The 10 Movies That Tell the Story of the Last 10 Years

"Collectively, the movies released in theaters over the past 10 years document the decade's many peaks and valleys and moods, and provide a glimpse into what was happening in the world upon their release. So, rather than assessing the films of the 2010s via the familiar ranking format, we wanted to pinpoint the one movie that represents each year best, as a means of remembering the period of great creative upheaval, corporate consolidation, and financial anxiety from which they came. In making our selections, we naturally gravitated toward movies we admired and movies that sparked passionate debate, but we also looked for ones that presented a larger idea, kicked off a trend within the industry, or simply captured the vibe of the era."