LOS ANGELES — Musical West Side Story, sci-fi epic Dune, and King Richard, the biopic about the father of tennis champions Serena and Venus Williams, were among the top 10 movies of 2021 as chosen on Wednesday by the American Film Institute (AFI).
RACHEL ZEGLER and Ansel Elgort in West Side Story (2021) — IMDB.COM
The list, which is not ranked, gives an early glimpse into likely frontrunners for the annual Oscars next year. The films were chosen for their cultural and artistic significance.
It also includes global warming satire Don’t Look Up, coming-of-age tale Licorice Pizza, musical Tick, tick…Boom!, deaf community film CODA, Shakespearean drama The Tragedy of Macbeth, thriller Nightmare Alley and drama The Power of the Dog.
British director Kenneth Branagh’s film Belfast, about his childhood in Northern Ireland, was given a special award by the AFI.
“From soaring in spirit to dark and dangerous — from heartbreaking to hilarious — these are the stories that have united us in uncertain times and continue to drive culture forward,” AFI president Bob Gazzale said in a state-ment.
The AFI also named its 10 top TV shows of 2021. They include comedies Ted Lasso and Hacks along with dramas Succession, Mare of Easttown, The White Lotus and Marvel comics series Wanda Vision
Nominations for the Oscars will be announced on Feb. 8. — Reuters