Dune, West Side Story, Nightmare Alley, and more make the American Film Institute's list of the top ten films of 2021. Although the movie industry was hit hard these last couple of years by COVID-19 and a number of big films were delayed from 2020 into 2021, audiences were still treated to a number of great movies from talented directors. Highly anticipated movies like Dune and No Time To Die finally hit theaters and smaller indie dramas like CODA have performed well with critics and have found their own passionate audiences.
Although the year is almost over, several high-profile releases remain. West Side Story, Stephen Spielberg's adaptation of the iconic 1957 musical, premiered in New York City on November 29th but has yet to release for audiences worldwide. Similarly, movies like The Matrix Resurrections, directed by Lana Wachowski, Nightmare Alley directed by Guillermo Del Toro, and Don't Look Up directed by Adam McKay also have yet to be widely released but have been highly anticipated for months. While critical reactions have already come in for most of the remaining movies of the year, it remains to be seen how these December releases will fare with audiences and if films like West Side Story and Nightmare Alley will be as loved by the average moviegoer.
In their annual Movies of the Year list, comprising ten films, AFI includes big-budget blockbusters, smaller indie dramas, and even a few snubs a few awards hopefuls. While CODA premiered earlier this year, most of the list comprises films with releases in the fall or winter. Check out the full list below:
- CODA
- Don't Look Up
- Dune
- King Richard
- Licorice Pizza
- Nightmare Alley
- The Power of the Dog
- Tick, tick… BOOM!
- The Tragedy of Macbeth
- West Side Story
While it's not exactly surprising to see films like Licorice Pizza and West Side Story on the list considering their critical reception thus far, something like Don't Look Up may not be as expected. The Netflix film, which is scheduled to release on December 10th, has proven very divisive among critics, with many praising the film's talented cast and humor, while others have criticized it for its apparent vanity and lazy themes. One film some audiences may be surprised is not on the list is Kenneth Branagh's Belfast, his well-received drama about a working-class family in the Northern Ireland capital, although it is included in the "Special Award" section on the AFI awards page.
Many of the films listed have already been labeled as Oscar contenders, with Will Smith's performance in King Richard, Stephen Speilberg's direction in West Side Story, and the visual effects in Dune all expected to receive Academy Award recognition. For the most part, the list consists of big-name directors like Stephen Spielberg, Paul Thomas Anderson, Guillermo Del Toro, Denis Villeneuve, and Joel Coen, all names frequently included in Oscars conversations. While big-name directors (and their big movies) mostly dominate the list, Lin Manuel Miranda, whose first directing credit is Tick, Tick…BOOM! and Sian Heder, who was relatively unknown before CODA, are certainly welcome additions.
Source: AFI
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