Movies: Top 25 Movies Midway Through 2021
We are finally able to return to movie theaters. What are the top-25 films of 2021 thus far? There’s a lot to choose from, as this has been a surprisingly good year for cinema. There are a lot more than 25 that are indeed worthy. Narrowing the list proved to be a challenge.
25. Fatherhood
So much heart in this picture. Kevin Hart wasn’t amazing. Considering his cartoony style of acting, this was a real surprise. The film itself hits a lot of lows and struggles to find a consistent groove in terms of pace. I’m just more impressed by how well Hart did in this dramatic role.
24. Boss Baby Back in Business
This was good. It’s only in the top-25 because Jeff Goldblum plays a remarkable villain. That’s all you need to know.
23. Bad Trip
The Jackass style comedy is a genre that has worked before in other films. There’s no exception here. The story surrounding the unscripted moments was fairly strong. Eric Andre was his usual self, making this a laugh riot. Not the best in terms of filmmaking, but give it a pass and take it for what it is.
22. Together, Together
Ed Helms as a serious actor? It actually works out well. The movie is told more from the side of the female lead, however, I was drawn in by him. The message of the film will hit home for females more than males. This is just a good dramatic, comedic picture.
21. Wrath Of Man
I enjoyed this Jason Statham/ Guy Ritchie collaboration. It was not your typical Ritchie film. That bothered me a bit. Taking that out of the equation, the film is awful at the beginning. The opening scene is great, however, the first act is so painful. Terrible dialogue, acting, and pace. The third and fourth chapters tie the film together, however, I expected a bigger and more grand conclusion. The film as a whole kept you on the edge of your seat. Can’t ask for more than that as an escape for 2 hours.
20. Little Things
There was little mystery to this film. It’s a thriller/suspense and it lives up to that. The ending can be left for debate. I thought Denzel Washington and Rami Malek were rather bland. The key here is Jared Leto. The film is 100× better because of its acting. He just made this film his. My real complaint is we don’t get much of a resolution at the end. The director wanted to leave this up to interpretation. I still have no idea what I’m supposed to be interpreting.
19. Golden Arm
This independent comedy centered on the extreme world of women’s arm wrestling was an unexpected surprise. With a very over-the-top script and acting, this had a lot of good laughs. The character development could have been stronger. Can’t complain too much, though. Didn’t have a lot of expectations going in, ending with them being exceeded.
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18. Raya and the Last Dragon
Let the hate begin. I wanted to love Raya. And I did like it, but I couldn’t love it. While the movie was witty, beautifully animated, and had a great message, I felt the characters were boring, the villain was meh, and the ending was way too predictable, even for a Disney film. With that being said, the film as a whole was very well done.
17. Luca
Yup, it wasn’t my favorite. This is not the typical Pixar film. We’ve been seeing them have a lot of emotional appeal as of late. However, Luka lacked a lot of that appeal. I didn’t feel a strong connection to anyone. I have it as high as I do because the film looked amazing.
16. Eat Wheaties
A great and uplifting film, Eat Wheaties gives off a dark comedy vibe. There’s a lot of heart and emotion in this picture. The only complaint, I’d have loved a bit more time developing the main character. As a character-driven comedy, I feel that lacked just a bit. One of the biggest surprises of the year thus far.
15. Barb and Star Visit Vista Del Mar
I don’t know what to think of this. The trailers gave us no indication of what this actually was. It’s basically Bridesmaids meets Austin Powers. It was oddly enough a very original film. It was a bit all over the place trying to figure out what kind of movie it wanted to be. It gets the edge in the top-11 for being different and not your normal cookie cutter comedy, just outside the top-10.
14. The Mitchell’s vs the Machines
I thought this was such a fresh film. Great animation and style from the studio that brought us Into The Spiderverse. The main story of the Machines taking control draws parallels in our daily lives. The sub-plot of daughter/father/family togetherness was a bit hit or miss. This movie goes on way too long. By the final 20 minutes, I was bored. However, “Can I talk to you about Dinosaurs?” will be how I answer every phone call from now on.
13. Willy’s Wonderland
This was easily the stupidest film I’ve seen all year. However, it was also one of the best. Sometimes these silly off-the-wall flicks work. Nic Cage was horrible (he didn’t say a word) and the cast was also horrible. The story was sick and twisted. This was a dark film. It might be uncomfortable for some adults. This film was different. Side note, all you Office fans will get a kick out of one of the main characters. She’s come a long way from picking Dwight up after Mutant School.
