Check This Out: An Excerpt from My New E-Book "A Decade Now Available for Streaming"

Scene from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

*NOTE: The following is an excerpt from my new e-book "A Decade Now Available for Streaming: A Celebration of the Films That Helped Define the 2010's." To read more, you can purchase it on Amazon here. 

If there was anything evident about the dawn of 2010, it was that the 21st century now had a decade of proving itself. The tragedy of September 11, 2001 and the advent of handheld technology and social media made interacting with the world a whole different beast. Suddenly there was a new world to explore, and film had to change with it. Much like everything else, it’s hard to not recognize the end of the previous decade kicking off the 2010’s with certain expectations. The cinematic blockbuster was changed forever in 2008 with The Dark Knight and Iron Man. The use of social media has become so ingrained in pop culture that whole films are based around interactions via phones: Nerve, Searching, Assassination Nation, Eighth Grade, etc. It’s even influenced major Broadway hits like Dear Evan Hansen that explore how we talk openly about emotions through a Wi-Fi connection. 

The whole model has changed because of what was created in the previous decade. Much like the previous generation couldn’t imagine life without Wi-Fi, the modern one can’t figure out what to do without social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others. It’s so ingrained that people can make careers off of properly marketed posts timed to get the biggest response. The world is in the hands of the people, and it has caused an interesting decade of growth not only in how we log onto the internet, but also how we interact with each other. Websites like Kickstarter, Patreon, and GoFundMe have made it easier than ever to fund passion projects and YouTube has given others a platform to use their laptop camera to tell their own stripped down stories. Basically, the 21st century finally took shape in the 2010’s, and it’s important to stay plugged in now.

To summarize the decade would be difficult to properly explain. This is why film remains a valuable reminder of a time and place. Who could’ve guessed that the culturally maligned Twilight series would produce two of the most interesting independent actors in Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson? Who ever thought that Matthew McConaughey or Peter Farrelly would win an Oscar? It all happened, and all in a decade that took risks by expanding cinema to a further potential. The masterminds of the 2000’s, like J.J. Abrams, now steer the cultural conversation with franchises like Star Wars, whose trailers are just as fun to dissect as any theatrical experience. It was a time when video on demand went from the taboo dumping ground of subpar cinema (though it still exists) to one for sleeper hits to be born, forming a new type of cult film in the digital age. It’s a time where Netflix could release Oscar-winning films in limited release while simultaneously available for streaming to the masses. A24 and Annapurna reinvented marketing as the cool indie studios that challenged audiences with bold and unique cinema that nobody else was delivering.

It’s also a time where the youth that grew up on the technology of the 2000’s began to be a creative force for their own entertainment. It’s where the conversation shifted around social issues like race, gender, sexuality, and creed. Films like 12 Years a Slave boldly reinvented the slave narrative by reflecting a more honest and raw depiction of America’s harsh past. Hustlers proved that women could be sexy and empathetic without being exploited in a sleazy plot. Teen movies like Blockers and Booksmart found the new generation being more accepting of gender fluidity. Even Disney questioned their own legacy with films like Frozen, Tangled, and Moana taking to task the values of princess culture. Of course there’s Minions, but hopefully that will be a baffling relic soon enough.

There has been a lot to consider over the past 120 months, and it’s amazing to see how the world has changed in that time. Much like social media and the internet, everything is connected now. It’s essential to have your toes in multiple forms of media at once, if just to enhance the experience. It’s only going to get more complicated as this next generation takes shape and forms technology into something new and exciting. 

That is why it’s difficult to pair this list down to 100 films that are great. To be honest, it was a banner decade for any genre because everyone had a shot at making a masterpiece (and did). Even the gearhead car movie got Fast Five and Mad Max: Fury Road and thought-provoking gems like Drive and Locke. It’s hard because as much as one could easily pull a list from American cinema, that would ignore the value of international hits like The Handmaiden, The Intouchables, Parasite, or Shoplifters. It just keeps going from there. Things have become more accessible and in the process harder to watch everything that’s great. 

