It's the beginning of a new year, which means critics of all stripes are putting together lists of their favorite things from the previous 12 months. Now Nathan Weinbender counts down his personal list of 2021's top films, from thrillers to documentaries to a most unusual musical. Nathan Weinbender is a film critic and one of the regular co-hosts for Spokane Public Radio's "Movies 101" heard Friday evenings at 6:30 here on KPBX.

The Netflix offering “Don’t Look Up” is an allegory about life in today’s United States, Dan Webster says in his review.

Writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson returns to the 1970s with "Licorice Pizza," which has been getting some of the best reviews of the year. Nathan Weinbender says it's not quite a PTA masterpiece, but it still contains some magical moments.

"The Humans" won the Tony Award for best play in 2016, and now it's a feature film streaming on Showtime. But Nathan Weinbender says this is no ordinary stage adaptation -- in fact, it almost plays out like psychological horror.

Aaron Sorkin's "Being the Ricardos" follows an intense week in the life of Lucille Ball and husband Desi Arnaz, Dan Webster says in his review.

"The Humans" won the Tony Award for best play in 2016, and now it's a feature film streaming on Showtime. But Nathan Weinbender says this is no ordinary stage adaptation -- in fact, it almost plays out like psychological horror. Nathan Weinbender is one of the film critics heard on Spokane Public Radio's "Movies 101," Friday evenings at 6:30 here on KPBX.

Peter Jackson's documentary "Get Back" will test the patience of anyone who isn't a die-hard Beatles fan, Dan Webster says in his review.

There have been countless Beatles documentaries over the years, but none quite like Peter Jackson's "Get Back." Now streaming on Disney Plus, it's an epic miniseries reconsidering the band's most turbulent year, and Nathan Weinbender says it's an unearthed treasure for any fan.

Based on his stage play, writer-director Stephen Karam's "The Humans" explores a dysfunctional family's Thanksgiving dinner, Dan Webster says in his review. Besides being a film critic for Spokane Public Radio, "Movies 101" host Dan Webster writes the Movies & More blog for Spokane7.com

Jeymes Samuel's "The Harder They Fall" does its best to reinvent traditional Western mythology, Dan