For every gripe people
had with the 2010s in terms of film trends and bad movies, for what it is worth
this past decade has been absolutely incredible for films. We have gotten so
many good movies from fun blockbusters, ambitious animation projects, heartfelt
indie dramas and so much more that I felt it was necessary to honor some of
these great films. Narrowing it down to 30 films, I feel it is a great
opportunity to honor some of the films that truly impacted me and stuck with me
for over the years. These are the films that I feel will stick with me
throughout the next decade, so without further ado, here are my picks for the
best films of the 2010s.
30.
‘Avengers Infinity War/Endgame’
With these movies being the ones to kick off my list, I’m going
to get either one of two reactions. Either you think it’s invalid for me to put
a Blockbuster Marvel movie on a best of the Decade at all or you’re going to
think I should have put these movies on a higher spot. While I’ve had my gripes
with Marvel over the years, there’s no denying the impact they had on the
industry. Sometimes they actually do deserve a ton of credit and have even
gotten better with their films. Infinity
War makes the list some of the best elements of the Marvel movies from the
characters, action and comic book flare and ups it big time. But what really is
respectfully as a franchise movie is that this is one of the few Marvel movies
that actually takes a risk and improves the faults of other movies by giving us
an engaging villain and a massive cliffhanger ending that actually work. As for
Endgame while I do have more issues
with it and think it’s a weaker film, it also makes the list for having some
great tension following up the previous movie and having one of the guarantee
best finales to not only a movie but a film franchise as grand as Marvel. I’ll
never forget the reaction the theater had when Capt. America finally held
Thor’s hammer and it helps serves as one of the most fulfilling and epic
finales to something as big as Marvel. These movies serve as a good duo of
films for taking one of the biggest film franchises and turning it into an
unforgettable event of the decade. These movies are both what Justice League and Rise of Skywalker
should have been!
29. ‘Django Unchained’
Tarantino has provided with a couple of solid films this
decade but by far the best one he did in my opinion is Django Unchained. For as much as I enjoyed both the Hateful Eight and Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, they
couldn’t come close to the quality of Django
for me. Being a straight up revenge film with Tarantino’s style, Django Unchained is filled with some
great action and dialogue sequence that make it a treat to watch for the two
and a half hour runtime. Not to mention, film has four powerhouse performances
with Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson and Leonardo DiCaprio in a
few incredible sequences, make Django
the finest thing that Tarantino contributed all decade in my opinion.
28. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’
The most fun to have when watching a Marvel Movie, Guardians of the Galaxy is so great because it isn’t a typical
superhero film. I mean between James Gunn, the 70s soundtrack, the neat sci-fi
world and two of the main characters being a tree and a raccoon, this is a 80s
cult Sci-fi film given a modern day budget. However that is far from a
complaint because this movie is awesome providing not only a fun and different
experience compared to other Marvel affairs, but also giving an awesome cast of
new characters that have become iconic at this point. I wanted to also give an
honorable mention to the sequel which arguably had a lot more energy and
character to it than the first. But I ultimately went with the first for not
only being one of my most re-watched movies this decade but for being an
instant classic from day one. I’m glad this series became one of the highlights
to Marvel’s big decade and I hope they continue that and make Guardians 3 as good as the other two.
27. ‘Sorry to Bother You’
This is hands down the strangest and weirdest movie I’ve seen
all decade. The concept is bizarre enough with a guy ended up becoming good at
a call center job due to his “white voice”, but it goes even crazier from
there. The way this story goes and is told is an experience I’ve never had
before, with one of the most shocking and off the wall twists I’ve ever seen.
And those are some of the many reasons I love this movie. For as bizarre as
this movie is, it has merit. Boots Reilly made a very insightful commentary on
corporation and corruption in a way that while not always subtle, makes this
film have a lot more depth. It’s a very funny and unique film that is the kind
I look for every year and we need more off the wall films like Sorry to Bother You and hopefully next
decade will provide us with plenty.
