The Blu-ray Community Top 25 Films of 2021 (Please Read 1st Post)

[thewerepuppygrr]

the Deadline for your votes is set for:
Monday (Mar 7th) at noon eastern time (9 am pacific).

Happy New Year, Blu-Ray.com! Let's send of 2021 the right way and countdown the best films that 2021 had to offer!

Guidelines

Like previous years, simply list your top 20 - 25 films in order descending from your favorite, the higher up the film is the more points it'll get, like this:

1. 25 Points
2. 19 Points
3. 18 Points
4. 17 Points
5. 16 Points
................
16. 5 Points
17. 4 Points
18. 3 Points
19. 2 Points
20. 1 Point
................
21. 1 Point
22. 1 Point
23. 1 Point
24. 1 Point
25. 1 Point

Your top film gets 25 points, because it's your favorite so it deserves a little bit extra. This year continues the addition of 21 - 25 as we believe everyone should have a chance to add some runners up, they all get 1 point each, which will hopefully avoid us getting many tie breakers and might allow us to add some little known films that wouldn't of initially gotten many peoples attention last year. If you can't think of extra 5 films worth mentioning, then don't worry, the minimum amount of submission is 20 films, the extra 5 are for people who might want them.

And please, list your films in the order given, no randomly ordered submission will be counted.

The Rules

1. Like mentioned above, Minimum amount of films listed is 20 and Maximum is 25. If you can't list 20 movies you've seen this year, all the films on your list will only receive 1 point each towards the total so be sure to reach that 20 milestone.

2. What counts as a 2021 release? - A film must have been released either limited, wide, on demand, or straight-to-dvd (which ever comes first) in the United States in 2021. This does not include film festivals or released internationally. It may be hard to determine if some films were released in 2021 or not, so that's what the strict rules on this are for. We stick to the US as our guide for no other reason than it is easier that way. You can whine but it won't be changed.

Use the release dates on IMDb if you are unsure if it's eligible. As an example from a previous countdown, Snowpiercer was released in some countries and festivals in 2013, but did not get a limited release in the U.S. until June 27th, 2014. So that film will count as eligible for 2014. Likewise, a movie that doesn't get a wide release until January, but it had a limited release sometime in 2021, would also count.

Classic films that were re-released ARE NOT ELIGIBLE! Please do not include them on your list, you'll be asked to change it and if you haven't changed before the deadline, the films on your list will get 1 point each.

And if you're unsure if a film is eligible, just ask and we will help figure it out for you!

3. Please only make one list - Make only one list on this thread. However, you are free to update and change your original post as often as you'd like until the deadline. It will make tallying very hard if there are multiple lists from one person. Just find your original post and click 'Edit' to make your changes. If you do re-post your list twice or more, I'll message you to remove them.

4. Add a short review of your film choices - In an attempt to personalize the list as a whole, I want members to post a short bit of prose about their choice. This can range from a short sentence consisting of a couple of words to a couple of lines long paragraph, or you can link to a previous review you wrote when the film was released.

5. This is not compulsory, and you can write these short pieces on however many of your choices you want, even if it's only for your first pick., however the more input the better, the short words of wisdom will be included on the final tallied up list in a well presented manner, and you're list will be linked with you're description so others who see your words will hopefully want to look at your other choices as well.

6. Any votes from brand spanking new accounts or accounts that are in anyway suspicious or suspect will be void. Play nice, or don’t play.

7. Finally, just to remind you, the Deadline is set for: Friday (Mar 4th) at noon eastern time (9 am pacific). Please make sure you get your list in and make any final edits before this deadline, as any changes after that will not count.

[thewerepuppygrr]

Reserved.

[Cremildo]

*warning: the write-ups may contain spoilers.

25. Cruella


24. Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings


23. Dune


22. No Time to Die


21. The Last Duel


20. West Side Story


19. Nobody


18. Eternals


17. Candyman


16. The Disciple


15. Malcolm & Marie


14. Red Rocket

Skillfully deceptive about its contrasting layers: on the surface, a jovial comedy centered on a ne'er-do-well attempting to change his (lack of) luck; looking closely, one can make out the unsparing portrait of a sociopath who selfishly uses everyone in his hardscrabble redneck neighborhood. An empathetic outlook on the struggling community in the outskirts of Texas City? A blackly comic send-up of Trump-voting losers? As it turns out, Red Rocket is neither bleeding- nor cold-hearted enough to be just one or the other, and it's all the more confounding for it - that's a compliment.

The hazy, colorful 16mm scope vistas are beautiful in their own lo-fi sort of way. Simon Rex, tirelessly charismatic as the aging ex-porn star, lets the callousness of his character flare up in his physiognomy when no one's looking. Sean Baker gifts us with this movie that always feels alive - a rare specimen in the season of harmless middlebrow Oscar baits and belabored indie crowd-displeasers

13. Licorice Pizza


12. A Quiet Place - Part II

A Quiet Place Part II is about conquering fear and overcoming loss out of a necessity for survival. In the first one, Emily Blunt's pregnant matriarch faced the most adversities, eventually taking center stage as the protector of her family unit. Now it's Millicent Simmonds, as the deaf teenage daughter, who does the heavy lifting. Considered in unison, both movies tell an inspiring female-centric generational story.

Sappy moments of rolling tears are effectively enmeshed with fearsomely well-staged and -edited thrills. A notable evolution for John Krasinski as a director, AQPII does the best job of rattling the viewers' cage within the sci-fi genre since the med bay sequence in 2017's Alien: Covenant. It's not strikingly different from A Quiet Place - in fact, it astutely mirrors it during a crucial moment.

As terrific a sequel it is, it would have been even better if the aliens themselves had been given further consideration - the characters oddly never discuss them, and the creatures don't seem to be intelligent enough to build a spaceship to engage in intergalactic travel. Perhaps they act like the exterminating soldiers in the front line for a more advanced species? Here's hoping either Part III or Jeff Nichols' spin-off give such tangents some thought.

11. The Medium

The state of the found-footage horror subgenre in 2021:

- Hollywood releases Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin.
- Thailand releases this slow-burning, character-oriented, genuinely unpredictable, carefully constructed, pitch-black psychological meatgrinder that honest-to-god wouldn't be out of place in any open-minded best-of-the-year list.

Americans, you got some splainin' to do!

10. Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn

I wonder if Jude realizes that his Bucharest-set send-up of his country's sociopolitical peccadillos could easily be transplanted to a Brazilian setting without losing much of its bite - we're also plagued by a militarized recent past, science-denying right-wing bigots, hypocritical sexual mores and, last but not least, a generalized lack of basic civility in the streets.

There are times when being outrageous is the only sensible way to tackle an outrageous reality.

9. Drive My Car


8. France


7. Passing


6. Spencer


5. House of Gucci

La decadenza dell'impero Gucci.

Ridley Scott's second release in little over a month charts the crumbling of a powerful dynasty under the weight of greed, stubbornness, short-sightedness and betrayal. Reasons that spring from that most basic source of disharmony: power, in turn inextricably linked to money. Some want to get it all costs, others want to hold onto it for dear life. Roberto Bentivegna and Becky Johnston's multifaceted script further problematizes corruption by also considering it through an individualistic prism, aptly conveying how the rarified air breathed by the über-rich can either poison a seemingly decent person (Maurizio Gucci) or enable one predisposed to wallow in it (Patrizia Reggiani).

Allusions to The Godfather have popped up in a couple of reviews; Maurizio's character arc resembles Michael Corleone's in Coppola's 1972 magnum opus. Although context and circumstances are different, both men lost their souls once they accepted the role of head of their family business. Or alternately, they let an unsuspected dark hole deep inside be filled by the ruthlessness required to preserve the empire bequeathed to them.

