Best movies of the decade

By: Kevin Conley II

Staff Writer

2010: “Inception”

Directed by Christopher Nolan, who’s known for directing big hits like “The Dark Knight” trilogy, “Memento” and “The Prestige,” “Inception” is about a group of people who have the technology to travel into other people’s dreams to find out about their deepest and darkest secrets.

Nolan made a film that can transport audiences and critics alike into a world where science doesn’t apply and where dreams are bigger than life itself. 

This film creates a very compelling, thrilling and mind-blowing cinematic experience. “Inception” was nominated for best picture, and it deserved that because there may never be another film like it.

2011: “Drive”

“Drive” is about a getaway driver, played by Ryan Gosling, who gets mixed up in events that turn his world upside down Throughout the movie, he has to figure out how to save the people he cares about, seek justice for the bad things that are happening around him and most importantly, he has to make it out alive. 

This is a film that perfectly replicates noir crime drama films from the 1970s. It includes brutal violence, very good acting, brilliant directing and a really killer soundtrack. 

Before “Baby Driver,” this was a film that left audiences speechless and out-of-breath from the most intense moments you will see in years. This will become a classic for many people to enjoy in the years to come.

2012: “Silver Linings Playbook”

“Silver Linings Playbook” stars Bradley Cooper as Pat Solitano, who has just been released from a psychiatric hospital and is trying to get his life back together. That is until he meets Tiffany, played by Jennifer Lawrence, who is going through her husband’s death and also trying to get her life back together. 

They join forces to help sort their lives out and their connection becomes more interesting than they thought. 

This film is so real, so funny and so entertaining that you’ll feel like you’re there with the characters. The characters are treated as real people rather than fictional characters. 

The acting is amazing, and it’s not only one of the best movies of the year, but it’s one of the best movies of all time.

2013: “Prisoners”

“Prisoners” is a suspenseful crime drama about a father named Keller Dover, played by Hugh Jackman, who finds out his daughter is missing, and a detective named Loki, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who sets out to find the person who kidnapped Dover’s daughter. 

This is a film that can impact people in both the wrong and right ways with a shocking ending, compelling acting and a brutal and thrilling story that will leave audiences at the edge of their seat. 

If you haven’t seen “Prisoners,” than you should check it out because this is a film that will be remebered for years to come.

2014: “Birdman”

“Birdman” starring Michael Keaton, is a about a washed up actor, best known for his performance as a comic strip character in the 90s, who sets up a play in a Broadway theater in New York City to feel like a relevant and a good actor again as well as to seek redemption for his legacy. 

This film is amazing! Most of the cast gives off one of the best performances of the year. The cinematography is beautiful, the screenplay was brilliantly written and it’s a very entertaining comedy-drama. 

This film will inspire actors to not give up and will inspire critics to view what they review with an open mind.

2015: “Mad Max Fury Road”

This is the fourth installment to the Mad Max Saga, and it’s directed by George Miller, who directed the first trilogy.

“Mad Max Fury Road” is about a lone waste lander who lives in a world where his past keeps haunting him, and the world around him is conspiring against him. Throughout the film, he tries to fight his way out and seek redemption. 

This film has some of the greatest action scenes I’ve seen in awhile. There are endless moments where people go through car chases, gun showdowns and brutal combat that can keep audiences nerve-wrecked, out of breath and constantly entertained throughout the film. 

“Mad Max Fury Road” is one of the best action movies and one of the best movie sequels to be made.

2016: “La La Land”

“La La Land” is directed by Damien Chazelle, and is about a musical set in Los Angeles where a pianist, played by Ryan Gosling, and an actress, played by Emma Stone, fall in love and try to accomplish their dreams as well as attempt to reconcile their aspirations for their future. 

This film reflects on musicals that came out in the 1960s like “Singing in the Rain,” and is a dazzling and beautiful movie to watch. Everything about this movie, like the way it looks, the way it’s made and the way the film is created, is perfect. 

The film has great songs, great acting and a great look at dreamers who struggle through the reality of either growing up and moving on with other careers, or following their dreams and never giving up.

 Some people might have issues with this movie, but each time this film is viewed, it gets better and better than the first time you see it. “La La Land” is like a city of stars that will shine on audiences for a very long time.

2017: “Lady Bird”

This is Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut, and it focuses on the life of a 17 year old woman named Christine, played by Saoirse Ronan, who calls herself Lady Bird and is trying to decide on what to do in her future and how she can keep her relationship with her family and her friends together while also trying to find a way to get out of California. 

This is a film that’s so real and so entertaining, that it will have you loving it within the first five minutes. Saoirse Ronan gives off the best performance of her career, and her character was so fleshed out and so real, that it makes you really care about her character and think of her as a real person. 

This goes for all of the characters in this movie who also give good performances.

The heart of this film is the relationship between Lady Bird and her mother (played by Laurie Metcalf) who both have strong personalities, and most of their arguments are very entertaining and it’s one of the best acting I’ve ever seen.

2018: “Hereditary”

This is Ari Aster’s directorial debut, and it’s about a family struggling through supernatural events that are tearing them apart. Throughout the film they face conflicts like family tragedy and satanic rituals that will easily disturb audiences. 

This is a horror film that doesn’t rely on jump scares, and this film stars Toni Collette who gives off not only the best performance of her career, but one of the best performances of the year. 

This film has a very chilling original score, with disturbing imagery, and is probably one of the greatest horror movies of all time. 

“Hereditary is so disturbing in both the right ways and the wrong ways, and people will feel unsettled and different from how they view horror movies for a while. 

When audiences see this, they’ll never stop looking over their shoulder or forget the scary and famous clicking noise ever again.

These films make the movie industry what it is today and it would be unclear where we would be without them.