The Best Movies and Series I Saw in 2021

January 1, 2022 Dennis D. McDonald

These are, in no particular order, the best movies and TV series I watched and reviewed in 2021. To see my “best books I read in 2021” list go here.

Note: if the name of a streaming service (e.g., Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Netflix, Hulu, etc.) is mentioned in the category tags at the top of the review, there’s no guarantee that source will still be streaming this movie when you read the review!)

Masaaki Yuasa's “KEEP YOU HANDS OFF EINZOUKEN!” (series, animated, comedy). A frenetic love letter to the intersection between iconoclastic adolescence and animated movie production. Great theme song.
Isao Takahata's "THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA" (movie, animated, fantasy). A gorgeously animated tale about ambition, tradition, class differences, and human frailty.
Matt Shakman's "WANDAVISION" (series, live, mystery). I wish Marvel would break their mold more often like this.
Heaven Official's Blessing (series, animated, fantasy). Gods versus mortals, Chinese style. Gets pretty heavy at times.
Adam Wingard's "GODZILLA VS. KONG" (movie, live, fantasy). The 12 year old in me rejoiced at this silly monsterfest.
Rahi Anil Barve's "TUMBBAD" (movie, live, horror). One of the scariest movies I’ve ever seen.
Sam Hargrave’s “EXTRACTION” (movie, live, action). A John Wick style mercenary goes even more rogue than usual and tries to Do The Right Thing.
Isao Takahata's "ONLY YESTERDAY" (movie, animated, drama). Dramatically satisfying and bittersweet nostalgia, but not cloying.
Lee Won-suk's "THE ROYAL TAILOR" (movie, live, drama). About competition between royal tailors and the lives that get entangled in the process. The most fabulous historic costume drama I’ve ever seen.
Alex Garland's "DEVS" (series, live, sci-fi). Unsettlingly well made warning about cyberspace manipulation.
Na Hong-Jin's "THE WAILING" (movie, live, horror). A disturbing small town exorcism attempts to rid evil spirits infesting a young girl.
Bora Kim's "HOUSE OF HUMMINGBIRD" (movie, live, drama). One of the best and grittiest tales I’ve seen of the profound difficulties of adolescence.
Michael Sarnoski’s “PIG” (movie, live, drama). Gorgeous drama of a man and his truffle-snuffling pig. A subdued Nicolas Cage hits it out of the park.
Kyohei Ishiguro’s "WORDS BUBBLE UP LIKE SODA POP" (movie, animated, comedy). Young love, shopping centers, nostalgia, haiku, media streaming, and phonograph records. Plus a major dose of nostalgia.
Mike Flanagan's "MIDNIGHT MASS" (series, live, horror). An isolated small town falls under the sway of demonic forces masquerading as good.
Robin Wright’s "LAND" (movie, live, drama). One woman gets more than she bargained for when she withdraws from society to an isolated backwoods cabin.