TL;DR: One masterpiece, Michel Franco’s New Order, a few good movies (2-6), the rest was more or less average. 

Disclaimer: for the very first time since I started these lists, I have not watched a single entry in a movie theatre. My 2021 cinema viewing is, therefore, non existent. Hence, a) “cinematic experience” is a bit of an oxymoron, b) this list is missing some key “theatrical releases”. At any rate, I realized I don’t miss the so called “movie going experience” that much. My only regret is for the apparatus itself: the huge screen, the immersive, cavernous room, the sensuous darkness, the overwhelming sound system, the bigger-than-life experience that allow puny mortals to vicariously project themselves onto a different self as reality itself is rotting away. What I certainly don’t miss are the “social” elements: the obnoxious millennial doomscrolling her way through the entire screening, the peanut gallery commenting every scene aloud, the latecomers and the “early leavers”, the compulsive popcorn munchers etc. Virtual cinemas, online festivals, MUBI: that’s all you need in the post-cinema age. Well, almost.

MIAs (Dec 31 2021): Petit Maman (Céline Sciamma, France), The Souvenir Part II (Joanna  Hogg, UK), France (Bruno Dumont, France), Parallel Mothers (Pedro Almodovar, Spain), What Do We See When We Look at The Stars (Alexandre Koberidze, Georgia), Memoria (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Colombia), Liquorice Pizza (Paul Thomas Anderson), C’mon, C’mon (Mike Mills), Red Rocket (Sean Baker, US), Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn (Radu Jude, Romania/Luxembourg/Czech Republic/Croatia), Neptune Frost (Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman, USA/Rwanda), The Cathedral (Ricky D’Ambrose, USA), The Sacred Spirit (Chema García Ibarra, Spain/France/Turkey), The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet (Ana Katz, Argentina), The Worst Person in the World (Joachim Trier, Norway), The Lost Daughter (Maggie Gyllenhaal, USA).

Intensely disliked: Annette (Leos Carax, France), El Planeta (Amalia Ulman, Spain), Anne at 13,000 ft (Kazik Radwanski, USA), Power of the Dog (Jane Campion, Australia… Best movie of the year for The Guardian… Seriously?), Dune: Part One (Denis Villeneuve, USA), the latter is 2 hours of sheer stupidity.

Most Overrated Movie of the Year: Oh boy, where to start? Bergman Island (Mia Hansen-Løve, France/Germany/Belgium/Sweden)? Titane (Julia Ducournau, France)? Censor (Prano Bailey-Bond)?

Worst Movie of the Year: The one-star list is endless… Two good candidates are Coda (Sian Heder, USA) and The Matrix Resurrections (Lana Wachowski, USA).

Made in Italy: I’ve only watched The Hand of God. Definitely not Sorrentino’s best effort.

Thanks, but no thanks: Wes Anderson, westerns, musicals.

TL;DR: One masterpiece, Michel Franco&#8217;s New Order, a few good movies (2-6), the rest was more or less average. 
Disclaimer: for the very first time since I started these lists, I have not watched a single entry in a movie theatre. My 2021 cinema viewing is, therefore, non existent. Hence, a) &#8220;cinematic experience&#8221; is a bit of an oxymoron, b) this list is missing some key &#8220;theatrical releases&#8221;. At any rate, I realized I don&#8217;t miss the so called &#8220;movie going experience&#8221; that much. My only regret is for the apparatus itself: the huge screen, the immersive, cavernous room, the sensuous darkness, the overwhelming sound system, the bigger-than-life experience that allow puny mortals to vicariously project themselves onto a different self as reality itself is rotting away. What I certainly don&#8217;t miss are the &#8220;social&#8221; elements: the obnoxious millennial doomscrolling her way through the entire screening, the peanut gallery commenting every scene aloud, the latecomers and the &#8220;early leavers&#8221;, the compulsive popcorn munchers etc. Virtual cinemas, online festivals, MUBI: that&#8217;s all you need in the post-cinema age. Well, almost.
MIAs (Dec 31 2021): Petit Maman (Céline Sciamma, France), The Souvenir Part II (Joanna  Hogg, UK), France (Bruno Dumont, France), Parallel Mothers (Pedro Almodovar, Spain), What Do We See When We Look at The Stars (Alexandre Koberidze, Georgia), Memoria (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Colombia), Liquorice Pizza (Paul Thomas Anderson), C&#8217;mon, C&#8217;mon (Mike Mills), Red Rocket (Sean Baker, US), Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn (Radu Jude, Romania/Luxembourg/Czech Republic/Croatia), Neptune Frost (Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman, USA/Rwanda), The Cathedral (Ricky D&#8217;Ambrose, USA), The Sacred Spirit (Chema García Ibarra, Spain/France/Turkey), The Dog Who Wouldn&#8217;t Be Quiet (Ana Katz, Argentina), The Worst Person in the World (Joachim Trier, Norway), The Lost Daughter (Maggie Gyllenhaal, USA).
Intensely disliked: Annette (Leos Carax, France), El Planeta (Amalia Ulman, Spain), Anne at 13,000 ft (Kazik Radwanski, USA), Power of the Dog (Jane Campion, Australia… Best movie of the year for The Guardian… Seriously?), Dune: Part One (Denis Villeneuve, USA), the latter is 2 hours of sheer stupidity.
Most Overrated Movie of the Year: Oh boy, where to start? Bergman Island (Mia Hansen-Løve, France/Germany/Belgium/Sweden)? Titane (Julia Ducournau, France)? Censor (Prano Bailey-Bond)?
Worst Movie of the Year: The one-star list is endless… Two good candidates are Coda (Sian Heder, USA) and The Matrix Resurrections (Lana Wachowski, USA).
Made in Italy: I&#8217;ve only watched The Hand of God. Definitely not Sorrentino&#8217;s best effort.
Thanks, but no thanks: Wes Anderson, westerns, musicals.

2021: MY FAVORITE FILMS (RANKED)