By Six Colors Staff

December 30, 2021 9:52 AM PT

2021 Favorites: Movies

Note: This story has not been updated since 2021.

It was a weird year for movies. Theaters were closed, open, and sometimes closed again? And not everyone felt comfortable returning to an enclosed space full of other people later in the year. And yet, the move out of theaters also made some films more accessible than they would have been in other years. Most Oscar nominees were available on streaming services before the awards occurred, and one of us (Jason) managed to binge an awful lot of nominees early this year. Some of them made this list! (We’re praising movies we saw in 2021, even if they were made a few years earlier.)

Dune: Part One

I read Frank Herbert’s novel in high school and have been amazed how such a deeply weird book has resonated with so many people for so long. This year, I noticed a bit of an echo to that reaction: I am once again surprised that an enormous audience has watched, and loved, Denis Villaneuve’s new adaptation of the novel. Maybe it’s the delight at seeing such an epic film after a long period of pandemic movie delays and cancellations. Maybe it was the fact that people could watch it on HBO Max over and over and over if they wanted to. I liked it primarily for Villaneuve’s visuals—nobody makes weird stuff hovering in midair look as grand as he does—and the supremely weird soundtrack by Hans Zimmer. The story was familiar, and it’s only the first half, anyway. But I still really liked the film, just for the whole experience of it. It’s a vibe.—Jason Snell

Spider-Man: No Way Home

There have been a perhaps unbelievable nine Spider-Man movies in the last 19 years, but Tom Holland’s incarnation seems to have been among the most well-received, and “No Way Home” continues that trend. It’s the “Avengers: Endgame” of this particular series, wrapping up one chapter of Peter Parker’s story, and packing in so many references, Easter eggs, and callbacks that your head might spin. But it’s still filled with charm and humor amongst the fights and special effects, and it’s hard to not have a good time when the ride is this fun.—Dan Moren

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

I have to hand it to Marvel Studios—they have managed to take several B- and C-list heroes from Marvel Comics history and turn them into the stars of blockbuster hit films. Shang-Chi is one such character, designed to cash in on the 70s Kung-Fu craze in America with an origin story that’s just as grimace-worthy as you might expect. But processed by the Marvel Machine, it comes out here as a joyous mix of Marvel superhero film and modern martial arts/action film. Simu Liu is game as Shang-Chi, but Awkwafina steals the portions of the movie left over after Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, and Ben Kingsley steal the bulk of it. The public-transport-themed action scene that starts the film is one of the best ever in a Marvel movie. I look forward to seeing what director Destin Daniel Cretton does next.—J.S.

No Time to Die

I didn’t go into Daniel Craig’s last outing as James Bond with very high expectations—after 2006’s “Casino Royale”, the franchise has never really passed middling for me—but “No Time to Die” largely surprised me with its swerve away from Bond tropes, especially in regards to its ending and its female characters. (For example, the movie is bookended with scenes from the perspective of Léa Seydoux’s Madeleine Swann, in some ways making it more of her story than Bond’s.) But the real gem here is Ana de Armas, Craig’s “Knives Out” co-star, who appears for about 10 minutes, but absolutely steals every single frame she’s in.—D.M.

In & Of Itself

Derek DelGaudio’s “In & of Itself” is a film, directed by Frank Oz, based on a one-man show by a magician. I think I may have said too much already. This is live theater captured on film for those who couldn’t attend, and it’s… oh, I shouldn’t say “magical,” should I? It is funny, riveting, and ultimately quite emotional. Don’t read anything about it going in. It’s better to be unspoiled. But you’ll be thinking about what you saw, what it means, and how it all happened, long after the movie is over.—J.S.

Tenet

I always find Christopher Nolan’s films worth watching, even if the director does at times get somewhat precious about the nature of cinema. “Tenet” is a brain-bender, and absolutely worth watching at home, where you can pause every couple minutes and assess what the hell is going on. It’s a great looking movie with some fantastic action set-pieces, and, above all, it’s a piece of original science-fiction. Robert Pattinson, John David Washington, and Elizabeth Debicki all lend some solid performances to the mix, as does Kenneth Branagh as a scenery-chewing villain..—D.M.

