There is a common complaint towards modern movies about the lack of original ideas. It is true that looking at the movies of 2021, it is filled with superheroes, sequels, and other established properties. Even some of the most acclaimed movies of the year are based on books and real events.
However, while these big franchises might have taken up a lot of the room, 2021 was still filled with some great completely original movies for audiences to enjoy. From wild animated adventures to personal dramas to big blockbusters, 2021 proved there is still room for something totally new at the movies.
No Sudden Move
Though Steven Soderbergh is an incredibly versatile filmmaker, he truly excels at slick and cool crime stories like Out of Sight and The Limey. So it was very exciting to see him return to the genre with an all-star cast in No Sudden Move.
Set in the 1970s, the gritty crime story follows a variety of seedy characters brought together by a home invasion plot gone wrong. It is so much fun spending time with these characters and trying to piece together the complex mystery at the center of it all.
The Mitchells Vs. The Machines
It is rare for an animated movie to upstage the likes of Pixar and Disney, but The Mitchells vs. the Machines ended up being the best animated movie of the year. The family adventure follows the titular Mitchell family as they head on a cross-country trip only for an A.I. program to take over the world during their journey.
The movie expertly handles the big and wild action side of the story while also telling a funny and relatable tale of a family learning to see eye-to-eye. It was a real treat for audiences to go into this movie with no prior knowledge and watch the outrageous story evolve.
Barb And Star Go To Vista Del Mar
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo found success together writing the Oscar-nominated movie Bridesmaids. But while that movie was a relatively grounded comedy, they went in a new absurd direction with their follow-up, Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar.
Wiig and Mumolo star as the titular friends who leave their hometown for the first time ever for a vacation at a luxury resort. The simple premise does not begin to explain how weird, wild, and hilarious the movie ends up being. It is one of the funniest movies of the year and seems destined for cult classic status in years to come.
Belfast
After helming big studio blockbusters like Thor and Murder on the Orient Express, Kenneth Branagh told a much smaller story loosely based on his own childhood. Belfast tells the story of a young boy named Buddy growing up in the titular Irish town with his family amidst the violent Troubles of the 1960s.
The coming-of-age story looks at various aspects of the young boy's life, from early love to his changing community to the struggles of his parents. It is a touching drama that combines humor, heartbreak, and hope in a wonderful way.
Last Night In Soho
Though it is clear to see some of the inspiration Edgar Wright took for this movie, Last Night in Soho is an entirely original thriller that showcases more versatility from the director. The story follows a young woman who moves to London and finds her dreams haunted by visions of an aspiring young singer who lived in the city in the 1960s.
While Wright's comedies had a wacky energy to them, he manages to keep things lively with this slow-burn mystery and chilling ghost story. The result is one of the most compelling horror movies of the year.
Nobody
Fans may love Bob Odenkirk as Saul Goodman, but few had thought of him as an action star. The actor proved those doubters wrong with his shocking and hugely entertaining lead role in the movie Nobody.
Odenkirk plays a mild-mannered family man whose embarrassing encounter with home invaders reveals a secret and more violent past that he had tried to keep hidden. Odenkirk is very impressive and the movie makes for a fun and wild action movie that stands apart from the year's superhero movies.
The Harder They Fall
The Western genre doesn't seem to be a big draw with audiences, but it just takes one entertaining movie like The Harder They Fall to renew some interest in the genre. Though it features historical figures from the Old West, the movie is a fictional Western adventure.
With an all-star cast including Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors, and Regina King, the movie is an action-packed ride with plenty of surprises and complex characters to make it stand out as something truly special.
Free Guy
While movies based on video games have never been very successful with critics and audiences, Free Guy proved a hit as a movie about a video game. Ryan Reynolds stars as a non-player character (NPC) in a popular game who begins to take charge of his reality.
The clever premise of the movie entertains video game fans with all the references without it being based on an actual game. Reynolds makes for a funny action hero lead and there are so many great Easter eggs and cameos to make it one of 2021's biggest surprises.
Licorice Pizza
Paul Thomas Anderson is a filmmaker responsible for so many acclaimed movies, from Boogie Nights to There Will Be Blood. His latest movie, Licorice Pizza continues to show how versatile he is with something that feels totally different from his other amazing movies.
It is another coming-of-age story, this time exploring the complexities of first love in the San Fernando Valley in 1973. Anderson is able to make an engrossing world within his movies while delivering hilarious moments and entertaining characters.
Pig
In Pig, Nicolas Cage stars as a reclusive truffle hunter who is aided by his trusty pig. When the pig is stolen from him, he sets out on a determined mission to get it back. While audiences might expect a certain type of movie when they hear a premise like that, they are likely not ready for how good Pig is.
Cage gives a reserved and powerful performance in a movie that borders on surreal while never faltering too much to turn it into a joke. In the end, it is one of the most gripping movies of the year and an underseen gem.