Top 10 Films of 2021 + Personal Summary of 2021 in Film

So, the end of another year has come. 2021 has, overall, been a fairly mixed year for films in my opinion. Obviously, it was wonderful to have many highly anticipated films that've been delayed due to COVID finally see the light of day, and it was also great to be able to see many of them in cinemas. Overall, it felt like we were moving towards some form of normality after all the disruption. However, the films themselves and what they represent hasn't been so consistently good. Today, I'm going to do my usual round-up of the best of the best from this year, but, in doing so, I'm also going to discuss my specific feelings about the year, which is a mixture of good and bad. So, let's get going!

10. No Time to Die

For the tenth spot on this list, it was between this and Shang-Chi. While I may prefer the latter a tad more, I think the former means a lot more and is worth praising more. This is generally labelled as the film that kicked off the delays due to COVID, and it received numerous delays even after its initial one. So, to finally see it hit the big screen was really exciting, even though I'm not a die hard James Bond fan. While I think No Time to Die doesn't convey the atmosphere of an epic conclusion as well as it could have nor does it have the most refined story, it has everything you could want from an outing with 007 through its action and performances. So, because of that and what it represents, a space on this list was certainly earned.

9. tick, tick... BOOM!

Well, this film sure came out of nowhere, didn't it? While randomly scrolling through new releases for Netflix one day, I saw an upcoming musical starring Andrew Garfield and directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. So, naturally, I had to give it a watch, and surprise surprise, it was terrific. Garfield is magnetic in the lead and gives his second best performance of the year (because, you know), and he navigates a story with some really thoughtful and powerful themes, some of which really resonated with me. As a musical, while none of the songs stood out to me as anything amazing, the musical numbers were all very competently crafted and solid. So, overall, a great film that I'd happily revisit any day. This also leads into one of my biggest joys of 2021 films, that being that we saw so many musicals! This genre isn't the most common nowadays, yet this year alone we got so many, and most were a delight! With this, West Side Story, Vivo, and a few upcoming entries on this list, it's been a rather nice year in this area.

8. Spencer

This is, without a doubt, the biggest surprise of the year, and I say that because it's really one of the only surprises of the year. One thing that was sad about 2021 is that there was a deficiency in films that exceeded my hopes / expectations. This doesn't mean there were many disappointments per se, as there were plenty of films that I expected to be great and turned out to be just that, but there weren't many things that I came out of and was really surprised by. Luckily, despite this, we at least got Spencer, which in itself is one of the biggest surprises in recent years to be honest. I never would've imagined myself loving a bleak, biographical period piece drama, yet I absolutely did. The mesmerising central performance and masterful filmmaking made this rather exceptional. I don't know if I'd instantly want to watch it again, but when I did, I thought there was plenty to admire. 

7. Raya and the Last Dragon + Encanto

It's a Disney double bill! For the last month or so, I've considered 2021 a relatively weak year in terms of animated features. Not because we saw much bad stuff but just because we didn't see much amazing stuff, it all mostly seemed to be solid and nothing more. This has been one of the more unfortunate aspects of this year for me because I love animation ever so much, and every year for the last two decades or so has given us at least one amazing animated film, even 2020, which was a fairly rough year for films otherwise. Because I really wanted at least one to make this list, I rewatched a few of this year's animated offerings and realised that, although there hasn't been anything especially outstanding, we've still had some pretty damn good stuff, and one studio that managed to deliver not one but two really solid animated features in 2021 was Walt Disney Animation Studios, and I feel both are worthy of a spot. Raya and the Last Dragon is one of them; I really admire how mature this film is - a lot of the dialogue as well as what unfolds onscreen and within the story such as the action feels very bold and stands out compared to lots of other contemporary animation. It isn't perfect for sure, as it could've done with less childish humour, a lot more subltety, and perhaps even some more ambiguity in its themes, but it at least shows elements of something audacious, which I can't help but respect. Additionally, it has stunning animation and a beautiful score, as you've come to expect. As for Encanto, after giving it another go upon its Disney+ release, it worked a lot more for me. Sure, I still don't think it's anything groundbreaking, but it just does what it does so damn well, with some wonderful animation, a loveable cast of characters, all of whom have such terrific designs, and an excellent selection of songs. I still believe 2021 could've been far better in terms of animation overall, but I'm glad we at least got these gems and that they were able to rank among the year's best.  

6. Last Night in Soho

This was another film I was really looking forward to, and of course it didn't disappoint. Edgar Wright is my favourite director of all time, and even though he steps out of his usual snappy and comedic territory with this film, it was still brilliant. The deliciously twisted and hypnotic atmosphere combined with two phenomenal performances from two of the best actresses working today made Last Night in Soho thoroughly engaging. While the filmmaking generally lacks a lot of the attractive aspects of Wright's style, it's still a really strong film on its own. It isn't his best work, but considering that almost all of his other films are bordering on perfection, that's hardly an issue. I can't wait to see what this man does next because I just don't think I can imagine him ever putting a foot wrong. 

