The Top 30 Films Of The 2010s

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The Top 30 Films Of The 2010s
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What are the most impactful movies of the last ten years? What are the films that, when we look back on this decade, captured the way we felt about the world, or represented where we were in our lives? What made us laugh, cry, gasp or cheer? Of course, everyone’s idea of ‘greatest’ is subjective, so you may have your own, completely different list, but here are our picks for the best of the 2010s… [Image via BagoGames/Flickr]

By Victoria Luxford

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The Top 30 Films Of The 2010s.
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30. Infinity War (2018) – One of only two superhero movies in this list, despite the genre dominating much of this decade. The first of the Infinity Saga stands out from the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for its brutal genius: the spectacle brought about by the Russo Brothers gave a sense that this was it for The Avengers, and the jaw-dropping climax gave the MCU high stakes in a way it has never seen before.

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29. Logan (2017) – For years fans wondered what a Wolverine movie would look like if the PG restrictions of blockbuster film-making were lifted. The answer is Logan, the R-rated modern Western which allowed Hugh Jackman to give his most famous character the send-off he deserved. This film, along with this year’s Joker, proved that comic book material can be moulded into all types of interest stories on the big screen.

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28. Blade Runner 2049 (2017) – A nearly three-hour-long existential sci-fi noir wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea in the era of short, flashy blockbusters, but Denis Villeneuve’s sequel was a masterwork. Capturing the visual wonder of Ridley Scott’s original, and taking the franchise to interesting new places, this is a delayed sequel that, for once, lives up to its predecessor. Occasionally, it surpasses it.

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27. The Irishman (2019) – Martin Scorsese’s latest has only just been released, so we don’t know what time will do to our perception of it. However, the film-maker’s return to the gangster genre is a wonderful tale of a life lived in the shadows. More mournful than Goodfellas or Casino, it deals with age and consequences in a way that’s reminiscent of Raging Bull. It also showed that the controversial ‘de-aging’ effect can work when used intelligently.

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26. Carol (2015) – One great thing about cinema in the 2010s was the rise in LGBTQ+ representation on screen, with new characters and new stories rising to the fore. One of the best was this story of a young shop worker (Rooney Mara) who falls for a married woman (Cate Blanchett). Lavishly shot by director Todd Haynes, it’s a powerful love story that some say was snubbed for that year’s Best Picture at the Oscars. Representation, it seems, still has a ways to go.

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25. Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) – Pixar may rule the animated roost, but the last decade or so has seen the rise of Laika, a small company making gorgeous stop-motion movies. Arguably their high point so far is this mythical adventure, following a young man who must defeat an evil spirit. Heartfelt and extraordinary to watch, it’s a movie that proves family films can have enormous depth and still be fun.

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24. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) – Another movie that’s still fresh in our minds. Quentin Tarantino’s penultimate feature film is both a celebration and a farewell to the Hollywood he grew up in. A place full of grubby lowlifes, charming stuntmen and of course the Manson Family. The director tells history his way, and the result is a sweeping, extraordinary meditation on the nature of fame.

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23. Gravity (2013) – The first Best Picture winner on our list, barring a win next year for The Irishman or Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Alfonso Cuarón’s space catastrophe was a master class in visual storytelling, making the ‘impossible’ nature of space a character within itself. Despite being alone for much of the film, Sandra Bullock brings so much humanity to a film that balances artistry with entertainment.

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22. The Master (2012) – If you want to see two of the finest actors of their generation directed by a truly great film-maker, The Master is the film for you. Loosely influenced by the story of Scientology, the tense relationship between a cult leader (the late Philip Seymour Hoffman) and a troubled Navy veteran (Joaquin Phoenix) is a symphony of nuance, with Paul Thomas Anderson slowly winding up the tension to make a film that challenges you.

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21. Inception (2010) – The decade began with something of a game-changer. Christopher Nolan bends our minds, and some cities, with this dream-theft caper that confirmed him as one of the great visionaries of modern cinema. Almost ten years on, the movie loses none of its ability to make your jaw fall to the floor.

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20. Amour (2012) – From a very large-scale film, to cinema at its most intimate. Amour follows Georges as he cares for the love of his life, Anne, following a debilitating stroke. Those who have watched Michael Haneke’s drama will know of the way it drags you through the emotional wringer. While it may not be a film you’ll be strong enough to watch repeatedly, it remains a landmark of European cinema.

