8. Hereditary (2018)

It’s hard for me to talk about Hereditary without absolutely gushing over it. I’ve talked before in this series about how A24 is so successful because they cede creative control over to their directors and there is no better example of it than Hereditary. Ari Aster’s debut film is profusely upsetting, terrifying, and utterly brilliant. […]

9. The Nice Guys (2016)

I have a weird relationship with Shane Black I absolutely love some of his movies (Lethal Weapon, Last Action Hero, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) and I can’t stand others (Iron Man 3 is my least favorite MCU movie by a mile and I refuse to even talk about The Predator). When he’s really clicking, I […]

10. The Irishman (2019)

It doesn’t take a Ph.D in film to understand that Martin Scorsese is one of the most important and prolific directors still making movies. He’s released scores of hugely successful and hugely influential films. Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, The Departed, Wolf of Wall Street, and those are just the few that I picked, take […]

11. Avengers Endgame (2019)

Avengers Endgame is the culmination of over 10 years and over 20 films. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that no studio has ever been able to do what Marvel Studios did. The quality and quantity of their run of interconnected stories all serving a larger narrative arc is something no studio has ever been […]

12. The Hateful Eight (2015)

Quentin Tarantino simultaneously doesn’t give a fuck, and maybe also gives the absolute most fucks. Let me explain. With 2015’s The Hateful Eight Tarantino broke all of the rules and made a movie over 2 hours and 45 minutes western that by and large takes place within the confines of a small cabin, and furthermore […]

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Why The Last Jedi Deserves Your Respect

The problem isn’t The Last Jedi, the problem is you. If that sounds like a harsh lead in then I almost apologize. Almost.

13. The Lighthouse (2019)

There are quite a few movies on this list that come from A24, an indie film studio that’s blown up, largely in part because they turn over creative control to their directors. While a lot (most) of A24’s movies are utterly phenomenal, these directors would never be able to have the level of creative freedom […]

14. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Scorsese’s 3 hour maximalist take on white collar criminals is a fascinating study in how someone can both loathe their subject matter and simultaneously glorify them.

15. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Wes Anderson has always had an inkling for the whimsical and colorful. The Grand Budapest Hotel, his 8th full length film, ratchets both up to great effect in one of the more delightful movies of the decade. It’s undeniable that Anderson has one of the most distinctive film making styles of any director working right […]

16. Mad Max- Fury Road (2016)

There is a very strong argument to be made that this is far and away the best action film of the decade. You can also argue pretty effectively that the Oscars fucked up when they didn’t award it Best Picture back in 2015 (sorry I’d take this or The Revenant over Spotlight any day of […]