Byte Size: Best Films of 2021

Annual movie magic and the comeback of cinema fair.

I know what you’re thinking. Yes, this list is technically ‘late’ and it’s already a new year. But look—I don’t make the rules, okay? If studios continue to schedule and drop new films all the way up to December 31st, how can I, in good conscience, try to make an accurate EOY list without letting the counter run all the way out? You see, I am but one man and I can only do so much…

Anyway, according to my Letterboxd Watch List tracker, I watched a total of 56 recent release films in 2021, which is a little over one a week. Not bad. (I’m aiming for 100 this year.)

From here, I’ve narrowed these down to my favourite eight films with a rating of four stars or higher. So, this is the best of the best in my very humble opinion. Blah blah subjectivity, your user experience may vary, etc. Enjoy!

Those Who Wish Me Dead

Synopsis: “A young boy finds himself pursued by two assassins in the Montana wilderness, with a survival expert determined to protect him, and a forest fire threatening to consume them all.”

Alongside the Coen Brothers and James Mangold, I’d put Taylor Sheridan in the holy trinity of contemporary neo-Western directors. Taking time away from Yellowstone, Sheridan co-wrote and directed this adaptation of Michael Koryta’s 2014 novel of the same name. Firefighters versus ruthless contract killers set inside a blazing inferno? Sign me the fuck up. Read my full review over at FilmBunker here.

Benedetta

Synopsis: “In the late 17th century, with plague ravaging the land, Benedetta Carlini joins the convent in Pescia, Tuscany, as a novice. Capable from an early age of performing miracles, Benedetta’s impact on life in the community is immediate and momentous.”

There’s nothing I can say about Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven that he won’t say more amusingly and far more eloquently himself:

“I refuse to be afraid of provocation… Nothing is necessary in movies. [Laughs.] The most important, perhaps the two or three most important things in life, is sexuality. We all do it. The question of why it’s necessary to show it—well, you show life, don’t you? If the question is: Why show it? The counter-question is: Why not show it?”

The Green Knight

Synopsis: “An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, The Green Knight tells the story of Sir Gawain, King Arthur’s reckless and headstrong nephew, who embarks on a daring quest to confront the eponymous Green Knight, a gigantic emerald-skinned stranger and tester of men.”

Do you like magic? Mystery? Enchanted worlds? Lumbering giants? Talking foxes? Do you want to witness an epic medieval fantasy film adapted from the 14th-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight? Of course, you do.

Malignant

Synopsis: “Madison is paralyzed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities.”

Anything I say about this film is just an unnecessary spoiler. In fact, stop what you’re doing. Don’t read this. Just go in blind and watch Malignant right now. Oh, and don’t forget to turn your brain off at the door. (You’re welcome.)

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The Power of the Dog

Synopsis: “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.”

Another incredible Western entry for this year, this time from New Zealand writer and director Jane Campion based on Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel of the same name. More pastoral and psychological than straight-forward Americana fair, The Power of the Dog uses rural Otago as a transplant for Montana and you’d be surprised at how well that tracks for stunning, sombre visuals. It’s definitely a slow burn, but there’s real emotional payoff here for those with a curious eye and rapacious attention to detail.

The Card Counter

Synopsis: “William Tell just wants to play cards. His spartan existence on the casino trail is shattered when he is approached by Cirk, a vulnerable and angry young man seeking help to execute his plan for revenge on a military colonel. Tell sees a chance at redemption through his relationship with Cirk. But keeping Cirk on the straight-and-narrow proves impossible, dragging Tell back into the darkness of his past.”

From the mind of Taxi Driver comes another entry in the “Patient Dissection of Toxic Masculinity in an Age of American Decline” canon. There’s a plot pivot roughly one-third of the way through this film that absolutely threw me; and yet, this narrative sleight of hand yields a much richer text through top-notch performances that steadfastly refuse to play their hand until the very end.

The Last Duel

Synopsis: “King Charles VI declares that Knight Jean de Carrouges settle his dispute with his squire by challenging him to a duel.”

I loved this film and it also bombed super hard at the box office, which is a little weird and perplexing. I’m not sure if it’s the crowded release schedule situation or COVID or people just not wanting to watch a theatrical period piece about fragile male egos, rape and the patriarchy… It could honestly go either way. Anyway, Ridley Scott blames the millennials for this outcome and he’s not entirely wrong, right? <insert “Old Man Yells at Cloud” meme here>

Dune

Synopsis: “Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.”

It’s finally here, folks. The big one. Easily my most anticipated film of the year and, boy, was it glorious. Bring on Part Two.

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”

Read a piece I wrote in anticipation of Dune all the way back in September of 2020 (!) here. (I know… it feels like a lifetime ago for me too.)