If you missed Part 1, check it out here

Melancholia (Lars Von Trier)

Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia begins with a series of surreal apocalyptic images in slow-motion set to Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde.” It’s one of the most visually spellbinding starts to a film that I’ve seen, perfectly setting the tone for everything that follows. This is a slow and sad movie, one that many will consider a slog to get through, but anyone who’s suffered from serious bouts of depression or anxiety will relate to its themes.

Kirsten Dunst gives a career-best performance in this film as Justine, a woman who suffers from chronic depression to the point where she literally can’t will herself to move sometimes. Charlotte Gainsbourg is also excellent as her sister Claire, who tries to take care of Justine but clearly suffers from her own issues. The film focuses on their wildly different reactions to an impending astrological event and how these reactions impact their lives.

While Melancholia requires a fair amount of patience, the emotional payoff is spectacular. As is typical with Von Trier, it’s obvious that even the smallest details were carefully considered, ensuring the film will only grow in impact with additional viewings. If you’ve ever been so depressed that you felt like the world was ending, Melancholia offers a powerful catharsis that reminds you of what’s important.

Mother! (Darren Aronofsky)

An anxiety-inducing nightmare of a film, Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! more than earns the exclamation point in its title. The movie works on multiple levels — you can appreciate it equally as an allegory about environmental pollution, a deconstruction of the bible, an examination of the relationship between artist and muse, or even just a really bad acid trip.

Don’t read anything else about this movie in advance — don’t even bother watching the trailer if you haven’t seen it. Mother! is an experience that undoubtedly works best when you go in blind. If you surrender yourself to the sheer power of Aronofsky’s filmmaking, you’ll be blown away whether you immediately understand the film or not.

Jennifer Lawrence delivers her best performance to date, with strong support from Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, and a scene-stealing Michelle Pfieffer. Most importantly, Aronofsky is at the absolute top of his game and ratchets the intensity up to 11 during the film’s unforgettable climax. Overall, Mother! is his best work since Requiem for a Dream and a strong contender for my favorite film of the decade.

Mr. Nobody (Jaco Van Dormael)

I’ve been championing Mr. Nobody for almost ten years now and it astonishes me how underappreciated the film remains to this day. It never even got a wide release in the US, which is truly a shame because I would’ve loved to see this movie on a big screen. But even at home, Mr. Nobody is a mind-blowing cinematic journey that stimulates your imagination like few movies can.

The story centers on Nemo Nobody (a terrific Jared Leto), the last living mortal on Earth in the year 2092. No one seems to know anything about Nemo’s past, so a journalist attempts to record his life story. However, this proves to be extremely difficult, as every story Nemo tells branches off into several conflicting resolutions that leave it unclear which story is the real one.

Some viewers may find the amount of ambiguity frustrating, but the film does eventually offer definitive answers if you’re paying attention. It’s such a dense and richly layered narrative that you may feel compelled to create a chart laying out all of Nemo’s various life paths chronologically. To be clear though, Mr. Nobody doesn’t require that level of effort to enjoy — it’s just especially rewarding for viewers who like to obsess over the details.

The clarity of Jaco Van Dormael’s sprawling vision is never in doubt and he doesn’t waste a single frame. His direction is aided by gorgeous cinematography, virtuosic editing, and one of the most effective soundtracks I’ve ever heard (fair warning, you’ll be humming “Mr. Sandman” for days). Perhaps most impressive of all, the central love story feels achingly authentic — I’ve rarely been so invested in a romance on screen. It all concludes with a surprising and emotionally complex ending that will leave you eager to experience the film again.

Nymphomaniac: Vol. 1 & 2 (Lars Von Trier)

Without a doubt, Lars Von Trier’s Nymphomaniac is the least accessible film on this entire list — it’s five-and-a-half hours long when you combine the two volumes together and it depicts lots of graphic, unsimulated sex throughout. But please, don’t make the mistake of dismissing this brilliant work of art as pornography because it’s so much more than that. In fact, anyone watching this film for the purpose of erotic stimulation will be sorely disappointed.

