Honorable Mentions (In Order)
Parallel Mothers; Dune; Licorice Pizza; Pig; Flee; The Power of the Dog; Summer of Soul
Did Not See
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy; The Souvenir Part 2; Belfast; Azor; Prayers for the Stolen; The Tragedy of Macbeth; Nine Days
15. Nobody
Directed by Ilya Naishuller; starring Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielson, RZA, and Christopher Lloyd
In combat, an effective punch or strike usually subscribes to the notion that the quickest way to get from point A to point B is a straight line. Good action movies are often economical in the same way. Nobody is everything an action flick should be – a tight 90 minutes, fun one-liners, memorable set pieces, creative and believable fight choreography, and being cool without trying too hard. With apologies to Shang-Chi, this had the best bus fight scene of the year. Along with Christopher Lloyd, Odenkirk is fantastic playing against type and really sells the everyman-turned-John-Wick. Nobody is not, objectively speaking, one of the best 15 films of the year, but it’s a genuinely fun guilty pleasure movie that deserves more recognition.
Streaming now on HBO Max
14. Luca
Directed by Enrico Casarosa; starring Jacob Tremblay and Jack Dylan Grazer
Luca is a reminder that when on top of its game, Pixar’s animated films are almost unmatched in the “made-for-both-children-and-adults” category. Set in the 1950s along the shores of the Italian Riviera, this fish-out-of-water tale of two young boys trying to find their way in the world is the perfect summer movie: breezy and delightful, fun and fantastical – and the cinematic equivalent of eating gelatos and riding around on a Vespa with your best friend. At the same time, it has a lot to say about some serious themes like friendship, family, companionship and abandonment, and identity. Luca may not be the best film of 2021, but santa mozzarella, it’s certainly one of the most rewatchable.
Streaming now on Disney+
13. The Worst Person in the World
Directed by Joachim Trier; starring Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie and Herbert Nordrum
Trier’s film, the last of his so-called Oslo Trilogy, is vibrant, dashing, and unafraid to plumb the scope of emotions and range of ups and downs that life offers, of the feeling of restlessness and second guessing yourself as you navigate life in your 20s and 30s. Reinsve does a tremendous job with the lead role, winning the Best Actress award at Cannes. Perhaps the most important thing with this film is managing expectations – I’ve seen this described as a “rom-com” which is incredibly misleading, and the title can be misunderstood as well. The movie is quite literary, structured in 12 “chapters”, each a little segment of Julie’s life. The filmmaking is always creative, with some fun needle drops and some truly breathtaking scenes that you won’t forget. The Worst Person in the World has deservedly garnered plenty of awards attention, it is cerebral but relatable, artistic yet accessible.
Now available in theatres and to rent.
12. Blue Bayou
Directed by Justin Chon; starring Chon, Alicia Vikander, and Linh Dan Pham
Blue Bayou is a tale of old wounds and very real present day struggles. Chon isn’t a subtle director (though to be fair, here it’s perhaps the writing that could have used some fine tuning), but he’s shown time and again that he knows how to handle powerful messages in making movies. Chon’s strength is that he doesn’t shy away from the honesty of the characters and their stories, and has the patience to try to dig through the complexities of human emotions and relationships. He also displays an impressive sense of setting, with the sounds and sight of New Orleans captured in the vibrant cinematography and mood. As usual, Chon also doesn’t bend to the stereotypical portrayals of many Asian American/immigrant stories, and it’s an encouraging sign of the times to see the tent of AAPI movies grow ever broader. Though at times Blue Bayou is heavy-handed and clunky, and there are certain plot points where viewers may feel like they are being manipulated, you forgive all that as you are fully invested by the time the white-knuckled roller coaster of a third act comes around.
Now available to rent.
11. Spencer
Directed by Pablo Larrain; starring Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Sean Harris, and Sally Hawkins
Pablo Lorrain’s Princess Diana film isn’t quite what you think it is. Set at Christmastime and spanning just three days, Spencer is a daring, exquisite film that delves into the inner turmoil of Princess Di’s life and emotions. Kristen Stewart has been a stellar actress for years now doing interesting and unpredictable work, so if you only know her from her Twilight days, you’ll find her almost unrecognizable. Stewart gives one of the year’s best performances – she is thrilling, tragic, and full of interior complexity and depth. The cinematography (Claire Mathon alternates between the bright, airy, and sun-kissed visuals that feel like old faded photographs, and foreboding darkness and gloom) and score are enveloping, always laced with the bittersweetness of what’s to come.
Now streaming on Hulu.
