FILM HIGHLIGHTS OF 2021

 

When looking back on the year, most people rank their top ten or twenty favourite films of the year. However, I find it really difficult ranking films and, because there have been so many new films released this year, it can be hard narrowing it down to just ten. In this blogpost, I’ll be sharing my film highlights of the year.

January-April

With cinemas still closed, due to the UK being in lockdown, the films I watched within the first four months of the year were at home. 

I spent most of January watching classic films such as Psycho, Vertigo and Rear Window which were all directed by legendary director, Alfred Hitchcock. I’m glad I finally watched them as I can understand why he’s known as the master of suspense. Last year during lockdown, I watched most of the films that were nominated for Best Picture from the 2000s onwards. I wanted to do this because there have been a lot of interesting films that were nominated for Best Picture over the years. Most of the films nominated for Best Picture are compelling and serious dramas with outstanding work from both the cast and crew. In January this year, I continued this challenge and watched films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Little Miss Sunshine, Gangs of New York and The Pianist. Prior to watching these films, I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy any of them, however, I was pleasantly surprised. Since watching all of the Best Picture nominees from the twentieth century, I can understand why they were recognised by the Academy, even if some, like The Tree of Life and Mad Max: Fury Road, I didn’t enjoy as much as I was hoping to.

Most of the films I watched in February were films that were released on streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. One of my favourite films from this month was the riveting thriller, I Care A Lot, which was released on the latter and starred Rosamund Pike as a witty con artist. Another favourite film from this month was the moving drama, Minari, which was an intimate and heart-wrenching exploration of family and assimilation in 1980s America. At this year’s Academy Awards, it was nominated for Best Picture with Youn Yuh-jung winning Best Supporting Actress for her unforgettable performance. 

One of my favourite films from March was the animated  adventure, Raya and the Last Dragon, as it told the story of the titular heroine through imaginative animation. It further proved that Disney are at their best when they’re telling original stories filled with memorable and interesting characters and are packed full of adventure. Although a lot of animated films are aimed at children, there’s no reason why they can’t be enjoyed by older viewers. 

Another standout film from March was the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League. The original theatrical version of Justice League that was released in 2017 was a disaster and was a critical and box office disappointment. This was because, during filming, Snyder’s daughter died and he was forced to quit the production leading to Joss Whedon, who directed the first two Avengers films, replacing him. Unfortunately, following its release four years ago, Justice League was  criticised for its tonal issues, forced humour, lack of character development and poor computer generated imagery. This lead to Snyder releasing a four hour cut of his version of Justice League and it’s safe to say that it’s definitely an improvement over the original. Prior to the release of Justice League, I watched most of the films in the DC Extended Universe, including Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice. Although I had originally planned to watch it when it was released in 2016, the negative reception put me off. I finally watched Batman V Superman earlier this year and, unfortunately, I was left underwhelmed as it could have been so much better. Despite a lot of the films in the DCEU failing to leave much of an impression, Zack Snyder’s Justice League definitely represents one of the best films in the franchise.

Two other films I really enjoyed were The Father and Judas and the Black Messiah which, like Minari, were both successful at this year’s Academy Awards, with both films being nominated for Best Picture. The Father won two Oscars including Best Adapted Screenplay and Anthony Hopkins winning Best Actor for his heartbreaking performance as an old man whose physical and mental health begins deteriorating. Although Hopkins thoroughly deserved to win his second Oscar and I can understand why the Academy favoured his performance, it is a shame that Chadwick Boseman, who tragically died last year, didn’t win for his posthumous performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Judas and the Black Messiah was an electrifying dramatisations of historical events and at this year’s Academy Awards, won two Oscars for Best Supporting Actor for Daniel Kaluuya and Best Original Song. 

Two of my favourite films from April couldn’t be more different. The first is Promising Young Woman, an riveting thriller filled with shocking twists with Carey Mulligan delivering one of her most memorable performances. The other is a the fast paced and highly entertaining animated film, The Mitchells Vs. The Machines. Unlike a lot of animated films, which are set in unique and imaginative worlds, The Mitchells Vs. The Machines takes place in the modern world and shows viewers a society, much like ours, that is obsessed with technology. The main character is Katie Mitchell who loves film and technology and couldn’t be more excited to be leaving her embarrassing family behind for college. However, a robot apocalypse disrupts her plans and Katie finds herself working with her family in order to stop the end of the world. The Mitchells Vs. The Machines is produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller who are best known for producing the Oscar winning animated film, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. Like that film, The Mitchells Vs. The Machines features the producers’ trademark witty humour and bright and colourful visuals. 

