DYLA's Top 10 Movies of 2021
Drew and Billy count down their favorites from a pretty good year in movies
After a year of watching movies strictly at home, we finally returned to movie theaters in 2021, and it was glorious. But as the movie business continues to go through a transitional period where streaming becomes more and more central, there was plenty of good stuff to watch both in a theater and at home this year. Just as we have the last couple years, we are ready to unveil our top 10 films of the year once again. Reply to this post, or hit us up on social media with some of your favorites from 2021!
Top 10 Movies of 2019
Top 10 Movies of 2020
Drew’s Top 10
Licorice Pizza
If it looks, sounds, and feels like an instant classic, it just might be one. Paul Thomas Anderson has made a few towering films of incredible ambition, but with Licorice Pizza he’s mostly just enjoying making movies with people he loves, and it shows in this rollicking, enchanting, and unforgettable coming-of-age story about two kindred spirits navigating adolescence and adulthood in 70s California. PTA has littered the movie with great actors in brief appearances, especially the gonzo Bradley Cooper performance. But the two novice leads are the heart of the lovable Licorice Pizza. Cooper Hoffman (the departed legend Philip Seymour’s son) and Alana Haim (of the excellent band Haim) have an undeniable presence and electric energy here. The Alana character and performance may just be the best of the year. PTA has captured something beyond special with this one. (In theaters now)
Dune
I had no prior knowledge of Dune, the novel or the 80s David Lynch movie, but I was immediately drawn in by director Denis Villeneuve’s astounding vision of this fascinating sci-fi universe. After such a long time without blockbuster spectacle in movie theaters due to the pandemic, finally experiencing Dune on an IMAX screen was easily the richest and most positively overwhelming time I had at the movies this year. And then streaming it at home on HBO Max a couple weeks later only confirmed that this epic sci-fi saga could work on any screen, no matter the size. That’s a real testament to how much of an achievement Dune turned out to be. (Available to rent on-demand)
The Power of the Dog
Just when you think you have a stable understanding of the characters and events of The Power of the Dog, writer-director Jane Campion subtly tips you off balance. Her Western drama about masculinity and repression pulls some career-best work from a stellar cast, including Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst. This elusive and allusive masterwork and its startling ending will stick in your mind and gut for a good while. (Streaming on Netflix)
The Last Duel
This is the 2021 film people will look back on in five or ten years and scratch their head about why no one went to see it. The Last Duel is a big-budget movie star-driven medieval action drama directed by the great Ridley Scott… and it bombed at the box office. With an explosive plot that centers a female perspective (very rare in movies like this), it should have been a hit and an Oscar contender, especially for Jodie Comer’s brilliantly nuanced performance. Instead, we’ll just hear about how underrated it is for the next several years. (Available to rent on-demand)
The Green Knight
Strange and immersive, The Green Knight defies your expectations of a King Arthur tale at every turn. Playing a knight eager to prove himself, Dev Patel more than capably leads this enigmatic medieval fantasy. David Lowery, who wrote and directed, fills the frame with such striking imagery and dense ideas that you might find yourself returning to the Round Table again to wrestle with this film anew. (Available to rent on-demand)
Pig
Whatever you think Pig is going to be before you see it, you’re probably wrong. I know I was pleasantly surprised that the thoughtless and ultra-violent Nicolas Cage revenge movie I had in my head was not at all what this film had in store. In contrast, Pig is a sincere and poignant exploration of grief, purpose, and love with a beautifully restrained Cage performance. The sweetest man-searching-for-his-pig movie you’ll ever. (Streaming on Hulu)
Judas and the Black Messiah
Due to last year’s Academy Awards ceremony getting postponed two months, many of the nominees ended up releasing early this year instead of in 2020. The fact that the excellent Judas and the Black Messiah (winner of two Oscars, including Daniel Kaluuya for Best Supporting Actor) made my list 11 months after it came out is a telltale sign that it has stayed relevant in my mind most of the year. This dramatization of the FBI’s assassination of Black Panther chairman Fred Hampton is both entertaining and damning for our country’s institutions, a tough balance to strike. And the performances across the board are some of the finest of the entire year. (Streaming on HBO Max)
Nine Days
It’s always a good sign for a new film when it reminds you of some of the most humane and spiritually thoughtful works of the last couple decades. During Nine Days I thought of Spike Jonze films (he’s a producer here), The Truman Show, Pixar’s Soul, among others. This is a beautiful, curious, and very moving feature debut by Edson Oda with wondrous performances, most notably from Winston Duke and Zazie Beetz. It’s quiet and slow, but stick with it. There’s rewards to be found, especially in the magnificent final scene. (Available to rent on-demand)
Quo vadis, Aida?