The story begins with a simple set-up — reclusive loner Seligman (a never-better Stellan Skarsgard) discovers Joe (a soulful Charlotte Gainsbourg) badly beaten in an alley outside his house. After she refuses medical assistance, he brings her to his home for a cup of tea where she recounts her life story to him. The rest of the film focuses on Joe’s past, with the conversation between her and Seligman serving as a framing device throughout.

Joe is a self-described nymphomaniac and her stories are racy, to say the least — some of them are downright horrifying. But no matter how erotic the encounters, it’s always clear that her ravenous sexual appetite is nothing more than a desperate attempt to make her feel whole. And no matter how powerful the orgasm, her loneliness and sense of emptiness never subside. Seligman, a self-proclaimed asexual and lifelong virgin, is the perfect listener for her stories because he can comment on them honestly without being distracted by his own desires.

Believe it or not, this film is so masterful that I wouldn’t cut a second off the runtime. As always, Von Trier packs his film with symbolism and philosophical musings. He uses sex to examine the flaws of humanity as a whole, showing that we’re doomed to fall prey to our worst impulses over and over again. I see Nymphomaniac as Von Trier’s ultimate dissertation on sex, while The House That Jack Built is his ultimate dissertation on violence. Together, these masterworks comprise Von Trier’s definitive portrait of humanity — it may not be a flattering one, but it’s unflinchingly honest and truly unforgettable.

Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood (Quentin Tarantino)

If you’re my age, you weren’t around in 1969, when Sharon Tate was a rising star and western series dominated the airwaves. Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is probably as close as you’ll get, with the obsessively detailed set design and costuming effectively transporting you to the end of the hippie era before Charles Manson ruined everything.

Speaking of Manson, he’s barely in this movie, contrary to what the initial press may have led you to believe. Even Sharon Tate (a luminous Margot Robbie) has relatively little screentime, though her connection to the main characters is important. In reality, this is the story of a fading actor and his washed-up stunt double trying to reconcile with a Hollywood that doesn’t want them anymore. They’re embodied to perfection by Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, both of whom deliver award-caliber performances that rank among their finest.

You may wonder how these characters connect to Charles Manson and the tragedy that befell Sharon Tate, but Tarantino pulls it all together beautifully in one of the most satisfying endings he’s written to date. While the film is a bit too messy and meandering to stand alongside his best, it never fails to be enjoyable and any flaws are forgiven by the time the credits roll.

Parasite (Bong Joon-Ho)

The first foreign-language film to win Best Picture at the Oscars, Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite actually lives up to the hype. If you’re someone who hates reading subtitles, make an exception for this one – it’s worth the effort.

Parasite pulls off the difficult feat of injecting provocative social commentary into a crowd-pleasing thriller. The first half of the film could be labeled as a dark comedy, an absurdist satire of class struggles. Then, it morphs into something much darker and more sinister before finally exploding in violence and tragedy. Bong and his terrific ensemble of actors handle every sudden tonal shift with ease, keeping you on the edge of your seat until the final shot. The result is a wild roller coaster ride of a movie that’s entertaining and thought-provoking in equal measure.

Phantom Thread (Paul Thomas Anderson)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread is one of the least conventional love stories ever shown on screen. It’s about the blossoming relationship between renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis) and a waitress named Alma (Vicky Krieps) in 1950s-era London. Reynolds is controlling, obsessive, and irritable, making him quite the challenge to live with. Complicating matters even further is his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) who rarely leaves his side and believes she always knows what’s best for him.

The story keeps a tight focus on these three characters to great effect — all of them are multi-dimensional and compelling. Anderson’s script gives them plenty of clever, often hilarious, dialogue to bounce off one another as the tension between each character grows. Daniel Day-Lewis is tremendous in a role that he claims is his last, and Lesley Manville steals every scene she’s in. However, the true standout is newcomer Vicky Krieps, who butts heads with Day-Lewis through the entire film and never gives an inch.

I can’t say why this romance is so unusual without giving too much away — but it’s safe to say that you’ve never seen a couple quite like this before. While the gorgeous cinematography and brilliant performances are enough to hold your attention, it’s the dark secret behind Reynolds and Alma’s relationship that elevates Phantom Thread from a good film to a great one.

