The 7 Best Films of the 2010s

Hi everyone I hope you’ve had a good start to the year!

We are back with another question, another discussion, another topic. 

This post is dedicated to discovering or rediscovering the best films from the 2010s (2010-2019).

We are going to be discussing a wide range of films, from different genres and different mediums and disclaimer ... the movies listed are in no particular order!

 

Interstellar (2014)

Interstellar is one of those films that I believe people love to hate. It has been dubbed as overrated and some people feel like it ‘did too much’. But I am here to explain to you why it might be one of the best films of the 2010s. 

It follows the story of Joseph Cooper, a farmer and ex-NASA pilot who is tasked to pilot a spacecraft with a team of researchers to find a new planet for the human race when the Earth has become uninhabitable. It stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain. It was written by Jonathan Nolan and directed by his brother Christopher Nolan. The film arguably pushes the boundaries of conventional cinema and not only provides stunning cinematic scenes but also provokes the audience to reflect on their understanding of their place in the world. The same visual effects company that was used for another Christopher Nolan film (Inception) was used which explains the high quality. Interstellar won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects at the 2015 Academy Awards.

This film is for audiences that like science, space, excellent cinematography and complex storylines.

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

The next film on our journey to discovering the best films of the 2010s may be unexpected. I feel like Marvel films are highly rated as superhero films and enjoyed by their fanbase, but can be left out of conversations when talking about the best of the best films. So let’s talk about it.

Captain America Civil War continues a year after the events in Avengers: Age of Ultron, where the Avengers defeated Ultron in Sokovia. The world’s governments decided that superheroes can’t just go around and save people without being supervised and the UN decided to impose a law which meant that they must be supervised. This causes a divide in the group as some of the Avengers agree and some don’t. 

One of the reasons why this film is so good is because it arguably deals with the concept of superheroes fighting each other instead of a villain, quite well - some critics even say that Marvel did it better than DC (Batman vs Superman). I’m inclined to agree with this. It also allows us to see another side of the superheroes as they deal with something quite political which isn’t typical of a superhero film. This film also included the introduction of beloved characters such as Black Panther (RIP Chadwick Boseman) and Tom Holland’s Spiderman. 

This film is for audiences that can appreciate a good balance of action, a good storyline and comedy as Marvel films tend to do. 

Inception (2010)

If you haven't heard of this film I’d be very surprised. Inception is a star-studded science fiction, action heist movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy. The story follows Dom Cobb and Arthur who are "extractors" that perform corporate espionage using experimental dream-sharing technology to infiltrate their targets' subconscious and extract information. Yeah, I know.

I first watched this film when I was around 12/13 and I loved it but it wasn’t until I rewatched it at 26 that I fully understood the plot. Even as an early teen, I was able to appreciate the cinematography, the musical score and the action-packed scenes. 

Inception is another Christopher Nolan film that pushes the boundaries of conventional filmmaking. The majority of the film takes place in interconnected dream worlds, and Christopher shared that he was interested in the ability to access someone’s dreams through their unconscious mind and how that could be used or if it would be abused. The musical score was written by Hans Zimmer, a critically acclaimed Composer. The music from Inception is very distinct and was written alongside the film. 

This film is for audiences that like heists, action, beautiful cinematography and a layered storyline.

The Hunger Games franchise (2012-2015)

The definition of a cult classic. I’m sure if I left my house, went into a crowded place and put 3 fingers in the air while whistling the mockingbird melody I’d have at least 3 people join in with me. 

Okay so I’ll be honest, hands in the air - you've got me! I’m cheating. I will be discussing The Hunger Games franchise (The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2) instead of just the first Hunger Games film but wait, I can explain. I’m doing this because I can but also because I’m looking at The Hunger Games Franchise as a complete story. 

The Hunger Games is based on a book series of the same name and stars Jennifer Lawrence (arguably her breakout role), Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth. It is described as a dystopian adventure film that takes place in the ruins of what was once North America. Every year the Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of the 12 districts to send a boy and girl tribute between the ages of 12 and 18 to compete in the Hunger Games, which is a nationally televised event in which the 'tributes' fight each other to the death until one survivor remains.

