The Top 20 Movies of the 2010s:
The 2010s was the decade in which movies changed forever. How they are now made, released, shown to and received by audiences is barely recognizable to a decade or two previous when they were king of all popular entertainment/art. In the 2010s, digital officially replaced celluloid at both the studios and the multiplexes. Home video streaming became the preferred method to release the majority of first-run movies that didn’t cost at least $100 million to produce.
Movie theaters are struggling more than ever, yet the number of movies in production gets higher every year. People still seem to want movies—just not so much that they’re willing to go out of their way to find them. Easy access has allowed the moving image’s place in popular culture to be taken over by video games, episodic shows and YouTube clips. And with new threats like immersive VR technology becoming more accessible every year, the feature film’s future is uncertain, to say the least.
Amongst the flood of movies released in the 2010s, there were many stale and tired titles to sort through—major and independent alike. But it’s important to remember that there was also a great amount of gold. Feature films aren’t dead yet, and the quality of movies released last decade proves that. The problem is, many of them went by unnoticed or were quickly forgotten about–victims of too many options available on too many platforms.
The 2010s may or may not have been the last decade in which feature movies held significant importance–which they managed in spite of their current struggles. As for the struggles and the years ahead, we’ll have to wait and see if the last ten years were a great ending or a new beginning to this ever-evolving cinematic era.
1. Spring Breakers (2013)
2. Enter the Void (2010)
3. The Tree of Life (2011)
Terrence Malick thoughtfully looks to the heavens and finds grace in humanity–even in its darkest corners–with The Tree of Life. Harmony Korine shamelessly looks to the trash and finds a similar grace–though one fuelled by hedonistic depravity–with Spring Breakers. Gaspar Noé reaches for both ends of the spectrum and uncovers the most audaciously bipolar extremes imaginable with Enter the Void.
Consider this something of a three-way tie, though I did rank them according to my personal preference. These are the best films to date from three of the most visionary filmmakers of their time (Malick being a couple of generations before Korine and Noé). All three films grandly showcase a drive to push the boundaries of modern-day filmmaking to new limits.
The Tree of Life is a beautiful cinematic poem that places a 1950s American family in the context of evolution. Enter the Void is a meditative and gorgeously excessive depiction of a drug dealer’s mind as his life ends. And Spring Breakers, the film that I consider to be the best of the decade, is a no-holds-barred representation of America’s morally flattened youth told in the most schizophrenic and imaginative way possible. For the record, it secured its number one spot on this list because of its ingenious use of the Britney Spears song Everytime during a montage of violent rampages.
To give all due credit, the nonlinear, hand-held, liquidly edited style of all three films springs from Malick’s earlier work (Badlands, Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line) and expands upon it. They all go their own way to be unique in their own right, however, and they all achieve greatness by boldly reaching heights never quite before seen.
4. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Cowriter/director George Miller delivers spectacular and concise chaos with his continuation of the post-apocalyptic Mad Max saga. Complete with car chases that showcase choreography as elegant as dance numbers and set/costume designs that push its style into a realm of surrealism, Mad Max: Fury Road is, to put it bluntly, the most finely crafted and carefully executed action film ever made.
Tom Hardy seamlessly fills Mel Gibson’s shoes as the title character, playing him with an appropriate internalized energy that could read as either searing menace or quiet integrity. Charlize Theron continues to prove she is the most versatile badass to ever walk in front of a camera with her portrayal of the rebel warrior Furiosa. Please make another one, guys.
5. Drive (2011)
The art-house and the grindhouse magically collide in Nicolas Winding-Refn’s ultra-stylized, brutally violent dramatic actioner, Drive. Ryan Gosling turns stoicism into high art, portraying one of the most complicated, quietly commanding and endearing action heroes in recent memory.
The story-–which centers around a stunt/getaway driver (Gosling) who gets in deep with criminals after trying to aide his endangered next-door neighbor (a graceful and warm Carey Mulligan)—isn’t anything particularly special. Drive is a movie whose greatness is almost entirely indebted to its director. The visionary length to which Refn goes in presenting the film’s potentially stale screenplay is beyond remarkable. The neon-drenched, 80s soundtrack-accompanied atmosphere of the film—and how it highlights the loneliness and desires of its characters—is what will keep people talking about it for years to come.