12. Voyagers
Lord of the Flies in Space. That’s Voyagers in a nutshell. This was a fantastic sci-fi film. There were a lot of very tense scenes, to go along with some rather heartfelt moments. I do wish there was a bit more of a comedic element ( didn’t crack a smile once). I love the cast as well. It is a young, vibrant group that really put on a good show.
11. Judas and the Black Messiah
You knew this was going to be good. Daniel Kaluuya was just brilliant. LaKeith Stanfield was just brilliant. The film was just brilliant. The director really tried to show the emotion, pain, and triumphs of the Black Panther party uprising. Every time Kaluuya speaks you’re hooked. Yea, this was an Oscar winner. I loved this picture. I feel the performances really overpowered the film itself. I just wanted more Kaluuya and Stanfield. When they weren’t on the screen together, something was missing.
10. Nobody
The best action film you’ll see this year. Bob Odenkirk has never been better. Great action, a really cheesy villain, awesome shots. This has a John Wick vibe to it. Nobody was a bit more lighthearted than Wick. A fantastic 10-minute action scene to end the film as well. And, you can’t say no to Doc Brown kicking ass!
9. Concrete Cowboy
Jordan McLaughlin is going to be a major star in Hollywood. This film, based on a true story and book, was a really gripping film. It details a coming-of-age story for McLaughlin’s on-screen character and him as a real-life actor. The chemistry between him and Idris Elba could have been a bit more powerful, and some of the smaller plot points (which turned to big plot points in the end) were lost in the shuffle. Won’t let that get in the way of how good this was.
8. The Courier
Benedict Cumberbatch doesn’t do bad films. If you’re a history fan this is for you. I will say the final act is a far departure from the film’s first two acts. The intrigue, emotion, and solid filmmaking are still there, yet it doesn’t have the same punch as an espionage thriller. With that being said, the first two acts are so well done, this is one of the best films of 2021 because of that alone.
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7. Army Of The Dead
Will this win an Oscar? No. In terms of pure entertainment, this can’t be beaten. This is Zach Snyder’s best film of 2021. The shots and camera work is fantastic. Amazing action scenes and violence. An extremely well-done title sequence is the highlight of the film. A bit of a letdown in terms of depth to characters and motives, however, for a 2.5-hour film, I never once looked at the time or got bored.
6. Cruela
The best Disney live-action picture to date. Cruela excels with its flashy colors and energetic performance by Emma Stone. It does falter in the beginning, and the end does drag, but when this film is at its peak, what a wild ride it is!
5. In the Heights
The musical from Lin Manuel Miranda isn’t going to be the best film of the year in my opinion. Although, I am willing to bet it’s getting Oscar buzz in a few months. In terms of filmmaking, this was superb. I’ll say the acting was a bit over the top, and the score was very reminiscent of Hamilton. In the end, it’s a great story, filled with emotion.
4. A Quiet Place Part II
The next installment in the franchise from John Krasinski, sequel might be his best yet. It felt as if he learned from the first, and took his filmmaking to another level. The tension Krasinski builds is unmatched by a lot of films (even the true horror pictures). You see a lot more of the creatures here as well, and they really take on a bigger role. There’s an obvious setup for a sequel, as a lot still needs to be explained.
3. Black Widow
It was worth the wait. In terms of Marvel films, this had some of the highest emotional appeals of any. A film that highlights family relationships. Florence Pugh, just amazing. Not the best Marvel movie in terms of action and moving the MCU forward, however, one of the best in terms of pure filmmaking.
2. North Hollywood
Okay, this was the surprise hit of the year. A film with relatively unknown actors, I was blown away by how the story packed so much in such a small time. The end of the film is a bit of a surprise at a point but in a good way. Still have a lot to process from this. It is possible by end of the year it overtakes the current top film…
1. Cherry
Tom Holland killed it in this role. Critics panned this film. They are totally wrong. The character Holland plays is brilliant. The film does have a lot of story to it. It’s basically 4 films in one. It hits you really hard at certain points. This does have a lengthy runtime. The ending was one of the most rewarding scenes in all of cinema this year. It’s so rare I cry in theaters. The last time that happened was the opening weekend of Coco. For that to happen at the conclusion of Cherry, that says something.
Image Soure: Apple
Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288
