20 Best Films Of 2021

8. The Green Knight

The Card Counter
A24

David Lowery cements himself as one of the most visionary filmmakers of his generation with this mesmeric, left-field take on Arthurian legend in The Green Knight.

About as daring and unpredictable as anyone could expect from an adaptation of a 14th-century poem, this is both a sumptuous visual feast and a remarkable acting showcase for its cast, most of all a never-better Dev Patel.

Its slow pace, surreal style, and narrative ambiguities won't be for everyone, but those willing to hold on for dear life and soak in Lowery's fascinatingly unhinged vision just might fall in love with it.

In a theatrical cinematic landscape becoming increasingly defined by tentpoles, these sorts of bold, ambitious, and technically singular films must be championed and encouraged at all costs.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.