1. Inside Out (2015)

"Crying helps me slow down and obsess over the weight of life's problems." - Sadness

Selecting a single film to stand out as the top of the decade is a pretty tricky choice. Of course, several films could vie for the top spot, but they had to settle for 2nd - 9th. So what is it about Inside Out, the one perfect film Pixar put out this decade, that made it stand head and shoulders above the rest?

With rewatch upon rewatch, my love for this film grew. It's the rare family film that is so emotionally intelligent that it can teach grown-ups as well as children. The film personifies five emotions inside a young girl's head: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear. While there are of course a myriad more emotions we feel, these are a solid five representations, and as conveyed by Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, and Bill Hader, they are given life and distinction from each other.

The film has no bad guys (if anything the protagonist, Joy, is the villain), but instead draws drama from something as simple yet as devastating as a cross country move for a 12-year-old girl. The film's climax is a bold, stunning sequence that teaches us the power of sadness, that it's ok to feel sad sometimes, for it is in sadness that those that care most will reach out to us and offer us comfort.

This is an obvious enough message, but it is so rare to see something so simple yet so powerful conveyed in our pop culture. Pixar was not the hitmaker this decade that they were in the 2000s, where their output included the likes of Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Wall-E, and Up. Besides this film and Coco, I wouldn't consider their output this decade to come even close to matching the outstanding quality they released ten years before.

Still, we got this film, directed by Pete Doctor, and I am eternally grateful for it. The best cinematic experiences are ones that move us profoundly, that emotionally grab us and take us on incredible, fantastical journeys that we never thought possible. I adore this film, and it stands head and shoulders above the rest as my single favorite film from the decade spanning 2010-2019.

2. Holy Motors (2012)

"I miss the cameras. They used to be heavier than us. Then they became smaller than our heads. Now you can't see them at all." - Mr. Oscar

Holy Motors is one of those films where you are either in for the ride, or not having any of it. It's a perplexing journey, one that defies explanation and convention, that segues between different sections that shift the genres from comedy to drama to musical. The film follows Mr. Oscar (Denis Lavant) as he rides in a limo around the city, getting out as different personas and engaging in a mini-story. Really Holy Motors could be seen as simply a series of short stories a la Fantasia, were it not for in-between scenes featuring Mr. Oscar.

I love this movie so much because it is one of those films you can describe as "pure cinema." Watching the film is like going on an extended journey, and it takes you places you cannot possibly predict. Few films out there can truly surprise you, and this is one that you never know where it's going, ending inexplicably with limousines talking to one another.

What does it all mean? Hell if I know. To me, that's not the point, although I'm sure others out there have written dissertations on what everything means and claim to understand it. Sometimes I just enjoy a movie that entertains while also surprising me. I'm not always a fan of films that are ambiguous or hard to interpret, but sometimes a film comes along that hits the right spots, that can satisfy a craving for creative, adventurous, bold cinema. Director/writer Leos Carax and Lavant collaborate to create one of the most engaging and entertaining films I've ever seen.



Worst Film of the 2010s: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

He lied to me
He shot at me
He hates on me
He's using me
He's dead to me
The Spider-Man is my enemy
- "My Enemy" from the soundtrack

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 may not be everyone's least favorite film, and most of you have probably forgotten about it at this point. But boy or boy I can't think of a film I actively dislike from this decade as much as this one. Filled with terrible plotting and hammy dialogue, this film is a strong representation of superhero films that don't understand the Marvel formula. With no less than three villains with little connection, the film juggles multiple unrelated plots in an overstuffed, overlong, boring mess that fails every emotional beat, and delivers some of the worst villains in the Spider-man franchise (Rhino and Electro are both confusing, and the Green Goblin is a recycled mess). I have seen the film twice and besides likable leads, the film has no redeeming values. It's the reason Sony had to loan Spidey to the MCU, and next to Justice League is a prime example of how to kill your superhero series.

3. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

"I live. I die. I live again." - Nux

What really needs to be said about Mad Max: Fury Road that hasn't been said? It's the best action film of the decade, with stunning set pieces, killer cars, a great cast, beautiful cinematography, exciting editing, and a killer score that all merge together into a dynamite film experience that just becomes richer with repeat viewings.

Although the film is titled Mad Max the real star is Imperator Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron, with Tom Hardy and Nicholas Hoult turning in fantastic performances as well. One of the most memorable characters is Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), a grotesque figure with a terrifying mask and disposition. Most memorable though is the Doof Warrior (iOTA), an electric guitar playing rockstar that acts as a weird modern-day war drum for the attacking fleets.

