There were many industries crushed by the pandemic in 2020, but few as brutally, or as quickly, as the film industry. Within days of the first infections in the US and UK, production staff were furloughed en masse, major releases were shelved and several cinema chains went bust. Even the stars of the big screen didn’t escape: many ended up singing tunelessly into their phones for Gal Gadot’s celebrity cover of “Imagine”.
Just as the movie world began to get back on its feet in the late summer – amid repeated Covid-19 tests for all cast and crew, as well as marshals to reduce the chance of the virus spreading on sets – the second wave crashed, shutting down international productions once again. It was enough to make even Tom Cruise scream out in fury when he noticed several crew not wearing their masks on the set of the new Mission Impossible film.
Which makes 2021 a strange year for new movies. On the one hand, what hasn’t been filmed can’t be released, which means some of the blockbusters that were lined up to land this year are now on ice. On the other, all those films that should have hit cinemas in 2020 – your James Bonds, your Marvel movies, your Oscar-bait dramedies – have been shunted into 2021, in the hope that cinemas might open up again. Although even that’s not a sure thing, which means we’re likely to see more shifting release dates, and more of the best movies of the year landing straight onto streaming services.
Still, we’re already off to a great start. Here are our favourite movies of the year so far, as well as all the ones we’re very, very excited about. Here’s hoping you’ve picked up a new projector.
And everything else to look forward to in 2021
The World To Come
A love story set in the harsh 1850s American East Coast frontier, two women from neighbouring couples battle their way through hardship and isolation and find an unexpected bond that starts to grow between them. Starring The Crown’s Vanessa Kirby and Katherine Waterston as Tallie and Abigail, the film has already picked up major plaudits, winning the Queer Lion award at the Venice International Film Festival in September.
Release date: n/a
Esquire by Laura Martin
