CS's Top Twenty Five Movies of the 2010s

I'm so happy Phantom Thread made the cut.

15. The Irishman (2019) (104 Points)

An aging hitman recalls his time with the mob and the intersecting events with his friend, Jimmy Hoffa, through the 1950-70s.

CS Voice: “In short, The Irishman is an extremely good film and I've been wavering as to whether I sit in the 'it's great all around' camp or 'it's good but we've seen this already' camp. I think comparing it to other Scorsese films would do it a disservice though and there's so much good stuff about the film that if my main criticism is that it has similarities to other movies then that means it's pretty damn great.” - Doomsday


14. Hereditary (2018) (111 Points)

A grieving family is haunted by tragic and disturbing occurrences.

CS Voice: “Collette absolutely deserves a nomination for this. There is a scene halfway to two thirds through the movie where you see her swing all over the spectrum in a moment, it's a tour de force. The camerawork and set design I agree is another highlight. It's a masterpiece in blocking.” – thebtskink


13. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) (112 Points)

A washed-up superhero actor attempts to revive his fading career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.

CS Voice: “its clear that everything that is in this manic movie mayhem is there for a reason. For example, I don't know why he imagines himself having telekinetic powers, but I'm sure there's a reason (a statement on hi ego seems obvious, but there must be something else to it as well). There's lots that is commented on here, like the nature of criticism and art vs. commercialism in theater, but what the comment is isn't as easy to pick out. Maybe there is no straight comment and these ideas are just thrown out as food for thought.” - IanTheCool


11. [Tie] Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood (2019) (119 Points)

A faded television actor and his stunt double strive to achieve fame and success in the film industry during the final years of Hollywood's Golden Age in 1969 Los Angeles.

“Visually Tarantino's best film. I understand people's complaints, just as much as I do the people who are falling in love with it. While there were times (especially the first viewing) that I started to find issues, the movie mesmerizes me so much that I could care less about those issues and cruise with it. The dialogue is less Tarantino than anything else he's written, with these characters feeling like people and not some otherworldly cool guy or gal his other characters are. Maybe not his best (INGLORIOUS still holds that title,) but it's a film that I feel time will be very kind to, of which I may need some more of with the 9th Tarantino Picture. Do not go in with preconceived notions or be swayed by anyone's take on this.” - Pbar


11. [Tie] Manchester By the Sea (2016) (119 Points)

A depressed uncle is asked to take care of his teenage nephew after the boy's father dies.

“Lonergan’s work as a director is subtle, but it’s also incredibly sharp. He makes great use of the sea-side location and he also keeps scenes visually interesting without ever letting his hand be felt. Perhaps most importantly, Lonergan knows when to allow a moment to simply play out and he also employs silence to great effect. The film as a whole is a pretty significant achievement, one that deserves to be recognized. It’s not easy to create a film which feels so real and layered and it also isn’t easy to explore themes like grief in a way which feels profound and yet still humble and honest.” – PG Cooper

10. Get Out (2017) (126 Points)

A young African-American visits his white girlfriend's parents for the weekend, where his simmering uneasiness about their reception of him eventually reaches a boiling point.

“long the way, there were suspenseful elements that I feel earned "Get Out" the merit in the horror portion of its horror/comedy classification. The scene where the handyman runs full-on at Chris had me terrified as if I was there in his place, and the escape from the basement room reminded me of "Hostel," but with the intensity cranked up a notch. This was true cinema - a new story, well-told and memorable, finely acted and directed.” - daniel


9. Interstellar (2014) (139 Points)

A team of explorers travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to ensure humanity's survival.

CS Voice: "The scope of this film, the things that it stands for, the things it makes you think about...they all outweigh the trivial negatives. I feel sad that anyone can watch this and not come away thinking positively, not about the film but about our existence, about our purpose and our future… This kind of filmmaking is important because it feels like this kind of medium might become the only way that we can get through to people and access them and make them reconsider what matters to them in life.” - Deexan


8. Dunkirk (2017) (141 Points)

Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army, and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.

CS Voice: “[Nolan’s] most serious outing yet, mixed with his usual desire for shooting BIG, he successfully combines practical stunt work with his most gorgeous looking film to date. Chris Nolan may not be perfect, but he is striving for something here that he hadn't previously, and to me, this is the closest thing to him creating a piece of art, and it's something I 100% stand behind. This is the type of film you go to the theaters for.” - donny


7. Blade Runner 2049 (2017) (145 Points)

Young Blade Runner "K"'s (Ryan Gosling's) discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former Blade Runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), who's been missing for thirty years.

CS Voice: “35 years after Ridley Scott's all-time classic science fiction movie graced cinemas, Denis Villeneuve brings us a sequel just short of being its equal… The fact that it comes anywhere close to matching the beloved status of its predecessor is a miracle in itself, but that's what they've pulled off… For now, it's certainly the best film of the year and cements Villeneuve's place as the most exciting filmmaker on the planet.” - Deexan


6. The Revenant (2015) (148 Points)

A frontiersman on a fur trading expedition in the 1820s fights for survival after being mauled by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team.

