Top 10 Films | 2021

Once again, we have assembled some friends and colleagues to contribute lists of their favorite feature films of the year. Festival and international films from prior to this year were eligible if they were distributed in the United States in 2021. 2021’s festival and international films were likewise eligible, even if they have not yet reached wider distribution.

See our favorite Dark Side of the Screen picks here.

Amara Alvarado — JMT Fabrication

#10. CRUELLA

#9. KING RICHARD

#8. THE POWER OF THE DOG

#7. THE LAST DUEL

#6. TICK, TICK… BOOM!

#5. BO BURNHAM: INSIDE

#4. NOBODY

#3. SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

#2. LITTLE FISH

#1. WEST SIDE STORY

Favorite On-Screen Moments:

BO BURNHAM: INSIDE: “Welcome to the Internet”
CRUELLA: Cruella’s fashion show
KING RICHARD: “The most strongest, the most powerful, the most dangerous creature on this whole Earth is a woman who knows how to think. Ain’t nothing she can’t do.”
THE LAST DUEL: literally, the last duel
LITTLE FISH: the last scene / Emma and Jude meet each other
NOBODY: the “short story long” scene
SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME: Peter 3 catches MJ
SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME: the three Peters at the Statue of Liberty
TICK, TICK… BOOM!: “Swimming”
WEST SIDE STORY: “Jet Song”

*****

Wesley Caldwell — Producer

Honorable Mentions: BENEDETTA / THE GREEN KNIGHT / JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH

#10. THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS

#9. MALIGNANT

#8. CANDYMAN

#7. WRATH OF MAN

#6. TITANE

#5. LICORICE PIZZA

#4. PIG

#3. SPENCER

#2. THE LAST DUEL

#1. RED ROCKET

Favorite On-Screen Moments:

CANDYMAN: the art critic gets what she deserves
HALLOWEEN KILLS: the 1978 flashback sequence
THE LAST DUEL: the titular duel
LICORICE PIZZA: driving down the hill
MALIGNANT: the Gabriel reveal / the police station sequence
PIG: Rob talks to the snooty restaurant owner
RED ROCKET: the news report reveal
SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME: Peter 3’s big moment
WRATH OF MAN: the climactic heist
ZACK SNYDER’S JUSTICE LEAGUE: The Flash saves Iris

*****

Dave Cowden — Marvel Studios

#10. THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS

#9. THE LAST DUEL

#8. THE LOST DAUGHTER

#7. SHIVA BABY

#6. SPENCER

#5. SAINT MAUD

#4. THE POWER OF THE DOG

#3. IDENTIFYING FEATURES

#2. THE KILLING OF TWO LOVERS

#1. MASS

Favorite On-Screen Moments:

BEGINNING: the church service is disrupted
CLARA SOLA: the quiet moments of a miracle: green berries turning red, a revitalized beetle, and a change in posture
DRIVE MY CAR: Yûsuke and Misaki smoke with the sunroof open
DUNE: the Harkonnen nighttime attack on Arrakis
IDENTIFYING FEATURES: a devilish figure is seen in the flames of a fire
LAMB: Ada’s father is revealed
SPENCER: late-night Christmas Eve games by candlelight
THE GREEN KNIGHT: a New Year’s Eve dinner is interrupted
THE KILLING OF TWO LOVERS: David and his kids set off rockets at the park
TITANE: the dance party at the firehouse

*****

Mike Dillon — CTVA 102

Honorable Mentions: DRIVE MY CAR / IN THE HEIGHTS / LIMBO / MAD GOD / NO SUDDEN MOVE / VORTEX

#10. THERE IS NO EVIL

#9. BAD LUCK BANGING OR LOONY PORN

#8. ROARING 20’S

#7. CODA

#6. PLEASURE

#5. LITTLE FISH

#4. MASS

#3. A HERO

#2. PSYCHO GOREMAN

#1. LAST FILM SHOW

Favorite On-Screen Moments:

BRIGHTON 4TH: the last serenade
INFINITE: Bathurst’s batshit monologue about “real torture”
ITALIAN STUDIES: Alina forgets her dog
THE JUSTICE OF BUNNY KING: “You never even asked me if it was true.”
MAMA WEED: “Chinese wedding like this.”
THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS: Trinity & Neo’s final flight
PLAN B: the “Do it All for Jesus” song
WEST SIDE STORY: Anita’s black & red dress
ZEROS AND ONES: “This is part of the movie, by the way.”
ZOLA: the prayer circle

*****

Teddi Gaydos — MarketCast

Honorable Mentions: BAD LUCK BANGING OR LOONY PORN / THE HAND OF GOD / THE LOST DAUGHTER / MANDIBLES / THE POWER OF THE DOG

#10. ALL MY FRIENDS HATE ME

#9. PIG

#8. RED ROCKET

#7. LITTLE FISH

#6. INTRODUCING, SELMA BLAIR

#5. BOILING POINT

#4. DRIVE MY CAR

#3. THE LAST DUEL

#2. BO BURNHAM: INSIDE

#1. ANNETTE

Favorite On-Screen Moments:

