Top Ten of the Decade Part VI

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 David Morris and make sure you check out all of the lists over the coming days. -BG

10. Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018)
I'll admit, I've always been a sucker for the for over the top action movies, and Mission Impossible delivers. Tom Cruise is the ultimate action star in my mind, and he gives 110% to these movies. He even learned to pilot a helicopter so that he could actually fly in the film's climax! You can't talk about the MI series without talking about the ensemble cast. They have great chemistry. My favorites are Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames as Benji and Luther, but this movie also adds in Henry Cavill as Ethan Hunt’s rival. He added another badass on par with Cruise and watching them fight together in the bathroom sequence was a real treat. This is a movie I can go back and rewatch anytime. 

9. Baby Driver (2017)
This is likely one a lot of people won't have on their decades list but is easily my most watched movie of the decade. Heck, I saw it six times in theaters. Edgar Wright stated that this was his passion project for over a decade, and it shows. I think this was the most unique ideas of the decade: What if you took a kid with tinnitus that constantly listens to music to drown out the buzz, and then set every sequence in the movie to the music he listens to? I think Wright pulls it off masterfully. Car doors open and close in time, stacks of money and coffee cups sync up, gun shots ring out to every note. All the song choices are perfect, and the movie is carried by a strong ensemble cast. I'm down anytime Jamie Foxx wants to play an insane character, and this movie made me love John Hamm as a gangster. If I didn't already love the movie enough, they filmed in and prominently featured Atlanta as their backdrop, my hometown. 

8. John Wick Series (2014, 2017, 2019)
Yes, this will be the one time I cheat on my list. But really, all three John Wick movies pick up right where the last one ended, so I think I'm justified at looking at them as one film. Reeves really doesn't pull any punches (pun intended) in this series, and this is another crazy, over the top action movie that is completely in my wheelhouse. These movies don't take themselves too seriously and it definitely helps. Case in point: John Wick himself. John Wick can do anything and kill everyone. With a pencil. Why? Because he's John freaking Wick. Books, pencils, knives, horses, dogs, anything can become a lethal weapon. And I'm here to watch. 

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7. Into the Spiderverse (2018)
This was far and away my favorite animated movie of the decade, so it had to be included. So many things here to like here: An African American-Latino superhero, a very unique art style (the movie is shot like a comic, with pixel art in the background of every shot), the multiverse, and a compelling story. As much as I love Tom Holland and the live-action Spiderman movies, doing animated movies allows you to do storylines you couldn't do in real life. The soundtrack is mostly rap and hip hop, and it drives the emotional moments of the movie. Can't wait for the sequel. 

6. Dunkirk (2017)
If 1917 makes its way on the list in the future, this will be the movie it replaces. Nolan is my favorite director, and seeing his take on a war movie did not disappoint. I was most compelled by the aerial dogfighting scenes, where you felt the rumble of the engines, and heard the wiz of the bullets as they flew by. It was helped by Tom Hardy, who can emote more with a mask over his face than most people can with their entire body. The movie won sound editing, sound mixing, and film editing, and it more than deserved all three. Not to mention the constant ticking of a clock in the background that leads to the stress you feel while watching. One of my favorite theater experiences of the decade. 

5. The Martian (2015)
he Martian puts Matt Damon’s talents on full display, since he acts on screen by himself for the majority of the movie. Instead of having long voice overs (which I usually HATE in a movie), Ridley Scott wisely chose to have Mark Watney (Damon) talk directly to the camera in a series of GoPro/virtual journal entries. I think this was the most beautiful space movie of the decade (come fight me Interstellar and Gravity fans), and the second-best sci-fi movie of the decade. I thoroughly enjoy rewatching this movie, and will put it on in the background to read or do work. 

4. Skyfall (2012)
When Daniel Craig puts in the effort, it absolutely comes across on the screen. Mendes brings it as director. Raoul Silva, played by Javier Bardem, is one of the all-time great Bond villains. I love that he takes vengeance against M16 and M herself. We get to learn a lot about 007's childhood, which helps explain how he became the man he is. The cottage set piece in the Scottish mountainside is a beautiful one, and the action in the last hour of the movie never lets up.

3. The Social Network (2010)
I'm going to guess this will be the movie that falls on more top of the decade lists than any other. I would say that this is the tightest/best script of the decade. Telling the story of the founding of Facebook sounds boring in any other setting, but the story is so out of control that it pulls you in to the drama. I'm not a huge Eisenberg fan, but he absolutely nails the cocky, arrogant, but somehow still likable Zuckerberg. Garfield is as good as he is in any movie, and I'm still not sure if Justin Timberlake is a good actor or if he just plays himself in this movie, but the trio all play their roles to the T. Oh, and a great score. 

2. Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Every bit of this movie is off the walls insane. From the opening shot of DiCaprio doing coke, to little person darts, the Quaaludes trip sequences, boat crashes, and finally hard time, this movie doesn't let up. You can tell Marty and Leo both had the time of their lives making this movie. Jonah Hill gives a perfect performance. And you certainly can't forget an incredible breakout performance from Margot Robbie, who steals most of the scenes she’s in. Is this movie for everyone? Absolutely not. The F word is used 569 times and much of the movie is horribly offensive. No one will hurt my feelings if they hate this movie. 

