The Best Movies of 2021 (So Far)

This year has already given us must-watch fare like 'A Quiet Place Part II' and 'Judas and the Black Messiah.' Here are the best movies of 2021 (so far).

The Best Movies of 2021 (So Far)
Image via Complex
The Best Movies of 2021 (So Far)

On the low, 2021 is shaping up to be one of the more important years in the history of cinema. Think about it: Before the spring of 2020 was done, many (incorrectly) predicted that the theater business was done. COVID-19 kicked the idea of heading into a theater to see movies to the curb, which resulted in many movies being held back while Hollywood figured out alternative measures, which ended up either being “drop it on a streaming service” or “wait until 2021”. Well, it’s 2021, and we’ve got an awkward year of cinema that’s trying to recoup on the monies lost due to a global pandemic while navigating a growing demand for on-demand streaming content. This could be the year that everything changes. It may be the year that we get more of the same. The hope is that, along the way, we get some amazing films to get lost within.

And so far, 2021 is delivering. Some highly anticipated projects left us wanting more, while others taught us about atrocities across the United States of America. We’re extremely light on superheroes (it’s still early), but we have some fantastical battles and edgy action-comedies to keep us entertained while we wait. Round it out with some awe-inspiring AWARDS SZN stand-outs and forward-thinking directorial debuts and you have a much-broader batch of films to celebrate mid-year—much more than we did in 2020! Grab your popcorn and dive into the best movies of 2021 (so far).

15. 'Malcolm & Marie'

Malcolm & Marie

14. 'Monster'

Monster

13. 'In the Heights'

In the Heights

12. 'Gully'

Kelvin Harrison Jr, Charlie Plummer and Jacob Latimore in GULLY

11. 'Bad Trip'

Bad Trip

10. 'The Night'

The Night

9. 'Godzilla vs. Kong'

Godzilla vs. Kong

8. 'Shiva Baby'

Shiva Baby

7. 'I Care A Lot'

'I Care a Lot'

6. 'North Hollywood'

'North Hollywood'

5. 'Nomadland'

Nomadland

4. 'A Quiet Place Part II'

A Quiet Place: Part II

3. 'Nobody'

Nobody

2. 'Minari'

Minari

1. 'Judas and the Black Messiah'

Judas and the Black Messiah

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