Are you in the mood for to watch something featuring wayward astronauts, robots on the fritz,
or cursed-filled murder investigations? Well, you're in luck because the films of 2021 have
exactly that, and more, to offer you! Keep watching to discover 2021's best sci-fi movies.
Stowaway is an existentially fraught sci-fi drama that was released on
Netflix back in April. The plot sends three astronauts to Mars on a two-year mission
and then throws a major wrench into their plans when a stowaway is discovered on-board.
Director Joe Penna has assembled a great cast. Toni Collette plays the ship's leader
on her final journey in space, Anna Kendrick is the medical researcher,
and Daniel Dae Kim is the ship's biologist. Unbeknownst to them,
an unwitting, injured stowaway played by Shamier [shuh-MEER] Anderson is also onboard,
and whatever caused his predicament has also damaged the ship's life-support controls, leaving
enough oxygen for only three people. One must go, or they all die. So the question is: who takes
that final spacewalk? Variety's Owen Gleiberman [GLEE-ber-muhn] had high praise as he declared,
"Penna takes a mission to Mars and unfurls it on a direct and intimate emotional level.
We always feel the characters could be us."
Meanwhile, Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com called it:
"A clever take on a familiar genre [ZHAHN-ruh] with a terrific cast."
So if you're in the mood for a sci-fi flick that'll challenge you philosophically and make
you wonder what you would do in a life-threatening situation, then you better check out Stowaway.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines is a kid-friendly animated adventure that
hit Netflix on April 30. It features the voices of Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph,
and Michael Rianda [ree-AN-duh], who also directed and co-wrote.
They play a family on a road trip that turns into an apocalyptic fight against a robotic revolution.
The emphasis on technology-as-villain grounds the film squarely in sci-fi territory as the Mitchells
are thrust into a cell phone war after they've set aside their gadgets for an old-fashioned vacation.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines was a hit with critics,
and it was also produced by the high-powered team of Phil Lord
and Christopher Miller. Bob Strauss of the San Francisco Chronicle called it:
"A machine apocalypse for the whole family."
Meanwhile, The Guardian's Benjamin Lee noted,
"Rianda makes an earnest stab at trying to offer up a balanced view of the pros and cons of iPhone
culture. Rather than the easier and clumsier film he could have made scolding kids for
swiping and tapping and missing out on real life, he shows that young digital creators are achieving
incredible things and that, when used right, this form of connectedness can be a powerful force."
Oxygen, the latest from director Alexandre Aja ["Alexander" AH-zhuh], is being hailed as a taut,
engaging thriller. In this French-language film, a woman named Liz wakes up in a cryogenic pod,
with no knowledge of who or where she is. Her only companion is an AI
who advises her that the oxygen levels of the pod are decreasing at alarming levels.
If Liz can't figure out what's going on fast enough, she'll suffocate.
Aja is best known for creature features like Piranha 3D and Crawl, but this time around
he's earning praise for his restraint. Filmed during COVID lockdown, Oxygen eschews his usual
viscera for more existential dread. As David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter declared,
"While cult followers of Aja's extreme horror might be let down by his turn
toward more measured sci-fi, there's plenty of creepy unease packed into
his execution of a simple scenario that grows increasingly complicated."
Special praise must all be given to lead actress
Mélanie Laurent [MEL-uh-nee luh-RONT]; in a movie that's totally focused on one person,
you need an emotional, powerhouse performance, and that's what she delivers.
A Quiet Place Part II ["two"] is the long-awaited sequel to the 2018 original
that had its theatrical-exclusive release on May 28, 2021. This creepy sci-fi flick
was quickly certified fresh at Rotten Tomatoes, earning praise from critics and audiences alike.
Director-screenwriter-star John Krasinski's [kruh-ZIN-skee] continuation of the Abbott
family's story provides a glimpse of the first day that the sonic aliens arrived. Krasinski's
real-life wife Emily Blunt returns as mom Evelyn, who journeys with her newborn infant and
two older children in search of a new place to live after their farm becomes uninhabitable.
