10. Dune

Denis Villeneuve has successfully brought Frank Herbert's 1965 science fiction classic Dune to the big screen. The film is set 8,000 years in the future and in an unrecognizable part of the universe, and it is basically about humanity's environmental destruction.

Dune is absolutely gorgeous. With amazing cinematography and epic sets. It flawless mixes medieval images with science-fiction. It has massive spacecraft, sinister space nuns; Barbarian armies performing blood sacrifices, and interplanetary treaties. A perfect mix of Game of Thrones and Star Wars.

At the end of the day, I really enjoyed Dune. The pacing can be a little slow at times, and world-building can only go so far. But if you like Blade Runner 2049 and enjoy lengthy films, Dune will be just up your alley.

9. Flee

Flee tells the true story of an Afghan refugee who uses the false identity of Amin Nawabi for fear of repercussions. Amin, now a scholar, escaped Afghanistan for Denmark at the age of 15. There he met Jonas Poher Rasmussen, who encouraged him to tell his story using hand-drawn animation and newsreel video.

You'll be fascinated for 90 minutes as Amin recounts his journey from war-torn Kabul in the 1980s, leaving the Mujahedeen and Taliban invasion to walk across Russia and other countries in fear for his life as a homosexual Muslim man.

Flee is an incredibly human and profoundly moving slice of life that's made with passion, narrated with empathy, and has a good grasp of its subject matter. This autobiography is a fascinating combination of creative animation and factual reality, and it definitely rates among the most personal, touching, sensitive, and insightful films of 2021. I highly recommend it.

8. Titane

Alexia experiences a serious skull injury and is fixed with a titanium plate in her head. When she is released from the hospital, she rejects her parents and clings to the vehicle that nearly killed her. In the years that follow, she struggles with her sexuality and meets Vincent. Vincent is a tormented guy who injects steroids into his aging body in order to maintain his power.

Julia Ducournau, a French filmmaker who created an impact at Cannes in 2016 with her feature debut, Raw, is back with a film that pays homage to David Cronenberg's body-horror in general, and Crash in specific. Backed by Raw cinematographer Ruben Impens's Titane has amazing shots and a sound design that throbs and moans like a pounding cinematic heart. And it is only the second film directed by a woman to win The Palme d'Or in the 70-year history of the Cannes Film Festival.

The storyline of a killer dancer with a sexual fascination with vehicles is not for everyone. There are stories of people fainting and puking in the festivals the film was shown. Some might feel repulsed, while others will be perplexed. But if you're looking for a gut-wrenching film, Titane delivers.

7. Red rocket

Ex porn star Mikey Saber, who ran out of luck in Los Angeles, chooses to return to his hometown of Texas City, Texas, where his estranged wife and mother-in-law live. Mikey meets a young girl called Strawberry who works the cash register at a nearby doughnut shop, just as this chaotic family appears to be making things work. He immediately goes back to his old, creepy ways.

The writer and director Sean Baker is back to tell another story of overlooked Americans on the margins of society. But nothing in his previous films like Tangerine or The Florida Project could have predicted the boldness on show in Red Rocket.

The film is a simple yet compelling story about everyday humans and situations. I'm pretty sure Red Rocket will irritate a lot of people, and may lead to a negative view of the film. Mikey Saber is a completely awful character. An American hustle with a brain full of sleazy fantasies, and a determination to go to any length. And Simon Rex does an excellent job portraying the role and gives one of the best performances of the year.

My favorite thing about RED Rocket is that it shameless committed to being exactly what it is - a bold, sleazy, completely cringe-inducing film that is clearly not for everyone, but it worked for me.

6. C’mon c’mon

Writer-director Mike Mills' latest film is a soft and contemplative one. It follows Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) and his young nephew (Woody Norman) while they forge a tenuous but transformative relationship when they are unexpectedly thrown together.

C'mon, C'mon really is the most family movie of the year. It is a lovely and deeply moving story about the connections between adults and children, the past and the future. The film is shot in black-and-white, and Robbie Ryan's cinematography makes you feel like you're a fly on the wall. Phoenix and Norman have a natural, amazing chemistry that shines through in their scenes together. The whole cast was fantastic, but Joaquin Phoenix and Gaby Hoffmann delivered two of the year's greatest performances.

Mike Mills presents a wonderful story about growing up, fatherhood, and how it's acceptable to admit you're not okay sometimes. C'mon C'mon is likely the most underrated film of the year and is genuinely a pleasure to watch. Always engaging, captivating, and amusing. A dramedy that moves quickly and skilfully between the comical and the heartbreaking. The world needs more films like this one.

