Search results
A compelling, well-made film that creeps up on you, Reunion has a sting in the tail that is hard to forget. Full Review | Feb 1, 2021
Browse the full list of 2021 movies streaming on Free Services. Sort by Reelgood, IMDB rating, popularity and more to find something to watch!
- Overview
- Best Amazon Prime movie: Encounter
- Best Amazon Prime show: Invincible
- Best Amazon Prime documentary or special: Val
- Best Apple TV Plus movie: CODA
- Best Apple TV Plus show: Ted Lasso season 2
- Best Apple TV Plus documentary or special: 9/11: Inside the President's War Room
- Best Disney Plus movie: Raya and the Last Dragon
- Best Disney Plus show: WandaVision
- Best Disney Plus documentary or special: The Beatles: Get Back
News
By Axel Metz, Tom Power
published 29 December 2021
Our favorite streaming films and TV series of 2021
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
Jump to:
It’s fair to say that 2021 wasn’t a great year for Amazon and original movies. Having invested heavily in serialised content, the studio left Prime Video subscribers with a meagre selection of sci-fi adventures and action flicks that couldn’t match the equivalent movies produced by its streaming rivals.
The best of them, in our opinion, was Michael Pearce’s Encounter, which proved an intriguing and at-times poignant deep dive into the psyche of a paranoid veteran. It follows estranged father Malik Khan (Riz Ahmed) on a mission to save his two young sons from an extra-terrestrial infection sweeping the Earth – though there’s a lot more to Encounter’s premise than meets the eye. This one is definitely worth a watch if you like movies that keep you guessing.
In stark contrast to its sparse film offerings, Amazon’s TV catalog has never been stronger than it was in 2021 – which made choosing one show all the more difficult. We could have gone for the streamer’s big-budget fantasy series in The Wheel of Time, sci-fi miniseries Solos, or young adult drama Panic. But, in the end, we had to pick Invincible, Amazon’s R-rated animated adaptation of Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker’s beloved graphic novel series.
Not only does it have one of the best casts of any TV series, but Invincible is also a wonderfully animated series full of heart, humor and gratuitous violence. Episode 1’s shock ending, coupled with that brutal and tearjerking season 1 finale, dominated TV fan discussions for weeks. And, with season 2 on the way, we’re hoping for more of the same. Oh, and plenty of top tier memes, too.
Documentaries that focus on a particular actor or director are a dime a dozen these days – but few are as intimate and absorbing as Val, a 2021 docufilm that focuses on the life and career of Top Gun and Batman Forever star Val Kilmer.
With plenty of footage (which Kilmer shot himself) included, Val gave us a uniquely personal peek behind the curtain of one of the biggest actors of the 1980s and 1990s. From his childhood and his first major acting gig, to showing his homemade movies and his battle with throat cancer, Val is a fascinating deep dive into Kilmer’s life. It’s raw, authentic and pretty moving all round.
Today's best Amazon Prime deals
Amazon Prime Video - Free Trial
View
at Amazon Prime
One of the year’s best films (which should have earned a lot more attention than it did), CODA – which stands for Child of Deaf Adults – follows high school student Ruby (Emilia Jones) as she navigates the pressures of education, adulthood and living with a completely deaf family.
This Apple exclusive stars Locke and Key’s Jones in the lead role, and deaf performers Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur and Daniel Durant as her parents and brother, respectively. It paints an authentic, moving picture of everyday life for those living in unique circumstances and, in our view, it’s as good as 2019’s Sound of Metal. Not only that, but it's also the best Apple original movie of 2021 for us. You’ll laugh, cry and maybe even learn something – add it to your watchlist for 2022 (if you haven’t seen it already).
In another universe, Foundation or Invasion may have taken first place on our Apple TV Plus show podium. But, just like its first season won our hearts in 2020, Ted Lasso season 2 is our favorite Apple TV series of the year.
And with good reason. It builds on the foundations that the soccer comedy-drama’s first outing but, equally, season 2 isn’t afraid to explore the darker side of its characters. From Ted’s panic attacks and Coach Beard’s disenchantment following one particular defeat, to Sam’s loyalties being torn and Coach Nate’s villainous turn, Ted Lasso has matured into one of the best shows around. Season 3 is on the way, too, so there’ll be more to enjoy sometime in 2022.