Far more entertaining and stylish than its thematic cousin All the Money in the World, a treat for the eyes (Dariusz Wolski's lensing gets the most from the picturesque locations) and ears (the vintage needle drops add nostalgic pizzazz to the proceedings), never losing its multiple narrative threads despite the sprawling runtime, rendered dramatically compelling by a star-studded ensemble spearheaded by Lady Gaga, House of Gucci is, indeed, as Scott once referred to it, a "high-end soap opera".

That's a compliment. The little hints of ironic realization, inevitable disappointment and sometimes even sorrow that flash in the faces of the fools who play this self-defeating game of one-upmanship prove that Gucci isn't the airheaded camp fest suggested by the trailers - or by Jared Leto's over-the-top caricature.

4. The Card Counter

Nearly half a decade after the Oscar-nominated First Reformed reminded the world of his indispensable talent, Paul Schrader comes out swinging with yet another variation of his specialty as a storyteller: a character study about a lonely man racked by an existential crisis on a path to self-destruction.

If the previous film was a contemporary reworking of Bresson's Diary of a Country Priest and Bergman's Winter Light, The Card Counter takes the essence of Pickpocket and gives it a neo-noir coating. IMDb bafflingly lists its genres as "action" and "crime"; viewers shouldn't expect car chases, fight scenes, guns blazing. This is a straight drama where the dynamics, so to speak, happen mostly behind Oscar Isaac's character's poker-player eyes.

Continuing a trend set by First Reformed, in which the climate crisis ends up playing a pivotal thematic role, Schrader explicitly infuses his script with another hot button topic, namely the government-sanctioned torture of Middle Eastern prisoners in Abu Ghraib during the Iraq War. Isaac's guilt is thus made tangible to anyone with even a passing awareness of world politics.

Compulsively watchable despite the seemingly uneventful plotting thanks to a seductive visual style (more accomplished than Reformed's 1.33:1 starkness), an alternately moody and disquieting score (mixing synth cues and breathing sounds), spot-on symbolism (Mr. USA), and a career-best turn by Isaac, The Card Counter cements Schrader's status as the most capable investigator of tormented souls this side of the Atlantic.

3. Nightmare Alley

Up until now, in del Toro's cinematic universe, monsters have either been stand-ins for the socially marginalized and misunderstood - a source of wonder (Pacific Rim), a receptacle for the viewers' empathy (Cronos), sometimes both (The Shape of Water, Hellboy) - or metaphors for the horrors of mankind (such as the Pale Man in Pan's Labyrinth). Something must have changed deep within the Mexican fabulist's heart, for it has turned dark, even if temporarily. In this gorgeously produced neo-noir of quasi-novelistic breadth, there are no fantastical elements at all - only people of flesh and blood who deceive, bully, betray and kill. For survival, for money, for revenge.

Is this the work of a newly born misanthrope? Probably not.

Nightmare Alley isn't necessarily a rebuttal of del Toro's more compassionate preceding worldview. It simply regards human vices unflinchingly, though not dispassionately, as a cynic who revels in nihilism would. It takes a generous artist who feels for his characters not to omit the devastating consequences of the injustices heaped upon them (remember Mary Steenburgen's final scene, or the carnival geek's naked despair during the gruesome chicken-eating act) and to achieve the dramaturgically convincing feat of self-reckoning and -awareness experienced by the less-than-heroic protagonist in the bleakly ironic ending.

(Props to the writers and Cate Blanchett for creating the most alluringly enigmatic femme fatale since the days of classic noir.)

2. Annette

Oftentimes I tell myself that quality is all that matters, originality being an overrated commodity too many people claim to want but end up rejecting once they find it.

Then I come across the out-of-the-left-field vision of a maverick like Leos Carax in Annette and realize how simple-minded such a take is. There is nothing like entering uncharted territory when delving into a work of art, neither journey nor destination telegraphed by commercially motivated derivativeness.

Individual artistic expression is the sole reason why what amounts to an uncomplicated story about how a self-serious stand-up comedian turns out to be a douche of a husband and father is presented as a darkly bewitching musical. That's beautiful, and inherently valuable.

1. The Matrix Resurrections

"I know you said the story was over for you, but that's the thing about stories... they never really end do they? We're still telling the same stories we've always told, just with different names... faces... and... I have to say I'm kind of excited. After all these years, to be going back to where it all started. Back to The Matrix! I've spoken to marketing." Smith


The Matrix (1999) was an allegory about choosing to wake up from our existential slumber in a zombifying capitalist system and a conformist society so that we can give full expression to our true identity. It went on to become a pop culture phenomenon, raking up hundreds of millions of dollars in the process, generating two sequels, an animated anthology, video games, merchandise etc. It's as if the IP had turned into the same thing the original film argued against: an agent of alienation. Ironic.

Perhaps the most self-referential blockbuster ever greenlit by a major studio, The Matrix Resurrections is aware of the need to justify its existence, incorporating (and problematizing) the widespread success of the franchise into the plot in a clever, even daring, way. While Lana Wachowski wisely doesn't attempt to replicate the technical breakthroughs of the first entry, she does respect its essence not only by reaffirming its thematic core but also by delivering an action-oriented spectacle informed by ideas.

Not since Villeneuve's Arrival and Scott's Alien: Covenant had I witnessed such an intelligent and fan expectation-confounding Hollywood extravaganza, respectively. It's already proving to be divisive for all the right reasons.

[Bugg]

1. Censor
2. Riders of Justice
3. Last Night in Soho
4. Power of the Dog
5. Shadow in the Cloud
6. The Last Duel
7. The Father
8. Saint Maud
9. Till Death
10. A Quiet Place Part II
11. Malignant
12. Werewolves Within
13. Oxygen
14. The Dry
15. Wrath of Man
16. The Suicide Squad
17. Spencer
18. The Dig
19. Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry
20. Godzilla Vs. Kong

[The Debts]

Just want to open up here by saying how happy I am to be doing one of these again; 2020 honestly sucked the joy out of catching up with the newest releases for obvious reasons (both with the world and personal on my end) and I couldn't muster the will to make a list, not even a half assed one. But with cinemas back in full force in 2021, my financial situation being stronger and other contributing factors, I feel like I was really able to get back into the groove of doing one of these with the same passion I always had ever since I started back in 2015. Looking forward to seeing the overall results this year! Anyway without further ado....

My Top 25 Films of 2021



1. Saint Maud.

“May God bless you and never waste your pain.”

What happens when you cross Taxi Driver with The Exorcist, throw in a smidgen of Breaking The Waves, give it some good ol fashioned British flavoring and slim it down to barely 90 minutes? Well, you get what is easily the most grueling, disturbing and tough to sit through movie of 2021 by my estimation. You also wind up with what was easily its best: A tightly wound portrait of religious fanaticism, trauma, loneliness and eventual self destruction. Ross Glass’ debut is something that unfortunately got lost in the shuffle amidst COVID + constant delays then eventually being dumped onto streaming, which is a real shame because it packs a real wallop on both technical and emotional fronts. And to say nothing of the tremendous two leading performances between Morfydd Clark’s titular protagonist + Jennifer Ehle’s bitter cancer patient Amanda Kohl, with the latter nearly stealing the whole affair by the time it's all said and done. Don’t let the lack of notoriety turn you off from this one, it’s a genuinely affecting portrait with an ending that will leave you shocked.



2. The Matrix Resurrections.

“I remember this. I remember us.”

