RETROSPECT: Top 10 Films That Came Close To Cracking $1 Billion

As of this writing, only 49 films have made over $1 billion at the worldwide box-office. But there are others--many others--that came very close. Here's a list of ten of them that made a strong impression on audiences, starting with the closest. (Included are scores from IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and Metacritic.) 

WRITER'S NOTE: Only initial theatrical release grosses will count, while subsequent re-releases will not be considered. 

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1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows--Part 1 (November 19, 2010) 

Est. worldwide gross: $976,536,918 

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Director: David Yates 

IMDb user rating (critical score): 7.7/10 (65) 

RT audience score (critical score): 85% (77%) 

RT critical consensus: It can't help but feel like the prelude it is, but Deathly Hallows: Part I is a beautifully filmed, emotionally satisfying penultimate installment for the Harry Potter series.

Metacritic audience score (critical score): 7.6 (65) 

2. Despicable Me 2 (July 3, 2013) 

Est. worldwide gross: $970,766,005

Distributor: Universal

Directors: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud

IMDb user rating (critical score): 7.3/10 (62) 

RT audience score (critical score): 85% (75%) 

RT critical consensus: Despicable Me 2 offers plenty of eye-popping visual inventiveness and a number of big laughs.

Metacritic audience score (critical score): 7.1 (62) 

3. The Jungle Book (April 15, 2016) 

Est. worldwide gross: $966,550,600

Distributor: Disney 

Director: Jon Favreau 

IMDb user rating (critical score): 7.4/10 (77) 

RT audience score (critical score): 86% (94%) 

RT critical consensus: As lovely to behold as it is engrossing to watch, The Jungle Book is the rare remake that actually improves upon its predecessors -- all while setting a new standard for CGI.

Metacritic audience score (critical score): 7.5 (77) 

4. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (December 17, 2014) 

Est. worldwide gross: $962,200,000 

Distributor: Warner Bros./New Line/MGM 

Director: Peter Jackson 

IMDb user rating (critical score): 7.4/10 (59) 

RT audience score (critical score): 74% (59%) 

RT critical consensus: Though somewhat overwhelmed by its own spectacle, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies ends Peter Jackson's second Middle-earth trilogy on a reasonably satisfying note.

Metacritic audience score (critical score): 6.9 (59) 

5. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (December 20, 2017) 

Est. worldwide gross: $962,077,546

Distributor: Sony/Columbia 

Director: Jake Kasdan

IMDb user rating (critical score): 6.9/10 (58) 

RT audience score (critical score): 87% (76%) 

RT critical consensus: Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle uses a charming cast and a humorous twist to offer an undemanding yet solidly entertaining update on its source material.

RT audience consensus: This reboot won’t blow your mind, but it’s an easy, funny, and action-packed summer flick made much better than it needed to be by standout performances from Jack Black and Kevin Hart.

Metacritic audience score (critical score): 6.8 (58) 

6. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (May 25, 2017) 

Est. worldwide gross: $960,996,492

Distributor: Disney

Director: Gore Verbinski

IMDb user rating (critical score): 7.1/10 (50) 

RT audience score (critical score): 72% (44%) 

RT critical consensus: [Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End] provides the thrilling action scenes, but mixes in too many characters with too many incomprehensible plot threads.

Metacritic audience score (critical score): 6.4 (50) 

7. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (December 13, 2013) 

Est. worldwide gross: $959,000,000

Distributor: Warner Bros./New Line/MGM

Director: Peter Jackson

IMDb user rating (critical score): 7.8/10 (66) 

RT audience score (critical score): 85% (74%) 

RT critical consensus: While still slightly hamstrung by "middle chapter" narrative problems and its formidable length, The Desolation of Smaug represents a more confident, exciting second chapter for the Hobbit series.

Metacritic audience score (critical score): 7.8 (66) 

8. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (May 6, 2022) 

Est. worldwide gross: $947,014,432

Distributor: Disney/Marvel 

Director: Sam Raimi 

IMDb user rating (critical score): 7.3/10 (60) 

RT audience score (critical score): 86% (74%)

RT critical consensus: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness labors under the weight of the sprawling MCU, but Sam Raimi's distinctive direction casts an entertaining spell.