ANNETTE: The Accompanist conducts the orchestra
I CARE A LOT: Emo-Peter Dinklage menacingly eats a donut
INTRODUCING, SELMA BLAIR: tiny hands (Selma’s go-to laugh)
NINE DAYS: the bicycle scene
PIG: Rob lectures Chef Finway
THE POWER OF THE DOG: piano vs. banjo
SPENCER: Diana eats pearl soup

*****

Daniel Love — Sony Home Entertainment

Honorable Mentions: CANDYMAN / THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN / FRENCH EXIT / JOCKEY / VAL

#10. THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK

#9. THE FRENCH DISPATCH

#8. PIG

#7. WEREWOLVES WITHIN

#6. THE POWER OF THE DOG

#5. ANNETTE

#4. BELFAST

#3. LICORICE PIZZA

#2. THE SPARKS BROTHERS

#1. DUNE

Favorite On-Screen Moments:

ANNETTE: “This is really exploitation!”
ARMY OF THE DEAD: Zeus: Zombie Messiah
DON’T LOOK UP: Peter knows how everyone dies
THE GREEN KNIGHT: What did the fox say?
HOUSE OF GUCCI: Paolo just wants to soar like a pigeon!
LICORICE PIZZA: Alana meets a talent agent
MALIGNANT: Gabriel’s face says hello
THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK: Uncle Junior falls down the stairs
THE POWER OF THE DOG: piano practice with Phil Burbank
THE SPARKS BROTHERS: Sparks teams up with Franz Ferdinand
WEREWOLVES WITHIN: Dr. Jane Ellis examines the corpse

*****

Aaron Neuwirth — Out Now with Aaron and Abe

Honorable Mentions: BAD TRIP / THE FRENCH DISPATCH / GODZILLA VS. KONG / THE HARDER THEY FALL / NO SUDDEN MOVE / QUO VADIS, AIDA? / SHIVA BABY / THE SUICIDE SQUAD / THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH / WEST SIDE STORY

#10. THE POWER OF THE DOG

#9. LAST NIGHT IN SOHO

#8. IN THE HEIGHTS

#7. LICORICE PIZZA

#6. A HERO

#5. DUNE

#4. THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES

#3. THE GREEN KNIGHT

#2. JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH

#1. SUMMER OF SOUL (… OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED)

Favorite On-Screen Moments:

ANNETTE: “So May We Start”
GODZILLA VS. KONG: Godzilla and Kong crash Mechagodzilla through a building
LAST NIGHT IN SOHO: Eloise’s first night in the past
MALIGNANT: Gabriel’s police station fight
NOBODY / SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS: bus fights
THE GREEN KNIGHT: one possible future / the flash-forward montage
THE HARDER THEY FALL: “We ain’t no nincompoop.”
THE LAST DUEL: the duel
THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD: the world stops
WEST SIDE STORY: the Jets’ and Sharks’ shadows collide for the rumble

*****

Amy Nguyen — Roundabout Entertainment

#10. CINDERELLA

#9. SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS

#8. ARMY OF THE DEAD

#7. THE SUICIDE SQUAD

#6. THUNDER FORCE

#5. CRUELLA

#4. BLACK WIDOW

#3. CODA

#2. MOXIE

#1. ENCANTO

Favorite On-Screen Moments:

ARMY OF THE DEAD: moving through the hibernating zombies
BLACK WIDOW: Yelena mimics the “Black Widow pose” at the gas station
CINDERELLA: the Prince’s sister’s offhand comments
CODA: Frank at the doctor’s office
CRUELLA: Baroness gets what’s comin’ to her
ENCANTO: Bruno’s plate
MOXIE: Emma gets the idea to revolutionize like a Bad B!
THUNDER FORCE: the accidental needle-sticking
SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS: the bus fight
THE SUICIDE SQUAD: “Did anyone check whether the weasel could swim?”

*****

Michael Rousselet — 5-Second Films

#10. LICORICE PIZZA

#9. DUNE

#8. NO TIME TO DIE

#7. BEING THE RICARDOS

#6. GODZILLA VS. KONG

#5. WEST SIDE STORY

#4. HOUSE OF GUCCI

#3. TICK, TICK… BOOM!

#2. LAST NIGHT IN SOHO

#1. PSYCHO GOREMAN

Favorite On-Screen Moments:

BEING THE RICARDOS: Lucy reworks the table bit
DUNE: surfing the sandworms (ridiculous)
HOUSE OF GUCCI: any Jared Leto scene
GODZILLA VS. KONG: the aircraft carrier fight
LAST NIGHT IN SOHO: the club scene with the ghouls
LICORICE PIZZA: Tom Waits being Tom Waits
NO TIME TO DIE: the title sequence
PSYCHO GOREMAN: PG’s backstory
PSYCHO GOREMAN: the bickering Planetary Alliance
TICK, TICK… BOOM!: “Sunday Brunch,” with the Broadway cameos
WEST SIDE STORY: “Cool” / the fight over the gun