Barack Obama Shared His Fave Movies Of 2021, And These Are Some *Choices*
There’s a lot going on in these picks.
The year is almost over, which can only mean one thing: Former President Barack Obama has released his annual “best of” picks for 2021, and trust me when I say it’s a roller coaster of a ride. From feel-good faves to tear-jerking tragedies, Obama’s list of films this year includes projects that evoke some of the most raw human emotions. There’s no denying it — Barack Obama’s favorite movies of 2021 include some solid picks, and every single one of them is worth a watch.
“Each of these films tells a powerful story, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I did,” Obama wrote in his Dec. 16 post via Instagram. In addition to including some re-imagined classics like The Tragedy of Macbeth and West Side Story, Obama also listed heavy hitters like Judas and the Black Messiah, which tells the story of the betrayal of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton, Quo Vadis, Aida?, about the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, and Drive My Car, based on a Haruki Murakami story.
Obama has always been clear about the impact that narratives and personal stories have had on him. “I'm inspired by the people I meet in my travels — hearing their stories, seeing the hardships they overcome, their fundamental optimism and decency,” he stated during his January 2008 Iowa Caucus Victory Speech. “They make me want to work to make the world a little bit better. And they make me want to be a better man,” he added.
Since leaving office in 2017, Obama has continued to share his appreciation for storytelling by releasing lists of his favorite books, songs, movies, and TV shows at the end of each year — offering the public a small glimpse into how the former president enjoys spending his time after the Oval Office. The former POTUS’ 2021 list of movies also comes a day after he released his list of favorite books of the year.
“Since these are works I have actually listened to, watched, or read, I’m sure I’ve missed some worthy stuff,” Obama added in the Dec. 16 Twitter thread sharing his favorite books. “So if you have you own recommendations to share, I’ll add them to the stack of books and movies I hope to catch up on over the holidays!” Don’t worry, Obama — this year, it seems like everyone has a lot of catching up to do.
