2021 saw a strong comeback from the film industry after an unpredictable and difficult 2020. There was a myriad of movies released throughout the year, from horrors to comedies and major blockbusters which blew the minds of audiences from all around the world. The following three movies were some of the highest-rated by critics following their releases and are must-watches for film lovers and enthusiasts alike.
The Power of the Dog
The Power of the Dog is one of those films that will transcend time and become and classic as the years go by. Not everyone who watched this movie understood or even enjoyed it, as it removed all the conventional film tropes that make a movie a blockbuster. Instead, this is a quietened movie that focuses on the story and characters and presents a western tale quite unlike what moviegoers have seen for the past decade or more. Benedict Cumberbatch provided what many fans believe to be the performance of this career, as he carried out his character with raw emotion and talent, bringing the tale to life in the minds of viewers.
The Power of the Dog won multiple awards throughout the year including the NYFCC Awards for Best Director (Jane Champion), Best Actor (Cumberbatch), and a few others. The acknowledgment this film has received underlines its importance to the industry in 2021.
Licorice Pizza
Director Paul Thomas Anderson has cemented himself as one of the greatest directors of the modern era, releasing classics such as The Phantom Thread, There Will Be Blood, and Magnolia. Licorice Pizza sees him stray away from his usual directorial and storytelling conventions to craft a movie quite unlike anything else that was released in 2021. The movie follows two characters, telling a coming-of-age story that separates itself from anything else done in the genre before. This is a much watch for lovers of stories that tell tales of the human condition at a young age.
Licorice Pizza was also acknowledged via a myriad of awards obtained throughout the year, including the National Board of Review Awards for best film, director, and breakthrough performance (Haim and Hoffman). This is simply one that cannot be missed, just like the Grand Rush pokies you’ll find online.
The Green Knight
The Green Knight is truly an anomaly in the modern film industry, swapping out huge action sequences with non-stop excitement for viewers, instead, telling a story so slow-paced that one could almost call this movie a landscape piece as long periods of the movie are simply shots of the environment that the characters live within.
It is simply one of the most beautiful and harrowing films released in 2021, and perhaps in the history of film. David Lowrey took a risk by breaking all modern film conventions in the Green Knight, and it paid off handsomely for him as the movie is not considered a modern masterpiece.
