The Best Needle-Drops of 2021 Films
By Karenna Umscheid
There’s nothing better than a great needle-drop in a film. Sometimes it’s a touch of familiarity, or new, enticing sounds to be listened to over-and-over after the credits roll. A song can be scattered throughout the trailer, only for its meaning to be fleshed out in the film later. A great soundtrack moment can make a film a personal favorite of the year. Despite the flaws present in narratives and technological aspects, music can still make a lackluster film electrifying. Or, it can make a phenomenal film even more enjoyable. Needle-drops of films past still get discussed and rewatched at great lengths, and here are my favorite ones of 2021.
She’s Not There - The Zombies & Titane - Julia Ducournau
The seizure-and-vomit-inducing body horror failed to land on the Oscars shortlist for International Feature Film, but claimed the Palme D’Or at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. Beyond the gore and violence, audiences were most shocked by the tender heart of the film. She’s Not There by The Zombies starts a slightly humorous, sweet, and intense dance scene that edges on the possibility of violence at any moment. Addictive and arresting, this scene is still strange and beautiful.
Bye Bye Bye - N’Sync & Red Rocket - Sean Baker
A song of nostalgia and not often taken seriously, Bye Bye Bye graces Red Rocket in its original form, but more poignantly, in the cover performed by Suzanna Son on the piano. The original version adds to the dark hilarity of the film, and feeds to the way the main character is a “thing of the past,”much like N’Sync. Son’s cover is slowed down, sweet and intimate, revealing the darkness and sadness in the narrative. The duality of the hit song adds to the dark core of a cheerful, comedic-seeming film.
Life on Mars? - David Bowie & Licorice Pizza - Paul Thomas Anderson
An iconic 70’s song for a scattershot compilation of 70’s lives, Life on Mars? is the perfect song for the California sweat and sunshine of Licorice Pizza. In the intersection between personal lives and political events, Gary Valentine runs through the streets across lines of cars waiting for gas, amidst an oil shortage and backed by Bowie. There’s always something to do in Gary’s San Fernando Valley, from pinball palaces to waterbeds. And David Bowie’s iconic jam fits in perfectly.
Blue Bayou - Linda Ronstadt & Blue Bayou - Justin Chon
The lyrics of the chorus of Blue Bayou echo the sentiment of the film. “I’m going back someday/Come what may/to the Blue Bayou.” Alicia Vikander’s gorgeous, melancholy cover builds the sweetness and emotion of the movie. It’s filled with pain and memory, and though it’s quite imperfect, the needle drop adds a lot of beauty to the film.
The Winner Takes It All - ABBA & Bergman Island - Mia Hansen-Love
Bergman Island is a phenomenally groovy heartbreak of a film. There’s a story inside the story, focused on a young couple/not couple traversing through their romance. Both their moments of joy and their moments of insecurity are relatable and heart-wrenching. ABBA’s ballad is the perfect song to have an in-your-head main character moment to, only to realize the person you’re dancing for has stopped watching. It’s the seminal soundtrack for the fluctuations in heartbreak and new love, with Bergman Island, it’s a match made in heaven.
Everlasting Love - Carl Carlton & Belfast - Kenneth Branagh
Undisputed heartthrob Jamie Dornan only becomes more lovely in Belfast. Particularly, when he serenades his wife (Catriona Balfe) with Everlasting Love. A quite simple, widely enjoyed film, Belfast will be a staple this awards season. It’s not quite as fascinating or daring as the other films this year, but the Everlasting Love needle drop is so fantastic, it makes you want to dance right in the theater.
Roadrunner - The Modern Lovers & Roadrunner - Morgan Neville
Though rightfully controversial in some of the ethics of the documentary, Morgan Neville’s Roadrunner, a film exploring the life and death of Anthony Bourdain, the soundtrack itself is a testament to the music played in Bourdain’s kitchens. Roadrunner by the Modern Lovers was one of his favorites, and the word itself describes him pretty well. The documentary shows his travels, and it talks about the frequency at which he moved. “He was always rushing into the scene, always rushing to get out of the scene,” says a featured interviewee. Roadrunner, indeed.
Hannah Montana - Migos & Zola - Janicza Bravo
In an iPhone-shot sequence, Zola, Stefanie, X, and Derrek embark on their road trip/hoe trip to Florida to the sounds of Hannah Montana by Migos. The goofiness of the film is exemplified in this scene, in its comedy and ridiculousness. It’s lighthearted and fun, a glimmery scene before the trip turns sour. The silliness will become a strange memory, but still, the song and the iPhone/dubsmash like editing make it a period piece in the age of the internet.
Both Sides Now - Joni Mitchell & Coda - Sian Heder
A genuinely sweet, Massachusetts-based story, Coda is a phenomenal film about a child of deaf adults. Though it’s a largely common narrative, every aspect of the film is done stunningly well. Emilia Jones’ singing voice is phenomenal. Her cover of Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now is gorgeous and heart wrenching, as she signs out the lyrics for her family in her Berklee audition. The performance radiates the love and heart in the entire film, encapsulated in Jones’ cover.
Awards season can be frustrating, the films awarded are never necessarily the best of the year. They’re not always the most likely to challenge you, shock you, or change your worldview. They’re not always going to fill your heart and make you feel perfectly content. So regardless, see the films that really interest you, that play to your taste or serve to broaden your horizons. The soundtracks this year are fantastic, so expand your music taste or dive into an old favorite.
So if good needle-drops are your cinematic forte, peruse the list for your next watch.