CODA

My favorite Apple TV+ film so far, “CODA” is a story about a young woman with a deaf family who falls in love with music. From that description, you can pretty much imagine what story the movie will tell, and you’d be exactly right. But it’s more than just that log line. The family business is fishing, and the entire industry is struggling, especially the little guys, so there’s a storyline about how fishermen can collectively organize and how a deaf fisherman can get a seat at the table. Ruby’s parents, played by Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur, are unforgettable. The end of the movie is, again, exactly what you’d expect—but with the added seasoning the film has added along the way, it’s completely effective.—J.S.

Widows

I’d heard people talk up “Widows”, and as a fan of heist movies, this is a fun twist on the genre (adapted, to my surprise, from an old British TV series from the 1980s). When a crew of thieves is killed mid-robbery, their widows are on the hook for the score, and have to pay it back. Add some Chicago politics into the mix, and you’ve got a taut, interesting crime story. But the real standout here is the cast: Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Cynthia Erivo, and Elizabeth Debicki (again!) form the key crew, with Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Jacki Weaver, Carrie Coon, Robert Duvall, Liam Neeson, Jon Bernthal, Garret Dillahunt, and Colin Farrell in supporting roles.—D.M.

Promising Young Woman

Emerald Fennell’s story of a woman out for revenge years after the death of a medical school colleague is scathing, angry, darkly funny, and ultimately tragic. (As all stories of revenge should probably be.) Carey Mulligan’s been one of the world’s best actors for a while now, and she’s spectacular as Cassie, who is working at a coffee shop when she meets a former classmate in med school who is indisputably a “nice guy”—whatever that means—and the entire plot begins to kick off.—J.S.

Never Rarely Sometimes Always

This is a movie about a girl in Pennsylvania who gets pregnant and can’t get an abortion. So she steals away with a friend on a bus to New York and try to figure out how to make that work. That’s what the movie is. It’s unflinching. (“Plan B,” a 2021 film with a similar premise and point of view, takes a very different approach—it’s a raunchy road-trip comedy. I liked it, too, just not as much as this one.)—J.S.

Nomadland

It was Best Picture… maybe you’ve heard of it? I loved how quiet and contemplative this film, about an older woman who has been driven by the Great Recession to live in a van and work itinerant jobs among other people who are living the same lives. It’s got beautiful vistas, quiet desperation, camaraderie, and a whole lot of deferred grief. My in-laws, who read the book upon which the film is based, hated it. I haven’t read the book, but as a work of art I find myself more or less in agreement with Oscar on this one, for once.—J.S.

First Cow

Nobody has ever heard of “First Cow,” which was nominated for zero Oscars. But it has stuck with me all year. It’s a quiet, slow story about a period of history that isn’t often seen, namely the west coast of North America in the early 19th century, pre-Gold Rush. Director Kelly Reichardt’s film is set in Oregon Country, and European society is only hesitantly setting up shop. The title cow is the first one to be imported to the region, up from San Francisco, promising milk and butter for those with the money and access. (Or for those who might be able to climb a fence and steal said milk.)—J.S.

By Six Colors Staff

December 29, 2021 2:46 PM PT

2021 Favorites: TV

Note: This story has not been updated since 2021.

We watch a lot of TV. It’s the platinum era of television—you could watch several hours a day for the entire year and never run out of top-shelf entertainment. But who has the time? So if you’re looking for something to watch, consider these shows, which were our favorites this year.