They eventually come across Cillian [KIL-ee-uhn] Murphy's Emmett, a friendly acquaintance briefly
seen in the opening events of the film. Alas, Emmett is now withdrawn and sullen,
and our heroes don't know if they can trust him, but they need his help.
A Quiet Place Part II has earned praise for its superior use of tension and its tight script.
The performances are incredible across the board, with Bloody Disgusting's Meagan
Navarro lavishing specific praise on deaf actress Millicent [MIL-uh-suhnt] Simmonds by declaring,
"This is above all Simmonds' show, and she nails it."
If you were worried whether or not the sequel would live up to the first film,
you can rest assured that it's another scary, silent treat.
"Run."
Chinese-Taiwanese sci-fi mystery flick The Soul arrived on Netflix on April 14.
It doesn't have a lot of reviews in the U.S., but it's nevertheless hitting a chord with audiences.
Set in a near future when cars hum with electricity and holograms pop out of buildings,
The Soul tells the story of a prosecutor who has cancer and whose detective wife is newly pregnant.
Despite his illness, they work together to solve the murder of a tycoon. Was it his young wife who
killed him, or his alienated son, or his partner, who's invented a way to revive dying neurons with
a special powder? Or is it the result of a curse that his first wife placed on him before she died?
The story focuses on the interactions of the characters amidst the sci-fi and occult
trappings. Daniel Hart of Ready Steady Cuts declared,
"This is a real, well-woven mystery that wants to provoke the audience
with thoughts rather than events, which makes it even more fascinating."
Meanwhile, JK Sooja of Common Sense Media opined,
"This film [has] slick production, strong acting,
and [an] intricate plot. Quite simply, the central mystery in The Soul is captivating."
Ryan Reynolds is the inimitable star of Free Guy, which arrived in theaters back in August.
He plays a guy named Guy, who spends every single day greeting his goldfish, drinking coffee,
and going to his job at the bank, where he talks with his best friend, security guard Buddy,
played by Lil Rel Howery. But Guy has no idea that he's stuck in a predetermined loop as a
non-player character in a popular video game. That is, until he meets Molotov Girl, aka Millie,
and becomes enamored with her. Millie, played by Jodie Comer, wants to prove that powerful
video game impresario Antwan stole the game that she developed with her friend Keys. Can Guy help
Millie get proof before Antwan destroys the game, as well as Guy, Buddy, and all their NPC friends?
Since its release, Free Guy has been earning raves from critics.
Charlotte O'Sullivan of The Standard, for one, praised its humor, as she said,
"[It's] knowing rather than nasty and, even at its most surreal, avoids coming across as indulgent."
Meanwhile, USA Today's Brian Truitt called it a:
"Big, warm hug of a movie with plenty to love."
And Robert Daniels of The Playlist declared simply,
"Free Guy is a winner."
"Is that a Glock in your pocket?" "No." "What?!" "It's two Glocks."
Director James delivered his take on DC super-villains in 2021 with The Suicide
Squad. Less a sequel to 2016's Suicide Squad and more a reboot, the film brings back Harley Quinn,
Amanda Waller, Captain Boomerang, and Rick Flag, while adding a whole slew of new characters,
including the likes of Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Ratcatcher 2, Polka-Dot Man, and King Shark.
And that's just barely scratching the surface. Once again, Waller offers a ragtag group of
supervillains the chance to shave time off their prison sentences by completing a secret mission
for her. If they go off script, she'll blow off their heads. What follows is a lot of mayhem,
a lot of swearing, and a lot of gory fun. The Seattle Times' Soren Andersen raved,
"Gunn masterfully mixes humor and bloodshed and manages to give a surprising number of characters
room to develop their personas. And when it comes to staging set pieces, he's at his best."
Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting concurred, as she wrote,
"It's endearingly sweet, even as it's spilling brain matter and gore by the bucket load."
"Bird."
