Yesterday we went through my Top 10 favorite first-time viewings in 2021 (that weren't 2021 releases). Today, we'll get into the 2021 releases. This isn't a popular sentiment to share in certain sections of the internet, but I was generally bored by cinema in 2020. While I'm not someone that always needs a lot of happy endings or giant effects, having all small, independent films got to be a bit monotonous, and perhaps more damning, there simply weren't that many truly spectacular movies, and the ones that were suffered from not getting the bright pop of a big-screen (think of how much better Mank or Nomadland would have looked in your local cineplex). That wasn't the case in 2021. Not only do I think this year was an improvement over last year, I am thrilled to say I saw eight of the below (10, err, 11) films on the big-screen, which in at least a couple of cases made all of the difference.
I am a one-man operation here with a full-time day job, and so there are inevitably a few films that I missed here. I have every intention of seeing, specifically, Drive My Car & Flee (arguably the most critically-lauded movies that I didn't have the chance to get to), but weather and sheer exhaustion meant they missed the cutoff by a few days. I did, however, see over sixty movies from 2021, and below are the ten best (alphabetically) of the bunch.
Honorable Mention
dir. Bo Burnham
In an era where streaming overlaps so frequently with film it's hard to grasp the difference between what is and isn't cinema. My gut says, by the strictest definitions, that this was intended to be "television" and as a result I'm not going to rank Bo Burnham's vital, bold, revolutionary comedy special in this Top 10, but know that if it was a movie it surely would've not just made this list, but would've sat at the top of it.
My Top Ten
dir. Mia Hansen-Love
Part Certified Copy, part The French Lieutenant's Woman, with just a sprinkling of Scenes from a Marriage to stay on theme, Bergman Island is a thoughtful look at how we are haunted by art, and the way the tales we create for ourselves mirror our real-life relationships.
dir. Sian Heder
Takes a formulaic story and fills it with warmth & heart in unexpected ways. The entire cast shows up (it's difficult to single out a member of the main quartet, though you'll crush hard on Daniel Durant) in the year's best ensemble.
Dune
dir. Denis Villeneuve
Oh yeah, that's what I've been missing. Big-scale moviemaking of the highest-order, Villeneuve brings Frank Herbert's seemingly unfilmable movie to life with excellent world-building, superb effects, & a slew of superstars ready to embrace the picture's iconography.
Encanto
dir. Byron Howard & Jared Bush
Lin-Manuel Miranda's score is of course the centerpiece here ("We Don't Talk About Bruno" became a pop culture phenomenon for a reason), but what left me invested in a way I haven't been for the Mouse House since Coco was the myriad details the filmmakers put into every corner of the picture-it's a familiar story, but it feels anew with such well-drawn side characters.
dir. David Lowery
The Green Knight plays a lot with form (this is less Howard Pyle and more Terrence Malick), but it truly shows what the meaning of honor is (what it's worth and its artificial constructs). Dev Patel is marvelous (and sexy as hell) as our lead hero, and Alicia Vikander proves all of her Oscar naysayers wrong with a complicated (but perfectly executed) dual role.
Licorice Pizza
dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
By far the year's most "cinematic" movie. I am always intrigued with PTA, but am not always in love...Licorice Pizza is one of those times where adoration is involved. Alana Haim sings onscreen (excuse the pun)...a born actress from the opening scene.
dir. Jane Campion
Completely enthralling, a slow-burn enigmatic tale that will keep you guessing right up until the final moments. Benedict Cumberbatch takes what could've been a fatally miscast role and gives the performance of his career, and Kirsten Dunst & Kodi Smit-McPhee are up to the task of aiding him to that chilling finale.
dir. Jasmila Zbanic
Quo Vadis, Aida? is at its best when it's showing the cruelty of fate. A real-life story that plays with the tension of a high-stakes thriller (you will grip your armrest), it captures the immediateness of war in a way that few films before it have been able to achieve.
West Side Story
dir. Steven Spielberg
I never had a doubt that Steven Spielberg would make a good remake of arguably the 20th Century's greatest musical, but what I was unsure of was if he'd make it feel "needed." Turns out, Spielberg is able to bring a modernness (without it ever feeling tacked on) to this tale, and is aided by a solid ensemble cast, particularly Mike Faist & Ariana DeBose.
The Worst Person in the World
dir. Joachim Trier
Trier captures one woman's life, the up's and down's in amazing detail. But what makes Worst Person's story so mesmerizing is the way that he doesn't take time to let us second guess. Like real life, Worst Person gives us a story about people who aren't ready to make decisions that they must make, and will affect the rest of their lives. Few films can give us such stakes without feeling manipulated.
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