Top 20 Best Movies of the Last Decade

One-half of 2023’s most celebrated movie meme, “Oppenheimer” surprised many prognosticators with its almost billion-dollar gross worldwide. At three hours long and without a lot of conventional “action,” it might not have seemed like an obvious blockbuster. But that’s what Christopher Nolan does. He makes great movies that usually make a whole lotta money. This biographical drama about the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer is exactly that. In fact, The A.V. Club called it Nolan’s best movie yet (which, if you look at his impressive filmography, is no easy feat).

From a movie with a $100 million budget about the man who built the atomic bomb to a film with a $3.3 million budget about an aspiring drummer and his emotionally sadistic band conductor. “Whiplash” is a much smaller film, but in a way, it is no less ‘explosive.’ The intense psychological battle between teacher and student brings a true intensity to every frame. The performances of Miles Teller and J. K. Simmons, the latter of whom won the Oscar, play off each other like two master Jazz musicians in tune and on tempo.

There have been plenty of Batman movies made over the last 35 years. A number of them rank among the best superhero movies ever. So, did we honestly need another one in 2022? Technically, no, but who are we to complain when the result is another triumph? This tale of the Caped Crusader came from a slightly different angle - taking a film noir/detective movie approach to the story and the character of the Batman. Director Matt Reeves made this film his own, showing that there are still many fresh places to take this iconic character.

Frances McDormand stars as Mildred Hayes - a woman who lost her daughter to a violent crime. When the investigation into her daughter’s case goes nowhere, Mildred rents three billboards in town to “encourage” the police chief into action. This darkly comic crime drama was one of the surprise hits of 2017 - grossing over $162 million. In addition to critical acclaim, the film garnered multiple Oscar nominations - including a win for McDormand’s riveting lead performance. Director Martin McDonagh returned to the Best Picture conversation five years later with “The Banshees of Inisherin,” but “Three Billboards” may be his rawest and most challenging film to date.

What was the best film of 2014? The Academy said “Birdman,” and we’re inclined to agree. Alejandro Iñárritu’s single-shot masterpiece is, as one reviewer put it, “a film about acting, identity, transformation, and the mysterious effects of superheroes.” Speaking of costumed vigilantes - Michael Keaton goes from playing arguably the definitive Batman to giving the performance of a lifetime as Riggan Thomson, an actor looking to be taken more seriously following his superhero heyday. Along with the “Best Picture” win, the film's direction, writing, and cinematography also took home Oscars.

Opinions of David Lynch’s “Dune” are mixed - leaning towards negative, and even Lynch himself has distanced himself from the film. However, almost 40 years later, director Denis Villeneuve took his shot at the story and made one of the best films in recent memory. The scope of the book on which the film is based could be intimidating, but Villeneuve was able to keep it under control and not lose the audience in the vastness of the narrative. It also helps that Villeneuve’s “Dune” was conceived as the first part of a two-film project. Despite only being the beginning of Paul Atreides’ journey, few modern films are grander in scale, ambition, or storytelling.

A lot of superhero movies have been released since 2014, but only a handful of them were influential enough to be considered for this list. “Black Panther” was one of those handful. It took the MCU nearly a decade to produce a film with a primarily Black cast. Anyone who thought “Black Panther” wouldn’t reach Marvel’s usual levels of success couldn’t have been more wrong. Not only did “Black Panther” make over $1 billion, but it earned unprecedented levels of acclaim for the MCU. This extended to the Oscars where it became the first comic book superhero movie to be nominated for Best Picture. This was sadly Chadwick Boseman’s only opportunity to take center stage as T'Challa. Few things last forever, but Wakanda will.

Next up is director Alfonso Cuarón’s beautiful, semi-autobiographical look at life in the Colonia Roma neighborhood of Mexico City in the early 1970s. Seen through the eyes of an indigenous maid working in the house of a doctor and his family, “Roma” is intimate, reflective, and perhaps Cuarón’s most personal film to date. The story may be simple, but the outcome couldn’t be more profound. Shot in beautiful black and white, “Roma” took home the top prize at the Venice Film Festival and the BAFTAs, winning Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars while also being nominated for Best Picture.

“The Shape of Water” is a romantic fantasy film set in 1960s Baltimore, about a mute woman who falls in love with a captured humanoid amphibian being held in a secret government lab. Sure, it sounds weird - and it most definitely could’ve gone off the rails so many times. But in the hands of the great Guillermo del Toro, it finds its heart and soul in the originality, the fantasy, and the powerful emotions. Del Toro draws the audience in with deep feelings and honest characters, making us believe this utterly unbelievable love story.

Set against a 1970s backdrop, Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2021 comedy-drama didn’t open to the biggest box office numbers. “Licorice Pizza” is the definition of a cult classic in the making, however. Not only is this one of Anderson’s funniest and most atmospheric films yet, but it contains one of the most layered relationships between Cooper Hoffman’s Gary and Alana Haim’s… Alana. One’s 15 and has his all life figured out. The other is 25 and meandering through life. There are a dozen reasons why their relationship shouldn’t work, and yet, we find ourselves rooting for these two kids all the way to the rousing finish. Audiences are still discovering “Licorice Pizza,” but it thankfully didn’t take critics or the Academy long.

