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Top Ten Films of 2021

2021 was an improvement upon the previous year due to the obvious reasons (the pandemic), so this list ended up being surprisingly strong. The blockbusters came back this year and it was a very good time for the genre films. I picked one of those movies while one foreign and one animated picture also got in the top ten. Among others, underrated indie gems got the most representation from me. Without further ado, here are the ten best movies of 2021 with some honorable mentions.

10. Passing

The tenth spot on my list for this year goes to Passing, a film about the passing of black women as white during the twenties, it isn’t just an important history lesson, but a truly authentic cinematic piece that genuinely resembles the Golden Age of Hollywood in its gorgeous black and white cinematography, an incredible atmosphere and a wonderfully leisurely, subtle approach at storytelling. Ruth Negga is incredible in such a fascinating role while the script is nuanced and wonderfully minimalistic. It’s such an underappreciated indie gem.

9. The Worst Person in the World

The only foreign live-action spot for this particular year is reserved for this Norwegian romantic masterpiece. This is a rare romantic drama, the kind that we do not get much of in recent years, thus it deserves all the credit that it got. Renate Reinsve is phenomenal as Julie, the protagonist who exemplifies all the problems that plague young people today – feeling lost and indecisive. The film truly gets what dating in the 21^st century feels like, resulting in such a modern, relatable story that everybody should see at some point. The magical realist scene in the second act is another beautiful highlight.

8. Belle

The only animated movie that got on my list this year is Mamoru Hosoda’s Belle and rightfully so as it is incredible. This is a film that is immensely ambitious in its scope and thematic richness. It deals with the online world of social media and internet personalities while also peppering in a heartbreaking domestic abuse storyline. The animation is spectacular while the soundtrack is simply remarkable. It’s an impressive audio-visual feat in storytelling that is also superbly directed by Hosoda. Finally he is back after a couple of lackluster efforts.

7. The Green Knight

2021 was an incredible year for adaptations of famous British literary works. The Tragedy of Macbeth ended up in my honorable mentions, but David Lowery’s The Green Knight gets the seventh spot in the top ten. It is an artistic masterpiece that adapts its iconic 14^th century Arthurian poem for the modern era by changing the main character and positioning the tale as his character-building arc while still retaining the main themes of chivalry, legacy and temptation that have made this tale so intriguing to this day. The score is incredible and the cinematography is highly artistic, making for this audio-visual spectacle in complex, ambiguous storytelling. It’s a timeless movie without a doubt and a very underrated one.

6. The Father

There have been many films about dementia before, but The Father is a different beast altogether. This surprisingly authentic film actually puts you in the protagonist’s shoes as you as an audience member get to experience his confusion throughout many elaborately composed sequences full of twists and turns. It’s all the more potent due to the central performance from Anthony Hopkins. He is absolutely spectacular as he gets to showcase his acting prowess by effortlessly playing many different emotions through the course of the film. It’s a film with a familiar subject matter that elevates its premise due to very authentic directing.

5. The White Tiger

Fittingly enough, for a movie about the class divide in Indian society, The White Tiger itself received an unfair treatment as this movie is what Parasite unsuccessfully attempted to be, but failed so hard and yet it received more praise bafflingly so. What we have here is a film that changed its tone so deftly in the second half and became something entirely different, but ultimately all of it worked as the comedic elements are hilarious and so much fun while the dramatic elements are fascinating and quite sophisticated. The central relationship between the two men was fascinatingly complex and even psychosexual in its nature. The White Tiger was released all the way back at the beginning of the year, but it remains for me one of the top five movies at year’s end.

4. Red Rocket

God bless Sean Baker. He is a rare director who actually depicts impoverished people, sex workers and the parts of America that the mainstream media would never dare portray. His indie movies are true gems as they lack the artsy baggage and focus heavily on honesty and realism to their best effect. Red Rocket is another one of his masterpieces and another one of his movies that ended up on my year end’s list. It takes an honest look into the poor communities of Texas and the adult industry while never glorifying or condemning anybody. Its biggest asset is Simon Rex. He was so magnetic and incredible in the main role that it’s a shame that he was so heavily snubbed by all the major awards groups. The same goes for Baker. Hopefully, some day he will receive the recognition that he wholeheartedly deserves.

