I started podcasting back in 2009 with a good friend on a little-known show called “Showtime Showdown.” We loved talking about movies and felt that 32 of our closest friends should have to hear our opinions. I was able to carry this, in 2011, to become an accredited movie critic. In the time since, I’ve seen well over 600 screenings. This decade has been dedicated to take film seriously and breaking each down to its core elements. Which leaves me to picking what I consider to be the best.
Coming up with a top 10 is an impossible feat and can often change based on my mood. Though, here are what I consider to be the standouts in their genre; the ones that challenged me, and the ones that scared me, and the ones that made me want to dance or fly.
10 – How to Train Your Dragon 2
My lone animation pick in the top ten is just part of what I consider to be the greatest feat in animation since Disney’s heyday in the early ’90s. Dreamworks crafted a trilogy, with its emotional high in part 2, that is the peak of art, score, voice acting, and honest-to-goodness heart. This series ages with the viewers and invites us back into this imaginative world where a close-knit community learns to love and embrace those they once feared. The story of Hiccup and Toothless shows a beautiful friendship that has its ups and downs, tepid introductions and tearful farewells. The music is great throughout the series, but John Powell composes a masterpiece for the second film.
9 – Whiplash
This sleeper hit needs to be seen by everyone. Director Damien Chazelle was introduced to the world via this Sundance classic. It’s unbelievable how tense this film about a prestigious music school can be. This tension, somehow, is built within the story of one hopeful drummer trying to improve his craft and one drill-sergeant-esque music teacher not accepting anything but perfection. Miles Teller brilliantly displays a character that shows the cost of pursuing goals above all else. Though, Whiplash belongs to JK Simmons as the music teacher that will have you questioning whether you’re rushing or dragging. Kudos to Whiplash for making me actually care about the history of jazz music.
8 – Mad Max: Fury Road
Fury Road is a movie without subtlety. It’s sensory overload in the best possible ways. Somehow, George Miller went back to his long-dead Mad Max franchise and made one of the coolest experiences of the decade. Fury Road constantly one-ups itself in sheer insanity. When you think you’ve seen it all, the camera pans to the doof warrior rocking out to a flaming electric guitar and you realize that much of the soundtrack to the chase is being played by the pursuing villains. This movie has little shame, but is still able to flesh out amazing and sympathetic characters, like Charlize Theron’s Furiosa.
7 – Hereditary
What a great decade for horror. Where J-horror and found footage dominated the ’00s, we now have great new voices in the genre. We’ve seen quality work from both Jordan Peele and Robert Eggers, but the standout is definitely Ari Aster. With Hereditary, he created a slow burn nightmare where dread is inevitable. Toni Collette is masterful as the matriarch of a family dealing with grief. Even when this movie doesn’t give you the chills, it’s worth watching just to see Collette’s amazing performance. I’ve only seen Hereditary twice and may not watch it again, as I still have the entire movie burned into my brain and my now-darkened soul.
6 – Sing Street
John Carney (Once, Begin Again) is a creator that needs to take on more projects. With Sing Street, he takes us back to the ’80s to an Irish Catholic school where new wave music is the only escape. With a mix of both kitschy tunes and original music, this movie flows perfectly. I loved the theme of following someone’s lead (whether musically or in life) and finally showing the world what you have to offer. While these songs may not technically be from that decade, Riddle of the Model and Drive It Like You Stole it are now two of my favorite ’80s songs.
5 – Man of Steel
It was a decade where superhero flicks dominated the global box office. Marvel, which started the decade with the abysmal Iron Man 2 ended the decade with the highest grossing movie of all time. For me, I have consistently revisited Zack Snyder’s 2013 comic classic more than any other. Superman was reinvented and given relevance that will age gracefully. The subtext of this movie is love, compassion, and concern from father(s) to son. Crowe and especially Costner nail this. Without them, this movie wouldn’t have half of the emotional impact. I have watched this film on an annual basis and it gets better every single time.
Much of the credit goes to Hans Zimmer for his score which rivals, if not defeats, John Williams’ classic theme. He creates an auditory atmosphere where you feel the pull of a higher calling, yet are still learning how to fly.
4 – Interstellar
I smirk at those who call certain movies “masterpieces,” all while I believe Interstellar truly is. I get teased for idolizing certain directors. In this case, I’ll own it. Christopher Nolan grabs us by the collar and says, “This is what you should expect of movies! You don’t need to set your bar so low for entertainment!” He continues to make films that will stand the test of time and not just be a flash in the pan. With this movie, he was able to take the insurmountable science of black holes and combine it with something as simple as familial bonds. I loved every bit of this nearly three hour experience. My attention was devoured by the moments of intensity, quiet, fear, loss and redemption.
Interstellar may not be the most accessible movie, but it’s a work of art, and art almost always divides.
3 – Shutter Island
Martin Scorsese’s decade covered the bases as far as genre exploration goes – with Hugo, Wolf of Wall Street, Silence, and The Irishman. Though, it was his 2010 release Shutter Island that I won’t be able to forget. This gothic Hitchcockian thriller is built on a grim mystery, but even when the truth is revealed, it stays with you. Scorsese manipulates you and DiCaprio’s character with unreliable storytellers, purposeful cinematography and the ghastly setting that he seems to be sinking into.
Escapism comes in many forms. Some seek comedy or explosions to get away from life for nearly two hours. Films like Shutter Island provide escapism through stress and feelings of unease and make you grateful for the life you have.
2 – La La Land
This beautiful fable that takes place in the City of Stars, shows the love story of two people who are in the limbo of pursuing their dreams, and the many shapes that dreams take. I’m not a musical devotee per se, but La La Land brought music to my heart. It’s been over three years and several hundred replays and I still sing along to Another Day of Sun. This film balances out whimsy and drama with a fine brush. Even when the plot becomes depressing, there’s still a significant element of hope with the focus on dreams and how to achieve them.
For those viewers who don’t care for the ending and want movies to tie a perfect bow, I’d like you to watch the touching epilogue number and think of those times when you’ve had to think of the times of what might have been and weigh them against what path you’re on. It’s a very human moment done with the eye of Chazelle and composer Justin Hurwitz.
1 – Inception
Inception is the perfect marriage of unforgettable acting, drama, action, and world-building, among countless other facets. If I see another movie of Inception’s caliber in the next decade, I’ll consider myself lucky. Nolan’s work on the Dark Knight trilogy inspired WB to give him a blank check and film history is better for it. His emphasis on practical effects requires him to show more creativity than telling the effects team to make the movie look flashy. The effects in Inception are essential to the story itself.
Beyond how the movie looks and feels, the heart of this film appeals to mine. As Hans Zimmer’s “Time” plays, we are brought into the hopeful viewpoint of Leonardo DiCaprio’s Dom Cobb as he hopes that he will finally see the faces of his children and escape the surreal life/dream that he’s been a prisoner of for far too long. I do my best to not let tears cloud my judgement, but for Inception and most of these choices, I couldn’t help it. For anyone who’s felt the need to create/write/produce a world of their own, the feat accomplished by Inception allows you to dream a little bigger.
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