The Burbs Entertainment Film and Television staff came together to provide an update on what has kept them most entertained this year, including which seasons of television they've anticipated returns to and which films dragged them into movie theaters despite a multitude of complications.
Disclaimer: No, we did not forget about The White Lotus. That show wasn't as good as your mother or father will try to convince you it was. As a matter of fact, it was actually very disappointing. Nor did we forget about The Underground Railroad, one of our writers is finishing the series as we speak and will have an in-depth review on it coming shortly.
MOVIES
'JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH'
Where to watch: HBO Max
Judas and the Black Messiah remains the best film of 2021. Director Shaka King’s tragic tale of betrayal is the most powerful film of the early decade — and tells a story that should’ve been etched in history books long ago. Lakeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya are a truly dynamic duo in their respective turns as FBI informant William O’Neal and Black Panther chairman Fred Hampton. Kaluuya’s performance is especially riveting, notably displayed in the indomitable “I Am, A Revolutionary” speech. He won the Oscar for a reason.
Jesse Plemons - who just might be the hardest working man in Hollywood (seriously, he’s in everything) — does a great job as a (sorry, Jesse, you seem like a nice guy) piece of shit. A strikingly modern message — and currently available on HBO Max — Judas and the Black Messiah belongs at the top of your watchlist if you’re yet to see it. - Jack Martin
'THE GREEN KNIGHT'
Where to watch: In theaters and on VOD
Nobody could have played Sir Gawain more perfectly and beautifully than Dev Patel. An Arthurian legend starring a 21st-century legend couldn’t be more fitting! The newest A24 movie doesn’t hold your hand, but if you’re up for the challenge to read between the lines of a film with scant dialogue, then this movie could be your very own knight’s tale… Imagine the theater you walk into shrouded in mist. You walk up to the mystical and powerful ticket booth employee and purchase one entry to The Green Knight. They hand you the slip of paper, which allows you to embark on your quest. The theater you enter after struggling to navigate the concession stands begging you for money, dark halls that are probably haunted, and the couple sitting next to you who are both kind of into you? You finally get to face the challenge that is this movie — you better be prepared after all of that! The reward, in the end, is well deserved (opening up Letterboxd and writing your little review).
You don’t have to have read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight to understand this film — but if you have, then there are some alterations that you’ll enjoy! I, for one, left the theater knowing that 1.) We need to be giving Dev Patel more roles, and 2.) Swords are so cool; I wish we still used them. And you’re gonna feel the same way, too, or else I’m gonna cut your stupid head off!! - Katia Hollis
'THE SUICIDE SQUAD'
Where to watch: In theaters and on HBO Max
With The Suicide Squad, James Gunn compiles a ragtag team of D-list villains to deliver an ultraviolent war comedy masquerading as a superhero film. Behind a “no fucks given” approach to its characters’ fates and the refusal to take itself seriously, The Suicide Squad effectively fixes the DC Extended Universe’s fun problem. In fact, it’s the best entry in the DCEU’s eight-year run.
Perhaps the best part of The Suicide Squad is Gunn’s decision to shoot the film on physical sets. The island background pops, and there’s never a distraction from glaringly lazy CGI. *Cough* Black Widow *Cough*. The ensemble cast headlined by Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, and John Cena is genuinely fun, and Daniela Melchior shines as Ratcatcher 2 in her English-film debut.
Hopefully, The Suicide Squad will set a sort of precedent for DC films. Let Marvel make the family-friendly movies — their formula works. Batman watched his parents get shot in an alley — it’s not uplifting stuff. - Jack Martin
'BO BURNHAM: INSIDE'
Where to watch: Netflix
There is likely no better statement on the current state of the world than Bo Burnham’s 90-minute epic. Everything about this project is masterful — take Bo’s suffocating cinematography, all shot inside his own home, or his simultaneously hilarious and dread-inducing songwriting, laid-over production that’s so layered you’d expect it out of a major record label’s debut album for their industry plant, and not the bedroom of a just-turned-30-year-old and his MIDI keyboard.
