The Skinny's Films of 2021: Our Writers' Top 10s
The top tens, honourable mentions and least-liked films of 2021 from The Skinny's ever-excellent roster of film writers
In our 2021 film of the Year poll, the Skinny’s Film Team collectively voted Céline Sciamma’s beguiling fairytale Petite Maman top of the heap. Click here to read our collective top ten, with capsule reviews on each of this year's picks. But if you’re looking for more idiosyncratic tips, here are the writers’ individual lists
1. Gagarine (Fanny Liatard, Jérémy Trouilh)
2. Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliche (Celeste Bell, Paul Sng)
3. Minari (Lee Isaac Chung)
4. Sweetheart (Marley Morrison)
5. Jumbo (Zoé Wuttock)
6. Zola (Janicza Bravo)
7. Shiva Baby (Emma Seligman)
8. Limbo (Ben Sharrock)
9. Sound of Metal (Darius Marder)
10. The French Dispatch (Wes Anderson)
1. Faceless (Jennifer Ngo)
2. The Tragedy of Macbeth (Joel Coen)
3. The Deer King (Nahoko Uehashi)
4. Luca (Enrico Casarosa)
5. Encounter (Michael Pearce)
6. Mad God (Phil Tippett)
7. The Good Boss (Fernando León de Aranoa)
8. A Hero (Asghar Farhadi)
9. Ride the Wave (Martyn Robertson)
10. In the Heights (Jon M Chu)
Notable Mention: No Time To Die (Cary Joji Fukunaga)
1. Bad Trip (Kitao Sakurai)
2. Drive My Car (Ryusuke Hamaguchi)
3. The French Dispatch (Wes Anderson)
4. Friends and Strangers (James Vaughan)
5. The History of the Atlanta Falcons (Jon Bois)
6. Labyrinth of Cinema (Nobuhiko Obayashi)
7. The Night House (David Bruckner)
8. Sarpatta Parambarai (Pa. Ranjith)
9. Worlds (Isaac Goes)
10. Zack Snyder’s Justice League (Zack Snyder)
1. The Green Knight (David Lowery)
2. There Is No Evil (Mohammad Rasoulof)
3. Limbo (Ben Sharrock)
4. The Lost Daughter (Maggie Gyllenhaal)
5. The Power of the Dog (Jane Campion)
6. Petite Maman (Céline Sciamma)
7. C'mon C'mon (Mike Mills)
8. Quo Vadis Aida (Jasmila Žbanić)
9. Nomadland (Chloé Zhao)
10. Shiva Baby (Emma Seligman)
Honourable mentions: Titane (Julie Ducournau), Another Round (Thomas Vinterberg), The Harder They Fall (Jeymes Samuel), Ninja Baby (Yngvild Sve Flikke), Dune (Denis Villeneuve)
Re-releases of the year: The Servant (Joseph Losey, 1963)
Stinker of the year: The Last Duel (Ridley Scott)
1. Annette (Leos Carax)
2. Titane (Julia Ducournau)
3. Hit the Road (Panah Panahi)
4. The Last Duel (Ridley Scott)
5. Dune (Denis Villeneuve)
6. Il Buco (Michelangelo Frammartino)
7. The Lost Daughter (Maggie Gyllenhaal)
8. The Green Knight (David Lowery)
9. Mad God (Phil Tippett)
10. Vortex (Gaspar Noé)
Honourable mentions: No Time to Die (Cary Joji Fukunaga), The Souvenir: Part II (Joanna Hogg)
1. Limbo (Ben Sharrock)
2. Ninjababy (Yngvild Sve Flikke)
3. Tove (Zaida Bergroth)
4. Poly Styrene: I Am A Cliche (Celeste Ball, Paul Sng)
5. The Human Voice (Pedro Almodovar)
6. Petite Maman (Celine Sciamma)
7. Nomadland (Chloe Zhao)
8. Afterlove (Aleem Khan)
9. Sound of Metal (Darius Marder)
10. Wildfire (Cathy Brady)
Honourable mentions: Rebel Dykes (Harri Shanahan, Siân A. Williams), Sweetheart (Marley Morrison), Supernova (Harry MacQueen), Cowboys (Anna Kerrigan)
Philip Concannon
1. Drive My Car (Ryusuke Hamaguchi)
2. Petite Maman (Céline Sciamma)
3. First Cow (Kelly Reichardt)
4. The Works and Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin) (C.W. Winter, Anders Edström)
5. State Funeral (Sergei Loznitsa)
6. The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmāo (Karim Aïnouz)
7. The Card Counter (Paul Schrader)
8. Martin Eden (Pietro Marcello)
9. Riders of Justice (Anders Thomas Jensen)
10. Balloon (Pema Tseden)
