So… May we start.

Hello, I am the Chief Filmific Advisor, Joe Witty, not to be confused with Whitty. Christmas is an incredibly difficult time of year for the NHS and there are things you can do to help yourself.

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The graph here shows that people who have been vaccinated and unvaccinated are generally unhappy at the moment. The blue sad faces represent a lack of happiness.

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The good news we have found is that a dose of Paddington 2 has significantly increased people’s happiness regardless of their vaccination status. The graph above shows the amount of people who have described themselves as significantly happier and the early results are promising. Those who haven’t watched Paddington 2 aren’t happy and those who have are. Therefore our advice this year is Watch Paddington 2, Stay Happy, Save Your Soul. I will now take questions

[Journalist]: Yes, I have heard that our film minister watched Cats last Christmas despite your restrictions against it. Why do you think anyone will listen to you and watch Paddington 2?

That’s a good question Laura. Based on the evidence, I would urge people to limit their Cats watching to a minimum to protect themselves. It’s incredibly vital that everyone watched Paddington 2.

[Journalist]: Well, I’m convinced Joe Witty. You seem to know a lot about films, therefore I wonder what are your top 20 films of 2021?

Thank you for your kind words Laura. Now I’ve found a convenient way out of that introduction,I will share with you my top 20 films of the year. As always, by year I mean films released in the UK between Boxing Day 2020-Xmas Day 2021. Films released at film festivals don’t count and I’ll tell you where you can watch them if they are available. This year had so many good films and there were at least 50 which I really enjoyed. Therefore, please check out my full list of 2021 films ranked here and do consider some of the honourable mentions that didn’t quite make the cut. In previous years, my top films were a Colombian film about teen soldiers and a Korean drama about a family deceiving another for their own gain. This years films are just as exciting.

As usual, I will show which streaming services you can find these films on. [N] – Netflix, [P] – Prime Video, [BBC] – BBC IPlayer, [BFI] – BFI Player, [M] – Mubi, [S] – Sky Cinema on Now TV, [A] – Apple TV+, [D] – Disney+ [£] – available to rent online

20) The Green Knight

I had about seven films to pick from for my 20th pick, so shout outs to Luca, The Father, Rose Plays Julie and The Reason I Jump amongst others. The Green Knight however is one of the most visually stunning films of the year. Dev Patel plays a knight who loses a bet to a magical creature and must go and face his death a year later. Hardly a happy affair, the whole thing is so nice to look at with a scene featuring giant people in a foggy canyon being a particular highlight. The final act in which Patel’s character is almost silent living through many years is one of the best parts of cinema to have been out this year. The film takes its time, so be prepared to be patient. However, sit back and enjoy the beautiful film. I wrote a review once upon a time which you can read here. [P]

19) Better Days

If I’m honest with you, it feels like years since I watched the Hong Kong film Better Days, so the whole plot isn’t quite as fresh in my mind. The film which was nominated for Best International Film at this year’s Oscars was a solid teen melodrama, which acutely studied bullying and pressure placed on students before their big tests. Our protagonist was a girl who hires a boy to protect her from bullying. I thought there were some solid lead performances and interesting twists. [£]

18) West Side Story

This isn’t the last musical on this list. The original 1960’s WSS never quite did it for me. It all felt slow and unrewarding which is why I went into the 2021 remake with fairly low expectations. However, this was a joy to behold. The set design was great, the costumes were beautiful and the dance numbers all impressive, even if the lead character was one second out of time. If you don’t know, WSS is a musical about the Jets and the Sharks, a white and Puerto Rican gang who hate one another. When one member of each gang fall in love and it becomes a bit of a Romeo & Juliet thing. If you can see this in the cinema you should as it’s a nice big finger clicking, twirling theatrical song and dance, featuring a star performance from new-comer Mike Faist as Riff.

17) The Power of the Dog

One film which will undoubtedly get plenty of awards gossip is Jane Campion’s Power of the Dog. A slow burning western sees Benedict Cumberbatch’s rough cowboy Phil psychologically abuse his sister in law and her son. It’s a film which takes its time and has a laborious middle act, but as things are revealed and all come together, they all do so magically to lead to a brilliant climax. The cinematography, score and acting are all top draw here. As I alluded to, it’s a film which requires a bit of patience, but if you can make it through it, it’s richly rewarding. I’ve talked about it more previously. [N]

16) Tick, Tick… Boom!

