In 2020, so many movies were indefinitely delayed. Whether in production or for the release, a lot of good films didn’t make it to streaming on Netflix, Hulu, or whichever streaming platform randomly created. But in 2021, that changed. So many excellent movies were released this past year, making the competition stiff for awards season. But the topics tackled are more diverse than ever: sexuality, gender identity, language, and history have all made their mark in contemporary cinema. During the lost pandemic year, filmmakers have looked inwards and to the past for inspiration, whether it’s 1600s Italy, their childhood in Northern Ireland, or 1920s Montana and New York City. These are the best dramatic movies released in 2021.
10 Benedetta
Benedetta is the true story of a lesbian monk, Benedetta Carlini, from the 1600s; after joining an Italian convent, she engages in a sinful affair that can only end poorly considering her status. The movie mixes faith and superstition into lust for the forbidden fruit of life, one in which two lost souls are brought together in a space where they find solace in each other. It provokes and dances between the thin line between good and evil, sinful and faithful while showing the most violent acts off-camera. Benedetta is an immersive experience that sucks you into the world of the convent and its interpretation of this remarkable woman’s life.
9 Passing
Nella Larsen’s underrated 1929 novel, Passing, was adapted for the big screen in 2021. Two childhood friends meet in New York City many years later. Both women are considered light-skinned, but they’ve chosen two completely different routes of life. Irene (Tessa Thompson) lives in Harlem and embraces her identity as a Black woman, but her friend Clare (Ruth Negga) passes for white and has built a lavish life with a rich white man in Chicago. Passing takes the archetype of the tragic mulatto in African-American literature and subverts the tropes of this character, allowing viewers to explore two sides of the same coin. Each woman represents what the other secretly wants in the context of class and race, but still, they’re limited by who they are at their core: Black women in the 1920s. This movie digs deeper into the socioeconomic, racial, and gender issues within American society.
8 Belfast
Belfast is director Kenneth Branagh’s love letter to his childhood home. During Northern Ireland’s The Troubles, nine-year-old Buddy showcases his innocence despite the armed conflict going around him. In the opening scene, he plays with a sword and shield right before a riot begins, showing viewers an invisible armor created by his youth. It’s this attitude that propels the film: as his father and mother argue about finances and leaving the country for their safety, Buddy sits on the steps and thinks about the girl he’s crushing on in class. The main cast, consisting of all-stars Jamie Dornan, newcomer Jude Hill, Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, and Ciarán Hinds, creates this tight-knit family with their excellent performances. Shot beautifully in black and white, Belfast will be a major contender for awards season.
7 The Novice
The Novice stars Isabelle Fuhrman of The Hunger Games as a college freshman. She’s joined the rowing team at her university, which quickly spirals into an obsession as she decides she needs to be the best on the squad. The Novice isn’t a motivational sports movie; it’s anything but that. Alex (Fuhrman) has no experience rowing or athletics, and her personality quickly becomes clearer as the story moves forward. She obsesses over the minor details of an exam, does a physics problem over and over again, and lives her life like a checklist. In the process, it becomes clear that she’s destroying her body and mental health while also isolating herself from everyone, but there’s no going back for Alex. The Novice is the ideal blend of thriller and drama, resembling art rather than a regular movie.
6 The Power of the Dog
Western films might not be mainstream anymore, but The Power of the Dog is one of the best Westerns to come out in years. Somewhere in rural Montana, 1925, two brothers (Benedict Cumberbatch and Jesse Plemons) begin to splinter from each other after one gets married to a woman named Rose (Kirsten Dunst). The elder brother, Phil, begins to torment his brother’s new family and represents a stereotypical masculine character: he is unable to love, brutally strong, cruel, and ruthlessly ambitious. But when he takes Rose’s son under his wing, his heart begins to thaw. The Power of the Dog is a slow burn, driven by the characters and the environment, and a psychological examination of why one acts the way they do.
5 Respect
A year in movies would not be complete without a biopic about a beloved singer. Respect stars Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin and was created with the guidance of Franklin until she died in 2018. Franklin’s complicated life and rise to success are woven into a tapestry in this film, something that seeks beauty in sadness. Hudson is the standout performance, giving a portrayal that feels authentic and embodying the spirit of the deceased singer. She even covers all of Franklin’s greatest hits on the soundtrack. Respect honors the vulnerability of life and does justice for Franklin’s story. And it's no wonder why—Franklin was heavily involved with the movie's development until her death.
4 Pig
After a chef-turned-truffle forager’s (Nicolas Cage) beloved foraging pig is stolen, he will do anything it takes to get her back. With the help of the young supplier that he sells to (Alex Wolff), they try infiltrating local fighting rings and addicts to try and bring his beloved pig home. The premise seems simple, but it’s more nuanced with the character’s backstories as they bond and show each other compassion. The deeper the plot viewers go into, the bigger the emotional stakes are. Cage’s performance is particularly outstanding in Pig, leading to widespread praise of his character’s arc. The film itself seems to be visual poetry; the difference between the wilderness and city is blinding, a character of its own.
3 West Side Story
West Side Story might have been a box-office flop, but it still is a tour de force. A contemporary update to the classic 1961 version of West Side Story, Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler star as Maria and Tony. Zegler is a diamond in the rough for Spielberg, as this is her first acting performance, and her vocal and acting techniques led to a standout performance. With the incredible set design, it feels like the movie evokes the atmosphere of New York in 1957. Puerto Rican voices are still largely missing in the movie and television world, but by making a movie known for its original use of white actors in these roles and replacing them with actual Latinx actors, a step forward has been made.
2 Judas and the Black Messiah
Get Out's Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield reunite in this biographic crime drama. Fred Hampton (Kaluuya) leads Illinois Black Panther Party; he is charismatic and young, someone to look up to. William O’Neal (Stanfield) has been sent by the FBI to infiltrate the ranks of Hampton's BPP. Judas and the Black Messiah is a fitting film for today, as it interrogates the past and reveals that nothing has changed. It is a movie worth watching a couple of times due to its complexity. Historically, the Black Panther Party can’t be simplified to a few phrases or just one movie. The same goes for these two men.
1 King Richard
King Richard might be Will Smith’s best shot for an Oscar yet. Richard Williams (Smith) has two daughters, Serena and Venus Williams, that are immensely talented at tennis but lack proper training. He’s had a plan for his daughters’ success before they were even born, and so when they show this remarkable talent, he knows that he needs to get them the best resources to become the best. King Richard isn’t just a success and family story. It shows the sacrifices that Richard had to make to get his daughters what they deserved. Tennis is a sport dominated by upper-class white families, and little Black girls like Venus and Serena didn’t fit the status quo, nor did the family have enough money to afford private lessons. Even if not a fan of tennis or the Williams sisters, King Richard offers something for everyone.