6. Gone Girl (2014)
Based on Gillian Flynn’s best-selling mystery novel, Gone Girl is the funniest movie of the 2010s. Yes, you read that correctly. The film—about a flawed man (Ben Affleck) who faces media scrutiny after his wife (Rosamund Pike) goes missing– is a one-of-a-kind laugh riot.
Flynn’s world–brimming with murder, dysfunctional families and personality disorders–always seems to be aware of its own dark absurdity–though no one would ever dare call her novels comedies. In the hands of director David Fincher, however, Gone Girl is a downright scathing and hard-biting satire that thoughtfully and hilariously targets modern-day American marriage. As wholly engrossing as the story’s mystery is onscreen, its suspense and drama hold all the more weight because they ultimately serve as the set-up to a very sick and oddly profound joke.
7. Ask Me Anything (2014)
In Ask Me Anything, Britt Robertson fully and devastatingly inhabits the character of Katie Kampenfelt: a young, reckless teenager who takes the year off between high school and college to explore multiple sexual relationships and blog all about them in salacious detail. She is empty enough to need the attention, narcissistic enough to let it fuel her behavior and damaged enough to let it eat her alive.
Screenwriter/director Allison Burnett (who adapted his own novel, Undiscovered Gyrl) expertly plays with tone and expectation to deliver the perfect epiphany to his story. Ask Me Anything strikes an emotional chord that resonates on a grand level–it is the most poignant and haunting examination of the online generation we have yet to see onscreen.
Keep an eye out for the sequel, Another Girl, which is to be released later this year.
8. Once Upon a Time In Hollywood (2019)
Once Upton a Time In Hollywood is the most thrilling and pure film that Quentin Tarantino has created since the 90s. His love letter to the 60s and good ol’ fashioned toxic masculinity is the first film the pop auteur has delivered since Jackie Brown that feels like it came from his heart rather than a fan-/critic-/studio-/self-imposed obligation to unleash yet another self-aware, monologue-filled, hyper-violent, reference-laden QUENTIN TARANTINO FILM.
True-to-life characters, great performances (Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio both shine in lead roles) and loose, organic writing make for a human and relatable fairy tale that fictionalizes history in the most honest and satisfying manner possible. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood finally showcases the growth (while still celebrating the above-mentioned qualities) of one of the industry’s most talented—yet charmingly stunted—filmmakers of our time.
9. Dragged Across Concrete (2019)
Slow-burning, character-driven, pulpy, brutal and beautiful, Dragged Across Concrete packed one of the biggest punches of the 2010s. Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn portray two (almost comically) un-PC policemen who devise a plan to rob criminals after receiving a suspension for excessive force. Both stars give natural and ego-less performances that remind us of how great they are when in their proper element. It’s Tory Kittles’ (season one of True Detective) show, however, with his portrayal of a highly intelligent and oddly moral criminal who finds himself in the middle of a bank heist gone terribly and violently awry.
Writer/director S. Craig Zahler (Bone Tomahawk, Brawl in Cell Block 99) ignores genre conventions and instead dwells on atmosphere, character details and crackling dialogue exchanges. The racial tensions, social injustices and economic struggles that haunt the film’s characters hold the same weight as its narrative drive—but never in a distracting or preachy manner. Dragged Across Concrete refreshingly lets its characters exist within their realities without judgment. It luxuriously unfolds at the steady beat of Zahler’s own drum, and the final result is the rapidly rising talent’s most fulfilling and accomplished film to date.
10. Blue Valentine (2011) /The Place Beyond the Pines (2013)
When it comes to brutally honest onscreen portrayals of human damage, there is not another writer/director more uncompromising or adept than Derek Cianfrance. Both of these titles exhibit raw, volatile emotions, effortless performances and selfless, unobtrusive filmmaking. Sensitivity balances these qualities, which further receive highlight by an intermittent poeticism that is reminiscent of Malick—but also unique in and of itself.
