What I Was Watching In December 2020
Somehow, despite spending a stupid amount of time watching mediocre holiday romantic comedies, I managed to fit in a smattering of other movies, as well as season one of Euphoria (which has reignited my obsession of Zendaya), the most recent season of The Crown (which will be obvious based on a couple other films I watched), holiday baking shows, the entirety of Derry Girls (inspired by their presence on an aforementioned holiday baking show) and am now fully invested in this new silly Bridgerton show. Because how can I not adore something that is basically Jane Austen meets Gossip Girl? Anyways, here is the - slightly baffling - range of movies I ended up checking out this last month of 2020.
The Royal Tenenbaums
Amazon Prime
I ended up watching this to go along with a podcast covering this film, and I realized I hadn’t seen many Wes Anderson films. And then I realized I may not like Wes Anderson films. The cast is stellar, and it should have been up my alley, but I just didn’t care at all. I found none of the characters endearing and, frankly, I was just waiting for the movie to end.
The Verdict: 2/5
A California Christmas
Netflix
This viewing happened post-holiday-film-binge, and it would have fit right into that list. It was fun enough, I guess, but only if you enjoy mocking very meh movies. The one thing this movie had going for it over others was that this time it was the workaholic MAN who had to go to the country and discover what life is really all about and fall for a small town girl.
The Verdict: 2/5
American Animals
HBO Max
I’ve had a weird overcorrection to make up for how much semi-boring saccharine romances I watched and have been devouring a lot of true crime (or true crime adjacent) stuff. This is technically fiction but it is based on a true story and actually seems to have the people they’re based on telling the story. It’s basically a well acted recreation of a crime. It was fun enough, but I was hoping for more.
The Verdict: 3/5
The Social Dilemma
Netflix
Somehow, I never got around to this documentary when everyone was talking about it. By the time I did, I expected it to blow my mind since so many people were freaked out by it. Instead, I didn’t feel like I learned anything and just thought the scenarios acted out were incredibly cheesy. It was definitely interesting, but I wasn’t sure what all this told people that we didn’t already know.
The Verdict: 3/5
The Queen
Netflix
I’d already figured out that as she grew older, Queen Elizabeth became more formal and distant with her family, but if this movie is to be believed, she is flat-out cold and seemingly unfeeling. It tells the story of the royal family’s reaction to Diana’s death, and if you weren’t already on Princess Di’s “side,” well, this movie would convince you to join the rest of us.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
Morning Glory
Netflix
I expected this to be a super cheesy romantic comedy about a working girl, and while some of that is true, it’s boosted pretty significantly thanks to a really impressive cast (Harrison Ford and Rachel McAdams specifically) and solid writing. Sure, there are some standard movie moments and tropes, but it just played out better than a lot of the other films I’ve seen.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
The Young Victoria
Hulu
Continuing my royal theme that was low-key happening in December, I realized I know next to nothing about Queen Victoria, other than that she had an extremely long reign, was very much in love with her husband and that they have a museum named after them. This movie - while I’m not sure about the accuracy level - definitely filled in some blanks about a fascinating monarch.
The Verdict: 4/5
Nightcrawler
Netflix
I think I had it in my head what this movie was, and when it didn’t follow that path, I was a bit disappointed. At the risk of spoiling some things, I always assumed that the main character played by Jake Gyllenhaal was going to start committing the crimes he so desperately wanted to film. That isn’t quite how things went, so I think I played myself on this one.
The Verdict: 3/5
Alabama Snake
HBO Max
Do you ever see a movie description and know you have to watch it because it’s the most baffling thing you’ve seen in ages? That’s this documentary. An Alabama pastor at a charismatic church (think speaking in tongues and snake handling) is accused of attempting to murder his wife via rattlesnake bite. When the movie ended, however, I feel like I knew less than when I started. I have no freaking clue what is true.
The Verdict: 3/5
Diana: In Her Own Words
Netflix
Once again, my curiosity about the British royal family reared its ugly head. It’s been fascinating learning more about Diana, and hearing her speak so frankly about her struggles, be it in her relationships or with her eating disorder, was both devastatingly sad and charmingly fascinating. I have spent a lot of December being bummed that the world was robbed of a truly genuinely lovely, albeit struggling, soul.
The Verdict: 4/5
Paddington
TV
For literal years, I’ve been hearing people singing the praises of this cartoon. So when my dad and I saw it was on TV on Christmas day, we decided to check it out. This may be one of the most wholesome and precious movies I’ve ever seen. Plus, Nicole Kidman and her trusty sidekick, a bizarre wig, create a fabulous villain that I wasn’t expecting.
The Verdict: 4/5
Holiday in Handcuffs
Hulu
My friend insisted on watching this as it’s one of the OG shitty Christmas movies. And holy Stockholm Syndrome, Batman, was she ever right. This movie is insane. And, something I never thought I wold say, Mario Lopez is easily the best actor and carries the whole movie. I worry/wonder that watching this may become a yearly tradition for me. It’s just that ridiculous.
The Verdict: 2.5/5
Baby God
HBO Max
God complexes are scary enough in a “standard” surgeon or doctor, but when you add fertility specialist in there, it seems there is an uncomfortable space where they play God even more and use their own specimens to help women conceive. Thankfully, this seems to be the exception and not the rule, but this is a slightly terrifying story about a man who decided secretly fathering dozens (at minimum) of children.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
HBO Max
Years ago, I watched the first movie in this trilogy and was just bored, which is a bummer since I wanted to really enjoy it. Thankfully, I listened to friends and decided to give the rest of it a go. This one is easily the best of the three, and I found it really fascinating. Benedict Cumberbatch is truly perfect as the voice of Smaug, and I would literally watch 2 hours of just him being a dragon.
The Verdict: 4/5
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
HBO Max
This was probably the second best out of the three, but it took some turns I wasn’t expecting. And for one thing, they do not reveal what on earth the fifth army is until 1.5 hours into the movie. After discussing the series with a Lord of the Rings obsessed friend, I realized that while this is a solid movie, it’s not the best adaptation, especially by incorporating a love story that did no good at all, and was just annoying.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
I’m trying to figure out if I have any goals or resolutions related to media in 2021. Do you have any? Let me know in the comments!