10 for 2021 – Shakesqueer

Tom and Jerry

The famous cat and mouse are given another origin story, wherein Tom is hired by a famous New York hotel to catch Jerry. It’s a harmless story that has all the energy and spirit of a classic Tom and Jerry cartoon but lacks in story. The cel animation is a nice touch but with a very 2021 soundtrack and some half-hearted performances, this is a mid-tier production.

Nobody

Didn’t get a chance to see this but I heard good things.

The King’s Man

Won’t be able to see this until next year

Zack Snyder’s Justice League

The Justice League assemble to battle the galactic conqueror Darksieds henchman Steppenwolf in this 4-hour epic. The scale is grand and the performances grounded, with a scale that elevates the entire piece. The most important aspect, of course, is that it ever saw the light of day to begin with but this superhero flick is primarily for the fans.

Mortal Kombat

MMA fighter Cole Young assembles a group of powered individuals in the fight to save our reality in this flawed adaptation of the classic video game. It lacked stakes, character, and good CGI but the action scenes were a lot of fun. It’s got the gore that fans wanted they deserved a good story to go along with it.

Cruella

The beloved Disney villain gets her own origin story set in 1970’s London in this delightful mess. The dialogue may be poor and the feminism may be overpowering but this is a film that doesn’t care what you think, and I respect it for that. One of the most enjoyable disasters of 2021.

Space Jam: A New Legacy

Lebron James gathers the Looney Tunes for a game of Online basketball in this acceptable sequel to the 1990’s classic. It’s definitely a movie made to please a company and promote their subscription service but it still contains plenty to smile about and decent animation.

The Suicide Squad

A gang of villains participate in a suicide mission for a chance at freedom in director James Gunn’s superhero reboot. It’s everything a Suicide Squad fan could hope for, with all the blood, violence, and swearing intact. Even better, it’s absolutely absurd and features a stellar soundtrack.

The Beatles: Get Back

Never before seen footage from the making of The Beatles’ album Let it Be is edited together for this 3-part-mini-series from the legendary Sir Peter Jackson for the documentary of the year. This was due to be a single feature film, which Part 3 can be, but cutting any of this would have been a tragedy. A perfect glimpse into how one of the world’s greatest bands concocted their melodies and maintained their strained relationships.

The Matrix: Resurrections

Won’t be able to see this until next year.

Signed: Your friendly neighbourhood queer

Tom and Jerry

The last time there was a Tom and Jerry-centric film, it had mixed reactions. Giving the duo voices was a big turn off for many, but this time they appear to be going back to their silent, slapstick roots. This time, they are making the jump to live-action using cel-style animation and starring Chloe Grace Mortez. Should be fun.

Nobody

It’s no secret that John Wick was one of the best action films (now one of the best trilogies) of the past decade. The stunning action pieces that are choreographed like ballet really make them stand out. Nobody is a new movie written by Derek Kolstad, who also wrote John Wick. Nobody seems to have a similar vibe, but this time with an average Joe (played by Bob Odenkirk) protecting his family.

The King’s Man

The Kingsmen films have been a couple of my favourite films in recent years and this tale is a prequel set to tell of the organisation’s founding. With Ralph Fiennes in the lead role, Rasputin as the villain and set against the backdrop of a looming war, it’s set to be quite the spectacle.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League

It feels like I might be in the minority here when I say I am genuinely excited for this, and I’m okay with that. This is the culmination of Snyder’s vision, and whether or not this is his original vision doesn’t matter. He deserves the chance to make this after the studio execs hired Joss Whedon to modify his original project. Plus, it look’s like it might be 4 hours long and I am all for long-form content.

Mortal Kombat

I’m not a fan of the game series, and I have never seen the initial efforts turning them into films. That said, I very much enjoy some Kung Fu, Karate, acrobatics and lore building. Provided the film can deliver on that front, it might be ok. Plus I’m sick of hearing people talk about how there are no good Video Game movies.

Cruella

There are few Disney villains as revered as Cruella De Vil from 101 Dalmations. She is the absolute height of Capitalistic evil and greed, and- for me- Glenn Close in the 1996 Live Action adaptation embodied that perfectly. If there is anybody who could even come close, I believe it would be Emma Stone. Throw in the backdrop of English fashion in the 1970’s and some creative assistance from Glenn Close herself and I see no reason to not be excited.

Space Jam: A New Legacy

The original Space Jam is a classic, beloved by some and despised by others. I am on the adoring end of the spectrum so you can imagine how shocked I was to hear that a sequel was imminent. I so desperately want for this to be good, but the plot points that I’ve only heard rumour of do not fill me with the utmost confidence. However, I remain optimistic that this will be a new instant classic.

The Suicide Squad

I’m one of several people who actually thought that 2016’s Suicide Squad was alright. It was a lot of fun but the script was kind of all over the place. What if we made another one with a script, penned by James Gunn, and that comic book vibe that people seem to like? Yeah, that would most likely work. If the casts interactions are anything to go by, this may end up being the comedy of the year.

The Beatles: Get Back

I’m not really what you might consider a Beatles fan. I don’t own any of their music or merchandise and I’ve never actually seen Yellow Submarine. However I do like their music, and I think that the story of the band is a really interesting one. Sadly, we’ve only seen that story told through a negative lens, focussing on the bands fights and eventual break up but this documentary is set to change that. Created with footage shot for the 1970 documentary Let It Be and directed by the legendary Sir Peter Jackson, this is one to look out for.

The Matrix 4

You’re reading this sentence a lot today but I actually liked the original trilogy, yes all 3. I feel like Keanu Reeves has only continued to grow as an actor and I’m really curious to see how Lana Wachowski will update the story after 20-ish years. I’ve always said that I’d be okay spending more time in this universe, and now I get to do that.