January 25, 2021
I’m sharing a handful of my favorite movies from the past decade because I’m always wishing someone else would do this for me, because let’s face it: Rotten Tomatoes reviews + all the “Most Watched” lists cater to the masses + are full of disappointment.
CAVEAT: you have to share my taste in movies, and that is a BIG GAMBLE -just ask my friends who got mad that I enthusiastically recommended The Lobster to them at a dinner party – they hated it. And I mean hated it. And I still love it. If you can watch that preview + stay on board, then keep reading.
Going in reverse chronological order, here we go:
Little Fish (2021) – best pandemic. Who cares if we’re IN ONE, who cares if you’re sick of pandemic movies – this is a horror story of the highest order and also an incredible romance, plus it’s NEW. In a word, it’s haunting.
Best pandemic/zombie movie is and will always be 28 Days Later (2002), best classic pandemic is Contagion (2011) and best astronomy pandemic is Melancholia (2011). I said what I said.
My Octopus Teacher (2020) – best documentary. I can’t remember the last time I cried (I’m not a crier) – oh yeah, it was during this movie. I was like, What is this wet stuff coming out of my eyes? It is moving + extraordinary, to say the least. I loved it.
Swallow (2020) – best thriller. I love unusual character deep-dives, and this one delivers. Enjoy.
Honorable thriller mention: Calibre (2018), a British film that will have you shouting at the screen + cringing into the deepest crevice in your couch.
Ready or Not (2019) – best campy fun. This movie is lush + funny + gory ridiculousness, I loved it!
The Platform | Spanish (2019) – best dystopian. Talk about transportive – you won’t even remember who you are, this movie grabs so hard.
Booksmart (2019) – best comedy. Thought I was taking one for the team when I took the kids to see this, but I loved it + that took me by surprise. Incredible directorial debut by Olivia Wilde.
Aniara | Swedish (2019) – best sci-fi. One of the best movies I’ve ever seen, at once futuristic + realistic, mesmerizing + horrifying. I have a whole movie review dedicated to this somewhere on this blog…
Midsommar (2019) – best horror movie, hands down.
Honorable horror mention: Spell (2020). Bonus if you love voodoo in your plot.
The World is Yours | French (Le Monde est Toi) (2018) – best comic action. This is two hours of straight-up good time.
Revenge (2018) – best female empowerment. This movie inspired my debut novel more than I realized, I think.
Call Me By Your Name (2017) – best romance. It took me hours to take my head out of the clouds after seeing this movie. Maybe days or weeks, actually.
Phantom Thread (2017) – best dysfunctional romance. People say long relationships are built on love + friendship, but they’re also built on acceptance + commitment. You’ll see what I mean. 😉
The Divines | French (2016) – best foreign drama. Take your heart meds for this fast-paced ride.
Elle | French (2016) – best classic noir. Period.
Tracks (2013) – best adventure movie. This movie is so beautiful, and so inspiring.
I’d love to know what you think of these – leave a comment or DM me.
Thanks for looking + happy watching! xoxo
