We’ve finished with the games, so it’s time to move on to the movies and shows I watched this year! Like last week’s article, these won’t necessarily be things that came out this year, just things I either experienced for the first time this year, or watched through a brand-new, transformative lens. Let’s jump into it!
10) The Marvels
Look, it’s fun, alright? I’m not about to go to bat claiming its the greatest entry into the MCU, or that it heralds the second coming of Marvel-hype (its box office numbers clearly do not hold this statement up), but it was a lot of good fun and I enjoyed my time with it! Not too serious but not overly tone-killingly silly, some shockingly well-done action scenes, and a fun trio of characters to carry the story forward. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s a blast of fresh air packed neatly into an hour and forty-five minutes of fun. Plus, in the grand scheme of things, there’s relatively little you need to know beforehand (unlike all the homework you should do for some other MCU projects).
9) The Legend of Korra (Seasons One and Two)
As of this writing I have finished the first two seasons of The Legend of Korra, and have started a bit of season three. I’ve been on a real Avatar binge lately, and yet had never actually watched this sequel series! To the surprise of people who probably haven’t seen it since it came out, I’m here to remind you all that it’s actually pretty good. No, of course it isn’t as good as ATLA, nor is it anywhere close, and nor does it need to be. Can’t something just be “pretty good” and “exciting and fun” sometimes (see above entry on this list for more). The animation is stellar and the fight scenes are even more crazy than the original, and there’s still plenty of humor and heart. And while season two’s spirit world shenanigans can get a bit convoluted, the politics and drama in both seasons and the tense cult-like showdowns of the first season are super engaging!
8) Ahsoka
As my favorite character in all of Star Wars, it was inevitable that I was going to be excited for a live-action series exclusively focused on Ahsoka (even if I miss Ashley Eckstein), and I’d naturally be predisposed to enjoying it. So, yes, I ended up really enjoying this show, even if I can also notice a few of the flaws inherent in its odd pacing and connected-universe-necessity of sacrificing time to set up future installments. At the end of the day, it’s still a very enjoyable dive into the characters of both Ahsoka and Sabine, has plenty of great moments with David Tennant’s Huyang, a plethora of exciting action set-pieces, and some movie-level visual effects that really impress (and continue to make me wonder what happened with Kenobi). Also, lead villains Baylan and Shin are two of the best Disney-era additions to the franchise yet.
7) Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
I’ve done quite a bit of raving about this movie, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to see it here on the list. It’s one of the best animated movies to release in years, after all! As such, I’m not sure how much more to add to the conversation, other than to implore you to find a way to see this movie if you haven’t yet. Following in the footsteps of great animated films like Kung Fu Panda 2, this is the type of movie that proves you can tell a deep, dark, and relatable story that isn’t afraid to pull its punches, and yet still make it marketable and enjoyable for children. It’s also visually quite stunning, has great performances from all of the cast, and is very funny. It’s got a nice soundtrack too, and some silky-smooth action choreography not often found in children’s animation.
6) Loki (Season Two)
Loki was a bit of a sleeper hit when it came out, and I was already a big fan even before jumping into season two. Somehow, they went and outdid themselves with an even greater season! While it takes about two or three episodes to really establish the scope and intent of the season, once the wheel’s start turning they most surely do not stop. Episodes five and six alone are enough to justify the entire season’s existence, and I cannot stress enough how incredible (and incredibly emotionally moving) the closing minutes in the finale are. And yet even with multiversal craziness going on, Loki doesn’t lose sight of what made the first season so magical: long, quiet scenes of character-building dialogue between our cast members. I’ve always been a fan of slow but purposeful dialogue exchanges, and this show gives that in spades. It’s a mature side of the superhero entertainment world that we don’t often see.
5) Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One
The Mission Impossible movies already stand at the pinnacle of the Action genre, and this series could honestly release a dud entry and it would still be a must-watch spectacle. Thankfully, the most recent release is anything but a dud, and once again showcases the immaculate talent and edge-of-your-seat thrill that this series is known for.
I’ve actually come to dislike parts of my initial QuickShot review of this movie, as some of my takes were a little too hasty. I stated how I enjoyed the film on first viewing, but that certain parts disappointed me. I’d largely like to retract those statements, as I feel they were born out of some deeply entrenched desire for this movie to somehow be both Fallout again AND better than Fallout. That’s simply not possible to accomplish on both accounts, as this movie shows how you can go for a different tone and pacing and end up nearly as good. Anyway, rambling aside, this is an excellent film!