10. Red Rocket
Directed by Sean Baker; starring Simon Rex, Bree Elrod, and Suzanna Son
Red Rocket is a true independent movie, filmed by a crew of 10 and with a cast made up primarily of nonprofessional actors. Sean Baker takes the constant stress and sense of spiraling-towards-destruction of Uncut Gems and adds his own distinctive touches – the pastel colors, the unmistakable sweatiness of small town life, and the grimy local town setting that becomes its own character. There are so many unforgettable side characters (Suzanna Son in particular is one to watch), but it is all centered around the frantic, amped up performance of Simon Rex, who in a just world would have been nominated for Best Actor. His character Mikey is an egotistical ex-porn star who returns from Los Angeles to his hometown of Texas City and causes havoc everywhere he goes. Baker’s film is funny and propulsive and kinetic, and definitely worth pulling out your velcro wallet to shell out for.
Now available to rent.
9. The Last Duel
Directed by Ridley Scott; starring Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, and Ben Affleck
It’s hard to fathom how House of Gucci the Ridley Scott film that garnered most of the buzz this year. Gucci is perfectly fine but The Last Duel surely has to be the one that stands the test of time. This long awaited Damon-Affleck reunion is a Rashomon-style film that traverses the same course of events three different times, each time in the perspective of a different character. Each story gets better and better as the movie goes along. Damon and Driver are as good as ever but Jodie Comer is the one that will knock your socks off (it probably helped that her storyline was written by a woman). The Last Duel provides insightful commentary on believing women, toxic masculinity and patriarchal morality codes and rape culture that feels as relevant as ever while not being preachy. Affleck is also throwing 100mph in every scene he appears in, providing the much needed levity and humor to counterbalance the grimness of the subject material (he wears a platinum blonde goatee and at one point repeatedly yells at Driver “take your fucking pants off!” so there’s that). The film is brooding, intelligent, thought-provoking, and masterfully told by a master storyteller, who does a fantastic job setting up the stakes of the titular showdown, where you will feel the most invested in a movie fight than you have in a long time.
Now streaming on HBO Max.
8. Mass
Directed by Fran Kranz; starring Reed Birney, Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs, and Martha Plimpton
Mass is a chamber piece, a talky movie (largely centered around dialogue), as well as a bottle movie (entirely set in a single location). Almost the entire runtime of the film is taken up by four people sitting across a table from each other, having a conversation. For maximum effectiveness, it is strongly recommended to go in completely blind, even without looking up the basic premise or plot description. This unflinching film deliberately keeps you guessing. As each layer of the onion gets peeled back, the picture ever so slowly comes into focus as the details get sharper and sharper. Kranz, a longtime actor but first time filmmaker, not only provides the chunky roles for his four stars here but draws magnificent performances from them as he turns the knob from simmering to a searing boil. You are constantly trying to read between the lines, interpret body language and facial expressions. At the same time, the characters themselves are searching for answers. Raw and emotionally exhausting, Mass is a reminder of the transformative powers of being with someone in person, face-to-face.
Now available to rent.
7. Zola
Directed by Janicza Bravo; starring Taylour Paige, Riley Keough, Nicholas Braun, Colman Domingo
We’ve seen a lot of books and plays and short stories adapted for the big screen, but Zola might be the first film to be based on a Twitter thread. The story, as narrated mostly by the titular Zola (Taylour Paige), tells of how she meets Stefani (Riley Keough) at a restaurant and they become fast friends and embark on an ill-fated road trip down to Tampa to make some “schmoney”. This is an “internet age” movie that captures the neon Florida nightlife vibes like a much more lurid, less glamorous Hustlers or a pumped up, grittier version of Spring Breakers. Zola is a cinematic adrenaline rush, but unlike most other movies it is not because of CGI or expensive set pieces or big action sequences. You are dropped briefly into this chaotic whirlwind of a weekend filled with sex, violence, and surprises. It is funny and grim and breathtaking, and perfectly captures the feverish energy and unpredictability of a night out when things keep ratcheting up and you have no choice but to be swept along. It is the story of the craziest night of your life – if it were 100x crazier.
Now available to rent.
6. C’mon C’mon
Directed by Mike Mills; starring Joaquin Phoenix and Woody Norman
The best two-hander of the year takes a little while to get going, but when it does, you quickly buy in. Phoenix and Norman play an uncle and nephew who are forced to spend time and look out for each other but soon develop a legitimately caring relationship. The phenomenal performances and the writing/dialogue transcend this familiar premise, filled with the idiosyncrasies of real life and real relationships. Mills’ black and white film is a real arthouse flick, interspersed with documentary-style talking heads that give this a sense of ultra-realism and the way that kids can sometimes cut through the bullshit and get to what really matters, and at other times have such difficulty articulating their feelings and emotions. C’mon C’mon is eminently hopeful and ultimately underpinned by a heartfelt sense of family and connection, even through the struggles, and a beautiful film that is a celebration and appreciation of life. If there are things you don’t remember, this film will remind you of everything.
Now available to rent.