26. ‘Shazam’
Easily some of the most fun I’ve had watching a comic book
movie this decade. DC has arguably had a spotty track record this decade but Shazam really proved that they can make
something stand out if they try. Shazam
works so well because it feels like a throwback movie without being a reboot of
an 80s property. David F. Sandberg took what made some of those 80s
blockbusters so great with a lot of fun action and lovable characters and
turned it into something awesome. It is filled with so much charm with so many
great characters especially Zachery Levi who kills it as Shazam. It is easily
one of the funniest movies I’ve seen this decade with a few hardcore moments
that made me laugh hysterically. Even then, this movie also has some heart
diving into some themes of family that actually feel a lot more mature than you
would expect. I’m hoping DC will continue within the 2020s making more fantastic
films like this in the future. Oh and did I mention probably my favorite end
credits of the decade? So yeah, this movie rocks!
25. ‘Her’
Spike Jonze’s romantic drama ends up being an incredibly
exceptional one that is unlike anything else. The concept is initially weird at
first being about a man essentially falling in love with a computer but through
a lot of subtly, relaxing tone and an incredibly well done script, Her is a film that is near perfect in
execution. Even despite not seeing one of these characters, the relationship
between these characters is so charming, especially given how great the two
leads are. It even has a unique and subtle approach to a futuristic world that
makes it a neat little sci-if film. Her is one of those movies I haven’t re-watched
as much as others but one I look back with so much fondness with so much of it
I absolutely adore and respect. If you haven’t watched this piece of art yet,
highly recommended!
24. ‘Anomalisa’
To put it bluntly, Anomalisa
is kind of a strange anomaly of a movie. I say this because while watching the
film unfold, I wasn’t sure if I was quite getting into the story as much as I
would have liked. Mainly as an animated film, I felt some of the decisions
production wise felt a little on the cheap side and wasn’t sure if I was caring
for some of it. Mostly I just wondered why this was an animated film when it
seemed so weirdly put together. However, the film goes on, I finally realized
what the Charlie Kaufman was trying to say, and it ended up being so incredibly
profound and so much to interpret. It goes from one I questioned being animated
to one that I felt could have only been told in animation through such a genius
direction and script. Anomalisa is a
film that has stuck with me time and time again; I adore so much of what this
movie did as an emotionally beautiful look into sadness. It’s still kind of a
hidden gem to an extent but anyone who has seen it knows how smart and original
this movie truly is. Easily one of those films that I respect and love on so
many levels and definitely should be seen by anyone especially those who want a
unique animated film out there.
23. ‘Mad Max Fury Road’
Is it me or do I not hear many talk about Mad Max Fury Road anymore? For as hyped
as this movie was when it came out, I feel there hasn’t been much attention to
it as of late. It’s a shame because this is by far a crowning achievement of
this decade. In regards to hardcore extreme action films that feel epic, Fury Road is the king of that. It is an
adrenaline pumping film that is just one insane ride from beginning to end. It’s
even a film that surprisingly has a lot of artistry and character to it that
makes it feel a bit more well put together than some of the other blockbusters
of the past 10 years. George Miller and his team really accomplished something
special bringing a film that so many can respect on various levels. It is by
far one of the most epic and entertaining films of the decade. It may not be as
talked about now as it was when first released but man, I still think Fury Road is a phenomenal work of art.
22. ‘Moana’
An instant classic for Disney animation! One of the big
reasons why this decade was so great for me was Disney’s new renaissance of
films in the 2010s. As a longtime Disney animation fan, I was so happy to see
their massive comeback and Moana is
one of their big standouts. It has all the elements of making a great Disney
film with some fantastic animation, great characters and an excellent
soundtrack. What makes it even better is how visually unique it is and how
indulged it is the Polynesian culture the film represents in a very respectful
way. Even with a few minor story elements I’m not crazy about, Moana holds a special spot on this list
for being one of Disney’s most memorable films they’ve released this entire
decade. That and this movie brought up possibly the best villain in any movie
this decade with Tamatoa and his song Shiny
voiced perfectly by Jemaine Clement, so that alone cements this film to be on
this list!!!
21. ‘The World’s End’
Edgar Wright’s end to the
Cornetto Trilogy serves as one of the most satisfying movies of the decade.
