My 20 Favorite Movies of the Decade: 2010-2019

Just as with my favorite songs blog, my favorite movies list grew from the entry I did a decade ago. I couldn't abide sticking with just 10 this time around, and unlike with my music opinions, I will vouch for the quality of every choice on this list. These are all great films, and you should see them. To make that easier to do, I've noted where they are streaming with subscription, if available.

I forced myself to follow strict criteria when putting this list together. The first rule was that I've seen the movie at least twice in order to include it on the list. Thus, there is a lengthy honorable mentions list full of films that I've only seen once, either because they're fairly new or I just haven't gotten around to re-watching them.

The second rule is that the film had to be released in the 2010s, which eliminated a couple of movies that were released late in 2009, even though I didn't see them until 2010: 500 Days of Summer and Inglorious Basterds, the latter of which would've easily been in my top five.

This is the same reason for the lack of entries from 2019; I either haven't seen the movie yet (Parasite, 1917), or I haven't had the chance to see it again (The Irishman, Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood).

First, the Honorable Mentions:
Easy A (2010), Booksmart (2019), 50/50 (2011), The Raid: Redemption (2011), Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood (2019), Manchester by the Sea (2016), The Irishman (2019), Mission: Impossible- Fallout (2018), Roma (2018), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Rogue One (2016), Logan (2017), Black Panther (2018), Baby Driver (2017), Before Midnight (2013), Us (2019), 12 Years a Slave (2013), Sinister (2012), It Follows (2014), Midsommar (2019), It: Chapter One (2017), Let Me In (2010), The LEGO Movie (2014), Her (2013), Looper (2012), Winter's Bone (2010), Call Me By Your Name (2017), The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017), The Edge of Seventeen (2016), The Town (2010), Gone Girl (2014), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), The Fault in Our Stars (2014).

20. The Spectacular Now (2013) Netflix

The best complement I can play this delightful little teen romance is that it has Say Anything in its DNA. It also showed that Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley are bona fide movie stars. The easy chemistry they share while passing a flask of whiskey over the top of a car is worth the watch by itself. There's great stuff here about the legacy and character traits our parents saddle us with and the need to be loved.

19. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
Horror is my favorite genre, but to move off the Honorable Mentions and onto the main list, a horror film has to transcend its genre. This clever satire does that in spades. Meta horror has been around since at least Scream, but Cabin takes it to a new level by getting us to examine what primal forces really drive us (horror movie fans, anyway) to watch people be terrified and slaughtered ad nauseam. It features a pre-Thor Chris Hemsworth, a Sigourney Weaver cameo, and is funny as hell.

18. The Big Short (2015)
This movie's kind of a miracle. There's no way to make an incredibly complex financial crisis caused largely by the housing market entertaining, right? Well, Adam McKay and friends did. No moment better encapsulates the reckless optimism of the time just before the recession like the Florida stripper revealing to an incredulous Steve Carell that she owns "five houses...and a condo."

17.Goon (2011) Netflix
The sport of hockey has produced some great flicks, but this one is my favorite. Yeah, even over Slapshot (which it certainly owes a debt to). Sean William Scott is alternately lovable and terrifying as the titular goon. You don't have to love hockey to appreciate the film; it's a great underdog tale about achieving one's dream, only to realize that the dream has changed from what it begun as. It also contains one of the best sports movie lines ever: "Two rules, man: Stay away from my fuckin' percocets, and do you have any fucking percocets, man?"

16. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
I already wrote about this (and nine other essential teen movies).

15. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)
Ok, categorizing this as a "great" movie might be a bit of a stretch, but how about "best movie in proportion to awful title"? This flick is unabashedly dumb but also has its heart in the right place. It has a surprising lot to say about maturity and regret. Oh, and it's freaking hilarious and the soundtrack full of 80s cheese unashamedly rocks.

14.Creed (2015)
I doubt many people were pining for more Rocky movies, but director Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) found a way to make a fresh, fun story out of this franchise and gave Sly Stallone a meaty comeback role to boot. Michael B. Jordan is great as Adonis, but Coogler's vision is the real star; this film definitely transcends "sports movie." It's all the good parts of the series projected through a new lens.

13. Deadpool (2016)
The Marvel Comics Universe dominated the 2010s, which is why Deadpool was such a breath of fresh air. Yeah, it's still a superhero movie, but it's much like Cabin in the Woods in that it's self-aware of the genre and sends itself up. The entertainment industry tried to make Ryan Reynolds a thing for over a decade; it's deliciously ironic that he's finally made it by disfiguring his handsome mug and then slapping a mask on it. This is probably the funniest movie of the decade.

12. Dunkirk (2017)
I called this film "fantastic" when I first saw it, but it probably wouldn't have made the list if I hadn't gone back and watched it again a week ago. The tension is incredible, right from the harrowing opening scene. Hans Zimmer's score ratchets it up throughout the film, along with the ticking clock effect that dovetails with the film's warped chronology, which is a lot easier to follow the second time around. I was also able to better distinguish between the largely similar-looking pasty British boys, which is arguably the film's only flaw. I love that you never actually see any of the Nazis; they're just this terrifying, omniscient, malevolent force.

11. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
There's a plot somewhere in here, but it doesn't matter. The movie is basically one massive chase scene. They race across the terrain away from the bad guy to someplace that doesn't really matter. Then they go back. It's all the cool shit that happens along the way that makes this a modern classic. Charlize Theron's brilliance makes up for...whatever the hell Tom Hardy's doing here. Some of the most jaw-dropping, realistic stunts ever put on celluloid.

10. Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 (2017) Disney +
The MCU is indeed a wondrous creation. The fact that all these disparate films culminated in the satisfying triumph that is Avengers: Endgame is truly one of most remarkable achievements in filmmaking history. And yet...Martin Scorsese had a point when he criticized the films as having "no stakes." If you were surprised by Tony Stark dying or Cap giving up his shield, then you weren't paying attention to entertainment news: Both of the actors' contracts were due to expire.  

GG2, to me, is the one MCU film with stakes, and thus, emotional resonance. The universal themes of family and what qualifies as one sets it apart from its comic book brethren. The climax starts with Quill's battle with the father who abandoned him, kicks up a notch with Rocket preventing Gamorra from going back for Quill ("Sorry, I can only lose one friend today"), and crescendos with Sean Gunn's triumphant, teary celebration as the other ships appear for the "Ravager funeral" (set to a tear-jerking Cat Stevens tune). I've liked a lot of the MCU movies. This is the only one that gives me the feels.

9. Hereditary (2018) Amazon Prime
This is both a traditional horror film and a work of art. Director Ari Aster borrows the best stuff from other horror classics (most notably Rosemary's Baby) to create a classic of his own. His use of sound, especially, sets him apart as an auteur. It's scary and gory, but it's also a parable about a family fracturing under the weight of recent tragedy and its own sordid history. Hereditary announced Aster as a major talent; Midsommar confirmed his genius. I can't wait to see what he does next.

8. Warrior (2011) Free w/ ads on Vudu
Every time I recommend this movie, I cringe when someone asks what it's about. "It's about these two brothers who both turn into mixed martial arts fighters..." The person usually tunes me out right about then. I get it! Most people don't like M.M.A. Here's the thing: I don't like M.M.A.! I don't watch or follow it at all. But this movie is outstanding and transcends the genre, even better than Creed and Goon do. It's layered and believable, features a vintage Nick Nolte, and it's easily Tom Hardy's best acting performance. The ending, which feels totally inevitable yet completely earned, had me choked up and wishing I had a brother.

7. Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) Disney +
It's easy to dismiss this as derivative of the original movie, as lots of fanboys did. Then they complained about Last Jedi being too different. It's almost like there's no pleasing a certain segment of Star Wars fans! But I digress. J.J. Abrams had a seemingly impossible task: Reboot one of the most successful franchises of all time after a fallow period that had lasted decades. Do it by blending the old cast with a bunch of unknowns. Don't panic, but the fate of the franchise is in your hands. 

And he made something fun. It's not a perfect movie by any means; the whole Starkiller Base concept is completely illogical, for one thing. But damn, if it isn't a good time. 'Member when Kylo Ren held the blaster bolt in midair in front of a wise-cracking Poe? 'Member when we got to see the Millenium Falcon take flight again? 'Member the X-wings flying across the lake to confront the First Order TIEs? That was awesome!

The Force Awakens reminded us that Star Wars is meant to be fun. Forget all the prequels' convoluted nonsense about trade disputes and clone armies, and give us that chill-inducing moment where the light saber flies through the snowy forest, past the outstretched hand of Ben Solo, into the shocked, raised hand of our righteous new protagonist, Rey. It was the most fun I had at the movies this decade, and even the trilogy's underwhelming conclusion can't take that away.

6. John Wick (2014)
It's the best action flick of the decade, and it's driven by an incredibly simple premise: Legendary hit man retires and then un-retires because these assholes (including a mob boss' son) kill the dog his recently-deceased wife left him. Keanu Reeves plays the titular character as a largely silent and inevitable force of nature. It also introduces the charmingly ridiculous world of assassins who (mostly) adhere to strict codes of conduct and whose currency is gold coins. This works much better in the relatively limited confines of the Continental Hotel in the first movie; the sequels get a bit overstuffed. However, the original is an endlessly re-watchable bullet-filled ballet. As for Keanu's decade, he says it best in character: "Yeah, I'm thinking I'M BACK!"

5. Hell or High Water (2016) Netflix
I knew this was one of my favorite films of the decade when it first came out. I watched it again last week, and particularly in the last hour, I just kept thinking, over and over: "This movie is incredible." It's part heist flick, part neo-Western, and most powerfully, an observation of the ravages of capitalism in small town America. It features an all-time Jeff Bridges role (I comprehend the weight of that statement) and a live wire performance from Ben Foster, who should be in more movies. The last scene is hold-your-breath perfection.

