Welcome to the Cinema of the 2010s
The 2010s may be over, but thanks to an enthralling, good old invention called film, it will never be really gone.
Whenever you feel like traveling back in time to relive the glamours of the decade, all you have to do, is to watch one (or more) of its movies.
But witch ones should you watch? Well, if that’s the very question lurking in your mind right now, then you came to the right place. We’re just about to present 30 of the greatest cinematic gems of the 2010s.
However, if you’re not a first-timer, then there’s a fair chance you already saw most movies of this Top 30 List, and you may want to dive a little bit deeper. No worries!
In that case, you should go and check out the Top 100 List at the end of this article.
If this is your first time on the time-travelling FrameTrek Wagon, here’s what this is all about: We choose a topic, in this case: “Best Movies of the 2010s”, and we set sail for a journey, where the bricks of the trek are made of movie frames, and each stop represents a magnificent achievement in film.
The Best Movies of the 2010s is an episode of FrameTrek’s Best Movies of All Time. A mega-journey dedicated to identify the greatest films of each decade, chronologically. It starts with the Dawn of Cinema and goes all the way to our ever moving present.
So what was Cinema like in the 2010s?
The 2010s proved that the art of moviemaking is in a constantly accelerating state of flux.
Major genres, like horror and sci-fi were reinvigorated with inventive and imaginative spins, while diversity and feminism took center stage, for better or worse.
We saw incredible technological advancements with CGI taking major leaps, and with facial animation becoming so impressive, that sometimes the viewer had no idea if the on-screen character was real, or not.
Old actors became young again, and even those, who passed away may have returned to the screens for some post-mortem adventure.
It turned out that people tend to watch more movies in the comfort of their home, than in theaters, thus the popularity of streaming services grew exponentially.
One of the most significant phenomena of the 2010s was the conception of the term “Cinematic Universe”, which became the new dominant Hollywood-studio model.
Blockbusters, particularly superhero movies rose to a new height, and had a banner decade both commercially and critically.
Studios tried to keep their decades-old franchises alive with a number of sequels, prequels, reboots, and remakes, but only the ones that dared to take wild creative risks could earn their right to survive and strive.
However, besides all those blockbusters and franchises, the 2010s brought a shocking amount of original ideas to the screens as well. We are about to explore them all!
The movies we picked involve aliens, space travelers, freed slaves, superheroes, gangsters, magical beings, unscrupulous stock-brokers, post-apocalyptic heroines and even the criminally insane.
So yeah, there’s plenty to talk about, when it comes to the Cinema of the 2010s, but this article concentrates on its Top 30 and Top 100 Films, so let’s cut to the chase, shall we?
After all, a cinematic era is as good as its greatest achievements. Thus, the finest way to explore a decade in film history, is through watching its finest films as a marathon.
Ready? Buckle up then, and let the best movies of the 2010s carry you to the Cinematic era they came from!
Revealing the Top 30 Films of the 2010s
A chronological presentation of the Best Movies from 2010 to 2019
– 3 movies from each year –
Inception (2010)
Science fiction action thriller directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Story: A thief who steals corporate secrets through the use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a C.E.O. (IMDB)
Smart, innovative, and thrilling, Inception is that rare summer blockbuster that succeeds viscerally as well as intellectually.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Inception among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
✓ Winner of 4 Oscars, and nominee for another 4, including the ‘Best Picture of the Year’ Academy Award.
✓ Received critical praise for its screenplay, visual effects, score, Nolan’s direction and ensemble cast.
Shutter Island (2010)
Neo-noir psychological thriller directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo.
Story: In 1954, a U.S. Marshal investigates the disappearance of a murderer who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane. (IMDB)
It may not rank with Scorsese’s best work, but Shutter Island’s gleefully unapologetic genre thrills represent the director at his most unrestrained.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Shutter Island among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ The film received positive reviews from audiences and critics, who praised it’s music, Scorsese’s direction and the performance of the principal cast.
✓ One of the most influential movies of the decade, and a box office success.
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Animated comedy family film produced by Pixar.
Deftly blending comedy, adventure, and honest emotion, Toy Story 3 is a rare second sequel that really works.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Toy Story 3 among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
✓ Winner of 2 Oscars, and nominee for another 3, including the ‘Best Picture of the Year’ Academy Award.