Blue Valentine features two of the best performances of the decade in Ryan Gosling’s and Michelle Williams’ portrayal of a dysfunctional couple coming to terms with what could be the end of their marriage. Their performances are so wholly naturalistic that the film almost feels like an artistic-minded reality show. The two actors deeply inhabit their characters to exhibit a devastating truth, and the audience can’t help but experience every heart-wrenching moment right along with them.
Any contrivances or padding one might expect from such a film are tossed aside in favor of honest human emotion. Blue Valentine goes places few films dare, and it succeeds because of its consistent refusal to look away.
Another emotional powerhouse of a movie, The Place Beyond the Pines is a three-part story about lineage, absent fathers and crime. Ryan Gosling portrays a motorcycle stunt rider who succumbs to robbing banks so he can provide for his newborn son–thus setting off a chain of events that echo throughout the film’s near-two-decade timeline. Even though he only appears in the first third of the film, the presence of Gosling’s character (aided by his masterfully sympathetic portrayal) hovers throughout the rest of the film. The ensemble also includes excellent performances from Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Ben Mendelsohn, Ray Liotta, Mahershala Ali, Emory Cohen and Dane DeHaan.
The Place Beyond the Pines is an ambitious and sprawling film told in pieces that ultimately amount to an overwhelmingly emotional whole. It all comes together in its devastating last act—where Cianfrance’s abilities match his aspirations to result in an unforgettable masterwork.
11. Detachment (2012)
American History X director Tony Kaye isn’t returning to full form—he’s finally given the opportunity to exhibit it—with this emotionally charged and highly innovative look at the American educational system. It’s nothing short of amazing what the filmmaker is able to accomplish when he is free of studio heads, accountants and Edward Norton hovering over his shoulder. By way of a flawless cast and Kaye’s artistically courageous filmmaking, Detachment succeeds as both a celebration of educators’ heroism as well as an uncompromising examination of the spirit-crushing obstacles they face on a daily basis.
Adrien Brody is fantastic as a New York City substitute teacher who–in spite of all his best efforts–is unable to emotionally detach himself from his latest job. Brody’s performance gets a boost from one of the most impressive supporting casts (James Caan, Marcia Gay Harden, Christina Hendricks, Lucy Liu, Blythe Danner, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Tim Blake Nelson, William Peterson, Betty Kaye, Bryan Cranston etc.) assembled in the 2010s or any other decade.
12. Prisoners (2013) /Sicario (2015)
Of the many directors who made a name for themselves in the 2010s, there isn’t a more simultaneously stylish and grounded one than Denis Villeneuve. He may have received more critical and audience attention for his grand forays into science fiction last decade (Arrival and Blade Runner 2049), but I responded more favorably to these two gritty thrillers (both of which were photographed by the great Roger Deakins). Villeneuve’s controlled, indistinctly surreal perspective adds a layer of heightened reality to everything he does–but he’s more effective in making real-world stories feel mystical than in making fantastical worlds tangible.
Jake Gyllenhaal gives the performance of his career (to date) in Villeneuve’s masterful entry into Hollywood filmmaking, Prisoners. Portraying a detective trying to track down two missing girls, there is a bleak, fascinating history on the actor’s face, in his mannerisms and in his voice. These characteristics all reflect and further bring to life Villeneuve’s somber, modern-noir-like style for the film. Paul Dano and Hugh Jackman are predictably brilliant as the prime suspect and the grieving father who will stop at absolutely nothing to find his daughter.
The screenplay, written by Aaron Guzikowski, is as rich and layered with detail as Gyllenhaal’s performance. It provides the blueprint for a very disturbing–yet painfully human–dramatic thriller that intelligently rises above any genre trappings. The intricacy and artistry that went into Prisoners make it an unforgettable psychological thriller, and the best of its kind since The Silence of the Lambs.
Sicario— a searing character/political drama in-disguise as an action-thriller–is just as masterful and intelligent in its own right. From a detailed and brutal script by Taylor Sheridan (Hell or High Water, Wind River), Villeneuve creates a pulsating and dangerously gorgeous depiction of the drug war in Mexico. Taking cues from Michael Mann and Ridley Scott, Villeneuve approaches the subject matter with a searing, trance-like and occasionally ethereal style—one that makes its short, sudden bursts of violence all the more effective and shocking.
