Daniel's top 5 favorite movies of 2021

 Hello friends! It has been a whole year since I blogged. 2021 was a busy year. I had some interest plans for this blog but I just didn't have the time to write it. Unfortunately the pandemic is still raging and the end is nowhere in sight. At the start of 2021, I went to the cinema and saw a couple of movies. In the mid year, however, the Delta variant swamped Australia and everything went into lockdown. The government opened up the cinema in mid October. I went to the cinema a few times but the Omicron outbreak spiraled out of control in Sydney and so I stopped going. It suffices to say that this year I did not frequent the cinemas. Nevertheless, I watched and enjoyed a lot of new movies on streaming services and Blu Rays. According to the tradition at Daniel's Corner Unlimited, I complied a list for my top 5 favorite movies of 2021.

 Number 5: Till Death

Genre: Crime Thriller

Till Death is a small scaled but effective thriller. This movie is a breath of fresh air in the era of big budget, flashy superhero films. The plot is simple but the movie is well crafted. The movie is set in a holiday house and the story took place within 24 hours. 

This is the sort of thriller that will keep you at the edge of your seat. There isn't a boring moment in its 88 minutes run time. I especially like this movie because it is not a franchise or a remake. Instead it is something new and it is stand alone. I wish studios will make more movies like this.  

Number 4: Fear Street Trilogy

Genre: Horror

This year I watched a lot of Netflix exclusive movies but the Fear Street trilogy is my favorite of the lot. The streaming giant released this trilogy in one go and it is meant to be watched back to back. Fear Street is packed with campy Horror and it doesn't take itself too seriously. The setting and the tone are reminiscent of IT and Stranger Things. It uses a lot of Horror tropes but it manages to tell an interesting story with surprising twists and turns.  The Fear Street trilogy is great for a movie marathon weekend. 

Number 3: Last Night in Soho

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Last Night in Soho was my most anticipated movie in 2021 and it did not disappoint. This British thriller is atmospheric and stylish. The actresses and the actors performed wonderfully and the movie is boosted by the stunning cinematography. The movie's mid act does get a bit psychedelic but overall the story is engrossing. I like Last Night in Soho for its Hitchcock vibe. If you like movies such as Vertigo and Peeping Tom then check out Last Night in Soho.

Number 2: A Quiet Place Part 2

Genre: Sci-fi Horror

I like A Quiet Place very much. Part 2 is even better than its predecessor. In these movies, the Horror elements have an agency in the family drama and the character developments. This is unusual in the Horror genre and it makes A Quiet Place stand out from the rest of the pack. Part 1 set up the story, but Part 2 further developed the characters. I like the way the characters grew in Part 2 and their family dynamics. I can't wait to see how the trilogy will conclude in Part 3.    

Number 1: 76 Days

Genre: Documentary

I wasn't expecting a documentary, based on video footages, would be so engrossing. But 76 Days captivated me during its 93 minutes run time. This documentary recounts the Wuhan hospital life for the medical staff and the patients at the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic. I deeply disliked the western media coverage of Wuhan in early 2020 because those early western media coverages took the tone of "morbid fascinations"; it was dehumanizing and it did not show us the real human struggles in Wuhan. As a result, I think a lot of people in the Western world forgot that behind the cold case numbers were the dedications of the frontline medical staff, and the tragedies of human life losses. I like this documentary because it shows us the human faces behind the hospital case numbers.