✓ Received critical acclaim, with critics praising the vocal performances, screenplay, emotional depth, animation, and the film’s musical score.
Drive (2011)
Action drama starring Ryan Gosling.
Story: A mysterious Hollywood stuntman and mechanic moonlights as a getaway driver and finds himself in trouble when he helps out his neighbor. (IMDB)
With its hyper-stylized blend of violence, music, and striking imagery, Drive represents a fully realized vision of arthouse action.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Drive among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
✓ Received widespread praise for its direction, performances, visuals, action sequences, and musical score.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
Fantasy adventure film directed by David Yates, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson.
Thrilling, powerfully acted, and visually dazzling, Deathly Hallows Part II brings the Harry Potter franchise to a satisfying – and suitably magical – conclusion.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ One of the best reviewed films of 2011, with praise for the acting, Yates’s direction, musical score, visual effects, cinematography and action sequences.
✓ At the time of its release, it became the third-highest-grossing film of all time.
Intouchables (2011)
French buddy comedy-drama film.
Story: After he becomes a quadriplegic from a paragliding accident, an aristocrat hires a young man from the projects to be his caregiver. (IMDB)
It handles its potentially prickly subject matter with kid gloves, but Intouchables gets by thanks to its strong cast and some remarkably sensitive direction.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Intouchables among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Won the Tokyo Sakura Grand Prix award given to the best film at the Tokyo International Film Festival and the Award for Best Actor to both Francois Cluzet and Omar Sy.
✓ It became the most viewed French film in the world at its time.
Django Unchained (2012)
Revisionist western drama directed by Quentin Tarantino, starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Story: With the help of a German bounty hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner. (IMDB)
Bold, bloody, and stylistically daring, Django Unchained is another incendiary masterpiece from Quentin Tarantino.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Django Unchained among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
✓ Waltz won several awards for his performance, including the Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards, Golden Globes and BAFTAs.
✓ For his screenplay, Tarantino won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Superhero action thriller directed by Christopher Nolan, starring Christian Bale and Tom Hardy.
The Dark Knight Rises is an ambitious, thoughtful, and potent action film that concludes Christopher Nolan’s franchise in spectacular fashion.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is The Dark Knight Rises among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Received positive reviews, with praise being directed toward the performances, action sequences, screenplay, direction, musical score, and emotional depth.
✓ Following its release, it became the seventh-highest-grossing film of all time.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Epic high fantasy adventure film directed by Peter Jackson, starring Martin Freeman and Ian McKellen.
Story: A reluctant Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, sets out to the Lonely Mountain with a spirited group of dwarves to reclaim their mountain home, and the gold within it from the dragon Smaug. (IMDB)
Why is The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Critics and audiences praised the film’s visual style, special effects, music score, and cast, especially the performances of Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, and Andy Serkis.
✓ One of the highest grossing and most popular movies of the 2010s.
12 Years a Slave (2013)
Biographical period-drama film.
It’s far from comfortable viewing, but 12 Years a Slave’s unflinchingly brutal look at American slavery is also brilliant – and quite possibly essential – cinema.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is 12 Years a Slave among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
✓ It earned three Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama, and won the BAFTA Award for Best Film, while Ejiofor received the Best Actor award.
✓ Named the best film of 2013 by several media outlets and ongoing critics.
Gravity (2013)
Science fiction thriller film starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.
Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity is an eerie, tense sci-fi thriller that’s masterfully directed and visually stunning.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Gravity among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
✓ Winner of 7 Oscars, and nominee for another 3, including the ‘Best Picture of the Year’ Academy Award.
✓ Critics praised Bullock’s performance, the film’s cinematography, musical score, direction, visual effects, and its use of 3D.
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Biographical black comedy crime film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Funny, self-referential, and irreverent to a fault, The Wolf of Wall Street finds Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio at their most infectiously dynamic.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is The Wolf of Wall Street among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Included among the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
✓ Received mostly positive reviews from critics, with praise for Scorsese’s direction, the comedic performance of DiCaprio and the fast-paced and consistent humor.
✓ One of the most popular movies of the 2010s.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Superhero film directed by James Gunn, starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Dave Bautista.