Hot diggity dog. Against all possible odds, Lana Wachowski pulled it off. If WB was this desperate enough for a Matrix 4, then they should be proud of what was the result: A hilarious pisstake fans who don’t understand what these movies mean, a venomous attack on corporate desires to see these characters suffer for maximum profit and one of the most personality infused things to come out in the blockbuster space this year. How the hell a screenplay this self aware, intentionally funny, weird, long and sweet natured got past the suits I will never know. But what I do know is that you won’t see a blockbuster like this all year with a truly stunning and diverse visual palette, stylish spectacle, a sharp sense of humor that is knowingly goofy, varied tone that never settles to be just one thing, a truly game cast of returning faces and newbies, pacing that flies by and a swooningly romantic love story at the center of it all. I refrain from saying anything about the plot of this thing because out of all the films I list here, this is the one that deserves the least amount of secrets spoiled. My jaw almost didn’t recover from the amount of times it dropped throughout and I couldn’t have been happier with the results.



3. The Suicide Squad.

“Nothing like a bloodbath to start the day.”

James Gunn, you absolute mad lad. After being briefly fired from production on Guardians 3 over insipid spats on Twitter, WB scooped him up for a quick time and pretty much asked him “Hey, we screwed up with the first Suicide Squad movie, any chance you could do the sequel for us?”. And in doing so, Gunn may have made what is not only my favorite superhero movie since 2017’s Logan but what might just be his masterpiece: A gleefully violent, enthusiastically crass Men On A Mission movie with sentiment and charm to spare. This thing just barrels through scene to scene with incredible narrative momentum, inventive filmmaking chops, polished as hell VFX and a wonderfully flippant tone that can be just as cynical as it is earnest. Of course, all of this wouldn’t matter if the titular ensemble wasn’t up to snuff but thankfully with a roster like this (of which it includes the following: Idris Elba, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinneman, John Cena, Sylvester Stallaone, David Dastmalchian, Daniela Melchior and those are the names I DIDN’T list), it is. This had me smiling ear to ear right from the opening Johnny Cash song and it never left my face. What a blast!



4. Titane.

“I’m here…I’m here.”

Winner of this year’s Palme D’Or, Julia Ducournau’s sophomore feature is a knockout on every front. While I found her first film Raw - a cannibalistic coming of age tale - to be just fine, this not only felt like an evolution of her filmmaking chops but also one of the ideas and tropes expressed by the king of body horror himself David Cronenberg. While there is an assortment of grotesqueries on display here for grossout hounds such as myself (including literal car sex, frequent bloody violence, sexually charged imagery, lots of graphic nudity, self multination), the most striking thing on display here is the shocking amount of empathy it displays between its two main characters, a showgirl who moonlights as a serial killer (first timer Agatha Rouselle, who’s pretty incredible) and a firefighter who longs be reunited with his long lost son (Vincent Lindon, sweet natured as much as he roided out the literal ass). How these two opposite personalities collide is too wild + unpredictable to be spoiled and while Titane is not for the faint of heart, you might find yourself welling up with emotion at the end of its climax as much as you will be covering your eyes. Ducournau has officially cemented herself as a voice to be reckoned with. Can’t wait to see more from her.



5. The Medium.

“Are you going to film me all the time?”

Found footage horror movies are a dime-a-dozen and as a result, unfortunately, Godwin’s Law is in full effect with them. For a format of filmmaking that can push the limits of realism and authenticity, a lot of it winds up usually going to waste. Filmmakers wind up getting lazy with it, either not really bothering to put any sort of halfway decent monster effects in or excessively jiggling camera work or making their performers just scream each other names in some trite way of creating suspense. None of those things are on display with Banjong Pisanthanakun’s The Medium, a well structured, solidly performed, coherently shot but most important of all, an absolutely terrifying tale of Shamanism and possession in Thailand. The terror and despair is high with this one and while the length might look intimidating for this sort of film, the film’s attention to detail in its realism and commitment to slow impending dread truly makes it one of a kind. The last half hour of this thing might just contain some of the most straight up messed up things I’ve seen in quite some time. And pro-tip if you decide to watch this one: Don’t bring any fried food for this. Trust me.



6. The Last Duel.

“Deny, deny, deny.”

None of you are going to like what I say but Ridley Scott was partially correct about people being on their cell phones too much for letting something like The Last Duel bomb the way it did. Some people these days see a dramatic premise like this movie has (a rape case in Medieval France) rather than focus on its qualities as a film, they decide to zero in on why it wasn’t directed by a woman or that they just straight up don’t want to see any rape scenes in movies whatsoever and to me, that’s just such a narrow perspective to look at films with how progressive they are rather than their actually quality because all things considered, this is easily one Scott’s best to be put out in quite some time: A relentlessly brutal, frequently tough to sit through and cleverly structured tale of systematic misogyny, insecure masculinity and half truths, all binded together by Scott’s trademark visual flair + a top shelf cast (Matt Damon, Jodie Comer, Adam Driver and a hilarious Ben Affleck). Big budget adult dramas like this are becoming an increasing rarity to see on the big screen and I hope they don’t go away because we, as an audience, need things as unsettling as this to shake us out of our apathy towards what’s playing on the big screen.



7. Violation.

“You guys have always had this f***ed up sister thing. You’re resentful.”

Rape and revenge go hand in hand like a particularly ugly combination of peanut butter and jelly. Bad analogy, I know, but work with me here: The subject matter isn’t exactly something that’s meant for casual viewing but it can land a strong punch or two when needed. While the aforementioned Last Duel had its vengeance dolled out by an obnoxious lunkhead who only did it for his own personal pride’s sake, first time writer/directors Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli decide to give its protagonist Mirham (also played by Sims-Fewer) full reins of how to deal with her preparator. And the results are most graphic and methodically cruel to behold. But instead of simply leaving it at that, the directing duo also zero in on the aftermath of her vengeance and ruminate on whether or not one can truly find catharsis in a situation like this. It wears its obvious influences on its sleeve (the references to Lars von Trier’s Antichrist are numerous) and it doesn’t have the most polished dialogue in the world but this film’s surprising narrative non-linear storytelling, stark visuals and dark mood make it something worth seeking out, even if it might ruin your evening.



8. No Time To Die.

“She does have your eyes.”

That above quote is a MAJOR spoiler alone for the final installment of Daniel Craig’s run as the ultimate super spy. As to what it entails, I refuse to say what it is but for those who have seen it, I think I already triggered some sort of gag reflex that either makes your eyes roll or make them well up with an ocean of tears. Either way you slice it, Craig ended his tenure of Bond with a genuine bang, with director Cary Joji Fukunaga giving the audience a sleek looking, epically scaled and moving final mission for James Bond. Exotic locales, nefarious villain lairs and parties, backstabbings, pulpy gunbattles, death defying stunts, hot chicks, a scarred antagonist with a convoluted scheme to destroy the world using a super weapon - all the things you love and expect out of a Bond flick are here, packaged within a massive 163 minute venture. Sure it’s long in the tooth but when was the last time when a blockbuster managed to give you this much bang for your buck? If I’m going to be spending one last ride with this iteration of the character, then let us have the proper send off we all deserve. I was shaken and stirred in the best possible way. Good show, Mr. Bond.



9. Passing.

“We’re all passing for something or other, aren’t we?”

