Welcome to the beginning of a massive undertaking. I have decided to look back at the last full decade of film and rank my Top 150 movies of the 2010s. It was a decade of massive change in Hollywood—the birth of the cinematic universe, the streaming revolution, and a renaissance of horror.
Before we dive in, I want to mention that once this series is complete, I will be publishing the full Master List of all 150 movies in one place for easy reference. But for now, we are going to take it year by year, giving each film the spotlight it deserves.
A quick disclaimer before we start: ranking art is inherently subjective. This list is simply based on my personal judgment and what has stuck with me over the years. It was extremely difficult to narrow this down, and there was plenty of movement in the rankings right up until the moment I hit publish. Furthermore, while I watch a lot of movies, I haven’t seen everything. There are undoubtedly some hidden gems or critical darlings from the 2010s that I missed, so if your favorite isn't here, it’s not because I hated it—I might just need to add it to my watchlist.
We kick things off with 2010. It was a year defined by mind-bending original blockbusters, the emotional conclusion of animated eras, and the rise of social media giants. Here are the 15 films from 2010 that made the cut for my all-decade ranking.
Inception
Rank: #1 Director: Christopher Nolan
It is fitting that the movie topping my entire list for the decade was released in its very first year. But for me, Inception holds an even higher honor: it isn't just my favorite film of the 2010s; it is my number one movie of all time. Christopher Nolan managed to turn a complex metaphysical concept—corporate espionage within the subconscious—into a massive summer blockbuster that didn’t treat the audience like children. The film demands your attention, layering rules upon rules about "kicks," totems, and dream levels, yet it never feels like a lecture. It feels like a heist movie played out on the grandest stage imaginable.
The technical achievements here are second to none. While many blockbusters of the 2010s leaned heavily on green screens, Nolan’s insistence on practical effects gives Inception a tactile weight. The rotating hallway fight scene remains one of the most impressive technical feats in cinema history, disorienting the viewer in the best way possible. Hans Zimmer’s booming, brass-heavy score (the "BRAAAM" heard ‘round the world) became the defining sound of action trailers for the next ten years, perfectly matching the epic scale of the visuals.
But what truly cements Inception at the top spot is its emotional core. Beneath the exploding snow fortresses and bending cities, this is a story about grief. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Cobb not as a cool action hero, but as a man haunted by guilt and the memory of his wife. The ambiguity of the final shot—the spinning top that may or may not fall—sparked debates that are still raging in film circles today. It is the gold standard for "smart sci-fi" and stands as my personal favorite cinematic experience.
Did You Know? That famous rotating hallway scene wasn't CGI. The production team built a 100-foot-long centrifuge that rotated 360 degrees with the actors inside to simulate the shifting gravity.
True Grit
Rank: #34 Director: Joel & Ethan Coen
Remaking a classic John Wayne film is a dangerous proposition, but the Coen Brothers didn't just remake it; they improved upon it. By stripping away the Hollywood polish of the 1969 version and leaning into the harsh realities of the Old West, they created a film that feels authentic and dusty. This adaptation is much more faithful to Charles Portis’s original novel, capturing the distinct, archaic dialogue that makes the characters feel like they truly belong to a different era. The language is formal, flowery, and often hilarious, a trademark of the Coens’ writing style.
Jeff Bridges is a force of nature as Rooster Cogburn. While Wayne played the role as a hero, Bridges plays him as a drunk—a man past his prime, barely holding it together, mumbled and cantankerous. It’s a performance that doesn’t ask for your sympathy but earns your respect. The cinematography by the legendary Roger Deakins turns the bleak landscapes into beautiful, stark paintings, utilizing natural light and shadows to emphasize the isolation of the journey.
However, the real anchor of the film is Hailee Steinfeld. At just 13 years old, she went toe-to-toe with titans like Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin and completely held her own. Her portrayal of Mattie Ross is sharp, stubborn, and wise beyond her years. She is the driving force of the narrative, proving that true grit isn't about physical strength, but sheer force of will.