Director George Miller has always been one of the more interesting directors; his career path started with Mad Max in the 70s before transitioning into family-friendly fare with the Babe and Happy Feet movies, before moving back to the franchise that made him. He's right at home here, with souped-up monster machines and a richly textured world that doesn't require over-explaining. Every time I return to this film I am rewarded with new details I didn't notice before or appreciate a different element or character in the film. If you had told me one of the best films of the decade would be a Mad Max film I would find that prediction preposterous, but here we are, and I can't wait for Miller to bring us back to this world.



2nd Worst: The Cobbler (2014)

"It's a privilege to walk in another man's shoes, Max, but it's also a responsibility." - Abraham Simkin

Adam Sandler could arguably take up a whole list of worst of the decade films; the Grown-Ups films, Jack and Jill, Blended, or any of his Netflix films have all been disasters. Yet one shining turd stands out above the rest, his 2014 drama-comedy The Cobbler. The premise involves Sandler as a cobbler who one day discovers that any shoes he cobbles with his long-missing father's secret cobbling machine, will somehow imbue those shoes with the ability to change him into the original wearer. A half-decent idea for a Twilight Zone episode, but this movie allows Sandler to pretend to be a woman's boyfriend and nearly sleep with her (only stopping because to have sex one must remove shoes, and the jig would be up), and disguise as his missing father to serenade his own mother (a creepy scene its own right). Top this off with one of the worst twists of the decade, and an Adam Sandler who seems downright miserable, and you've got the recipe for a disastrous effort.

4. Before Midnight (2013)

"If you want love, then this is it. This is real life. It's not perfect but it's real." - Jesse

In the discussions of great trilogies, you might here Star Wars or Lord of the Rings casually brought up and discussed. But I submit that there is one trilogy that doesn't get enough exposure, and is the rare trilogy that has improved with every film (although I'd argue every film is great in their own right). That trilogy is the Before trilogy.

Each film is a meditation on love and connection at various stages of life; each film plays out in long conversations held by the leads, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy). In Before Sunrise (1995), Jesse and Celine meet and spend a day together, eventually separating, but not before falling in love. Nine years later, they reunited in Before Sunset (2004), and then nine years after that, we got Before Midnight (2013), which sees them with children.

Before Midnight is a terrific meditation on relationships, how people can wear on each other, and what it takes to keep the spark of love alive. Linklater specializes in decade-spanning projects (his Boyhood (2014) is often cited as one of the best of the decade), but watching these actors age eighteen years, and inform the direction their characters take (Hawke and Delpy co-wrote this film with Linklater), giving these films a unique voice that you won't find in many other films. I adore these films and look forward to the next decade when hopefully, in 2022, we get yet another entry in the Before series.

5. Whiplash (2014)

"There are no two words in the English language more harmful than 'good job.'" - Terence Fletcher

There are so few artists that reach amazing heights, who attain greatness in their fields and stand out as a paragon of excellence in their profession. Whiplash is about what it takes to reach such staggering heights, the grind and the pressure one can put themselves under to be the best that they can be.

Your mileage may vary on how well an approach like this works. But I think it's inarguable that if you want to be great, it takes a great deal of sweat, toil, and commitment. Few people are born naturally gifted geniuses. What Whiplash concerns, and details, is one man's obsession with discovering the next great musician, and the pupil he pushes to the brink of mental breakdown. For a film simply about drumming, it's one of the most suspenseful films I've ever seen, and one that, upon repeat viewing, maintains its intensity.

The film benefits from the central performance of J.K. Simmons as Terence Fletcher, the music teacher who oscillates between compassionate mentor and screaming drill instructor on a dime. The whole affair coalesces in a final ten minutes that I would submit as the single greatest ten minutes of film this decade, and one of the best in all of film history. It keeps you on the edge of your seat for its duration until in the end you are finally allowed to breathe and the tension of the film is released in a final, sustained, beautiful note. Seeing this film in theaters was one of the most memorable experiences for me, and one I won't ever forget.



3rd Worst: Wish Upon (2017)

Anyone who is a fan of Red Letter Media has probably heard of this film; in a 2017 movie re-cap, one of the hosts, Mike, spoke of this film and how delightfully awful it was. In checking it out, I agree. It's one of those films that are enjoyable to watch, in spite of its terribleness. The plot, in short, is about a young girl who discovers a wishing box, but in classic Horror terms, her wishes come with a price (usually the grisly death of someone she knows, sequences that play out in a demented Final Destination fashion). It's a fun film to watch, but what makes it awful it the annoying lead, and ridiculous plot machinations and contrivances. So basically a strong recommendation.

6. Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (2014)

"Why are you making me run around in circles? Why your honor? Why?" - Viviane Amsalem

A gett, as it pertains to this story, is a ritual Jewish divorce. As portrayed in this film, it's a years-long experience for Viviane Amsalem (Ronit Elkabetz) who appeals to a Jewish court to obtain divorce documents. But in Jewish law, if neither party has violated the marriage contract, a divorce is not sanctioned.

