Films Watched 2021
A comprehensive list, with ratings and comments, of all the films I saw for the first time in 2021.
List activity
38 views
• 0 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
45 titles
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsEvan Rachel WoodLarry DavidHenry CavillA middle-aged, misanthropic divorcé from New York City surprisingly enters a fulfilling, Pygmalion-type relationship with a much younger, unsophisticated Southern girl.7.5/10 - Funny movie, even if a bit hit and miss.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsOwen WilsonRachel McAdamsKathy BatesWhile on a trip to Paris with his fiancée's family, a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight.7/10 - The Paris setting is captured beautifully, however I felt that there were more interesting themes that could have been explored, rather than focusing on the nostalgia aspect. Also wasn't a big fan of Owen Wilson for the lead role.
- DirectorSofia CoppolaStarsBill MurrayRashida JonesMarlon WayansA young mother reconnects with her larger-than-life playboy father on an adventure through New York.6/10 - As expected from Sofia Coppola. Definitely has its moments, but ultimately did not manage to properly impact me.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsWoody AllenPenélope CruzJesse EisenbergThe lives of some visitors and residents of Rome and the romances, adventures and predicaments they get into.7/10 - Very quirky film. Some of it works, some of it doesn’t. The parts that work are great.
- DirectorJérémie GuezStarsMatthias SchoenaertsJoel KinnamanMaika MonroeA tale of family, friendships and betrayal in the violent world of the Philadelphia mob.7.5/10 - Not much action, but the characters were compelling enough to carry the film. Also loved the gritty Philly setting.
- DirectorKyle RankinStarsIsabel MayRadha MitchellThomas Jane17-year-old Zoe Hull uses her wits, survival skills, and compassion to fight for her life, and those of her fellow classmates, against a group of live-streaming school shooters.7/10 - Action flick on a touchy subject. Fairly generic but is well executed with solid pacing and a suspenseful atmosphere.
- DirectorJ.C. ChandorStarsOscar IsaacJessica ChastainDavid OyelowoIn New York City 1981, an ambitious immigrant fights to protect his business and family during the most dangerous year in the city's history.8/10 - An all-round strong showing, that took a different angle to what I expected. This is an atmospheric thriller meets character study, that manages to humanise the struggle between power and morality. I was particularly impressed by Oscar Isaac's performance and Bradford Young's cinematography.
- DirectorBen YoungerStarsGiovanni RibisiVin DieselNia LongA college dropout, attempting to live up to his father's high standards, gets a job as a broker for a suburban investment firm which puts him on the fast track to success. But the job might not be as legitimate as it first appeared to be.8/10 - Enticing film offering an insight into the world of boiler room brokers.
- DirectorIlya NaishullerStarsBob OdenkirkAleksey SerebryakovConnie NielsenA docile family man slowly reveals his true character after his house gets burgled by two petty thieves, which, coincidentally, leads him into a bloody war with a Russian crime boss.7/10 - Basically John Wick but if he was a family man.
- DirectorStefano SollimaStarsMichael B. JordanJodie Turner-SmithJamie BellAn elite Navy SEAL goes on a path to avenge his wife's murder only to find himself inside of a larger conspiracy.6/10 - A weak and predictable script, but Michael B. Jordan and some good action scenes somewhat ease the pain.
- DirectorThomas VinterbergStarsMads MikkelsenThomas Bo LarsenMagnus MillangFour high-school teachers consume alcohol on a daily basis to see how it affects their social and professional lives.7/10 - Pacing suffers a bit in the first half, but overall a fun film with an interesting message.
- DirectorLarry CharlesStarsSacha Baron CohenKen DavitianLuenellKazakh TV talking head Borat is dispatched to the United States to report on the greatest country in the world.9/10 - Hilarious. They don't make em like this anymore.
- DirectorTaylor SheridanStarsAngelina JolieNicholas HoultFinn LittleA teenage murder witness finds himself pursued by twin assassins in the Montana wilderness with a survival expert tasked with protecting him -- and a forest fire threatening to consume them all.8/10 - A bit rough round the edges, but still a very solid movie that delivers a tense atmosphere and fast-paced action.