Burnham manages to do a million different things in his “comedy special.” You’re up close with his vulnerable self, the camera sometimes just inches away from his sagging eyes and unshaved beard. You can almost smell what his quarantine life was like. His songs, namely Bezos I, are all over TikTok, and rightfully so — Bo has put together a project that is everything this generation is living through, whether it be climate existentialism, white dread, a reckoning with race, a trivialization of sex, class struggle, phone addiction, or masculinity. It only makes sense that it’s being spun over and over again on the generation’s favorite app. Look for it and you’ll find it in this special — a piece of art that we’ve only begun to understand, a piece of art that can act as a cultural landmark for our current era. - Sriman Narayanan
'NO SUDDEN MOVE'
Where to watch: HBO Max
Steven Soderbergh's new HBO Max exclusive, No Sudden Move, featured an All-Hollywood cast (Benicio Del Toro, Don Cheadle, David Harbour, Ray Liotta, Julia Fox, Kieran Culkin, Jon Hamm, and Brendan Fraser), a complex storyline about low-rate criminals trying to make one last splash, and ultimately — a bitter and beaten Detroit. Is this Soderbergh's best film? Absolutely not. Is it even in his top five or six movies? Probably not, but that doesn't mean it isn't better than 99.9% of the bullshit that Netflix plugs into the ether. It's a fun watch that rewards your attention with twists, betrayals, and one absolutely dynamite cameo at the end by someone who is slowly becoming the best spark-plug individual (HINT: He also pops up in Thor: Ragnarok). - Ralph James
'ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN'
Where to watch: In theaters and on VOD
Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain garnered headlines for all the wrong reasons, mainly the AI-manufactured voiceovers and new revelations about the days leading up to Bourdain’s death. However, if you look past these headlines, you will find a deeply intimate documentary that did justice to the legacy of a man who changed the way we eat, dine, and travel. Through interviews with his closest friends and coworkers, Roadrunner illuminated the half of Bourdain that No Reservations and Parts Unknown had left in the shadows. A man who felt insecure and unhappy, but who also found moments of joy and euphoria in his years of travel.
Anthony Bourdain saturated the market with shows, interviews, and books for almost 20 years. The ability of Morgan Neville to create a two-hour documentary that doesn’t feel like a recycled highlight reel is a feat by itself. His ability to tell the story with tender love and sensitivity is nothing short of a miracle. In the end, Roadrunner gives closure to an audience who viewed Bourdain with reverence and awe. When the credits roll, you might feel a mix of a thousand emotions — including grief and admiration — but there is no doubt you will appreciate the final two hours of footage Neville gifted to all of Bourdain’s loyal followers. - Evan Northrup
'SHIVA BABY'
Where to watch: HBO Max
I enjoy when movies make me feel uncomfortably anxious. The omnipresent feeling of impending doom makes me feel much more there in the movie-watching experience. I don’t know, ask my therapist. Even though Shiva Baby is only 78-minutes long, director Emma Seligman packs as many anxiety-inducing moments into the limited runtime as she can.
Rachel Sennott gives a breakout performance as Danielle, a college student stuck at a shiva with her parents, ex-girlfriend, and current sugar daddy — wife and newborn in tow. Shot largely on one camera within the four walls of a home, Shiva Baby is claustrophobic and does not let up. It’s what makes the film so damn good — Seligman knows precisely the feeling she wants to create and nails it. It’s wildly impressive that Shiva Baby is Seligman’s debut feature — I’m very excited about any new projects on the horizon.
There’s something about this movie — I currently have it ranked as my second favorite of the year. If you, too, seek to replicate your most extreme emotions in cinematic format, Shiva Baby may be a film for you. - Jack Martin
TV SHOWS
'DAVE' Season 2
Where to watch: FX on HULU
Dave season one set the bar high, and Dave season two seemingly surpassed it — and then some. Throughout the season, Dave takes us through the struggles of trying to create his first studio album, while managing relationships with friends and family.
