Amateur2023danielaanturybrokendownxxx720 2021 -

Movies:

1. Spider-Man: No Way Home (December 2021) - Marvel superhero film
2. The Batman (March 2021) - DC superhero film
3. Dune (October 2021) - Science fiction film
4. The Matrix Resurrections (December 2021) - Science fiction film
5. Fast & Furious 9 (June 2021) - Action film

TV Shows:

1. Squid Game (September 2021) - Netflix South Korean survival drama
2. The Mandalorian: Season 2 (October 2021) - Disney+ live-action Star Wars series
3. Ted Lasso: Season 2 (July 2021) - Apple TV+ sports comedy-drama
4. The Book of Boba Fett (December 2021) - Disney+ live-action Star Wars series
5. Succession: Season 3 (October 2021) - HBO drama

Music:

1. Adele - 30 (November 2021) - Pop album
2. Taylor Swift - Evermore (December 2021) - Pop album
3. Olivia Rodrigo - Sour (May 2021) - Pop album
4. Kanye West - Donda (August 2021) - Hip-hop album
5. Doja Cat - Planet Her (June 2021) - Pop album

Video Games:

1. Resident Evil Village (May 2021) - Survival horror game
2. Metroid Dread (October 2021) - Action-adventure game
3. Halo Infinite (December 2021) - First-person shooter game
4. It Takes Two (March 2021) - Action-adventure game
5. Psychonauts 2 (August 2021) - Platformer game

Streaming:

1. Disney+ - Launched in 2020, but gained popularity in 2021 with exclusive content
2. HBO Max - Launched in 2020, but expanded its content library in 2021
3. Apple TV+ - Continued to produce original content, including The Morning Show and Ted Lasso

This is not an exhaustive list, but it covers some of the most popular and notable entertainment content from 2021.

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The Trends & The "Toxicity"

You can't talk about 2021 without the side effects of the content boom. amateur2023danielaanturybrokendownxxx720 2021

• Depp v. Heard (The Trial): While legally a 2022 culmination, the social media content war began in 2021. It consumed TikTok and YouTube, turning a courtroom into the main character of the internet.
• The "Couch Guy" & Sea Shanties: TikTok remained the primary driver of music and memes. We had "Wellerman" (sea shanty remixes), the "Corn Kid" (wait, that was 2022? Actually, maybe just early 2022... but the vibe was set in 2021), and the absolute chaos of the "Willy Wonka" experience.

Television: The Great Binge

With production delays finally easing, the second half of 2021 was absolutely stacked with television. It was the year of "Appointment Viewing" returning, but via streaming.

• The Korean Juggernaut: Squid Game wasn't just a hit; it was a virus. You couldn't log into TikTok without seeing the Red Light, Green Light doll. It broke Netflix records, sparked a thousand Halloween costumes, and made us all terrified of honeycomb candy. It was brutal, beautiful, and a sharp critique of capitalism—perfect for 2021.
• Succession’s Hegemony: Season 3 of Succession gave us "L to the OG," Tom’s betrayal, and the absolute cringe-fest that is the Roys on a beach. The dialogue ("We hear for you") entered the business lexicon.
• The Fantasy War: The Witcher Season 2 finally dropped, giving us Henry Cavill grunting his way through monsters. But it had stiff competition from Arcane (Riot’s League of Legends adaptation), which shocked everyone by being arguably the best animated show of the year, with stunning visuals and heartbreaking storytelling.

Trends & Memes

• “Cheugy” – Mocking outdated millennial aesthetics.
• “And I oop-” revived, “Beans” , “Corn Kid” (late 2021).
• Devious licks – TikTok vandalism trend (schools cracked down).
• Sea shanties – “Wellerman” remixes.
• #FreeBritney – Culminated in Britney Spears’ conservatorship hearing.

The Return of the Movie Theater (Sort Of)

2021 was the year of the "Release Date Shuffle." Studios spent the first half of the year nervously twitching, moving release dates like chess pieces. But by summer, the dam broke. Movies:

• The Box Office Savior: We have to start with Spider-Man: No Way Home. In December, it did the impossible. It wasn't just a movie; it was a cultural event. The memes (Tobey’s back pain, Andrew’s redemption), the cameos, and the sheer audacity of the plot turned theaters into stadiums. For three hours, we forgot about variants and remembered why we love cheering with strangers.
• The Dune Phenomenon: Denis Villeneuve gave us a movie that was all vibes and dust. Dune proved that "prestige sci-fi" is still alive. We all quoted "The spice must flow," bought oversized hoodies, and desperately tried to figure out who was who on the poster. It was too long, too slow, and absolutely magnificent.
• The Musical Renaissance (and Rivalry): Two musicals tried to kill each other. In the Heights (HBO Max) gave us joy and dancing in the streets, while West Side Story (Theaters) gave us Spielberg’s masterclass cinematography. Meanwhile, Tick, Tick... Boom! snuck in on Netflix and made everyone realize Andrew Garfield can actually sing.

Top Artists & Albums

• Olivia Rodrigo – SOUR – Debut album with “drivers license,” “good 4 u.” Teen angst revival.
• Adele – 30 – “Easy on Me” broke streaming records.
• Drake – Certified Lover Boy – Memorable cover art and “Way 2 Sexy.”
• Taylor Swift – Red (Taylor’s Version) – Re-recordings with 10-minute “All Too Well.”
• Lil Nas X – Montero – “Call Me By Your Name” and viral Satan shoes.