Five Unusual and Beautiful Films of 2021
You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.
- Marcus Aurelius
Like most of us these days I’m less concerned with the overt ellipticism in American poetry than I was a few years ago and more concerned about gray cars driving without lights in the snowy winter of Southern Idaho but I read a few months ago (maybe it was a few months ago) that it’s best not to worry about things I can’t control so I’m working on controlling more things—no, wait, I’m working on worrying less about things I can’t control and anyway I’ve backed myself into a corner in my poetry reading but I am enjoying Amanda Gorman’s “Call Us What We Carry” a lot and I watched a lot of films in 2021 (a little over 200) and so here are some I really enjoyed in case you like watching unusual and beautiful films too.
Violet (on Amazon). Easily my favorite film of 2021. Violet (Olivia Munn) realizes that her entire life is built on fear-based decisions, and must do everything differently to become her true self. It’s in the telling of this story where we see that Justine Bateman is an amazing and creative director. At points we hear the voice of fear in her head, see her behavioral response to a situation, and then we see text overlaid almost like journal entries exposing her inner emotional response. Written, directed, and produced by Justine Bateman and stars Olivia Munn, Luke Bracey, and Justin Theroux. I highly recommend “Violet” for anyone who enjoys indie dramas that push how we experience cinema.
Everything in the End (trailer). EITE is another favorite film for 2021 for reasons similar to the filmmaking in “Violet.” Stranded in a small village during Earth's final days, a man seeks solace in the brief human connections he encounters. Written and directed by Mylissa Fitzsimmons and stars Hugo de Sousa, Bergdis Julia Johannsdottir, and Lilja Þórisdóttir. EITE is a slow-moving indie drama that is super sincere and beautiful in its story as well as location in Iceland. This lovely film is making its way through the festival circuit and I’ll share a link as soon as we can see it elsewhere. I am super excited to see more films by Mylissa Fitzsimmons.
A Black Rift Begins to Yawn (promo clip). Another favorite I saw at a couple of virtual film festivals this year. The storyline is fairly simple: two women work on a mysterious project that distorts their memories of time, place, and identity. Again, it’s in the way the story is told that we experience something unusual and beautiful—like a conscious dream in someone else’s sleeping. There is very little “story” to hold onto which is what I love about a film that can keep me captivated through the 16mm stylized imagery, detailed production design, and the sonic atmosphere created by the music and sound design. Like a poem, “A Black Rift Begins to Yawn” is a sensual experience. The film is written and directed by Matthew Wade and his wife, Sara Lynch, stars in the film as well as handles production design and costumes. Principal photography (by Lila Streicher) was shot in four days and since Wade directed, edited, and did the color grade, he was able to finish this film for less than a micro budget. This is another aspect of his work that I really appreciate—he leverages creativity and an amazing artistic vision over gear and gimmicks to create beautiful cinema experiences. I’ll let you know when we can see this one again.
Film Fest (on Amazon). Changing gears here: indie filmmakers are accepted into an obscure film festival in a mountain town where they hope to sell their film. This is a super fun indie comedy that I recommend for folks who love indie films and film festivals. Directed by Marshall Cook and written by Marshall Cook and Paul Alan Cope and stars Matt Cook, Diona Reasonover, Laird Macintosh, C.J. Vana, and Will Sasso.
Willy’s Wonderland (on Amazon). What’s a list of movies without Nicholas Cage? Not a particularly great film but if you’re into comedy horror, I highly recommend it. Although, it is interesting that Cage’s character has no speaking lines in the film. When his car breaks down, a quiet loner (Nic Cage) agrees to clean an abandoned family fun center in exchange for repairs. He soon finds himself waging war against possessed animatronic mascots while trapped inside Willy's Wonderland. Written by G.O. Parsons, directed by Kevin Lewis, and stars Nicolas Cage, Emily Tosta, and Beth Grant.