Randy's Top 10 Movies of 2021

During 2021, I’ve kept a list of films that have been able to release on my Letterboxd account. I dubbed the list, “2021 Ranked, Unless Another Pandemic Hits”. While there have only been variants of the damn virus, the world is now ready to return to the movies and the theater doors have opened. After a year and some change of their closure, I’m overjoyed to see that people haven’t given up on the cinema, and are willing to see the big screen and taste the movie popcorn. 2021 may have been a rough year for many, but the theater has brought so many together again, and I don’t think there’s anything more important than that sense of comradery. The cheers, the tears, and the beers at Smitty’s before heading to our seats has made 2021 a great year for myself, and has me excited for what’s to come in 2022. That being said, here are my top 10 films that were released this year, and my brief thoughts on each. 

10. A Quiet Place Part II

The first movie I went to see in the newly opened theaters, A Quiet Place Part II was a fantastic way to kickstart the box office. It is the perfect example of a film that is best experienced on a giant screen and a great sound system. Even though most of the film is quiet, it only accentuates when the world gets loud, making it all that much more tense, and that level of tension really can’t be achieved on a built-in T.V speaker at home. While the film worked as a spectacle, I didn’t quite find its story to be fantastic, but it deserves a spot on my list regardless for the fantastic re-introduction to the cinema. Also, Cillian Murphy was fantastic. You can read my full thoughts in the review I wrote for the film here: https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/5126306352340657752/2649200641114495095

9. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

The first Marvel movie in the theaters after Spider-Man: Far From Home, and it came out strong. Trading laser beams for hand-to-hand martial arts, Shang-Chi shines as a great introduction to the mystical world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was funny, the fight scenes within the first two acts were fantastic, and a strong performance from Tony Leung made this film a great time at the movies. While the third act became a slight disappointment as Marvel loves to create messy CGI endings, the first two-thirds of the film make up for it, leaving me excited for more of Simu Liu and his ten rings in the years to come. Once again, you can read my full thoughts over here: https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/5126306352340657752/4557439586603429524

8. The Suicide Squad

What a fun ride The Suicide Squad was. James Gunn returns to give us a fun time with a cast of soft-hearted baddies. There’s heart, there’s great action, and a cast that seemed to be having the best of times filming. While Gunn makes some fairly outdated decisions for some aspects of the film, and creates a slightly meandering second act, I still had a great time watching this one, especially with how stylish and absurd the whole thing was. It has a fantastic third act, somehow turning one of the weirdest CGI monsters I’ve ever seen into a formidable and terrifying threat. I’ll never not applaud a director for being able to stick a landing to a film, and gosh darnit, it sticks the landing. 

7: Eternals 

After seeing that Eternals was receiving middling reviews I went into the movie with little expectations. That was probably the best case scenario for the film, as I came away shocked at how much I liked it. Following an absurd amount of characters around had me worried for any sort of depth in any of them, but director Chloé Zhao manages to imbue every Eternal with some sort of uniqueness. What ultimately is a family drama, Eternals shines as a departure from standard Marvel origin stories and defied all of my expectations. 

6: Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain has only recently become relevant in my life. In 2021 I became obsessed with his work, binging all of The Layover and desperately trying to find a way to watch all of Parts Unknown. So, watching all of his life unfold within this documentary, it hit me of just how human Bourdain was. He wasn’t a snob that wanted the finest foods and sat on his laurels. He was a driven man, desperately looking for the next thing to do. His story inspires me to work harder at everything I want to achieve, and his weariness is refreshing in a world of smiling for the camera. He’s just a guy that got a lucky break, and damnit if that guy didn’t have me crying by the end of this film. 

5. Dune

I’m genuinely shocked at how much I loved Dune. It’s tough to pull off a sci-fi film, especially when it’s throwing names of different people and places and races and materials at you without stopping to explain what is happening to the audience every five seconds. I think that’s why I love it, because it treats its audience with respect and not insulting our intelligence. It’s gorgeous to look at, has a star-studded cast who all bring their A-Game, and has a really dope score. What more can you ask from a movie about politics and sand? Bring me Dune 2. 

4. No Time to Die 

Daniel Craig returns for one last hurrah as 007, and he goes out with a bang. While I haven’t loved all of his previous outings, No Time to Die is a great action film paired with an emotionally wrenching third act. Rami Malek’s villain may have been toss-aside worthy, but the film makes up for it, wrapping up Craig’s story while setting up others to take up the number. Also, the film has one of the best Rambo sections I’ve ever seen outside of a Rambo movie. A damn good movie, and easily deserves a spot in the top 5. 

3. The Mitchells vs. The Machines

Who would have guessed that one of my favorite films of the year wouldn’t have even been released in my local theater? The Mitchells vs. The Machines is a special film, one that embraces silliness and the weird and turns it up to 11. A visual feast to look at and a compelling story about family and acceptance, while also being one of the funniest films of the year. This movie also proves my point that the animated form is art, and creates some of the best movies around. They aren’t cartoons, they are cinema. (Also, there’s a bit where a giant Furby doll states LET THE DARK HARVEST BEGIN, and if you’re not in from that then I’m not quite sure what’s wrong with you.)

2. Bo Burnham: Inside

Not so much a movie so much as a musical experience, Inside is a feat in creativity. Throughout its runtime, one becomes attached to Bo Burnham as he struggles to cope with the pandemic while also reflecting on his problematic past in comedy. Inside shows the peak of creativity and comedy and pushes the comedy special boundaries in ways that I hope reverberate into the comedy scene. Not all specials have to be standups. With songs that have stayed in my head all throughout 2021 and an absurd display of talent and inspiration, Inside stands as one of the best things I’ve seen all year.

1. Spider-Man: No Way Home

The multiverse is open, and it didn’t turn into a messy conclusion for the Spider-Man trilogy. Spider-Man: No Way Home is the best film I’ve seen in 2021 hands down, and is an example of how powerful the theater experience can be. Canadian theaters, or at least theaters in Brandon, Manitoba, do not cheer when things happen, let alone clap. The theater I was in clapped and cheered three separate times while watching. This movie is a fantastic conclusion to the MCU Spider-Man trilogy, as it packs powerful emotion that got me tearing up multiple times, while creating one of the most hype things to ever come out of the MCU. If there were any problems with the film, they are easily outshined by the level of excitement and joy that the film delivers. It isn’t messy or clunky, it is a treat, and one that everyone should get to experience at some point in their life. Willem Defoe is a standout as one of the best villains I’ve ever seen, and Tom Holland continues to be able to sell a damn good cry. Overall, Spider-Man: No Way Home is a fantastic film, my favorite of the year, and a wonderful reason to go to the movie theater.