Thanks to COVID and its accompanying insanity, 2020 has been a vast and unforgiving cinematic desert. With a billion studio delays and no concrete release dates in sight, I decided to forgo my usual "10 Best Movies of the Year" list and instead present this: a list of the 50 best movies of the last decade. I tried to be objective with this list, balancing artistry with competence and innovation, but my personal taste is also on display here. And remember: I haven't seen everything released between 2010-2019, but my friends and family know I've seen enough to justify this list. I'm a dude who loves movies, what can I say?
So sit back, relax, and enjoy! In this crappy new era of avoiding the cinema experience, I urge you to rent, stream, or buy any of the movies you see below. Thanks!
50.) Rush: In Ron Howard's best film of the decade, we see two ambitious racers play a gruesome game of cat-and-mouse with glory and devastation on the line. Much like the excellent Ford v. Ferrari a few years later, this is not your average sports film - gone are many of the clichés, the tropes, and the story beats we can all predict well in advance. Instead we have something bold and bone-rattling, something as creative as it is competent. The racing sequences alone are spectacular, with Howard using all of his considerable skill to put you behind the wheel. You'll flinch, you'll sweat, your muscles will tense up, and you'll have to keep reminding yourself that it's just a movie. And a superb one, at that.
49.) Straight Outta Compton: This engrossing biopic about infamous hip hop group N.W.A. definitely deserves a spot on this list. The technical specs are all rock solid - the cinematography, editing, and sound design are all top-notch - and the performances are terrific, especially newcomers Jason Mitchell and Corey Hawkins. But the movie's best attribute is the dynamite directing by F. Gary Gray. He manages to juggle several subplots, a cast of hundreds, and an overall runtime of almost 2 and a half hours without losing a single beat of forward momentum. He is a master storyteller, and this is a story well worth being told.
48.) The Martian: What could have easily been a hyper-serious film about interplanetary survival and solitude turns out to be one of the decade's most buoyant, entertaining movies. A lot of it hinges on star Matt Damon's charisma, so thank God he's got enough to go around. The other performances are great too, particularly from Chiwetal Ejiofor and Jessica Chastain. This is a hilarious and occasionally breathless film - a great feat for Ridley Scott, and a welcome addition to the cinema of the 2010's.
47.) Moneyball: Through Brad Pitt's fire-and-ice portrayal of real life Oakland A's manager Billy Beane, this film presents baseball in a whole new way: clinically, categorically, and dangerously. This is a film of quiet artistry and humble efficiency, one well worth the watch. I'm sure all the baseball metaphors have been used already (It's a home run! This one's a game changer! Brad Pitt knocks it out of the park!), so I'll simply say this: it's an excellent movie - maybe one of the best in the genre, and certainly a highlight of the decade.
46.) The Beguiled: Remember when movies used to be about stories? Before they became polluted by boatloads of cash, special effects, or unreasonable fan expectations? Thankfully, The Beguiled hearkens back to a simpler era, when a filmmaker's goal was just to spin a yarn and make it a good one. Sofia Coppola is a fabulous director, and here she's crafted an understated masterpiece, one with sharply drawn characterization and enough subtext to satisfy even the most ravenous theater students.
45.) BlacKkKlansman: In this, his best film since 1989's Do the Right Thing, Spike Lee has pulled off an incredible feat in modern cinema - he's created a story about race in America that is nuanced yet broad-stroked, earnest yet playful, and is as intelligent as it is empathetic. Framing it as a crime drama was a smart choice, as it rarely feels like the viewer is getting bludgeoned by the politics of the artist (which is something Lee has been guilty of in the past). Instead, this is a nifty little thriller with some powerfully important themes.
44.) Winter's Bone: This movie came out all the way back in 2010 and it's disappointing how many people have forgotten it. But Debra Granik's Winter's Bone deserves a lot of recognition. It was an early starring vehicle for a young Jennifer Lawrence, whose charismatic yet painful performance garnered her the first Oscar nomination of her career. The movie's focus on the dreary, meth-infected pockets of Appalachia also served as a canary-in-the-coalmine moment for many artists and journalists after the 2016 presidential election. But this is a movie first and foremost, and with some stunningly bleak cinematography and bold characters, it's surely one of the decade's best.
43.) Take Shelter: This tautly-written character study revolves around construction worker Curtis LaForche, a soft-spoken family man who is plagued by nightmarish visions of an apocalyptic storm. Michael Shannon is the gifted actor in the lead, portraying our protagonist in what should have been an Oscar-winning tour de force (you're telling me he wasn't even nominated for this?). But let me make this clear: this is not a fun movie to watch. It is the tense and painful examination of one man's soul, and you won't come out unscathed. Thankfully, it's utterly magnetic. Like a distant storm tumbling along the horizon, you won't be able to look away.
