Five Movies To Watch In 2021

By Andrés Muñoz

I’ve watched more movies than I can count during the last year, as many of you can probably relate. With the pandemic forcing us to stay home for weeks on end, movies were the one way I could escape and entertain myself. Soon, I found myself wondering what to watch next, and I knew I couldn’t be the only one.

So, I decided to share five movies to add to your watchlist. One recently made headlines at theAcademy Awards ceremony, and the rest are exciting titles to arrive by the end of the year. 

The Trial Of The Chicago 7

A major Oscar snub this year, in my opinion, was Aaron Sorkin’s courtroom drama The Trial of the Chicago 7. The film shows a group of protesters charged with conspiracy and intention to incite riots in the middle of the Vietnam War. Unlike his directorial debut Molly’s Game, Sorkin shows a wide range of characters fighting the systemic racial and legal hurdles people still face today. Sacha Baron Cohen sets his funnyman persona aside and delivers a riveting performance you’ll never forget. 

You can watch The Trial of the Chicago 7 on Netflix now.

The Beatles: Get Back

The master of Middle Earth, Peter Jackson, directs the upcoming documentary The Beatles: Get Back. The film consists of never-before-seen material that English documentarian Michael Lindsay-Hogg shot while creating the 1970 Beatles film, Let It Be. 

Unlike Lindsay-Hogg’s chronicle of a band about to break up, this documentary aims to show the existing love between the band members in their final studio recording session. The production of the documentary has the full support of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, as well as John Lennon and George Harrison’s widows. Also, there is a high chance of listening to new music, as the Lord of the Rings helmer had access to over 55 hours of video and 140 of audio. 

Initially planned for a September 2020 release, the film’s release was pushed back a year. It will be available to the public in theatres as well as on Disney+ in August 2021.

No Time to Die

After a long series of rumours behind his involvement in the franchise, Daniel Craig returns for what might be his final appearance as James Bond in No Time to Die. Another film that was delayed due to the pandemic, Its original release date was April 2020, but given the spread of the virus, it was pushed many times until being finally slated for September/October 2021 in theatres in the UK and United States. 

With director Danny Boyle departing the production due to creative differences, the film’s final director is Cary Joji Fukunaga, showrunner of HBO’s True Detective. You can also find Bohemian Rhapsody’s Rami Malek as the film’s villain. 

West Side Story

When you are one of the greatest directors in history, you can tell any story out there. Steven Spielberg has covered war films, children’s movies, historical dramas, and more. Now takes on the challenge of the musical West Side Story. His debut musical is a remake of the 1957 play written by Albert Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Steven Sondheim. It will hit theatres on December 10, 2021, exactly 60 years after the release of the original West Side Story film. 

Dune

The last time Dune was on the big screen, American auteur David Lynch directed it. The film was a major box office bomb, with negative reviews noting a distinct departure from Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel. 

This time, Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve plans to set the record straight in his Dune remake with a star-studded cast that includes Timotheé Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, and more. 

Considering Villeneuve’s past science-fiction work in the emotional Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, his collaboration with cinematographer Greig Fraser (Rogue One & The Mandalorian), and iconic Hans Zimmer scoring the film, Dune is surely a movie you do not want to miss. 

Dune is set for an October 1, 2021 release date in theatres. It will also be available for streaming on HBO MAX, a controversial move that will ultimately affect the film’s box office revenue. I do suggest you see Dune in theatres as it will also run in the IMAX theatres for a truly passionate cinematic experience.

All the before-mentioned movies are exciting and will surely give you a thrill. If you’re like me and need something to look forward to this year, the final release of all these great movies is it! I can’t wait to sit in a theatre again with a tub of popcorn in my lap.