Did You Know? Hailee Steinfeld beat out over 15,000 other applicants for the role of Mattie Ross. She was virtually unknown before this role, which earned her an Academy Award nomination.
127 Hours
Rank: #38 Director: Danny Boyle
James Franco gives the performance of his career in this harrowing survival drama based on the true story of Aron Ralston. While everyone knows the ending—the gruesome act required to escape—the journey to get there is a masterclass in acting. For the vast majority of the runtime, Franco is the only person on screen, unable to move. He has to convey terror, regret, delirium, and eventually acceptance, all with his face and voice. It is a charismatic, heartbreaking performance that anchors the entire film.
Director Danny Boyle (of Slumdog Millionaire fame) injects the film with kinetic energy to avoid it becoming a claustrophobic bore. He utilizes split screens, frenetic editing, flashbacks, and hallucinations to take us out of the canyon while keeping us trapped in Ralston’s mind. The sound design is particularly visceral; you feel the thirst, the heat, and the dullness of the knife.
Ultimately, 127 Hours is a testament to the human spirit. It forces the audience to ask the impossible question: "Could I do what he did?" The climax is difficult to watch, but it is earned. The rush of euphoria when he finally breaks free is one of the most cathartic moments in film history, turning a tragedy into a triumph of will.
Did You Know? The production crew built an exact replica of the Bluejohn Canyon slot where Ralston was trapped in a warehouse, but they also shot on location in the actual canyon for wide shots to capture the isolation.
Despicable Me
Rank: #43 Director: Pierre Coffin & Chris Renaud
It is easy to be cynical about the "Minion-mania" that has taken over pop culture in the last decade, but we have to remember just how fresh and funny the original Despicable Me was when it dropped in 2010. It flipped the standard animated script by focusing on a supervillain protagonist. Gru, voiced perfectly by Steve Carell with a nondescript European accent, wasn't a hero; he was a guy who froze people in coffee lines. That subversive edge made the comedy land for adults just as much as kids.
At its heart, however, this is a story about fatherhood. The dynamic between the curmudgeonly Gru and the three orphan girls—Margo, Edith, and Agnes—gives the film a genuine emotional core. Watching Gru's icy exterior melt away is a trope we’ve seen before, but it is executed here with such charm and warmth that it feels new. The "It's so fluffy!" scene became an instant classic for a reason.
And yes, the Minions. In this first outing, before they were plastered on every billboard and meme on the internet, they were perfect comedic relief. They were agents of chaos, visual gags that worked in the background without overwhelming the plot. Combined with a catchy soundtrack produced by Pharrell Williams, Despicable Me remains a high point of modern animation.
Did You Know? The Minions were originally written in the script as large, tough, orc-like henchmen. The directors decided to make them small and simple to make Gru look more sympathetic (and because they were running low on the animation budget!).
The Social Network
Rank: #47 Director: David Fincher
A movie about the founding of Facebook sounds like it should be the most boring film ever made—people sitting in rooms typing code and getting sued. Yet, in the hands of director David Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, it became a modern Shakespearean tragedy. Sorkin’s dialogue is razor-sharp, moving at a breakneck pace that demands your full attention. Every conversation feels like a sword fight, brimming with wit, arrogance, and betrayal.
Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg is iconic. He plays the founder not as a monster, but as a tragic figure—brilliant, driven, but deeply insecure and socially disconnected. The film doesn't necessarily demonize him, but it exposes the irony of a man who invented the world's biggest social platform yet destroyed his own real-life friendships to do it. The supporting cast, including Andrew Garfield as the ousted Eduardo Saverin and Justin Timberlake as the flashy Sean Parker, are all firing on all cylinders.
The atmosphere is elevated by the Oscar-winning score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. It’s dark, ambient, and unsettling, giving a movie about college students the tension of a thriller. The Social Network captured the exact moment the world changed, serving as a prophetic look at how the internet would come to dominate our lives.
