Movies That Shaped The Decade

In the past 10 years, thousands of movies have hit the world’s theatres, leaving behind long lasting impressions. The 2010s was a decade of some of the most prominent and influential films in cinematic history, introducing gritty blockbusters and moving stories that address the roots of our society. Whilst the decade will no doubt be remembered for the extraordinary shift to mainstreaming and the onrush of superhero movies, it will most likely be remembered as the decade where the definition of film broke free of its boundaries. Movies became a way of capturing reality and portraying stories of the human condition. We can all definitely agree that the work of the 2010s have shown that movies have never spoken to people more than they have in the last 10 years. 

Honourable Mentions:

Love, Simon (2018)

The Social Network (2010)

  6: Boyhood (2014)

This coming-of-age film with an incredibly simple premise follows the life of a boy as he grows from ages 7 to 18. Filmed over 12 years with the same cast, Boyhood focuses on a fractured family and the swiftness and monotonous reality of life. Rotten Tomatoes’ critical consensus states; “Epic in technical scale but breathlessly intimate in narrative scope, Boyhood is a sprawling investigation of the human condition.” This isn’t quite like anything ever seen in the history of cinema.

5: Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

This comedy-drama defies Hollywood’ traditional standards, becoming the first modern story with an all-Asian cast and an Asian-American lead in 25 years. Crazy Rich Asians is the first step to achieving equal ethnic representation in the film industry. The tremendous success of the film will hopefully pave the way for a new Hollywood; a Hollywood that “allows many more stories about Asian Americans, with different perspectives, body types and ethnic backgrounds (Time).” 

4: 12 Years A Slave (2013)

12 Years A Slave is a biographical period-drama film that gives an unflinchingly brutal look at American slavery. It’s a violent, disturbing and deeply moving recount of the institution of slavery, and how it destroyed families. As appraised by critic Adam R. Holz; “This is one of the most searingly intense portraits of slavery ever committed to film.”

3:  Joker (2019)

This gritty, dark version of one of the most infamous supervillains depicts the origin story of a man alienated by society. Isolated, he copes with his insanity through violence which eventually leads to self-destruction. It is a brutal but true representation of society itself, becoming one of the first comic book movies that is more drawn towards real world problems as opposed to crusading superheroes. Despite being a tough watch, this film’s depiction of the impact of oppression on anxiety and nihilism is powerful.

2:  Get Out (2017)

Get Out is a horror film with a very important message regarding the social horror of systemic racism in the ‘70s and ’80s. Opening with a scene of an attack on a black man walking in a neighbourhood, Get Out references the tragedy of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. This movie highlights the blunt reality of our society, where the streets can be the most dangerous place, and even police officers can be predators.

1: Moonlight (2016)

Oscar Best Picture winner Moonlight “offers a remarkable look at lives rarely seen in cinema (Rotten Tomatoes).” This coming of age drama is a tender, heartbreaking story of a young man’s struggle to find himself as he experiences the journey to manhood. Moonlight crafts quite possibly one of the most beautiful, suggestive stories ever shown on screen; a reflection of black male identity in a neglected childhood and adolescence and the road to self-fulfillment in adulthood. 

Those are my choices for the 6 most influential movies of the decade. If you have any to add, please do so in the comments section below!