Living Up to Expectations: The Good, the Better, and the Best of 2021

A proper, hardcore mob movie after ages – Netflix's new Danish import, Ferry, features no frills, no thrills, just hard-nosed gang dynamics that should please crime film lovers no end while also serving as a solid origin story to the OTT platform's highly engaging web series, Undercover. Plus, there are two fantastic twists in the second half that elevates this far beyond routine gangster fare. Don't miss it if like I, you've recently been starved of good, new crime movies.

3.75/5 stars

Had a blast watching Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt's Jungle Cruise. Took me back to the swashbuckling, exotic, romanticized adventures of yore. Maybe not as amazing as Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone, or even Pirates of the Caribbean, but almost as good, and I'll take that any day in a scenario where such movies are hardly made nowadays amongst the onslaught of superhero stuff largely passing off as family entertainment.

3.65/5 stars

A Quiet Place Part II amps up the creature action from the first part and like its predecessor (which I consider a somber take on Tremors, but enjoyed quite a bit nevertheless), gives ample scope for its characters, even the new ones, to develop in the midst of their quest for survival. Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe are given more meat this time, and are par for the course, while Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy are on the money as always. The climax also lead the franchise to an interesting new horizon (literally and metaphorically) and the film ended with me looking forward to the next. All in all, a good creature feature, which, maybe, will end up going down as better than the first A Quiet Place, but, probably, just falls short of some of the best creature horror movies out there. Felt the new settlement that occupies a major chunk of the climax, could've been expanded upon, before that kickass denouement took off.

3.65/5 stars

Spanish thriller Below Zero makes arresting (pun intended) use of its isolated location, claustrophobic environment, and mysterious whodunnit premise to keep us pinned to our seats. Unfortunately, the climax goes down a been-there-seen-that path, making this Netflix film peter out into a mundane revenge thriller. Nevertheless, it's extremely good till that point.

3.5/5 stars

Nicolas Cage channelizes his inner Clint Eastwood, essaying a terrific, badass version of a silent, grunting lone wolf, who takes on a bunch of diabolically possessed animatronic mascots, in a no-holds-barred battle to save the soul of a small town and give us some brutal kills and a batshit-crazy ride along the way. Willy's Wonderland could've been better, but nevertheless, is a good, grisly fun horror ride while it lasts.

3.5/5 stars

It's tragic that Sony LIV's Kaanekkaane suffers a bit, and only a bit, from some pedestrian editing and predictability toward the end. If not for these factors, Tovino Thomas, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Aishwarya Lekshmi's deep, dark ride through a gamut of human emotions in the face of one fateful decision would've been an instant classic. It falls just short, ending up as an unpolished gem, but a gem nevertheless of the new-wave movement in the Malayalam film industry.

3.5/5 stars

It's derivativeness, indulgent length, and moments where the narrative dips occur notwithstanding, Fahadh Faasil and writer-Director Mahesh Narayanan's third collaboration together after Take Off and C U Soon certainly holds the most repeat value of all their combined efforts, if not being their best film yet. If you're looking for a sprawling, ambitious crime sage that spans generations, and don't mind the durations, then Amazon Prime Video's Malik should be right up your alley.

3.5/5 stars

The police brutality and downright bullying are unapologetically in your face and hard to ignore at times, but if you could overlook the brash insensitivity there as also some of the weaker plot points, Telugu film Krack is quite literally a “crackerjack” masala entertainer with mind-boggling action scenes and Ravi Teja carrying the show like a man that befits his moniker of Mass Maharaja. Shruti Haasan may not have much to do, but she gets one scene to shine that would leave a lasting impression and the antagonists also make for worthy foes, though you wish they'd have given a tougher fight in the climax. Still, it's easy to see why this turned out to be Ravi Teja's hitherto biggest hit and is well worth your time. Now available on Aha.

3.25/5 stars

Top-notch entertainment, excitement, thrill, and an adrenaline rush from start to finish – Netflix's Army of the Dead may be two and a half hours long, but it's so freaking cool and engaging that not a moment did my attention waver. Especially rewarding for longtime zombie horror fans who've been wondering if we've seen it all (big budget, mid-budget, or indie) and there really is nothing new to offer, and then comes Director Zack Snyder who had given a shot in the arm to zombie movies back in 2004 with the masterful Dawn of the Dead (my favorite remake ever), and does it again, taking the sub-genre to nigh inconceivable new dimensions and pulling a rabbit out of the hat – I'm not even referring to the zombie tiger here, which is just the tip of the iceberg. Wrap up whatever you know about zombies, put them in a box, and go in with a clean slate because this will leave you in shock and awe, provided you're not a traditionalist prude who's rigid to change, and that, too, over make-believe cinematic tropes. For the rest, Army of the Dead will prove to be a total blast, and the possibilities of how the story can be taken forward as also how the backstories unfold in the prequel anime series are endless; can't wait.

