Hi folks! The 2010’s are over, so that means it’s time to reflect on the last decade. Over here at Reel Heels that means it’s time to look at our favorite movies and television. So this is my top 10 movies of the 2010’s! However, given that this was such a monumental task because there were so many movies that I loved, I decided to do two separate top 10’s: one for “original” movies, and one for franchise movies (For the purposes of this list, anything that is part of an extended universe or has at least one sequel is considered a franchise movie. Franchise selections also feature honorable mentions, listed chronologically). So this is a bit of a cop out to try and select more movies, but it’s my list, so I can do what I want. Additionally, I tried to stay away from 2019 movies because I just wrote about a bunch of them this week as well. So, with that in mind, let’s start with my top 10 Franchise movies of the 2010’s!
Top 10 Franchise Movies of the 2010’s
10: Furious 7 (The Fast and Furious)
Honorable Mention: Fast Five
When the 2010’s began, I wasn’t a particular fan of the Fast and Furious franchise, but shortly before the release of this film, when Paul Walker died, I decided I wanted to watch all of the movies to gain an appreciation for them before the release of Furious 7. By doing so, I realized that some of the things I criticized this franchise for (the over the top and ridiculous action among them) were largely deliberate style choices, especially in the back half of the franchise. This is a franchise that knew from day one what it was and leaned heavily into that. So by the time I learned that and saw this film on the big screen, I was prepared for the high octane thrill ride that it was. More than that, however, this franchise is about family, and with the loss of one of its members, they made sure to make this last ride count, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I teared up at the end of this one, a development I never saw coming 10 years ago. This franchise will always have its detractors, but if you allow yourself to see these movies for what they are, you may just have a fun time at the movies.
9: Deadpool (X-Men)
Honorable Mentions: First Class, Days of Future Past, Logan, Deadpool 2
Deadpool is one of the biggest success stories of the decade at the box office. Ryan Reynolds played Wade Wilson in the largely derided X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and it seemed that was the only on-screen representation of the Merc with a Mouth that fans were going to get. Then thanks to some leaked test footage, the fourth wall breaking, full blooded and full bloody R-rated superhero flick was a go, with Reynolds reprising the role he so long wanted to do and do right. Fans were delighted to see this character come to life in a way that was true to the comics and that wasn’t afraid to pull any punches. The success surprised many as the box office numbers broke records, leading to a sequel, an R-rated Wolverine movie, and the ability to be the only X-Men franchise to not be scrapped when Disney absorbed Fox. Not too shabby.
8: Wonder Woman (DC Extended Universe)
Honorable Mentions: Aquaman, Shazam
In the wake of the Dark Knight trilogy and with the success of their competitors at Marvel, it’s no surprise that DC struggled in the back half of the decade. The Superman movies were not smash hits with critics or audiences, and it seemed that the DCEU was done before it really got off the ground. Then came 2017’s Wonder Woman, a movie that remembered you had to make the audiences care about the characters they were watching and not just coast off of a strong name. Gal Gadot brought this iconic character to the big screen, and thanks to wonderful chemistry with Chris Pine and incredible direction from Patty Jenkins, Wonder Woman was not only able to save the day, but may just have saved the DCEU to fight another day.
7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Wizarding World of Harry Potter)
Honorable Mention: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
The final chapter in the Harry Potter story brings an end to the franchise (at least until the Fantastic Beast movies came along) in epic fashion. Harry and Voldemort have their final showdown and the Battle for Hogwarts will tip the balance of good and evil once and for all. It’s fair to say that this film was among the most highly anticipated to be released this decade as film watchers and book readers alike were dying to see what would happen to these characters that many of us had grown up alongside. Of course, saying goodbye is tough, but this movie and franchise is one that fans will cherish. Always.
6: The Lego Movie (Lego Universe)
Honorable Mention: The Lego Batman Movie
When it was announced that a movie based on Lego was in development, there were many skeptics who believed such a movie would never work. But with a creative team led by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, a cast headlined by Chris Pratt (who wasn’t quite the household name he is now), Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Liam Neeson, Charlie Day, Alison Brie, and Nick Offerman (among others), a script that was creative, funny, and heartwarming, and one of the catchiest theme songs you’ve ever heard, it’s easy to see why people quickly fell in love with this movie. When it comes to this movie, everything really is awesome.
