The close of a decade is upon us so let's reflect. What are your favorite films of the 2010s? What resonated with you the most? What will you still be watching 10 years from now?
Below are my top 10. I post these with a few disclaimers:
1. There are loads of movies I haven't seen. Of all the "Best Film" nominations this decade I've probably seen less than 50%.
2. I'm likely forgetting some major ones but will update my list if you remind me of something I love.
3. We still have 6 months left in this decade so hopefully something new will crack the list.
4.. NO MAJOR PLOT SPOILERS PLEASE (tag things if needed)
Here we go, in no order:
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
I fucking adore this movie. It's very long, to the point where I certainly don't mind watching it in 2 sessions over 2 days, and yet I don't think there's much I would trim. It's got all the stylishness and appealing yet abhorrent criminal behavior of Goodfellas. Scorsese did it again and Leo and Jonah Hill are both tremendous. This is the first film that came to mind when I was making this list.
The Social Network (2010)
Sorkin movies are almost always delightful. His TV shows are a chore to get through but the man can write a movie script. The dialogue is perfect, the score is awesome, and it's a story that arguably affected us all (at least those of us on social media).
Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)
This is one of my all time favorite rom-coms, maybe my #1.
The Conjuring (2013)
This is exactly what I want out of a horror movie (granted I'm not a big horror fan). I'm not judging it on scariness - certainly it's not the leader in that category although I thought it was scary enough. What I loved was the story, the characters, the pacing. Just a very tightly produced haunting movie in my opinion.
Birdman (2014)
This movie deserved the acclaim it received.
Bridesmaids (2011)
This along with the next movie on my list are probably my two favorite pure comedies of the decade. Women are funny, get over it.
This Is The End (2013)
Superbad, Pineapple Express and This is the End to me make up a new holy trinity of comedies. I'm not saying it's as good a run as Trading Places, Coming to America and Beverly Hills Cop, but it's in the same discussion. I love Seth and Evan. They make awesome comedies.
The Avengers (2012)
I have not seen this in several years and I'm curious how it holds up against the newer MCU flicks but I remember seeing it in the theater and being blown away. It is absolutely one of my favorite superhero movies ever and blew the doors off the idea of a shared film universe. Bravo.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
As I've stated in other threads lately, I am in love with this movie. There are some leaps you have to take to accept the premise of it but my god did they nail the conclusion of this group of characters in a supremely satisfying way. 3 hours never flew by faster. I'm not including Infinity War in my top 10 although it probably belongs here. I just didn't want 30% of my list to be Avengers movies.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
This series is really damn good and this is my favorite of the 3.
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Honorable mentions: Steve Jobs, Inception, Avengers: Infinity War.
Do I not qualify as 'critic' or 'audience' if I do not agree? Guess I'll go hang out with that fifth dentist from "4 out of 5 dentists"...
You are neither a critic nor an audience, sorry. A critic is a professional and an audience is a group of people. You are a single viewer. You could be part of an audience but since audiences widely scored that film very highly you would be outnumbered.
Arrival
12 Years a Slave
Inception
Sicario
The Martian
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Theeb
The Lobster
Captain Fantastic
Dunkirk
World of Tomorrow
Logan
Mad Max: Fury Road
Ex Machina
Hell or High Water
Room
Manchester by the Sea
Gravity
Interstellar
Carol
Moonlight
Inside Out
The Revenant
Mustang
Whiplash
If we are reviewing, we have to also mention the stinking shit that was also released this decade, plus the stuff that was just a massive let down.
Let downs:
A-Team, I wanted this to be good so much, but it just was a bit meh.
Prometheus, shiny looking on the outside, shit on the inside.
The Hobbit trilogy, just weird looking and odd.
The entire DC Universe, no explication needed.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi, just wasn’t right.
Oddly enough, the 2010s are when I slowed down going to the movies so much, due to life changes, however I do agree with the Wolf of Wall Street, The Conjuring, and Birdman on your list.
All of my movies except Endgame are from the first half of the decade which probably speaks to the fact that I don't see a ton of movies when they're new. I gradually catch up over the years. Or maybe 2010-2014 was just more fun, idk.
Do The Avenger movies, Captain America, or GotG get a nod? Captain America is one of the better movies I have seen this decade.