There’s a part of me that almost feels a little bit shallow for loving a movie like this on just a pure visual front but I can’t help and do it anyway. Rebeca Hall’s directorial debut might just be on the shortlist, in my estimation, for one of the best looking films of the year. DP Eduard Grau and Hall put excellent use not only in draining the film of color (in a film that is literally about the subject matter) but using the 1.33 aspect ratio to truly recapture the time period of the late 1920s. And honestly, I would have given the film a pass (heh) alone on its visual merits but Hall isn’t content with just doing that, cranking out a subtle yet striking adaptation of Nella Larsen’s book about the friendship between two black women in 1929, with one who passes for white (Ruth Negga, in a truly sincere and heartwarming role) while the other who doesn’t (Tessa Thompson, doing a solid job evoking the affectations of actresses from that era). It could have been easy to make this sort of film heavy handed but Hall applies a deft touch to the material, knowing when to cut to the bone of the matter while keeping her cards close to her chest. Sometimes, as the film notes, we’re never really happy with who we are regardless of how much we try to assert our identities, whether they be artificial or truly ourselves.



10. The Card Counter.

“This is how it starts. Just a fleeting thought. Then a daydream. Then it builds and builds.”

Should say upfront that I was a genuine fan of First Reformed but there was one key element about it that kept me from joining the chorus of rapturous praise it received: It had zero payoff whatsoever. Thankfully, for his follow up, screenwriting god and director Paul Schrader recognizes this fault and fully delivers in this understated, stylishly sensual and moody drama about expert gambler William Tell (played here to perfection by Oscar Isaac, a role that should be seriously discussed in awards circles) as he finds himself drifting from casino to casino honing his craft. Of course, this being a Schrader fable, there’s a lot more under the surface than just that synopsis and I’m happy to say there is, from exploring the themes of accountability and PTSD, his typical love affair for the works of Robert Bresson to unexpectedly trippy - and not to mention truly nasty looking - sequences examining the use of Enhanced Interrogation Techniques during The War On Terror. Now while that sounds like a messy combination of topics, we’re in the hands of a master screenwriter here who makes it all seem so effortless. Also, has Tiffany Haddish ever looked so fine? I mean, Goddamn!

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11. Dune.

A truly monolithic, brutalist achievement and by far Denis Villeneuve's best stab at the Science Fiction genre to date. Shame it’s only half a movie; Frankly, I would have gladly watched a full five plus hour version of this instead of having to wait another few years for Part Two. At least the wait for the rest of Paul Atreides' saga won't be long.



12. Val.

What should be a vanity project is instead an empathetic portrait of a weirdo with dreams. It’s not the easiest thing to watch one of Hollywood’s most underrated talents in a state like this but it can also be equally life affirming that he's been able to keep going all these years. Hang in there, Wingman.



13. Nightmare Alley.

A Guillermo Del Toro movie without creatures or the fantastic sounds like a risky proposition but it turns out all is well with this delightfully seedy, cynical and stylish adaptation of the famous 1940's novel. Bradley Cooper leads what's easily the best cast GDT has ever assembled, with Cate Blanchett in particular being a standout as the typical femme fatale. Oh and the Black & White version is to die for, especially on a big screen.



14. Army of The Dead.

In a year where Zack Snyder pumped out two films that helped achieve personal catharsis in his grief over the death of his daughter, this was my favorite of the bunch. It's also easily my favorite work of his since he first hit the scene back in 2004.



15. Jumbo.

A simultaneously typical yet unique spin on unconventional romance and coming of age. Director Zoé Wittock essentially gives the audience “The Shape of a Carnival Ride”, with all of the sincerity she can muster in her first feature.



16. The Green Knight.

Dev Patel gives not only the best performance in 2021 but also of his career with David Lowrey’s surreal spin on the Arthurian legend. But the most incredible achievement of this strange, patience demanding fantasy flick is that it somehow managed to score a 2000+ theater release over the summer.



17. Benedetta.

Classic Paul Verhoeven picture right here: Bloody, horny, hilarious and thoughtful. Even at 83, the Dutch madman still knows how to provoke as much as he does delight.



18. Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0: Thrice Upon A Time.

Series creator Hideaki Anno concludes the franchise he started with a sense of hope and closure it never got back in 1997. You may not understand much of the dialogue in the third act but you will understand the emotions and vibes he’s sending your way.



19. West Side Story.

Anyone who even suggests that Steven Spielberg has somehow lost it as a filmmaker is out of their minds. Pure, premium entertainment from start to finish, with unbelievable craft and a dynamite cast to back it up (Mike Faist and Ariana DeBose, especially).



20. Wrath of Man.

Quite possibly the darkest film Guy Ritchie has ever made. It may not be as elegant as HEAT nor is it as fun as Den of Thieves, but it's got a mean streak bigger than both and comes armed with a truly intimidating performance by action extraordinaire Jason Statham.

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21. Cry Macho.

A movie starring and directed by Clint Eastwood playing a former rodeo star going on a trip down to the border to rescue a kid + his pet rooster, teach him some lessons about life along the way, taking care of a small but lovely village and eventually hooking up with a pretty Mexican lady after all is said and done? You don’t need to ask me twice to watch this.



22. Censor.

My pet favorite movie out of the bunch of the movies listed here. A striking and spooky debut from director Prano Bailey Bond about the video nasty era, with a suitably intense lead performance by Niamh Algar to back the gruesome affairs.



23. Licorice Pizza.

A sweet at they come coming of age tale set in the 70s from Paul Thomas Anderson, featuring the first on screen roles of future movie stars Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman. Sometimes, all you need is vibes and PTA is happy enough to share them with everybody.



24. Pig.

Michael Sarnoski's first feature is a sad, strange spin on the revenge genre, with understated but powerful performances by Nic Cage and Alex Wolff. And please, no Bacon jokes for this one.



25. The Night House.

A classy slice of supernatural horror by David Bruckner with an incredible leading performance from Rebecca Hall. If Awards Circles were nicer to horror movies, she’d be talked about just as much as Kirsten Stewart or Lady Gaga have been this season.

[StarWarsIsAwesome123]

Starting off with a Top 20 (will expand to 25):

1. Spider-Man: No Way Home
1. The Suicide Squad
3. Dune
4. A Quiet Place Part II
5. Nobody
6. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
7. Zack Snyder's Justice League
8. The Mitchells vs the Machines
9. Wrath of Man
10. Ghostbusters: Afterlife
11. Free Guy
12. Pig
13. No Time to Die
14. Raya and the Last Dragon
15. Godzilla vs. Kong
16. Luca
17. Ron's Gone Wrong
18. Malignant
19. The Tomorrow War
20. The King's Man
21. Jungle Cruise
22. F9: The Fast Saga
23. Black Widow

Might still make a change or 2, but this is pretty much final.

[Damon1281]

1. Dune done right. Villeneuve creates a love letter to the readers of the science fiction classic by Frank Herbert. And this is only the beginning!
   
   
   
   
2. Joaquin Phoenix, Johnny, baby-sits his emotionally damaged nephew Jessie, played admirably by Woody Norman. The movie does not ever devolve into a ridiculous "Oprah" moment like so many lesser films would do, but provides a more natural reasoned enlightenment to all parties involved. A charming film of self-discovery. Phoenix is stunningly good as is Gaby Hoffman as the mother of Jessie.
   
   
   
   
3. Finally, dark comedy that is actually funny! It's starts out cozy and comfortable as family and extended family get together for the holiday. Interlaced with this are some peculiar unexplained moments, kids cursing, chickens set free, etc, etc. As the gathering continues things take a more sinister turn.
   
   
   
   
4. Brings the fantastical to big screen.
   Isn't that why we go in the first place?
   
   
5. Completes a character arc we have never seen for 007 before.
   
   
6. Daringly theatrical. Frances MacDormand is perfect.
   
   
7. The MCU crafts a creation story in a sprawling tale unlike any previous entry and lays the groundwork for the next phase
   
   
8. The best thing Ridley Scott's done in awhile.
   
   
9. I didn't expect this from Odenkirk but here we are
   
   
10. Even though I was seriously disappointed again by the Mandarin character, the fantasy element of the film quickly won me over. If it weren't for Spider-man movies, I'd say the MCU could do no wrong.
    
