2021 was indisputably a better year for humanity than 2020. As far as the year’s movies are concerned, it’s a matter of opinion and taste, and it depends on where you look. Studios continued to delay many major theatrical releases until we reach a future with fewer COVID cases. The streaming market, however, was another story.
Many high-budget films avoided further delay with simultaneous streaming and theatrical releases. This increasingly common experiment has had mixed results. It has proven that some audiences are loyal to the theatrical experience, regardless of whether or not they have other options. However, it has also proven that others have no issue with abandoning theatrical outings for the simplicity, convenience, and safety of viewing new films at home.
The future of theatrical blockbusters is questionable, but the streaming market is thriving for films of all sizes. The release platform that will ultimately win is open to debate, but it’s increasingly likely that streaming will only grow in strength while the theatrical experience will be forced to evolve into something more competitive. 2021 suggests a sizable shift in the industry, one where large and small movies can coexist with nearly identical accessibility.
Since I refuse to set foot in a movie theater until COVID cases are scarcer, the following list will only focus on the new films that were available for online streaming in 2021. I missed out on seeing new films in the theater from Paul Thomas Anderson, Wes Anderson, Guillermo Del Toro, Paul Schrader, Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, and others. Via online streaming, however, I was able to see plenty of surprising, original, and well-made films that invigorated my passion for movie-watching. The movies of 2021 are a surprisingly eclectic and exciting mix of films, regardless of how they were viewed during their initial release.
10. The Trip
This Norwegian dark comedy/thriller is one of the most unrelentingly shocking, fiercely intense, and bitingly hilarious films of the year. Noomi Rapace and Aksel Hennie stand out in lead roles, portraying a married couple whose vacation plans to murder one another are thwarted by a series of absurdly dangerous hurdles. The Trip is an unpredictable roller coaster of a movie that never lets up until it reaches its satisfying and unpredictable conclusion.
9. Together Together
Writer/director Nikole Beckwith’s Together Together is a refreshing and character-based comedy that refuses to follow any predictable formula. Ed Helms and Patti Harrison share a wonderfully lifelike chemistry, portraying a middle-aged man and the twenty-six-year-old surrogate who is carrying his child. The surprisingly funny, thoughtful, and reality-grounded film makes an exceptional and tear-inducing impact.
8. Another Girl
Writer/director Allison Burnett further explores life in the internet age with this expertly executed sequel to his cult masterwork, Ask Me Anything. Another Girl is an intelligent, captivating, and character-based thriller that explores the unnatural phenomenon of strangers forming close personal relationships online. Sammi Hanratty shines in one of the strongest and most committed performances of the year.
7. Concrete Cowboy
Concrete Cowboy is a beautiful examination of Black cowboys in modern-day Philadelphia. It exposes a fascinating and lesser-known American subculture, while also presenting characters who are as unique as they are relatable. The simple and elegant film is told with humor, heart, and artistry. Idris Elba gives a predictably brilliant lead performance.
6. Fear of Rain
Writer/director Castille Landon’s Fear of Rain succeeds as a wholly engrossing mystery/thriller that keeps the audience on its toes for the entirety of its duration. It is also a deeply sensitive depiction of schizophrenia that evocatively examines mental illness with uncompromising honesty. Madison Iseman delivers a powerhouse lead performance, effortlessly conveying the complexity and pain behind her character’s illness.
5. Zack Snyder’s Justice League/ The Suicide Squad (tie)
After a bumpy start, the DCEU finally found its creative footing with these edgy, R-rated entries. They are both prime examples of how exciting blockbuster films can be when they are under the complete and unfettered control of a visionary filmmaker.
Both films are overflowing with ideas and characters that are unlike anything we’ve previously seen in a comic book movie. Zack Snyder’s Justice League and James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad are as uncompromising as any independent film, but they also boast the spectacle and production value that we’ve come to expect from safer, more familiar blockbuster titles.
4. Val
This compilation of Val Kilmer’s personal home videos is a beautiful and moving portrait of the world-renowned actor and cancer survivor. The film has something to offer just about anyone, as it is so much more than another simple and surface-driven celebrity biography. Val is a revelation that examines the complexities and soul of its subject while never forgetting his humanity or relatability–despite his extraordinary life and career.
3. Riders of Justice
The Danish action/thriller, Riders of Justice, is a rare movie that attempts to work on a variety of levels and, somehow, manages to succeed at just about all of them. It’s a brutally violent and painfully hilarious depiction of the futility of revenge, and it’s also a thought-provoking and philosophical examination of cause and effect. It’s one of the most uniquely effective films to be released in 2021. The great Mads Mikkelson leads a flawless ensemble cast.
2. Pig
Pig is an uncompromising and deeply meditative film about loss and grief. Nicolas Cage gives a successfully subdued and subtle performance, portraying a loner truffle hunter who is forced to search for his kidnapped, beloved pet pig. The film is one of the most powerful and thoughtful dramas in recent memory, and it contains one of the best performances of Cage’s wildly eclectic career.
1. Psycho Goreman
When it comes to pure entertainment, there wasn’t a more successful film to come out in 2021 than Psycho Goreman. It’s one of the funniest and most playful horror/comedies in recent memory. Primarily relying on practical, beautifully crafted visual and makeup effects, the film has a refreshing tactile quality that makes it stand out from most recent genre efforts.
Psycho Goreman is a gory, clever, and hilarious film that is already well on its way to cult classic status. Writer/director Steven Kostanski’s endless creativity makes him one of today’s most exciting rising talents.
Honorable Mentions:
The Guilty, Malignant, Space Sweepers, Thunder Force, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, Oxygen, Pieces of a Woman, Plan B, Shadow in the Cloud, Stowaway, Those Who Wish Me Dead, Chaos Walking, Fatherhood, Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal, Out of Time, The Tomorrow War, Vacation Friends, Why Did You Kill Me?, Cry Macho, Army of Thieves, Cherry, Finch, Halloween Kills
2021 Movies I Will Eventually See (But Am Unwilling to Risk My Life Or Pay $20 To Do So):
The Card Counter, The French Dispatch, Licorice Pizza, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Last Night in Soho, The Last Duel, House of Gucci, Wrath of Man, Nobody, West Side Story, Nightmare Alley, The King’s Man, Antlers, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Copshop, Above Suspicion, Swan Song, Eternals
