One of the most frequent questions I am always asked being the host of the greatest movie podcast ever (opinions may vary) is “What’s your favorite movie?” That answer has been the same since I was 11 years old. But it also isn’t as easy to explain why I love some movies more than others.
As an art form, movies are by their nature interpretative. Some people will point to a film’s box office total as a barometer for a film’s quality, this might not be true again because although it might be popular to the masses it might not appeal to you. I am looking at you Avatar, which is not one of my favorite films, not by a longshot.
Also, if the film wins an Academy Award for Best Picture, that hardly means it’s one of my favorite films, looking at you The English Patient, in fact I hardly agree with the Academy. Having said that, I am sure that some people love Avatar and The English Patient. And that’s what makes movies so great.
I, also am not a professional critic. I love film. I try and find merit in all film. As a host of a podcast that attempts to give every movie a chance, I believe that is the best way to approach movies, let the lights go out and try and enjoy yourself. You might find a “diamond in the rough.”
When thinking of my favorite movies to share with you, my loyal listeners, I thought 100 wasn’t going to be enough. So, I am proud to present my 150 Favorite Films, right now. These will change, I know they will.
See you at the movies!
***Spoilers Ahead!!!***
89. The Suicide Squad (2021) Directed by James Gunn
The Movie: Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) enlists Task Force X or the “Suicide Squad” to infiltrate the island of Corto Maltese after an anti-American regime is able to overthrow the government. The team of Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Savant (Michael Rooker), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Blackguard (Pete Davidson), T.D.K. (Nathan Fillion) Weasel (Sean Gunn) and Javelin (Fula Borg) are quickly killed after being double crossed by Blackguard, who is killed as well. Harley and Flag survive.
On the other side of the island, a second Suicide Squad is also launching a simultaneous mission. Led by Bloodsport (Idris Elba) who is being blackmailed by Waller to join the mission to keep his estranged daughter Tyla (Storm Reid) from going to jail. This team consists of Peacemaker (John Cena), King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchain) and Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior). Both teams were tasked with destroying a Nazi-era laboratory named Jotunheim and discover what Project Starfish is.
Waller orders Bloodsport to find and rescue Flag. Bloodsport’s team finds a military outpost and starts slaughtering all the soldiers there. They learn that they just attacked the rebel camp, whose leader Sol Soria (Alice Braga) already agreed to help Flag after she rescued him from the beach. Soria, although appalled at what happened to her men, agrees to help them capture the lead scientist on the project, The Thinker (Peter Capaldi). The team is able to capture The Thinker and will use him to break into Jotunheim.
Harley has been captured by the regime that overthrew the Corto Maltese government and its leader, Silvio Luna (Juan Diego Botto) wishes to marry her. Harley learns of Luna’s plan to use Project Starfish to kill political rivals and kills him. She escapes just as The Suicide Squad arrived at the compound to save her.
The team enters the secret laboratory and learns that Project Starfish is Starro, a kaiju that is quite literally a giant starfish with the ability to “birth” thousands of tiny versions of himself, that latch onto people and allow Starro to control them. The Thinker explains that Starro was brought to Earth by the United States government and that they have secretly funded the experiments on it for decades. Flag, although a proud US military man decides that he must use the hard drive they recovered to expose the United States involvement in Project Starfish. Peacemaker confronts Flag and it is reveled that he had a separate mission; do not let the United States governments involvement be leaked out. Peacemaker and Flag fight with Peacemaker killing Flag.
The Suicide Squad are surrounded by the Corto Maltese military while inside Jotunheim. As they fight each other, Polka-Dot Man accidentally sets the explosives off too early, causing Jotunheim to implode and frees Starro. The explosion causes Peacemaker to drop the hard drive and Ratcatcher 2 grabs it. Peacemaker sees this and tries to kill her, only to be shot be Bloodsport who takes the hard drive.
Starro unleashes his mini-me’s who infect the citizens of Carto Maltese. Waller informs the team that their mission is over and if they don’t return now she will set off the explosives in their heads, killing them. Waller’s team however knock her out and agree to help the Suicide Squad.
Starro’s rampage continues and it kills Polka-Dot Man and when all seems lost they develop a new plan. Harley uses her gymnastic ability to vault on roofs, jump at Starro’s eye and pierce it with her javelin. Ratcatcher 2 sees an opening and summons all the rats on the island to go to the hole Harley just made. The rats do and chew Starro inside out, killing it.
Waller comes to and Bloodsport blackmails her. Bloodsport tells Waller to let the rest of the Squad go and to release his daughter. When she does that, he will keep the contents of the hard drive a secret. Waller agrees and the Squad leave the island.
In two post credit scenes, we learn that Weasel did not drown at the beginning and runs away. And in a hospital, Waller informs her team that she has a new mission for Peacemaker, who has survived.
Why I Love The Suicide Squad (2021): The first Suicide Squad film was ok. Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn was by far the highlight. It looked cool, but it took itself way to serious.
In comes James Gunn, who was unfairly fired (at least until they realized they needed him) from Marvel. In swoops DC. They want him to take his incredible gifts for crafting a film about outcasts and make a better Suicide Squad film. Gunn does just that by keeping some of the same cast members, Viola Davis, Joel Kinnaman and Robbie to make an R-Rated blood soaked hell of a good time film.
Gunn just gets these types of characters. The way he writes each character giving them a unique voice is amazing. How he is able to take a sprawling cast and not make it feel over crowded is brilliant.
The film looks incredible. It has a nice balance too of humor, drama and yes horror. The people that have a Starro mini on them are effectively zombies, but the horror also comes from power hungry men. The scene with Harley and Luna, where she realizes that he is a sick man that reminds her of The Joker is so good. The Joker is never mentioned but through the writing and Robbie’s incredible performance you know exactly what she is thinking.
The special effects are dynamite too. Starro is one of the coolest looking bad guys ever. Harley’s escape full of color and action is some of the most fun you will have watching a movie.
It’s too bad DC soiled their name before this came out. It deserved to be such a huge hit. From A-list casting, directing, cinematography and writing The Suicide Squad hits the bullseye.