    
11. Scarlett
    
    
12. A different take on a familiar character.
    
    
13. Clint is always awesome
    
    
14. I wish this was available in 3D
    
    
15. A serviceable remake
    
    
16. Moody and strange
    
    
17. Statham
    
    
18. Reynolds being Reynolds again
    
    
19. An engrossing mystery
    
    
20. A fun crime romp with Don Cheadle
    
    
21. Kate, I'm still in love with you.
    
    
22. Groundhog Day with more killing.
    
    
23. It's better than Spaceballs.
    

[The Debts]

Originally Posted by StarWarsIsAwesome123

Reserved!

Is Zack Snyder's Justice League eligible? It's technically a directors cut but it's also basically a whole new movie.

Yes! It has its own IMDB + Letterboxd pages and critics of this year have been putting it on their lists as well.

[jacobsever]

25. The Feast (Gwledd)



Director: Lee Haven Jones
Country: United Kingdom

Another folk horror film, set in the UK using the Welsh language. A young woman hired to assist in a dinner party ends up not working out.

24. Pvt Chat



Director: Ben Hozie
Country: United States

Julia Fox plays a cam girl while a lonely guy in NYC jerks off to her, grows emotionally attached to her, and tries to find her in real life. It's micro-budget, sleazy, gritty, and a fun ride.

23. V/H/S 94



Directors: Jennifer Reeder, Chloe Okuno, Simon Barrett, Timo Tjahjanto, Ryan Prows
Country: United States

A return to form in the V/H/S anthology series, after the abysmal Viral in 2014. This one brought it back to an analog concept, and I enjoyed every single individual segment + the wraparound story. Some genuine spooks and scares involved.

22. Titane



Director: Julia Ducournau
Country: France/Belgium

A woman ****s a car and dances sensually in a room of full of firemen after being on a killing spree. That sounds like I made it up via AdLib or something...but I swear it's real.

21. Nine Days



Director: Edson Oda
Country: United States

A truly original film in which prospective souls are interviewed over the course of nine days, with an arbiter in charge of which will be allowed to pass into Earth and become "born" as human. Great, simplistic performances and a very satisfying, bittersweet ending.

20. Last Night in Soho



Director: Edgar Wright
Country: United Kingdom

A movie that skirts the line between horror, thriller, and mystery. Edgar Wright has his typical flair for stylization and love for retro imagery and music. Performances from the two lead ladies are some of the best all year, and they made the movie enjoyable. It's not a perfect film, but it'll keep you entertained continually guessing.

19. The Beta Test



Director: Jim Cummings, PJ McCabe
Country: United States/United Kingdom

Jim Cummings has an extremely specific style of filmmaking. It's absurdly comedic without being comedy. This particular one is a thriller with social commentary and is absolutely hilarious. More a vibe film than for the story (although the story is great and entertaining).

18. The Night House



Director: David Bruckner
Country: United States/United Kingdom

Another little horror thriller that is strong enough and original enough to hold its own right; but is thrust to even higher levels from Rebecca Hall's outstanding performance. A few twist and turns and an unsettling feeling for its entire runtime.

17. Coming Home in the Dark



Director: James Ashcroft
Country: New Zealand

A brutally downer of a film that starts off on a very shocking and depressing moment...and never lets up. Just mean, nasty, gritty...only in a way those pesky New Zealanders can. Will want to chase this down with a nice rom-com after.

16. The Trip



Director: Tommy Wirkola
Country: Norway

This movie is, well, a trip. It’s both funny and extremely violent…but neither a comedy nor a horror. It’s like a light hearted, semi quirky, violent drama? It doesn’t make sense trying to describe this film. Just go into it and enjoy the ride.

15. Copshop



Director: Joe Carnahan
Country: United States

This is just a completely bonkers, completely over-the-top, gritty, nasty, dirty, stupid action crime heist drama type thing. Just like…so ridiculous. I don’t know how or why it was made. But it was a blast.

14. Belfast



Director: Kenneth Branagh
Country: United Kingdom

Not much to say about this one. It’s just a generally enjoyable, easy to digest film full of charm and wit and likeable characters.

13. Licorice Pizza



Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Country: United States/Canda

A stylish coming of age drama set in the 70’s. Like…yup. Sign me up. Like Belfast, this was simply a joy and fun watch.

12. My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To



Director: Jonathan Cuartas
Country: United States

A very low scale family drama dealing with a group of siblings working together to get buy and help one another…but with a twist. Gorgeous cinematography, a wonderfully deliberate pace, and really heartfelt. It’s a downer, but a beautiful one.

11. Pig



Director: Michael Sarnoski
Country: United States

Modern Cage but without being as extreme and wonky as some of his other recent films. It’s subdued, but still wild. It’s fascinating and restrained. This is pure acting on Cages end, and a story just weird enough that you can still believe it.

10. Together Together



Director: Nikole Beckwith
Country: United States

One of the first movies of 2021 I saw, and somehow stuck through and made my Top 10. Just a super loving, caring look at platonic love and human connection. Ed Helms was surprisingly genuine.

9. Coda



Director: Sian Heder
Country: United States/France/Canada

An emotionally moving family drama without having the debilitating weight of something like Manchester by the Sea. Great representation for a community not usually seen in cinema; with brilliant performances from those within the deaf community. Just wonderful.

8. Shiva Baby



Director: Emma Seligman
Country: United States/Canada

These types of movies are my bread and butter. DIY, low scale, small budget. Single location, shot on film. As minimal as you can get. But a very strong premise, amazing performances, and the proper people in the proper places to make it all come together.

7. Red Rocket



Director: Sean Baker
Country: United States

Performances performances performances. Both leads here are just top notch. Sean Baker doesn’t miss.

6. The Scary of Sixty First



Director: Dasha Nekrasova
Country: United States

A conspiracy theory, retro horror film from the Dirtbag Left’s scene Queen herself. This movie is not for everyone, but it was right up my alley.

5. The Medium



Director: Banjong Pisanthanakun
Country: Thailand/South Korea

Just when you think found footage was dead, a movie comes around that scares you, shakes you to the core, and reinstills your faith in the genre.

4. C’mon C’mon



Director: Mike Mills
Country: United States

A movie that hit me right in the feels, and something I resonated with on a very personal level. A beautiful love letter to both a city and family. Makes me want to go give my sister and nephew a hug.

3. The Killing of Two Lovers



Director: Robert Machoian
Country: United States

Another film that is directly made for me. Just 100% my thing. Gritty, grainy, gorgeous, low budget, with emotional stakes and performances that are way better than a film like this deserves. A tight family drama thriller dealing with an uncertain marriage and the way it effects their children.

2. Mass



Director: Fran Kranz
Country: United States

A single location film, dealing with two sets of grieving parents. It’s one of the heaviest, hardest hitting, most emotionally tense films I’ve seen all year. A tour de force of acting and performance.

1. Blue Bayou



Director: Justin Chon
Country: United States

DRAMA. Movie tackles parenthood, relationships, economical hardships, citizenship and immigration...all while making you feel very sympathetic for the characters and what they're experiencing. Haven't cried this hard since Blindspotting.

[AKORIS]

obviously failed in seeing lots of movies this year but here's the best I saw...

1] No Time To Die
2] The Suicide Squad
3] Antlers
4] Wrath of Man
5] Don't Look Up
6] Nobody
7] Malignant

[sandman slim]

the top two are pretty well set in stone:

01. Spider-man: No Way Home
02. Belfast

My, how the turn tables...

