As 2021 draws to a close (finally!), the Kabooooom! Crew looks back on their favorite movies and television shows of the year. 

» MOVIES «

The Suicide Squad

I’m a big fan of the of the 1987 Suicide Squad, written by John Ostrander and Kim Yale and I had high hopes when I heard that Warner Bros. saw fit to sign James Gunn to write and direct a movie based on the series. I was not disappointed, as Gunn’s twisted sense of humor and knowledge of DC Comics’ history proved a perfect fit for capturing the heart of the source material. With the best ensemble assembled for a comedy in recent memory, The Suicide Squad was the best movie made for the DCEU and one of the best comic book adaptations ever. – Matt Morrison, Editor-In-Chief.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

It should come as no surprise that Spider-Man: No Way Home effortlessly secured a spot as one of the best movies of 2021. Swinging in at the 11th hour with only two weeks left in the year, No Way Home delivered an amazing cinematic experience that eclipsed the previous two films. Unlike the Maguire and Garfield franchises where we saw Spider-Man’s purpose established in the first 20 minutes of the films, No Way Home follows Peter Parker as truly discovers what it means to be Spider-Man. The training wheels are off and he has to rely on the help from those closest to him. The film is an action packed, soul searching adventure that hammers on responsibility and redemption. 

We see some of the best acting to date from many of the cast members in this movie. The best performance was from Willem Dafoe who acted his ass off for his reprisal of Norman Osborn and Green Goblin! The score was fitting, the effects were stunning, and the pacing was perfect. If you have been waiting for a movie to see in theaters now that they are reopening, this is the one. – Harvey Moreno, Staff Writer.

» TELEVISION «

Superman and Lois: Season 1

We may believe a man can fly, but could we believe that a Man of Steel could settle down and raise twin teenagers? This was the question that Superman and Lois set out to answer and the answer was a resounding yes!

Fans demanded a series for Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch after their appearances in Supergirl and The CW wisely obliged the demand. I dare say that Tulloch is the greatest actress to ever bring Lois Lane to life in live-action, and the interplay between her and Hoechlin’s Clark Kent would be worth watching by itself. Yet beyond the challenges posed by a new villain called The Stranger, the series leaned into the usual CW family and political drama, but with a superheroic twist. This harkened back to Superman’s roots as a champion for the oppressed during the Great Depression, when Superman went after crooked bankers and abusive husbands more often than mad scientists and alien conquerors.

Thankfully, the subplots focusing on Jonathan and Jordan Kent and their own issues prove just as engaging as their father’s adventures as a superhero and Lois Lane’s investigative journalism. More than any of the Arrowverse series, Superman and Lois managed to make itself accessible to newcomers, presenting a story that was timely and timeless simultaneously. If you haven’t had the chance to watch the first season, I suggest doing so before Season 2 starts in a few weeks time. – Matt Morrison, Editor-In-Chief.

Invincible

Excuse me while I let out my inner hipster. I have been a fan of Invincible from the beginning. By the comic series came to an end I had been arguing with nerds on both sides of the Big Two line that it was the best comic book on shelves for about two years. So when I heard Amazon had picked it up for an animated series on Prime I lost my mind. I went into the series with an open mind and made sure to remove my rose-tinted glasses. The precautions were unnecessary, though, as the show was a smashing success! 

For those of you playing the home game, Invincible is a show about a teenage boy named Mark Grayson growing up the son of the world’s most powerful superhero: Omni-Man. Mark has been told his whole life that one day he would develop super powers, so when they finally do he does not hesitate to join the superhero community as INVINCIBLE! Now under the wing of his father, Omni-Man tells his son that his lineage points back to an alien race of world conquerors, and that his true purpose on Earth is to expand the empire.

The series hits the serious beats of the comics, while deviating only to smooth some of the rough edges and diversify the cast a bit. None of these choices affect the story as a whole and serve to modernize the narrative a bit. If you read the series, you may be thrown off by the pacing a bit as the show progresses faster than the comics, but you should enjoy it just the same. The only aspect that threw me off was the animation style. They chose to stick with the illustrative style of Cory Walker (the artist that created Invincible with Robert Kirkman), but it did not translate as well to the screen as I hoped it would.

The show sports an all-star cast with Steven Yeun as Mark Grayson (Glenn from The Walking Dead) and J.K. Simmons as Omni-Man. Fleshing out the cast include Sandra Oh, Grey Griffin (who pretty much voiced your childhood), Zachary Quinto, and all sorts of other names you would recognize (even if only their voices). If you have not yet seen Invincible, I would encourage you to fix that. – Harvey Moreno, Staff Writer.

Those are our picks for our favorite movies and TV shows of 2021! What are some of yours? Let us know in the comments!

And from all of us here at Kabooooom – Happy New Year!