Mother of Movies’ best films of 2021. This is a list I release each year for the best movies that I was lucky enough to watch. It began as a horror film list and slowly transformed into lists that generally include darker titles in a range of genres. This list even features a straight-up comedy film. But I’ll always go for horror movies more. Horror as a genre is an elusive beast and has evolved to incorporate so many different ideas and viewpoints that discrediting what scares one person is not as simple anymore.
The world is full of horrors and escapism through cinema is a go-to for many. So I hope you find something to add to your burgeoning movie watchlist. Come and join me on Facebook, reach out, and say hello either by following the page and commenting on posts or sending me a message. I reply 100% of the time. Without further ado, here are the best movies of 2021 so far. 25 of the best movies of 2021.
25. Death Valley
With good monster movies few and far between, Death Valley was a solid entry to the subgenre. A simple storyline, fast pacing, and excellent special effects made this horror movie above Mother of Movies expectations. The monsters reminded me of similar creatures to the Netflix apocalyptic film Silence. Performances are below average in places but there is no doubt the Death Valley movie was entertaining and deserves a one-time watch. For a full review of Death Valley, read here.
Death Valley movie is rated 4 out of 5 stars
24. Hellbender
The indie filmmaking family consisting of John Adams, Toby Poser, and Zelda Adams made this coming-of-age horror, Hellbender. With original music made by the trio, Hellbender was a moody story about a lonely girl who discovers her family isn’t what she thinks it is. With a beautiful aesthetic and characters that have depth, Hellbender isn’t a flashy perfect film but has plenty to offer fellow cinephiles looking for something different. For a full review of Hellbender, check this link.
23. Till Death
Mother of Movies originally avoided the film Till Death like Megan Fox’s character avoided her narcissistic husband. Despite a terrible and cliched unbelievable ending, Till Death gave as much as it could. In this thriller about a woman who finds herself handcuffed to the man she married, I couldn’t help but enjoy it. As stupid as it was clever in hiding details about its true intentions, don’t skip Till Death just because someone told you it sucked. The film is streaming on Netflix in most countries. For a full review of Till Death, read from Mother of Movies.
22. Censor movie
Censor immerses much of its storyline into being a commentary on horror movies while being a horror movie itself. It begins with a woman called Enid whose job is to pass or fail films for the censorship board. With a past that includes a missing sister and various interludes with filmmakers that provide gore and violence, Enid walks a slippery slope.
By the time Enid reaches the final act of her own narrative, the cinematic horror world and her own experiences collide. The cinematography is calculated in a way where dark colors and focal viewpoints clue the audience into Enid’s state of mind. The Censor movie is a fantastic horror film that has gone wildly under the radar.
“You can be surprised what the human brain can edit out when it can’t handle the truth.”
Quote from the film, Censor
21. A Quiet Place Part II
John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place 2 was Mother of Movies’ most anticipated movie of 2021. Rarely is a sequel as good as its predecessor and A Quiet Place Part II is no exception to the rule. But, who can resist diving back into the universe we left off in the first film? Hardly anyone and that’s why this film was rated more than 7/10 by over 182k people on IMDb. The horror movie sequel is tense, whippet fast, and worth every penny for those who saw it at the cinema.
A Quiet Place 2 full movie streaming options can be found in the below link.
Streaming Options for A Quiet Place 2
A Quiet Place 2 is streaming on:
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20. Gunpowder Milkshake
Before the Gunpowder Milkshake movie was even released, news of the sequel Gunpowder Milkshake 2 was announced by StudioCanal. And who can blame them? The high-concept action thriller is bright, and enthusiastic, and also features exceptional world-building. Not to mention, the female-forward cast and heroic moralism of the storyline, Gunpowder Milkshake has all the markings of a successful film series. Audiences rated this Netflix bedazzled popcorn flick with a meager 6/10 on IMDb but I thought it entertaining enough to be in my top 20 movies of 2021.
