10 Great Movies 2021 Gave Us - Part 1
This year was, once again, one of those On-n-Off years. Between confinements and "new normals", we mustered the courage to maintain sanity. On a lighter note, theaters are now finally open and with a few standout releases. Some premiering solely on theaters or simultaneously on VOD/Netflix/HBO. Nonetheless, no amount of turmoil can change the fact that 2021 was a great year for cinephiles.
Dune: Part One
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Genre: Sci-Fi
Country: United States
Language: English
Running Time: 156 minutes
Denis Villeneuve presents his finest work to date. Following the successes of Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, the director revisits 1965´s Frank Hebert novel. Dune is the story of the budding battle of the House of Atreides against the merciless forces of the House of Harkonnen, for control of Arrakis and its precious spice, the key to space travel. Dune´s theme always resonated with western manipulation and exploitation of the rest of the world, from bygone days of colonialism to the Gulf War and the War on Terror. It´s a superb futuristic tale of our times.
Quo Vadis Aida?
Director: Jasmila Zbanic
Genre: War Drama
Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Germany, France, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Turkey
Language: Bosnian, English, Serbian and Dutch
Running Time: 101 minutes
Quo Vadis Aida is one of the hardest movies to watch on this list. It is better defined as a slow-burn drama with a palpable sense of growing dread. An invitation to observe the humanitarian crisis that was being lived on the refugee camp of Srebrenica, amidst the Bosnian War in 1995. It´s the story of Aida, a UN translator, that is fighting to prevent the death of her loved ones in the refugee camp. A woman on a race against the clock to prevent a tragedy that will eventually fall upon 8372 of her compatriots. Quo Vadis Aida is the tale of many women who are trapped in the male game of war.
Minari
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Genre: Drama
Country: United States
Language: Korean and English
Running Time: 115 minutes
Minari follows the Yi´s, a Korean family attempting to set down roots in 1980s rural Arkansas. It's based on director Lee Isaac Chung's life - he grew up on a farm in the state - and it has the buttery largesse of a traditional coming-of-age film. languorous shots of dusty fields, climbable trees, and children straining against the authority of their elders. Minari is the tale of family following the American Dream. It will that will certainly warm your heart.
Titane
Director: Julia Ducournau
Genre: Body Horror
Country: France and Belgium
Language: French
Running Time: 108 minutes
Titane was this year's Palme d'Or winner at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. French filmmaker Julia Ducournau's second feature is a delirious body-horror tale. Sex, violence, gore, humor... it has something for every taste! Titane tells the story of Alexia, a dancer with a penchant for violence, that goes on the run after a killing spree and seeks shelter in a firehouse by claiming a false identity. All of this while being pregnant from a Cadillac. Yes, a Cadillac car. This film is certainly one of the most Thought-provoking pieces you will see this year!
A Metamorfose dos Pássaros (Metamorphosis of Birds)
Director: Catarina Vasconcelos
Genre: Docu-drama
Country: Portugal
Language: Portuguese
Running Time: 101 minutes
Metamorphosis of Birds is a difficult film to categorize, a hybrid of memoir, metafiction, family history or a gorgeously shot 16mm art installation. Catarina Vasconcelos' family tale is a gateway to explore the themes of mortality, of finding oneself in the vastness and the inevitable passing of time. It is also an ode to all Mothers, a "thank you" note for their love, support and sacrifice. Easily one of the most beautifully shot films 2021 as given us.
