In a decade that will likely be looked back upon for it's franchise frenzied, superhero spectacle tent-pole films and the dawn of the binge streaming age; the 2010's featured a bevy of incredible films as well. It was surprisingly difficult to narrow the list down to just twenty, with runners up like the only signature comedy film of the decade (Bridesmaids), Richard Linklater's 12 year encapsulation of growing up in modern America (Boyhood), 2 new testaments to the genius of David Fincher (Gone Girl and The Social Network) and 4 outstanding Ryan Gosling showcases (Blade Runner 2049, Drive, La La Land, and The Nice Guys). Never the less, here are the 20 films that made the cut.
#20. Super 8
J.J. Abrams' love letter to Steven Spielberg's work in the early 80's packs all the nostalgic trademarks and emotional feel good you'd expect to find in the action adventures of yesteryear. The phenomenal young cast, anchored by Elle Fanning, plays off of one another incredibly well and Abrams brings enough original flavor to the familiar recipe to elevate it past the likes of Stranger Things style nostalgia-bait.
#19. mother!
Darren Aronofsky's polarizing psychological and socially charged horror endeavor can be seen as many different things. An allegory for the destruction of our planet, the selfish nature of a frustrated artist, or the neglected role of women in our society. However you look at it, mother! is an undeniably bold and uncompromising tragedy from one of our generation's most underappreciated filmmakers.
#18. The Wolf of Wall Street
Martin Scorsese's tale of Wall Street greed and the corruption of the American Dream may focus a bit too heavily on the excess of Jordan Belfort's lifestyle but it certainly gets it's message across about the irreverent and selfish nature of capitalism at it's worst. Jordan isn't particularly skilled at anything except talking people into things. He's a bullshit artist. A drug addicted, womanizing criminal and a terrible husband and father. Yet after all the chaos that ensues, he still finds himself in a hotel lobby of people hanging onto his every word because they want what he's had too.
#17. We Need to Talk About Kevin
Director Lynne Ramsay delivers a nerve wrecking, tortured portrait of a mother doing everything she can for her increasingly hostile and malevolent son. Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller deliver powerhouse performances that capture the turmoil of this mother and son dynamic absolutely perfectly while Ramsay's knack for ratcheting up tension establishes her as one of the most dynamic filmmakers to emerge this decade.
#16. Sorry to Bother You
A surreal cultural satire with it's sights set on taking down classicism, racism, and capitalism in one fearless powercall to action; Sorry to Bother You mixes sci-fi absurdist comedy with social commentary in a way no film really has since 80's cult classics They Live! or Repo Man. Bordering on being too ambitious for it's own good, Sorry to Bother You may lose you in some of it's bizarre plot devices but it's political themes will stick with you for days - if not forever.
#15. Uncut Gems
A manic episode of anxiety fueled despair and greed, Uncut Gems perfectly captures the adrenaline induced panic of a degenerate gambler incessantly chasing his next potential score. Adam Sandler's performance is absolutely captivating and the dizzying, self destructive journey he embarks upon is an incredibly layered embodiment of a cultural materialistic obsession. Josh and Benny Safdie cultivate the tension of a classic heist film with an unrelenting pace and atmosphere will have you on edge until the final buzzer.
#14. Mad Max: Fury Road
Who would've guessed that the fourth installment of the Mad Max series from 70 year old George Miller would be such a relentlessly action packed thrill ride? Even though the film is essentially one gigantic 90 minute car chase through a dystopian wasteland, Fury Road has plenty of character as well - including the introduction of one of the most iconic action heroines this century in Furiosa. Mad Max may have first billing but this is without a doubt her movie and proof that both Mad Max and Miller himself have plenty of gas left in the tank.
See where Mad Max ranks among the Best Action Movie Franchises of All Time
#13. Before Midnight
Richard Linklater's 3rd installment in the Before Trilogy is yet another unbelievably well crafted peek into one of the most realistic and relate-able romances in modern cinema. The dialogue exchanges between Jesse and Celine flow so effortlessly that even when they become contentious with one another, there's a depth to their relationship that makes you empathize with each of their plights equally.
#12. Swiss Army Man
The most bizarrely unique film of the decade features Harry Potter's farting corpse being ridden like a jet ski and that's just the first five minutes. Paul Dano stars in this brilliant existential crisis turned indie dramedy about a lonely young man's quarter life crisis as a cast away with only the washed up corpse of Daniel Radcliffe to confide in. It's dark, imaginative, absurd, emotional and absolutely hilarious. It's an offbeat comedic stroke of genius and the most overlooked film of the 10's.
