By Michael Lyons
What. A. Year!
We used that phrase quite a bit as 2020 ended, never dreaming we would be applying it again to 2021. However, this year also brought hope, in several ways, which tempered much of the sadness and anxiety that seemed to be copied and pasted from last year.
As movie fans, 2021 brought an ever-growing return to theaters and the upswing in business for the industry, as well.
Through it all, this past year, as always, also brought with it the opportunity, not to mention the positivity, to celebrate anniversaries of our favorite and forgotten films. As always, many were commemorated here, but many of them were missed.
Here are some more of 2021's movie anniversaries:
A loving tribute to the Spielberg/Lucas "golden age "of summer blockbusters of the late '70s and '80s. Writer/director J. J. Abrams's story of a group of adolescents in 1979, who are making a home movie, while an escaped alien makes its way through their small town, certainly brings that era to mind.
The story may not be perfect and, at times, uneven, but the nostalgia meter is off the charts.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) - 20th Anniversary
A once-in-a-generation movie that changed movies afterward. Peter Jackson's wondrous epic of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved book about the adventures of Hobbits, Elves, Orcs, and other magnificent creatures in middle earth brought dazzling visuals that were matched only by its emotional center and still relevant messages.
With sequels that would follow over the next two years and the entire trilogy igniting the box-office, thanks to The Lord of the Rings, every studio in Hollywood suddenly wanted more than a blockbuster film; they wanted a blockbuster franchise.
Jerry Maguire (1996) - 25th Anniversary
With shades of classic Frank Capra and Preston Sturges came writer-director Cameron Crowe's story of the title character, a hot-shot sports agent, (Tom Cruise, in one of his best performances), who has a crisis of consciousness and decides to change the course of his career, and his life.
With excellent support from Rene Zellweger and Cuba Gooding, Jr. (in his Oscar-winning role), this still ranks as a most relatable and human story about the balance we all search for, between the job we want and the life we have.
And, of course, thanks to this film, we have the phrase: "Show me the money!"
Aliens (1986) - 35th Anniversary
Over three decades later, this film should come with a warning: "Please make sure the lap bar is securely fastened."
James Cameron's sequel to 1979's Alien is a breakneck thrill ride that starts with a slow, ominous climb and then never lets up, with Sigourney Weaver gloriously riding in the front car of the attraction in a fantastic, Oscar-nominated performance as Ripley.
One of the best science fiction and action films ever. Aliens is still both exhausting and exhilarating.
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) - 50th Anniversary
Comedically dark and funnily sinister. Wait, in the words of Willy Wonka himself, "Strike that! Reverse it."
This classic adaptation of Roald Dahl's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is darkly comedic and sinisterly funny. Gene Wilder is perfect as Willy Wonka, part magic, part madman, leading a group of contest-winning families on a tour of his candy factory.
The now beloved film captures the tone of Dahl's work perfectly, from the ominous, chanting Oompa-Loompa songs to the sense of wonder found within the walls of the Wonka factory. Like the "Candy Man" himself, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is one of a kind.
The Fortune Cookie (1966) - 55th Anniversary
The legendary team of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau collaborated for the first time in this sharp comedy about a TV cameraman, Harry Hinkle (Lemmon), who is run into by a football player while filming a game. Although his injuries are minor, Harry's brother-in-law, a conniving attorney with the nickname "Whiplash Willie” (Matthau), sees this as an opportunity for a significant lawsuit.
Co-writer and director Billy Wilder's film, like much of his work, is a pointed, comedic look at our society, with a devious performance by Matthau that's so good he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
Alice in Wonderland (1951) - 70th Anniversary
Some of the strangest and most surreal animation to come out of the Disney studio can be found in this film.
Walt Disney had wanted to adapt Lewis Carroll's books for years, and many feel that the result is a mixed bag. Still, there's no denying that scenes like the Mad Tea Party and the first appearance of the Cheshire Cat also rank among Disney's most iconic moments.
The Yearling (1946) - 75th Anniversary
A heartbreaking, emotional adaptation of author Majorie Kinnan Rawling's Pulizter Prize Winning novel of a family living in Florida, just after the Civil War, and their son who adopts a young deer.
Gregory Peck delivers his usual, brilliant performance as the wise and strong father, and young actor Claude Jarman, Jr is amazing (and received a special Oscar) as Jody, the central character in this compelling coming-of-age story.
Citizen Kane (1941) - 80th Anniversary
Throughout the years, Citizen Kane consistently ranked as the greatest film of all time in numerous polls.
To understand why, one only needs to watch co-writer, director, and star Orson Welles' masterpiece. The story of fictional newspaper tycoon Charles Foster Kane looks and feels as if it was just made yesterday, not eighty years ago. Staging, lighting, and camerawork that was well ahead of its time are all partnered with a dramatic, human screenplay that is still as involving today as it was in 1941.
Citizen Kane is a film about the frailty of life, our past, friends, and families, and how easy it is to be blinded by ambition. There is something new here each time one watches it.
This year's anniversary is the perfect time to revisit Citizen Kane if you haven't watched it in a while and an even better time to discover it if you've never seen it.
And now, onto a New Year and when we declare "What. A. Year!" next December, may it only be for good reasons.
A Happy and Healthy New Year to all!
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