While this movie arguably doesn’t parody the genre it’s mocking as well as
films like Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, the attempt of making a very
character driven comedy with a lot of heart and value more than makes up for
it. I love this film’s overall message about individuality and how it helps
define us as people along with the freedom of will. Also much like most Edgar
Wright movies, it’s comedy is very fast paced and detailed oriented making for
some incredibly great jokes. Even despite being not quite as good as Wright’s
other films from this decade, The World’s
End is still a phenomenal film of the 2010s. Certainly a great film to have
a pint with.
20. ‘Zootopia’
Easily one of Disney’s Animation best films not just for
being the most original and refreshing films to come out from them this decade.
But also because of how it manages to have a rather deep message about
prejudice. We have certainly seen films even kids films that tackle the subject
of prejudice in the past but I felt like Zootopia
did it in a way that was not only easy for kids to understand but honestly
powerful as it shows the true dark side of what any sort of prejudice can
bring. Yet it also shows the importance of showcasing how relationships with
different kinds are ultimately important and makes the world such a vast and
diverse place. Even taking the message out of it, Zootopia still works as an incredibly fun film with some fantastic
animation, a phenomenal cast and quite honestly, one of the funniest scripts
I’ve seen in a movie this decade. I’m surprised Disney hasn’t done more with
the property considering the massive success this film got. Regardless, Zootopia is one of my absolute favorite
animated films from the decade for its important moral and just being an all-around
great movie from beginning to end
19. ‘Rango’
A refreshing animated film that despite winning a Best
Animated Picture Oscar, Rango doesn’t
get enough credit today as much as it used to. Rango is an outstanding film that really is unlike any other
mainstream animated film this decade. Rather than being cutesy and humorous, it
ends up being a gritty and while funny, a surprisingly action packed and
surreal western that we don’t see anymore, much less in animated films. Gore
Verbinski made a film that is visually striking in some many aspects but also
serves as a fantastic new take on a western with a great lead. It even ends up
being a great movie about identity and even does a better job taking on some
new takes on some clichés. Rango is
by far one of the best animated films of the decade for me just for being a
great new experience that we didn’t get enough of this decade. Hopefully we’ll
get more films like this one in the 2020s but for now, there is only one Rango.
18. ‘Frozen’
Some hate this movie because of the hype, but as a long time
Disney Animation fan, I found Frozen
to be the exact type of movie I want from the studio. It takes what made so
many of the Disney animated films so awesome and did a new take on them. It
takes certain clichés and character archetypes and put them in a movie that
feels like the Disney formula reform. Not to mention, it has some gorgeous
animation and one of the best modern day Disney soundtracks. For as over played
as some of the songs were, you can’t deny how catchy some of them were. Plus,
I’ll always have a fondness for Elsa being one of my all-time favorite Disney
Princesses(or Queen I should say). Now you might be wondering, why Frozen 1 but not 2? While I do appreciate a ton of what Frozen 2 did as a follow up and think it’s an overall good movie,
the first one just was a better attempt at giving that Disney Magic. It’s
Disney Animation most popular film of the decade and honestly, I think it’s
completely warranted thanks to such a talented and creative team behind it. Let
the storm rage on.
17. ‘Birdman’
One of two best pictures on my list, Birdman is one of those films that is a full on experience. Made to
emulate like it was all in one take,
Birdman engrosses you with its story and character in one of the most
engaging films of the decade. Not only are the camerawork and editing so tight,
but the film is also really profound tackling a lot of very complex themes of
fame and the impact it can have on a person. Elevated by some outstanding
performances across the board especially from Michael Keaton, Birdman is one of those films that
reminds me why I love cinema. It’s smart, ambitious and an overall experience
to witness from beginning to end. Alejandro G. Iñárritu made an absolute
masterpiece here and I look forward to whatever he gives us next.
16. ‘Klaus’
If this film is going to be the one to bring back traditional
animation, then what a fantastic way to kick that off. Klaus serves as not only a great return to form for traditional
animation with a gorgeous update in terms of making a 2D film look more
dynamic, but also a straight up excellent Christmas movie. This film
understands the importance of kindness and how we don’t really give children
enough credit in terms of influencing our own behavior in terms of kindness. It
showcases the true meaning of Christmas better than so many other Christmas
movies with how it really emphasizes the importance of being kind especially
with the line, “A true act of good will always spark another”. Add in some
great new characters including an awesome Santa Claus being played by the one and
only JK Simmons, and you have easily the most genuine Christmas film to come
out all decade! Definitely give this movie a chance even if it’s not during the
holidays, it still stands as an excellent film regardless.