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Look, a million people have told you to watch Ted Lasso, and there’s a reason for that: it’s great. Season 2 may not be exactly what people wanted after the spectacular first season, but it still delivers on everything I love about the show, and takes it up a notch. In particular, the addition of Doctor Sharon Fieldstone as a foil (and ultimately friend) to Ted, the rich development of supporting characters like Sam, and a heel turn that left many viewers reeling. Plus, let’s not forget a fabulous rom-com pastiche, the utter surreality of the Coach Beard-centric episode, and a redeemed Jamie Tartt. If I’m going to be honest—not now, Jan!—I loved it all.—Dan Moren

Hacks (HBO Max)

Don’t let this one fly under the radar: “Hacks” was the comedy of the year. Starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder as comedy professionals at the beginning and end of their careers, it’s a study in contrasts. She’s in her 60s, she’s in her 20s. Deborah’s trying to figure out how to keep her career going, while Ava is struggling to establish herself. Deborah’s got a mansion in Vegas, Ava’s got a condo in L.A. They’ve both got the same agent and screwed-up families.

“Hacks” has things to say about creative struggles, finding your comfort zone, generational conflict, sexism in comedy (and everywhere else), despair, when to compromise and when to stick to your guns, and a whole lot more. It’s funny, but also serious. After all, comedy can be a serious business.—Jason Snell

Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)

Yes, it’s a joke machine that’s specially tuned to those who grew up loving 1990s Star Trek. But somehow it’s also a brilliant show in its own right, with characters who you actually end up loving. While this season may never quite reach the heights of the first, there’s still plenty to enjoy, including a new crew member who’s briefly turned into a puppet, some back story on the ship’s apparently mild-mannered engineer, and a stellar (no pun intended) episode that shows us what lower deck life is like on Klingon and Vulcan starships. Plus, Riker…did we mention Riker?.—D.M.

Loki (Disney+)

For me, “Loki” was the highlight of the first year of Marvel’s Disney+ original series. Every time I thought I knew where it was going, it went somewhere different. The set-up was obvious: Loki and Owen Wilson’s Agent Mobius are a mismatched cop/not-a-cop pair who have to travel through time in order to right wrongs and keep things on course for the Time Variance Authority. That set-up doesn’t survive the second episode, and the show kept breaking itself apart and re-forming every week.

I loved the show’s production design. Natalie Holt’s score is the single best piece of soundtrack music I heard in 2021. And while the cast was strong from top to bottom, I have to single out Sophia Di Martino’s great performance as Sylvie. Sure, I liked “WandaVision” and “Hawkeye” too, but “Loki” was the cream of the crop.—J.S.

Mythic Quest (Apple TV+)

The second season of this workplace comedy amps up the conflict between our two main characters, egomaniac Ian and ultra-competitive Poppy, but also manages to maintain its heart. I don’t usually like shows with awful people, but the secret is the characters aren’t really awful—there’s actually something underneath that exterior. Case in point: the season’s standout episode, “Backstory,” which delves into the history of supporting character C.W., who, until that point, has mostly been a caricature. The season’s finale seems to leave most of the characters in a good place, but with some threads untied…which is just as well, seeing as Season 3 and 4 are on their way.—D.M.

What We Do in the Shadows (Hulu)

The third season of this mockumentary series about a group of vampires living on Staten Island wasn’t quite as strong as its first two, but it was still pretty great. “This is Spinal Tap” is one of my favorite movies of all time, and “What We Do In the Shadows” comes closer than anything I’ve ever seen in emulating its hilarious tone.—J.S.

Leverage: Redemption (IMDb TV)

The last couple years have been tough ones, so sometimes you want to sit back and watch something light and fun—and if it involves evil rich people getting their comeuppance, all the better.

I was a fan of the 2008 show Leverage, so the news that it was getting a revival via Amazon’s free IMDb TV was music to my ears. This continuation picks up eight years after the original series’s finale, and though there is at least one significant casting change (the absence of Timothy Hutton’s Nate Ford), the revival manages to deliver on the same campy fun. Simply put: a team of Robin Hood-like outlaws use their skills to con and steal from the rich and powerful people whom the system is rigged to help.

The addition of Aleyse Shannon as Breanna Casey, foster sister of original member Alec Hardison, and ER’s Noah Wyle, as a former dirty-tricks lawyer looking to make good, are both welcome additions. Wyle anchors a lot of the season’s ongoing plot, and he’s a welcome addition as the often-in-over-his-head Harry Wilson. Plus, you’ve got notable guest turns from Reed Diamond, Joey Slotnick, and a corker with LeVar Burton. It’s not the most challenging show you’ll watch, but it’s like wrapping yourself in a cozy warm blanket.—D.M.

