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| Scene from Carol |
With 2019 marking the end of a decade, it's time to commemorate the past 10 years with the help of Listmania Decades. Over this year's 12 months, the series will look at a variety of different styles of film in order to highlight everything that made this period unique and exciting. While this isn't meant as a collection of the greatest films ever released, it's more meant as a highlight of films that I would consider to be among my favorite, or ones that are worth remembering in the future. So please feel free to join me every 19th of the month to highlight a new entry that will highlight 25 films that exemplified a certain field of cinema. There's a lot of great work out there, and this list barely captures the bulk of it. Feel free to leave your favorites in the comments so that we can find more to appreciate before this year is through.
THIS MONTH: In honor of Women's History Month, this month's column is dedicated to all of the great cinema that was created by women. This is specifically in relation to their work behind the scenes as directors and writers on projects ranging from mainstream blockbusters to international dramas. While this list is only of 25 films released between 2010 and 2019, there's dozens and hundreds more out there. In order to spread the love around, every artist will be given only one spot in the list, though be sure to check out any additional recommendations that will be found in the footnotes for each section. There's a lot out there worth checking out, and these women make cinema a lot more exciting with their unique visions.
Written By: Phyllis Nagy
In a time where society struggles to maintain civility, it's hard to appreciate the purity and warmth of cinema. With director Todd Haynes' Carol, the film explores a story of love between two women in a time of hostility, where to be open would be to risk public reputations. Even then, it's a tender romance that shows actresses Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara at the top of their games, making an intimate relationship into one of the most perfect encapsulations of cinema this decade and possibly ever. It's in the way that the two stares at each other, knowing something deeper in their hearts will always keep them together. This is more than a story of two women in love, it's the story of what draws us to people in the first place. By the end of the film, it's hard to imagine a time before this meticulous, touching drama not filling our hearts with warmth and purpose. It's a masterpiece like no other, and all it takes is a little compassion.
Directed and Written By: Greta Gerwig
Over the past 10 years, there have been few indie ingenues to emerge quite like Greta Gerwig. Whether you've noticed her for her acting, writing, or directing, she has created one fo the most authentic personas of the modern age. It all culminated in this early 00's coming of age story that saw her twist Saoirse Ronan into one of the most memorable teenagers in recent cinema. Every line is confident in its humor, the experiences are ripe with painful familiarity. Everything about the Sacramento-set movie is a charming ode to growing up and the struggle to be understood by your peers as well as family. Gerwig seems set to continue to impress, in front of the camera and behind, and one can imagine her becoming out of the most essential female directors of the next decade as she continues to explore the human experience in the ways that only she knows how.
See Also: Frances Ha (2013), Mistress America (2015)
Directed and Written By: Gia Coppola
At some point in life, everyone has been a teenager. It's an inescapable part of life, and director Gia Coppola explores the struggles in one of the decade's best debuts. The camera wanders through as if memory from another time as Devonte Hynes' whimsical score plays underneath. The story pieces together in a way that adds meditation to the mundane, making it into a beautiful reflection of being young and reckless, unable to understand the greater world beyond your own problems. It's a frank and honest film with a great performance by Emma Roberts grounding everything. Everyone may have not grown up in the houses in Palo Alto, CA, but the feeling of barely escaping trouble is. This is a perfect scrapbook of a time that is unlike any to come again. It's beautiful and precious in all of the best ways possible.
Directed and Written By: Kathryn Bigelow
For every American, the events of 9/11 have had a seismic impact on how the world is seen. For some, it's the depression that comes with the loss while others take it further and desperately seek revenge. While it received controversy for its cruel depiction of interrogations, there have been few films that have gotten to the heart of this feeling quite like Zero Dark Thirty. It's a frustrating journey spanning over a decade of cat and mouse hunting, lead by Jessica Chastain in one of her career-best roles. She's dedicated, focused on capturing the man who brought forth so much misery. But, what exactly will happen once things are solved? It's a question that the film grapples with and makes it essential, even as the actual narrative has been legally proven to be false. It isn't about the truth, but the emotional distress that continues to haunt America almost 20 years later.
See Also: Detroit (2017)
Written By: Julie Delpy
While it does seem likely that director Richard Linklater will better be remembered this decade for Boyhood, a lot of credit should be given to his other time-challenging drama. Before Midnight is the third film in an unlikely series that follows one could over the course of decades. The previous two were deeply rooted in the young romance that we all love to fantasize about. What makes the unexpected third entry a masterpiece on another level is how it ages the characters realistically. They have families now, their good looks are fading, and conversation about fading into irrelevance haunts every conversation. It helps that Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy have developed one of the most affecting chemistries of any couple on film. You buy into their achievements as well as their heartbreak, and the finale is a beautifully piercing reminder of how deep love can go for us all. It's still unclear if there will be a fourth film, though that's as predictable as this film existing. Still, here's hoping that if that day should come that it maintains the beauty and wisdom that this series so lovingly captures in every single piece of dialogue.
