The 10 Movies That Define The 2010s
Time flies when you’re having fun, which I’d like to think a lot of us have experienced over the last decade or so.
As it happens, time also flies even when the world is falling apart around us, and everyone is scared and miserable, but that’s an existential conversation for another day. Incredibly, we are more than halfway through the 2020s now, and looking back at some of the earlier films from the 2010s genuinely feels like observing art from a lifetime ago. For my money, though, that era of filmmaking produced some of the most exciting, interesting, and pertinent movies of any decade in living memory.
There are so many films that embody what the 2010s were like – be it for their reflection of society and the world around us, or for pure cultural impact – that it’s hard to pick just 10 that define it.
Some films narrowly missed the cut, like Lady Bird, which underpins the anxious youth of today, or Nightcrawler for its eerily accurate study of invasive and morbidly curious news reporting. Even Zero Dark Thirty, which depicted the demise of Osama Bin Laden, was just edged out. So, with those honourable mentions out of the way, here are the 10 most important movies of the 2010s.
Not only was Moonlight involved in what is probably the most shocking moment in Oscars history – when it didn’t win Best Picture but then it actually did – but it’s also one of the very best movies of the 2010s, too. Barry Jenkins made history with his scintillating, raw coming-of-age drama, securing the first Best Picture win for A24 and helping put the studio on the map for younger film fans.
Even ignoring this movie’s cultural impact, it’s an absolute must-watch for the way it handles hard-hitting themes like fractured family dynamics, bullying, and most importantly, coming to terms with sexuality and acceptance of queer love. It’s a truly stunning picture, both visually and emotionally, and you can rent it for £3.49 on Apple TV right now.
You simply cannot talk about Moonlight’s cultural footprint without mentioning La La Land, too. Although this Damien Chazelle musical was named Best Picture winner in 2017 by mistake, I actually think it’s genuinely one of the greatest movies ever made. (Regardless of which film deserved to win, that image of producer Jordan Horowitz holding up the card with Moonlight on it is absolutely iconic.)
La La Land is just such a delightful film. With its catchy music, vibrant visuals, and that bittersweet love story between Seb and Mia, it quite rightly captured the hearts of so many. I could watch this film every week, and you could do the same, too, as it’s on ITVX for free right now.
Speaking of the Oscars, Parasite is perhaps the most significant and justified Best Picture winner of the 21st century so far. The fact it’s a dark comedy with an eat-the-rich theme and plot twists aplenty is one thing, but throw in the foreign language element and this Bong Joon-ho picture stands out as one of the boldest picks for the Academy. There’s a good chance Parasite persuaded a significant number of people to get over their ‘fear’ of subtitles, and that counts for a lot.
The script for Parasite is so sharp and funny, yet it’s not afraid to take wild, rather violent turns – the kind of story that’ll keep you on your toes. All the chaos that Director Bong unleashes is just so satisfying for the observer, or, at least, it is for those who are sick of seeing rich people taking advantage of the working class without any repercussions. Sign up to BFI Player if you want to watch this masterpiece.
When Spike Jonze wrote his romantic sci-fi movie Her, he probably didn’t expect his story to become reality quite as quickly as it has in today’s world. It’s the tale of a lonely man who turns to artificial intelligence for companionship, and ultimately, love. 13 years ago, that seemed like the kind of far-off future that only Black Mirror could envisage, but now it’s very, very real.
You’ll have to rent Her on Rakuten TV, but it’s so worthwhile. In fact, it’s got a bit of everything, from genuine comedy to shockingly emotional turns. The acting is exceptional – most notably Joaquin Phoenix’s melancholy portrayal of Theodore and Scarlett Johansson’s captivating voice work as his AI lover, Samantha. It’s a toss-up between this and Ex Machina for the most effective pre-emptive study of the rise of this technology, so watch both; you won’t regret it.
From more serious work to something lighter and fun: The Avengers has to be recognised for the way it truly changed the mainstream cinematic landscape. Obviously, the MCU started four years before this, but the success of the first team-up movie was the signal that this shared universe was going to be a real juggernaut. Indeed, it’s hard to deny that seeing those six heroes side-by-side during the Battle of New York is anything less than epic.