Andrew Garfield is the best Spiderman actor, we can all agree on that, and if there is any lingering doubt then watch Tick, Tick… Boom!. The film is based on the autobiographical play by Jonathan Larson, about his writing of Superbia. The whole film is great. It takes time to get into as Garfield’s Larson is telling the story on a stage then there’s flashbacks. It’s full of energy, and the messages about devotion to what you love are empowering, yet also shown as dangerous as Larson describes his decisions and consequences without self-judgement. Lin Manuel Miranda is solid in his directorial debut, although is helped by a great script, a great lead performance and some songs which will stick in your head for days. Really good (as are all films on this list) and I wrote a whole review here didn’t I. [N]

15) Stray

It’s a documentary about a dog. What isn’t to love? The dog doesn’t talk, nor is it big or red. It’s just a standard dog. The film maker follows a dog around the streets of Istanbul (where it’s illegal to capture or kill strays) and watches her interact with other dogs as well as humans. At its most interesting, the film sees the dog hang out with a group of young syrian migrants as we draw some comparisons between the way they’re treated and how the dogs are. It’s a really magical almost fantasy film with a lot of shots at dog height and a wonderful soundtrack. I’ve written about it before and you can read that here. [BFI]

14) Limbo

One of the best British films of the year, Limbo is also one of the quirkiest. Set on the Shetland Islands, the story follows four syrian refugees as they are waiting to hear about their asylum processes while trapped away from society and having little communication with their families. The lead character seems to have lost his spark as well as he carries around but refuses to play his oud (a string instrument). Full of dead pan humour and wonderfully symmetrical shots which make the island both seem huge and deserted and claustrophobic, the film has a great heart and is an incredible debut effort from director Ben Sharrock. Not a single scene or line feels wasted in this tight script. This is must-watch innovative independent film making. [M]

13) Nowhere Special

Get your tissues out. It’s time to cry. Nowhere Special is the sad film of the year as this low budget Irish film hits perfectly. John is a single father to Michael and with months left to live he has to find his young son a new family. The film sees him go to meet potential parents, while coming to terms with his own mortality and the inevitable conversation he must have with his son. The film is beautifully written with a great score to boot, however it’s James Norton (Happy Valley) who elevates this to brilliant heights with a stellar performance and some great chemistry with the child actor. I wrote a review once upon a time. [S]

12) Judas & The Black Messiah

Now onto best picture nominees from last years Oscars, Judas is a biopic of Black Panther Party member Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) and a recent recruit William O’Neil (Lakeith Stanfield). Based on a true story, the latter is threatened with prison after a car robbery goes wrong and is working undercover for the FBI against Hampton. We see his struggles between self-interest and interest in the cause. The film is an absolute blast and the two hours go through at a really good pace. The two lead actors Kaluuya and Stanfield are both on top form and this film deserved all the awards it won. I wrote a review way back which you can read here. [S]

11) Deerskin

This is probably the weirdest film on this list. From the guy who wrote the film about the rubber tyre, comes a film about a recently divorced man who spends his whole income on a deerskin jacket. He then starts hearing this jacket say it wants to be the only coat in the world. He then starts making a documentary in which he takes coats from others, before going for more extreme methods to be the wearer of the only coat in the world. It’s an obscure, dead-pan humour but my goodness it was one of the barmiest funniest films of the year. It won’t be for everyone, but it’s not a long film and if you want something off-kilter, there aren’t many better out there. [M]

10) Two of Us

This years romantic drama of choice comes from France. Two elderly ladies who live in adjacent apartments have had a secret relationship for years. When Madeline is about to reveal her secret to her children she suffers a stroke. Nina has to fight to be able to be with and care for her now non-verbal partner in a sweet story of love against adversity. The film is written wonderfully with two wonderful leads. They make you care about the characters and the whole thing is a wonderful time. [BFI]

9) Promising Young Woman

Out of all of the films on this list, Promising Young Woman was probably the one that stuck most with me. The rape revenge story was told in such an interesting way. It would have been so simple and easy to stick with a formula, however it felt like a story written by women for women with some notable decisions which made it more universally accessible, with even the name of the crime not explicitly mentioned, but suggested heavily in other ways instead. Cassie is working in a coffee shop when she meets Ryan who was in her year in medical school before she dropped out. When she hears about a person from the past doing well, she goes out for revenge against those who let down her friend Nina who has since committed suicide. The revenge is much more thought out than you’d see in Joker and it allows you to back Cassie all the way. The film works best due to an incredible screen play criticising all of those, both men and women, who enable such a culture to go on accountably. If the ending wasn’t as botched, it probably would’ve been higher on the list. I had an issue as the resolution while realistic seemed to go against the message of the rest of the story. However, it was really smart and I wrote my thoughts here. [S]

8) Nomadland

The Best Picture at the 94th Oscars, as well as best director (Chloe Zhao) and best actress (Frances McDormand), Nomadland certainly was a big deserving winner. In a world of marvels and big CGI, sometimes its easy to forget the essence of beautiful cinema. The slow, atmospheric worlds which can bring out an emotion by saying very little are almost a form of hypnosis. The silence of a reflective, sombre character can be easily connected with much more than one who shouts and screams their feelings. This is who we are and is probably why Nomadland is so effective. The film follows Fern, a widow who following her town becoming empty and her husband dying lives day to day in the gig economy while living in the back of a van. It’s an existence which is full of community yet loneliness and is so beautiful yet cold. It’s a slow burner and takes time to get into, yet when you’re immersed you watch this character and understand her. What she’s doing may or may not be the best thing, but it seems the only thing. We don’t judge her or her world. It’s not glorified, neither is it condemned sympathetically. It just remains wonderfully human. You can see more of my thoughts here. [D]

