RD Harrison’s Top 10 Films & TV Shows Discovered During 2021

RD Harrison’s Top 10 Films and TV Shows Discovered During 2021

My top ten picks for 2021 reflect these past few years. Still reeling from the aftermath of a frightening pandemic in 2020 and buoyed by the concerted effort of the brave, determined and stalwart few to bring truth, hope and normalcy to 2021, I decided to go back to lists of suggested films from friends over the years. In wanting to be reassured of a safer, more equitable future for many of us, I discovered I chose movies with themes illustrating the perilous struggle of the one against the many. The good-hearted and kind-intentioned individual living in truth and upholding justice for those who might otherwise be lost or forgotten. In these movies, the aforementioned characters are flawed but driven, inherently, to do uphold principles of fairness and right for the voiceless, the young, the old, the deceased. And most, if not all, succeed.

RD Harrison’s Top 10 Films and TV Shows Discovered During 2021

Only Lovers Left Alive (2013, Dir. Jim Jarmusch)

Lushly filmed, and starring Tom Hiddleston and the ever-inventive chameleon Tilda Swinton, this is a dystopian future world where the humans are monsters, and the vampires are the civilized, cultured and loving beings. When speaking to her husband of centuries, Tilda’s dulcet tones are warm, playful and doting,  juxtaposed against the pale, coldness of her skin. Long ago, these lovers, vampires,  decided to be part of life, not death. Never killing for sustenance; instead, enjoying the voluptuous delights of music, travel, and friendship. With a cheeky nod to Shakespeare and company, played by the great John Hurt, it is a luxuriously languid character study with a few surprises, both clever and ethereally sad.

The Fall (UK TV series, 2013-2016)

Headed by Gillian Anderson’s sterling portrayal of British Inspector Stella Gibson, and an equally compelling antagonist in Belfast’s Jamie Dornan, The Fall is a  police procedural, an exposé on the psychology of the criminal mind, with a sexy feminist’s viewpoint on competing for respect and authority in a male-dominant work culture. “A woman once asked a man why mean feel threatened by women. He answered that men were afraid that women would laugh at them. When that same woman asked a group of women why women feel threatened by men, they answered that women were afraid the men might kill them.” This statement underscores the story, as the women use their wits, training and experience to bring a killer to justice.

Save Me (UK TV series, 2018)

A “kitchen sink” drama worthy of being one of the best of its genre, standing with those from the 50s and 60s in Great Britain. Written by and starring the great Lennie James, of The Walking Dead fame, it is an original script with great themes of love, loss, sin and redemption.  James’ Nelly is supported by a  terrific ensemble cast as his charming ne’er-do-well drifts through each day with laughter, a pint and a woman or two putting up with the casualness of his life.  Until his daughter, estranged from him, decides to answer “his” texts and visit him, but never arrives at her destination.  This absentee father’s paternal instinct ignites as Nelly starts to piece together what happened to his daughter.  Fueled by newfound purpose, he dives into the seedy underbelly of his working class neighborhood to find her.  Not for everyone, the adult situations are handled matter-of-factly and with great sensitivity.

Save Me Too (UK TV series, 2018)

Continuing the masterful plot and character development, we delve deeper into the seedy world of kidnapping and sex-trafficking as Nelly continues to look for his daughter.  It is many months later and friends, seeing how obsessed he is and fearing the worst, want Nelly to give up.   Alienating  people who care about him as he single-mindedly continues, he never stops. As stated in Fallen, there is one purpose in life for each person, and only the person will know when that moment comes to rise to the challenge.  Nelly’s  moment comes toward the end of the series, and it isn’t just finding and saving his daughter. Or himself.  It is a deeper, richer, grace-full call to action that life gives him.

Fallen (1998, Dir. Gregory Hoblit)

Fallen is a remarkably prophetic vision of our present times. Made 22 years ago,  it succinctly reflects the insidious nature of evil and how easily it spreads like a contagion.  In the story, the demon moved from being to being by touch; today, we have social media reaching out and “touching“ us.  Denzel Washington’s understated performance as an ordinary “Everyman” caught in an extraordinary circumstance is a master class in acting. The plot is a well constructed amalgam of thriller, murder mystery, supernatural, religious  and good vs evil themes.  And it is true, all that is needed for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. Fortunately, this good man does everything he can.