The end of the decade is here... So what better time to remember the BEST films of the decade (in our humble opinion)... We are HUGE Film buffs so if you disagree comment, like, share... Just no hate mail haha. PS. The bottom of the list will have 5 honorable mention films. Ok, so Here... We go!
20. The Grand Budapest Hotel
The most colorful of the films on this list and probably the best written one. Grand Budapest has director Wes Anderson and his always full of "A" list actors in a hotel that prides itself in excellent customer service... And all chaos starts there. Its funny, very quirky and awesome to just look at. This film won multiple Oscars in the makeup and design categories... Also a Screenplay one. Y'all should check it out!
19. Eye In The Sky
A small film that wasn't seen by many but if you get a chance to stream it, give it 10 minutes tops, and you will be hooked. It's a suspenseful film about Colonel wanting to do a drone strike and all the political backlash that comes with it. It is a great film with a lot of suspense without trying to scare you!
18. The Irishman
True Story about a hit man that moves up the ranks, that's all you need to know... I mean, its Scorsese, Deniro, Pacino, and Keitel, what more do you want?! The movie is a little over 3 hours but it is a great story to sit through. Scorsese's best since Casino (which is in my top 3 all time films). Its now on Netflix! I promise the run time goes by quick. You wont feel it.
17. Can You Ever Forgive Me
Melissa Macarthy plays Lee Israel who is an out of work writer that that ends up being wanted by the FBI. I thought this film had the best acting that year and it's one of those movies that has everything. Acting, writing, great New York scenery. The city is almost it's own character. I remember walking out of the theater and thinking "wow, I just saw a great film" The feeling I got with films like Shawshank Redemption and The Godfather.
16. Moneyball
My favorite sports movie of all time! Pitt plays Billy Beane, Mgr of the Oakland A's at a time when they had a small budget, team was losing and they had to get creative in order to win. He realizes or thinks that the mentality of the game has been wrong all this time and in a way reinvents the game and influences all other sports! Its a film about taking on the system, about thinking outside the box, about trust... And the best thing is you don't even have to know anything about baseball to understand the movie. Great acting by both Pitt and Jonah Hill who was just starting to take on serious roles, they both give awesome performances. If you haven't seen it, and many people didn't, check it out!
15. The Farewell
I think the Farewell is the best film of 2019. Yes, better than Irishman, Joker, One upon a time in Hollywood... It's such a great drama that is funny, sad, and just very well written. It feels like it's a slow moving movie but it is never ever boring. Awkwafina is great in the movie where she is caught between having to do what everyone thinks is right and what she feels is best. Traditions from China and the US clash and it makes for just a great mix of drama and just good comedy. It should be out on Redbox now, if you get a chance check it out. I guarantee you will enjoy it.
14. Gravity
Gravity is one of those films that gave way too much in the trailer... The movie itself is great in terms of film making. The effects perfect and it is also great to just look at plus it only has 2 actors for about 95% of the film. I liked how the movie had no sound while it was in space all you hear was the musical score in the background which was composed to sound like all the chaos going on had sound. You either loved this film or you thought it was over hyped. I for one loved it.
13. A Quiet Place
I thought A Quiet Place was a game changer in the genre. The film is mostly just silence and the actors have to and do a great job in just straight up acting. Acting in a "horror" film is almost never guaranteed but the direction by Jim Halpert feels like he is a veteran in the directing game not a rookie. I thought Emely Blunt should have gotten an Oscar nomination for her performance. The scene in the bathtub?! That was fantastic! I remember being in the theater watching the movie and looking around and no one wanted to make a sound... A horror film with almost no sound. Pretty damn awesome. Cannot wait for part 2!
12. Whiplash
Miles teller best performance to date has him being a young musician trying to prove he belongs with the best and J.K Simmons playing the tough teacher trying to weed out the "wannabe's"... The movie is intense, its real, and its perfectly acted. Simmons went on to win an Oscar for his acting and Director Damien Chazelle went on to establish himself as a household name. Great film.
11. Mission Impossible: Fallout
The latest installment of the MI franchise raised the stakes not just in the story but in the stunts. The picture here is really Cruise jumping from 25,000 ft and when you see the film the stunts pay off. Pay attention to this particular scene, the camera never cuts from the actors falling. It is full of twists and crazy non stop action. I remember when the movie ended having a big sigh of relief as it keeps you at the edge of your seat. The Halo jump I mentioned was done a whopping 106 times!! Crazy stuff to do in the name of film making. I think this is the best action movie since Terminator 2! See it!
10. 12 Years a Slave
The most heartbreaking film of the list. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Solomon Northup who gets kidnapped and taken into slavery in South US... The movie is just hard to watch but is important to see. It is crazy to think this is based on a true story as some scenes just plain anger you. The movie went on to win a much deserved Best Picture Oscar earning Brad Pitt an award as he produced the film. Should be streaming now in case you haven't seen it.
9. Roma
Roma is a film many people told me was not really about anything and boring. The film is really about domestic workers in Mexico working for upper class folks and everything that comes with that. Their own personal struggles, the downside of getting close to the family's kids and demands of their bosses. The movie looks beautiful and at any time you can pause the film, print the screen and enlarge it and you will have an awesome picture frame of a great shot. Most of the film is like that. There is an attention to details of life in Mexico that you don't see in films. There is a hospital scene that is done in one long take that is just insane. Give it a chance... and if you fell asleep the 1st time give it another chance... Guarantee the ending is worth it.
