’s face as she finds herself irresistibly compelled to belt out “Day-O” at her own dinner party to the ecstatic one on Winona Ryder’s face as she levitates and dances to “Shake, Señora” in what is now one of my favorite film endings ever.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Before there was No Way Home, there was Into the Spider-Verse. The MCU might be all about the multiverse now, but Sony got there first and set a ridiculously high bar with this wonderfully inventive and brilliantly animated adventure linking multiple alternate-universe Spideys, each one more delightful and surprising than the last. Easily the best of the Spider-Man movies I’ve seen.

And here are the rest – in order of the year they were released, not preference or the order I saw them:

Now, Voyager (1942)

Didn’t get as swept up in the romance as I wanted to be (maybe because I’m not really a romantic), but did love Bette Davis’ transformation from beaten down ugly duckling to attractive, glamorous, independent woman. Also, who knew lighting two cigarettes in one mouth could be so seductive?

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

A nuanced and perceptive look at the difficulties of adjusting to post-war life, William Wyler’s multiple Oscar winner is a classic for good reason. A strong three-hander by the three leads, though it’s Frederic March as the oldest veteran whose melancholy demeanor lingers longest in my memory.

The Heiress (1949)

Another Wyler winner. Talk about actress transformations – Olivia de Havilland’s is even more impressive than Bette’s in Now Voyager, if also more devastating. An incisive adaptation of Henry James’ leanest and least forgiving novel.

The Searchers (1956)

A more shaded and ambivalent Western than I was expecting even if some aspects obviously haven’t aged all that well, including most of the attempts at humor and romance. That final shot, though – whew. Also interesting to see one of the myriad influences on Star Wars.

Imitation of Life (1959)

A hell of a weepie – in a good way. Juanita Moore is unforgettable in a role that verges on thankless; in her hands, though, it’s transfigured.

The Hustler (1961)

Watched this in conjunction with The Color of Money, to which it provided an intriguing contrast in both style and moral tone, although the final moral takeaway ultimately isn’t all that different. Still, maybe it’s just the more modern sensibility, but I preferred the later film and Newman’s more mature performance in it.

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1965)

Well made, and Richard Burton’s world-weary air is a good fit for the character of burned-out, disaffected Alec Leamas. However, it didn’t have quite the impact of the book, which is a knockout in how cleverly it’s constructed and deconstructed.

Two for the Road (1967)

Style to burn, in both fashions and automobiles, and Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney have an appealing, if prickly chemistry. Was this the first film to do a non-linear depiction of a relationship gone sour?

The Lion in Winter (1968)

Rides hard on the powerhouse performances of its powerhouse cast. They’re good enough to make you forget the film is less historical drama than family melodrama (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

Easy Rider (1969)

A fascinating (counter)cultural snapshot and frankly a more compelling movie than I was expecting. I also wasn’t expecting it to be a Western. Yes, it’s totally a Western.

Klute (1971)

Pakula paranoia at its finest. Ostensibly about a serial killer, the film doesn’t seem all that interested in sustaining the mystery of the killer’s identity, yet remarkably manages to sustain its atmosphere of fear and suspense. Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland make a hot odd couple.

Cries and Whispers (1972)

Oof, this was a punishing watch, even for Bergman. Can’t quarrel with the acting or the visuals, though. His use of the color red will haunt my dreams.

Taxi Driver (1976)

Yeah, yeah, I know. One of many giant holes in my cineaste credentials (I’m especially spotty when it comes to Scorsese). Liked it more than I was expecting to – or maybe “liked” isn’t quite the right word. It succeeded in getting under my skin, as it’s supposed to. The seediness of 1970s New York is effectively deployed, as is De Niro’s legendary turn as the troubled Travis Bickle. The film’s treatment of women, though, is squirmy, even if intentionally so.

Rocky (1976)

More ’70s seediness, this time in Philly rather than New York, and more squicky gender dynamics, although here they’re smoothed into a scrappy, irony-free underdog romance. It still holds up pretty well.

Killer of Sheep (1978)

Poetically filmed impressionistic sketch of black working class life in L.A. (Watts). Unfortunately I had a hard time focusing on it because I had a hard time hearing any of the admittedly sparse dialogue even with the volume turned way up.

The Elephant Man (1980)

One of the less weird entries in David Lynch’s filmography, though still keenly attuned to the grotesque and cruel side of human nature. I didn’t love John Hurt’s vocal affectations; Anthony Hopkins, on the other hand, is excellent.

Crimes of the Heart (1986)

The less said about this movie, the better. A few thoughts here.

Children of a Lesser God (1986)

A sensitively drawn romance with great performances by Marlee Matlin and William Hurt. Also surprisingly cinematic for being based on a play.

Dekalog (1988)

A justly acclaimed testament to the human condition, if a rather heavy watch. My favorites were One (idolization of science) and Eight (false witness).

Bull Durham (1988)

Of the two Kevin Costner baseball films I saw this year, this was the superior one. A genuinely sexy grown-up romance, which has become a sadly rare species. I may not care for Susan Sarandon’s politics, but she’s damn good in this.

Field of Dreams (1989)

It’s like mainlining nostalgia, which isn’t without its charms, though I’m not really the target audience for this one.

Mississippi Masala (1991)

Young Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury are very appealing in this under-the-radar Mira Nair gem about the kind of interracial romance and setting we don’t often get to see on screen.

Dead Man (1995)

A bit too meandering for my taste, even for Jim Jarmusch, though elevated by the evocative black and white cinematography and a dryly funny turn by Gary Farmer as Nobody, the unlikely spiritual guide for Johnny Depp’s doomed William Blake.

Bring it On (2000)

Not sure how I never saw this one before. A bit dated and rather slight, but still fun, with Kirsten Dunst at her most charming.

Pollock (2000)

A fairly meh biopic, notwithstanding strong performances by Ed Harris and Marcia Gay Hayden.

The Secret of Kells (2009)

The film that put Cartoon Saloon on the map, and for a reason: the hand-drawn animation is exquisite and its uniquely Celtic accents felt – still feel – like a breath of fresh air in a CGI-dominated era. It only pales in comparison to Cartoon Saloon’s subsequent films, especially Wolfwalkers.

Uncle Boonmie Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010)

This one was a little too arcane? Abstruse? Impenetrable? for me. Think it might have played better in a theater.

Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011)

A thought-provoking meditation on the implications of devoting one’s entire life to perfection of a single pursuit or calling. Very, very Japanese.