Emily Blunt provides the film with integrity and heart, portraying an FBI agent who is recruited by the CIA to help a Delta Force team stop the head of a drug cartel. Benicio Del Toro–in his portrayal of one of the team’s mysterious associates– gives a contained, quietly commanding performance that is among his most effective.
13. Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)
A group of troubled souls intersects at a novelty hotel on the Nevada/California border in the late-60s. Bad Times at the El Royale doesn’t follow any typical formula, it instead follows the organic, unpredictable behavior of its richly drawn and developed characters—and the extreme consequences of their chance encounters.
Writer/director Drew Goddard’s linearly fractured, multi-character noir is one of the smartest and most complex thrillers in recent memory. Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Lewis Pullman and Chris Hemsworth stand out amongst the stellar and flawless ensemble. Goddard’s filmmaking is as innovative as it is subtle. Bad Times at the El Royale is one of the fullest and most thrilling cinematic rides of the decade.
14. We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
Based on Lionel Shriver’s novel, We Need to Talk About Kevin presents us with—but never dares answer—the question of what makes someone do horrific deeds. The nature versus nurture debate receives rich exploration in co-writer (with Rory Stewart Kinnear) /director Lynne Ramsay’s stylishly enveloping portrait of a disturbed mother/son relationship.
Tilda Swinton excels at portraying a mother who, while observing her son’s growth over the years, seems convinced there is something dangerously wrong with him. In turn, her behavior towards him grows cold. By the time he’s a teenager (portrayed with conflicting moments of humanity and menace by Ezra Miller), there’s no telling whose behavior so negatively impacted the other’s to create so much pain. The film astutely and courageously presents questions that are in dire need of examination but to which there are no easy answers. Ramsay’s refusal to provide them is what makes We Need to Talk About Kevin such an unforgettable accomplishment.
15. Super (2011)
Though James Gunn has since excelled both artistically and financially in the mainstream, it’s important to look back on the Lloyd Kaufman-educated, independent-minded and sharply satirical roots that got him there. Luckily for us, those characteristics are all fully realized and on glorious display in Super, Gunn’s darkly hilarious, hyper-violent and cleverly meta love letter to all things superhero.
Rainn Wilson gives a synchronously hilarious and heart-aching portrayal of an everyday man who—after losing his addict wife to a comically sociopathic drug dealer played by Kevin Bacon—decides to don a costume and fight crime. Ellen Page stands out among the stellar supporting cast (Liv Tyler, Michael Rooker, Nathan Fillion, Linda Cardellini, Sean Gunn etc.) as Wilson’s lovable but dangerously insane sidekick.
16. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
Director Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave–based upon the true story of a kidnapped African-American man who was forced into slavery for twelve years–is a rare film that exhibits class, humanity and skill. 12 Years A Slave hits all the right notes for its subject matter while still exhibiting maturity and restraint. It never lowers itself to emotional manipulation or easy solutions to its most disturbing aspects.
McQueen’s direction of John Ridley’s screenplay (based on Solomon Northrup’s 1853 memoir) is calculated and unobtrusive. Chimwetel Ejiofor’s portrayal of Northrup is the definition of dedicated, as utterly painful to watch as it should be. Michael Fassbender is terrifying as a hopelessly self-righteous and hateful slave owner. 12 Years a Slave is one of the best movies to have any kind of an Oscar sweep (Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress for Lupita Nyong’o and Best Adapted Screenplay) in recent memory.
17. First Reformed (2018)
Paul Schrader’s directorial masterwork is an exercise in perfection. From concept to execution, First Reformed is a rare film that works on every level it aspires to reach. It succeeds both in its grand-scale themes of ecological disaster and in its smaller, intimate moments of character study.
Ethan Hawke outdoes all of his past work with his pained, vulnerable portrayal of an alcoholic and lifeless priest falling deeper and deeper into a self-induced vortex of despair and alienation. Amanda Seyfried offers excellent support as Hawke’s only hope for human connection. First Reformed is an instant classic by one of the few remaining filmmakers of his time whose integrity and talent are still fully intact.