Seven Psychopaths (Martin McDonagh)

Though it’s probably the least acclaimed of his three films, Seven Psychopaths is undoubtedly my favorite work from writer/director Martin McDonagh. With its absurd plot, hysterical dialogue, and unforgettable performances, this is an endlessly rewatchable movie that ranks among the most overlooked of the decade.

Colin Farrell leads the cast as Marty, an alcoholic writer who’s struggling to finish his screenplay. He’s forced to go on the run with his friends Billy (Sam Rockwell) and Hans (Christopher Walken) after they unwittingly kidnap a Shih-Tzu that belongs to a deranged mobster (Woody Harrelson). Tom Waits also joins the fun as a heartbroken vigilante who mysteriously carries a rabbit around.

All of this is just as weird as it sounds, but the film never asks you to take any of it seriously. While it’s certainly not a conventional comedy, Seven Psychopaths is filled with laugh-out-loud moments. It’s also quite twisted and violent, creating a delicate tonal balancing act that McDonagh never allows to falter. Most importantly, each actor is transformative in their respective roles, with Walken and Rockwell especially hitting new peaks.

Shutter Island (Martin Scorcese)

One of the more underrated entries in Martin Scorcese’s filmography, Shutter Island is a masterful mystery/thriller based on a novel by Dennis Lehane. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels, who’s assigned to investigate a patient disappearance at a mental asylum on Shutter Island. He’s assisted by Marshal Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) and Dr. John Cawley (Ben Kingsley), the head doctor at the asylum.

Throughout the case, Teddy is haunted by memories of his wife Dolores (Michelle Williams), who was murdered by a mental patient named Andrew Laeddis. It would ruin the fun to reveal any more, as the mystery only deepens throughout the film, building to a jaw-dropping conclusion that’s nearly impossible to predict.

Scorcese channels his inner Hitchcock, creating an ominous mood that gradually increases in tension from the very first frame. It doesn’t fit into his usual style, but that doesn’t make his direction any less masterful. At the same time, DiCaprio delivers one of his best performances in a highly demanding role, baring every shred of emotion in this haunted character’s psyche. It’s yet another brilliant collaboration from one of the best director-actor teams of all time.

Spring Breakers (Harmony Korine)

The first time I saw Spring Breakers was one of the strangest experiences I’ve ever had in a movie theater — I genuinely couldn’t tell if the film was brilliant or awful. However, a rewatch quickly convinced me it’s the former and subsequent viewings have only deepened my appreciation. In fact, Spring Breakers is one of the most original and culture-defining films of our time, though most audiences are unlikely to see it that way.

The key to appreciating this movie is understanding Harmony Korine and what he’s trying to accomplish as a filmmaker. Nothing if not unique, his works range from unforgettable (Gummo) to unwatchable (Trash Humpers). Spring Breakers is his masterpiece, allowing him to work with an A-list cast on a decent budget without sacrificing any of his independent spirit. If you’re familiar with Korine’s trademark of showing humans at their dirtiest, you’ll realize this movie isn’t a celebration of reckless partying and hedonism, but rather a condemnation of it.

Korine’s style is downright intoxicating, sucking the viewer deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole until it’s hard to remember where one scene ends and the next begins. Every frame is a stunning composition, bathed in pink and purple hues that make Florida look like a fairytale. And while I don’t care for the EDM music used in the soundtrack, it’s undeniably authentic and effective in the context of the film.

Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, Ashley Benson, and Rachel Korine are perfectly cast as four college girls who are willing to do anything to keep the party going. They’re believable, funny, sexy, and ultimately frightening. But the true star of this film is James Franco, who steals the whole movie as cornrowed rapper Alien. Franco’s performance is mesmerizing, creating an iconic portrait of a villain who’s both hilarious and menacing. He’s the unofficial mascot of a film that explores the dark side of party culture and what happens to people who never grow out of it.

Uncut Gems (Josh & Benny Safdie)

Uncut Gems is a cinematic panic attack sustained for two hours and fifteen minutes, a disorienting swirl of noise and chaos that will send many audience members running out of the room. But if you’re on the Safdie brothers’ wavelength, this is a masterful character study and slice of New York life that will pin you to the edge of your seat.

