2021 Festivus: Film and Television
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
I decided that it would be fun to start doing a Festivus celebration on Films Fatale every December 23rd (which, Happy Festivus, by the way!). For those who aren’t familiar with this holiday, it is a part of Seinfeld lore. Created by the character Frank Costanza as a way to combat against the traditions of Christmas (especially the forced cheer and capitalist rat races that he observed), Festivus is a contradiction of the typical seasonal warmth and joy. Outside of the putting up of an aluminum pole (instead of a tree) and the serving of dinner, there are two main traditions: the airing of grievances, and the feats of strength. The former is the sharing of problems one endured from loved ones and/or acquaintances that year, and the latter is a physical contest where the first person to pin the other down is the winner. We can’t really do those as-is here, but I’ll put my own spin on Festivus to detail 2021 as a year in film and television. Firstly, this will prelude my end-of-year list that is coming next week. Secondly, it’ll be a quick wrap-up of the year that we just finished (almost), and it will be a good way to look ahead. Something to note is that these are not my picks of the best or worst elements of the year, rather just a fun selection of breakthrough surprises and slight disappointments (this is mainly just a means of celebrating Festivus more than anything).
The Airing of Grievances
What will follow in this category are film and/or television moments or projects that I considered a let down, or events that bothered me. I won’t just put bad films here. Let’s see what problems I had this year (and now, you’re gonna hear about them).
Postponed 2020 Films That Barely/Sorta Held Up.
I won’t say that The French Dispatch, Last Night in Soho, and the like were bad films, but the majority of films that were meant to be released in 2020 and were pushed due to the pandemic wound up being either so-so or pretty good at best (I guess Dune is an exception, but even then I don’t feel like this is a finished story at all, and yes I’m aware that this is only the first part of an entire journey). Not to be ungrateful, but the extra wait we had for these films, only for them to be outshined by actual 2021 films, feels like a bit of a letdown that cinephiles weren’t expecting after the thinness of last year’s output.
COVID-19 Affecting the Box Office, Audience Attendances, and More.
Of course, I don’t need to go too deeply into why the pandemic sucks. What I will do is point out the few ways that it has hit the film industry for a second year now. Box office numbers are low, and many major productions haven’t made the return they deserve. Audiences that have finally returned to the cinema are now reduced to half capacity again, and concessions have been removed (so no food or refreshments). The potential revival of the movie musical unlike we’ve seen it in decades (In the Heights, tick, tick… BOOM!, West Side Story, Annette) has been stymied by all of this. I could keep going, but you already know.
Eternals Could Have Revitalized Marvel. It Didn’t.
In Chloé Zhao we trust, and after her Academy Award successes surrounding Nomadland, I was hoping that her turn as the latest Marvel director would have resulted in the studio finally delivering some more daring content. I’m not sure if Eternals’ mediocrity is the result of Zhao misstepping or Marvel’s heavy production hand that forces even the most singular of auteurs to follow a certain set of guidelines, but this slight deviation from the norm resulted in the worst work of Marvel Studios’ filmography. I was hoping for the best film and was expecting something more average, but this was a devastating shock for both Zhao (who deserves all of the projects) and Marvel (who needs to try something fresh for once).
That Academy Awards Ceremony.
I’m still not feeling great about the 2021 Academy Awards ceremony, mainly because the majority of its risks didn’t pay off. The lack of film clips or connection to any of the nominees left the ceremony feeling frigid. Then there was that awful reordering of the nominees, with Best Picture not even being left for last, all in a gamble to have Chadwick Boseman win posthumously for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, so the awards could end on a magical moment. Instead, Anthony Hopkins won Best Actor for The Father; Hopkins wasn’t even there, and Joaquin Phoenix — who can’t even stand the Oscars, despite his Joker win — was left awkwardly staring at us for perhaps the most lifeless Oscars conclusion ever. During a time where the lifespan of awards shows is being questioned in the internet age, this isn’t the greatest look.
So Armie Hammer’s Newest Film is Still Coming Out Unedited?
Death on the Nile is being released in February of 2022, and it has been announced that Armie Hammer hasn’t been edited out of the film (nor has his character been recast). Releasing a film with someone who has major sexual abuse allegations against him (and that insanely creepy cannibal/branding fetish doesn’t help) really doesn’t sit well with me, especially with the amount of time that Kenneth Branagh and company had to fix things (look at what All the Money in the World accomplished in just weeks). I’d understand if this was a low-budget production or a crazy schedule, but this is Disney, and they had a year. I don’t believe in the senseless censorship surrounding cancel culture in general, but Armie Hammer is a special case of problematic, and this feels inexcusable.
The Feats of Strength
Since I don’t know if there is a simple way for me to have a physical competition with anyone, I’ll change how the feats of strength function in Films Fatale’s version of the feats of strength. Here, I want to highlight breakthrough successes of 2021. These can be the debuts of filmmakers and/or performers, or even a brand new series that came out of nowhere and shook up the year.
Alana Haim/Cooper Hoffman
I adore Licorice Pizza overall, and being able to experience the star turning moments of Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman was such a treat. In the former, it was special to see an established musician find new work as an actress, especially because she was so magnetic and electric (she better get a Best Actress nomination come 2022). For the latter, seeing the glimpses of father Phillip Seymour Hoffman in his acting had me nearly tearing up nearly every scene; his pops would have been so proud of him.
HoYeon Jung
I wasn’t a big fan of Squid Game, but I thought that the acting in the film (outside of the English speakers) was quite strong. Particularly, there’s HoYeon Jung, who had her first major acting role in this series, and of whom was the scene-stealer of nearly every instance. I feel like she will breakthrough not just Korean cinema and television, but overseas to Hollywood works as well.
Rebecca Hall/ Maggie Gyllenhaal
We’ve been blessed with Rebecca Hall and Maggie Gyllenhaal as actresses for a number of years, and so many performers try their hand at filmmaking when the time is right. However, let’s check these directors out. Seeing what Hall achieved in her debut work as a director was so much more than I bargained for. Passing is such a slept-on film of 2021, and Hall has clearly showcased her capabilities as a cinematic artist (going beyond just being a standard director; it feels like Hall has been doing this for years). Meanwhile, Gyllenhaal has been making major awards season splashes with The Lost Daughter to wrap up the year, and her keen eye on tension and intensity is already a sign of much more to come. For these two first-timers, you would likely think that they’ve been directing for ages if you didn’t know any better.
Arcane/League of Legends
Finally, an adaptation of a video game is great. Arcane is far stronger than I think most people would have ever imagined it would be, and you actually don’t need to be a League of Legends player to get the most out of the series. Beautifully animated and genuinely compelling, Arcane is a major animation achievement of 2021 television.
Milena Smit
Pedro Almodóvar is no stranger to working with his same troupe of acting veterans time and time again. However, even this far into the game, he is capable of unleashing new talent upon the world. Even though Penélope Cruz is the obvious star of Parallel Mothers, the film has introduced major audiences to rising star Milena Smit (also known for Cross the Line); the young starlet is capable of standing toe-to-toe with Cruz in one of her best roles of her career, and that is saying a lot. You know the power Almodóvar has had on the rise of the careers of Cruz and Antonio Banderas (amongst others), so you never know where Smit is going to wind up next (but I don’t think it’ll take her very long to get there).
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.