7) The Summit of the Gods

The best animated film of the year wasn’t any of the monotonous slew of Disney films, but one which was released to very little fanfare, the French film “The Summit of the Gods”. A Japanese photographer tracks down an experienced mountain climber to follow him on a climb. During the tracking down, we see flashbacks of what has made the climber the way he is. What I really loved about this film was the tense climbing moments. During these, I was so on edge that I forgot what I was watching was animated. The visual choices and the score really added to these scenes and despite them being drawings, you felt real stakes in these characters. It’s an absolutely gorgeous and different animation and is an essential viewing. [N]

6) The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao

I totally cried at this one. The Invisible Life follows two sisters in Rio de Janeiro. When Euridice goes off to marry a man in Greece but returns with a baby in her belly and no husband, her father disowns her. He tells Euridice that her sister is in Europe, while her sister is non the wiser of Euridice’s return. From this point, they live their lives hoping to be reunited with each other, their love for each other unwavering. However, the men in their lives do what they can to make sure this doesn’t happen. The film is a critique of a patriarchy in 20th Century Brazil and is at times really brutal and difficult to watch. However, if you do watch it, you will get a fascinating, dramatic story with two incredible lead performances which will leave you an emotional mess. I wrote a review which you can read. [£]

5) Drive My Car

A three hour long Japanese film about people talking and listening to recordings of themselves talking in a car has the potential to be incredibly boring. However, it is to the credit of the screenwriter and director Ryusuke Hamagachi that this film totally engaged me throughout its very long run time. A play director whose wife died when he came home late one day is directing a play which parallels his life. One of the actors had an affair with the directors wife, while the director builds a friendship with his driver. Himself and the driver both feel guilt over losing loved ones and build the trust to help each other make piece. Obviously much more happens over the three hours and the tight script and high quality performances make the time fly by. The whole film is understated and the characters deeply complex and relatable. It’s essential film making and you can see my full review here. [£]

4) Annette

I take back my comment about Deerskin. This is the maddest film of the year. A comedian, Henry, falls in love with opera singer Anne. They then have a baby, which is a puppet. Henry then exploits her when she is cursed with a beautiful singing voice. The whole thing is a rock opera which goes in weird and unexpected directions and is filled with incredible scenes whether the opening song “So May We Start”, Annettes first song and a mad superbowl half time show. When I went to this film with Liam, he absolutely hated it. However, I loved it and if you don’t buy into it, it won’t be enjoyable. The music is great as is Adam Driver’s performance. Even if you don’t watch the film, at least check out the absolutely incredible scene where Simon Helberg’s conductor monologues while conducting an orchestra. Excuse me a moment while I point out that I reviewed this film before. [M]

3) After Love

My top British film of this year is up there purely due to the brilliance of Joanna Scanlan. Following the death of Mary’s muslim husband, she discovers he has a secret other family. She then goes out to France to find this family and claims to be their cleaner to understand them and the truth behind her husbands lies. It’s a sombre occasion at times, however it’s absolutely incredible. The subtle score, the brilliant script and incredible acting make this piece natural and human. Even when you didn’t agree with Mary’s decisions, you still sympathised with her which shows how great a character she was. I totally cried at this film as well, and when I wiped my tears I also wrote a review of it. [BFI]

2) Minari

The highest ranked Best Picture Nominee on this list, Minari has so much going for it. The film sees a family of Korean immigrants in America move to Arkansas to set up a farm. Things get a bit more chaotic when the family grandmother comes to live with them. The whole film looks at identity and chasing the American Dream. The film looks beautiful in the sunny fields and has an incredible score. However, the thing which propels it to being great is the grandmother played by Youn Yuh-Jung. She’s not a traditional grandmother as she enjoys swearing, gambling and watching the wrestling. Her relationship with her grandson (played by Alan Kim) shows a clash of cultures, which they overcome with a loving family bond. As with most films in the top 10 of this list, I was laughing at times and in tears in others. It’s an essential film for the whole family which everyone should try and catch. Read my review here. [S]

The film of the year is…

In almost two years of social castration, the frustration of living a mundane life every day gets to you. Your locked in your house, unable to live your best life and the life that you want to and feel it slipping away further every day. You dream of your youth and freedom. The careless days of old are romanticised. Were these perfect, maybe not. But you felt alive. The disconnect from the rest of the world is something palpable as you feel disconnect within yourself. It therefore feels appropriate that the film of the year touches on these themes, and that film is Another Round.

The Danish film which won best international film at the Oscars focuses on four middle-aged teachers all of whom are slightly unsatisfied with their lives. Based on a Norwegian philosophers theory, they attempt to live life with 0.5% blood alcohol content. This leads to interesting consequences both good and bad.

The films strength lies in its non-judgemental tone. It can be read as both a celebration and a condemnation of drinking and letting yourself go. You either want to drink after it or never again. However, on a second watch I found it to primarily be a celebration of life, especially poignant as director Thomas Vinterberg’s daughter died during the shooting of the film. The script is well made and the actors are all fantastic, especially leading man Mads Mikkelsen. The whole thing is absolutely incredible before ending with one of the best ending scenes to have ever been in a movie (Link here) which can be read in so many ways. It’s funny, tragic and full of heart and really is deserving of being film of the year.

You can read my full review of the film here.

What a life.