THE BEST MOVIES OF THE DECADE (2010 – 2019)

By Movie Geeks | December 31, 2019

It was the best of times… it was the worst of times. 2010 through 2019 saw dramatic climate changes, unconventional leadership choices to the political landscape and walls being built to further divide cultures.

When we came together, we came together strong.

Our world witnessed many extraordinary things such as a 16 year girl succeeding in turning vague anxieties about the planet into a worldwide movement calling for global change, in 2015 same-sex marriage became legal, millions attended the Women’s March in 2017, in 2018 mankind experienced a once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse, while in April of 2019, we got our first glimpse of the most mysterious spectacle in the universe: the black hole.

Political commentary was the focus of many mainstream movies, sociological topics metaphorically took the form of horror films while creatures past present and future captured the zeitgeist of the past decade. The eighth and final installment in the Harry Potter film series — Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 — hit theaters on July 15, 2011 and the greatest superheroes in the universe series concluded with a mighty one-two punch and epic win in Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.

One hundred years prior, from 1910 – 1920, the silver screen entertained audiences with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Birth of a Nation and the first film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. We’ve come very far in a century of film-going.

Before we ring in the New Year and kick off the new decade of the Roaring 2020’s, the staff of WAMG looks at our favorite films of the last decade.

Michael:

1. The Social Network – “What the hell am I doing here? I don’t belong here.” The lyrics of “Creep” by Radiohead echoed through the trailer as a choir of children sung the haunting lyrics without knowing what their futures lives will feel like on the internet. In many ways, no one knew what Facebook would turn into – not even Mark Zuckerberg. And that’s one of the many points of David Fincher’s THE SOCIAL NETWORK. It’s the origin story of a technological beast that has consumed our lives and morphed into something no one saw coming. Through Aaron Sorkin’s fast-paced, razor-sharp dialogue, we learn of its creator’s blind ignorance and see his unhappiness unfold, despite the cocky, all-knowing persona he exhibits to the world. We are all Mark Zuckerberg living behind a screen that projects a false happiness, and as Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross’s digital score looms over the precedings, it’s a reminder that this beast has become sentient and is now in control… not us.
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
3. The Tree of Life
4. The Wolf of Wall Street
5. Boyhood
6. Holy Motors
7. High-Rise
8. The Shape of Water
9. Upstream Color
10. Get Out

Honorable Mentions: Inside Llewyn Davis, Moonlight, Mandy

Tom:

1. Mad Max Fury Road – the movie every action fan had been waiting for since THE ROAD WARRIOR, was pure dynamite, with enough wit and ingenuity to put all recent action films to shame. Director George Miller staged his film as one long, gonzo action set piece, mostly involving custom vehicles of death barreling down deserted post-apocalyptic highways at breakneck speeds, brilliantly sustaining an edge-of-your-seat 120-minute chase with crisp editing, sharp photography by John Seale, and a pounding music score by Junkie XL.
2. Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood
3. Life Of Pi
4. Dunkirk
5. Hacksaw Ridge
6. Birdman: The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance
7. Django Unchained
8. The Shape Of Water
9. Under The Skin
10. The Mule

Michelle:

1. The Planet of the Apes Trilogy (2011, 2014, 2017) – Andy Serkis’ amazing performance, the incredible VFX work done by Weta Digital and composers Patrick Doyle and Michael Giacchino’s beautiful and epic score brought an emotional quality for fans of the sci-fi franchise.
2. A Quiet Place (2018)
3. John Wick Series (2014, 2017, 2019)
4. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
5. Logan (2017)
6. Dunkirk (2017)
7. The Tree of Life (2011)
8. Get Out (2017)
9. Interstellar (2014)
10. World War Z (2013)

Honorable Mentions: MCU Films (2008 – 2019), Alita Battle Angel, Edge of Tomorrow, Inception, Moneyball, Looper.

Jim:

1. The Shape of Water (2017) – Guillermo del Toro’s masterpiece is a delightful mix of romance, comedy, thrills, social commentary, nostalgia, classic monsters, and even 30’s musicals that perfectly combine to make a passionate love letter to the magic of motion pictures.
2. La La Land (2016)
3. Marvel’s The Avengers (2012)
4. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse (2018)
5. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
6. Bridesmaids (2011)
7. Argo (2012)
8. Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood (2019)
9. The Artist (2011)
10. Drive (2011)

Honorable Mentions: Hugo (2011), Life of Pi (2012), American Hustle (2013), Spotlight (2015), Whiplash (2014)

Cate:

1. They Shall Not Grow Old – Peter Jackson brings all his LORD OF THE RINGS technical wizardry to bear in a jaw-dropping transformation of old silent black-and-white WWI footage into an astounding pristine, full-color, speed-corrected, 3D sound film. Genius is the only word for it. Going way beyond restoration, the documentary showcases what current technology can really do, while also giving us a glimpse into the experiences of ordinary British soldiers in that first modern war. Best seen with its companion “making of” documentary, where Jackson describes the cinema magic used for feat, THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD also is a perfect companion to this year’s hit WWI drama 1917.
2. 1917
3. The Revenant
4. The Favorite
5. BlacKkKlansman
6. The Grand Budapest Hotel
7. The Big Short
8. Birdman
9. Embrace Of The Serpent
10. 12 Years A Slave

Honorable Mentions: Ex Machina, Incendies, The Post, Blue Jasmine, Spotlight, The Descendants, Handmaiden, Black Swan, Apollo 11, Get Out, Honeyland

Stephen:

1. The Tree of Life – Incredibly broad in scope, yet insanely specific in experience, The Tree of Life is a beautiful answer to the questions of why bad things keep happening and why we should keep going?
2. Okja
3. Two Days, One Night
4. Phantom Thread
5. Phoenix
6. Under the Skin
7. The Killing of a Sacred Deer
8. Beyond the Hills
9. The Turin Horse
10. Cosmos

Honorable Mentions: Inherent Vice, Shoplifters, Raw, Knight of Cups, A Separation