2021 Faves
As is the annual tradition (since 2009 in at least a vaguely co-ordinated fashion), my favourite films, TV, music, and games from the past 12 months. For some reason I normally post this on the first, but the pedant in me thinks that late on the 31st works better.
Films
It was an OK year for film (some of these are not from 2021, but a lot didn't get a UK general release until 2021). There were some great things like the blackly comic Palm Springs (2020), the psychological horror of Saint Maud (2019), the drama of The Dry (2020), the family fun of The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021), the science fiction weirdness of Lapsis (2021), the non-fiction horror of Minamata (2020), more horror with Son (2021) and Fear Street Parts 1 to 3 (2021), more drama with Stillwater (2021) and Wrath of Man (2021), and the homage of Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021).
My two favourites of the year though are Dune (2021), for a fantastic reinterpretation of the book (the first half of it), and Encanto (2021), which is a marvellous musical and one of Disney's best.
TV
Although I watched a fair bit of TV, not quite so many favourites. Resident Alien was a blackly comic take on science fiction, another season of Sex, Love & Robots that didn't quite match the superb first season, the final season (sadly) of the excellent and funny Kim's Convenience, a second season of Lower Decks which is some of the best Trek I've seen since TNG and Voyager, a second season of The Tick (sadly not renewed), a fourth season of the consistently excellent and charming Gone Fishing, dark science fiction in the shape of Foundation (even if not faithful to the book), and more dark science fiction in the grower that is Invasion.
Three favourites were just that bit above the rest. Firstly, The Mysterious Benedict Society, which was just a wonderfully bizarre story. And second and thirdly Cowboy Bebop, both the animated series (new to me) and the fantastic live action interpretation (sadly also not renewed).
Music
There definitely wasn't much in the way of music that hooked me this year, and I did try a few critically loved albums. In fact just two albums make it onto my favourites list.
Firstly, the excellent Denis Was a Bird by Tom Rosenthal. An album inspired by the death of Tom's father which managed to be both profoundly sad but also positive, examining the various feelings and events when a loved one dies. Secondly, Nutty Noah's Songs in the Key of Pandemic. A mixture of songs for kids and silly adults, and some more grown up songs. A couple of pandemic inspired songs, as the title suggests. My favourite, the Daft Punk inspired Feel the Beat.
Games
Another year where I managed to get stuck into a handful of games, but not as many as last year.
First there was the excellent Valheim. I didn't get it on a first play, but on a second try almost made it to the end (until the grind got too much). Secondly, there was the lovely and not-too-hard A Wild at Heart. And finally, the gorgeous but confusing Breathedge. I just didn't have the patience to finish it.
I think Valheim is the pick of that three.