4. Eighth Grade (2018) Amazon Prime
This movie hits home on three levels. First, as a teacher of teens, I can recognize accurate portrayals of them on film or television, and how seldom they get it right (such as the awful Thirteen Reasons Why). Perhaps writer/director Bo Burnham's relative youth (he was only 27) helped him relate, but he absolutely nails what it's like to be a young person in today's world.

Secondly, I can still remember the turmoil of middle school, by far my least favorite childhood era. Eighth Grade agonizingly depicts the pubescent insecurity which is the defining element of that period and updates it for today's social media generation. The film starts with a earnest YouTube post by protagonist Kayla Day (a fantastic Elsie Fisher) about "being yourself." She does her best to come off as confident, but her crippling lack of self esteem is bubbling right below the surface.

Lastly, I've recommended this movie to several parents of junior high-aged kids, whose ranks I will join in a short couple years. There's a brilliant, moving connection between Kayla and her single dad (Josh Hamilton), as he struggles to relate to this brand-new adolescent being that has invaded his daughter. Paradoxically, she wants to be left alone but needs him more than ever, and it's absolutely heart wrenching.

3. The Florida Project (2017) Amazon Prime
I don't cry at movies. The last one to make me legitimately sob was Marley & Me, which is manipulatively designed to make dog lovers weep, so that almost doesn't count. The ending of this film made me pretty emotional the first time I saw it. I watched it again last week to see if it would affect me the same way...and I cried like a little kid whose ice cream fell on the sidewalk. I was even more affected because I was doubly invested in the characters.

I'm not recommending it solely on the basis of its emotional impact. It's also a beautiful film about a segment of society that most of us would rather pretend doesn't exist. It centers on six-year-old Moonee (brilliant newcomer Brooklynn Prince) and her transitory existence living in a motel room with her reckless, irresponsible single mother in Orlando, only a couple miles from Disney World. Willem Dafoe plays the hotel manager who becomes invested his tenants' lives despite himself. He's a handyman who can fix a leaky ice machine but can't cure the ills of these broken lives. 

Above all, The Florida Project is a superlative examination of childhood. It depicts the resilience and imagination of little kids, how all they really need are a couple friends, a welcoming environment, and a supportive provider in order to thrive. And ultimately what a betrayal it is to their innate innocence when those things are stripped away. This movie will absolutely rip your heart out, but you will be glad you saw it. 

2. Get Out (2017) 
We've now entered "defining film of the decade" territory. When we finally emerge from the cursed hellscape that is the Trump era, this will be one of the works that best explains what the fuck happened. Writer/director Jordan Peele even changed the ending after the 2016 election to make it happier; he thought Chris getting imprisoned for the murder of his white tormentors along with the country choosing an overt racist to be the most powerful man in the world was just too damn depressing. 

Although I don't consider this a horror film, it definitely has those elements in its DNA (Rosemary's Baby is again an influence here; if you haven't seen it, time's a wasting). But what elevates the film transcends any easy labels. The metaphor of "the sunken place" is an all-timer, and the performances are all top notch. There's a reason the movie sprung 1,000 memes; it touched on themes that are typically hard to make into something this entertaining and mainstream. The film is near perfection; I can't think of a single weak moment or anything I'd change about it (although checking out the alternate ending is a must). 

1. The Social Network (2010) 
This is as good a time as any to express my frustration with the Academy Awards, which theoretically should award Best Picture to the film that will hold up best as the most important and lasting, the one people will remember that defined that year. Without looking it up, do you know what film won Best Picture for 2010? It was The King's Speech, which you likely saw once, enjoyed, and proceeded to never think about again for the rest of your life. 

Whereas, The Social Network was a masterpiece when it debuted at the start of the decade and has aged spectacularly. The dream team of writer Aaron Sorkin and director David Fincher produced something that felt incredibly relevant when it came out and now feels more prescient than ever. Consider that at the time the film was criticized for taking liberties with the truth and going too rough on Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Jesse Eisenberg's depiction was deemed by some to be unfair to Zuckerberg. 

You know what? Those points were half right. The incredible thing is that time has revealed Zuckerberg to be even more of a cold space alien who will not let ethical concerns get in the way of growing his company into a global behemoth. There's a good argument to be made that he's one of the five most powerful people in the world, and Trump wouldn't have been elected without Facebook's platform. If anything, Eisenberg's portrayal humanizes Zuck in a way that feels impossible while he robotically dodges questions in Congressional hearings. 

This film cautioned us about the rise of social media and tech culture in its early stages. As a society, we found ourselves unable to adapt, and now entire swaths of the population get 100% of their information from biased, misleading, flat-out dishonest sources. They treat it as gospel and share it into their echo chambers. Meanwhile, online interaction makes it all too easy to dehumanize and "other" those who don't share our point of view. 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go share this blog on Facebook with all my friends who loathe Donald Trump.