Best Movies of 2021

Oh the joy of making Movie lists in times of….whatever 2021 was, still deep in the Covid-19 era. Seriously, life for everyone in the world is unpredictable right now. I hope this list brings a little entertainment your way. My list will be a bit briefer this year, life is busy (marriage, travel, trying to purchase a home, etc) I watch a lot of movies - aaaaa lottttt - and try to stay a head of the curve on what will be remembered in years to come.

Once again, even more accessible because of streaming (though im the dude that stil buys DVD/Blu ray so what eves), there were too many to put in my top 15 alone. So here is the start:

20# A Quiet Place part Two

This sequel to the ultra-successful A Quiet Place (2018) could have failed in many ways, but it slowly added elements to make its universe bigger and also more intimate. The casting of Cillian Murphy as an add-in was a good choice, as he is a powerful presence but doesn't make himself “too big” on the screen. The two main child actors – Noah Jupe and Millicent Simmonds- both come a long way and up the roles they had before. The fearsome alien creatures are made even more scary and this is could be a successful horror movie tale for a very long time. If there is a part 3 sign me up, as long as John Krasinski (that teaser intro to the movie? Genius!) is directing and Emily Blunt is the star.

#19. Those Who Wish Me Dead

Taylor Sheridan (Wind River, Hell or High Water, Sicario, not to mention the show Yellowstone) is a master of Westerns, in fact all aspects of westerns. This one tackles forest fires in the western USA, a veery real fact for many people. The approaching and rapidly spreading fire is a metaphor for their own psyches. Angelina Jolie makes a great protector for the child and family in this role, as A Michael Mann style hunt is happening around here. Scene for scene and with each impending doom of a fight, the movie proves to be a cut above most action flicks- because there is layers to it. Thank Finn Little for nailing his role as great bounty hunter type.

#18. Don’t Look Up

yeah, yeah, yeah. Haters gonna hate on it, but you know what? I don't care about the politics. They are really just the backdrop for what people forget may just be the best movie about a comet/asteroid coming towards Earth- eat your heart out Armageddon and Deep Impact. Instead of taking an ultra-serious tone, look how much better this faired at being a madcap satire of our modern hopes and fears of Covid and climates and aliens and technology. I mean (you know who) gets eaten by a (what's it called) at the end and I love a movie that goes in a direction that I never in a million years thought it would. Great actors hamming it up, a modern day version of Mars Attacks (1996) or Doctor Strangelove (1964) that I'm sure I'll watch over and over throughout my life. Relax and enjoy an actual big budget disaster movie from the king of funny movies with a heart Adam McKay that also has a brain and a heart and isn’t....say....Moonfall.

The cast works together so well to make a true ensemble piece about looking back on our lives and finding what is most important.

#17. The White Tiger

Director Ramin Bahrani is becoming more and more gritty and hard hitting, and his latest film unfolds like a great book and is fairly unpredictable along the way. Lead actor Adarsh Gaurav makes this all so very satisfying in his rise from bottom of the barrel in his Caste system to his rising rank at all costs. The lengths he goes to are self-serving for sure, but also very human and relatable (up to a vital turning point). When someone has absolutely nothing, is it wrong for them to want more? Do those in power or those who have the money always treat those poorer like trash, or can people genuinely change? These questions are present in all of Bahrani’s recent movies (99 Homes, Goodbye Solo, At Any Price) but here he gains a visceral attitude that is an underappreciated triumph among other movies out there on Netflix.

#16. the Mitchells vs Machines

Easily my favorite animated movie of the year because it knows we as an audience know the concept. It knows we have seen it all before - robots rising up against people in a society that is clueless and obsessed with our phones and social media- and it is aware of how ridiculous everything is. It’s not Disney- its far more madcap then anything they would attempt with perfect voice actor casting. It's not Pixar either, in fact there are times when the animation looks downright ugly…but it’s also very beautiful in that way. It's a movie that perfectly delivers what it says on the box- even though it is also one of the worst titled movies in existence....it kind of fits.