For All Mankind (Apple TV+)

Ron Moore’s alt-history story about an extended space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union moved to the 1980s for its second season. Marriages fall apart, international tensions flare at home and on the moon, and a symbolic gesture becomes something deeply meaningful. (Also, pay attention to the vending machine!)—J.S.

Kung Fu (CW)

A reboot of a kinda problematic show from the 1970s as a CW drama doesn’t seem like the kind of thing that’s likely to blow you away, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Kung Fu, which bares basically no resemblance to the old David Carradine vehicle beyond the name. This one focuses on Nicky Shen, a young woman who drops out of school to train in kung fu, and gets embroiled in a search for mythical weapons of untold power.

Fun fight scenes and a talented cast that punches above their weight elevated this series’s first season, and I particularly appreciated the show’s willingness to have more than a few scenes in Mandarin with English subtitles. A special callout to Hollywood legend Tzi Ma who gets a meaty role as the father of the main character.—D.M.

It’s a Sin (HBO Max)

If I describe Russell T. Davies’s “It’s a Sin” as a story about a group of gay men and their friends in London during the height of the AIDS epidemic, you will probably assume that it is a dark, tragic story. And it is, at times. But the magic of “It’s a Sin” is that it’s also joyful. That bittersweet combination—all these young men are finally breaking out of their restrictive families and being who they want to be, forming bonds and building communities and having sex and starting careers… and at the same time, the epidemic that will end so many lives is lurking around every corner.

“It’s a Sin” wouldn’t be nearly as impressive if it were merely joyous or tragic. It’s both at once, in a way that feels true, and only magnifies the tragedy of so many young lives cut so short.—J.S.

Hawkeye (Disney+)

With all respect to my dear friend and colleague, Hawkeye for me is the best the Marvel Cinematic Universe committed to TV this year. As much as I enjoyed the rest of the Disney+ fare, this series’s small stakes, sense of humor, Christmas setting, and tremendously fun fight scenes (that car chase! that office fight!) made it a joy to watch. Anchoring it all is a tremendous performance by Hailee Steinfeld as the enthusiastic and hardly-lacking-in-confidence Kate Bishop, supported by Florence Pugh’s scene-stealing Yelena Belova and, of course, Pizza Dog himself. (I also really enjoyed Christophe Beck & Michael Paraskevas’s score, which feels like the best Mission: Impossible soundtrack never written.)—D.M.

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez make an unlikely trio as they try to solve a murder and start a popular murder-themed podcast—not necessarily in that order. It’s a legitimate murder mystery while also featuring a lot of very funny character moments.—J.S.

Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries (Acorn)

The popular Australian series Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries may have come to an end, but television execs are never ones to let a good thing go to waste. This year saw the airing of season two of that show’s spin-off, Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries in which Phryne Fisher’s great-niece Peregrine takes up the family mystery-solving mantle but this time in the 1960s instead of the original’s 1920s.

Season 2 expands to eight episode’s from the first season’s four, and there’s a bit more romantic drama as Peregrine and her partner/foil Detective James Steed try to figure out their relationship. The mysteries are entertaining and often ridiculous, including a pretty great episode set at a pigeon-racing club, and there’s a stewing sub-plot that revolves around Peregrine’s friend Birdie who has a shadowy past.

The show’s light-hearted and fun—despite all the murders!—and well worth a watch for mystery enthusiasts or fans of the earlier show, though I’m still holding out for a future flashback episode where Peregrine must continue a case left off by her aunt.—D.M.

Invincible (Prime Video)

From Robert Kirkman, creator of “The Walking Dead,” comes another TV series based on an excellent comic book. “Invincible” the comic is one of my all-time favorites, and it’s been translated to adult animation without skipping a beat. There’s some grotesque violence, but that was always the point of “Invincible”—to use familiar superhero tropes, but undercut them by taking them seriously. Most importantly: there are no walk-backs or fake-outs. Actions have consequences. By the end of season one, our hero’s life is nothing like what it was when the show started—for better and for worse.—J.S.

