What I Was Watching In January 2021
For the first time in forever (oh no, now I have the Disney song stuck in my head), I’ve actually been reading more than watching things. Between that, and the fact that I reviewed three of the movies I’ve watched this month, this January wrap up is a bit shorter than normal. So we’ll just let this be short, sweet and to the point, which is what this January has seemed like after December somehow felt like it was four years long.
Man of Steel
HBO Max
I realized this is the one available DC movie that I hadn’t seen, so after Wonder Woman 1984, I figured I’d check it out. I kind of wish I had let it stay unwatched. I really like Henry Cavill and even think he’d be a good Superman. But man, it was really hard for me to find anything really enjoyable about this movie.
The Verdict: 2/5
When Harry Met Sally
HBO Max
Visiting “old” movies, especially romantic comedies, hasn’t always worked out for me in the past (sorry, John Hughes films), so the fact that I absolutely loved this movie was a beyond welcome surprise. Not only do I see the beginning of the standard rom-com DNA that has been put into use for years, but I get to see a fairly timeless story that’s still very much anchored in the 20th century.
The Verdict: 4/5
Best Laid Plans
HBO Max
I’ve discovered a very weird habit when picking movies in the ‘leaving soon’ or ‘expiring’ categories on streaming services, and that is that I inevitably end up watching a random film Reese Witherspoon is in. And sometimes I’m wowed, sometimes I wonder at some projects she picked. This one is the latter. Do yourself a favor and just watch her kill it in Legally Blonde for the fiftieth time.
The Verdict: 2/5
I’m Your Woman
Prime
One of my TV obsessions is The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, so the opportunity to see Rachel Brosnahan in something else is always a delight. I felt the movie was missing something, even if i’m not totally sure what, but Brosnahan’s performance is so solid that I was captivated by her the entire time. The movie is well acted by every single cast member, and is so worth a watch.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
The Prestige
Hulu
This is another one of those movies that I’m not totally sure how I never got to it. I will admit I had to pull up the synopsis on IMDB to follow the timelines for the first quarter of the film, but when I got into the rhythm of the movie, I was hooked. It was very obviously a Nolan film, and I kept waiting to see just how many twists and turns there were, and I was not disappointed.
The Verdict: 4/5
Indecent Proposal
Hulu
Somehow I’ve known about this movie for most of my life without ever really knowing more than the scandalous concept of the whole plot. I was interested immediately and was rooting for the main couple and their love story, but by the end, I think I disliked literally every person in the movie. It takes a lot for that to happen for me, so it definitely lost some points in my book.
The Verdict: 2.5/5
Get On Up
HBO Max
After Chadwick Boseman passed away, Get On Up was one of his projects I heard most about in terms of his best performances. And the internet was completely right. Sometimes the structure of the movie seemed a bit uneven or a little sloppy, but this cast, especially Boseman, put in 110% into every word. Get On Up gets some props from me as well for not watering down James Browns’ story.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
Walk the Line
HBO Max
Truly the only thing I can say negative about this movie is a ridiculous one: I can’t handle watching Joaquin Phoenix in things post-Joker. However, that being said, this film is so good that I almost don’t even care that he stresses me out. And part of that is due to the phenomenal performance that is Reese Witherspoon as June Carter, and honestly, I’d watch three more hours just of her living her life as this character.
The Verdict: 4/5
Akeelah and the Bee
HBO Max
I was blown away by this movie. I’ve learned that it benefits your experience super well if you come into a movie viewing with zero expectations or previous knowledge. Akeelah and the Bee is an absolutely adorable, heartwarming movie that made my entire day better. I was hooked immediate and was rooting for everyone in this film to succeed.
The Verdict: 4/5
Lately I’m using the expiring soon notes on Netflix and Hulu and the leaving soon sections on HBO Max to find my movies. How do you decide what to watch in a world with more streaming films than there are hours in a year?