Yes, I know this is late. Yes, I know it is February. Deal with my lateness.
Disclaimer, this entire post is my personal opinion. If you don’t/do agree with any of my choices, cool. My opinion literally means nothing.
It's really quite difficult trying to narrow down over 90 000 films made between 2010 and 2019 into a top 10 list but I felt I needed to savour my favorite films of the decade again.
The 2010’s-especially the late years-were a game-changing decade for film. Genres were defined, techniques were mastered, and Hollywood started really changing with big shifts in the industry after the #metoo movement and the #oscarssowhite movement. This paved the way for more female and POC creators to succeed and be respected as filmmakers, bringing some of the best films we’ve ever seen.
10. Whiplash (2014)
‘Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) is an ambitious young jazz drummer, in pursuit of rising to the top of his elite music conservatory. Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), becomes Neiman’s mentor whose unconventional training methods push Neiman beyond the boundaries of reason and sensibility.’
This thriller brought a darker question to the minds of its viewers, how far are you willing to push yourself to succeed? We all naturally yearn to be successful, but how far can we go to achieve our goals? And when is it too much? These were all questions that screamed at me after I saw Whiplash for the first time. I sat there, enthralled by the insane yarn of events that had just happened and questioned if I would do the same things Neiman did to possibly succeed.
The performance’s were also amazing in this film. I really don’t know how J.K. Simmons can go from being the nastiest human in Whiplash to a nice cool guy in real life.
9. The Shape of Water (2017)
‘Elisa is a mute, isolated woman who works as a cleaning lady in a hidden, high-security government laboratory in 1962 Baltimore. Her life changes forever when she discovers the lab's classified secret -- a mysterious, scaled creature from South America that lives in a water tank. As Elisa develops a unique bond with her new friend, she soon learns that its fate and very survival lies in the hands of a hostile government agent and a marine biologist.’
2017 was a rather progressive year for the LGBTQ+ community and it only gets more accepting each year. The Shape of Water pushed audiences limitations of progressiveness by having the heroine develop a romantic and sexual relationship with a fishman. It asked the question, would you be able to accept anyone for who they are or who they love? This question was important and still is important today. Not to mention that this movie also has an amazing cast, an amazing atmosphere and a strange whimsy to even the most gruesome of scenes. I believe it did deserve it’s Oscar win of Best picture back in 2017 and that’s why it’s number 9 on my list.
8. Get Out (2017)
‘Chris, an African-American man, decides to visit his Caucasian girlfriend's parents during a weekend getaway. Although they seem normal at first, he is not prepared to experience the horrors ahead.’
This is another movie that was groundbreaking in what it did for the industry. In 2017 Jordan Peele, the film’s writer and director, was the first POC male to win the best screenplay Oscar. This was huge! It catapulted more black activism and racism awareness as the whole film is clearly making a statement about white privilege and unintentional racism. The film also brought focus on the amazing lead actor Daniel Kaluuya whose performance in this is realistic but intensely memorizing. Apparently Kaluuya did the crying scene perfectly five times in his audition. Totally amazing.
Overall this is a great film that is both light in comedy and serious in core message. Go watch dis shit.
7. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
Yes, I know this film isn’t technically from this decade but it’s close enough.
‘Mr Fox, a family man, goes back to his ways of stealing, unable to resist his animal instincts. However, he finds himself trapped when three farmers decide to kill him and his kind.’
This movie is one of my favourite movies of all time and I thought it deserved to be recognized on this list. It would be in my number two spot if it were made in 2010 but since it was released a year earlier I have to put it a bit lower.
The film is directed by Wes Anderson and his style is only amplified in his stop motion works. The palette of the film is a rainbow of warm red tones and natural browns mixed with a dirty dark blue. The cast is eclectic and each character is loveable in some way (except for Boggic, Bunce and Bean ofc). The film is beautifully made from the cinematography, soundtrack, animation, costuming, voice acting, and puppetry. If you haven’t seen this masterpiece, stop reading this and go watch it now.
6. Hereditary (2018)
This film is wacky banana cuckoo but it is also one of the best horror movies made in this decade.
‘When the matriarch of the Graham family passes away, her daughter and grandchildren begin to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry, trying to outrun the sinister fate they have inherited.’
This movie is the type of movie you have to watch more than once to fully understand. It is a strange, well made, confusing and overall uncomfortable film. I have never felt more uncomfortable watching a movie than when I was watching Hereditary. There are also two specific scenes that are incredible to watch, one being the ant scene (insert link) and the other is the dinner scene (insert link). Go take a watch if you haven’t seen the film just to have a quick introduction into what you’re in for.