RT audience consensus: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness delivers all the action and visual excitement you want in a Marvel movie while taking the franchise in a much darker direction.

Metacritic user score (metascore): 6.2 (60) 

9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (July 11, 2007) 

Est. worldwide gross: $941,676,843

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Director: David Yates

IMDb user rating (critical score): 7.5/10 (71) 

RT audience score (critical score): 81% (77%) 

RT critical consensus: It's not easy to take the longest Harry Potter book and streamline it into the shortest HP movie, but director David Yates does a bang up job of it, creating an Order of the Phoenix that's entertaining and action-packed.

Metacritic audience score (critical score): 7.3 (71) 

10. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (December 18, 2002) 

Est. worldwide gross: $936,689,735

Distributor: New Line 

Director: Peter Jackson

IMDb user rating (critical score): 8.8/10 (87) (Top 250: #14) 

RT audience score (critical score): 95% (95%) 

RT critical consensus: The Two Towers balances spectacular action with emotional storytelling, leaving audiences both wholly satisfied and eager for the final chapter.

Metacritic audience score (critical score): 9.0 (87, "Must-See") 

RETROSPECT: Top 10 Billion-Dollar Blockbusters, According to IMDb

Tom Cruise made history this past weekend, as his aviation hit, Top Gun: Maverick, became the first film in his 40-year screen career to surpass $1 billion at the worldwide box-office. The long-awaited (and long-delayed) sequel to the 1986 smash that first propelled the veteran actor to superstardom has been making a strong impression on audiences since its release in May, especially older viewers, as well as younger fans who weren't even born when the first movie came out. 

Later this fall, it'll be 25 years since James Cameron's Titanic became the first film to break that same record. Since then, only 49 titles altogether have crossed that exclusive mark. 

In honor of these milestones, here is a list of the the top ten billion-dollar hits as rated/ranked by users on IMDb (Internet Movie Database), as of this writing. Additional input from Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic is included. However, we won't be including films that have made $1 billion in subsequent re-releases (so, apologies to Jurassic Park, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and Harry Potter 1, in advance).

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10. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows--Part 2 (July 15, 2011) 

IMDb user rating / critical score / Top 250 rank: 8.1 / 85 / #188

Distributor: Warner Bros. 

Director: David Yates

Est. worldwide gross: $1,342,359,936

RT audience score (critical score): 89% (96%) 

RT critical consensus: Thrilling, powerfully acted, and visually dazzling, Deathly Hallows Part II brings the Harry Potter franchise to a satisfying -- and suitably magical -- conclusion.

Metacritic user score (metascore): 8.2 (85, "Must-See") 

9. Spider-Man: No Way Home (December 17, 2021) 

IMDb user rating / critical score / Top 250 rank: 8.3 / 85 / #121

Distributor: Sony/Marvel

Director: Jon Watts

Est. worldwide gross: $1,901,229,952

RT audience score (critical score):  98% (93%) 

RT critical consensus: A bigger, bolder Spider-Man sequel, No Way Home expands the franchise's scope and stakes without losing sight of its humor and heart.

RT audience consensus: Packed with action, emotion, and surprises, Spider-Man: No Way Home is franchise fan service at its finest.

Metacritic user score (metascore): 8.6 (71) 

8. Toy Story 3 (June 18, 2010) 

IMDb user rating / critical score / Top 250 rank: 8.3 / 92 / #84

Distributor: Disney/Pixar

Director: Lee Unkrich

Est. worldwide gross: $1,066,970,816

RT audience score (critical score): 90% (98%) 

RT critical consensus: Deftly blending comedy, adventure, and honest emotion, Toy Story 3 is a rare second sequel that really works.

Metacritic user score (metascore): 8.9 (92, "Must-See") 

7. Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019) 

IMDb user rating / critical score / Top 250 rank: 8.4 / 78 / #81

Distributor: Disney/Marvel

Directors: Anthony & Joe Russo

Est. worldwide gross: $2,797,501,440

RT audience score (critical score): 90% (94%) 

RT critical consensus: Exciting, entertaining, and emotionally impactful, Avengers: Endgame does whatever it takes to deliver a satisfying finale to Marvel's epic Infinity Saga.

