There’s little doubt that 2021 will be viewed as one of the strangest years for film in recent memory.
The year began with big-budget movies getting hybrid releases, allowing audiences to choose between seeing the film in the movie theater or from the comfort of their couch, a seismic change to distribution that’s still being discussed today.
By the end of the year, “Spiderman: No Way Home” was released exclusively in theaters, and attracted audiences in such large numbers that some industry experts argued that it single-handedly saved movie theaters in 2021.
However, away from all the hand-wringing about the financial state of movie theaters and film studios, and the arguments surrounding streaming services — 2021 was a fascinating year to enjoy films.
Here are some of the highlights of film releases in 2021.
Documentary: “The Rescue”
Few thrillers can match the gripping, terrifying story that unfolds in “The Rescue,” a documentary of the rescue of 12 Thai children and their soccer coach from a flooded cave. From the makers of the Oscar-winning “Free Solo,” Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi tell a complex story of heroism and suspense that defies categorization or description.
If you missed it, “The Rescue” is streaming on Disney+.
Drama: “The Power of the Dog”
Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance in Jane Campion’s “Power of the Dog” began receiving Oscar buzz almost immediately upon the film’s Netflix release.
Jane Campion, whose film “The Piano” was nominated for Best Picture back in 1994, hadn’t made a film in 10 years when she decided to tap Cumberbatch for a film about toxic masculinity and the American West.
The film is likely to bring in many awards in March, so it’s worth checking out before then, and available on Netflix.
Comedy: “Don’t Look Up”
Adam McKay started as a writer on SNL and then a writer-director of silly comedies like “Anchorman.” However, he has since built a well-deserved reputation for making truly unique comedies that draw on current events, including “The Big Short” and “Vice.”
While “Don’t Look Up” doesn’t live up to the success of those films, it’s yet another funny and timely story about the absurdity of politics and the fear of world-ending catastrophes that defines much of modern life. It’s streaming on Netflix.
Animation: “The Mitchells and The Machines”
Netflix delivered a surprisingly sleek hit with “The Mitchells and The Machines,” thanks largely to a funny, moving script full of thoroughly modern family conflicts, often revolving around technology.
The animation is fresh and colorful, and clearly owes a large debt to the innovations of “Spiderman: Into The Spiderverse,” which will likely continue to influence animated films for many years to come. “The Mitchells and The Machines” may not stand the test of time, but its commentary on our relationship with technology hits the bullseye.
Superheroes: “The Suicide Squad”
Director James Gunn has called “The Suicide Squad” his favorite film to date, and the joy he took in making it is present in every absurd, hilarious scene.
Following his massive success with the “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise — then briefly losing his Marvel gig over a Twitter controversy, then getting his job back — Gunn got the opportunity to make an R-rated film for DC, which he clearly embraced with relish. While “The Suicide Squad” makes vivid use of that R rating, it’s also a very funny film that largely ignores its predecessor, the abysmal “Suicide Squad,” and delivers his trademark escapism with a cast of hilarious anti-heroes, including the always-welcome Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn.
It’s still streaming on HBO Max.