4) Zodiac
This is a bit of a random one, as it was a distracted rabbit-hole of research during my day job that even led to me discovering this movie existed in the first place! And yet, two-and-a-half hours later, I was pleasantly surprised by one of the most interesting and gripping movies I think I’ve ever watched. If you’ve never seen it before, I highly recommend checking it out sometime, especially if you’re a Thriller, True Crime, Mystery, or Suspense fan.
It may be a movie comprised almost entirely of slow-paced scenes of people sitting around and talking, and yet the expertly crafted writing and acting demonstrates that that’s really all you need to create a compelling and gripping mystery that keeps your eyes glued to the screen so intently you don’t even realize how much time is passing by. An incredible film made by a very talented team, this is one you should absolutely go back and check out if you never have before.
3) Netflix’s One Piece
Even months after it came out, I’m still in awe that Netflix of all groups managed to actually throw together an anime adaptation that isn’t just passable, but excellent. In a sea of disappointing releases like Death Note and Cowboy Bebop, One Piece manages to stand loud and proud as an adaptation that didn’t lose even an ounce of charm in the transition from anime to live-action, and in fact even gained some newfound aspects that warrants a watch even for diehard anime lovers.
From the top to the bottom, at every level, this series oozes with love and charm. You can tell from only a minute into the first episode that this show was directed, written, produced, and acted by people who care deeply about the source material. Everything is just *chef’s kiss* with this show, from the acting choices to the action choreography to the mind-boggling practical sets and effects. It’s pretty magical to watch a live-action show with as much dedication poured into it as this one. It’s little wonder if was one of the heaviest Netflix hitters of the year!
2) RWBY (Re-Visit)
I was a big fan of RWBY when it came out, but for reasons largely outside of the show itself, I drifted away shortly after season five (a season in which I already only watched once and didn’t retain much of). Yet with the release of season nine back in February of this year, and the entire show arriving on Crunchyroll, I decided that it was a good enough time to jump back onto the train and give the show another watch…and I am so glad that I did. From its humble beginnings to where it is now, RWBY is just as, if not even more incredible than I thought it was before.
There is still something inherently inspiring about seeing RWBY progress from its humble beginnings as a low-budget webshow into the epic media franchise it is today (just this year alone there was a new season, a new videogame, and two crossover animated films). And it isn’t hard to see why so many people enjoy it. Even in the midst of occasional missteps, RWBY never fails to be funny, engaging, a visual treat, and the champion of animated fight sequences. Filled with lovable characters and memorable moments, this is a show that is infinitely easy to return to for a new binge-session, and will stick with you a long time after watching if you’ll let it. I still can’t get over how good seasons 7 and 8 are!
1) Across the Spider-Verse
I mean, it’s arguably the best cinematic release of the year, and my favorite overall animated movie of all time (dethroneing the years-long champion, Kung Fu Panda 2). Of course it had to be in the top spot of this list! I went to see this movie twice in theaters, and the only reason I didn’t go a third time is because I was too busy with work! I spent hours watching reviews of this film and taking part in online discussion forums, relishing in the (shockingly rare) aura of outright adoration and positivity that this film had generated. It was (and is, of course) a masterpiece, and it was amazing to see everyone online recognizing that.
I’m not even sure what else I could say that hasn’t already been said by the plethora of shining reviews and praise surrounding this film. It’s a visual work of art, the soundtrack is just as bangin’ as the last film, the characters are some of the richest and most nuanced in animation, the villain is a scene-stealing showstopper, the inventive and crazy action scenes keep you rapturously hooked, and the emotional beats land with heavy well-earned weight. It also manages to tell a complete character story to leave you satisfied, while also still ravenously clamoring for more when the next installment drops sometime in, I hope, 2025 (it got caught up in delays somewhat related to all that striking going on).
Go see this movie, if you haven’t. Go see it again even if you have. And heavens help me if this movie, for some ill-fated reason, doesn’t win the Academy Award. I might just lose all faith in the cinephile world!
But hey, that’s just my opinion!
The Contrarian Corner 