It seems only fitting to recap the year in movies with award season well underway. The year brought us the highest of highs and also the lowest of lows, but it's always good to look back and experience those memories cause time goes so fast. The movie scene of 2021 was great; even though all movies didn't reach our expectations, it's safe to say the films of 2021 were pretty spectacular. Since many films were postponed due to covid, it's easy to see why the anticipation was high. Overall we can't complain about the movie lineup with 2021 feeding our ever-loving obsession with Peter Parker (All Three Of Them) while reviving our Matrix fantasies.
A lot of great movies were released over the last year, so without further ado, in no particular order, the ten best films of 2021:
Credit: Warner Bros. Studios
1.) The Suicide Squad - This seemed somewhat like a surprise release, having all our favorite people in this comedic action flick. With Viola Davis reprising her role as Amanda Waller at the head of the team, this story seemed to stem farther in a more established was as opposed to the first movie in 2016, which told us somewhat of an origin story. Safe to say that the movie was a hit, although I would have preferred a consequential release following the Joker and Harley's Escape. The star-packed action film starred our favorite Harley Quinn being Margot Robbie, one of the only members of the original cast to reappear. With Idris Elba, Pete Davidson, and John Cena making an appearance, the movie was a sure hit. As good as it was, I still prefer the 2016 version of the movie in terms of cast, story, and cinematic experience.
Credit: 20th Century Studios
2.) Free Guy - The Movie Free Guy is one of the most talked-about movies of 2021. With Ryan Reynolds at the helm of the movie, this comedic action movie took us through the lens of a "freed" game character trying to help save the day as they go on an adventure of proving the theft of Millie and Keys Code. It is a wholesome movie that quenches our thirst for Ryan Reynolds while waiting for him to reprise his role as Dead Pool.
Credit: Universal Pictures
3.) James Bond: No Time To Die - Bond. James Bond. You know I just had to start with that. After waiting for another sequel post Spectre, we finally got our wish with No Time To Die. It's everything we never knew we needed; the dissolution of Spectre and a new criminal organization taking over the movie was a massive hit in my book. With this being the end of Daniel Craig's reign as Bond, I'm curious to know what the next chapter of the Bond and 007 legacy will go. We already saw Lashana Lynch as 007 alongside Daniel Craig, and I'm interested to know if this is a storyline they may move with in the future wherein a female Bond takes the lead.
Credit: Marvel Studios
4.) Shang-Chi: The Legend Of the Ten Rings - This movie was, in a way, a hit and a miss. It was a diverse movie that aimed to include the Asian community, which barely has any representation in superhero movies. Still, it also didn't reach the actual Asian audience experience as it catered more to an Asian American audience in terms of representation. We always love to see a minority group represented because inclusion is a big part of storytelling; this was a good watch.
Credit: Marvel Studios
5.) Spiderman: No Way Home - You know the one thing better than one Peter Parker is THREE Peter Parkers. I didn't want to consider this a 2021 movie cause it came out too late to have been considered for any award, but it was the best movie to watch either way. The teasers before it dropped and the teaser post-end credits (like every Marvel movie), sets the audience up for the Dr. Strange sequel in the works.
Credit: Warner Bros. Studios
6.) Dune - The only thing better than one Zendaya Movie is Two Zendaya Movies, as the Zendaya fangirl that I am Dunes wasn't something I planned on missing. It curated two of my favorite people into one screen, The beautiful boy, Timothee Chalamet and the euphoric queen, Zendaya. This futuristic sci-fi movie gave what it needed to live with its desert planet vibes; we look forward to the sequel in 2023
Credit: Universal Pictures
7.) House Of Gucci - The Iconic Lady Gaga took the helm of this Biographical Crime drama based on the 2001 book, The House Of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed.
This movie takes us behind the power struggle for the house of Gucci. In her Role as Patrizia Reggiani, Lady Gaga used method acting to get into the Role of The Black Widow, which is the name the Italian press gave her after she plotted her ex-husband's death.
The movie got a lot of critical acclaim and some backlash from the family. All in all, it remains The Father, The Son, and The House Of Gucci.
Credit: Marvel Studios
8.) Venom: Let There Be Carnage - One of the most anticipated movies of 2021, which for the love of Alien symbionts was something that lived up to our expectation. With the introduction of Carnage, it was interesting to see another battle of Symbionts, but this time one created from Venom's essence. This sequel lived up to and surpassed expectations.
Credit: Disney
9.) Encanto - This movie brought a dynamic to animated films that aren't seen often. One that explores emotional abuse in families, as with the matriarch Alma Madrigal. It also explores how the numerous children express the trauma, how their powers are exhibited, and how they behave—overall a good watch as it explores emotional abuse in a way that is not talked about often.
Credit: Warner Bros. Studios
10.) Malignant - A list of the best movies of 2021 won't be complete without the addition of our new horror favorite, Malignant. As the movie states, the villain is a version of what some may call a malignant twin that awoke due to trauma caused by her abusive husband after it was excised during childhood. This malignant twin goes on a killing spree killing all who have seemingly wronged it.
Well, that brings us to the end of our list of the best movies of 2020, but this won't be complete without the honorary mentions. Honorary mentions go to Eternals, Tick Tick BOOM, The Matrix Resurrection, Black Widow, Cruella, and so much more, but I'm going to stop here. 2021 was filled with a fantastic lineup of movies, and we're excited for what 2022 has to offer.