In “Avengers: Infinity War,” Thanos destroyed half of all life in the universe. In “Avengers: Endgame,” the good guys team up again to reverse his actions. They’re both great movies, but when it came to selecting one for our list, it had to be “Endgame.” Technically, “Spider-Man: Far From Home” was the final film in Phase 3 of the MCU, but “Endgame” was truly the climax that Marvel had been building to. And to paraphrase Fifth Harmony, it was Worth It! Even with the first-rate special effects and larger-than-life action, the film never loses the characters and honors our emotional connection to them.

Fans of the first “Top Gun” from 1986 were beyond excited and nervous when they heard the long-awaited sequel was finally getting made. Excited because it would mean more jets, air action, and, of course, more Tom Cruise. Over 30 years later, though, would it be able to capture the excitement and energy of the first one? The answer was a resounding YES! “Top Gun: Maverick” not only had even better in-air action than the first one, but it was a surprisingly thoughtful film about redemption and making the most of the time you still have. This one was a runaway hit with both audiences and critics - raking in over $1.4 billion and earning an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.

Needless to say, Denis Villeneuve had a pretty good decade. His thoughtful sci-fi drama “Arrival” follows a linguistic professor attempting to figure out how to communicate with recently arrived alien spacecraft before a war breaks out. Rather than relying on big action and explosions like so many alien movies do, Villeneuve gives us a smart, completely engaging film about connecting. It got Oscar voters talking as well, picking up nominations in multiple categories, including Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, and Cinematography.

“RRR” stands for “Roudram Ranam Rudhiram” - but given the quality of the film, they could just as easily stand for Really, Really, Really Good. Because that’s what this film is. “RRR” is an epic period action drama about the battle of two Indian revolutionaries against British rule in the 1920s. At over three hours, the film is definitely one of the longer films you’re going to see this decade. But, oh is it worth it! Action, adventure - and did we mention the dancing yet? The visuals are big and bold, but the tale of brotherhood at the heart of “RRR” is what gets us pumped above all else.

Today we all know that Jordan Peele is one of the great psychological horror filmmakers working in Hollywood. But back in 2017, very few of us would have guessed that one-half of the sketch comedy duo “Key & Peele” would make one of the best horror films of the 21st century. In a genre where we thought we’d seen it all… turns out we hadn’t. Peele’s film is social commentary, satire, and horror. It’s a film as funny as it is scary, blending the two in ways that make for an experience unlike any other.

The film might best be remembered as part of the “Best Picture” announcement mistake at the 89th Academy Awards ceremony. What we hope no one ever forgets is how wonderful “Moonlight” is - and completely deserving of its Oscar win - even if it was the second film announced that night. Both Black and sexual identities are explored by writer-director Barry Jenkins. This LGBTQ-themed coming-of-age movie brings to the big-screen characters rarely given this kind of loving, thoughtful, and forward-facing treatment. Along with its “Best Picture” Oscar, “Moonlight” also held the top spot on numerous best of the year lists.

In 2015, we aren’t sure how many moviegoers were even aware of the first “Mad Max” movie - released back in 1979. Regardless of whether or not you’ve seen that one - or the two sequels that followed in the 80s - “Mad Max: Fury Road” is well worth your while. We could get into the film’s narrative, but the whole post-apocalyptic story is secondary to the action. The film puts all its eggs in one basket - the basket being the chase through the desert landscape which comprises the vast majority of the movie. It’s a bold move and it pays off big time. The energy is palpable, and the stunts (90% of which were done practically) are incredible.

In case you thought that smart, thought-provoking horror films had gone away since the heyday of classics like “The Exorcist” and “Rosemary's Baby,” the past decade has shown otherwise. Amazingly, “Get Out” and “Hereditary” were both feature film directorial debuts. With “Hereditary,” Ari Aster shows a directorial mastery beyond his years. He isn’t without seasoned talent to work with. Toni Collette is a revelation as Annie Graham, a grieving mother spirally into madness - and not just of the physiological variety. The fact that Collette wasn’t nominated for Best Actress might be the snub of the decade, but “Hereditary” will persist for generations.

A mix of genres and film styles, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is an experience that can’t be described, but instead must be seen to truly be appreciated. IndieWire described it as an “orgiastic work of slaphappy genius,” and we couldn’t have said it better ourselves. The film was a surprise hit. Beyond the $141 million box office (on a $14-25 million budget), it won 7 Academy Awards including, Best Picture, Director, Actress, and Screenplay. In fact, the film seemed to win every accolade, everywhere all at once - taking home a whopping 266 awards out of 405 nominations.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Steven Spielberg’s Take on the Jets and the Sharks (Not Jaws)

The Movie That Put the “Barb” in “Barbenheimer”

A Grand Success With Audiences & Critics Alike

The Vampire Horror-Comedy Mockumentary We Didn’t Know We Needed

The Little Movie That Brought a Streamer Best Picture

Using literal staircases, director Bong Joon-ho explores class structure and social and economic disparity in modern-day South Korea in this brilliant black comedy thriller. While taking first place on our list is obviously “Parasite’s” most impressive accomplishment, the film did reach a few other milestones worth mentioning. After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, it became the first Korean film to win the coveted Palme d’Or. Then, almost a year later, it became the first non-English-language film to ever take home the Oscar for Best Picture.