Metacritic user score (metascore): 7.9 (78) 

6. Joker (October 4, 2019) 

IMDb user rating / critical score / Top 250 rank: 8.4 / 59 / #71

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Director: Todd Phillips  

Est. worldwide gross: $1,074,445,696

RT audience score (critical score): 88% (68%) 

RT critical consensus: Joker gives its infamous central character a chillingly plausible origin story that serves as a brilliant showcase for its star -- and a dark evolution for comics-inspired cinema.

Metacritic user score (metascore): 8.9 (59) 

WRITER'S NOTE: The most controversial film on this list also happens to be one of only two films based on comic books to be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award (the other being Marvel's cultural landmark Black Panther). Borrowing elements from Alan Moore's equally shocking graphic novel "The Killing Joke" (which practically told everything and nothing about the origin of Batman's greatest adversary) and Tim Burton's seminal 1989 Batman film, director Todd Phillips and star Joaquin Phoenix shaped an intense character study about mental illness and social intolerance, with graphic results. I pity parents who make the mistake that this dark drama is "super" in any way. (The same goes for at least two other entries on this list.*) 

5. *The Dark Knight Rises (July 20, 2012) 

IMDb user rating / critical score / Top 250 rank: 8.4 / 78 / #69

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Director: Christopher Nolan

Est. worldwide gross: $1,081,153,152

RT audience score (critical score): 90% (87%) 

RT critical consensus: The Dark Knight Rises is an ambitious, thoughtful, and potent action film that concludes Christopher Nolan's franchise in spectacular fashion.

Metacritic user score (metascore): 8.8 (78) 

4. Avengers: Infinity War (April 27, 2018) 

IMDb user rating / critical score / Top 250 rank: 8.4 / 68 / #65 

Distributor: Disney/Marvel

Directors: Anthony & Joe Russo

Est. worldwide gross: $2,048,359,808

RT audience score (critical score): 91% (85%) 

RT crtitical consensus: Avengers: Infinity War ably juggles a dizzying array of MCU heroes in the fight against their gravest threat yet, and the result is a thrilling, emotionally resonant [and polarizing] blockbuster that (mostly) realizes its gargantuan ambitions.

Metacritic user score (metascore): 8.5 (68) 

3. Top Gun: Maverick (May 27, 2022) 

IMDb user rating / critical score / Top 250 rank: 8.6 / 78 / #43

Distributor: Paramount

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Est. worldwide gross: $1,006,423,000

RT audience score (critical score): 99% (97%) 

RT critical consensus: Top Gun: Maverick pulls off a feat even trickier than a 4G inverted dive, delivering a long-belated sequel that surpasses its predecessor in wildly entertaining style.

RT audience consensus: If you loved the original -- or enjoy some good old-school action -- you need to speed your way to a screening of Top Gun: Maverick.

Metacritic user score (metascore): 8.9 (78)

2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (December 17, 2003) 

IMDb user rating / critical score / Top 250: 9.0 / 94 / #7

Distributor: New Line

Director: Peter Jackson 

Est. worldwide gross: $1,146,436,224

RT audience score (critical score): 86% (93%) 

RT critical consensus: Visually breathtaking and emotionally powerful, The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King is a moving and satisfying conclusion to a great trilogy.

Metacritic user score (metascore): 8.9 (94, "Must-See") 

1. *The Dark Knight (July 18, 2008) 

IMDb user rating / critical score / Top 250: 9.0 / 84 / #3 

Distributor: Warner Bros.

Director: Christopher Nolan

Est. worldwide gross: $1,006,102,272

RT audience score (critical score): 94% (94%) 

RT critical consensus: Dark, complex, and unforgettable, The Dark Knight succeeds not just as an entertaining comic book film, but as a richly thrilling crime saga.

Metacritic user score (metascore): 8.9 (84, "Must-See") 

REVIEW COLLECTION: "Jurassic Park" Series

WRITER'S NOTE: The following is a collection of reviews posted on my Instagram account @film_freeq. They’ve been organized chronologically, based on initial release dates, and have been slightly edited.

Here's a look back at the ever-popular dinosaur-disaster franchise, including this weekend's Jurassic World: Dominion. 