Did You Know? Aaron Sorkin’s script is widely considered one of the best of the century, but the real Mark Zuckerberg wasn't a fan. He claimed the only thing the movie got 100% accurate was the wardrobe—specifically the fleeces and sandals he wore.
Toy Story 3
Rank: #49 Director: Lee Unkrich
For a generation that grew up with Woody and Buzz, Toy Story 3 was the perfect goodbye. Pixar took a bold risk by confronting the passage of time head-on. The story of Andy going to college hit home for anyone who has ever had to leave childhood behind. It explores themes of obsolescence, loyalty, and letting go in a way that resonates deeply with adults, while still providing the colorful adventure kids expect.
The film goes to darker places than its predecessors. The villain, Lotso Huggin' Bear, is a genuinely menacing figure who runs the daycare like a prison warden. And then there is the incinerator scene—a moment of existential dread where the characters essentially accept their own mortality holding hands. It is a gut-punch of a sequence that few "kids' movies" would dare to attempt.
But it earns every emotional beat. The final scene, where Andy gives his toys to Bonnie and plays with them one last time, is one of the most tear-jerking moments in animated history. It effectively closed the book on the original trilogy in a way that felt final, satisfying, and beautiful.
Did You Know? The team studied prison escape movies like The Great Escape and Cool Hand Luke to accurately map out the Sunnyside Daycare breakout sequence.
Shutter Island
Rank: #52 Director: Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese trying his hand at a psychological horror-thriller resulted in one of the most atmospheric movies of the decade. From the opening scene, where the ferry emerges from the fog, the tension is suffocating. Leonardo DiCaprio gives a frantic, sweaty performance as U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels, but the supporting cast—especially Ben Kingsley and Mark Ruffalo—adds layers of unease to every scene.
Leonardo DiCaprio is my favorite actor of all time, and 2010 was truly his year. Between this and Inception, he delivered two distinct, masterful performances back-to-back, both dealing with characters questioning their own reality and mourning a lost wife. While Inception showcased his ability to lead a massive blockbuster, Shutter Island allowed him to spiral into pure, unadulterated madness, cementing his status as the best in the business.
It is a movie that demands a rewatch. Once you know the twist ending, you see the entire film differently. The clues are there from the very first frame, hidden in plain sight in the dialogue and the way the guards react to Teddy. It’s a tragic puzzle box that gets better every time you open it.
Did You Know? The film is littered with visual clues about the ending. For example, every time Teddy is given a drink or lights a cigarette, pay close attention to the people around him—the "guards" and "staff" often break character in subtle ways that hint at the role-playing nature of the island.
The Other Guys
Rank: #61 Director: Adam McKay
In a genre filled with generic buddy-cop movies, The Other Guys stands out by being absurdly, wonderfully weird. While it has the structure of an action movie, it has the soul of an absurdist comedy. Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg have surprisingly great chemistry; Wahlberg’s intense, whisper-shouting rage perfectly balances Ferrell’s polite, desk-pop-loving accountant energy. They are the guys in the background of other movies, and seeing them take center stage is hilarious.
The opening sequence with Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson is an all-timer, perfectly satirizing the ridiculousness of action movie tropes. The fact that two super-cops would jump off a building simply because they were too pumped up to think straight sets the tone for the rest of the film. It mocks the machismo of the genre while participating in it.
Beyond the slapstick, the movie is actually a surprisingly sharp satire of the 2008 financial crisis and white-collar crime. But mostly, it’s memorable for the quotes. From "I’m a peacock, you gotta let me fly!" to the silent fight at the funeral, The Other Guys is one of the most quotable comedies of the 2010s.
Did You Know? The famous "Aim for the bushes" scene was completely improvised in terms of the logic. There were no bushes. The joke is that these "super-cops" were so bought into their own hype that they thought they were invincible.