Gunpowder Milkshake’s cast includes big names like Karen Gillan, Lena Headey, Carla Gugino, and Michelle Yeoh.
19. Kate
Another assassin and revenge storyline similar to Gunpowder Milkshake and also featuring a female action lead is “Kate.” It was the Kate movie cast which included Mary Elizabeth Winstead alongside Woody Harelson that drew my attention first. Along the same lines as the killer action movie Crank, Kate must figure out who poisoned her and why before he dies a horrible death. As generic and oversaturated as Kate is, it’s popcorn fluff at its best. Not every movie has to be clever and explain life’s lessons to us. Sometimes, it just needs to be paced well, include good performances, and not have Bruce Willis and Nicholas Cage mowing down enemies.
Kate, the full movie is on Netflix and a review is on Mother of Movies.
18. Army of the Dead 2021
Army of the Dead is rated 6/10 by more than 158k people on IMBD. Zack Snyder’s reputation proceeds him and so his fans will always have higher expectations than say…me. Any film that features zombie horses, zombie tigers, and more importantly zombie hordes and is as good as this was, gets two thumbs up. Army of the Dead 2021 is exactly what you need when you go for something BrainDead to watch. Just switch your brain off accordingly. The dialogue was often enough to make your eye twitch but for a film that ran over 2-hours Army of the Dead is my favorite overly long film of the year.
17. The Novice
An end-of-year directorial debut from Lauren Hadaway, The Novice movie is a dark thriller about the cost of success. Set in the competitive rowing arena, the film’s cast led by Isabelle Furhman (Orphan) is worth every bit of the four-star rating Mother of Movies awarded it. Obsessive to the point of no return, a University freshman, Alex, pushes herself to be the best on her rowing team.
However, the motivation behind why she does what she does gives this film an air of difference. The Novice movie’s ending will leave some with questions, however, the full film review has all the answers. Use the search bar or use IMBd and search the title. All of Mother of Movies’ reviews are in the critic section. Complete review of The Novice, here.
16. A Classic Horror Story
A Classic Horror Story 2021 takes everything we have seen in a bunch of slasher movies and spits it all out into a worthy slasher film. A homage if you will to all that fans of this type of sneaky backwoods fare know and love. Film lovers who spurn anything unoriginal should simply swipe left on A Classic Horror Story. The rest, who liked movies like Cabin in the Woods, Midsommar, The Hills Have Eyes or Wrong Turn can sit back and enjoy this well-made and enjoyable tale. A Classic Horror Story is streaming free on Netflix with a subscription in most regions.
15. The Trip movie
Each year, my best films of the year are filled with world cinema and 2021 is no different. The Trip movie is another Netflix offering and it’s from Norway. It’s also fast-paced, chaotic, brutal, and fun with a twisted comedic accent most horror fans love. Lisa and Lars are two disconnected married folk who take to the remote atmosphere of a lakehouse to try and sort out their differences.
They are joined by a trio of criminals evading the law and discover their differences just might save their lives. I loved this film because at no time will you ever guess where the story is going or where it will end. Prepare for the unexpected and hold your breath in times of tension, because The Trip is one hell of a ride.
14. Promising Young Woman
It was the Promising Young Woman trailer that hooked this little duck into wanting to see the whole thing as soon as possible. A number of angry women seeking vengeance movies made it to my best films of 2021 list, but I’m not apologizing. Cassie (played by Carey Mulligan) goes out at night and baits men she defines as those who would take advantage of women too drunk to say no.
What does she do to these men? You’ll have to watch the movie to find out, but this narrative is dutifully made in a way that is not overly #metoo forward while also rebuking the idea that this kind of thing is ever ok. Performances are outstanding as is the Promising Young Woman cast.
Promising Young Woman nails the ending too, and that’s why this film is so much fun to watch.