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The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

This 1997 sequel sure had a lot going for it. For starters, it was Steven Spielberg's first time in the director's chair after a four-year sabbatical. There was also the return of composer John Williams and actor Jeff Goldblum (killing it again as Dr. Ian Malcolm). And considering its predecessor was the highest-grossing film of all-time then, its addition of more digital dinosaurs, including the eponymous T-Rex, and a few aforementioned players added to its anticipated release.

Alas, "more" doesn't always mean "better". The prehistoric animals in the original were cutting-edge and thoroughly believable, despite having a limited amount of screen time. The beasts in The Lost World have more screen time, but ironically lose that same level of believability, as well as wonder and awe. The plot, meanwhile, centers on a secret island where the former dinos were bred and many more roam free, while a group of scientists (including Vince Vaughan and Julianne Moore) and hunters investigate and eventually capture several of the giant critters for profit.

While exciting to a degree, it's a rather forgettable affair, one that Spielberg reportedly became "disillusioned" with. It does have, on the other hand, moments of action to spare, including a trailer escape ("Mommy's very angry"), a raptor field chase, and a climactic King Kong-style rampage through San Diego. (6/2/2022) 

Jurassic Park III (2001)

As was the case with the last film, just because original cast members are brought back in future sequels doesn't always guarantee our money's worth. This third outing in the Jurassic Park series (produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Joe Johnson) proves that point.

Original cast members Sam Neill and Laura Dern are back as Alan Grant and Ellie Satler, respectively, as the former is hired by a married couple in search of their son on a mysterious island. Not even high-caliber actors like William H. Macy and Tea Leoni could make up for this chapter's pale CGI, poor bluescreen effects, and its mediocre and absurd plot. (Or how about that awkward raptor fantasy?)

Jurassic Park III is agreeably the weakest entry in this franchise, which, by this point, became unnecessary and repetitive. One of the series' best lines, however, stems from here, and sums up the recurring theme of tampering with creation. ("Is this how you make dinosaurs?" "This is how you play God.") (6/4/2022) 

Jurassic World (2015)

For some, this third sequel in the prehistoric-meets-present-day series brought back nostalgia of Steven Spielberg's 1993 original, in which modern scientists resurrect dinosaurs from extinction via genetics. That initial concept comes true in a fully-functioning theme park, with Bryce Dallas Howard as CEO and Chris Pratt (fresh off of Guardians of the Galaxy one year before) as the everyman "raptor trainer," while a newly-created hybrid dino breaks out of containment and runs amok.

There was criticism directed at Howard's character (one of which came from Joss Whedon on social media) regarding a supposed anti-feminist message, considering she spends the whole movie wearing high-heels. On the other hand, it's one of the film's many elements that illustrates a contrast and transition from a corporate mindset to a realistic one--no different than what the original film illustrated. Some of the violence and perilous situations, however, shouldn't be taken lightly in terms of "entertainment."

It may not be an instant classic as the first Park. But Jurassic World is nevertheless visually and viscerally thrilling, and one roller-coaster ride of a movie.

FUN FACT #1: The previous year's highest grossing film, Transformers: Age of Extinction (directed by Michael Bay), featured robotic dinosaurs. The year Jurassic World was released, it made the most money in theaters worldwide, alongside other Universal-released hits like the fast car sequel Furious 7 and the animated prequel Minions.

FUN FACT #2: Back in 2011, Bay's third Transformers installment, Dark of the Moon, was one of the year's most successful, only to be outranked the following year by Marvel's The Avengers. Furthermore, Avengers was only Whedon's second film as director (following 2005's Serenity), while Jurassic World was also Colin Trevorrow's second directorial feature (following 2012's indie favorite Safety Not Guaranteed). (8/31/2015) 

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

Essentially a sequel that replays elements of The Lost World, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom concerns the mysterious Isla Nublar on the brink of volcanic destruction, all while surviving dinos are captured and sold for profit.

While only the second weakest entry in the series (under 2001's Jurassic Park III), considering some of its cookie-cutter antagonists, this inevitable box-office hit does have a few spectacular action sequences, including a mountain-fleeing stampede and a scary climactic showdown. It also benefits from impressive animatronic effects, the presence of returning leads Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard (a more proactive role than her debut in this franchise) and young newcomer Isabella Sermon, and a tone that takes the series back to the eponymous island and in other unexpectedly dark--though not as original--directions. (Director J.A. Bayona began his feature-film career working with fellow aeteur Guillermo del Toro.)

