What a year. What a bloody year.

When the best you can say about a year is that it wasn’t quite the same level of shitshow as the previous one, you know you’re in trouble, and despite mild signs of improvement, 2021 really was quite the chore.

But hey, at least we got let back into cinemas, eh?

Honestly, the reopening of cinemas has been an absolute blessing and a welcome escape from what continues to be a very trying time. The opportunity to go sit in the dark, forget your worries, and disappear into another world for a few hours may sound pretty corny, but it really does offer a comforting distraction when shit gets real.

With the pandemic laying waste to the film industry in 2020, it’s no surprise that streaming services dominated last year’s top movie picks, however, cinemas slowly but surely sparked back into life in 2021, and while the box office numbers were largely down on the ‘before times’ (until a certain spider-based superhero came along, at least), things are finally looking up.

It’s been tough, no doubt, as many movies outside the big tent pole franchises failed to earn much box office cash, yet it’d be churlish to deny the fact that, for the time being at least, the theatrical experience is alive and kicking.

But, of course, time waits for no man, and with theatrical distribution no longer the only game in town, a hybrid film-viewing balance between cinemas and streaming has had to be struck. Where this all ends up, who knows, yet there’s no better time than now to celebrate film in all its forms, and to pay tribute to the many movies that have helped us through these past twelve months.

So here we go then. Here are my top 10 films of 2021…

With a story full of charm but offering few surprises, CODA definitely has its fair share of cliché, yet it managed to hit me in all the right places. Simple, effective, and with superb performances all round, the film is an infinitely charming coming-of-age tale that marks another watershed moment for deaf representation in film.

Where to watch it: AppleTV+

Razor-sharp, hilarious, and crammed full of heart, The Mitchells vs the Machines marks another win for Phil Lord and Christopher Millar, who – along with writer-director Mike Rianda – have crafted a wild, eye-catching ride that delivers laughs and tears in equal measure. Balancing a whip-smart satirical edge with wonderfully idiosyncratic humour, beautifully creative animation, and an undeniable warmth, The Mitchells vs the Machines offers apocalyptic fun for the whole family.

Read my review: Apocalyptic fun for all the family

Where to watch it: Netflix

Driven by dazzling spectacle and a stack of incredible tunes, In the Heights lights up the sky with an exuberant, sun-kissed celebration of heritage and community that’s both enormous and admirably grounded. Backed up by a beautifully balanced cast, Jon M. Chu captures the magic of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original show perfectly, bringing it to the screen with the kind of joy, energy, and pure escapism that’ll have you singing from the rooftops.

Read my review: A welcome blast of hope and heat

Where to watch it: Sky Cinema / HBO Max

Breaking new cultural ground for the MCU, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings fully embraces its destiny as a torchbearer for Asian representation, yet it does so without losing sight of its duty to entertain in the way only Marvel movies can. Through truly spectacular action, superb performances, enthralling visuals, and finely balanced emotion, Shang-Chi is without a doubt one of Marvel’s finest solo efforts and the moment the franchise’s new era really kicked into gear.

Read my review: Marvel’s newest hero comes out swinging

Where to watch it: Disney+

While its heart often feels buried under the sheer enormity of it all, Dune is an otherwise masterfully realised and immaculately constructed adaptation of a book many believed unfilmable. With sound and scope in perfect harmony, Denis Villeneuve has crafted an epic, immersive, and utterly awe-inspiring spectacle that’s absolutely guaranteed to spice up your life.

Read my review: Denis Villeneuve here to spice up your life

Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy from various VOD platforms

Driven by Daniel Kaluuya’s commanding performance and a powerful, resonant message, Judas and the Black Messiah overcomes its biopic trappings to deliver an exhilarating recount of a betrayal of biblical proportions and a criminally overlooked historical moment.

Forthright and heart-breaking, Judas and the Black Messiah is a potent denunciation of discrimination and racial injustice, anchored by Kaluuya’s moving embodiment of a man in touching distance of tearing it all down, yet methodically pulled apart by the system. Pulsating and powerful, the film is a triumph that will hopefully inspire just as much as it will enrage.

Read my review: A pertinent portrait of power, politics and betrayal

Where to watch it: Sky Cinema / HBO Max

The slowest of slow burns, The Power of the Dog certainly takes its time, yet what unfolds is well worth your attention. Set alight by Benedict Cumberbatch’s subtle, simmering toxicity and a tight collection of incredible performances, The Power of the Dog’s unsettling energy and intense, gnawing tension will burrow under your skin and stay there.

It’s been 12 years since Jane Campion’s last feature, and this time out of the game hasn’t dulled her searing prowess one bit, as she steps back into the spotlight to reaffirm her status as one of the finest filmmakers of her generation.

Exquisitely crafted and unflinchingly methodical, The Power of the Dog’s unhurried Western rhythm is truly mesmerising and continually shifts, with notes of melancholy, solitude, torment, jealousy, and resentment all combining to coax you in and sink their teeth into you.

Where to watch it: Netflix

Well this one just about ended me. Four people round a table working through their grief for 2 hours sounds like one hell of a slog, yet, thanks to an absolute writing and acting masterclass, Mass is nothing less than enthralling throughout.

Scripted with empathy and compassion, Mass is a thoroughly riveting watch, and while its emotions are incredibly raw, there’s a generosity and a lightness of touch to Fran Kranz’s script and direction that pulls you through. Around this is a quartet of astonishing performances from Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton, Ann Dowd, and Reed Birney that draw you in and keep you gripped.

While Mass certainly demands a lot from its audience, the rewards are absolutely worth the emotional endeavour. Although the film’s approach cuts deep, the remarkable empathy of Kranz’s writing and the powerful subtlety of all four performances offers a devastatingly nuanced dissection of grief.

Where to watch it: Available to rent or buy from various VOD platforms

If you’re going to do fan service, this is how you do it. Widening the scope and upping the ante on its predecessors, No Way Home is certainly bigger and bolder than any other Spider-Man film to date, yet it never loses site of its humour or heart.

With Tom Holland fully cementing himself as the Peter Parker and bolstered by some truly incredible visuals, No Way Home delivers joyous levels of action, emotion, and surprises to place itself as one of the MCU’s finest instalments and the moment we finally got the definitive big screen Spider-Man we’ve been waiting for.

Read my review: A spectacular swing into the Spider-Verse

Where to watch it: In cinemas worldwide now

A brilliantly put together documentary about a shamefully forgotten piece of history, as music and civil rights collide in the shadow of Woodstock.

Concert films can always be a bit hit and miss, yet Summer of Soul proves itself to be one of the very best, as director Amir “Questlove” Thompson sews together long-forgotten performances from a rich tapestry of legendary talent including Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, The Staple Singers, and Gladys Knight, to dramatic effect.

Delicately interweaving jaw-dropping live footage with a series of revealing interviews, Summer of Soul captures the spirit and context of a watershed moment while rooting it firmly in the present.

So many tunes and so much pertinent history to digest. Get on Disney+/Hulu, whack it on and crank up the volume.

Where to watch it: Hulu / Disney+

Happy New Year everyone! Here’s to brighter days in 2022 :D