My official list of Favourite Films of 2021

Spider-Man hotties Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire
together in one multiverse

The Oscars this Sunday will provide a bit of fun and distraction amid these otherwise trying times.   

I'm happy to finally share my official list of Favourite Films of 2021.   I'll be happy if I surprise you a bit.  

1. Spider-Man: No Way Home - This may strike some people as not very high-minded of me, but I'm going with my heart.  This was the best Spider-Man movie ever.  It beautifully pays tribute to all previous Spider-Man movies with tender thoughtfulness.  The scenes with Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire were so enjoyable, the tragic twists of the plot highly moving, including the bittersweet yet appropriate ending.  I have such love for Marvel movies, this one will be played again by me over and over for years to come.  Lots of fulfilling and emotional themes here elevate the work beyond a typical super hero movie.

2. The Power of the Dog - Beautiful scenery, astonishing acting, haunting music, sensational filmmaking all around.  This sly story about a young man who goes to great lengths to protect his mother from a complicated, alpha-male anti-hero is a fascinating one, even if the characters are mostly repulsive or odd.  

3. CODA - If you're not into great super hero movies or odd character studies, chances are you'll love this movie about a teenage girl, the only hearing member of a deaf family, who is surprised to discover after joining her school’s choir that she has astonishing, natural singing talent.  This is a beautiful film.  Troy Kotsur deserves his many awards for his hilarious gem of a performance.    

4. The Lost Daughter - I luxuriated in the serene world of this film and often wished I could be on the same beach as Olivia Colman’s character, when she was alone at least.  Astonishing directorial debut here by Maggie Gyllenhaal.

5. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings - Exciting, wondrous, sexy, hilarious. I’ve watched it about six or seven times since its release last summer.  Yes, I love good Marvel movies, as you can see.  

6. Belfast - Very touching and timely tale about a family struggling amid the early troubles of Northern Ireland.

7. Don't Look Up - That final scene with Meryl Streep is the stuff of comedy legend.  I’ll say no more. 

8. No Time To Die - They saved Daniel Craig’s second best Bond flick for last.

9. West Side Story - Very entertaining and accomplished re-imagining of the 60s classic.

10. Cruella - Colourful and engaging new classic!! 

11. King Richard

12. The Tragedy of Macbeth 

13. Being the Ricardos

14. Licorice Pizza

15. Dune 

16. Passing

17. The Eternals

18. Mountain Lodge

19. Tick Tick...Boom! 

20. Black Widow

21. Chaos Walking

22. Fisherman

23. Boy Meets Boy

24. Fear Street: Part One - 1994

25. Seaspiracy

26. I Carry You With Me

27. In The Heights

2021 FILMS I HAVEN'T SEEN BUT STILL WANT TO SEE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, in order of preference: 

The Eyes of Tammy Faye 

The King's Man

Nightmare Alley

Spencer

Drive My Car 

Cyrano

Scarborough 

Night Raiders

Respect

Fear Street: Part Two - 1978

Fear Street: Part Three - 1666

Last Night in Soho 

Benediction

Mothering Sunday

OTHER 2021 FILMS I SAW WHICH UNDERWHELMED ME, in alphabetical order:

Moffie

Sequin in a Blue Room

Voyagers