Awards season has come and gone but the desire for recommendations for 2021 movies (sure the classics are great, but we need something new to watch now and again) is still very much there.
Fingers crossed it won't be long now until cinemas open again and we can watch movies on the big screen once more.
But until then, now that we're through the first quarter of the year, we figured there might be some new flicks available on demand that you've missed.
So here are our picks of 2021 movies you might have missed and are worth seeking out.
I Care a Lot
Led by terrific performances and ruthless characters, 'I Care a Lot' is dark and hilarious. It follows Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike), who makes a living by becoming the legal guardian of elderly wards, and then draining them of their estate and assets. However, when she targets Jennifer Peterson (Dianne Wiest), it quickly becomes clear that she’s gone after the wrong woman...
Watch on Amazon Prime.
Escape from Pretoria
While 'Escape from Pretoria' hit other territories last year, it only reached this side of the pond through Amazon in 2021. The true story depicts a group of men led by Tim Jenkin (Daniel Radcliffe) attempting to escape Pretoria prison in apartheid South Africa in 1979. We haven't had a good prison escape drama in years, and while 'Escape from Pretoria' isn't perfect, its effective pacing and gripping sequences makes for a thoroughly enjoyable watch.
Watch on Amazon Prime.
One Night in Miami
What if political activist Malcolm X, boxing champion Muhammad Ali, pro footballer Jim Brown, and soul singer Sam Cook had met one night in Miami..? Based on a play by Kemp Powers, who also adapted the screenplay, the film imagines an emotionally heightened, debate-driven evening. The four players - Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge and Leslie Odom Jr. - are excellent.
Watch on Netflix.
The White Tiger
Next on our list of 2021 movies you might have missed is 'The White Tiger', a dark comedy and punchy social satire. Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourav) has been taught all his life that there's nothing worthier than becoming a servant. But after becoming driver to Ashok (Rajkummar Rao) and his wife Pinky Madam (Priyanka Chopra), Balram's ambitions turn to rising above his lowly station. A car accident one night changes the course of his and his master's life forever…
Watch on Netflix.
Pieces of a Woman
Martha Weiss (Vanessa Kirby) and Sean Carson (Shia LaBeouf) are exuberant in anticipation of the birth of their first child. They choose a home birth for their daughter, but it ends in tragedy. The first act of 'Pieces of a Woman' and long tracking shot are stunning. Kirby gives a phenomenal performance. But be prepared - it's a tearjerker, in a big way.
Watch on Netflix.
Greenland
We were as shocked as you are that Gerard Butler actually made a decent disaster movie. Thanks to empathetic characterisation and a plot that moves effectively and rivetingly, 'Greenland' absolutely works. When an interstellar comet fragment strikes the earth, structural engineer John Garrity (Gerard Butler) rapidly sets about getting his estranged wife, Allison (Morena Baccarin – ‘Deadpool’) and son Nathan (Roger Dale Floyd) to safety.
Watch on Amazon Prime.
The Mauritanian
A defense attorney (Jodie Foster), her associate (Shailene Woodley) and a military prosecutor (Benedict Cumberbatch) uncover a far-reaching conspiracy while investigating the case of a suspected terrorist involved the 9/11 attacks (Tahar Rahim) imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for six years. An engaging legal thriller with an exquisite lead performance from Rahim.
Watch on Amazon Prime.
Minari
Now and again, a special movie comes along that overwhelms and fills your heart with feeling. 'Minari' is one such film. It follows a South Korean family as they move to Arkansas during the 1980s to start a new life. 'Minari' has an authenticity you rarely see in cinema, and it captures all of life’s little moments just beautifully. Yuh-jung Youn’s performance is hilarious, and we were only delighted to see her win Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars this year.
Rent on Volta.ie, Amazon, Sky Store and other platforms.
Palm Springs
There have been a number of 'Groundhog Day'-inspired movies at this stage. But few prove as inventive and sharp as 'Palm Springs'. On the day of her sister’s wedding, maid-of-honour Sarah (Cristin Milioti) gets drunk and flirty with Nyles (Andy Samberg). After wandering into a cave, the two find the wedding day has begun all over again. 'Palm Springs' has a couple of twists that prove heart-breaking. It's tight and witty with some great laugh-out-loud moments.
Watch on Amazon Prime.
Sound of Metal
Another one of our 2021 movies which actually came out earlier in other territories is 'Sound of Metal', which came away with the Oscars for Best Sound and Best Editing this year. Aside from those technical accomplishments, it features a phenomenal lead performance from Riz Ahmed. He plays a drummer who starts to lose his hearing and has to reconfigure his life's trajectory. Olivia Cooke is also excellent as the protagonist's girlfriend. While its plot summary sounds like the film could be a downer, it's actually ultimately really life-affirming.
Watch on Amazon Prime.
My Octopus Teacher
'My Octopus Teacher' deservedly came away from the Oscars with the Best Documentary award. Sure that's a genre that some are uninterested in. But this film feels more akin to 'Charlotte's Web' crossed with Disney Pixar, than a high-brow doc. The gorgeous, highly emotive feature depicts the unusual friendship that develops between a filmmaker and an octopus in a South African kelp forest. Get ready for 85 minutes of pure movie magic.
Watch on Netflix.
