Adam's Favorite Films of 2021

Over the past 12 months, we had the privilege of seeing new work from visionary filmmakers like Denis Villeneuve, Paul Thomas Anderson, Guillermo Del Toro, Jane Campion, Steven Spielberg, and Ridley Scott who, at 84 years old, delivered not one but two films in 2021: THE LAST DUEL and HOUSE OF GUCCI.

We witnessed outstanding performances from Denzel Washington, Rachel Zegler, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kristen Stewart, Andrew Garfield, and Nicolas Cage. And we were left in awe by cinematic art like THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH, DUNE, THE GREEN KNIGHT, and THE POWER OF THE DOG – works of impeccable craftsmanship by cinematographers, production designers, SFX artists, and costume designers alike.

For horror fans, 2021 brought a bevy of impressive titles, including Nia DaCosta’s CANDYMAN, Leigh Janiak’s FEAR STREET trilogy, David Bruckner’s THE NIGHT HOUSE, and Prano Bailey-Bond’s CENSOR. In addition, comedies like BARB & STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR, THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES, and Wes Anderson’s THE FRENCH DISPATCH made us laugh while musicals like WEST SIDE STORY, CYRANO, IN THE HEIGHTS, and TICK, TICK… BOOM! made us sing.

Blockbusters like NO TIME TO DIE, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, and THE MATRIX: RESURRECTIONS took us for an unforgettable ride while documentaries like THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS, ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN, VAL, and A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX enthralled us. We also got a bunch of fantastic music docs, including TINA, SUMMER OF SOUL, THE SPARKS BROTHERS, THE BEATLES: GET BACK, and THE VELVET UNDERGROUND.

Despite 2021 being a total shitshow, it was still a pretty great year for movies. So with that being said, here are My 10 Favorite Films of 2021. Also included are My Top 25 Horror Films of the year (the real main event), as well as My 10 Favorite Streaming Series.

My 10 Favorite Films of 2021

1. SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME
2. NIGHTMARE ALLEY
3. CANDYMAN
4. LICORICE PIZZA
5. LAST NIGHT IN SOHO
6. THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH
7. DUNE
8. THE FRENCH DISPATCH
9. PIG
10. THE SPARKS BROTHERS

My Top 25 Horror Films of 2021

1. NIGHTMARE ALLEY
2. CANDYMAN
3. LAST NIGHT IN SOHO
4. THE NIGHT HOUSE
5. SAINT MAUD
6. FEAR STREET: 1666
7. FEAR STREET: 1994
8. FEAR STREET: 1978
9. COME TRUE
10. WEREWOLVES WITHIN
11. THE STYLIST
12. CENSOR
13. THE AMUSEMENT PARK
14. THE VIGIL
15. PG: PSYCHO GOREMAN
16. SATOR
17. BOYS FROM COUNTY HELL
18. V/H/S/94
19. BROADCAST SIGNAL INTRUSION
20. HALLOWEEN KILLS
21. THE POWER
22. JAKOB’S WIFE
23. THE QUEEN OF BLACK MAGIC
24. THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT
25. MALIGNANT

** Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead’s SYNCHRONIC and David Prior’s THE EMPTY MAN are technically 2020 releases, but I’m seeing them show up on Best of 2021 lists, so I’m including them here as recommendations.

My 10 Favorite Streaming Series of 2021

1. MIDNIGHT MASS
2. LISEY’S STORY
3. WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS
4. LOKI
5. BRAND NEW CHERRY FLAVOR
6. STAR WARS: VISIONS
7. HAWKEYE
8. YELLOWJACKETS
9. MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: REVELATION
10. THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT

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