Year-End Lists

Caroline Siede: The Best Films of 2021, as published by The A.V. Club

[see also 2020 • 2019]

1. C'mon C'mon
   Mike Mills
2. Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
   Questlove
3. The Worst Person in the World
   Joachim Trier
4. Drive My Car
   Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
5. The Power of the Dog
   Jane Campion
6. Being the Ricardos
   Aaron Sorkin
7. The Tragedy of Macbeth
   Joel Coen
8. The Green Knight
   David Lowery
9. The Mitchells vs. the Machines
   Mike Rianda
10. The French Dispatch
    Wes Anderson
11. tick, tick... BOOM!
    Lin-Manuel Miranda
12. Together Together
    Nikole Beckwith
13. Petite Maman
    Céline Sciamma
14. The Eyes of Tammy Faye
    Michael Showalter
15. Flee
    Jonas Poher Rasmussen

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: The Best Films of 2021

Mike D’Angelo: The Best Films of 2021, as published by The A.V. Club

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

1. Memoria
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2. Pig
   Michael Sarnoski
3. The Killing of Two Lovers
   Robert Machoian
4. French Exit
   Azazel Jacobs
5. Annette
   Leos Carax
6. Enemies of the State
   Sonia Kennebeck
7. Petite Maman
   Céline Sciamma
8. The Power of the Dog
   Jane Campion
9. A Hero
   Asghar Farhadi
10. No Sudden Move
    Steven Soderbergh
11. Passing
    Rebecca Hall
12. Cliff Walkers
    Zhang Yimou
13. About Endlessness
    Roy Andersson
14. I'm Your Man
    Maria Schrader
15. Anne at 13,000 ft
    Kazik Radwanski

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: The Best Films of 2021

Katie Rife: The Best Films of 2021, as published by The A.V. Club

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

1. The Power of the Dog
   Jane Campion
2. Petite Maman
   Céline Sciamma
3. Licorice Pizza
   Paul Thomas Anderson
4. Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
   Questlove
5. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy
   Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
6. The Green Knight
   David Lowery
7. This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection
   Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese
8. The Card Counter
   Paul Schrader
9. Zola
   Janicza Bravo
10. A Hero
    Asghar Farhadi
11. Red Rocket
    Sean Baker
12. Benedetta
    Paul Verhoeven
13. The Lost Daughter
    Maggie Gyllenhaal
14. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
    Josh Greenbaum
15. Titane
    Julia Ducournau

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: The Best Films of 2021

Charles Bramesco: The Best Films of 2021, as published by The A.V. Club

[see also 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017]

1. Bergman Island
   Mia Hansen-Løve
2. Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn
   Radu Jude
3. Licorice Pizza
   Paul Thomas Anderson
4. About Endlessness
   Roy Andersson
5. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
   Josh Greenbaum
6. Annette
   Leos Carax
7. The French Dispatch
   Wes Anderson
8. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy
   Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
9. Memoria
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
10. Zola
    Janicza Bravo
11. Days
    Tsai Ming-liang
12. The Card Counter
    Paul Schrader
13. Red Rocket
    Sean Baker
14. Procession
    Robert Greene
15. The Green Knight
    David Lowery

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: The Best Films of 2021

Carlos Aguilar: The Best Films of 2021, as published by The A.V. Club

1. Identifying Features
   Fernanda Valadez
2. The Souvenir Part II
   Joanna Hogg
3. Flee
   Jonas Poher Rasmussen
4. Drive My Car
   Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
5. Petite Maman
   Céline Sciamma
6. The Worst Person in the World
   Joachim Trier
7. A Hero
   Asghar Farhadi
8. Parallel Mothers
   Pedro Almodóvar
9. Limbo
   Ben Sharrock
10. Luca
    Enrico Casarosa
11. About Endlessness
    Roy Andersson
12. Belle
    Mamoru Hosoda
13. The Green Knight
    David Lowery
14. This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection
    Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese
15. Quo Vadis, Aida?
    Jasmila Žbanić

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: The Best Films of 2021
• RogerEbert.com: The Ten Best Films of 2021

A.A. Dowd: The Best Films of 2021, as published by The A.V. Club

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

1. The French Dispatch
   Wes Anderson
2. A Hero
   Asghar Farhadi
3. West Side Story
   Steven Spielberg
4. The Disciple
   Chaitanya Tamhane
5. Memoria
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
6. Red Rocket
   Sean Baker
7. Petite Maman
   Céline Sciamma
8. Procession
   Robert Greene
9. Violation
   Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli
10. Days
    Tsai Ming-liang
11. Quo Vadis, Aida?
    Jasmila Žbanić
12. The Killing of Two Lovers
    Robert Machoian
13. There Is No Evil
    Mohammad Rasoulof
14. Some Kind of Heaven
    Lance Oppenheim
15. I'm Your Man
    Maria Schrader

This list contributes to:

• A.V. Club: The Best Films of 2021

Paste Magazine: The 50 Best Movies of 2021

[see also 2022 • 2020 • 2010s • 2018 • 2017 • 2015]