Based on the criteria in the first post, if they are among your favorites of the decade they get a nod. And I fully support the inclusion of these. Black Panther was also pretty special in my book.
I'll also include Bohemian Rhapsody and Hidden Figures as deserving of the highest praise.
Steve Jobs (the movie not the person) didn't get the same accolades as The Social Network but to me it was nearly as good. Fassbender was perfect (as always), Sorkin was on his game (again) and Rogen/Winslet were great too. I'm surprised this movie didn't hit harder at the box office.
Honestly, the geek films from Logan to the MCU to Skull Island have been good to great. I would add Birdman in as well to that list. Rouge One and Last Jedi are on my list as well. It is tough when I have not seen 12 Years A Slave and movies in that bracket. I use to go see every Best Picture Nomination, now I have take days off to see Spidey.
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Hereditary deserves more love. One of the best Horror films I have seen let alone in just this decade.
Us as well.
I will get a more complete list, but I had my mind on horror films and those are the two that stick out the most for me. Conjuring is a few shades below those I think.
Disaster Artist
Lion
Spotlight
Mud
Hacksaw Ridge
Warrior
The Raid: Redemption
Prisoners
Nightcrawler
Nebraska
Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 1
Hell or High Water
Dead Snow
Grand Budapest Hotel
McFarland, USA
Get Out
Inside/Out
Django Unchained
Toy Story 3
Inception
Looper
Shutter Island
The Wolf of Wall Street
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Social Network
Hacksaw Ridge
Gone Girl
Edge of Tomorrow
Flight
A Star is Born
The Martian
In my opinion, Leo's work in the early-part of the decade with Wolf, Inception, Django, Shutter Island and Revenant really stole the show and set the tone for the decade.
There were some wonderful and unique films like The Martian, Edge of Tomorrow, Looper and Get Out.
The animated films continue to steal the show with Toy Story 3 and 4, Inside/Out, Frozen and others.
Social Network = No Brainer.
And of course, my personal favorite of the decade, Guardians of the Galaxy. Just a wonderful, wonderful film that even outside of the MCU would and could survive on its own.
Criminally underappreciated. Child performances are overlooked for awards too often, none more egregious in recent years than Lewis MacDougall's incredible turn as a child trying to cope with the impending death of his mom thanks to cancer. A wonderful cast, all on top form. The raw, perfectly portrayed emotion will resonate with anybody who has had to live through something similar. Not the easiest thing to get through, but my God you'll be glad you did. Ultimately, a film just as much about love as it is about loss.
Avengers: Infinity War
I can understand why people prefer Endgame, it is a cracking film and the obvious crowd pleaser. But let's not kid ourselves, Infinity War is the superior film and the best so far from a studio that's worst film to date could still be called okay(ish). The balls this film has could sink the Titanic. Yes, we knew it wouldn't last, but they actually went and did it.
Inception
This is cinema. Big visuals mixed with bigger ideas. What is the nature of reality? Does it matter if something isn't real if we believe it to be real? Jaw is on the floor as you watch this unfurl. I've seen it more than any other film this decade. No, I regret nothing.
Coco
Pixar have not had the greatest decade in their existence. Too many limp sequels, new IPs not always hitting home. Inside Out will top many lists for their best work this decade, but for me Coco's exploration into a culture and mythos outside of what we're used to seeing from a big studio, along with a sense of humanity and love which bleeds from the screen, means this is the one I remember.
The Post
Streep, Hanks and Spielberg all at the top of their game. What else needs to be said?
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
This is what should have won Gary Oldman his first Oscar. Its utter Britishness leaves you humming Land of Hope and Glory as you're watching. Grey, subtle, underacted, complex, intelligent, adult cinema.
Philomena
This was a huge surprise to me when I finally got around to watching it. I knew the story, I knew Judi Dench would tear away at my soul, but I didn't expect Steve Coogan to be the beating heart of the film. It's his character development and sense of injustice which is the driving force of this horrific true story.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
What We Do In The Shadows is funnier. Thor: Ragnarok is more important in terms of affecting future cinema. Hunt is Waititi's best film.
