Best of 2021
by mjelliott9 | created - 19 Mar 2022 | updated - 19 Mar 2022 | Public50 favorites of 2021
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1. Dune (2021)
PG-13 | 155 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A noble family becomes embroiled in a war for control over the galaxy's most valuable asset while its heir becomes troubled by visions of a dark future.
Director: Denis Villeneuve | Stars: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac
Votes: 856,992 | Gross: $108.33M
2. Belfast (2021)
PG-13 | 98 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
A young boy and his working-class Belfast family experience the tumultuous late 1960s.
Director: Kenneth Branagh | Stars: Jude Hill, Lewis McAskie, Caitríona Balfe, Jamie Dornan
Votes: 92,444
3. Drive My Car (2021)
Unrated | 179 min | Drama
A renowned stage actor and director learns to cope with a big personal loss when he receives an offer to direct a production of Uncle Vanya in Hiroshima.
Director: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi | Stars: Hidetoshi Nishijima, Tôko Miura, Reika Kirishima, Masaki Okada
Votes: 65,826
4. A Hero (I) (2021)
PG-13 | 127 min | Drama
Rahim is in prison because of a debt he was unable to repay. During a two-day leave, he tries to convince his creditor to withdraw his complaint against the payment of part of the sum. But things don't go as planned.
Director: Asghar Farhadi | Stars: Amir Jadidi, Mohsen Tanabandeh, Sahar Goldoost, Fereshteh Sadre Orafaiy
Votes: 29,537
5. Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
PG-13 | 151 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Diana must contend with a work colleague, and with a businessman whose desire for extreme wealth sends the world down a path of destruction, after an ancient artifact that grants wishes goes missing.
Director: Patty Jenkins | Stars: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal
Votes: 291,851 | Gross: $46.37M
6. Cruella (2021)
PG-13 | 134 min | Adventure, Comedy, Crime
A live-action prequel feature film following a young Cruella de Vil.
Director: Craig Gillespie | Stars: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser
Votes: 265,885 | Gross: $86.10M
7. Licorice Pizza (2021)
R | 133 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
The story of Alana Kane and Gary Valentine growing up, running around and going through the treacherous navigation of first love in the San Fernando Valley, 1973.
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson | Stars: Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman, Sean Penn, Tom Waits
Votes: 140,338
8. The Power of the Dog (2021)
R | 126 min | Drama, Western
Charismatic rancher Phil Burbank inspires fear and awe in those around him. When his brother brings home a new wife and her son, Phil torments them until he finds himself exposed to the possibility of love.
Director: Jane Campion | Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee
Votes: 193,884
9. The Worst Person in the World (2021)
R | 128 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
The chronicles of four years in the life of Julie, a young woman who navigates the troubled waters of her love life and struggles to find her career path, leading her to take a realistic look at who she really is.
Director: Joachim Trier | Stars: Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, Herbert Nordrum, Hans Olav Brenner
Votes: 97,569
10. Luca (2021)
PG | 95 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
On the Italian Riviera, an unlikely but strong friendship grows between a human being and a sea monster disguised as a human.
Director: Enrico Casarosa | Stars: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Saverio Raimondo
Votes: 194,414
11. Ascension (III) (2021)
Not Rated | 97 min | Documentary
The absorbingly cinematic Ascension explores the pursuit of the "Chinese Dream." This observational documentary presents a contemporary vision of China that prioritizes productivity and innovation above all.
Director: Jessica Kingdon
Votes: 4,105
12. Nightmare Alley (2021)
R | 150 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
A grifter working his way up from low-ranking carnival worker to lauded psychic medium matches wits with a psychologist bent on exposing him.
Director: Guillermo del Toro | Stars: Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe
Votes: 165,404 | Gross: $11.34M
13. West Side Story (2021)
PG-13 | 156 min | Crime, Drama, Musical
An adaptation of the 1957 musical, West Side Story explores forbidden love and the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez
Votes: 95,592
14. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
PG-13 | 148 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
With Spider-Man's identity now revealed, Peter asks Doctor Strange for help. When a spell goes wrong, dangerous foes from other worlds start to appear, forcing Peter to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.
Director: Jon Watts | Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon
Votes: 879,539 | Gross: $804.75M
15. Don't Look Up (2021)
R | 138 min | Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi
Two low-level astronomers must go on a giant media tour to warn humankind of an approaching comet that will destroy planet Earth.
Director: Adam McKay | Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett
Votes: 601,988
16. Flee (2021)
PG-13 | 89 min | Documentary, Animation, Biography
FLEE tells the extraordinary true story of a man, Amin, on the verge of marriage which compels him to reveal his hidden past for the first time.
Director: Jonas Poher Rasmussen | Stars: Daniel Karimyar, Fardin Mijdzadeh, Milad Eskandari, Belal Faiz
Votes: 19,510
17. The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)
PG | 114 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A quirky, dysfunctional family's road trip is upended when they find themselves in the middle of the robot apocalypse and suddenly become humanity's unlikeliest last hope.