4.5/5 stars

James Wan: What a Diretor! What a Diretor! What a Diretor! Malignant: What a Movie! What a Movie! What a Movi! Guts to conceptualize it. Conviction to pull it off. A bonkers ride of the macabre. A love letter to both Italian Giallo horror and Stephen King. A harmonious balance of intellect with thrills and chills. A display of conveying more through imagery than dialogue. Zooms straight to my top 50 horror movies of all time and easily among my top five horror films of 2021 along with Censor, Army of the Dead and Son (in no particular order).

4.5/5

Venkatesh and Director Srikanth Addala's Telugu remake, Narappa, is a terrific watch for those who haven't seen Dhanush and Director Vetrimaaran's original Tamil masterpiece, Asuran. For those who have, it's like swapping the faces and rewatching the same film.

3/5 stars

After Mohanlal and Jeethu Joseph's Drishyam 2, say hello to the next great film of 2021, Tamil entry, Mandela, on Netflix — a brilliant political satire that's as telling and hard-hitting in parts as it's introspective and emotional in other aspects, made all the more relevant by the ongoing elections. It's also great to see Yogi Babu shine as the central protagonist in a beautifully subdued performance for the ages, highlighting what more he's capable of other than being a great comic sidekick. The biggest winner though is Madonne Ashwin's script and direction, where an art film's profound message is made accessible to all by shrewdly interspersing it with subtle commercial tropes, yet always ensuring its heart is in the right place. A special mention for the songs and background score, too, which vitalize an already amazing movie. If I really have to nitpick, then all I'll say is that the length is a slight issue, but other than that, this one should flat-out be India's pick for the Oscars next year.

4.5/5 stars

Collar Bomb is a quite a taut, tight thriller for three quarters of the way until the final quarter ergo the climax almost brings everything crashing down. Thankfully, Jimmy Sheirgill and surprise package Asha Negi prevent the movie from ending with too sour an aftertaste.

3/5 stars

The Courier may lack suspense and not satisfy traditional spy film lovers, but it rewards those waiting to be patient and focus on the humanity, sacrifice, and life-altering decisions taken by two extremely brave, real-life spies. Additionally, if you need just a solitary reason to watch it, then it'd have to be another spectacular show by that wonderful actor, Benedict Cumberbatch.

3/5 stars

It may lack the profound impact of Pink, with “no, means no” all but being replaced “don't you dare” feel, but the Telugu remake, Vakeel Saab, is still a rip-roaring blast of a ride where the pertinent message thankfully doesn't get lost in a bid to please Pawan Kalyan fans. You get the best of Power Star moments with the message of gender neutrality and toxic masculinity being dished out like an extra-spicy chutney that you don't mind consuming. All in all, a well-made commercial entertainer, and it's no surprise why it minted so much moolah at the box-office just prior to the second lockdown. Now available on Amazon Prime.

3.75/5 stars

Godzilla vs. Kong is a the big-screen mashup we've been waiting for ages in theatres ever since lockdown struck. And for diehard fans of TOHO's original Japanese monster movies, the climax is nothing short of an orgasmic, retro, theme-park ride, almost seeming like two heroes joining hands to take on a more powerful villain.

4/5 stars

Netflix's new Telugu film, Cinema Bandi (produced by Raj & DK of Go Goa Gine, Stree, and The Family Man fame), is one of the most warm, charming, and heartfelt love letters to cinema to come out of the Indian film industry. While the middle position lags a bit, the focus on celebrating cinema and its power to change lives and entire communities as a whole is never lost, and the performances make it so much more worthwhile. The parting line at denouement: “Everyone is a filmmaker at heart”, sums up this wonderful viewing experience.

4/5 stars

Think John Wick with a family, much less martial arts, but much more adrenaline-pumping gunfights, and not as dark and brooding, and you get the wildly entertaining Nobody, where Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad's physically uninspiring Bob Odenkirk convinces our socks off as an all-out action hero. Fun fact: Derek Kolstad, the writer of the John Wick franchise, has also written this.

3.75/5 stars

Emotions that strike a chord, drama that takes you on a heady trip, BGM that's seriously infectious, songs that make your feet tap, and action that's a thing of beauty — Tamil movie Sulthan is masala filmmaking in its earthiest, purest form, where you don't mind the refurbished plot simply because of how delightfully it's been repackaged, with the interval and climax action blocks alone worth the price of admission. The romantic angle between Karthi and Rashmika Mandanna is the only let down here, but the former's breezy charm and latter's bedazzling persona more than make up for it. If you want to enjoy a mass entertainer that goes back to its roots with just the right amount of spice, then this is your best bet on the big screen at the moment.

