Okay, so 2019 still has some time to go (who knows what masterpieces await us between May and December) but #FilmTwitter is already all a twitter taking polls and checking the temperature of the room on the best films of the 2010’s.
I couldn’t help but play along.
At first glance my Top Five seems pretty solid:
- Phoenix – d. Christian Petzold
- Phantom Thread – d. Paul Thomas Anderson
- If Beale Street Could Talk – d. Barry Jenkins
- The Tree of Life – d. Terrence Malick
- Inception – d. Christopher Nolan
Oddly, Inception was my #2 film from 2010, behind Debra Granik’s Winter’s Bone, but as time has passed, Inception holds up better than I expected and is worthy of classic status. Winter’s Bone will probably still end up somewhere on the list, but it’s not the type of film to revisit over and over.
Other films, that while I still greatly respect and will likely land spots somewhere (and won #1 or #2 slots in their respective years) just don’t seem necessary to revisit and have lost some stature over time:
Wind River, Arrival, La La Land, Interstellar, 12 Years a Slave, Gravity, Lincoln, The Grey, Blue Ruin, Melancholia
Films that have grown in stature and are in the running for Top Ten of the Decade:
Moonlight, Mad Max: Fury Road, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, Drive
Films from 2019 that have a shot, at least for Top Ten of their respective year:
Us, Transit
It’s always interesting to look back on my lists from each year and track how my sentiment has changed over time and what films stick with me vs. quickly fade. Some of the honorable mentions on my lists I can’t even recall. What were Bal, When We Leave, and The Forgiveness of Blood? Others I clearly remember but think to myself, was I joking? I mean Chef is a nice movie and all…but?
Check back early in 2020 for a complete roundup and official list.
What have been your favoritie films of the decade so far?
Check out my roundups from past decades:
- Revisiting There Will Be Blood – The Best Film of the 2000′s
- Revisiting The Sweet Hereafter – The Best Film of the 1990′s
- Revisiting Paris, Texas – The Best Film of the 1980′s
- Revisiting Network – The Best Film of the 1970′s
- Revisiting 2001: A Space Odyssey – The Best Film of the 1960′s
- Revisiting Rear Window – The Best Film of the 1950′s
- Revisiting The Third Man – The Best Film of the 1940’s
The Schleicher Spin 
The Tree of Life for sure! http://www.thetreeoflife.blog
You are far braver than I. I don’t think I could boil down a single best film from the decades. I suppose I could, but it would be so painful. There Will Be Blood is one of my all time favorite films. I’m a huge PTA fan and Daniel Day Lewis is a spectacular actor. One of the best. To me, he’s better than De Niro because he’s more versatile. I’d much rather watch The Unbearable Lightness of Being or Phantom Thread than Falling In Love, though it’s always a pleasure to watch Meryl Streep.
Rock solid choices, all.
There Will Be Blood was my top pick for the previous decade. DDL is one of the all time greats for sure.