Directors: Michael Rianda, Jeff Rowe | Stars: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Michael Rianda
Votes: 126,872
18. Being the Ricardos (2021)
R | 131 min | Biography, Drama
Follows Lucy and Desi as they face a crisis that could end their careers--and another that could end their marriage.
Director: Aaron Sorkin | Stars: Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, J.K. Simmons, Nina Arianda
Votes: 44,695
19. Benedetta (2021)
Unrated | 131 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
A 17th-century nun in Italy suffers from disturbing religious and erotic visions. She is assisted by a companion, and the relationship between the two women develops into a romantic love affair.
Director: Paul Verhoeven | Stars: Virginie Efira, Charlotte Rampling, Daphné Patakia, Lambert Wilson
Votes: 25,507
20. CODA (2021)
PG-13 | 111 min | Comedy, Drama, Music
As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the family's fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her passion at Berklee College of Music and her fear of abandoning her parents.
Director: Sian Heder | Stars: Emilia Jones, Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur, Daniel Durant
Votes: 165,027
21. House of Gucci (2021)
R | 158 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
When Patrizia Reggiani, an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel their legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge, and ultimately...murder.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons
Votes: 159,938 | Gross: $53.81M
22. The Last Duel (2021)
R | 152 min | Action, Drama, History
The Knight Jean de Carrouges must settle the dispute over his wife Marguerite by challenging his former friend to a duel to the death.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer, Harriet Walter
Votes: 182,224 | Gross: $10.85M
23. The Green Knight (2021)
R | 130 min | Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
A fantasy retelling of the medieval story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Director: David Lowery | Stars: Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury
Votes: 118,071
24. The Little Things (2021)
R | 128 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe Deacon is sent to Los Angeles for what should have been a quick evidence-gathering assignment. Instead, he becomes embroiled in the search for a serial killer who is terrorizing the city.
Director: John Lee Hancock | Stars: Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Jared Leto, Chris Bauer
Votes: 126,444
25. Pig (I) (2021)
R | 92 min | Drama, Mystery
A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregon wilderness must return to his past in Portland in search of his beloved foraging pig after she is kidnapped.
Director: Michael Sarnoski | Stars: Nicolas Cage, Alex Wolff, Adam Arkin, Cassandra Violet
Votes: 89,571
26. Beans (2020)
92 min | Drama
Based on true events, Tracey Deer's debut feature chronicles the 78-day standoff between two Mohawk communities and government forces in 1990 Quebec.
Director: Tracey Deer | Stars: Kiawentiio, Rainbow Dickerson, Violah Beauvais, Paulina Alexis
Votes: 1,064
27. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
PG-13 | 132 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Shang-Chi, the master of weaponry-based Kung Fu, is forced to confront his past after being drawn into the Ten Rings organization.
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton | Stars: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Ben Kingsley
Votes: 435,770 | Gross: $224.54M
28. Finch (2021)
PG-13 | 115 min | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
On a post-apocalyptic Earth, a robot, built to protect the life of his creator's beloved dog learns about life, love, friendship and what it means to be human.
Director: Miguel Sapochnik | Stars: Tom Hanks, Caleb Landry Jones, Marie Wagenman, Lora Martinez-Cunningham
Votes: 97,165
29. Black Widow (2021)
PG-13 | 134 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Natasha Romanoff confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises.
Director: Cate Shortland | Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz
Votes: 426,335 | Gross: $183.65M
30. Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)
R | 100 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
A teenage murder witness finds himself pursued by twin assassins in the Montana wilderness with a survival expert tasked with protecting him -- and a forest fire threatening to consume them all.
Director: Taylor Sheridan | Stars: Angelina Jolie, Nicholas Hoult, Finn Little, Jon Bernthal
Votes: 72,684
31. The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021)
PG-13 | 126 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
An intimate look at the extraordinary rise, fall and redemption of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker.
Director: Michael Showalter | Stars: Jessica Chastain, Andrew Garfield, Cherry Jones, Vincent D'Onofrio
Votes: 38,939
32. Free Guy (2021)
PG-13 | 115 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
When Guy, a bank teller, learns that he is a non-player character in a bloodthirsty, open-world video game, he goes on to become the hero of the story and takes the responsibility of saving the world.
Director: Shawn Levy | Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Taika Waititi, Lil Rel Howery
Votes: 425,921 | Gross: $121.63M
33. Antlers (2021)
R | 99 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
In an isolated Oregon town, a middle-school teacher and her sheriff brother become embroiled with her enigmatic student, whose dark secrets lead to terrifying encounters with an ancestral creature.
Director: Scott Cooper | Stars: Keri Russell, Jesse Plemons, Jeremy T. Thomas, Graham Greene
Votes: 44,542
34. Vivo (I) (2021)
PG | 95 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Vivo, Sony Pictures Animation's first-ever musical adventure featuring all-new original songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda, will take audiences on an epic adventure to gorgeous and vibrant locations never before seen in animation.
