In 2022 it felt like moviegoing came (almost) all the way back (for the seemingly dwindling number of people who were willing to go into the theaters). As the year winds to a close, we’re sharing lists of our favorite films we’ve seen (so far).

By my count, I saw 236 2021 releases in 2021 (an all-time record by far for me!), and could easily present a Top 50 here of films I’m really passionate and excited about. And yet, even so: I’m woefully behind! The year is over and I can’t drag out publishing this any longer, so here stands my work in progress: 10 of my favorite films (that I’ve seen so far) from 2021!

If there is a unifying trait to my favorite films of the year, it’s that I either saw them in a theater, or that they offered the kind of visual storytelling that richly merited viewing them on a theater screen. Wonderful as streaming is, there’s a seismic visceral impact to meeting a movie on its own terms, in a darkened theater. And the ten films that most rocked my world in 2021 richly deserved presentation in that forum.

Wow what a garbage year 2021 has been, and I didn’t think 2020’s sequel could be even worse, but here we are. However, thanks to the film gods, we didn’t have to go through it without some quality entertainment laid at our feet. Below is my top ten… ok top twelve movies for the year. One of the toughest parts of this list was which should be ranked where, so lets say they’re mostly tied with a couple stand-outs at the top.

Every year there are great films, yes, but it felt like 2021 was a particularly good year for movies. Certainly better than 2020, but what wasn’t better than 2020? These movies below are my favorites, but they were also the ones that provoked responses from me, whether it be enjoyment, anger, befuddlement or some combination of those (and others). There are a few movies I couldn’t make it to before the end of the year, a snowstorm in Seattle right after Christmas did my filmgoing plans no good, but I am confident this is a good representation of the strength of filmmaking in 2021.

In 2021 moviegoing ever-so-gingerly got back to something resembling normal. Sundance, SXSW, and SIFF stayed online, but by the late summer with vaccinations and testing I was lucky enough to get back into theaters for a couple glorious weekends of Telluride and TIFF. For the welcome thrill of getting back to the big screen, I was more than happy to show a vaccine card and wear a mask. Between festivals and the immense privilege of press screenings, I got to see quite a few of my favorites in cinemas while feeling relatively safe.

I’m not sure if these are “the best” per se, but they’re films experiences that stood out the most as I look back on the year.

At least something is consistent and reliable this year as in past years: I waited until the last moment to get my …