18. Sorry to Bother You (2018)
Boots Riley’s writing and directing debut is one of the smartest, most original and most daring American satires of this or any era. LaKeith Stanfield stars as a young African-American man who loses his identity while rising in the ranks of a white-dominated call center. Absurdist and spot-on observations of racism, capitalism, American values and general stupidity accumulate into a conclusion that is as justifiably scathing as it is unbelievably–and ingeniously–strange.
Sorry to Bother You‘s innovation matches its astute awareness. The film persistently projects intelligence and reminds us that there is a very specific point to even its most insane and chaotic of events. With one film under his belt, Riley has instantly proven himself as a name to watch.
19. Mother! (2017)
Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! may not be the most enjoyable or emotionally pleasing movie of the 2010s, but it stills deserves credit for being what it is: an inspired, aggressively absurd and darkly brilliant piece of filmmaking.
Is it a euphemism for human destruction of the planet, an updated spin on the Bible or an emotional representation of the self-sacrifices one has to make while being married to a narcissist? Wherever your interpretation leads you, the film gets into your head, stays there and infects your entire being with every unforgettable frame of its existence. There is nothing like it before and there will be nothing like it again. Mother! is a truly astounding accomplishment–even though I will most likely only view it once or twice more in my lifetime.
20. Allure (2018)
Evan Rachel Wood’s performance in Allure should have been as celebrated as Ethan Hawke’s in First Reformed when both films were released in 2018. It’s just as committed and every bit as devastating to witness. Wood portrays a troubled house cleaner who seduces the teenage daughter (Julia Sarah Stone) of one of her clients, then proceeds to hold her physically and emotionally captive.
Writers/directors Carlos and Jason Sanchez deliver an unforgettable debut. Easy escapism it is not, as Allure refuses to pull any punches. The film takes its subject matter very seriously, refusing to succumb to the cheap thriller formula its premise might suggest. It is a brutally honest film about the cycle of abuse in which Wood’s character is as much the victim as she is the predator. The terror she inflicts on others and the horror she experiences while discovering what she’s capable of is painfully, nakedly depicted by the actress–who never ceases to amaze with what she is capable of achieving onscreen.
The Top 20 Movies That Were Very Painful To Leave Off The Top Twenty Movies of the 2010s (AKA, Top Twenty, Part Two):
1. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, 2. Bone Tomahawk/Brawl in Cell Block 99 (tie), 3. The Lobster/The Killing of a Sacred Deer (tie), 4. Mandy, 5. Jojo Rabbit, 6. Young Adult, 7. Neon Demon/Only God Forgives (tie), 8. The End of the Tour, 9. Little Women, 10. Trainwreck, 11. Moonlight, 12. Dolemite Is My Name, 13. The Florida Project, 14. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vols. 1 and 2 (tie), 15. The Skeleton Twins, 16. Prometheus, 17. Silver Linings Playbook, 18. Shame, 19. Cold in July, 20a. Snowpiercer, 20b. Anomolisa
Looking at this particular list is a painful reminder of all the great titles I had to excise from my top twenty of the 2010s. There were too many to name.
I will re-watch Bone Tomahawk, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Lobster, Young Adult, Snowpiercer, Mandy, Dolemite Is My Name, Prometheus, Cold in July, Trainwreck, Shame, Brawl in Cell Block 99 and many films that didn’t make either list far more times than I will re-watch over half the titles I selected for the top twenty. But re-watchability doesn’t always outweigh a film’s overall accomplishment. As great as it is to come across a movie you can repeatedly enjoy and rediscover, there’s something to be said for a film that gets its point across and sticks in your head after a single viewing.
The 20 Most Underrated Movies of the 2010s:
1. Ask Me Anything, 2. Detachment, 3. The Place Beyond the Pines, 4. Bad Times at the El Royale, 5. Allure, 6. Cold In July, 7. Mean Dreams, 8. Knives and Skin, 9. Mr. Nobody, 10. The Perfection, 11. Black & Blue, 12. Zoe, 13. The Glass Castle, 14. Filth, 15. Assassination Nation, 16. Under the Silver Lake, 17. Love & Mercy, 18. Upgrade, 19. Rampart, 20. Destroyer
This could have easily been a Top 100 list. There were so many great movies that fell by the wayside in the 2010s that the subject deserves its own standalone piece. Countless filmmakers–seasoned and budding alike–made bold and original films that never caught on with mainstream audiences but easily could have with the right timing and marketing.
