Best of the Decade: 2010 to 2019

2/24/2020

Here are my picks for the 25 best movies to come out between 2010 through 2019. I believe these are the films that have defined the last decade. Each movie has impacted the progression of cinema and where we are heading for the future. Bold, beautiful, and rich in storytelling these movies each have made a lasting footprint. The films are ordered alphabetically and I have given them a brief summary of their influence on the art of cinema. — Arnold At The Movies

Alphabetically:

A Separation (2011)

A Separation captures the messiness of a dissolving relationship. Director Asghar Farhadi's potent film will stick with you well after the credits start to roll. The film's intensity is jarring, while the film unveils its interpersonal conflict. Dense and morally complex, A Separation sets the bar high for future foreign-language films everywhere.

Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

Beasts of the Southern Wild is an emotionally powerful journey through the eyes of a six-year-old girl. Imagination blooms throughout this wondrous picture. Beasts of the Southern Wild is cinematic poetry with a human spirit. Childhood and innocence prevail, as we witness an amazing performance from Quvenzhane Wallis on screen.

Boyhood (2014)

Witnessed before your very eyes a 12-year time capsule blossom on film. Boyhood is like no other film you’ve ever seen. Director Richard Linklater shows us the beauty in filmmaking and that there is hope for a brighter future in film again, dazzling us on both a technical scale and narrative scope. It’s truly groundbreaking and was the best film to come out in 2014.

Burning (버닝) (2018)

Burning is one of the most haunting and most complex movies I’ve seen in recent memory. I highly recommend experiencing this slow-burning masterpiece. This is a film that sticks with you, long after the credits fade away. I can't get it out of my head. Do yourself a favor and go watch this gripping nightmare on the big screen. Burning is a murder mystery infused into the human condition. This haunting spectacle is perfectly executed by writer-director Lee Chang-dong. In the end, you won’t know what hit you.

Get Out (2017)

Get Out is a social critique that's laced with racial tension and packaged in a horror/comedy duo. Now, Academy Award winner, Jordan Peele (that feels good saying), bestows a world of madness in this timely affair that parallels with ours. Get Out is a thought-provoking thrill ride seamlessly weaved through the mastermind of Mr. Peele.

Ida (2014)

This is a rare black-and-white gem. Ida embarks on a quest of truth, grief, and loneliness in this postwar Poland. Ida not only empowers the horrors of human wrongs, but also studies the human condition on loneliness and faith. This master evocation of time is powerfully written and eloquently shot, by director Paweł Pawlikowski. It’s worth your time, Ida is personal, affectionate, and, most importantly, human.

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

Look into a week of passion and hardships with starving musician Llewyn Davis. Inside Llewyn Davis is a film that will restore your faith in music and in movies everywhere. Once you've heard this music you won’t want to let it go. The Coen Brothers also show us the dark and provocative side of Davis throughout the film. By the end, you'll feel Davis’ raw pain for his heartfelt notes.

Lady Bird (2017)

Sheer perfection. Writer-director Greta Gerwig’s coming-of-age directorial debut is a marvelous gem, while actress Saoirse Ronan has never been better. Lady Bird delivers a fresh insight on the pains of adolescence. Lady Bird (Ronan) stays strong, confident and in the end, finds her roots that makes her who she is in this messy world of ours. All-in-all, Gerwig's first feature film was flat-out amazing.

La La Land (2016)

A technicolor musical treasure! La La Land is, hands down, the tap-dancing movie of 2016. It's sheer perfection as it refuels a dying genre. I'm a sucker when it comes to musicals, but La La Land will sweep you off your feet with its music, dance numbers, performances, direction, and vivid beauty. La La Land is a throwback to the Golden Age of musicals as it takes love and turns it into bittersweet moments. This was my favorite film of 2016.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

The No. 1 action flick of the decade is finally here! Brace yourselves; director George Miller’s brutal and cinematic whirlwind is breathtaking on a massive apocalyptic scale. It’s been 30 years since we’ve seen Max on the big screen and with the advancement of technology, Fury Road has changed the definition of action films. Once Max (Tom Hardy) and Furiosa (Charlize Theron) team up the movie let’s loose and it will kick your ass hard.

Moonlight (2016)

Seen through the eyes of one man’s story, Moonlight welds together a beautifully crafted character study of lives too rarely seen in the spotlight. Moonlight is a revolution to the film industry as it helps shine a light in both the African-American and LGBT community. Director Barry Jenkins’, eight years in the making, masterpiece finally has come alive and it’s a story worth telling. In the end, Moonlight is an art-house masterwork.

Parasite (기생충) (2019)

Parasite is the best movie of the year. A haunting masterpiece that’s one for the ages. South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho's incredible film is an urgent and timely film contrasting the inward struggles between the wealthy and the poor. A character study on our society, Director Bong’s film is a master-craft in writing and directing. Parasite is darkly funny, twisted, and will get under your skin. A modern day Hitchcockian tale that lingers in your soul. Parasite also made history by becoming the first non-English film ever to win the Oscar for Best Picture. This is not only an achievement for non-English films everywhere but an achievement for the art of cinema. Bong Joon Ho and his entire cast and crew can take a bow. Job well done.

