HLS Movie Awards Top 116 Movies of 2021 Part 6! 25-11
Welcome back to HLS Entertainment! Today we are going to discuss Part 6 of the top 116 movies of 2021, this time 25-11. Part one we discussed many popular well-known movies that flopped quality wise (and box office in some cases), part two contained films that were so close to being good but just were not quite there but were still enjoyable, part three was more of the same but had less obvious misgivings, part four we had a few that fit that mold, but that is where the list turns into just really good movies, part five is where we had a large section of very well made films. And here now in part 6 is where we get to the true excellence of 2021 films. We might have loved movies you hated, or hated ones you loved, let us know in the comments or on Twitter @HLSEntrtainment or my personal Twitter @HaroldLStokes.
Now like always with every movie I am going to be putting what I personally think is the safest grading scale out there, the IMDB user rating score. Here is a simple breakdown of what their 0.0-10 grading scale means:
Now this is not a gold standard but is a good starting point, on to the movies. On to the movies!
25. The Suicide Squad (HBOMax)
IMDb Score: 7.2
I would love to see where this movie ranks in a list comparing the film quality jump between the first and second films in a series. James Gunn's style is James Gunn's style, it is so unique and you either love it and are on board for his film style and violence or you are not. I certainly am on board, my best example of this is how in the world did he make on screen title/text with real world items look so cool? I mean it has been a running joke in big action movies, specifically comic book movies, having giant city/title texts on the screen jumped the shark and Gunn just made it so unique and cool.
24. American Underdog
IMDb Score: 7.2
This movie should not have been good, the tone for football films is so hard to nail to get the audience to buy in but this one did. The beginning of the movie has a few almost wink at the camera aware moments that help settle you in to this movie, because football and the life around it is patently ridiculous from the start and that is why we love it. Zachary Levi and Anna Paquin are both great in this and you find yourself rooting for their relationship just as much as the on the field football performance.
23. The Hand of God (Netflix)
IMDb Score: 7.4
This Italian film is based loosely on the director's, Paolo Sorrentino, own life and revolves around his own coming of age story that set him on his path as a filmmaker. It is not a strict everything is factual story as Sorrentino said himself "When I write, I start believing my own lies" (quote from NYT), but more of a romanticized version of his life. This film filled with so many emotions and you do not always love the paths it takes you down, but it is so wonderfully made.
22. The French Dispatch
IMDb Score: 7.2
Admittedly I am very much not a Wes Anderson fan. His style and tone, while brilliantly done, just is not my forte. This film is a collection of stories about a fictional American newspaper in 20th century France and is a love letter to journalism. This quirky, tightly filmed movie will not be for everyone but is undeniably excellently made.
21. Nightmare Alley
IMDb Score: 7.1
I feel like the story implied by this movies trailer and the one on screen are very different, but on reflection you realize why it was sold as another Guillermo monster movie. This is a movie that I think was wonderfully done and would not fault someone for having it much higher than I have but this was not a movie that stuck with me.
20. No Time to Die
IMDb Score: 7.3
I enjoy James Bond movies, but I would not call myself a James Bond fan because I do not feel like I have seen enough of the classics to even be able to make a great judgment. BUT, that being said this is easily my favorite film of the entire series that I have seen. Daniel Craig's Bond has always leaned into more action and this movie is a great example of what modern action movies should strive to be.
19. The Courier
IMDb Score: 7.2
If this list was purely my favorite films not me breaking them down and judging them for how well done they are, while enjoyment is a factor of course, this movie would be much higher on this list. The number of times I have watched this movie since its release rivals any movie on this entire list, it has been a go to film recommendation.
18. Being the Ricardos (Prime)
IMDb Score: 6.6
Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem did an incredible job sucking in the audience into a story and time that I would have to guess a vast majority at this point have never even heard of the famous couple nevertheless have actually watched I Love Lucy. I personally had seen a few episodes here and there but definitely nowhere close to the near 200 episodes that exist of the show. My favorite part of this movie were the look ins to Lucille Ball's mind as she imagined how the show will go, loved the Sorkin script.