15# I care a Lot

The world is full of people who will try to swindle you. I think that's why, no more than I have to, I don't care about money- I just know if I ever had enough of it I could easily lose it all perhaps through no fault of my own (perhaps?) . So what is the point of greed, and why do people lie, cheat, and kill for money? That is the question at the heart of this tongue-and-cheek action romp, one of the more vicious yet charming movies I saw last year. Rosemund Pike plays....her favorite version of herself...and is a cold- hearted you know what, milking people in her retirement home for their life savings. Until she meets Diane Wiest, that is, (and where is Wiest's supporting actor nomination people??) This movie has it all, double crosses, voice over narration, a dark sense of humor and best of all some amazing acting performances including a version of Peter Dinklage that will send shivers down your spine and a scene with Chris Messina that might just be the best single movie scene of 2021. It you like dark humor, it doesn't get much better in 2021.

14# Falling

In most relationships in life people sugarcoat their opinions and conversations, and this reality makes it often very hard to hear the truth about one's self when someone is very blunt. So meet the father in this movie played by Lance Henriksen who will have no problem telling you the ugly truth. Or maybe he just hates himself, and everyone around him....or maybe he is suffering from a debilitating disease at the end of his life. Does that forgive the evil and abusive things he says to his son and his son's husband who he has never fully embraced? The flashbacks to his earlier life show him as a not so great husband/father, or is reality somewhat warped and he is changing his past to deal with his present? If the topic and setting for Viggo Mortensen's directorial debut sounds like you have seen it before- don't let it stop you from getting a new viewpoint on it.

Mortensen has been in enough movies by master directors (David Cronenberg (who cameos here as a proctologist, how fitting), Peter Jackson, Ridley Scott, just to name a few) to know exactly what kind of performances he wants out of his actors. The key two major roles here are played to perfection. It is a movie made just to help others who have suffered as either people with Alzheimer's or family effected by the disease. But its also a film that observes a precious kind of existence, where maybe people aren't perfect and at the end of the day we have to get on with our lives and our family deserves to be loved no matter how they treat us (or DO they?). In the end life is not long, it is very short, and who we are at the end of it is often a far cry from where we began.

13# Stillwater

Stillwater is a rarity, a movie about a super conservative father trying to prove his lesbian daughter’s innocence and all the while he will stop at nothing to help her and never doubts her for a moment. And then it changes into something else, it has elements of a thriller to find the truth but also gets at the heart of what it means to be in a family, how even if you are fighting for someone life often happens around you and you meet new people along the way. The court case, which was inspired by the real life one with Amanda Knox so much there was a lawsuit filed, is only a mere part of the story. Damon finds a love interest who also has a child, and he starts to be a co-parent again learning to do over some of the mistakes he left in the past. But as his blood relative beckons, he is torn between a healthy relationship and an unhealthy one. The mystery in the story keeps us chugging along but at its core, this is a story about genetics- are your children born to repeat the same mistakes that you yourself made. It’s an interesting question and as we all see in the end, there is less a clear answer than a long, exasperated sigh.

Stillwater got really bad reviews by most critics though audiences did find favor with it. I’m not sure if it was a political thing, or if its just people with closed minds, but if you view the movie with a positive attitude, you will find much to enjoy here. Can we talk about Matt Damon for a second? He is some kind of MVP of actors this year, playing a major role in at least four movies, all with performances that couldn't be more different. Some I will talk about later on the list, but it’s obvious this guy plays the everyman so well and 2021 will be remembered not for any awards he won but just for the variety and authenticity he brings every time he plays a role.

12# No Time to Die

The final Daniel Craig version of James Bond is final in every way. Basically, there wont ever be one like this again. Our modern world and modern thoughts will change our viewpoints and the reinvention of Bond throughout Craig's 5 movie run has made it almost impossible to recreate. That doesn't mean people won't try, it's just in a world full of superhero movies, Bond is destined for an upgrade next time around. That's not necessarily a "bad" thing I admit, but the whole POINT of James Bond is old-fashioned spy stories. What they should probably do is keep Bond and his stories in the 20th Century- let's all admit the character is completely lost in a world of cell phones and the internet (not to mention social media).

But even though the relic is stuck in a world he does completely understand, he is joined by many modern touches this time around- his female compatriots are very gifted (Ana de Armas in a too-short scene and Lashana Lynch as the 1st black woman to take on the mantle of 007) and of course his reliable M (Ralph Fiennes and Q (Ben Wishaw), his old flame and companion throughout these last few movies (Lea Seydoux) still exists and has a nice twist of fate for him, though she is stalked by a villain (Rami Malek) who she had a childhood connection with even though they are now separated. I admit at times they are trying to fit a bit too much plot into this movie and the villain's plan is kind of typical Bond villain strategy. However, the surprises are the best part of this movie, so don't let anyone spill them for you! Daniel Craig ends his Bond movie career with a bang.