I saw this film on a whim years ago, and the experience has stayed with me ever since. It's a harrowing portrayal of a restrictive court system that still exists in society today, where a woman restrictive rights in a patriarchal system. Directed by sibling duo Ronit and Shlomi Elkabetz, the film is an oppressive experience, never leaving the sanitized, plain, white-walled courtrooms. We check in with Viviane over the years and years of battling for her case, each time revealing more about why she is so desperate to end her marriage.

One important role the movies can fill is to educate us on situations and events that we may be ignorant of; to showcase injustices or regressive practices, and make us empathize with the wronged. A film like Gett is important to me because not only is it a masterpiece, it's a learning experience, a film that broadens my understanding of the world while gripping me in an emotional story. It's perfectly fine to have more mindless fare (there certainly are some lighter films on my list), but I also value films that provide me with a new perspective, and I encourage all to check out this stellar film.

7. The Big Sick (2017)

"So...to fully know I love someone, I have to cheat on them?" - Kumail
"Out loud, it sounds stupid. Eh, it's... yeah, that's terrible advice." - Terry

In the 2010s the rom-com was largely a dead art form. Sure it still exists in some limited capacities, but after the Apatow films that dominated the late 2000s and early 2010s, the rom-com well was not an inspiring place to go. That is, until Kumail Nanjiani, co-star of Silicon Valley, and his wife Emily V. Gordon penned a screenplay about the remarkable story of how they met.

Revealing too many details would ruin the fun of experiencing the film for the first time, but the story is essentially about Kumail (Nanjiani playing an exaggerated version of himself) and Emily (Zoe Kazan), meeting, dating, and falling for each other, all while Kumail's traditional Pakistani family tries to set him up with a girl within his race.

What bolsters the film up is Nanjiani's witty presence, a sharp script that observes relationships and what makes them function, and plenty of poignant, emotional moments. I'm a big fan of Nanjiani, from his early work in online skits to his wonderful supporting role on Silicon Valley, to his Academy Award-nominated screenplay, co-authored with his wife. Not to mention the direction of Michael Showalter, and fantastic supporting performances by Ray Romano and Holly Hunter that round out the emotional landscape of this film. It's really one of the best times I had at the movies this year; it made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me reflect on my own relationship and appreciate, more then ever, what I have.



4th Worst: Serenity (2019)

Serenity came out of nowhere and quickly became film Twitter's most beloved film of January 2019. It's a film you really must experience to fully appreciate the weird twists and turns the plot takes. Starring A-listers like Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Diane Lane, and Jason Clarke, the film concerns a fishing boat captain chasing a giant Tuna named Justice, which is one of many things that will make sense and will be baffling by film's end. His old flame (Hathaway) finds him and wants to recruit him to murder her current husband (Clarke). I'm not sure what drew all these actors to this terrible script, but suffice to say it contains a twist I dare not spoil and you should really just experience for yourself (it's currently available on Amazon Prime as of the publishing of this post). It's an A-plus experience of an F grade flick.

8. The Social Network (2010)

"We lived on farms, then we lived in cities, and now we're going to live on the internet!" - Sean Parker

Of all the films on this list, most in need of a sequel, The Social Network sits pretty high on my list. So much has happened with Facebook in the past ten years that some of it could be distilled into another equally entertaining, incisive take on our social media culture. When news came out a movie was being made about the founding of Facebook, many of us, myself including, scoffed at the idea. What is there to tell about the founding of Facebook? It's just a place where I post pictures, my thoughts, share these reviews, and see what everyone else in my life is up to.

Yet thanks to the winning combination of Aaron Sorkin's writing and David Fincher's direction, what we receive is a fascinating tale of legal litigations and start-up culture. Chronicling Mark Zuckerberg's life from 2003 to a couple of years later, the film details that ideas that lead to Facebook's inception, and the ensuing legal battles from people who either felt like they owned the idea, or were screwed by the company's public stock options.

All of this is conveyed through razor-sharp, signature Sorkin dialogue, where everyone is either a witty genius with words or an ignoramus who can't operate on the intellectual level of others. Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, and Rooney Mara make up part of the terrific cast that round this tale of loneliness out. The Social Network now reminds us of a simpler time in social media, before the President of the United States conveyed his unfiltered thoughts through it, and of the small steps taken that would drastically reshape our culture.

9. Parasite (2019)

"They are rich but still nice." - Ki-taek
"They are nice because they are rich." - Chung-sook

The problem with reflecting on the past decade is that it is hard to accurately measure how much you like a film that recently came out. Most of my list is comprised of films that came out 4 or more years ago, and I fully acknowledge that it is likely because they have had time to stew, to marinate, to grow in favor in my mind.