#11. The Revenant
Alejandro G. Inarritu's long take cinematography captures the scope and desperation of Hugh Glass' quest for survival in stunning fashion. You can't take your eyes off of the swirling action sequences and riveting performance of Leonardo DiCaprio. The natural lighting and extended shots give the entire experience an authenticity that allows you to become completely immersed in the atmosphere of Glass' incredible story.
#10. The Shape of Water
Guillermo Del Toro's gothic romance between a lonely deaf woman and an amphibious creature caught in captivity is the most heartwarming sci-fi fairytale since Edward Scissorhands. The brilliant ensemble of Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer and Michael Stuhlbarg bring a levity to this love story that keep it incredibly grounded and human despite it's fantasy infused narrative.
#9. Interstellar
Christopher Nolan's ambitious space odyssey is a signature celebration of intellectual exploration but it's also the most emotional picture Nolan's made to date. Matthew McConaughey's remarkable performance elevates the emotional tension of the film brilliantly while Hans Zimmer ratchets up the tension with the best score of his storied career.
#8. Black Swan
Natalie Portman's Oscar winning transformation from Nina Sayers to The Swan Queen is a haunting exploration of shame and indulgence that can't be missed. It takes the familiar tale of Swan Lake and turns it into psychological descent into madness. A disturbing portrait of a damaged young woman's surrender of innocence and the wreckage she leaves by the wayside as she becomes possessed by her drive to do anything for success.
See where Black Swan ranks among our Top 10 Horror Films of the Decade.
#7. Spring Breakers
Harmony Korrine's neon nightmare of social satire and late capitalism excess is a beautifully pitch black comedy about our cultural infatuation with sex, power and money. It's an intoxicating free-fall into a dystopian fever dream of entitlement with a bonkers James Franco performance as Alien serving as your tour guide through the surrealist hellscape of wannabe gangsters.
#6. Django Unchained
Quentin Tarantino's spaghetti Western (or Southern, as QT came to call it) about a runaway slave turned bounty hunter in search of his long lost bride is one of Tarantino's most well rounded films of his career. Saving his trademark stamp of blood shed and chaos for the scintillating conclusion, Quentin creates in Django and mentor Dr. Schultz, his most captivating characters in some time. Their budding friendship is what carries the film and makes DiCaprio's Calvin Candie all the more despicable as their opposition.
Read our full Django Unchained review as part of our Tarantino Retrospective here.
#5. The Master
Joaquin Phoenix reasserted himself as one of the most talented actors alive over the past decade and it all started with Paul Thomas Anderson's underrated masterpiece. The Master is a philosophical drama packed with Anderson's trademark dark humor and remarkable performances from Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Jesse Plemons, Rami Malek and the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman. It also features another incredible score from Jonny Greenwood and some of the most beautiful cinematography you'll ever see.
#4. Nebraska
Alexander Payne's spiritual successor to About Schmidt is a hilariously dry comedy and somber examination of a grumpy old man's quest for validation. It's an incredible off-beat road trip with a father and son both searching for purpose in the desolate terrain of fly-over country, fittingly depicted in black and white. Payne's wry sense of humor has never been better, with Nebraska serving as the perfect culmination of everything you've come to expect from the incredible filmmaker.
#3. Whiplash
J.K. Simmons gives a powerhouse performance in Damien Chazelle's breakout feature film debut about an intense music instructor who walks the line between a demanding masochist and an overly passionate perfectionist. It's an exhilarating dissection of how to get the most out of your potential and whether even the most extreme means can justify the end.
#2. Inception
Christopher Nolan's psychological sci-fi adventure is the most ground breaking blockbuster action film since The Matrix. Inception truly has it all - a heartbreaking love story, a star studded cast, incredible action set pieces, Hans Zimmer's iconic score, ideological themes for days and a perfectly ambiguous ending. The Dark Knight may go down as Nolan's most popular film but Inception is his by far his most complete.
#1. Birdman
An incredible exploration of ego and fame, Birdman encapsulates the millennial quest to be seen and adored in the social media age in exceptional fashion. It's a remarkably well written philosophical journey with one of the best ensemble casts of the decade. Michael Keaton gives the performance of his career while Emma Stone nearly steals the show herself as his disenfranchised daughter. And then of course, there's the technical side of things that stitches the entire story together in seemingly one take, which makes the film an absolute marvel to behold on every possible level. A modern masterpiece.
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