42.) The Lighthouse: If you're interested in cinema of the surreal, something that barely has a plot and oodles of ambiguity, then this is a psychological horror movie for you. It's a little David Lynch, a little Stanley Kubrick, and by the end, you'll be gasping for air and wondering what the hell you just watched. Filmed in stunning black and white, the cinematography lulls you in with its crisp beauty and dramatic lighting. But don't let your guard down - this thing has teeth, and it's more than happy to chomp down on an unsuspecting viewer.
41.) Ad Astra: Thanks to a pretty dull trailer and uninspired marketing, Ad Astra was one of the most overlooked movies of 2019. But if you're on the hunt for a movie with pop sensibilities yet meaty ideas, then give it a watch. Starring Brad Pitt, this sci-fi gem is simultaneously action-packed and quietly contemplative; it's both a swift adventure flick and a ponderous meditation on humanity. But I think the movie's strongest quality is the tonal shift near the end of the third act. Without spoiling anything, it goes from being a nihilistic technological nightmare to a celebration of love and humanity, which is one whopper of a prestige.
40.) The Ritual: I run into this problem a lot, but here it is anyway: the less I say about this, the better. Just know that The Ritual is a cutthroat horror flick from Netflix - searing, surreal, and scary. It's the best rare gem the streaming service has to offer, and if you go in with an open mind, you will not be disappointed. The lead is Rafe Spall, a British actor who I always knew as one of the Andy's from Hot Fuzz. His performance is absolutely incredible, and anchors you to the outlandish horror premise that gets weirder and weirder as the plot progresses.
39.) Django Unchained: Out of the bold mind of Quentin Tarantino comes this delicious western about love and loss in the pre-Civil War plantations of the American South. While the plot focuses on the horrors of slavery, of which Tarantino slathers onto the screen with a cinematic paintbrush soaked in blood, the tone is nonetheless lively, with dialogue and action that is often laugh-out-loud funny. The characters are riveting, particularly our 3 leads: determined Django, noble Dr. Schultz, and despicable Calvin Candie. The interplay between these characters is this movie's strongest quality, yet there's much to love here. It's a wickedly playful film that ranks up there with Tarantino's best.
38.) Spotlight: Very much in the tradition of All the President's Men and The Insider, Spotlight is searing journalistic drama. It's a movie that deals in clarity - of ideas, of emotions, of fact and fiction. This is mostly due to the resonant script brought to life by a bulletproof cast: Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci, John Slattery, and a dozen others. Every performance is standout, playing to each actor's particular strength - Keaton's underplayed realism, Ruffalo's ingrained humility, McAdams' pronounced focus. The direction and cinematography are equally strong, to a degree that both become invisible. No ostentatious camera tricks or directorial flourishes here. This is an honest and heartbreaking film, one that dared to peer into the dark and shine a light.
37.) True Grit: I had a weirdly difficult time placing this movie so high on the list, and in fact, there were times I debated including it at all. At a glance, this is a pretty typical Hollywood western - it's fun, there are some nice moments of action, and the dialogue has a clever yet campy quality to it. But with the Coen brothers at the helm and with four incredible performances driving it forward, it becomes so much more. A decade after it was released, I can still see and hear individual moments in my head. This thing is memorable, and I doubt you'll be able to shake the experience of seeing it (not that you'd even want to).
36.) You Were Never Really Here: If we can classify a cinematic subgenre as "Old Man Gets Revenge and Saves A Kid," with movies like Gran Torino, Man on Fire, and of course Taken being the best examples, I think 2017's You Were Never Really Here is the best of the bunch. Unlike all the others, it has an artistry to go along with the savagery - a grace humming beneath the guts. Behind the camera is the incomparable Lynne Ramsay, whose deft touch allows this simple thriller to become so much more than it is.
35.) Inception: With 2010's Inception, Christopher Nolan dared to take us into the dizzying tangle of dreams, and somehow he succeeded. It's hard to review this movie due to its enormous popularity and various plot twists, so I'll just make a series of statements to sum up: The action is without peer. The pace is breakneck. The script is taut as piano wire. The set design is innovative and, in a word, incredible. The performances are wonderful - in particular, Marion Cotillard and Cillian Murphy are surprisingly soulful. This is easily one of the most exciting, thought-provoking, and gorgeous movies of the decade.
34.) Don't Breathe: This is what happens when you take a simple, no-frills movie and ramp everything in it up to eleven. Yes, this is the horror equivalent of shotgunning some Mountain Dew while skydiving. The plot is insane, the acting is over-the-top in all the best ways, and the direction - full of lethal energy, driven to a cunning conclusion - is awesome. This isn't the best horror movie of the year, but it just might be the most rewatchable, the one you put on in October to get you in the Halloween spirit. The third act, though a little absurd, is a masterclass in cinematic suspense. Don't Breathe truly is what its title suggests - breathless.