15. ‘Inside Out’
One thing that people talked about this decade that I highly
disagree with is that Pixar stopped making good movies this decade. While some
of their films weren’t as good as their best work in the past, I simply can’t
agree when they made something like Inside
Out this decade. It has all the elements that Pixar is so well known for
with their creativity with their worlds and their sense of humor in terms of
dialogue. Though it also has elements that we see consistently great in Pixar
here elevated big time here. The animation is so colorful and stylized even
compared to their fantastic work on other film. Michael Giacchino’s score is
incredibly soothing to listen to. Every single character has a strong lasting
impression on you even after you finished it. And most importantly, this film
is filled with emotions, not just literally speaking. Inside Out goes in depth to how your emotions are in a way that is
not only important for kids to understand, but something we don’t see in
animated films. It showcases the importance of sadness even despite how much we
want to hide it, it can be perfectly okay to be real with your emotions and let
it all out. Some may disregard Inside Out
because it’s “not original because emotions as characters has been done before”
which I say is ridiculous. If you’re going to say that, you might as well
complain about Toy Story as well.
Regardless, Inside Out is one of the
prime examples of why I adore Pixar, and I’m incredibly joyful that they made a
film like this during the 2010s.
14. ‘How to Train Your Dragon Trilogy’
Of all the major film franchises this decade, there has not
been one as consistently good as this one. DreamWorks really made a strong
impression with the How to Train Your
Dragon series, proving to a lot of people that they are more than just
another animated studio that make animated comedies. These movies are a full
fledge adventure with so much that makes them a blast to watch. The first one
is a charming boy and his pet story that feels a lot more genuine with its
characters and story. The second one is a downright epic, expanding upon the world
and the stakes feeling much higher. The third is a nice mesh between the two
films with the charming dynamic the first had and the epic tone of the second
one leading into a satisfying finale. If I had to pick a favorite, it would
definitely be the second one but you can’t really go wrong with any of them.
They are all filled with so many creative designs, some beautiful animation, a
phenomenal score and two fantastic leads with Hiccup and Toothless. If you
still haven’t seen the best of what DreamWorks had to offer this decade, do
yourself a favor and don’t pass this film series up.
13. ‘The Lighthouse’
A film that is the definition of a modern day classic horror
film! Roger Eggers made a film that we don’t see often as The Lighthouse emulates the look of classic horror films from the
black and white cinematography, right down to the 4:3 aspect ratio. But more so
than anything else, what makes this film work and makes it so much better than
most modern horror films is that it relies primarily on atmosphere. This film
immersed you in this incredibly creepy and unsettling world with these two
characters that create for an extremely engaging narrative. This is also one of
those films that has a lot to interpret, making it very much a modern day
version of films like 2001 or Eraserhead, and it’s the kind of stuff
we don’t see that much anymore. Add in some career best performances by Williem
Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, and you have a film from last year no less that I
think will be helmed as one of the greatest for years to come.
12. ‘Baby Driver’
Edgar Wright with another original fantastic film on his
hands! Baby Driver does have a decent
amount of great comedy and action that we’re used to from Wright, but I felt
like Wright really perfected his style in this film. The editing both from a
shot and sound perspective are phenomenal here because Wright took his fast
paced detailed oriented sense of styles and made it into almost a musical with
a film that is perfectly in sync to its soundtrack. You can tell Wright was
passionate about creating a film where it’s license soundtrack is just as
important as the story itself. Which Baby
Driver, even taking the technical achievement of its editing and sound out
of it, still serves as an original and entertaining action film with a lot of
heart and character to it. The film has such a personality to it from its
characters and way the story is told, creating for a film like no other. With
Wright really making something new and refreshing here, I hope for the best
with whatever he has in stored for next decade.