CS Voice: “quite a heavy film. I liked everything about it and while there were a few things that may have been a touch overdone I still came away greatly satisfied. There are still a couple smaller films I need to see (Carol and Brooklyn) but this is certainly one of my favorite movies this year.” - Doomsday

No joke when I got the notification that I was tagged in the thread and saw two Nolan movies each time I scrolled through one I thought ‘Drac’s gonna tag me just to bust my balls.’ To his credit he saved me for Revenant.

5. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) (165 Points)


A week in the life of a young singer as he navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961.

“That trademark Coen sense of humor is here in spades, with many strangely funny and just downright strange moments that only they can deliver. Oscar Isaac is great, as are all the other actors. I'm not entirely sure if I was rooting for Llewyn or not, but I DO know I was always interested to see where his journey would take him next.” - PhantomKnight


4. Arrival (2016) (173 Points)

A linguist works with the military to communicate with alien lifeforms after twelve mysterious spacecraft appear around the world.


“Arrival is a quietly powerful film about communication on several levels and how that communication is the true key to advancement as well as survival. Though its themes aren't exactly revolutionary, Arrival is an excellent example of a film that has each of its departments working on superb levels and the end result is one that meshes these aesthetics into something that feeds off its strengths instead of clumsily attempting to balance them all. This is another step forward in growth and range by Villeneuve, and even if you haven't been impressed by his previous works you should give Arrival a look.” – SnoBorderZero

3. The Social Network (2010) (192 Points)

As Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea, and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.

“David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin's portrait of the creation of Facebook is both an exhilarating ride and a cold meditation on the cost of success, and it excels at both. The film is perfectly casted, the writing incredibly sharp, the score hypnotic, and the direction from scene to scene just excellent. Each piece is laid perfectly and the film gets better every time I see it.” – PG Cooper


2. Mad Max: Fury Road (240 Points)

In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a woman rebels against a tyrannical ruler in search for her homeland with the aid of a group of female prisoners, a psychotic worshiper, and a drifter named Max.

“Holy Mother of God, this movie was awesome! Compared to the first two Mad Max films, George Miller has really stepped it up in the directing department, and it feels like he's finally managed to tap into the true potential in this universe. He makes this thing feel more grand and of course, he stages some really kick-ass and amazing action sequences, all of which deliver and then some…. Mad Max: Fury Road is an old-school action flick in such a refreshing way.” - PhantomKnight


1. Inception (2010) (339 Points)

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.

“Inception is a masterpiece. Two years ago, The Dark Knight reminded audiences summer films can be more then just explosions and gun fire. They reminded audiences they can be thoughtful, engaging, and powerful. Christopher Nolan does that again with Inception. Whether you want to see a compelling and original story with interesting characters, or you just want to see people shoot at each other and for shit to blow up, Inception is the movie to see.” – PG Cooper

“Jesus H. Christ. Best Picture, Editing, Director, Screenplay. It's all here. Best science-fiction movie ever? Just maybe.” – Jibbs

“I enjoy Inception a lot.” - IanTheCool

“Is this as entertaining as the Dark Knight? Probably not, but it's certainly more interesting. This one right now is hard to rate since I just watched it. While it's not the best movie I've ever seen, it's certainly in my top 3 this year. ” – Doomsday

“Inception is the best movie Nolan has ever made. Memento is pretty close.” – FShuttari

"In case it isn’t already clear, I loved this movie. I loved it visually, I loved it narratively, I loved it as entertainment, I loved it as art and the notion of someone not loving it sort of baffles me.  People are entitled to their opinions but I implore people not to listen to these naysayers. This is a movie that delivers more thrills in five random minutes than most movies have in their entire running time." - Dracula

“This is a film that Nolan had been apparently working on for years, and he has the Batman franchise to thank for this. Much has been said about this film since its release, some good, some not so good, but there's a lot to love. Big in scope, technically proficient, this is Nolan being able to flex his muscles a little bit after being tied to comic books. The editing helps distinguish the multiple story lines, the score is loud and memorable, and his obsession with time hits it's peak. Whether Leo actually gets home or not doesn't matter, though he probably does.” – donny

“How awesome is Nolan?/Let me compare him to a summer's day.../He had the Inception script written in a drawer for years before he made it, before he had had any success./We were staring at a van falling off a bridge for 45 minutes guys./There is literally no other filmmaker on earth that is given carte blanche to make this kind of un-noted feature. /He is nitpickable, but where's the fun in a perfect movie? We need to soak it up because he may be the last of the blockbuster auteurs.” - Deexan

“The film is a masterpiece, not just in terms of genre, but as a film in general and it never loses a step every time I watch it. The detail Christopher Nolan brings to this world is intricate and gives the film a strong mythology but also a sense that this world is very lived-in. The film also does a tremendous job of balancing its mythology, sense of spectacle/action and its more intimate/human component where the character of Dom is concerned. For all the grandiose aspects and ideas on display, Inception always remains driven by Dom's personal mission: getting back home to his family. “ - PhantomKnight

We voted pretty well. Thanks for organizing this, Drac.

Nice work, Dracula. Thanks for putting this together!

Excellent list.  And equally excellent work putting it all together, Dracula.

A solid top ten. Great work Drac, these are always fun.

Its funny, the two movies I was quoted on are two movies I don't really care about.

I just realized this is the first time we've done one of these polled lists where my number one movie didn't actually make the cut. So I take it back, we did not vote well.

Nope, we did vote well.  Quiet, you.