Theaters were still struggling to rebound from the pandemic shutdown, but there was also plenty to entertain us at home.
Entertainment reporter Sandy Kenyon is sharing his top 10 best films of 2021.
10.) "Nightmare Alley" - The imagery is mesmerizing and makes you feel immersed in the story of a con man played by Bradley Cooper as he walks a 'Nightmare Alley' of sin without redemption.
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9.) "King Richard" - This movie earned the number nine spot thanks to Will Smith's portrayal of the title role: the father of tennis greats Venus and Serena Williams.
8.) "Licorice Pizza" - It's an unlikely love story made special by two stars making their first movie.
7.) "The Power of the Dog" - It's a picture that many critics ranked number one, but Sandy said he admired it more than he loved it. The acting is superb and the pace is best described as leisurely.
6.) "Stillwater" - It's a move too few saw and takes its name from the place in Oklahoma that Matt Damon's character must leave to try and get his daughter out of a French prison.
5.) "The Tragedy of Macbeth" - Denzel Washington proves himself a great Shakespearean actor in the unique take on the Bard's great tragedy.
4.) "West Side Story" - Steven Spielberg gives an update of 'West Side Story' that is thrilling.
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3.) "Summer of Soul" - Questlove thrills in a different way in this movie that is a time capsule about so much more than just music.
2.) "Coda" - This film is short for Child of Deaf Adults. In this case, it's two deaf parents and a daughter who can hear and hopes to become a great musician. Sandy said he laughed and cried.
1.) "Belfast" - Director Kenneth Branagh channeled his own youth in the movie and the result was so great Sandy had to see it twice.
And then there are the movies that are called critic-proof like "Spider-Man: No Way Home."
With worldwide box office receipts passing $1 billion in less than two weeks, it simply doesn't matter if critics like the movie or not because audiences have made it clear they do.
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Sandy said he left the blockbuster off the list of the 10 best because he wanted to use his list to spotlight the fine films you may have missed.
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