Yes, I know I'm about a year-and-a-half late to the party, but I still wanted a chance to recognize some of my favorite movies from the first half of this decade.
People say they don't make good movies anymore, but I must respectfully disagree with that statement. Maybe not every good movie from this decade is the most creative in the world, but there have still been some very good movies recently, and some of them actually are quite creative, surprisingly. Not all of them on this list will be, but, you know, some.
This listicle will only contain movies from the first half of the 2010s, so I sadly cannot include Inside Out, The Revenant, Mad Max, Star Wars, Room, The Hateful Eight, Civil War, The Peanuts Movie, Straight Outta Compton, Ex Machina or Deadpool here.
Before I show my favorites, here are a few honorable mentions for ya: Captain America: The Winter Soldier, True Grit, Birdman, Whiplash, Silver Linings Playbook, The Lego Movie, Despicable Me, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Moneyball, Argo, Moonrise Kingdom, Dallas Buyers Club, Guardians of the Galaxy, Nightcrawler, and Gone Girl.
Whew...more than I expected. Now, let's get on to the actual list.
Also, some of these are rated R, so if you see one that you think sounds interesting, do your research and use your best discretion first.
10. The Avengers
If not the Hunger Games, this was probably the biggest movie event of my high school years. I actually never got around to watching it, until almost a year after its release, but I was still just as psyched for the event as anyone else. This had never been done before. Starting with Iron Man in 2008, they released a whole group of interconnected stand-alone superhero films that were leading up to an epic team up movie, called The Avengers. You would think all of this hype that had built up over almost half a decade would just lead up to disappointment, but not so. It delivered everything we hoped for and more: All the action we wanted, and a lot of heart, too. This was probably due to the fact we had former Firefly director, Joss Whedon, on this. It was like God reached down from Heaven and selected the perfect director for all us comic book nerds. The groundbreaking impact of this film will probably make it endure as the most legendary superhero film of the decade, maybe even the century (after The Dark Knight, of course).
9. Her
This is probably one of the most creative films I've seen in recent years. I don't know, maybe this concept has been done before, but I never saw that movie, so this looked completely original to me at least. When I first heard the idea of this movie, a sci-fi flick about a guy who falls in love with a voice on his computer, I thought it sounded like the set-up to a hilarious comedy. But, the movie ended up producing more tears than laughs. Yes, this movie makes me cry, and I don't mind admitting it, either. This is actually a futuristic movie where "love" has been warped beyond repair. People talk to their devices more than they do actual people. I know that sounds more like the present, but stay with me here. The main character, Theodore (played by the incredibly talented Joaquin Phoenix), is a guy whose job is to write couple's love letters for them! While they are very deep and poetic, we still feel phoniness of them. But Theodore is a guy who doesn't understand love himself and doesn't think he'll ever feel it again after he separates from his wife. This changes when he purchases the latest OS system that has its own personality, named "Samantha." The two develop a friendship and eventually a dating relationship. I know. It sounds really out there, but when you watch it, you actually can feel the chemistry, strangely enough. The movie is, of course, not endorsing a relationship with your electronics. It's a statement about where love is going in today's society. In the end, personal relationships are seen as the best ones, as Theodore discovers that Sam also has this relationship with hundreds of other men who use her system! Crushed, he realizes that this lack of true intimacy is exactly what he's perpetuating with his love letter business! It's a great cautionary tale of the modern definition of love and also how far we might go in the digital age. Instead of a satirical comedy, it's actually a very sobering futuristic and artistic drama, and I can't wait to see what Spike Jonze gives us next!
8. Inception
The thinking man's blockbuster director, Christopher Nolan, blew my mind when I first saw this movie! I had heard it was a mind trip, so that was what I went into it expecting. What I wasn't expecting was such a mesmerizing experience that succeeds on almost every level a good movie should: visually, storywise, philosophically, and even spiritually a little bit. We follow a group of thieves whose job it is to capture secrets from people's dreams that will be utilized by whoever hired them. But, all their leader, Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), wants is to get home to see his kids after having lived as a fugitive for so long. He gets his chance when a shady bloke named Saito offers him a job where he plants an idea, rather than stealing one: "Inception." Everyone but Cobb thinks this is impossible. He's done it before, and the consequences were dire. So, the movie isn't just about visuals and mind-benders. It's also the story of a man trying to redeem himself and leave his guilt behind, when his past seems determined to ruin him. If you haven't seen this movie, I definitely recommend it, and I recommend looking deeper than the surface. This was Christopher Nolan's only Best Picture nominated film for a good reason!
7. The Social Network
I can't think of a better combination of writer and director than in this film. David Fincher is one of my favorite living directors, and Aaron Sorkin can write a killer screenplay like nobody's business. One need only watch the first scene to know that he is the king of banter!
Going into this film, you might be expecting just a straightforward biopic about the genius who invented Facebook, but nothing could be further from the truth! It's actually a very clever commentary on the state of socializing in the digital age. The central plot device is how Mark Zuckerburg (Jesse Eisenberg) invented what we now know as Facebook, and was promptly thrown into the middle of two lawsuits. One involves twins who claim he stole their idea, the other is his former best friend whom he had cut out of the company. But, there's more to it than just the basic story. I don't know how true to the real story this is, but Mark becomes something of a symbol of Facebook itself in this film: Despite the ability to connect, he lacks any real intimacy. Also, in the same way the guys keep reducing women to objects in the story, Facebook reduces the rest of us to statistics. In addition to this, it is a clever cautionary tale on the effects of media in our current age. The whole thing started because Mark wrote some unflattering things about his ex-girlfriend, and that followed him around forever after. Things on the Internet are written in ink! As Facebook continued to grow, the characters lost a bit of their humanity. So, I definitely recommend this thought-provoking and clever film for anyone looking to go into a creative medium, or anyone just looking for a well-crafted film in our modern age.