11# Mass

The four central cast members of Mass create a very compelling drama where one couple is the child of a victim of a high school shooting and one couple are the parents. Its insane to think of what your child will go through in life, and how little control you really have over it. There is no better option, both parents have it equally rough, and each person handles it differently. The father of the shooter (Reed Birney) is a matter of fact person and doesn't know how to properly emote, the mother (Ann Dowd) feels she should have saw it coming or done something to stop it. The victims father (Jason Issacs) is trying to keep it all together and hides his anger, while the mother of the victim (Martha Plimpton) can no longer function in life. If it sounds like a not-so-fun time, well, fun was never even part of the equation when approaching a subject like this.

Some movies are not made for entertainment purposes but made as exercises in empathy and forgiveness, and on that front Mass really blows it out of the park with great acting and mesmerizing dialogues. If My Dinner With Andre (1981) showed us you can make a movie about two people jus talking, Mass shows us something similar- a riveting conversation is always there to be had and a single room is all you need to make a compelling story. It was never a "stage play" but everything about it feels totally authentic and genuine. Prepare your emotions before watching for sure, but also just open your mind to a new perspective on life.

10# The Card Counter

The Card Counter is a polarizing movie for sure, but if you are weird a certain way it is a perfect movie as well. Life is polarizing, and life inside any character written/directed by Paul Schrader is going to be one that is harsh, alienated, and brutal. The main character (Oscar Isaak) is exactly what the title implies, a great poker player who has been banned from many places for counting cards (i.e. being too good) and is out of the game until he is confronted by a woman he finds intriguing (Tiffany Haddish, walking the line between comedy and drama very deftly) and a young man (Taylor Sheridan) who has an obsession in him that Isaak knows too well. Where this movie goes is either very predictable or very unpredictable based on how well you know the director, his temperament of the material was mesmerizing to me in the ways that the best movies that he has written before have can be (Taxi Driver (1976) was obviously his masterstroke but also Auto Focus (2002), Light Sleeper (1992), Raging Bull (1980), the list list goes on). Honestly, some of Shrader’s films have left me cold, just like this movie will be a total misfire to many reading. But if you want a gritty story about obsession, featuring yet another great supporting turn this year by Willem Dafoe, take two hour out of your life and give this movie a shot- its bleak and honest and I loved it.

#9 Nightmare Alley

There is no way the weird, super specific styles of Guillermo Del Toro’s movies were ever going to be for everyone or more specifically for any kinds of awards. His art is very much based on bringing the stylings of the 1940’s back to life, life some kind of super glossed zombie. He succeed in this movie much to my enjoyment, because there is some horror to be found within the well told story most its mostly of the flawed human kind, the archetype set by my favorite movie genre: film noir. I had actually seen the 1947 original about 10 years ago and wondered: how exactly could this sort be made any better? I liked it the first time just fine, and really black and white seemed to be the way to tell this story. Boy, was I wrong- this is far more detailed, precise, poignant and powerful and in full technicolor style glory.

Bradley Cooper kills it as the titular man caught in the wake of his own life, he knows he wants to be big and will do almost anything to achieve that his success. What a strange world he ends up inhabiting, learning the trades from carnival people and would-be tricksters learning how to have people believe how he can read minds using probability effects. His would be teachers, a genius turn by couple Toni Collette and David Straitharin, show him the way along with a gruesome Willem Dafoe showing him the other side of carnival life, the geek end up biting heads of chickens. Halfway through He falls in love with Rooney Maura (in one of her best roles yet) and befriends a psychologist that he schemes with o find wealthy clients to pay for his fake psychic services. That’s all you need to know of the plot which unfolds like a giant mystery novel, but the way it run full circle and turns in on itself is the stuff of fairy tales with great endings. The fantasy aspects merge with the harsh realities, and Del Toro has given us yet another masterpiece to ponder over, as his first movie since the magnificent Shape of Water (2017) almost matches that in quality.

#8. Passing

Passing a very well made and well told story, with a premise that has been done before (most notably 1959’s Imitation of Life with Susan Kohner) but never quite like this. Though the subject matter is very true to life and hard to imagine at times, the two lead actresses of the movie really make it ring true. Tessa Thompson plays a middle-class African American woman named Irene doing the best she can to get by in an early 1900’s world. She meets Claire (Ruth Negga) who passes for white and is married to a white man who is quite the racist and has no idea of his wife’s true colors. What happens after that is a story of two different women facing life as best they can but in different ways. They have many friends in their current society, especially Irene’s friend who is a professor (Bill Camp), who are forward thinkers and are very comfortable to have friends of all races, but unfortunately this was about 100 years ago and society at large had a different view on equality.

