2021 HAPPENINGS.
January
04 - Trump calls the Georgia Secretary of State. Orders and begs to find enough votes to overturn the election. This call is recorded by the astute and quick-thinking Secretary.
06 - Georgia runoff: Jon Ossoff (D) wins, other too close to call. Oh, Trump supporters attack the Capitol in a brazen attempt to block Biden’s certification and prevent him from taking office. Four dead. Trump reminds the insurrection how much he loves them.
07 - Ossoff wins Georgia. Two for two - with Warnock’s win - meaning Democrats now control the Senate.
08 - Finally, a few start to distance themselves for the sake of ethics, morals, civics, patriotism, integrity, and, oh, you know, trying to not get dragged down in history as supporting a dead-duck’s attempt to maintain power in the world’s greatest country. Elaine Chao and Betsy DeVos quit. A bunch of others resign. Looks like Trump’s finally becoming untouchable?…
09 - Twitter permanently bans Trump.
12 - FBI reports there are right-wing extremist threats in 50 state capitals. That’s all of them.
14 - Trump is impeached by the full Democrat House. Ten Republicans join, including our Rep, Jaime Herrera Beutler. Thank you.
18 - Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny arrives in Moscow and is immediately detained.
19 - Trump’s last full day in office. His approval is at 34%. He leaves with 400,000 US dead from COVID after a year.
20 - Last second pardoning and commuting before he gets booted from office. This includes Steve Bannon.
21 - Biden inaugurated as the 46th President. Kamala Harris is the first woman Vice-President, the first Asian, and the first person of color. Trump does not attend. Chuck Schumer (D) is the new leader of the Senate.
Fave Films of 2021
My 22 Favorite Movies of 2021
Army of Thieves
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
Black Widow
CODA
Don’t Look Up
Drive My Car
Dune
In the Heights
Licorice Pizza
The Mitchells Versus the Machines
Pig
The Power of the Dog
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Spider-Man: No Way Home
The Suicide Squad
tick…tick BOOM!
The Tragedy of Macbeth
The Worst Person in the World
Honorable mention
Annette (strangest film I’ve seen this year)
Army of the Dead
Being the Ricardos
Cruella
Boss Level
The Green Knight
Long Story Short
The Lost Daughter
Luca
The Mad Woman’s Ball
Matrix Resurrection
Moxie
Nightmare Alley
No Sudden Move
No Time to Die
Old
Petite Maman
Red Notice
Reminiscence
Together Together
Vivo
Worth
All ages-ish
Cruella
Encanto
Jungle Cruise
Luca
Peter Rabbit 2
Raya and the Last Dragon
Tom & Jerry
Vivo
Holiday
8-Bit Christmas
Home Sweet Home Alone
Love Hard
Princess Switch 3
Guilty pleasures
Those Who Wish Me Dead
Not great, but worth a once-through
coming soon
Want to see, might see
A Hero
The Burning Sea (Norwegian disaster)
The Courier
Cry Macho
Cyrano
The Dig
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
Finch
Free Guy
I’m Your Man
King Richard
The Last Duel
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things
Nobody
Old Henry
Oxygen
Parallel Mothers
Passing
Ron’s Gone Wrong
Spencer
Summer of Soul (... Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Swan Song
The Tender Bar
The Water Man
Zola
Underwhelming / disappointing / plain bad
The Guilty
Last Night in Soho
Gorgeous rendition of 1960s London. Love Edgar Wright’s others. Loved the first half. Disappointing last third.
The Little Things
(even a trifecta of Oscar winners can’t rescue a script that feels unfinished)
Things Heard and Seen
The Tomorrow War
West Side Story
——
Back to Film Index by Year
ESSENTIAL MUSIC OF 2021
My favourite 11 albums
Chvrches - Screen Violence
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - New Fragility
the Killers - Pressure Machine
Kings of Leon - When You See Yourself
The Hold Steady - Open Door Policy
Manic Street Preachers - The Ultra Vivid Lament
The War On Drugs - I Don’t Live Here Anymore
Honorable Mention
Chevelle - NIRATIAS
Jake Bugg - Saturday Night, Sunday Morning
James - All the Colours of You
Moby - Reprise
The Stranglers - Dark Matters
Unwed Sailor - Truth or Consequences
Disappointments & underperformers
coming soon
Haven’t listened / haven’t spent enough time with yet
coming soon
My 44 Unmissable Tracks
Change - The War on Drugs
In The Car Outside - the Killers
Quiet Town - the Killers
Stoney Creek - Xavier Rudd
We Deserve to Dream - Xavier Rudd
Playlists by Month
January
The Feelers - The Hold Steady
100,000 People - Kings of Leon
Quiet Town - the Killers
So Long, Mother Earth - Chevelle
A Wave - Kings of Leon
∞ - Coldplay
In My Room - Grandaddy
Blitz - Unwed Sailor
Dee, Forgiven - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Riptown - The Hold Steady
The Secret He Had Missed - Manic Street Preachers
Lilith - Unwed Sailor
The Getting By - the Killers
February
Granted - Olivia Rodrigo
Chemtrails Over the Country Club - Lana Del Rey
Chinatown - Bleachers f. Bruce Springsteen
Runaway Horses (with Phoebe Bridgers) - the Killers
Let Somebody Go - Coldplay f. Selena Gomez
Medicine - James Arthur
