Best Movies of 2021: Best of the Techs
Continuing my look back at the best movies of 2021, I am now going to look at the best technical achievements of 2021. I will be looking at the best screenplays of the years, the best camera and set work, the best music, and other technical categories. Like Best of the Genres, each category will have five “nominees” (a.k.a my personal top five) with my “winner” (my favorite) in bold, followed by short reasoning as to why I picked it the best. Here are my picks for the best technical achievements of 2021.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Card Counter
A Hero
Parallel Mothers
Pig
- As much as I loved Paul Thomas Anderson’s blissful look at the dullness of adulthood, Asghar Farhadi’s smart, tense, layered look at communication and rumors is one of the great director’s best works.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Drive My Car
Old
Zola
- Jane Campion came roaring back in 2021 with her stunning and tense adaptation of Thomas Savage’s novel.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Dune
Nightmare Alley
The Power of the Dog
The Tragedy of Macbeth
West Side Story
- We were spoiled this year with great cinematography in 2021, but Ari Wegner’s gorgeous work on Jane Campion’s western should win her an Oscar.
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
Dune
Nightmare Alley
The Power of the Dog
The Tragedy of Macbeth
- From the seedy circus to the nightmarish cemetery, Nightmare Alley is one of the best-looking Guillermo del Toro movies to date.
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
House of Gucci
West Side Story
- Though the lavish costumes of Cruella and the period look of West Side Story are excellent, the slick suits, colorful dresses, and authentic style of House of Gucci are eye-popping.
BEST EDITING
Driver My Car
Licorice Pizza
The Power of the Dog
West Side Story
- Sometimes the best editing is knowing when not to cut and Steven Spielberg and editors Sarah Broshar and Michael Kahn knew how to put this lavish remake together, allowing the film to flow with ease while giving us thrilling dance sequences that aren’t cut to shreds.
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Dune
Eternals
Old
- As much as I loved seeing King Kong and Godzilla beat the hell out of each other, The Matrix Resurrection’s unique, colorful look and exciting, effects-heavy action brought us back into a world we once loved while also making it feel new.
BEST MAKE-UP & HAIR
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
House of Gucci
Nightmare Alley
Titane
- The Eyes of Tammy Faye and House of Gucci might have the most makeup, but the progression of the makeup in M. Night Shyamalan’s Old is one of the movie’s great magic tricks.
BEST SCORE
Dune
Nightmare Alley
Parallel Mothers
The Power of the Dog
Spencer
- Jonny Greenwood had one hell of a year, composing the scores for Licorice Pizza, Spencer, and the best of the year, The Power of the Dog.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Beyond the Shore” – CODA
“Just Look Up” – Don’t Look Up
“Waiting on a Miracle” – Encanto
“Guns Go Bang” – The Harder They Fall
“No Time to Die” – No Time to Die
- Billy Eilish’s haunting Bond theme is one of the franchise’s best and the perfect song to end Daniel Craig’s reign as James Bond.
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