5. Drive my car

Drive My Car is a delicate, slow-burn film about a man who travels to Hiroshima following the loss of his wife to join a small theater troupe putting on a play Uncle Vanya. He then, hesitantly accepts Misaki's offer to drive him to rehearsals. Throughout it all, the pair learns that life is messy, but that all you have to do is keep going.

This is a film about love and grief. It is full of twisting roads and unexpected relationships. It’s also a story about creative expression. This is an unusual film that masterfully blends acting, plot structure, and well-written language to the point that you forget you're watching a film.

Drive My Car manages to engage us in its story rather than trap us in boredom. Despite having a run duration of over three hours and sequences that are largely verbal dialogue. The film is making all the best-of-the-year lists for a reason: it's excellent.

4. Belfast

Kenneth Branagh's semi-autobiographical coming-of-age film is told through the perspective of child Buddy (Jude Hill) recreating the lives of two generations of a young working-class family who is caught up in a violent rebellion between Protestants and Catholics in his hometown of his native Ireland.

Belfast makes the best of Branagh’s decision to shoot in black and white, which contextualizes the film as a period piece. All era-appropriate decision, involving set design and costume, contributes to the goal of capturing a moment in time. Belfast's secret weapon is Jude Hill who was impeccable casting. He gives one of the more nuanced kid performances I've seen in a film this year. Buddy is simply allowed to be a kid. He isn't acting-wise above his years; instead, he reacts to some situations as a child would, and we, as the audience, get to see those story factors and make our own conclusions.

The film certainly benefits from the presence of a Belfast native at the forefront, who has an influence on both the directing and writing. In terms of the actions that go place on film, it's both simple to watch and difficult to see. in conclusion, the film is about how a loving, passionate, honest family goes on with life, raising children, making a living, and loving each other, while. Dealing with a religion-political upheaval of the moment.

3. The power of the dog

I had a chance to watch this film at TIFF earlier this year and I really enjoyed it. The Power of The Dog revolves around Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch), a charismatic rancher, who provokes respect and terror in everyone around him. When Phil's brother (Jesse Plemons) returns home with a new wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her son (Kodi Smit-McPhee), he taunts them until he is introduced to the possibilities of love.

Jane Campion's adaptation of Thomas Savage's novel of the same name is a slow-burn but never dull film. With breathtaking cinematography and outstanding performances from all of its stars, the film keeps us guessing about the actual source of the conflict. It's one of those few films that you can't tell what's going to happen next. But at its core, the film deals with toxic masculinity and the concept of manhood in a society where men aren't allowed to express their true colors.

The Power of The Dog screenplay and directing are excellent and the film confirms Jane Campion's status as one of the best directors of her time.

2. The worst person in the world

Joachim Trier's latest film The Worst Person In The World is a dramedy set in contemporary Oslo about the search for love and purpose. It follows Julie (Renate Reinsve) as she navigates the turbulent seas of her love life and strives to discover her career path over the course of four years, forcing her to take a critical look at who she really is.

I believe that almost all Millennials will be reminded of their own problems and anxieties when they watch this film. Trier is trying to better understand a generation that is both highly connected online and uniquely affected by climate change, with the oldest of them had just reached 40. The film is a character study of Julie. She is juggling her career, dating, and family life. Julie's tangled existence is depicted with sincerity and compassion in this delightful story. Renate Reinsve delivered a career-defining performance as a youthful, impulsive, and clever young woman. She deals with her indecisiveness throughout her love life and professional decisions over the course of twelve chapters, plus a prologue and epilogue.

The film benefits from Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt's creative screenplay. And although sometimes It's hard not to be annoyed by Julie and some of her mistakes, I couldn’t help but identify with her numerous missteps. And in my opinion, that is what ends up making her such a lovable central character in the film.

1. Licorice pizza

Licorice Pizza is a coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, who also serves as one of the film's producers and cinematographers. The film stars Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman, Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Bradley Cooper, and Benny Safdie. It follows the journey of Alana Kane and Gary Valentine growing up, running around, and falling in love in the San Fernando Valley in 1973.

What a wonderful, fun, and emotional reminder of what it's like to be young, as well as a great representation of what it's like to grow up. I loved the dynamic of the two leads. Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) already fully understood who he was, while Alana Kane (Alana Haim) was still trying to figure things out, which is funny because he is 15 years old, she is 25. Alana refuses to accept Gary as a lover, but they share an inherent link — they become friends, business partners, even soul mates — that keeps them coming back to each other despite their awkward age difference.

Licorice Pizza is a lot of fun, it has excellent writing and some of PTA's most outstanding directing. Despite the age gap problem between the two leads and the rude Asian jokes that popped out a couple of times for no reason whatsoever, this is without a doubt the best film I've seen this year. And it further establishes Paul Thomas Anderson as one of the finest directors of this century. Licorice Pizza is a masterpiece and reminded me why I enjoy movies so much!