Good day to you. My name is Luis A. Mendez. I’m a film critic based in Central Florida, and these are my PERSONAL awards ballots for the year 2021 in film. If a favorite film or performance of yours from the year is missing from any preferred categories, chances are I probably liked it, I just happened to have liked at least a few films or performances a little more.
Just a heads up, this version of the ballots was published a few years after I first made them in late 2021, and I did tweak a few of the nomination slots since then.
Now without further adieu here are my nominees for the best of the year:
BEST PICTURE
Belfast
Dune
Encanto
Godzilla VS Kong
In The Heights
Last Night In Soho
Licorice Pizza
Luca
Nightmare Alley
The Power Of The Dog
The Suicide Squad
The Tragedy Of MacBeth
My Personal Winner: In The Heights
BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson; Licorice Pizza
Kenneth Branagh; Belfast
Jane Campion; The Power Of The Dog
Jon M. Chu; In The Heights
Joel Coen; The Tragedy Of MacBeth
Denis Villeneuve; Dune
My Personal Winner: Denis Villeneuve; Dune
BEST ENSEMBLE
Belfast
CODA
In The Heights
Mass
Nine Days
The Harder They Fall
My Personal Winner: Mass
BEST ACTOR
Benedict Cumberbatch; The Power Of The Dog
Peter Dinklage; Cyrano
Andrew Garfield; Tick, Tick, Boom…
Anthony Ramos; In The Heights
Will Smith; King Richard
Denzel Washington; The Tragedy Of Macbeth
My Personal Winner: Denzel Washington; The Tragedy Of MacBeth
BEST ACTRESS
Melissa Barrera; In The Heights
Jessica Chastain; The Eyes Of Tammy Faye
Lady Gaga; House Of Gucci
Nicole Kidman; Being The Ricardos
Kristen Stewart; Spencer
Tessa Thompson; Passing
My Personal Winner: Jessica Chastain; The Eyes Of Tammy Faye
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Ben Affleck; The Last Duel
Jamie Dornan; Belfast
Mike Faist; West Side Story
Troy Kotsur; CODA
Jared Leto; House Of Gucci
Kodi Smit McPhee; The Power Of The Dog
My Personal Winner: Jamie Dornan; Belfast
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Caitriona Balfe; Belfast
Ariana DeBose; West Side Story
Ann Dowd; Mass
Aunjuane Ellis Taylor; King Richard
Olga Merediz; In The Heights
Ruth Negga; Passing
My Personal Winner: Olga Merediz; In The Heights
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Belfast
Licorice Pizza
Mass
Nine Days
Petite Maman
Pig
My Personal Winner: Belfast
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Drive My Car
In The Heights
Passing
The Lost Daughter
The Power Of The Dog
The Tragedy Of MacBeth
My Personal Winner: In The Heights
BEST HORROR FEATURE
A Quiet Place Part II
Antlers
Lamb
Last Night In Soho
Titane
Werewolves Within
My Personal Winner: Last Night In Soho
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Belle
Encanto
Luca
The Mitchells VS The Machines
Vivo
Wish Dragon
My Personal Winner: Encanto
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
Belle
Drive My Car
Petite Maman
Rurouni Kenshin: The Final
The Hand Of God
Titane
My Personal Winner: Drive My Car
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Attica
Flee
Roadrunner
Summer Of Soul
The Rescue
Val
My Personal Winner: Summer Of Soul
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Be Alive”; King Richard
“Columbia, Mi Encanto”; Encanto
“Down To Joy”; Belfast
“Home All Summer”; In The Heights
“No Time To Die”; No Time To Die
“Rain”; The Suicide Squad
My Personal Winner: “Columbia, Mi Encanto”; Encanto
BEST SOUNDTRACK
Encanto
In The Heights
Licorice Pizza
The Suicide Squad
Tick, Tick, Boom…
Vivo
My Personal Winner: In The Heights
BEST SCORE
Dune
Licorice Pizza
Nightmare Alley
Spencer
The Power Of The Dog
The Tragedy Of MacBeth
My Personal Winner: The Power Of The Dog
BEST SOUND
Belfast
Dune
Godzilla VS Kong
In The Heights
The Suicide Squad
The Tragedy Of MacBeth
My Personal Winner: In The Heights
BEST EDITING
Belfast
Boiling Point
Drive My Car
In The Heights
Licorice Pizza
The Power Of The Dog
My Personal Winner: In The Heights
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Belfast
Dune
Last Night In Soho
Nightmare Alley
Passing
The Tragedy Of MacBeth
My Personal Winner: The Tragedy Of MacBeth
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Dune
Godzilla VS Kong
Eternals
Shang Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings
Spider Man: No Way Home
The Suicide Squad
My Personal Winner: Dune
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Dune
In The Heights
Last Night In Soho
Nightmare Alley
The French Dispatch
The Tragedy Of MacBeth
My Personal Winner: The Tragedy Of MacBeth
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Cruella
Cyrano
Dune
House Of Gucci
Last Night In Soho
Nightmare Alley
My Personal Winner: Cruella
BEST HAIR & MAKEUP
Coming 2 America
Cruella
House Of Gucci
Last Night In Soho
Nightmare Alley
The Eyes Of Tammy Faye
My Personal Winner: The Eyes Of Tammy Faye
BEST STUNT WORK
Black Widow
Dune
Nobody
Rurouni Kenshin: The Final
Shang Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings
The Suicide Squad
My Personal Winner: Shang Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings
WIN TALLY
6: In The Heights
3: The Tragedy Of Macbeth
2: Belfast; Dune; Encanto; The Eyes Of Tammy Faye
1: Cruella; Drive My Car; Last Night In Soho; Mass; The Power Of The Dog; Shang Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings; Summer Of Soul
NOMINATION HAULS
12: In The Heights
10: Belfast
9: Dune
8: The Tragedy Of MacBeth
7: The Power Of The Dog
6: Last Night In Soho; Licorice Pizza; Nightmare Alley; The Suicide Squad
4: Encanto; House Of Gucci; Passing
3: Drive My Car; Godzilla VS Kong; King Richard; Mass
2: Belle; CODA; Cruella; Cyrano; Luca; Nine Days; Petite Maman; Rurouni Kenshin: The Final; Shang Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings; Tick Tick Boom…; Spencer; The Eyes Of Tammy Faye; Titane; Vivo; West Side Story
1: A Quiet Place Part II; Antlers; Attica; Being The Ricardos; Black Widow; Boiling Point; Coming 2 America; Eternals; Flee; The Hand Of God; Lamb; No Time To Die; Nobody; Pig; Roadrunner; Spider Man: No Way Home; Summer Of Soul; The French Dispatch; The Harder They Fall; The Last Duel; The Lost Daughter; The Mitchells VS The Machines; The Recsue; Val; Werewolves Within; Wish Dragon
