Best Movies of the Decade - Part I

The year 2019 was an amazing year in film. Yet, how does it stack up with the rest of the decade? That is a difficult task to manage. How can you condense 10 years’ of movies into one single list? We at Always the Critic Podcast put together our own respective lists and joined together to form our Top 25 movies of the decade. It was tough narrowing down this list of great films. Before we get started, I would like to point out that although the decade was superhero focused, only one superhero movie made our list. Now that we have that out of the way, without further ado, here are our selections for the Always the Critic Podcast’s Top Movies of the Decade.

Honorable Mentions

Drive, Bridesmaids, The Man From Nowhere, Rocketman, Frances Ha

Rico - #14 | Daniel R. - #27

It's time to let old things die. Snoke, Skywalker, the Sith, the Jedi, the Rebels. Let it all die.

Since the release of Rian Johnson's entry into the Skywalker saga, there has been endless debate as to whether or not The Last Jedi is a good Star Wars movie. Despite the divisiveness, what Johnson is able to do is bring a new, bold perspective to the saga, one that carries hope and signals that anyone can be the hero of the story. The Last Jedi picks up where The Force Awakens left off, with Rey (Daisy Ridley) meeting Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who is self-exiled after his perceived failure with the training of Ben Solo, now Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). The rebels are on the ropes and time is running out. Many of the things in this movie are memorable: The Throne Room, The Holdo Maneuver, General Leia (Carrie Fisher) actually using the Force. The cinematography is gorgeous to look at, and Johnson's direction is exciting to observe. There are many discussion points for the 8th episode in the series, and it does not seem like the discussion will end any time soon. - Rico Albarracin

Rico - #24 | Miguel - #8

We are Sex Bob-Omb and we are here to make you think about death and get sad and stuff!

There is a moment in Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World that made me fall in love with the movie. The moment comes early in the film when Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) is reading a threatening email that he calls "boring." This use of subversive comedy is just a thread in the tapestry that Wright is able to weave into this movie, based on a graphic novel of the same name. Dynamic camera-work and engaging visuals are staples in Wright's work, such as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Still, the charm of an incredible cast, which includes Chris Evans, Brie Larson, Anna Kendrick, and Jason Schwartzman, is what helps this movie become great. Pilgrim is on an adventure to date Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), the dyed-haired beauty who comes with some baggage in the form of seven evil exes. This under-appreciated comedy is one for the ages and stands as an example of great work by a director. - Rico Albarracin

Rico - #8 | Miguel - #30

Leave your worries for awhile, they will still be there you get back, and your memories aren't invited.

As of this writing, Joaquin Phoenix has just been nominated for an Academy Award for his work on Joker. And he is the front runner for the Best Actor award—his first Oscar. This should've happened already with his work on Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master. The film is a psychological drama about Freddie Quell's (Phoenix) encounter with Lancaster Dodd (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), the leader of a religious group called "The Cause." The performances by Phoenix and Hoffman are top-notch, each with his own presence. Phoenix is chaotic and unnerving; Hoffman is controlled and charming. Amy Adams. (Sidenote: I would like to point out that Adams is 0-for-6 on Oscar nominations, and I'm wondering when she's gonna win.) This is just the tip of the iceberg, with incredible work from Rami Malek and Laura Dern. The Master is a stunning, unnerving piece of work from one of our great directors. - Rico Albarracin

Jess - #19 | Rico - #25

Time takes everybody out. Time's undefeated.

When a new sequel to the Rocky franchise was announced, I think most people let out a collective groan. Luckily for us viewers, this legacy sequel is a breath of fresh air. Ryan Coogler, who had just come off his directorial debut with Fruitvale Station, brought a refreshing approach to the franchise that could stand along with the boxing classic Rocky. Looking to make a name for himself and step out of his father's shadow, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) enlists the help of Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) to train him. Jordan plays the role of the spurned underdog with a rage that is bubbling underneath. He exudes the right amount of charm and swagger that shines around people but is dimmed when alone. This entry also gave Stallone his second Academy Award nomination for the role that has defined him. Moving and engaging, Creed packs a punch and is a worthy entry to the series. - Rico Albarracin

Rico - #18 | Daniel R. - #13

Crazy thing is... it's true. The Force, the Jedi. All of it. It's all true.

The Star Wars prequels left a bad taste in a lot of viewers’ mouths. That is a broad statement, and it does not reflect all viewers since there are fans of the prequel series. So when the announcement for a new trilogy happened, there was a mix of hope and trepidation among fans. Would we be disappointed with the results that Disney produced? From most accounts, Disney made a roaring success with The Force Awakens. JJ Abrams was put in charge to steer the new endeavor, after his revival of Star Trek, and provided an entertaining and exciting outing that mixed the old with the new. The casting was astounding, with the additions of Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), and Adam Driver (Kylo Ren). Many aspects of the movie are rehashes of A New Hope: having a character come from a desert world to fight a masked figure and stop a machine the size of a planet. The Force Awakens is enough of a remix to satisfy the old guard and introduce Star Wars to an entire new generation. - Rico Albarracin

Rico - #12 | Miguel - #22

I may have come close, but I never had what you two have. 

