Favorite/Best Movies of the 2010 Decade

37. Eighth Grade (2018)


Year: 2018
Release Date: 7/13/2018
Director: Bo Burnham
Writer(s): Bo Burnham
Starring: Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton, Emily Robinson, Jake Ryan, and Fred Hechinger
Based on: N/A
Distributor: A24
Country of Origin: United States
Language: English
Running Time: 94 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

When the (slightly over-rated) film Lady Bird came out actress Saoirse Ronan received several accolades for choosing not to use makeup to clear up some acne in order to better convey the realities of teenage bodily awkwardness. Eighth Grade is a movie that takes a look at that gesture and says “hold my beer.” Most teen movies like to make their protagonists look like underdogs within their schools, but the truth of the matter is that most of them actually seem to have plenty going for them. Eighth Grad is by contrast one of the only teen (well, tween) movies I can think of where the protagonist truly is an outcast within the school. The film is highly sympathetic about this but it also doesn’t take the easy way out by blaming the rest of the world for this girl’s plight. The popular kids in the school do not go out of their way to be mean to Kayla so much as they just kind of ignore her and frankly you can kind of understand why because Kayla is a bit all over the place. Her Youtube videos are an inarticulate jumble of advice given by someone who has no idea what she’s talking about. I wouldn’t be too interested in watching them, not as an adult and not when I was her age, and true to form they’re shown in the film to have some severely low view counts. People like to suggest that this is some highly modern film about what the internet is doing to “the kids” but if anything it just suggests that social media acts as little more than an extension of the same old middle school pains of trying to be noticed and reach out to people. Her in-person attempts at social interaction are also just painful to watch at times. That’s the thing about this movie, it’s so empathetic that it can be downright hard to watch as Kayla is put through the emotional ringer, but it’s a rewarding viewing experience just the same in order to get to the truth of what it’s like to be someone like this.

17. Cloud Atlas


Because as wildly uneven and imperfect as it may be, Cloud Atlas is also one of the most unique and ambitious movies to come from Hollywood in recent years and frankly, we're lucky to have it.

I’ll take Lady Bird over Eighth Grade.

Nothing against Lady Bird.  I just prefer Eighth Grade so much more.

Neverending's trolling can be infuriating, but it's a force for good when you're on his side.

15. Birdman


Because while huge swathes of the internet seem to hate Alejandro G. Iñárritu, I love the man, and Birdman may well be his best movie.

14. The Handmaiden


Because it's a deeply entertaining and twisty movie with a phenomenal cast that evolves into something honestly touching.

BURN!!!

I think the way you guys feel about Dunkirk is the way I feel about 1917, and the way I feel about Dunkirk is the way (most of) you feel about 1917.

I was gonna argue this point, but then I saw your support for Beale Street, so instead I'll give you the old respectful nod.


13. Blade Runner 2049


Because it's a cinematic miracle that this turned out as well as it did.