Here are my picks for the best movies of the 2010s. The list skews heavily toward the Hollywood big-hitters because that's what you predominantly get to see being an increasingly time-poor film reviewer in a country town. So if your favourite film isn't on the list, I probably haven't seen it.
Unless it's Interstellar. In which case, fuck that movie.
One more caveat: I gave up putting these films in order at some point, so if you come at me saying such-and-such a film is better than higher-placed such-and-such a film, you're probably right. Also, I lazily grouped a bunch of films together. Whatever - this was really fucking hard.
And I'm not going to make you dig to the bottom to find out what #1 is. You're welcome.
PS. Click the pics or movie titles to read full reviews where available.
1. Inception
Christopher Nolan's voyage into a dream within a dream within a dream had endlessly inventive visuals, a clever heist plot, a surprisingly heartfelt arc about love and loss, and one of the great endings of all time. It took some old pieces, mixed in some new ideas, and did things we had never seen before. At a time when intelligent blockbusters were hard to come by, Inception had brains to match its bending buildings.
2. La La Land
Every department in this film is working at its peak - cinematography, costume, choreography, script, direction, music, editing, and acting. Damien Chazelle emerged as one of the great directors of the decade, and in the willing triple-threats of Gosling and Stone he found the perfect cyphers to explore the true costs of achieving your dreams.
3. Arrival
One of the other great directors to emerge in the Teens was Denis Villeneuve, who told a sci-fi tale unlike any other in Arrival. Led by a top-of-her-game Amy Adams, it's an engrossing exploration of the power of language and communication that feels like a spiritual successor to Close Encounters Of The Third Kind.
Marvel dominated the 2010s, and this superhero-sized team-up was the moment it showed everyone how omnipotent and unstoppable it was. Joss Whedon brought the ill-fitting Avengers together into a wise-cracking unit that was the first of nine Marvel films to make a billion dollars at the worldwide box office, while still being a critical darling (91% on Rotten Tomatoes). Its mix of character and action is a template (or should be) for all superhero squad films that follow.
The thought of doing a film largely set within the head of an 11-year-old girl and where the principle characters are her emotions would send other animation studios reaching for the metaphorical paracetamol. Not Pixar, which makes pushing boundaries look effortless. The fact Pixar pulled off this hair-brained coming-of-age tale so brilliantly and beautifully is enough to make you want to stand up and applaud.
One of the greatest horror films of all time. They will be talking about this movie and what it represents for decades to come. Jordan Peele gave us a fresh perspective on what's scary and showed he is a directorial talent to be reckoned with.
7. Spotlight
Everyone needs an occasional reminder of the good the media can do, especially those of us who work in the industry. This exceptional "journos do their job" movie is more than that though - it's a riveting look at truth and power that rivals All The President's Men. Subtly directed, adroitly edited, and starring an ensemble in fine form, this is the best of the decade's Best Picture Oscar-winners ...
8. Birdman
... with this a close second. Alejandro Iñárritu's bold faux-single take captures comeback kid Michael Keaton in career-best form as an actor in a downward spiral. Everything about this movie – the performances, the direction, the score, the themes – is stellar (except the last five seconds, but I can overlook that).
This was the perfect ending to a perfect trilogy until they made the unexpectedly perfect Toy Story 4. Its richness of ideas and themes, the strength of its characters, its inventive humour and plotting - all of these things are of the highest calibre. And no matter how many times I watch this with my three-year-old, I still bawl in the same two places every time.
10. Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
Edgar Wright wrote his own rule book for this hyperactive piece of genius. It owes more to comic books and video games than cinema most of the time, and is one of the most enjoyable and inventive rom-coms ever made. There has been nothing like this film before or since.
11-13. The Planet Of The Apes trilogy
A reboot trilogy no one was asking for proved to be the best three-parter of the decade. Andy Serkis and the CG team behind the apes deserve truckloads of accolades for making Caesar one of the most well-rounded and fascinating characters of the past 10 years. Each film has been excellent, with its own themes and feel, combining to make an essential trilogy.