Directed and Written By: Lynn Ramsey
In a sense, We Need to Talk About Kevin has aged profoundly due to the fact that violence has only become more complacent in society. It's unfortunate but gives meaning to a film that paints one mother's struggle to understand her child, an antichrist of sorts who is constantly at odds with her. It's the pain of raising a hellion, unsure of what to do to make their lives better. It's one of Tilda Swinton's best performances in a decade full of great performances, and the nonchronological format allows for the slow reveals to add depth to the past and present. Is Swinton just as much a monster for Kevin's demise? It's a film with no easy answers, and in the process creates one of the most haunting depictions of motherhood this decade while establishing Lynn Ramsey as one of the best directors of the modern era.
See Also: You Were Never Really Here (2018)
Directed and Written By: Ana Lily Amirpour
As far as directorial debuts come, few can claim to be as interesting in its blend of genres quite like Ana Lily Amirpour's. The Iranian filmmaker premiered her neo-western-horror-romance that takes the black and white cinematography and makes something beautiful. With a skateboarding vampire who listens to rock music, the film manages to avoid becoming precious by exploring the world of misfits with such clarity. It's a film with plenty of depth and explores the struggles of being young and different, especially in a culture that rewards complacency. While Amirpour has yet to come out with a film as effectively rich with detail as this, her English debut The Bad Batch at least shows her continuing to challenge style and story-telling in a manner that is enjoyable and odd. More than any filmmaker, she seems destined to make some of the most original and exciting films of the upcoming decade.
See Also: The Bad Batch (2016)
Directed and Written By: Floria Sigismondi, Written By: Cherie Currie (Book)
The world of music biopics can generously be described as contrived, but director Floria Sigismondi finds a way to not only make The Runaways entertaining but maybe even vital. With great central chemistry between Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning, the film explores what it means to be a young woman in a judgmental society. The Runaways are a band built on edge and being young rebels, and yet there's a bond between the girls that makes them something greater. They mature into women bonded together by their inability to trust anyone else, including their seedy manager played by a deliciously awful Michael Shannon. There's so much to love about the energy of the songs, and the heart of the performances make it something greater. This was the point where Stewart proved that she could be more than the Twilight girl. She was here to stay and she means business as one of the most talented performers of her generation.
Written By: Gillian Flynn
Few fiction writers have had as great of a decade as Gillian Flynn, whose work with Gone Girl and the TV series Sharp Objects has made her an essential voice in modern crime fiction. Her unique depiction of women stuck in compromising positions has produced some of the most memorable, controversial depictions in quite some time. However, her work with director Steve McQueen may be among her best... and it's not even based on her own work. The adaptation of an 80's TV series has an all-star cast lead by Viola Davis that explores women who are forced to perform a heist to close deals set up by their deceased husbands. It's a novel concept made better by the tense direction and how the story becomes a tale of social struggles that inform why we do bad things in the first place. It may have bombed at the box office, but the film will hopefully continue to be reappraised as the years roll on and its genius continues to be discovered from every one of its standout, excellent moments.
See Also: Gone Girl (2014)
Directed and Written By: Andrea Arnold
Following incredible work in Fish Tank, director Andrea Arnold takes a trip over to America with an epic that explores the life of magazine-selling teens just trying to make enough to survive. With a breakthrough performance by Sasha Stone, the film is a brilliant epitome of what indie film can be as it finds authentic performances in first-time actors who fill this world with a unique personality. Not a lot may happen throughout the course of the film, but what Arnold does is allow this world to grow and be explored in a manner that is engrossing. There's power in every frame, and the results are perfect. It's a film that could've gone on for another 90 minutes and still been great. American Honey has so much greatness going for it that it's hard to ignore as kids sing Lady Antebellum. It's just a song in the back of the van, and yet it feels like the most important thing in the world.
Written By: Diablo Cody
The story of pregnancy on film has often been portrayed as something mythical and beautiful. It's true that there's something inspiring about having a child, though there are those few who aren't ashamed about talking about the dirty parts. Writer Diablo Cody made her breakthrough with the pregnancy comedy Juno and returns to the world 11 years later with a tale that's even more scarring and unpleasantly hilarious. With another career-best performance by Charlize Theron, this quasi-fairy tale explores the struggles of growing up and losing relevance as parenthood takes hold. There have been few films this honest and creative with the post partum depression phase of a woman's life, and it may be divisive as a result. Still, Cody has grown exceptionally as a writer over the years, and this is easily the best example of why she's an essential voice in modern cinema.