Promising Young Woman Trailer
13. Fear Street
Based on the Fear Street books and more specifically Fear Street: Part Three – 1666, the Fear Street films were good. This final film in the trilogy was my favorite thanks to the neat and tidy ending and the culmination of all the characters in the third installment. Old and new were merged together, with the only way to describe this soft horror based on RL Stine books as “cool”. Fear Street: 1666 soundtrack was something I looked forward to for the set of movies. Flashy slasher meets Goosebumps scary stories meets Netflix shimmer. I liked all three and there’s nothing you can do about it. Mother of Movies has information about the Fear Street Franchise.
12. The Suicide Squad 2
Suicide Squad 1 was a snoozefest. But in 2021 James Gunn redeemed the franchise, the characters, and the storyline and made it funny, filled with gore, and supplied enough dumb heroics I couldn’t help but have a good time. Not to mention Margot Robbies reprised Harley Quinn’s character being so epically grand and fancy while pulling off the best kill of the year, what’s not to like? And did you know The Suicide Squad King Shark character Nanaue was voiced by Sylvester Stallone? Probably, but it’s still worth mentioning.
Harley Quinn: “When your taste in men is as bad as mine, they don’t just go away quietly. They slash your tires and they kill your dogs and tell you that the music you like ain’t real music at all. And all the cruelty tears you apart after a while.”
Quote from The Suicide Squad 2021 cast Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn.
11. Sator Movie
The Sator movie is an extremely low-budget indie horror movie streaming on Shudder. The atmospheric chill factor comes directly from the use of the director’s (Jordan Graham) own Grandmother who is used to narrate most of the film. “Sator” is one of those scary films that leads you to believe it could be true and then painstakingly tries to make you believe in its factual evidence. More importantly, the story was true for the director Nani as she slipped away with dementia.
This is not a mainstream horror movie with slasher kills and gore. Sator is a low-key slow-burn burn and quiet story that sets the bar for indie movies of its kind. The demon Sator is for at least one person, very, very real. Find out more about the Sator movie here.
10. My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To
Another film to receive a rating of 4.5/5 My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To screams to be watched. The title alone is enough to make you stop scrolling and read a few lines about the basic plot. The storyline is simple with a brother and sister at odds over how to care for their youngest sibling. He can’t go out in the daytime and needs blood to survive. Performances are outstanding, the tragedy of each of their circumstances is insurmountable and the film overall is stunningly effective. “My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To” is a slow-burn and quiet horror movie and a must-see.
9. You’re Dead Hélène
Mother of Movies watched a s*it-tonne of short films in 2021. Thanks to a few film festivals we covered and the fact some of them were brilliant, I have included a few in this best films of 2021 list. You’re Dead Hélène (also known as Jesteś martwa, Helen) comes from France. Written and directed by Michiel Blanchart the story follows a man haunted by his ex-girlfriend. As Maxime begins to reenter the dating world Maxime decides he should probably break up with Hélène but of course, no breakup is ever smooth sailing and You’re Dead Hélène shows just how rough it can be.
The short film is said to have been secured by TriStar Pictures to be directed by Blanchart and Sam Raimi has won a seat on the production team alongside Rob Tapert. Excited much? Yes, we are.
8. Shock Wave 2
The Original Shock Wave movie is separate from its sequel Shock Wave 2. Both come with a squad of terrorist experts who disarm explosives with the amazing stuntman Andy Lau in the lead role. This time a terrorist plot involves a Hong Kong tunnel, lots of people alongside some inhouse revenge politics. Action movies rarely have interesting and complex narratives as well as character-driven emotive key cast but Shock Wave 2 movie has all that and lots and lots of very cool explosions, stunts, hand-to-hand fights, and special effects that will knock your socks off.
7. Free Guy
Is Free Guy streaming? The answer is yes. In the USA Free Guy is available to watch on Disney Plus as well as Apple TV and Foxtel. The trailer for the Free Guy movie shows us, Ryan Reynolds, in a fishbowl life not unlike the film The Truman Show. And that was enough to warrant my attention. When you throw in Jodie Comer, Channing Tatum, and Lil Rel Howery, Wild Horses couldn’t have stopped me from watching this superhero movie with a twist. The Free Guy movie was funny, sentimental, and action-packed. Free Guy is one of Ryan Reynold’s best movies ever.