Adam Sandler is nothing short of brilliant as Howard Ratner, a Diamond District shop owner who has a tendency to lose money that’s not really his. His careless decisions and selfish actions will make you want to yell at him through the screen, yet you can’t help but root for the guy and hope he turns it around.

The pace is unrelenting, aided by crisp editing and a wonderfully cacophonous score by Daniel Lopatin. The script feels like it was improvised on the spot at first, until closer analysis reveals how tightly plotted and constructed the film really is. It all resolves in a brutal ending that elevates Uncut Gems to instant classic status.

Upstream Color (Shane Carruth)

Shane Carruth’s Upstream Color may be the most difficult film to describe on this whole list. Certainly, the plot is far too abstract to summarize and it’s best to discover the narrative for yourself anyway. All I can say is that it focuses on a man and woman who are drawn into the life cycle of a strange parasite, which begins to influence their lives in mysterious ways. It’s a rare original love story with elements of science fiction and surrealism blended in.

Working on a minuscule budget, Carruth displays an innate talent for creating memorable imagery — things we see every day, like a blooming flower or a flock of birds, become mesmerizing through his lens. He also composed the film’s haunting and gorgeous score, an ambient masterclass that combines with the striking cinematography to produce moments of spine-tingling transcendence.

Sadly, Carruth hasn’t made another film since Upstream Color, citing lack of financing as the primary reason. Hopefully, someone will come to their senses and support him, because he’s clearly a filmmaker with bold and original ideas. There needs to be room in the marketplace for challenging films that don’t coddle the viewer. I can’t pretend to understand everything that happens in Upstream Color, but I know for sure that it’s a powerful and moving experience — what else really matters?

Waves (Trey Edward Shultz)

One of the most emotionally moving films of the decade, Waves is a bold cinematic experiment that offers profound insights on forgiveness and how to deal with loss. Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Taylor Russell are both outstanding in breakthrough roles, while Sterling K. Brown, Lucas Hedges, and Renee Elise Goldsberry provide strong support. Together, this ensemble helps to elevate what could’ve been just another family melodrama into a unique and impactful film.

Also key to the film’s success is the stunning, vividly colorful cinematography that occasionally veers into psychedelic territory. A perfectly-curated soundtrack is the cherry on top, with a haunting score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross blending into unforgettable needle-drops from Animal Collective, Frank Ocean, Radiohead, and many more. For sensory immersion and emotional catharsis, few films can match the highs of Waves.

The VVitch (Robert Eggers)

Most directors don’t knock it out of the park on their first try — Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs and Darren Aronofsky’s Pi come to mind, but those are rare exceptions. That’s why I’m so excited to see what the future holds for Robert Eggers, who crafted a nearly-perfect film for his directorial debut.

The VVitch is set in 1630s New England, focusing on a family of English settlers who are banished from their Puritan colony over a religious dispute. Life doesn’t go well for them in their new home and a series of distressing events that I won’t spoil leads them to suspect a witch is responsible. Unsurprisingly, blame is quickly turned on Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), the eldest daughter whose budding transformation into womanhood makes the whole family uncomfortable.

With the help of gorgeous cinematography and painstaking production design, Eggers fully immerses his audience in the 17th century. A chilling score of screeching strings and ghostly choral passages also helps to set the mood. The cast is uniformly excellent, with Taylor-Joy’s breakthrough performance the clear standout. All of these elements help bring Eggers’s singular vision to life, resulting in a powerful and thought-provoking horror film with a bone-chilling conclusion that will leave you speechless.

The Wolf of Wall Street (Martin Scorcese)

There have been many films about the greed of stockbrokers, but none are as alternately appalling and hilarious as Martin Scorcese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. It’s based on the true story of Jordan Belfort, who manipulated gullible clients into paying premium rates for worthless penny stocks, earning himself a fortune in the process.