I was unexpectedly knocked out by this urgent and dread-filled story of a UN translator in the midst of the Bosnian War. It’s riveting filmmaking of a real-life atrocity that dropped a pit deep in my stomach. Quo vadis, Aida?, an Oscar nominee earlier this year for Best International Feature, is not the kind of film you watch for a good time, but it is utterly memorable and will likely leave you shaken and moved. (Streaming on Hulu)
Summer of Soul
What if there was a music festival that featured some of today’s best artists and then was completely forgotten almost immediately? In his directorial debut, Questlove (of the Roots) explores this very real scenario in Summer of Soul, his documentary about the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969. This was a fest that boasted performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Mahalia Jackson, and Sly and the Family Stone, among many more, but then the footage remained virtually unseen for decades. This fascinating and engaging doc goes into why this happened and what it meant to those that attended and those that were influenced by it so many years later. (Streaming on Hulu)
Honorable Mentions: The Card Counter, No Time to Die, The Rescue, Riders of Justice, No Sudden Move, C’mon C’mon, The French Dispatch, A Quiet Place Part II
Billy’s Top 10
Bo Burnham: Inside
Is this a comedy special? A ballad to our time indoors? The best movie of the year? It is all of the above. This is the only movie experience in the pandemic that is meant to be watched at home. It fully addresses the deeply hidden anxiety that crept into almost all of us that explodes outward at the weirdest moments. All veiled as a wonderful comedy special that makes you laugh, wonder how he made it, and so thankful this piece of art will mark a time of our lives perfectly. (Streaming on Netflix)
Licorice Pizza
Now if there was a movie that needs to be seen in a theater, it is Licorice Pizza. Not a spectacle movie like Dune, but a small coming-of-age hangout movie. The reason this needs to be seen in the theater is because we need complete attention on these unique and beautiful lead characters, Gary and Alana, that are finding themselves in a time where going to a movie theater was the only option. Going into this movie I assumed that Gary was going to be the awkward teenage boy archetype and Alana the confident vixen type that brings confidence to this young boy. This movie flipped my assumptions on its head. Gary is the confident one that has clear direction for what he wants in almost every aspect of his life. Alana is in a state of delayed adolescence and needs any type of guidance. Gary somehow brings some clarity to her life and Alana finally has Gary questioning his own confidence. A wonderful movie that is not Paul Thomas Anderson’s best, but probably his most rewatchable. (In theaters now)
The Last Duel
Ridley Scott somehow had the best year and the worst. Both of his big budget epics bombed at the box office, but he had a hell of a press run, and created two massive movies at 84 years old. The Last Duel being one of the best movies he has ever created. Intense unlike any movie this year with lead performances that will hopefully be nominated in some capacity, Jodie Comer and Ben Affleck being the scene stealers. Comer brings the emotional weight for the whole movie and Affleck brings much needed comic relief as a rich, charismatic, and orgy-loving count. (Available to rent on-demand)
Judas and the Black Messiah
A movie that should probably be a 2020 movie, but I’m glad I have another chance to profile this incredible movie. Honoring an amazing figure and human like Fred Hampton deserves more than this piece of art. Please make endless stories about Hampton. A life cut too short (mildly put). Lakeith Stanfield as Bill O’Neal is the star of this movie. This figure makes an audience so conflicted while watching. We see a character we should hate, but question why we hate him at every turn. (Streaming on HBO Max)
Pig
Why do we let Nicolas Cage become a meme? Pig showcases how Cage can be an understated actor while continuing his powerful and singular presence. A simple story that feels like a Liam Neeson action thriller is actually a story about a man dealing with grief. Plus some great food porn scenes will leave you salivating if the emotional notes don’t hit the way it did me. (Streaming on Hulu)
C’mon C’mon
Joaquin Phoenix’s most tender role. A manic and unpredictable man in real life becomes the most predictable figure in a young man’s life on screen. Joaquin is the uncle of a boy who has to rely on his uncle as a father figure for an extended period of time. Joaquin’s character, Johnny, is in a career that sends him all over the globe, allowing his nephew to have experiences no other kid is having. What we see is sad, dreadful, happy, rewarding, and soulful. Most kids can point to a moment that involves a character like Johnny. We are all the better for it. (Available to rent on-demand)
The French Dispatch
Wes Anderson is the millennial film bro favorite that allows us to feel cool while continually propping up a director that is surprisingly populace. The French Dispatch is Anderson’s least interesting effort visually, but has emotional moments that made me in awe. This is a clear love letter to The New Yorker. I felt that I shouldn’t have been watching this because this wasn’t made for anyone but Wes himself. So glad he allowed us to experience this with him. I needed it. My viewing came after seeing No Time to Die and Dune. Both are wonderful movies. I just needed the palette cleanser that is The French Dispatch. (Available to rent on-demand)
The Card Counter
Another director that had a hell of a press tour. The Card Counter director, Paul Schrader, ranked his own movie as the best of 2021. Such a flex and a move that makes me like this movie even more. Oscar Isaac is our titular card counter and proves that he is one of our best performers going today. A lot of the other leading roles don’t necessarily work perfectly, but the ambition left me completely satisfied. (Available to rent on-demand)
Riders of Justice
I thought this movie was about a biker gang. Turns out this is a philosophical disaster mystery that is incredibly self-indulgent while having more depth than I ever could have imagined. Mads Mikkelsen has never missed. Here he is closed off and each scene reveals a layer we previously had not seen. This is the perfect movie to trick your family into watching a foreign film. (Streaming on Hulu)
Spider-Man: No Way Home
I really didn’t want to put this on my list. Marvel needs no more recognition. What I saw brought together every childhood memory I had with the Spider-Man character. Without spoiling anything… each moment was earned. Convenient plot points, storylines that alienate many viewers, and inconsistent tones be damned. These filmmakers manipulated me and I loved it. (In theaters now)
Honorable Mentions: No Time to Die, Shiva Baby, In the Heights, The Harder They Fall, Dune
Top 5 TV Shows of 2021
Drew:
Succession (HBO)
Mare of Easttown (HBO)
The White Lotus (HBO)
Loki (Disney+)
Reservation Dogs (FX on Hulu)
Billy:
Succession (HBO)
Sex Education (Netflix)
Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
The White Lotus (HBO)
Loki (Disney+)