My Top 50 Movies of the 2010s – Part 2

Django Unchained (2012)

Brutally violent. Formerly enslaved Django sets out to rescue his wife from slavery, killing a bunch of racist motherfuckers along the way. There’s typical Tarantino amounts of gore, naughty words, and interesting/troubling characters.

I love Sergio Corbucci’s Django (played by Franco Nero) because of it’s themes of vengeance against wrongdoing, and in particular, against racists. Nero’s turn as former Union soldier only lasted for 2 of the approximately 50 billion Django films, but this one makes 3! He’s old by now, but he cameos!

Tarantino’s fits right in with the rest in my opinion. It’s fun, it’s pulpy, it’s violent, and it explores themes of vengeance in splattery, terrific ways. The point is: all Djangos are good Djangos. Foxx’s portrayal is 2nd only to the original in my mind – and it’s a role that was filled by a different actor in damn near every movie since they were pretty much all unofficial sequels.

The Love Witch (2016)

This one kind of flew under the radar, which is a travesty. Written, edited, directed, produced and scored by Anna Biller, The Love Witch was shot on 35 mm film and the sets/costumes were designed to mimic the look and feel of 1960s technicolor films – a decision which had perfectly wonderful results in my opinion. Especially since that 60s aesthetic was nestled within an otherwise completely modern setting.

The look of the film is absolutely gorgeous. The juxtaposition of 60s and modern day aesthetics was stunning. I can’t even explain it in a way that does it justice. Just see it for yourself.

The story is also great – the titular character is a sort of femme fatale archetype, using magic to make men love her but eventually coming to terms with the fact that doing so will never end well.

Us (2019)

Do I really need to tell you why Us made the cut?

Have you left your house this year? Or maybe you’ve been to the internet prior to now?

Yes?

Ok – then I’ll just say that I love Jordan Peele, I love Lupita Nyong’o, I love Winston Duke, and this movie was really, really creepy, and I was, and am there for it.

Inside Out (2015)

What a cute movie!

Inside Out is about the complexity of emotion, and how it is okay to feel things, even when it doesn’t feel so okay. That is a lesson that *checks watch* 30 year old me needed to learn. Emotions. Are. Okay.

Riley is dealing with a lot of changes – she’s getting older, and her family just moved across the country, and she’s having a tough time adjusting to everything. The story follows her emotions (well, humanoid embodiments of her emotions living inside her head) as they try to navigate her through all of these difficult changes.

The emotions are acted by Amy Poehler (Joy), Phyllis Smith (Sadness), Bill Hader (Fear), Lewis Black (Anger), and Mindy Kaling (Disgust). And they’re all perfect. Especially Phyllis Smith – gods she was wonderful!

Annihilation (2018)

Apparently this movie was based on a book (or a series of them) – which I clearly haven’t read. However, I love SciFi/Cosmic Horror, and I love visually arresting movies. Annihilation is definitely all of those things.

Ultimately, I didn’t necessarily give a shit what happened to Lena’s husband (finding out is pretty much 100% of her character’s motivation), except that what happened to him involves the ever-expanding, terrifying and increasingly beautiful phenomenon which is working it’s way up the coastline of America. The phenomenon is some sort of developing…I don’t know…biosphere (maybe? I dunno, I don’t do science so much), in which plant and animal life are mutating in beautiful and often dangerous ways.

There is a lot to look at here, as well as solid performances by a primarily female cast consisting of Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez and Tuva Novotney. Seriously, if you’ve not seen it yet, you really should. It’s so gorgeous – now I can’t stop thinking about it.

The Martian (2015)

This one is also based on a book, but unlike Annihilation, I’ve actually read this one. And loved it – the novel is of the same name, and was written by Andy Weir if you weren’t aware.

After being injured and presumed dead during a storm on the surface of Mars, Mark Watney’s team proceeds with their previously determined plan to leave the planet and head home (this takes lots of time and advanced planning due to the unpredictable patterns of Mars’ surface climate or some-such science business which I trust Weir to have fully verified prior to writing as that seems to be sort of his thing) leaving Watney stranded. On Mars.

He’s scrappy, so he survives, and eventually reaches NASA to let them know what happened. The crew can come back for him, but it’s gonna be dangerous, and it’s gonna take a while, because again, Mars. It’s, like, far and junk.

It’s funny, it’s moving, it’s action-packed yet dramatic. I fucking love this movie.

The Wolfman (2010)

My dudes, I don’t give a fuck that you hate this movie. It was wonderful. It was the only modern Universal Monsters adaptation I’ve seen yet that even tried to capture the tragic vibes of the originals. And honestly? I think it succeeds.

It had a lot of behind the scenes bullshit working against it, and I think that not only is the finished product better than it had any right to be, but it is actually just plain good.

Saw it? Didn’t like it? I’m telling you, give it another chance. It is a true hidden gem. If you still don’t like it, I…don’t even know. Your soul is broken? You’re why we can’t have nice things?

Idk, folks – I. LOVE. THIS. MOVIE.