These films are just really good, there’s no amount of words I can use to convince you to watch them if you haven’t already. The storylines are solid, the acting performances are very good and the cultural impact is undeniable. The phrases ‘I volunteer as tribute’ and ‘May the odds forever be in your favour’ have embedded themselves into the vocabulary of a whole generation which is no small feat. Many ‘teen’ dystopian films such as the Divergent series or the Maze Runner series have existed but neither have had as deep of an effect on audiences as The Hunger Games. 

These films are for audiences that enjoy action, dystopian settings, trials and fights for freedom. 

Frozen (2013)

Yes, I’m being serious. This isn’t a prank.

There is no way on this earth I can talk about the best films of the 2010’s and not talk about Miss Elsa and Let it GO. Yes, although it’s a children’s animation, we can’t ignore its greatness. 

This film won the Best Animated Feature award at the 71st Golden Globe Awards making it the first Walt Disney Animation Studios film to win in this category. Not only is the film critically acclaimed, but it has written itself into the history books of global cultural impact. Children (and adults) across the world watched Frozen and loved every second.

For those that are less familiar, Frozen follows the story of sisters Anna and Elsa. ‘Fearless optimist Anna teams up with a rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven in an epic journey to find Anna's sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter’. It stars Kristen Bell as Anna and Idina Menzel as Elsa. You might think it sounds childish but elements of the plot are quite tragic and it juxtaposes many of the outdated tropes of previous Disney Princess films. 

This film is for audiences that enjoy animation first and foremost, enjoy musicals (there are a lot of songs in this) and like light-hearted (ish) films. 

Parasite (2019)

Before I watched Parasite I thought the film would be overrated and I genuinely believed people were hyping it up. I’ve never been so happy to be so wrong. 

Parasite is a Korean film that follows the struggling Kim family. An opportunity arises when the son starts working for the wealthy Park family. Soon enough all of them find a way to work within the same household and start living a parasitic life. If you watch this film I would recommend watching it in Korean with subtitles on. In fact, in his Golden Globe acceptance speech for Parasite, Bong Joon Ho (the director) said, "Once you overcome the one-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films”. I honestly couldn’t agree more.

The reason why Parasite is so critically acclaimed is because it tells a compelling story of two families and works as a social commentary,  detailing their everyday collisions and barriers. Not only is the storytelling amazing, but the cinematography, use of colour and lighting to communicate information to the audience is genius. The key themes are reinforced to the audience in every aspect of the filmmaking and the social commentary is robust throughout. For example, the director called it a ‘staircase movie’ as the camera focuses on the characters walking up and down the stairs and is used to categorize the movement of characters up and down the social ladder. So many of the directorial choices seem simple but are all intentional in communicating to audiences what the film is about and what the take-home notions should be. 

It’s a masterpiece. 

This movie is for people who like thought-provoking films, dark thrillers, and suspense.

Gone Girl (2014)

Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) discovers that the entire media focus has shifted on him when his wife, Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike), mysteriously disappears on the day of their fifth wedding anniversary. 

This film right here is quite insane if I’m being honest. It is a psychological thriller so it’s fitting, and it is based on a book of the same name. 

The main themes are marriage and relationships, identity, and deception. Rosamund Pike is phenomenal in this and her performance is the definition of being locked into a character. It might be a controversial take, but Amy (Pike) is my favourite character in the film and I am due for a rewatch very soon. It was placed in many critics' top 10 films of the year.

There is not much to say about this film without spoiling it but make sure you stay tuned as you are watching; the story unfolds in the present day but we are shown the characters' past at the same time which is very interesting.

This film is for audiences that enjoy psychological thrillers, dark films and mysteries.

 

Honourable mentions have to go to:

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Black Panther, Gravity and Train to Busan.

And that’s all she wrote! Let us know, do you think these are the best films from the 2010’s? 

I hope you enjoyed the post and have a good day

-MNIA