Following on from the 2020 thread, what were your favourite films you watched for the first time in 2021?
Personally I didn't watch as many films this year as last year due to a number of factors but I still got through a fair few. A mix of new, first time views along with some old, comforting favourites that were rewatched during the year. Guidelines are the same as last year if you would like to share your list:
- Choose 10 films only and rank them in order of preference.
- Films can be any format, not just Laserdisc. So feel free to include VHD, Betamax, Hi8, cinema screenings, courtroom trial pastel sketches and so on.
- Films can be from any year, not just 2021.
- It must be a film you watched for the first time in 2021, not a re-watch.
- If you're including Sky Riders in your top 10 you may only include it if you watched it on a Sunday afternoon. Watching it at any other time or day of the week is unacceptable and thus your selection will be deemed null and void. Bonus points if you watched it while doing the ironing and/or worrying about going to work/school on Monday morning.
My top 10 films (in order) that I watched for the first time ever in 2021 (rewatches are not eligible) are as follows:
- Rear Window
The star film for 2021 for me. I watched this via the lovely 4K Ultra HD disc for the first time ever and was gripped from start to finish. A wonderful piece of genius film-making. 
- The New Centurions
The Indicator Blu Ray is what you need for this. The extras are superb but the film itself? Oh boy oh boy! That ending just punched me in the gut so hard and left an impression on me. The scene with the mother and baby living in pure squalor too was so well done. This almost beat Rear Window to the top spot for me. Virtually nothing in it between Rear Window and this, I just had to choose a winner. If you watch this film, please, go in blind and with zero expectations to get the best out of it. - Cinema Paradiso
Another film I wish that I hadn't left for so long to see. I watched the 4K Ultra HD disc and was left utterly besotted with this film. It's every bit as good as everyone who has seen it says it is. One of the genuine cinema masterpieces. Don't die without having watched this film. - Death Line
A film I caught by pure chance, even by waving away the horrendous USA title 'Raw Meat' and equally p**s poor trailer. Ignore absolutely all of it and just go in to it cold and prepare yourself for an utter masterpiece. Get the UK Network Blu Ray or the Blue Underground release in the USA to see this film at it's absolute best. So good I bought the soundtrack. Wait a minute, what soundtrack? Oh there is one. Even if it's a disc with only two songs on it. The main theme and then the incidental music hooks. The theme music alone makes it worth tracking down. An almost faultless film and a genuine, enjoyable surprise viewing. - The Internecine Project
This film I stumbled upon by pure chance. It was so good I went out and bought the soundtrack on vinyl. Forget the dreadful title (which I still choose to call The Inverse Telecine Project). This is an absolute MONSTER of a film. Exceeded all expectations and another one of those pure stumbles that turned out to be one of the best films I've ever seen. - The Thing
Kind of wish I'd waited just a little longer to catch this film for the first time in 4K. It didn't matter though, the Blu Ray was more than enough. Another in the long line of 'why did I wait this long to finally watch this?' films in the pile. That soundtrack too, oh my days! - Light The Fuse... Sartana Is Coming
Not as good as Sartana's Here Trade Your Pistol For A Coffin! which I watched at the end of last year, but still way up there. It's chock full of gunslinging goodness except this time the madness isn't dialled up to 11, it's dialled up to about 327! That shootout at the end!? Oh my word it's whopper!! Just buy the Arrow Blu box set if you haven't already. - Phantasm
Another film that I didn't have much hope for but genuinely took me by surprise in how good it actually is. This is a film that despite it's lowish budget, is so well put together and has that absolutely epic soundtrack too. A real gem in the Phantasm Blu box set for sure. The films do get sillier as the series goes on though. That reminds me, I've still to watch Phantasm IV and V. - Be Somebody...Or Be Somebody's Fool!
Not really a feature length title but it's my list so nerr! Mr. T goes for broke with a gripping, cinematic, psychedelic hypertrip of self-help lessons that will last you a lifetime! Mr. T is the man and I pity the fool who disagrees! - Execution Squad
A blind buy that turned out to be a real gem. I bought this on Blu from Germany under the title Das Syndikat. It's very much a police procedure film, though one that doesn't quite show you it's full hand until the river card is drawn and you are treated to that magnificent end sequence. A real quality piece of film. Also I couldn't have a favourite films of the year list without at least ONE 1970's Italian crime film in it.
Honourable Mentions
This trio narrowly missed out on a place in the top 10, but are still worth mentioning I think.
- Death Promise
What happens when you mix rent control, landlords and kung fu in to one film? You get Death Promise! A tenants delight, a landlords worst nightmare! This is film is so utterly ruthless in it's magnificence that you would be doing yourself a HUGE disservice if you never watch it. Get it watched today! - The Case Of The Scorpion's Tail
A giallo that does seem to be built in kit form so you can just about anticipate the ending, which does let it down a bit. Regardless, this is a really well made and genuinely interesting film that just about keeps you guessing until the end. - Wilt
Like Death Line, you'll want the Network Blu Ray disc for this great little UK film. Another that's always hung around me over the years but I never bother to watch....until now. So glad I did as it's excellent! - Luca
Absolutely gorgeous animation on display here and a lovely little story too. Sort of but actually nothing at all like Splash/Pinocchio? Other comparitors fail me presently, sorry. - Sneakers
Recall seeing trailer for this in the cinema way back when it was first released. Always wanted to see it and finally did thanks to Film Stories putting this out on Blu Ray. It wasn't quite as good as I hoped it would be but it's definitely not a mediocre film by any stretch. - Double Target
People get killed faster and more frequently in this film than Jerome Powell can keep printing Dollars. The body count in this film is so far off the scale I tried to make a graph for it but my handheld clicker counter couldn't keep up with it! (See below the body count per minute in Double Target compared to a not at all unequal Rambo: First Blood)
Oh and winner of best poster art this year is also Double Target.
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I hope you enjoy Cinema Paradiso, just go in with a clear mind and expect absolutely nothing at all, see how it goes.