Best Movies Of 2021, According To Metacritic
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While blockbuster movies tend to be the focus of everyone during the year, a lot of smaller but beautiful and breath-taking movies go a bit under-the-radar. And in 2021, that couldn't be more true, considering the on-going pandemic, the hesitancy for many to go back to theaters, and the numerous streaming services on the market putting out a slew of new content daily, turning most new release news into white noise.
Luckily, we're going to put the spotlight on ten of the best-reviewed movies of 2021. Using Metacritic, we're checking out what the critics loved the most this year. From potentially award-winning dramas to awe-inspiring documentaries, these are movies you'll probably want to put on your queue or rent for a weekend binge-fest.
Metacritic aggregates critical reviews from credible journalists around the globe and gives an average score for the films, based on the reviews. For the list below, movies with fewer than seven reviews weren't considered for the best films of the year. Metacritic is the sister-site of GameSpot, as both websites are owned by Red Ventures.
Check out which films critics loved below, starting with number 10.
10. Memoria
17 reviews
The sci-fi drama stars Tilda Swinton as a Scottish woman who is visiting the jungles of Colombia. After a mysterious "bang" erupts one morning, she starts experiencing a bizarre sensory syndrome.
9. Licorice Pizza
38 reviews
Paul Thomas Anderson wrote and directed this movie which takes place in the San Fernando Valley in 1973. It follows two people growing up and falling in love.
8. Wojnarowicz
12 reviews
This documentary showcases artist and activist David Wojnarowicz, who used his art to shed light on the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. The film gives viewers access to his work and life like never before.
7. Hope
15 reviews
The film follows a couple living with a large family of children and stepchildren. When the mother gets cancer, the family needs to come together for love, support, and trust.
6. Flee
18 reviews
This film blends documentary and animation, as it follows Amin Nawabi, a child refugee from Afghanistan harboring a secret he's kept for 20 years.
5. This Is Now a Burial, It's a Resurrection
10 reviews
80-year old woman Mantoa is preparing for her own death in her small village in South Africa. After her only son dies, her community has to relocate because of a dam being built nearby. Being stripped of everything she's known her whole life, she becomes a spiritual and political leader for her people.
4. Procession
11 reviews
This Netflix documentary follows six survivors of sexual assault as children in the Catholic church. Now adults, they come together to work through their trauma.
3. Rocks
14 reviews
In this British Netflix drama, a teenage girl has to take care of her younger brother and finds herself struggling with day-to-day life.
2. Summer of Soul
38 reviews
Directed by Ahmir-Khalib Thompson--also known as The Roots' drummer Questlove--Summer of Soul documents the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969. It was filmed that year, but footage was stored in a basement for 50 years. The film showcases performances from Stevie Wonder, Sly & The Family Stone, Gladys Knight & The Pips, and many others. It's available to stream on Hulu.
1. Quo Vadis, Aida?
16 reviews
Taking place in a small town in Bosnia, the film follows a UN translator during a Serbian invasion. While her job is to interpret information between countries, she also needs to keep her family safe during a violent conflict.