11. ‘Toy Story 3’
Toy Story 3 is an outstanding achievement of a sequel that Pixar has yet
to top. Now you’re probably wondering, “how about Toy Story 4?” While I do think it is a great sequel in its own
right, I didn’t find anything about it that honestly topped the 3rd movie
outside of the animation and a better Randy Newman song. Sure 4 is still a very well done film and is
a fantastic conclusion to Woody as a character but 3 honestly does a better job being a Toy Story film and ending the series. Three was a perfect conclusion
that was built up throughout the entire series and made for an emotional payoff
that really showcases the power that all of these characters had on our
childhood. The story is a great send off with every single solitary thing
mattering in this film. There’s a reason why people cried at the end of this
movie because it felt so conclusive and tight as a finale to a series we’ve
grown up with for a long time. Toy Story
4 may not be a bad movie by any means, but 3 was such a perfect Toy
Story film with everything to offer, you can understand why people were
against a fourth installment. Toy Story 3
is so touching and represents everything great about Pixar. It’s funny, smart,
has a lot of character depth and unlike other sequels to kids films, it is a mature
and thoughtful story that is satisfactory piece of work for Pixar’s most iconic
franchise. To Infinity and Beyond!
10. ‘La La Land’
If there’s a modern day film where the term movie magic is
applicable towards, it’s without a doubt La
La Land. While there is another movie from this director that is a better
movie, I still can’t deny how much passion and love Damion Chazelle put into
this film. The story is simple at its surface but through so much effort
Chazelle made with creating this film as classic as many of the great musicals
it is every an instant classic. The performances by Gosling and Stone are so
energetic and alive, the cinematography and editing make the film beautiful to
look and the score is utterly magnificent. I will admit this film is better
through the execution but the original story and idea still have so much to
them being about not giving up your dreams and giving the encouragement young
talent need while also not completely sugarcoating the downfalls that dream
could have. It is a movie I still adore for not only showcasing some incredible
talent but being the strong message and wonderfully done musical That I’ve
always love seeing. Certainly one of my favorite films of the decade by far.
9. ‘The LEGO Movie’
This is exactly the kind of animated film I look for every
year. Everyone thought The LEGO Movie
was going to be an advertisement movie and yet it ended up being far from that.
Instead it’s one of the most clever animated films to come out. The look is
brilliant, perfectly emulating a stop motion animation style while being
incredibly detailed with its textures looking almost exactly like real Legos.
The style that Chris Lord and Phil Miller has is elevated big time with every
single frame having a joke somewhere and it’s so quick and fast paced, you have
to re-watch the film numerous times to catch every single joke here. It is such
an energized movie from an animation and humor stand point so I had to love
this movie from that standpoint. The biggest takeaway of this movie though is its
message. Being a film about a toy where you can create anything with it, this
movie really emphasis the importance of the artist and the control they should
have. Where some may see creations as weird and bizarre messes, artists can
take what was already established and make some new, innovative and smart. That
is exactly what LEGO Movie did as it stands as one of the most genius animated
films of the decade despite not a lot of people expecting it to be at first.
While the sequel was also very enjoyable and LEGO Batman was an absolute blast, they could not hold a candle to
the brilliance and excellence that the original LEGO Movie did, because nearly every single thing about this movie
is Awesome.
8. ‘Inception’
This decade has really been one that truly defined
Christopher Nolan as the great filmmaker he is today. But the film that I truly
think is the best thing he made this decade is the first film of his to come
out with Inception. In regards to
epic blockbusters that do a ton, you can look no further than Inception. It
takes the concept of dreams and makes a very engaging heist film with a ton of
variety. So many of the set pieces feel so grand with so many excellent action
sequences from the stuff in the snowy mountains to an amazing spinning hotel
room sequence that showcase the best of what Nolan can do as an action
director. Plus, it’s a blockbuster that not only takes itself more seriously
than the average one in a good way, but also has a ton of excellent world
building and tells its science fiction concepts in a much smarter way than typical
blockbusters. A ton of films took from this movie this decade and I can’t blame
them because this film brought a lot of excellent elements and concepts making
for an engaging experience. But only Christopher Nolan can really pull it off
with so much craftsmanship. The acting is great, the cinematography is
breathtaking, the effects are groundbreaking and for all the jokes made about
it, this may very well have my favorite score from any movie this decade. Hans
Zimmer brought his all with the music in this masterpiece and so did
Christopher Nolan. Inception is in my
opinion, the best film he has done this decade and my second favorite of his
behind The Dark Knight. He can create
a film like no other, and with Tenet coming
out later this year, I’m sure we won’t see him stopping from creating awesome
science fiction blockbusters in the future.