Guardians of the Galaxy is just as irreverent as fans of the frequently zany Marvel comic would expect – as well as funny, thrilling, full of heart, and packed with visual splendor.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Guardians of the Galaxy among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ It became a critical and commercial success, praised for its screenplay, direction, acting, humor, soundtrack, visual effects, and action sequences.
✓ One of the most popular movies of the 2010s. It developed a cult following in the years after its release.
Interstellar (2014)
Epic science fiction film directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Matthew McConaughey.
Interstellar represents more of the thrilling, thought-provoking, and visually resplendent film-making moviegoers have come to expect from writer-director Christopher Nolan, even if its intellectual reach somewhat exceeds its grasp.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Interstellar among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Received critical praise for its screenplay, direction, themes, visual effects, musical score, acting, and ambition.
✓ Widely considered one of the most influential space movies ever made.
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Superhero film directed by Bryan Singer, starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Hugh Jackman.
X-Men: Days of Future Past combines the best elements of the series to produce a satisfyingly fast-paced outing that ranks among the franchise’s finest installments.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is X-Men: Days of Future Past among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ A critical and commercial success, praised for its story, visual effects, action scenes, acting, thematic elements, and Singer’s direction.
✓ One of the most popular movies of the decade.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Post-apocalyptic action film directed by George Miller, starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron.
With exhilarating action and a surprising amount of narrative heft, Mad Max: Fury Road brings George Miller’s post-apocalyptic franchise roaring vigorously back to life.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Mad Max: Fury Road among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Ranked by many critics as the best film of 2015, and widely praised for its direction, screenplay, action sequences, score, cinematography, and ensemble cast.
✓ The film won many critical and guild awards, and received ten Academy Award nominations, winning six.
✓ Widely considered one of the greatest action films of all time.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Epic space opera film directed by J. J. Abrams and starring Daisy Ridley.
Packed with action and populated by both familiar faces and fresh blood, The Force Awakens successfully recalls the series’ former glory while injecting it with renewed energy.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Star Wars: The Force Awakens among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Received praise from critics and audiences for its screenplay, direction, acting performances, musical score, visual effects, editing, and action sequences.
✓ It broke various box office records and became, the third-highest-grossing film of all time.
The Revenant (2015)
Epic survival drama western film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy.
As starkly beautiful as it is harshly uncompromising, The Revenant uses Leonardo DiCaprio’s committed performance as fuel for an absorbing drama that offers punishing challenges – and rich rewards.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is The Revenant among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Received largely positive reviews, with praise for DiCaprio and Hardy’s performances, Iñárritu’s direction, and Lubezki’s cinematography.
✓ Winner of three Oscars, three Golden Globe Awards and five BAFTAs.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Superhero film directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson.
Captain America: Civil War begins the next wave of Marvel movies with an action-packed superhero blockbuster boasting a decidedly non-cartoonish plot and the courage to explore thought-provoking themes.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Captain America: Civil War among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ A critical and commercial success, garnering praise for the performances (particularly Evans and Downey), action, screenplay, and themes.
✓ One of the most popular movies of the 2010s.
Deadpool (2016)
Superhero film directed by Tim Miller and starring Ryan Reynolds.
Fast, funny, and gleefully profane, the fourth-wall-busting Deadpool subverts superhero film formula with wildly entertaining – and decidedly non-family-friendly – results.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Deadpool among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Critics and audiences praised Reynolds’ performance, the film’s style and faithfulness to the comics, its action sequences, make-ups and visual effects.
✓ It was a huge box office success, breaking numerous records, becoming the highest grossing R-rated film up to that point.
Zootopia (2016)
Animated family comedy film produced by Disney.
The brilliantly well-rounded Zootopia offers a thoughtful, inclusive message that’s as rich and timely as its sumptuously state-of-the-art animation – all while remaining fast and funny enough to keep younger viewers entertained.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Zootopia among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Received positive reviews from critics and audiences for its screenplay, animation, voice acting, and subject matter.
✓ Received an Academy Award, Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice Movie Award, and Annie Award for Best Animated Feature Film.
Get Out (2017)
Horror thriller film written and directed by Jordan Peele.
