The 2010s were a time of exponential growth in film, in terms of new and developing technology, inclusion, and sophisticated storytelling. Oh, and franchises.
Superheroes and comic book characters became "the norm" at the box-office, while a few series dating back to the Sixties and Seventies (like Star Wars) opened up new and exciting (if divisive) doors. Revived interest in the space race was evident in various science-fiction-related flicks. Disney animation also made a comeback, as did the horror genre.
Like television in the 1950s, movie houses had to compete with streaming services. The overemphasized option to see the latest blockbuster hits in 3-D came and went (mostly). And for a period of time, it seemed as if shooting films on 35mm Kodak print was dead and digital was the future; though, many directors have long advocated for shooting on the former. Some even made milestones with IMAX cameras (we're looking at you, Christopher Nolan and Marvel's Avengers finales).
But perhaps the most important part of this decade of cinema was representation on screen, from women to minorities, to cultures whose stories and worlds are rarely ever told. Not to mention stories that are life-affirming.
With that being said, here's a list of criteria I used in deciding my picks for this decade's standout films:
--Is it a thematically- and superbly-written film?--Is it artistically-made?
--Is it a critical and/or commercial success? More than that, has it potentially gained traction and acclaim in subsequent years?
--Does it have universal appeal?
--Are there no more than 2 or 3 films per year on this list? (Honestly, this was a hard choice, as there were some years--one, in particular--when many extraordinary films were released.)
--Does this list balance genres and mediums?
--Is this a film that changed the way we view cinema?
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Here are a few quick notable mentions that didn't make the cut, but are still worth discussing.
An engrossing drama about a Chinese family matriarch whose cancer diagnosis is kept hidden, and a forged wedding is staged as an excuse to bring relatives together one last time. Writer-director Lulu Wang first adapted her semiautobiography--"based on an actual lie"--as a short piece for NPR's "This American Life." With the support of indie studio A24, and a cast that includes rising comedienne Awkwafina (in a radical dramatic turn) and Shuzhen Zhao (as the family grandmother, endearing and confident), The Farewell speaks to a familial and cultural legacy, unbreakable bonds, and the courage to face the future.
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are some of this decade's most accomplished filmmakers. Their sophomoric effort (following 2009's eye-popping and entertaining Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs) takes what initially sounds like a corporate cash-cow of a giant toy conglomerate (Transformers, anybody?) and crafts it into a consistently funny, clever, creative, and surprisingly touching story of plastic Lego characters on a mission to stop a power-hungry villain from (literally) gluing the entire Lego universe together. Made as if from a child's imagination--but that's the point, compared with the ways adults use such "toys". A perfect voice cast (Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnet, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Nick Offerman) and a catchy song make The Lego Movie awesome for all ages.
Essential a "silent" film in the guise of a horror movie, A Quiet Place centers on a family surviving in a post-apocalyptic world where any noise triggers sound-sensitive extra-terrestrial monsters. An attention-to-detail script by Bryan Woods and Scott Beck, and brilliant direction by John Krasinski (who cast wife Emily Blunt alongside child actors Noah Jupe and Millicent Simonds), keep viewers engaged and on edge. A rare genre film with real substance and genuine terror (the most striking image being a pregnant Blunt, hiding in a bathtub), while emphasizing the fears of parents raising and preparing children in an uncertain world.
Destin Daniel Cretton wrote and directed this brutally-honest coming-of-age story about group home counselors whose lives are no different then the troubled at-risk teenagers they supervise on a daily basis. A raw but very genuine experience. Features breakout performances from many actors and actresses whose careers have only developed over the years, including Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), Lakieth Stanfield (Atlanta), Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody), Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart), and Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine).
Director Terrence Malick's magnum opus juxtaposes the story of a 1950s American family inter-cut with the creation of life itself. A bold, unconventional, and impressionistic mosaic of human emotion and astounding views of nature that is stunning, ethereal, and deeply evocative. Not so much driven by conventional narrative as by memories and experiences. Still, it does boast some brilliant performances from Brad Pitt and especially Jessica Chastain.