8. The Florida Project
A harsh coming of age film set on the outskirts of The most Magical place on Earth in Florida. The movie is about Moonee and 2 of her little best friends and all the trouble they can possibly get into at that age and her Mom who has flaws but ultimately loves her daughter and a very nice hotel manager played perfectly by Willem Dafoe. Dafoe was ROBBED of an Oscar this and I thought this was by far the best film that year. It's very funny, sad and it is so well acted. It almost feels like you are watching a documentary because the kids act so natural. If you missed this film please watch it. It is available on Amazon Prime!
7. Lion
I remember watching this film at the Crossroads theater... The Bijou (my favorite theater) and the waterworks was on since early on. Young Saroo gets lost in India while trying to work and help his family at age 6... Eventually ends up 100s of miles away and lost. Time goes on until he gets adopted by an Australian couple (Nicole Kidman). The movie is powerful, never melodramatic and the acting by the kids in the film is natural, strong and just make the film the powerful story that it is. This is one of the films that I will never ever forget. Its bittersweet and truly shows what makes someone a parent. Based on a true story!
6. Spotlight
The Boston Globe had a group on investigative reporters that would take on different cases, some depending on how much of a difference they would make and some on just the task at hand. In 2001 they would take on the catholic church and some of the allegations of cover-ups in sexual abuse cases... This film is super powerful, intense and sad. I can remember seeing it and just being overwhelmed by what I was seeing. I walked out of the theater sad and so intrigued. Keaton was robbed of a best actor Oscar and was not even nominated!! The film, however, went on to win Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. A definite must see!
6 tie: The Impossible
The film about the 2004 Tsunami that hit Indonesia on the day after Christmas is based on a true story. This is a film you wont forget. It is sad, powerful, hopeful, intense, shocking and just incredible to watch. I can remember watching this at Crossroads (again) and there was not a single dry eye in the room. It is an amazing film... A quote from the survivor "The ball was yellow and in the film it is red, the rest is exactly the same" he said in reference to the movie. Naomi Watts was nominated for Best Actress and it also stars Ewan McGregor and a very young Spiderman aka Tom Holland. Check it out when you can!
5. La La Land
I am not a big fan of musicals. Never have been, but La La is something different. Its great film making in every sense of the word. The story, acting, details, cinematography, costume design, editing, set design, everything. The details are insane. In every scene of the film you will see the colors red, yellow, green and blue... Ryan Gosling learned to play the piano just for the film so it is actually him playing and Emma Stone is actually singing most of her parts... The movie is so good and so sad... I wont reveal why in case you haven't seen it but if you haven't you definitely need to see it asap! Stone won Best actress and the film won a bunch of other awards... It even won Best picture for a few seconds before they revealed a movie not as good had actually won and the presenter has made a mistake, Doh! haha
4. Zero Dark Thirty
A movie that spans about 10 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the manhunt that was happening to catch Bin laden... The movie is so intriguing from start to finish. Its just full of information and its one of those films you cant take your eyes off. It never claims to be a true story but they do base it on true events... Whatever that means. Every time this is on tv on channel FX or wherever it is playing I watch and cannot stop watching. It was nominated for multiple Oscars including Best Picture and Actress but it did not win those awards. Regardless the film is amazing and definitely one of the best of the decade.
3. Life Of Pi
A movie about the will and struggle to survive through impossible odds has a family who owns a zoo in India deciding to move to Canada. They run into a huge storm and Pi ends up on a small boat with one of his tigers. That's all you need to know, haha... The movie isn't so much about the tragedy that happens but about the amazing journey it took to survive months alone at sea with a tiger. There is a certain level of realism and symbolism that happen in this fictional story but in the end the message is very clear. Ang Lee won a very well deserved Best Director Oscar and for me this was by far, the best film that year. This movie had me thinking about it for days... Maybe it just meant more for me but everyone that I know has seen it has says it is a great film.
2. The Social Network
Arguably the most important film of the decade tells the story of Mark Zuckerberg and his buddies as they are planning global domination by inventing Facebook. The movie is like Zero Dark Thirty and is just full of information and is thrilling and not in the edge of your seat way. You cannot take your eyes off it because you want to see how the rise of the site we are all on everyday made it's way into everyone's lives. It is an amazing piece of film making with just as good writing by Aaron Sorkin The movie also got an Oscar for Best Score. Who did the score of the film? Nine Inch Nails front man genius Trent Reznor. This movie has it all and I am sure you all have seen it... I think it's arguably the best film of the decade.
1. Boyhood
The best coming of age film of all time is also the best film of the decade. Boyhood tells the story of Mason Evans from age 6-18 as he heads to College. Filmed in San Marcos and Austin and Houston Texas this movie took 12 years to make. It allows all the same actors to age naturally so they grow with the film. That in itself is pretty damn remarkable. It is like doing a 12 year long documentary film that isn't real, if that makes any sense. There will never again be another film like this... Studios will probably never allow it. Richard Linklater does an amazing job directing this masterpiece and it was robbed of a Best Picture Oscar. The movie is full of moments that are so true to everyday life... Quirky family moments and full of human drama. Patricia Arquette won a best actress Oscar but the movie deserved every single award it was nominated for. This for me is the best film of the decade and as good as some of the films on this list are, none come close to Boyhood.