The year 2021 gave viewers a plethora of great films despite an ongoing pandemic. There was a mix of theatrical releases and straight to streaming which gave viewers more options than the previous post-Covid year. Here’s the Lauren Loves It picks for her Top Four Movies of 2021
Number 4
Shang-chi and The legend of the 10 rings
Martial arts master Shang-Chi confronts the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious ten rings organization—this film has strong visuals, action and a great balance of humor. The MCU origin story garnered positive reviews from movie goers and critics for not only recognizing the need for representation but also for expanding the Marvel Movie Franchise
You can stream Shang-Chi and the legend of the 10 rings right now on Disney plus
Number 3
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Free Guy is my favorite comedy of the year. Many critics may not agree but this movie gave me fun fun fun during a time of pandemic and unrest in our country—and I am all about a comedic distraction from the real world….and that’s quite literally what free guy gives us. It’s the story of a bank teller who discovers he’s actually a background player in an open-world video game, he decides to become the hero of his own story — one that he can rewrite himself. In a world where there’s no limits, he’s determined to save the day his way before it’s too late, and maybe find a little romance with the coder who conceived him.
You can watch Free Guy right now on most popular streaming apps including Disney plus and amazon prime video
Number 2
A domineering rancher responds with mocking cruelty when his brother brings home a new wife and her son, until the unexpected comes to pass.
This Jane Campion directed film is receiving a lot of Oscar buzz and rightfully so- Kirsten Dunst, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit Mcgee carry this haunting western that starts off quite gentle but definitely does not stay there long.
“The Power of the Dog” is based on a 1967 novel by Thomas Savage, a closeted gay man whose critically acclaimed fiction drew on his formative years living and working on a Montana ranch. The book is a novel of the West who’s afterward states “something aching and lonely and terrible of the west is caught forever” in Savage’s pages.
What savage did for the west on paper, Campion equally does the same for the screen
And while it is a tragedy, it is also a story of liberation
You can stream the power of the dog on Netflix
Number 1
Spider Man: No Way Home
It may not win the Oscar for best picture but it checked all the boxes for me
with a box office number at 613 million dollars and counting I’m guessing I’m not alone in my opinion. With Spider-Man’s identity now revealed, our friendly neighborhood web-slinger is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life as Peter Parker from the high stakes of being a superhero. When Peter asks for help from Doctor Strange, the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man. There are so many Easter eggs and surprises throughout this film that it’s hard not to accidentally spoil it but if you haven’t seen no way home yet and you’re a fan of anything MCU—also a fan of nostalgia, then you should run don’t walk to theaters to see this one! And don’t forget to stay after the film for two outstanding end credit scenes