Still, the way the story plays out is universal to anyone who dares to be different, and faces the consequences for it. It also tackles hard questions about who we choose to be in our lives and the price of true freedom. Negga gives possibly the best performance by an actress this year, Thompsons’s is heart-breaking as well, and Rebecca Hall handles her directorial debut with a subject near and dear to her heart (no Academy Award nominations for any of those three). The ending is slightly ambiguous, but taking in to terms what we have seen before it is pretty obvious what happened and in a way it was inevitable.

#7.Dune : Part One

Yet another Dune movie could have been a financial and overall disaster, but this one made by master assimilator director Denis Villeneuve, is such a smooth transition from the novel that it seems brand new. The story of this fantastical sci-fi nature seems like well treaded territory since so many movies (Star Wars in particular) look elements from the book written in the 1960's. The fight scenes with "light swords", the ability to speak and control a persons actions, etc. The cinematography is top notch as always, sort of like the graphics available to tell this story on a huge scale like this is FINALLY up to the task ion 2022.

But the CGI aspect is not all that is made better with this version of Dune, the story is streamlined and made accessible as possible for the public as if they knew nothing about it, so if you are familiar with the novel or with the older cinematic interpretations it hardly matters- every thing about Dune Part 1 FEELS new, and that's the magic the screenwriters (Eric Roth who is the Hollywood go-to for making movies accessible) and director have pulled off. The cast deserves credit too, all involved to a pitch perfect job of their roles especially Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica who brings a knowledge, care, and motherly protection to Timothee Chalamet's protagonist, while Stellan Skarsgard makes the despicable Baron Harkkonen truly something of our nightmares. The level of care and detail present make this production the most successful yet of the classic Dune mythology. It was wise to make this movie just a part 1, things will definitely get crazier in part 2, and I can't wait to see what they do with it.

6# Tragedy of MacBeth

As many times as I have observed Macbeth either as a play or a movie or read it as text, this was still an exciting prospect- Joel Coen directing. Over the years The Coen Brothers have proved themselves as writer/directors who can put their unique stamp on anything and I was very excited to see this because if there is passion and a reason to film the Shakespeare adaptation in Joel Coen's mind, it was probably worth seeing. Whether they are doing a period piece or a modern noir type story, there are trademark's Joel Coen put on all of his movies, and in many ways he and his brother Ethan are my favorite working filmmakers.

The other reason to see this was the acting. Denzel Washington, one of the best living actors who still does amazing work lately that usually relates to theater (see 2016's Fences of course) plays Macbeth like he was born living the part. He gives us his take on it, and with an emphasis on the title this time around (the Tragedy of Macbeth) he makes us feel the pathos behind the character: the choices he makes, if he just would have waited, if he would have been patient and acted a little less greedy; even better, Washington makes us wonder through his actions if the event in the story were all inevitable. Macbeth is obsessed with his crown and with being the best, for reasons of his own. Only making it better are the triple performances by Kathryn Hunter as the Witches who taunt him, and of course Joel Coen's wife Frances McDormand who plays the Lady Macbeth part showing us the true madness of her character. To top it all off, its in glorious black and white cinematography and has beautiful scenes over and over again- part stage play but also full on movie magic. All of these make for great reasons to see it, and we got lucky because they are also reasons to cherish it as it all works very well.

#5. Night House

 I've already talked about Rebecca Hall as an director on this list, now its time to talk about her as an actor. Hall plays Beth and is a force to be reckoned with in this horror film made plausible by equating the death of a spouse (her husband played by Evan Jonigkeit ) to the near death experience she had when she was younger. The aspect of death in our lives is very real and the most horrifying thing to ponder over, even though it is inevitable for all of us. To imagine a loved one or someone you thought you knew capable of inhuman acts to other people....that's something else altogether. Did Beth cause her husband to act a certain way, or was he just evil, or is something else entirely going on involving the epitome of death itself invading our dimension....now i've got your attention :)
It's hard to say exactly why this movie resonated with me so much. It could be the use of Richard Thompson's masterful song "Calvary Cross" used over and over again highlighting all of its suspicious atmosphere. It could be the acting, which is great all around (supporting friends Sarah Goldberg and Vondie Curtis-Hall), especially Hall in a performance that shows someone who has the will to live even though there are many reasons she is afraid to move on past her traumatic experience. It could be the way it uses supernatural elements toward the end of the movie in a very natural and alluring way that I found emotionally profound. It could also be the ending which is a great use of double entendre for the final bit of dialogue. The blending of all the elements involved makes The Night House, in my opinion, the best horror movie of 2021.

