Greg's Best Movies of the 2010s

     We have just ended another decade. As a film writer, this decade in film has great sentimental meaning for me. The 2010s were where I found my passion for film, viewed most of my movies, and began to express my feelings about them. These movies will always hold a place in my heart. I thought long and hard about this and these are my favorite movies from every year of the 2010s. A lot of these choices were incredibly difficult ones, and I felt insincere not listing all my honorable mention choices.

2010: Black Swan

Honorable Mentions: The King's Speech, The Social Network, Incendies 

 

      I really wish I wasn't severely impaired the first time I took in Darren Aronofsky's meditation on perfection. On the contrary, perhaps it heightened the attention to detail viewing Black Swan requires. Natalie Portman delivers a career best performance as Nina Sayers, a ballerina attempting to dance s the Swan Queen in Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Along the way, she is forced to confront her darkest nature as she battles with her sanity, as well as her body. The sharp contrast of dark and light in the tiniest of details make Black Swan a re-watchable classic. 

2011: The Artist

Honorable Mentions: Hugo, We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Intouchables, The Descendants

     I often credit The Artist as the movie that made me love movies. I knew absolutely nothing about the film going in, like the fact that there was no spoken dialogue. I was blown about by the sheer art factor, as I had never seen another film like it. The Artist operates as a silent film paying homage to the classic silent films. Before you dismiss it, I recommend giving The Artist a chance. It is truly one of the most heart-filled, artistically smart films I have ever seen. Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo are absolutely marvelous in their turn as silent film stars. Silent films need an incredible score to operate, and Ludovic Bource's score is my favorite of the 2010s. The Artist has a bit of every genre mixed in, which makes it a nearly perfect film, and definitely my favorite from 2011. 

2012: Django Unchained

Honorable Mentions: Moonrise Kingdom, The Broken Circle Breakdown, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Skyfall

     Tarantino delivers another masterpiece with his Southern Antebellum revenge epic, Django Unchained. Tarantino has a history of making films with sharp dialogue, but can be tiresome in length. Django has a perfect balance of brilliant monologues while still an eye for timing. Very little of its 165 minute run time feels unnecessary or bloated, as later entries such as Hateful Eight did. The Academy awarded Christoph Waltz with the Oscar for Best Support Actor, criminally overlooking the best performance in the film, which belongs to Leonardo DiCaprio playing the cruel yet suave slave owner Calvin Candie. Usually DiCaprio is known for playing likable heroes, but Tarantino turns him into a sinister foil for Jamie Foxx's titular hero. Django was a deconstruction of a usually dull Western genre, which was exciting and entertaining till the end credits. 

2013: Inside Llewyn Davis

Honorable Mentions: Frances Ha, The Wolf of Wall Street, Prisoners, Short Term 12, Her, Nebraska

     This was by far the hardest choice to make. Words cannot describe how much I love the heart breaking Her, was destroyed by the tearjerker Short Term 12, was left on the edge of my seat by Prisoners, and laughed hysterically during Wolf of Wall Street. They were all narrowly beaten out by the Coen Brothers' quiet ode to failure, Inside Llewyn Davis. The film follows fairly unlikable folk singer, who continually sabotages his life and career with poor decisions. T-Bone Burnett curates a brilliant folk soundtrack to give a musical background to the Greenwich Village scene of the 1960s. Oscar Isaac is flawless in his performance both musically and dramatically. This movie really grew on me. First watch, I absolutely hated it. On viewing it twice, I thoroughly enjoyed it. By my third-viewing I self-declared it a masterpiece. Give this film a view on a rainy day, when are you seeking some peace and self-reflection. 

2014: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Honorable Mentions: Whiplash, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Blue Ruin, Boyhood, Gone Girl, Nightcrawler

     I had high expectations when I saw Birdman and it still exceeded all of my expectations. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu created a movie edited to appear as it was done in one shot. This is to show the tepid movement of the scarred and damaged characters of the movie. The main character, Riggan Thomson is a former blockbuster star trying to make his return to the stage, while battling his own mental instability. Portrayed by Michael Keaton, he battles with his alter-ego, Birdman, his former superhero role. The film is brilliant with its sharp cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki. Birdman is truly its own film, and it truly is unlike any piece of media I have ever seen. Its pure originality cements its place as my favorite movie of 2014. 