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19. The Favourite (2018) – Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos enjoyed an eventful decade, producing two surreal classics in The Lobster (2015) and The Killing of A Sacred Deer (2017), as well as this wild historical dark comedy about two women vying for the affections of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman, who won an Oscar for her performance). Colman collaborated with co-stars Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz to create a witty, irreverent and timely story about the lust for power.

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18. The Imposter (2012) – It’s hard to watch Bart Layton’s documentary without shouting at the screen at least once. Mixing interviews and dramatisation, the story of a French adult pretending to be a lost Texan teenager was fascinating, with a twist that took things up a level. The type of documentary that stays with you long after the credits roll.

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17. 12 Years a Slave (2013) – One of the most celebrated movies of the last few years, Steve McQueen’s uncompromising adaptation of the acclaimed memoir brings an under-explored chapter in American history to life. The film was the breakthrough for many a cast member’s career, not least Lupita Nyong’o, who blew audiences away in her first feature role. The ugliness of hatred and the beauty of hope combine to make this one a memorable award-winner.

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16. A Fantastic Woman (2017) – A very modern type of prejudice is examined as a transgender singer (Daniela Vega) fights for her right to mourn her dead lover. Vega is a tower of strength and defiance in this LGBTQ+ classic, looking at the everyday struggles of someone who is frequently denied the right to be who they are. The film also impacted history, with the Chilean movie’s Oscar win for Best Foreign Language Film opening a discussion that led to a change in the country’s gender identity laws in 2018.

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15. Blue is the Warmest Colour (2013) – French film-maker Abdellatif Kechiche’s film adapts the graphic novel about the coming-out and torrid first relationship of a young French girl over the course of a few years. The film’s infamous love scene became the focus of many headlines, a needless distraction from the incredible performances of its stars, Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos, who created a believable and layered bond together. An unforgettable story for anyone who has loved and lost.

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14. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) – If Wes Anderson is a film-maker with a particular style, then The Grand Budapest Hotel is a tribute to the very best of that style. Happily, it’s also a hilarious movie, spearheaded by Ralph Fiennes as the charismatic concierge of the titular hotel. It’s a film full of heart and wonder, sprinkled with great performances from Tony Revolori’s young protégé, to Soairse Ronan as the love of his life. Arguably the director’s finest work.

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13. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) – The Coen Brothers recreate New York’s Greenwich Village, just prior to Bob Dylan’s explosion on the folk scene. The hero of their story (Oscar Isaac) is no legend, but rather a promising musician whose own knack for catastrophe gets in the way of his success. Isaac announces himself as a leading man, giving Llewyn Davis a fascinating repugnance. He’s not a nice man, but you’re willing him to succeed.

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12. Mommy (2014) – A French-Canadian family tragedy. Xavier Dolan imagines the plight of Diane (Anne Dorval), the mother of troubled teenager Stevie (Antoine-Olivier Pilon). We experience the incredible highs and horrendous lows the pair go through, and are presented with difficult questions about mental health. All this turbulence is wrapped in a beautiful package, particularly in one scene set to Oasis’ “Wonderwall”, which will bring tears to your eyes.

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11. Tangerine (2015) – One of the biggest shifts if the last 10 to 20 years has been the democratisation of film-making through mobile technology. The advancement of consumer technology played a part in Sean Baker’s Tangerine, about a transgender sex worker who discovers her boyfriend is cheating on her. Brash and unapologetic, it’s a frenetic whirlwind journey through LA, which feels cinematic despite being shot on three iPhone 5S camera phones.

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10. Get Out (2017) – Jordan Peele worked on the idea for Get Out for years, but its release in an America divided by the 2016 election made it feel as if it had been written for that very moment. Weaving a commentary about racial attitudes in the US into a traditional, creepy horror film was a master stroke, earning Peele an Oscar and unveiling a new name in terror. It also shook up an Academy rocked by its own difficulties with diversity.