Midsommar (2019)

First of all, it’s a horror film that takes place entirely during daylight hours. Do you understand how incredibly cool that is?! Do you??

But there’s more to this film than just daytime scaries, or even the incredible visual effects (and they are truly incredible). The story is also pretty incredible – it deals with themes of grief and mental illness.

There’s also some extremely messed up stuff happening against the beautiful backdrop of a bizarre Swedish village’s midsummer festival. This movie is truly an experience, and an experience that I highly recommend treating yourself to. It’s very long, but I promise you won’t even notice.

Black Swan (2010)

Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan is endlessly fascinating to me. I’ve seen it a few times, and it never gets less interesting, less tense, or less quietly horrifying.

Nina (Natalie Portman) is first in line to replace her company’s prima in their production of Swan Lake – however, when Lily (Mila Kunis) arrives, it appears Nina now has some serious competition for the role. As their rivalry intensifies, it turns into a sort of twisted…relationship…as Nina begins to devolve into a seething wreck of obsessive determination.

Aronofsky is a hell of a director, and this movie is a prime example of his prowess (as are The Wrestler and Requiem for a Dream – and maybe Mother! but I don’t know, since I haven’t seen that one yet). But this one, this one is REALLY GOOD.

John Wick (2014)

I bet you wondered if this one would make it on here since 3 was in Part 1. But of course! The film that launched the most wonderful god damned action franchise in years had to make the cut! I love John Wick. I love the story that started it all.

When the Bad Man killed the sweet little baby puppy John Wick’s dead wife had given him, I got teary-eyed. When John Wick killed that Bad Man and every Bad Man that Bad Man had ever met in his whole Bad life, I rejoiced.

Angels sang, puppies cavorted joyously in fields of flowers the world over, and Angie cackled with glee as all the Bad Men got shot all to shit.

Also, middle-aged Keanu is hot AF. Especially in a perfectly cut suit. With a little blood on him, and messy hair. Just sayin’.

Yep, I love John Wick.

The Witch (2015)

Perhaps you’ve begun to notice a theme: there are two ways to ensure I love your movie – make it about witches or cults, and make it in some way weird. Robert Eggers did both with The Witch (also, as The Lighthouse proved, I just really, really dig his style). Eggers is my own personal hero. He makes the strangest, most wonderful historical dramas.

The Witch, while definitely horror, is also definitely a period drama. Set in 17th century New England, this movie chronicles the disappearance of baby Samuel while under the watch of his eldest sister Thomasin. As tension, panic, and despair begin to bubble over within the family as a result of Samuel’s disappearance, twins Mercy and Joseph begin to suspect Thomasin to be a witch. And we all know how witch-panic got the people moving in the 1600s, don’t we?

This movie is quiet, reserved, atmospheric, and wonderfully realized.

It Follows (2014)

It Follows is an exceedingly well crafted movie. It’s actually pretty brilliant. Whether you choose to see it as a parable for sexually transmitted disease or dealing with the aftermath of sexual assault (or both – I think both ideas have their merits), it makes sense. I actually think the sexual assault theory holds a little more weight, based on my own thoughts plus this very well crafted argument by Brendan Morrow for Bloody Disgusting, but that’s neither here nor there.

Whatever the intended parable, the movie is great. It’s scary, it’s well shot, well acted, and regardless of which side of the STD/sexual assault theory it was intended to fall on, it works exceedingly well for both, which kinda makes it doubly scary.

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

Welp, it was good enough to spawn a TV series several years after the fact, so…

I’m just kidding. I wouldn’t leave you hanging like that. But seriously, I’m coming up with movies on the fly here, so this is taking a whole eternity to write…

Anyhoo, What We Do in the Shadows is a mockumentary about vampires written and directed by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, aka the best team in the history of ever. It follows Viago (Waititi), Deacon (Jonathan Brugh), and Vladislav (Clement) – three flatmates going about the general everyday business of being undead. And as its cast might suggest, this movie is super, super, incredibly, stupidly funny.

Mom and Dad (2017)

I could argue that every Nic Cage movies is the best Nic Cage movie (except Wicker Man, of course), but with his offerings of the 90s and the 2010s, that argument could conceivably be true. We’re in the midst of a Nic Cage Renaissance, I think.

Mom and Dad is fantastic. It’s about a virus which infects adults, causing them to turn violently against young people – as in, if you’re reading between the lines, they brutally attack and murder their own children.

Be still my gleeful heart!

This movie is full on Bonkerballs Nic Cage, with Selma Blair matching him step for step in quality of performance. It’s fuckloads of fun (mature, I know).

The Lighthouse (2019)

Although I already wrote a full review here, I refuse to stop talking about this movie. I loved it. It was bizarre and punishing to the point where I almost didn’t know what to do with myself, and I loved every salty, drunken, seminal, be-tentacled second of it.

Every squealing seagull, every bloody rock. Every flashing light, every mind-numbing foghorn’s call, every drop of alcohol, and every weird bit of masturbatory discomfort.