5: John Wick (John Wick)
Honorable Mentions: John Wick Chapter 2, John Wick Chapter 3 – Parabellum
If you told me 10 years ago that one of my favorite movies turned franchises of the decade would have been a story about a retired assassin who goes on a killing rampage after random thugs kill his dog, which was a present from his dead wife, and the assassin was played by Keanu Reeves, I would have thought you were crazy. Such is the magic of John Wick. This movie is one of the sleekest, well designed, well choreographed pieces of action cinema, taking place in a fascinating world populated with colorful characters. While 2 and 3 up the stakes as the budgets and box office returns grow, the first one works so well as a stand alone (and is the one that the entire world is built on) that it had to be my selection here.
4: Skyfall (James Bond)
Honorable Mention: Spectre
Hot take incoming: Skyfall is arguably the ultimate James Bond movie (ultimate doesn’t necessarily mean best, though it’s in that discussion also). It features arguably the best Bond in Daniel Craig and has all the elements needed for a legendary Bond movie. Great villain? Check. Great action? Check. High stakes? Check. Gadgets? Check. Classic Bond characters and vehicles? Check. Sam Mendes directs one of the best that the long running franchise has to offer, and Skyfall will stand the test of time as one of 007’s greatest adventures ever.
3: Paddington 2 (Paddington)
Honorable Mention: Paddington
If you have spent more than five minutes in my company over the past 2 years, I have probably mentioned my love for Paddington. I probably could have flipped a coin on this one to decide which is the better movie in the franchise, but I decided to go with Paddington 2 because I felt with the exposition out of the way, they could jump right into the adventure, filled with a wonderful cast of characters (Hugh Grant and Brendan Gleeson are particular standouts). These movies have a certain charm to them, full of cheer and hopefulness. Maybe they hit me at the right time in my life when I desperately needed those things, but whatever it is, I fell in love with a bear called Paddington. Maybe, you’ll fall in love with Paddington too.
2: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (Star Wars)
Honorable Mentions: Rogue One, The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker
While everyone these days has major opinions on every Star Wars film (not just the Disney ones), it is undeniable how excited everyone was for The Force Awakens. The movie theater was electric during all the big moments, and the box office results prove that fans were excited to see the return of these beloved characters in addition to the new faces. While some have since criticized this movie for relying too much on fan service and a story that is very similar to the original, I contend that any trip to a galaxy far far away is worth celebrating, especially one that reminds me why I fell in love with those characters in the first place.
1: The Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Honorable Mentions: Captain America The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America Civil War, Thor Ragnarok, Black Panther, Avengers Endgame
The ultimate franchise of the decade had to come in at number one on this list. However, with so many options to choose, how do you pick just one? For me, it came down to which movie had to do something none of the others had done yet, and that was the first Avengers film. If this movie fails, we wouldn’t have any of the honorable mentions I selected, nor would we have the behemoth that is the MCU. This movie took characters from four film franchises and put them all into one film. It was unprecedented. I remember being in the theater opening day, and there was a sense from every person there that we were watching something monumental, that had never been done, and that would change movies going forward. Sure, Infinity War and Endgame surpassed it in scale, and sure, there were others that maybe took more creative risks, but without this movie, we would have none of those great moments from the MCU that we have come to know and love over the past decade. For that reason alone, it was enough to top my list for best franchise movie of the 2010’s.
Now that we’ve done that, on to the top 10 “original” movies of the 2010’s!
Top 10 Original Movies of the 2010’s
10: Hell or High Water
There is a case to be made for any of the movies written by Taylor Sheridan to make this list (Sicario and Wind River being the others), but Hell or High Water is the one I wanted to single out. Starring Chris Pine and Ben Foster as a pair of bank robbing brothers and Jeff Bridges as the lawman on the case, this high stakes cat and mouse game is one of the best crime thrillers in recent memory. Expertly crafted and very well acted, Hell or High Water feels like a modern Western where you aren’t sure exactly who you should be pulling for. Sheridan is also a master of suspense, drawing viewers in as he keeps you on the edge of your seat. Make sure to check this one out.
9: Whiplash
Who would have guessed that one of the most edge of your seat movies of the decade would center around a drummer and his music teacher, but Whiplash is just that. This movie reels you in right away, so that by the time the climax comes, your heart is pounding as if Buddy Rich was playing a solo on it. JK Simmons delivers a masterful performance as the antagonist, but don’t sleep on Miles Teller in the lead role. The title is certainly apt because you will have a hard time catching your breath in this one.