14. Joker
2019's best film was a super villain origin story that explored one of comicbookdom's best known figures in a bold new way. Joaquin Phoenix's gargantuan performance leads a creepy, propulsive story that explores the forgotten underbelly of society and what happens when someone falls through the cracks and strikes back.
15. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
This masterful script from director Martin McDonagh gives three all-time great actors - Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell - some of the best roles of their careers. At its heart it's about what death leaves behind, and the lasting impacts of violence, with every violent act in the film having interesting and unexpected repercussions. McDonagh's skill for black comedy is at the fore, softening the harshness of some of the content and packing a punch in other places.
16. Super 8
JJ Abrams' ode to Steven Spielberg is a perfect piece of escapism that updates the kids-own adventures of the '80s. Wrapped in warm nostalgia, it builds on the technical feats of the Abrams-produced Cloverfield, but throws a team of uber-talented teens into the mix, making it a coming-of-age sci-fi with heart and spectacle.
17 & 18. Avengers: Infinity War/Avengers: Endgame
The scope and scale of Marvel's decade-ending one-two punch is unrivalled. Thanos proved to be a multi-faceted villain worthy of concluding 12 years of wonderfully interwoven superhero fare, while the script juggles its 20+ characters with ease. It's the Ben Hur of our age.
19. The Wolf Of Wall Street
Martin Scorsese is still going strong. In fact, you could argue the 2010s saw him at the top of his game, with this tale of stock market arseholes among his best work. DiCaprio's cocaine-fuelled performance was one of eight (!) remarkable turns he gave us in the decade.
20 & 21. Paddington & Paddington 2
Pure joy - that's the best way to sum up these two flawless family films based on the adventures of Michael Bond's beloved bear. Paul King's visual flair adds a spark to match his heartfelt stories, which are taken to another level by a willing cast led by the villains of the two films - Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant, giving the funniest turns of their careers.
27. Boy
30. Ex Machina
31. Her
32. Django Unchained
35. Life Of Pi
39. Frozen
46. The Muppets
47. Gravity
48. Four Lions
49. Hugo
51. True Grit
52. Whiplash
53. The Social Network
55. The Cabin In The Woods
57. Captain Fantastic
59. Animal Kingdom
60. Searching For Sugarman
61. Prisoners
62. Chronicle
66. Midnight In Paris
67. The Babadook
71. Carol
73. Bridesmaids
74. Room
75. Skyfall
76. The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs
77. Baby Driver
78. Black Panther
79. Buried
80. Black Swan
81. The Artist
82. Chasing Ice
83. The Big Sick
84. Zootopia
85. Battle Of The Sexes
86. Blade Runner 2049
87. The Shape Of Water
88. Toy Story 4
89. A Star Is Born
90. Tickled
91. Manchester By The Sea
92. The Big Short
93. The Jungle Book
94. The Nice Guys
95. Moana
96. The Martian
97. Dr Strange
98. Creed
99. This Is The End
100. Looper
Every department in this film is working at its peak - cinematography, costume, choreography, script, direction, music, editing, and acting. Damien Chazelle emerged as one of the great directors of the decade, and in the willing triple-threats of Gosling and Stone he found the perfect cyphers to explore the true costs of achieving your dreams.
One of the other great directors to emerge in the Teens was Denis Villeneuve, who told a sci-fi tale unlike any other in Arrival. Led by a top-of-her-game Amy Adams, it's an engrossing exploration of the power of language and communication that feels like a spiritual successor to Close Encounters Of The Third Kind.
Marvel dominated the 2010s, and this superhero-sized team-up was the moment it showed everyone how omnipotent and unstoppable it was. Joss Whedon brought the ill-fitting Avengers together into a wise-cracking unit that was the first of nine Marvel films to make a billion dollars at the worldwide box office, while still being a critical darling (91% on Rotten Tomatoes). Its mix of character and action is a template (or should be) for all superhero squad films that follow.
The thought of doing a film largely set within the head of an 11-year-old girl and where the principle characters are her emotions would send other animation studios reaching for the metaphorical paracetamol. Not Pixar, which makes pushing boundaries look effortless. The fact Pixar pulled off this hair-brained coming-of-age tale so brilliantly and beautifully is enough to make you want to stand up and applaud.
