Top Films of 2021 by Phil Grippi

So we draw one year to a close and invite another, if a bit trepidatiously. Be that as it may, whatever our next journey around the sun holds in store for us, we know one thing: it’s time to make lists of cool things we saw last year in an arbitrary ranking of some kind. So buckle up buckaroos because here’s mine. IT’S ON.

Nightbooks

We’ll begin with a fun if innocuous film that flew under the radar this year. A fun, stylish throwback to the originals of the YA horror genre like lost boys and fright night. Nightbooks is bolstered by ample visual flourish as well as the star power of its young up and comers and the campy delight that is Kristen Ritter as the witch of this modern fable. Look for it on Netflix, it’s quite fun.

Shadow in the cloud

Probably the first new movie of the year for me. This grungy grindhouse bottle movie pits a WWII fighter jet crew and a stowaway against German forces and the intrusions of a ghoulish creature that’s snuck on board: a gremlin. That’s right we got a gremlin movie this year, and it was a a blast. Boldly schlocky and unabashed in the feminine energy injected by director Roseann Liang, I loved most everything about this film.

Godzilla vs kong

Yea, it’s silly. It’s characters are ridiculously 2 dimensional and the movie knows it, so it focuses on the monsters and the action. In doing so it absolutely delivers on the simple premise of the famed movie monsters from different hemispheres waging all out war against one another. East meets west and Behemoths collide on a scale almost biblical. It’s awesome.

PG: Psycho Goreman

Have you ever pondered the question: what if James Gunn directed an episode of power rangers? If so you’re in luck, and if not, well strap in boys and girls. It’s gonna be wild, disgusting ride. A stellar young cast of child actors carry the absurd premise of a rambunctious little girl gaining control over trans-dimensional space demon with god like powers. Shenanigans ensue.

Ghostbusters Afterlife

Does the film falter a bit in its third with nostalgic callbacks and barrage references to the first film? Perhaps. To that I say: FEH. The film is an emotional and heartfelt tribute to the 1984 pop culture phenomenon as well as the late Harold Ramis. It’s pure spooky blockbuster fun with wit and flourish to spare and a tremendously likeable cast. Jason Reitman steps effortlessly into his father’s shoes to bring his own quirky Indy sensibilities to the preexisting canon his father helped build.

The Mitchell’s vs the Machine

Produced by one of my favorite filmmaking duos, Phil Lord and Chris Miller Usher in fresh new talent in the form of an imaginative burst of color and life. Infinitely clever, the film is unrelenting in it’s visual gags and rapid fire quips. Every frame brims with energy and effort while the voice cast brings life to each character. Also, watch out for a gag regarding Furbies. It’s hilarious.

A Quiet Place part II

John Krasinsky once again delivers in his cinematic evolution from sitcom actor to filmmaker. What he gives us is a barebones, effortlessly tense dystopian survival thriller with a cool movie monster. The mostly silent cast deliver stellar performance as they endure tense, visceral stunts and set pieces in a grueling journey to simply make it through a few bad days in dystopian small town, USA.

Encanto

A rich, heartfelt tapestry of music and culture from the brilliant musical mind of Lin Manuel Miranda and Disney’s house of imagineers. Both magical and emotional, delightfully witty but bitterly melancholy, all while vibrating with a boundless youthful energy. It’s good. And it’s on Disney plus, go watch it.

Shang Chi: legend of the 10 Rings

The marvel universe continues to expand and evolve, this time in the direction of kung fu fantasy epic. Every bit as culturally rich as Black Panther with a fun, winding script full of surprises and Easter eggs for fans. What brings it all together a fresh new superhero for audiences to watch grow, and the truly fascinating villain brought to life by Chinese acting legend Tony Leung.

Dune

Dennis Vielleneuve crafts a new cinematic mythology for the annals of science fiction with one of the deepest, vastest unsung lore of literature. A true epic, large and gorgeous with a massive cast of talent assembled, Villieneuve navigates the dense lore with a reserved grandeur. It is sure to be a dazzling new franchise for nerds and cinephiles to popularize in the years to come.

Copshop

A raucous blast of coke fueled 70’s bombast. Character actors far and wide chew scenery like candy as gunpowder flies to the four winds and beyond. Can you dig it? You better, cuz it’s going down.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

A trilogy both closes and gives way to more. Decades of mythology and storytelling culminate in this epic and emotional superhero adventure film that personifies to enervating adage of the Spider-Man lore: with great power comes great responsibility. The MCU spidey finally comes of age and is ready for darker, bigger challenges in the years to come. Come for the spider, stay for the Dafoe.

The Suicide Squad

James Gunn tops his contributions to the larger marvel canon by stepping into the realm of DC. What comes out of this fiendish union is pure grindhouse chaos straight from Gunn’s twisted brain. Simultaneously Heartfelt and cruel, the film wears on it’s sleeve a sense of humor both gleeful and sadistic. The action hits the ground running with a manic energy from one set piece to the next with the brilliantly crafted vibe of a 70’s exploitation war film. The massive cast of players bounce off one another effortlessly with whizzing and popping with one liners and thoughtful insights into each characters headspace. It’s easily the best DC film of the millennium. Gorgeous, gruesome, massive and intoxicating. It wound up being the best film of the year for me.

And those right there are my top Films of the year. Here‘s to another year of Great films and I’ll see you next time!