100 Greatest Films of the 2010s
An entire decade of cinema has come and gone, and during the 2010s the industry has evolved exponentially with criticism transforming in line with this evolution and the development of internet trends particularly. We’ve seen filmmakers rise to prominence and others fade from the public eye, we’ve welcomed new stars and sadly lost many more. What follows are the 100 Greatest Films of the 2010s; a list collated, ordered and written by Jason Lithgo and Joseph Wade of The Film Magazine to commemorate a decade of cinema that has come to shape many of us, the writers of this list included. We’ve ordered the films based on a number of factors with the most important being artistry and value to the art form, but the others being critical reception and audience reaction.
Lists like these are created with the utmost passion and love, but they’re also created to engage your own thoughts on the subject. If you have any thoughts you’d like to voice, please make sure to leave them in the comments at the end of this article or tweet us!
List set by UK release dates.
100. The Avengers (2012)
Dir: Joss Whedon
The 2010s may not have spawned the era of superhero films, but it was certainly the decade they were risen to their current record-crushing heights, and arguably none of that would have been possible without the exciting first-ever team-up of Marvel’s mightiest heroes in the Joss Whedon directed The Avengers (also known as Avengers Assemble) in 2012.
Starring would-be A-Listers personifying iconic characters, fantastical elements and all-out action, The Avengers was an important moment in time both from an industry standpoint and an audience standpoint, the formula it worked to coming to define the entire decade.
Recommended for you: Every MCU Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie Ranked
99. Short Term 12 (2013)
Dir: Destin Daniel Cretton
98. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Dir: Kathryn Bigelow
97. Blue Valentine (2010)
Dir: Derek Cianfrance
96. Black Panther (2018)
Dir: Ryan Coogler
“Marvel’s boldest move yet in many ways. It’s one of the darkest and most violent of the studio’s offerings so far, but it’s also one of the most fun and full of life.” – Sam Sewell-Peterson’s review.
95. The Kids Are Alright (2010)
Dir: Lisa Cholodenko
94. Good Time (2017)
Dir: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie
93. Under the Shadow (2016)
Dir: Babak Anvari
92. The House That Jack Built (2018)
Dir: Lars von Trier
91. Bridesmaids (2011)
Dir: Paul Feig
90. Amy (2015)
Dir: Asif Kapadia
89. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Dir: David O. Russell
88. Booksmart (2019)
Dir: Olivia Wilde
“this picture’s strong and tasteful mix of characters [work] to compliment the progressive themes of this genuinely funny, hearty and at times downright emotional movie headlined by two superlative performances. Not since Superbad has the genre delivered such a bonafide classic.” – Joseph Wade’s review.
87. Snowpiercer (2013)
Dir: Bong Joon Ho
86. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Dir: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
“This is more than a superhero movie, it’s a defining moment in modern cinema.” – Joseph Wade’s review.
85. Gone Girl (2014)
Dir: David Fincher
84. Only God Forgives (2013)
Dir: Nicolas Winding Refn
83. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Dir: George Miller
Mad Max: Fury Road was so much of a surprise smash hit with audiences and critics that it became a meme. “From the director of Babe: Pig in the City” became the running joke, George Miller’s exhile into mediocre studio-driven fare well and truly ended by his return to the Mad Max franchise he’d built from the 70s onwards, Fury Road earning 10 Oscar nominations (including 6 wins), a moment that marked an important evolution for the Academy that had for over a decade refused to acknowledge most action films in any way, shape or form at their popular and prestigious awards.
82. Dogtooth (2010)
Dir: Yorgos Lanthimos
81. The Skin I Live In (2011)
Dir: Pedro Almodóvar
80. Toy Story 3 (2010)
Dir: Lee Unkrich
79. I Saw the Devil (2010)
Dir: Jee-woon Kim
78. Amour (2012)
Dir: Michael Haneke
77. Inception (2010)
Dir: Christopher Nolan
76. The Babadook (2014)
Dir: Jennifer Kent
Recommended for you: 10 Best Horror Movies of the 2010s
