Good Disney Movies To Watch 2021

The Best and Most Talked-About Movies of 2021 So Far

Awkwafina in "Shang-Chi"; Rachel Sennott in "Shiva Baby"; Emily Blunt and Noah Jupe in "A Quiet Place Part II"; Ana de Armas in "No Time to Die." Photo Courtesy: Marvel Studios/Utopia/Paramount Pictures/MGM

We're in the midst of fall movie season, in which most of the trophy-contender films of the year will be released. So, let's delve into movies with our list of some of the best and most talked-about films of 2021 so far. Bear in mind that this list will be updated as December approaches and all the big titles finally debut.

Also, the latest edition of the Oscars and other awards competitions made certain 2021 films eligible if they were released in the first two months of the year, which is why a few of the titles here will sound familiar. Some of them have been past award frontrunners or even winners.

Here are some of my favorite films of 2021 so far. Also, if you like TV, don't forget to check out our selection of the best and most talked-about TV shows of 2021.

Promising Young Woman (January 15, 2021)

Carey Mulligan in "Promising Young Woman." Photo Courtesy: Focus Features

Emerald Fennell writes and directs this revenge tale that stars Carey Mulligan as Cassie, a former Promising Young Woman whose career as a doctor and personal life get derailed after a tragic event. Fennell went on to win the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for this movie and she also received a nomination for her directorial work.

The movie carries a powerful message about consent and raises awareness about mental health. It also features a killer soundtrack and a very deliberate aesthetic accented in candy pink.

Promising Young Woman opened in theaters and video on demand (VOD).It's available on HBO Max now.

MLK/FBI (January 15, 2021)

Photo Courtesy: IFC Films

We included this documentary in another article about current films and TV shows that can teach us a lot about Black history in America. MLK/FBI establishes the quasi-obsession FBI director J. Edgar Hoover had with civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. throughout the '50s and '60s. Hoover collected salacious and sexual material on King obtained through surveillance. The intent was to damage King's reputation. But the documentary points out how, despite tracking King so closely, the FBI was unable to warn the Baptist minister about the threats on his life.

MLK/FBI opened in theaters and VOD on January 15.You can rent it now from Amazon, Apple TV and other online platforms.

Judas and the Black Messiah (February 12, 2021)

Darrell Britt-Gibson, Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield in "Judas and the Black Messiah." Photo Courtesy: Warner Bros.

Also included in our list of films that can teach us about Black history in America is this story based on true events. Judas and the Black Messiah stars Daniel Kaluuya as chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, Fred Hampton, and LaKeith Stanfield as the FBI informant Bill O'Neal. Both Kaluuya and Stanfield received Oscar nominations for their roles here and Kaluuya ended up winning.

The movie was produced by Ryan Coogler ( Black Panther ) and directed by Shaka King; it won a second Oscar for its original song "Fight for You." The film depicts O'Neal's infiltration of the Bla ck Panther Party and the assassination of Hampton, in the wake of close FBI surveillance.

Judas and the Black Messiah premiered simultaneously in theaters and HBO Max on February 21.It's available to stream on HBO Max now.

Minari (February 12, 2021)

Alan S. Kim and Steven Yeun in "Minari." Photo Courtesy: A24

Another past Oscar contender on the list, Minari tells the story of a Korean American family relocating from California to a farm in Arkansas in the '80s. Actress Yuh-Jung Youn, who plays a not- so -typical grandmother, made history by becoming the first Korean performer to win an Oscar in an acting category.

The movie also showed once more that Steven Yeun has many more facets as an actor than just being a zombie fighter. And it made young actor Alan S. Kim a star. The eight-year-old won the Critics Choice Award for Best Young Actor/Actress for his role in this movie.

Minari opened in theaters on February 12 and was available on video on demand on February 26, 2021. It's available to rent online now.

The Father (February 26, 2021)

Olivia Colman and Anthony Hopkins in "Minari." Photo Courtesy: Sony Pictures Classics

Anthony Hopkins plays Anthony, an 80-year-old with dementia who is set in his ways. Olivia Colman is Anne, Anthony's daughter. She tries to figure out how to provide care for her dad, who no longer seems to be able to live alone. Filmmaker Florian Zeller, who directed and co-wrote this movie based on his own play, tells this story from Anthony's perspective even though he's no longer the most reliable of narrators.

The Father won an Oscar for Adapted Screenplay and a second surprise win occurred in the Best Actor race due to Hopkins' performance. The late actor Chadwick Boseman was the favorite in the category for his role in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom , but Hopkins sure gives a masterful performance here as the independent Anthony.

The Father is available on VOD and Starz.

Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry (February 26, 2021)

Photo Courtesy: Apple TV+

This documentary about singer-songwriter Billie Eilish offers an intimate perspective of the artist at 17. Filmmaker R.J. Cutler shows Eilish's childhood home; the places where she composed and recorded with her older brother, FINNEAS; how she got her driver's license… The documentarian also follows her on tour while she's promoting her debut album "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?"

The film makes a point to reveal the duality of such an international pop sensation who, at the end of the day, is just a teenager coming of age and coping with the same things we've all been confronted with at that age.

Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry is available on Apple TV+. It was released on February 26.

Shiva Baby (April 2, 2021)

Rachel Sennott in "Shiva Baby." Photo Courtesy: Utopia

Emma Seligman writes and directs this sharp comedy about a bisexual Jewish woman, Danielle (Rachel Sennott), who unwillingly attends a shiva with her parents. She doesn't know who died, she's overwhelmed by her very large extended family, she's mortified that everyone keeps asking about her studies… Plus her ex Maya (Molly Gordon) shows up, representing everything that's good, promising and composed in life. And her sugar daddy, Max (Danny Deferrari), also pops up and he turns out to be a former colleague of her dad and very much married.

Shiva Baby is available on VOD and HBO Max.

The Mitchells vs. the Machines (April 30, 2021)

Photo Courtesy: Netflix

This animated feature, which features the voice talent of Olivia Colman, Maya Rudolph, Abbi Jacobson and Danny McBride follows a somewhat dysfunctional family as they embark on a road trip across the country while driving older daughter Katie (Jacobson) to college. The Mitchells end up in an unlikely battle against an army of robots who've decided to rebel against humanity.

While funny and heartwarming, The Mitchells vs. The Machines also makes a stand on the absurdity of what a "normal" family is supposed to look like. Plus you can also view it as a commentary on our dependence on technology that's definitely much more positive than any episode of Black Mirror.

The Mitchells vs. The Machines is available on Netflix. It was released on April 30, 2021.

A Quiet Place Part II (May 28, 2021)

Emily Blunt in "A Quiet Place Part II." Photo Courtesy: Paramount Pictures

I'm well aware of the fact that A Quiet Place Part II is on this list just because it's the first movie I saw in a movie theater after 14 months of cinema deprivation caused by the pandemic. But the fact is that John Krasinski's sequel about a post-apocalyptic world overrun by monsters makes for the perfect cinematic back-to-the-movies experience.

And while this movie isn't as quiet as the first one, I guess that explains why the filmmakers didn't go with the title A Quieter Place, it still is very much a nail-biter story with enough silences and tension to keep you at the edge of your seat. I didn't feel it suffered from any sequel bloat and it actually made me wish for a third movie in the franchise.

A Quiet Place Part II opened exclusively in theaters on May 28.It's available now on Paramount+.

Plan B (May 28)

Victoria Moroles and Kuhoo Verma in "Plan B." Photo Courtesy: Brett Roedel/Hulu

If you liked 2020's Never Rarely Sometimes Always and the definitely lighter Unpregnant, you should check out Hulu's Plan B. It's certainly raunchier than the previous two movies, but it delves once again into access to contraception and abortion services for underage women who are forced to sometimes travel hundreds of miles or even across state lines to receive this healthcare.

Actress Natalie Morales (Parks and Recreation) makes her solo directorial debut with this story about the Indian-American teenager Sunny (Kuhoo Verma) and the Mexican-American teenager Lupe (Victoria Moroles). When Sunny has a birth control accident during her first sexual relationship, the girls and best friends embark on a South Dakota road trip to try and get a Plan B pill. The recent restrictions in Texas that ban almost all abortions make this movie and the need for accessible healthcare even more relevant and pressing.

Plan B debuted on Hulu on May 28.

CODA (August 13)

Emilia Jones and Marlee Matlin in "CODA." Photo Courtesy: Apple TV+

Honored with four awards at the Sundance Film Festival this year — Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast, Directing Award, Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize — CODA is written and directed by Siân Heder (Little America) and tells the story of the 17-year-old Ruby (Emilia Jones).

This singular coming-of-age story is set in a fishing town in Gloucester, Massachusetts. The movie centers a working family, the Rossis, struggling to keep the family fishing boat in business. Ruby is the CODA (child of deaf adults) of the clan since both her parents, Jacki (Marlee Matlin) and Frank (Troy Kotsur), and her brother Leo (Daniel Durant) are deaf. She is their interpreter and works in the family business while also longing to become a singer and making a career in music.

Jacki, Frank and Leo were all played by deaf performers. Both the director and Jones learned American Sign Language (ASL) to work on this film. ASL is prominently featured in the movie.

