Every year, former president Barack Obama shares his list of favorite books, music, and movies. No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, it’s pretty clear the man has excellent taste in entertainment.
“Summer of Soul” is an eye-popping, ear-soothing delight, featuring performances from some of our greatest musicians. And “West Side Story” arrives with a raft of Golden Globe nominations.
Ridley Scott will be pleased to hear “The Last Duel” made the list - the director blamed the box office bomb on kids and their newfangled gadgets. “I think what it boils down to — what we’ve got today [are] the audiences who were brought up on these f——ing cell phones,” Scott said. “The millennian do not ever want to be taught anything unless you are told it on the cell phone.”
If you’re inclined to follow President Obama’s recommendations, here’s where you can stream his choices for the best films of 2021.
Barack Obama's Favorite Movies of 2021
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Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
July 2, 2021During the same summer as Woodstock, over 300,000 people attended the Harlem Cultural Festival, celebrating African American music and culture, and promoting Black pride and unity. The footage from the festival sat in a basement, unseen for over 50 years, keeping this incredible event in America’s history lost — until now.
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The Power of the Dog
October 25, 2021A domineering but charismatic rancher wages a war of intimidation on his brother’s new wife and her teen son, until long-hidden secrets come to light.
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Pig
July 16, 2021A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregon wilderness must visit Portland to find the mysterious person who stole his beloved foraging pig.
This movie features a subdued Nicolas Cage in a fantastic starring role. “The movie feels rather like a folk song to me or a poem,” Cage wrote. “The character of Rob was contending with tremendous grief and self-imposed isolation. It’s one of my favorite movies, and it’s probably my best work.” Critics agreed - the movie scored 82 on Metacritic and 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.
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Drive My Car
August 18, 2021Yusuke Kafuku, a stage actor and director, still unable, after two years, to cope with the loss of his beloved wife, accepts to direct Uncle Vanya at a theater festival in Hiroshima. There he meets Misaki, an introverted young woman, appointed to drive his car. In between rides, secrets from the past and heartfelt confessions will be unveiled.
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Passing
October 27, 2021In 1920s New York City, a Black woman finds her world upended when her life becomes intertwined with a former childhood friend who’s passing as white.
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The Card Counter
September 3, 2021William Tell just wants to play cards. His spartan existence on the casino trail is shattered when he is approached by Cirk, a vulnerable and angry young man seeking help to execute his plan for revenge on a military colonel. Tell sees a chance at redemption through his relationship with Cirk. But keeping Cirk on the straight-and-narrow proves impossible, dragging Tell back into the darkness of his past.
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The Last Duel
October 13, 2021King Charles VI declares that Knight Jean de Carrouges settle his dispute with his squire, Jacques Le Gris, by challenging him to a duel.
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Judas and the Black Messiah
February 12, 2021Bill O’Neal infiltrates the Black Panthers on the orders of FBI Agent Mitchell and J. Edgar Hoover. As Black Panther Chairman Fred Hampton ascends—falling for a fellow revolutionary en route—a battle wages for O’Neal’s soul.
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The Tragedy of Macbeth
December 5, 2021Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders his king and takes the throne for himself.
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C'mon C'mon
November 19, 2021Johnny and his young nephew forge a tenuous but transformational relationship when they embark on a cross-country trip to see life away from Los Angeles.
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Quo Vadis, Aida?
February 26, 2021Bosnia, July 1995. Aida is a translator for the UN in the small town of Srebrenica. When the Serbian army takes over the town, her family is among the thousands of citizens looking for shelter in the UN camp. As an insider to the negotiations Aida has access to crucial information that she needs to interpret. What is at the horizon for her family and people – rescue or death? Which move should she take?
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The Worst Person in the World
October 13, 2021The chronicles of four years in the life of Julie, a young woman who navigates the troubled waters of her love life and struggles to find her career path, leading her to take a realistic look at who she really is.
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Old Henry
October 1, 2021A widowed farmer and his son warily take in a mysterious, injured man with a satchel of cash. When a posse of men claiming to be the law come for the money, the farmer must decide who to trust. Defending a siege of his homestead, the farmer reveals a talent for gun-slinging that surprises everyone calling his true identity into question.
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West Side Story
December 8, 2021Two youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.