See Also: Young Adult (2011), Ricki and the Flash (2015)
Directed and Written By: Sarah Polley
Every family has a certain thing that makes them both singular and like everyone else. They all have stories about their family that has been handed down from generation to generation. In the case of director Sarah Polley's pseudo-documentary, she explores the life of her mother through multiple perspectives in her family. With footage both original and recreated, Polley goes out of her way not only to explore the life of this one woman but also how we tell stories in general. It's a deconstruction of family dynamics and narrative designs that explore what it means to remember someone. We all remember people differently, and Polley is one of the few to capture it on film in a way that's provocative and informative about this idea. It's definitely evidence of her talent as a filmmaker, even if she, unfortunately, hasn't released anything since.
See Also: Take This Waltz (2011)
Directed and Written By: Anna Biller
The year 2016 brought with it two very different types of witch movies. The Robert Eggers film The Witch was a dark and demented look into a family being overcome by the demons. It's haunting because of just how realistic it all feels. On the flip side was director Anna Biller, whose heightened visuals with a bright pallet created a film that's borderline campy but also captured the story of female empowerment in a way that is memorable to say the least. There aren't many directors like Biller, and Samantha Robinson's performance here has a deadpan seriousness that makes the violent acts both appalling and maybe even humorous. There's a lot to love about the experience of watching the film, if just because it's hard to forget and proves that there's much more to Wiccan lore than being scary. Sometimes it's about using your sexuality to gain favors. Men are dumb and Biller understands that better than most in a delightful, crazy manner.
Directed and Written By: Sofia Coppola, Written By: Nancy Jo Sales (Article)
There have been few female directors with the clout and talent of Sofia Coppola. With an impressive decade that has seen some of her best work, she continues to be a vital voice to the cinema with her quiet stories of women struggling with their place in the world. While it's easy to put any of her films on this list, The Bling Ring feels special in part because it was part of the Freshman class of A24 Studios, but also because it took Emma Watson out of her comfort zone and made her a delightful debutante. It's a story about our obsession with fame and the void that trying to reach it without any noteworthy talent shares. While it's cold and easy to hate the central cast, it's a comedic tale that works as a cautionary tale wrapped in a documented look into naive youth. It's a bit frustrating, but it's the closest that Coppola has come to capturing the modern era in a way that is vital and even familiar.
See Also: Somewhere (2010), The Beguiled (2017)
Directed and Written By: Gillian Robespierre, Written By: Elisabeth Holm
Following her hot button issue comedy Obvious Child, director Gillian Robespierre returns with another Jenny Slate vehicle that is far more charming and hilarious. What the film does best is not only recreate the 90's in a way that isn't hacky, but finds the heart of a central sister relationship as they deal with their parents' affairs. It's the type of film that works in the tradition of hangout indie comedies while telling a story with as many twists and turns as they could fit into an emotional tale. It's a story about relationships connecting and falling apart in the familiar yet awkward ways that people in love often have. It may not seem like a great film, but it's a special one that explores family in a way that is as heartwarming as it is unpleasant. Slate has rarely been better, and one can hope that she teams up with Robespierre more often in the future.
See Also: Obvious Child (2014)
Directed and Written By: Marielle Heller, Written By: Phoebe Gloeckner
There have been hundreds of films exploring teen angst, but there have been few American films that have been as frank about sexuality as this. With a great lead performance by Bel Powley, the story explores a teenage girl's exploration not only of herself but also of how she forms certain relationships in her life. While its comic book adaptation shines through in fantastic segments, the story is grounded in a wounded familiarity. As teenagers try to understand their place in the world, they have awkward tumbles that are unpleasant and maybe too edgy for conventional cinema. While this is a solid R-Rated film, it's a great learning curve for teenagers entering the scary world. It's a touching film that gets to the heart of why we pursue the relationships that we do and treats them with a sincerity not often seen.
Directed and Written By: Deniz Gamze Erguven, Written By: Alice Winocour
While there's a lot of great perspectives to be found in American cinema, there's something affecting about this vision of what it means to grow up in a strict household in a Turkish village. With comparisons to The Virgin Suicides, the story shows how a house full of teenage girls try to break out of the house in the hope of living a fulfilling life. The drama is powerful and sets first time director Deniz Gamze Erguven on an interesting path. With an ability to allow a quiet scene to play out in a meticulous manner, the personal story manages to be full of emotion and drama that will stick with the audience. Few have made being young and bored so compelling and familiar. Simple acts have rarely felt as grandiose as this. One can hope her career has many more hits like this down the line.
Directed and Written By: Desiree Akhavan
Her career may have just started, but Desiree Akhavan has quickly established herself as one of the most promising up and coming artists out there. With her debut feature, labeled a "pansexual Woody Allen," she goes into personal territory as she explores not only what it means to be Persian American, but also the struggles of finding love in the modern age. The moments are so candid that they had to come from experience. Akhavan fills each scene with a vulnerability that is complemented by awkward humor and a dedication to exploring modern sexuality. It may be a simple film, but Akhavan's charisma carries the film and makes it a sight to behold. Love is a messy thing, and few get it quite like her.