CODA debuted on Apple TV+ and in theaters on August 13.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September 3)

Awkwafina and Simu Liu in "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." Photo Courtesy: Marvel Studios

Let's add one big tentpole studio film to this list with Marvel's latest title and the first one in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be led by an Asian superhero. Simu Liu and Awkwafina headline this title and play best friends, expert drivers and slackers Shang-Chi and Katy. They'll soon be confronted by Shang-Chi's past, enjoy a globe-trotting adventure, meet his peculiar family and end up saving the world.

Even though this is by no means a perfect film, it deserves a spot here just for its balletic hand-to-hand combat scenes and the performances of Tony Leung, as Shang-Chi's dad and leader of the Ten Rings, and Michelle Yeoh as Shang-Chi's aunt and guardian of an extraordinary world. Plus, Awkwafina and Liu have a great friendship chemistry together and the best comedic timing. And they sure gave me a whole new appreciation for valets: They need people skills, driving skills and the ability to parallel park.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was released exclusively in theaters on September 3. It's expected to hit Disney+ on November 12. You can read our full review of Shang-Chi here.

No Time to Die (October 8)

Daniel Craig and Léa Seydoux in "No Time to Die." Photo Courtesy: MGM

When you take an old and definitely heteropatriarchal franchise like the James Bond one but give it a spin by putting in charge of directing and co-writing a filmmaker as personal as Cary Joji Fukunaga — he made a perfectly swooning adaptation of Jane Eyre with Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender — and you manage to also enlist Phoebe Waller-Bridge — she created, wrote and starred in Fleabag — to give the script of the movie a rewrite and punch it up, you end up with No Time to Die.

With a runtime of two hours and 43 minutes the film has some bloating problems, especially in its final hour, but it's the perfect sendoff vehicle for actor Daniel Craig, who won't be reprising his role as MI6 agent 007. Plus Léa Seydoux as Madeleine, Ana de Armas as Paloma, Lashana Lynch as Nomi and Naomie Harris as Moneypenny are definitely much more than just "Bond girls." Not to mention, Billie Eilish's stunning theme for the movie hits all the right notes to become the frontrunner for the Best Original Song Oscar next year.

After being delayed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, No Time to Die opens in movie theaters October 8.

And Many Other Films

Robin Wright and Demián Bichir in "Land." Photo Courtesy: Focus Features

And there have been many other interesting movies so far this year. The animated feature Raya and the Last Dragon on Disney+ made a case for more Southeast Asian representation and warrior princesses.

Netflix kept us engrossed with a lot of titles. The Dig is based on real events; it stars Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes; and it tells the story of an archeological excavation on the brink of WWII. Concrete Cowboy has Stranger Things' Caleb McLaughlin as the young Cole and Idris Elba playing his father. The urban tale depicts the Philadelphia Black cowboy culture. And then there is I Care a Lot , in which Rosamund Pike plays Marla, a heartless legal guardian who goes toe to toe with Peter Dinklage's Roman. You won't see its ending coming. And then we saw The Guilty , a remake by Antoine Fuqua of a 2018 Danish film. In Fuqua's The Guilty, Jake Gyllenhaal plays a 911 dispatcher who gets a bit too fixated on a particular call.

Robin Wright made her directorial feature debut with Land , in which she also stars. She plays a woman who retreats to a cabin in Wyoming and learns a valuable lesson on how to live in the wilderness.

And it's difficult to know how to classify Framing Britney Spears , since it's part of the FX documentary series The New York Times Presents. But this episode dedicated to pop star Britney Spears, available on Hulu, sure captured our attention and changed how a lot of us perceived the artist. It also makes for the perfect watching companion to Billie Eilish: The World's a Little Blurry. Plus, we can add another musical documentary to the list with Hulu's Summer of Soul . It was directed by Questlove and chronicles 1969's Harlem Cultural Festival with performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, B.B. King and others.

Let's add to the list of other very interesting 2021 films Mona Fastvold's The World to Come . It stars Katherine Waterston and Vanessa Kirby as two women in mid-19th century America who live in isolation with their respective husbands but find each other, form a friendship and end up in a romantic relationship.

The indie studio A24 brought us Zola and The Green Knight . The first one is based on a viral Twitter thread and chronicles 48 surreal hours in the fast friendship between Detroit waitress Zola (Taylour Paige) and her customer Stefani (Riley Keough). The second one stars Dev Patel as Sir Gawain, King Arthur's nephew, as he tries to find the famed Green Knight and we get a different take on the legend of the Knights of the Round Table.

Plus, Jessica Chastain worked hard to ensure she'll get another Oscar nomination this year — she was nominated for her performances in The Help and Zero Dark Thirty — with her role in the biopic based on real events, The Eyes of Tammy Faye .

Need more ideas for films to watch? Check out our fall movie preview article where we talk about some of the standout end-of-year and awards-season titles.

Source: https://www.ask.com/entertainment/best-movies-2021?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740004%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex

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Good Disney Movies To Watch 2021