Top 10 Films From 2021

To continue list week, next up is my top 10 favorite films that were released in 2021! Some truly amazing films released last year, so I’m excited to share my favorites with everyone. These will be listed from worst to best.

10. No Sudden Move (Dir. Steven Soderbergh) 87/100

I am not a big fan of Steven Soderbergh. His more recent films have been nothing beyond adequate, in my opinion. However, reading the premise for No Sudden Move made me excited because it has a killer cast and features a storyline that I could be into. And it lived up to my expectations! It is an exciting film that brings a fun, unique plot to Soderbergh’s arsenal. Unfortunately, the writing towards the end gets a bit convoluted, but it is still a thrilling ride from start to finish that is a spotlight for excellent performances.

9. The Harder They Fall (Dir. Jeymes Samuel) 87/100

It has been a bit of time since a great Western film has come out, and this one is it! The color scheme is vibrant and beautiful, the action is exhilarating, and the characters are charming. My grievance with this film, however, is the end just becomes a Tarantino gore-flick by the end with how many people are blindly killed, but it continues to keep its charm throughout.

8. Shang-Chi and the legend of the ten rings (dir. destin daniel cretton) 88/100

For a Marvel film, the choreography was excellent and the fight scenes were digestible. Shang-Chi is a great character with a great performer behind him, as well as a wonderful cast of characters surrounding him. The unfortunate aspect of the film, though, is the ending becomes a boring, desaturated CGI mess with dragons mysteriously showing up out of nowhere to make the battle larger and all of the previous charm goes down the toilet. However, immediately after the climactic battle, we are brought back to a fun time when we deal with the aftermath of the climax.

7. Dune (dir. Denis Villeneuve) 90/100

The reasons I love this film are the same reasons I love Mad Max: Fury Road. It gives you excellent action, visual effects, and story without giving exposition, boring subplots, or unnecessary fluff. The intrigue surrounding the world is thrilling and thought-provoking as I’m left wanting to know more and dig deeper. Unfortunately, though, I still cannot get past my dislike of Timothee Chalamet and his bland acting ability.

6. No Time to Die (dir. Cary Joji Fukunaga) 94/100

I did not think the Daniel Craig James Bond series could recover after the disaster that was Spectre. However, No Time To Die was my favorite Bond flick, second to Skyfall. This newest iteration brings us a great story that throws back to classic Bond, but keeps us grounded in the modern era by showing us that the landscape of Bond can change at any point by bringing in somebody new to play the secret agent. This was an incredible way to end the Craig era and brings so much to the character that previous films were not able to accomplish.

5. Suicide Squad (Dir. James Gunn) 94/100

This film was the most fun to watch this year. Watching this is an absolute blast from start to finish that delivers a wonderful story that keeps things fresh through vibrant characters or twisting plot points. It is hard to point out something I didn’t like about this film because every aspect, from the action to the dynamics featuring Peacemaker and Amanda Waller, was incredible.

4. The Mitchells vs The Machines (Dir. Michael Rianda) 96/100

This was on the top of my list for 99% of the year because it was so much fun and so unbelievably charming. The family dynamic in the film is up there with The Incredibles while keeping the whole family powerless. My review of this film could not do it justice, so I just recommend watching it to see for yourself how much of a great time it is.

3. The Green Knight (Dir. David Lowery) 97/100

This film was a lot of fun for me in much more unconventional ways. Trying to pinpoint the connection between the story and the colors being featured in the frame was great and the amount of detail thrown in made the film a blast. I loved every aspect of this film, especially the special effects for the Green Knight and Dev Patel giving an incredible performance as he always does.

2. King Richard (Dir. Reinaldo Marcus Green) 98/100

There was not a more charming, heartwarming film released this year that could match King Richard, the story of Venus and Serena Williams in their youth. Will Smith also gives the best performance of his life, completely diving into the persona of Richard Williams, making me love and hate his character because of how much successful he wants his daughters to be.

1. Last Night in Soho (Dir. Edgar Wright) 100/100

This film feels like everything I love, and being directed by my favorite director, this feels as if it was made for me. The psychological horror of the film is outstanding and it does such a great job at shifting perspective on characters. I love everything about this film, as I’ve said for the past few, but I plan on rewatching this film many times as I have for most other Edgar Wright films.