2021 SLEEPERS

In spite of the pandemic and other assorted woes, 2021 was a pretty good year for movies. This article contains five that I thought were good but didn’t get much notice. Perhaps you might find one or more to try. 

The Dry is a whip-smart Australian murder mystery. Eric Bana stars as Aaron Falk, a federal agent returning to his hometown for the funeral of a friend. The deceased friend is believed to have died in a murder-suicide action, killing his wife and  child and himself.  The friend’s parents believe their son was innocent and ask Aaron to stay in town and look into it. It turns out that Aaron had left town under a cloud. Most townspeople believe he was responsible for the death of his then-girlfriend Ellie. The word “Grant” turns out to be a major clue. That’s all I’ll give.

Pig showcases the oft hidden talent of the much-maligned Nicholas Cage. This is his best part in many years. He plays Rob Feld, once a top-flight chef, now a battered truffle hunter living as a recluse in the backwoods of Washington state. His truffle hunting activities are enough for him to live on. His pet pig is the secret to his hunting success. Thugs break into his cabin and steal the pig. He sets out to get it back. 

C’mon C’mon is a slight film featuring the talented Joaquin Phoenix as a radio personality whose niche is interviewing children. When his sister begs him to take care of her nine-year-old son while she cares for her ill ex-husband, he reluctantly agrees. The bond they share is a surprise to both of them and to us, and is the backbone of this movie. 

The Dig features Ralph Fiennes as Basil Brown, a self-taught archaeologist in England. His friend Edith (Carrie Mulligan) owns a farm containing several burial mounds. She hires Basil to dig them up. He has stoutly maintained the mounds are Anglo-Saxon, not Viking. Experts disagree. The digging gradually uncovers incredible artifacts proving that Basil was right. The artifacts now belong to the British Museum. Yep, this is a true story. 

Those Who Wish Me Dead is based on Michael Koryta’s crackerjack novel of the same name. Is it as good as the book? Of course not. But with Angelina Jolie as the smoke jumper trying to rescue a boy on the run, it’s good enough. The boy has witnessed the murder of his father and the killers know he can identify them. A raging forest fire is center stage. 

All of the movies in this article are available on DVD. C’mon is ok for kids. The rest are for grownups.