10 Hidden Cinematic Gems of 2021
10 Hidden Cinematic Gems of 2021
2021 was one heck of a year. Its already been two years since the COVID-19 pandemic started and there are still no signs of stopping. Thankfully, the cinematic realm is still alive and thriving, offering itself as a form of therapy for most people to cope with the never-ending tragedies of the current reality.
However, in a year that’s populated with comic-book movies, Netflix comedies, Disney animation, and generic biopics, some few cinematic gems are expectedly bound to get lost in the shuffle. If you’re looking for some well-acclaimed films from 2021, but went unrecognized by mainstream audiences, then look no further for I had compiled a list of 10 hidden cinematic gems that didn’t get enough love or attention they truly deserve.
For this list, I qualified films that had at least a qualifying theatrical or streaming run last year. So, open your Letterboxd and start adding them into your watchlist.
A’labordage (2020) dir. Guillaume Brac
All Hands On Deck
We need more summer hangout comedies, preferably European, that feel like a mini vacation and enthusiastically bask itself in its friskiness. A’labordage (English: All Hands on Deck) greatly fits this bill as it follows an unlikely oddball trio and their impromptu journey to the French countryside just to woo a girl. This under-the-radar French comedy is very Rohmerian in its approach – breezy, sexy, and the uncertainty of youth and desire lingers in each and every frame. Guillaume Brac masterfully captures that youthful charm and immerses you in its laid-back summer vibes as you watch these clumsy characters make mistakes and develop during the course of the week. You could never go wrong with this escapist picture that also features a great ensemble and some genuinely comical moments.
Available to stream on MUBI.
All Light, Everywhere (2021) dir. Theo Anthony
All Light, Everywhere
Intellectually stimulating and powerfully transcendent for a documentary, Theo Anthony’s All Light, Everywhere dares to confront the nature of perception, privacy, policing, body cameras, surveillance, and the criminal justice system. Admittedly, that’s a lot of important topics for a 109-minute documentary to cover but that’s only because it wants to paint a bigger and unsettling picture of the current surveillance age. The contents that can be found here eerily felt like it was ripped straight from a Black Mirror episode; unfortunately, all of these are real which makes it even more disturbing. Anthony delves into the history and complexities of a camera and questions its supposedly “objective” point of view, pointing out that this piece of technology has always been used as a weapon, while thoroughly investigating the biases that exist from both humans and lenses. It wants to remind us that “the eye only sees in each thing that for which it looks, and it only looks for that of which it already has an idea.”
Available to stream or rent in select platforms.
Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn (2021) dir. Radu Jude
Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn
Crazy title, huh? Well, wait till you actually watch what’s in it. This unique, erotic satire from Romania wittily tackles the general hypocrisy of modern Romanian society. It’s one of the funniest, angriest, and well thought-out satires to ever put out last year (Adam McKay, take some notes!). All you need to know is that it’s about a schoolteacher’s sex video that has gone viral. The film also features some unconventional combination of various different cinematic genres and styles – pornography, cinéma vérité, video dictionary, socio-political satire, and even absurdism – that ultimately complemented each other in harmony by the end. It’s definitely not for everyone as it is provocative and is not afraid to pull any punches. But honestly, we need more brave films like this.
Available to rent on VOD.
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes (2020) dir. Junta Yamaguchi
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes
A 70-minute experimentation of what you can do with a single phone camera. Shot entirely in one location and in a single take, Junta Yamaguchi’s Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes follows a group of friends who can communicate in the very near future with the use of a computer and a television who are apparently connected to each other. The catch is: they can only communicate two minutes into the future. One just has to see the movie if they successfully pulled the gimmick off, but spoiler alert: they did. It’s definitely a wild and crazy ride; the way they utilized the inventive concept was finely impressive and the brilliant ensemble made this a fun watch. A future cult classic, I might say.
Available to rent on VOD.
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021) dir. Will Sharpe
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
One look and you might think that this is going to be yet another generic biopic about a particular artist from history that Hollywood always loves to churn out. Well, I think that’s probably one of the reasons why no one is talking about this. Sure, some biopic tropes are still there in plain sight, but what really stood out the most was Will Sharpe’s creatively whimsical approach to the subject’s life story. The Electrical Life of Louis Wain seeks to highlight and give importance to the troubled and misunderstood artist who lived during the Victorian era. His tragic life is told through storybook eccentricity and quirky colorful visuals, which is fitting in context given that Wain suffered from schizophrenia. The presentation was never offensive but delicate in its perspective. Most importantly, this is a perfectly fine evidence for Will Sharpe’s cinematic vision. Remember his name.
