Top 10 movies of the 2010s

Another decade, another film bonanza...

The 2010s were an embarrassment of riches when it came to meaningful narratives, innovative characters, originality and diversity in cinema. I can honestly say that, with the exception of my top three picks, this list was at times much too complex to compile. Out of so many options, I chose the films that meant the most to me, as well as those that gave us unique and enduring stories about life and human condition. 

10) Inception (2010, dir. Christopher Nolan) -- A visual feast that examines the vast realms of the subconscious, this Christopher Nolan film is a spectacle like no other. The sophisticated mind-bending tale takes us to the world of corporate spies who use dream-sharing technology to steal information, while also layering shades of reality and guilt. Not many films deal with the topic of lucid dreaming in the erudite way that Inception does and not many of them are this engaging. The amazing cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Ellen Page and Marion Cotillard, and the hallucinogenic effects are guaranteed to play with your perceptions of the world.

9) Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012, dir. Benh Zeitlin) -- In a place where imagination meets survival, a little girl comes of age while trying to save her family and her world. This life-affirming story is at once a timely letter from our damaged planet and a reminder of natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, with all of the sins committed in their aftermath. Quvenzhané Wallis is a dynamite in a small package, whose eyes portray a centuries-worth presence and whose performance is one of the best of the decade. A gentle look at a merciless yet tender universe, this fantasy hits closer to reality than many in its genre.

8) Under the Skin (2013,  dir. Jonathan Glazer) -- A hypnotic look at life and a tale of a lonely outsider, this film delights in taking the viewer to a realm beyond comprehension. Based on Michael Faber's novel, the story of an extraterrestrial being destroying her victims and inadvertently discovering human emotions is a moving and chilling journey of self-actualization. As the enigmatic protagonist, Scarlett Johansson finds nuances in a mostly non-verbal performance, while the Scottish locations lend an air of oppressive dejection to the proceedings. One of the most intriguing science fiction films in recent decades, Under the Skin makes us ponder the notion of ourselves and the notion of what is usually seen as the Other.

7) Get Out (2017, dir. Jordan Peele) -- When photographer Chris travels with his girlfriend Rose to visit her parents' estate, he is worried that her family might not be in favor of their interracial relationship. However, Chris is welcomed with open arms... a bit too open for his liking. This subversive, multi-layered horror mystery plays out like an ominous version of hide-and-seek. The existential narrative evokes the shameful tragedy of slavery, bluntly dismissing the idea of a post-racial United States and reminding us that racism does not have to be overt to have a horrific impact. Peele's Academy Award-winning screenplay is one of the smartest scripts to hit the screens in years and all the performances are gems -- from Daniel Kaluuya's haunting portrayal of a man fighting for his life, to the agonizing desperation of Betty Gabriel's secretive housekeeper, to the warm spark of Lil Rel Howery's much needed moments of levity. Look no further than Get Out for sheer originality.

6) Arrival (2016, dir. Denis Villeneuve) -- When twelve alien aircraft arrive on Earth, linguist Louise Banks is recruited by the U.S. Army to facilitate communication with the extraterrestrials. As she delves into their mysterious language and the world lingers in uncertainty, Louise begins discovering aspects of the visit that no one could have imagined. Based on Ted Chiang's short story "Story of Your Life", Arrival is a potent examination of what it means to be human. With its philosophical view of communication and detailed look at the significance of language, Eric Heisserer's screenplay distinguishes the film from other alien narratives, creating a distinct hybrid of science fiction and drama. As the protagonist, Amy Adams is extraordinary, traversing the researcher's professional curiosity and allowing it to become something more. This film achieves a rare feat -- it does not only leave you in wonder at the universe, but also makes you ponder your own existence in it. 

5) La La Land (2016, dir. Damien Chazelle) -- A candy-colored ode to the City of Angels, this musical feels like a splash of optimism when the world turns grey. The story of an actress and a pianist falling in love as they pursue their Hollywood dreams ponders themes of idealism, artists' harsh realities and finding the One within the beautiful chaos. Charismatic and effervescent, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling dance against the backdrop of Linus Sandgren's eye-popping and Academy Award-winning cinematography through a number of instantly iconic scenes. Try not to hum "City of Stars" for days afterwards, while smiling wistfully at the memory of old Hollywood glamour effortlessly transported to 2016.

4) Gravity (2013, dir. Alfonso Cuarón) -- A space adventure. A fight to stay alive in the toughest environment known to humanity. A meditation on love and grief. Gravity takes these elements and creates an inspirational story that keeps us on the edge of our seats for the length of its duration. As an astronaut trying to survive a shuttle accident and return to Earth, Sandra Bullock gives the performance of her career, one that will stay in your thoughts for a long time. The film will leave you in awe with the epic realism of its setting, the narrative's suspense and the characters' plight. It is an uplifting, disorienting odyssey that is literally out of this world.