#4. The Worst Person in World

So I got a kernel of pop corn stuck on my teeth at the beginning of this movie. Its an itch I couldn't scratch, so i thought- should I let it keep me from enjoying anything or just try to move on? Lead Actress Renate Reinsve plays Julie who has a similar issue in this movie, as she cannot pick what it is that keeps her from moving on in her life, what would make her a fully satisfied person. She goes from not being able to pick a major in college, getting bored in a good long term relationship with successful comic book artist (Anders Danielsen), distractions that keeps her from focusing on a suitable mate, diversions become her reality. The acts of the movie are divided into 12 different sections like the chapters of her life, at first this may seem like a gimmick but it totally works. The movie is based on characters from Norway but it is as universal as any movie made in America this year.

The hyper-kinetic style of this movie grabs you right away, comparing a woman growing up in her late 20s: the parties are rampant, while the break ups are painful, all of the inner conflicts comes out at once- there is no wrong or right side, there is just the case where one person knows what they want and the other does not. Most spectacular of all, there is a beautiful scene in the middle of the movie where time "stops" and everyone stands in place except for Julie, who can finally run free. She may not be the creator or writer or photographer she wants to be yet, but in her mind she can make her daydreams and fantasies into reality. Herbert Nordrum plays the easy love she finds, and based on who you ask the "worst person in the world" may not be who we think it is.

There are other flights of the fantastical that take place, as the movie continuously uses psychedelic effects to turn experiences in Julie's mind to images on the screen until we are not sure what is really happening. The only flaw in the movie is the ending scene, maybe a little bit too ambiguous for its own good. Of course just like in life, arguments on what can be considered art and death and illness ensue, but it's a gripping story that makes you feel for all it's characters and easily my favorite non-English language movie of 2021.

#3 No Sudden Move

Harking back to the gangster movies of the 1950's, Steven Soderbergh creates what is probably his best movie in No Sudden Move. It's been a long time coming, and he's had many successes along the way (Traffic, Out of Sight, The Informant, Sex Lies and Videotape) but there is something about this movie that just gets everything right. You know from the trailer the basic plot- a group of ex-convicts come together for a job that seems easy, but turns out to go wrong in many ways and becomes more and more complicated. Its a tale as old as time, but never told as perfectly as this.

The cast is like something from a dream, as Don Cheadle leads with his al-too-wise to get caught main character, Benicio Del Toro as his trusted partner, Ray Liotta as an out of control mob figure, Julia Fox as his femme fatale wife, Brandan Frasier (wow !?!) as his intimidating pusher, I mean the list goes on to include Kieran Culkan, Matt Damon, John Hamm and Craig muMs Grant in his final role before his death last year; it's all perfect for a crime ensemble movie. This film is not your typical action caper like Ocean's 11 though, the plot turns and twists are more unpredictable and the dialogue is more pitch perfect. I could believe the events that unfold in this movie really happened, which is kind of what Soderburgh has always tried to achieve: life as a movie. He has tried again and again with many success to put us in the same shoes as the main character, and whatever your style of favorite story is will most likely be your favorite movie of his. For many people, it won't get better than say...Erin Brockovich. For me and people wired to like an old fashioned caper gone wrong, No Sudden Move is the new go-to and a very overlooked movie from this past year.

#2. The Power of the Dog

You know why this movie rules? It's the cinematography (Ari Wegner), the awesome acting, the idea of what it's actually about that keeps on changing, the gradual pace until finally the ending blows you away! But Quietly. There is so much to love about Power of the Dog, its kind of overwhelming compared to so many other films that are disposable. I have never seen Benedict Cumberbatch project so much bile and hate before, and in his other movies just in 2021 alone (his compassionate messenger in The Courier, the ever evolving Dr. Strange in the Spider Man: No Way Home) this performance is the standout: it's complex and nuanced, it somehow makes you care about one of the most unpleasant human beings that has ever existed. It's the acting performance of the year, if not the decade, in my opinion. The rest of the small cast does very well- Kirsten Dunst stands out as the put upon wife of a husband (Jesse Plemons) who is never around, leaving her at the mercy of his brother. Kodi Smit-McPhee is a frail, harmless boy who develops a relationship with Cumberbatch's Phil Burbank that evolves over time....just not the way you think it will.