The film tracks Belfort’s rise and fall from his early years studying under Mark Hannah (a priceless Matthew McConaughey) to his glory years presiding over Stratton Oakmont with his right-hand-man Donnie Azoff (a never-better Jonah Hill). Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Belfort in the performance of a lifetime, showcasing a previously untapped talent for comedy to go along with his obvious dramatic skills. The sequence where he attempts to drive his car while fried on quaaludes will go down in film history as an iconic example of physical comedy.

American audiences can also thank The Wolf of Wall Street for introducing us to Margot Robbie, who makes a sensational debut as Jordan’s superficial trophy wife Naomi. Rob Reiner, Kyle Chandler, and Jean Dujardin are all great in small roles as well. Most importantly, Scorcese is at the peak of his powers, infusing his signature style and energy into a three-hour epic that never slows down. Few directors are still making movies in their seventies, but Scorcese continues to expand the possibilities of cinema with every new project.

The 2010s were not a consistently great decade for film. A couple years were stacked (2012, 2019) and a few were abysmal (2011, 2015, 2018), with the rest falling somewhere in between. Having said that, I still had trouble compiling my list for this best of the decade feature. Even with the lack of consistency, there was still no shortage of great movies to enjoy over the last ten years.

Ultimately, I decided to highlight 30 films on this list. Why 30? Because I couldn’t narrow it down any further. To avoid an insanely long post, I’ve split the list into two parts. The movies are listed in alphabetical order, since it would be far too difficult to rank them all. Hopefully, this list will introduce you to some great films you missed last decade.

A Field in England (Ben Wheatley)

The true definition of a midnight movie, Ben Wheatley’s A Field in England is one of the strangest and most immersive films I’ve ever experienced. The story takes place during the English Civil War, following a group of soldiers who desert a battlefield to find a pub, but end up stumbling into a field of magic mushrooms instead. This is where they meet a powerful alchemist who forces them to search for a mysterious treasure in the field.

The rest of the plot is beyond description, as the film grows increasingly surreal and disorienting as it goes on. The imagery is truly astounding — it’s hard to believe how much Wheatley and his crew were able to get out of a simple dirt field, filmed in black-and-white on a micro-budget. Beyond the psychedelic visuals, Amy Jump’s script is filled with clever dialogue and a surprising amount of humor, with each actor perfectly embodying their respective roles.

A Field in England isn’t an easy film to understand and most viewers probably won’t have the patience or the commitment to appreciate it. But if you simply surrender to Wheatley’s vision and stop trying to figure out what it all means, you’ll find yourself transported out of reality in a way that few movies are capable of.

Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky)

If you’re like me and have absolutely zero interest in ballet, you may be hesitant to watch Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. But trust me, you don’t need to be a ballet fan to appreciate the beauty and artistry of this film. It’s really about the pressures of performing and the quest for artistic perfection, a recurring theme in Aronofsky’s filmography that could easily apply to countless other practices beyond ballet.

Unfortunately, Nina (Natalie Portman) is so determined to be flawless on stage that she starts to mentally unravel, with the film growing increasingly dark and surreal to mirror her mental state. Portman deservedly won an Oscar for her career-best performance here, and she’s backed up by strong supporting turns from Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, and Winona Ryder. With the help of this cast, Aronofsky achieves exactly what eludes his protagonist: perfection.

The Cabin in the Woods (Drew Goddard)

If you think horror movies are stupid and roll your eyes at every genre cliche, watch The Cabin in the Woods. If you love horror movies and cheer every time Freddy or Jason kills another clueless teenager, definitely watch The Cabin in the Woods. This film is the ultimate example of having your cake and eating it too, working flawlessly both as a deconstruction of the horror genre and as a celebration of it.

The concept of this movie is brilliant and it’s essential that you don’t know anything about the plot going in. It may appear to be a generic, by-the-numbers horror film on the surface, but it turns out to be anything but. The script expertly builds suspense and mystery throughout, keeping you guessing up until the absolutely bonkers climax, which plays out like a wet dream for horror fans.

To be clear, the film isn’t ever truly scary, but it’s not meant to be. It’s actually frequently hilarious and could accurately be labeled as a horror-comedy. But even if it won’t keep you up at night, The Cabin in the Woods deserves pride of place in the horror pantheon as one of the most entertaining and rewarding examples of the genre.