The Great Indian Kitchen (2021) dir. Jeo Baby
The Great Indian Kitchen
Exposing the casual sexism normally practiced in modern-day India’s patriarchal households, The Great Indian Kitchen follows the daily routine of a domestic woman as she cleans, cooks, and takes care of the household every single day. One might even point out that this sounds like “Jeanne Dielman” but transposed with India’s cultural context. Yet, their pacing couldn’t be any more different. While the European film took its time very slowly in revealing each and every scene or frame, this one is more fast-paced, full of montages that create a creeping tension and anxiety throughout while sympathizing with the wife’s restlessness in every plight. We see the men in the household routinely wait for the next meal, while the women routinely slave themselves away in the kitchen as they prepare the right food just to please them. It’s basically slavery but the men see it as romantic. Joe Baby perfectly captures the harrowing state of every domestic woman trapped in an oppressively patriarchal household.
Available to stream on YouTube.
I Was a Simple Man (2021) dir. Christopher Makoto Yogi
I Was a Simple Man
Christopher Makoto Yogi’s I Was a Simple Man takes you into a highly philosophical and spiritual journey about life/death and past/present. Taking heavy influence from Apichatpong Weerasethakul with its use of nature and the spiritual as instruments to create a deeply meditative atmosphere that is specific to the film’s cultural setting, it simply tells the story of a dying old man who reflects his past mistakes, regrets, and memories in dreamlike beauty. His dying state serves as a metaphor for Hawaii’s dying culture due to colonization and intergenerational trauma. The film’s poetically and beautifully slow imagery is enough to keep the slow cinema enthusiasts invested. I know I was and I hope you will too.
Available to rent on VOD.
The Novice (2021) dir. Lauren Hadaway
The Novice
Lauren Hadaway’s debut feature is an aural and visual explosion from start to finish. The Novice is yet another great addition to the obsessive artist genre, but what sets this apart from other films is the protagonist’s motivation. Whereas others became obsessed because they really love what they do, Isabelle Fuhrman’s character, however, certainly does not love what she’s doing and simply did it “not because they are easy but because they are hard.” She even took physics as her college major even though she’s aware that she’s terrible at it. That’s how obsessively competitive she is, constantly improving herself on whatever sport, task, or skill she can find to feed her narcissistic ego. It’s a disturbingly fascinating film, with Fuhrman giving an incredibly unhinged performance – physically and emotionally.
Available to rent on VOD.
Sweat (2020) dir. Magnus von Horn
Sweat
Social media influencers are always stereotypically depicted or perceived by society as these shallow fame-whores with one-dimensional personality. Magnus von Horn’s Sweat is looking to change that perception. This character-driven drama from Poland follows the three days in the life of a fitness motivator and social media celebrity. She’s got thousands of followers, loyal employees, and a great online reputation, yet she’s still not satisfied. What she’s looking for is true intimacy which she believes is rare these days. Von Horn sensitively approached the main character without any judgment and carefully studies her on why she became the way she is. As the film progresses, we gradually see more layers of depth from her character and all that she really needs is a big hug from someone who genuinely loves her. It’s an empathetic and refreshing take on the tired trope with an extraordinary work by Magdalena Kolesnik, who delivered one of the best performances last year.
Available to stream on MUBI US.
The Year of the Everlasting Storm (2021) dir. Jafar Pahani, Anthony Chen, Malik Vitthal, Laura Poitras, Dominga Sotomayor, David Lowery, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul
The Year of the Everlasting Storm
Once upon a time, seven film auteurs from all around the world joined forces together to create an anthology film that chronicled the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, being pandemic-themed is enough to make people groan and ignore this. However, there’s something about this that mesmerizes and relaxes you; it’s like poetry and therapy in one. The Year of the Everlasting Storm is composed of seven different stories from seven different visionaries. Jafar Pahani, Anthony Chen, Malik Vitthal, Laura Poitras, Dominga Sotomayor, David Lowery, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul all got something to say on how this pandemic affected them, their loved ones, and the society in general. Their stories range from documentary to domestic drama to existentialism to slow cinema to even more documentary, and each one of them understands what we all have been feeling during this difficult time.
Available to stream or rent in select platforms.
