Top 10 Things to Watch in 2021// Hot Girl Summer

Happy Hot Girl Summer, everyone!

Now that it's officially summertime and it's so hot that the only thing you can do is sit inside to avoid the heat, I thought now would be the best time to share some of my favorite things that've come out in the past 12 months.

Since 2020 was the year of streaming and so much good content came out within the past year, I just thought I would provide everyone with some recommendations (even though I know no one asked). Here are the best things I've watched in quarantine up until now, and what I think was worth the time investment.

In no particular order, my recommendations are as follows:

10. Cruella (on Disney+)

I'll just put it out there: this movie is corny.  

And yet Cruella is still absolutely fabulous.

This movie is not at all like the 101 Dalmatians live-action remake that came out in the late 1990s, and it's not even like its sequel (102 Dalmatians) that came out in 2000. In fact, this movie is hardly a movie about Dalmatians at all.

If you haven't seen it, think of this movie as a heist version of The Devil Wears Prada, with a Disney spin on everything. Sure, this movie's about Cruella de Vil, but Emma Stone's version of the character is the same as the cartoon villain in name only. This version of Cruella is not the puppy murdering witch that her song makes her out to be. This version of Cruella is a fun anti-hero with great style.

From the jump I was expecting to like this movie, and I'm glad that the movie didn't disappoint. In fact, Cruella was even more fun than it initially let on to be, and the twist towards the end of the movie is so fun and wild that it made my experience watching it even more insane. If you can swing the hefty $30 premier access fee, I would recommend watching this movie on Disney+. If you can't, then I would recommend waiting until the film is available to stream on the platform for free.

9. Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts (on Netflix) 

I have a lot to say about Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, and almost all of it is positive.

First of all, shoutout to Kipo for being the first animated children's show to display an openly gay black character and not have it be a big deal. (As far as I am aware, anyway. If there is another children's show with an openly gay black character, then I'd be interested to know about it.)

In fact, Kipo shines brightest in its representation, as the entire main cast of characters are people of color. The main characters of Benson and Wolf are black, and Kipo herself is biracial, with her black father and her Asian-American mom. Even Dave, Benson's bug sidekick, is played by Deon Cole, a black actor known for his roles on shows like Black-ish.

It can be a little problematic, to me, in the fact that it follows that unfortunate trope of (SPOILER) turning people of color into animals (see my review on Soul as to why this is such a common and unfortunate trope), but I think it sticks the landing for the most part.

Overall, this show SLAPS. 

The premise of Kipo is about a girl who is looking for her father after her underground bunker gets attacked and they are separated. Now she's stranded above-ground, where all of the animals on the planet have dangerously mutated, becoming "mutes."

I recommend Kipo because the music is impeccable, the animation is SO unique and colorful, and the plot is compelling throughout. The last season of the show premiered earlier this year, and so I would recommend checking out the entire series if you haven't already seen it. 

8. WandaVision (on Disney+)

I know I'm late to this one, but hear me out:

This show came out at the beginning of 2021, and it was a hard reset for this year in terms of what Disney+ had to offer, and what the fate of the Marvel Cinematic Universe would be going forward. I binged the whole season recently (as I only recently began catching up on Disney+ content), and I was pleasantly surprised that this show lived up to all the hype.

This show follows Scarlet Witch (AKA Wanda Maximoff) following the events of Avengers: Endgame, in which she is now inexplicably living with her husband Vision (who we're pretty sure is dead, right?) and their children. Through some insane plot twists and turns, the show quickly becomes a show within a show, as we discover what in the world is going on with Wanda and her husband Vision.

The best aspect of the show is all of the homages that this show pays to classic TV, including shows like I Love Lucy, I Dream of Jeannie, and Malcolm in the Middle, while also including the modern elements of Marvel that we've all come to know and love. The show manages to feel fresh while also feeling nostalgic, and it made me cry towards the end, which was really uncool for them to do.

I won't spoil the show for anyone who still hasn't seen it (although the information is already out there for those who want to know), but I would highly recommend checking out this show if you haven't already.

7.  Wish Dragon (on Netflix) 

Here's a movie that came out this year that I bet you haven't heard of: Wish Dragon.