Schmigadoon (Apple TV+)

Though it mostly flew under the radar, this six-episode Apple TV+ series about a couple, Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key, struggling in their relationship who end up stuck in a musical was delightful. There are more than a few standout musical numbers and the star-studded cast is peppered with Broadway veterans like Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Aaron Tveit, and Ariana DeBose. It’s a cute premise, and a half dozen episodes is just long enough for it not to overstay its welcome.—D.M.

Superman & Lois (The CW)

Though the CW’s superhero shows can often seem a dime-a-dozen, Superman & Lois is clearly where the franchise is going. It’s clearly more expensive than its counterparts, feels more cinematic, and manages not to fall into the same weekly tropes. The focus on family dynamics gives it a lot of heart, but it was one particular twist—which will delight longtime comic fans—that really sold me on the show’s first season. (Also, a brief appearance from the classic Superman suit in the opening episode is worth the price of admission.)—D.M.

Taskmaster (Channel 4, purchase on iTunes/Amazon)

My wife and I took a break from the British panel show for a while this year, but we came back with a vengeance to watch the most recent couple seasons (Series 11 and 12) and have no regrets. I can’t imagine there’s anybody left who’s not familiar with it, but the premise is simple: five comedians compete in a variety of ridiculous tasks set by the eponymous Taskmaster, Greg Davies, and his assistant, (Little) Alex Horne. The show is often hilarious, usually delightful, and always a good escape from the everyday.—D.M.

By Six Colors Staff

December 22, 2021 4:15 PM PT

2021 Favorites: Games

Note: This story has not been updated since 2021.

We played and enjoyed a lot of games this year. Weird, right? It’s as if we needed to escape. Anyway, here are some of our favorites.

Alto’s Odyssey: The Lost City

As I admitted back in July, the endless-sandboarder game Alto’s Odyssey is my favorite iOS game of all time. This year, Team Alto brought an expansion of the game to Apple Arcade, and wouldn’t you know it? Alto’s Odyssey: The Lost City is my favorite game of 2021.

If you haven’t played Alto’s Odyssey, you can play the new game from the start and the new levels will just get rolled in. I love the whole game for its beautiful graphics, its soothing soundtrack, and its simple mechanic — you tap to jump, tap and hold to flip, and if you’ve got the Wingsuit extra, use your left hand to fly. The expansion added an additional quest above the main game’s level structure, in which you collect items in order to unlock access to the Lost City, where you’re given a new menu of tasks to perform. The catch is that many of those tasks can only be performed in the Lost City, so you’ll need to keep on boarding to get back to the city and continue the tasks.

I played the whole thing, to the end. If I have any complaints about the Lost City, it’s an insufficient acknowledgement that I’ve maximized every part of the game. I crushed it, Team Alto! How about some fireworks?

These are tiny complaints. I couldn’t love this game more.—Jason Snell

Good Sudoku

I never understood the appeal of Sudoku, or to be honest, most newspaper games. My wife is an inveterate puzzle solver; she’s doing crosswords and playing Spelling Bee and has done some Sudoku in her day. But I never really got it.

One of my favorite iOS developers, Zach Gage, released Good Sudoku last year. One of the app’s stated goals is to teach people how to play Sudoku, with a difficulty level that ramps up as it exposes different solving strategies. It’s also designed to (optionally) remove some of the drudgery of paper-based Sudoku, so if you hate penciling in numbers you can skip that step.

Well, well, well. Guess what? I learned how to play Sudoku. I’m actually… pretty good at it? Not great, but pretty good. I get it now. And that’s all thanks to Good Sudoku.—J.S.

Mini Motorways

Dinosaur Polo Club’s Mini Metro is one of the all-time greats, a soothing game of connecting the dots as you build a city’s train system. It pushes all my SimCity buttons, and if you never experienced SimCity back in the day… that’s saying a lot. Only Tetris took more of my computer time in the 1990s than SimCity.

