As 2019 comes to a close, we not only say goodbye to another year but an entire decade. In terms of the movies of the 2010s, the internet is already filled with lists of the best of the decade. But what movies from the 2010s had the biggest impact?
Every decade sees its own trends and movements within the film industry and the last decade has seen a lot of change as well. Streaming services rose to power, superhero movies became the hottest genre, and there was a push for more diverse voices to be heard. There are a number of key movies that contributed to the decade in big ways and had people talking. Here are the most culturally influential movies of the past decade.
American Sniper
At first thought, America Sniper might seem like an odd choice for this list, but its impact is undeniable. The Clint Eastwood film starred Bradley Cooper as real-life Navy Seals sniper Chris Kyle who had more confirmed kills than anyone else in US military history.
The film received some controversy for the jingoistic, pro-military message, but that message spoke to a particular audience. The film shocked everyone to become the highest-grossing film of the year, beating out films like Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The success of the film might have hinted at a change in the political climate as well.
Wonder Woman
The superhero movie was already in full swing by the time Wonder Woman was released, and yet this was the first major comic book title to star a female hero in the central role. Despite being an icon alongside Superman and Batman, Wonder Woman never had her chance at a big-screen adventure.
For many fans, the film lived up to the anticipation and took full advantage of its ground-breaking status. The movie inspired female power and became the highest-grossing film helmed by a female director. The film also helped give the DCEU a much-needed win.
Moonlight
One of the most memorable and shocking movie-related moments of the decade has to be the Oscar debacle of 2017. A mix-up with the envelops led to La La Land being announced as Best Picture only for it to be corrected to Moonlight moments later.
As insane as the moment was, it should not overshadow the immense achievement of Moonlight. The small indie film with a mostly black cast and centered on a story of homosexuality was crowned as the best movie of the year. And unlike some Oscar years, this was a win almost everyone considered well deserved.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Star Wars is a franchise that will never fade in popularity, but it’s hard to deny that the prequel films were a disappointment. Fans had thought they had seen the end of the adventures from a galaxy far, far away. However, once Disney bought the series, it was announced a new trilogy would continue the story.
The Force Awakens was the first film in the new trilogy and saw the return of Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Luke Skywalker as well as some exciting new characters taking to spotlight. The immense success of the film proved passion for the franchise was still strong.
Joker
Comic book movies ruled the decade, so it makes sense that in the last year of the decade, a movie would come along that would turn the genre on its head. Joker explored the untold origins of Batman’s greatest enemy with Joaquin Phoenix stepping into the iconic role.
The hype behind the movie was insane leading up to the release with controversy around every corner from the director’s comments to concerns over what the movie would inspire. The movie ended up breaking all box office expectations and becoming one of the most divisive movies in recent memory.
Bridesmaids
It’s hard for a comedy to compete with some of these massive movies in terms of impact, but Bridesmaids was a hard movie to ignore. The movie starred Kristen Wiig who was mostly known at the time from her stellar work on Saturday Night Live.
The movie beautifully mixed heart and warmth with the kind of gross-out humor that is normally seen in male-led comedies. The film was a box office success and was nominated for a couple of Oscars. It proved that the so-called “chick flick” had far more to offer than what people thought.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Few people would have thought the fourth film in a series that was already over 30 years old would become one of the most acclaimed movies of all-time. Mad Max: Fury Road blew everyone away. The movie was a non-stop action epic with some of the most insane sequences ever put to film.
The movie showed the brilliance genre films could achieve with the right talent pushing the forward. It is a movie that will continue to inspire filmmakers for years to come just as the great adventure films of the past inspired today’s greatest filmmakers.
Get Out
Horror films can sometimes be dismissed as frivolous but Get Out reminded us that the genre can deliver true masterpieces. The film came from writer-director Jordan Peele who was largely known as a television comedian at the time. It told the tense story of a young black man who spends a weekend with this Caucasian girlfriend’s family.
The movie was an effective piece of genre filmmaking with all the right scares, creepiness and shocking twists. However, the film also hit hard with its message about racism and alienation in the guise of smiling, welcoming faces.
Black Panther
Diversity in Hollywood has always been and remains a problem. However, there has been a movement in the past decade to have new and diverse voices given the chance to be heard by a wider audience.
The MCU was already the biggest franchise around but Black Panther seemed like something very special. The movie came from an African-America filmmaker, featured an almost all-black cast and told the story of an African nation. The movie’s success and its ability to address topics of a particular culture on this scale helped shake away some of Hollywood’s outdated notions of diversity.
Avengers: Endgame
There is no denying that the MCU dominated the decade in film. The massive comic book franchise has its critics, but in an age in which there is concern over overall filmgoing, these movies are bringing people to the theaters.
This year also so the end on the MCU up to this point with the epic finale Avengers: Endgame. While some might dismiss these movies, the storytelling feat of the MCU is staggering, bold and unlike anything seen in film. The movie brought a decade long story to a powerful and satisfying end while leaving plenty more to explore in the future.