Maybe It’s Today - Jake Bugg
Easy On Me - Adele
Hanover Camera - The Hold Stead
Hold Tight - Jake Bugg
Into the Waves of Love - Manic Street Preachers
Biutyful - Coldplay
To Be Loved - Adele
Losing You - James Arthur
Love Will Be Reborn - Martha Wainwright
I’ve Been Loving You Long - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
March
One Red Rose - Iris DeMent
Alone with My Phone - Ole Kirkeng
Chasing Birds - Foo Fighters
Rocking Chair - Ole Kirkeng
The Bandit - Kings of Leon
The Sun Hasn’t Left - Modest Mouse
I Need You (To Quit Breaking My Heart) - Chris Norwood f. Carrie Norwood
Motorbike - Leon Bridges
That’s Life - Willie Nelson
Stormy Weather - Kings of Leon
Keep It On The Sunnyside - Willie Nelson
April
Asking for a Friend - Chvrches
Change - The War on Drugs
Complicated Illusions - Manic Street Preachers
Endlessly - Chevelle
I Don’t Live Here Anymore - The War on Drugs
I’m Through - Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Innocent Weight - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Isabella - James
Occasional Rain - The War on Drugs
Scene - Jake Bugg
Thousand Oaks - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Time in Disguise - Kings of Leon
Unpleasant Breakfast - the Hold Steady
When You See Yourself, Are You Far Away - Kings of Leon
Wherever It Takes Us - James
Yosemite - Llana del Rey
May
Drivers License - Olivia Rodrigo
Spices - The Hold Steady
Payday - The Stranglers
Never Let You Down - Islands
We Are The People - Martin Garrix f. Bono & The Edge
Cover Me In Sunshine - Pink and Willow Sage Hart
A Little Space - Pentatonic f. ATEEZ
Our Love Will Change the World - Alice Cooper
I Want It All - The Script
California - Chvrches
Without You - The Kid Laroi & Miley Cyrus
Have Mercy - Chloe Bailey
June
Lanyards - The Hold Steady
Cloudspotter - Foo Fighters
Mars Simula - Chevelle
Beautiful Beaches - James
Islomania - Islands
Japanese Trees - Modest Mouse
All I Need - Jake Bugg
No Way out but Through - Face to Face
No Man’s Land - The Stranglers
Holy Ground (Taylor’s Version) - Taylor Swift
Linda - Tokischa & Rosalia
July
Self Destructor - Chevelle
How Dare You Want More - Bleachers
In The Car Outside - the Killers
Walking and Running - Modest Mouse
Guided by Angels - Amyl and the Sniffers
August
Heavy Covenant - The Hold Steady
Echoing - Kings of Leon
Water - The War on Drugs
Santa Rosa - Linsdsey Buckinharm
Remember When - Chevelle
Hesitating Nation - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Back To The Middle - Modest Mouse
Complex - Tristen
Carpenter - Islands
My Memories - Tuns
Family Farm - The Hold Steady
White Stallion - The Stranglers
Piistol Star (Gravity Heals) - Chevelle
Happy Bored Alone - Manic Street Preachers
Old Skin - The War on Drugs
Downtown - Jake bugg
Sometimes I Forget How Summer Looks on You - Ben LaMar Gay
September
Stoney Creek - Xavier Rudd (E)
Living Proof - The War on Drugs
Into the Blue - The Joy Formidable
Don’t Let the Night Divide Us - Manic Street Preachers
Golden Restless Age - Kings of Leon
New Fragility - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
The Last Man On Earth - Wolf Alice
The Lines - The Stranglers
September - James Arthur
Lost - Jake Bugg
In Another Life - the Killers
Mirror Song - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Orwellian - Manic Street Preachers
Sevier - The Joy Formidable
Claire & Eddie - Kings of Leon
Afterending - Manic Street Preachres
Water - The Stranglers
Sleepwalker - the Killers
Lonely Hours - Jake Bugg
Oxytocin - Billie Eilish
How Not To Drown - Chvrches & Robert Smith
We Deserve To Dream - Xavier Rudd
Skewer - Liars
October
Nightmares - Chvrches
Sleep the Deep - Chvelle
Rings Around My Father’s Eyes - The War on Drugs
Hush - James
Bit - Unwed Sailor
Desperate Things - the Killers
Therefore I Am - Billie Eilish
Emily - James Arthur
Humankind - Coldplay
Diapause - Manic Street Preachers
Hold On - Adele
I Didn’t Change My Number - Billie Eilish
Damn - Ada Lea
West Hills - the Killers
November
Human Heart - Coldplay (with We Are King & Jacob Collier)
Harmonia’s Dream - The War on Drugs
Ajo - Unwed Sailor
Phantom Tears - Ole Kirkeng
Blind Love - Lindsey Buckingham
The Fox in the Snow - Granddaddy
Lit (from “A Silent Voice”) - Quiet Gaze
Body - Noah Gundersen f. Andy D. Park
Here’s to You - Il Solo & Ennis Morricone
Lose Your Head - London Grammar
Where They Perform Miracles - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Your Power - Billie Eilish
SOS - James Arthur
Higher Power - Coldpay
Occasional Rain - The War on Drugs
Winter - Vivaldi Variations - Olivia Belli
Quest for Ancient Colour - Manic Street Preachers
I Don’t Mind - Lindsey Buckingham
The Ecstasy of Gold - Il Solo & Ennis Morricone
Street of Philadelphia - Waxahatchee
Borrowed Light - Perfume Genius
Down - The Stranglers
Take It Or Leave It - James Arthur
Aquamarine - Hand Habits
Daddy - Charlotte Cardin
L’attaque des Loups - Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
How Can I Make It OK? - Wolf Alice
Pressure Machine - the Killers
December
What Has Happened - Tonstartssbandht
White Horses - Low