Thought-provoking themes related to creation and DNA cloning are jaw-dropping in more ways than one, while a massive cliffhanger suggests bigger things to come. Perhaps it's a better installment with the passage of time? Or maybe just when viewing these recent films back-to-back. Either way, welcome . . . to Jurassic World. (6/8/2022) 

Jurassic World: Dominion (2022)

Trilogy closers can be a hit-or-miss affair. Rarely are there the kind that elevate a franchise, culminating what came before and ending on a high note. Most others start out promising with several potential elements that actually work, but the end result falls short, one way or another. The third entry in the Jurassic World series--advertised as "the epic conclusion of the Jurassic era"--falls in the latter.

Returning director Colin Trevorrow (who helmed the 2015 blockbuster, but only co-produced and co-wrote the 2018 sequel, Fallen Kingdom) gets right into action, as Dominion picks up four years later, when genetic dinosaurs have been released into and around the globe. A curious and convoluted subplot involving locusts and mysterious DNA solutions drive this thrilling story, heightened by gripping action set pieces (including a heart-pounding raptor chase in Malta) and regulars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard (both on a mission to find a baby raptor), and Isabella Sermon (on a mission to find out more about her mysterious past). But the real crowd-pleaser is seeing original JP trio Sam Neill (as Alan Grant), Laura Dern (Ellie Satler), and Jeff Goldblum (Ian Malcolm), reunited for the first time since that 1993 landmark.

And while their presence and camaraderie with the younger cast is great to watch (see the film in IMAX, if you can), it doesn't quite make up for the many loose ends this film doesn't tie up. Elements involving black market dealers, DNA solutions, and the challenge in humans and dinos co-existing seem, at times, passive, to say the least. In other words, Dominion (despite its impressive teaser poster in ember) is a bit of a letdown and a missed opportunity. On the other hand, it gives Neill and Dern arguably a better franchise conclusion than Jurassic Park III, and possibly an opportunity for Trevorrow to do what he didn't get to with Star Wars: Episode IX (which he was originally attached to). Only my theory, but far from chaotic, as Malcolm would put it. (6/10/2022) 

REVIEW COLLECTION: "This Is Us"

WRITER'S NOTE: The following is a collection of reviews posted on my Instagram account @be.kerian. They’ve been organized chronologically, based on initial release dates, and have been slightly edited. (The dates in which said reviews were first posted are in parentheses.) 

The following is a brief, spoiler-free look back at the six-season, six-year run of NBC's superb drama series. 

Season 1 (2016-2017) 

I've officially finished Season 1 of "This Is Us" for the first time. I've only really been invested in very few shows, for those of you who know me well. I tried watching this series last fall and only got to see the pilot. (Then I was in the ER the next day for health reasons, but that's a different story.) With all the personal lifestyle changes I've made in the last several weeks, however, I eventually decided to make time to watch this.

Obviously, I don't want to spoil anything, except to say that the basic premise involving a unique set of siblings and their lives (and the lives of their parents and families) is both brilliantly written and phenomenally acted. There are a few content issues involved, but, other than that, this is one of those truly rare shows with genuine emotional investment and real creative freedom in the way it alternates between times and places and memories. You think you know where the stories are going to go, until they take a 180. Looking forward to catching up on Seasons 2 and 3. My regards to the cast and crew involved 👍 Well done. (And thank you to my relatives in Wisconsin for lending me the 5-disc DVD set.) (6/10/2019) 

Season 2 (2017-2018) 

Just finished Season 2 of "This Is Us." Honestly, this show continues to surprise me and blow my mind. You think you know everything you need to know about these characters, until the stories go in unexpected places and reveal unexpected twists and surprising elements that you never could preconceive. Any product, whether a movie franchise or T.V. series or books series, that has creative freedom, phenomenal acting, writing, directing, et al, earns the right to be commended. I look forward to watching Season 3 very soon, not to mention the fourth season that premieres on NBC next month! Many thanks to my relatives in WI for lending me this! (8/22/2019) 

Season 3 (2018-2019) 

