Top 10 Films of 2021
Featuring a remake, the most messed up movie of the year, and the reason why movies are so magical.
Ugh, not yet another longwinded intro to a top ten list. We get it; it was a “crazy year” for movies coming off of 2020. We’ve heard enough about the crisis that Hollywood finds itself in from a box office standpoint. Please just get to the actual list. And please don’t just count them down from 10-1; that’s boring. Please do something to spice them up. Thank you.
Alright, fair enough.
Best Film that is nearly ruined by its lead actor: West Side Story
Steven Spielberg’s version of West Side Story may not have been “necessary” or even desired, and the box office numbers certainly confirm that, but it was undoubtedly among the best-looking films of the year. There are some breathtaking shots in this movie that singlehandedly elevates it to this level. The puddle shot alone is worth a spot in the top ten, IYKYK. Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski is deep in his bag in this movie. Pair the cinematography and the iconic songs, from Tonight to America to the opening scene with the Jet Song, and it seemingly adds up to being even higher up on this list than it is. So why, then, is it only at #10? That brings us to the Ansel Elgort problem. If the only problem with Elgort were his performance in this movie, it would still be a massive issue. He is just not a good lead in it. He lacks the charisma needed to really pull off Tony, especially compared to the shooting star that is Rachel Zegler. Unfortunately, we can’t stop at only his lackluster performance as Tony because, in June of 2020, multiple women accused Elgort of sexual assault when they were underage. The allegations came after the movie finished shooting, so the studio decided to stick with Elgort instead of reshooting it. It is the most prominent stain on this otherwise spectacular movie. Just digitally remove him on the home release, and we’re good to go.
Best Film that is somehow better than his Oscar-winning previous film: The French Dispatch
Every director has some distinct style that is clearly specific to them and consistent in all their work. For most directors, it is a small thing, like specific shots or motifs in each film. No director is quite as distinct as Wes Anderson, and no film is more Wes Anderson than The French Dispatch. The splashes of color and the camera movement are on par with what we have become accustomed to over the last two decades of his work. Anderson’s films have more heart than they get credit for, and The French Dispatch is up there among the best. An ode to the french new wave and a love letter to journalism, it is clear that this was something that meant a lot to Anderson. The typical all-star that we are used to for every Anderson film does not disappoint, with Frances McDormand and Timothée Chalamet standing out. The only criticism is that it can feel all over the place, but that is precisely the point. When you read something like The New Yorker, it is not one cohesive piece of work but rather a collection of more minor works that come together to create something great. Few have a clearer vision than Wes Anderson, and when it works, it is an absolute delight.
Best Film that is technically this year, but it still feels weird to include it on this list: Judas and the Black Messiah
It does not feel right to include a film that won an Oscar before most of the other films on this list even came out. Minari and Nomadland technically also belong as 2021 releases, but because I saw them in 2020 on the festival circuit, it feels extra weird to include them for 2021. The Father is another one that probably should be in this spot instead, but I only have so much room in my head for 2021 Oscar winners counting on this list. Fingers crossed that we keep the eligibility from January 1st - December 31st for the foreseeable future to prevent this problem in the future. As for Judas, it is somewhat stunning that Shaka King could get it made. In terms of mainstream, well-funded, and pushed for awards, it is one of the more “radical” films in recent years. Even telling the story of Fred Hampton in 2021 would be surprising enough, but King went above and beyond. King was aided by Daniel Kaluuya’s remarkable performance that earned him an Oscar. It felt like a film that is vanishing from Hollywood, the type of original film about a meaningful subject that is not watered down to guarantee the most significant profit possible. It’ll be interesting to see how many more of these we get, but it is important to appreciate them while we still can.
Best Film that made me realize great films will never truly be in danger because I know International Cinema got me: Drive My Car
This category would be more of a competition if I were lucky enough to see Petite Maman or The Worst Person In The World. I’ll have to revisit in the next month. Titane also fits here, but Drive My Car is tonally so different that it feels weird to even mention the two of them in the same sentence. It was a magical feeling walking into the theater on a Monday night in December, fully expecting it to be an empty audience only to see it nearly sold out for a three-hour Japanese movie. It can be easy to get discouraged by where the future of movies is heading, but we will always be in a good spot because we have so many talented filmmakers telling these incredible stories. These phenomenal filmmakers are just shifting further away from the United States. Some would say that’s always been the case. It won’t receive the mainstream critical acclaim that it deserves, although the Best Picture and Best Director buzz for Ryusuke Hamaguchi has me hyped. It is truly remarkable that this three-hour film does not drag in the slightest. Part of that has to do with just how full of a movie it is and all the different places it goes. Even when it slows down, Hamaguchi has done such a tremendous job that you are along for the ride because you don’t want to leave the world he has created.
Best Film about the fragility of childhood: C’mon C’mon
No American filmmaker is doing what Mike Mills is doing right now. The closest contemporaries are Hayao Miyasaki and Céline Sciamma. Even those two masters of cinema are in a slightly different lane than Mills is occupying right now. The portrayal of children, especially in American films, treats them as lesser. In mainstream cinema, it is common for filmmakers to overlook and underdevelop the importance of children. The child is not the star of the film. No one is going out to buy tickets for the child actor, although Woody Norman from this and Julia Butters from Once Upon A Time in Hollywood might change that. It can be easy to write your average child and not put much more thought into it. Mills, Sciamma, and Miyasaki don’t stop there. They realize the importance of showing children as actual people and not just secondary characters in their movies. And it’s not even just the importance for making their movies better; although it undoubtedly does that, it is the importance reaching far beyond that. It helps people realize that how you treat these actual human beings really matters. It is vital for children to see this portrayal too. The dynamic between Joaquin Phoenix and Woody Norman is one of so much care and tenderness that it comes as a bit of a shock that it comes from an American director. Especially in a time where so many movies have shifted into telling the most shallow version of something with the most IP and movie stars crammed in. C’mon C’mon ultimately isn’t changing the world or anything like that, but it has a far greater impact on it than movies going out of their way to tell you how important they are.