I will not claim that what follows is a comprehensive list of every great movie. In fact, the choice to publish this mid-December 2019 likely will foolishly declare that I’ve seen every masterpiece of the past 10 years. I haven’t. As it stands, I don’t see all of the classics from any given year until they form a reputation somewhere down the line. I’m sure the same would be said here. No, this isn’t meant to be a definitive list in part because cinema is subjective, but also because I hope to continue discovering. The best that I can do is admit this upfront and continue to explore as time continues and I become a different person. Maybe in two years when things are more settled I could rerelease this with a more thorough analysis. 

That is why I ask that those who see this list and pose the question “What about so and so?” to please consider how I compiled this list. It’s one of personal experience, formed from a life of going to the movies, renting them from Redbox or Netflix, or simply talking about them until they become favorites. The list is mostly personal and I hope reflects more on who I am as a person than what I think is superior. It’s all tastes and I’m sure you’ll have 50 or so that will differ from mine. I know that I had at least 400 movies vying for this list, and it wasn’t easy to whittle away.

What I choose to focus on instead of “best” is “favorite.” While both are subjective, the latter suggests something more in tune with the individual. For example, The Godfather may be considered the best movie of all time, but my favorite in the trilogy is The Godfather Part II. It’s all perspective.  With that said, I would love anyone who finds “so and so” missing from this list to approach me via e-mail with their favorite movies of the decade so that we can have a rational discussion. Maybe I didn’t leave it off because I didn’t like it enough. Maybe I’ve never seen it. That’s always fun. 

So, what can you expect from this list of favorite movies? As mentioned, it’s a personal look into who I am as a film fan. As mentioned, the decade was an expansive evolution that is impossible to catalog in one group. In fact, I’m confident most of my Top 100 will not be deemed the essential masterpieces of the 2010’s by general consensus in a few years. 

For me, a film has to fit three criteria to be considered great:

1. Did I like it?

2. Did I appreciate its merits (directing, writing, acting, etc.)?

3. Would I watch it again?

It’s as simple as that. I’ll admit that in general I skew more towards dramas that give an emotional complexity to everyday life. I find that the best work comes from actors sitting around tables and hashing things out. However, I am well aware that other styles of film capture the power of cinema just as well. In fact, I know it. This was a phenomenal decade for horror both in America (Get Out, The Witch) and internationally (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, The Lure). As much as I’m a fan of drama, this was just a phenomenal period for genre films as well. Even the underrated musical got a surprising boost with La La Land in 2017. 

So what is on this list? Well, it’s a mix of everything. For starters, there are the obvious undeniable films that speak to me personally and would be on this list even if I had to make an argument for best movies of the decade. That goes without saying. 

Then there are those that will likely give audiences a pause and wonder why they’re there. Is Gillian Robespierre’s Landline really superior to Roma? It’s all just preference, but I do believe that there’s value in recognizing great films that need that boost. For me, Landline should stay in the conversation just because of how charming it is (and may be my favorite hangout movie of the decade as well). That is why there are some odd choices on here, though hopefully ones that will get you interested in expanding and exploring the world of cinema. 

The only rule of thumb that I’ve put on here (with one major exception) is that I have limited franchises to one entry to make room. As mentioned, there were 400 films vying for this list, and it’s painful to leave any off. Narrowing franchises down to one in cases like How to Train Your Dragon seem reasonable as a result. In the case of cinematic universes (i.e. Marvel), I have chosen to allow one entry per character film such as Guardians of the Galaxy or Black Panther. You just have to go with your favorites. 

Again, this is an incomplete list, but it also felt wrong to not share my own personal love of film on the occasion of the 2010’s coming to a close. I wanted to share some of my favorites in hopes that it would enrich your life and give you something to watch. In return, I look forward to feedback or even your own recommendations. As you’ll see, nothing is really off limits here. Everything is considered between 2010 and 2019. It was a great time to be alive, and these 100 films only begin to explain why.