10 movies you might have missed this year, plus where you can watch them all…
To be fair, quite a few of our 10 best movies of 2021 could have also doubled-up on this list, but for the sake of fairness, and to get your eyes on as many great movies as possible, we’ve picked out 10 hidden games that might’ve passed you by over the last 12 months or so.
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
Available to watch on NOW.
BFFs Barb (Kristen Wiig) and Star (Annie Mumolo) decide to head off on a spontaneous, luxurious tropical holiday, only to get caught up in an international double-agent plot involving a very handsome henchman (Jamie Dornan).
It basically has the same zany, anything-goes energy as Anchorman and Zoolander.
Check out our chat with Dornan himself right here:
CODA
Available to watch on Apple TV+.
The title means Child Of Deaf Adults, with 17-year-old Ruby (Emilia Jones) the only hearing person in her immediate family.
While she tries to help them keep their business afloat, she finds herself falling for her singing partner, a world she feels her parents won’t be able to understand.
The First Wave
Available to watch on Disney+.
Understandably a difficult watch right now, but this powerful documentary is a must-watch.
Focusing on a single New York hospital right as the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic hit, we see the battle lines being drawn between medical personnel and the virus running rampant in their city.
The Green Knight
Available to watch on Prime Video.
A stylish retelling of the Arthurian legend, Dev Patel plays a knight who embarks on an epic journey to take on the mythical Green Knight, while encountering all manner of characters (played by Barry Keoghan, Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton and more) along the way.
The Last Duel
Available to watch on Disney+.
Arguably the biggest box office bomb of 2021 – production budget of $100 million (not including promotional costs), with a $30 million return – perhaps home viewing is a better fit for this grim tale of sexual assault told from three different viewpoints.
Ridley Scott directs Jodie Comer, Adam Driver, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in this tense, powerful tale.
We chatted to Damon about his time in Ireland making the movie, and you can check out that interview right here:
Malignant
Available to watch on Rakuten TV and Sky Store.
James Wan gave us Saw, Insidious and The Conjuring.
He went off to make some big blockbusters (Furious 7, Aquaman) but returned to the genre for this absolutely BONKERS chiller about a woman (Annabelle Wallis) haunted by murderous premonitions.
If you say you guessed the ending, you are telling fibs.
Riders of Justice
Available to watch on NOW.
Mads Mikklesen takes on the “Taken” formula, looking to get revenge for the death of his wife when foul play is involved.
However, this does for Taken what Scream did for scary movies, turning it inside out and making you understand the psychological and emotional price when you embark on a revenge mission.
That sounds pretty heavy, but trust us when we say it actually manages to remain very, very entertaining.
Sound of Metal
Available to watch on Prime Video.
Yes, it was initially released in 2019, but we only got it in Ireland this year, so we’re counting it.
Riz Ahmed plays a heavy metal drummer who is forced to consider an entirely silent future when, after years of punishment from live gigs, he discovers he is losing his hearing.
The Sparks Brothers
Available to watch on Rakuten TV and Sky Store.
Regardless of whether you know and love Sparks or have never heard of them before, any and all music lovers will want to check out this documentary.
Detailing the rise and fall and rise again of one of the greatest hidden gem acts of all time, the amount of famous people who turn out to gush about them is nothing short of staggering.
Those Who Wish Me Dead
Available to watch on NOW.
From the guy behind Sicario and Hell or High Water, this tense action thriller has Angelina Jolie on the run from a pair of hitmen through a blazing forest fire as they attempt to take out a young boy, who happens to be the sole witness to a horrendous crime.
Check out our chat with Angelina Jolie and her co-star Medina Senghore right here:
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