by Matt McCafferty, Staff Writer

Reading through my list might make you think I had a rough year. Not much here will lift you up if that’s what you’re looking for. Honestly, 2021 was pretty good to me. I feel fortunate to say that I really don’t have much to complain about. This year’s feel-good films just didn’t work for me, for the most part. Or maybe there weren’t many of them this year? Who knows? I mean, Luca was close to cracking the top 10. So yeah, I don’t always go for the dark and depressing. 

10. Titane (dir. Julia Ducournau)

Strange and disturbing, Titane provides plenty of shock value. If you saw Ducournau’s previous film, Raw, you probably weren’t all that caught off guard. Even still, it’s been a while since I saw a movie where I found myself saying “What the hell was that?” several times out loud. It’s not just its shocking nature that made it such a unique experience. Ducournau somehow managed to make it feel heartfelt in ways you would never expect (especially in the second half).

9. My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To (dir. Jonathan Cuartas)

A slow burn horror film that got lost in the mix this year. The three main performances are all excellent, especially Patrick Fugit. It’s a vampire story that doesn’t mention the word “vampire” or take up any time explaining specific rules. Instead, we get a twisted family tale that thrives on its low-budget, eerie atmosphere. You can check out more of my thoughts here. 

8. Shiva Baby (dir. Emma Seligman)

This is awkward scenario after awkward scenario at its best. Director Emma Seligman basically constructs a 78 minute panic attack. Yet somehow, as a viewer, it’s the kind of anxiety that’s so entertaining to witness. Think Uncut Gems in a way. Or maybe Krisha if you want to think of it as something closer to horror. The score certainly adds to the horror feel at times. Regardless, this was one of the most entertaining movies I saw all year. Normally, I’m all about short run times. In this case, I would have loved to spend another fifteen minutes or so in that van at the end.  

7. The French Dispatch (dir. Wes Anderson)

Every year I put a film on my list that I can only assume will eventually move up higher in the rankings as time goes on. Last year was The Wolf of Snow Hollow. This year, it’s The French Dispatch. Of all the movies on my list, this is the one I’m most excited to revisit. As with most Wes Anderson films, I get more out of them on each rewatch. The French Dispatch feels especially complex, both with its story and its aesthetics. Just so much to take in. 

6. Old (dir. M. Night Shyamalan)

Old is M. Night throwing nearly every idea he had at this concept of aging rapidly on a beach (which originally came from the graphic novel, Sandcastle). Not every idea works, but it was pretty damn close for me. I just love his willingness to go all in on these types of unique story ideas. He also uses some pretty cool camera tricks that I really enjoyed. It feels like M. Night is more comfortable than ever when it comes to him doing whatever he feels is best for his movie. This was also one of the best experiences I had in a theater in a while.    

5. Together Together (dir. Nikole Beckwith)

As I mentioned, my list turned out to be a bit darker than usual in terms of themes. So I’m glad I was able to see Together Together, the most hopeful film that I saw this year. I’m also coming to realize that I’m a much bigger fan of Ed Helms than I previously thought. If you haven’t caught up with it yet, it’s streaming on Hulu as of this writing. I also wrote up a full review for it back in April.

4. The Green Knight (dir. David Lowery)

A coming-of-age movie like I’ve never seen before. I’m not really familiar with the literary version, so I didn't get caught up in any of the differences between the two. Instead, I found myself completely immersed in Lowery’s fantasy world. For a movie that moves at a deliberately slow pace, it never feels boring. No matter how you interpret its story, the visuals are so incredibly stunning. I could watch this on mute and still enjoy it. 

3. The Card Counter (dir. Paul Schrader)

I will admit that I don’t follow the award season buzz as closely as I used to. With that said, it just doesn’t seem like many people are talking about Oscar Isaac’s performance in The Card Counter. Not only is this my favorite performance of the year, but it’s also probably the best script of the year. Don’t expect this to be the straight-forward card-counting poker movie that it looks to be in the trailers. You can go back and watch Rounders if that’s what you’re looking for (a movie I do love). Instead, The Card Counter is a dark, moody watch that digs into the deep effects that guilt can have on a person. 

2. The Power of the Dog (dir. Jane Campion)

If you are reading these ‘best of the year’ lists, you’re probably seeing this one show up quite a bit. It’s just that good. It’s also widely available on Netflix. So that helps too. I won’t dive into the plot or the performances too much here, as I’m sure you’ve already heard plenty about them; and if not, you will once award season officially gets here. But I will say that I love it when a movie finds a way to completely surprise me by the time it’s all said and done. You can call it a twist or whatever, but really it’s just Jane Campion being terrific at her job. Every scene works as a sort of puzzle piece, full of little details and clues that you don’t even realize you’re taking in. 

1. The Killing of Two Lovers (dir. Robert Machoian)

Why not top off this year’s list with what might be the darkest, most depressing watch out of all these films. The Killing of Two Lovers has this raw feel to it that made it the most powerful film of 2021 for me. Robert Machoian delivers the kind of family drama that feels a lot like a Coen Brothers film (minus their unique brand of comedy). Scene after scene feels like it's building up to something explosive. When it does eventually explode, it still feels unexpectedly jarring. The film also gets a huge boost thanks to the beautiful small-town Utah setting that pairs up perfectly with this story. You can stream this one on Hulu.