With all that said, I have no qualms listing this year's Palme d'Or winner, Parasite, as number 9 on my list. One of a few films this year alone that deals with class warfare, Parasite is a delightful, gripping tale of a low-income family in South Korea that slowly infiltrate the various servant roles in an upper-class family they gain access too. The film is a brilliant mash-up of genres, from comedy to drama, to thriller, and everything in between.

Director Bong Joon-Ho brilliantly pulls off this magic act, and as the story takes unexpected twists and turns it arrives at a solemn, yet hopeful coda that the film brilliantly sets up. The film itself is like a magic act, unfolding before your eyes, and you blink and wonder how you didn't notice what was right in front of your eyes. It's a film I highly recommend, and one I feel assured in saying will stand the test of time. I can't wait to give this film another watch and spend more time in the amazing world Bong Joon-Ho has built.



5th Worst: Suicide Squad (2016)

"This is Katana. She's got my back. She can cut all of you in half with one sword stroke, just like mowing the lawn. I would advise not getting killed by her. Her sword traps the souls of its victims." - Rick Flag

Of course, with my best of I will occasionally mention the worst of the decade as well. And for number five, I've deemed Suicide Squad to be one of the very worst films I had the displeasure of viewing this decade. A disaster on almost every level, it's hard to see how this could've been good. The editing certainly doesn't help, as the film sets up "heroes" Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and Deadshot (Will Smith), then sets them again two minutes later. The film hamfistedly introduces characters midway through the film with clunky exposition and offs other characters in the blink of an eye. Add in the worst Joker portrayal on the big screen, and you've got the perfect recipe for a big-budget Hollywood disaster.

10. Life Itself (2014)

"In the past 25 years, I have probably seen 10,000 movies and reviewed 6,000 of them. I have forgotten most of them, I hope, but I remember those worth remembering, and they all are on the same shelf in my mind." - Roger Ebert

One of the most important notes of the decade was the loss of Roger Ebert in 2013. A towering figure in film criticism, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who wasn't impressed or inspired by Ebert's film writing. Candid, yet insightful, sharp, yet accessible, Ebert was the kind of writer who championed and revealed little-known films and could eviscerate with barbed, vicious reviews.

The film, directed by Steve James, is not only a loving insight into Ebert's career and how he reshaped our perception of film criticism (some would save even dumbing it down) but a tender portrait of a man at death's door. Filmed in the months leading up to Ebert's passing, we see a man, beaten down by cancer and various treatments that have rendered him speechless, yet one whose passion for writing and expressing himself never wavered.

I include this film among my 10 best because it represents an important moment for me this decade. Ebert's work had a profound effect on me, and I miss his writing to this day (what would he have thought of the MCU? Where would he come down in the Scorsese debate). It is also a wonderfully well-made film; James was clearly a good friend of Eberts, and there are some emotional, raw moments in the film, including Ebert's declining health and rapidly deteriorating state.

Life Itself is a wonderful documentary; it may not be the best of the decade (that would be a list all it's own), but it was the one that resonated with me the most, and one I will be returning too for years to come.

Announcing My Top 10 Films of the Decade (2010s)

Another 10 years has come and gone. And with these 10 years it is customary for us to look back over the decade, over an enormous amount of media that we have collectively consumed, and begin naming the content that most impacted us, that stood the test of time. For me, that media is film, a landscape that has seen a great change in the last 10 years. This decade saw the lion's share of the MCU films, the Disney acquisition of Lucasfilm and the return of Star Wars, and the takeover of endless reboots and remakes. Moviepass appeared like a firestorm, introducing subscription ticketing to movie chains in the US, and revolutionizing our system for the better. It has since died, but in its place we have the AMC A-List and Regal subscription service, which for avid movie goers such as myself have provided a huge money saver.

The 2020s are sure to bring even bigger changes. The rise of Netflix and streaming services have culminated with the big dog themselves, Disney, entering the game. Netflix in the past two years alone has produced some stellar original films from Alfonso Cuaron, Martin Scorsese, and Noah Baumbach, to name a few. The movie theater experience is a fast dying commodity, and while I'm sure they will still be around when we reflect back in 2029, the landscape will have been greatly changed.

It's almost near impossible to compile a list of everything I saw, even more so to narrow that done to only 10 films. But I have taken on the task, and produced a list of films that contain some of the most moving films I saw, the most entertaining, or some where the experience of seeing it for the first time is a moment I'll never forget.

Over the next 10 days I will be publishing one entry in my top 10 with a review of sorts. Additionally, with every odd number on the list, I will be announcing one of my bottom five films of the year. To kick things off however, I will list the 10 films that almost made the cut, but didn't quite. Below, are the 10 runner ups that would round out my top 10, in alphabetical order.

Another Year (2010)
The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
Don't Think Twice (2016)
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Logan (2017)
A Separation (2011)
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
Skyfall (2012)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Your Name. (2016)