01. Everybody's Talking About Jamie
02. Spider-man: No Way Home
03. Belfast
04. Dune
05. Oasis: Knebworth 1996
06. The Suicide Squad
07. No Time to Die
08. Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings
09. Bo Burnham: Inside
10. Zack Snyder's Justice League
11. Awaken
12. The Matrix Resurrections
13. Copshop
14. Last Night in Soho
15. Free Guy
16. Black Widow
17. A Quiet Place Part II
18. The Guilty
19. Old
20. The Green Knight
21. Reminiscence
22. Eternals
23. The King's Man
24. Godzilla vs. Kong
25. Nobody

Might tweak this a bit in the next few hours, mostly done though. And I'll be adding write-ups... of a sort. Hmm...

[Creed]

Reserved!

[sawdustandtinsel]

25. The Harder They Fall (Samuel)
"Allow me the latitude of completion."

24. Nightmare Alley (del Toro)
"Sometimes you don't see the line until you cross it."

23. Pig (Sarnoski)
"We don't get a lot of things to really care about."

22. The Killing of Two Lovers (Machoian)
"Stop digging."

21. A Quiet Place Part II (Krasinski)
"There's nothing left."

20. CODA (Heder)
"Don't worry. You are a bad mom for so many other reasons."

19. Saint Maud (Glass)
"Never waste your pain."

18. Pleasure (Thyberg)
"She definitely can't tap you."

17. Old Henry (Ponciroli)
"It can be hard to tell who and what a man is, he's got a mind to convince you otherwise."

16. Mothering Sunday (Husson)
"What a glorious day it turned out to be."

15. The Power of the Dog (Campion)
"I just want to say... how nice it is not to be alone."

14. Mass (Kranz)
"I raised a murderer."

13. Undine (Petzold)
"More happy than I'd ever been in my life."

12. Procession (Greene)
"I'm here for you."

11. Benedetta (Verhoeven)
"No miracle occurs in bed, believe me."

10. Parallel Mothers (Almodovar)
"I can't bear it if you take her away."

9. The Novice (Hadaway)
"Your mistake is that you always stick to what you're good at."

8. Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn (Jude)
"The more idiotic an opinion, the more important it is."

7. Titane (Ducournau)
"I don't care who you are."

6. A Hero (Farhadi)
"I don't want this to be shared."

5. Quo Vadis, Aida? (Zbanic)
"We are civilians."

4. Licorice Pizza (Anderson)
"Can I touch them?"

3. Bergman Island (Love)
"I find it oppressive."

2. Drive My Car (Hamaguchi)
"We must keep on living."

1. Red Rocket (Baker)
"Life is sweet."

[Britnasty]

No pomp and circumstance from me this year, just my list.

2021 film best of list

1. Mass
2. Pig
3. Nine Days
4. Spencer
5. Coda
6. The Power of the Dog
7. Lamb
8. Silent Night
9. Luca
10. Pleasure
11. The Killing of Two Lovers
12. Drive My Car
13. The Night House
14. The Green Knight
15. Meander
16. Bergman Island
17. Marvel’s Eternals
18. The Souvenir Part II
19. Zola
20. Passing
21. In the Heights
22. The Mitchell’s vs the Machines
23. The Card Counter
24. Malignant
25. Profile

[Hucksta G]

Yay, thank you thewerepuppy! The moment we’ve all been waiting for.

1. Licorice Pizza
2. Quo Vadis, Aida?
3. Pig
4. Judas and the Black Messiah
5. The Last Duel
6. Red Rocket
7. C’mon C’mon
8. Mass
9. The French Dispatch
10. The Suicide Squad
11. Little Fish
12. The Father
13. Spencer
14. Riders of Justice
15. Dune
16. Parallel Mothers
17. Spider-Man: No Way Home
18. Flee
19. The Lost Daughter
20. The Hand of God
21. A Hero
22. Last Night in Soho
23. Annette
24. The Green Knight
25. Drive My Car

Will update until the deadline.

Priorities I Still Need to See:
The Card Counter
Benedetta

[Adcatalano]

In 2021 I watched 96 movies that were released in 2021. Here are my top 25


1. The Mitchells vs the Machines
There is simply no other movie quite like this… it takes the chaotic visual style of Into The Spider-Verse and cranks it to 11

2. Nobody
The best action movie (that isn’t John Wick) of the past few years

3. A Quiet Place 2
A perfect sequel that maintains the first’s style but expands the world and the characters.

4. Mass
Storytelling parred down to the most basic of concepts yet masterfully pulls it off.

5. Malignant
Ripped out of the shlockiest of 80s trash horror, I haven’t had this much fun watching (and being bewildered by) a movie in ages.

6. No Man Of God
7. Fear Street: 1994
8. Fear Street: 1666
9. Fear Street: 1978
10. Queenpins
11. Ghostbusters: Afterlife
12. Tick… Tick… Boom!
13. Spider-Man: No Way Home
14. Encanto
15. Halloween Kills
16. Kate
17. Red Notice
18. There’s Someone Inside Your House
19. Woodstock 99: Peace Love and Rage
20. Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle Of The Realms
21. The Guilty
22. Antlers
23. Beanie Mania
24. Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admission Scandal
25. Red Rocket

[Magicman38]

Updated 3/5. Final List

1. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
2. Cruella
3. Godzilla vs Kong
4. Nightmare Alley
5. Spiderman: No Way Home
6. The Tomorrow War
7. The Mitchells vs the Machines
8. Ghostbusters: Afterlife
9. Black Widow
10. The Tragedy of Macbeth
11. No Time to Die
12. Zach Snyder’s Justice League
13. Free Guy
14. Last Night in Soho
15. Tick, Tick… Boom
16. Finch
17. West Side Story
18. Nine Days
19. The Father
20. Nobody
21. Malignant
22. Dune
23. 8 Bit Christmas
24. The Tender Bar
25. The Power of the Dog

Next 4 Out:
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
Red Notice
Raya and the Last Dragon

Last 4 Out:
Eternals
Venom: Let There Be Carnage
The Suicide Squad
Mortal Kombat

[nashcameronn]

1.) The Suicide Squad
2.) West Side Story
3.) Nightmare Alley
4.) No Time to Die
5.) Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
6.) Val
7.) The Last Duel
8.) Spider-Man: No Way Home
9.) Dune
10.) Last Night in Soho
11.) Nobody
12.) The Harder They Fall
13.) Raging Fire
14.) Old Henry
15.) Pig
16.) Eternals
17.) Belfast
18.) The Green Knight
19.) Flee
20.) Boss Level

[Mandalorian]

1. Dune


2. Riders of Justice


3. The Green Knight


4. Licorice Pizza


5. Drive My Car


6. Shiva Baby


7. Judas and the Black Messiah


8. Nine Days


9. Quo vadis, Aida?


10. A Hero


11. The Tragedy of Macbeth


12. Spider-Man: No Way Home


13. Red Rocket


14. The Last Duel


15. C’mon C’mon


16. The Harder They Fall


17. The Father


18. Pig


19. Luca


20. Benedetta


21. Titane


22. Flee


23. The Card Counter


24. The French Dispatch


25. Nightmare Alley

[Foggy]

1) Licorice Pizza
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Written by Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman, Sean Penn
Synopsis: The story of Alana Kane and Gary Valentine growing up, running around and going through the treacherous navigation of first love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973.