Ari Aster made a terrifying, strange, stylistically beautiful film and that is why it is on my list.
5. LadyBird 2018
“Christine Lady Bird McPherson, a teenage girl faces a lot of ups and downs in her relationships during her senior year in high school.”
I finally saw this movie only this week and I understood why so many people my age love it. You can completely identify with Ladybird and her story of growing up. All of the scenes in high school were the best and I loved both the Danny and Kyle romantic arcs. HOWEVER,
Ok you’re gonna hate me for this. I
I didn’t like the ending. It just felt like there was something missing. The end speech was absolutely beautiful but it just ended weird. If you’re looking to watch this movie the first and second act of the film make up for the strange ending. Also Timotheé and Saorise are so beautiful in this movie oh my lord.
If you’re looking for a film about grade 12 and becoming an adult to society or if you’re currently on your last year of high school and moving on to college/uni I would definitely recommend this film to you.
4. Midsommar (2019)
‘A couple travel to Sweden to visit their friend's rural hometown for its fabled midsummer festival, but what begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.’
This is another Ari Aster classic. This movie was a whopper of a puzzle when I first saw it and its daytime setting put me in a bit more comfort than Hereditary so that’s why this is higher on my list. Aster created a confusing world that covers up a story of family belonging and trust. It also has a stellar cast including Florence Pugh and Will Poulter. Why this film was snubbed at the Oscars? I couldn’t tell you. It is a trip down drama lane that will bring you to a land of satisfied confusion. I am 100% fine if you stop reading my post to go watch this movie right now.
3. Jojo Rabbit (2019)
‘Jojo is a lonely German boy who discovers that his single mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic. Aided only by his imaginary friend -- Adolf Hitler -- Jojo must confront his blind nationalism as World War II continues to rage on.’
This film was a perfect blend of tragedy and comedy. One minute we were laughing at Jojo being teased by his mother the next minute we are looking at hanged Jews in the town square. It remains a war film while keeping to the Waititi style of comedy and campiness. I actually shed many tears in the last few depressing moments of this film. It is also a film that you should pay attention to. If you pay attention to what the camera is showing you you can predict some integral story moments and symbolic moments that happen later in the film.
I normally don’t enjoy war films but this one hit different. The juxtaposition of comedy and tragedy, the incredible cast, and the great style of Taika Waititi made this film so worthwhile.
2. Call Me By Your Name (2017)
“Elio, a teenager, develops feelings for Oliver, his father's temporary assistant. Although their relationship is temporary, Elio realises his sexual orientation and tries to come to terms with it.”
Oh Ma’am you knew this movie would be on my list.
I cannot describe to you how beautiful this movie is. I can’t even try. The book exuded beauty when I read it and Luca Guadanino did the same in this film adaption. You feel like you are in the same world as Elio and Oliver. (Somewhere in Northern Italy, summer, 1983) The soundtrack only compliments that. (If you have not listened to Mystery Of Love by Sufjan Stevens what are you even doing with your life.) Another big seller of this movie is that everyone can have their own interpretations of Elio’s actions and feelings and empathize with him till the very end of the film. I guarantee this movie will make you cry at the end but it is so worth it to experience Elio and Oliver’s journey.
1.Little Women (2019)
“Following the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy—the film details their passage from childhood to womanhood.”
I have seen this movie 3 times in theatre and I intend to see it a fourth.
The promos and trailers drew me in with the amazing cast (many are already in films on this list, Florence Pugh, Timothee Chalamet, Saorise Ronan) but I wasn’t expecting to connect with the movie so much. It tells the story of sisters growing up but it also sends a message about women in the workplace and how hard it was then, and even sometimes now, for women to earn their own money and possess their own money. As much as we love to ignore it women are still minorities to men in workplaces. A great example of this is the 2020 Oscar nominations. There were no women nominated in the directing category. Not even Greta Gerwig who directed Little Women which is up for many many awards. No woman has ever won the directing category and things still aren’t fair.
Yes the film addresses serious issues but it also won my heart with sweet and identifiable characters. I feel I am Amy March and all my friends (male or female mind you) came out of that movie each identifying with a character. Gerwig did a fabulous job of direction and all the actors were great. Please, if you are this far in this post, go see Little Women. No matter your gender. It is a wonderful movie that makes you think about life and all the wonderful things in it.
Thank you for reading my “best movies of the decade” post! I know it’s really late but I was busy with life and stuff. This blog is a side thing.
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