Year-End Lists

Amy Taubin: Best Films of 2021, as published by Artforum

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012]

1. The Power of the Dog
   Jane Campion
2. Ken Jacobs Collection, Volume 1
   Ken Jacobs
3. The Velvet Underground
   Todd Haynes
3. Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
   Questlove
4. Memoria
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
5. Petite Maman
   Céline Sciamma
6. Mr. Bachmann and His Class
   Maria Speth
7. Azor
   Andreas Fontana
8. The Dog Who Wouldn't Be Quiet
   Ana Katz
8. Souad
   Ayten Amin
9. Cryptozoo
   Dash Shaw
9. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
   Will Sharpe
10. The Bureau
    Éric Rochant

John Waters: Best Films of 2021, as published by Artforum

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. Annette
   Leos Carax
2. Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
   Questlove
3. Vortex
   Gaspar Noé
4. France
   Bruno Dumont
5. The Most Beautiful Boy in the World
   Kristina Lindström & Kristian Petri
6. Mandibles
   Quentin Dupieux
7. Red Rocket
   Sean Baker
8. The Tragedy of Macbeth
   Joel Coen
9. Saint-Narcisse
   Bruce La Bruce
10. The Onania Club
    Tom Six

Decider: Best Movies of 2021

[see also 2022]

1. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
   Josh Greenbaum
2. CODA
   Sian Heder
3. Nomadland
   Chloé Zhao
4. In the Heights
   Jon M. Chu
5. The Power of the Dog
   Jane Campion
6. Dune
   Denis Villeneuve
7. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
   Destin Daniel Cretton
8. Titane
   Julia Ducournau
9. Raya and the Last Dragon
   Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada
10. The Green Knight
    David Lowery
11. Werewolves Within
    Josh Ruben
12. Bo Burnham: Inside
    Bo Burnham
13. Cruella
    Craig Gillespie
14. Zola
    Janicza Bravo
15. Annette
    Leos Carax
16. Shiva Baby
    Emma Seligman
17. Nobody
    Ilya Naishuller
18. Luca
    Enrico Casarosa

The Economist: The Best Films of 2021

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2019]

• Another Round
  Thomas Vinterberg
• Drive My Car
  Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
• Dune
  Denis Villeneuve
• The Father
  Florian Zeller
• The French Dispatch
  Wes Anderson
• The Green Knight
  David Lowery
• Limbo
  Ben Sharrock
• Minari
  Lee Isaac Chung
• No Time to Die
  Cary Joji Fukunaga
• The Power of the Dog
  Jane Campion
• Riders of Justice
  Anders Thomas Jensen
• Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
  Questlove
• Supernova
  Harry Macqueen
• Titane
  Julia Ducournau

Cahiers du Cinéma: Top Ten Films of 2021

[see also 2023 • 2022 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. First Cow
   Kelly Reichardt
2. Annette
   Leos Carax
3. Memoria
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
4. Drive My Car
   Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
5. France
   Bruno Dumont
6. The French Dispatch
   Wes Anderson
7. All Hands on Deck
   Guillaume Brac
8. The Girl and the Spider
   Ramon Zürcher and Silvan Zürcher
9. The Card Counter
   Paul Schrader
10. Benedetta
    Paul Verhoeven

Jonathan Rosenbaum: Ten Best Films of 2021, as submitted to the Sight & Sound Poll, "An incomplete list of nine titles for an incomplete, pandemic year that cries out for updates and afterthoughts."

[see also 2022 • 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011]

1. First Cow
   Kelly Reichardt
2. Her Socialist Smile
   John Gianvito
3. Tiong Bahru Social Club
   Tan Bee Thiam
4. Martin und Hans
   Mark Rappaport
5. John Farrow Hollywood's Man in the Shadows
   Claude Gonzalez & Frans Vanderburg
6. While We Are Here
   Clarissa Campolina and Luiz Pretti
7. Letters from the Ends of the World
   a dozen of the first graduates of Béla Tarr’s FilmFactory
8. Uncut Gems
   Ben Safdie and Joshua Safdie
9. Cry Macho
   Clint Eastwood

This list contributes to:

• Sight & Sound Poll: The 50 Best Films of 2021

Jordan Cronk: Top Ten Films of 2021 as submitted to the Sight & Sound Poll, listed alphabetically

[see also The Ten Best Experimental Films of 2022 • Top Ten Films of 2022 • Top Ten Films of 2020 • The 50 Best Films of the 2010s • Top 20 Films of 2019 • Top 20 Films of 2018 • Top Ten Films of 2017]

• Annette
  Leos Carax
• Benedetta
  Paul Verhoeven
• Il Buco
  Michelangelo Frammartino
• The Card Counter
  Paul Schrader
• Cry Macho
  Clint Eastwood
• Drive My Car
  Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
• France
  Bruno Dumont
• In Front of Your Face
  Hong Sang-soo
• Memoria
  Apichatpong Weerasethakul
• What Do We See When We Look at the Sky?
  Aleksandre Koberidze

This list contributes to:

• Sight & Sound Poll: The 50 Best Films of 2021