Directors: Kirk DeMicco, Brandon Jeffords | Stars: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ynairaly Simo, Zoe Saldana, Juan de Marcos González
Votes: 21,621
35. Audrey (I) (2020)
TV-14 | 100 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Filmmaker Helena Coan examines the remarkable life and career of actress, fashion icon and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn.
Director: Helena Coan | Stars: Audrey Hepburn, Alessandra Ferri, Francesca Hayward, Keira Moore
Votes: 2,585
36. Eternals (2021)
PG-13 | 156 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
The saga of the Eternals, a race of immortal beings who lived on Earth and shaped its history and civilizations.
Director: Chloé Zhao | Stars: Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek
Votes: 386,301 | Gross: $164.87M
37. No Time to Die (2021)
PG-13 | 163 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
James Bond has left active service. His peace is short-lived when Felix Leiter, an old friend from the CIA, turns up asking for help, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga | Stars: Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux
Votes: 444,887 | Gross: $160.87M
38. The French Dispatch (2021)
R | 107 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A love letter to journalists set in an outpost of an American newspaper in a fictional twentieth century French city that brings to life a collection of stories published in "The French Dispatch Magazine".
Director: Wes Anderson | Stars: Benicio Del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Léa Seydoux
Votes: 150,686
39. Last Night in Soho (2021)
R | 116 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Aspiring fashion designer Eloise is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s, where she encounters dazzling wannabe singer Sandie. But the glamour is not as it seems, and the dreams of the past crack and splinter into something darker.
Director: Edgar Wright | Stars: Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Diana Rigg
Votes: 177,099
40. tick, tick... BOOM! (2021)
PG-13 | 115 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
On the brink of turning 30, a promising theater composer navigates love, friendship and the pressure to create something great before time runs out.
Director: Lin-Manuel Miranda | Stars: Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Robin de Jesus, Vanessa Hudgens
Votes: 119,667
41. Concrete Cowboy (2020)
R | 111 min | Drama, Western
Sent to live with his estranged father for the summer, a rebellious teen finds kinship in a tight-knit Philadelphia community of Black cowboys.
Director: Ricky Staub | Stars: Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, Lorraine Toussaint, Jharrel Jerome
Votes: 9,775
42. Encanto (2021)
PG | 102 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
A Colombian teenage girl has to face the frustration of being the only member of her family without magical powers.
Directors: Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith | Stars: Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo, Mauro Castillo
Votes: 262,405 | Gross: $96.09M
43. The Dig (2021)
PG-13 | 112 min | Biography, Drama, History
An archaeologist embarks on the historically important excavation of Sutton Hoo in 1938.
Director: Simon Stone | Stars: Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, Lily James, Johnny Flynn
Votes: 82,608
44. Without Remorse (II) (2021)
R | 109 min | Action, Drama, Thriller
An elite Navy SEAL goes on a path to avenge his wife's murder only to find himself inside of a larger conspiracy.
Director: Stefano Sollima | Stars: Michael B. Jordan, Jodie Turner-Smith, Jamie Bell, Guy Pearce
Votes: 64,569
45. Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)
PG-13 | 97 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Eddie Brock attempts to reignite his career by interviewing serial killer Cletus Kasady, who becomes the host of the symbiote Carnage and escapes prison after a failed execution.
Director: Andy Serkis | Stars: Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris
Votes: 259,103 | Gross: $213.55M
46. Chaos Walking (2021)
PG-13 | 109 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Two unlikely companions embark on a perilous adventure through the badlands of an unexplored planet as they try to escape a dangerous and disorienting reality where all thoughts are seen and heard by everyone.
Director: Doug Liman | Stars: Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley, Demián Bichir, David Oyelowo
Votes: 56,144 | Gross: $13.29M
47. The Lost Daughter (2021)
R | 121 min | Drama
A woman's beach vacation takes a dark turn when she begins to confront the troubles of her past.
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal | Stars: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson, Ed Harris
Votes: 75,143
48. Old (2021)
PG-13 | 108 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A vacationing family discovers that the secluded beach where they're relaxing for a few hours is somehow causing them to age rapidly, reducing their entire lives into a single day.
Director: M. Night Shyamalan | Stars: Gael García Bernal, Vicky Krieps, Rufus Sewell, Alex Wolff
Votes: 160,766 | Gross: $48.28M
49. Pray Away (2021)
PG-13 | 101 min | Documentary
Former leaders of the "pray the gay away" movement contend with the aftermath unleashed by their actions, while a survivor seeks healing and acceptance from more than a decade of trauma.
Director: Kristine Stolakis | Stars: Yvette Cantu Schneider, Michael Bussee, John Paulk, Julie Rodgers
Votes: 3,570
50. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
PG-13 | 113 min | Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
The epic next chapter in the cinematic Monsterverse pits two of the greatest icons in motion picture history against each other--the fearsome Godzilla and the mighty Kong--with humanity caught in the balance.
Director: Adam Wingard | Stars: Alexander Skarsgård, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry
Votes: 241,640 | Gross: $100.92M
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