As I have gotten older, I am not afraid of having a good old fashioned ugly cry in the cinemas when the time calls for it, and hell, I probably got emotional just writing this list (Spoiler: I did). Sometimes they are tears of grief, sometimes they are tears of joy, and even still, sometimes they are tears of anger. 

Emotion is a core part of the cinema experience. If you can’t get us to respond to your characters and/or the situation emotionally, I am sorry you have failed to make a good film.

So without further ado, these are the films of 2021 that emotionally wrecked us. Be warned that there will be significant spoilers ahead for the films in question. Also, you can click on the titles to go to the full review.

Finch

Trying to protect those you love, even after you are gone.             

Directed by – Miguel Sapochnik
Written by – Craig Luck & Ivor Powell

Land

Trying to find who you are while escaping your past.   

Directed by – Robin Wright
Written by – Jesse Chatham & Erin Dignam

Luca

Finding your place in the world, even if it means revealing who you really are.  

Directed by – Enrico Casarosa
Story by – Enrico Casarosa, Jesse Andrews & Simon Stephenson
Screenplay by – Jesse Andrews & Mike Jones

Minari

A deeply intimate look at a family in crisis    

Directed by – Lee Isaac Chung
Written by – Lee Isaac Chung

Stowaway

In an impossible situation, people have to make impossible choices.

Directed by – Joe Penna
Written by – Joe Penna & Ryan Morrison

And the Winner is!!!!! – Minari

It is so intimate that it becomes difficult to watch because you feel like you are peering into something so personal, so private. You are seeing people at their best and their worst as they go through a dramatic change in their lives. It hurts to see people in pain, and it hurts so much because they feel so real. It is a story that has stayed with me ever since I watched it, and I expect it to be with me for a while longer.         

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

What are your favourite cinematic moments from 2021 ?, let us know what you thought in the comments below, feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 

Credits – All images used were created by the respective studio and artist of each film