This movie got next to no promotion from Netflix, even though when it came out, it premiered in Netflix's top ten in my region. In fact, the only reason I saw it was because I had seen a few of the film's animators talking about it on Twitter. It looked cute, so I invested the time to watch it.

And it's cute!

Like- delightfully cute!

But I will say that this movie is basically just a modern Chinese version of Aladdin. 

Well... to say that this movie is a rip off of Disney's animated Aladdin may be a little strong, but its definitely not entirely inaccurate. 

For example, the main character's name is literally Din, and there is a magical teapot that functions as a sort of magic lamp within the context of this movie. It also doesn't help that John Cho, the voice of the Wish Dragon, was definitely channeling some heavy Robin Williams energy towards the beginning of the film, however- this movie is different enough that it didn't feel like a shot for shot remake.

This film is about two childhood best friends who grew up together, Din and Li Na, who are separated at a young age after Li Na's father gets a better job in a different area of China. Flash forward into their teen years, and Din just wants the opportunity to reunite with his old friend. Through some hijinks and some shenanigans, and with the help of a magical Wish Dragon, the two eventually reconnect and rebuild their friendship. (Sweet, right?!) 

Overall, this movie felt fresh enough that I wasn't mad after watching it, even though it did remind me of Aladdin (one of my favorite movies, by the way). I really liked that it did things differently and wasn't afraid to tread a different path with this familiar story.

All of that is to say, you should go watch Wish Dragon on Netflix. It's good. 

6. Never Have I Ever (on Netflix)

I love this show, and it makes me incredibly emotional every time I watch it. Season two just dropped literally last week, and I binged it all in one sitting.

Simply put, this show is about an Indian-American girl named Devi who just wants to fit in with the kids at her school and get a hot boyfriend, while also dealing with her Indian family and the recent passing of her father.

At first glance, this show seems more cliché than it actually is, which is why I think I like it so much. It's got all of the tropes we all love to hate: the nerdy girl falling for the hot guy, the enemies to lovers trope, the manufactured drama of wanting to lose your virginity, etc.

However, it's all of the fresh things that are in this show, like Devi's rough personality and the loss of her father, that make this show so entertaining and heartbreaking to watch. If you liked The Mindy Project, you'll probably love Never Have I Ever, because it was also produced by Mindy Kaling, which becomes immediately obvious once you watch it. I love it, and I live for manufactured teen drama that feels real (unlike whatever the hell it is they're doing over on Riverdale).

5. The Flight Attendant (on HBO Max)

When I started this show, I wasn't really expecting to get into it, but I got hooked by the end of episode one and so now I'm hoping I can drag more people down with me.

Kaley Cuoco stars in this international comedy-drama in which an alcoholic flight attendant (played by Cuoco) is suspected of murdering a passenger she was sleeping with while abroad in Bangkok. Due to her alcoholism and her spotty memory, she has to piece together the truth of what really happened on the night that the passenger died and hopefully clear her name.

The Flight Attendant was based on a novel of the same name by author Chris Bohjalian, and while I haven't read the book, I have to give the show props for being a solid murder mystery with a lot of character growth for Cuoco's lead. (I think one of my favorite characters in the show though is definitely Annie, her small but terrifying lawyer friend who represents the mob.)

If you're into a good who-dunnit concept, then I think you should check this show out on HBO Max. It's already been renewed for a second season.

4. The Great Pretender (on Netflix)

I'm not usually into anime, but this one is damn good.

The Great Pretender is about a series of international con men who "Robin Hood" their way around the world, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. The show primarily follows Japanese con man (or "confidence man") Makoto Edamura as he struggles to make ends meet until he is sucked into the inner circle of notorious con man, Laurent. Laurent eventually helps Makoto to pull off elaborate heists from everyone ranging from corrupt politicians to international sex traffickers with the help of his friends Abby and Cynthia.

Each heist that the group has planned takes place over multiple episodes of the show, and so season one of the show contains 3 smaller scaled heists, while the second season contains one larger scale heist.