See Also: The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018)
Directed By: Patty Jenkins
In a time where Batman has received multiple reboots (including in LEGO form), it's strange that it took this long to produce a Wonder Woman movie. Given her prominence in pop culture as the premiere female superhero, there's so much to mine from an iconic career. With that said, the film was more than a tribute to the D.C. Comics character. It was a film that broke down the barriers and said that female superheroes not only could lead their own movies but produce stories as compelling and universal as the male counterpart. While the film will likely be studied for this grounds alone, Gal Gadot's great performance gives the film a permanence that is undeniable and the World War I setting helps to explore gender politics in a manner that is never on the nose condescending. The battlefield scene alone is worth the price of admission and raises the question not only of why it took this long for a Wonder Woman movie but also why female directors haven't gotten projects this big regularly. Patty Jenkins' work here is superb and proves that boys aren't the only one who can breathe life into action. In fact, they're sometimes better.
Directed and Written By: Lena Dunham
For those who grew up in the age of Twitter outrage, it's hard to remember a time before Lena Dunham's Girls became a controversial part of the conversation. With a frank look at the struggles of 20-somethings, the show captured a side of growing up that wasn't pleasant at times, and maybe too honest for Dunham. Her first film as a director may have barely escaped some of that ire, but it still proved her confidence as a future creator. Most of the Girls cast makes some appearance here and it helps to establish her as one of the most promising voices of her generation. The film's as awkward and gross as her HBO series, but there's still plenty of substance underneath to fuel a compelling character study of a woman not entirely sure what she wants to do with the rest of her life.
See Also: Nobody Walks (2012)
Directed and Written By: Lorene Scafaria
Post-apocalyptic cinema is a dime-a-dozen these days. It's so full of dread and, in the case of Mad Max: Fury Road, full of wicked car chases. What director and writer Lorene Scafaria posits is a world where something more mundane happens. It isn't about spectacle, but more the heart of what it means to know that your death is imminent. With one of Steve Carrell's best performances, the film works as an ensemble comedy that deals with dark subjects in a quirky manner that manages to balance sadness with the upbeat nature of enjoying your last moments alive. It's a mature vision and one that works as a perfect tale of self-reflection for the modern man. It's still a unique story that can touch you if you're willing to give into its heart.
See Also: The Meddler (2015)
Directed and Written By: Lana and Lilly Wachowski
When looking back at this triumphant decade, there will be few puzzlements of cinematic achievement quite like Cloud Atlas. With a story that intertwines hundreds of years of human civilization and make-up work that remains controversial, the story is a philosophical journey that tries to explain how everything is connected. Even if it has its flaws, what it makes up for is one of the most expansive and creative films of the 21st century. It pushes boundaries and proves that art house films have reached new heights, especially since this is considered the biggest budgeted indie film in history. Still, it's a film that is often breathtaking, powerful, and challenging. It's what cinema should be and is arguably the greatest achievement The Wachowski Sisters have made since The Matrix. They continue to remain a singular force in pop culture's grasp of sci-fi, though rarely have they been this exact with their vision.
Written By: Alice Birch
By the time that you read this, actress Florence Pugh will hopefully be on her way to becoming one of her generation's best actresses. While she has done work before, there's no denying that her turn here demands attention, asking the audience to take every uncomfortable decision and judge her for it. It's a tale of a woman who grows bored with being a housewife and performs a series of homicidal acts that are shocking. They're only made worse by the period piece setting and the lingering dread that pops up in every frame. How could you possibly deny the charisma of Pugh here? Even when she doesn't say much, she threatens you in a way that demands attention. It may be a quieter film, but Alice Birch's adaptation is a thing of haunting beauty, relying as much on atmosphere as it does action in ways that are hard to forget.
Written By; Jessica Sharzer (Screenplay), Darcey Bell (Novel)
It would be easy to put most of director Paul Feig's work on this list, especially as the more recognized Bridesmaids was considered a breakthrough for women in comedy. However, there have been few oddball films in his repertoire as that of his latest. It's one of those trashy murder mysteries that in a post-Gone Girl world have become rote. However, the writer Jessica Sharzer adapts Darcey Bell's novel with an acidic wit, playing into every dark impulse that a film like this would need to have fun. It may not ever resonate on a level as Gillian Flynn's masterpiece, but it does have a career-best performance from Blake Lively and an aesthetic that turns the trash into class and throws the audience into one of the most exciting third acts of the decade. It may be a very silly film that favors titillation over logic, but Sharzer makes every frame matter in a way only complimented by gorgeous costume design and Feig's cheeky direction.
See Also: Nerve (2016)
Written By: Amy Andelson and Emily Meyer
In a world of endless franchises, there have been few as unappreciated as the Step Up franchise. Over the course of five films, the series reflected some of the best and most innovative ways to bust a move on the big screen. Along with a breakthrough work by director Jon M. Chu, the third entry encapsulated the series best by bringing a new dimension to the dance. It's as much an art piece as it is a story of misfits coming together. With a great central cast and an upbeat soundtrack, the camera whirls around the characters with such ease that it becomes a powerful statement on dance in general. There's power in every frame and with characters exuding great chemistry, this is a one of a kind achievement made better by its excellent writing and direction.