3.75/5 stars

Netflix's Korean horror film, Kingdom: Ashin of the North, acts as more than a worthy link between season 2 and the upcoming third season of Kingdom, the best zombie show I've ever seen bar none. It may not include the best aspects of Kingdom and could prove a tad difficult to follow for those who haven't seen the web series, but it's still a tense, atmospheric, bone-crunching (literally and metaphorically) entry, and a satisfactory backstory for fans of the show.

3.5/5 stars

Malayalam film Nayattu works both as a stinging indictment on police corruption and how they're stooges to politicians, underlining our fate when they can't even protect their own, while also proceeding as a frantic, white-knuckle, neo-noir chase film, where you never know what'll happen next. Martin Prakkat has always been a reputed name, but never knew he was capable of this kind of energetic, tense direction based on his previous works. And the anti-clinatic denouement, though slightly underwhelming on first viewing, feels fitting to the subject upon introspection. Other than a few editing and narration issues, which are also easy to ignore, this one is a must-watch.

4/5 stars

Malayalam film Nayattu works both as a stinging indictment on police corruption and how they're stooges to politicians, underlining our fate when they can't even protect their own, while also proceeding as a frantic, white-knuckle, neo-noir chase film, where you never know what'll happen next. Martin Prakkat has always been a reputed name, but never knew he was capable of this kind of energetic, tense direction based on his previous works. And the anti-clinatic denouement, though slightly underwhelming on first viewing, feels fitting to the subject upon introspection. Other than a few editing and narration issues, which are also easy to ignore, this one is a must-watch.

4/5 stars

Despite its derivative nature and slightly overstaying its welcome at 2 hours and 15 minutes, Amazon Prime's The Tomorrow War zips by on the sheer conviction of its larger-than-life set pieces, fantastic creature design, wonderful CGI VFX, adrenaline-pumping action sequences, and a wholly committed cast, especially a completely endearing Chris Pratt. If you don't go looking for the next Edge of Tomorrow, Oblivion, War of the Worlds or Independence Day, there's plenty of fun to be had here.

3/5 stars

Disney Plus' Luca is old wine in a new bottle for Disney Pixar, with the same themes of friendship, acceptance, diversity, inclusiveness, and the same tropes of hostility toward the unknown, the odd ones out, the stock bully, and all the works we're very familiar with by now. Nevertheless, it's still well presented and makes for an entertaining watch, but Disney needs to shake up its game soon.

3/5 stars

Good modelling, clunky animation, but the fantasy lore and overall action is reasonably engaging at just 58 minutes – Netflix's new animated movie, Monster Hunter: Legends of the Guild, should please fans of the video game far more, but there's enough to engross neutral viewers like me, too.

3/5 stars

Some issues with the climax, camerawork and 3D aside, Bell Bottom is underlines quality in every frame on the back of razor-sharp direction, to-the-point writing, crisp editing, an adrenaline-pumping background score, some stunning twists, seeti-maar dialogues, and one of Akshay Kumar's career-defining roles.

4/5 stars

If you want to see how a great film can be ruined in its final act not by bad writing or direction, but just by the writer and Director (in this case, the same bloke, J Blakeson) being dishonest with their own characters by abandoning the crux of the plot to force an agenda down our throats, then watch I Care a Lot on Netflix. The first 2-thirds of this Rosamund Pike and Peter Dinklage thriller brought me to the edge of my seat, evoking multiple emotions within, making me root for every gray character on display just so the main antagonist received her comeuppance. The final third made me care less for every character on screen as they abruptly changed arcs to accommodate a contrived agenda, made worse by the denouement, which seems like a rush job to haphazardly link the story back to what was earlier set up.

3.5/5 stars

Nayanthara is nigh perfect as a blind woman in Netrikaan and admirably shoulders the movie along with solid support from the rest of the cast. And to it's credit, if you go easy on the sloppy final act, this Tamil thriller is really suspenseful and mysterious with a dark, disturbing touch.

3.5/5 stars

Despite not boasting the most original premise, Korean sci-fi film Space Sweepers, available on Netflix, is made to look fresh owing to some unique sub-plots and innovative execution, made all the more effective by the utilisation of CGI, which, though not the best you've seen, is still attractive enough to convey the story on hand, especially given the budget constraints. With some tighter editing and a more seamless climax, this could've ended up being a truly great, modern space opera. Ends up just short.

3.5/5 stars

Agreed, it's highly derivative, and yes, it resembles Sairat in more ways than one, but Telugu film Uppena still manages to stand out courtesy some smart packaging, brilliant music by Devi Sri Prasad, two shocking twists that you never see coming, a truly positive climax, and that flawless actor, Vijay Sethupathi, rising several notches above the script (he's also well supporter by both lead debutants, Panja Vaisshnav Tej and Krithi Shetty).

3.5/5 stars