2021 wasn't a bad year for new releases, but for me it was even better for first time watches:

The year I started my Akira Kurosawa journey;
Got back into Studio Ghibli;
Saw my first Alfred Hitchcock ever;
Saw some of my favourite Korean films, probably ever;
Got into Wong Kar-wai's charming world.

Honestly, I don't think this can be topped anytime soon. I doubt I could've asked for a better year. But you know, there's so many great gems out there I'm eager to discover, I can only hope for another year half as good as 2021.

I could only rank the top 10 of this list. There's no way I would rank 50 movies and feel good about it. However, I can confidently say that these 10 were my absolute favourite finds of the year. Whether because they were my first introduction to an acclaimed director (Seven Samurai, Rear Window), or they just melted my brain for cheer spectacle (Spirited Away, The Handmaiden), or they did something so rare with its emotional story and made me cry like a little baby (House of Hummingbird). They all had an impact on me in some way or another, so these first 10 are ranked, the rest of the list is in no order in particular.

Finally, I want to thank my active followers who like and spark discussions on my little posts. It's great to get feedback from others and discover new movies every day with your wonderful reviews as well. You know who my LB buddies are.
So thank you! 😎