Free Guy Trailer
6. The Night House
“The Night House” is streaming on Disney Plus and Foxtel in the USA. The movie is supernatural and comes complete with a poltergeist-like entity doing crazy stuff. Fans of this type of horror like that sh*t.
Beth is seen in the opening of The Night House to have lost her husband and now she lives alone in the home they built together. But as Beth starts seeing and hearing things that make her feel like she is going insane, she starts digging for the reason why. The plot for The Night House is simple, but the journey from beginning to end is far from that. One of the best horror movies of 2021.
5. Last Night in Soho Review
The only thing you need to know about Last Night in Soho, is that it is unique. As far as horror movies go, finding a particularly original take on a subject that is very much the same over and over deserves a place in any best horror movie list. Anna Taylor Joy is amazing in the Last Night in Soho movie who plays the woman on the other side of the looking glass.
Most of the Last Night in Soho cast are collectively brilliant, inclusive of the shining star that is Thomasin McKenzie (Eloise.) The less said about the storyline of this stunningly filmed cinematic event the better. However, if you are waiting for the green light to watch this title, just go ahead and do it already.
4. When I Consume You
“When I Consume You” is the third film by writer-director Perry Blackshear. Blackshear’s 2015 indie gem They Look Like People was so captivating that when I heard about his newest film I simply couldn’t wait to watch it. When I Consume You hasn’t fared as well with general audiences but that doesn’t stop it from being amazing in the eyes of some.
Mother of Movies rated this title 4.5 out of 5. The film follows a brother and sister being stalked by someone sinister. Of course, fans of this director’s work know to expect the unexpected in his narratives and this quiet and viciously pointed horror film is just another example of why independent films are sometimes better than mainstream movies.
3. Glasshouse
Glasshouse screened on Showmax in South Africa but has yet to be released anywhere else in the world. Trust me when I say, this movie is stunningly perfect. The Glasshouse movie is set up in an apocalyptic universe where the world-building is bonkers but astonishingly effective.
A family lives inside what can only be described as a house-sized Glasshouse. Three sisters and their mother and brother survive an event that has left the world to contend with a poisonous gas that makes you forget. The thriller and science fiction movies are romantic, numbingly acute, and eerie all a the same time. Performances are outstanding. Mother of Movies rated “Glasshouse” 5 out of 5 and would happily watch it over and over to pick up on the finer points of its intertwining and unusual storyline.
2. Stuffed Short Film
Another short film that was unforgettable is this musical production by director Theo Rhys. Written by Theo Rhys and Joss Holden-Rea, the amazing horror short “Stuffed” is being made into a feature film as we speak. The storyline follows a taxidermist who takes to the internet’s dark web to find a man she can stuff.
Remarkably she finds one who simply doesn’t want to grow old. This film is an emotional rollercoaster you don’t see coming and is so poetically beautiful that you will never forget it. Follow Mother of Movies for more details on the full movie release because I am watching this title closely. I have found the short film for Stuffed on YouTube, but who knows how long it will be active. Watch the Stuffed short film below.
Stuffed Short Film, The Best Films of 2021
1. Sweetie, You Won’t Believe It – The Best Films of 2021
In pole position for the best horror movie, in 2021 is “Sweetie, You Won’t Believe It.” The best comedy horror I’ve seen in 2021 is a Kazakh and Russian-language movie about a man who goes “fishing” after fighting with his pregnant wife. The film pays homage to dozens of classic horror movie tropes while having a group of men go on an adventure in a similar style to The Hangover.
Not only is this hilarious film all that and a bag of chips, but I also watched it twice when I was lucky enough to screen it for the Fantasia Film Festival. Keep checking the below link at JustWatch.com for where to watch this clever and captivating film. The full review and more information on this film are all on Mother of Movies.
Sweetie, You Won’t Believe It is the best film released in 2021:
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