THE BEST FILMS OF 2021

BY SAIFFILMS

From Oscar-nominated films to hidden gems, Saif counts down his top 15 films of 2021!

15. Red Rocket

Sean Baker is a director with many talents. He’s proven himself again that he can be consistent with his social commentary on targeting specific locations in the US, and in here it’s not a slice of life kind of film like The Florida Project, this is a chaotic, stressful and uncomfortable film. Simon Rex did a fantastic job here as well.

14. The Suicide Squad

This is a great film because it’s funny, fun, creative and actually has something to say. It’s essentially a critique of America, mainly critiques of its imperialistic and colonial history, and war crimes. It’s a great adaptation because the comics were actually made to criticize America. On top of that, I really loved some of the characters and found their inclusion to be purposeful.

13. Spencer

Music by Jonny Greenwood, cinematography by Claire Mathon, direction by Pablo Larraín and a fantastic performance by Kristen Stewart portraying Princess Diana. Besides the amazing team, Spencer is an interesting reimagining of a series of events where anxiety and distress get to Diana and how she tries to find peace and comfort.

12. 7 Prisoners

This film at times feels like a documentary from how real it felt. It’s a film about human trafficking while tackles topics of power dynamics under hierarchies and it does not hold back in showing how cruel humanity can get. It also explores the root of the problems and criticizes the systems we live under. It's an amazing film that deserves more recognition.

11. After Yang:

Kogonada’s After Yang asks questions, makes the audience ask questions but it does not provide enough answers and that’s what I liked about it. It’s a very atmospheric film, from the way it looks, production design, the soundtrack, and the subjects it tackles. It’s a mesmerizing exploration of personhood and an existential meditation of grief and closure.

10. Spider-Man: No Way Home:

This film is not perfect by any means, especially the screenplay, it’s easy to find holes in the narrative. However, what this film does amazingly well is how it uses the legacy of Spider-Man in a very surprising way. It develops Peter Parker as a character in ways that were unexpected, and Jon Watts tried different ways in shooting the film to give it a sense of style.

9. Aloners:

This film has not been seen by many and that kind of reflects on the state of the main character, who lives in solitary. It’s a film about people that prefer to live their lives away from the world, and introverts are more likely to relate to this. It has elements of a mystery film complemented with an amazing lead performance.

8. A Hero:

This is a difficult film to recommend. I originally placed this higher but due to the controversy of it being plagiarized I placed it lower and it’s on this list for the crew, and not for Aghar Farhadi or his producer. It’s based on a real story and you can watch a documentary called “All Winners, All Losers”by Azadeh Masihzadeh, to know the real story this film is based on.

7. Titane:

I want to say this from now so you do not blame me; I do not recommend this film. This is a body horror, directed to near perfection. The two lead performances were fantastic. This film is very confusing, it’s weird and initially it may not make sense but I can guarantee you that was the intention because it’s actually thought-provoking. It comments on gender, on bodily autonomy, fatherhood, and masculinity in a very interesting way.

6. The Power of The Dog

The Power of The Dog should have won Best Picture, it was the front runner in fact. Regardless, it doesn’t need an award for anyone to realize how masterful it is. It’s a western that feels unique to the genre, the way Jonny Greenwood’s score was used, the way it dissects masculinity and family power dynamics, and the way it’s shot. The performances, the direction from Campion, the production design, and everything makes it: masterful filmmaking.

5. The Souvenir Part II

This is a necessary sequel, Joanna Hogg talks about the aftermath of the events that have transpired at the end of Part I, and this sequel is more imaginative, funnier, more creative, and bolder. This is a detailed self portrait of a filmmaker trying to make her voice heard while struggling with coming to terms with loss by finding closure using filmmaking.

4. The Green Knight

David Lowery’s retelling of an Arthurian tale was stylish, adventurous, suspenseful, and imaginative. This could easily snatch the #1 spot anytime I’m in the mood for it because the way it managed to stay captivating throughout was not easy. It’s shot amazingly well, with very sharp editing, music, and the performances were fantastic. This is an atmospheric tale of masculinity and expectations that is up for your own interpretation with a stunning ending.

3. Evangelion 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time

Evangelion 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time is like the Spear of Hope and The End of Evangelion is like the Spear of Despair, both are necessary and purposeful. This is a perfect ending to the Evangelion franchise. This film takes its time and it has amazing visuals, and it tries to talk about growing up, facing your flaws, and moving on. It feels like Anno is finally ready to move on from the franchise.

2. The Worst Person In the World

This film depicts a very genuine and raw millennial experience on what it takes to love yourself, before loving anyone else. It is a film that has so much style, and personality. The performances are amazing, and the characters have so much depth. It’s engaging, heart-wrenching, funny, and it’s tied with the #1 spot for the best film of 2021 in my opinion.

1. Drive My Car

The winner of Cannes Film Festival’s best screenplay is more than deserving, as this film does an excellent job talking about self-acceptance, regret, guilt and loss. It’s an extraordinary, adapted screenplay that links life and art in a very natural way, and was executed to near perfection by Hamaguchi. It’s hypnotic, it’s atmospheric, and haunting that it stayed with me for a long time. It’s a 3 hour long film but it was highly rewarding.