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Edition · 2021
The Year in Film · 2021

Best of 2021

The films that defined 2021 — ranked by IMDb score.


These films defined 2021 — the year's highest-rated releases, ranked by IMDb score. Some are awards bait, some are popcorn fare, some quietly snuck in under the radar. All earned their place on the list.

  1. 01.
    Jai Bhim

    Jai Bhim

    2021·Dir. T. J. Gnanavel·164 min·8.6

    A pregnant woman from a primitive tribal community, searches desperately for her husband, who is missing from police custody. So as to find her husband and seek justice for them, as their voice, a High Court advocate rises in support. Will their battle for justice succeed?

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  2. 02.
    Bo Burnham: Inside

    Bo Burnham: Inside

    2021·Dir. Bo Burnham·88 min·8.6

    Stuck in COVID-19 lockdown, US comedian and musician Bo Burnham attempts to stay sane and happy by writing, shooting and performing a one-man comedy special.

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  3. 03.
    Toma

    Toma

    2021·Dir. Dragan Bjelogrlić·140 min·8.6

    Biopic about Serbian folk singer Toma Zdravković, the man who is remembered not only for his songs and unique way he was singing them, but also as a bohemian, both in his behavior and his soul.

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  4. 04.
    Sarpatta Parambarai

    Sarpatta Parambarai

    2021·Dir. Pa. Ranjith·174 min·8.5

    When Sarpatta Parambarai is challenged to a do-or-die match, Kabilan, a young labourer, must choose whether to put on the gloves himself and lead his clan to victory, or be dissuaded by his disapproving mother and dangerous politics.

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  5. 05.
    All Too Well: The Short Film

    All Too Well: The Short Film

    2021·Dir. Taylor Swift·15 min·8.4

    Short film featuring the extended version of the song “All Too Well” by Taylor Swift. A troubled couple's romance blossoms before it eventually falls apart.

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  6. 06.
    Drishyam 2

    Drishyam 2

    2021·Dir. Jeethu Joseph·153 min·8.4

    7 years after the events of Drishyam, the family lives with the trauma from that fateful night. A gripping tale of an investigation and a family threatened by it. Will Georgekutty be able to protect his family this time?

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  7. 07.
    Sardar Udham

    Sardar Udham

    2021·Dir. Shoojit Sircar·162 min·8.3

    A young Sardar Udham Singh left deeply scarred by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, escaped into the mountains of Afghanistan, reaching London in 1933-34. Carrying an unhealed wound for 21 years, the revolutionary assassinated Michael O’Dwyer on 13th March, 1940, the man at the helm of affairs in Punjab, April 1919 to avenge the lost lives of his beloved brethren.

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  8. 08.
    Shershaah

    Shershaah

    2021·Dir. Vishnu Varadhan·135 min·8.3

    Inspired by the life of Captain Vikram Batra (PVC), the film celebrates his bravery, valiant spirit and honors his invaluable sacrifice during the Kargil War of 1999, at the age of 24.

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  9. 09.
    The Rescue

    The Rescue

    2021·Dir. Jimmy Chin·107 min·8.3

    The enthralling, against-all-odds story that transfixed the world in 2018: the daring rescue of twelve boys and their coach from deep inside a flooded cave in Northern Thailand.

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  10. 10.
    Mandela

    Mandela

    2021·Dir. Madonne Ashwin·140 min·8.3

    An underprivileged hairdresser becomes the game changer in a local body election in a village where caste politics rules the roost. Will he be able to bring some changes to people's lives?

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  11. 11.
    The Year Earth Changed

    The Year Earth Changed

    2021·Dir. Tom Beard·48 min·8.2

    Never-before-seen footage shows how our living in lockdown opened the door for nature to bounce back and thrive. Across the seas, skies, and lands, Earth found its rhythm when we came to a stop.

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  12. 12.
    Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana

    Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana

    2021·Dir. Raj B Shetty·151 min·8.2

    Shiva and Hari, two friends who are polar opposites in demeanour, are the terror in Mangaladevi. What happens when ego, ambition and jealousy creeps in between their strong friendship?

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  13. 13.
    Seaspiracy

    Seaspiracy

    2021·Dir. Ali Tabrizi·89 min·8.1

    Passionate about ocean life, a filmmaker sets out to document the harm that humans do to marine species — and uncovers an alarming global conspiracy.