Better late than ever, but with most of us quarantined or self-isolating for the last several weeks, I thought this would be a good time to (FINALLY) catch up on Season 3 of "This Is Us." I've said it before: this series continually surprises and amazes with its unexpected twists and character arcs, time period alterations, and deep humanity. I wonder what meetings in the writer's room look like when developing every episode, each continually subverting our knowledge and understanding of these characters and their stories. Here's to Season 4. (7/3/2020) 

Season 4 (2019-2020) 

Just finished Season 4 of "This Is Us" on Hulu. Boy, this season threw quite a few emotional curveballs! Especially in how the various character arcs connected, were set up, and how the writers continually subvert viewers expectations. Let's get to season 5 already! Mandy Moore has reportedly said it will be "mind-blowing". (8/11/2020) 

Season 5 (2020-2021) 

Just finished watching last night's season (five) finale of "This Is Us" on Hulu. Wow! All things considered (including the 2020 pandemic and Black Lives Matter), the cast, writers and crew behind this season handled these themes and storylines very well. Perhaps more low-key, compared to previous seasons, but still very engrossing and, by the season finale, breathless. Looking forward to the sixth (and reportedly) final season very soon!!! (5/26/2021) 

Season 6: "The Final Chapter" (2021-2022) 

The sixth and final season of the NBC T.V. series "This Is Us" has come to its long-awaited conclusion. There's no point in spilling details about how it ends, except to tell you that the individual and collective journeys of the Pearson family and those close to them offer surprising twists and emotional heartstrings that will ultimately leave you breathless. I know of no other show in recent memory with this much ambition, emotion, and transcendence. (Talk about a passage of time.) My hats off to the entire cast and crew for an exceptional run from 2016 to now. (5/24/2022) 

Films of the 2010s: Definitive Edition

I wrote two posts in 2020, reflecting on films of the last two decades. Recently, however, I've been spending some time steadily but heavily reevaluating my selections and have now come to as close a definitive list as I could from the latter decade. Here are my 11 picks from the 2010s. 

Get Out (2017) 

Writer-director Jordan Peele made an impressive debut with this brilliant-but-creepy commentary on race, as a young black man and his Caucasian girlfriend go to visit her family for the weekend. Everything from there gets weird and shocking. A benchmark in reexamining the horror genre, at least from a socially-conscious perspective. (OTHER NOTABLE HORROR: A Quiet Place [2018] / Us [2019].) 

Gravity (2013) 

This has been an exceptional decade for the science-fiction genre, particularly in renewed interest in the space race. Alfonso Cuaron's thriller-drama about two astronauts (the terrifically-cast Sandra Bullock and George Clooney) stranded in space is a gripping, poignant, and emotional powerhouse. It's also an exceptional use of visual effects and immersive 3D viewing. This is why we go to the movies. (OTHER NOTABLE SCI-FI: Inception [2010] / Interstellar [2014] / The Martian [2015] / Arrival [2016]. OTHER NOTABLE TRUE STORIES OF NASA: Hidden Figures [2016] / First Man [2018] / Apollo 11 [2019].) 

La La Land (2016)

An original, dazzling musical that is also a loving homage to the MGM era of the early-20th Century (with postmodern twists). Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling shine as two struggling and aspiring artists in a song-and-dance romp, with writer-director Damien Chazelle in full swing of his growing craft. (OTHER NOTABLE MUSICALS/THROWBACKS: The Artist [2011] / The Greatest Showman [2017].) 

Lincoln (2012) 

Steven Spielberg continued to turn out exceptional films into the 21st Century, reminding us why he is one of our most enduring (and important) filmmakers. His extraordinary biopic on the latter years of Abraham Lincoln's U.S. presidency is impeccably designed, directed, and acted, especially with the commanding Daniel Day-Lewis as Honest Abe. (OTHER NOTABLE BIOPICS AND SPIELBERG PICS: The King's Speech [2010] / Bridge of Spies [2015].) 

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Director George Miller returned to the road-chase subgenre he practically created in the late-1970s. Essentially a two-hour car chase, this mind-blowing romp actually has more craft, adrenaline, and social commentary than most action films put together. Tom Hardy's titular Road Warrior really takes a backseat to Charlize Theron's commanding Furiosa, who leads a group of captive women to freedom. Hang on to your seats. 

