Here are Cinephile Corner’s picks for the 50 best movies of 2010s, ranked:
50. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
49. The End of the Tour (2015)
48. Neighbors (2014)
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2014
47. Personal Shopper (2016)
46. The Master (2012)
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2012
45. Us (2019)
44. Widows (2018)
43. Blackhat (2015)
Michael Mann’s Blackhat is a fascinating enigma, a film that has only grown more compelling in the years since its release despite being weighed down by some glaring imperfections. The movie, a cyber-thriller with a globetrotting scope, plays like a fever dream of Mann’s stylistic obsessions, blending high-octane action, meticulous visual craft, and an indulgence in the absurd. It’s a film that refuses to conform, and for that reason, it has become one of the most divisive works of the 2010s.
Read our review of Blackhat (2015).
42. Phoenix (2014)
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2014
41. Inside Job (2010)
40. Lady Bird (2017)
39. Silence (2016)
38. Moonlight (2016)
37. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2019
36. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)
35. Her (2013)
34. Ex Machina (2015)
33. Mistress America (2015)
32. Enemy (2013)
Denis Villeneuve’s 2013 movie, Enemy, transcends the confines of what a conventional thriller can be, weaving through a tense world with existential dread and psychological turmoil. While the genre elements of mystery and suspense are undeniably present, they serve as mere brushstrokes in a larger image exploring the profound themes of identity, duality, and the subconscious.
Read our review of Enemy (2013).
31. 20th Century Women (2016)
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2016
30. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
29. The Lost City of Z (2016)
28. This is the End (2013)
27. Only the Brave (2017)
26. The Wind Rises (2013)
25. Get Out (2017)
What more can be said about Get Out that hasn’t already been written? Jordan Peele’s directorial debut was an instant cultural and cinematic phenomenon—one of those rare films that completely redefines its genre while achieving both critical and commercial success. It was a movie that not only announced Peele as one of the most exciting new filmmakers of the decade but also proved that horror could be both socially charged and immensely entertaining. While Us confirmed that Get Out was no fluke, and Nope showcased Peele’s ability to handle blockbuster-scale storytelling, it all started with this razor-sharp psychological thriller that remains just as effective years later.
Read our review of Get Out (2017).
24. Uncut Gems (2019)
Uncut Gems compounds tension about as well as any movie made in the 2010s. Josh and Benny Safdie announce themselves as filmmakers to keep an eye on moving forward with this grisly thriller set in the world of high stakes sports gambling. Adam Sandler and Kevin Garnett co-star, along with a supporting cast for the ages.
Read our review of Uncut Gems (2019).
23. Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
22. Before Midnight (2013)
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2013
21. The Trip (2010)
20. Beginners (2010)
19. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
18. A Ghost Story (2017)
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2017
17. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
16. Whiplash (2014)
I imagine sometimes it’s just a matter of the right film hitting you at the right time. As a young lad interested in a minute portion of the film medium, I attached myself to Damien Chazelle’s debut film Whiplash and never looked back. Some may say it’s a core text for the eventual style and storytelling conventions that I now gravitate towards quite frequently. Or maybe I find myself relating to the Miles Teller character a bit too much in my daily life. Whatever it may be, Whiplash is a seminal moment for both myself and film industry.
Read our review of Whiplash (2014).
15. Gone Girl (2014)
14. Moneyball (2011)
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2011
13. Dunkirk (2017)
There’s spectacle, and then there’s Dunkirk – the tenth movie from Christopher Nolan as a director and possibly his best feature film. I’ve always preferred Christopher Nolan’s movies as big blockbuster events attempting to shatter scale and scope in ways few directors are able to. When he’s trying to articulate concepts nearly impossible to comprehend, he loses me. But when he’s trying to make a war epic unlike any movie that’s come before it, I’m all in.
Read our review of Dunkirk (2017).
12. Call Me By Your Name (2017)
11. The Irishman (2019)
10. Parasite (2019)
Every few years, I revisit Parasite and find myself wondering if I’ve been underrating it. It’s a movie that feels so omnipresent in conversations about the best movies of the 21st century that it’s easy to take its greatness for granted. But every rewatch reminds me exactly why Bong Joon-ho’s international juggernaut remains one of the most important films of the last decade—both as a razor-sharp thriller and a scathing critique of class dynamics that continues to feel disturbingly relevant.
Read our review of Parasite (2019).
9. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
8. Spotlight (2015)
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2015
7. Arrival (2016)
Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival is an undeniably powerful journey into the depths of the unknown, blending elements of science fiction, mystery, and drama to create a thought-provoking masterpiece. Led by the stellar performances of Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, the film transcends its genre constraints to deliver a captivating exploration of language, communication, and the complexities of human existence.
Read our review of Arrival (2016).
6. Frances Ha (2012)
5. Hereditary (2018)
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2018
4. Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)
3. The Florida Project (2017)
The Florida Project isn’t just Sean Baker’s best film—it’s a modern indie masterpiece that has solidified itself as one of the defining movies of the 2010s. Released by A24 in 2017, it’s a stunningly poignant slice-of-life drama that immerses the audience in the sun-drenched but deeply flawed world of its characters. For me, this movie came at the perfect time, when I was just beginning to see film as more than entertainment and started engaging with it as an art form. It wasn’t just a gateway into Sean Baker’s career; it was a revelation that reshaped how I thought about storytelling on screen.
Read our review of The Florida Project (2017).
2. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
Inside Llewyn Davis is indeed a masterpiece of nuanced character study, where the Coen brothers bring their signature blend of dark humor, existential despair, and offbeat storytelling into a film that feels as emotionally resonant as it is stylistically unique. It’s a film that pulls no punches in portraying the painful, humbling reality of an artist struggling against not just the world, but also his own shortcomings. Llewyn Davis (played perfectly by Oscar Isaac) may be a man adrift, emotionally wounded by the loss of his partner, selfish and hard to like, yet he is also profoundly human, filled with raw talent and unfulfilled potential.
Read our review of Inside Llewyn Davis (2013).
1. The Social Network (2010)
READ MORE: The Best Movies of 2010