Needless to say by now, I cannot shut up about Ask Me Anything and its intricately simple greatness. Detachment is one of the most emotionally raw films I have ever encountered. I’ll never fully understand how The Place Beyond the Pines, Zoe, The Glass Castle, Love & Mercy and Bad Times at the El Royale weren’t audience and award darlings.
Mean Dreams, Cold In July, The Perfection, Upgrade, Destroyer, Rampart and Black and Blue are all wonderful thrillers that put a unique and unforgettable spin on their genre.
Movies like Knives and Skin, Allure, Under the Silver Lake, Filth, Mr. Nobody and Assassination Nation all took great artistic risks that creatively paid off– but none of them had enough attention to create any kind of impact.
The Top 20 Television/Streaming Series of the 2010s:
1. Hannibal, 2. True Detective, 3. Eastbound & Down/Vice Principals/The Righteous Gemstones (tie), 4. The End of the F****ing World, 5. Black Mirror, 6. Too Old To Die Young, 7. Mindhunter, 8. The Mandalorian, 9. Breaking Bad, 10. Sharp Objects, 11. Watchmen/The Leftovers (tie), 12. Escape at Dannemora, 13. Barry, 14. Stranger Things, 15. Love, Death and Robots, 16. American Crime Story, 17. Roseanne Reboot/The Conners (tie), 18. Rick and Morty, 19. Bojack Horseman, 20. Sherlock
Television and streaming series essentially became the new cinema in the last ten years. That’s where the most complex characters seem to live and breathe onscreen, and where the most intoxicating stories are able to intricately unfold at their own pace.
Comedy developed into something not so easy to categorize, with shows like Barry, End of the F***ing World, Bojack Horseman and Eastbound & Down shifting tones between absurd humor and blunt dramatic reality on a regular basis. Disney+ started strong right out of the gate with their excellent Mandalorian series—by far the greatest Star Wars entry since the original trilogy.
Dramatic stories intended for adults benefited the most from the episodic format—far better than feature films. Shows like True Detective, Breaking Bad, The Leftovers, Watchmen (don’t mistake it for a comic book show) and American Crime Story all developed substantial followings for their rich storylines and relatable, realistic characters.
Top directors like Ben Stiller and Nicolas Winding-Refn were given full creative freedom and delivered miniseries (Escape at Dannemora and Too Old to Die Young) with styles and subject matters too bold for today’s large screen. A show like Hannibal—Bryan Fuller’s surreal and gorgeously brutal adaptation of Thomas Harris’ Hannibal Lecter novels—could have only existed during a time when filmmakers turned to the small screen to take the largest risks.
The Top 20 Directors of the 2010s:
1. Gaspar Noé, 2. Harmony Korine, 3. Nicolas Winding-Refn, 4. S. Craig Zahler, 5. Denis Villeneuve, 6. Terrence Malick and Martin Scorsese (tie), 7. Steve McQueen, 8. Derek Cianfrace, 9. Bong Joon-ho, 10. James Gunn, 11. Jordan Peele, 12. Greta Gerwig, 13. Yorgos Lanthimos, 14. Ryan Coogler, 15. Paul Schrader, 16. Lynne Ramsey, 17. Sean Baker, 18. Patty Jenkins, 19. George Miller, 20. Barry Jenkins
Many great filmmakers delivered impressive works in the last ten years. The ones who seemed to make the most impact or who delivered the most individualistic bodies of work are the ones who made this list, however. For every filmmaker mentioned here, there are at least three others who were doing something just as special in their own right.
Terrence Malick, Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader and George Miller all deserve a spot for being old-school guys who put Quentin Tarantino’s “directing is a young man’s game” theory to the test.
James Gunn brought his unique sensibilities to the mainstream with his Guardians of the Galaxy entries. Patty Jenkins (Monster) went from being a strong independent voice to setting a record for being the first female director behind a blockbuster superhero movie with Wonder Woman. Ryan Coogler set similar records and gave us the first blockbuster superhero movie featuring an African-American-dominated cast with Black Panther.