Moneyball (2011)

The defining sports film of the decade, based on Michael Lewis' biography of the Oakland A's 2001-2002 radical, record-breaking baseball season. The concept of sabermetrics is key, but the brilliant script (courtesy Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin) refuses to be one-sided, making the experience that much more introspective and genuine. First-rate performances from Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill knock it out of the ballpark. 

1917 (2019) 

Sam Mendes crafts a thoroughly immersive World War I story about two young British soldiers tasked with delivering a message to stop an impending attack. Shot as one long, continuous take in real time, 1917 is a harrowing and incredible experience. (OTHER NOTABLE WAR/PERIOD FILMS: War Horse [2011] / The Revenant [2015] / Dunkirk [2017].) 

Roma (2018)

Filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron created his best work with this period drama about an indigenous maid and the family she takes care of. A deeply personal story from an incredibly-skilled director at the top of his game, told on an epic scale. This is a film that made me look at cinema anew. 

Room (2015)

Based on Emma Donohugue's intense novel, about a young woman and her little boy as they escape captivity and adjust to the outside world, Room shook me to my core. At the same time, I had never seen a powerful, loving, and heartbreaking relationship between a mother and child on screen before (kudos to Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay). (OTHER NOTABLE INDIE DARLINGS: The Descendants [2011] / The Farewell [2019] / Frances Ha [2013] / Lady Bird [2017] / Short Term 12 [2013] / The Tree of Life [2011].) 

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

There have been many exceptional animated films this decade (Toy Story 3 [2010], The Lego Movie [2014], Zootopia [2016]), and there have been many exceptional superhero films (Black Panther [2018], Logan [2017], Wonder Woman [2017]). But very few have combined the best of both worlds--and the best of films and comic books--as radically as this 2018 must-see. Arguably the best Spider-Man movie ever made, Spider-Verse merges different incarnations of the ever-popular webslinger, with fan-favorite, biracial teenager Miles Morales as the story's beating heart. A cinematic game-changer. 

Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018)

Morgan Neville's heartwarming chronicle of the life and legacy of children's television host Fred Rogers is the best documentary I've seen in years. And its release couldn't be more timely. Mr. Rogers is the kind of example that is few and far between in today's world, and the kind we really need. (ANOTHER NOTABLE DOCUMENTARY: Free Solo [2018].) 

Decade-Defining Directors: The 2010s

Here is a list of filmmakers who turned out some acclaimed and/or impressive work in the 2010s. 

Ben Affleck

The Town (2010) / Argo (2012) / Live By Night (2016) 

Paul Thomas Anderson 

The Master (2012) / Inherent Vice (2014) / Phantom Thread (2017) 

Wes Anderson

Moonrise Kingdom (2012) / The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) / Isle of Dogs (2018) 

Damien Chazelle

Whiplash (2014) / La La Land (2016) / First Man (2018) 

Ryan Coogler

Fruitvale Station (2013) / Creed (2015) / Black Panther (2018) 

Alfonso Cuaron

Gravity (2013) / Roma (2018) 

Greta Gerwig

Lady Bird (2017) / Little Women (2019) 

Alejandro G. Innaritu

Buitiful (2010) / Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) / The Revenant (2015) 

Barry Jenkins

Moonlight (2016) / If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) 

Patty Jenkins 

Wonder Woman (2017) 

Phil Lord & Christopher Miller

21 Jump Street (2012) / The Lego Movie (2014) / 22 Jump Street (2014)

Jeff Nichols

Take Shelter (2011) / Mud (2013) / Midnight Special (2016) / Loving (2016) 

Christopher Nolan

Inception (2010) / The Dark Knight Rises (2012) / Interstellar (2014) / Dunkirk (2017) 

Alexander Payne

The Descendants (2011) / Nebraska (2013) / Downsizing (2017) 

Jordan Peele

Get Out (2017) / Us (2019) 

Zack Snyder

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010) / Sucker Punch (2011) / Man of Steel (2013) / Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) 

Steven Spielberg

The Adventures of Tintin (2011) / War Horse (2011) / Lincoln (2012) / Bridge of Spies (2015) / The BFG (2016) / The Post (2017) / Ready Player One (2018)

Guillermo del Toro

Pacific Rim (2013) / Crimson Peak (2015) / The Shape of Water (2017)

Denis Villenueve 

Prisoners (2013) / Sicario (2015) / Arrival (2016) / Blade Runner 2049 (2017)