33.) I, Tonya: This is an emotionally resonant, thematically rich, and stylishly executed biopic that I'm surprised was even made in the first place. Fusing so much real-life violence with a comedic tone was risky, but the payoff is hugely satisfying. You're often startled into laughing, unsure of whether you even should be, and the juxtaposition is uniquely terrific. And that's what this movie is - unique. You're never quite sure if you should be laughing or crying, and the imbalance is beautiful. Like Tonya Harding's daring triple axel on the ice, I'm shocked anyone was able to stick the landing on this one. But I'm grateful they did.
32.) The Cabin in the Woods: Here we have the movie responsible for re-popularizing Hollywood's love of the "metathriller," and it ranks up there with New Nightmare and Scream as one of the best around. Although The Cabin in the Woods is definitely a horror movie - and a fierce one at that - it's also a tongue-in-cheek send-up of the entire genre. There are more laughs than scares here, but that only adds to the awesomeness. This is a clever and deeply-affectionate take on horror, with a handful of fun surprises and plenty of winking references.
31.) Wind River: This is a movie that starts as a murder mystery, but isn't content to live within the comfy preordained confines of the genre. It examines a lot between the title screen and the end credits because this isn't simply about the death of a single young girl - it's about the death of tens of thousands of girls. Without spoiling anything, the film ends with the image of an Arapaho character sitting outside in the cold. His face is painted blue and white, the two colors intertwining and dividing his hardened expression. It's a moment ripe with symbolism, and I can't help but see a lot in these two colors. Native Americans and whites. Heartache and redemption. Good and evil. It's all there, and depending on your interpretation of the story, it's an image that's sure to stick with you. And when a movie can communicate all this with just an image? You know it is of the highest caliber.
30.) Your Name: While I've never been a particularly huge fan of anime (like many of my fellow millennials, I watched Dragon Ball Z and Pokémon as a kid but little else), this animated romantic fantasy from Japan is seriously amazing. At first it seems like a story we've seen versions of plenty of times before - a Freaky Friday body-switching romp with hijinks and hilarity - but by the time the second act rolls around, you realize this is something more. Instead of a harmless little fantasy comedy, your expectations are subverted again and again in all the right ways. With gorgeous animation that far surpasses the work of its western contemporaries, this character-driven adventure might just be the best animated movie of the entire decade.
29.) Lincoln: There's a lot of potential when making a movie about Abraham Lincoln, especially with Spielberg at the helm and so many terrific actors and technicians keeping it afloat. The possibilities were practically endless. Would it be about secession? The Civil War? The assassination? While this incredible movie tackles all these topics with a natural rhythm that only veteran filmmakers seem capable of, the plot instead focuses on the creation and ratification of the 13th Amendment. The movie plays out like a slick political thriller, yet it's delicate and graceful. A lilting piano-centric score by John Williams drips atop the overcast setting like quiet rain, baptizing each scene in quiet contemplation. This is a powerful story told with understated gravity. It is elegant and subtle. Much like President Lincoln, himself.
28.) Willow Creek: Yeah - this is a horror movie about Bigfoot. So what? You may shake your head and cluck your tongue, but until you actually see this movie, you have no idea. Is it a good film? Absolutely. Is the acting believable? You betcha. Is the plot effective? Uh-huh. Is it scary? Oh, words can't quite do it justice. This is the very epitome of cinematic tension, and you'll be covering your eyes and holding your breath until those final screams and the bitter end. I'll put it to you like this: what Psycho did to showers, Willow Creek does to camping. So if you're brave enough, I say give it a go. And if you're a horror fan? This is mandatory viewing.
27.) Ex Machina: With its deliberate, meditative pace, lots of people found this sci-fi thriller to be "boring." How sad. Ex Machina is one of 2015's best, and it earns a spot on this list for plenty of reasons. Similar to other notable modern thrillers like Sicario and Django Unchained, the focus here is on a triangle of characters: an unpredictable genius, an everyday schmoe in over his head, and a futuristic cyborg learning her place in the world. The cunning cat-and-mouse dynamic between them is a real thrill, and if you're able to sink your teeth into the ideas at hand, you'll be very happy with the payoff.
26.) The King's Speech: When watching The King's Speech, it's damn near impossible not to smile. Back in 2010, critics and moviegoers unanimously agreed - this is an excellent film. Was it a Best Picture shoo-in? Perhaps. It goes down about as smooth as soda in summer, so who can complain? Underdog stories are always compelling (classics like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and On the Waterfront come to mind), and this one hits all the right notes in stride. Thanks to an exceptionally wonderful cast and crew, the film is a masterclass in good storytelling. Endearing characters? Check. Relatable plot? Check. Gorgeous cinematography? Check. Terrific art direction? Check. Humor? Wit? Soul? Check, check, and check. Even if you're not a fan of historical docudramas, The King's Speech is a wonderfully witty winner.
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