Top Films of 2021-#1

Whew, on the last day of the year, I've finished my top ten countdown of my best films of the year. I'm sure I left out some of your favorites, so feel free to leave me a comment on what I missed this year.

#1-Nomadland

This marks my second film from Chloé Zhao on the list (following Eternals at #8) and so marks a strong year for her. Now, I don't pick this as my top film of the year just because it won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress (Frances McDormand) at the Academy Awards in the spring. I truly think this was the best film that I saw all year.

It is an incredibly introspective film. As beautiful as some of the other films on this list are, this one takes the cake for stunning beauty. The landscapes of the American West are captured in incredible visuals. One of my favorite shots is a slow tracking shot of Fern (McDormand) strolling through the nomad camp where she has been staying for a few days quietly saying goodnight to her friends. The scene takes place at twilight, just as the sun is setting and I spent just as much time watching the sun in the sky as paying attention to the character action on screen.

Many people probably shy away from this film because of the subject matter, but I highly encourage everyone to check it out. There is a peacefulness to the film that you rarely find in cinema today and in that respect it is incredibly refreshing. I would dare anyone to watch this film and not desire at least a bit more peace and quiet in their life.

If you missed any of the rest of my top ten, you can check out the rest of the list here:
#2. Malcolm & Marie
#3. The Rescue
#4. Judas and the Black Messiah
#5. Spider-Man: No Way Home
#6. Raya and the Last Dragon
#7. Black Widow
#8. Eternals
#9. Dune
#10. Luca

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