Jane Campion, director of often overlooked amazing movies and TV series coming form New Zealand (Angel at my Table (1989), Top of the Lake (2013), The Piano (1993) just to name a few) asserts herself very well in the western context. This is a very well crafted movie, every little piece of it just draws you in more and more, until in the end you come out revaluating your perspective on life: have I been kind enough to those I care about? Does what I do have an effect on others, even if I don't mean for it to? How far would I go to protect my family? And if ever there was a great score to a movie, Johnny Greenwood blows this one away- his sound effects literally spur the western motifs along and tells us how we should be reacting.

People forget this fact too: Power of the Dog is the best mystery movie of the year. You think you know what's happening and then BAM, it's not quite what you think. And on second viewing, everything is better. Once you know what happens it makes every aspect of the movie stand out. You want to watch again for the little things, the hints along the way and the subtly Campion uses is amazing. It really deserves every acolyte it is getting, and if it wins the Oscar for Best Picture as predicted this coming weekend... I'm just grateful it goes to something deserving. People talk bad about the Oscars, but they are pretty good in nominating real artful movies as of late. Ever try and watch the Grammys? Heaven help us if the Grammys is anyone's "idea" of what is going on in the music world currently. Remember in A Star is Born (2017 version) when Bradley Cooper took a piss on the stage of the Grammys? That was intentional. You can't make this shit up.

#1. Belfast

The best movies transport you into someone else’s life, so not only do you feel for their struggles you begin to empathize with someone you don’t necessarily have much in common with. Quite often these people are from a different time period, a different country and a different upbringing. Belfast is all of this and more. A child’s point of view of growing up during the time of “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland, there were many people that wanted to incite a rebellion for freedom that often came at the cost of exploiting everyone around them. If the goal of freedom is noble, one has to also ask “but at what cost?” The working-class family depicted in Belfast growing up in said town just want to be left alone to live their lives, and I can definitely emphasize in not wanting to put my loved ones through a war unless absolutely necessary.

But there is so much more to enjoy in Kenneth Branagh’s autobiographical movie of his childhood, one I am sure he has been waiting his whole life to make. The family is well cast with elder character actors playing the grandparents (Judi dench and Ciaran Hinds) and parents who are newer actors with much to prove (Caitriona Balfe and Jamie Dornan) and of course the main character is the child (Jude Hill) who gives a one-of-a-kind performance whether playing with his friends, dodging the Catholic/Protestant conflict violence, or learning life lessons from his parents and grandparents. The film is partly watched and partially observed through cracks in the doorways, which makes it a nice comparison to the perspective in which we are watching it. How exactly do you explain religious differences and violent conflicts to a child? The playful nature of scenes of children playing outside is often turned into an actual act of violence happening around them, with an emotionally charged climax where the father must make a stand against everything he is fighting for the sake of his family. It’s powerful stuff, shot in sharp black-and- white cinematography that makes it feel timeless.

It is interesting and worth noting again to take the best of the work from an artist, in this case the director, and highlight their strengths. Branagh is a great example: he began the decade by directing Disney movies such as Artemis Foul (truly an awful picture) and right after this movie he directed and starred in another Hercule Poirot story that was delayed just in time for January release date (always a bad sign) called Death On The Nile. In between these predictable franchise assignment by big studios, no matter how entertaining for the popcorn crowd they may be, stands Belfast which is probably his best movie despite a career filled with a Shakespeare obsession (Henry V (1989), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), and a 4 hour version of Hamlet (1996) are all in this directors past and mainly what he is known for), strange stand outs that border on the macabre like Dead Again (1991), and Marvel productions like the first Thor (2011) movie. Some of these films are gems, a lot of them are easily forgotten. But Belfast should still be praised, even though it can be considered a movie that is destined to be highlighted for awards seasons given its time of release and dramatic heft. Belfast really transcends any other movie I saw this year, simply because it is…that good. Given an open mind and a love for Van Morrison songs on the soundtrack, I hope it wins everything and people flock to watch it for all time.