1. Inception (2010)
Leo is my favorite actor so it's no coincidence that my top two movies of the decade are his. I think Inception is a masterpiece, and certainly the best sci-fi movie of the decade... maybe ever. Leo absolutely kills it. Ellen Page is great. Nolan regulars Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, and Gordon-Levitt all shine, and Marion Cotillard is haunting in her role. And what a unique concept! My mind was absolutely blown away seeing this in theaters for the first time, with very little idea of what the movie was about. The dreamscape constructions are beautiful pieces of art. The score is on point, and one I'll often play if I need some focus music.  The first time Page enters the dreamscape and destroys a Paris cafe is incredibly well shot. The snow set piece at the end is beautiful. There is nothing I dislike about this movie and nothing I could think of changing. For being completely unique, practically shot, and having the best ensemble cast, I declare this movie the best of the decade. So I've declared it, so shall it be.

Top Ten of the Decade Part V

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 Ellen Toudouze and make sure you check out all of the lists over the coming days. -BG

This was the decade when I really discovered my love for movies, and many of the films on this list are the reason why. Like our fearless leader Brian, I, too, meshed together the idea of “best” and “favorite” when comprising the list. It was not an easy task by any means and I’m sure I’ll have to resist the urge to send changes, but I’m happy with this list and I think it reflects all the things I look for in a film: strong performances, a good script, and a director with a distinct point of view.

Honorable Mention: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow Part 2 (2011)
My all-time favorite story, in print and on screen, all culminated in a truly epic ending after ten years of movie magic. It did not have to be as well-made as it was, but aren’t we glad all the stars aligned so perfectly on this one? I stan for life.  

10. A Quiet Place (2018)
My top ten list is somewhat dominated by “new” filmmakers and none surprised me more than John Krasinski. A Quiet Place is so much more than the horror film it was marketed as. It is a genuinely lovely story about family, sacrifice, and love, all in the context of a scary monster movie. Krasinski might be the greatest non-verbal actor there is, and I am here for it.  

9. What We Do in The Shadows (2014)
Hear me out. What We Do in The Shadows is criminally underrated. This decade introduced us to Taika Watiti and those who know, know that his entrance into filmmaking still holds up as comedy gold. Just when you thought mockumentary comedy was dead, he made it un-dead and cool again. It’s my top comedy of the decade and is perhaps the most rewatchable movie on my list.  

8. A Star is Born (2018)
While I normally always seek out original stories over sequels or remakes, A Star is Born is the wonderful exception to the rule. Who knew that Bradley Cooper had it in him? I wouldn’t consider this list complete without a musical and the choice is a no-brainer. Lady Gaga is pure greatness as Aly and I will never not cry as she sings “I’ll Never Love Again” 

7. Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Wes Anderson has been making movies for over three decades now, and I would say Grand Budapest is his best of the 2010’s. It may be the most Wes Anderson-y movie he’s ever made, and I can’t get enough. His style and sensibility are so unique and completely his own, it’s no wonder everyone wants to work with him. 

6. Parasite (2019)
This could be recency bias, but I don’t anticipate my opinion changing anytime soon, if ever. Parasite is pure perfection and a true standout as we near the end of the decade. Bong Joon-ho has so much to say and not once does he fall prey to what many lesser filmmakers would: thinking the audience is too dumb to get it. Every element is precisely placed and paced throughout this film, allowing it to be simultaneously thrilling and thought-provoking. 

5. Hell or High Water (2016)
Hell or High Water has everything: Texas landscape, the best Chris, Jeff Bridges as a cowboy, small town authenticity (the nostalgia factor), and a Dr. Pepper/Mr. Pibb joke. Jokes aside, this is, in my opinion, one of the better scripts of the decade. It’s a western and a heist movie while still having something to say about family and fatherhood. Jeff Bridges is truly great, and I stand by my opinion that he should have won the Oscar for supporting actor, don’t @ me. 

4. Arrival (2016)
Another example of a director introduced to me during this decade. Denis Villenueve has accomplished much in the 2010s and has set himself apart as an auteur and I am a fan. Arrival was one of my favorite experiences in the theater this decade. I was completely transfixed by the story, the visuals, and the knockout performance by Amy Adams. Sign me up for any and all future movies by Denis. 

3. Ladybird (2018)
Of the new filmmakers that this decade has given us, none have created a love-at-first sight experience like Greta Gerwig. Ladybird made me laugh out loud, audibly sob, and want to call my mom just to tell her I love her. It is my favorite coming of age movie and I wish I had been half as cool or honest as our girl Christine/Ladybird when I was a teenager. I could go on and on about the perfect casting, the highly underrated (under-nominated) directing, and the sweet vulnerability that is achieved, but I’ll stop myself before the full rant starts. I love Ladybird. 

2. The Social Network (2010)
There is little I could say that has not been said before about the greatness of The Social Network, but I’ll offer my two cents anyway. The team up of Sorkin and Fincher is one that we didn’t know we needed until we found ourselves watching what many would consider a perfect film. Never have I been so impressed by not only the script and directing, but the score, the editing, the acting…every part of this movie is amazing, and it never gets old.

1. Inception (2010)
I am a huge Nolan fan and I would consider this the be him at his best. His affinity for layered storytelling and reality-bending ideas is on full display with what I would consider his best cast ensemble. As stated before, I am always here for a well-executed original idea in a world full of sequels and remakes. Inception started the decade with a bang and is one that I will always go back to if only to admire one of my favorite filmmakers doing what he does best.

Top Ten of the Decade Part III

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.