.jpg){kind=small}
It has been a really interesting year with the pandemic hopefully drawing to a close. Here are some of the best movies, series, and more that were created in the year 2021. I have watched, listened to, and enjoyed all the content in this list thoroughly and felt they deserved an award from an upcoming blog that reviews such content on a regular basis.
1. Best Movie
Winner: Spiderman No Way Home
This one's a no-brainer, reconciling decades of Spidermen differences and bringing to life the ancient imposter spider-man meme. You get to see Tobey Maguire addressing the people's disapproval of The Amazing Spiderman while simultaneously enforcing the adjective that set apart Andrew Garfield's version of the web-slinger. There's also countless callbacks that are from all three franchises, redemption for Garfield in the form of saving MCU's MJ, and a chance for Tobey to impart the same wisdom that uncle Ben instilled in him. All this is done organically and doesn't feel forced, which is bound to be tough when covering multiple franchises.
First Runner Up - Dune
A great movie that breathes life into a classic while packing the production with a star-studded cast that's current and relatable. Denis Villeneuve brings his signature style to this movie just like he did with Bladerunner 2049 and Arrival - slow, deliberate, and deeply philosophical.
Second Runner up - Army of the Dead
Zack Snyder's take on the Zombie genre is fast-paced, clever and one of the better (if not the best) movies that are out on Netflix this year. The diverse cast of characters includes Dave Bautista, Tig Notaro, Huma Qureshi, and Hiroyuki Sanada is diverse in more ways than one. Tig Notaro is more of a comedian and probably her first action flick, Huma is an international star and Dave is your standard action star.
Don't know what to watch? Subscribe for a free streaming list!
2. Best TV Series
Winner: Squid Game
Barely beating out the Pandemic in terms of brutality and carnage, Squid Game sees people severely in debt battle others for money, risking their lives in the process. Every time you think Netflix can't up the shock factor there's a series like this that opens your mind to exquisite horror and depravity.
After you get past the graphic theme and visuals of Squid Game, you begin to enjoy watching people Hunger Games'ing each other for an obscene amount of money. There's a fresh new cast who are great actors, a great script, tight editing, and really high production value. If you make it through one episode, you are bound to go through the whole pack like Lays.
First Runner up Money Heist S5
The sheer scale of how Money Heist chooses to end its series is admirable and gives the audience the closure they probably have come to crave since season 1.
Money Heist is about how the government in a true democracy should work for the people and not the other way round. The last season is really fast-paced, consistent with its theme and message, and does not disappoint.
I really can't leave out some of the most amazing Marvel series that came out this year. What-If... was basically Marvel doing a mash-up of every single plotline that they could be made. This reminds me of the post-credit scene in 22 Jumpstreet where they make mini-movies on the direction that the franchise could take with minor changes in its set-up.
Now Loki was pure closure for MCU audiences ever since the god of mischief was snuffed out by the mad titan. It also was the instrument Marvel used to introduce us to the implications of the multiverse. It was an action-packed, emotional, and highly critical series in the MCU timeline.
3. Best Zoom Fail:
The issue that I face the most is a drop in connection or an inadvertent change in the mic or speaker settings. But with a premium Zoom connection comes premium responsibility. Here are some of the most enjoyable Zoom fails that broke the internet.
Winner: Cat Filter in Court.
You'd think that a kitty-cat is no place for a courtroom, but a lawyer's credibility was momentarily undermined when he switched on a cat filter by accident.
The lawyer goes on to plead his innocence regarding the cause of his feline appearance -check this out if you already haven't.
First Runner Up: Driving Senator.
The level of denial in this Zoom fail is what makes things funny, with the US senator clearly wearing a seatbelt and distracted while on a call with his colleagues.
Second Runner up: Pants-off Bing.
I'm not gonna close this category without a half-off incident obviously. Yes, this Zoom call is all business on top, but is freestyling below screen.
4. Best Meme
Winner: Bernie Sanders
Bernie Sanders on Inauguration day is Bernie at his earnest best, sitting on a foldable metal chair with thick knitted mittens. The phrase "This could've been an email" summed it up best. Just like Tom Cruise's clinging to edges meme, Bernie was soon everywhere. Here are a few for your consideration.
First Runner Up - Squid Game
I mean it is the biggest series of the year, it's bound to have dedicated memes right. Here are a few of my favorite things.
Second Runner Up - Ever Given clogging up the Suez Canal
The shipping company Ever Green was under fire for obstructing the Suez Canal with one of its container ships, the Ever Given leading to more memes than the container ship could contain.
5. Best K-Pop Song
Winner: Butter
The Bangtan Boys (BTS) make music that everyone and their mother likes, hence Butter makes the cut as the best K-pop song that dropped this year. Catchy, cool, and fun, Butter is an awesome song that should be on your Spotify list.
First Runner Up - Fever by Enhyphen
The main reason this song deserves a runner-up prize is that it's so on point. Hope this song goes out of fashion soon. The song isn't half-bad either.
Second Runner Up - Rock with you by Seventeen
A band that might have done backstreet boys proud in their time, Seventeen has come up with a great song that you can listen to at any time of day.
Agree with my picks? Let me know in the comments.