# The Best Movies of 2021 - my list and an open discussion **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [December 26, 2021, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-movies-of-2021-my-list-and-an-open-discussion/956680 "2021-12-26T20:06:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-movies-of-2021-my-list-and-an-open-discussion/956680/1 "2021-12-26T20:06:09Z")
First, my list, which is alphabetical: [[Album] 10 Best 2021 Movies(that I saw) - alphabetical list ![](https://i.imgur.com/KaitL29.jpeg?fb "10 Best 2021 Movies(that I saw) - alphabetical list") ](https://imgur.com/gallery/Aa5Ur83) I saw 55 2021 releases, which is a lot compared to some people, but very few compared to some folks on here. [Here is my complete list of every movie I saw from 2021. I put a score out of 10 next to each one.](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ax2LTkkp7K32TwAX1vI_4Itqd98nkwOhJCHM_s1v2Pw/edit?usp=sharing) If pressed, I’d say Shang-chi was probably my favorite 2021 release, though I am not positive. My honorable mention list: The Stylist, Nobody, Pig, Dune, The Matrix Resurrections I’m sure there were many wonderful movies out there. I did not see the new Ghostbusters, I was unable to catch Encanto even though it is now on Disney+, and there are a quite a few other releases I’ll catch in coming months. What were your favorites? ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2021, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-movies-of-2021-my-list-and-an-open-discussion/956680/2 "2021-12-28T04:48:06Z")
I keep a running list of the movies I see in Excel and mark the ones I like a lot during the year. I’ve seen 120 movies this year so my list of favorites is a bit longer. I’ve separated out the documentaries. Otherwise, it’s chronological. **Peccavi’s 20 Favorites for 2021** _Riders of Justice_ _Werewolves Within_ _Settlers_ _Lorelei_ _Coda_ _Ema_ _Mogul Mowgli_ _Yakuza Princess_ _Language Lessons_ _Old Henry_ _Dune_ _Last Night In Soho_ _C’mon C’mon_ _Drive My Car_ _Spiderman: No Way Home_ _West Side Story_ _The Novice_ _Nightmare Alley_ _Licorice Pizza_ _Parallel Mothers_ **Favorite Documentaries** _Summer of Soul_ _Bring Your Own Brigade_ _Without Getting Killed or Caught_ It is hard to pick one favorite, but if pressed, I’d probably pick _Yakuza Princess_, just because it needs more love than the others. I’m still planning to see 3 movies before the end of the year that could end up on the list: _The Tragedy of MacBeth_, _Benedetta_, and _Jockey_. So my list could change between now and the end of the year. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2021, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-movies-of-2021-my-list-and-an-open-discussion/956680/3 "2021-12-28T05:02:05Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > First, my list, which is alphabetical: > > [10 Best 2021 Movies(that I saw) - alphabetical list - Album on Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/Aa5Ur83) > > I saw 55 2021 releases, which is a lot compared to some people, but very few compared to some folks on here. [Here is my complete list of every movie I saw from 2021. I put a score out of 10 next to each one.](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ax2LTkkp7K32TwAX1vI_4Itqd98nkwOhJCHM_s1v2Pw/edit?usp=sharing) > > If pressed, I’d say Shang-chi was probably my favorite 2021 release, though I am not positive. > > My honorable mention list: The Stylist, Nobody, Pig, Dune, The Matrix Resurrections > > I’m sure there were many wonderful movies out there. I did not see the new Ghostbusters, I was unable to catch Encanto even though it is now on Disney+, and there are a quite a few other releases I’ll catch in coming months. > > What were your favorites? Wow I’ve actually seen every movie you listed except “Psycho Goreman.” (Never heard of that one but the title is intriguing!) I’d say the top films I’ve seen so far have been “West Side Story” and “Licorice Pizza.” Others in my top list would include “Mass,” “Nine Days,” “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” and “In the Heights.” I’ve only kept a record of titles I’ve seen in theaters, so I don’t have a list of all I’ve seen through streaming. I loved “The Humans,” which was just released on Showtime, and “Tick Tick Boom” from Netflix. (I’m planning on catching both “Nightmare Alley” and “The Tragedy of Macbeth” this week.) ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2021, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-movies-of-2021-my-list-and-an-open-discussion/956680/4 "2021-12-28T05:25:13Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > I’ve only kept a record of titles I’ve seen in theaters, Yeah, I should have mentioned this. I also only track movies on the big screen. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2021, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-movies-of-2021-my-list-and-an-open-discussion/956680/5 "2021-12-28T14:14:28Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Wow I’ve actually seen every movie you listed except “Psycho Goreman.” (Never heard of that one but the title is intriguing!) Psycho Goreman is about a group of kids(think 80’s group of kids) who find an object that brings through a giant alien evil bad guy. But…the object allows the children to “command” the bad guy and he must comply with anything they tell him to do. Anything. It’s quite cute and funny…and a little bit disturbing at times. Tagline: Little girl. Big Psycho. [![](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.flickeringmyth.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F12%2FPsycho-Goreman-600x889.jpg&f=1&nofb=1) ](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.flickeringmyth.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F12%2FPsycho-Goreman-600x889.jpg&f=1&nofb=1) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2021, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-movies-of-2021-my-list-and-an-open-discussion/956680/6 "2021-12-28T14:17:26Z")
> [@peccavi](#): > > Yeah, I should have mentioned this. I also only track movies on the big screen. I can’t get to the theaters anywhere near as much as some of you folks on here. Streaming has been a real blessing for seeing movies in the year they are released. I actually only went to the theaters twice in 2021: Black Widow(terrible!) and Spider-man(really good!). I keep track of every movie I see from the current year, a sheet of every movie I watch with my wife, and a third one of every movie I watch on my own. Do you all have a Letterboxd? I also have one of these. Here is a link to mine if you care. [Mahaloth’s Letterboxd](https://letterboxd.com/Mahaloth/) ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2021, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-best-movies-of-2021-my-list-and-an-open-discussion/956680/7 "2021-12-28T21:33:37Z")
I’m lucky enough to live is a city dense with big screens (I have AMC Stubs and I estimate there are 50-60 screens within 30 minutes of me). Not only that, but it is an industry town. The Landmark is a favorite for Oscar runs (the required one week in LA county). This means there is more than just a big screen as a reason to go out. For example, Parallel Mothers started it’s 2021 run at the Landmark on Friday. If I had been paying attention, I could have snagged a seat at the mid-afternoon Tuesday/Wednesday screening, featuring a Q&A with Penelope Cruz after the the movie. This type of extra is not uncommon (and sometimes not official, like Joaquin Phoenix thanking an early morning audience a few years ago at the Arclight Hollywood for coming to see his movie).