Everyone needs an occasional reminder of the good the media can do, especially those of us who work in the industry. This exceptional "journos do their job" movie is more than that though - it's a riveting look at truth and power that rivals All The President's Men. Subtly directed, adroitly edited, and starring an ensemble in fine form, this is the best of the decade's Best Picture Oscar-winners ...
8. Birdman
... with this a close second. Alejandro Iñárritu's bold faux-single take captures comeback kid Michael Keaton in career-best form as an actor in a downward spiral. Everything about this movie – the performances, the direction, the score, the themes – is stellar (except the last five seconds, but I can overlook that).
This was the perfect ending to a perfect trilogy until they made the unexpectedly perfect Toy Story 4. Its richness of ideas and themes, the strength of its characters, its inventive humour and plotting - all of these things are of the highest calibre. And no matter how many times I watch this with my three-year-old, I still bawl in the same two places every time.
Edgar Wright wrote his own rule book for this hyperactive piece of genius. It owes more to comic books and video games than cinema most of the time, and is one of the most enjoyable and inventive rom-coms ever made. There has been nothing like this film before or since.
A reboot trilogy no one was asking for proved to be the best three-parter of the decade. Andy Serkis and the CG team behind the apes deserve truckloads of accolades for making Caesar one of the most well-rounded and fascinating characters of the past 10 years. Each film has been excellent, with its own themes and feel, combining to make an essential trilogy.
2019's best film was a super villain origin story that explored one of comicbookdom's best known figures in a bold new way. Joaquin Phoenix's gargantuan performance leads a creepy, propulsive story that explores the forgotten underbelly of society and what happens when someone falls through the cracks and strikes back.
This masterful script from director Martin McDonagh gives three all-time great actors - Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell - some of the best roles of their careers. At its heart it's about what death leaves behind, and the lasting impacts of violence, with every violent act in the film having interesting and unexpected repercussions. McDonagh's skill for black comedy is at the fore, softening the harshness of some of the content and packing a punch in other places.
JJ Abrams' ode to Steven Spielberg is a perfect piece of escapism that updates the kids-own adventures of the '80s. Wrapped in warm nostalgia, it builds on the technical feats of the Abrams-produced Cloverfield, but throws a team of uber-talented teens into the mix, making it a coming-of-age sci-fi with heart and spectacle.
The scope and scale of Marvel's decade-ending one-two punch is unrivalled. Thanos proved to be a multi-faceted villain worthy of concluding 12 years of wonderfully interwoven superhero fare, while the script juggles its 20+ characters with ease. It's the Ben Hur of our age.
Martin Scorsese is still going strong. In fact, you could argue the 2010s saw him at the top of his game, with this tale of stock market arseholes among his best work. DiCaprio's cocaine-fuelled performance was one of eight (!) remarkable turns he gave us in the decade.
Pure joy - that's the best way to sum up these two flawless family films based on the adventures of Michael Bond's beloved bear. Paul King's visual flair adds a spark to match his heartfelt stories, which are taken to another level by a willing cast led by the villains of the two films - Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant, giving the funniest turns of their careers.
48. Four Lions
49. Hugo
51. True Grit
52. Whiplash
53. The Social Network
55. The Cabin In The Woods
57. Captain Fantastic
59. Animal Kingdom
60. Searching For Sugarman
61. Prisoners
62. Chronicle
66. Midnight In Paris
67. The Babadook
71. Carol
73. Bridesmaids
74. Room
75. Skyfall
76. The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs
77. Baby Driver
78. Black Panther
79. Buried
80. Black Swan
81. The Artist
82. Chasing Ice
83. The Big Sick
84. Zootopia
85. Battle Of The Sexes
86. Blade Runner 2049
87. The Shape Of Water
88. Toy Story 4
89. A Star Is Born
90. Tickled
91. Manchester By The Sea
92. The Big Short
93. The Jungle Book
94. The Nice Guys
95. Moana
96. The Martian
97. Dr Strange
98. Creed
99. This Is The End
100. Looper
Thanks for getting all the way to the end. I appreciate it. Apologies to The Lego Movie, which would have #101.
Tell me in the comments what 2010s movies I need to see.
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