1. Carol (2015)
Written By: Phyllis Nagy
In a time where society struggles to maintain civility, it's hard to appreciate the purity and warmth of cinema. With director Todd Haynes' Carol, the film explores a story of love between two women in a time of hostility, where to be open would be to risk public reputations. Even then, it's a tender romance that shows actresses Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara at the top of their games, making an intimate relationship into one of the most perfect encapsulations of cinema this decade and possibly ever. It's in the way that the two stares at each other, knowing something deeper in their hearts will always keep them together. This is more than a story of two women in love, it's the story of what draws us to people in the first place. By the end of the film, it's hard to imagine a time before this meticulous, touching drama not filling our hearts with warmth and purpose. It's a masterpiece like no other, and all it takes is a little compassion.
2. Lady Bird (2017)
Directed and Written By: Greta Gerwig
Over the past 10 years, there have been few indie ingenues to emerge quite like Greta Gerwig. Whether you've noticed her for her acting, writing, or directing, she has created one fo the most authentic personas of the modern age. It all culminated in this early 00's coming of age story that saw her twist Saoirse Ronan into one of the most memorable teenagers in recent cinema. Every line is confident in its humor, the experiences are ripe with painful familiarity. Everything about the Sacramento-set movie is a charming ode to growing up and the struggle to be understood by your peers as well as family. Gerwig seems set to continue to impress, in front of the camera and behind, and one can imagine her becoming out of the most essential female directors of the next decade as she continues to explore the human experience in the ways that only she knows how.
See Also: Frances Ha (2013), Mistress America (2015)
3. Palo Alto (2014)
Directed and Written By: Gia Coppola
At some point in life, everyone has been a teenager. It's an inescapable part of life, and director Gia Coppola explores the struggles in one of the decade's best debuts. The camera wanders through as if memory from another time as Devonte Hynes' whimsical score plays underneath. The story pieces together in a way that adds meditation to the mundane, making it into a beautiful reflection of being young and reckless, unable to understand the greater world beyond your own problems. It's a frank and honest film with a great performance by Emma Roberts grounding everything. Everyone may have not grown up in the houses in Palo Alto, CA, but the feeling of barely escaping trouble is. This is a perfect scrapbook of a time that is unlike any to come again. It's beautiful and precious in all of the best ways possible.
4. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Directed and Written By: Kathryn Bigelow
For every American, the events of 9/11 have had a seismic impact on how the world is seen. For some, it's the depression that comes with the loss while others take it further and desperately seek revenge. While it received controversy for its cruel depiction of interrogations, there have been few films that have gotten to the heart of this feeling quite like Zero Dark Thirty. It's a frustrating journey spanning over a decade of cat and mouse hunting, lead by Jessica Chastain in one of her career-best roles. She's dedicated, focused on capturing the man who brought forth so much misery. But, what exactly will happen once things are solved? It's a question that the film grapples with and makes it essential, even as the actual narrative has been legally proven to be false. It isn't about the truth, but the emotional distress that continues to haunt America almost 20 years later.
See Also: Detroit (2017)
5. Before Midnight (2013)
Written By: Julie Delpy
While it does seem likely that director Richard Linklater will better be remembered this decade for Boyhood, a lot of credit should be given to his other time-challenging drama. Before Midnight is the third film in an unlikely series that follows one could over the course of decades. The previous two were deeply rooted in the young romance that we all love to fantasize about. What makes the unexpected third entry a masterpiece on another level is how it ages the characters realistically. They have families now, their good looks are fading, and conversation about fading into irrelevance haunts every conversation. It helps that Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy have developed one of the most affecting chemistries of any couple on film. You buy into their achievements as well as their heartbreak, and the finale is a beautifully piercing reminder of how deep love can go for us all. It's still unclear if there will be a fourth film, though that's as predictable as this film existing. Still, here's hoping that if that day should come that it maintains the beauty and wisdom that this series so lovingly captures in every single piece of dialogue.
6. We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
Directed and Written By: Lynn Ramsey
In a sense, We Need to Talk About Kevin has aged profoundly due to the fact that violence has only become more complacent in society. It's unfortunate but gives meaning to a film that paints one mother's struggle to understand her child, an antichrist of sorts who is constantly at odds with her. It's the pain of raising a hellion, unsure of what to do to make their lives better. It's one of Tilda Swinton's best performances in a decade full of great performances, and the nonchronological format allows for the slow reveals to add depth to the past and present. Is Swinton just as much a monster for Kevin's demise? It's a film with no easy answers, and in the process creates one of the most haunting depictions of motherhood this decade while establishing Lynn Ramsey as one of the best directors of the modern era.