Honourable Mentions: Boiling Point (Philip Barantini), Judas and the Black Messiah (Shaka King), Pig (Michael Sarnoski), Rose Plays Julie (Christine Molloy, Joe Lawlor), Stump the Guesser (Guy Maddin)
Re-releases of the year: Mandabi (Ousmane Sembène, 1968), Nashville (Robert Altman, 1975), Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa, 1954)
Stinker of the year: Reminiscence (Lisa Joy)
Rohan Crickmar
1. Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Questlove)
2. Looking for Horses (Stefan Pavlovic)
3. Limbo (Ben Sharrock)
4. Shiva Baby (Emma Seligman)
5. Titane (Julia Ducournau)
6. Promising Young Woman (Emerald Fennell)
7. Dune (Denis Villeneuve)
8. Summer of ‘85 (François Ozon)
9. In the Heights (Jon M. Chu)
10. Stray (Elizabeth Lo)
1. Pig (Michael Sarnoski)
2. The Green Knight (David Lowery)
3. Drive My Car (director)
4. Petite Maman (Céline Sciamma)
5. Minari (Lee Isaac Chung)
6. Limbo (Ben Sharrock)
7. Black Bear (Lawrence Michael Levine)
8. Sound of Metal (Darius Marder)
9. Summer of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Ahmir-Khalib Thompson)
10. Quo Vadis, Aida? (Jasmila Žbanić)
Honourable mentions: Another Round (Thomas Vinterberg), Shiva Baby (Emma Seligman), The Rescue (Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi), The French Dispatch (We Anderson), In the Heights (Jon M Chu)
Re-releases of the year: In the Mood for Love (Wong Kar Wai, 2000), Chungking Express (Wong Kar Wai, 1994), The Maltese Falcon (John Huston, 1941)
Stinker of the year: Willy’s Wonderland (Kevin Lewis). Yes, Nic Cage starred in my favourite and least favourite film of the year.
1. First Cow (Kelly Reichardt)
2. Drive My Car (Ryusuke Hamaguchi)
3. Friends and Strangers (James Vaughan)
4. The Dog Who Wouldn’t be Quiet (Ana Katz)
5. Petite Maman (Céline Sciamma)
6. Ham on Rye (Tyler Taormina)
7. Limbo (Ben Sharrock)
8. Rose Plays Julie (Christine Molloy, Joe Lawlor)
9. The Twentieth Century (Matthew Rankin)
10. Summer Of Soul (Ahmir-Khalib Thompson)
Honourable mentions: The Nest (Sean Durkin), Dead Pigs (Cathy Yan), Atlantis (Valentyn Vasyanovych), Gunda (Viktor Kossakovsky), Freaky (Christopher Landon)
Re-releases of the year: The Shop Around the Corner (Ernst Lubitsch, 1940) Nashville (Robert Altman, 1975), Girlfriends (Claudia Weill, 1978)
Stinker of the year: Eternals (Chloé Zhao)
1. First Cow (Kelly Reichardt)
2. Drive My Car (Ryusuke Hamaguchi)
3. Azor (Andreas Fontana)
4. Spencer (Pablo Larrain)
5. Martin Eden (Pietro Marcello)
6. Circumstantial Pleasures (Lewis Klahr)
7. Balloon (Pema Tseden)
8. The Green Knight (David Lowery)
9. Los Conductos (Camilo Restrepo)
10. Beginning (Dea Kulumbegashvil)
Honourable mentions (films without UK distribution): The Girl and the Spider (Ramon Zürcher, Silvan Zürcher), earthearthearth (Daïchi Saïto), Moon, 66 Questions (Jacqueline Lentzou), The Canyon (Zachary Epcar), Anachronic Chronicles: Voyages Inside/Out Asia (Araki Yu & Pan Lu)
1. Another Round (Thomas Vinterberg)
2. First Cow (Kelly Reichardt)
3. Sweet Thing (Alexandre Rockwell)
4. Summer of Soul (Questlove)
5. Limbo (Ben Sharrock)
6. Censor (Prano Bailey-Bond)
7. The Nest (Sean Durkin)
8. Azor (Andreas Fontana)
9. The World to Come (Mona Fastvold)
10. Spring Blossom (Suzanne Lindon)
Honourable mentions: Annette (Leos Carax), Last Night in Soho (Edgar Wright), Nora (Lara Izagirre), The Power of the Dog (Jane Campion), Rose Plays Julie (Joe Lawlor, Christine Molloy)
Re-releases of the year: Girlfriends (Claudia Weill, 1978), Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa, 1954), World of Wong Kar-wai (Wong Kar-wai, various).