Thoughts Almost working as a full compendium of Paul Thomas Anderson’s work to date, Licorice Pizza is a film full of joy and heart from beginning to end. Capturing the hazy endless summer nights of 1970’s Los Angeles without shying away from the politics of the era and how it’s reflects back upon our characters. It’s my perfect tonic to the seemingly never ending existential nightmare of the past two years.

2) Drive My Car
Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Written by Ryusuke Hamaguchi & Takamase Oe Based of the short story by Haruki Murakami
Starring Hidetoshi Nishijima, Toko Miura, Reika Kirishima
Synopsis: After his wife's unexpected death, Yusuke Kafuku, a renowned stage actor and director, receives an offer to direct a production of Uncle Vanya in Hiroshima. There, he begins to face the haunting mysteries his wife left behind.



Thoughts Reflective in pace and reserved in nature, Drive My Car is another astonishing adaptation of Murakami’s enigmatic storytelling on screen. Illusive in it’s attempts to wrangle with regrets, loss of love and frustratingly unresolved internal query’s in the face of them, Drive My Car almost feels miraculous in it’s ability to capture the ungraspable and satisfy the universes most illusive quandaries.

3) Pig
Directed by Michael Sarnoski
Written by Michael Sarnoski
Starring Nicolas Cage, Alex Wolff, Adam Arkin
Synopsis: A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregon wilderness must return to his past in Portland in search of his beloved foraging pig after she is kidnapped.



Thoughts Pretty much throwing out the rule book entirely, Pig is liberating revenge thriller. Brooding with the unbridled tension of violence but never indulging itself. Instead begging to be better and more insightful, Pig surprise by a surprising humanist turn, becoming life-affirming and heart-breaking in equal turns.

4) Limbo
Directed by Ben Sharrock
Written by Ben Sharrock
Starring Amir El-Masry, Vikash Bhai, Sidse Babett Knudsen
Synopsis: Omar is a promising young musician. Separated from his Syrian family, he is stuck on a remote Scottish island awaiting the fate of his asylum request.



Thoughts Underseen and underrated, Limbo is a quirky drama revolving around the refugee crisis. Set in remote Scotland, it brings a refreshing level of depth and voice towards a largely voiceless group, capturing their hopes and dreams whilst making us aware of our collective ignorance and a system that aims to forget instead of empathise.

5) This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection
Directed by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese
Written by Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese
Starring Mary Twala, Makhaola Ndebele, Jerry Mofokeng
Synopsis: When her village is threatened with forced resettlement due to reservoir construction, an 80-year-old widow finds a new will to live and ignites the spirit of resilience within her community.



Thoughts Threatening to shake your world like an Earthquake, This is Not a Burial is unlike a lot of the film featured in here. It’s setup feels trivial but it’s execution is anything but. Having the same cool edge of a Jim Jarmusch film with an almost myopic power around capturing community, grief and empowerment, it’s a visually ravishing film that will leave you invigorated by the end.

6) The Card Counter
Directed by Paul Schrader
Written by Paul Schrader
Starring Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan
Synopsis: William Tell is a gambler and former serviceman who sets out to reform a young man seeking revenge on a mutual enemy from their past.



Thoughts Paul Schrader’s pulpy and bleak crime thriller feels like the writer/director turfing over familiar ground. But buried amongst it’s sleep deprived eyes and liquor fuelled breath is an incendiary tale of political indecency, inescapable human horror and masculine isolation that ties Schrader’s filmography up into a (not so) nice bow.

7) The French Dispatch
Directed by Wes Anderson
Written by Wes Anderson
Starring Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Jeffrey Wright
Synopsis: A love letter to journalists set in an outpost of an American newspaper in a fictional twentieth century French city that brings to life a collection of stories published in "The French Dispatch Magazine".



Thoughts Packing enough details into just one of it’s segments that whole feature films alone could brag about, The French Dispatch could appear really disagreeable at first, bragging about being the most Wes-Anderson-y film ever. But looking past it’s densely-populated screen decorum and language is a genuinely fitting ode to the writers behind the travelogues it attempts to emulate. Matching pathos to it’s quirk to the best of his abilities since Moonrise Kingdom, The French Dispatch is always surprisingly touching behind it’s delightful onscreen carnage and mayhem.

8) Dune
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
Written by Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth Based on the novel by Frank Herbert
Starring Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Jason Momoa
Synopsis: The son of a noble family entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset and most vital element in the galaxy.



Thoughts I think Dune is ultimately the film to beat this year, a defiant stab at sprawling science fiction blockbuster that’s dense in lore and audience unfriendly concepts. It’s perhaps testament to Villeneuve for pulling it off, with his minimalist art design creating an immersive world that’s slick on the eyes and engaging for the viewer, or true testament to cinematic craft that such a film demanding big screen attendance mange to crack the odds and prove that cinematic events remain prevalent in our post-pandemic, streaming gold rush world.

9) Spencer
Directed by Pablo Larrain
Written by Steven Knight
Starring Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins
Synopsis: During her Christmas holidays with the royal family at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England, Diana Spencer, struggling with mental health problems, decides to end her decade-long marriage to Prince Charles.



Thoughts Eschewing the standard pristine costume drama biopic that the UK usual churns out, Spencer’s pleasingly spiteful and acidic take turns the usual idealistic portray of the Royal family on it’s head and turns a tragedy into a genuine psychological portrait of Princess Diana’s fraught relationship with the monarch and complete media isolation. Leaning closer to nightmarish paranoia than fantastical wishfulfillment, it’s no wonder the UK appeared to reject it en-masse, but it’s all the better for it in my eyes.

10) Saint Maud
Directed by Rose Glass
Written by Rose Glass
Starring Morfydd Clark, Jennifer Ehle, Lily Frazer
Synopsis: A pious nurse becomes dangerously obsessed with saving the soul of her dying patient.



Thoughts Gleefully mortifying and tumultuous chiller, Saint Maud paved the way for the god fearing as a tale of crisis of faith turns into disillusionment of grandeur. I initially likened this as a B-side to the Joker when I saw it late last year, but as one of the few on here I managed to rewatch, it ascended my rating as the A grade in telling a story around isolation from society and misguided purpose.

11) Sweet Thing
Directed by Alexandre Rockwell
Written by Alexandre Rockwell
Starring Lana Rockwell, Niko Rockwell, Karyn Parsons
Synopsis: A teenager and her younger brother set out on an adventure, seeking escape from their dysfunctional home-life.



Thoughts 90’s indie breakthrough director Alexandre Rockwell might not have become one of the household names from that era, but Sweet Thing easily outshines many of the relics that have lived past that era. Balancing light and darkness, Rockwell’s ode to childhood resilience and innocence plays a familiar tune but makes for a winning rendition, with a largely improv heavy, naturalistic performances from his family members. It’s a real joy that snuck under the radar.

12) The Power of the Dog
Directed by Jane Campion
Written by Jane Campion Based on the novel by Thomas Savage
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Synopsis: A domineering rancher responds with mocking cruelty when his brother brings home a new wife and her son, until the unexpected comes to pass.



Thoughts Tipped for the big awards this season, The Power of the Dog has the makings of a feature classic, steadily paced yet brimming with psychological intrigue. It’s a revisionist western that’s not afraid of reflecting inwards as opposed to commenting on the broader genre tropes, instead slowly intoxicating you within it’s web of cruelty and insecurities.

13) The Tragedy of Macbeth
Directed by Joel Coen
Written by Joel Coen Based on the play by William Shakespeare
Starring Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Kathryn Hunter
Synopsis: A Scottish lord becomes convinced by a trio of witches that he will become the next King of Scotland, and his ambitious wife supports him in his plans of seizing power.