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  14. 14.
    Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In

    Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In

    2021·Dir. Jason Ferguson·108 min·8.1

    A look at the life and legend of Sir Alex Ferguson, from his working-class roots in Glasgow through to his career as one of the greatest football managers of all time. While recovering from a traumatic brain haemorrhage in 2018, Sir Alex intimately recounts vivid details of his life and career to his son, including his legendary 26-year tenure as manager of Manchester United.

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  15. 15.
    Maanaadu

    Maanaadu

    2021·Dir. Venkat Prabhu·147 min·8.1

    A Muslim man, who is stuck in a time loop, has to stop a political rally from taking place in order to save the state's chief minister and prevent religious violence.

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  16. 16.
    Spider-Man: No Way Home

    Spider-Man: No Way Home

    2021·Dir. Jon Watts·148 min·8.1

    Peter Parker is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a super-hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.

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  17. 17.
    The Great Indian Kitchen

    The Great Indian Kitchen

    2021·Dir. Jeo Baby·100 min·8.1

    After marriage, a woman struggles to be the submissive wife that her husband and his family expect her to be.

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  18. 18.
    Friends: The Reunion

    Friends: The Reunion

    2021·Dir. Ben Winston·104 min·8.0

    The cast of Friends reunites for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the hit series, an unforgettable evening filled with iconic memories, uncontrollable laughter, happy tears, and special guests.

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  19. 19.
    Farha

    Farha

    2021·Dir. Darin J. Sallam·92 min·8.0

    Palestine, 1948. After the withdrawal of the British occupiers, tensions rise between Arabs and Jews. Meanwhile, Farha, the smart daughter of the mayor of a small village, unaware of the coming tragedy, dreams of going to study in the big city.

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  20. 20.
    CODA

    CODA

    2021·Dir. Sian Heder·112 min·8.0

    As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the family's fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her love of music and her fear of abandoning her parents.

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  21. 21.
    Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

    Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)

    2021·Dir. Questlove·117 min·8.0

    During the same summer as Woodstock, over 300,000 people attended the Harlem Cultural Festival, celebrating African American music and culture, and promoting Black pride and unity. The footage from the festival sat in a basement, unseen for over 50 years, keeping this incredible event in America's history lost — until now.

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  22. 22.
    Quo Vadis, Aida?

    Quo Vadis, Aida?

    2021·Dir. Jasmila Žbanić·104 min·8.0

    Bosnia, July 1995. Aida is a translator for the UN in the small town of Srebrenica. When the Serbian army takes over the town, her family is among the thousands of citizens looking for shelter in the UN camp. As an insider to the negotiations Aida has access to crucial information that she needs to interpret. What is at the horizon for her family and people – rescue or death? Which move should she take?

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  23. 23.
    Dune

    Dune

    2021·Dir. Denis Villeneuve·155 min·8.0

    Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

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  24. 24.
    Karnan

    Karnan

    2021·Dir. Mari Selvaraj·152 min·8.0

    Karnan, an angry young man, fights for the rights of his oppressed people. Can he save them from those who wield power and weapons?

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  25. 25.
    Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time

    Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time

    2021·Dir. Kazuya Tsurumaki·155 min·8.0

    In the aftermath of the Fourth Impact, stranded without their Evangelions, Shinji, Asuka and Rei find refuge in one of the rare pockets of humanity that still exist on the ruined planet Earth. There, each lives a life far different from their days as an Evangelion pilot. However, the danger to the world is far from over. A new impact is looming on the horizon—one that will prove to be the true end of Evangelion.

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  26. 26.
    Nayattu

    Nayattu

    2021·Dir. Martin Prakkat·124 min·8.0

    Three police officers are forced to go on the run when they get tangled in the death of a youth, a few days before the election.

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  27. 27.
    Operation Java

    Operation Java

    2021·Dir. Tharun Moorthy·146 min·8.0

    B. Tech graduates Antony and Vinay Dasan are talented, but unemployed. That changes, however, when they approach the cyber cell with a new perspective to a film piracy case.

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  28. 28.
    Malik

    Malik

    2021·Dir. Mahesh Narayanan·161 min·8.0

    A past ridden with crime, death and pain is recounted to Freddy, a juvenile criminal, who has been assigned to eliminate his estranged uncle Sulaiman, an aging patriarch, while behind bars.

