The current pandemic hasn’t stopped filmmakers from doing what they love, and 2021 has already been jam-packed with some incredible films. Some of them are book adaptations; some would even make great games; what they all have in common is that they are must-watch movies.
Saint Maud
Saint Maud is a psychological horror film centering around Maud, a hospice nurse and recent convert to Catholicism. Maud becomes increasingly obsessed with a dancer in her care, believing she was put on earth to save her soul.
The film is Rose Glass’s directorial debut; she won the Douglas Hickox Award, an award for the best debut director, at the British Independent Film Awards. Saint Maud is dark and gritty, and delivers in both the psychological and horror categories.
About Endlessness
About Endlessness is undoubtedly one of the more unique films released over the past few years. Roy Andersson directs the Swedish movie, and instead of being one story, the movie is split into thirty-one different vignettes, each narrated to add further context.
The vignettes range from a waiter at a fancy restaurant absentmindedly overflowing a patron’s glass to a couple sitting on a bench overlooking the city and a dentist having a drink at a bar.
Raya and the Last Dragon
A year in Hollywood wouldn’t seem complete without a brilliantly made animated movie. The film tells the story of a warrior princess as she tries to discover the truth behind the fable of the Last Dragon and find the Dragon Gem that will rid her world of evil.
Considering the movie was only released a few days ago, Raya and the Last Dragon has already grossed over $100 million. This is due to the engaging stories and characters, and the top-tier animation and storytelling we expect from Disney.
Summer of Soul
Summer of Soul uses restored footage to tell the unknown story of a six-week-long Soul Music festival in Harlem in 1969, right around when Woodstock happened. What makes this whole event so unique is the fact that, up until now, it was seen as a small obscure festival.
The likes of Nina Simone, Stevie Wonder, The 5th Dimension, Gladys Knight, and many other influential artists performed for tens of thousands of people. The film has been praised for how well the footage has been restored and also for letting those who attended tell the real story behind it and what it meant for African-Americans at the time.
Pig
Nicholas Cage has been the butt of many jokes about poor acting and role choices; however, Pig is not one of those bad decisions. The story follows a truffle hunter who tries to track down his prize-winning pig after it was stolen.
While the story sounds unusual, many have praised it for being a story of love and loss, which is brilliantly anchored by Cage’s acting and a film that throws expectations out of the window.
Don’t Breathe 2
The sequel to the cult classic Don’t Breathe; the second film follows Norman Nordstrom as he has now adopted 11-year old Phoenix. He tells her that her mother died in a house fire and that he is the one who is to look after her.
This movie focuses on Phoenix being kidnapped and Norman’s mission to rescue her. There is far more drama in this sequel and a cliffhanger that runs during the credits, so don’t switch off the TV too soon.
All Light, Everywhere
All Light, Everywhere is an American documentary that explores the biases of how humans see and perceive certain things. It delves into how we see the world around us, through police body cameras and police surveillance, and the parallel development of automatic weapons.
The film has been critically acclaimed since its release, currently holding a score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie deals with complex and thought-provoking topics that we should all be talking and thinking about more than we are.
Quo Vadis, Aida?
Quo Vadis, Aida? Is a harrowing and almost soul-crushing tale of a UN translator and her journey to save her husband and children and help them escape the city of Srebrenica after the Army of Republika Srpska takes over.
The story of Aida and trying to help her family is depressing enough, but pile it on top of the fact that the Srebrenica massacre is one of the worst incidences of genocide in modern-day Europe. You have a movie that will leave you speechless and questioning humanity by the end of it.
In the Earth
In the Earth is a sci-fi/fantasy/horror film that centers around a scientist trying to cure a deadly virus ravaging the world, only to be thrust into a world of forest legends and unexplainable events.
This film takes a bleak look at the horrors caused by a global pandemic and the slow disintegration of society. It is a must-watch for sci-fi and horror fans alike.
As you can tell, the current pandemic has most definitely not stopped us from getting some incredible movies to watch. If you haven’t watched any of these films yet, now is a better time than ever to do so.
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