Cloud Atlas (Larry Wachowski, Lana Wachowski & Tom Tykwer)

Cloud Atlas never found the audience it deserves, which is really a shame — it’s one of those rare films that works both as action-packed escapism and as philosophical food for thought. I’m a big fan of David Mitchell’s novel and I can’t imagine a better cinematic adaptation, though I’m not surprised that the nearly-three-hour runtime and time-spanning narrative turned away a lot of viewers.

This is a demanding film, with a plot so expansive and detailed that it could take several paragraphs to summarize. All that’s important to know is that the narrative consists of six stories, each in a different time period and following a different protagonist, that end up connecting in a variety of meaningful ways. Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, and the rest of the cast portray multiple roles, re-appearing in each time period as a new character. It’s an odd technique that works beautifully, especially once you understand what the film is trying to communicate.

Tom Hanks claims that Cloud Atlas is the only one of his films that he’s watched more than twice, and it’s easy to understand why. This is a truly epic film, stuffed to the brim with cinematic delights and big ideas. If you’re one of the many who haven’t seen it, I encourage you to give Cloud Atlas a chance and allow yourself to be swept away by its majestic power.

The Dark Knight Rises (Christopher Nolan)

Is there any trilogy that can match Christopher Nolan’s Batman saga? My answer would be no, though I’m sure some Star Wars and Lord of the Rings fans would disagree. Either way, Nolan single-handedly legitimized superhero movies, proving that they can be dark and thought-provoking films for adults.

While 2008’s The Dark Knight represents the peak of Nolan’s trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises is spectacular in its own right. It’s massive in scope and majestic in execution, with some of the most jaw-dropping action sequences I’ve ever seen. The ensemble cast is also stacked with talent, led by a terrific Christian Bale, a menacing Tom Hardy, and an Oscar-worthy Michael Caine.

The emotional resonance of this film is staggering, easily making up for some pacing issues and minor plot holes in the script. Most importantly, the ending is extremely satisfying — I had goosebumps during the entire extended climax and even shed a few tears. I’ll never forget the whole audience erupting in applause when the film cut to black. It was easily one of the most transcendent moments I’ve ever experienced in a theater.

Django Unchained (Quentin Tarantino)

With Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino proved that the spaghetti western isn’t dead. After incorporating homages to the genre in several of his previous films, Tarantino finally made a full-blown western and the result is one of his finest works. Taking place in the American South a few years before the Civil War, Django Unchained is the story of a freed slave who trains to become a bounty hunter so he can find and rescue his long-lost wife.

As if that plot weren’t awesome enough, Tarantino assembled one of the best casts in recent memory for this film. Jamie Foxx is the definition of cool as Django, while Christoph Waltz steals every scene he’s in as Django’s friend and mentor, Dr. King Schultz. Kerry Washington makes the most of a small role as Django’s wife Broomhilda, effectively communicating the passion of their romance to the audience. Best of all, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson are gleefully repugnant as two of the most iconic villains in Tarantino’s filmography.

The script deservedly won an Oscar for its boldly original narrative, unforgettable characters, and endlessly quotable dialogue. This is the kind of movie that when I try to think of a favorite scene or moment, ten more immediately come to mind. While Tarantino was 3-for-3 in making strong movies this decade, Django Unchained is unquestionably my favorite of the group.

The Handmaiden (Park Chan-Wook)

Park Chan-Wook’s The Handmaiden is a twisty and perverse erotic thriller set in Japanese-occupied Korea during the 1930s. The plot focuses on a pickpocket named Sook-Hee who’s enlisted by a con man to become the handmaiden to a wealthy Japanese heiress named Lady Hideko. Sook-Hee’s job is to convince Hideko to marry Count Fujiwara (actually the con-man in disguise) so he can have her committed to an asylum and steal her inheritance.

Naturally, this plan develops quite a few complications. One of the greatest strengths of this film is how it consistently defies expectations, blindsiding the viewer on multiple occasions. The intricate plot leaves nothing unresolved, with even the smallest details producing large payoffs. To top it all off, the movie features arguably the most passionate and infectious romance between two women that I’ve witnessed on screen.