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  29. 29.
    Zack Snyder's Justice League

    Zack Snyder's Justice League

    2021·Dir. Zack Snyder·242 min·7.9

    Determined to ensure Superman's ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne aligns forces with Diana Prince with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions.

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  30. 30.
    The Alpinist

    The Alpinist

    2021·Dir. Nick Rosen·93 min·7.9

    Marc-André Leclerc, an exceptional climber, has made solo his religion and ice his homeland. When filmmaker Peter Mortimer begins his film, he places his camera at the base of a British Columbia cliff and waits patiently for the star climber to come down to answer his questions. Marc André, a little uncomfortable, prefers to return to the depths of the forest where he lives in a tent with his girlfriend Brette Harrington. In the heart of winter, Peter films vertiginous solos on fragile ice. He tries to make appointments with the climber who is never there and does not seem really concerned by this camera pointed at him "For me, it would not be a solo if there was someone else" . Marc-André is thus, the "pure light" of the mountaineers of his time, which marvel Barry Blanchard, Alex Honnold or Reinhold Messner, interviewed in the film. An event film for an extraordinary character.

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  31. 31.
    Flee

    Flee

    2021·Dir. Jonas Poher Rasmussen·89 min·7.9

    Recounted mostly through animation to protect his identity, Amin looks back over his past as a child refugee from Afghanistan as he grapples with a secret he’s kept hidden for 20 years.

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  32. 32.
    Dave Chappelle: The Closer

    Dave Chappelle: The Closer

    2021·Dir. Stan Lathan·72 min·7.9

    As he closes out his slate of comedy specials, Dave takes the stage to try and set the record straight — and get a few things off his chest.

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  33. 33.
    TINA

    TINA

    2021·Dir. T.J. Martin·118 min·7.9

    Tina Turner overcame impossible odds to become one of the first female Black artists to reach a mainstream international audience. Her road to superstardom is an undeniable story of triumph over adversity. It’s the ultimate story of survival – and an inspirational story of our times.

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  34. 34.
    Mimi

    Mimi

    2021·Dir. Laxman Utekar·132 min·7.8

    An aspiring actress in a small town in Rajasthan agrees to bear a child for a visiting couple seeking a surrogate mother, but her experience takes an unexpected turn when they refuse to have the child anymore.

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  35. 35.
    Minnal Murali

    Minnal Murali

    2021·Dir. Basil Joseph·158 min·7.8

    A tailor gains special powers after being struck by lightning but must take down an unexpected foe if he is to become the superhero his hometown in Kerala needs.

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  36. 36.
    The Sparks Brothers

    The Sparks Brothers

    2021·Dir. Edgar Wright·140 min·7.8

    Take a musical odyssey through five weird and wonderful decades with brothers Ron & Russell Mael, celebrating the inspiring legacy of Sparks: your favorite band’s favorite band.

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  37. 37.
    Us Again

    Us Again

    2021·Dir. Zach Parrish·7 min·7.8

    In a vibrant city pulsating with rhythm and movement, an elderly man and his young-at-heart wife rekindle their youthful passion for life and each other on one magical night.

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  38. 38.
    Jujutsu Kaisen 0

    Jujutsu Kaisen 0

    2021·Dir. Sunghoo Park·105 min·7.8

    Yuta Okkotsu is a nervous high school student who is suffering from a serious problem—his childhood friend Rika has turned into a curse and won't leave him alone. Since Rika is no ordinary curse, his plight is noticed by Satoru Gojo, a teacher at Jujutsu High, a school where fledgling exorcists learn how to combat curses. Gojo convinces Yuta to enroll, but can he learn enough in time to confront the curse that haunts him?

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  39. 39.
    Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain

    Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain

    2021·Dir. Morgan Neville·119 min·7.7

    An intimate, behind-the-scenes look at how an anonymous chef became a world-renowned cultural icon. This unflinching look at Anthony Bourdain reverberates with his presence, in his own voice and in the way he indelibly impacted the world around him.

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  40. 40.
    Joji

    Joji

    2021·Dir. Dileesh Pothan·113 min·7.7

    Joji, an engineering dropout and the youngest son of a rich family lives with his aspirations of becoming super wealthy. Driven by greed and blind ambition, he decides to execute his plans following an unexpected event in the family.

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— End of Chapter —