Stinker of the year: Promising Young Woman (Emerald Fennell)
1. Minari (Lee Isaac Chung)
2. Summer of Soul (Questlove)
3. Drive My Car (Ryûsuke Hamaguchi)
4. First Cow (Kelly Reichardt)
5. The Green Knight (David Lowery)
6. In Front of Your Face (Hong Sang-soo)
7. Nomadland (Chloe Zhao)
8. Petite Maman (Céline Sciamma)
9. Limbo (Ben Sharrock)
10. Swimming Out Till the Sea Turns Blue (Jia Zhangke)
Ian Mantgani
1. Petite Maman (Céline Sciamma)
2. First Cow (Kelly Reichardt)
3. The Card Counter (Paul Schrader)
4. Palm Springs (Matthew Compton)
5. City Hall (Frederick Wiseman)
6. Mayor (David Osit)
7. Judas and the Black Messiah (Shaka King)
8. Cry Macho (Clint Eastwood)
9. Malignant (James Wan)
10. Almost Liverpool 8 (Allan Melia, Daniel Draper)
Honourable mentions: Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar (Josh Greenbaum), Bolt Driver (Nick Corirossi, Van Alpert), Drive My Car (Ryusuke Hamaguchi), Here Today (Billy Crystal), Passing (Rebecca Hall)
1. Pig (Michael Sarnoski)
2. Minari (Lee Isaac Chung)
3. The French Dispatch (Wes Anderson)
4. Power of the Dog (Jane Campion)
5. No Sudden Move (Steven Soderbergh)
6. Judas and the Black Messiah (Shaka King)
7. Another Round (Thomas Vinterberg)
8. First Cow (Kelly Reichardt)
9. One Night in Miami (Regina King)
10. Supernova (Harry Macqueen)
1. C’mon C’mon (MIke Mills)
2. Spencer (Pablo Larraín)
3. Titane (Julia Ducournau)
4. Dune (Denis Villeneuve)
5. The Power of the Dog (Jane Campion)
6. Shiva Baby (Emma Seligman)
7. The French Dispatch (Wes Anderson)
8. The Lost Daughter (Maggie Gyllenhaal)
9. Pig (Michael Sarnoski)
10. The Hand of God (Paolo Sorrentino)
Honourable mentions: The World to Come (Mona Fastvold), The Green Knight (David Lowery), The Nest (Sean Durkin)
1. Bodies in Dissent (Ufuoma Essi)
2. The Blind Rabbit (Pallavi Paul)
3. Hotel Royal (Salomé Lamas)
4. Lago Gatún (Kevin Jerome Everson)
5. Wood and Water (Jonas Bak)
6. Psychic Meat (Stephen Wardell)
7. Anachronic Chronicles: Voyages Inside/Out Asia (Araki Yu, Pan Lu)
8. The Bang Straws (Michelle Williams Gamaker)
9. Tonalli (Los Ingrávidos)
10. The Green Knight (David Lowery)
Honourable mentions: The Timekeepers of Eternity (Aristotelis Maragkos), Fat Chance (Stephen Broomer), Citadel (John Smith), Surviving You, Always (Morgan Quaintance), Come Here (Anocha Suwihakornpong),
Re-releases of the year: Girlfriends (Claudia Weill, 1978), The Servant (Joseph Losey, 1963)
Stinker of the year: Zack Snyder's Justice League (Zack Snyder)
1. The Green Knight (David Lowery)
2. Undine (Christian Petzold)
3. The Most Beautiful Boy in the World (Kristian Petri, Kristina Lindstrom)
4. Ninjababy (Yngvild Sve Flikke)
5. The Tragedy of Macbeth (Joel Coen)
6. I’m Your Man (Maria Schrader)
7. Annette (Leos Carax)
8. Titane (Julia Ducournau)
9. Promising Young Woman (Emerald Fennell)
10. Petite Maman (Celine Sciamma)
Honourable mentions: Rastorhuev (Evgeniya Ostanina)
Re-releases of the year: Scream (Wes Craven, 1996)
Stinker: Dear Evan Hansen (Stephen Chbosky)
1. The Card Counter (Paul Schrader)
2. Annette (Leos Carax)
3. Petite Maman (Céline Sciamma)
4. Spencer (Pablo Larraín)
5. Limbo (Ben Sharrock)
6. The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão (Karim Aïnouz)
7. Undine (Christian Petzold)
