The 2010s were an iconic decade for movie watching. Laughs were shared, tears were shed, streaming sites became immensely popular, the Marvel Cinematic Universe completely overhauled the superhero movie genre, MoviePass happened (yikes) and so much more! Let’s look back at some of the best movies from the 2010s.
2010 - Inception
Arguably one of the trippiest movies of its time, Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a professional thief who subconsciously steals corporate secrets by using dream-sharing technology in order to plant an idea in the mind of a CEO. The concept of being in a dream within a dream was riveting and still leaves movie watchers baffled to this day.
2011 - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The finale captures the epic final battle between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, turning into an all-out war in the wizarding world. The Harry Potter franchise took flight and captured the world’s attention throughout the 2000s and this film offered a grave, deeply satisfying end to a legendary series.
2012 - The Dark Knight Rises
Eight years after Batman vanished into the night after turning from hero to fugitive, the emergence of a cat burglar, and more importantly, a masked terrorist named Bane, forces the Dark Knight to return to the spotlight in order to save Gotham City. It was a fitting end to an incredible trilogy and makes us wonder how Robert Pattinson will compare to Christian Bale as the caped crusader in The Batman (2021).
2013 - The Wolf of Wall Street
Oh hey, look, another film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, this film depicts the rise of a wealthy stockbroker living a wild, luxurious lifestyle and his fall due to crime and corruption. Matthew McConaughey’s unforgettable chest-pounding ritual deserves a shout-out.
2014 - Whiplash
This film is the story of a promising young jazz drummer (Miles Teller) looking to make a name for himself by enrolling in an elite music conservatory. J.K. Simmons stars as a cutthroat instructor who will stop at nothing to get the best out of his students. Whiplash won big at the Oscars in 2015, bringing home three Academy Awards!
2015 - Mad Max: Fury Road
Nearly three decades after the release of the first installment of the Mad Max franchise, Fury Road does not disappoint. Action, explosions, violence and a post-apocalyptic, dystopian future; what more can you ask for? George Miller revolutionized post-apocalyptic entertainment over the years and recasting Tom Hardy as the title role helped make this installment live up to the hype.
2016 - Moonlight
In a decade full of movies relying on CGI to tell a story, Moonlight’s success came from its deep, complex themes and character development. Moonlight follows the protagonist Chiron through different chapters of his life and his struggle with identity, sexuality, masculinity and family life. The film’s focus on character development was masterfully done and led to two Academy Awards!
2017 - Get Out
Jordan Peele, known primarily for his comedic talent as an actor on Key & Peele, shows his versatility as a director in Get Out. Peele’s directorial debut is a fresh, unique take on the horror genre that isn’t afraid to be bold and leaves the audience with an experience unseen before in cinema. Rather than focusing on scares to make the audience jump, Get Out’s style of horror is fear of the unknown and a feeling of not being welcome. The film was fantastic and won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
2018 - A Star Is Born
As the saying goes, “fourth time’s a charm.” Wait...that’s not quite right; however, it is for A Star Is Born. The fourth remake of the famous film happened to be the directorial debut of Bradley Cooper and WOW was it successful. The tragic love story of a washed-up musician and hopeful, up-and-coming musician captured the hearts of millions and probably led to an increase in tissue sales (don’t quote us on this). Cooper’s and Lady Gaga’s on-screen chemistry was electric and resulted in them being shipped in the social media world. Also, the soundtrack was incredible and it even won an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
2019 - Avengers: Endgame
The most highly anticipated movie of the year lived up to the hype. In an era of Marvel Cinematic Universe, this final chapter wrapped up the Infinity Saga beautifully on its way to becoming the highest grossing blockbuster of all time. The superhero genre has routinely dominated the box office, so it will be interesting to see how Marvel can replicate the success of Avengers: Endgame in future films.
The 2010s were a decade of many other impactful films that are well-deserving of being included on this list. As we look forward to the 2020s (wow, this is crazy), we can’t wait to see which movies will dominate the box office and how the genres will compare to this list. Will superhero movies continue to dominate the box office or will actions/dramas come out on top? Will there be any box-office-smashing comedies? Stay tuned in 10 years to find out...only kidding.
