Best Movies 2021

Critics Consensus: A bigger, bolder Spider-Man sequel, No Way Home expands the franchise's scope and stakes without losing sight of its humor and heart.

Synopsis: For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero's identity is revealed, bringing his Super Hero responsibilities into conflict with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon

Directed By: Jon Watts

Critics Consensus: Lights up for In the Heights, a joyous celebration of heritage and community fueled by dazzling direction and singalong songs.

Synopsis: The creator of "Hamilton" and the director of "Crazy Rich Asians" invite you to the event of the summer, where the streets are made of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anthony Ramos, Melissa Barrera, Leslie Grace, Corey Hawkins

Directed By: Jon M. Chu

Critics Consensus: Deftly interweaving incredible live footage with a series of revealing interviews, Summer of Soul captures the spirit and context of a watershed moment while tying it firmly to the present.

Synopsis: In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary-part music film, part historical record created around an epic... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, Chris Rock

Directed By: Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson

Critics Consensus: Like the animal itself, Pig defies the hogwash of expectations with a beautiful odyssey of loss and love anchored by Nicolas Cage's affectingly raw performance.

Synopsis: A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregonian wilderness must return to his past in Portland in search of his beloved foraging pig after... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Alex Wolff, Adam Arkin, Nina Belforte

Directed By: Michael Sarnoski

Critics Consensus: Brought to life by a stellar ensemble led by Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog reaffirms writer-director Jane Campion as one of her generation's finest filmmakers.

Synopsis: Severe, pale-eyed, handsome, Phil Burbank is brutally beguiling. All of Phil's romance, power and fragility is trapped in the past and in the land: He... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee

Directed By: Jane Campion

Critics Consensus: CODA's story offers few surprises, but strong representation and a terrific cast -- led by Emilia Jones' brilliant performance -- bring this coming-of-age story vividly to life.

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Ruby (Emilia Jones) is the sole hearing member of a deaf family -- a CODA, child of deaf adults. Her life revolves around acting... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur, Marlee Matlin, Eugenio Derbez

Directed By: Sian Heder

Critics Consensus: Another gorgeously animated, skillfully voiced entry in the Disney canon, Raya and the Last Dragon continues the studio's increased representation while reaffirming that its classic formula is just as reliable as ever.

Synopsis: Long ago, in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived together in harmony. But when sinister monsters known as the Druun threatened the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Izaac Wang, Gemma Chan

Directed By: Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada

Critics Consensus: Steven Spielberg's West Side Story presents a new look at the classic musical that lives up to its beloved forebear -- and in some respects might even surpass it.

Synopsis: Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: A nerve-wracking continuation of its predecessor, A Quiet Place Part II expands the terrifying world of the franchise without losing track of its heart.

Synopsis: Following the deadly events at home, the Abbott family must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy, Millicent Simmonds, Noah Jupe

Directed By: John Krasinski

Critics Consensus: Eye-catching and energetic, The Mitchells vs. the Machines delivers a funny, feel-good story that the whole family can enjoy.

Synopsis: Young Katie Mitchell embarks on a road trip with her proud parents, younger brother and beloved dog to start her first year at film school.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Michael Rianda

Directed By: Michael Rianda

Critics Consensus: Enlivened by writer-director James Gunn's singularly skewed vision, The Suicide Squad marks a funny, fast-paced rebound that plays to the source material's violent, anarchic strengths.

Synopsis: Welcome to hell--a.k.a. Belle Reve, the prison with the highest mortality rate in the US of A. Where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Viola Davis

Directed By: James Gunn

Critics Consensus: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings isn't entirely free of Marvel's familiar formula, but this exciting origin story expands the MCU in more ways than one.

Synopsis: Marvel Studios' "Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings" stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Meng'er Zhang, Fala Chen

Directed By: Destin Daniel Cretton

Critics Consensus: A ruefully funny calling card for debuting director Emma Seligman, Shiva Baby transcends its sitcom setup with strong performances and satisfying insights.

Synopsis: While at a Jewish funeral service with her parents, a college student has an awkward encounter with her sugar daddy and her ex-girlfriend.

Starring: Rachel Sennott, Molly Gordon, Polly Draper, Danny Deferrari

Directed By: Emma Seligman

Critics Consensus: The Velvet Underground takes a fittingly idiosyncratic approach to delivering a rock documentary that captures the band as well as its era.

Synopsis: The Velvet Underground created a new sound that changed the world of music, cementing its place as one of rock 'n' roll's most revered bands.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mary Woronov, Jonathan Richman, John Cale, Maureen Ann Tucker

Directed By: Todd Haynes

Critics Consensus: The Truffle Hunters explores a world most viewers will know nothing about -- with delightfully savory results.

Synopsis: A handful of men search for rare, expensive and delicious white Alba truffles deep in the forests of Piedmont, Italy.

Starring: Enrico Crippa, Carlo Gondola, Piero Botto, Sergio Cauda

Directed By: Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw

Critics Consensus: Quo Vadis, Aida? uses one woman's heartbreaking conflict to offer a searing account of war's devastating human toll.

Synopsis: Bosnia, July 11th 1995. Aida is a translator for the United Nations in the small town of Srebrenica. When the Serbian army takes over the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jasna Đuričić, Izudin Bajrovic, Boris Ler, Dino Bajrovic

Directed By: Jasmila Zbanic

Critics Consensus: Slight but suffused with infectious joy, the beguiling Luca proves Pixar can play it safe while still charming audiences of all ages.