Filmed on an iPhone during the COVID-19 lockdown, British film Infinitum:
Subject Unknown features themes both timely and timeless.
Written by married couple Matthew and Tori Butler-Hart and directed by Matthew,
it stars Tori as Jane, an amnesiac woman trapped in a parallel world and a time loop. The film
features cameos from Sir Ian McKellen and Conleth Hill of Game of Thrones, both of whom may have
information that could help Jane regain her memory and return to her own world before time runs out.
Infinitum: Subject Unknown has been praised specifically for Tori's performance.
Rachael Harper at SciFiNow, for one, wrote,
"She shoulders [the] responsibility [of being alone on screen] incredibly well."
While Keri O'Shea of Warped Perspective raved,
"[Bulter-Hart] pitches [her acting] perfectly given the situations unfolding around her,
and she does most of it without saying anything."
The film is notable for how it tackles its heavy and horrific themes in a surreal and
unique manner. So if you're looking for a sci-fi flick that's more on the intense side of things,
then definitely add Infinitum: Subject Unknown to your watch list.
Frank Herbert's 1965 novel Dune has long been considered unfilmable, but people keep trying.
There was the 1984 David Lynch version, followed by the 2000 TV miniseries, and now,
its latest cinematic incarnation is a sumptuous feast for the eyes and ears. Director Denis
Villeneuve [den-NEE vill-NUHV] wisely presents only a portion of the source material in a way
that's both satisfying as a movie in itself and as an introduction of the events to come.
It's the year 10191, and House Atreides [ah-TRAY-dees] is tasked by the Emperor
to replace the ruthless Harkonnens [HAR-kuh-nens] as overseers of the
planet Arrakis [uh-RAH-kis], harvesting the planet's coveted spice and keeping an eye
on the Fremen [FREM-uhn], the indigenous population whom the Harkonnens brutally
oppressed. The Harkonnens are less than pleased, and conflict ensues. Audiences
and critics alike have fallen in love with Dune. Salon's Melanie McFarland called it:
"A gorgeous sensory immersion that holds us in its spell for hours,
with an ending that sparks yearning to see what comes next."
The Houston Chronicle's Cary Darling raved,
"Dune is an impressive feat,
a plunge into a richly designed world that feels at once ancient and futuristic."
And The A.V. Club's Ignatiy Vishnevetsky [ig-NAH-tee vish-nuh-VET-skee] noted that
although the story may feel "inconclusive" as is,
"The resulting film is a rarity among the overlong effects-heavy blockbusters of the last decade:
One actually wishes it didn't have to end so soon."
"Dune is very rich. It's an adventure movie. It's a coming-of-age movie."
A basic "meaning of true friendship" tale gets a digital upgrade in the animated feature
Ron's Gone Wrong. Lonely Barney, voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer, gets his very own B-bot named Ron,
voiced by Zach Galifianakis [gal-ih-fuh-NAK-is]. B-bots are advertised as a kid's "best friend out
of the box" that connects to all their favorite apps. What could possibly go wrong? Well, Ron
could go wrong. Barney's father and grandmother can't afford the expensive companion, but they
luck into one that's literally fallen off a truck. The damage from the fall causes Ron to act
unlike any other B-bot, which soon comes to the attention of Bubble, the company that sells them.
Bubble's COO Andrew isn't pleased, and it's not long before Bubble is after Ron to destroy him.
While its box office receipts haven't been great, Ron's Gone Wrong has impressed almost
everyone who bought a ticket to see it. Angie Han [HAHN] at The Hollywood Reporter noted,
"What [it] lacks in daring imagination, it makes up for with endearing good humor,
thoughtful cultural critique, and one heck of a cute robot."
And The Washington Post's Pat Padua praised the film's family appeal, noting,
"Ron's Gone Wrong has plenty of slapstick and potty humor for kids. But adults will also be
intrigued by its frequently scathing (albeit somewhat conflicted) critique of consumerism."
Simply put, you'll be wrong if you don't check out Ron's Gone Wrong.
"Friend request. Friend request."
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