3. Dune

As a big fan of Frank Herbert’s Dune, I was more than happy to finally witness a movie adaptation worthy of the source material. It might even surpass it in certain areas as the sound is incredible, Hans Zimmer score is brilliant, the cinematography is striking and the VFX are some of the best that we’ve gotten so far. It’s not just a technical achievement, though. It’s also a fully-fledged, superbly told story that was faithfully adapted for the big screen while featuring tremendous characterization and superb acting across the board. It’s just a SF spectacle that I adored to pieces and it’s the third best film of the year in my opinion. It is also one of the greatest blockbusters in the last decade or so. Dennis Villeneuve is a true genius.

2. The Last Duel

Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel somehow went largely ignored by the majority of critics and awards, but it is in my opinion one of his best movies and one of the greatest period films in this century. It has a great cast – Adam Driver is reliably excellent, Matt Damon disappeared in his role admirably and Jodie Comer entirely stole the show with her incredibly subtle performance in a far from wordy role. The film’s technical aspects are all impeccable, but its true power lies in its themes as the movie cleverly deconstructs the epic genre by not only focusing on its feminist message, but also by heavily criticizing the machismo, the foolishness of egos and the concept of “honor” as well as the horrendous scientific ignorance of the period. It’s an incredible achievement that is the second best film of 2021.

1. Mass

Exploring grief, parental responsibilities and the concept of the bad seed, Mass is this very sophisticated indie drama with thought-provoking dialogue that is gripping from start to finish, but it is also a deeply heartbreaking, difficult to watch movie with all four actors channeling anger, pain and discomfort phenomenally. This ensemble was just marvelous, but the standout has to be Ann Dowd in the meatiest and most complicated role. The clever approach that reveals the story step by step through dialogue was the most masterful stroke that made the film really stick out as something special. Watching this movie feels like an emotional gut punch, but a necessary one. Everything about seemed uncomfortably real, but also beautifully human. As a result, Mass is easily the greatest film of 2021 and as close to perfect as movies can get.

Honorable Mentions:

The Tragedy of Macbeth – The second of the two great English literary adaptations this year, The Tragedy of Macbeth adapts its source material impeccably well while giving it a fresh new angle in its Expressionist black-and-white cinematography and an eerie, almost horror-like atmosphere. It’s an audio-visual feast, that’s for sure.

Gunda – Gunda is an international documentary that is far from an easy watch. In fact, its ending was downright heartbreaking in its implication. But it is an important movie to watch as it reminds us just how atrocious using these animals is for food, but we still do it anyway. The minimalism in its look and approach made for an even stronger message movie.

Spencer – Spencer is a rare biopic that actually is excellent. Kristen Stewart delivered one of the best acting performances of the year in the role of Diana. The film is also superbly directed by Pablo Larrain as he added a lot of intriguing psychological thriller elements to the proceedings, effortlessly elevating the constraints of the genre in the process.

I’m Your Man – This German science fiction romance is certainly nothing new in terms of its basic plot idea, but the execution is what matters and the film is just wonderful. The central romance was lovely and the film is not only heartwarming, but also genuinely sophisticated in its exploration of the technology’s role in finding love.

Compartment No. 6 – 2021 was a great year for romances, which nobody expected, but I was more than glad to witness it. This Finnish period piece is another film that firmly belongs in that category of great romantic stories. The movie makes use of its setting superbly while consistently being charming and wonderfully old-fashioned.

The Truffle Hunters – The Truffle Hunters is this sweet documentary that has a very specific subject and setting, but just seeing the strong relationship that these villagers share with their dogs did make for a truly beautiful viewing experience. The movie also has a lot to say about this business and the era of capitalism as a whole.