See Also: You Were Never Really Here (2018)
7. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
Directed and Written By: Ana Lily Amirpour
As far as directorial debuts come, few can claim to be as interesting in its blend of genres quite like Ana Lily Amirpour's. The Iranian filmmaker premiered her neo-western-horror-romance that takes the black and white cinematography and makes something beautiful. With a skateboarding vampire who listens to rock music, the film manages to avoid becoming precious by exploring the world of misfits with such clarity. It's a film with plenty of depth and explores the struggles of being young and different, especially in a culture that rewards complacency. While Amirpour has yet to come out with a film as effectively rich with detail as this, her English debut The Bad Batch at least shows her continuing to challenge style and story-telling in a manner that is enjoyable and odd. More than any filmmaker, she seems destined to make some of the most original and exciting films of the upcoming decade.
See Also: The Bad Batch (2016)
8. The Runaways (2010)
Directed and Written By: Floria Sigismondi, Written By: Cherie Currie (Book)
The world of music biopics can generously be described as contrived, but director Floria Sigismondi finds a way to not only make The Runaways entertaining but maybe even vital. With great central chemistry between Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning, the film explores what it means to be a young woman in a judgmental society. The Runaways are a band built on edge and being young rebels, and yet there's a bond between the girls that makes them something greater. They mature into women bonded together by their inability to trust anyone else, including their seedy manager played by a deliciously awful Michael Shannon. There's so much to love about the energy of the songs, and the heart of the performances make it something greater. This was the point where Stewart proved that she could be more than the Twilight girl. She was here to stay and she means business as one of the most talented performers of her generation.
9. Widows (2018)
Written By: Gillian Flynn
Few fiction writers have had as great of a decade as Gillian Flynn, whose work with Gone Girl and the TV series Sharp Objects has made her an essential voice in modern crime fiction. Her unique depiction of women stuck in compromising positions has produced some of the most memorable, controversial depictions in quite some time. However, her work with director Steve McQueen may be among her best... and it's not even based on her own work. The adaptation of an 80's TV series has an all-star cast lead by Viola Davis that explores women who are forced to perform a heist to close deals set up by their deceased husbands. It's a novel concept made better by the tense direction and how the story becomes a tale of social struggles that inform why we do bad things in the first place. It may have bombed at the box office, but the film will hopefully continue to be reappraised as the years roll on and its genius continues to be discovered from every one of its standout, excellent moments.
See Also: Gone Girl (2014)
10. American Honey (2016)
Directed and Written By: Andrea Arnold
Following incredible work in Fish Tank, director Andrea Arnold takes a trip over to America with an epic that explores the life of magazine-selling teens just trying to make enough to survive. With a breakthrough performance by Sasha Stone, the film is a brilliant epitome of what indie film can be as it finds authentic performances in first-time actors who fill this world with a unique personality. Not a lot may happen throughout the course of the film, but what Arnold does is allow this world to grow and be explored in a manner that is engrossing. There's power in every frame, and the results are perfect. It's a film that could've gone on for another 90 minutes and still been great. American Honey has so much greatness going for it that it's hard to ignore as kids sing Lady Antebellum. It's just a song in the back of the van, and yet it feels like the most important thing in the world.
11. Tully (2018)
Written By: Diablo Cody
The story of pregnancy on film has often been portrayed as something mythical and beautiful. It's true that there's something inspiring about having a child, though there are those few who aren't ashamed about talking about the dirty parts. Writer Diablo Cody made her breakthrough with the pregnancy comedy Juno and returns to the world 11 years later with a tale that's even more scarring and unpleasantly hilarious. With another career-best performance by Charlize Theron, this quasi-fairy tale explores the struggles of growing up and losing relevance as parenthood takes hold. There have been few films this honest and creative with the post partum depression phase of a woman's life, and it may be divisive as a result. Still, Cody has grown exceptionally as a writer over the years, and this is easily the best example of why she's an essential voice in modern cinema.
See Also: Young Adult (2011), Ricki and the Flash (2015)
12. Stories We Tell (2012)
Directed and Written By: Sarah Polley
Every family has a certain thing that makes them both singular and like everyone else. They all have stories about their family that has been handed down from generation to generation. In the case of director Sarah Polley's pseudo-documentary, she explores the life of her mother through multiple perspectives in her family. With footage both original and recreated, Polley goes out of her way not only to explore the life of this one woman but also how we tell stories in general. It's a deconstruction of family dynamics and narrative designs that explore what it means to remember someone. We all remember people differently, and Polley is one of the few to capture it on film in a way that's provocative and informative about this idea. It's definitely evidence of her talent as a filmmaker, even if she, unfortunately, hasn't released anything since.