Best Film where Kristen Stewart deserves an Oscar: Spencer
This isn’t at all the Oscars newsletter. In fact, I am purposefully trying to stay away from it as much as possible, but good lord, please give Kristen Stewart an Oscar. She transforms into Princess Diana. It is tough to pick a favorite part of Spencer. It could be Pablo Larraín’s clear vision for what he wanted this movie to be. After Jackie, it should not come as a surprise that he knew exactly what he was doing. It could be Jonny Greenwood’s exceptional score, speaking of things that deserve an Oscar. Or it could be Claire Mathon’s breathtaking cinematography. This movie looks so stunning, and her work truly elevates it to this level on its own. Mathon also worked on Portrait of a Lady on Fire, so it probably shouldn’t come as a shock that she is outstanding at this. It could be the story, which is surprisingly engaging for a film based on facts about a single weekend. Some liberties were taken with the story, but once you get past the fact that this is actually a movie and not a documentary, and not everything has to be exactly as it is shown, it is a really good movie with one of the best acting performances of the year. Once again, please give Kristen Stewart an Oscar. Thank you.
Best Film that is probably a bit too idiosyncratic to actually take the top spot, but is still a masterpiece: Titane
There’s going for it, and then there’s Titane. No film in 2021 said, “fuck you, I know exactly what I want to be and have no interest in compromising at all,” quite like Titane. There’s seemingly a pretty clear line from David Cronenberg to the body-horror work of Julia Ducournau, but Ducournau’s work is still so distinctly her own. She has this icy, metallic, raw, unnerving, and visceral quality that she brings to her features that are simply euphoric. Not a single film on this list fully engages the audience for the entire runtime like Titane. It starts as seemingly another body-horror film, but it turns into one of the more heartfelt stories of the year. Visually it is absolutely stunning. I mean, come on.
The phenomenal music selection shouldn’t catch anyone off guard after her work on Raw, but there are two of the best needle drops I’ve ever heard in this film. Truly a remarkable feat of cinema that this came to life precisely as Julia Ducournau dreamt it. Oh yeah, she dreamt up the ending and worked backward to create a film around that wild moment. Everything about this woman terrifies and fascinates me. It is the most fucked up movie of 2021. It is also the most beautiful movie of 2021. Nothing sums up Julia Ducournau more than that.
Best Animated Film that made me cry while also restoring my faith in cinema: The Mitchells Vs. The Machines
Katie Mitchell was the best character of the year. Film or TV. It is still remarkable that Michael Rianda made Katie Mitchell the most relatable character of the year. The tiny details they put into her to show how deeply she loves film paid off in elevating it to this level. The little easter eggs are fun, the animation is legitimately top tier, and Katie is a super easy character to root for, but the true magic comes in just how heartwarming this movie is with the family dynamic. It is so specific to this one girl going on a cross-country trip with her parents on her way to college and having to fight evil robot overlords on their journey, yet it somehow seems so universal. I can’t explain it, but this animated movie made for children made me cry more than any other movie I watched this year. Then I watched it again, and I somehow cried more??? Something strange and magical about this movie. I cherish it so much, and I want to protect it forever.
Best Film where I met the director and lead actress outside of a comedy show in Brooklyn: Shiva Baby
I promise this would be in the top two even if I didn’t meet Emma Seligman and Rachel Sennott. It is hard to believe that this is Seligman’s debut feature and that Sennott has only been in one other feature prior to this. The duo lowkey created a classic together. The script is quick and funny and does not allow this 77-minute film to drag for even a second. The cast outside of Sennott is on the top of their game too. The always hilarious Molly Gordon is tremendous. Polly Draper and Fred Melamed are very good as Danielle’s parents. The dynamic between Sennott and Danny Defarani, who plays Max, is *chef’s kiss* It does not stop there, though. Ariel Marx has probably the best score of the year. Her ability to create so much tension with simply the music is extremely impressive. The claustrophobic feeling that comes from the sublime cinematography by Maria Rusche is perfection. Did I mention how good Rachel Sennott is? There’s no more praise to give to this movie. Perfection. I cannot wait to see what Seligman and Sennott do next.
Best Film: Licorice Pizza
There was not a more pure vision of the magic of the movies over the last year than Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza. It is every single thing that makes the movies so special and reminds me why I love them so much. From the stunning opening scene, which made me feel like I was floating, to the end title card appearing on the screen, this was what movies should be. Cooper Hoffman was outstanding as Gary Valentine, a child-star and hustler growing up in 1970s San Fernando Valley who has a crush on the significantly older Alana Kane, played brilliantly by Alana Haim. Alana had maybe the funniest performance of the year and undoubtedly the most surprising, as the first time actress went from real-life rock star to being in the middle of an Oscar race seemingly overnight. This movie doesn’t work without these two specific people at the center of the frame. It is remarkable that PTA pulled this off with two inexperienced actors. Equal credit to them. The surrounding pieces are excellent, too, from Alana’s real-life family playing her movie family to the iconic seven minutes that Bradley Cooper graced the screen. I hate being the guy who yells about how good the lights were, but oh my god, the lighting in this is absurd. It makes one of the funniest movies of the year feel like one of the most prestigious by the way that PTA and Michael Bauman shot it, which seems like a very impressive feat. On top of that, it also features the best soundtrack of the year. It feels like more of a rarity in Hollywood, where all of the stars align for something like Licorice Pizza to even exist. It is truly remarkable that they aligned to the point where this is the best movie of 2021. Maybe not everything is bad after all.