Nicolas Winding-Refn, Steve McQueen, Yorgos Lanthimos, S. Craig Zahler, Bong Joon-ho, Jordan Peele, Greta Gerwig, Lynne Ramsey, Sean Baker and Barry Jenkins all contributed works that make them some of the most identifiable auteurs working today.
Harmony Korine and Gaspar Noé were the two most exciting (and polarizing) directors of the 2010s, however, with their audacious and excessively innovative cinematic ambitions.
The Top 20 Performers of the 2010s:
1. Charlize Theron, 2. Ryan Gosling, 3. Mahershala Ali, 4. Amy Adams, 5. Patricia Arquette, 6. Jennifer Lawrence, 7. Tom Hardy, 8. Idris Elba, 9. Michael Fassbender, 10. Jessica Chastain, 11. Joaquin Phoenix, 12. Ethan Hawke, 13. Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig (tie), 14. Cynthia Erivo, 15. Michelle Williams, 16. Michael B. Jordan, 17. Benedict Cumberbatch, 18. Evan Rachel Wood, 19. Octavia Spencer, 20. Kumanji Nijanisk
The 2010s gave us a plethora of acting talent onscreen—whether the individuals were just coming into prominence or already established.
Jennifer Lawrence became America’s darling with The Hunger Games and Silver Linings Playbook. Michael B. Jordan became a household name with Creed and Black Panther after proving his chops with Fruitvale Station. Mahershala Ali made himself known with a vengeance, exhibiting abilities few actors possess. Jessica Chastain, Michael Fassbender, Amy Adams, Benedict Cumberbatch, Idris Elba and Tom Hardy also became household names in the 2010s, each creating a body of work that exhibited range, skill and intelligence.
Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig proved that former Saturday Night Live cast members could still go on to have substantial careers portraying complex characters. Kumanji Niganisk entered the scene with a dry, lovable and sharply timed wit that is quickly making him a “go-to” for strong comedic characters with heart.
Those already well-known also had opportunities to exhibit their talents. Joaquin Phoenix lived and breathed a comic book character to create a stunning portrayal of mental illness in Joker. Ethan Hawke didn’t always make the best choices, but also pulled off what might have been the performance of the decade with his painfully committed work in First Reformed. Ryan Gosling managed the most eclectic resume of the decade, holding out to work with only the boldest and most celebrated directors (Refn, Cianfrance, Villeneuve, Malick, Shane Black, Adam McKay, Damien Chazelle, George Clooney) of the 2010s.
Charlize Theron, however, takes the top spot for further proving her limitless versatility. In the 2010s, she was a Disney villain (Snow White and the Huntsman), a complete badass (Atomic Blonde, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Fate of the Furious), a hilarious comedienne (Long Shot, A Million Ways to Die in the West) and a wholly committed dramatic actress incapable of portraying a false moment (Young Adult, Tully, Bombshell). There is not another prominent actor from the 2010s—male or female—who can match her fearlessness, talent or eye-and-heart grabbing onscreen charisma.
The Top 10 Movies of 2010:
1. Enter the Void, 2. Blue Valentine, 3. Mr. Nobody, 4. Dogtooth, 5. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, 6. Black Swan, 7. Boy, 8. Inception and Shutter Island (tie), 9. 127 Hours, 10. The Town
A solid year to start the decade, filled with an exciting amount of great films. Mr. Nobody technically was only released in Canada this year and didn’t get an official U.S. release until 2013, but I count it here. I’ll give a two-way tie to Machete and The Expendables for self-aware action cheese greatness as an alternate number 10 if you want to get picky, though.
The Top 10 Movies of 2011:
1. The Tree of Life, 2. Drive, 3. We Need To Talk About Kevin, 4. Super, 5. Young Adult, 6. Shame, 7. The Skin I Live In, 8. Melancholia, 9. Hugo, 10. Hesher and 50/50 (tie)
Looking back, there weren’t a lot of great films beyond this list in 2011, but the ones that made it were all pretty much instant classics. The Tree of Life and Drive, in particular, paved the way for and influenced a lot of great movies in the years to follow.