7. ‘Blade Runner 2049’
Hands down, the best sequel to any movie that has come out in
the 2010s! The strange thing is, a Blade
Runner seemed like a needless cash grab at first, and to be fair, the
original is a revolutionary piece of science fiction filmmaking that’s a hard
act to follow. Thankfully though, Denis Villeneuve gave us not only a film that
stays true to what Blade Runner is
all about, but possibly a sequel that honesty tops the original in my honest
opinion. This film is a cinematographer’s dream with some stunning shots from
Roger Deakins, one of the best looking science fiction films of all time from a
visual perspective. Even then, it’s a very gripping noir film that has a fantastic
lead. For as much as I liked Deckard, Ryan Gosling’s K is such a great leading
character for a story like this. It still has all the awe and intelligence the
original film had, just strongly elevated thanks to some amazing talented
people. Even if this movie wasn’t the biggest financial hits, it’ll always be
remember as one of the best sequels. Not just the best sequel of this decade
but it’s up there with The Dark Knight and
Empire Strikes Back as one of my all-time
favorite sequel. It is a truly astounding film that serves as a masterful
follow up to one of cinema’s greatest sci-fi films.
6. ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’
At this point, is it really possible to dislike this movie? Spider Man: Into The Spider Verse is a
bold reminder of what animation can do and why the medium is so outstanding. As
much appreciation animation can get, there are times where I feel it’s not
taken as seriously by people and they see it as a kids film. This movie however
does not treat it like a kids movie. For every remake of an animated property
that claims to be more mature, this film is mature unlike those other movies.
Hell, it’s honestly more mature in theme and character than a lot of Marvel and
DC films. It just also understands the character of Spider-Man so well being a
full on celebration of the character that reinvents him as much as stays true
his series. This film just has everything, from engaging characters, a solid
soundtrack and one of the most visually stunning and unique animation that
fully embraces the comic book aesthetic. Give me this over any hyper realistic
remake any daily, and that is why Spider-Verse
is so awesome!
5. ‘Joker’
One of the most talked about films of 2019 and in my opinion,
a personal favorite. Being a longtime DC and especially Joker fan, I was
incredibly curious to see how a potential origins movie could turn out.
Thankfully and maybe unsurprisingly, it turned out to be a movie I absolutely
adored for a plethora of reasons. First of as a Batman fan, I found this to be
a genius reinvention of a comic book movie and interpretation on one of the
most iconic parts of the character. This film is unapologetically a Joker film,
being dark and gritty but not in an edgy way but instead a more genuine and
smart way. It is a full-fledged villain origins film that while makes the
characters a bit more sympathetic than we’re used to, it also makes Joker equally terrifying in a sense too.
It’s no secret that Joaquin Phoenix steals this movie giving us one of the best
Jokers to ever appear on screen with every single moment with him being incredibly
memorable. Not just as a reinvention of a comic book film this movie works
though. It also works as a great drama that states the importance of how we
could end up affecting someone’s mental health for the worse. If we ignore the
warning signs of a person that needs help and think too much of our selves by
not being aware of the wellbeing of others, more could be hurt in the process.
It is a dark and grim message albeit, however, it is one that I think is
important to state and I respect this movie for addressing this. Sure people
may have their own jokes about the film or the hype around it, but looking on
its own, I think Joker is phenomenal.
It serves as an excellent film that truly changes how we view comic book movies
and DC. My personal pick for Best comic book movie of the decade, and I’m
hoping that Joaquin Phoenix will get the Oscar he deserves for this!