This movie is gloriously, wondrously fucking weird. And Robert Pattinson has surprisingly shapely legs.

The Void (2016)

Did you know I like movies about cults? Jk. Pretty sure that Mark Watney knows that – and he is (was) on Mars! Oh, what a lame callback. Seriously, why can’t I be done yet – I’ve been writing (ok, mostly refreshing my Twitter feed for 5 hours).

Seriously though, The Void is really special. A sheriff discovers a blood-covered man on a deserted road in the middle of the night and takes him to the local hospital. After they arrive, cloaked figures begin surrounding the hospital in a V. Nefarious fashion. Upon their arrival, those within the hospital’s walls turn begin to turn murderously B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Attempting to protect those who aren’t affected, the sheriff leads the group deeper into the hospital, eventually stumbling upon a portal to a Scary Place. Cults and Cosmic Horror.

Buried (2010)

95 minutes of Ryan Reynolds in a box. Somehow this movie commanded a $3 million budget, if the internet is to be believed. I hope a large chunk of that went to Reynolds for his incredibly powerful performance. Like, for real, it’s pretty much just him in this claustrophobic-ass box, and he performs incredibly well. This might be his second best role – after Deadpool, of course, because I’m a child.

Buried is about Paul, a civilian truck driver working in Iraq. He is ambushed by a band of insurgents and passes out. When he wakes up, he is in a coffin with nothing but a lighter and a cellphone. His battery is dwindling and oxygen is kind of at a premium, so he’s got to keep his shit together long enough to figure out how to get rescued and get out of that tiny little box. It’s super tense, and super claustrophobic. I was kind of surprised to find myself as into this as I was.

Riddick (2013)

I love the whole Chronicles of Riddick universe. And I don’t care who knows it. Is it campy? Hell yeah, it is. But some of the best SciFi is. I would put the whole damn series on this list if I could. Hell, I’d put all of Diesel’s SciFi/Fantasy output (yeah, even The Last Witch Hunter – I don’t give a shit, I liked that movie too. It was fun).

I think a lot of people get caught up in the idea that if professional movie critics don’t think something is good, then it isn’t. Or, like, if it’s not potentially Oscar-worthy it’s not worth their time. Well, guess what motherfuckers, the Oscars are a SHAM. Like whatever you want to like, and forget about what a bunch of highbrow, rich, clueless idiots think you should like. If you like mindless action, that’s cool! Nutso SciFi? Yay! Movies about time traveling unicorns? Alright.

Well, that went off the rails. Sorry. But these types of movies don’t get the attention I think they deserve.

Riddick is a fine antihero. And in Riddick, he once again finds himself outnumbered and out-gunned. He’s been left for dead on a sun-scorched planet, which is no good for a guy with enhanced night vision. And he’s got to fight past a bunch of predatory aliens in order to get off the planet once he’s activated an emergency beacon. But to further muddle his plans, two ships intercept his SOS – one bad, and one worse.

Housebound (2014)

Housebound is the feature-length directorial debut of New Zealand’s Gerard Johnstone. It is about Kylie, a failed thief who, due to her history of recidivism is placed on house arrest and forced to stay with her estranged mother in her childhood home which her mother insists is haunted.

Well, it turns out that her mother may be right. Kylie begins to hear the same strange nighttime noises which have led her mother to believe there are ghosts sharing her home. This is a horror comedy that succeeds as both a horror and a comedy film. A surprisingly rare treat, but one that I’m 2 for 2 on with the Kiwi horror comedies I saw in the 2010s. I hope that we hear more from Johnstone in the future.

Suburban Gothic (2014)

This is another entry that I feel really flew under the radar. And again, it’s a travesty. It premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival in 2014, and received limited theater/VOD release in 2015. And you STILL CAN’T FIND IT IN PHYSICAL FORMAT *if you’re reading this and can make that happen, I implore you to please do so. If you print it, they will sell. I will buy a copy for everyone I know*

Raymond (Matthew Gray Gubler) returns home when he is unable to find a job with his fancy new degree. His parents have mixed feelings about that – his mom (Barbara Niven) is INTO IT. His dad (Ray Wise), not so much. They live in a small town, so the act of coming home feels like a massive defeat to Raymond. See, he wasn’t very cool when he was young. I mean, he’s exceedingly cool now, but in a very eccentric, even foppish sort of way. So, he still doesn’t really fit in with the small town crowd. But then he reconnects with Becca (Kat Dennings) a former classmate/current bartender.

Shortly after Raymond’s arrival, the bones of a young girl are unearthed during some yard work on his parents property, and a vengeful spirit is awakened when her remains come up missing.

There’s just so much to love about this movie. Gubler and Dennings have great uber-indie chemistry, and they both play their parts phenomenally. I really mean that. They’re both just spectacular. Yeah, I love this movie, and I want to own it so I can watch it whenever I want.

Someone please get on that.

Alright, we’ve made it to 30.

I’ll see you party people next week with my final 20 picks for Best of the Decade!