Same as last year’s list, I have now done away with a countdown format so these ten films are just presented in alphabetical order.
And also just a reminder as always: this is a list of my favourite films of 2021. Your own mileage may vary.
Enough talk. Have at you!
Bo Burnham: Inside
Directed by: Bo Burnham
Starring: Bo Burnham
It’s rare for a film to hook you from the very beginning and then just proceed to blow you away. This entire special was created by just one man who didn’t leave his room for a year. Everything was written, performed, filmed and edited by Bo Burnham.
We can all relate to being trapped and isolated to some extent during lockdown, but we likely did so without a tenth of the talent displayed here. It makes you question how you spend your free time if someone can be this creative when left all alone. Whilst the majority of sketches and songs are largely for humourous effect, Bo also delves into more serious topics such as identity, guilt, dealing with isolation and loneliness, meditating on the toxic influence of the internet, mental health and much more. And it’s all done to some insanely catchy tunes.
Favourite bit: The sudden switch and back of sincerity (and aspect ratio) during White Woman’s Instagram.
Dune
Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac
Much like his previous film Blade Runner 2049, director Denis Villeneuve once again proves his great knack for world building and visual flair. Dune takes its time in setting the scene but nothing is over explained to you. Don’t know what a 'Bene Gesserit' or a 'Kwisatz Haderach' is? Doesn’t really matter - you are just thrown in and immersed in it all, the full extent of the lore is almost secondary when you are swept away at the scale and scope of it all.
Rebecca Ferguson is singularly excellent here but Timothee Chalamet also turns out to be great choice for the lead. The Hans Zimmer score is also really good, other than the warbling vocals at times which honestly feels a bit generic these days (Gladiator was over 20 years ago, Hans!)
Jokes aside, the only negative I have with this film is that this is disappointingly revealed to be only a ‘Part 1’ and ends rather abruptly, with a rather long wait expected before we get a Part 2.
Favourite bit: Paul’s encounter with the Reverend Mother. “Fear is the mind killer…”
The Green Knight
Directed by: David Lowery
Starring: Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton
A weird and wonderful retelling of the adventures of Sir Gawain, in parts grim and in others utterly surreal, this one is entirely not what you might expect. Dev Patel plays the part well – a young man wanting to make a name for himself but is essentially still just a wastrel and coward – his misstep in a wager eventually catching up with him and sending him on a quest he doesn’t really want to go on. The set up is very intriguing and needless to say there are some very weird and unconventional encounters along the way.
The Green Knight features some great imagery and the story is such that you never really know how things are going to pan out, with the film thriving on this ambiguity. Though I wish Sean Harris (as King Arthur) wouldn’t whisper so much every time he talks.
Favourite bit: The ominous arrival of the Green Knight and the laying down of his challenge.
Last Night in Soho
Directed by: Edgar Wright
Starring: Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith
Edgar Wright rarely puts a foot wrong. Whilst he could have just kept going with the genre mashups of his ‘Cornetto’ trilogy, the films he has gone on to make since have seen him branch out into different territories, albeit always remaining oh-so-stylish. This time he takes on a supernaturally tinged tale that crosses over both modern day London and its glitzy 60’s counterpart.
Wright’s trademarks are all on show here: smart camerawork and editing, plenty of subtle details and clever foreshadowing and as always, some great musical cues.
There is also a decent mystery at heart which keeps you wondering what the hell is really going on until quite late into proceedings. Anya Taylor-Joy plays up her beguiling presence perfectly well and Matt Smith is also great in a small role. But the star is indeed Thomasin McKenzie who I have been a big fan of since her excellent performance in 2018's Leave no Trace and last year’s Jojo Rabbit. Hopefully this film will up her profile and lead to her having more starring roles in the future.
Favourite bit: The scene where we first travel back into the past. The use of mirrors and reflections employing some very clever filmmaking techniques.
Palm Springs
Directed by: Max Barbakow
Starring: Andy Samberg, Christin Milioti, J K Simmons
The ‘Groundhog Day’ day on repeat concept has been done a fair few times over the years, but Palm Springs still manages to feel fresh and intriguing with it. It’s a lighthearted comedy for the most part but also delves into a bit more of an darker existential territory, with an unexpected heartfelt redemption arc revealing itself in the third act.
Andy Samberg can do this type of comedic role in his sleep, but it’s Christin Milioti who really shines as the centre of the piece.
Favourite bit: The dance scene in the bar.
Promising Young Woman
Directed by: Emerald Fennell
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, Alison Brie
Relevant without feeling preachy, Promising Young Woman is comedic at times but with a very dark streak running through it - which ultimately ends up as heartbreaking as the full story is gradually revealed. Though her methods are often questionable, Carey Mulligan’s portrayal of one person making a stand against a world of sexual assault and male toxicity is magnetic to watch. She is seriously one of the most underrated actors of our day.
