2020 brings with it the conclusion of the previous decade and the beginning of a new one. In celebration of this transition, I asked our contributors to put together lists of their respective top ten films from the previous decade (2009-2019). I left the definition of “top” to each individual in order to create more diversity in the lists; some of our writers used the term “best”, some used the term “favorite”, and some (like me) attempted to blend the two. We’ll be publishing these lists over the next two weeks and at the end of it all, Kent, Richard, and I will be releasing our own lists in podcast form. Enjoy today’s entry by Ariel Rada from Geek101 and make sure you check out all of the lists over the coming days. -BG
Am I a film critic of high pedigree? No. Am I a man with impeccable taste in film? Also no. Am I a moviegoer of the utmost commitment? Definitely not. However, I am a man who really enjoys comic book movies, superheroes, sci-fi, and cool dudes beating up bad dudes. With that in mind, here is a top ten list of movies that I find to be the best of the decade. I did my best to weigh personal enjoyment with quality of film and some Asian representation sprinkled in. Enjoy!
10. Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Asian stories deserve to be told. More importantly, non-Martial Arts Asian stories deserve to be told. Jon M. Chu’s Crazy Rich Asians, an Asian-led romcom based off of Kevin Kwan’s book, is one of those stories. CRA is probably a “very good” romcom at best, but its emphasis on the Asian American experience vaults it into my top ten.
9. Cabin in the Woods (2012)
I’ve always loved horror films. Do they always make sense? No. Do they mostly make sense? Also no. That’s makes Drew Goddard’s Cabin in the Woods so brilliant: it’s a smart deconstruction of the horror genre that never falls into the traps it mocks. Cabin in the Woods takes your beloved horror movie tropes and turns them on their heads while telling an original and creative story that’ll be remembered forever.
8. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Avengers: Endgame, the film that ensured that the decade would be defined by Marvel. The final movie in a franchise that runs 23 deep. The plot of Avengers: Endgame may not make perfect sense, but the character moments and unbelievable action set pieces are so overwhelmingly awesome that they put a tear in my eye. Fan service done right.
7. The Man from Nowhere (2010)
In 2007, Liam Neeson’s Taken ignited a passion for the “Retired Agent goes on revenge tour” movie genre. (See also; Denzel’s The Equalizer and Keanu’s John Wick). South Korea’s version, a little-known film titled The Man from Nowhere, is my favorite of the bunch. The film follows a former spec-ops agent named Cha-Tae Sik as he takes on a criminal organization to rescue his neighbor, an 8-year-old girl. The Man from Nowhere is an action thriller of the highest caliber, featuring plenty of beautiful cinematography, thrilling twists, and unrelenting violence.
6. The Raid (2011)
Oh, The Raid! Conceptually, it’s a simple film about a police commando team raiding a crime lord’s complex. In execution? It’s the perfect blend of Asian martial arts patience and excellence combined with the Western sensibilities of brutality and violence. Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, and Yayan Ruhina put on a master class of martial arts prowess. To put it simply, The Raid is in the pantheon of martial arts movie.
5. John Wick (2014)
The Keanussance started when director and former stuntman Chad Stehelski combined forces with Keanu to create the John Wick universe. This simple but effective story boasted fantastic action choreography and framing while planting the seeds of a frightening world of assassins. The John Wick franchise has gotten bigger and more bombastic throughout the decade, but the original film’s tight narrative and brilliant character introduction make it the best of the batch.
4. Pacific Rim (2013)
Two of my favorite things growing up were giant robots and giant monsters. Coincidentally, two of Guillermo Del Toro’s favorite things are giant robots and giant monsters. The difference between he and I? He’s a master filmmaker and I am not. His 2013 film Pacific Rim is an interesting case study in allowing an Oscar-level filmmaker to make the movie of his childhood dreams.
3. Scott Pilgrim vs The World (2010)
Edgar Wright is a filmmaking genius. He took Bryan Lee O’Malley’s cult classic comic, Scott Pilgrim, and turned it into a brilliant but underappreciated cult classic movie, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. The film boasts a stellar cast and awesome music crafted primarily by Beck. Wright’s fun film has everything a nerdy movie needs; clever video game references, awesome fight scenes, beautiful people, and a great message that’ll surely go over the heads of most fanboys.
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
The Russo brothers changed the game in 2014 with their first entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The film’s shining achievements are transforming Cap from a wholesome kid’s movie hero to a serious action star and the induction of intense fight scene choreography. This Captain America sequel might have been the ninth film introduced in the MCU but it arguably stands at number one as the best Marvel film.
1. Logan (2017)
Nerdy 90’s kids grew up with X-men and as we aged from kids to teens to adults, the franchise grew with us. In 2017, James Mangold’s Logan was the R-Rated, emotionally mature X-men film we never knew we needed. Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart give brilliant performances in a movie that perfectly reflects the character of the Wolverine; bloody, emotional, intense, perfect.