8: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Birdman is a movie trying to do a lot of things at once. It is a meta commentary on success, fame, superhero movies, acting, Hollywood, parenting, and more. It’s a reflection on the career of star Michael Keaton. It’s a movie that is filmed to appear as one continuous tracking shot for the duration, directed wonderfully by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. It’s chock-full of great performances from the supporting cast, with Edward Norton and Emma Stone shining in particular. But most of all, it’s a movie that is incredibly hard to forget and undoubtedly one of the greats.
7: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
My selection of best (pure) comedy of the decade belongs to the Lonely Island. This movie is a send up of pop music in the 21st century, doing to pop what This is Spinal Tap did for 80’s rock. Featuring their trademark comedic and musical gifts, this movie is a non stop laugh fest that will long be remembered as a cult classic, given that very few people actually went to the theaters to see it. But those of us who did know that Andy Samberg and company gave us one of the funniest, smartest, sharpest comedies to come along in a long time that will be watched for years to come, and the soundtrack isn’t too bad either.
6: Baby Driver
Edgar Wright gave us one of the most unique movies of the decade in Baby Driver, combining action, comedy, and drama in this tightly packed movie, but more than that, it’s his use of sound (and soundtrack) that separates this movie from your run of the mill action film. Every shot is to the beat, so expertly crafted, you feel like you are along for the ride with Baby and company. It certainly helps that this movie features Wright’s trademark dialogue, and a cast that is arguably the director has worked with. This movie is a thrill ride in every sense, one that I’m eager to take many times going forward.
5: The Social Network
The Social Network tells the story of Mark Zuckerberg and the founding of Facebook. It’s an expertly made film, with David Fincher directing and a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin, and Jesse Eisenberg stars in the lead role. However, as time has gone on and there have been more and more scandals involving the social media giant, it’s become a fascinating sort of prologue to the Zuckerberg story, practically begging for a sequel to be made. Of course, if that ever did happen, it would be very hard to match the excellence found in this film.
4: Inception
Christopher Nolan had a very strong decade, with Interstellar and Dunkirk both being very highly regarded and his Dark Knight trilogy coming to an end, but it was his journey into the world of dreams that earned him a spot on my list. This mind bending tale is a visual epic, using a combination of practical effects and CGI to create a dream world that serves as the backdrop for a heist to be pulled off by a cast of all stars. The ending of the film has been debated since the movie came out and will continue to be a source of discussion for decades to come, but we can be clear on one thing: Nolan created a masterpiece with this one.
3: Django Unchained
Quentin Tarantino has been enjoying alternate history in the most recent stage of his career, with his four most recent films all dealing with this subject in one way or another. In Django Unchained, he tells the story of a freed slave becoming a bounty hunter and trying to free his wife. Tarantino’s penchant for dialogue, over the top violence, and style all come together beautifully in this film that earned him his second Oscar for screenwriting. Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, and the rest of the cast shine in this epic Western. If Tarantino had your curiosity before, there is no doubt, he now has your attention.
2: The Wolf of Wall Street
The Wolf of Wall Street is a tribute to excess in every way possible. The run time, the drugs, the nudity, the language (a record setter for most uses of the F-word in a movie). All of it to serve the purpose of showing just how extravagant the subjects of the movie are and how little they care about the normal people of the world. Martin Scorsese delivers one of the best movies of his storied career, and his continued relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio pays off once again, as the actor gives arguably the best performance of his entire career. I guess if you wanted to make a good movie this decade, putting Leo in it was a good bet, since he was in the last three on this list. More than that, this movie earns its spot because it is a no-holds barred look into the life of the filthy rich and just how filthy they really are.
1: Get Out
When I was thinking of what movies to put on this list, I had many factors, and one of them was “how did the movie impact me the first time I saw it?” As I thought of that, I realized that no movie this decade hit me the way that Get Out did. I left the theater and contemplated what I had just watched for the rest of the afternoon, analyzing the symbolism, foreshadowing, and hidden meanings to as much as I could think of. Jordan Peele created a masterpiece in his directing debut, a movie that is simultaneously a shining example of a thriller, a brutal examination of race and race relations, a dark satire, and he is able to combine them all so swiftly. This is a movie that is going to be examined and rewatched for years and years to come, thanks to the wonderful performances, sharp writing, and skilled direction. To paraphrase one of the film’s characters: I would have put it on this list twice if I could.
So, there you have it, my 10 best “original” films of the decade and the 10 best franchise movies of the decade. What are some of your favorites? I know I left a ton out. Be sure to check out all the other lists we have put out this week, and keep your eyes peeled for our future posts!