May-August

May saw the reopening of cinemas in the UK after they were closed during the pandemic. I couldn’t have been happier about this as I love going to the cinema and think it’s a perfect form of escapism. Although I like watching films at home, I’m easily distracted which is why I prefer seeing films at the cinema. The first film I watched at the cinema when they reopened was the action packed Godzilla vs. Kong. Although it’s far from a great film, I still thoroughly enjoyed watching it especially in 4DX, which has the seats moving in time with the action on screen. 

The second film I watched at the cinema was Taylor Sheridan’s thriller, Those Who Wish Me Dead, which starred Angelina Jolie as a firefighter who has to protect a young boy from two assassins. Sheridan is best known for writing the scripts for Sicario and Hell or High Water and made his directorial debut with Wind River which was released in 2017. Although Those Who Wish Me Dead isn’t as impressive as his earlier works, I still found it to be a gripping thriller with a strong performance by Angelina Jolie. 

One of my favourite films that I saw at the cinema following their reopening was Cruella, which explored the origins of one of its most iconic villains with Emma Stone impressing with her amusing portrayal of the titular character. Although it’s far from one of Disney’s best films, I still found Cruella to be thoroughly entertaining with memorable performances by Emma Stone and Emma Thompson as Cruella’s rival, the Baroness. 

I’m not the biggest fan of horror films, however, I enjoyed A Quiet Place which I found to be more of a thriller as it focused on a small family who have to live in silence to hide from monsters who hunt by sound. This year saw the release of its sequel, A Quiet Place Part II, which I found to be just as thrilling as its predecessor. 

In The Heights was another film I enjoyed during the summer. It’s an energetic and feel good musical that is rarely anything less than entertaining for the majority of its lengthy 143 minute runtime. While I understand a lot of people are hesitant about visiting the cinema, it’s a shame that In The Heights was a disappointment at the box office as it’s one of the best films that is worth experiencing on the big screen as it’s the perfect form of escapism.

July saw the release of two highly anticipated superhero films, Black Widow and The Suicide Squad. The former focused on one of the most popular characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Natasha Romanoff and saw her involved in an action packed adventure with her family, including her sister, Yelena. Although I don’t think it’s one of the best films in the MCU, I was happy that Natasha finally got her own spin off film after first making her appearance in Iron Man 2 in 2010. The other superhero film was James Gunn’s sequel to the disappointing Suicide Squad, which was simply named The Suicide Squad. Because it’s visually vibrant, unapologetically violent and features energetic and memorable performances from its cast, including Margot Robbie as the eccentric Harley Quinn and Idris Elba as Bloodsport, The Suicide Squad is an impressive improvement over its predecessor.

One of my favourite comedies from this year was Shawn Levy’s Free Guy which starred Ryan Reynolds as a non player character in an action packed video game. While I understand that not everyone was impressed by what Levy had created with Free Guy, I thought that it was a lot of fun. Those who find Reynolds irritating won’t be entertained by Free Guy either as he’s his typical comical self, however, I don’t mind him as much as a lot of other people do. I think that, in Free Guy, he delivered one of his funniest performances as he’s best known for his role as the violent and foul mouthed Deadpool. Another impressive performance was delivered by Jodie Comer.

September-December 

This time of year was when 2021 was at its best for me. In September, as well as turning 24, I also finally watched No Time To Die, which ended Daniel Craig’s reign as the famous spy, James Bond, on a high. It was originally scheduled to be released in late 2019 but was postponed several times in 2020, due to cinemas being closed. Fortunately, No Time To Die finally had its release at the end of September and it didn’t disappoint. Prior to watching it, my expectations honestly weren’t high as, due to numerous productions issues, including Danny Boyle quitting as director due to creative differences between him and the studio. I didn’t think it would reach the heights as the best Bond films including Casino Royale and Skyfall. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised and thought that it was action packed and thrilling. What was most surprising was the emotional ending. I certainly wasn’t expecting to be getting tested up at a Bond film. 

