Josh’s Favorite Movies of 2021 — Part Four!
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my list of my favorite movies of 2021! Click here for part one, click here for part two, and click here for part three. And now, let’s dive into my TOP TEN favorite movies of 2021…!
10. Encanto — The second amazing Disney animated film of 2021, Encanto is a beautiful and moving story about family, about magic, and about the lingering effects of trauma. The film is fun and filled with joy while also containing an impressively nuanced and layered narrative. It’s delightful to see a Disney animated film so centered on a multigenerational Latinx family; in particular a story steeped in Colombian culture. The music, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, is extraordinary — propulsive and memorable. (Everyone’s going nuts these days, and rightly so, for “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”, but for me the film’s showstopper is the first song, “The Family Madrigal”, a fast-paced earworm of a tune that spectacularly introduces the film’s huge cast of characters.) The animation is gorgeous (as always for Disney) and I was particularly impressed by the animation of the dance choreography, which was intricate and unique. I can’t wait to see this movie again. (My full review is coming soon.)
9. The Eternals — The general consensus seems to be that The Eternals stinks, but I found it to be a delight! I love that Marvel and director Chloé Zhao created a film that’s different from what has become the standard adventure/jokey tone of the MCU, but that instead is more somber and elegiac than what we’ve come to expect. I like that this is a long film that explores a huge cast of characters, brought to life by a terrific ensemble of actors. I like that director Chloé Zhao and her team have brought a sense of epic scope and beauty to the film, as well as a focus on an exploration of the characters, as well as the broader cosmic universe of the MCU. The film is beautiful, with a memorable “on location” feel in beautiful settings across the globe, a credit to the work of Ms. Zhao and her crew. It’s very cool to see this obscure group of characters — created in the seventies by comic book god Jack Kirby — brought to life on-screen. There’s plenty of Marvel fun to be had here, and also a story that’s a little more complex and layered than the average Marvel movie. I suspect this is a film I will have a lot of fun re-watching in the years to come. (Click here for my full review.)
8. The Suicide Squad — Forget the terrible 2016 Suicide Squad film. James Gunn’s sequel/reboot is a a joy from start to finish: it’s deliriously violent and profane, filled with “I can’t believe they actually did that!” moments. The film is very, very funny; James Gunn’s script is hilarious. The film also demonstrates Mr,. Gunn’s incredible skill for finding depth and nuance in even the silliest and most ridiculous super-hero characters. I cannot believe how much Mr. Gunn got me to care about and love these misfits and oddballs who populate this film. I’m very sad that this film was mostly ignored by audiences upon its release. (This was probably caused by a combination of the pandemic and the bad reputation of the first Suicide Squad film, which weirdly has almost exactly the same title as this new movie.) It’s a shame, because this movie is a standout and an absolute pleasure for start to finish. And it led to the amazing-so-far Peacemaker spin-off show on HBO Max!! (Click here for my full review.)
7. Being the Ricardos — Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, the film is another in Mr. Sorkin’s long and successful history of exploring the behind-the-scenes drama involved in the creation of TV shows. In this film, we follow the creation of an episode of I Love Lucy, from the table-read through to its filming before a live studio audience, while at the same time witnessing multiple behind-the-scenes dramas, most notably the accusation that Lucille Ball was once a member of the Communist party — a threat that, in 1953, might have ended the show and Lucy’s career. The film is filled with Mr. Sorkin’s unique wit and turns-of-phrase, and Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem are terrific as Lucy and Desi. I enjoyed the exploration of the minutia of bringing a TV comedy show to life; I loved the character drama; and most importantly I was moved by the resonance of the very relevant stories exploring the difficult position of a woman in the man’s world of show business and the chilling effects of political witch-hunts. (Click here for my full review.)
6. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings — I loved this inventive and fun expansion of the MCU! It was great fun to finally see a Marvel super-hero film focus on an Asian superhero. Simu Liu is perfection as Shang-Chi; he’s a great new “everyman” hero while also bringing a terrific energy and fun charisma to the role. The entire mostly East Asian cast was incredible: Awkwafina as Katy, Tony Leung as Wenwu, Meng’er Zhang as Xu Xialing, Michelle Yeoh as Ying Nan, Fall Chen as King Li, and so many more!! The martial action was terrific — that bus fight was a true show-stopper — and the film’s production design was gorgeous. I loved the way this film opened up the magical/mystical side of the MCU! I loved seeing the Ten Rings organization — which was referenced all the way back in 2008’s Iron Man!! — brought to life. I loved seeing Sir Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery again. (His Planet of the Apes monologue was so great!!) Director Destin Daniel Cretton crafted a fun, funny, joyous film; I can’t wait to see Shang-Chi and these other characters again…!! (Click here for my full review.)
Thanks for reading! C’mon back on Monday for my FIVE favorite movies of 2021…!
Click here to pre-order my graphic novel José and the Pirate Captain Toledano!
Click here to purchase my “Maclunkey” Star Wars/Highlander mash-up t-shirt!
Please support MotionPicturesComics.com by clicking through one of our Amazon links the next time you need to shop! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. That means I’ll receive a small percentage from any product you purchase from Amazon within 24 hours after clicking through. Thank you!