By Breanne Brennan
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By Brett Blake The opportunity to look back the cinematic decade is something that has excited me for the last several months. Now, what follows is a list of 35 films -- 10 and 20 seemed way too small to truly encompass what 2010 - 2019 had to offer, while 50 felt like such a large number that you start diluting the intention of a “favorites” list by selecting that many. So 35 it is. Many, many films I like a great deal were left by the wayside, but I had to go with my instincts. It’s also worth pointing out that I’m not necessarily saying I think these are the “best” movies of the decade. Instead, these are the ones that most spoke to me for various reasons. 30 - 11 are presented without commentary, while the Top 10 feature a few words on their merits. Enjoy, and here’s to another great decade at the movies! 35 - 31
30 - 26
25 - 21
20 - 16
15 - 11
10. SILENCE (2016) -- Directed by Martin Scorsese A powerful, heartfelt examination of persecution, doubt, and faith in 17th century Japan. It’s intensely compelling, both as a tale and as a deeper look at a crisis of faith against the backdrop of horrific atrocity. Scorsese’s movie filled with haunting images and provocative ideas, and while interpretations may vary, of course, I ultimately found this experience affirming and deeply moving. 9. IT FOLLOWS (2015) -- Directed by David Robert Mitchell Mitchell’s chiller plays on common sources of teenage unease and mines them for maximum effect. The screenplay is really quite simple, but it layers in idiosyncratic and nuanced elements which make the film feel much richer and more essential than just another teen-centric terror picture. Its themes and Mitchell’s overall approach here come across as quintessentially of the 2010s... in a good way. 8. ONCE UPON A TIME... IN HOLLYWOOD (2019) -- Directed by Quentin Tarantino Quentin Tarantino’s most sentimental, bittersweet, and funny film. It’s constantly engaging on nearly every level -- the performances (Brad Pitt, particularly), the writing, the visual approach -- and as its title implies, it showcases an almost fairy tale-like vision of a bygone Hollywood era. It’s simply a fabulous entertainment, and Tarantino remains one of the few filmmakers whose new movies are still truly “events.” 7. NIGHTCRAWLER (2014) -- Directed by Dan Gilroy Featuring deft tonal work and anchored by an absolutely phenomenal, ferocious, chilling central performance from Jake Gyllenhaal, this is a scorching, biting satire of the news, a spiritual successor to the likes of NETWORK that doesn’t offer an optimistic appraisal of the industry or (some of) the people who populate it. 6. GONE GIRL (2014) -- Directed by David Fincher A thriller with some satire overtones, this is Fincher at the height of his powers, taking a potentially sleazy, trashy story and staging it beautifully for maximum tension. The writing is extremely sharp, delivering both a barbed view of suburban marriage and a pretty compellingly-plotted mystery yarn. Rosamund Pike’s performance is an all-timer. 5. LINCOLN (2012) -- Directed by Steven Spielberg Reverent, focused, and one of the least showy movies in Spielberg’s filmography. He lets the craft departments, screenplay, and performers take center stage, which results in something quite powerful. Daniel Day-Lewis embodies all the traits you’d want to see from arguably the United States’ greatest president, showing him to be a man of great, fundamental decency. The weight of his responsibilities is evident at all times, which greatly humanizes a man who is easily (and often) seen as a kind of mythic figure in history. 4. LA LA LAND (2016) -- Directed by Damien Chazelle A dazzling ode to the classic Hollywood musical with a bittersweet edge. Chazelle’s filmmaking crackles with both energy and sensitivity, equally up to the task of staging upbeat musical numbers, romantic fantasy sequences, and the more realistic ebbs and flows of a relationship. Emma Stone’s work here is particularly luminous, and she deservedly won an Oscar for it. Acting as both a glorious homage to classic cinema and an incredibly vital and energetic modern work, LA LA LAND is simply fantastic. 3. INCEPTION (2010) -- Directed by Christopher Nolan It would probably be too cliched and on-the-nose to describe INCEPTION as “mind-bending,” but it’s also extremely appropriate. After the smash of THE DARK KNIGHT, Nolan returned with a cerebral (literally) action-adventure that found a way to keep topping itself all the way through, peaking only at the very end with its brilliant final moments that reframe (perhaps!) everything we thought we were experiencing. 2. THE WITCH (2016) -- Directed by Robert Eggers The horror genre’s masterpiece of the decade. From the costumes and production design, down to the very formal, mannered way in which the characters speak, everything we see and hear in THE WITCH feels utterly authentic, which makes the horror elements all the more disturbing. Beautifully, moodily shot and featuring one of the decade’s most unnerving musical scores, THE WITCH is a horror tale that I’m quite confident will have great staying power. 1. WHIPLASH (2014) -- Directed by Damien Chazelle No other film in the last ten years left me feeling as exhilarated when the end credits started to roll as this one. Writer/director Chazelle’s examination of dedication-bordering-on-obsession, seen through the lens of a combative (and abusive) teacher/student relationship, simmers with propulsive intensity for much of its running time before finally coming to a roaring boil during the powerhouse third act. This climax is properly electrifying and spellbinding, adjectives that the movie completely earns. Razor-sharp editing and sound mixing give the picture a powerful drive, as well. WHIPLASH is filmmaking at its most vibrant and arresting, and it’s my favorite movie of the 2010s. |
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