The second best film I watched in September was Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings which starred Simu Liu as the titular protagonist who must confront his past when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organisation. In his first feature film, Liu impresses with his portrayal of Shang-Chi. The film itself is packed full of exhilarating action sequences and tells an interesting origins story that introduces viewers to Shang-Chi really well. It’s not surprising that a lot of people think that this represents one of the best films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Usually the London Film Festival takes place entirely in the capital city, however, last year the festival showed its films at various cinemas across the UK and online. This was the case this year and I was able to watch several of my highly anticipated films at a local independent cinema venue named Home which is in Manchester. The first film I watched during the Festival was Spencer which saw Kristen Stewart delivering her best dramatic performance with her portrayal of Diana, the Princess of Wales. What surprised me was that Spencer wasn’t your typical biopic that told her tragic life story, however, it focuses on Diana as she spends the festive holidays with the Royal family. While the idea of celebrating the festivities with the Royals sounds like it could be glamorous, in reality, for Diana, it was anxiety provoking. As a result, the film is a compelling and tense drama. The second film I watched was Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch. Since watching The Grand Budapest Hotel in 2014, Anderson has quickly become one of my favourite filmmakers and someone whose work I’m always interested in. This is why I was really excited to watch his latest film, The French Dispatch, which, like most of his previous films, is filled with interesting ideas and a star studded and talented cast. It’s also one of his most unique films because it tells three different stories that were published in the fictional magazine known as the French Dispatch. Although I know not everyone was impressed by what Anderson had created with The French Dispatch, I thought that it further established him as one of the most unique and interesting filmmakers working today. The third film I watched at the festival was Edgar Wright’s Last Night In Soho. Because he’s best known for his highly entertaining comedies such as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, many were surprised when Wright created Last Night In Soho, a dark, psychological thriller that focuses on a young woman’s obsession with the 1960s. While I agree with those who found the story to be confusing, I think that Last Night In Soho is elevated by Wright’s skilful filmmaking and the impressive performances by both Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy. I thoroughly enjoyed all three of these films and, hopefully if next year’s London Film Festival will take place in various venues across the UK, I’ll certainly be attending.

There’s no denying that Ridley Scott is one of the best directors working today as he’s known for making the unforgettable and terrifying sci-fi horror, Alien, in 1979, the mesmerising Blade Runner in 1982 and the Oscar winning Gladiator in 2000. This year saw him return to the medieval drama genre, after directing Kingdom of Heaven in 2005, with The Last Duel which told a serious true story and featured impressive dramatic performances from Jodie Comer and Adam Driver. The majority of the film told the main story from three different perspectives including Matt Damon’s Jean de Carrouges, Driver’s Jacques Le Gris and Comer’s Marguerite. After exploring the story from the three different perspectives, the film ends with a violent duel between Carrouges and Le Gris. Although The Last Duel impressed critics, it was a failure at the box office. Scott directed another drama, House of Gucci, which also starred Driver. Since its release in November, it has quickly become one of the most divided films to be released this year. There were those who were left disappointed that the story wasn’t as engaging as they were expecting, however, others enjoyed the performances by its cast, including Lady Gaga and Driver, and found it to be a fun watch. Although I don’t think it’s as impressive as The Last Duel, I belong in the latter category.

The end of the year saw the release of Disney’s second animated feature, Encanto, after Raya and the Last Dragon earlier this year. Although I enjoyed the latter, I preferred Encanto as the animation was more visually stunning and the story was more meaningful as it explored important themes such as self acceptance and family.

Adam McKay is one of the most divisive filmmakers. In the last two decades, he’s made over the top comedies such as Anchorman and Step Brothers, both of which starred Will Ferrell, and Oscar winning films such as The Big Short and Vice. This year saw McKay making his most controversial films yet with Don’t Look Up which focuses on two scientists who try to warn the world by a threatening comet that’s heading towards Earth. While the premise is simple, the film couldn’t be further from it as it’s a political satire with McKay’s script criticising the US government for their ignorant response to climate change. While the hunk it doesn’t always work, it’s the ensemble cast where Don’t Look Up is at its most impressive. Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence star as the two scientists trying to warn the population that the world is going to end. DiCaprio delivers one of his most amusing performances yet with Lawrence successfully capturing her character’s annoyance at the government when they fail respond. Meryl Streep is memorable as the President who is more interested in the election than acting responsibly to the warning. While I can understand why a lot of people were less than impressed with Don’t Look Up, I think that it’s one of the most entertaining comedies of the year and is worth watching just for the lively and amusing comedy by its talented ensemble cast.

Now I can’t talk about film highlights of this year without mentioning Spider-Man: No Way Home. The fourth feature film to be released by Marvel Studios after Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals, No Way Home represents one of their best films. Since the release of its predecessor two years ago, fans have been theorising what could happen in the follow up. The exciting trailer revealed the return of several previous Spider-Man villains including the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus. This lead to fans wondering about the return of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield who have previously portrayed Spider-Man. I won’t reveal if they’re in the film or not, however, what I will say is I can t imagine fans of the web slinging superhero being disappointed by No Way Home. It features many of Marvel Studios’ trademark thrilling action and lighthearted humour but also some touching and emotional moments too. I’m not surprised that, since its release earlier this month, No Way Home has become the most successful film of 2021 and the first film to reach a billion dollars since before the pandemic. It’s definitely a film I had a lot of fun experiencing on the big screen. 

So those were my film highlights of 2021. Although this year has been incredibly difficult for numerous reasons, I had so much fun watching all of these films. Hopefully, 2022 will see the release of even more exciting new films.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you all have a happy new year!