Morgan Neville directs this wonderful documentary on the life and legacy of Fred Rogers and his impact through the beloved PBS series "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood". With remarkable insight into Rogers' lifestyle and his desire to help children deal with the world in positive ways, this is a much-needed example and motivator in a divisive era where similar figures and role models are hard to come by.
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Here are my picks for the standout films of the 2010s.
Director Denis Villeneuve adapted Ted Chiang's original short piece, "Story of Your Life," into an intelligent, mysterious, bleak, and moving sci-fi drama about first contact, communication, and understanding--as well as memory and time. Amy Adams (in arguably her best screen performance) plays a university linguist, called in to decipher messages from an unknown alien race in egg-shaped spaceships that have landed around the world. Supporting players Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitacker are, as always, engrossing as well.
Director Sam Mendes was inspired to make a film based on the stories of his grandfather serving in World War I. 1917 follows two young British soldiers who trek across No Man's Land to stop an attack that could potentially lead to the deaths of 1,600 men. Christopher Nolan's 2017 WWII epic Dunkirk was an equally groundbreaking masterpiece (with an unconventional narrative and bold IMAX footage), but stories of the first World War are rare in cinema these days. That being said, Mendes--as well as fellow filmmaker Peter Jackson (2018's They Shall Not Grow Old)--has made extraordinary strides in recalling and commemorating that particular harsh period, not to mention examples of small acts of heroism. Combining his skillful direction with Roger Deakins' stunning cinematography (giving the illusion of one long, continuous take, in real time) and Thomas Newman's evocative score (one of his best), 1917 is immersive and heart-pounding from beginning to end.
Although it technically counts as one, Black Panther feels nothing like a Marvel Cinematic Universe entry, let alone a superhero story. 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier did take bold risks with its political-thriller plot (courtesy the Russo brothers), while Guardians of the Galaxy was a truly out-of-this-world space-comedy unlike anything before it (courtesy James Gunn). What director Ryan Coogler does with the comic book enterprise's first black superhero (created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby) is showcase a completely different (but relevant) culture. Throw in a titular hero who is both ruler and warrior, challenged to right the wrongs of his family's past mistakes (Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa); an antagonist who is equally intimidating and sympathetic (Michael B. Jordan's Erik Killmonger), a fully-dimensional roster of strong female characters who pack a punch (Danai Gurira's Okoye is a beast, and Letitia Wright's Shuri steals every scene she's in), and an epic score by Ludwig Goransson (recalling Hans Zimmer's score from The Lion King), and you have the makings of a cinematic revolution.
WRITERS NOTE: For those of you who aren't fans of superhero or comic-book movies: if you do decide to see only one MCU film in your life, this Best Picture nominee is the one to see.
Disney Animation experienced a "revival" era in the last ten years, a mirror of the Renaissance period from the Eighties and Nineties. From the magic ice castles and sisterly bonds of Frozen to the eye-popping game worlds of Wreck-It Ralph, and the anthropomorphic animals of Zootopia, the Mouse House has showcased another defining period of filmmaking, creativity, and universal storytelling. Their most amazing and original adventure draws inspiration from Polynesian culture, particularly the legends of larger-than-life demigod Maui, as a courageous teenage girl journeys across the sea to save her island and discover what she was meant for. Of the many original soundtracks to sweep the silver screen and several playlists in the 2010s (remember La La Land and The Greatest Showman?), Moana has some of the most infectious, moving, and incredible music, courtesy Marc Mancina, Opetaia Foa'i, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. A defining Disney film for this generation. You're welcome.
Third time is more than the charm in this winning sequel to Pixar Animation Studios' foundational series of toys come to life. As a now-teenage Andy prepares to go off to college, cowboy Woody, space ranger Buzz Lightyear, and the remaining playthings in Andy's old toybox have an identity crisis, are accidentally shipped to a daycare center, and plan a "prison break." An amalgamation of different genres (that opening fantasy sequence is incredibly creative), and themes of ownership, independence, death, and second chances, work seamlessly and effectively. Plus, illustrations of community and family--and a transition from childhood to adulthood--have never been stronger or more sophisticated in this series. (A fourth installment, released at the end of the decade, was equally terrific and worthwhile.) An emotional home-run, to infinity and beyond.
Filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron spent years developing a story (along with co-writer and son Jonas Cuaron) of two astronauts adrift in space. Gravity utilizes groundbreaking technology and astounding visual effects (especially in 3-D, for my money's worth) that genuinely immerses viewers up there in the void with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney (whose best line pokes fun at Facebook), but never overshadow the heart of the story. Bullock plays a mission specialist who has apparently been adrift from reality, after an unexpected loss, until an unexpected collision from nearby satellite debris forces her and a veteran pilot to get back to earth. Spiritual and visual metaphors of life, death, and rebirth are prevalent (the image of Bullock inside a shuttle, mirroring a mother's womb, is particularly spellbinding), with accompaniment from Steven Price's mesmerizing and haunting score. This is why we go to the movies.
Lenny Abrahamson directs this adaptation of the best-selling novel of the same name by Emma Donoghue (who also wrote the script), about a mother and son (a remarkable Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay, respectfully) who escape captivity after seven years and struggle to adjust to the outside world. I've never seen such a powerful, heartbreaking, and loving relationship between a mother and child on-screen, nor any since that have shaken me to my core as much. A hard film to watch, but an undeniably life-affirming and hopeful one, partly because of its perspective from a little boy who learns about the world for the first time, and who inspires his mother--a broken young woman--to see life anew. A unique portrait of childhood innocence, family heartache, and unbreakable love, Room ranks as a high point in the filmography of growing indie studio A24.
Based on Michael Lewis's book of the same name, this true story of the Oakland A's record-breaking 20-0 baseball season (established on the concept of saber-metrics) has less to do with sports and more to do with embracing change, acknowledging and focusing on the values of underappreciated individuals, and a reminder that there's more to the game (and life) than what conventional wisdom has been saying for years. Bennett Miller is a director of subtlety, quietness, and internal expression, allowing viewers to soak in the experience and meanings of the subjects he tackles in film. And with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill knocking their performances (as General Manager Billy Beane and Yale economics graduate Peter Brand, respectfully) out of the park, Moneyball is a one-of-a-kind film of perseverance and process.
A Spider-Man feature film centered around fan-favorite (and Peter Parker's successor) Miles Morales. That was the pitch that producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller gave to Sony earlier in the decade. A team of animators and artists subsequently took bold and creative risks in bringing the pages of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's most-beloved Marvel Comics icon to life, in ways that had never been done before. In fact, Spider-Verse puts an incredible creative spin on the famed webslinger in ways that couldn't have been accomplished with live-action. The result brings nearly the entire mythology of the character, from his many different cultural impacts (movies, cereal, Christmas albums) to his many different iterations (i.e., a Thirties noir detective, a futuristic anime robot, and even a cartoon pig). But the central story of the teenage Miles coming into his own, while learning from those before him, is fresh and relatable. A coming-of-age journey (and cinematic game-changer), symbolizing that anyone can be a hero, and that they're not the only ones.
Alfonso Cauron's deeply personal masterpiece of memory and time is a semi-autobiographical testament that has less to do with his own childhood and more to do with the women who helped raise him. Set in Mexico City during the 1970s Corpus Christi massacre, the heart of Cauron's story is the perspective of an indigenous maid named Cleo (a remarkable Yalitza Aparicio, in a debut performance), her relationship with the family she works for, and the ethical and social heartaches endured by her and her employer (Marina de Tavira). Epic in scale (with stunning black-and-white cinematography and an immersive sound design) but rooted in human emotion that is equally profound, devastating, and indescribable, one gets the impression that cinema has been reestablished from the ground up, bit by bit, moment by moment. (Cauron was reportedly the only crew member who knew the script, front to back, during production.) I know of no other film this decade that has captivated me as much, and I can't recommend it enough. Magnifico!
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