- DirectorGuy RitchieStarsJason StathamHolt McCallanyJosh HartnettA mysteriously stoic character is hired as a security guard by a cash truck company responsible for transporting a lot of money around Los Angeles each week.7.5/10 - Good action movie with some originality, although at times it comes through as convolution rather than interesting.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsWallace ShawnDamian ChapaBobby SlaytonA married American couple goes to the San Sebastian Festival and gets caught up in the magic of the event, the beauty and charm of the city, and the fantasy of movies.6/10 - The usual Woody Allen recipe, but a little weak and contrived, especially in the beginning.
- DirectorPatrick HughesStarsRyan ReynoldsSamuel L. JacksonSalma HayekThe bodyguard, Michael Bryce, continues his friendship with assassin, Darius Kincaid, as they try to save Darius' wife Sonia.6/10 - Some pretty funny moments, standard action comedy otherwise.
- DirectorJames GunnStarsMargot RobbieIdris ElbaJohn CenaSupervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, Peacemaker, and a collection of nutty cons at Belle Reve prison join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X as they are dropped off at the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.8/10 - Very funny, heavy on the self satire, feels like what Guardians of the Galaxy did for Marvel, but more mature.
- DirectorCary Joji FukunagaStarsDaniel CraigAna de ArmasRami MalekJames Bond has left active service. His peace is short-lived when Felix Leiter, an old friend from the CIA, turns up asking for help, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology.7.5/10
- DirectorShawn LevyStarsRyan ReynoldsJodie ComerTaika WaititiWhen Guy, a bank teller, learns that he is a non-player character in a bloodthirsty, open-world video game, he goes on to become the hero of the story and takes the responsibility of saving the world.7/10
- DirectorAntoine FuquaStarsJake GyllenhaalRiley KeoughPeter SarsgaardA demoted police officer assigned to a call dispatch desk is conflicted when he receives an emergency phone call from a kidnapped woman.6/10
- DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsDemián BichirRodrigo SantoroBenicio Del ToroIn 1967, Ernesto 'Che' Guevara leads a small partisan army to fight an ill-fated revolutionary guerrilla war in Bolivia, South America.7/10
- DirectorAri AsterStarsFlorence PughJack ReynorVilhelm BlomgrenA couple travels to Northern Europe to visit a rural hometown's fabled Swedish mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.6/10 - Promising first half, but the plot starts to overreach and soon becomes a bit nonsensical.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsColin FarrellEwan McGregorHayley AtwellThe tale of two brothers with serious financial woes. When a third party proposes they turn to crime, things go badly and the two become enemies.7/10 - A poor script gets carried by quality acting and directing.
- DirectorAlfonso CuarónStarsJulianne MooreClive OwenChiwetel EjioforIn 2027, in a chaotic world in which women have somehow become infertile, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea.8/10
- DirectorNoah BaumbachStarsAdam DriverScarlett JohanssonJulia GreerNoah Baumbach's incisive and compassionate look at a marriage breaking up and a family staying together.7.5/10
- DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsTimothée ChalametRebecca FergusonZendayaA noble family becomes embroiled in a war for control over the galaxy's most valuable asset while its heir becomes troubled by visions of a dark future.9/10 - A masterful film on all accounts. The only criticism I would give is that it feels like we only scratch the surface in this first instalment, and as such I don't feel entirely satisfied when the credits roll.
- DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsMaxim GaudetteSébastien HuberdeauKarine VanasseA dramatization of the 1989 Montréal Massacre, during which several female engineering students were murdered by an unstable misogynist.8/10 - Powerful film that makes for an intense viewing.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsDonald PleasenceJamie Lee CurtisTony MoranFifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.6/10
- DirectorCate ShortlandStarsScarlett JohanssonFlorence PughDavid HarbourNatasha Romanoff confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises.6/10
- DirectorDestin Daniel CrettonStarsSimu LiuAwkwafinaTony Leung Chiu-waiShang-Chi, the master of weaponry-based Kung Fu, is forced to confront his past after being drawn into the Ten Rings organization.7/10 - Some good action scenes and definitely has its moments, but the narrative seems to change direction constantly and character motivations don't always make sense.
- DirectorJung Doo HongKim Jee-woonStarsLee Byung-hunShin Min-aKim Yeong-cheolThings go wrong for a high ranking mobster when he doesn't follow his boss's orders.8.5/10 - Brutal and gripping thriller with a wistful depth and a stylish edge. Sometimes the characters feel a little inconsistent, but overall the execution is excellent.