6. Django Unchained
5. The Wolf of Wall Street
You have probably heard all of the rumors about what a raunchy film this is. Those rumors are all 100% true! This fifth Scorsese-DiCaprio collaboration shows the true story of a greedy, corrupt, raunchy stockbroker named Jordan Belfort and his minions as they make millions ripping off gullible rich people who buy their crappy stocks, resulting in the guys making a LOT of commission. But, it's not just the money. Belfort sees his status as an excuse to engage in every excess there is. Sex, drugs, parties that look more like a circus than a gathering of humans, even profanity seems to become a favorite past-time of his. Why do I like this, you ask? I am a big Scorsese fan for one thing. This is also a very well-crafted and well-acted film that really does draw you into its world. If we are to understand people like this, we must understand what it is that makes the lifestyle so appealing in the first place. I think even the most upstanding person would be lying if they said it wasn't even a little bit tempting (especially to broke college students like me...). But this movie is not trying to endorse his lifestyle. It just shows all of Belfort's ups and downs and lets the audience draw their own conclusions. It actually does show some consequences. He does get caught and arrested remember? And how can anyone watch that last tragic scene with his family where he abuses his wife and hurts their daughter, and still say they're glorifying him? Blows my mind...
4. Boyhood
I kind of feel the same way about this movie that Nostalgia Critic feels about Spirited Away. I like this movie so much, I actually kind of hate it. I hate it because I'm jealous of how good it is. That's actually probably one of the highest compliments you can give to a movie. It's hard to explain the plot of this movie because there really is no overarching story. It's just a story of the twelve formative years in a young boy's life. What makes it special is that it was filmed over the course of twelve years, and they actually used the same actors throughout the film, we actually do get to watch them age! The structure is very close to real life. Sometimes, there are events that seem major, but they ultimately go nowhere. In life, we often experience things that seem like a big deal at the time, but are soon forgotten. Also, even though not every event is tied to the others, we can see that each of them had an impact on Mason's growth for better or worse. It's just a beautiful film (albeit a long one) about life and learning to seize the moment, rather than just considering life a series of milestones. Also, director Richard Linklater made Dazed and Confused, as well. That ought to convince you, if nothing else. And if you haven't heard this beautiful song yet, do so now.
3. The Grand Budapest Hotel
I liked Birdman just fine, but I still think this film deserved to be named Best Picture instead. I'm not the biggest Wes Anderson fan in the world. I liked Rushmore and Moonrise Kingdom pretty well, but couldn't get as into The Royal Tenenbaums. Maybe I need to watch it again. I haven't seen the others. But, from what I have seen of his work, The Grand Budapest Hotel is without a doubt my favorite. It seems to be the one where he let his actors loose to just be as outrageous as they want. Ralph Fiennes is great as the mock proper concierge. Tony Revolori was good as his stoic bellhop who became Fiennes' trusted friend. Actually, there weren't any slackers in this cast. They all play their parts for all they're worth. This comedic period piece tells of when Gustave H. was accused of a murder after having stolen a valuable painting. What follows is a whimsical, albeit at times surprisingly violent, comedy of errors that is a lot of fun to watch. I believe, though, that the hotel is symbolic of the world both before and after The Great War. After the war started, (both the small battle in the movie and the actual war in history), the hotel seemed to have lost that elegant innocence it had in the beginning, just as the world did. But, if I had to pick the aspects of the film I like best, it would be the visual ones. I'm not too familiar with the world of cinematography, so I'm not sure exactly how they filmed it, but every frame looks like a painting. It's so beautiful, I could probably be happy watching the film on mute. Seriously, look at that picture. Looks good enough to eat!
2. Toy Story 3
I have been a big fan of the Toy Stories since I was a little kid, and this third movie released in 2010 was not a disappointment. It's just as good, if not better than, both of the originals. Going into it, everyone was expecting it to be a nostalgic throwback to their childhood. What they got instead was a movie that made them realize the series had matured right along with them. This movie dealt with a lot of the same fears that its core audience was probably dealing with. Both parents and kids were looking at college separating them, and this movie dealt with it in a mature, yet lighthearted way. In addition to Andy's mom, the toys also are kind of a stand-in for parents whose kids are growing up and might be afraid the kid is out-growing them. In addition, this is easily the most emotional of the three Toy Story movies, and it also boasts the series' most formidable villain. A perfect end to a perfect series.
1. Hugo
When making a family film, there are two names that probably DON'T come to mind: Martin Scorsese and Sacha Baron Cohen. Yet, this masterpiece does boast Scorsese as its director and Cohen as its villain. Blows my mind... It's not just a watered-down version of usual Scorsese fare either. It's every bit as good as, if not better than, his other work. It is a visual masterpiece, using 3-D imagery and showing things that just seem downright magical. We follow young orphan, Hugo Cabret, as he gets caught trying to steal from a toy shop. The two strike up an unusual relationship that lead to both of them discovering things about themselves they've never known before. I don't want to say too much about it because this is well worth watching on your own. Just know it's a beautiful film, both storywise and visual-wise and one that is overflowing with a love for cinema! Oscar bait? Maybe, but at least it's creative Oscar bait that shows effort, unlike a lot of the by-the-numbers stuff that's been winning in recent years! I think if you see it, you'll see why I've chosen it as my number 1 favorite film of the decade so far!