The Handmaiden is beautifully shot and lushly designed, evoking its period setting flawlessly. The acting is excellent from top to bottom, with Kim Min-Hee and Kim Tae-Ri standing out the most. All of these elements combine to make The Handmaiden Park Chan Wook’s most satisfying feature since Oldboy.

The House That Jack Built (Lars Von Trier)

If The House That Jack Built is truly Lars Von Trier’s final movie, I can’t imagine a better conclusion to one of the greatest filmographies of all time. Though it’s hardly his first masterpiece, this film feels like a magnum opus, a career-defining work that finds the legendary provocateur reflecting on his own legacy. The result is a once-in-a-lifetime cinematic experience, the kind of movie that will haunt your thoughts for days after you watch it.

The House That Jack Built is narrated by a serial killer who chooses five random events in his life to tell his story. There’s a lot more to it than that, but I don’t want to spoil any surprises. The narration, framed as a conversation between Jack and an unseen character, is nothing short of brilliant. The running conversation is like a therapy session in which Von Trier is both the doctor and the patient, splitting his psyche and philosophy into two opposing halves.

Matt Dillon is revelatory as Jack in a performance that should have earned him far more attention. His work is in the same league as Christian Bale in American Psycho or Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver. Bruno Ganz also deserves credit for an excellent vocal performance as Jack’s mostly-unseen speaking partner.

To be clear, this movie isn’t for everyone — it’s dark, twisted, and unapologetically upsetting at times. Viewers who are squeamish about violence will especially want to avoid this one, as it contains some of the most graphic killings I’ve ever seen on screen. But believe it or not, the film is also quite funny and delivers frequent laughs throughout (albeit uncomfortable ones). Overall, The House That Jack Built is an instant classic from one of our very best directors and a strong contender for my favorite film of the decade.

Inception (Christopher Nolan)

Nearly ten years after sparking endless debates among filmgoers, Inception remains a jaw-dropping experience that leaves you feeling both dazed and invigorated. Essentially a heist film set within the mind’s subconscious, the plot focuses on a mission to invade a man’s dreams and plant an idea in his mind that will influence him to make a crucial decision.

Did you catch all that? Don’t worry if you can’t keep it straight because part of the fun of Inception is letting yourself get lost in its many, many layers. It’s hard to be sure if you’re in a dream or reality through most of the film, an experience that mirrors what protagonist Dom Cobb (a typically excellent Leonardo DiCaprio) is feeling. This makes the film both frustrating and endlessly rewatchable, as there are always more details to absorb.

The effects are astounding (that folding city!), the storytelling is brilliant, and the acting is on point. It all culminates in a stunner of an ending that will keep audiences talking forever. Even in a virtually spotless filmography, Inception feels like Nolan’s crowning achievement.

Interstellar (Christopher Nolan)

With its brain-twisting plot and awe-inducing visuals, Interstellar is probably my favorite film ever set in outer space (sorry Kubrick fans). It’s set at an unspecified time in the future, when dust storms and lack of oxygen are destroying the world’s food supply and slowly making Earth uninhabitable. Even bright minds like former NASA pilot Cooper (a terrific Matthew McConaughey) are forced to become farmers in a last-ditch effort to prevent mass starvation.

Through mysterious circumstances, Cooper stumbles upon a top-secret space travel mission that would have little chance of success without him. It involves traveling through a wormhole to a distant galaxy, where there are three potentially habitable planets to explore. If Cooper and his crew succeed, Professor Brand (Michael Caine) has a plan to transport the remaining people on earth to safety, including Cooper’s young daughter Murphy (MacKenzie Foy).

Interstellar is one of the most ambitious films you’ll ever see, taking you everywhere from Saturn’s rings to the inside of a black hole. But even with its many complexities, the most important aspect of this story is simply a relationship between a father and his daughter. Despite some occasionally clunky dialogue, the emotional power of this dynamic is massive and will have many viewers reaching for a tissue box before the credits begin to roll.