Also a terrific debut from writer/director Emerald Fennell.
Favourite bit: The shock reveal with the sudden change in tone of: “What are you doing”?
Psycho Goreman
Directed by: Steven Kostanski
Starring: Nita-Josee Hanna, Owen Myre, Matthew Ninaber
A fairly low budget affair, but this mash-up of humour, B-movie kitsch, absurdism and gory horror with plenty of creative old school special effects, makes this one a treat for any genre fans.
The costumes, make-up effects, art direction, creature designs, animatronics and stop motion are all top-notch for an indie film, and it can honestly be said that there just aren’t many films made like this these days. It’s definitely an irreverent throwback to those ‘family adopt an alien/creature’-type kids movies that were popularised in the 80s and 90s but with a subversive horror riff.
If you like the idea of a surprisingly tender family story mixed with violent b-movie schlock, this comes highly recommended.
Favourite bit: PG perusing a magazine: “I do not care for hunky boys. …Or do I?”
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton
Starring: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung
Whilst Marvel fatigue is slowly creeping in with the likes of the rather generic Black Widow, Shang-Chi manages to keep the formula fresh with its thrilling fight choreography that actually showcases the excellent martial arts, rather than obscuring it all in a flurry of quick cuts. Much credit is given to the late Brad Allen whose time spent on Jackie Chan’s stunt team is evident in many of the creative fight sequences.
At heart, Shang-Chi is a film about family - and legend of Asian cinema Tony Leung (in his western film debut!) provides a great performance as the patriarch conflicted between keeping his family together and tearing it apart to get what he wants.
Whilst some may pooh-pooh the baby steps in representation, representation in and of itself is still important and this film pushes in the same direction as Black Panther did upon its release, as a major blockbuster film starring a predominantly non-white cast. The fact that huge tent-pole Marvel films such as this are now able to do this successfully – and with films of quality - should indeed be something worth celebrating.
Favourite bit: The fight scene on the bus. Visceral, well choreographed, well shot and brilliantly inventive in how it progresses.
Shiva Baby
Directed by: Emma Seligman
Starring: Rachel Sennott, Danny Deferrari, Molly Gordon
A lot done with a little. I love these ‘situation’ type films where the majority of the runtime occurs within a single location. The dialogue is razor sharp and the humour keenly observed, much of it deriving from the awkward and uncomfortable interaction between characters.
Whilst a lot of the laughs come from the ‘Jewishness’ of the situation (the main character’s parents give especially good performances) everyone can relate to that odd phase where your friends and family are constantly asking what you are going to do with your life as if requiring you to justify your own existence and trajectory. However the main character here is also trying to deal with another cringy crisis at hand: being a Sugar baby that unexpectedly bumps into her client at a wake.
Favourite bit: Danielle constantly loading and unloading her plate with food just out of sheer awkward nervousness.
Sound of Metal
Directed by: Darius Marder
Starring: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci
A moving portrayal of a drummer struggling with his loss of hearing. It’s heartfelt and heartbreaking; watching someone’s desperate fear of losing what they love most as their music, relationship and lifestyle are so finely entwined together.
Featuring an excellent performance from Riz Ahmed as well as support from (an almost unrecognisable sans eyebrows) Olivia Cooke as his partner. Paul Raci is also really great as the soft spoken leader of a deaf community.
As well as the story itself, the way the film conveys hearing loss to the audience is done in an effective way, with excellent sound editing and sound mixing throughout. We often see (and more importantly hear) things from Ruben’s point of view – and get to experience a fraction of how disorientating and isolating it can be for someone who has lived their life around (and indeed for) sound.
Favourite bit: Ruben first parting ways with Lou. The hope and desperation gets you right in the feels.
Honourable mentions
Censor – Psychological horror with a throwback to the video nasties of the 80’s.
I Care A Lot – Terrific performance from an icy Rosamund Pike.
Judas and the Black Messiah – Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield are both terrific in this Fred Hampton biopic.
Minari – Heartwarming tale of a Korean family pursuing the American dream in rural Arkansas.
Pig – Nicholas Cage in search of his pig! A revenge tale that quite doesn’t pan out the way you think.
That’s a wrap for my favourite movies of 2021! Coming next – Films of the year 2021: The Alternative Awards and My 5 Favourite Games of 2021. Stay tuned…
26th Dec 2021
Thanks for the read on a dreary Boxing Day. I've not heard of all of the films included in your list so will try to seek some of them out
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