The 50 Best Movies of 2021

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – January 5, 2022

Here is Metacritic's final list of the 50 best-reviewed movies of 2021, ranked by Metascore. This list only includes films receiving at least 7 reviews from professional critics.

All films released between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 in at least one U.S. theater or directly to streaming or VOD/digital services were eligible for inclusion. Short films and reissues are excluded, and so are any eight-hour Beatles movies that were screened as a TV miniseries. Titles are ranked by Metascore (a weighted average of scores from top professional critics) prior to rounding based on scores as of January 3, 2022.

Additional content by Keith Kimbell.

6 of 25 photo by Grasshopper Film

87 Days

(#18) Malaysian (and now Taiwan-based) filmmaker Tsai Ming-liang has been a staple on the festival circuit for decades, winning acclaim for such films as The River, Stray Dogs, and Good Bye, Dragon Inn. His latest exercise in "slow cinema"-style minimalism and mood (which first screened at festivals in 2020 before finally reaching American theaters in August 2021) offers his trademark long takes but little plot (or even dialogue) to cling to. But if you are willing to give yourself over to the film, you may be rewarded with a deeply moving experience, according to critics.

“To enjoy Days, you have commit to its earthy dream logic. It is an extraordinary movie; it is not an easy sit.” —Simon Abrams, RogerEbert.com

Where To Buy