Remember walking out of the theater after watching Mad Max: Fury Road feeling like you'd been hit by a truck? Or that emotional hangover from Moonlight that lasted days? The 2010s gave us some truly remarkable films that changed how we think about cinema. As someone who watched over 500 films from that decade (yes, I kept count!), I'm excited to share my curated list of the absolute best movies of the 2010s.
Honestly, narrowing this down was painful. I rewatched dozens of contenders and still argued with myself about what to include. You might disagree with some choices - that's okay! Film is deeply personal. My only rule was picking movies that genuinely moved me or redefined their genres.
| Movie Title | Director | Key Cast | Year | Runtime | IMDb | Rotten Tomatoes | Why It's Essential |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mad Max: Fury Road | George Miller | Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron | 2015 | 120 min | 8.1 | 97% | Action filmmaking perfection with feminist themes |
| Moonlight | Barry Jenkins | Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris | 2016 | 111 min | 7.4 | 98% | Groundbreaking queer coming-of-age story |
| Parasite | Bong Joon-ho | Song Kang-ho, Choi Woo-shik | 2019 | 132 min | 8.6 | 99% | Masterclass in social satire and suspense |
| Get Out | Jordan Peele | Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams | 2017 | 104 min | 7.7 | 98% | Revolutionized horror with racial commentary |
| La La Land | Damien Chazelle | Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone | 2016 | 128 min | 8.0 | 91% | Modern musical masterpiece about artistic dreams |
| The Social Network | David Fincher | Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield | 2010 | 120 min | 7.8 | 96% | Defining tech biopic with razor-sharp dialogue |
| Django Unchained | Quentin Tarantino | Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz | 2012 | 165 min | 8.4 | 87% | Revenge fantasy that confronts slavery head-on |
| Roma | Alfonso Cuarón | Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira | 2018 | 135 min | 7.7 | 96% | Visually stunning personal memoir in film form |
Why These Films Defined the Decade
The best films of the 2010s weren't just entertaining - they reflected our changing world and pushed cinematic boundaries. Two big shifts stood out to me: First, streaming services started funding ambitious projects traditional studios wouldn't touch. Second, we finally saw real diversity behind the camera. Films like Moonlight and Parasite proved stories outside the mainstream could become cultural phenomena.
I noticed something interesting rewatching these years later. Movies that seemed great at the time but haven't aged well didn't make my cut. Remember The Artist? Charming in 2011 but feels slight now. True masterpieces reveal new layers on rewatch - like catching different details each time you see Inception.
Hidden Gems You Might Have Missed
Beyond the obvious choices, the 2010s offered incredible films that flew under the radar. These three stayed with me long after the credits rolled:
Phantom Thread (2017) - Paul Thomas Anderson's bizarre love story about a controlling dressmaker. Daniel Day-Lewis' final performance is unsettling perfection. The breakfast scene alone deserves analysis.
Shoplifters (2018) - Hirokazu Kore-eda's quiet masterpiece about a makeshift family surviving through petty crime. Makes you rethink what "family" really means. Tears guaranteed.
The Florida Project (2017) - Sean Baker's vibrant look at childhood poverty near Disney World. That final scene wrecked me in the best possible way.
Genre Breakdown: The Best Films of the 2010s Across Categories
Best Sci-Fi Films of the 2010s
- Arrival (2016) - Linguistics meets aliens in Denis Villeneuve's cerebral masterpiece
- Ex Machina (2014) - Claustrophobic AI thriller with career-best performances
- Blade Runner 2049 (2017) - Shockingly good sequel that honored the original
Best Animated Films of the 2010s
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) - Revolutionized animation while telling a heartfelt story
- Coco (2017) - Pixar's vibrant celebration of Mexican culture and family
- Inside Out (2015) - Made psychology accessible and emotional for all ages
Best International Films of the 2010s
- Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019, France) - Electrifying romantic drama with stunning visuals
- A Separation (2011, Iran) - Domestic drama with Shakespearean tension
- Cold War (2018, Poland) - Breathtaking musical journey through Communist Europe
Films That Divided Audiences (But Deserve Your Attention)
Not every great film was universally loved. These three sparked heated debates but represent bold filmmaking:
The Tree of Life (2011) - Malick's cosmic meditation on existence. Confused many viewers but contains sequences of pure cinematic poetry. Saw it twice in theaters just to absorb it all.
Mother! (2017) - Aronofsky's environmental allegory starring Jennifer Lawrence. The chaotic third act made walkouts happen at my screening. Personally found it brilliant despite the chaos.
Under the Skin (2013) - Scarlett Johansson as an alien preying on Scottish men. Minimal dialogue, maximum atmosphere. Still think about that beach scene weekly.
Snubs and Overrated Films
Okay, time for controversy. While I appreciate Birdman's technical achievements, its self-important Hollywood navel-gazing hasn't aged well for me. And as much as I love Christopher Nolan, Interstellar's muddled third act keeps it off my best films list.
Biggest snub? First Reformed (2017). Ethan Hawke gives a career-best performance as a crisis-of-faith priest wrestling with environmental despair. Should've swept the awards but got overshadowed by flashier films. Seriously, watch it tonight.
How We Selected These Best Movies of the 2010s
My selection process was rigorous: Films needed critical acclaim AND audience impact. I rewatched every contender, checking how they held up years later. Technical innovation mattered, but emotional resonance mattered more. Cultural significance was crucial - films that sparked conversations or changed how movies get made earned extra consideration.
This wasn't about personal taste alone. I consulted data sources including:
- Aggregate review scores (Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes)
- Award recognition (Oscars, international festivals)
- Long-term streaming/viewing data
- Cultural impact analysis
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Films of the 2010s
What makes a film qualify as one of the best movies of the 2010s?
Great question. For me, it combines technical excellence, cultural impact, and lasting relevance. Films that introduced new filmmaking techniques or launched important conversations automatically get consideration. But ultimately, they need to reward repeat viewing years later.
Why does Mad Max: Fury Road appear on so many best movies of the 2010s lists?
Beyond its incredible action sequences, it features revolutionary practical effects work (80% was real stunts, not CGI), feminist themes that subverted genre expectations, and pure visual storytelling with minimal dialogue. It's a masterclass in directing.
Did streaming services produce any best movies of the 2010s?
Absolutely! Netflix released Roma (2018), which won three Oscars and revolutionized foreign language film distribution. Amazon produced Manchester by the Sea (2016), which earned Casey Affleck his Best Actor Oscar. Streaming became crucial for indie filmmakers.
Which directors dominated the best movies of the 2010s?
Christopher Nolan (Inception, Dunkirk), Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049), and Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us) all made multiple landmark films. But emerging voices like Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) and Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) defined the decade's new directions.
The Legacy of These Best Movies of the 2010s
Looking back, what fascinates me most is how these films captured societal shifts. Best movies of the 2010s tackled income inequality (Parasite), racial trauma (Get Out), and queer identity (Moonlight) in ways mainstream cinema previously avoided. They proved audiences crave substance with spectacle.
The decade ended with Parasite making Oscar history as the first foreign language Best Picture winner - perfect closure for a decade where boundaries between "mainstream" and "arthouse" dissolved. What stays with you from these films? For me, it's the small moments: Mahershala Ali teaching that swimming lesson, Emma Stone's audition monologue, the family hiding under the table during the downpour.
Great films don't just entertain - they change how we see the world. These best movies of the 2010s certainly did that. They set a high bar for whatever comes next.
Leave a Message