2015: Amy

Honorable Mentions: Mad Max: Fury Road, Dope, Tangerine, The Revenant, Room

     The only documentary on this list should not come as a surprise to anyone who remotely knows me. I always loved the music of Amy Winehouse, but Asif Kapadia's documentary took my love to an obsession. I even had Amy Winehouse tattooed on my arm after viewing this documentary. Seriously. Kapadia is brilliant as he introduces a woman who is charming, lovable, and charismatic, and then rips her away through her self-destructive choices as well as the mob-like of her family and friends. The tear-jerker documentary is a must view for me whenever I hate myself enough to put myself through the emotional burden. 

2016: La La Land

Honorable Mentions: Hunt for the Wilderpeople, The Nice Guys, American Honey, Arrival, Moonlight

     Unfortunately, La La Land has become somewhat of a punchline due to the shocking mistake at the 89th Academy Awards. The film was announced the  Best Picture winner, when in all actuality, Moonlight was the winner. I found it just as hard as the Academy did to pick between the two, but I will give La La Land the slightest of edges. La La Land is an homage to the classic Hollywood musicals, with a modern twist. The third film by Damien Chazelle is a joy and a triumph, celebrating art and those who are foolish enough to pursue it. I have personally been to quite a few locations in Los Angeles where La La Land was filmed, just to capture a glimpse of the magic this film consistently oozes. Gosling and Stone's chemistry is undeniable in their third collaboration. It makes me thirst for a fourth. Tender and charming, La La Land is another amazing film of the 2010s. 

2017: Baby Driver

Honorable Mentions: Logan, Get Out, Blade Runner 2049, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, The Shape of Water, Phantom Thread, I, Tonya

     Edgar Wright's first film post-Cornetto Trilogy truly shows that Marvel missed an incredible visionary when they let Wright walk from Ant-Man. Wright instead delivered Baby Driver, a musically coordinated car chase thriller. Featuring an amazing cast such as Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, and pre-scandal Kevin Spacey, Wright creates a film that can easily operate in all of the genres. Baby Driver is one the most complete films I have ever seen containing something in it for everyone. This makes for one of the most fun viewings in a theater I have ever had. In fact, I rushed back the next night just to watch another person experience this masterclass in film-making. 

2018: A Star Is Born

Honorable Mentions: Sorry to Bother You, BlacKkKlansman, Roma, Mid90s, Three Identical Strangers, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Favourite, If Beale Street Could Talk, Cold War

    For a the fourth time, A Star Is Born was brought to the screen. Somehow, director/producer/writer/star Bradley Cooper found a way to make the well-known story feel fresh and new. Featuring the refined vocals and raw acting talent of Lady Gaga pairing with Cooper's far from fictionalized version of his own past, A Star Is Born is a truly devastating film. It's incredibly obvious how the film was going to end, yet I was still shocked and left to tears. For some reason, the Academy never gave this film the love it rightfully deserved, losing Best Picture to a cliched and dismal Green Book. No matter how many times I see this movie, I still have the same reaction. After A Star Is Born, I cannot wait to see both Cooper and Gaga on the screen again for whatever their next projects may be!

2019: Parasite

Honorable Mentions: The Irishman, Honey Boy, The Farewell, Booksmart, The Peanut Butter Falcon, Hustlers

    Parasite is my tentative pick for the best film of 2019. I still have many movies that are coming out in the late days of December to see that could easily take Parasite's spot. Uncut Gems, Little Women, and 1917 are the three movies that I could see unseating Parasite. I have been unable to see these movies because of a nagging flu. If this happens, I will update and change this article. I have already covered Parasite's brilliance, so if you want to read my full review, check it out here.

     The 2010s were an amazing decade for film. I enjoyed every minute of it! I look forward to keeping my audience film-literate in 2020. Until then, signing off!