3) Raw (2016, dir. Julia Ducournau) -- When vegetarian teenager Justine starts her first year of veterinary studies and is forced to eat meat during a hazing ritual, her taste for flesh and blood starts developing, changing her outlook on life. In another filmmaker's hands, this story might have been lascivious or exploitative or both; in Julia Ducournau's, it is a map of the often brutal female experience and a sharp exploration of growing up. Through Justine's metamorphosis and within the occasionally jarring university context, Ducournau examines ideas of desire, identity and uninhibited yearning, the latter being behavior that is frequently looked down upon and judged. As the neophyte Justine and her vibrant sister Alexia, Garance Marillier and Ella Rumpf are revelations, mining sensuality and fearlessness in both characters. With its bold perspective and profound allegories, Raw is one of the most significant cinematic experiences of the last decade.

2) The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014, dir. Wes Anderson) -- This quirky and poignant tale of a friendship between a concierge and a lobby boy working in the titular hotel is a breath of fresh air, both thematically and aesthetically. Its themes are universal, timeless and timely, warning us of a world on the edge of a precipice and showing that world right after it has fallen into the abyss of fascism. The colorful set design, Robert Yeoman's vivacious cinematography and Wes Anderson's opulent dialogue tinged with satire all unite to create a film that plays out like performance art at times. The cast is brilliant and includes Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Willem Dafoe, Saoirse Ronan, Léa Seydoux and Tilda Swinton. Going from an exclusive locale to the last refuge of a civilized society, this film is a forewarning of the zeitgeist without realizing it and worth visiting again and again.

And the winner is...







1) Call Me by Your Name (2017, dir. Luca Guadagnino) -- A tender story of first love and self-discovery, this film is comprised of moments that take a hold of the viewer's heart and do not let go. When new research assistant Oliver comes to work for precocious Elio's academic father, it does not take long before Oliver and Elio fall in love and start sharing the precious leisure days together. Guadagnino's observant direction coupled with the breezy 1983 Italian summer gives the film a sense of fragility and transforms the central romance into a moment in time that, although undeniable, is one that cannot last. Exploring the divine in the human connection, depicting the essence of the soul and making your heart break in a good way, Call Me by Your Name is the cinematic equivalent of magic and the best film of the past decade.

Review -- Call Me by Your Name

Call Me by Your Name (2017) -- They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It is all relative, they say. Perspective is everything.

However, there are some things, some works of art, that transcend the beholder's gaze. They seep into the soul and settle in, comfortable in their own radiance, spreading their glow all around the heart. They talk to audiences in the tongue of angels, luxuriating in their splendor, generous enough to share it with us. They refuse to leave and we do not ever want them to. Once accustomed to this kind of beauty, we find it impossible to let go.

Luca Guadagnino's adaptation of André Aciman's novel "Call Me by Your Name" is one such work of art. Weaving through its delicate story of first love are themes of LGBTQ acceptance, family and longing. This film is a rare gem.

Precocious teenager Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet) is spending the summer of 1983 with his parents in Italy. One day, a new research assistant arrives to work for Elio's academic father. Doctoral student Oliver (Armie Hammer) is friendly and self-aware, his extrovert nature clashing with Elio's thoughtfulness and his emphasis on his inner life. Quiet Elio soon finds himself slightly irritated by confident Oliver's wanton demeanor.

But Elio is intrigued by the new arrival. Through casual exchanges with Oliver, through occasional encounters with this man, he starts noticing things. He thinks back to their conversations and chastises himself for being "too harsh" to Oliver at one point. He calls him "traitor" when Oliver spends a night with a local girl. Slowly and surely, his feelings cross the line of friendship into something more, something deeper than he could ever have imagined...

Guadagnino's direction is tangible and observant. The director does not only train the lens on the narrative, but also on the subtle multitude of details. We are not only able to witness Elio and Oliver's summer. We can almost smell the sunshine, hear the creaking floors of Elio's family's rustic house and touch the grass that the lovers traverse. We can feel the water splashes in Elio's special nook and feel the warm haze of the lazy sunny days that always pass quicker than we can believe. The fragility of the romance, as well as the lack of acceptance in 1983, are both reflected in the fragility of the season -- the blazing days are sublime, a different realm of existence and a different plane of possibility. Elio and Oliver meet in secret and steal moments, two people who have found each other and who never want to let go, but who understand the reality coming at them like a freight train and realize that they can only fight it for so long.

The performances are one of the film's many special aspects. Chalamet is a revelation as Elio, a brooding teenager in his own world who falls deeply for the person he least expects. Hammer brings out qualms and vulnerability in Oliver, a man whose affection and confidence masks a well of self-doubt. Michael Stuhlbarg's delivery of the monologue -- the soliloquy of love and empathy coming directly from a caring parent's soul -- is nothing short of magical and Amira Casar lends an air of sympathetic presence to Annella, Elio's mother who seems to know her son better than she lets on.

Just like a lost summer, Call Me by Your Name is an ethereal breath, a tender moment that disappears for all eternity before we can catch it. Then again, it was never meant to be caught. In a world on the edge, it was meant to be a place of solace for everyone who has the pleasure to see it and who might be looking for themselves. It was meant to be an exquisite film with performances that linger in the viewer's mind for ages. And it succeeds on every level.     

10/10