The Top 10 Movies of 2012:
1. Detachment, 2. Prometheus, 3. Silver Linings Playbook, 4. Moonrise Kingdom, 5. Seven Psychopaths, 6. Django Unchained, 7. Rampart, 8. Looper, 9. Frankenweenie, 10. Cloud Atlas
Sorry, but I loved Prometheus and Cloud Atlas. There may have been “better” movies that deserved to be on this list, but I can forgive these titles’ faults for their attributes and ambitions.
The Top 10 Movies of 2013:
1. Spring Breakers, 2. The Place Beyond The Pines, 3. Prisoners, 4. 12 Years a Slave, 5. Only God Forgives, 6. Don Jon, 7. August: Osage County, 8. Saving Mr. Banks, 9. Captain Phillips, 10. The Wolf of Wall Street
A fantastic year for movies filled with far too many greats for one list. For me, however, 2013 was and will always be the year where everything was Spring Breakers and nothing hurt.
The Top 10 Movies of 2014:
1. Gone Girl, 2. Ask Me Anything, 3. Guardians of the Galaxy, 4. Snowpiercer, 5. The Skeleton Twins, 6. Cold In July, 7. The Grand Budapest Hotel, 8. Interstellar, 9. Boyhood, 10. Life Itself
I really liked Birdman and Inherent Vice… I just liked other movies more in 2014.
The Top 10 Movies of 2015:
1. Mad Max: Fury Road, 2. Bone Tomahawk, 3. The End of the Tour, 4. Trainwreck, 5. Love & Mercy, 6. Predestination, 7. De Palma, 8. The Martian, 9. Carol, 10. Creed
This was the year of the return to Star Wars—not a bad movie, just the beginning of a very messy but entertaining new trilogy that did not warrant all the hype. Mad Max deserved its attention and box office, however, and Bone Tomahawk brought us a new, bold voice to genre movies in S. Craig Zahler.
The Top 10 Movies of 2016:
1. The Lobster, 2. Neon Demon, 3. Moonlight, 4. Anomolisa, 5. Silence, 6. The Nice Guys, 7. Nocturnal Animals, 8. Elle, 9. Triple 9, 10. It Follows
This was an interesting year that seemed to be full of underrated cult movies. The Lobster’s deadpan humor and surrealistic satire took me a couple of years to fully appreciate. I wouldn’t have named it my favorite film of the year at the time of its release. In fact, all the above titles need at least two viewings to be fully appreciated. It just goes to show you that no list is ever finished…
The Top 10 Movies of 2017:
1. Mother!, 2. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, 3. Killing of a Sacred Deer, 4. Brawl in Cell Block 99, 5. The Florida Project, 6. Dunkirk, 7. Mean Dreams, 8. Una, 9. Thor: Ragnarok and Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 (tie), 10. Detroit and Molly’s Game (tie)
This was the year of the return to the return of Star Wars—the sequel that everybody seemed to strongly like or dislike for reasons that had nothing to do with the movie itself. Mother!, on the other hand, was universally beloved by all… In my mind.
The Top 10 Movies of 2018:
1. Bad Times at the El Royale, 2. First Reformed, 3. Sorry to Bother You, 4. Allure, 5. Mandy, 6. If Beale Street Could Talk, 7. Tully and The Front Runner (tie), 8. The Favourite, 9. Leave No Trace and Galveston (tie),10. Assassination Nation
A year of underappreciated films that took some great risks. Mandy’s colorful heavy metal insanity just keeps getting more brilliant every time I watch it. First Reformed is an exercise in perfection. Allure cuts me to the bone and Sorry to Bother You is easily one of the best American satires of the last thirty years. I will forever scratch my head as to how Bad Times at the El Royale failed to strike a chord with audiences and critics.
The Top 10 Movies of 2019:
1. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, 2. Dragged Across Concrete, 3. Jojo Rabbit, 4. Little Women, 5. Dolemite Is My Name, 6. Climax, 7. Parasite, 8. The Beach Bum, 9. Knives and Skin, 10a. Uncut Gems, 10b. Just Mercy
The perfect closing to the cinematic decade, filled with far too many great movies to list. The return to the return to the return of Star Wars was a bit quieter this year (though still not a bad movie), which allowed for other movies to fill audiences’ headspaces a little more evenly.