If you're into any of the Oceans movies or if you care about stealing from the rich to redistribute wealth to the poor, you'll love this show. I personally recommend the first season over the second season, but I think they're both equally enjoyable for new viewers.

 

(Also, did I mention that they use the Freddy Mercury song of the same name for the end credits of every episode? Too good.) (*chef's kiss*)

3. The Mitchells vs. The Machines (on Netflix)

If you liked Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and The Lego Movie, you're pretty much guaranteed to have a good time watching this one. Chris Lord and Phil Miller, the producers behind both of those wonderful properties, were also involved in producing The Mitchells vs. The Machines, one of the best animated movies to come out this year. 

The Mitchells vs. The Machines is a story about a family of weirdos (like actual weirdos), who are travelling across the country in order to take their oldest daughter to film school. Only, while they're making their way across the USA, there is an android uprising, and the Mitchells are the only ones who can save the world.

A few things about this movie: One, the story is great, and it's cute in a way that leaves you feeling really good about your own crappy family. Two, it's got the craziest animation style. Like Spider-Verse, the animators basically created their own unique hybrid style animation that they use throughout the movie to give it its own unique feel. Three, they use the 2008 bop "Live Your Life" by T.I. ft. Rihanna in a really fun way throughout the movie.

Overall, 10/10 would recommend. Watch it with your whole family. 

2. Loki (on Disney+)

I'm not sure where to begin with Loki. Loki is one of those shows that is just... (*chef's kiss*).

If you thought that WandaVision had good writing and compelling characters, then you'll just about drop dead when I tell you that Loki has probably the best and most complex writing out of any of the recent MCU shows.

Without spoiling anything vital, I'll just say that this show follows Loki following the events at the end of Endgame (which, if you haven't seen yet, it's really too late for you), in which he escapes capture from the Avengers by using the Tesseract. Once he escapes this predicament however, he is immediately captured and brought in by a mysterious organization called the Time Variance Authority (or TVA for short), and their Time-Keepers. The TVA and its people (one of which is played by Owen Wilson), are meant to keep the universe safe and ensure that everything on the timeline happens according to plan. Loki, inevitably, gets in the way of that. 

Throughout this show, the series gets more and more complicated as it dives into theories about time, free will, and what's just. However, it balances itself out by occasionally devolving into madness in which (SPOILER) several versions of Loki across multiple timelines fight each other in purgatory.

This show is wild, and it just wrapped up its first season last week. (And it was already confirmed for a second, unsurprisingly.) I would recommend giving Loki a shot if you're all caught up on your Marvel lore, although if you're not, it could be a little confusing at times.

1. Bo Burnham: Inside (on Netflix)

Music video for "White Woman's Instagram" by Bo Burnham

So.

Bo Burnham's comedy special, Bo Burnham: Inside, definitely left me feeling... strange. In the best way, of course.

I considered doing a review of Inside on its own and not including it on this list, but after some reflecting, I think it's better that I just let you watch it on your own and come away with your own thoughts.

I will say though, that this special made me feel more seen than many of the other comedy specials that I've seen from Bo Burnham, and maybe that's because he was having a mental breakdown while trapped inside, just like the rest of us in 2020. 

The show is funny and relatable and tragic, while also being reflective and thoughtful. It felt like a fever dream sometimes and yet mostly looked like a well produced music video (see "White Woman's Instagram" above).

There were some songs that spoke to me on a more personal level, like "Shit" and "Welcome to the Internet," while others were just fun to listen to like "Comedy" and "Bezos I" and "Bezos II." Some of these songs I even have on my personal playlists (both ironically and unironically). However, the definite low point of the show was towards the end where Bo starts talking about the pandemic in "All Eyes on Me." When I watched that, I felt what he felt, and what I think a lot of us felt about the past year of our lives.

Overall, even if you can't watch the special on Netflix, I would recommend listening to the album of the show on Spotify. I think you'd like it.

I think that about does it for the list, folks. Whether you watch the shows and movies I recommend or not, or even if you just came by to check out my blog for fun, I appreciate you. Thanks for sticking with me while I write reviews that no one asked for.

Have a great summer. Stay safe out there, and make sure to wear your masks!