Notes From a Spectator: The 10 Films I Enjoyed Most in 2021

In 2021, I watched 137 movies I had never seen before. 94 of those were new releases.

The movies we enjoy the most aren’t always the best or the most critically acclaimed. But there’s something to be said for a movie that just speaks to you and your present situation — even if it doesn’t have the best performances, script, or production value. Some of the new releases that I enjoyed the most this year are also the ones I’ll be voting for in the upcoming North Carolina Film Critics Association awards. Others are significantly flawed, but they still struck the right chord with me. ​

That being said, these are not necessarily what I consider the “best” 10 films of 2021. They’re just the ones that had the biggest impact on me as a spectator. 

Happy new year, fellow spectators.

10. "The Night," directed by Kourosh Ahari. It was the first horror movie I watched in my new apartment, so of course it had a big impact.

9. "tick, tick... BOOM!" directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The “Sunday” scene was the perfect gift before the world lost Stephen Sondheim this year.

8. "Don't Look Up," directed by Adam McKay. It’s the comedic version of “Melancholia” I’ve been waiting for.

7. "Things Heard and Seen," directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. I can’t explain it, but this movie just came into my life when I needed it most.

6. "The Night House," directed by David Bruckner. Rebecca Hall on depression. That’s all.

5. "The Worst Person in the World," directed by Joachim Trier. No movie has ever validated my love life like this beautiful masterpiece did.

4. "Zola," directed by Janicza Bravo. It’s like Tarantino but for women. And better.

3. "The Last Thing Mary Saw," directed by Edoardo Vitaletti. The perfect combination of religious trauma and folk horror.

2. "Remain in Twilight," directed by Daigo Matsui. One of the most heartfelt and dynamic movies about grief I’ve seen in a long time.

1. "West Side Story," directed by Steven Spielberg. It’s better than the original, and that’s a hill I will die on.