How to Train Your Dragon
Rank: #64 Director: Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois
Before 2010, DreamWorks Animation had a reputation for snarky, pop-culture-heavy comedies like Shrek and Madagascar. How to Train Your Dragon proved they could do earnest, sweeping epics, too. This film has a grandeur to it that is rare in animation. The flight sequences are exhilarating, capturing the feeling of speed, altitude, and danger better than most live-action blockbusters. The score by John Powell is a masterpiece, adding a Celtic-inspired swell that lifts every scene.
The heart of the movie, however, is the silent bond between Hiccup and Toothless. It’s a classic "boy and his dog" story, but told with high-stakes fantasy action. The animators did an incredible job giving Toothless personality without dialogue, making him feel like a real, intelligent animal.
It also boasts a surprisingly poignant ending. Most family films would have magically healed Hiccup after the final battle, but this film allowed him to lose his leg, mirroring Toothless’s missing tail fin. It showed that heroes can be damaged and that scars are part of the journey.
Did You Know? The animators based Toothless’s movements and behavior on cats, dogs, and horses, but his visual design was specifically inspired by a black panther to give him that sleek, dangerous, yet intelligent look.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Rank: #71 Director: David Yates
Splitting the final Harry Potter book into two movies was a controversial move at the time, but Part 1 justifies it by offering something unique in the series: a road movie. Stripped of the safety of Hogwarts, the guidance of Dumbledore, and their usual allies, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are isolated and desperate. The pacing is slower and more meditative, allowing us to really feel the weight of the Horcrux on their friendship.
The film looks incredible, trading the warm halls of the school for bleak, gray English landscapes. It features some of the best acting in the franchise, particularly the simmering tension between Harry and Ron, which culminates in a fight that feels genuinely dangerous. It creates a sense of hopelessness that makes the stakes of the coming war feel real.
It also features the "Tale of the Three Brothers" animated sequence, which is a stunning piece of silhouette animation that stands out as one of the artistic high points of the entire saga. It sets the table perfectly for the explosive finale while standing as a moody, atmospheric character study on its own.
Did You Know? The scene where Harry and Hermione dance in the tent to "O Children" wasn't in the book. It was written for the film to show a brief moment of relief and friendship amidst the crushing depression of their mission.
The Crazies
Rank: #79 Director: Breck Eisner
Horror remakes are rarely good, let alone great, but The Crazies is the exception. It takes George A. Romero’s 1973 concept and updates it with sharper tension, better acting, and higher production values without losing the story's nihilistic edge. It’s terrifying because the threat hits on two levels: the infected neighbors who turn into violent killers, and the ruthless government containment response that treats the healthy citizens as collateral damage.
Timothy Olyphant is the perfect anchor for this chaos. He brings a weary, sheriff-just-trying-to-do-his-job realism to the horror, grounding the more fantastic elements. He isn't an action hero; he's just a guy trying to get his wife out of town. The chemistry between him and Radha Mitchell gives the survival story emotional weight.
The scares are effective and often nasty. From the pitchfork scene to the car wash sequence, the film knows how to ratchet up the tension. It’s a lean, mean, and shockingly effective thriller that punches well above its weight class in the genre.
Did You Know? The makeup team designed the "infected" look to be grounded in reality. They researched diseases like rabies, tetanus, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome to create a look that was sick and feverish rather than just "zombie monster."
Buried
Rank: #90 Director: Rodrigo Cortés
Buried is a high-concept thriller that commits 100% to its premise. Ryan Reynolds spends the entire 95 minutes inside a wooden coffin. There are no cutaways to the outside world, no flashbacks to his life before—just a man, a lighter, a cell phone, and the darkness. It is a masterclass in tension, lighting, and camera angles, finding inventive ways to shoot a box without it becoming visually stale.
This was the movie that proved Ryan Reynolds had serious dramatic chops beyond his usual sarcastic, comedic persona. He carries the entire film on his back (literally and figuratively). We go through every stage of grief and panic with him. His frustration with the bureaucracy on the other end of the phone line is palpable and infuriating.