5. CODA
Directed by Sian Heder; starring Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Marlee Matlin, and Daniel Durant
There are few films that can make you both laugh and cry, and they will often explore the range of emotions and depth of empathy that can be captured on film. That is certainly true of CODA, a record-smashing film about music, chasing your dreams, deafness, and most of all, about family. The title itself stands for “children of deaf adults”, and in this case, Ruby Rossi (Jones) is a teenaged girl who is the lone hearing member in her family working on a fishing boat in Massachusetts. Jones is magnificent – she learned sign language, an American accent, and to sing for this film – bringing humor and warmth as well as the doubts and frustrations of a teenager who has lived out an outsized responsibility her whole life. The supporting cast is fantastic too – Matlin is reliably excellent and Kotsur steals almost every scene he appears in. There are some glossy, Glee-like bits with Eugenio Derbez, and the subplot with Ruby’s love interest tends to drag, but overall, CODA is a sweet, heartwarming and uplifting film that feels like a cinematic group hug.
Now streaming on Apple TV+.
4. Drive My Car
Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi; starring Hidetoshi Nishijima, Toko Miura, and Reika Kirishima
Can you ever really truly know someone? Hamaguchi’s search for an answer to this question is a bit of a mystery. How can such a relatively understated, even mundane, film be so poetic and resonant? After a little bit of throat-clearing, you hardly notice the 3-hour runtime, and the final 45 minutes in particular are absolutely gripping. This adaptation of a Haruki Murakami short story, about a recently widowed stage director, is unlike any other film you’ve seen before, playing with sound and silence, with different languages and modes of communication, all as expressions of loneliness and grief. Like taking long, silent drives, trying to find understanding in the wake of sudden loss can be lonely but it can also be cathartic. This is the best 3 hour car ride of the year.
Now streaming on HBO Max.
3. The Green Knight
Directed by David Lowery; starring Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, and Joel Edgerton
Lowery’s latest film, The Green Knight, is more than an adaptation of the eponymous Arthurian poem, it is the cinematic expression of its very essence – visual poetry rather than prose. Based on the 14th century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The result is a medieval fantasy quest film that is a wondrous, meditative reflection on making choices. The effectiveness of the film is largely anchored by a phenomenal performance by Dev Patel. He’s always been a fine actor but he shows that he’s capable of far more than we had previously realized. Patel’s soulful, glistening eyes and boyishly handsome features perfectly portray both Gawain’s naivety and ambition. Lowery is one of the most unique and exciting filmmakers today, a modern auteur whose work is reliably composed of beautiful imagery, gripping score, and carefully crafted mood. And The Green Knight is his most ambitious film yet. It’s also a film that will burrow itself and fester in your mind long after that ambiguous ending the credits have rolled, and you’ll find yourself grappling with it, turning it over and over in your head. It is not just unconventional storytelling – it is downright subversive. Lowery asks a lot of his viewers, but rewards you accordingly. What is real and what isn’t? You may not always be sure, but you’ll certainly need to keep your head to watch this film.
Now available to rent.
2. Riders of Justice
Directed by Anders Thomas Jensen; starring Mads Mikkelson, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Andrea Heick Gdeberg, Lars Brygmann, and Nicolas Bro
As Matt Zoller Seitz says, this Danish action/black comedy is not so much a revenge movie as it is a movie about revenge. Riders of Justice is a real twist on the Taken-style old man revenge movie premise and easily one of the most underrated films of the year, that is wholly and completely original in conception and execution. Mikkelson assumes his usual leading man status as an ex-military man who loses his wife in a train accident, before discovering that it wasn’t quite so accidental after all. He is flanked by a group of capable and hilarious actors, each with fully realized weirdo characters and personalities and backstories. While the family dynamics are dramatic and emotional, it is also side-splittingly funny and has incredibly well-executed action scenes. The tonal shifts are incredible and in fact sometimes Jensen is playing with multiple tones at the same time – there are plenty of twists and turns and then subversions of those same twists and turns. By the end, I wasn’t really sure if everything has a reason or if life is just full of coincidences. All I know is that more people need to watch Riders of Justice.
Now streaming on Hulu.
1. Titane
Directed by Julie Ducournau; starring Agathe Rouselle, Vincent Lindon, and Garance Miller
In the same way that CODA and Riders of Justice are films that everyone should see, there are films that are most certainly not made for everyone. Titane falls into the latter category. With her first two films, Ducorneau has developed a reputation of making films that cause people to vomit at film festivals (don’t say you haven’t been warned). Her debut, Raw, was about a teenage girl who goes to college and becomes a cannibal, but Titane makes that seem like child’s play. This French film is a batshit crazy film that shapes up to be a standard thriller-murder story but ends up becoming much more than that. The headline-stealing scenes will talk of robot erotica (robotica?) and visceral body horror but there is much more beyond the extremely graphic surface. It is jarring and transgressive, genre-bending and gender-bending, with moments where you can’t tear your eyes away from the screen, and other times when you can’t bring yourself to even look at what’s unfolding. Titane is the most shocking and provocative film of the year. It might also well be the best.
Now streaming on Hulu.