The Irishman (Martin Scorcese)

Shame on the Academy for shutting this film out at the Oscars. The Irishman is a late-career masterpiece from Martin Scorcese that can stand proudly alongside some of his greatest works. Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci are all at their best in this film, headlining one of the best casts ever assembled (Harvey Keitel also appears briefly, in a wonderful cameo).

Yes, it’s three and a half hours long — but I wouldn’t change a frame. The patient, sprawling storytelling allows Scorcese and writer Steven Zaillian to achieve a level of detail that few films could match, examining the connection between organized crime and politics through a large chunk of American history. The length also pays off with a haunting, emotionally devastating ending that wouldn’t have the same impact if the film was condensed. It may be on Netflix, but make no mistake — The Irishman is a cinematic landmark.

Killer Joe (William Friedkin)

Killer Joe is an ugly, depraved movie that features a genuinely unsettling performance from Matthew McConaughey. Trust me, you’ve never seen him like this before — I won’t go into detail, but he does something with a chicken leg that many audience members will wish they could unsee. McConaughey is impressively convincing in the role, tapping into a dark side that I never knew he possessed.

The rest of the cast is terrific as well, especially Juno Temple and Thomas Haden Church. The dialogue is brilliant and frequently laugh-out-loud hilarious, even in situations that aren’t exactly comedic on the surface. The story is simple but effective, paying off tremendously in a brutal extended climax that’s edge-of-your-seat suspenseful. Squeamish viewers should stay far away from this one, but Killer Joe is a must-see for any cinephile whose taste skews toward the twisted.

Kill List (Ben Wheatley)

Kill List is a film that I wasn’t even sure if I liked the first time I saw it. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it and a second viewing confirmed that I actually love it. Like Wheatley’s other entry on this list, A Field in England, Kill List is a hard movie to make sense of and will test the patience of viewers who prefer more straightforward storytelling. However, if you can handle some ambiguity, this film will work its way under your skin and haunt your dreams.

The plot begins as a domestic drama, morphs into a violent hitman movie, and finally descends into pure horror at the end. It’s an odd and unpredictable structure that will keep you guessing through the entire film, finally resolving in a deeply unsettling ending that left me feeling shocked and bewildered. If you don’t like to be disturbed, consider yourself warned — this movie will hit you with the impact of a sledgehammer.

The Lighthouse (Robert Eggers)

HAAAAARK!!! I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist — if you’ve seen Willem Dafoe’s epic monologue, then I’m sure you understand why. The Lighthouse is a cinematic experience that defies description, a film of unrelenting madness and strange beauty that never provides clear answers. It acts the way a dream does, pulling you into a situation that doesn’t totally make sense but feels vividly real while you’re in it.

Between this and The VVitch (more on that movie later), Robert Eggers has established himself as one of the most exciting directors in the business. Everything about this film is perfectly realized, from the borderline-Shakespearean dialogue to the breathtaking black-and-white cinematography. It’s all topped off by two award-caliber performances from a never-better Robert Pattinson and a truly magnificent Willem Dafoe. I can’t wait to see what Eggers does next.

The Master (Paul Thomas Anderson)

The Master is a strange film, even by Paul Thomas Anderson’s standards. To be honest, even after watching it twice, I struggle to describe what this film is about and there are at least a few moments that completely baffle me. But I finally decided that it doesn’t matter because The Master is a riveting experience regardless of whether you fully understand it or not.

Anderson brings his cryptic script to life with top-scale artistry and vision, immersing you in the unique cinematic language that marks him as one of our best filmmakers. The stunning cinematography, the seamless editing, the haunting score…every technical aspect of this film is immaculate and the combined efforts will earn any cinephile’s respect. However, the true key to The Master is the magnificent acting from the three core cast members.

Amy Adams is utterly convincing and a bit unsettling in one of her darkest roles. Phillip Seymour Hoffman delivers a towering performance that reminds you he was among the finest actors in Hollywood until his tragically premature death. And Joaquin Phoenix explodes like a long-dormant volcano that’s making up for lost time in a performance that feels like a prelude to Joker. When Hoffman and Phoenix are on screen together, you’ll believe in the power of cinema.