Top 10 Films of the Decade, So Far

For over a week now, I've been running a segment featuring guest columnists who have made their genre-specific selections for the best movies so far this decade (2010-2019). Today, the segment will culminate with my choices for the overall Top 10 Films released since 2010. Before I offer up my list, I would like to say thank you one more time to everyone who helped with this week-long project. Thanks again to Chris Bandoian (Action), Ashley Doherty (Comedy), Greg Rouleau (Drama), Steve Fisher (Horror/Thriller) and Ryan Patrick (Animated). Finally, here are my selections for the Top 10 Films so far this decade:

*** View March's Movie List of the Month HERE

#10 - 127 Hours (2010)

I have been quoted as saying that Danny Boyle is my favorite director ever. In 2010 he brought his vibrant and unique style to the big screen in the form of the Oscar-Nominated film 127 Hours. Boyle's skilled direction and use of color and a fantastic soundtrack (courtesy of A.R. Rahman) helped bring the amazing true story of a trapped hiker to life. Facing death head on, James Franco gives a towering performance centering on personal transformation and the will to live. 127 Hours pulls you into the predicament and forced the audience to experience Aron Ralston's maddening life or death situation firsthand.

#9 - The Social Network (2010)

I can recall the Facebook phenomena ripping through my college campus in the early 2000s. David Fincher's impressive work, The Social Network, tells of the venomous story between friends and enemies during the creation and worldwide expansion of Facebook. Aaron Sorkin's Award-Winning screenplay assists the on-screen talents of Oscar-Nominee Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer and Justin Timberlake, making The Social Network one of the most interesting and well-rounded films of the decade.

#8 - Inception (2010)

While Christopher Nolan has spent the past five years mulling around Hollywood with the unofficial title of "Greatest Director Alive", his most thought-provoking film, Inception, generated quite the stir in the Summer of 2010. Following a futuristic outlaw named Cobb (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) who is desperate to return home to his children, Inception paints a thin line between dreams and reality. Nolan claims that if you watch the movie and pay close enough attention to everything, the controversial ending shouldn't be so controversial at all. However, after taking an intense set of notes and watching from start to finish a handful of times without blinking, I disagree with Nolan and believe that he has fooled us all. No matter the intention of the director, Inception is still an amazing cinematic feat that should be savored by all.

#7 - The Sessions (2012)

2012 was an unforgettable year for film. In fact, one of the most impressive aspects of last year was the enormous amount of under-seen gems that floated in and out of theatres without receiving the fanfare that they deserved. One of the best examples of such movies is Ben Lewin's The Sessions. Undoubtedly snubbed of a Best Actor Nomination from the Academy, John Hawkes stars as Mark O'Brien, a polio-stricken poet who has feeling, but can't really use any muscles, from his neck down. Confined to an iron lung and unsure of how many years he has left on this earth, Mark is a virgin who wants to experience sex before his clock expires. With the support of a friendly priest (played by Willian H. Macy), Mark hires a sex surrogate (played by Oscar-Nominee Helen Hunt) who can help accommodate his sensitive needs.The Sessions is an extremely heart-warming film that offers a rare sense of complete fulfillment.

#6 - Get Low (2010)

Ranked as my #1 film of 2010, Get Low is an overlooked drama starring Robert Duvall and Bill Murray. Duvall, who was unfortunately snubbed in his early-year role, stars as Felix Bush, a local hermit who shows up at Frank Quinn's (Murray) funeral parlor with an odd request. Bush wishes to have a funeral party for himself while he's living. He plans to raffle off his land and invite everyone from the surrounding counties. As the film develops we learn of Bush's internal motives and the result is nothing short of genuine sentiments that's brilliantly carried out by Duvall. Get Low is a one-of-a-kind drama that's worth checking out.

#5 - The Ides of March (2011)

George Clooney acted-in and directed The Ides of March, a remarkable political thriller that gets as down and dirty as you'd expect on the road to the presidency. Ryan Gosling headlines an all-star cast and stars as Stephen Meyers, an idealist and second in command to the campaign of the "perfect" presidential candidate (played by Clooney). But as the rival sides become pitted against one another in an extremely tight race, Stephen begins to see U.S. politics for what they really are, an ideal-less mirage. The Ides of March is an edge of your seat ride that zips by and exposes the political game for the soul-less entity that it's become.

#4 - 50/50 (2011)

Topping my list of 2011 films was Jonathan Levine's 50/50. Levine's movie is a true story about his writer's (Will Reiser) battle with cancer. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Adam, carrying this heartfelt and sincere tale of survival and human connection. Seth Rogen, an actual real-life best friend to Reiser, gives a lighthearted and downright hilarious performance as Adam's best friend Kyle. Through the ups and downs of chemo and coming to grips with the harsh realities of fighting cancer, we follow a scared young man's journey. 50/50 is a four-star film that will make you feel a plethora of emotions.

#3 - Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

Just how good was the 2012 cinematic year? Good enough to claim each of my top 3 spots for the best films of the decade. Coming in at #3 is Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty, an epic decade-long journey focusing on the manhunt to locate the terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden. Jessica Chastain delivers the goods as Maya, a CIA-Operative who makes finding Bin Laden more than just an occupation, it becomes her reason for waking up every morning. Following both good and bad leads, the audience witnesses the difficulty surrounding capturing the world's most wanted criminal. Perhaps the most rewarding moments of the feature occur in the final act when a Navy Seal Team is sent in to take care of business. Zero Dark Thirty is a gripping and unfathomable journey that makes for an excellent, well-directed piece of filmmaking.

#2 - The Impossible (2012)

Along with The Sessions, J.A. Bayona's The Impossible serves as another glowing example of unrecognized work from 2012. Oscar Nominee Naomi Watts and her on-screen husband Ewan McGregor lead a collection of great performances. However, youngster Tom Holland absolutely steals the film. The Impossible takes place in southeast Asia in 2004 when a tsunami struck and killed north of 150,000 people.  A vacationing family is separated and severely injured in the wake of this destruction. Fighting to find one another and survive the ordeal, The Impossible illustrates the depth of human kindness and compassion in the midst of chaos. It's a beautiful film that tells an amazing real-life story of a family's struggles to reconnect. Containing top-notch directing, stunning special effects and suspense like you wouldn't believe, The Impossible even surpasses the label of "great".

#1 - Argo (2012)

After a ridiculously impressive run to a Best Picture Win from the Academy and just about every major precursor, Argo has unfortunately become a casualty of the infamous "over-hyped" label. Having seen in before it hit theatres everywhere, I can honestly say that Argo felt like the perfect modern-day example of classic movie-making. The film's interesting story, effective comic relief and intense suspense combined for a trio of success. Leading star and director Ben Affleck has officially placed himself among Hollywood's elite directors. Like any great filmmaker will do with a true story, Affleck places the audience in the center of the issue and crafts a genuinely realistic final product. Argo does everything exceptionally well makes for one of the funnest movie experiences in a very long time.


Honorable Mention:
The Artist
The King's Speech
We Need to Talk About Kevin
The Music Never Stopped
Perfect Sense