4. ‘The Shape of Water’
As important as I think Joker
is as a film, I kind of feel Shape of Water
is arguably just as important if not more so. Unlike Joker’s rather pessimistic message, The Shape of Water’s message is a more positive one that gives an
in depth insight on the importance of accepting others. It is a movie that
really showcases why people feel like outcasts in this world, with nearly every
single character serving a purpose. Even major side characters get a ton of
development, which I mentioned in the past how much I think Giles’ character
arch is so important and powerful. The film also manages to be gorgeous with so
much effort put into the production and art direction, making Del Toro’s style
be absolutely perfect for this story. People see this movie as “the weird fish
love movie” but in reality there’s so much more to it than that. It’s a deep
understanding of outcasts and individuality and why it can truly be special. It
is a film that tackles issues of prejudice in not only a more subtly way but in
a direction that showcases it is more personal as to how and why it could
affect a person. Guillermo Del Toro really had a ton of passion on this project
and his effort showed because in my honest opinion, this is the best film he
has ever made. Shape of Water is a
brilliant and beautiful film of the 2010s and yes, this is the Best Picture
winner of the Oscars this decade that 100% deserved it!
3. ‘Whiplash’
It’s rare to see a movie that absolutely floored me as this
film did. Whiplash is an instant
classic because it is both a great original film and it has so many elements to
make it a filmmaking achievement. As amazing of a job Damian Chazelle did on La La Land, what’s even more impressive
is how much he was able to create a masterful piece of filmmaking as only his
second film. The editing is well crafted, the cinematography is excellent, the
script is refreshing and all of this is hold together by maybe the best performance
in a motion picture all decade with JK Simmons as Fletcher. Simmons is already
an amazing actor doing such a great job with his performances like Jameson in Spider Man and Tenzin in Korra but Fletcher will be his career
best. All of this help build to maybe the absolute greatest finale to a film
I’ve seen all decade. The ending makes this movie go from a 9 to a 10/10
instantly. It’s without a doubt one of the memorable and well-crafted films
I’ve seen all decade.
2. ‘Coco’
I honestly have not seen a film from this decade that had as
much genuine emotion and passion to it as this. Coco is not only hands down the best Pixar movie of the decade for
me, not only is it without a doubt the best animated movie of the decade, but
it is without of a doubt my favorite Pixar movie, along with being one of the
most profound animated films I have ever seen. From beginning to end, Coco is an engaging film giving us some
of the most memorable and well written characters I’ve seen all year. It is
also beautifully animated and does an amazing job showcasing the holiday Dia De
La Muertos so well. But what really made this film so fantastic is how it
handles its emotions. At certain point this film had one of the biggest
emotional reactions I’ve ever had in any movie with Hector’s backstory sequence
and I already talked about how great that scene is. It works so well because it
earns its emotional but giving a compelling and fun character and showcasing
the true motive and nature behind it which is honest to god heartbreaking. It
made for a sequence that turned into one of my all-time favorites easily. Coco is every bit as smart, enjoyable
and stunning as the very best of Pixar, so much so that I have a strong feeling
this Pixar film will stick as my favorite for many years to come!
1. ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’
Well... this is not a surprise for anyone who knows me... Of
course my pick for the best and easily my most favorite of the 2010s has to go
to Scott Pilgrim. There are many
reasons why I believe this, from the brilliant direction of Edgar Wright, the
incredibly memorable characters and performance, the outstanding soundtrack and
visually stunning special effects. All of these elements make Scott Pilgrim one
of a kind for me, but why has it stuck with me for practically this entire
decade? Well, I think if anything I feel it’s a good summary of the culture
that has been such a big part of the 2010s that a lot of young adults have been
a part of myself included. It totally immerses itself with the kind of music,
characters and energy we all love to see in movies. Edgar Wright crafted a film
unlike any other and so many films have tried to duplicate its style. Some
worked and some didn’t, but you can’t deny the impact this movie had. It might
have been a box office flop when it came out but over the years with so many
people really loving what a unique experience it was, it became a classic in a
lot of people’s eyes. While some may say this is a style over substance film, I
feel the style is so excellent, how can you not enjoy it? And even then, I still
believe there’s a decent amount of character depth in the short amount of
runtime compared to the books that it does have some substance to it. This
movie has meant so much to me in the past ten years since I’ve seen it. I’ve
watched it so many times and will probably not stop watching it as tears go on.
It’s without a doubt my all-time favorite film of not just this decade but
possibly of all time! Thanks to everyone involved with creating this
masterpiece that I will never forget!
Honorable Mentions: Black
Swan, Winnie the Pooh, Moonrise Kingdom, The Wind Rises, Interstellar, When
Marnie Was There, Kubo and the Two Strings, Wonder Woman, Isle of Dogs and Marriage Story