Season two embodies the same comedic genius that made season one so great — but this time with a stroke of empathy. Whether it be the pressure of meeting a deadline, the anxiety of sending a text to the wrong person, or the struggle to come to grips with a break-up; Dave takes his viewers on a journey that we can all sympathize with.
One of the more notable scenes came in episode six, when he matches with iconic rap-star Doja Cat on a celebrity dating app. Lil Dicky does surprisingly well at shooting his shot before things take a quick turn. While trying to show off to his manager Mike (Andrew Santino), he accidentally sends a screenshot of their messages back to Doja Cat. If you have ever made this same mistake, you know this rush of anxiety.
This mix of comedic relief and the ability to instill feelings of happiness, anxiety, and sensible life lessons is what takes season two to the next level. Once you add in a touch of Dave Burd’s bizarre personality, it has all the making for the best show of 2021. - Dylan Fadden
'TED LASSO' Season 2
Where to watch: Apple TV+
If you have an issue with this show, then I would politely, in my most Wichita, Kansas, fashion, like to ask you to humbly go fuck yourself. If we have to nitpick every little thing, especially a show that is so radiantly positive and uplifting as Ted Lasso, then maybe we just don't deserve nice things. Maybe HBO should hold season three of Succession in their back-pocket until 2028. Maybe Jason Sudeikis should just quit being so charming and rush the conflict of the show, rather than letting it flow naturally along with the script. I mean, good god, people — Apple TV+ finally produces something beautiful and we have to criticize it for being too much of a sweetener in our ever-bitter lives? Either get a grip, or just leave your stupid little Tweets in the drafts section because this show still fucking rules. - Ralph James
'MARE OF EASTTOWN'
Where to watch: HBO Max
You know television is in a rough patch when HBO hasn’t released a classic in over a year. Whether it's due to the pandemic or just a natural slump after years of excellence, HBO’s last five-star release was I May Destroy You in 2020. Kate Winslet’s role as a Pennsylvania small-town cop mixes all the aspects of a classic HBO crime thriller with a refreshingly modern view of the world, making Mare of Easttown a return to form — and a new shining star in the HBO catalog.
Mare of Easttown is a family show. Not a show to watch with your family, but one that dissects and contemplates many of the issues the modern household deals with. By dropping a dark and gritty killing into the setting of a close, tight-knit community, the plot’s central murder becomes more than a crime stat, drudging up long-standing issues and insecurities within all of the characters and family units portrayed in the show. But what puts Mare of Easttown into the upper echelon of television is Kate Winslet and the character she portrays.
Over the past decade, the “everywoman” character has started to become a heralded model in television through shows like Big Little Lies, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Fleabag. In my opinion, Mare has now taken the title as the greatest “everywoman” character. Mare feels real, she looks real, she even talks in a harsh and coarse manner that is the product of growing, living, and policing in the unforgiving world of Easttown. The show never shies away from Mare’s authenticity, never turns the camera away to make the viewer more comfortable, and in doing every step of progress or growth the character makes feels hard-won and authentic. Mare of Easttown isn’t a happy show that will give you a clean, tied-up ending, but it tells the truth about life, and in 2021, that couldn’t be more needed. - Evan Northrup
'LOKI'
Where to watch: Disney+
I had come so close to giving up on Marvel after their middle-of-the-pack run on WandaVision and Falcon and Winter Soldier came to a close. I told myself, "If they somehow manage to fuck up Loki, then I'm leaving this sweet, sweet cinematic-distraction universe in the rearview window." These are things that I actually say to myself. I am 23 years old. And despite Marvel's first two additions to the Disney+ catalog trying to serve my quarter-life interests, both of them fell short. Then I waited, and waited, and waited, and Tom Hiddleston slipped me into a startling nightgown that was both comforting and persuading. He said, "Let me show you what you missed while I was gone. Everything that you love about us over here at the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is really just a bunch of people from Los Angeles invading Atlanta for weeks at a time to dance in front of a green screen..." and I ate his whole entree and am itching for more.
