This was quite the challenge. After such an off year like 2020, films came back with a BOOM in 2021. In fact, the 3rd and 4th quarters of this year were jam packed with movies; so much so that the first half of 2021 feels so far away. I really enjoyed a lot of films this year. So, when compiling this list, I thought of what films left me the most surprised, charmed, and satisfied when the credits began to roll. With that in mind, here are my top ten films of the year.
10. The Tomorrow War (Amazon Studios)
I’m not going to lie. When I saw the trailer for this film, I thought it looked horrible. That, paired with the lack of a theatrical debut, made me assume that it wasn’t worth our time. Well, you know what they say about assuming things. When I was bored and wanted something to pass the time, I found the film on Amazon Prime and pressed play. To my surprise, I was absolutely delighted by the film. The alien design, the pace of the film, and the final act all caught me off guard. I went into this film fully expecting to find a poorly made, poorly told alien film like so many before it. I came out of it incredibly charmed and fulfilled. It was a super fun film.
9. Army of the Dead (Netflix)
18 years ago, Zack Snyder graduated from short films and music videos to feature films with his debut flick, Dawn of the Dead. Shortly after the film’s commercial success, a sequel was announced: Snyder would direct a heist film set in zombie-infested Las Vegas. That film never came to pass until Netflix asked Zack what film he always wanted to make but never got the green light. I was lucky enough to see this film in theaters, where Snyder’s cinematography could truly shine on the big screen. Like his earlier zombie film, Army of the Dead added a freshness to the genre with various elements thrown into the mix to make for an adrenaline-fueled fun fest.
8. The Novice (IFC Films)
Lauren Hadaway, longtime Hollywood sound editor for films like Southpaw, Unbroken, Whiplash, The Hateful Eight, and a few Zack Snyder films, wrote and directed her first feature film this year, titled The Novice. Just as Whiplash and Black Swan dealt with lead characters so obsessed with their craft that they were willing to put their physical and mental health on the line, The Novice follows a young college girl who’s purpose in life is to be the best at whatever she sets her eyes on. Those around her believe her to be the smartest person they know, but she personally believes that it’s not a matter of smarts or skills but of whether or not she’s willing to work harder than everyone else. The film was an absolute trip down the rabbit hole of obsessive-compulsive behavior in a competitive setting.
7. Kate (Netflix)
Ever since the John Wick franchise brought back the 80’s/90’s stylized actions films, other studios have been hard pressed to copy that success. 2021 gave us three similarly stylized action films which were seemingly marketed as “what if John Wick were female”: Gunpowder Milkshake, The Protégé, and Kate. Of the three, only one seemed to remember to incorporate good story telling and high-quality action cinematography. Kate delivered a high-octane revenge thriller with jaw dropping action and a ticking clock, dripping in all the color and style you could ask for. The fights were not only graphic and brutal, but the cinematographer had the decency to step back and let us watch, rather than cutting every few seconds to cover up poor choreography. The film was super compelling and Mary Elizabeth Winstead was a joy to watch as she tore through bad guys from start to finish.
6. No Time To Die (MGM)
After so many delays, the final Bond appearance for Daniel Craig finally arrived in theaters. Craig entered the Bond dynasty with a fantastic debut in Casino Royale, and then dabbled back and forth between superb and sub-par Bond sequels. At one time, Craig stated that he’d rather die than return to the role. Unfortunately for us, that came after the slightly lack-luster Spectre failed to live up to the hype of it’s predecessor Skyfall. Thankfully, Craig was convinced to come back for one final send off for his character. No Time To Die not only showcases some of Craig’s best Bond moments, but also serves as a wrap up for the larger story arcs that were threaded through all of Craig’s films. While the character of Bond will obviously return, this felt like a proper goodbye to Craig’s stellar portrayal of the iconic spy with a license to kill.
5. The Last Duel (Fox)
Ridley Scott has always been a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood, and that has sometimes been a good and a bad thing. 2021 saw the release of historical epic, The Last Duel, which told the story of a sexual assault in Medieval France that resulted in a trial by combat. The story is divided between the accounts of three individuals, portrayed by Matt Damon, Adam Driver, and Jodie Corner. The film also saw the onscreen reunion of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. While the trailers were intriguing, I honestly wasn’t incredibly compelled to rush out and see it. By the time I got around to watching the film, however, I was floored by the beauty of it. Ridley certainly knows how to make the most of every shot, and this period piece reminded me of the capabilities of the Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven director.
4. Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony/Marvel)
As one of the two Marvel correspondents for Victims and Villains, I’ve spoken in length about this film already. The 9th theatrical Spider-Man film from Sony, Spider-Man: No Way Home had a lot of bad juju that could have brought the film down. Sony had dropped the ball on previous entries in the Spider-Man Universe, especially with their tendencies to oversaturate a film with villains. This film, however, not only easily secured it’s place as the best Tom Holland Spidey film, but somehow spun a web that successfully weaved in previous eras of Spider-Man films with the current MCU. Before this film, you could never have convinced me that packing THIS MUCH into one film could have worked, but to Sony and Disney Marvel’s credit, it most certainly did in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
3. C’mon C’mon (A24)
I had not seen a single trailer or read an article or review about this film before I watched it. When looking for something to watch, I stumbled upon a black and white character drama that starred Joaquin Phoenix as a radio journalist interviewing children across the country about their lives and hopes for the future. When the character is forced to look after his nephew, played by the incredible 11-year-old Woody Norman, the journalist who thought he was great with kids realizes he is ill-equipped for such an undertaking. This film made me cry at times with how real and lived in these characters were portrayed. Going in with zero expectations for the film, I came out incredibly awestruck by the depths of emotion the film was able to achieve.
2. Zack Snyder’s Justice League (WB/HBO Max)
After the 2017 debut of Justice League was met with an incredible amount of criticism, paired with behind-the-scenes studio drama, a “Release the Snyder Cut” movement was launched on social media platforms. While certain naysayers in the movie industry labeled the movement as “toxic fandom,” the “Release The Snyder Cut” crowd spend several years calling for original cut of Justice League to see the light of day. Unlike previous fan outcry for director’s cuts like the Richard Donner cut of Superman II, this movement paired their fandom with fundraising efforts that ultimately raised over $500k for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. After years of pleas for Warner Brothers to do right by Snyder, it was announced that Zack Snyder’s Justice League would make it’s debut on Warner Brothers new streaming service, HBOMax. The 4-hour epic turned out to be every bit as beautiful as the fans imagined it would be, and even brought in new fans who had previously had no will to see the film. While I wish the drama around the film had never happened, I was more than blown away with the end result. Zack Snyder’s vision was certainly glorious to witness.
1. Dune (Warner Brothers)
Ever since George Lucas shook the industry with the debut of his 1977 masterpiece, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, science-fiction fans around the world have long called for a theatrical adaption of Frank Herbert’s 1965 space epic Dune. For many years, the concept of Dune was thought to be too rich to be filmed. David Lynch took a stab at adapting the novel in 1984, but like over super stylized directors, he proved to focus too much on his own eccentricities than the source material. In 2000, John Harrison adapted the novel into a miniseries that premiered to much esteem on the Sci-Fi Channel. A sequel miniseries was also received incredibly well in 2004. After filming Blade Runner 2049, the much-revered sequel to the 1982 film, director Denis Villeneuve set his sights on directing the most faithful onscreen adaption of Dune we have ever seen.
With franchises like Star Wars and Game of Thrones benefiting from the story structures and elements of Dune, and modern audiences seeming to yearn for more rich storytelling, it seemed the perfect for time to give Dune another chance to shine. Villeneuve took the opportunity to produce an exquisite visual spectacle that introduced the world to the true scale of Frank Herbert’s work. Despite Covid, studio interference, and a simultaneous streaming release putting Dune Part II in jeopardy, Dune made a huge splash in the pandemic box office and delivered in an incredible fashion. I absolutely adored every second of this film, and left the theater yearning, nay foaming at the mouth for more. So, it isn’t much of a surprise that this film would end up being at the top of my list for 2021.
Honorable Mentions:
This year was absolutely packed with films. While I truly enjoyed many of them, they couldn’t all make my top ten. Sandra Bullock’s The Unforgiveable presented a gripped drama and featured a stellar cast that nailed every second they had on screen. Ghostbusters: Afterlife delivered a lot of heart and fun as the true third film in the franchise that fans have been yearning for over the past few decades. Nobody, while a not-so-veiled ripoff of the John Wick franchise, delighted audiences with an action-packed thriller that starred Bob Odenkirk, more known for comedy than fight choreography. The Suicide Squad answered the question of what a film would look like when a slightly deranged filmmaker is allowed to take things as far as he desires without the interference of a studio peering over his shoulder. Finally, Netflix’s The Power of the Dog successfully adapted the modern western novel that featured a compelling story about a toxic masculine cowboy confronted by those who wish to be different.
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Victims and Villains is written (and produced) by Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey and others, and edited by Cam Smith. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. We do not own nor claim any rights.
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