My Top 10 Films Of 2021

#1 - The Power Of The Dog 

Critics Score - 10 of 10

This was my favorite film experience of 2021 and it wasn’t really that close. The Power Of The Dog is a masterpiece of cinema from director Jane Campion, and it totally blew me away. I got home from work late and tired on Dec. 1st, December being the busiest month at my nine to five job. I started watching this film and within a half hour I was sucked into the world that Jane had created. Even though I was watching this film at home, by the time I was halfway through, I was standing up in front of the screen with the remote in my hand swaying back and forth trying to get a read on where it was all heading. I was anticipating somebody to bite the big one but the way it played out was not only a shocker but also the final shot sent this film to a perfect score in my book. 

#2 - Riders Of Justice 

Critics Score - 9 of 10

While many of the other films on my list I was partially expecting to be good movies, Riders Of Justice was the biggest surprise for me in terms of expectations. This film, although it’s in spoken Danish, was an incredible experience for this lover of film. The movie sets things up to be a Taken style of film, which got me on the edge of my chair twenty minutes in, but then evolved into another type of movie, an even more incredible one. It’s hilarious, the character development is probably unparalleled in any film from this year and yeah, it’s great. It was my number one movie for most of this year until The Power Of The Dog took the throne in December. You should make it a point to catch up with this one, because you probably haven’t yet.

#3 - Licorice Pizza 

Critics Score - 9 of 10

Got to watch this movie in theaters and I had an absolute blast. This was easily the funniest film I watched of the year but at the heart of it was a fantastic story of young love. Paul Thomas Anderson writes and directs this wonderful drive through 1970’s Los Angeles that is simply one of the years best films. With great characters, crazy shenanigans, fun cameos galore and tons of one liners, there’s just too much to love about Licorice Pizza.

# 4 - The Green Knight 

Critics Score - 9 of 10

Another film I had the great fortune to see in the theatre, this was one of the most cinematic experiences of the year. The visual styling and cinematography of The Green Knight was only matched by the complexity of the characters and incredible journey of the main protagonist. David Lowery directs and Dev Patel stars as Gawain  takes us on a medieval adventure for the ages.

With one of the most iconic endings of any film of 2021, The Green Knight is undoubtedly one I will revisit many times for years to come.

#5 - The Humans 

Critics Score - 9 of 10

I was able to see this film as a part of the Charlotte Film Festival and was really blown away by how much fun it was. I believe if I’d only watched this film at home it never would’ve landed the same, the sound design was some

of the best of the year and made this eerie family drama all the more tense. The ensemble was incredible and offered up some fantastic performances while the things that go bump in the night kept us wondering where it all was going to go. Another fantastic final scene from an A24 film had me laughing out loud and made this one creep up into the 9 category and solidify itself in the top tier movies of 2021.

#6 - Mass 

Critics Score - 9 of 10

Mass was definitely one of, if not the most powerful and impactful movie of the year. A relatively simple premise, four people sitting in the room discussing a tragedy, all doing some of the best acting of the year. This movie was not for the faint of heart, but when it gets into the thick of it, proves to be some of the most riveting cinema I’ve seen in my life. Mass rocked my world. There’s no denying the greatness of this screenplay, while the cinematic experience isn’t everything you want to see on the big screen, the human drama elements are off the charts in this nearly perfect movie.

#7 - Belfast 

Critics Score - 9 of 10

This film was something of a magic trick in terms of my theatre experience. I was enjoying my time with this visually stunning film and enjoying the characters but a little underwhelmed by it all for most of the runtime. But then Jamie Dornan sings Everlasting Love and I was completely mesmerized by the greatest single scene of filmmaking of 2021. I hadn’t realized I was invested in what was happening to this family until that sequence made my eyes water up from pure joy of a cinematic experience. That was what singlehandedly brought the film from a high 7, low 8 to an easy 9 and solidified itself in my favorite films of the year.

#8 - Dune 

Critics Score - 9 of 10

Easily one of the most well rounded big budget blockbuster experiences that was a must see in an IMAX movie theatre this year. Dune was a terribly difficult adaptation, but Denis Villeneuve took on the challenge and brought us to the planet Arrakis and immersed us in this alien world of blue spice, giant sand worms and mysterious voice powers. While this technical marvel of a film may not reach the levels of greatness as the Lord Of The Rings films, it’s the closest thing we’ve had in a very long time.

#9 - Spencer 

Critics Score - 8 of 10

One of the best female performances of the 2021 year was found by the fantastic Kristen Stewart in Spencer. The dark and moody film is only heightened by a bizarre soundtrack and some abstract imagery. The direction, costumes, hair and makeup were all solid and this is another film that had a killer final scene and song combo. Even with most of the film heading in a downward spiral, the contrast of the ending leaving you on such a high note, it’s hard to not have a new appreciation for Princess Diana Spencer.

#10 - Coda 

Critics Score - 8 of 10

The heartwarming Sundance Festival breakout film is now an Oscar Beat Picture nominee. Coda was a funny, touching and moving story of a musically inclined young woman that has a hard of hearing family. A terrific cast of deaf actors deliver a wonderful coming of age drama that shines a light on an part of our communities  that are underrepresented on screen. But if this film doesn’t have you reaching for a tissue by the end, I’m not sure what kind of therapy you need to remove emotional blockage, but it’s definitely something you’d want to check into.

#11 - The Killing Of Two Lovers (Honorable Mention)

Critics Score - 8 of 10

One of the best movies of 2021 that nobody has seen. Coda edged out one of the best films of the year by just a hair. The Killing Of Two Lovers starts out with a bang, almost, and the drama only builds from there to it’s finale. It’s well acted, directed, and the screenplay is tight, keeping this runtime concise. It’s hard to construct such an impressive piece of work on such a shoestring budget but here we are. Check it out as soon as you can, it was in my top ten right up until the very end of the year.