No love burns quite as much as a first love does. Luca Guadanino's Call Me By Your Name is a tale of self-realization, young love, unexpected identity. A coming-of-age romance between studious teenager Elio (Timothee Chalamet) and statuesque academic Oliver (Armie Hammer) who comes to study for the summer. What unfolds is a hot summer of stolen glances, a mostly hidden affair, al-fresco meals, peaches (as you may have heard) and dancing. This film succeeds in a variety of ways from Timothee Chalamet's much-lauded performance of a teenager in love, to a soundtrack that's at once a dreamy alternate universe top-40 shoegaze and classical. Each shot in this film is a painting—a gorgeous fresco of summer of Italy with bright colors and a palpable heat that rivals the passion of our protagonists. It's a story we've seen before but never like this, and it will stand as one of the greatest films of all time. - Miguel Albarracin

Rico - #22 | Miguel - #6

The past is just a story we tell ourselves.

This is the second time that Joaquin Phoenix has shown up on this list and it does not go unwarranted. Phoenix is a phenomenal performer and his work shines brightly in Her, the film written and directed by Spike Jonze. Following Theodore Twombly (Phoenix), Her is the story of a lonely writer who writes personal letters for others while dealing with the effects of a divorce from his wife Catherine (Rooney Mara). Unhappy with what is happening in his life, Theodore buys a virtual assistant by the name of Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) that comes with artificial intelligence. What transpires is a complicated yet loving relationship between man and machine. Johansson lends her voice to the sultry Samantha, attentive, caring and genuinely funny. Jonze’s script is an examination of society’s need and dependence on electronics and A.I. and is what is its logical end point. At points funny, in others heart-wrenching, Her is an elegant love story that is uncommon….for now. - Rico Albarracin

Jess - #15 | Daniel R. - #15

Miles: Can I return it if it doesn’t fit? Stan: It always fits. Eventually.

Question: How many times do we have to see Spider-Man on the big screen? If it was a necessary evil to get the delightfully refreshing animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, then so be it. Sony delivered a home run with this wildly entertaining superhero origin story featuring not one, not two, but six Spideys! With voice performances by Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, John Mulaney, Nicolas Cage (yes, that Nic Cage), Chris Pine, and Liev Schreiber—whew; a completely different comic-book inspired animation style; and an incredibly popular soundtrack that won a Grammy Award, it doesn’t take a radioactive spider bite to figure out why Into the Spider-Verse deserves to be on this list. - Jessica Firpi

Rico - #20 | Miguel - #7

When you come to the end of the line, with a buddy who is more than a brother and a little less than a wife, getting blind drunk together is really the only way to say farewell.

I cannot say that I am the biggest Quentin Tarantino fan. I watched Pulp Fiction for the first time in 2019 and thought “this is the movie that people have been raving about for all these years?” And don’t get me started on Reservoir Dogs. Yet, with all of that said, I do enjoy three movies that I have seen: Inglorious Basterds, Kill Bill, and Once Upon a Time in…Hollywood. Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood is a wonderful slice-of-life film set in 1969, following aging TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). This is a “hang out” movie, one where we are dropped into a moment in time to see how characters live and interact with each other. The dialogue is superb, the acting is excellent, which includes DiCaprio pulling off multiple roles throughout the film. Much was made about Margot Robbie’s role as Sharon Tate, but she is the most heartwarming part of the film, adding joy to each scene she is in. Of course, the movie descends into madness that ends with a flamethrower. Not many movies create a sensation of going back to revisit the world, but Tarantino’s Hollywood is one I would step into whenever I could. - Rico Albarracin

Rico - #23 | Miguel - #2

Perfection is not just about control. It is also about letting go. Surprise yourself so you can surprise the audience.

What happens when someone wants something so bad that they end up undoing themselves in the process? This is one of the compelling themes explored in Darren Aronofsky's 2010 psychosexual thriller Black Swan. We follow the backstage drama of Nina (Natalie Portman), a shy, oft-overlooked ballerina who's auditioning for her first starring role in her company's production of Swan Lake. Her overly perfect technique lands her the part of the White Swan but lacks the spontaneity and sensuality required for the role of the Black Swan. Nina's desire to embody the Black Swan is intensified by the pressure brought on by Thomas (Vincent Cassell), her director, Lily (Mila Kunis), a sensual, imperfect-but-perfect dancer for the role, and her overbearing mother Erica (Barbara Hershey), who literally keeps Nina locked away in naivety. Their demands and influence add pressure to Nina's quest to embody the qualities of the Black Swan both off stage and on. Aronofsky's masterful work deftly blurs reality without creating frustration for the viewer – a tight line to walk. The scenes are ominously gorgeous, the subject matter and choreography brilliantly rehearsed, all set to a soundtrack composed by none other than Clint Mansell that adds a terrifying reworking element to that of Swan Lake's iconic score . Black Swan is a challenging frenzy that keeps horror in mind and subverts tropes often found in the psychological thriller and makes for one of the greatest films of the 2010s. - Miguel Albarracin

Jess - #17 | Rico - #15

Who allowed you to be this beautiful? Who allowed you to take my breath away?

Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut simply crackles with explosive laughs and memorable shenanigans. Two high school best friends decide to put their books down and have some fun before graduation. A close cousin to Superbad, and even features Jonah Hill’s sister Beanie Feldstein, Booksmart is, for lack of a better word, smarter than Superbad. And funnier. I couldn’t stop laughing at the ridiculous duo Amy and Molly, played by Beanie and Kaitlyn Dever. Superb casting! The running gags were perfect, side characters were side-splitting, and the adventure worth staying out late for. Drug-laced strawberries, murder-mystery dinners, and serial strangler pizza delivery guys, oh my! - Jessica Firpi

Rico - #11 | Daniel R. - #3

Fate whispers to the warrior. A storm is coming. And the warrior whispers back. I am the storm.

Not many sequels are better than their predecessors. Very few exceptions come to mind, like Terminator 2: Judgement Day or The Dark Knight. It is even rarer when a franchise finds its stride after several films, like Fast Five. The Mission Impossible series found its footing in this decade, and the crowning achievement was Mission Impossible: Fallout, directed by Christopher McQuarrie. This film franchise follows a similar formula to its British counterpart James Bond; each movie is a self-contained story with one or two familiar faces. Fallout eschews this idea and builds upon the themes, characters, and consequences of Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is still investigating the rogue syndicate, which is now being led by an unknown member by the name of John Lark. After losing nuclear weapons in a deal gone wrong, Hunt, along with the IMF team and CIA agent August Walker, must stop the threat before time runs out. What pushes this movie into our list is the action. Almost everything is practical, including Cruise risking his life for our entertainment. The adrenaline rush from these movies is the perfect answer to the summer blockbuster. - Rico Albarracin

Rico - #6 | Miguel - #10

I didn’t grow up Catholic. But I know that many people relate to this movie because of the upbringing they share with Saoirse Ronan’s character. So how does a movie about a teenage girl who wants to move away from her family in California resonate with me? Thank writer and director Greta Gerwig’s script. A coming-of-age story of a teenager who dreams of becoming an artist, Lady Bird is a movie for all the dreamers who feel trapped in their current situations, hoping and wishing that the grass is greener on the other side. Ronan plays the role of an entitled brat with excellence, trying to forge a path ahead in the most reckless way possible. This was my introduction to both Beanie Feldstein and Timothee Chalamet (already mentioned on this list). Laurie Metcalf’s Marion is the stern mother who does not coddle her daughter, leading to many disagreements and fights. Is Lady Bird terrible for the way she treats others around her? Yes. She is selfish and won’t put much stock into others’ thoughts or feelings but, again, she is a teen who wants the world. Wouldn’t you? - Rico Albarracin

Jess - #10 | Rico - #3

Despite knowing the journey... and where it leads... I embrace it. And I welcome every moment of it.

This alien encounter movie goes beyond the typical blockbuster thriller and heads to drama territory with its high concept and moody cinematography. Louise and Ian (Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner) are part of a top-secret government operation to study and communicate with aliens living inside of a lima bean-shaped spaceship (one of 12 stationed around the world). They try to ask basic security questions of an alien race who doesn’t understand English—Are they hostile? How long are they staying? Why are they here? But instead of focusing on the aliens, the movie delves deep into Louise and what we perceive as her past. The twist ending reveals that (spoiler) her past hasn’t even happened yet. Just like the circle-shaped alien language, which she comes to understand, Louise experiences time all at once instead of linearly. What is language? What gives language meaning? If you knew your past, present, and future, would you still make the same choices? Heavy-hitting questions that this movie delivers expertly for the audience to ponder. - Jessica Firpi

Jess - #3 | Rico - #9

I want you to know that eventually this will all be over and whatever we win or lose...it will be the two of you having to figure this out together.

Noah Baumbach wrote and directed this masterful, at times terrifying, look at divorce. Starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johannsen, Marriage Story is just that—a marriage story. I found it brutal and beautiful, leaving me emotionally bankrupt. The hellish, complicated divorce portrayed is realistic and oddly specific. You’d think a movie about a manic divorce in this day and age would feel generic, but Marriage Story feels earnest and genuine. How do you untangle 10 years of your life that’s been intertwined with another person? Who is at fault? This movie depicts that in emotionally draining episodes throughout the saga. - Jessica Firpi

Check out part II of the Top of the Decade list, where we unveil out top 10 movies of the 2010s.