From the lovey-dovey cheap impression of Before Sunrise to the Time Variance Authority and the multiverse expansion, I was once again completely swindled by the film franchise that has dominated the last decade-and-a-half of my life. And you know what? It was lovely. I loved every bit of it. I was going back to my roots of digging for Easter Eggs on Reddit or podcasts, and completely forgetting whatever information I'd digested a couple of days later because my dumb brain was too polluted by other nonsense in the time between my diligent research and the next episode dropping. I am, by no means, a die-hard Marvellite, but I do appreciate their presence and enjoy getting little nonsensical characters like Alligator Loki in my life once every six or seven months. - Ralph James
'ATTACK ON TITAN' Season 4
Where to watch: Netflix
When I think of what to say about Attack on Titan, only one phrase comes to mind: Just watch it. Watch naked giants bash each other in fits of frenzy and eat humans alive. Watch the ingenious fast-paced action sequences based around the “vertical maneuvering equipment.” Watch as layer after layer of the world’s mythology, political infrastructure, character motivations, and intertwined emotional relationships are peeled back in a stream of satisfying revelations. Even after four seasons, with the fifth and final slated to release in the fourth quarter of 2022, the show hasn’t lost an ounce of the edge and graphic amazement that drew fans to the show and manga in its first installments. The action is more breathtaking, the characters continue to grow, and the intricate mystery and political intrigue that glue the show together are as elusive and enrapturing as the day it aired. I could sit here and talk more about season four, how the action got better and the plot deeper. I could say that season four had more 9+-rated IMDB episodes than the final season of Breaking Bad, or that this continuation of excellence solidifies AOT’s positions as one of the great anime's of all time, but in truth, that wouldn’t do it justice. So whether you hate anime or have watched it since you were a kid, I only have three words for you. Just. Watch. It. - Evan Northrup
'I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE' Season 2
Where to watch: Netflix
Cringe comedy isn’t for everybody. And for those whom it is designed specifically for, it has to be executed to perfection in order to have a lasting effect. Tim Robinson has come up with a formula that is not just memorable, but impossible to forget or redesign with I Think You Should Leave.
Its second season is now streaming on Netflix. And if I lift the veil for a second here, then I'd admit that the first season completely flew over my head. It wasn’t that I didn’t get it, it’s that I didn’t have the energy to get involved with it. After seeing Robbins’s face crawl across my Twitter timeline time and time again over the last year, I decided to give the show another shot. And now, for some sickening reason, I can’t get enough. It’s filled the void that Nathan For You left in my heart when it stopped airing on Comedy Central — there’s only so many times that I can watch the Dumb Starbucks episode. I Think You Should Leave isn’t a direct descendant of Nathan For You, or any show for that matter. If anything, it’s the brainchild of a man-child who never matured out of his kiddish humor, which is, if you ask me, still one of the funniest brands of comedy that the current landscape has to offer. - Ralph James
'MR. INBETWEEN' Season 3
Where to watch: FX on HULU
Oftentimes, silence is as good as gold.
Mr. Inbetween is the best hitman show on television right now. This includes Barry, Ray Donovan, and whatever else FX doesn’t make. Sure, HBO is the crown jewel of paid streaming, but FX has the Midas touch, and Scott Ryan’s writer/producer/series lead effort is — besides Devs — the granddaddy of them all.
Episodes move like molasses. They’re deliberately paced to match the true tempo of adulthood — that’s rare. The dialogue is so natural and humanizing it often makes me coil into my couch. Gripes, real deep moments — things we experience, or can see ourselves experiencing. Oh, and every season is on Hulu.
Did I mention he’s a hitman? There’s a reason Scott Ryan’s original film is based around the premise: it just works. No stone turned will leave you unsatisfied. Mr. Inbetween is a must-watch for fans of any genre. - Carter Ferryman
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