Welcome to the 2021 SiftPop.com Sifties! 

This year, the SiftPop writers came together to nominate five films for Best Movie. There is always a good deal of subjectivity that goes into an award like this, but there were five movies that stood out as clear favorites of the group.

2021 was great year for movies simply in terms of how many great films were released. Between huge blockbusters, historical epics, great musicals, and family dramas, there was a wide variety to appreciate. The SiftPop crew nominated five films for Best Move: tick, tick… BOOM!, Dune, Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Last Duel, and CODA. Here’s how the voting played out:

13% of vote

While CODA may not have won the Best Film Siftie, if we had a most heartwarming category, this would certainly win. Apple TV+ has been putting out a lot of quality content, and CODA is certainly no exception. Standing for “Child of Deaf Adults,” the film follows Ruby, a high school student who is trying to find her place in life as the potential of college approaches, but that would mean she couldn’t help her deaf fishing family out anymore. In the meantime, Ruby crushes after a boy and falls in love with singing, something her family cannot understand. With the most emotional moments of the year, some of the best performances, and some breathtaking use of sound, CODA is a worthy addition to this year’s Best Film Siftie nominations.

17.4% of vote

In a year full of musicals, tick, tick… BOOM! managed to stand out. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s feature film directorial debut is a confident and moving portrait of a man who had a drive and refused to give in to outside pressures. Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of Jonathan Larson, the main character and writer of the original play the film is based on, shows the struggling artist trying to balance work, artistic output, and all the other difficulties of real life.  It’s relatable, moving, and has great songs that you’ll be singing along to weeks or even months after you’ve seen the movie.

21.7% of vote

Coming into 2021, it’s safe to say that the majority of people were excited to see the next Spider-Man movie in Spider-Man: No Way Home. As story information and promotional material came out, this quickly became the most hyped movie of the year. What makes this film so special is that it absolutely lives up to the expectations, and for many, it exceeded them. With a premise of making Doctor Strange a supporting character and introducing so many villains, it seems like many fans were afraid that this film was going to wind up like Spider-Man 3 or The Amazing Spider-Man 2, but instead we got fan service done right and a top-tier Marvel film.

21.7% of vote

Say what you want about House of Gucci, but if there’s one kind of movie that director Ridley Scott almost always does perfectly, it’s a historical epic, and The Last Duel is no exception. A film about French lords, knights, and unbelieved sexual assault in the 14th century, the film recounts the same events from three different perspectives, eventually offering up what actually happened from the perspective of the victim. There are also four incredible performances from Adam Driver, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and best of all, Jodie Comer. With brutal battle scenes and subtle, yet important dramatic beats, this is one of Scott’s best as well as one of the best of the year.

26.1% of vote

Director Denis Villeneuve is known for his slow burn sci-fi, but he takes it up to a whole new level with Dune. He had wanted to make the movie since the time he read the book at the age of 14, and that passion clearly comes across on screen. Every frame is meticulously crafted, every sound is unique, every performance is honed, and every theme hits. In a world full of franchise fare, Dune managed to stand out unlike any other due to clear earnestness and love for the source material. It’s huge, yet intimate, and its epic nature transcends every other film released in 2021, giving it the Siftie for Best Movie!

Check out the winners of Best Audio Experience, Best Visual Experience, and Best Performance!

If you want to hear most of our writers list their Top 5 Favorite Films of 2021, check out the Siftpop Writers’ Room podcast, available on whatever your preferred podcast player is.