17. Mass
IMDb Score: 7.7
Whew, do not watch this movie if you are already in a sad head space. About 95% of this movie takes place with these four people in a single room discussing a horrific event. The emotions this movie stirs in you for so many different reasons are what makes it so excellent, but I noticed it sat with me for a day or two bringing my mood down. Excellent filmmaking carried by four incredible performances. just be warned. Also, if you are going to watch it, do not find out what the horrific event is first. It is a thing that is not revealed until a bit into the movie.
16. C'Mon C'Mon
IMDb Score: 7.5
Joaquin Phoenix and Woody Norman have amazing chemistry on screen as we see the friendship between this uncle and nephew bloom on screen as they learn so much from each other. There have just been some incredible kid acting performances recently. We have been seeing a giant influx of that and I am excited for the future of acting. This movie is all about relationships, family and just how you view life and I think we all can learn from it a bit.
15. Last Night in Soho
IMDb Score: 7.1
I adore Edgar Wright films. I feel like we all have certain directors whose style or tone fits us the viewer perfectly and Wright is up there for my favorites. Which paints this movie as a polar opposite of #22 on this list The French Dispatch. Now that I think about it like that it really feels like these two directors just wrote and traded films to direct. Both were branching out a bit from their norm, and if you are a fan of Wes Anderson or Edgar Wright do you not kind of wish to see an alternate cut of both directed by each of them. But, back to this movie that actually happened, Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy are both incredible in this film while Matt Smith does his best to NOT be seen as the Doctor anymore. Come on Matt you can play lovable goof ball again we love you as that.
14. The Mauritanian
IMDb Score: 7.4
This movie is about some of the terrible thing that happened at Guantanamo Bay including the illegal holding of innocent men like Mohamedou Ould Slahi. This movie explores the true story of the trial and legal battle dealing with his case. Jodie Foster is of course incredible in this movie, but Tahar Rahim is the standout with his incredible performance. Ever wondered how Benedict Cumberbatch sound with an actually pretty convincing southern accent? Asked and surprisingly well answered by this movie.
13. Eternals
IMDb Score: 6.4
Quick rant on how terrible this movie was received, or just skip to next paragraph. Certain people want the MCU to fail, it happens every time something is successful in any field. If they are not the "team" you root for there will be people who hate them purely because they are successful. Reviewers who have given so so reviewers to comic book movies for years saw blood in the water and a bunch chose to rank this movie lower than it deserves because some of the early reviews were unfavorable. Sharks smelling blood in the water.
Anyways this movie is just wonderfully made by Chloe Zhao as she does an excellent job balancing out this film's large, amazing cast. One little brag on the movie, the decision to not have Kingo hardly in the third act at all was a unique and amazing writing decision I am stunned happened in such a large production movie.
12. The Green Knight
IMDb Score: 6.6
One of the highest compliments I can give a movie I feel like is this is a film that you can watch on silent and its beauty alone will carry your interest throughout. This is one hundred percent an "arty" movie, that I adore, so do not expect this movie to have much action as the trailers have maybe over sold. Dev Patel is slowly becoming one of my favorite actors working. This is for sure the most classically unique Arthurian Tales you will ever watch.
11. Nomadland
IMDb Score: 7.3
I am just now re-realizing that Chloe Zhao has two films this high and that is incredible. This Chloe Zhao product won Best Actress (Frances McDormand), Best Director, and Best Picture Oscars. While also being nominated Adapted Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Cinematography. This film follows Frances McDormand's chracter around as she lives a nomadic lifestyle out of her van in some of the harshest yet most beautiful spots in America. Makes me feel pretty cocky to say I think a last awards season's Best Picture winner is only 11th, imagine how good 10-1 must be!
