Woo wee! We’re now in the LAST month of 2021! Where has the time go?? We have been in a pandemic period for nearly two years now… and whaddayaknow, it’s far from over 😦 I’m scheduled for my booster in mid December, I suppose it could very well be our new routine, like getting a flu shot annually… it’s the new normal I suppose, better get used to it. Let’s not dwell on that though, now on to the movie report…
Movies That Made Us: Dirty Dancing
I quite enjoyed this docu-series that presents the behind-the-scenes look into how great classics got made, as well as the impact of its release, which often beats expectations. This one has some really interesting tidbits, apparently Jennifer Grey who’s first cast didn’t want the producers to hire Patrick Swayze… anyone but him, she said, but hey they clearly have a great chemistry that contributes to the film’s massive success.
The Harder They Fall
Red Notice
King Richard
Forty Year Old Version*
Passing*
The Marksman
I’m not sure when I’ll get around to reviewing this, but as far as Liam Neeson‘s action flick goes, it’s definitely sub-par. I might do a summary of all the Neeson-In-Action ranking at some point, once I get around to The Commuter and Non-Stop.
House of Gucci
Ghostbusters Afterlife
Not sure I’ll be reviewing this one anytime soon, so let’s just say I enjoyed it despite not being a massive fan of the original. I mean it was a fun movie but I wasn’t clamoring to see a remake/reboot of it. But as far a fan-service type movies go, this one was done well and has fun characters, esp. Phoebe and Podcast, those two kids are the movie MVPs for me.
West Side Story
Full Review coming soon – in the meantime, check out my
Music Break post of five favorite songs from West Side Story!
Movies indicated with * (asterisk) indicates those directed by women. I only saw two films directed by women in November, so I have to catch up this month to complete the 52 Films By Women challenge by the end of the year.
TV SERIES
I didn’t see as many new movies this past month, partly because I had been bingeing on multiple new shows.
FOUNDATION (2021) – Apple TV
Despite the absolutely breathtaking visuals (definitely BEST production design of any TV series I’ve seen this year), this series was not as captivating as I had hoped. The pacing can be a bit sluggish and the various storylines seem disjointed, but I’m glad I stuck with it as the last few episodes were really good, down to the suspenseful and shocking finale… the MVP of the series are definitely the women (as I’ve mentioned in my post here), especially Laura Birn as Demerzel. I’m definitely curious for season 2!
Hawkeye – Disney+
I have to admit I wasn’t at all clamoring to see a Hawkeye stand-alone movie/series, but here we are. I got two-episode screenings last week and decided to give it a shot. Well, I quite enjoyed the Christmas setting–and that amusing bit of Rogers The Musical–but the star is truly Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop who’ll likely take the mantle from Jeremy Renner. The two have a fun chemistry but the show is hardly the most exciting compared to the other MCU series on Disney+ so far.
The Wheel of Time* – Amazon Prime
I’ve enjoyed the first 3 episodes so far, and the latest one definitely got me even more intrigued in the series. Check out my friend Laura’s review who’s a big fan of Robert Jordan’s books. I like the fact that there’s diversity in front AND behind the camera, as the first two episodes were directed by a female director (Uta Briesewitz) and an Asian-British filmmaker (Wayne Yip).
Only Murders in the Building – Hulu
As everyone has been raving about this show, my hubby and I decided to watch it. Well, we are hooked! Steve Martin and Martin Short are comedic genius and Selena Gomez makes up for a fun, albeit unlikely trio investigating murder in their building. I love that the two comedic veterans are playing two creative has-beens (Martin is a former actor still holding on to his former glory and Short is a former theatre director who’s down on his luck), while Gomez is a beautiful, smart girl with a mysterious past. Two eps in so far and can’t wait for more!
REWATCHES
DUNE | X-Men | X-Men 2 | Crazy Rich Asians | The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
It’s quite an eclectic rewatches this month. Of course I had to rewatch DUNE on HBO Max before it left the platform and I enjoyed it even more than the first watch. I still adore Crazy Rich Asians on second watch and Awkwafina is still hilarious as the bestie.
Not sure why I was in the mood for X-Men, but once I watched the first movie, I was inclined to rewatch the 2nd one with the brilliant Brian Cox as Stryker. On the last day of the month, I was browsing Prime Video and I just couldn’t resist The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. I LOVE the cast filled with the best of the British thespians… it’s fun seeing how far Dev Patel has come (so glad he’s not just stuck doing Indian roles), but my faves are definitely Judi Dench and Bill Nighy and their tentative relationship is just so delightful!
NOVEMBER MOVIE OF THE MONTH
As I said in my full review, I’m still kicking myself that I missed this astounding film last year. It’s definitely the best film I saw in November, and it’s the highest rating I’ve given a film in a long time. If you haven’t seen the creative force that is Radha Blank, you must watch this immediately. Lucky for you, it’s on Netflix!
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