Phantom Thread (2017)

Phantom Thread is a self-absorbing tale of love and desire. Writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson has polished one of his finest films to-date, backed by a grand and final performance from legendary actor Daniel Day-Lewis. The multiplex-ion of PTA's style infused into his films has always amazed me. The romantic intimacy, luscious desire, and the beauty are all there as we gaze into a life full of luxurious fashion.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (Portrait de la jeune fille en feu) (2019)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire is an exquisite film, that’s both beautifully crafted and emotionally cunning. It's also one of the best films of the year. This rich period piece of 18th century France is a moving portrait of the human connection. Director Céline Sciamma captures the very essence of love and heartbreak. Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel's performances are intoxicating as is this movie. Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a deeply stirring romance full of feminism and spiritual awakening. Portrait deserves to be fully recognized.

ROMA (2018)

Roma is an absolute masterpiece and was the best film of 2018. From the moment I saw the first frame, a shot looking down at floor tiles with water rushing past them as an airplane shines through from above, I knew that this was going to be a special picture. This black-and-white gem beautifully tells the story of a year in the life of a middle-class family in Mexico City in the early 1970s. Director Alfonso Cuarón’s passion project is vibrant and visually shines. It’s a powerful portrayal of love, hope, and family. Roma is a turning point in cinematic history and will continue to shape the way we look and observe film. This is the reason why we go to the movies, to be mesmerized by enriching stories that will bring us closer together as human beings.

Selma (2014)

Layered with its superb acting and underlining message, Selma brings the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King Jr. to the present day. Selma is a film that engulfed me with its historical narrative, idealism, and its examination on racial intolerance. Director Ava DuVernay brought together inspiration and dramatic power to hit moviegoers hard on an emotional level. Scriptwriter, Paul Webb, gives Selma a beating heart as we march with Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) on that very bridge.

Shoplifters (万引き家族) (2018)

Shoplifters is a deeply affecting story full of vivid life. Director Hirokazu Kore-eda richly studies the human condition through the lens of his camera. This cinematic treasure follows an impoverished family through the streets of Japan. Blurring the lines between right and wrong, we are with the Shibata family every step of the way. Osamu, Nobuyo, Hatsue, Aki, Shota, and Yuri will be in our hearts forever.

Son of Saul (2015)

A raw point-of-view film from the eyes of a concentration camp inmate. Son of Saul takes a look at a gruesome past with unforgettable results as it numbs your bones in this exceptional directorial debut from László Nemes. An important film that drives viewers into the hell's of the Holocaust. It’s formally riveting and emotionally shattering as we are guided through Saul’s weary eyes.

The Farewell (2019)

The Farewell takes its time until an overwhelming feeling of emotion overtakes you. Director Lulu Wang exquisitely crafts the picture, exposing life’s simplest moments. This is her very American movie. At the heart of this film is family. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and in the end, you’ll be left with a bittersweet feeling that will bubble up inside of you. Awkwafina shines throughout the entire picture. Wang's special film deserved better from the Academy.

The Florida Project (2017)

Poverty and poetry through the eyes of children. The Florida Project is an astonishing movie. On the surface, The Florida Project is a purple utopia, but below it lies a place full of conflicts and heartaches. Like a vibrant cinematic playground, we follow these children as they discover their sense of adventure. The depiction of Moonee’s final fantasy through the magical world will bring you onto the verge of tears.

The Rider (2018)

The Rider is a beautiful movie, full of life and inspiration. Oh my, what a ride. Writer-director Chloé Zhao’s committed craft on the film’s narrative blossom’s throughout. She knows how to take risks, just like Brady. As we, the audience, sit there in theaters socially observant, we witness a young man constantly being knocked down and getting right back up. Brady’s sense of struggle is raw and powerful. The Rider is a slice-of-life drama that’s made a name for itself. The docu-style realism is a sense of wonder, as we watch this majestic beast of a film gallop through the grasslands.

The Social Network (2010)

Beautifully directed and scripted, The Social Network blends modern filmmaking and a reverting real-life story into one potluck of a movie. This film has David Fincher written all over it. The Social Network is one of the best films to come out in 2010. A high-wire act that studies the birth of social media. Fincher's masterclass will capture your soul, line after line.

The Tree of Life (2011)

The Tree of Life is masterfully crafted by the passionate vision of director Terrence Malick. Patient storytelling will lead viewers to rich rewards. This emotional journey is uplifted by visual splendor. Here in Malick's picture, cinema and the universe collide. The Tree of Life is a singular story that's both transcended and awe-inspiring.

Winter's Bone (2010)

Winter's Bone is both haunting and bleak. Writer-director Debra Granik's memorizing picture will strike you to your core. A mysterious and riveting thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Powerfully acted by actor Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone balances both mystery and punishment, sending chills down your spine.

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

Director Kathryn Bigelow's bin Laden film is gripping and brilliantly crafted. Politics aside, this is a movie strictly about completing one mission; while exposing the human side of the people who did it. Zero Dark Thirty shows us how actions define a character. So, was the mission really worth it for the greater good? That's left for you to decide.

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