See Also: Take This Waltz (2011)
13. The Love Witch (2016)
Directed and Written By: Anna Biller
The year 2016 brought with it two very different types of witch movies. The Robert Eggers film The Witch was a dark and demented look into a family being overcome by the demons. It's haunting because of just how realistic it all feels. On the flip side was director Anna Biller, whose heightened visuals with a bright pallet created a film that's borderline campy but also captured the story of female empowerment in a way that is memorable to say the least. There aren't many directors like Biller, and Samantha Robinson's performance here has a deadpan seriousness that makes the violent acts both appalling and maybe even humorous. There's a lot to love about the experience of watching the film, if just because it's hard to forget and proves that there's much more to Wiccan lore than being scary. Sometimes it's about using your sexuality to gain favors. Men are dumb and Biller understands that better than most in a delightful, crazy manner.
14. The Bling Ring (2013)
Directed and Written By: Sofia Coppola, Written By: Nancy Jo Sales (Article)
There have been few female directors with the clout and talent of Sofia Coppola. With an impressive decade that has seen some of her best work, she continues to be a vital voice to the cinema with her quiet stories of women struggling with their place in the world. While it's easy to put any of her films on this list, The Bling Ring feels special in part because it was part of the Freshman class of A24 Studios, but also because it took Emma Watson out of her comfort zone and made her a delightful debutante. It's a story about our obsession with fame and the void that trying to reach it without any noteworthy talent shares. While it's cold and easy to hate the central cast, it's a comedic tale that works as a cautionary tale wrapped in a documented look into naive youth. It's a bit frustrating, but it's the closest that Coppola has come to capturing the modern era in a way that is vital and even familiar.
See Also: Somewhere (2010), The Beguiled (2017)
15. Landline (2017)
Directed and Written By: Gillian Robespierre, Written By: Elisabeth Holm
Following her hot button issue comedy Obvious Child, director Gillian Robespierre returns with another Jenny Slate vehicle that is far more charming and hilarious. What the film does best is not only recreate the 90's in a way that isn't hacky, but finds the heart of a central sister relationship as they deal with their parents' affairs. It's the type of film that works in the tradition of hangout indie comedies while telling a story with as many twists and turns as they could fit into an emotional tale. It's a story about relationships connecting and falling apart in the familiar yet awkward ways that people in love often have. It may not seem like a great film, but it's a special one that explores family in a way that is as heartwarming as it is unpleasant. Slate has rarely been better, and one can hope that she teams up with Robespierre more often in the future.
See Also: Obvious Child (2014)
16. The Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015)
Directed and Written By: Marielle Heller, Written By: Phoebe Gloeckner
There have been hundreds of films exploring teen angst, but there have been few American films that have been as frank about sexuality as this. With a great lead performance by Bel Powley, the story explores a teenage girl's exploration not only of herself but also of how she forms certain relationships in her life. While its comic book adaptation shines through in fantastic segments, the story is grounded in a wounded familiarity. As teenagers try to understand their place in the world, they have awkward tumbles that are unpleasant and maybe too edgy for conventional cinema. While this is a solid R-Rated film, it's a great learning curve for teenagers entering the scary world. It's a touching film that gets to the heart of why we pursue the relationships that we do and treats them with a sincerity not often seen.
17. Mustang (2015)
Directed and Written By: Deniz Gamze Erguven, Written By: Alice Winocour
While there's a lot of great perspectives to be found in American cinema, there's something affecting about this vision of what it means to grow up in a strict household in a Turkish village. With comparisons to The Virgin Suicides, the story shows how a house full of teenage girls try to break out of the house in the hope of living a fulfilling life. The drama is powerful and sets first time director Deniz Gamze Erguven on an interesting path. With an ability to allow a quiet scene to play out in a meticulous manner, the personal story manages to be full of emotion and drama that will stick with the audience. Few have made being young and bored so compelling and familiar. Simple acts have rarely felt as grandiose as this. One can hope her career has many more hits like this down the line.
18. Appropriate Behavior (2014)
Directed and Written By: Desiree Akhavan
Her career may have just started, but Desiree Akhavan has quickly established herself as one of the most promising up and coming artists out there. With her debut feature, labeled a "pansexual Woody Allen," she goes into personal territory as she explores not only what it means to be Persian American, but also the struggles of finding love in the modern age. The moments are so candid that they had to come from experience. Akhavan fills each scene with a vulnerability that is complemented by awkward humor and a dedication to exploring modern sexuality. It may be a simple film, but Akhavan's charisma carries the film and makes it a sight to behold. Love is a messy thing, and few get it quite like her.
See Also: The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018)
19. Wonder Woman (2017)
Directed By: Patty Jenkins
In a time where Batman has received multiple reboots (including in LEGO form), it's strange that it took this long to produce a Wonder Woman movie. Given her prominence in pop culture as the premiere female superhero, there's so much to mine from an iconic career. With that said, the film was more than a tribute to the D.C. Comics character. It was a film that broke down the barriers and said that female superheroes not only could lead their own movies but produce stories as compelling and universal as the male counterpart. While the film will likely be studied for this grounds alone, Gal Gadot's great performance gives the film a permanence that is undeniable and the World War I setting helps to explore gender politics in a manner that is never on the nose condescending. The battlefield scene alone is worth the price of admission and raises the question not only of why it took this long for a Wonder Woman movie but also why female directors haven't gotten projects this big regularly. Patty Jenkins' work here is superb and proves that boys aren't the only one who can breathe life into action. In fact, they're sometimes better.