Funny, scary, and thought-provoking, Get Out seamlessly weaves its trenchant social critiques into a brilliantly effective and entertaining horror/comedy thrill ride.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Get Out among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Winner of 1 Oscar, and nominee for another 3, including the ‘Best Picture of the Year’ Academy Award.
✓ Received praise for its screenplay, direction, performances, and satirical themes.
Logan (2017)
Superhero film directed by James Mangold, starring Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart.
Hugh Jackman makes the most of his final outing as Wolverine with a gritty, nuanced performance in a violent but surprisingly thoughtful superhero action film that defies genre conventions.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Logan among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Received critical acclaim, with much praise for its screenplay, direction, acting, action sequences, emotional depth, and departure from traditional superhero films.
✓ Widely regarded as one of the greatest superhero films ever made.
Wonder Woman (2017)
Superhero film starring Gal Gadot.
Thrilling, earnest, and buoyed by Gal Gadot’s charismatic performance, Wonder Woman succeeds in spectacular fashion.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Wonder Woman among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Received largely positive reviews, with praise for its direction, acting, visuals, action sequences, and musical score.
✓ A box office success, and one of the most popular movies of the 2010s.
A Quiet Place (2018)
Science fiction horror film starring Emily Blunt.
A Quiet Place artfully plays on elemental fears with a ruthlessly intelligent creature feature that’s as original as it is scary – and establishes director John Krasinski as a rising talent.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is A Quiet Place among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Received acclaim for its atmosphere, as well as for the acting, direction, and sound design.
✓ It became a major box office hit, and one of the most popular movies of the 2010s.
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Biographical drama film directed by Bryan Singer and starring Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen.
Bohemian Rhapsody hits a handful of high notes, but as an in-depth look at a beloved band, it offers more of a medley than a true greatest hits collection.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Bohemian Rhapsody among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Winner of 4 Academy Awards, two BAFTAs and a Golden Globe.
✓ Critics praised Malek’s performance and the film’s music sequences.
✓ A huge box office success. It became the highest grossing biopic of all time (up to that point).
Avengers: Infinity War & Endgame (2018-2019)
Superhero film duology directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans.
Avengers: Infinity War & Endgame ably juggle a dizzying array of MCU heroes in the fight against their gravest threat yet, and the result is a thrilling, emotionally impactful blockbuster duology that realizes its gargantuan ambitions and delivers a satisfying finale to Marvel’s epic Infinity Saga.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Avengers: Infinity War & Endgame among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ It is one (actually two) of the most influential and most ambitious superhero movies of all time, which, thanks to its enormous popularity and cult following, became a global phenomenon.
✓ It was one of the most expensive movie duology ever made, but it also became an enormous box office success, with its second part becoming the highest-grossing film of all time (up to that point).
Joker (2019)
Psychological thriller film directed by Todd Phillips and starring Joaquin Phoenix.
Joker gives its infamous central character a chillingly plausible origin story that serves as a brilliant showcase for its star – and a dark evolution for comics-inspired cinema.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Joker among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Critics and audiences praised Phoenix’s performance, Phillips’s direction, the musical score and the film’s cinematography.
✓ It was a huge box office success, becoming the highest grossing R-rated film of all time (up to that point).
✓ Joaquin Phoenix received the Best Actor of the Year Academy Award for his mesmerizing portrayal of the infamous Clown Prince of Crime.
The Irishman (2019)
Epic crime film directed Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci.
An epic gangster drama that earns its extended runtime, The Irishman finds Martin Scorsese revisiting familiar themes to poignant, funny, and profound effect.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is The Irishman among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Received critical acclaim for Scorsese’s direction, screenplay, cinematography, editing, score, production values and the performances of De Niro, Pacino, and Pesci.
✓ One of the most popular movies of the 2010s, and an influential gangster film.
Parasite (2019)
South Korean dark comedy thriller film.
An urgent, brilliantly layered look at timely social themes, Parasite finds writer-director Bong Joon Ho in near-total command of his craft.
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus
Why is Parasite among the best movies of the 2010s?
✓ Winner of 4 Oscars, including the “Best Picture of the Year” Academy Award, also winner of a Golden Globe and two BAFTAs, and it also won the Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.
✓ Received critical acclaim for Bong’s direction, the film’s social commentary and its fun and surprising twists.
…end of the reel…
Is there a movie on the list you’d replace with another one? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!