1. The Green Knight
   David Lowery
2. Drive My Car
   Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
3. Memoria
   Apichatpong Weerasethakul
4. C'mon C'mon
   Mike Mills
5. Benedetta
   Paul Verhoeven
6. Nine Days
   Edson Oda
7. Days
   Tsai Ming-liang
8. Licorice Pizza
   Paul Thomas Anderson
9. This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection
   Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese
10. West Side Story
    Steven Spielberg
11. On-Gaku: Our Sound
    Kenji Iwaisawa
12. Shiva Baby
    Emma Seligman
13. The French Dispatch
    Wes Anderson
14. Parallel Mothers
    Pedro Almodóvar
15. The Summit of the Gods
    Patrick Imbert
16. Sator
    Jordan Graham
17. Pig
    Michael Sarnoski
18. Red Rocket
    Sean Baker
19. Titane
    Julia Ducournau
20. In the Heights
    Jon M. Chu
21. Procession
    Robert Greene
22. About Endlessness
    Roy Andersson
23. Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time
    various directors
24. Labyrinth of Cinema
    Nobuhiko Obayashi
25. The Lost Daughter
    Maggie Gyllenhaal
26. The Novice
    Lauren Hadaway
27. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy
    Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
28. The Last Duel
    Ridley Scott
29. Zola
    Janicza Bravo
30. Together Together
    Nikole Beckwith
31. Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn
    Radu Jude
32. The Hand of God
    Paolo Sorrentino
33. Undine
    Christian Petzold
34. Moffie
    Oliver Hermanus
35. The Paper Tigers
    Bao Tran
36. Bergman Island
    Mia Hansen-Løve
37. Plan B
    Natalie Morales
38. Listening to Kenny G
    Penny Lane
39. Judas and the Black Messiah
    Shaka King
40. The Mitchells vs. the Machines
    Mike Rianda
41. Delphine's Prayers
    Rosine Mfetgo Mbakam
42. The Dig
    Simon Stone
43. Those Who Wish Me Dead
    Taylor Sheridan
44. The Sparks Brothers
    Edgar Wright
45. Some Kind of Heaven
    Lance Oppenheim
46. Come True
    Anthony Scott Burns
47. Flee
    Jonas Poher Rasmussen
48. Raya and the Last Dragon
    Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada
49. The Beta Test
    Jim Cummings and PJ McCabe
50. Petite Maman
    Céline Sciamma

Mark Kermode: Best Films of 2021, as published by The Observer

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

1. Petite Maman
   Céline Sciamma
2. Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
   Questlove
3. The Green Knight
   David Lowery
4. Another Round
   Thomas Vinterberg
5. Titane
   Julia Ducournau
6. Censor
   Prano Bailey-Bond
7. Sound of Metal
   Darius Marder
8. After Love
   Aleem Khan
9. Spencer
   Pablo Larraín
10. Quo Vadis, Aida?
    Jasmila Žbanić

K. Austin Collins: Top 25 Movies of 2021, as published by Rolling Stone

[see also 2020 • 2010s • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016]

1. Benedetta
   Paul Verhoeven
2. Hidden
   Jafar Panahi
3. Days
   Tsai Ming-liang
4. Drive My Car
   Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
4. Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy
   Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
5. Passing
   Rebecca Hall
6. France
   Bruno Dumont
7. Procession
   Robert Greene
8. Test Pattern
   Shatara Michelle Ford
9. The Card Counter
   Paul Schrader
10. Beginning
    Déa Kulumbegashvili
11. North by Current
    Angelo Madsen Minax
12. Zola
    Janicza Bravo
13. The Green Knight
    David Lowery
14. The Souvenir Part II
    Joanna Hogg
15. The Disciple
    Chaitanya Tamhane
16. Memoria
    Apichatpong Weerasethakul
17. The Velvet Underground
    Todd Haynes
17. Wojnarowicz
    Chris McKim
18. Isabella
    Matías Piñeiro
19. The French Dispatch
    Wes Anderson
20. West Side Story
    Steven Spielberg
21. The Power of the Dog
    Jane Campion
22. Wild Indian
    Lyle Mitchell Corbine, Jr.
23. Zeros and Ones
    Abel Ferrara
24. Titane
    Julia Ducournau
25. C'mon C'mon
    Mike Mills

Matt Singer: The Best Movies of 2021, as published by ScreenCrush

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

1. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
   Josh Greenbaum
2. Dune
   Denis Villeneuve
3. Pig
   Michael Sarnoski
4. The Worst Person in the World
   Joachim Trier
5. The Last Duel
   Ridley Scott
6. The Mitchells vs. the Machines
   Mike Rianda
7. Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn
   Radu Jude
8. Bad Trip
   Kitao Sakurai
9. West Side Story
   Steven Spielberg
10. The Power of the Dog
    Jane Campion

Honorable Mentions (In Alphabetical Order)

• Annette
  Leos Carax
• The Card Counter
  Paul Schrader
• The Green Knight
  David Lowery
• The Harder They Fall
  Jeymes Samuel
• Judas and the Black Messiah
  Shaka King
• Licorice Pizza
  Paul Thomas Anderson
• The Lost Daughter
  Maggie Gyllenhaal
• PG: Psycho Goreman
  Steven Kostanski
• Shiva Baby
  Emma Seligman
• tick, tick... BOOM!
  Lin-Manuel Miranda