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9. Toy Story 3 (2010) – The culmination of 15 years of storytelling, this third chapter asked a question we hoped we’d never be faced with: what happens to Woody and Buzz when Andy grows up? Despite fears of going one sequel too far, this farewell to the first chapter of the toys’ lives was the best yet, dealing with issues like abandonment and grief in the tender manner that has become the trademark of the animation giant. We can’t even bring ourselves to talk about that scene in the furnace…

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8. Whiplash (2014) – “Not my tempo!” Extraordinary character actor JK Simmons gets his moment in the spotlight as the band leader from hell in a movie that is both unbearably tense, and undeniably magic. Miles Teller is the embodiment of youthful ambition as he and Simmons chase each other in circles, pursuing the elusive idea of perfection. With an ambiguous ending that will be debated for years, it’s an unsettling psychological piece that never lets up until it leaves you gasping for breath after the final frame.

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7. Call Me By Your Name (2017) – Call Me By Your Name fared slightly better than Carol, with the gay coming-of-age drama scoring a Best Picture nomination and winning the award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Those who have gone on Elio’s journey of discovery, where he finds who he is through an affair with an older man (Armie Hammer), found a delicately crafted painting of a film. Timothée Chalamet shattered us as the young man going through the rigours of first love, ending with an iconic shot of him tearfully looking into a fireplace. Quiet brilliance.

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6. Anomalisa (2015) – Charlie Kauffman turned his audio play into an animated wonder, portraying depression through travelling businessman Michael (David Thewlis), for whom everyone and everything has the same voice – until he meets Lisa (Jennifer Jason Leigh). A small, stop-motion story of people finding hope in the unlikeliest of places, the spirit of the film comes in Michael’s quiet message: “Remember, every person you speak to needs love”.

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5. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – “What a lovely day!” Quite simply, the action movie done right. This wild tear across the desert introduced us to Tom Hardy’s version of Max, a quiet renegade who helps Furiosa (Charlize Theron) rescue a group of young women from a tyrant. A feast for the eyes, ears and almost every other sense, George Miller reignited his Mad Max franchise with a film that felt like it was sent from Valhalla.

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4. Lady Bird (2017) – One issue American cinema has consistently suffered from is a lack of women behind the camera. Film-makers like Ava Duvernay, Patty Jenkins and more have worked to redress that balance in recent years, but a new hero emerged in Greta Gerwig and her directorial debut. This semi-autobiographical story of a misfit young woman (Soairse Ronan) navigating her senior year of high school is just a wonderful film in itself, capturing the pain of those years leading into adulthood. The fact that it offers a different voice on our screen is another reason to love it.

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3. Moonlight (2016) – The film may be forever tied to the 2017 Oscar mix-up, which saw its Best Picture win tarnished when La La Land was called out by mistake. However, Barry Jenkins’ trilogy of stories about a young man living through many different types of abuse is a searing journey that speaks to issues both societal and deeply personal. Of the many talented actors, it’s hard to forget Naomi Watts as an abusive mother, or Mahershala Ali as the drug dealer turned surrogate father.

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2. The Raid (2011) – Gareth Evans’ Indonesian action film The Raid was made using amateur actors, with minimal resources, for about the same amount of money that most Marvel films use on catering. Yet, out of those restrictions came an isolated ballet of violence that took the most artistic elements of the action genre and refined them to an art form. Iko Uwais became an action legend as a rookie cop forced to fight his way up thirty floors of hell. The sequel was a rich crime saga, but this electric first instalment set a standard that Hollywood still struggles to reach.

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1. La La Land (2016) – Damien Chazelle’s second movie divides people, something that often happens when a movie goes on an Oscar campaign, and expectations are raised impossibly high. However, let us state our case as to why it’s our favourite on this list: There’s the technicolour joy of the musical numbers. There are the unforgettable songs, particularly Ryan Gosling’s boardwalk rendition of “City of Stars”. There’s Chazelle’s faithful adoration of the glory days of the Hollywood musical – you can almost imagine Gene Kelly leaping in the background. But more than that, La La Land is special because of what it represents. It’s not a film about jazz, or Hollywood, or even love. It’s a film about dreams, set in the very place where people come to live them. It’s about the audacity of those who chase their dreams, and (to quote the song) the hearts they break and the mess they make. La La Land is a Hollywood movie, made by a director who knows what makes them magic. #staysafe #stayathome #selfisolation

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The Top 30 Films Of The 2010s

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