The Best Films of 2021

Well, seeing as though everybody else has had their "best of the year" list out since December, I guess I should get off my lazy behind, and get one out also, shouldn't I?  As always, I have a good excuse.  As a regular paying filmgoer, I choose to hold off on this list until I can see as many of the year's films as I can.  And since many of the big end of the year films usually expand slowly (sometimes very slowly) into wide release around January-February, I choose to wait.  I did get to see most of the major end of the year releases, so I feel the time is ready to make the list.

One thing I should note is that I saw fewer great films than normal last year, so this list will be smaller.  Also, there were some films I saw but did not get to review, but they will still appear on this list.

As usual, I will be naming my favorite film of the year, followed by what I felt were the great films of 2021.  The great films can be anything that truly grabbed my attention, so they can be dramas, comedies, kid's films, whatever.  Then I'll be listing the "honorable mentions" (the runner ups), followed by my 10 favorite actor and actress performances of the year.  Aside from Best Film, all of these choices will be listed in alphabetical order.

So, with that out of the way, let's get down to the important stuff - the movies.

 

THE BEST FILM OF 2021

 

LICORICE PIZZA - This is an episodic and loose coming of age story made up of various young triumphs, embarrassments, and romantic awkwardness.  Watching the film, you get the sense that writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson is not so much making a plot-driven film, but rather showing a few months in the life of an average teen, who has a few amazing experiences along the way, as well as more than a few everyday ones.  One of the many pleasures within Licorice Pizza is getting to watch its stars Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim together.  Both are relative newcomers when it comes to acting, but they display real star-quality here, both individually and whenever they share the screen together.  The movie also beautifully handles the relationship between the two.  The movie follows both their personal and business relationship together, and follows them through a number of moments where they encounter various figures based on Hollywood icons of the time, and deal with the oil crisis that came about in the early 70s.  Watching it, you get the sense that Anderson is not so much making a nostalgic film, as he is simply showing what life was like back then.  These are not personal memories of the era, rather he is touching on various events of the time, and putting the sweet and awkward relationship of the two leads in the middle of it all.  This is a loose and light film, but it never comes across as being flimsy.  The performances and the central relationship are strong enough to carry this material, and the dialogue that Anderson has provided is quiet and witty in a way that few modern day screenwriters can match.  This is the kind of movie you want to watch again as soon as possible when it's over, and one that is not easily forgotten. 

THE GREAT FILMS OF 2021 (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

BELFAST - Kenneth Branagh's semi-autobiographical black and white film based on his childhood and home is a true cinematic triumph.  He sets his story during a very difficult time in history that he grew up in, but the events are seen through the eyes of Buddy (spirited newcomer Jude Hill), and they concern not solely the violence going on in Northern Ireland at the time, but also his family and the things going on in his young life, such as developing his first crush at school.  All at once poignant, beautifully shot, and filled with moments of wisdom and humor, Belfast is stunning in just about every way.  Branagh apparently wrote this film to help deal with the lockdown during the Pandemic, and he has made a beautiful reflection on human nature here.

BELLE - For the past 15 years, writer-director Mamoru Hosoda has risen to become one of the top talents in the world of Japanese animation, and his latest film, Belle, may be one of his best achievements yet.  Mixing elements of a relatable teen coming of age story, a commentary on social media, as well as elements of the classic Beauty and the Beast story, this is an inventive and compelling commentary on human nature that is joyous, hopeful, and filled with a lot of truths.  This modern day social media tale is not just a visual wonder, the movie is also poignant and powerful as it covers a number of emotional themes such as social isolation, dealing with loss and pain, as well as physical and emotional abuse.  It's also nice to have a movie set around social media that is not overly critical of it, nor is it trying to "expose" it.  It gives Suzu a voice to sing and stand out once again, and her journey becomes how she learns to stand out in her own life, as well as the virtual one.  The movie takes a balanced view on its central subject matter, and manages to highlight both the pros and cons of social media, without fully embracing either side.  It's the rare kind of film that is constantly dazzling, and fully emotional and heartfelt.  It also serves as yet another reminder of what can be done with animation beyond talking animals, Minions, or 90 minute corporate products.

 

DRIVE MY CAR - Another film from Japan, this drama from co-writer and director Ryusuke Hamaguchi deals with a stage director (Hidetoshi Nishijima) grappling with the recent death of his wife (who he discovered was being unfaithful to him), while mounting a production of the classic play Uncle Vanya.  This is the kind of film that sneaks up on you, with a three hour running time allowing the characters to be as developed and complex as the narrative set around their relationships eventually becomes.  The film is based on a short story, and has been expanded upon to bring a lot of richness and truth to the emotions that these characters are grappling with.  Powerful and unforgettable, with simple but memorable images, this is truly one of the great films that needs to be discovered.

THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES - Here is yet another movie I wish I could have seen on the big screen, rather than on my laptop.  With its vibrant visuals, combining lush CG animation with hand drawn touches and doodles, this is a visually amazing film that constantly impresses.  The writing and directing team of Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe (TV's Gravity Falls), along with producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller (The Lego Movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), have created a film that is not only a joy to watch, but often hilarious, and frequently heartwarming and touching.  Much like the previously mentioned Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the movie embraces multiple art styles that are often used together in the same sequence, creating a look like no other film I can think of.  When it comes to CG animation, it always seems to excite me more when the artists employ a style that serves as a throwback to classic 2D animation rather than photo realism, and the exaggerated look of the characters and backgrounds, as well as their fluid and almost rubbery movements is a testament to that.  The Mitchells vs. the Machines ultimately has a lot to say about how it can be hard for parents and teens to relate, and it does so in a way that constantly feels fresh and well crafted.  As funny as the movie can be, it works just as well as a true family film that both kids and adults can take away something different from it.  This is a rare kid's film that constantly delights you visually, makes you laugh more than most comedies aimed at adults, and imparts its lessons wisely.

 

TICK, TICK...BOOM -  Back in 1990, Jonathan Larson (portrayed here magnificently by Andrew Garfield) was your standard struggling composer living in a small New York apartment, and working a dead-end job at a diner to make whatever ends he could meet.  He was about to hit 30, and had been struggling for the past 8 years to get his idea for an ambitious Sci-Fi stage musical called Superbia off the ground and on Broadway.  As he was approaching his 30th birthday, he tortured himself by noting that his idol, Stephen Sondheim, had already had a production running on Broadway by the age of 27. Tick, Tick...Boom originally started life as a solo stage musical piece that Larson would perform, which celebrated the creative process that he went through, trying to get his idea off the ground.  The film version, now playing on Netflix, not only tells Larson's story, but also finds a sad irony to his life.  He was a man who felt like he was running out of time as he left his 20s.  What he could not realize, obviously, is how little time he actually had.  As the film points out in its opening prologue, Larson would pass away from an aortic aneurysm at the age of 35 in 1995 on the day that his next musical work, Rent, would open Off-Broadway, and eventually go on to revolutionize Broadway musicals for the time period.  This fact makes the film not just a musical celebration of the creative process that Larson intended when he originally wrote the show for the stage, but also a poignant and touching reminder of how little time we actually have to follow our own dreams.  The film represents the directing debut of Lin Manuel-Miranda, who  has managed to retain elements of the original stage production, which was just Larson sitting at a piano on the stage, and open it up in order to tell his story, making it into a cinematic event.  This could not have been an easy task, and considering that this serves as Manuel-Miranda's directing debut, it shows an absolute confidence and skill behind the camera.  Here is a film that should be experienced by anyone with any kind of creative spark, as it's certain to hold a great amount of power for them.  It's not just a powerful work, but also emotional and joyous, and perfectly performed, and it marks Manuel-Miranda as a true filmmaking talent that I can't wait to see evolve with time.  Tick, Tick...Boom is dynamic in a way that few films are, and few can dream of being.

 

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS

 

Our Friend, Raya and the Last Dragon, Zack Snyder's Justice League, Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train, Wrath of Man, Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street, Profile, Cruella, A Quiet Place: Part II, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, In the Heights, Black Widow, Jungle Cruise, Stillwater, The Green Knight, The Suicide Squad, Vivo, Free Guy, Candyman, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, The Many Saints of Newark, No Time to Die, The Last Duel, Dune: Part 1, Ron's Gone Wrong, Last Night in Soho, Antlers, Eternals, Spencer, Clifford the Big Red Dog, King Richard, Encanto, 8-Bit Christmas, House of Gucci, Spider-Man: No Way Home, West Side Story, Sing 2, The Power of the Dog 

 

 
MY TOP 5 PERFORMANCES BY AN ACTOR (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

 

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Power of the Dog

Andrew Garfield in Tick, Tick...Boom!

Cooper Hoffman in Licorice Pizza

Jesse Plemons in The Power of the Dog

Will Smith in King Richard

 

MY TOP 5 PERFORMANCES BY AN ACTRESS (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

 

Jodie Comer in The Last Duel

Kirsten Dunst in The Power of the Dog  

Alana Haim in Licorice Pizza

Kristen Stewart in Spencer

Rachel Zegler in West Side Story  

 

As we go further into 2022, let's hope there are many more bright spots in the future.  Again, I'm sorry I did not get to more of the great films, but the past year has been rough for me, and I saw as many as I could.  Here's hoping for better times for everyone in the future.

  

 

0 comments