20. Tiny Furniture (2010)
Directed and Written By: Lena Dunham
For those who grew up in the age of Twitter outrage, it's hard to remember a time before Lena Dunham's Girls became a controversial part of the conversation. With a frank look at the struggles of 20-somethings, the show captured a side of growing up that wasn't pleasant at times, and maybe too honest for Dunham. Her first film as a director may have barely escaped some of that ire, but it still proved her confidence as a future creator. Most of the Girls cast makes some appearance here and it helps to establish her as one of the most promising voices of her generation. The film's as awkward and gross as her HBO series, but there's still plenty of substance underneath to fuel a compelling character study of a woman not entirely sure what she wants to do with the rest of her life.
See Also: Nobody Walks (2012)
21. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)
Directed and Written By: Lorene Scafaria
Post-apocalyptic cinema is a dime-a-dozen these days. It's so full of dread and, in the case of Mad Max: Fury Road, full of wicked car chases. What director and writer Lorene Scafaria posits is a world where something more mundane happens. It isn't about spectacle, but more the heart of what it means to know that your death is imminent. With one of Steve Carrell's best performances, the film works as an ensemble comedy that deals with dark subjects in a quirky manner that manages to balance sadness with the upbeat nature of enjoying your last moments alive. It's a mature vision and one that works as a perfect tale of self-reflection for the modern man. It's still a unique story that can touch you if you're willing to give into its heart.
See Also: The Meddler (2015)
22. Cloud Atlas (2012)
Directed and Written By: Lana and Lilly Wachowski
When looking back at this triumphant decade, there will be few puzzlements of cinematic achievement quite like Cloud Atlas. With a story that intertwines hundreds of years of human civilization and make-up work that remains controversial, the story is a philosophical journey that tries to explain how everything is connected. Even if it has its flaws, what it makes up for is one of the most expansive and creative films of the 21st century. It pushes boundaries and proves that art house films have reached new heights, especially since this is considered the biggest budgeted indie film in history. Still, it's a film that is often breathtaking, powerful, and challenging. It's what cinema should be and is arguably the greatest achievement The Wachowski Sisters have made since The Matrix. They continue to remain a singular force in pop culture's grasp of sci-fi, though rarely have they been this exact with their vision.
23. Lady Macbeth (2016)
Written By: Alice Birch
By the time that you read this, actress Florence Pugh will hopefully be on her way to becoming one of her generation's best actresses. While she has done work before, there's no denying that her turn here demands attention, asking the audience to take every uncomfortable decision and judge her for it. It's a tale of a woman who grows bored with being a housewife and performs a series of homicidal acts that are shocking. They're only made worse by the period piece setting and the lingering dread that pops up in every frame. How could you possibly deny the charisma of Pugh here? Even when she doesn't say much, she threatens you in a way that demands attention. It may be a quieter film, but Alice Birch's adaptation is a thing of haunting beauty, relying as much on atmosphere as it does action in ways that are hard to forget.
24. A Simple Favor (2018)
Written By; Jessica Sharzer (Screenplay), Darcey Bell (Novel)
It would be easy to put most of director Paul Feig's work on this list, especially as the more recognized Bridesmaids was considered a breakthrough for women in comedy. However, there have been few oddball films in his repertoire as that of his latest. It's one of those trashy murder mysteries that in a post-Gone Girl world have become rote. However, the writer Jessica Sharzer adapts Darcey Bell's novel with an acidic wit, playing into every dark impulse that a film like this would need to have fun. It may not ever resonate on a level as Gillian Flynn's masterpiece, but it does have a career-best performance from Blake Lively and an aesthetic that turns the trash into class and throws the audience into one of the most exciting third acts of the decade. It may be a very silly film that favors titillation over logic, but Sharzer makes every frame matter in a way only complimented by gorgeous costume design and Feig's cheeky direction.
See Also: Nerve (2016)
25. Step Up 3D (2010)
Written By: Amy Andelson and Emily Meyer
In a world of endless franchises, there have been few as unappreciated as the Step Up franchise. Over the course of five films, the series reflected some of the best and most innovative ways to bust a move on the big screen. Along with a breakthrough work by director Jon M. Chu, the third entry encapsulated the series best by bringing a new dimension to the dance. It's as much an art piece as it is a story of misfits coming together. With a great central cast and an upbeat soundtrack, the camera whirls around the characters with such ease that it becomes a powerful statement on dance in general. There's power in every frame and with characters exuding great chemistry, this is a one of a kind achievement made better by its excellent writing and direction.
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