Synopsis: Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, Disney and Pixar's original feature film "Luca" is a coming-of-age story about one young boy... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Maya Rudolph

Directed By: Enrico Casarosa

Critics Consensus: Led by Noée Abita's outstanding central performance, Slalom offers a moving account of oppression and abuse in the guise of mentorship.

Synopsis: This riveting, Cannes-selected #MeToo drama from debut filmmaker Charlène Favier follows the relationship between a teenage ski prodigy and her predatory instructor, played by frequent... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Noée Abita, Jérémie Renier, Marie Denarnaud, Muriel Combeau

Directed By: Charlène Favier

Critics Consensus: Drive My Car's imposing runtime holds a rich, patiently engrossing drama that reckons with self-acceptance and regret.

Synopsis: Two years after his wife's unexpected death, Yusuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi Nishijima), a renowned stage actor and director, receives an offer to direct a production of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hidetoshi Nishijima, Toko Miura, Reika Kirishima, Yoo-rim Park

Directed By: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi

Critics Consensus: Clear, concise, and comprehensive, Coded Bias offers a chilling look at largely unseen side effects of modern society's algorithmic underpinnings.

Synopsis: An exploration into the fallout of MIT Media Lab researcher Joy Buolamwini's discovery of racial bias in facial recognition algorithms.

Starring: Joy Buolamwini

Directed By: Shalini Kantayya

Critics Consensus: Their albums may be cult favorites, but this Edgar Wright-directed documentary offers an introduction to Sparks that has something for everyone.

Synopsis: How can one rock band be successful, underrated, hugely influential, and criminally overlooked all at the same time? Edgar Wright's debut documentary THE SPARKS BROTHERS,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ron Mael, Russell Mael, Edgar Wright, Flea

Directed By: Edgar Wright

Critics Consensus: A brilliant forum for Penélope Cruz's talent, Parallel Mothers reaffirms the familiar pleasures of Almodóvar's filmmaking while proving he's still capable of growth.

Synopsis: Two women, Janis and Ana, coincide in a hospital room where they are going to give birth. Both are single and became pregnant by accident.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Penélope Cruz, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Milena Smit, Israel Elejalde

Directed By: Pedro Almodóvar

Critics Consensus: A strikingly assured debut for writer-director Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter unites a brilliant cast in service of a daringly ambitious story.

Synopsis: Alone on a seaside vacation, Leda becomes consumed with a young mother and daughter as she watches them on the beach. Unnerved by their compelling... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, Jessie Buckley

Directed By: Maggie Gyllenhaal

Critics Consensus: A clear-eyed look at an extraordinary subject, Mayor makes essential viewing out of one politician's quest to preserve dignity in the midst of bureaucracy.

Synopsis: A look at the life of Musa Hadid, the charismatic mayor of Palestinian city Ramallah, who aspires to lead the city into the future.

Starring: Musa Hadid

Directed By: David Osit

Critics Consensus: A remarkable feature debut for director/co-writer Filippo Meneghetti, Two of Us tells a deceptively complex love story while presenting a rich acting showcase for its three leads.

Synopsis: Two retired women, Nina and Madeleine, have been secretly in love for decades. Everybody, including Madeleine’s family, thinks they are simply neighbors, sharing the top... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Barbara Sukowa, Martine Chevallier, Léa Drucker, Muriel Benazeraf

Directed By: Filippo Meneghetti

Critics Consensus: Mass requires a lot of its audience, but rewards that emotional labor with a raw look at grief that establishes writer-director Fran Kranz as a filmmaker of tremendous promise.

Synopsis: Years after an unspeakable tragedy tore their lives apart, two sets of parents (Jason Isaacs and Martha Plimpton, Reed Birney and Ann Dowd) agree to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Reed Birney, Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton

Directed By: Fran Kranz

Critics Consensus: Beautifully filmed and emotionally impactful, Luzzu uses one man's story to capture the struggles of a region at a cultural crossroads.

Synopsis: A hardworking Maltese fisherman, Jesmark is faced with an agonizing choice. He can repair his leaky luzzu -- a traditional, multicolored wooden fishing boat --... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jesmark Scicluna, Michela Farrugia, David Scicluna, Frida Cauchi

Directed By: Alex Camilleri

Critics Consensus: Urgent and empathetic, Changing the Game takes an affecting and admirably nuanced look at young transgender athletes.

Synopsis: This intimate story takes us into the lives of three high school athletes from across the US -- all at different stages of their athletic... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mack Beggs, Sarah Rose Huckman, Andraya Yearwood

Directed By: Michael Barnett

Critics Consensus: Acasa, My Home presents a powerful documentary portrait of one family's odyssey that illustrates bittersweet truths about freedom and society.

Synopsis: A rural Romanian couple and their nine children must learn to live in the big city.

Directed By: Radu Ciorniciuc

Critics Consensus: Sabaya presents a scary and sobering look at human suffering -- and the efforts of those dedicated to ending it.

Synopsis: Members of a group risk their lives trying to save Yazidi women and girls who are being held as sex slaves in the most dangerous... View Full Synopsis

Directed By: Hogir Hirori