Like a sequel no one asked for, 2021 was basically as unpleasant as the year that preceded it. On the bright side, at least the movies were better. Proving that the show must indeed go on, studios rolled out a number of delayed tentpole releases both in theaters and on streaming platforms. Audiences were also treated to acclaimed smaller films such as Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” and the French body horror flick “Titane,” among numerous others.
Bringing the year to an epic close was “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which may turn out to be one of the best superhero films ever made. Not only was it the first release of the pandemic to earn over a billion dollars at the worldwide box office, but critical and audience reception has been off the charts. Call it the perfect slice of escapism during these troubled times, and a fresh reminder that the theatrical experience is still alive and well—for certain types of movies, at least.
Whether watching at home or in theaters, viewers will find themselves spoiled for choice when it comes to the year’s best releases. So many titles flew under the radar that it could be a full decade before you uncover a new favorite. For instance, you might have caught the latest “Ghostbusters” movie, but what about Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car” or Sian Heder’s “CODA?” May the following list be your guide.
To determine the best movies of 2021, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of December 2021. All ratings were weighted equally. Only movies with at least 2,000 audience votes on either IMDb were considered. Directorial credits and cast information comes from IMDb.
50. Godzilla vs. Kong
> IMDb user rating: 6.4/10 (186,459 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (10,560 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 75% (380 reviews)
> Directed by: Adam Wingard
49. Fear Street: Part Three – 1666
> IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (44,662 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (1,000 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (96 reviews)
> Directed by: Leigh Janiak
48. My True Fairytale
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (2,186 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 100% (100 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 63% (16 reviews)
> Directed by: D. Mitry
47. Palmer
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (31,149 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (832 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (108 reviews)
> Directed by: Fisher Stevens
46. The Mauritanian
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (42,689 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (626 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 75% (211 reviews)
> Directed by: Kevin Macdonald
45. Skater Girl
> IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (3,824 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (50 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (17 reviews)
> Directed by: Manjari Makijany
44. Fear Street: Part Two – 1978
> IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (54,477 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (1,150 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (106 reviews)
> Directed by: Leigh Janiak
43. Ghostbusters: Afterlife
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (47,681 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (7,148 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 63% (271 reviews)
> Directed by: Jason Reitman
42. The Dig
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (67,510 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (1,008 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (153 reviews)
> Directed by: Simon Stone
41. Red Rocket
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (2,190 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74% (100 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (134 reviews)
> Directed by: Sean Baker
40. Last Night in Soho
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (65,514 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (745 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (270 reviews)
> Directed by: Edgar Wright
39. Black Widow
> IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (308,845 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (12,231 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (437 reviews)
> Directed by: Cate Shortland
38. PAW Patrol: The Movie
> IMDb user rating: 6.2/10 (4,863 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 97% (1,369 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (46 reviews)
> Directed by: Cal Brunker
37. Blue Bayou
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (3,641 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (100 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (110 reviews)
> Directed by: Justin Chon
36. Titane
> IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (22,746 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (50 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (207 reviews)
> Directed by: Julia Ducournau
35. Benedetta
> IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (7,754 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (50 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (140 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul Verhoeven
34. The Last Duel
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (71,606 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (1,060 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (253 reviews)
> Directed by: Ridley Scott
33. The Hand of God
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (13,989 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (100 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (132 reviews)
> Directed by: Paolo Sorrentino
32. The White Tiger
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (56,189 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (1,032 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (170 reviews)
> Directed by: Ramin Bahrani
31. Plan B
> IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (2,763 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (100 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (51 reviews)
> Directed by: Natalie Morales
30. Sing 2
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (4,063 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 98% (2,500 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 67% (87 reviews)
> Directed by: Garth Jennings
29. The Suiсide Squаd
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (270,785 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (3,229 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (359 reviews)
> Directed by: James Gunn
28. Ron’s Gone Wrong
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (14,585 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (939 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (95 reviews)
> Directed by: Sarah Smith, Jean-Philippe Vine, Octavio E. Rodriguez
27. The Harder They Fall
> IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (46,546 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (75 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (181 reviews)
> Directed by: Jeymes Samuel
26. No Time to Die
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (260,117 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (10,456 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (388 reviews)
> Directed by: Cary Joji Fukunaga
25. Cruella
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (200,089 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 97% (7,578 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (394 reviews)
> Directed by: Craig Gillespie
24. Free Guy
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (243,732 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (7,008 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (282 reviews)
> Directed by: Shawn Levy
23. Zack Snyder’s Justice League
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (352,126 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (41,942 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (302 reviews)
> Directed by: Zack Snyder
22. Licorice Pizza
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (5,113 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (250 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (194 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
21. Pig
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (45,393 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (413 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (238 reviews)
> Directed by: Michael Sarnoski
20. I’m Your Man
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (3,995 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (100 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (131 reviews)
> Directed by: Maria Schrader
19. Parallel Mothers
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (4,205 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (50 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (73 reviews)
> Directed by: Pedro Almodóvar
18. C’mon C’mon
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (5,723 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (250 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (158 reviews)
> Directed by: Mike Mills
17. Nobody
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (180,383 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (4,339 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (272 reviews)
> Directed by: Ilya Naishuller
16. Luca
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (125,186 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (2,339 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (283 reviews)
> Directed by: Enrico Casarosa
15. Belfast
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (11,295 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (500 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (238 reviews)
> Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
14. Dune
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (413,768 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (6,037 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (411 reviews)
> Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
13. Old Henry
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (13,423 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (250 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (63 reviews)
> Directed by: Potsy Ponciroli
12. Encanto
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (41,675 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (2,500 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (171 reviews)
> Directed by: Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith
11. Drive My Car
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (3,630 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (50 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (107 reviews)
> Directed by: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi
10. tick, tick…BOOM!
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (39,599 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 96% (50 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (189 reviews)
> Directed by: Lin-Manuel Miranda
9. In the Heights
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (39,594 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (2,829 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (351 reviews)
> Directed by: Jon M. Chu
8. The Mitchells vs. the Machines
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (82,436 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (1,820 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (182 reviews)
> Directed by: Michael Rianda, Jeff Rowe
7. Raya and the Last Dragon
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (125,816 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 97% (2,770 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (283 reviews)
> Directed by: Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, Paul Briggs, John Ripa
6. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (269,016 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 98% (16,474 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (312 reviews)
> Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton
5. King Richard
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (29,089 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 98% (1,000 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (246 reviews)
> Directed by: Reinaldo Marcus Green
4. Judas and the Black Messiah
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (66,363 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (502 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (340 reviews)
> Directed by: Shaka King
3. West Side Story
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (19,049 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (2,500 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (323 reviews)
> Directed by: Steven Spielberg
2. CODA
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (30,131 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (500 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (249 reviews)
> Directed by: Sian Heder
1. Spider-Man: No Way Home
> IMDb user rating: 8.9/10 (307,635 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 98% (25,000 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (358 reviews)
> Directed by: Jon Watts