15. Prisoners (2013): Starting off my list is the edgy thriller Prisoners from Denis Villeneuve. Even though this film is NOT a pleasant film-watching experience, especially if you are a parent, it is still an amazingly crafted picture that hooks you within the first few minutes until the last frame.
14. Inception (2010): As I mentioned before, Christopher Nolan is somebody who knows how to turn a blockbuster film into a work of art. Inception is certainly, yet another, one of those films.
13. Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011): I remember when I saw this film, I was certainly entranced. Entranced by the cinematography by Jody Lee Lipes, luminous breakthrough turn by Elizabeth Olsen, as well as the mystery surrounding the film. This is certainly an entrancing yet also incredibly haunting experience. Seriously, when John Hawkes sings "Marcy's Song", it'll get under your skin.
12. Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012): Teen movies are a tricky beast. I'm not going to lie. But thankfully, Stephen Chbosky adapted his own novel into a film and stayed incredibly true to it as the novel was true to teenage life itself. When watching this, it felt like I was reading the book all over again.
11. Whiplash (2014): Who knew that a movie about a kid learning drums could be so terrifying? Writer/director Damien Chazelle. That's who. Oh, and there is the acting powerhouse named J.K. Simmons, who more than earned his Oscar. This movie is my tempo.
10. Black Swan (2010): To quote the Black Swan herself, this movie was perfect. Everything, from the direction to the performances to the costume design, is done with absolute precision. This film is director Darren Aronofsky's magnum opus.
9. Silver Linings Playbook (2012): Silver Linings Playbook has not only become one of the best of the decade so far, but it has also become one of my favorite movies. When watching it, I just can't help but enjoy the chemistry between the two leads, Robert De Niro's return to form, the smart screenwriting, and how it is a romantic comedy with facets like mental illness, superstition, and sports. Excelsior!
8. Drive (2011): Drive is not only an amazing piece of cinema, but it manages to demonstrate how to create a cinematic achievement and give it mainstream appeal as it has a little something for everybody: action for the guys, a romance and Ryan Gosling for the ladies, and masterful filmmaking for the cinephiles. Drive has a killer engine.
7. Boyhood (2014): Despite people claiming this movie is a simple gimmick, in my opinion, Boyhood manages to take the 12-year gimmick and turn a simple story into something special. Not only do we get to watch the titular boy grow, but the family as well and we even get glimpses of nostalgia (Harry Potter, Coldplay, etc.). It is not just about this one kid growing up, it is essentially about all of us.
6. The Place Beyond The Pines (2013): What makes this crime saga so unique is how it demonstrates how one crime can influence those you love, in particular, one's child. This epic telling of fathers and sons features breathtaking cinematography, layered performances, brilliant direction, and a fantastic script. An absolute yet quiet marvel.
5. The Master (2012): The Master is not necessarily a film per se, but an experience. As you watch this film, it feels like you, personally, are taken on the journey that Freddie Quell is. Even if everybody won't appreciate this film, I feel that there is at least one thing people can take away from it, whether it'd be the dynamite acting trio (Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Philip Seymour Hoffman), the beautiful yet mysterious cinematography, the haunting score, or even the terrific screenplay. All thanks to the master himself, Paul Thomas Anderson.
4. The Social Network (2010): The Social Network is another one that has quickly become a favorite of mine. Thanks to the efforts of director David Fincher and writer Aaron Sorkin, the film manages to take its concept on the founding of Facebook and use it as both thought provoking cinema and entertainment. While some might get a kick out of the snappy dialogue, the film will also have people asking questions.
3. Shame (2011): Interestingly, even though Shame seems like the kind of film you watch once, I still find myself wanting to watch it again. Its subject matter is tough to swallow, as it deals with sex addiction, but director Steve McQueen takes no prisoners with his direction and Michael Fassbender delivers a multi-dimensional performance for the ages. The film might be hard to watch, yet I still couldn't look away.
2. Birdman (2014): What more can I say about Birdman other than it is every filmmaker's dream and that it more than earned its Best Picture Oscar? Not much else other than I will likely continue watching it, studying it, and continue being observed by its brilliance.
1. Blue Is The Warmest Color (2013): I have seen this movie in the beginning of last year. Cut to today in in 2015, it still continuously plays in my head. In my opinion, that is how I know I am watching a masterful piece of cinema. When this film premiered at Cannes and won Best Film, it went to its two lead actresses which makes sense because they essentially are the movie, especially the tour-de-force discovery that is Adele Exarchopoulos. She just commands the screen in a film that lasts 3 hours, yet doesn't feel like it, thanks to not just her phenomenal performance, but also the efforts of the cinematographer who would even film her when they would take a break from filming, as well as the superb writing, visceral direction, and support from her co-star/fellow powerhouse Lea Seydoux. I could sing my praises about this movie until the end of time.
Now, here are some honorable mentions that didn't quite make it:
50/50 (2011)
Animal Kingdom (2010)
Compliance (2012)
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Easy A (2010)
Fruitvale Station (2013)
Gone Girl (2014)
Her (2013)
Melancholia (2011)
Starred Up (2014)
So that was my list of the top 15 best movies of the decade so far. Whether you agree or disagree, please feel free to write your thoughts in the comments section. Thanks for reading!
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