It is a grueling watch, but an unforgettable one. The film doesn't cheat the audience; it stays true to the nightmare scenario right up until the gut-punch of an ending. It captures the terrifying feeling of helplessness better than almost any other film.
Did You Know? Ryan Reynolds suffered from genuine claustrophobia during filming. As the shoot went on, the crew gradually filled the coffin with more sand to simulate the burial, meaning by the end of the shoot, the panic you see on screen was very real.
Unstoppable
Rank: #91 Director: Tony Scott
The final film from the late, great Tony Scott is a perfect example of blue-collar action cinema. It’s about a runaway train, and that’s it. No villains, no complex conspiracies, no aliens—just physics. Denzel Washington and Chris Pine play regular guys trying to do a job, and the tension comes from the sheer weight, speed, and momentum of the train.
Scott shoots the train like it’s a monster in a horror movie (it even has a growl built into the sound design). The pacing is relentless, accelerating just like the locomotive itself. The practical effects are the star here; seeing real trains smashing through obstacles adds a visceral crunch that CGI simply can't replicate.
The dynamic between Washington’s veteran engineer and Pine’s rookie conductor adds a nice layer of generational conflict, but they ultimately bond over their shared competence. It’s a tight, efficient, and exhilarating adrenaline rush that proves you don’t need a complicated plot to make a great action movie.
Did You Know? The film was inspired by the real-life "CSX 8888 incident" in 2001, where a train carrying hazardous materials ran unmanned for just under two hours through Ohio.
Family Guy Presents: It's a Trap!
Rank: #129 Director: Peter Shin
By 2010, the Family Guy "Star Wars" parodies had become a beloved tradition, and It's a Trap! (covering Return of the Jedi) was the final chapter. While it arguably leans a bit heavily on the "we're running out of characters" jokes, it’s still a hilarious love letter to Star Wars fans. Seeing characters from American Dad! and The Cleveland Show drafted in to fill roles adds a meta-layer of humor that works for fans of the MacFarlane universe.
The special excels at pointing out the plot holes and absurdities of the original film, from the Ewoks defeating the Empire to the logic of the Death Star's construction. It’s not high art, but it captures a specific moment in pop culture where Family Guy ruled the airwaves.
For many, this trilogy served as a gateway into Star Wars or a way to bond over the franchise with a cynical, comedic twist. It’s a satisfying conclusion to the "Blue Harvest" saga that provides plenty of laughs for those in on the joke.
Did You Know? The title It's a Trap! was actually a replacement. The working title was We Have a Bad Feeling About This, but they changed it to reference the famous Admiral Ackbar meme line.
Kick-Ass
Rank: #139 Director: Matthew Vaughn
Before Deadpool and The Boys deconstructed the superhero genre, Kick-Ass did it with a rusty pipe. It asked a simple question: "What if a regular kid actually tried to be a superhero?" The answer was: "He'd get beat up. Badly." The film is hyper-violent, colorful, and shockingly profane, bringing a punk-rock energy to a genre that was just starting to dominate Hollywood.
It introduced the world to Chloë Grace Moretz’s Hit-Girl, who remains one of the most controversial and badass action characters of the decade. Seeing an 11-year-old girl perform John Woo-style gun-fu was shocking, hilarious, and thrilling all at once. Nicolas Cage also delivers a bizarrely brilliant performance as Big Daddy, channeling Adam West's Batman in a way that is both funny and strangely touching.
Kick-Ass refused to play by the rules. It didn't care about being family-friendly or selling toys; it wanted to shock you and entertain you. It stands as a cult classic that paved the way for the R-rated superhero hits that followed.
Did You Know? No major studio wanted to finance the film because of the violence and the character of Hit-Girl. Director Matthew Vaughn had to raise the money himself and produce it independently to keep his vision intact.
Next Up: Best Movies of 2011!