5. In the Heights

While maybe not one of the best films of the year, this is undeniably one of the most joyful watches I've had in 2021, so it had to make the list. This is more proof of how musicals have been thriving as of late, and for that I couldn't be happier. From the electric and upbeat musical numbers to the magnificently feel-good and celebratory tone alongside some really compelling stories and characters, In the Heights is an absolute joy from start to finish. I just got the DVD for Christmas and it was so nice to spend another two and a bit hours smiling, laughing, and tapping my toes. Great stuff, and I kind of feel like it's been forgotten by many as the year has progressed, which is a real shame.

4. The Green Knight

My oh my, what a film. What. A. Film. Of all the films released this year, none have left me with as much to chew on as The Green Knight has. The neverending rabbit-hole of thematic elements to dissect and think about make this easily one of my favourites from 2021. I remember my walk home from the cinema consisting of me just trying to comprehend what I'd just witnessed, and many of those thoughts are still lingering in my head. It also looks great and is very well acted, so there's an awful lot to praise. I'm sure I'll be coming back to this for years to come, as there's so many ways one can interpret it, so I'll be eternally transfixed by each and every aspect it offers and finding new meanings.

3. A Quiet Place Part II

If you're still a little confused by what I meant when I discussed films being unsurprising yet still good, allow me to draw you to maybe the best example. Obviously A Quiet Place Part II delivered, how could it not? Despite losing an ounce of the tight and concise nature of its predecessor in the nature of being a sequel, this retains all the thrill and tension of that film with some more nerve-racking sequences, including an outstanding opening scene, and excellent performances. How do I know this film is so good? Because I rewatched it on a tiny, poor-quality TV in my university dorm and I'd still say the was experience as immersive and tense as it was on a giant cinema screen. All that's left to say is keep it up John Krasinski and co.

2. Dune

Part of me wants to say this was unsurprisingly good too, but another part of me recognises that this could've been a dud. Bringing to life the first half of a long, arduous novel that consists of mostly chit-chat and exposition in a plain, desert setting could've easily been one of the most dull experiences of the year, yet it was absolutely extraordinary. There's nothing more to be said about Dune to be honest, but if there's one other thing I would like to flag up, it's another one of the great things about film in 2021 - that being that we didn't just return to cinemas this year, but lots of the films we saw in them were truly designed for such a way of viewing. Films like Dune and even A Quiet Place Part II are the sorts of films that are made for the experience offered by viewing a film in a cinema, and at a time when cinemas have been struggling, it's ever so good to see some films making them feel worthwhile, because they absolutely are. Also, I'm ever so happy that we're getting more of this, it's ridiculous that it wasn't guaranteed from day one.

1. Spider-Man: No Way Home

Yeah, there was no competition for the top spot whatsoever. I was tempted to slap Dune in the number one slot because it is probably the single best film of the year, but then I realised that, even though it's mostly personal factors that make me love Spider-Man: No Way Home so much, it still deserves this just as much, if not more. While certainly imperfect, this is another enormous yet remarkably cohesive and satisfying outing from Marvel Studios. It has the stellar action and charm we've come to expect, but also a lot more maturity and seriousness that we don't usually associate with them. It also brings together the previous iterations of this character in the most perfect ways possible. This is also more proof as to why cinemas ought to be protected, as the viewing of this film in the presence of many other fans like myself at ten o'clock in the morning on opening day with clapping and cheering throughout is something truly special that I don't ever want to stop experiencing. I thought Avengers: Endgame was an unbelievable achievement that could never be replicated, yet the geniuses over at Marvel have managed to deliver another film on the same level. It may be big, sugary, blockbuster nonsense, but it's that sort of stuff at its finest. So, Spider-Man: No Way Home definitely, comfortably sits at the top of the ladder that is cinema in 2021. 

So, those are what I believe to be the best films of this year, and they also summarise a lot of my feelings about this year overall. With experiences that lend themselves to cinemas, many marvellous musicals, and highly anticipated films finally surfacing, it's been jolly good. But, at the same time, with a lack of surprises and a relatively weak selection of animated content, it hasn't been so good. 2022 is upon us and there's lots to look forward to, so let's hope that, now the film industry seems to be back on its feet, we get an amazing year of output. Speaking of which, here's a quick rundown off all the bits and pieces I have my eye on:

Death on the Nile - still waiting to see that glorious moustache again

The Batman - hopefully another great DC film with a definite article in the title

Turning Red - looks as generic as anything but... it's a Pixar movie so should be good?

The Northman - Robert Eggers does a fantasy historical epic, how can I say no?

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - Intriguing genre shift in a Raimi / Marvel reunion

Jurassic World: Dominion - DINOSAURS    

Lightyear - It ain't anything new or original but should be cool

Thor: Love and Thunder - More of Taika and Thor, yes please

Don't Worry Darling - Booksmart was great so let's hope Olivia can do it again

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Part One - Spidey fans are getting spoiled right now and I love it

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - I wonder where they're going to go

Super Mario Bros. - odd casting choices but I'm optimistic

Babylon - Mr Chazelle, we've missed you, this frankly can't come soon enough