8. The Dog Who Wouldn’t be Quiet (Ana Katz)
9. Quo Vadis, Aida? (Jasmila Žbanić )
10. Another Round (Thomas Vinterberg)
Honourable mentions: Nobody (Ilya Naishuller), Wildland (Jeanette Nordahl), Old Henry (Potsy Ponciroli), Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn (Radu Jude), Deerskin (Quentin Dupieux)
Re-releases of the year: Naked (Mike Leigh, 1991), The Maltese Falcon (John Huston, 1941)
Stinker of the year: Malcolm & Marie (Sam Levinson)
1. Promising Young Woman (Emerald Fennell)
2. Titane (Julia Ducournau)
3. Shiva Baby (Emma Seligman)
4. Censor (Prano Bailey-Bond)
5. The French Dispatch (Wes Anderson)
6. The Velvet Underground (Todd Haynes)
7. Barb & Star Go To Vista del Mar (Josh Greenbaum)
8. Spencer (Pablo Larraín)
9. Minari (Lee Isaac Chung)
10. Petite Maman (Céline Sciamma)
Honourable mentions: Cruella (Craig Gillespie), Violation (Madeleine Sims-Fewer, Dusty Mancinelli), Willy’s Wonderland (Kevin Lewis)
Re-releases of the year: Scream (Wes Craven, 1996)
Stinker of the year: The Woman in the Window (Joe Wright)
1. First Cow (Kelly Reichardt)
2. Our Ladies (Michael Caton-Jones)
3. Petite Maman (Céline Sciamma)
4. Drive My Car (Ryusuke Hamaguchi)
5. The French Dispatch (Wes Anderson)
6. Limbo (Ben Sharrock)
7. I’m Your Man (Maria Schrader)
8. Dune (Denis Villeneuve)
9. Undine (Christian Petzold)
10. The Last Duel (Ridley Scott)
Honourable mentions: Shiva Baby (Emma Seligman), I Blame Society (Gillian Wallace Horvat), Dinner in America (Adam Rehmeier), The Night House (David Bruckner), Tove (Zaida Bergroth)
Re-release of the year: Naked (Mike Leigh, 1993)
Stinker of the year: Locked Down (Doug Liman)
Adam Stafford
1. First Cow (Kelly Reichardt)
2. Nomadland (Chloé Zhao)
3. Beginning (Déa Kulumbegashvili)
4. The Power of The Dog (Jane Campion)
5. Titane (Julia Ducournau)
6. Bo Burnham's Inside (Bo Burnham)
7. Bloody Noses, Empty Pockets (Ross Brothers)
8. White on White (Theo Court)
9. Limbo (Ben Sharrock)
10. Zola (Janicza Bravo)
Honourable mentions: Red Moon Tide (Lois Patiño), The Green Knight (David Lowery), Shiva Baby (Emma Seligman), This Is Not a Burial, it's a Resurrection (Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese), Black Bear (Lawrence Michael Levine)
Re-releases of the year: Celia (Ann Turner, 1989 Second Run Blu-ray), The Fifth Horseman is Fear (Zbynek Brynych, 1964 Second Run Blu-ray), The World of Wong Kar Wai (1993-2005, Criterion Boxset)
1. The Green Knight (David Lowery)
2. Titane (Julia Ducournau)
3. The Power of the Dog (Jane Campion)
4. Petite Maman (Céline Sciamma)
5. Shiva Baby (Emma Seligman)
6. First Cow (Kelly Reichardt)
7. Minari (Lee Isaac Chung)
8. Stop-Zemlia (Kateryna Gornostai)
9. Spencer (Pablo Larraín)
10. The Lost Daughter (Maggie Gyllenhaal)
Honourable mentions: Cow (Andrea Arnold), Nomadland (Chloé Zhao), Palm Springs (Max Barbakow)
Stinker of the year: The Card Counter (Paul Schrader)
1. Titane (Julia Ducournau)
2. Judas and the Black Messiah (Shaka King)
3. Pig (Michael Sarnoski)
4. Palm Springs (Max Barbacow)
5. Censor (Prano Bailey-Bond)
6. In the Earth (Ben Wheatley)
7. Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Questlove)
8. Candyman (Nia DaCosta)
9. Dune (Denis Villeneuve)
10. The World to Come (Mona Fastvold)