Pride
About 15 years ago I was having a few drinks with a friend of mine. He's one of the organiser's of Birmingham Pride and I asked him about his favourite Pride memories. He then talked me through an incredible story of how the LGBT Community had stood with the Miners during the Miner's Strike and how overjoyed he was when they came and did the same. That was when he felt like acceptance was on its way. A Labour man through and through, here was his people saying thanks and we've got your back.
To be able to watch a film based on that story years later, that was a joy. For that film to be exceptional, that was special. Above all the others on this list of mine, if you haven't seen this, make this the one you hunt down to watch next.
Arrival
I love me some big, boom, blast, bother. But sometimes, something slower and more thoughtful can create something just as tense and enthralling. Playing on the fear of unknown, our distrust of each other, this majestic film, both subtly and without any semblance of subtlety at all, puts forward the message that talking will be what saves us.
Logan
Broken down, obsolete, beautiful, brilliant. The best comic book film ever made. It was criminal that Hugh Jackman wasn't up for more awards for a close to perfect performance.
Get Out
A no holds barred exploration of racism and race relations in America, presented with visual genius, psychological nightmares and edge of your seat thrills. To top it all off, it is hilariously funny.
Dunkirk
Zero Dark Thirty
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Captain America: Civil War
La La Land
The Help
The Impossible
Sicario
Interstellar
Les Miserables
Gravity
The Martian
The Wolf of Wall St
12 Years a Slave
Avengers: Endgame
Saving Mr Banks
Bridge of Spies
Denial
Looper
The Theory of Everything
The Big Short
Us
Birdman
Darkest Hour
Hacksaw Ridge
Dallas Buyers Club
Inside Out
Ex Machina
Toy Story 3
What We Do In The Shadows
Thor: Ragnorok
I will second Tnker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Fantastic film. I forgot Inception was part of this. Probably my favorite film that year. I will throw in Skyfall.
I can understand why people prefer Endgame, it is a cracking film and the obvious crowd pleaser. But let's not kid ourselves, Infinity War is the superior film and the best so far from a studio that's worst film to date could still be called okay(ish). The balls this film has could sink the Titanic. Yes, we knew it wouldn't last, but they actually went and did it.
I gave Endgame the nod but I need to watch Infinity War again to decide which I prefer. I haven't seen it since the cinema a year ago or whatever.
But putting aside picking between them, my general thought here is that Infinity War and Endgame together make up a 5.5 hour epic that is one of the pinnacles of modern film. Not since The Lord of the Rings movies have I felt that way when leaving the theater. That's the only comparable I can think of.
I'm with you, although I enjoy Sarah Marshall plenty. But yea I mean I could go through those top 44 and of the ones I've seen tell you that most of them clearly aren't as good as CSL. I surely overrate it to some extent though, I'm a huge sucker for the Gossling/Carell chemistry in it. The rest of the cast is great too but I'm sure one could say that many of the scenes are a little over the top (the teacher freaking out at the parent teacher conference comes to mind). Maybe it's a little too crisscrossy how everything intersects, but that's the fun of it. Regardless, I think it's great.
Inside Out
Thor Ragnarok
Black Panther
Aquaman
La La Land
The Lego Movie
The Witch
Guardians Of The Galaxy 1 & 2
The Night Before
Blue Jasmine
Swiss Army Man
Logan
Perks Of Being A WallFlower
Lady Bird
Dawn Of The Planet of the Apes/Rise of the Planet of the Apes
The Help
Wonder Woman
Spring Breakers
The Invitation
The Favourite
The Muppets
Last edited by Melly; June 27th, 2019 at 10:02 PM.
Inside Out
Thor Ragnarok
Black Panther
Aquaman
La La Land
The Lego Movie
The Witch
Guardians Of The Galaxy 1 & 2
The Night Before
Blue Jasmine
Swiss Army Man
Logan
Perks Of Being A WallFlower
Lady Bird
Dawn Of The Planet of the Apes/War of the Planet of The Apes
The Help
Wonder Woman
Spring Breakers
The Invitation
The Favourite
La La Land
The Witch
Blue Jasmine
Lady Bird
Dawn Of The Planet of the Apes/War of the Planet of The Apes
Some really good shouts here that would fall only just so far out of my list.
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Originally Posted by mth