Also available on BBC iPlayer in the UK, 9/11: Inside the President's War Room follows the shocking events of September 11, 2001 from the point of view of the man responsible for the safety of the United States at the time: President George W. Bush.
As well as providing deeper insight into the now-famous pictures of his initial response to the attacks, this documentary offers viewers an extraordinary fly-on-the-wall look at how the President and his advisors reacted to the unthinkable in the hours after the horror unfolded. Whether on Air Force One or inside the bunker itself, this gripping, feature-length film really does make you feel like you were in the room when it happened. Compelling television.
This category is a tricky one, what with Disney-produced theatrical movies, such as Black Widow and Shang-Chi, making their way to the streamer sometime after their cinematic releases.
But, while the easy choice would've been a Marvel movie, we’ve elected for a Disney animated offering that stole our hearts in March. Raya and the Last Dragon is another superb addition to Disney’s already packed roster of top-tier animated flicks, with a classic fantasy-based story that’s full of humour, family friendly action, female empowerment and poignant story beats. Its authentic depiction of Southeast Asian communities and traditions, too, was a huge step forward for a studio that’s been criticised for cultural stereotypes and a lack of diversity on the big and small screens. More of the same moving forward please, Disney.
After 13 years of building an interconnected cinematic empire, 2021 marked the start of Marvel Studios’ foray into the TV medium – and, honestly, we could’ve plumped for any of Marvel’s Disney Plus shows. At worst, they’re entertaining affairs and, at their best, they’re superb.
While Loki is the most highly-rated of Marvel’s Disney Plus offerings so far, we’ve opted for the series that kickstarted the MCU’s TV journey in WandaVision. Its celebration of multiple generations of sitcoms, unsettling vibe, mysterious plot and exploration of trauma delivered a story unlike anything we’ve previously seen from a Marvel live-action project. Add in the sheer wealth of fan theories that surrounded the series – R.I.P ‘it was Mephisto all along’ – and look past that turgid CGI battle during the series finale, and it’s the best MCU show thus far. Hawkeye pushed it close at the end, mind you.
It’s fitting that a Peter Jackson production makes it onto our list. After all, it’s been 20 years since Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring landed in theaters (there’s an Amazon Prime prequel series coming in late 2022, too).
The Beatles: Get Back couldn’t be further from Jackson’s 2001 magnum opus – although that’s only from a non-fictional perspective. The three-part docuseries, which covers the making of the legendary quartet’s 1970 album Let It Be, is a captivating and thrilling behind-the-scenes look at their struggles to complete this particular LP. That The Beatles also have to rehearse for a concert and film project only makes things more difficult.
Get Back isn’t just your typical music documentary, however: across six house of footage, we get a deeply intimate, immersive and compelling glimpse into the world of one of the most influential bands ever. We see them bicker, come up with iconic songs on the spot and, lastly, watch their legendary, final public performance come to fruition. If you’re a Beatles fanatic, or even just a music lover in general, this docuseries is not to be missed.
Today's best Disney+ deals
Disney+ Monthly Basic
$7.99
Stream 'Friends: The Reunion' and watch online. Discover streaming options, rental services, and purchase links for this movie on Moviefone. Watch at home and immerse yourself in this movie's...
'Reunion' is currently available to rent, purchase, or stream via subscription on VUDU Free, Amazon Video, Apple iTunes, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Tubi TV, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Hoopla...
Aug 7, 2021 · The 55 best movies streaming free for Amazon Prime members (August 2021) Share this article. 556 shares. Alyssa Barbieri. August 7, 2021 12:00 pm ET. A new month means more movies to...
People also ask
Is 'reunion' a good movie?
Where can I watch friends the reunion?
Is reunion a ghost story?
How long is friends the reunion?
Best Movies 2021. The Best Movies category awards the best-reviewed film regardless of their release, whether they went straight to streaming or swung onto the silver...
8.0/10 (1522 reviews)
amazon.co.uk has been visited by 1M+ users in the past month
Free UK Delivery on Eligible Orders