- DirectorSam MendesStarsKevin SpaceyAnnette BeningThora BirchA sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.8.5/10
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsPam GrierSamuel L. JacksonRobert ForsterA flight attendant with a criminal past gets nabbed by the ATF for smuggling. Under pressure to become an informant against the illegal arms dealer she works for, she must find a way to secure her future without getting killed.8/10 - Classic early Tarantino. Great characters and dialogue but a bit lacking in structure and overarching narrative.
- DirectorSidney LumetStarsPhilip Seymour HoffmanEthan HawkeAlbert FinneyWhen two brothers organize the robbery of their parents' jewelry store the job goes horribly wrong, triggering a series of events that sends them, their father and one brother's wife barreling towards a shattering climax.8/10 - Solid film with some fantastic acting. However there are some attempts to be stylistically edgy that don't quite hit the mark.
- DirectorEdgar WrightStarsThomasin McKenzieAnya Taylor-JoyMatt SmithAspiring fashion designer Eloise is mysteriously able to return to 1960s London, where she encounters dazzling wannabe singer Sandie. But the glamour is not as it seems, and the dreams of the past crack and splinter into something darker.7.5/10 - Stylistically excellent with quality directing, however the plot never feels like it is really going anywhere. The horror elements also feel a bit out of place.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsMatt DamonAdam DriverJodie ComerThe Knight Jean de Carrouges must settle the dispute over his wife Marguerite by challenging his former friend to a duel to the death.7.5/10 - Great set and costume design, fantastic action scenes, but the storytelling structure is slightly tiresome and characters feel a bit one-dimensional. Also a lot of the accents were awful.
- DirectorKevin MacdonaldStarsRussell CroweRachel McAdamsBen AffleckWhen a congressional aide is killed, a Washington, D.C. journalist starts investigating the case involving the Representative, his old college friend.8/10 - Great thriller that finds its strength in a high quality, engaging script.
- DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsMark WahlbergJulianne MooreBurt ReynoldsBack when sex was safe, pleasure was a business and business was booming, an idealistic porn producer aspires to elevate his craft to an art when he discovers a hot young talent.8.5/10
- DirectorDan FogelmanStarsOscar IsaacOlivia WildeAnnette BeningAs a young New York City couple goes from college romance to marriage and the birth of their first child, the unexpected twists of their journey create reverberations that echo over continents and through lifetimes.8/10 - Takes a bit of time to find its rhythm, but eventually pulls you in and hits you right in the feels.
- DirectorDerek CianfranceStarsRyan GoslingMichelle WilliamsJohn DomanThe relationship of a contemporary married couple, charting their evolution over a span of years by cross-cutting between time periods.6/10
- DirectorJon WattsStarsTom HollandSamuel L. JacksonJake GyllenhaalFollowing the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-Man must step up to take on new threats in a world that has changed forever.8/10 - A bit cheesy but very enjoyable.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsAnsel ElgortRachel ZeglerAriana DeBoseAn adaptation of the 1957 musical, West Side Story explores forbidden love and the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds.7/10 - Looks pretty in terms of cinematography, set and costume design. Very high potential but I find musicals heavily detract from the viewer's immersion, so for me it's limited in that respect. Ansel Elgort gives a fairly wooden performance as usual, everyone else is fantastic. I do question the choice to not subtitle any of the Spanish dialogue - was fine for me but there was a lot of it, which I can imagine might be infuriating for non-speakers.
- DirectorLana WachowskiStarsKeanu ReevesCarrie-Anne MossYahya Abdul-Mateen IIReturn to a world of two realities: one, everyday life; the other, what lies behind it. To find out if his reality is a construct, to truly know himself, Mr. Anderson will have to choose to follow the white rabbit once more.4/10 - Weak story that is just a rehash of the first film, minimal character development, no emotional investment, and somehow feels like a budget film. Also so much fan service it's ridiculous.
- DirectorJonathan LevineStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittSeth RogenJillian BellOn Christmas Eve, three lifelong friends spend the night in New York City looking for the Holy Grail of Christmas parties.8/10 - Funny AND wholesome. Great xmas movie.
- DirectorAdam McKayStarsLeonardo DiCaprioJennifer LawrenceMeryl StreepTwo low-level astronomers must go on a giant media tour to warn humankind of an approaching comet that will destroy planet Earth.8.5/10 - Excellent film with a powerful message. However it is a bit heavy-handed in its style, especially when it gets bogged down in the (not so subtle) US politics social commentary. The pacing could also be tightened up.