Andrew Garfield and Alexandra Shipp in Tick, Tick... Boom!
The most highly anticipated films of 2021 may just be releasing, but we’ve had a great time at the movies (from the couch and theater) all year long. Whether you’re looking for a flashy spectacle or delicate indie, check out our 19 favorites below.
Daniel Craig goes out with a bang in his final performance as 007 for a non-stop adventure of action and betrayal. Living a lowkey life in Jamaica, Bond returns to service for a treacherous mission.
Stirring up a whole lot of buzz during festival season, Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story centers on the life of a working class family in the late ‘60s capital of Northern Ireland.
Watch the story as sisters Venus and Serena Williams intended: through the perspective of their father. This story of triumph chronicles Richard Williams’ plan to raise the best tennis players in the world.
With debut performances from Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman, Paul Thomas Anderson captures the 1970s San Fernando Valley through the love story and growing pains of its two main characters.
No matter what the critics say, you’ll be in for an outrageous, glamorous (and fun) ride on a film all about decadence, betrayal and revenge. Ridley Scott’s star-studded crime drama is exactly where Lady Gaga needs to be.
Marvel’s first Asian superhero on the big screen has been dubbed by many as their favorite MCU film. See Simu Liu in the starring role as he confronts the past he thought he left behind and becomes drawn into the mysterious Ten Rings organization.
You can expect to see this one all over awards season early next year. The coming-of-age story finds Ruby at a crossroads between her passion for singing and, as the only hearing member of a deaf family, helping her parents and brother keep their fishing business afloat.
For a ludicrously fun time, journey with lifelong friends Barb and Star as they ditch their small Midwestern town for the magnificence of Vista Del Mar, Florida. You’ll want to see what happens when the duo get caught up in a local villain’s plot, not to mention Jamie Dornan’s glorious musical number.
Kristen Stewart embodying the late and legendary Princess Di sounds like a fever dream, which is exactly how it feels to watch this reimagining of the People’s Princess’ final stretch of her marriage with Prince Charles. Among Christmas festivities at the queen’s estate, Diana is playing the same old game, but knows things will be different this year.
Ed Helms and Patti Henderson are absolutely excellent in this festival darling that explores the relationship between a middle-aged man who wants a child and his young surrogate mother who happens to be quite the loner. An unexpected (platonic) relationship blooms that muddles their understanding of connection, boundaries and love.
See also: Our 22 Favorite TV Shows of the Year
Emma Stone, Emma Thompson and fabulous fashion. What more can you want from the Mouse House’s origin story of the 101 Dalmatians villain? The tale sees Estella, a young and clever grifter, work her way up into the fashion world and capture the attention of the legendary Baroness von Hellman. Meanwhile, Estella develops a revenge-bent alter ego that threatens the Baroness’ status in fashion— and her own sanity.
Growing up as a longtime outcast, Katie Mitchell cannot wait to finally get to her first year of film school. However, everything changes when the world’s electronic devices come to life and take over human society. With the help of two kind robots, the Mitchells must come together to save one another, and the rest of the world, from a fatal technological revolution.
All the hype around Denis Villeneuve’s reimaging of the science fiction epic was not for nothing. Even if you’re not a fan of the genre, you’ll be enticed by Paul Atreides’ journey as he works to ensure the future of his family and his people. Timothée, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac and Rebecca Ferguson star in this A-list cast.
What happens when you live in a place with unequal access to reproductive care? It sounds like a dark premise— and it is— but also a funny one. After an awkward first sexual encounter, BFFs straight-laced Sunny and rebelious Lupe trek across South Dakota to track down a Plan B pill within 24 hours.
The on-screen adaptation of Lin Manuel Miranda’s Broadway juggernaut brings to life the beloved musical about Usnavi and his Washington Heights neighborhood as he, friends and family work through a hot summer while chasing their dreams for better lives.
Adapted from a viral Twitter thread, Janicza Bravo’s crime thriller follows the misadventures of Detroit waitress Zola when she gets seduced into a weekend of stripping in Florida for some quick cash. It sounds easy until everything goes haywire and she realizes her friend Stefani (whose idiot boyfriend is along for the ride) wasn’t being so honest about the whole escapade.
Discover the life of an aspiring composer (ahem, the genius behind Rent) in New York City who worries he made the wrong career choice and works to balance the pressures of love and friendship.
Strap in for perhaps the strangest horror film of the year. Writer-director Julia Ducournau captures the story of Alexia, a woman who, after being injured in a childhood car accident, has a titanium plate fitted into her head and leads a sinister life.
Of course Pixar so beautifully captures the Italian Riviera through animation. It’s a lovely sight to see as Luca learns to accept his identity as a sea monster while pretending to be a human with fellow sea monster Alberto in a seaside town known for hunting their kind. Along the way, the pair find a best friend in local girl Giulia and together they train for the village's local triathlon of swimming, eating pasta and biking.
Photography by: Macall Polay/NETFLIX ©2021