The follow-up to Mini Metro is the Apple Arcade game Mini Motorways, which is also great. You draw roads and highways to connected houses and commercial areas on various city maps. The traffic builds. You toss in a traffic light or a roundabout. It keeps building. It’s the most chill sort of escalating tension you’ll find. It’s strangely soothing.

The initial release of Mini Motorways was frustrating. I wouldn’t call it buggy, but I would say that a lot of the behaviors in the game just didn’t seem to make sense. Over time, Dinosaur Polo Club has ironed out those wrinkles. If you tried it early on and haven’t revisited it, I recommend that you go back. It’s a much better game now. I love it.—J.S.

Oculus Quest 2 games

We got an Oculus Quest 2 for Christmas last year, and I quickly found two favorite games for the VR platform. They’re not at all what I expected.

Beat Saber might be the closest thing to a “killer app” for the Quest. It’s a rhythm game like Rock Band, but you’re using lightsabers to cut flying blocks in time to the music. The game comes with a lot of Polish techno tracks, but you can also buy songs from recognizable artists if you’d rather slash and burn to Imagine Dragons or Panic! At the Disco or Billie Eilish.

Perhaps less cool than Polish techno is Eleven Table Tennis, which is… a virtual-reality table tennis game. I loved playing ping-pong as a kid. Was sort of obsessed with it for a while. Eleven Table Tennis is a spectacularly good simulation. The game’s AI is extremely good, and I was able to quickly find a level where I could win some of the time, but only with enormous effort. I haven’t had as much fun playing a game in a long time. There are also online games (I struggled with lag, alas) if you want to play against a friend or even a random opponent. If you have always loved table tennis and can’t justify buying a table, maybe justify buying a Quest 2 instead?—J.S.

Mario Golf: Super Rush

I’m not quite sure why I got into golf games in the first place, given that my ideal form of golf involves ramps and small windmills. And yet, I’ve enjoyed golf games ever since playing the first Hot Shots Golf on my friend’s original PlayStation.

This year brought Mario Golf: Super Rush for Nintendo Switch, the latest installment in that franchise, which features everyone’s favorite mustachioed plumber relaxing with a little light exercise. There are a few different modes, including an RPG-style campaign that I’ve played through, which sees your avatar travel from course to course, helping the residents and completing mini quests, all culminating in a big boss fight.

Some of the modes are a little too intense for me, in particular the game’s fixation on timed golf rounds. If I wanted tension and adrenaline, I’d play something other than golf, thanks. But it’s a charming game with a surprising degree of complexity and, of course, the usual humor that Mario games involve. (Late appearances by a particular dastardly duo provide a particularly welcome bit of comic relief.)—Dan Moren

Titanfall 2

Sometimes you don’t immediately run out to get a game, but the accumulation of whispers and recommendations over the years eventually leads to a tipping point. So it was with Respawn’s Titanfall 2, an FPS for PCs and consoles that came out back in 2016. Having never played the original Titanfall, which forwent a single-player campaign for an exclusively multiplayer experience, the sequel wasn’t high on my list, but over the last five years I’ve continually heard good things about it.

But a couple months back I was looking for a new game to play and noticed Titanfall 2 had made its way to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, removing any last excuses, and I’m here to tell you that the acclaim is warranted.

It’s hard to point to exactly what makes this game so good: at first, the storyline is fairly standard (you’re a soldier in a futuristic war who ends up having to pilot a giant robot) and the characters don’t immediately stand out, but the whole concept is just executed to a T. In particular, the shooter mechanics are extremely solid and there are multiple ways to complete your objectives in a given level, with a combination of stealth, combat, and puzzle solving.

But the moment that really blew me away comes later on when the game introduces a particular mechanic for a level that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. It’s a fun “holy crap” moment that makes you laugh out loud in delight even as you’re trying to stay alive. To say much more would spoil the surprise. If you play shooters at all, give Titanfall 2 a chance—trust me.—D.M.