10 Most Essential Movies of 2021, Ranked

Cinema took a big hit with COVID, but the early 2020s still managed to serve up more than a few gems. 2021 was a particularly interesting year for the movies, delivering a diverse array of memorable films that ranged from the introspective to the spectacular. The year's highlights run the gamut from a surreal medieval odyssey to a heart-wrenching Western and a multiversal superhero event.