It’s a brilliantly crafted story that ties together all the threads laid out by that point, as well as the foundation for so much more to come, including the threat of Thanos. The outstanding action holds up to this day, while the blend of humour and thrills is expertly balanced. The MCU would have crashed and burned had this film not worked, but it goes above and beyond anyone’s expectations. Find it on Disney+, along with all the other Marvel movies.
The Black experience has been at the forefront of plenty of films over the past couple of decades, with the likes of Selma, Sorry To Bother You, and The Last Black Man In San Francisco all taking different approaches to ideas of racial identity. However, it’s Get Out that really resonated with… Well, just about everyone.
Not only did this film give Jordan Peele the platform to prove his credentials as a filmmaker, which we should all be thankful for, but the combination of visceral human horror and social commentary really drove home the message Peele was trying to get across. The exploitation of Black people has rarely, if ever, been presented in such a way – hard-hittingly nuanced with an entertaining yet unnerving layer. Head to Now TV Cinema and see if you can spot all the symbolism and messaging Peele wove into his finest work.
Yes, another superhero movie, but this one is different. With its striking comic book style and hybrid of 2D and 3D animation, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse shook up the medium on the big screen. Since the film took the world by storm, KPop Demon Hunters, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and The Wild Robot have followed suit.
This film also properly introduced Miles Morales to the mainstream, which is a pretty big deal. Between this and Black Panther, the 2010s were a huge moment for young Black boys who could finally see superheroes who look like them in theatres. Even better is the fact they get to see them kicking ass, having fun, and in one of the most exciting, riveting superhero stories of the modern era. This movie never gets old. It’s on Now TV Cinema so you can watch and rewatch to your heart’s content.
Unless we all go Parasite mode on them, greedy and corrupt people have and always will exist. Perhaps no film in the 2010s captures that materialistic, exploitative nature more than The Wolf of Wall Street. While we should absolutely detest Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jordan Belfort, it’s hard not to be entertained by his antics, too.
This Martin Scorsese movie is, admittedly, a bit of a ‘film bro’ flick these days. Still, there’s a reason it’s so universally loved. DiCaprio is mesmerising in the lead role, playing the kind of wildcard, car crash of a human you just cannot take your eyes off. Jonah Hill, meanwhile, is fantastic as his ridiculous sidekick. Despite clocking in at roughly three hours, it’s impossible to be bored watching The Wolf of Wall Street, which is available to rent on YouTube for the absolute steal of £2.49.
Before the rise of AI, there was the rise of social media, and no platform has had a greater impact than Facebook. That’s where The Social Network comes in. This biopic about co-founder Mark Zuckerberg benefits greatly from a razor-sharp Aaron Sorkin script and lead performance from Jesse Eisenberg, but it's the expert handling of director David Fincher that really stands out, digging deep into the origins of one of the most controversial and influential tools in the digital age.
Whether you’re a Millennial who witnessed the birth of social media, or you’re part of Gen Z and were born into a world flooded with these apps, this is an essential period piece to understand how our society got to where it is today. It’s also just a captivating character study, and one that has no right to be so riveting, yet it could not be more universally relevant. You can rent it on Sky Store for £3.49, and I implore you to do so if you have ever used social media, for better or worse.
We wrap this list up with another movie that exemplifies the darker side of humanity. When J.J. Abrams took us back to a galaxy far, far away in 2015, the world felt like a better place. Following this, Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi took the franchise in an ambitious and fresher direction. Sounds great, right? Well, not everyone agreed, helping to spawn an era of toxic fandom and harmful external influence that has really become a scourge on cinema.
I adore The Last Jedi. I truly respect the way Johnson tried new things to explore iconic characters and their stories. Unfortunately, when traditionalists complained that his film had ‘killed Star Wars’, Disney course-corrected with The Rise Of Skywalker, arguably pandering to nostalgia bait and fan complaints, which spoiled the end of the Skywalker Saga. This set a worrying precedent of entitlement that we saw again with the fan campaign to release Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Still, at least The Last Jedi is brilliant – they’ll never take that away from us. Check it out on Disney+, along with the other entries in the series.