Thoughts I think there was some trepidation when it was revealed the Coen’s had split, with this newest adaptation of Macbeth coming from only one half of the duo. And whilst I’d be lying that The Tragedy of Macbeth has all the makings of their classic films, it’s shows how genuinely visionary the pair are that only one half of them can create such a drastic, impressionist and visceral screen version of the play. Throwing out the rule book of classic Shakespeare adaptations and creating something that measures up as one of the defining efforts in terms of capturing the horror of the classic fall of man fable.

14) C'Mon C'Mon
Directed by Mike Mills
Written by Mike Mills
Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Woody Norman, Gaby Hoffmann
Synopsis: When his sister asks him to look after her son, a radio journalist embarks on a cross-country trip with his energetic nephew to show him life away from Los Angeles.



Thoughts Almost threatening to be minor enough to shuttle off your radar, C’Mon C’Mon grasps on with sheer endearment, thanks to a winning turn from Phoenix and his astonishing chemistry with newcomer Woody Norman. Attempting to wrangle real world anxieties and it’s effects on mental health, C’Mon C’Mon is life-affirming in it’s portrayal of endurance through youthful eyes.

15) Titane
Directed by Julia Ducournau
Written by Julia Ducournau
Starring Agathe Rousselle, Vincent Lindon, Garance Marillier
Synopsis: Following a series of unexplained crimes, a father is reunited with the son who has been missing for 10 years.



Thoughts Vivd, vicious and abrasive, Titane refuses to tie itself down into one genre, playing initially as a Cronenbergian play on French extremism and shifting into an illuminating makeshift family drama around emotional isolation and accepting of identity. It’s twisted universe will make your head spin for hours on end, but the bigger picture does shift into focus.

16) Parallel Mothers
Directed by Pedro Almodovar
Written by Pedro Almodovar
Starring Penelope Cruz, Rossy de Palma, Milena Smit
Synopsis: The story of two mothers who give birth the same day.



Thoughts Melodrama is Almodóvar’s bread and butter and it doesn’t become more full blooded and twisted as this. Contrivances be damned, Parallel Mothers challenges the idea of true heritage through it’s twisting story of affairs, obsessions and paternity tests, rotating back into a story about holding the truth about your countries history and seeking closure on injustices. It’s Almodóvar at the top of his game.

17) Shiva Baby
Directed by Emma Seligman
Written by Emma Seligman
Starring Rachel Sennott, Molly Gordon, Danny Deferrari
Synopsis: While at a Jewish funeral service with her parents, a college student has an awkward encounter with her sugar daddy and her ex-girlfriend.



Thoughts Capturing a rapturous nervous breakdown, Shiva Baby turns the screwball comedy into a psychological horror. Laughing will not hurt as much as it does here as the film manages to emulate the sense of being shoved into corner that becomes increasingly tighter for it’s borderline nail scraping 90 mins. A true showcase of craft on a shoestring budget, there’s a reason this became a breakout after two years of staying two meters away from everyone.

18) Judas and the Black Messiah
Directed by Shaka King
Written by Will Berson, Shaka King
Starring Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, Dominique Fishback
Synopsis: Offered a plea deal by the FBI, William O'Neal infiltrates the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party to gather intelligence on Chairman Fred Hampton.



Thoughts Pitching the perfect balance between cinematic energy and righteous anger, Judas and the Black Messiah draws upon the crime cinema of the 60’s and 70’s to uncover a story of genuine scandal drawn up by America’s ugly modern history that’s both satisfying dramatically and frustrating in what it’s honesty.

19) The Lost Daughter
Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal
Written by Maggie Gyllenhaal Based on the novel by Elena Ferrante
Starring Oliva Coleman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Synopsis: A woman's beach vacation takes a dark turn when she begins to confront the troubles of her past.



Thoughts Tearing open the open wound of a much uncomfortable taboo. The Lost Daughter dares to ask the audience to face a reality that we all know, acknowledging that many people have unwanted children, or are unfit to deal with their kids. The Lost Daughter feels poisonous at first sight, but delve into it’s forbidden labours and you’ll find an illuminating drama led by an ever acerbic Olivia Coleman.

20) Annette
Directed by Leos Carax
Original story by Ron & Russell Mael
Starring Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, Simon Helberg
Synopsis: A stand-up comedian and his opera singer wife have a two-year-old daughter with a surprising gift.



Thoughts Musical deconstruction of modern fame with the strangest central character of a film for years. Annette is delightfully macabre and wondrously operatic, asking you to get swept into it’s fairytale of self destruction and exploitation.

21) Memoria
Directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Written by Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Starring Tilda Swinton, Daniel Gimenez Cacho, Constanza Guiterrez
Synopsis: A woman from Scotland, while traveling in Colombia, begins to notice strange sounds. Soon she begins to think about their appearance.



Thoughts Although primed to give me a non-stop anxiety attack for two hours, Memoria’s enigmatic tale revolving around sensory information of a universal scale is full of fascinating sequences of transcendental reflection, as it engulfs aspects of human origin, ripples of human atrocities and messages from other dimensions and perhaps beyond into one. Maybe it’s big swing conclusion doesn’t work as well on screen as it does on paper, but the air of mystery throughout this is simply undeniable.

22) Belle
Directed by Mamoru Hosoda
Written by Mamoru Hosoda
Starring Kaho Nakamura, Ryo Narita, Shota Sometani
Synopsis: Suzu is a shy high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters "U", a massive virtual world, she escapes into her online persona as Belle, a globally-beloved singer.



Thoughts Always a bit hit and miss on Anime but Belle is a real charming winner. Probably the first film in my mind to tackle social media realities for zoomers, the fantastical window-dressing of the Beauty and the Beast reinterpretation disguises what is a tale about real tech awareness, online identity and the reflection often obfuscated by a deluge of interactive information on an increasing second by second basis.

23) Nightmare Alley
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
Written by Guillermo del Toro, Kim Morgan Based on the novel by William Lindsay Gresham
Starring Bradley Cooper, Rooney Mara, Cate Blanchett
Synopsis: An ambitious carny with a talent for manipulating people with a few well-chosen words hooks up with a female psychiatrist who is even more dangerous than he is.



Thoughts Having something to prove following on from his Oscar Winning efforts, Nightmare Alley could be dismissed as Del Toro pulling an exercise in style over his fantastical substance to win over those more skeptical to his previous victories, but Nightmare Alley is very bit a full on foray into nihilistic pulp with a tale of spectres and freaks where the monsters are the ones pulling the wool over their own eyes and the ghouls lay out in the open.

24) Mogul Mowgli
Directed by Bassam Tariq
Written by Riz Ahmed, Bassam Tariq
Starring Riz Ahmed, Anjana Vasan, Aiysha Hart
Synopsis: A British Pakistani rapper is on the cusp of his first world tour, but is struck down by an illness that threatens to derail his big break.



Thoughts Fans of last year’s Sound of Metal should prioritise this tale of crisis of identity matched by deteriorating physical health, with Riz Ahmed proving to be one of the most vulnerable, honest and talented stars out of the UK, tackling projects with such immense personal dedication.

25) A Hero
Directed by Asghar Farhadi
Written by Asghar Farhadi
Starring Amir Jadidi, Fereshteh Sadi Orafaee, Maryam Shahdaie
Synopsis: Rahim is in prison because of a debt he was unable to repay. During a two-day leave, he tries to convince his creditor to withdraw his complaint against the payment of part of the sum. But things don't go as planned.



Thoughts Capturing a sense of the social network era in a country where it’s not the everyday norm, Farhadi’s Kafka-esque tale of viral hero turned villain of the hour captures the almost ethereal sense of the online collective in true cautionary fashion.